The Out of Uniform series is one of my favorites and this is yet another strong installment. Squared Away was almost too angsty for me, but Albert has a gift for taking flawed or complicated characters to the edge and then showing how they learn and grow as individuals before coming together as a couple.

Mark and Isaiah have a lot to work through – a battle over the guardianship of 3 children after the death of Mark’s sister/Isaiah’s cousin, an age difference, Mark's demi sexual/grey ace sexuality (which Isaiah is awesome about), and enormous life changes but they learn to work as a team and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

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 three 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.

this story that have stayed with me and this shows the depth of emotion Annabeth Albert can reach. Readers are guaranteed to live through tough times with these characters--they suffer through grief and obligation, and then attempts to remove the children from their care.

It's all very messy, as is true of real life. Mark is often seen as hostile towards Isaiah's attempts to protect and care for the children who have lost their parents. We might find him annoying and judgemental but he is still grappling with this own intimacy issues, and this has impacts.

Isaiah is still young, and his determination to keep the kids is commendable. I had the most sympathy for his situation, but he is depicted as hopeful and always compassionate. I really wanted him to get the protection and care he deserved.

I do like this author's work. She's an auto-read for me, and this out of uniform series has been very consistent and strong. Thanks Netgalley for advanced copy. I am a bit confused about release date as Netgalley says April 1st, and GR says April 16th. Anyway, whenever it comes out, be sure to track it down.

This book was a very well-done exploration of grief. The way the two main characters connected and supported each other through their heartbreak and life-upheaval was my favorite part of the book, but it never felt like they were just falling together to ignore their pain. They really connected on a very level. My favorite part of this novel was that one of the characters was gray ace which I've never actually seen in a romance novel. Loved it.

While not my favorite book in the series it was still a good read. I loved how both men wanted what was best for the kids even coming from different directions on their care. The slow burn between the two men was a little long but the outcome was great.
I am looking forward to Bacon's book!!

Thank you for the chance to review this book! A full review will be posted closer to release day.

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!

Rating:   4.5 stars out of 5



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.

Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5) by Annabeth Albert is another heartwarming installment in her   Out of Uniform series that I just love.  If you asked me to name which of this author's series is a favorite, I'd be hard pressed to name one because each has its own special elements that I adore and draw me back to them.  For her Out of Uniform series, Albert really captures both that sense of what it means to be a   part of the "military unit" with her tight knit group of SEALs and their families.   The author manages to convey their sense of duty to country, their drive to serve, the deep bonds between those that serve together, and yes, the stresses and the reality of what it means to be a part of the military today.

Along with the realism of military life, Annabeth Albert makes her stories delightfully inclusive, reflecting the fact that military today is as diverse as the society itself.  Couples are looking much like the ones you see staring back at you at bars, grocery stores and city streets everywhere...they are racially mixed, not just all white couples.   That's especially true with Squared Away's main characters.  You have SEAL Mark Whitley and the younger (now grown up) man who's been crushing on him since his teens, Isaiah James.  Among the many issues that crop up between them (age differences, perception of attitudes, stability,  etc), race isn't one of them.  I liked that too.

Trust me this couple has enough to deal with as it is.  Young children left orphaned by drunk driving, revelations about who their parents really were, life adjustments, and then Mark having to rearrange how he sees Isaiah, now an adult and how he sees his own path in the military.  Getting one's life 'squared away' is never an easy task, sometimes it takes a monumental sea change.  And that's what happens to both men here.  The challenges each man faces in order to move forward towards their goals comes with frustrations here for them and for the reader who wants to shake them occasionally.

This is one emotional, heart felt ride of a story.  It's typical of Annabeth Albert that we grieve with Isaiah and Mark and the kids, then we chart the growth of their relationship, the steps back and tiny steps forward.  We gnash our teeth in frustration over Mark's inability to communicate and the consequences for all involved.  And because the writing and characters are so wonderful, we've taken them all to heart and we need to know all will be safe and together.  And love the ending so.

Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5) by Annabeth Albert has everything I've come to love and expect from this author and series.  A heartwarming story and romance, great characters, and a ending that left me smiling and feeling happy for hours.  Its why I am again recommending this series and this lovely story.  If you're a Annabeth Albert fan, you're already way ahead of me.

Cover art: is hot, relevant and wonderful.

<b>3.5 stars</b>

As an asexual reader, one thing I need to say <b>first</b> 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 <b>protect</b> 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 <i>family</i>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 "<i>too much kids in my book</i>" apparently they don't overwhelm the pages. So that's good.

BY the way, although it is listed as number five in the <i>Out of Uniform</i> series, any new readers can still start with <b>Squared Away</b> and not feeling lost.


