What do you think?
Rate this book
Out of Uniform #5
Squared Away
In the wake of tragedy, SEAL Mark Whitley rushed stateside to act as guardian to his sister’s three young children. But a conflicting will could give custody to someone else—someone Mark remembers as a too young, too hot, wild party boy. Even after six years, Mark can’t shake the memory of his close encounter with Isaiah James, or face up to what it says about his own sexuality.
Isaiah’s totally over the crush that made him proposition Mark all those years ago. In fact, he’s done with crushing on the wrong men altogether. For now, he’s throwing himself into proving he’s the best person to care for his cousin’s kids. But there’s no denying there’s something sexy about a big, tough military man with a baby in his arms.
As the legal details get sorted out, their long-buried attraction resurfaces, leading to intimate evenings after the kids are tucked in. A forever future is within reach for all of them, if only Mark can find the courage he needs to trust Isaiah with his secrets—and his heart.
Isaiah’s totally over the crush that made him proposition Mark all those years ago. In fact, he’s done with crushing on the wrong men altogether. For now, he’s throwing himself into proving he’s the best person to care for his cousin’s kids. But there’s no denying there’s something sexy about a big, tough military man with a baby in his arms.
As the legal details get sorted out, their long-buried attraction resurfaces, leading to intimate evenings after the kids are tucked in. A forever future is within reach for all of them, if only Mark can find the courage he needs to trust Isaiah with his secrets—and his heart.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2018
153 people are currently reading
1828 people want to read
About the author
Annabeth Albert
110 books3,752 followersFrequent tweeter, professional grammar nerd, and obsessive reader, Annabeth Albert is also a Pacific Northwest romance writer in a variety of subgenres.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 561 reviews
June 2, 2020
Annabeth Albert does it again with another emotional, compelling, AMAZING installment in her Out of Uniform series!
I could seriously read Annabeth Albert and only Annabeth Albert and be a happy camper. She just gets me and my taste, you know? *happy sigh*
We get a very character-focused story here, folks. It's really all about these two men and their feelings and journey through some extremely tumultuous personal times. We get a dual POV so we get to see inside both MCs' heads, and I loved that so much.
This isn't a book with a ton of crazy action or a fast-plot, so if you want something suspenseful you won't find it here. I prefer my stories to be about the relationship and the emotional journey, so I was a happy camper.
*Now, I'm going to get into some minor spoilers that are hinted at in the blurb.*
Going into this book, I really didn't know what to expect. I skimmed the blurb but didn't really read reviews, so I assumed that one of the MCs "exploring his sexuality" was going to be same-sex attraction... I was wrong.
I actively seek out stories featuring characters all over the sexuality spectrum, and I was excited to find out that one of the characters is demisexual and gray-ACE. I thought it was some exciting, meaningful, and much-needed representation, and it felt very authentic.
Smut-lovers might not be pleased by this one as the sex-scenes are few and far between, but though there isn't a lot of X-rated action, there is a lot of sensual, romantic kissing and touching, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything at all.
The story is fairly angsty, but it isn't a book that will leave you sobbing or feeling depressed. It's a story about two men recovering from great losses and growing and changing as individuals and as a couple. Squared Away is a moving and powerful story, but, above all, it's a romance-y romance that will give you all the feels, especially at the end.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
I could seriously read Annabeth Albert and only Annabeth Albert and be a happy camper. She just gets me and my taste, you know? *happy sigh*
We get a very character-focused story here, folks. It's really all about these two men and their feelings and journey through some extremely tumultuous personal times. We get a dual POV so we get to see inside both MCs' heads, and I loved that so much.
This isn't a book with a ton of crazy action or a fast-plot, so if you want something suspenseful you won't find it here. I prefer my stories to be about the relationship and the emotional journey, so I was a happy camper.
*Now, I'm going to get into some minor spoilers that are hinted at in the blurb.*
Going into this book, I really didn't know what to expect. I skimmed the blurb but didn't really read reviews, so I assumed that one of the MCs "exploring his sexuality" was going to be same-sex attraction... I was wrong.
I actively seek out stories featuring characters all over the sexuality spectrum, and I was excited to find out that one of the characters is demisexual and gray-ACE. I thought it was some exciting, meaningful, and much-needed representation, and it felt very authentic.
Smut-lovers might not be pleased by this one as the sex-scenes are few and far between, but though there isn't a lot of X-rated action, there is a lot of sensual, romantic kissing and touching, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything at all.
The story is fairly angsty, but it isn't a book that will leave you sobbing or feeling depressed. It's a story about two men recovering from great losses and growing and changing as individuals and as a couple. Squared Away is a moving and powerful story, but, above all, it's a romance-y romance that will give you all the feels, especially at the end.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
August 6, 2020
~4.5~
Out in the field, Mark is Wizard, the brilliant SEAL medic who saves lives. At home, dealing with the pain of losing his sister and brother-in-law, Mark seeks control. He's used to relying on his own judgement, making snap decisions, and having quick follow-through. One moment of hesitation, and someone dies.
But Isaiah doesn't want Wizard the stoic medic. He wants Mark the man: an incurable romantic, a caring uncle, and the best kisser in the world.
Squared Away deals with grief in a very realistic way. Mark and Isaiah become daddies overnight. Isaiah is used to being Uncle Ikey. But Mark barely knows the kids; still, he wants to be involved. And in an attempt to control the situation, he completely discounts Isaiah's feelings.
I love hurt/comfort stories, and Isaiah and Mark have to rely on each other to get through each day. The children, two preschool-age girls and a baby boy, are front and center in this story.
This may be fiction, but it mirrors real life. Kids don't go away when you want peace and quiet. You have to take care of them every minute of every day. They're not dolls; they have a mind (and attitude) of their own.
The blurb hints that Mark has some soul-searching to do about his sexuality. That he does, and his discovery isn't what I expected. I enjoy stories featuring demisexual characters, but this is the first time I've read a story where one of the MCs is .
I'm not going to lie: the revelation made me very, very nervous. I like plenty of steam in my romance novels, but the sex here is more subdued; it's more about the connection, the exploration, than heart-pounding passion.
That's not to say, Mark and Isaiah aren't hot together. Annabeth Albert does an amazing job showing us Mark's complex emotional state, what turns him on, and how his feelings for Isaiah change and grow. The relationship development is incredibly well done.
Perhaps in another book the ending might have been too sugary, but it really worked here. I believed in Mark and Isaiah. I loved all the secondary characters, including MCs from previous books, and the focus on family and friends.
Mark has to learn to let others take care of him, and Isaiah how to be patient and enjoy each moment as it comes. They take the slow lane together.
Out in the field, Mark is Wizard, the brilliant SEAL medic who saves lives. At home, dealing with the pain of losing his sister and brother-in-law, Mark seeks control. He's used to relying on his own judgement, making snap decisions, and having quick follow-through. One moment of hesitation, and someone dies.
But Isaiah doesn't want Wizard the stoic medic. He wants Mark the man: an incurable romantic, a caring uncle, and the best kisser in the world.
"I like you more than my pillow."
"Yeah, well, I like you more than lots of things."
Chocolate. The ocean. This house. My life.
Squared Away deals with grief in a very realistic way. Mark and Isaiah become daddies overnight. Isaiah is used to being Uncle Ikey. But Mark barely knows the kids; still, he wants to be involved. And in an attempt to control the situation, he completely discounts Isaiah's feelings.
I love hurt/comfort stories, and Isaiah and Mark have to rely on each other to get through each day. The children, two preschool-age girls and a baby boy, are front and center in this story.
This may be fiction, but it mirrors real life. Kids don't go away when you want peace and quiet. You have to take care of them every minute of every day. They're not dolls; they have a mind (and attitude) of their own.
The blurb hints that Mark has some soul-searching to do about his sexuality. That he does, and his discovery isn't what I expected. I enjoy stories featuring demisexual characters, but this is the first time I've read a story where one of the MCs is .
I'm not going to lie: the revelation made me very, very nervous. I like plenty of steam in my romance novels, but the sex here is more subdued; it's more about the connection, the exploration, than heart-pounding passion.
That's not to say, Mark and Isaiah aren't hot together. Annabeth Albert does an amazing job showing us Mark's complex emotional state, what turns him on, and how his feelings for Isaiah change and grow. The relationship development is incredibly well done.
"It could be with you . . . I want it to be with you . . . But I'm also working on being more pragmatic with my big dreams--"
"Dream with me. Please."
Perhaps in another book the ending might have been too sugary, but it really worked here. I believed in Mark and Isaiah. I loved all the secondary characters, including MCs from previous books, and the focus on family and friends.
Mark has to learn to let others take care of him, and Isaiah how to be patient and enjoy each moment as it comes. They take the slow lane together.
"You're my person. The one."
July 6, 2018
Book: Now go and sit in the corner and think why you didn’t love this book:
Me:
This book frustrated the hell out of me. MC's not talking is my biggest pet- peeves, something that can be resolved by just talking, is dragged out the whole book until the end, for the "Drama effect", is annoying. At some point i wanted to smack the back of Mark's head and tell him; You are grown ass man..
This series and this Author has been a hit/miss for me
Book 1 – Hit and Miss it was 50/50
Book 2 – Hit because of Dylan.
Book 3 - Miss because of Ben and miscommunication
Book 4 – Hit because of Dustin
Book 5 – Huuuuuge Miss because of Mark and unnecessary miscommunication
It’s me not the book! Clearly many of my GR friends loved this. Maybe it's me!
The Good
-The Audio narration. Greg’s narration made this tolerable. I love his voice.
- Isaiah, I liked him a bit and I enjoyed his dedication to the kids.
- Dylan, every time he appears in one of these books , I get giddy, he is my favorite.
-The kids at least they were written as kids for most parts.
The bad
-This Author loves it when her Mc's are not talking, i have noticed that and it is really frustrating to read because i enjoy her writing.
-Mark, Oh my! I couldn’t connect with the guy, I wanted to but his insecurities, internal monologue, making assumptions about Isaiah without even talking to him and jumping into conclusions made me dislike him a lot.
-I never bought Mark and Isaiah as a couple, the not communicating with each other and assuming what the other was feeling 70% of the book , took me out of the story.
-I found their intimate scenes boring, I did not feel the chemistry between them at all. There was kissing, kissing and more kissing until it became boring.
The Ugly
-The rushed ending that the author tried to wrap up in a bow with an impromptu wedding. Really?I didn't buy that at all.
Dear Author,
Adults TALK! Please stop using miscommunication and Mc’s not talking 70% of the book, It drives readers like me NUTS. Let them TALK! And after, they can have hot angry SEX!
