COMING BACK by Lauren Dane is book #3 the Ink & Chrome series. Set at Twisted Steel, a custom hot rod and motorcycle shop, book 3 sees the third of the three owners find his Happily Ever After. Dane at her earthy best brings Mick his HEA in the form of a ménage, with his best friend since childhood Jessi and their other best friend Adam.

Mick, Jessilynn, and Adam have known each other forever, it seems. Mick & Jessi became best friends as next door neighbors when Jessi was 5. Jessi's welcoming family was a haven for Mick from Mick's awful home life. Adam met Jessi in high school and they also became best friends. The three were constant companions for years, but when they tried exploring the sexual feeling they all had for each other, things imploded. Their shared history really gives a feeling of solidity and believability to the current romance.

Mick's conservative and religious family can't accept Mick's bisexuality, and went on the attack when they discovered the three together in bed 5 years ago. Mick ran away from Adam and Jessi and escaped into the military, leaving his family and the two loves of his life behind for 2 tours in Iraq. Now Mick is home, racing cars, brawling in a street fight club, and fixing up hot rods. Adam locked himself in the world of business away from his uptight blended family, and hid from his feeling for his friends. But now Jessi has come back home to Seattle and decides it's time to go after the two men she wants.

As in all Dane's books, the main characters are remarkably well adjusted and insightful, especially given their histories. There are some significant issues caused by family members, but much of the book is fairly straightforward advancement of the relationship between Mick, Jess, and Adam. Because the three were so close previously, they jump very rapidly into the new relationship. Rapidly enough that it makes me uncomfortable at the beginning, as they all move in together one day after meeting up again! I am able to let that annoyance go later in the book as I immerse myself more deeply into their relationship, however. Dane is a virtuoso of bedroom scenes that will rock your world, and the heat level here is smokin' high!

While there are nuances of the story that are better appreciated by reading the Ink & Chrome series in order, this love story completely stands and succeeds on its own two feet. The friendships of the characters are rock solid, and the nurturing care that both the men and women exhibit for each other is heartwarming. I love the positive modeling of mature behavior, and I applaud Dane's message about toxic relationships. There are some great nuggets about real life here amidst the super hot sexytimes, elevating COMING BACK beyond simply erotic romance. COMING BACK is yet another strong winner by my perennial favorite Lauren Dane.