Raphael and Dmitri's story was the slowest of slow-burns, and I savored every step of their journey. Though this book can technically be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading State of Mind first to better understand Luca and Raphael's friendship because it added a lot of depth to the rest of the story. Dmitri and Raphael stumbled into their friendship accidentally, though they'd been aware of each other for a lot longer. They each had their own reasons for believing they would never find love, but as they spent more and more time together, it was impossible to deny that they'd fallen head over heels for each other. Dmitri was a lot more open with himself about his crush on Raphael, but he'd convinced himself it could never turn into anything because of his reputation in town and lack of desire for sex. Raphael's hesitance mainly came from all the lovers in his past who'd left him behind, and he'd convinced himself that the only way for Dmitri to stay in his life was to never act on any romantic feelings he was harboring. The two of them circled each other for years, building a fantastic friendship but never allowing themselves to think about more except in the privacy of their own internal longings. Because they kept their cards very close to their chests, the majority of the story didn't even feel like a romance, and instead more of a "daily life in Savannah" storytelling. I did enjoy seeing Dmitri move past his reputation in town and pursue a career that spoke to him, and at the same time Raphael was experiencing the ups and downs of aging with his disability. Both men tried dating other people throughout this book, but at the end of the day there was no one who could come close to their connection. I can't say Raphael and Dmitri were one of my favorite couples, but it's mainly because they had very little on-page romance, and their story ended just when they'd finally committed to giving each other a chance. I loved the small-town friendships that were prominent in this story, and I thought the main plotlines were compelling, but I'll always wonder what shape Dmitri and Raphael's relationship grew into with more time.

**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions. 

Rating: 4
Steam: 2
PoV: dual, 3rd person
MM | slow burn | ace rep | age gap

Less Than Three was a slow, slooow burn story, but oh so sweet and rewarding once these two stubborn, perfectly flawed characters finally stopped resisting each other!

Dmitri and Raphael both nestled themselves into my heart and their stories were tugging hard on my heart strings. The portrayal of these men was emotional, honest and raw, and I loved their little moments together, their friendship and connection. Their connection was beautiful, and there was so much tenderness in their interactions.

As they were both hesitant to share their feelings for each other, there was a lot of pining and crushing from afar. It was almost sweet at times, but there were also some heartbreaking moments where it was difficult to see how they’d get to be together. I loved the slow burn though, it really felt like the right kind of story for these characters.

“I don’t know how to be asexual and also be in love.” Dmitri really knew how to make my heart ache, and while it hurt to see him struggle with it, I loved the ace rep and how his asexuality was written. It was very interesting to follow Dmitri’s thoughts and feelings, and his character growth was just fantastic.

Less Than Three was an emotional read, full of pining and pain - but also love, support and friendship. The writing was gorgeous and there was a lot of diversity and representation - as per usual in E.M. Lindsey’s stories. Raphael and Dmitri were definitely worthy of their HEA, and it was so heartwarming to finally see them together!