-I will read/listen to book 6 because I already love Bacon and I will spend my last dime just to hear Greg’s voice.😉😉
Me:
This book frustrated the hell out of me. MC's not talking is my biggest pet- peeves, something that can be resolved by just talking, is dragged out the whole book until the end, for the "Drama effect", is annoying. At some point i wanted to smack the back of Mark's head and tell him; You are grown ass man..
This series and this Author has been a hit/miss for me
Book 1 – Hit and Miss it was 50/50
Book 2 – Hit because of Dylan.
Book 3 - Miss because of Ben and miscommunication
Book 4 – Hit because of Dustin
Book 5 – Huuuuuge Miss because of Mark and unnecessary miscommunication
It’s me not the book! Clearly many of my GR friends loved this. Maybe it's me!
The Good
-The Audio narration. Greg’s narration made this tolerable. I love his voice.
- Isaiah, I liked him a bit and I enjoyed his dedication to the kids.
- Dylan, every time he appears in one of these books , I get giddy, he is my favorite.
-The kids at least they were written as kids for most parts.
The bad
-This Author loves it when her Mc's are not talking, i have noticed that and it is really frustrating to read because i enjoy her writing.
-Mark, Oh my! I couldn’t connect with the guy, I wanted to but his insecurities, internal monologue, making assumptions about Isaiah without even talking to him and jumping into conclusions made me dislike him a lot.
-I never bought Mark and Isaiah as a couple, the not communicating with each other and assuming what the other was feeling 70% of the book , took me out of the story.
-I found their intimate scenes boring, I did not feel the chemistry between them at all. There was kissing, kissing and more kissing until it became boring.
The Ugly
-The rushed ending that the author tried to wrap up in a bow with an impromptu wedding. Really?I didn't buy that at all.
Dear Author,
Adults TALK! Please stop using miscommunication and Mc’s not talking 70% of the book, It drives readers like me NUTS. Let them TALK! And after, they can have hot angry SEX!
-I will read/listen to book 6 because I already love Bacon and I will spend my last dime just to hear Greg’s voice.😉😉
January 22, 2019
4 Stars!
Mark likes control and he has it when he's in the field, in his job, but no so much when he has to return to the outside world. There he's vulnerable and a bit unsure of who he is. He doesn't like not having a plan. So when tragedy strikes and he arrives home to take care of things and finds Isaiah in charge and making all the decisions it throws him off.
Isaiah has wanted Mark since he was 18. They had a moment at his cousin and Mark's sisters wedding but Mark was in denial of his feelings and things became strained between them. They've seen each other over the years but only in passing. But now they are both the potential guardians of three children and are under one roof and they can no longer ignore the other one. Isaiah is all about taking care of the kids and being the best parent he can be for them while mourning the loss of his cousin. Mark is trying to find his footing with not only the children, but with Isaiah. Feelings are coming to the surface he thought he'd put away. But the pull becomes too strong and they find themselves taking comfort in one another. The build up to their love is slow and tender and full of obstacles and mistakes. But the journey to their HEA was an enjoyable read and I really loved them together.
I can't wait for Bacon's story.
**I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Mark likes control and he has it when he's in the field, in his job, but no so much when he has to return to the outside world. There he's vulnerable and a bit unsure of who he is. He doesn't like not having a plan. So when tragedy strikes and he arrives home to take care of things and finds Isaiah in charge and making all the decisions it throws him off.
Isaiah has wanted Mark since he was 18. They had a moment at his cousin and Mark's sisters wedding but Mark was in denial of his feelings and things became strained between them. They've seen each other over the years but only in passing. But now they are both the potential guardians of three children and are under one roof and they can no longer ignore the other one. Isaiah is all about taking care of the kids and being the best parent he can be for them while mourning the loss of his cousin. Mark is trying to find his footing with not only the children, but with Isaiah. Feelings are coming to the surface he thought he'd put away. But the pull becomes too strong and they find themselves taking comfort in one another. The build up to their love is slow and tender and full of obstacles and mistakes. But the journey to their HEA was an enjoyable read and I really loved them together.
I can't wait for Bacon's story.
**I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review**
April 21, 2018
4.5 stars
Even though it was borderline too angsty for me, the realness of the story makes it a huge winner.
I am amazed at how the author incorporated an interracial relationship, a marginalized sexual orientation MC, grief at sudden and unexpected death of family members and three very young orphans. That's a lot in one story isn't it? Oh, and let's not forget the overriding setting of this series is the life of Navy SEALS, so one of our MCs is also dealing with that aspect in his life.
WOW
Too much?
Not at all. At least not the way Anabeth Albert did it.
I loved watching these two come together. Pulling together as a team for the sake of the children. Realising how special the other was in that heartfelt setting of grief. Coming to respect each other first, know each other next and finally coming to love the beautiful person inside the other.
Both characters grew throughout the story. Both became better men. More caring, more giving, and more open.
My emotions went through the wringer. At one point I got so mad that I had to walk away from the book. A few other times I was unsuccessfully fighting back tears. Fortunately, they were the happy kind.
As much as I loved the story, I had a few hiccups while reading. There were abrupt, unannounced POV changes that confused who was speaking. A few typos and a wrong word usage or two. The biggest speed bumps for me were the (too) many instances of characters starting a curse word then changing it to a more benign word. After the first couple of times, that got really annoying.
So maybe not a perfect five, but damn close to it. It was my absolute pleasure to read and review this ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Even though it was borderline too angsty for me, the realness of the story makes it a huge winner.
I am amazed at how the author incorporated an interracial relationship, a marginalized sexual orientation MC, grief at sudden and unexpected death of family members and three very young orphans. That's a lot in one story isn't it? Oh, and let's not forget the overriding setting of this series is the life of Navy SEALS, so one of our MCs is also dealing with that aspect in his life.
WOW
Too much?
Not at all. At least not the way Anabeth Albert did it.
I loved watching these two come together. Pulling together as a team for the sake of the children. Realising how special the other was in that heartfelt setting of grief. Coming to respect each other first, know each other next and finally coming to love the beautiful person inside the other.
Both characters grew throughout the story. Both became better men. More caring, more giving, and more open.
My emotions went through the wringer. At one point I got so mad that I had to walk away from the book. A few other times I was unsuccessfully fighting back tears. Fortunately, they were the happy kind.
“I promise to never forget that you’re my person. My everything.”
As much as I loved the story, I had a few hiccups while reading. There were abrupt, unannounced POV changes that confused who was speaking. A few typos and a wrong word usage or two. The biggest speed bumps for me were the (too) many instances of characters starting a curse word then changing it to a more benign word. After the first couple of times, that got really annoying.
So maybe not a perfect five, but damn close to it. It was my absolute pleasure to read and review this ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
March 21, 2018
4,5 rounded up because I loved the writing
I discovered Annabeth Albert with this series.
Off Base is still my favorite, but this one is my second favorite.
Mark and Isaiah met 6 years ago. Mark's sister married Isaiah's cousin. Isaiah was 18 years old and had a big crush on Mark - the older and hot SEAL medic, but Mark pushed him away.
After 6 years, they end up taking care of the 3 young children Mark's sister left behind as orphans. Mark was determined to take full responsibility, but Isaiah was already taking care of them.
Actually he was too good at it. He seemed to know exactly what to do.
Something started to grow between them, a sort of tension, but Mark didn't want to show he cared. And he was also scared to come out to his team. He never thought we will have to.
Isaiah was a party boy. Mark has a secret he doesn't want to reveal, until he can't hide it anymore.
I really loved how these two very different men got used to the other's presence and together they made a great team.
We get a lot of introspection and angst, but this whole story felt so real.
I really enjoyed the writing, Isaiah's patience and Mark's self discovery and - in the end -acceptance. This book isn't about hot sex, but about the real connection between the MC's.
Oh and I loved the ending!! It was extremely sweet!
ARC kindly provided to me by the publisher - Carina Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I discovered Annabeth Albert with this series.
Off Base is still my favorite, but this one is my second favorite.
Mark and Isaiah met 6 years ago. Mark's sister married Isaiah's cousin. Isaiah was 18 years old and had a big crush on Mark - the older and hot SEAL medic, but Mark pushed him away.
After 6 years, they end up taking care of the 3 young children Mark's sister left behind as orphans. Mark was determined to take full responsibility, but Isaiah was already taking care of them.
Actually he was too good at it. He seemed to know exactly what to do.
Something started to grow between them, a sort of tension, but Mark didn't want to show he cared. And he was also scared to come out to his team. He never thought we will have to.
Isaiah was a party boy. Mark has a secret he doesn't want to reveal, until he can't hide it anymore.
I really loved how these two very different men got used to the other's presence and together they made a great team.
We get a lot of introspection and angst, but this whole story felt so real.
I really enjoyed the writing, Isaiah's patience and Mark's self discovery and - in the end -acceptance. This book isn't about hot sex, but about the real connection between the MC's.
Oh and I loved the ending!! It was extremely sweet!
ARC kindly provided to me by the publisher - Carina Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
April 20, 2018
3 Stars
Isaiah and Mark met each other at Dani and Cal’s wedding (Mark’s sister and Isaiah’s cousin), six years ago. At the time, Isaiah was eighteen and wanted to lose his virginity. He’d chose Mark but not only Mark rejected him but he claimed he’s not gay. Six years later, Dani and Cal die in a car accident. They both had separate wills and in each will, one of Mark or Isaiah were chosen to be the guardianship. So until the court settles everything, they have to share custody. And both of them want to prove they are the best choice for the guardianship!
Well, this one is my least favorite in this series so far. For the first half I really struggled and thought maybe the second half would be better but no, that didn’t happen and after reading 60% of the book I started skimming. I couldn’t connect with the characters, both of them. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s the fifth installment in the "Out of Uniform" series, with character crossover but it can be read as a stand-alone.
Thanks to Annabeth Albert, NetGalley and Carina Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.
Isaiah and Mark met each other at Dani and Cal’s wedding (Mark’s sister and Isaiah’s cousin), six years ago. At the time, Isaiah was eighteen and wanted to lose his virginity. He’d chose Mark but not only Mark rejected him but he claimed he’s not gay. Six years later, Dani and Cal die in a car accident. They both had separate wills and in each will, one of Mark or Isaiah were chosen to be the guardianship. So until the court settles everything, they have to share custody. And both of them want to prove they are the best choice for the guardianship!
Well, this one is my least favorite in this series so far. For the first half I really struggled and thought maybe the second half would be better but no, that didn’t happen and after reading 60% of the book I started skimming. I couldn’t connect with the characters, both of them. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s the fifth installment in the "Out of Uniform" series, with character crossover but it can be read as a stand-alone.
