“Whether making my heart melt or my head burst into flames, Annabeth Albert draws the reader in and keeps them captivated.” –Gay Book Reviews 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 … 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.
Out of Uniform
Book 1: Off Base
Book 2: At Attention
Book 3: On Point
Book 4: Wheels Up
Book 5: Squared Away
Book 6: Tight Quarters
Book 7: Rough Terrain
Also by Annabeth Albert:
Shore Leave
Book 1: Sailor Proof
Book 2: Sink or Swim
Hotshots
Book 1: Burn Zone
Book 2: High Heat
Book 3: Feel the Fire
Book 4: Up in Smoke
more
This series from Annabeth Albert is absolutely her best work. Each one is moving in a new way. They’re all stand-alones and they’re all great.
All of the books in the Out of Uniform series are good, although really you can say that about all of AA’s books, some are great but then some, like Squared Away, reach a whole new level of amazing.
This is an angsty, character driven plot, where all of the story and conflict is about the main characters and the situation they’ve been thrust into. Without giving anything away it’s just a very emotional journey through difficult personal hardships, and learning about themselves. I love Mark, what he comes to realize about himself touched me in a deeply personal way and him growing as a person. I love Isaiah even more for how he accepted Mark and they overcame the conflicts.
Due to Mark’s revelation the heat level on this is lower than your typical AA book, but accurate. But oh the romance, I’m not sure I’ve read such a romantic book recently. It’s very focused on their connection , and you can feel it jumping off the page.
It’s probably not perfect, I can see where some things might not work for other readers, but it was so perfect for me. I highly recommend this whole series.
Squared Away is the fifth book in the Out of Uniform series, but can be read as a standalone, as I did. However, I must say that now I have found out what an exceptional writer Annabeth Albert is, it won’t be the last book of hers I read!
Isaiah is a bit of a ‘flirt’, and at eighteen he decides he is going to lose his V-card to a SEAL at his brother’s wedding. However Mark, the SEAL, isn’t interested in just being ‘someone’ to sleep with, and so tells Isaiah he isn’t gay or interested. He then manages to avoid Isaiah for the next five years, although he still hears about Isaiah’s exploits. Trust me, he is no longer a card-carrying member! These two get thrown together by tragedy, and are both left in charge of three children. This story revolves around the decisions they make, and how they learn to love and live together, whilst loving three mini-humans who demand so much time.
Squared Away is a complex love story that goes so slow it is completely and utterly scintillating. I wondered how it would work with Isaiah’s reputation, but it was simply amazing. Yes, his reputation bites him in the ass, but with Mark, he goes slow – and it is beautiful. There are reasons for this as Mark is demisexual. We find out exactly what this means for Mark, and the struggles he has, both with it and with being scared to want more with Isaiah. Oh man, this is so good. I mean, seriously! The chemistry between these two melted my kindle, and I loved every word. It is heart-breaking, it is beautiful.
With no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, Squared Away is an exceptional story, told by a brilliant author. Her style of writing is realistic, with plenty of complex emotions and situations. Life doesn’t always go smoothly, but it can be worth the effort you put in to a difficult situation. Absolutely amazing, and I am now putting more books by this author on my T-B-R list! You’d be a fool not to read this one.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
Crushes are rarely a prelude to a great love. When Isaiah sees Mark again after a mostly-absent six years he’s absolutely sure that his crush has died. The tragedy that’s bringing them together this time will test both of their resolves to keep things civil enough for the children. Mark isn’t expecting Isaiah to stick around or be what he’s promising to be. All he can see is his own need to control the situation. Isaiah and Mark both have their hangups about the other person and unless they can truly forge a partnership together, their grief and fear will ruin the best thing that could ever happen to them, each other.
Isaiah has come a long way. He has finally found what gives him purpose. He’s struggling a bit regarding what could give him direction and fulfillment in his career, but when he takes up the mantle of guardian for his nieces and nephew he’s more than willing to step up to the task. Over the years he’s been the go-to person when a caretaker is needed so he’s got a good deal of experience. The way he takes things in stride, doing his absolute best to care for the children despite his own heartache is commendable. But it’s his tenderness, his determination, his inner strength that really makes him shine. Knowing who he is, that yes he enjoys partying, but knowing when to set those trivial pursuits aside for the greater love of the kids gives me the opportunity to see that he’s growing up and getting his priorities straight, the ones that really matter. It’s tough to see how his father, and even Mark in the beginning, treat him because of his youthful behaviors. He hadn’t really needed to be different until now and he isn’t the immature party/play boy everyone paints him as. There are times when his patience with Mark runs thin because there’s a lack of time under his belt, but overall he’s a good man, a mature man, the kind of person that can see what’s right, what’s best, and move toward it.
