Arctic Wild by Annabeth Albert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love the feeling I get when I finish an Annabeth Albert story. It's like everything just falls perfectly into place and I have a bit of happiness and hope in my heart. This newest book of hers is no exception.

Reuben is a rapidly aging attorney in the tri-state area and has worked himself silly to provide and care for his ex-wife and teenage daughter. When his co-workers/friends bail on an Alaskan vacation, he's stuck going himself. But it's not all bad. He meets tour guide Toby, who's young and fun, but with a ton of baggage. When their plane crashes in the middle of nowhere they both get a chance to save each other, and then possibly save themselves.

I love how Annabeth Albert sets up a story. It's never some random made up city. Every detail is calculated and each decision is metered, her obvious research adding so much to the book.

Both MC's had issues, but there wasn't a ton of angst, nor was there a huge communication gap, which I am always grateful for. Toby worked hard for every cent he made and used that money to take care of his sisters and father. He had a lot of pride, which became a point of contention.

Reuben was able to find his way into being part of his daughter's life with the help of Toby. He was able to see how much his work ruled his life and how much he was missing.

I also LOVED the mention of Adrian Gottlieb's game Space Villager from her book Status Update. Easter Eggs are super fun!

Overall, this was a lovely read with some wonderful characters who both find what they are looking for and become better for it. Recommended read.

*Galley copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/*

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Off Base by Annabeth Albert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been listening to this series completely out of order, but it hasn't really affected my love for these guys, so WIN.

This was a great story, but it took a while for me to really get into the relationship between the MC's especially since Pike had the experience of his youth. But once it got going, it moved along well and I really enjoyed how everything with Zach played out.

Audio: 4.5 Stars. I thought Tyler Stevens did an amazing job with Pike! I kept picturing him as Adam Rippon, lol.

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At Attention by Annabeth Albert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As for the story... my throat may have tightened up more than once, which is not something that I do...so yeah, I really enjoyed it. It made me feel, which is always an experience.

As for the narration, I've found that Cooper North is just amazing. I love love love the voices and the clarity and I feel like he just adds something to the story. Perfect!

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Trust with a Chaser by Annabeth Albert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very raw, honest characters with flaws and baggage and stuffed closets. But it was a very lovely story about family and being your own person.

Nash Flint is the town Sheriff and very closeted. And when he saw Mason again after a decade, his closet door cracked open and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep it closed.

Mason was all heart. He was the opposite of his brothers and father. He wanted to make Rainbow Cove a better place. He wanted to make others happy. And grumpy Nash was his perfect match.

So many poignant situations made up this story that had me hoping for a HEA that came through for me in a big way. Well done and sweet.

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Rough Terrain by Annabeth Albert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the freak out of this book. I have not read the rest of the series, but I don't feel as though I missed any vital information, so I'm confident in it's ability to be read as a stand alone.

Canaan Finley is in nursing school by day, a smoothie king by night. He lives with his grandpa and he wouldn't have it any other way. The best part about living in San Diego? There's no shortage of Navy SEALs. And he's got a group of 4 that are regulars, but only one has caught his eye.

Renzo Bianchi is in a holding pattern. He's living in California, doing the SEAL thing... waiting to get sent on a mission, waiting for a transfer back home to Virginia. When Canaan catches his eye and offers him a bit of trouble, he's taken on a mission he can't forget...and doesn't want to.

Oh, man. THE FEELINGS! Annabeth Albert seriously got me in this one. I couldn't help feeling the gamut of emotions for both Renzo and Canaan, but also for myself. I wanted EVERYTHING for them.

Things I loved best about Canaan:
--He was a talker, especially about his plans and what he wanted
--He stood up for himself fiercely
--He was a total romantic and planned ahead
--He didn't compromise even when it would have been the easy way

Things I loved best about Renzo:
--He just cared soooooo much. So much.
--He wanted to earn the title of hero
--He put his family first
--He was sweet and funny and unafraid when it mattered

Together, they just worked. Vastly different backgrounds and personalities. I loved the juxtaposition of their personalities as well. I was expecting Renzo to be a cocky jerk, honestly, but he was almost shy and reserved, especially when it came to sex. And Canaan was the one with the wild sexual past, which I kind of enjoyed. It made his character more real.

Loved the characters, loved the story, loved the writing. Totally recommend. And now I've got 6 more books to catch up on!

*Galley copy provided in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *

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