Thanks to Annabeth Albert, NetGalley and Carina Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1626057011i%2F10717098._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 5, 2024
RATING 4.5 STARS
Squared Away is book five in the Out of Uniform series by Annabeth Albert. This is Isaiah and Mark’s book. I’ve been so looking forward to this one because I love when there are children involved in the story. This ended up being pretty emotional and I admit, there was some lack of communication that had me a bit frustrated. But it was also sweet and swoony and made my eyes hot a few times.
Mark Whitley is I think about twenty eight or nine years old. He is a Navy Seal Medic. He’s known by his team as Wizard because he can perform magic on the field with his patients when they are injured. It’s while he is away on a deployment that he gets the awful news regarding his sister and brother in law. They have three children, a baby boy, and three and five year old little girls. So he rushes home to take care of them. Only finding someone from his past has things well in hand. And has no plans of leaving.
Isaiah James is twenty four years old. He is the cousin of Cal, the father of the children. He has been there for the kids since each of them were born, babysitting often and spending time with the family. Now that the kids parents are gone, of course it is him that should take care of them. He knows them, loves them. He knows what they need.
Six years prior, when Isaiah was just eighteen, he had a huge crush on Mark and made a pass at him, which was turned down. And now here they both were once again, living in the same house, taking care of the kids. The kids are grieving and so are they but they make it work. The feelings from six years ago never fully went away and grow once again. They start to feel like a family. But with two conflicting wills, a lot of money involved on Mark’s side of the family, and some very narrow minded relatives, things are going to be anything but easy to resolve.
Even though Mark and Isaiah are both dealing with their own feelings of grief, and trying to learn how best to care for the kids, this time also ends up being a time of personal growth. Isaiah finally finds the direction he needed for his career. To find what truly inspired him. And Mark was able to face some truths about himself, in many different ways. The two of them became closer but also still didn’t communicate about what was most important.
I loved these two together. As I said, I did get a bit frustrated with them a time or two but it couldn’t have had a better, sweeter ending. Even though Isaiah is described as having the more wilder of a past, in my opinion, he was the more self aware of the two. He helped Mark in so many ways to discover truths about himself. And I loved the way he was with the kids. So maybe he had a wild past but he was very mature in the present. This really was such a sweet book. Next I will be reading book six, Tight Quarters, which is Bacon’s book. I can’t wait.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Squared Away is book five in the Out of Uniform series by Annabeth Albert. This is Isaiah and Mark’s book. I’ve been so looking forward to this one because I love when there are children involved in the story. This ended up being pretty emotional and I admit, there was some lack of communication that had me a bit frustrated. But it was also sweet and swoony and made my eyes hot a few times.
Mark Whitley is I think about twenty eight or nine years old. He is a Navy Seal Medic. He’s known by his team as Wizard because he can perform magic on the field with his patients when they are injured. It’s while he is away on a deployment that he gets the awful news regarding his sister and brother in law. They have three children, a baby boy, and three and five year old little girls. So he rushes home to take care of them. Only finding someone from his past has things well in hand. And has no plans of leaving.
Isaiah James is twenty four years old. He is the cousin of Cal, the father of the children. He has been there for the kids since each of them were born, babysitting often and spending time with the family. Now that the kids parents are gone, of course it is him that should take care of them. He knows them, loves them. He knows what they need.
Six years prior, when Isaiah was just eighteen, he had a huge crush on Mark and made a pass at him, which was turned down. And now here they both were once again, living in the same house, taking care of the kids. The kids are grieving and so are they but they make it work. The feelings from six years ago never fully went away and grow once again. They start to feel like a family. But with two conflicting wills, a lot of money involved on Mark’s side of the family, and some very narrow minded relatives, things are going to be anything but easy to resolve.
Even though Mark and Isaiah are both dealing with their own feelings of grief, and trying to learn how best to care for the kids, this time also ends up being a time of personal growth. Isaiah finally finds the direction he needed for his career. To find what truly inspired him. And Mark was able to face some truths about himself, in many different ways. The two of them became closer but also still didn’t communicate about what was most important.
I loved these two together. As I said, I did get a bit frustrated with them a time or two but it couldn’t have had a better, sweeter ending. Even though Isaiah is described as having the more wilder of a past, in my opinion, he was the more self aware of the two. He helped Mark in so many ways to discover truths about himself. And I loved the way he was with the kids. So maybe he had a wild past but he was very mature in the present. This really was such a sweet book. Next I will be reading book six, Tight Quarters, which is Bacon’s book. I can’t wait.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
March 29, 2018
Squared Away by Annabeth Albert was a real gem. It dealt with some weighty topics in a realistic matter. There was guilt and grief that both men carried a secret carried by one of the leading characters. But none of it ever felt contrived in a story which could've easily been full of drama.
What I loved:
-Opposites attract
-The children. Kids in books make me nervous. Sometimes authors make them about to be cartoonish, and they get annoying, thankfully it wasn't the case here.
-Hurt/Comfort/Healing
-The character development/growth was outstanding.
-The emotional connection between Isaiah and Mark- talk about getting warm butterflies in my stomach!
-And that ending- perfection! ♥
This was yet another excellent, moving story in the Out of Uniform Series! If you haven't started reading these, don't wait anymore!! 5 Stars!
April 2, 2018
2.75 Stars
Squared Away had a strong start for me. I love military themed novels, and Navy SEALs are a personal favorite. That this series is specifically about Navy SEALs being laid low by love is what drew me to it. I think the novels stand alone well enough, but I am a fan of reading a series from the beginning, regardless.
Now, I am in the minority among my friends that have read this one. I didn't love it. I loved both of the MC's and I appreciated their challenges, but I never really "got" them together and several of my pet peeves were hit dead on while I was reading.
First, the good:
I genuinely liked both Mark and Isaiah. They're both really stand up people who have to make the best of a very tragic situation. Mark is used to being depended on for situational triage - mostly medical, of course, since that is his function on his SEAL team, but he's protector, at heart. It's what makes him a good SEAL. Isaiah is determined to prove that he isn't the flighty party boy with no direction that everyone thinks he is. I admire that.
I also loved the exploration of Mark's sexuality and how patient Isaiah was during intimacy. That showed that Isaiah cared about more than his own pleasure, and that is very important to me.
I also enjoyed both MC's interactions with the children. Mark was unsure, at first, but quickly grew more confident and it was clear that Isaiah loved the kids and was familiar with their routines.
So what went wrong?
Well, I never really bought them as a couple. There was too much non-communication, too many assumptions about what the other person was thinking or feeling, and too much ego on both their parts. I don't know about you, but when someone presumes to tell me what I'm thinking or feeling, I get a bit prickly. This tendency was very prevalent in both MC's and it drove me nuts. For the longest time, I just wanted them to have an honest conversation, but they were never on the same page. There were ample opportunities for them to talk about an actual plan, as well as their relationship but every single time, one of them would decide it wasn't the right time to bring it up -- until everything blew up in their faces, and then Isaiah decided to act like an impetuous child and double down on going it alone.
Isaiah was too caught up in his pride and ego to see what was best for the children. He did not have the resources to care for them on his own and he wouldn't look past his own ego to see that Mark actually had as much right and more resources to make sure the kids had what they needed. I'm sorry, but there aren't many 24 year olds that I would think would be ready for such sudden responsibility for 3 kids under the age of 6. And Isaiah was determined to do it on his own, refusing to ask for help and only begrudgingly accepting it from Mark. He wasn't thinking about what was best for the children, he was thinking only about what HE wanted.
Mark wasn't blameless, either. He was super confident in his job, but when it came to his personal life and actual feelings, Mark floundered. That take-charge guy went right out the window. I don't think he should have felt rushed to declare his sexuality, though, either. He was just figuring out that just because he wasn't out having a bunch of meaningless sex like most of his single friends, that didn't mean there was something wrong with him. Isaiah was great about it when they were alone, but I felt that he put too much pressure on Mark, too soon. Again, they needed to talk about their relationship and where they wanted it to go.
And that brings me to their HEA...not buying it. They go from barely speaking to their HEA in about 3.7 seconds and, well, meh. I just couldn't bring myself to feel all that excited about it. I think they have a lot more talking to do before they reach that point.
Your mileage may vary, though. Most of my friends really loved this installment, so maybe you will too. If you're a fan of this author and this series, I'd say go ahead and give it a shot.
----------------------------
ARC of Squared Away was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Squared Away had a strong start for me. I love military themed novels, and Navy SEALs are a personal favorite. That this series is specifically about Navy SEALs being laid low by love is what drew me to it. I think the novels stand alone well enough, but I am a fan of reading a series from the beginning, regardless.
Now, I am in the minority among my friends that have read this one. I didn't love it. I loved both of the MC's and I appreciated their challenges, but I never really "got" them together and several of my pet peeves were hit dead on while I was reading.
First, the good:
I genuinely liked both Mark and Isaiah. They're both really stand up people who have to make the best of a very tragic situation. Mark is used to being depended on for situational triage - mostly medical, of course, since that is his function on his SEAL team, but he's protector, at heart. It's what makes him a good SEAL. Isaiah is determined to prove that he isn't the flighty party boy with no direction that everyone thinks he is. I admire that.
I also loved the exploration of Mark's sexuality and how patient Isaiah was during intimacy. That showed that Isaiah cared about more than his own pleasure, and that is very important to me.
I also enjoyed both MC's interactions with the children. Mark was unsure, at first, but quickly grew more confident and it was clear that Isaiah loved the kids and was familiar with their routines.
So what went wrong?
Well, I never really bought them as a couple. There was too much non-communication, too many assumptions about what the other person was thinking or feeling, and too much ego on both their parts. I don't know about you, but when someone presumes to tell me what I'm thinking or feeling, I get a bit prickly. This tendency was very prevalent in both MC's and it drove me nuts. For the longest time, I just wanted them to have an honest conversation, but they were never on the same page. There were ample opportunities for them to talk about an actual plan, as well as their relationship but every single time, one of them would decide it wasn't the right time to bring it up -- until everything blew up in their faces, and then Isaiah decided to act like an impetuous child and double down on going it alone.
Isaiah was too caught up in his pride and ego to see what was best for the children. He did not have the resources to care for them on his own and he wouldn't look past his own ego to see that Mark actually had as much right and more resources to make sure the kids had what they needed. I'm sorry, but there aren't many 24 year olds that I would think would be ready for such sudden responsibility for 3 kids under the age of 6. And Isaiah was determined to do it on his own, refusing to ask for help and only begrudgingly accepting it from Mark. He wasn't thinking about what was best for the children, he was thinking only about what HE wanted.