Well, most of the time. But the romantic heart that beats inside him has a whole other challenge to overcome. That crush on Mark didn’t die, it merely sat on the back burner until Mark came home. He has fears and frustrations, same as anyone, and Mark’s own difficulties just seem to make them worse. Except when they finally get on the same page? Straight swoon. They are equally tender, sweet, understanding, and sexy together. Isaiah’s patience and willingness to let Mark set the pace frees Mark in ways he was never expecting. He comes out of his shell and we can see his growth on every page. Until he starts worrying about all the things in the outside world that he isn’t ready to face.
Mark had never entertained the idea of a lasting partner, one that would accept him for everything his is, all that he can and can’t do. And then Isaiah not only opens the door, he busts it down quite spectacularly. When Mark begins to embrace his own sexual discovery it’s more tender and sweet than steamy and raunchy. I loved this. We get to see his heart so clearly and I’m more and more drawn to him with each gentle and loving thing he does for Isaiah. It’s just when he freezes up and lets his fear do the talking that we see the “one step forward, two steps back” dance that threatens to ruin it all. He’s not alone in the things being done to end the relationship before it can take root, no, but his hangups are in the driver’s seat more often than not. Yet it’s his confession when he lays it all on the line that really moves me in this story. While I have mixed feelings about his “option three” everything surrounding that and his heartfelt words that make the most difference. Seeing him through Isaiah’s eyes as he bonds with the children, cares for the baby, blurts all his feelings and fears out, and his tentative yet enthusiastic sensuality wins me over in the end.
This story had ups and downs and a ton of feels. Both men had failings and yet they figured it out and found a way to rise above it all and not just make the best of the situation, but created a set of circumstances that allowed them to win and thrive. The story fits so well with the rest of the series and each pairing gives us an additional foothold into the family of friends they’re creating.
I liked that Annabeth Albert dealt with a situation I have never come across in M/M fiction: a character who is asexual, or a person has little to no sexual desire or sexual reaction to others, or demisexual, a person who can only become sexually involved after establishing a strong emotional attachment to someone. I felt that Mark began the story as asexual and became demisexual once he became involved with Isaiah. It was certainly a very different situation for a couple to be in with a book in this genre. I thought the explorations of Mark and Isaiah trying to figure out their relationship were refreshing and interesting.
But here’s my biggest problem with Squared Away and the main reason I didn’t love this book. I could never buy Isaiah’s claim or desire to be the guardian of three kids. I found it rather hard to believe that a 24 year-old single guy with a reputation as a player who had apparently slept with half of Marks’ team would really want to be responsible for three kids who weren’t his own. Frankly, I found it difficult to believe that Isaiah thought of them as “his” kids. And part of that reasoning is that, as readers, we didn’t know Isaiah. We basically meet him through the presumptions of others, and then he kind of spends the rest of the book trying to prove he’s not that person. He assumed responsibility for these kids in the week after their parents’ deaths, but we never saw Isaiah before their deaths, and we didn’t see him in the time between the deaths and Mark showing up, so all we knew was that six years ago he made a pass at Mark during a wedding, had a reputation as a tramp who occasionally babysat for Danielle and Cal, but suddenly became the doting parent to three kids who he didn’t have much of a claim to. I’m not going to pretend to know a lot about custody proceedings, but I don’t see how Isaiah would have a valid claim as guardian to those kids over Mark. Mark was their uncle, brother to the children’s mother. Isaiah was just a cousin to their father.
I got very tired of the total lack of communication between Mark and Isaiah which furthered their problems, caused more drama than was necessary, and was, to me, proof of how immature they both were that they couldn’t sit down and have a conversation. Mark had completely valid and intelligent reasons for hiring his own attorney regarding custody, and I felt that Isaiah was being stubborn and stupid in not realizing how it was better for the children if Mark was given custody of them and their inherited wealth. He obviously couldn’t support three kids on his own, and his stubborn intention to do so was pure selfishness, putting his own desires before the needs of the children.
