This book wasn't for me..sadly I really struggled with it.
That said, I applaud the author and many other people will love it!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is fast paced. The story is told from three perspectives. The story is about toxic friendships. I felt that this was a depressing read. Not really for me

Read this book so long ago and unfortunately didn’t post my review in time! Review to come, apologies for the delay

I was looking forward to reading The Three of Us, and it started well. Told from three perspectives - first the wife, then the husband, then finally the best friend (Temi, the only one named!). From the outset, it is clear that Temi doesn’t like the husband and is keen to break the marriage up. It isn’t clear what the wife feels. There are moments of tenderness with her husband, but also times when she is obviously on Temi’s side, laughing at things he does. The husband is equally unimpressed with Temi and is keen to get her out of the house. All good and enjoyable to read.

My problem came with the ending. Temi is a singularly unlikeable character, completely self-obsessed and determined that she knows what’s best for the wife. Her actions and behaviour are appallling - snooping round their house and generally stirring up trouble between the married couple - and I was desperate for her to get some form of comeuppance, but… nothing. The book just ends, abruptly, and with no clear point.

Sadly disappointing ending compared to the rest of the story.

I really enjoyed this one although it was not without some flaws!

The premise of the book is as follows: The story takes place over the course of one day and is divided into three segments, each of which is told from the perspective of a different character: The wife, the husband and the best friend. Each of the characters has a distinctive narrative voice and this is definitely where the book’s strength lies and the reason why I would recommend it to others who enjoy this style of literary, contemporary fiction.

Beware: This is the sort of book where you’re not necessarily meant to love the characters, or even just one character in particular. The relationships are somewhere on a spectrum between codependent and outright toxic. Personally, I particularly enjoyed this part though, this felt like an imperfect slice of the imperfect life of flawed people and that was OK for me although it would have been nice to have some sort of arc or redemption mixed in and this is where I found the book a bit lacking. The story just… ends. I’m writing this review with a little bit of distance because I remember that I was quite annoyed about this when I first finished it. With some time having passed, however, I think I got “over” this and can appreciate the positive aspects outweighing.

The writing style is a bit unusual and “modern” - it’s very stream-of-consciousness and sometimes it’s not clear who is speaking. I got used to it pretty quickly and it didn't bother me but I can see how it would bother other people. Although I do think the book is very well worth a read, this is also the reason why I would recommend borrowing the book and perhaps getting it from the library before committing financially and emotionally to it. If the writing isn’t for you, it will be difficult to get into this, even if the book is relatively short.

Title: "The Three of Us" by Ore Agbaje-Williams: A Compelling Tale of Friendship and Personal Growth

"The Three of Us" by Ore Agbaje-Williams is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that explores the intricacies of human relationships and the transformative power of personal growth. Set in the vibrant backdrop of Nigeria, the story follows the lives of three individuals whose paths intertwine in unexpected ways.

The novel delves into the complexities of friendship, highlighting the deep bond that can form between people from different walks of life. Through the characters' interactions and shared experiences, Agbaje-Williams skillfully portrays the nuances of friendship, capturing the joys, challenges, and conflicts that arise when individuals with diverse backgrounds come together.

One of the strengths of "The Three of Us" is Agbaje-Williams' ability to create well-rounded and relatable characters. Each character is imbued with their own unique voice and perspective, allowing readers to connect with their struggles, dreams, and personal growth. The author explores their individual journeys, delving into themes of self-discovery, resilience, and the pursuit of happiness.

The narrative unfolds with a delicate balance of tension and introspection, keeping readers engaged and invested in the characters' stories. Agbaje-Williams' writing style is evocative, painting vivid scenes that transport readers to the vibrant streets of Nigeria. The cultural nuances and rich descriptions add depth and authenticity to the story, immersing readers in the characters' world.

"The Three of Us" also touches on broader themes such as societal expectations, gender roles, and the complexities of navigating relationships in a changing world. Agbaje-Williams tackles these themes with sensitivity and thoughtfulness, offering insights into the challenges faced by individuals in Nigerian society.

Overall, "The Three of Us" is a compelling and emotionally resonant novel that explores the intricacies of friendship and personal growth. Ore Agbaje-Williams' storytelling prowess shines through, creating a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. This book is a testament to the power of human connection and the transformative nature of personal journeys.

I wish I hadn't taken so long to read this one ... It's thought provoking and insightful. It asks some good questions about relationships.

I really enjoyed it. Would recommend.

The Three of Us asks some powerful, though-provoking questions, which also brings some surprising comedic moments, as well as some that are quite sharp and caustic. It's insightful as we, the reader, are led into the lives of 3 middle class Nigerian millennial's lives in London. Told in 3 parts, all the different angles and perspectives are covered. The thing is, all could have been nice and lovely, but then 3 isn't always a good number and one of them ends up being piggy in the middle as she loves her friend and her husband, but they don't feel this way towards each other, creating friction and tension in the household. This one day builds up to a crescendo as time progresses and tensions keenly build as love and friendship collide, and in doing so, brings quite a compelling story of unravelling how something could've been so perfect, just isn't working out like that.