Mark wasn't blameless, either. He was super confident in his job, but when it came to his personal life and actual feelings, Mark floundered. That take-charge guy went right out the window. I don't think he should have felt rushed to declare his sexuality, though, either. He was just figuring out that just because he wasn't out having a bunch of meaningless sex like most of his single friends, that didn't mean there was something wrong with him. Isaiah was great about it when they were alone, but I felt that he put too much pressure on Mark, too soon. Again, they needed to talk about their relationship and where they wanted it to go.
And that brings me to their HEA...not buying it. They go from barely speaking to their HEA in about 3.7 seconds and, well, meh. I just couldn't bring myself to feel all that excited about it. I think they have a lot more talking to do before they reach that point.
Your mileage may vary, though. Most of my friends really loved this installment, so maybe you will too. If you're a fan of this author and this series, I'd say go ahead and give it a shot.
----------------------------
ARC of Squared Away was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2018
Audio – 5+++ stars!! Greg doing the children’s voices…adorbs…simply adorbs!!!
Story – 4.5 stars!!
Phew!! I’m one of the lucky ones. I loved this book.
I’m appreciating that, for the most part, the author isn’t going the cookie cutter route with this series. Each couple has their own set of problems, different backgrounds and experiences. The lack of communication seems to be the go for creating the angst though. It gets frustrating, but when the resolution happens, the feels come into play, and all I can think is that...it was worth it.
Story – 4.5 stars!!
Phew!! I’m one of the lucky ones. I loved this book.
I’m appreciating that, for the most part, the author isn’t going the cookie cutter route with this series. Each couple has their own set of problems, different backgrounds and experiences. The lack of communication seems to be the go for creating the angst though. It gets frustrating, but when the resolution happens, the feels come into play, and all I can think is that...it was worth it.
February 19, 2018
Solid 4 Stars!
I'm kind of shocked that I'm 5 for 5 with this series. Obviously some books I've enjoyed more than others. But I will say this one is one of my top three books in the series.
I was a little worried after the first chapter, I thought Isaiah was SUPER immature, granted he was what 18? Thankfully we jumped forward six years and he'd really grown up a lot.
Not a lot of steam in this one, given Mark's sexuality. Which was fine. It felt authentic and I loved how Isaiah was so respectful and accepting and encouraging of Mark's feelings.
Again, this one could have been drama filled, but thankfully wasn't.
Another nice addition to a solid series. Recommended read.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review
I'm kind of shocked that I'm 5 for 5 with this series. Obviously some books I've enjoyed more than others. But I will say this one is one of my top three books in the series.
I was a little worried after the first chapter, I thought Isaiah was SUPER immature, granted he was what 18? Thankfully we jumped forward six years and he'd really grown up a lot.
Not a lot of steam in this one, given Mark's sexuality. Which was fine. It felt authentic and I loved how Isaiah was so respectful and accepting and encouraging of Mark's feelings.
Again, this one could have been drama filled, but thankfully wasn't.
Another nice addition to a solid series. Recommended read.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review
February 24, 2018
*4.5 stars*
I really liked this! I'm a big fan of this series and Squared Away is actually my second favorite after Off Base.
Six years ago, during a wedding reception, Isaiah James (cousin of the groom) decided that he wanted SEAL Mark Whitley (brother of the bride) to pop his cherry. Things didn't go as planned and Mark's rejection set the tone for all their future encounters.
Six years later Uncle Ikey is no longer the party boy extraordinaire but a responsible adult ready to take action, and Unca Mark will have to fight the biggest battle of all: raising his dead sister's kids. With Isaiah.
There is always a lot of diversity in Annabeth Albert's stories. Interracial relationships and MCs that belong on the ace spectrum do not get enough representation in MM. Well, you 'll find both in Squared Away.
Mark is gray ace or demisexual but there is steam in this book and the steamy scenes were indeed my favorite parts but not because of the sex. During these scenes the amount of respect between Mark and Isaiah, the level of trust, the first fumbling explorations, the sensuality, the intensity and all these FEELINGS made me stop breathing for a while. What a beautiful thing to see.
The kids are so realistically portrayed instead of just being there. And although they 're always on the forefront, they don't "steal" precious time from the main couple. On the contrary, they bring them together.
Other things that I loved:
-Strong comfort/healing aspect (the scene where the MCs meet for the first time aafter the accident was amazing).
-Great relationship development.
-The conflict of the story is very much real. I was afraid we had a bit of a miscommunication thing going on for a while, but no.
-Cameo appearances of characters from the previous books (but you can read it as a standalone).
-Imperfect/flawed families who are not black and white. They screw up but they try to be better.
-The ending was all kinds of awesome. For any other book it may have not worked. For this book, it was the only HEA there coul be.
Needless to say, recommended!
I really liked this! I'm a big fan of this series and Squared Away is actually my second favorite after Off Base.
Six years ago, during a wedding reception, Isaiah James (cousin of the groom) decided that he wanted SEAL Mark Whitley (brother of the bride) to pop his cherry. Things didn't go as planned and Mark's rejection set the tone for all their future encounters.
Six years later Uncle Ikey is no longer the party boy extraordinaire but a responsible adult ready to take action, and Unca Mark will have to fight the biggest battle of all: raising his dead sister's kids. With Isaiah.
There is always a lot of diversity in Annabeth Albert's stories. Interracial relationships and MCs that belong on the ace spectrum do not get enough representation in MM. Well, you 'll find both in Squared Away.
Mark is gray ace or demisexual but there is steam in this book and the steamy scenes were indeed my favorite parts but not because of the sex. During these scenes the amount of respect between Mark and Isaiah, the level of trust, the first fumbling explorations, the sensuality, the intensity and all these FEELINGS made me stop breathing for a while. What a beautiful thing to see.
The kids are so realistically portrayed instead of just being there. And although they 're always on the forefront, they don't "steal" precious time from the main couple. On the contrary, they bring them together.
Other things that I loved:
-Strong comfort/healing aspect (the scene where the MCs meet for the first time aafter the accident was amazing).
-Great relationship development.
-The conflict of the story is very much real. I was afraid we had a bit of a miscommunication thing going on for a while, but no.
-Cameo appearances of characters from the previous books (but you can read it as a standalone).
-Imperfect/flawed families who are not black and white. They screw up but they try to be better.
-The ending was all kinds of awesome. For any other book it may have not worked. For this book, it was the only HEA there coul be.
Needless to say, recommended!
April 18, 2018
*4,5 stars*
Another fabulous book by Annabeth Albert!
I have not read a lot about people on the asexual spectrum, and I was really moved by Mark's story. He identifies somewhere on the gray asexual/demi-sexual scale, which has severe implications for his love life. He has given up in believing that there is someone out there for him who will 'put up' with him.
Annabeth Albert described his emotions, his sexual feelings in the most sensitive and relatable way. And it was such a joy to watch how gentle and understanding Isaiah deals with Mark, how he connects with him and allows him to come to terms with his sexuality and develop a sexual relationship.
Considering Isaiah was a huge player at one point the romance is all the sweeter. I loved the soft and gentle in their relationship, the genuine affection between them and how they work as a team for the children of their brother and sister. (And Mark really is a true romantic at heart!)
You might wonder if this means that there is no sex at all. You won't get the rough and tough, that is true, and if that is your thing this book is not for you. But if you like two guys getting all tender and affectionate, (all the kissing was really getting under my skin) and slowly work their way up to more intense encounters, you will definitely be a happy bunny!
No doubt, this is a first class romance. Add in all the angst surrounding the children, guardianships, family trouble and worries what the future might bring.
Not to forget meeting all the guys from the previous books! Always a total pleasure!
Mix all this together and you have got a lovely 5 star book that's bound to touch a nerve (or two).
This is one for the heart.
Another fabulous book by Annabeth Albert!
I have not read a lot about people on the asexual spectrum, and I was really moved by Mark's story. He identifies somewhere on the gray asexual/demi-sexual scale, which has severe implications for his love life. He has given up in believing that there is someone out there for him who will 'put up' with him.
Annabeth Albert described his emotions, his sexual feelings in the most sensitive and relatable way. And it was such a joy to watch how gentle and understanding Isaiah deals with Mark, how he connects with him and allows him to come to terms with his sexuality and develop a sexual relationship.
Considering Isaiah was a huge player at one point the romance is all the sweeter. I loved the soft and gentle in their relationship, the genuine affection between them and how they work as a team for the children of their brother and sister. (And Mark really is a true romantic at heart!)
You might wonder if this means that there is no sex at all. You won't get the rough and tough, that is true, and if that is your thing this book is not for you. But if you like two guys getting all tender and affectionate, (all the kissing was really getting under my skin) and slowly work their way up to more intense encounters, you will definitely be a happy bunny!
No doubt, this is a first class romance. Add in all the angst surrounding the children, guardianships, family trouble and worries what the future might bring.
Not to forget meeting all the guys from the previous books! Always a total pleasure!
Mix all this together and you have got a lovely 5 star book that's bound to touch a nerve (or two).
This is one for the heart.
April 30, 2018
Uno de los que más me ha gustado de una serie, que teniendo en cuenta que no me gusta mucho el tema militar, me está encantando, excepto el tercero de ellos.
Isaiah y Mark se conocen en la boda de sus hermanos y algo surge entre ellos que nunca llegan a finalizar, años después se ven obligados a convivir y a encontrar una solución a la situación de sus tres sobrinos pequeños después de la muerte de los padres. Una historia diferente, con un ritmo muy pasado, centrada en cómo se construye una relación y cómo surgen los sentimientos, con su dosis justa de angst y con partes muy muy tiernas, tanto por parte de los niños (que afortunadamente se comportan como niños) y entre la pareja.
Muy entretenido con momentos absolutamente adorables, me ha gustado muchísimo cómo la autora muestra la sexualidad de Mark. Muy recomendable. 4.5 estrellas, lo subo a 5 porque quiero ^^. Deseando estoy de leer el siguiente. Para aquellos, que como yo, miran con sospecha cualquier libro en el que tenga protagonismo el ejército de USA puede leerlo sin problema, no se centra en ello y no hay ningún discurso patriótico. Por otro lado, aquellos que quieran leerlo por la sexualidad de Mark y no estén seguros sobre la serie, pueden hacerlo sin problema, todos los libros son standalone de verdad.
Isaiah y Mark se conocen en la boda de sus hermanos y algo surge entre ellos que nunca llegan a finalizar, años después se ven obligados a convivir y a encontrar una solución a la situación de sus tres sobrinos pequeños después de la muerte de los padres. Una historia diferente, con un ritmo muy pasado, centrada en cómo se construye una relación y cómo surgen los sentimientos, con su dosis justa de angst y con partes muy muy tiernas, tanto por parte de los niños (que afortunadamente se comportan como niños) y entre la pareja.