I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the read. I thought Mark was an interesting, albeit it highly self-contained, character, and his struggle came across as genuine and isolating. I found him intriguing. I guess, in the end, I just wish I had felt the same about Isaiah.
Also, I once again did not realize this was part of a series, so I can say that it can be read as a stand-alone book. I didn’t feel that I missed anything by not having read the first four books.
See more reviews at boysonlybookclub.wordpress.com
I was really loving this series up until wheels up. Things started to slip for me a bit in that book. And I was hoping with this book that it would’ve pulled me back in. But I have to say… I struggled with most of this book. It wasn’t bad. But it definitely took me awhile to get into it.
I had a hard time with Mark’s character. I have to admit I didn’t know a lot about Marks sexuality. He had a lot of worries about what he couldn’t do. It really took a toll on him. He wanted a relationship he didn’t care if it was a man or with a woman. He never thought he could have that because of his sexual needs. They were really different than other people.
He needed to really connect with a person. He also didn’t find the typical things people find as attractive like looks and body. He found other things attractive like voice snd smiles and just conversations…connecting with someone. That’s what did it for him.
This was definitely different for me. And a lot slower. It wasn’t bad. But I was able to appreciate their time together. But I still missed that little bit of action. We only got that once in this book. The bathroom scene! I really enjoyed that!! But he still struggled.
“I’m scared of being hurt again, but I’m more scared of what happens if we don’t try.”
Mark for most of the book kept Isaiah in the dark about a lot of things. He thought he could make these decisions without including Isaiah in them. That really got to me. Because he treated Isaiah like he was always going to take off on him. Even though Isaiah told and proved that he was willing to go the extra mile for him and the kids.
I loved Isaiah’s character. He was so loving and caring towards Mark and the kids. He really made them pull together and be a family. And I loved that!
Like I said before…. it took me a while to get into this book. But the story did picked up for me at the 60% mark. It’s a little too late for me. But I’m still glad I read this book. I’m really looking forward to the next book in this series.
*ARC provided by HARLEQUIN – Carina Press via Netgalley*
Out of Uniform is one of my favourite series and this one is no different. This book is so emotional!! It’s very character centric. We can see how both Isaiah and Mark mature throughout the book. Both of them are so used to being on their own and not relying on others but then they start to build that trust.
This is dual POV abd can be read as a standalone, though other couples do make an appearance. While I have read books with demisexual MCs, this is my first time reading one with a gray ace MC. I love Isaiah is so respectful of Mark’s sexuality. This is not very high on heat level but I really enjoyed this book. Its more about the connection they have. And Mark’s kisses are to die for. Also Mark and Isaiah’s life revolves around the kids, so if you don’t like reading about kids, this book is not for you.
Highly recommend this whole series!
Squared Away by author Annabeth Albert is the fifth book in the Men out of Uniform series. This story can be read and understood just find even if you have not read the rest of the series. I have read the entire series so far, and I loved this one. So much heart and soul in this book.
Mark, he is a Navy Seal and guardian now to this sister’s three children. Well go, guardian, he is sharing the title with Isaiah.
Isaiah has sworn off the wrong kind of men. He wants commitment and love. No more one-night stands.
I liked watching both men grow in this book. They learn a ton about themselves and what they could be together as a family. They have to sort through their respective pasts to see the future they could have together.
I loved this story of family and love. I cannot wait for more from this series in the future.
five shooting Stars
Love anything by LAWitt!
4.25 stars
Really enjoyed this one. Interesting to learn about the “Ace” spectrum of sexuality. Full review to follow.
Original review: https://myshelfbooks.wordpress.com/2019/01/27/squared-away-annabeth-albert/
The previous book of the Out of Uniform saga left me cold and with an uneasy feeling. I was actaully scared that the series was going down a path of mediocrity pretty fast. But, I’m always glad to be wrong. The fifth book is awesome. It’s up there with the first one or the third one. A true pleasure for a reader like me.
