Three’s A Crowd by Simon Booker is an hilarious romantic comedy that follows the misadventures of an unlucky-in-love barista and two very attractive, if mismatched suitors. Harriet is captivated by the combination of Tom’s down-to-earth kindness and Richard’s more rakish allure, and little does she know she is in for a rather unexpected surprise.

Through humor, emotion and captivating dialogue, Three’s A Crowd examines how misunderstanding, expectations and modern attitudes to family shape how we view relationships and our decisions. Readers will root for the two men as they battle to win Harriet’s heart, while all three must also try to come to terms with their situation in order to create the kind of happy ending we all deserve. Three’s A Crowd is an irresistible and entertaining page-turner with plenty of warmth and heart.

Not your usual book, and I was bemused about the concept of a father and son falling for the same woman, definitely film worth storylines, but intrigue got me.

As I read I got more comfortable with the characters and writing style, I don’t know if it was the concept still making me wary but I am so glad I stuck it out.

A story that looks at all aspects of relationships – of romantic and familial types.

Its full of humour, with some great lines coming from Nan who is a star.

By the end I found I had thoroughly enjoyed this boo, it’s a little bit left field but uplifting and will leave you feeling well entertained.

I have to start by apologising to the author and publishers as I should have read this back in 2021 when the ebook was published. As I was so excited by the sound of this book but life got in the way. Fast forward to 2022 and I jumped at the chance of being a part of this tour for Simon & Schuster.

Three’s A Crowd was the perfect tonic of a read. Simon has managed to create a story that’s real, that’s funny and that also incorporates mental health, emotions and a whole lot more.

Harriet, Richard and Tom are all very different people. Yet each of them has an insecurity that makes them real to life. Each of them are extremely normal but they are all hiding so much behind the surface of their individual lives. The premise of two men falling for the same woman and being related made this an intriguing read but that wasn’t the half of it. One hell of a journey with lots of secrets and intrigue thrown in. Plus listening to two men make a play for the same girl was funny as hell especially as the story plays out.

I loved how this was written we had chapters from each of them some shorter than others meaning there were many days of just a few more pages. As the story transpired there were many an OMG moment where I needed to continue reading, one of the massive moments I read just as my break was ending. That meant it was on my mind for the rest of my shift making me desperate to turn the pages almost instantly as I sat on my bus home.

Being a Londoner I wholeheartedly loved the Transport for London aspect and that of the radio show.

Three’s A Crowd is the perfect dose of humour yet managing to focus on real-life taboo subjects that are so real to the lives we all live. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that incorporates so much yet has me smiling so much. A fantastic debut read I honestly look forward to what Simon comes up with next.

Do you know, I was rather afraid I wasn’t going to enjoy this book. It was just a bit of a shock to the system at first with the quirky characters and their separate voices, the SHOUTING (albeit in Harriet’s head), the “twat nozzles” and “dick-wazzocks” – it just wasn’t what I was used to, or expecting. But I have to say that I thought it was just superb – gloriously different and original, wonderfully written, and a story (with some of the most unpredictable twists and turns I’ve ever come across…) that was completely fabulous.

Tom makes his living writing articles for Double Glazing Monthly, but in his spare time – and there’s quite a lot of that – he’s writing a musical that he hopes will be a hit West End show. The high point of his day is visiting the New Dalston Cafe, and being served his coffee by Harriet – she’s a down-on-her-luck actress, currently living with her gran, the high point of her career playing a dead body in an episode of Midsomer Murders, incapable of success at her many auditions because of the voices in her head.

Tom is currently estranged from his father Richard – their family set-up is (to put it mildly) just a little complicated, with Tom’s mother on a yoga retreat in Goa, having an affair with her female yoga teacher. Richard presents the lunchtime show on Silk FM – he’s a bit of a smoothie, with a rather nice lifestyle but a private life as empty as that of his son. Harriet and Richard’s paths cross when she enters a competition to become the Voice of London, hosted by the radio station, and he finds himself enchanted by her – and, as you’ll see from the blurb, that brings him into conflict with his son, who has also decided that Harriet is “the one”.

But that’s really only the start of the story – and the reappearance of “Cockweasel”, Harriet’s erstwhile (married, with children) partner, is just the catalyst for a dizzying number of complications. It goes on to explore the world of second bananas, putting on a West End showcase in the room over a pub, the lengths homeless and poverty-stricken gigolos might be willing to go to, the problems of disposing of the proceeds of crime… and that’s barely touching the surface. It proceeds at a pace that sometimes leaves you a little breathless – but my goodness, it really is quite a story.

And, having at first not been quite sure about the separate key characters’ voices, it’s a fantastic way to manage its telling – I was rather sorry that I hadn’t chosen to listen to it as an audiobook, but the voices were so clear and consistent that I almost felt I had. And it’s certainly not all madcap fun and adventure – there’s a stunning emotional depth at times in the way it handles mental health issues and the complex relationships between its characters. And in addition to the three main characters, there’s a rather stellar supporting cast too – very much central to the story, adding even more layers of both humour and poignancy.