Muy entretenido con momentos absolutamente adorables, me ha gustado muchísimo cómo la autora muestra la sexualidad de Mark. Muy recomendable. 4.5 estrellas, lo subo a 5 porque quiero ^^. Deseando estoy de leer el siguiente. Para aquellos, que como yo, miran con sospecha cualquier libro en el que tenga protagonismo el ejército de USA puede leerlo sin problema, no se centra en ello y no hay ningún discurso patriótico. Por otro lado, aquellos que quieran leerlo por la sexualidad de Mark y no estén seguros sobre la serie, pueden hacerlo sin problema, todos los libros son standalone de verdad.
June 1, 2018
Man, this was a most unsatisfying romance. Like, seriously. It's so sad, because the 'Out of Uniform' series is amazing and one of my favorite books ever (At Attention) is part of this series.
Who doesn't like Navy SEALs as romance characters?!
But this?
First of all, I absolutely don't like romances that make heavy use of sexual labels such as demisexual, pansexual, asexual (ace...what a nice term) and whatnot.
Either you like another human being sexually or you don't. I can't stand guys putting labels on themselves, as if people walk around with post-it notes on their heads. It's bad enough how the whole gay/straight/transgender perception divides society into groups, whereas every gay/trans person just wants to be seen as a person, with their sexuality being one part of them. People have unique traits all the time, but very few of those traits single them out like being gay. And that makes it so hard. And here ends my philosophical rant.
In this story, we have a promiscuous gay guy (I'd say a 'standard' romance character before he settles down) and a demisexual guy who is on the asexual side and doesn't like sex.
I mean, really? That's like some real life married couples I know.
How is this ever romance material when one guy basically needs a user manual to have politically correct sex with his partner and constantly needs to keep his own desires in check in order not to scare his partner away. No way in hell is this ever going to be a faithful long-term relationship.
I think the 'gay' guy in here did one hell of a great job dealing with such a skittish partner, but when the other guy isn't even willing to come out as being in a relationship that others might view as 'gay'.... I just wanted to throw this out of the window.
Not to mention that both guys are actually in a custody battle against EACH OTHER over the children of their siblings who were married and died in a car crash.
I am so sorry that this story didn't do it for me. Even the ending couldn't save this mess for me.
Also, what I liked so much about At Attention was completely missing here. The children were just props to be carried around and taken to school and back.
All in all, this installment disappointed me. Sadly.
2 stars!
Who doesn't like Navy SEALs as romance characters?!
But this?
First of all, I absolutely don't like romances that make heavy use of sexual labels such as demisexual, pansexual, asexual (ace...what a nice term) and whatnot.
Either you like another human being sexually or you don't. I can't stand guys putting labels on themselves, as if people walk around with post-it notes on their heads. It's bad enough how the whole gay/straight/transgender perception divides society into groups, whereas every gay/trans person just wants to be seen as a person, with their sexuality being one part of them. People have unique traits all the time, but very few of those traits single them out like being gay. And that makes it so hard. And here ends my philosophical rant.
In this story, we have a promiscuous gay guy (I'd say a 'standard' romance character before he settles down) and a demisexual guy who is on the asexual side and doesn't like sex.
I mean, really? That's like some real life married couples I know.
How is this ever romance material when one guy basically needs a user manual to have politically correct sex with his partner and constantly needs to keep his own desires in check in order not to scare his partner away. No way in hell is this ever going to be a faithful long-term relationship.
I think the 'gay' guy in here did one hell of a great job dealing with such a skittish partner, but when the other guy isn't even willing to come out as being in a relationship that others might view as 'gay'.... I just wanted to throw this out of the window.
Not to mention that both guys are actually in a custody battle against EACH OTHER over the children of their siblings who were married and died in a car crash.
I am so sorry that this story didn't do it for me. Even the ending couldn't save this mess for me.
Also, what I liked so much about At Attention was completely missing here. The children were just props to be carried around and taken to school and back.
All in all, this installment disappointed me. Sadly.
2 stars!
May 9, 2018
I le cried. *sniff*
April 27, 2018
Tag Team Review with Adam!
4 HEARTS--Back in again more Annabeth Albert and I am not tired of this series yet!
Squared Away can be read as a standalone. It features not only an ace MC but a biracial MC as well. If you've followed along in the series, Isaiah (secondary character from book #2 - At Attention) the sex positive roommate has harbored a crush on his cousin's brother-in-law, Mark aka Wizard. The two have a rocky start and years passed. They hear about each other in passing but a tragedy brings them together. Both end up guardians for three kids (Isaiah's cousin's and Mark's sister's kids).
Second chance, sexual discovery, grief and men with kids... the themes are all in the win pile for me.
I loved this blended family. The kids weren't annoying. The love was very apparent for the kids. The men have to learn how to be a family on their own terms while having to deal with grieving, outside opposition from family members. Plus, Isaiah would definitely fall in the new adult category. He's younger and still figuring his life out. Committing to passion is a bit of a problem for him. But the one thing that he doesn't flit from? Those kids.
The romance is a slow burn of sorts. And it fits the characters especially with Mark's background in relationships. Each intimate scene was meaningful and passionate. The kissing was really, really good.
Why not 5 Hearts? Isaiah has no problem with Mark being demisexual and not being out. He said the right words to Mark, he did the right actions...mostly. There was a point in the book where he was upset that Mark wasn't more demonstrative. It was like he took 2 steps forward and 1 step back. He said he understood. Why was he rushing Mark?
The book wasn't too angst heavy. There were more internal struggles and a bit of miscommunication (more of not telling the other the full story/plans regarding the future)
And as I loved Dylan (MC of At Attention), the bits of him showing up again made this reader happy.
A recommended read for readers who enjoy slow burn, kids and second chance.
A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
4 HEARTS--Back in again more Annabeth Albert and I am not tired of this series yet!
Squared Away can be read as a standalone. It features not only an ace MC but a biracial MC as well. If you've followed along in the series, Isaiah (secondary character from book #2 - At Attention) the sex positive roommate has harbored a crush on his cousin's brother-in-law, Mark aka Wizard. The two have a rocky start and years passed. They hear about each other in passing but a tragedy brings them together. Both end up guardians for three kids (Isaiah's cousin's and Mark's sister's kids).
Second chance, sexual discovery, grief and men with kids... the themes are all in the win pile for me.
I loved this blended family. The kids weren't annoying. The love was very apparent for the kids. The men have to learn how to be a family on their own terms while having to deal with grieving, outside opposition from family members. Plus, Isaiah would definitely fall in the new adult category. He's younger and still figuring his life out. Committing to passion is a bit of a problem for him. But the one thing that he doesn't flit from? Those kids.
The romance is a slow burn of sorts. And it fits the characters especially with Mark's background in relationships. Each intimate scene was meaningful and passionate. The kissing was really, really good.
Why not 5 Hearts? Isaiah has no problem with Mark being demisexual and not being out. He said the right words to Mark, he did the right actions...mostly. There was a point in the book where he was upset that Mark wasn't more demonstrative. It was like he took 2 steps forward and 1 step back. He said he understood. Why was he rushing Mark?
The book wasn't too angst heavy. There were more internal struggles and a bit of miscommunication (more of not telling the other the full story/plans regarding the future)
And as I loved Dylan (MC of At Attention), the bits of him showing up again made this reader happy.
A recommended read for readers who enjoy slow burn, kids and second chance.
A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
October 10, 2020
Isaiah made a pass at Mark at the wedding of Isaiah’s brother and Mark’s sister. Mark soundly rebuffed him. Isaiah was hurt, and continued to be hurt at every family gathering when Mark ignored him. He eventually thought he had let his feelings go.
Five years later, after a tragic car accident the brother and sister were killed. Each giving guardianship of their children to their sibling. Mark is a SEAL, deployed, when he gets news of the deaths. Getting home as fast as he can, he is surprised to see Isaiah already living in the home with the 3 children. Isaiah has a reputation as a party boy and Mark isn't sure about him being involved in the situation. The guardianship issue come as a surprise to both. Each deciding they would take the responsibility of the children.
Lawyers, judges, family service, and family all come into play, creating conflict and misery. When the men start discovering they might have feelings for each other it becomes even more difficult. Their futures not at all certain. Trying to do best for the family.
This is a very slow burn. Another well done story in the series, I liked it.
Five years later, after a tragic car accident the brother and sister were killed. Each giving guardianship of their children to their sibling. Mark is a SEAL, deployed, when he gets news of the deaths. Getting home as fast as he can, he is surprised to see Isaiah already living in the home with the 3 children. Isaiah has a reputation as a party boy and Mark isn't sure about him being involved in the situation. The guardianship issue come as a surprise to both. Each deciding they would take the responsibility of the children.
Lawyers, judges, family service, and family all come into play, creating conflict and misery. When the men start discovering they might have feelings for each other it becomes even more difficult. Their futures not at all certain. Trying to do best for the family.
This is a very slow burn. Another well done story in the series, I liked it.
April 14, 2018
Interesting twist in this one
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book was a bit different from what I expecting. Usually when I read a M/M story it’s pretty darn hot. This book, however, is more in the medium heat range. It’s more of an emotional connection and that’s just one difference about this story.
There are other differences too. On one hand you’re dealing with children you didn’t expect. On the other hand, you’re dealing with the unknown details of someone else’s life. What you expected from your life is now changed in a flash and you are thrown into living with someone you hardly know.
I also expected my SEAL to be a screaming hot stud in bed. But that’s not what he was about either. He was confused. And his confusion let me to looking up definitions of sexual feelings. His confusion also lead to a slow start on any type of heat in the story.
While I didn’t hate the story, I wasn’t overly connected to it either. It was written well but I was looking for more.
* copy received for review consideration
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book was a bit different from what I expecting. Usually when I read a M/M story it’s pretty darn hot. This book, however, is more in the medium heat range. It’s more of an emotional connection and that’s just one difference about this story.
There are other differences too. On one hand you’re dealing with children you didn’t expect. On the other hand, you’re dealing with the unknown details of someone else’s life. What you expected from your life is now changed in a flash and you are thrown into living with someone you hardly know.
I also expected my SEAL to be a screaming hot stud in bed. But that’s not what he was about either. He was confused. And his confusion let me to looking up definitions of sexual feelings. His confusion also lead to a slow start on any type of heat in the story.
While I didn’t hate the story, I wasn’t overly connected to it either. It was written well but I was looking for more.
* copy received for review consideration
April 16, 2018
3.5 stars
As an asexual reader, one thing I need to say first about this book. THANK YOU so much, Annabeth Albert, for writing a character in asexuality spectrum.