I did not enjoy this book. It is told alternately from the perspective of the three main characters - the wife, the husband and the wife's best friend. I found each of these characters to be odious, entitled, rude and unpleasant. I wanted to empathise with one of them but I just could not as they were all horrible and unlikeable!
A great concept for a book and I suspect that this author has the potential to write a really good, thought-provoking book, but this was not it. Extremely disappointing.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and can relate and understand the dynamics and culture and the difficulties all 3 of the main characters are facing (more so the husband and wife) and feel that a lot of the lower rated reviews on goodreads potentially (in my opinion) might be from people that don't necessarily understand the dynamics behind some aspects of the Nigerian culture especially when it comes to family and marital bonds and expectations within a marriage and the fierce outspoken friend who is loyal but doesn't know when to step back and let her friend enjoy her marriage (showing a lot of jealousy).

As a white british woman who is married to an Igbo man for 8 years (he came to UK when he was 12 and has been here for 23 years) (and growing up in later years with an Igbo step dad) I have been immersed in the culture (at times challenging environment when living with my partner, his mum and siblings) and changing dynamics; and although my partner has lived in the UK longer then he did in Nigeria, he is a strong Igbo man at heart first and foremost and his roots are (rightly) very strong but that can make the relationship dynamics difficult when dating outside of culture in a different country, When I travelled to Nigeria with him and out 2 daughters I understood even more the difference in behaviours and culture and at heart the very strong familiar roots which are so important (which a lot of white families lack).

The husband in the story has a lot of traditional expectations of his wife and clearly does not want to share his wife with anyone and hates her best friend for always 'being in his face' and not respecting his boundaries. His wife feels torn between loyalty for her friend (who was there before her husband) but also her duties and expectations and submission as a wife to her husband.

The dynamics in the trio is all told from each person's perspective and I felt it was a very powerful insight into what can be really challenging dynamics when trying to keep everybody happy when at the heart of it the wife is the one having to sacrifice her own peace and happiness by trying to fulfill the ever demanding needs of her husband and her best friend.

Clever, engaging and original The Three of Us is a witty, sharp and fun take on middle class. It's distinctive and a book you will remember reading.

The hook really pulled me in here and the writing really kept me turning the pages. I love how we're taken through one day, from the perspective of all three characters, and also given glimpses into their recent pasts which offer context to their relationships. Not quite five as the ending fell a little flat for me – I was expecting a bigger, darker twist perhaps, but it didn't take away too much from the overall enjoyment of this. I've recommended it to colleagues and friends as these characters are too good not to discuss, and I'd love to pick apart the ending with them.

The Three of Us is a domestic Comedy of Manners told in three parts: from Wife's perspective, Husband's perspective and Wife's Best Friend's perspective.
This short novel charts the domestic interactions and dynamics between a wealthy, well-educated British / Nigerian couple and Temi, the Wife's manipulative and sometimes devilish childhood friend who is always over at their house and often overstays her welcome.

The book is hilarious in parts but I have also found it frustrating and slow in other parts; as the story "doesn't seem to go anywhere". I was not surprised to find out that it had been written during the covid-19 pandemic, when some of us felt trapped at home with our other halves and loved (or less loved) ones.

The book definitely has claustrophobic undertones, as the reader is drawn into this unusual threesome which relationship and power struggle does not show any obvious outcome or promise for change and improvement. In fact,
As the Adage goes: "two's company but three's a crowd".

I can't believe that this whole story took place in a single day. I certainly takes readers on a journey into the life of the wife, husband and best friend, Temi. Three is a crowd has never made as much sense to me like it did in this story. Temi is super possessive of her friend. She is disappointed that the friend did not stay true to their vow to remain single and fabulous for life. She is disappointed in her friend's choice of spouse and doesn't hide this. She also actively and very openly inserts herself in their marriage hence forcing them into some awkward throuple.

I was a little thrown off by the lack of dialogue, speech quotation marks and the running paragraphs but once I got used to it, it became really had to put this one down. I loved how witty it was and the twists that came from all the revealed secrets. What a fun, brilliant read!

This was a quick one at less than 200 pages. It kept me entertained and I wanted to find our more about the story of these 3 people and I thought it was well written. However, all 3 people were not nice people and very hard to enjoy. It was quite cringey at times reading the dynamic between the friend and the central character and then the central character and her husband. But it defo kept me reading to find out more!

This book takes us through three perspectives of one day- a woman and the two people she is pulled between regularly- her husband and her best friend, who do not like each other and see the other as being a terrible influence on the central woman in this triangle.

The three perspectives reveal hidden details- trickery, hurt feelings and malice, and how they all are holding on to images and beliefs that may have changed with time.

Overall, I found it a quick and enjoyable read, but I feel like I wanted a bit more- either further development of the characters' lives and motives (the shortness of the book sometimes left them feeling a bit underdeveloped to me) or expanding the concept further to explore what other blind spots they may have had.

It was still a fun read, but I felt as if the good concept was under-served.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.8 stars

There are 3 people in this marriage.: husband, wife and her best friend, who believes her friend is not happy and is surprised to find out they are trying for a baby.

The story is narrated through each character's point of view., only one name is revealed and the characters are not very likeable.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I was quite disappointed by this book. I thought the premise looked really interesting - to see a set of events from three different perspectives. But in the end there wasn't much dramatic tension and there was absolutely no closure - I was genuinely shocked at where the story ended! I liked what the author was trying to do but don't think they managed to achieve it.

I've been looking forward to this one since it was announced - and it did not disappoint! Brilliant premise, even better execution. I loved it.

I was interested in this book, but I had a hard time getting into it. The story takes place in one day and is told from three perspectives: the wife, the husband, and Temi. I didn't like that the wife and husband didn't have names. The writing was good, and there were some funny parts, but I didn't enjoy the book overall. I got a free e-copy of this book from Random House UK and NetGallery in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.