I really, really loved it – extremely funny, unexpectedly touching, a bit shocking at times, sometimes a little disturbing, sometimes tugging entirely unexpectedly at the heartstrings, and the whole story is just fantastic. Highly recommended by me!

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

This book had a unique concept that was both intriguing and entertaining. It was a laugh a minute and I loved every second I spent with these characters. It certainly wasn't what I was expecting....it was even better.

A funny, lighter interpretation of the love triangle trope. When two people fall in love with the same woman, what you don’t expect is for those two people to be related, let alone father and son.
Honestly, with love triangles, I find myself leaning towards one or the other, but with this, I could see Harriet happily with either. Both Richard and Tom are easily likeable characters, and I find myself drawn to all of them, especially Nan (love her!)
This book is witty, and charming, and with just the right amount of laughs and twists and turns. It’s not too complicated and dramatic, just light enough to be engaging. Throughly enjoyed it.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

The unusual premise of this book immediately caught my attention. What would happen if a father and son both fall for the same woman… intriguing, right?

I must admit that it took me a good few chapters to get to grips with the writing and the characters, but after a slow start it all fell into place.

The author explores the issue of relationships – family, romantic and friendships – and there are certainly a fair few versions of each in this story! The book also takes a look at mental health. It does so in a humorous fashion but not so as to detract from the seriousness of the issue.

The story revolves around three flawed, frustrating but likeable characters - Harriet, Tom and Richard. Gorgeous George (Tom’s grandfather) and Nancy (Harriet’s Nan) may have small parts in the overall story, however they are certainly scene stealers, particularly Nan who gets some of the best lines in the book!

Three’s A Crowd is a witty, clever and unique take on a romantic comedy. It’s entertaining, engaging, a little bit quirky and ultimately uplifting, plus the plot will certainly keep the reader interested.

I love this book! This is a beautifully written book and I cannot believe that this is a debut. I cannot say anything negative about this one.

Firstly a big thank you to the team at books and the city for my copy to review on netgalley. Also apologies in the delay, I’m dedicating this week to catching up on my netgalley tbr!

I raced through this today and it was a great fun read. A fresh original concept with many bumps along the way.

Great characters and there were real lol moments for me especially with Harriets nan .

The story is told through 4 narratives but largely 3 and this gives each unique character their voice and outlook on the situation.

It’s witty, funny ,modern and a joy to read .

Published 24th August and I highly recommend

Richard is a DJ at the local oldies radio station. His son, Tom, is a struggling writer, working on his musical. They haven’t spoken to each other for a long time, having a rather difficult relationship, with Richard for example not speaking to Tom, when he was 6 years old, and his wife Bonnie, for a whole year – there are some revelations coming our way here! But then father and son meet Harriet, though they don’t know that the other one also met her, and also fell in love with her – until they know. What now? Is one of them going to back down or is the situation going to escalate?

I loved the premise of the story and the more I read, the more intrigued I was and the more I wanted to know how it’s going to end. And well, I absolutely haven’t guessed the end, so there. I am still, after having finished the book a few hours ago, wondering if I’m satisfied with it or not, but on the other hand, if the ending was different, would I be satisfied? No, I think the author has got out from all those troubles and the dilemma really well.
I know that love triangle may be an uncomfortable topic, but Simon Booker took a much lighter and funnier approach in his book. The whole affair was actually like a background to the many other events and subplots taking place in the story, and there were plenty of them, there was all the time something happening and I really loved it like this.

The characters were great, so well drawn and really well developed, I felt a part of their fictional world, I cheered with them, cringed with them and kept my fingers crossed for them. Tom and Richard were actually both so likeable that I’ve never actually wanted to take sides, and Harriet was a perfect balance to them both. The background characters were sometimes really bonkers and I couldn’t believe my eyes, I felt as if I were in a gangster film sometimes, what with Gorgeous George spinning stories about an African gold mine for example.

Now, perhaps I’m overthinking things here, apologies in advance, but there came a moment in the story when it started to feel like a bit different read, taking turn from a rom – com to more of comedy of random errors with whiz – bang shoot-’em-ups and with the events happening incredibly quickly, at the end we were literally moving from scene to scene, quickly and without a warning. The last parts of the story felt too chopped and too rushed and absolutely different to the rest of the book. Nevertheless, I found this book a brilliant and entertaining debut and I liked how the story played out and that, despite being so light – hearted and funny, it was full of depth and also thought – provoking, much more than a love – story.

I love the premise for this story, two people in love with the same girl who just happen to be related. I think it would make an excellent limited series for Netflix and I can imagine is playing out with much humour on the screen. I was expecting a little slapstick humour in the book but it actually goes a lot deeper than that. This book tackles mental health head on, delving into topics not often talked about in a romantic comedy in this way and I definitely applaud Simon Booker for the content choices that he made.

Harriet, Tom and Richard feel very true to life. Their careers, their home lives and their hopes and dreams all seem very easy to relate to and I felt like they could really exist. I listened to the audiobook for this and was lucky enough to listen on a couple of train/ bus journeys through London. Whilst listening I could picture the characters walking along the streets I was traveling and I loved the TFL link with Harriet.