Now, I know that experience in sexuality between asexual people can be different, uniquely defined by their own nature vs. nurture environment, I still feel that what Mark has been going through rings through. I also thought in regards to Mark's approach to sex with Isaiah, it was respectful to his sexuality. So, I wholeheartedly appreciated it.
Unfortunately, it was also Mark's journey to understand about his feeling and navigate the newfound relationship with Isaiah that slightly dampen my reading experience about this book.
I was getting frustrated with Mark's indecisiveness; the way that he keeps Isaiah at arms length because Mark feels like he needs to protect Isaiah. That he needs to be in control of EVERYTHING, even as much as not willing to accept help from anyone. Of course, Marks ends up screwing things up.
Throughout the book, I was firmly on Isaiah's corner. I loved the younger man -- Isaiah clearly loved the kids and he knows how to step up for his family I wanted to shake Mark up, and probably slapped him in the head. The fact that Mark coming to realization rather late in the book made me fuming... BUT, I guess at the same time, the words he said to Isaiah melted my heart a bit.
Other than that, this was a good hurt/comfort story. We have three kids in the premise, one is still a baby. Despite my intial worry about "too much kids in my book" apparently they don't overwhelm the pages. So that's good.
BY the way, although it is listed as number five in the Out of Uniform series, any new readers can still start with Squared Away and not feeling lost.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
As an asexual reader, one thing I need to say first about this book. THANK YOU so much, Annabeth Albert, for writing a character in asexuality spectrum.
Now, I know that experience in sexuality between asexual people can be different, uniquely defined by their own nature vs. nurture environment, I still feel that what Mark has been going through rings through. I also thought in regards to Mark's approach to sex with Isaiah, it was respectful to his sexuality. So, I wholeheartedly appreciated it.
Unfortunately, it was also Mark's journey to understand about his feeling and navigate the newfound relationship with Isaiah that slightly dampen my reading experience about this book.
I was getting frustrated with Mark's indecisiveness; the way that he keeps Isaiah at arms length because Mark feels like he needs to protect Isaiah. That he needs to be in control of EVERYTHING, even as much as not willing to accept help from anyone. Of course, Marks ends up screwing things up.
Throughout the book, I was firmly on Isaiah's corner. I loved the younger man -- Isaiah clearly loved the kids and he knows how to step up for his family I wanted to shake Mark up, and probably slapped him in the head. The fact that Mark coming to realization rather late in the book made me fuming... BUT, I guess at the same time, the words he said to Isaiah melted my heart a bit.
Other than that, this was a good hurt/comfort story. We have three kids in the premise, one is still a baby. Despite my intial worry about "too much kids in my book" apparently they don't overwhelm the pages. So that's good.
BY the way, although it is listed as number five in the Out of Uniform series, any new readers can still start with Squared Away and not feeling lost.
You’re it for me. Forever. I can see us together, here if possible, raising the kids. I can see us after they grow up too. You’re just…my person. You’re always going to be
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
April 15, 2018
Sensuous, intimate, and sensitive!
Squared Away is a heartfelt story that takes us into the lives of Mark and Isaiah as they each must learn to cope with the loss of a sibling, their new status as guardians to three children, and a budding relationship that will require a lot of trust and understanding.
The writing is generous and compassionate. The characters are sorrowful, supportive, and flawed. And the plot told from two different points of view nicely unravels to reveal a tale about life, loss, grief, responsibility, friendship, family, support, and the importance of communication.
Squared Away is another beautifully written tale about finding unconditional love by Albert that not only touches on the struggles encountered by same-sex and interracial relationships, but also the challenges faced by those who are grey ace on the asexual spectrum.
Thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Squared Away is a heartfelt story that takes us into the lives of Mark and Isaiah as they each must learn to cope with the loss of a sibling, their new status as guardians to three children, and a budding relationship that will require a lot of trust and understanding.
The writing is generous and compassionate. The characters are sorrowful, supportive, and flawed. And the plot told from two different points of view nicely unravels to reveal a tale about life, loss, grief, responsibility, friendship, family, support, and the importance of communication.
Squared Away is another beautifully written tale about finding unconditional love by Albert that not only touches on the struggles encountered by same-sex and interracial relationships, but also the challenges faced by those who are grey ace on the asexual spectrum.
Thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
April 18, 2018
The "Out of Uniform" series is one of my favorites and so far I've enjoyed every story I've read. Sadly, the fifth book didn't quite hit the mark for me but it wasn't a total miss either. It landed somewhere in the middle.
Wizard, or Mark, and Isaiah have been present in previous books but we never really got to know them. In this book we learn a lot about Mark and his sexuality and we get to know Isaiah pretty well.
Mark is reliable, calm under pressure, the teammate everyone depends on when things really go south during a mission. Isaiah is probably the opposite of him. He likes to party and have a good time, he is very social, has friends everywhere and he has a strong sense of family even if his father didn't help him acquire it.
I was looking forward to reading this next installment in this series - as always - but, sadly, I wasn't as engaged in it as I was in the previous ones. I didn't feel a connection between the MCs, the miscommunication frustrated me and there were way too many coincidences. The romace moved too fast and everything fell into place too easily at the end. Also, Mark and Isaiah got too cheesy for me at times and that's a huge drawback where I'm conserned.
I can't say that I felt much of anything while reading this book and, while on one hand that was a good thing because I read it after an extremely emotional story and I wanted the calm and quiet, on the other hand when you read a book you want to feel some connection to it, you want to feel some of the characters' feelings. It didn't happen here even though there was supposed to be at least some emotion, as the whole story happened because of a deadly accident. Still, I didn't think that the characters ever really mourned for their loved ones.
Also, the kids seemed like they were very easily handled. I think they were behaving according to their age and not appearing older but other than that I don't think the portrayal of the situation at home was very realistic. Except for a bit of a struggle with sleeping time, they were perfectly cooperative the rest of the time. They were easily placated and happy to go along with any plan. All three of them were supposed to be under the age of six, so I expected at least a little bit of a mess and partial destruction in the house. Maybe I'm wrong here, I don't presume to be an expert on the topic, but from what I know when the number of small kids in a room goes up so does the chaos. Of course it could be that, in the end, Wizard really did have magic powers and that's why it was so easy to suddenly care for three kids with no problem and while having no experience at all.
On a positive note, I liked seeing Dylan, Apollo and their girls again! Even if they had very small parts it was still nice to visit with them again. We also saw Ben and Maddox living happily together and raising their dogs. Cupcakes were, of course, present too.
I was a bit disappointed with this book but that's just me. It was still a great story and I liked reading it. It had scenes that I enjoyed a lot, it was just much less than what I got in the previous books. That doesn't mean I'm giving up on the series. No way! This series is great and I'm looking forward to the next book. It's going to be Bacon's story and I can't wait to see who the author is going to pair him up with!
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
Wizard, or Mark, and Isaiah have been present in previous books but we never really got to know them. In this book we learn a lot about Mark and his sexuality and we get to know Isaiah pretty well.
Mark is reliable, calm under pressure, the teammate everyone depends on when things really go south during a mission. Isaiah is probably the opposite of him. He likes to party and have a good time, he is very social, has friends everywhere and he has a strong sense of family even if his father didn't help him acquire it.
I was looking forward to reading this next installment in this series - as always - but, sadly, I wasn't as engaged in it as I was in the previous ones. I didn't feel a connection between the MCs, the miscommunication frustrated me and there were way too many coincidences. The romace moved too fast and everything fell into place too easily at the end. Also, Mark and Isaiah got too cheesy for me at times and that's a huge drawback where I'm conserned.
I can't say that I felt much of anything while reading this book and, while on one hand that was a good thing because I read it after an extremely emotional story and I wanted the calm and quiet, on the other hand when you read a book you want to feel some connection to it, you want to feel some of the characters' feelings. It didn't happen here even though there was supposed to be at least some emotion, as the whole story happened because of a deadly accident. Still, I didn't think that the characters ever really mourned for their loved ones.
Also, the kids seemed like they were very easily handled. I think they were behaving according to their age and not appearing older but other than that I don't think the portrayal of the situation at home was very realistic. Except for a bit of a struggle with sleeping time, they were perfectly cooperative the rest of the time. They were easily placated and happy to go along with any plan. All three of them were supposed to be under the age of six, so I expected at least a little bit of a mess and partial destruction in the house. Maybe I'm wrong here, I don't presume to be an expert on the topic, but from what I know when the number of small kids in a room goes up so does the chaos. Of course it could be that, in the end, Wizard really did have magic powers and that's why it was so easy to suddenly care for three kids with no problem and while having no experience at all.
On a positive note, I liked seeing Dylan, Apollo and their girls again! Even if they had very small parts it was still nice to visit with them again. We also saw Ben and Maddox living happily together and raising their dogs. Cupcakes were, of course, present too.
I was a bit disappointed with this book but that's just me. It was still a great story and I liked reading it. It had scenes that I enjoyed a lot, it was just much less than what I got in the previous books. That doesn't mean I'm giving up on the series. No way! This series is great and I'm looking forward to the next book. It's going to be Bacon's story and I can't wait to see who the author is going to pair him up with!
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
February 11, 2018
There's a few authors who I know, when it comes to a military setting, that I'm going to get a book that not only gets that aspect right, but also perfectly pitches the romance that goes with it.
Annabeth Albert is one of those and in her latest Out of Uniform offering, she gives the reader something different. This book still has all the military elements down pat, even with the narrative including a rush job home at the end of a deep ops mission.
But it also has great depth, especially when it comes to dealing with, and processing, the emotional, financial and legal aspects of sudden death.
There is grief here, but also anger, there is mistrust and fear, but also hope and expectations things will just work out with enough effort.
And, ultimately, there is a gorgeous romance and a relationship which relies on more than just a sexual connection to build up the tensions in the plotting.
Now that's not to say that this book isn't without sex, as always Annabeth has a light touch which puts on paper some incredibly powerful and moving experiences between Unca Ike and Unca Mark.
Mark's awareness of his demisexual, possibly grey ace, status is handled with sensitivity.
He doesn't suddenly want sex just because Ike is his person, sometimes the act of kissing is even more sensual and a bigger turn on than a full on sex scene.
There is a lot of hurt/comfort in this, but also a lot of situations which become hurtful to one or the other character and it's refreshing to see this handled through conversation and not just magic dicked away.
The kids are also believable, there's a good set of secondary characters and we get a chance to catch up with some of the guys from the series. Now, can we get as HEA for Bacon next please ;)
#ARC kindly received from the author via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Annabeth Albert is one of those and in her latest Out of Uniform offering, she gives the reader something different. This book still has all the military elements down pat, even with the narrative including a rush job home at the end of a deep ops mission.