This time the story focuses on Mark, a.k.a. Wizard, a medic SEAL who is too used to take charge in every crisis. He is about to face the biggest crisis yet: the death of his sister and brother-in-law leaving behind three little kids… He rushes home to take care of them, but he finds Isaiah, another uncle of the kids, managing everything just fine (as fine as it can be in that situation…). They already knew each other, but the relationship is pretty strained. They have to get passed their differences to put their best faces for the kids and that’s the first step of their unlikely romance…
This is maybe the hardest story so far in the saga. It’s so unfair to see the life of those kids rattle so badly and yet getting used to their new reality so fast and stoically. Reading how Isaiah and Mark jump to claim the guardianship of the kids even though they had almost zero experience with them, when it would have been easier for them to let them be processed by the system, was an emotionally rewarding experience. It was really heart-warming and an example to follow. I would lie if I’d say I didn’t cry more than once (I kind of love crying with books. That means they have something especial). I was even a bit angry with the behaviour of the legal system and the social workers that were so worry about the well-being of the kids that, in order to protect them, their well-being and happiness were actually the first things to be in jeopardy. I have no idea how that works in Spain, so even more clueless about that in the United States, but what I read in this book… It’s crazy that the uncles were constantly questioned about their intentions when it was pretty obvious they cared for the kids.
If that drama wasn’t enough, there are obviously romantic issues to add to the mix. As in previous books, those are mainly fear to be open about the sexuality of one or more of the characters. In this case, the one having doubts was Mark. When the book gets its hands dirty explaining Mark’s sexualty I wasn’t down for it. Too much terms being thrown at the reader in a short amount of time: pansexual, demisexual, asexual, gray ace… I couldn’t follow the author. I even had to stop reading to look for the meaning of gray ace, only to discover that it was explained in the book. But, as if a mage herself, the unintended misdirection of the juggling of terms made me miss the proper explanation for the proper term… Once the first impression is passed, I’m glad Annabeth took that path in the book. Mark’s sexuality grants the hard cuddling scenes a level of eroticism I haven’t found in a book in a really long time. I tend to consider sex the boring, or the least interesting, part in a romance book, but in this case it adds so much to the story.
The characters were also a surprised. I barely remembered Wizard from other books and Isaiah was just a cameo in the Ben’s and Maddox’s book, so I wasn’s expecting to like them so much so fast. I love everything about them when they are apart and together, except the luck of trust on each other during the first weeks. If they would have talked, really talk, about the guardianship of the kids, they would have spared themselves of pretty hurtful situations. Although, in that case, I think the book would have been less enjoyable. Am I a bad person for wishing hard times for characters I love? Sometimes it’s hard to balance morals and reading passions.
In any other book I would have hated the classic end of a Romance book, but this time I will have to admit that is perfect. Yes, rushed; but utterly logic. It needed to be done for the sake of the kids and I have zero doubts in my mids that those kids are even happier now than with their real parents. How the system could doubt that is beyond my comprehension… I hope we know more about this couple in future books. I would love to check on them to see if everything is going fine.
I started this saga about a year ago and I do not regret one single momento of it, even though there have been some down times. I will always trust this author to deliver awesome stories and characters. I should start looking at her other works more seriously now. I’m almost at the end of the Out of Uniform series (just two more if the author doesn’t publish any more).
Whenever I go to read one of Annabeth Albert’s books I know I’m going on an emotional journey but for this one she kicked it up big time. I don’t want to give any spoilers so let me just say I’m so glad she wrote Mark. Granted the story is about both and what they feel and how they deal with situations is important, but we don’t get enough characters like Mark. Excellent writing throughout the whole read. If you’re looking for lots of hot sexy times you won’t find it here. What you get is the full spectrum of emotions and a lot of personal growth. Truly a read that won’t disappoint. I highly recommend this series and this book especially.
I love the writing of this author and with Annabeth Albert, the story is the thing. She has a way of telling the story that is genuine and emotional and the intimacy is just right to tell the story. I would characterize this as the story of frenemies to lovers with a bit of a twist as they have much more to consider than their own feelings. I think that Mark, the Navy SEAL has much to learn on this journey of self-discovery and it is engaging and even fun to watch him change as he learns to listen and observe.
Emotional tension becomes sexual tension when two men connected by the marriage of Mark’s sister and Isaiah’s cousin come together as the result of a tragedy. The characters in this story are very different, yet complement each other. Mark is the Navy SEAL in every way and Isaiah, formerly a bit of a party boy has grown up quickly to care for his cousin’s children. Each man has an idea about what the new normal will be following the tragedy without taking into account, the plans of the other man or of the deceased parents of the young children. Mark believes that his strength will serve him in his new role but he has no relationship with the children nor any experience with children. Isaiah is vulnerable yet determined and resourceful but the task ahead is not for the weak. The author delivers an emotional and satisfying story in her own indomitable fashion.
Is there such a thing as 4.75 stars? This story with a MILD sensuality rating should be your next fantastic read.