<blockquote><b><i>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</i></b></blockquote>

This was a good addition to this series but it was not as good as the other books in this series. I liked the dynamics of the characters Mark and Isaiah. They were both strong characters that were brought together in both happy and then again during a devastating times in their lives. They both worked through their healing process as well as finding their way as to the best ways of raising three children all while trying to define their feelings for each other. The pair also had to work through their trust issues with both each other as well as the important people in their lives. The plot of their story moved along well and flowed well. I enjoyed their story as a whole and would recommend it to others.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy via NetGalley.

I enjoyed reading Squared Away. I found the interaction between Mark and Isaiah quite enjoyable and the storyline well written. I look forward to reading more by this author.

With every book she writes, Annabeth Albert just gets better and better! "Squared Away" is hot, sexy, and hits you right in the feels. 5/5 stars.

Another fabulous addition to this series and probably my favourite of the lot. Beautiful relationship between the two MC's, will def be re-reading. Annabeth Albert is an auto buy for me.

Confession: this is the first book in the “Out of Uniform” series I read. :D What? Why?? Well, I guess I’m the upside down series reader kind. Not often mind. That said, I can honestly state it didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the story so this very much works as a standalone read.

Squared Away is a touching and heartwarming story of overcoming obstacle and second chance. Without knowing either of the characters’ exploits in previous books, I had the advantage of clean sheets and no expectation nor judgement for Mark and Isaiah. That saying, most of the time I found myself siding with Isaiah and wondering how - for a SEAL and a legendary medic one at that - indecisive Mark a lot of the time. However, further into the story I approve his attempt at make amend with Isaiah.

As for the romance, I loved the easy pace Isaiah took with Mark. Theirs is one of the sweetest romance I read in a while. Another thing is: I’m rather green on sexuality spectrum and identity myself, that I was learning along with Mark while reading. On this front, Mark’s fear and rumination to acknowledge and accept himself as he was felt real and genuine to me.

Squared Away gave me all the feels. Paltry niggles aside, this book introduced me with an array of intriguing characters of current and previous books, be they main or supporting characters. For sure I’ll be hunting for other titles of this series and binge-read them!


Advanced copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's a given that I'll enjoy any of Annabeth Albert's novels, but I've been waiting on that utterly special one in this series to give that elusive 5 stars to.

And behold, I have found it.

When Mark and Isaiah first meet, it's due to their siblings getting married. But, right from first sight, Isaiah feels that spark of attraction towards Mark, and he's honestly not alone in that. Fast forward six years, and a horrible accident involving the late married couple, and Mark and Isaiah are thrust into close contact again while they try to figure out what to do with the three children left behind.

Honestly, I loved the presence of children in At Attention, and it was an utter delight to see Dylan and Apollo again in this book. Ben and Maddox, from On Point, also make an appearance, and I'm going to really struggle not to go back and reread both of those books now that I've finished this one.

But what I really, really adored, around the nostalgic presences of characters I'd loved before, was how these characters interacted. Particularly Mark, who is completely baffled by his own attraction because he's acespec. Demisexual and grey ace are both labels that get used with equal measure in this book, and Mark's experience was so close to mine that I couldn't dislike him despite his tendency to leave Important Information Out every so often.

Both characters were really well fleshed out, the age difference, although not extreme, was present and well handled. I just can't think of a bad thing to say about this one.

I will just say one more thing: I am already hopeful and excited to see if Bacon gets his own story next, cause he was an absolute darling in this one.

Squared Away is a super adorable and emotional story about friendship, family, loyalty, and heartbreak. I found myself crying a few times during the story because these characters just go through so much. Between losing their family member, having their whole lives and futures turned on their side when they find out they are the guardians on these three adorable children, navigating their feelings for each other, there was just never a moment for these two to just breathe.

Mark is a Navy SEAL medic who has seen a lot throughout his career. The guys hold him up to such high standards and rely on him to pull them through some rough and life-threatening situations. However, none of that can prepare him for the loss of his sister, the pressure of caring for children he doesn't even know, or dealing with his conflicting feelings for Isaiah. Basically, he finds himself treading uncharted waters. Mark was a character that was both frustrating and endearing. Due to his job, he doesn't come home a lot. So, he's not familiar with the kids like Isaiah is. It takes him a minute to realize that they are not like his guys on base, they don't respond to commands, nor do they always fall in line. It takes him a while to get his bearings, but thankfully for him, Isaiah is there to help out. What was frustrating was his relationship with Isaiah. I get that he has some hang ups with intimacy, and it's not because he had his heart-broken. Mark is grey ace, meaning he doesn't always have sexual feelings or desires like most people do. He can go through the motions of kissing, but he's disconnected from it all. He can watch porn, and it's as if he just watching an action movie. Yet, the more he is around Isaiah, the more he finds himself responding to him and wanting to reach out for intimacy. It freaks him out because he's never felt this way in his life. He worries that in starting something with Isaiah (someone who he knows used to have a serious crush on him), that he will be leading him on and setting him up for disappointment down the road when Isaiah wants more. He's also conflicted because Isaiah is a guy, and Mark is a Navy SEAL. While the military may be okay with gay couples, it doesn't mean that his team will be cool with it. Mark just had so much going on in his head it was a wonder he didn't get himself killed while out training.