But it also has great depth, especially when it comes to dealing with, and processing, the emotional, financial and legal aspects of sudden death.
There is grief here, but also anger, there is mistrust and fear, but also hope and expectations things will just work out with enough effort.
And, ultimately, there is a gorgeous romance and a relationship which relies on more than just a sexual connection to build up the tensions in the plotting.
Now that's not to say that this book isn't without sex, as always Annabeth has a light touch which puts on paper some incredibly powerful and moving experiences between Unca Ike and Unca Mark.
Mark's awareness of his demisexual, possibly grey ace, status is handled with sensitivity.
He doesn't suddenly want sex just because Ike is his person, sometimes the act of kissing is even more sensual and a bigger turn on than a full on sex scene.
There is a lot of hurt/comfort in this, but also a lot of situations which become hurtful to one or the other character and it's refreshing to see this handled through conversation and not just magic dicked away.
The kids are also believable, there's a good set of secondary characters and we get a chance to catch up with some of the guys from the series. Now, can we get as HEA for Bacon next please ;)
#ARC kindly received from the author via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
September 24, 2020
Isaiah and Mark’s story made me cry, smile and scream. And almost throw my kindle. They met through Cal (Isaiah’s cousin and quasi brother) and Danielle (Mark’s sister). Isaiah had a crush on Mark, and when Mark rejected him, it was the end of that.
Until 6 years later, when tragedy hit and they found themselves jointly responsible for Cal and Dani’s kids. And both heartbroken.
“Day by day, one foot in front of the other, he was getting through it. But then he’d feel a bit guilty about that, like maybe he shouldn’t be doing this well. Grief, man. It was some fucked-up shit.”
Their relationship develops from shared grief, shared responsibility and shared living situation.
““Yeah, well, I like you more than lots of things,” Isaiah said in the understatement of the year. Chocolate. The ocean. This house. My life. All”
Mark is ace/demi, and Isaiah has a slut reputation. Mark’s insecurities are intense. And infuriating. And the lack of communication between them made me want to scream and shake them both.
The sex scenes were sweet. Hot. Romantic. The ending was a little crazy, but I loved that. Overall it’s a sweet romance that had me swooning at the end.
Until 6 years later, when tragedy hit and they found themselves jointly responsible for Cal and Dani’s kids. And both heartbroken.
“Day by day, one foot in front of the other, he was getting through it. But then he’d feel a bit guilty about that, like maybe he shouldn’t be doing this well. Grief, man. It was some fucked-up shit.”
Their relationship develops from shared grief, shared responsibility and shared living situation.
““Yeah, well, I like you more than lots of things,” Isaiah said in the understatement of the year. Chocolate. The ocean. This house. My life. All”
Mark is ace/demi, and Isaiah has a slut reputation. Mark’s insecurities are intense. And infuriating. And the lack of communication between them made me want to scream and shake them both.
The sex scenes were sweet. Hot. Romantic. The ending was a little crazy, but I loved that. Overall it’s a sweet romance that had me swooning at the end.
July 17, 2018
Tiene alguna parte muy mona que me ha gustado mucho pero me temo que en general no he conectado con los protagonistas, no sé, los encontraba demasiado correctos, tampoco me ha convencido cómo se desarrolla el romance entre ellos.
Me ha gustado leer sobre la demisexualidad de Mark, lo mejor del libro para mí.
Me ha gustado leer sobre la demisexualidad de Mark, lo mejor del libro para mí.
March 16, 2024
4.5 stars - bumped up for excellent narration
I wasn’t wild about the previous book in this series (Wheels Up) and wasn’t sure I was going to continue to read or listen to any more, but then I saw the blurb for Squared Away AND that Greg Boudreaux was narrating it, so I decided to give it a try. And I’m glad I did, because it turned out to be a beautifully told story of love – romantic and familial – trust, and acceptance, featuring an unusual (in my reading/listening experience, that is) slow-burn romance as two men come to terms with a devastating event that changes their lives irrevocably.
Six years earlier, eighteen-year-old Isaiah James decided it was time to lose his v-card and knew exactly who he wanted to give it to. He’s had a crush on his cousin Cal’s best friend for a while and decides it’s time to make his move on Navy SEAL medic Mark Whitley (who is the bride’s brother) at Cal and Danielle’s wedding. Sadly for Isaiah, his evening didn’t turn out as expected and Mark turned him down; in the intervening six years, they’ve hardly seen each other and Isaiah suspects Mark has actually gone out of his way to avoid him. But that can’t continue when Cal and Danielle are killed in an accident, leaving behind three young children. Mark is deployed at an undisclosed location when the tragedy occurs, so by the time he gets the news and returns to the States, it’s to find Isaiah installed in the family home with the kids, clearly knowing what he’s doing. This version of Isaiah is more mature, more confident than the one Mark remembers and he’s not quite sure what to make of him at first. He certainly doesn’t like the way Isaiah seems to have taken control of everything, and Isaiah’s calm confidence with the kids unsettles Mark, who hardly knows them, and knows little about children in general.
Mark assumes that the kids will have been left to his care, as he’s their closest relative, so it’s a surprise to discover that both Cal and Danielle made wills and that things aren’t so cut and dried. In one, Mark is named, and in the other, Isaiah; so they agree to continue as they are for the time being until such time as a legal decision can be made. Mark knows that his job is probably not all that conducive to being granted custody of young children, as it takes him away from home for long periods of time, but that’s a surmountable obstacle – once he has the children in his care, he can hire a good nanny. What surprises him, however, is the ferocity with which Isaiah makes clear his desire to gain custody of baby Liam and his two pre-school age sisters. As far as he’s concerned, the kids are family, and he’s not prepared to hand them off to someone else to bring up.
I loved this story, and the author has done a terrific job of showing what it’s like to be the parents of three very young children; they’re hard work and don’t conveniently disappear when the plot demands they do. Isaiah is great with them and clearly adores them, while Mark doesn’t have the first clue of how to handle them. In fact, he comes across as a bit of a dickhead in the first part of story, assuming he’ll get custody of the kids but leaving all the heavy lifting to Isaiah, and then being persuaded into a course of action that he knows isn’t right and will cause a major issue further down the line, but doing it anyway.
One of the joys of the story, though, is seeing Mark gradually unbend and adapt to his new situation. He loves the kids, too, but hasn’t any experience of being around them, and he’s got a lot to learn. But to his credit, once he realises that he’s not pulling his weight around the house, he mans up and starts to integrate into this small and rather special family unit.
The romance is sensual and beautifully developed, the fact that Mark is demisexual (or maybe grey ace) meaning that it focuses more on the emotional connection that develops between the two men, especially in the early stages, than a sexual one. While Isaiah is the younger of the two, Mark is the least experienced; his sexual experiences so far have not been positive ones and he came away from them feeling guilty for disappointing his partner and not reacting in an expected way. He’s given up hoping to find someone to ‘put up with him’, so he’s astonished at the ease with which Isaiah accepts his sexuality and is prepared to let Mark set the pace. Ms. Albert does a superb job of conveying the complexity of Mark’s emotions and the way his feelings for Isaiah change and develop.
Books 1-4 in this series had four different narrators, so I was a bit surprised to see Greg Boudreaux’s name on the cover of this one… or maybe I wasn’t because, let’s face it, once Greg’s narrated one of your books, you’re ruined for anyone else ;) (That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it! And even better, he’s narrating the next book, too!) Of course he does a fantastic job with the narration, expertly characterising the principals (Isaiah’s soft tones contrasting nicely with Mark’s gruff, prickly ones) and skilfully realising Mark’s insecurity and uncertainty about his sexuality and his new role as a parent. The various secondary characters (including those from previous books) are all clearly differentiated and easy to tell apart, his female voices are excellent and he does an especially good job with the two little girls, who sound age appropriate without being too high-pitched or squeaky.
Squared Away is a fairly angsty story, but is generally a ‘quiet’ book, focusing on the characters and their emotional journeys. In this case it’s about processing grief and learning to adapt in order to move forward, learning to trust, support and grow as a person and part of a couple and family. I really enjoyed the story, and with Greg Boudreaux delivering another wonderfully insightful, nuanced performance, it’s an audiobook I can recommend without reservation.
I wasn’t wild about the previous book in this series (Wheels Up) and wasn’t sure I was going to continue to read or listen to any more, but then I saw the blurb for Squared Away AND that Greg Boudreaux was narrating it, so I decided to give it a try. And I’m glad I did, because it turned out to be a beautifully told story of love – romantic and familial – trust, and acceptance, featuring an unusual (in my reading/listening experience, that is) slow-burn romance as two men come to terms with a devastating event that changes their lives irrevocably.
Six years earlier, eighteen-year-old Isaiah James decided it was time to lose his v-card and knew exactly who he wanted to give it to. He’s had a crush on his cousin Cal’s best friend for a while and decides it’s time to make his move on Navy SEAL medic Mark Whitley (who is the bride’s brother) at Cal and Danielle’s wedding. Sadly for Isaiah, his evening didn’t turn out as expected and Mark turned him down; in the intervening six years, they’ve hardly seen each other and Isaiah suspects Mark has actually gone out of his way to avoid him. But that can’t continue when Cal and Danielle are killed in an accident, leaving behind three young children. Mark is deployed at an undisclosed location when the tragedy occurs, so by the time he gets the news and returns to the States, it’s to find Isaiah installed in the family home with the kids, clearly knowing what he’s doing. This version of Isaiah is more mature, more confident than the one Mark remembers and he’s not quite sure what to make of him at first. He certainly doesn’t like the way Isaiah seems to have taken control of everything, and Isaiah’s calm confidence with the kids unsettles Mark, who hardly knows them, and knows little about children in general.
Mark assumes that the kids will have been left to his care, as he’s their closest relative, so it’s a surprise to discover that both Cal and Danielle made wills and that things aren’t so cut and dried. In one, Mark is named, and in the other, Isaiah; so they agree to continue as they are for the time being until such time as a legal decision can be made. Mark knows that his job is probably not all that conducive to being granted custody of young children, as it takes him away from home for long periods of time, but that’s a surmountable obstacle – once he has the children in his care, he can hire a good nanny. What surprises him, however, is the ferocity with which Isaiah makes clear his desire to gain custody of baby Liam and his two pre-school age sisters. As far as he’s concerned, the kids are family, and he’s not prepared to hand them off to someone else to bring up.