These guys weren’t my favorite MC’s of the series, but I thought they had a great journey and a very sweet relationship.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Veronica –
The deaths of family members that lead to Isaiah and Mark co-parenting three kids gave this book a pretty heavy emotional element for me. As a parent, it had me thinking about what would happen to my own child if anything happened to me.
Isaiah is a pretty amazing guy. Loving, giving, understanding, strong, and willing to change his entire life to take care of his nieces and nephew. I adored him. Mark, I struggled with. Not because he is a bad guy because he isn’t, but there were times I didn’t like the way he behaved at times towards Isaiah and the assumptions he was making about Isaiah. I think, in the end, I only liked Mark because he made Isaiah happy.
This is one of those stories where you can see the big event coming that is going to break your heart, make you cry, and I did cry out and it did. But I was surprised by an entirely different thread to the story that had the tears flowing even more.
Mark and Isaiah’s romance is beautiful and sweet, but they definitely have a tough time of it. I went through so many emotions from sadness and anger to hope and joy. Squared Away is a wonderful and emotional story and a great addition to the Out of Uniform series.
Sarah –
Oh. My. God. The angst! This is a more grown up and family focused addition to the series that follows SEAL medic Mark and perpetual student Isaiah as they suddenly find themselves caring for three children after the deaths of their parents. It’s a story that manages to avoid becoming too heavy or maudlin – mostly because of Isaiah’s charm and the chemistry between Mark and Isaiah.
I loved Isaiah from the start. He’s cocky, arrogant, and a bit of a slacker. And when things get tough, he copes better than the veteran SEAL. It took me longer to warm to Mark. He’s a bit of a privileged ass at the start and he doesn’t have much self-awareness. I loved that these two make each other better. I loved their commitment to the kids and I loved watching them grow into the people they needed to be.
As much as this is a story about grief, it is also a book about the practical realities after sudden death. Mark and Isaiah don’t have time for the grieving process because they need to keep the kids going. And because of this, the few moments when one of the characters allows himself to be overwhelmed by anger, sadness, or guilt are incredibly moving.
I have to admit that for me, there are too many kids in this book. I’m not a fan of kids in romance and I didn’t really enjoy the way that Mark and Isaiah fall too easily into heteronormative gender roles. There is less heat in this book than there has been in previous stories in the series and there is less time spent on romance and relationship development. But this is a beautifully written story about two very special men and I admit to weeping through whole chapters.
Avid Reader –
M/M Romance
Triggers: Drunk driving, death
This is, at least for me, more of a family story than a romance. I really enjoyed watching the characters but felt that Isaiah was a little left out. You just catch a glimpse of him and how he arrives where he does for chapter one. I wish that we were given more of his story. However, given that he was your typical young person – sowing his wild oats and partying with friends – you also were able to discern that he was all about his family too. He was willing to babysit whenever his brother asked and despite knowing that his brother had some issues, he loved him without qualification.
Then you have Mark. He is a SEAL and a medic, and he is suited to working under pressure. However, I felt that his background, despite being in the military, presented itself as if he was constantly running. His parents died when he was younger and since then, he kind of picked up and left the remaining family for his military brothers instead.
There is a lot of angst in this story and the relationship between Mark and Isaiah is somewhat juvenile. I liked that there was talk about different roles and sexuality – there was no typical in this story. However, it fell short when the family roles were portrayed as “typical.” And, when you throw in the fact that both Isaiah and Mark are having to cope with losing someone and having a family thrust at them, there was very little time for true “typical” romance.
Given all of that, however, this was a very successful story about surviving tragedy and making sure that you use all of the people around you who love you and support you.
Ruthie –
This is the fifth book in the series and a really different story, which I found to be a very good read. I don’t think you need to have read the previous books to enjoy this one, but they are also very enjoyable, so I would suggest you seek them out too.
There are two quiet threads to this book, and whilst they do inevitably interlink very closely, their foundations are very different. On the one hand is the most pressing task of looking after the three orphaned children. Both Mark and Isaiah have a reason to claim them as their responsibility, even though there are a lot of practical and financial issues which need to be resolved. On the other hand, Isaiah had a huge crush for Mark from when they worked together to set up the wedding for the now deceased children’s parents. Mark then felt Isaiah too young (just 18) and anyway, was busy forging his career as a SEAL.