Isaiah was an amazing guy. The moment he gets the news about his cousin and his cousin's wife, he immediately goes to the house to care for the children. Since he refuses to have the burial services until Mark is contacted and brought home, he spends a week juggling three kids while the turmoil of the situation looms over his head. By the time Mark comes into the picture, he is exhausted, and ready to just break down. When the news comes that Mark's sister's will stated him as the guardian of the kids, and Isaiah's cousin listed Isaiah as the guardian, they are shocked. Isaiah immediately starts planning everything he needs to change in his life from his living situation, his job, even his lifestyle. Then there was the whole thing with Mark and their growing relationship. Even though he's got so much on his plate, he is so understanding and patient with Mark. He understands that all this is new for him, and that he has a hard time connecting with others, and he takes it slow with him. Watching these two interact and slowly build up their romance was kind of beautiful.

Not only is this an amazing romance, but it deals with grief and all the emotions and things associated with losing a loved one. There's pain at the loss, anger for the fact that she drove drunk that night, uncertainty about the kids, worry over CPS taking the kids away while they find them a more suitable home, and the need to have normalcy when nothing is normal. There was just so much that these characters go through, and yet they have to remain strong and put on a brave face for the kids. The kids, who are too young to fully grasp what happened to their parents. This story was just so emotional that it was hard not to find myself invested in these characters lives.

This is the second story in the Out of Uniform series that I've read, and it's the second one that I've immensely enjoyed. I love that the author makes the story feel so real. She's able to pull the reader in and make you feel like you are part of the story. You feel their emotions, their turmoil, and it's so hard to not get wrapped up in it all. I really need to go back and read the other books in the series, because if the two I've already read are anything to go on, they are going to give me a book hangover.

Oh man! This book was an emotional roller coaster. I was teary-eyed with sadness and with joy. Two men suffering grief and other issues. And then having to deal with a custody mess. Those kids! I love reading books with kids and this book handled it well. The kids' grief was somewhat glossed over. It wasn't really focused on, which I'm still on the fence about. It would have made for some very emotional scenes, but the book had enough of that already with Mark's personal struggle with his sexuality. And that was something I wasn't expecting. But I absolutely loved how Isaiah handled it.

"I like making love." Isaiah put extra emphasis on each word. "And you've shown me that that can come in a variety of forms, not all of which have orgasms attached."

Why don't guys get this in the real life? It's not all about intercourse. It's about showing affection. This was my favorite part of the whole book.

I was not expecting this book. The rest of the series was also emotional, but I think this one had a slightly different feel to it. These are bad-ass, hard core Navy SEALS, yet Mark was a big, bad softie underneath. More so than the rest of the guys in the series. Very emotional read. I loved every minute of it.

This series keeps getting better and better. I’m a sucker for NAVY SEALS. Throw in kids and I’m there. Love the buried attraction and how it bubbles to the surface. Enemies to lovers? Can’t wait for the next book!

There were things that I really liked about this book and some things that I wasn't fully on board with.

The relationship between Mark and Isaiah was fine, they were cute, albeit really frustrating most of the time with their lack of conversation about where things actually stood between them. A lot of drama and heartache would have been avoided had they just behaved like adults and talked to each other.

How they took care of the kids was also something I liked. It's rare reading a book about men in their 20's wanting to take care of small children.

What I wasn't 100% on board with, mostly because I don't fully understand the terms, is all the talk about demisexuals, Pansexuals and all those other fairly recent terms people use to define their sexuality. I think it over complicates things and isn't exactly needed.

Oh this one was a very loving story. I loved the first "meeting" at the wedding. I loved how patient the love was. Isaiah was so good for Mark. I learned a lot about different sexualities.

They come together again after a tragedy that would rock anyone's world. Navigating not only the loss of a family member, but now trying to raise 3 kids as well as figure out future arrangements. Not to mention the attraction that has been festering for years.

This was a very well written love story.