I loved this story, and the author has done a terrific job of showing what it’s like to be the parents of three very young children; they’re hard work and don’t conveniently disappear when the plot demands they do. Isaiah is great with them and clearly adores them, while Mark doesn’t have the first clue of how to handle them. In fact, he comes across as a bit of a dickhead in the first part of story, assuming he’ll get custody of the kids but leaving all the heavy lifting to Isaiah, and then being persuaded into a course of action that he knows isn’t right and will cause a major issue further down the line, but doing it anyway.
One of the joys of the story, though, is seeing Mark gradually unbend and adapt to his new situation. He loves the kids, too, but hasn’t any experience of being around them, and he’s got a lot to learn. But to his credit, once he realises that he’s not pulling his weight around the house, he mans up and starts to integrate into this small and rather special family unit.
The romance is sensual and beautifully developed, the fact that Mark is demisexual (or maybe grey ace) meaning that it focuses more on the emotional connection that develops between the two men, especially in the early stages, than a sexual one. While Isaiah is the younger of the two, Mark is the least experienced; his sexual experiences so far have not been positive ones and he came away from them feeling guilty for disappointing his partner and not reacting in an expected way. He’s given up hoping to find someone to ‘put up with him’, so he’s astonished at the ease with which Isaiah accepts his sexuality and is prepared to let Mark set the pace. Ms. Albert does a superb job of conveying the complexity of Mark’s emotions and the way his feelings for Isaiah change and develop.
Books 1-4 in this series had four different narrators, so I was a bit surprised to see Greg Boudreaux’s name on the cover of this one… or maybe I wasn’t because, let’s face it, once Greg’s narrated one of your books, you’re ruined for anyone else ;) (That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it! And even better, he’s narrating the next book, too!) Of course he does a fantastic job with the narration, expertly characterising the principals (Isaiah’s soft tones contrasting nicely with Mark’s gruff, prickly ones) and skilfully realising Mark’s insecurity and uncertainty about his sexuality and his new role as a parent. The various secondary characters (including those from previous books) are all clearly differentiated and easy to tell apart, his female voices are excellent and he does an especially good job with the two little girls, who sound age appropriate without being too high-pitched or squeaky.
Squared Away is a fairly angsty story, but is generally a ‘quiet’ book, focusing on the characters and their emotional journeys. In this case it’s about processing grief and learning to adapt in order to move forward, learning to trust, support and grow as a person and part of a couple and family. I really enjoyed the story, and with Greg Boudreaux delivering another wonderfully insightful, nuanced performance, it’s an audiobook I can recommend without reservation.
April 19, 2018
Tag team review with Baby!
3.5 stars
From the first page it’s clear that Mark and Isaiah are complete opposites. Mark is a one-man fortress - stoic and completely self-reliant. Isaiah has more of a wild personality, preferring fun and living life in the moment.
These differences make it hard for the two to understand each other. Their relationship is made more difficult by the fact that Mark rejected Isaiah at a wedding six years ago, something neither man has forgotten.
But despite this history, the two pull it together for their nieces and nephew. The circumstances that bring them together are heartbreaking, but both men know that they have to put the kids first.
Grief is interwoven throughout the book, though it never becomes overwhelming. It’s a realistic depiction, showing how life has to move forward, regardless of the situation.
In working through their grief and trying to do what’s best for the children, the two MCs begin leaning on each other for support. It’s a shaky truce which slowly becomes a real friendship. Isaiah’s attentive to the pressures of Mark’s work as a SEAL, while Mark’s well-aware of the work Isaiah puts in to take care of the kids.
I really liked seeing how Isaiah and Mark began, and the kids, built a family as the story progressed. The kids play a big part in the book. They’re what bind the two MCs together, and a lot of the page time is devoted to them.
But that doesn’t mean the romance is lacking. It’s mellow and builds slowly, but the two MCs just click, building on years of secret pining.
Part of the reason the romance moves slowly is because of Mark’s sexuality - he’s both demisexual and grey ace. It makes for a different relationship experience, but both men are patient and take things step by step.
However, I could have done with less miscommunication or lack of communication between the MCs. It just got too repetitive at a point. Also, while I could understand Mark’s struggle, the hot-and-cold routine didn’t win him any favours.
That being said, I thought the happy ever after was really sweet. I was glad to see Mark, Isaiah, and their kids get the sunshine and roses they deserved!
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. If you’re looking for a slow MM romance with strong themes of family, I’d give ‘Squared Away’ a try.
3.5 stars
From the first page it’s clear that Mark and Isaiah are complete opposites. Mark is a one-man fortress - stoic and completely self-reliant. Isaiah has more of a wild personality, preferring fun and living life in the moment.
These differences make it hard for the two to understand each other. Their relationship is made more difficult by the fact that Mark rejected Isaiah at a wedding six years ago, something neither man has forgotten.
But despite this history, the two pull it together for their nieces and nephew. The circumstances that bring them together are heartbreaking, but both men know that they have to put the kids first.
Grief is interwoven throughout the book, though it never becomes overwhelming. It’s a realistic depiction, showing how life has to move forward, regardless of the situation.
In working through their grief and trying to do what’s best for the children, the two MCs begin leaning on each other for support. It’s a shaky truce which slowly becomes a real friendship. Isaiah’s attentive to the pressures of Mark’s work as a SEAL, while Mark’s well-aware of the work Isaiah puts in to take care of the kids.
I really liked seeing how Isaiah and Mark began, and the kids, built a family as the story progressed. The kids play a big part in the book. They’re what bind the two MCs together, and a lot of the page time is devoted to them.
But that doesn’t mean the romance is lacking. It’s mellow and builds slowly, but the two MCs just click, building on years of secret pining.
Part of the reason the romance moves slowly is because of Mark’s sexuality - he’s both demisexual and grey ace. It makes for a different relationship experience, but both men are patient and take things step by step.
However, I could have done with less miscommunication or lack of communication between the MCs. It just got too repetitive at a point. Also, while I could understand Mark’s struggle, the hot-and-cold routine didn’t win him any favours.
That being said, I thought the happy ever after was really sweet. I was glad to see Mark, Isaiah, and their kids get the sunshine and roses they deserved!
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. If you’re looking for a slow MM romance with strong themes of family, I’d give ‘Squared Away’ a try.
July 17, 2022
After Bk.4 being a meh read for me I was hesitant to continue. Maybe the magic had run it's course for me. Maybe our dance was over but I'm thrilled to say that YAY 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 the men from Coronado are back!!! I loved this story and Greg Boudreaux a.k.a. Greg Tremblay delivers beautifully.
Mark Whitley, who we've met as Wizard in previous installments, is a SEAL medic who breathes & lives the NO MAN LEFT BEHIND ethos. But in a sense he has immured himself. His humanity.
Isaiah, who we also know from prior books, has spent his college & post college years as the ultimate party boy, unabashedly sexual. Why should he be ashamed? But no one seems to know his inner romantic, the one whose never forgotten his first crush (Mark), just wants someone to love HIM, and choose HIM.
Mark and Isaiah are related by the marriage of a sibling and a cousin. They've known each other for a long time. When tragedy strikes they come together to form a patchwork family for their nieces & nephew. What follows is a close proximity that leaves no room for hiding and pretty soon Mark and Isaiah are getting to know each other in ways that familial connection never had encouraged.
I loved that though the MC fulfill the requisite physical hotness quota for romance, ultimately their love for each other flows from who they are inside. These two form a perfect working team when it comes to taking care of the kids, baby Liam stole my heart, and the way they both learned to trust and be open to help spoke to me. It takes a village indeed. You might say that Annabeth Albert posits a world viewed through rose colored lenses but I'd say that's precisely what we need in these days.
Mark Whitley, who we've met as Wizard in previous installments, is a SEAL medic who breathes & lives the NO MAN LEFT BEHIND ethos. But in a sense he has immured himself. His humanity.
Isaiah, who we also know from prior books, has spent his college & post college years as the ultimate party boy, unabashedly sexual. Why should he be ashamed? But no one seems to know his inner romantic, the one whose never forgotten his first crush (Mark), just wants someone to love HIM, and choose HIM.
Mark and Isaiah are related by the marriage of a sibling and a cousin. They've known each other for a long time. When tragedy strikes they come together to form a patchwork family for their nieces & nephew. What follows is a close proximity that leaves no room for hiding and pretty soon Mark and Isaiah are getting to know each other in ways that familial connection never had encouraged.
I loved that though the MC fulfill the requisite physical hotness quota for romance, ultimately their love for each other flows from who they are inside. These two form a perfect working team when it comes to taking care of the kids, baby Liam stole my heart, and the way they both learned to trust and be open to help spoke to me. It takes a village indeed. You might say that Annabeth Albert posits a world viewed through rose colored lenses but I'd say that's precisely what we need in these days.
April 17, 2018
3.5 to 4 stars.
I love Annabeth Albert and I especially love her SEAL books. I love how every story gives us a different set of characters with different struggles and realities.
I really liked Mark, I especially liked reading about an asexual character. It was different and I deeply enjoyed getting to know him.
Isaiah was such a nice character, I wanted to hug him and protect him. his love for his little family was so big.
This story starts with a tragedy and little by little you get to know this characters. I felt the way the relationship was delivered was realistic, things didn't just happen but at the same time, they did seek a certain safe place in each other in the middle of everything that was happening around them.
My only complaint was the resolution, I felt it was rushed BUT it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
It was very interesting to read how these two very different guys dealt with their new reality and see how they both took a different approach but at the same time, they both only wanted the best for the kids.
I have to say that I loved the interactions with the kids! and the last scene of the book warmed my heart.
It was really nice to read about past couples and see how they are doing. I am honestly really happy for the next story. I really love the rainbow of characters this series has, Annabeth is trying to show so many different voices and representation always matters.
I love Annabeth Albert and I especially love her SEAL books. I love how every story gives us a different set of characters with different struggles and realities.
I really liked Mark, I especially liked reading about an asexual character. It was different and I deeply enjoyed getting to know him.
Isaiah was such a nice character, I wanted to hug him and protect him. his love for his little family was so big.
This story starts with a tragedy and little by little you get to know this characters. I felt the way the relationship was delivered was realistic, things didn't just happen but at the same time, they did seek a certain safe place in each other in the middle of everything that was happening around them.
My only complaint was the resolution, I felt it was rushed BUT it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
It was very interesting to read how these two very different guys dealt with their new reality and see how they both took a different approach but at the same time, they both only wanted the best for the kids.
I have to say that I loved the interactions with the kids! and the last scene of the book warmed my heart.
It was really nice to read about past couples and see how they are doing. I am honestly really happy for the next story. I really love the rainbow of characters this series has, Annabeth is trying to show so many different voices and representation always matters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 561 reviews