It took me a while to get to know each character and adjust to the structure of the book, I started reading this one as an ebook but I kept losing which character was which and so that's why I downloaded the audiobook. The narration of each character really helped me get to grips with whose chapter we were on an I felt like I got a deeper understanding of who everyone was. The eBook felt a little slow in the beginning but once I got into the audiobook I flew through the rest fo the story.

I really enjoyed the context and the way the storyline played out. I did find it funny and I was invested in Harriet's story. I warmed to Harriet as a character despite the questionable choices he made. I would like to revisit Tom's character again in the future to find out what has become of his dreams and his relationship with his family. I strong 2021 debut.

I have noticed that I read very few books written by men, and if I do pick one up, it tends to be a thriller. So I was interested to read a romcom written by a man, especially after reading fabulous reviews from some of my favourite authors, including Milly Johnson and Heidi Swain.

The story is narrated by three of the main characters, Tom, Richard and Harriet (and an occasional guest appearance from George). Through a series of events, they find their lives overlapping in ways they could never have imagined.

Tom and Richard are keen to impress Harriet (both immediately pretend to be vegetarian) but Harriet is still in love with Damian, a married man. I loved how Tom and Richard discovered that they had fallen for the same woman. Would it be a case of all is fair in love and war?

I thoroughly enjoyed the humour in this story – something much needed in the world at the moment. This isn’t a long epic read, the pace is quick and there are plenty of clever twists to keep you wondering what will happen next.

This is also a book that reminds us that we need to live life to the full, to follow our hearts and dreams, and to try rather than listen to our self-doubts. There are some tender scenes too, as Tom and Richard finally start to communicate.

Happy to recommend this uplifting read.

Richard and Tom, father and son, both meet and fall for Harriet, an out of work actor. Neither Harriet, Tom, a content writer struggling to put together his first musical, or Richard, a DJ at a local oldies station, realise the situation they've found themselves in until they're all a little too invested. Throw in a lying ex-boyfriend and a con artist grandfather and things get even more complicated.

I really enjoyed this comedy from Simon Booker. It made me laugh on several occasions and went in a direction I wasn't expecting, certainly not your standard love triangle fare. The characters were a high point here, and certainly made the book stand out from others in the same genre I've read recently. they were well written, distinct and popped easily off the page into your mind's eye. The plot was great too; at a good pace which kept me reading, and resolved well. Recommended.

This was an unexpected great read! Lovely funny rom com, a bit different that it’s a father and son who are love rivals. Perfect summer read, would recommend.

Funny, witty and a timely relief from the world at the mo
Good characters and story,well told and humorous
Formatting not great for this, using kindle app for iphone

Thanks to netgalley for the copy of this book.

I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book, it's not your standard rom-com that I tend to favour, however overall I did enjoy it. It explored relationships and family drama in an unexpected way, with a dash of mystery and seedy scheming. I found myself rooting for each character during their narrative which is quite interesting.

Out-of-work actor Harriet is recuperating from a crash-and-burn affair with Damian – aka ‘Cockweasel’ – and making ends meet as a barista when she meets two rather lovely men. Tom is a regular at the café, and seems like such a nice guy. Smooth-talking DJ Richard is older, but in great shape – a real silver fox.

Deciding to take a chance on both of them, Harriet doesn’t realise at first that she is actually dating father and son. Tom and Richard aren’t on speaking terms, and don’t share a last name – so how was she to know? By the time everyone finds out, both Tom and Richard are truly madly deeply in love with Harriet, and she’s faced with an impossible choice.

But as the battle for her affections intensifies, ‘Cockweasel’ makes an unexpected reappearance and begs her to give him another chance…

thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review. I found this book very funny, I laughed out loud at it a few times. The phrase rom-com was made for books like this that aren't too heavy on the relationships but have a great deal of comedy in them too.

Overall a funny read, look forward to seeing what the author produces next.

This was exactly what I needed. I was enthralled and laughed so much. Absolutely loved it from start to finish.

What happens when an estranged father and son unwittingly fall in love with the same woman?

That is exactly what happens to Harriet, who meets Tom, a regular customer at the café she works at, and his dad, radio presenter DJ Richard who she meets at ‘The Voice of London competition’.

Having just come out of a shambolic relationship, with cheating Damian aka ‘Cockweasel’. Harriet decides to take a chance on both men, not realising they are father and son, and by the time the truth is out, both Tom and Richard are deeply in love with Harriet, leaving her with an impossible choice.

Three’s A Crowd has a little bit of everything in there. As expected, it is a love triangle romance story, but with humour and mysteries thrown in. Themes in the book included relationships and breakups, career confidence, big life decisions and mental health illness.

Normally in novels with a triangular love story, I find myself having a favourite and see one lover as more worthy than another, but as the mysteries unravel throughout the book, it was very hard not to emphasise with everyone. I think this goes to show just how impeccable the way Simon Booker portrayed the characters was, and this does not only go for the main three protagonists, but also for the minor characters too. Nancy, Harriet’s hilarious Nan, and Gorgeous George, Richard’s runaway Dad, really added value to the story.

Overall, a light, humourful rom-com , which I would give 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.