This second thread is, to me, the more interesting – there is a lot of story relating to the children, the issues that the lack of cohesive wills causes, and the family money ties. It is emotional at times, and I think probably portrays very well how close relatives thrown into looking after young orphaned children have to adapt and learn. The help of their friends and family enable the story to run as one would hope.
Mark and Isaiah thrown together, with some unresolved tensions from the wedding incident and having avoided the issue, are now living under the same roof. Isaiah is the younger, flightier man, and he is by turns delighted and unhappy to be with his erstwhile crush. Mark has another issue entirely – he has, over time, recognised that he is not wired the same way when it comes to sex and has had a few less than enjoyable relationships because of it. Somehow, he manages to explain this to Isaiah, and I felt it was written really well. As time moves on and they get closer, Isaiah (to my mind) behaves in a really calm and sensitive way, caring for Mark and his needs and limits rather than his own usual desires. Add in Mark’s uncertainty at making public his feelings, and Isaiah is very patient.
For me, the uncertainty and softness of Mark’s emotional nature contrasted strongly with Isaiah’s easy experienced comfort with his sexuality. And it was the direct opposite when it came to the children – where Isaiah took the softer caring role, whilst Mark lacked experience and confidence. That evened out their positions and gave Mark a chance to learn to be a parent and a lover.
Do expect to need a tissue or two, but overall there is much to enjoy and admire in this new story. Thank you, Ms. Albert, for making me think and smile!
Angie –
Book five in the series but you don’t need to read prior books to enjoy. However, characters from previous books do pop up in this book. This book was pulling me in a few directions. I was loving it one minute and ready to stop another. I loved Isaiah and how he was bound and determined to keep the kids and make a go of things. I liked Mark, but man, he drove me crazy at times; he was so wishy washy in his personal life, but so awesome as a SEAL. Once it was told what Mark’s sexual orientation was, I almost stopped reading the book and not why you think… I almost stopped because I thought that Isaiah wouldn’t get his happily ever after and I loved him so much and wanted him happy. This turned out to be a great love story and I am so happy I finished.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5) by Annabeth Albert to read and review.
This is the first book I’ve read in this series and it can be read as a standalone. I enjoy a good m/m romance read from time to time and I was excited to read this one based on the blurb. However, this book was just an okay read for me. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. However, the story flowed at such a slow pace. There was really nothing that made this story stand out for me and I even though it was an okay read, I expected more. I really thought this book would blow me away and it didn’t, so I’m a little disappointed in this one.
Can loosing a loved one bring you to your “person” your one true love? Well, for Mark and Isaiah that is exactly what happens. It’s not an easy road but the twists and turns is what makes this journey even sweeter.
Mark and Isiah met when Mark’s sister was getting married to Isiah’s cousin and there was an instant attraction and lots of chemistry but nothing ever came of it, now fast forward several years when a devastating car accident takes the lives of both Mark’s sister and his brother-in-law (Cal, Isaiah’s cousin) and left behind are their three kids. I need to say being a mother of four I always worried about what would happen to my kids if anything ever happened but what most of us never wonder about is how that would effect the lives of those left to care for your children. In this story Annabeth Albert does a wonderful job showing just that, Isiah’s life changed immediately and once Mark found out about the accident and returned home from his deployment it changed his as well.
I have been a big fan of Annabeth Albert’s books because the way she rights draws me in and always makes me feel as if I am right there along side of the MCs watching how everything unfolds. In SQUARED AWAY, not only did my heart break at the realization that two lives had ended and the three children would be raised by their uncles, but it was put back together as I watched the beauty of a new relationship evolve from all the turmoil. Isiah and Mark may have been pushed together but they totally belonged together, the way each of them had to come to terms with the reality that was now their lives and be there for the other really touched me.
This story also touched on a subject I don’t see a lot of in Romance books, demisexual/gray-ACE, while the terms may be new to some, and if it is you can find out more about it here http://www.asexualityarchive.com/under-the-ace-umbrella, it is something that I was thrilled to see. Not everyone is a horn dog, some have a harder time with sex/intimacy and Ms. Albert did a terrific job handling this sensitive subject.
SQUARED AWAY touched me in so many different ways, I hope you give it a try. Although this is book five in the OUT OF UNIFORM series it can be read as a standalone, but personally I think you will enjoy it much more if you read the series in order because there are secondary characters that get their HEAs in the first four books, and some that will be getting thier HEAs soon. Happy Reading!
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book**