<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>

3.5 stars

Solid M/M romance with gray-ace/demisexual rep with the following caveats:
1. One MC has a healthy sexual appetite and is on-the-border slut shamed
2. The demi MC is on-the-border to falling prey to magic d*ck
I mean, yeah, okay, there's a sort of tension laid out and consent (including the constant check-in and acceptance of where each other is in terms of sexual consent) but this book skirts very close to crossing over from acceptable to not. I'm very happy to see ace rep in romance but this reads to me as if in hooking up with Isaiah, Mark could be read suddenly 'cured' in some way and, while he doesn't change his rep -- and even understands it better -- I'm not sure how someone who identifies as ace would read this. Would they feel included or would they feel their identity has been rewritten? Obviously, the rep for one isn't the rep for all and, as someone who doesn't identify this way, I'm simply unsure.
The SEAL aspect was done well. With the exception of mentioning SEAL as much as humanly possible. Pretty sure Mark ate SEAL peanut breakfast, wore SEAL boxers, crossed his legs in a SEAL manner. Yeah, he's a SEAL Got it. Still, though - it was played well. Grieving tough guy tries (and kinda fails) to take care of babies but still reads them stories with voices. Super cute.
Liked how the other MC leaned toward the effeminate. That said...there were several mentions of being ignored. Wasn't sure whether this was a nod to being a dude of color (there were one or two mentions of his being biracial) or whether he wasn't assertive. This played a role in the romantic relationship as well and became a *thing* the couple needed to overcome (as in, macho dude needed some perspective).
I have read a few books in the series but generally, I'm pleased with the level of complexity the author was working through on this one: parent issues, grief, anger at parents, having to work to be seen/heard, high-pressure job, legal issues.
The chemistry between the leads was sweet and believable -- and that sort of string of ridiculous things you do with a new lover (who you probably shouldn't be getting involved with) when in forced proximity. This is probably my fave of the series (though I've only read 2 others).
Oh...and lots of great kissing scenes.

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.

Wow, I think this is my favourite book of the series yet. I just loved Isaiah, and I will admit I was getting annoyed with Mark at times - although I did understand he is used to being in charge, but he was not giving Isaiah a chance at all.

They had met originally at their siblings wedding, and 18 year old Isaiah approached Mark wanting to lose his V card to him, and was completely rejected by Mark, but I think this initial meeting is how Mark thinks Isaiah is all the time. What Mark doesn't realise is that Isaiah is not the same person as he was then, he has grown up.

Somehow, Isaiah and Mark begin to work together, to ensure that the kids have a stable home environment but hovering over them is who will get custody of the kids, a situation not helped by their respective siblings making different decisions regarding this. Ultimately, it is then down to a court to decide, but Isaiah already thinks of the kids as his, but is this what Mark wants for the kids too?

Isaiah and Mark seem to have reached a way to both care for the children, and at the same time they grow closer to each other too. We then learn that Mark is gray ace or maybe demisexual, and I have to admit these are terms I have not heard a lot about, so I went looking to understand more. I think this is one reason why I loved this story so much, as there was sex, but not as in a lot of other books, and I found this to be really refreshing. It really did show to me that sex can take many forms, and doesn’t not have to include penetration.

But, things were never going to stay the same, as Mark has omitted to tell Isaiah that he has seen a lawyer, and then everything blows up in spectacular fashion, and now you are now wondering if Mark ever did really care for Isaiah, or was he using this as a means to get his way with the kids. Oh boy, did I want to reach into the book and give Isaiah a big hug at this moment.

Now it is up to Mark to try and sort out the mess he had made of things, but will Isaiah ever believe what he says now, or has he managed to wreck something that could have been special.

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.

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 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.

First, Annabeth Albert is one of my favorite, automatic download authors so I was excited to read the newest edition in the Out of Uniform Series. I tried to like it--I really did--but it ended up being a MEH for me. Not bad, not great, but definitely packs a good emotional punch.

I have no idea how to review this book. I've been a huge fan of this series and it's tough to say if some of my issues with this book stem from my mood, the current climate in the M/M book world, or the fact that this one was just somehow different from the ones that came before it and it didn't work for me.

But in some ways it DID. I was fascinated with Mark. I wanted to keep reading just to watch his character evolve. I wanted to see how things would evolve emotionally and physically between Mark and Isaiah. And they were hot as hell together - every time they engaged with each other romantically, I was on board completely. Unfortunately - it was the rest of the story that didn't work for me. In theory, this is the exact sort of storyline that should have sucked me in and kept my rapt attention until the very end. Instead, I found myself frustrated with the pace of it and irritated with the way the conflict was building.

In the end, I decided to DNF at 57%. I found myself skimming to get to the specific bits that I wanted and completely not invested in the rest of it. Again, this may be more a reflection on my current mood than anything, and I may circle back to it at a later date.

Annabeth Albert is one of my favorite go to authors in this genre and with Squared Away, she did not disappoint.

Mark and Isaiah.....this was a story full of want, regret, pain, love and happiness. It was written so well, and I adored all the character's from this book and books past. This is a series that I always want to read and hope it continues on for a long, long time!

This was by far my favourite book in this series.
Having read all of the books in a short period of time, I could really feel how the author has grown and really appreciated the difference.

"This is my family."

Isiah and Mark met in the week their siblings got married to each other. Years later, they are thrust together in the wake of a tragedy and forced to become a family.
Both of them have a lot of growing to do. Isaiah is young and still quite into the party scene. Mark is a big, bad SEAL and doesn't know how to rely on anyone else. Two interesting, really well developed characters.

I enjoyed the complexity of the plot. It wasn't just 'will they won't they?' (when we know they in fact will.) But there was a subplot with the fate of the children, the legal proceedings and Mark coming to terms/discovering the shades of his sexuality.
I am a complete sucker for the single parent trope, and while this was a little different I still adored it.
Mark and Isaiah develop such a lovely relationship, no insta love here! They make some bad choices, and I wanted to shake them a time or two. Because I cared. A lot. Well done, Albert.

"Dream with me. Please."

After the news of his sister's and husband's deaths, SEAL Mark has to come home to act as guardian to his two nieces and nephew, all under the age of five. What he didn't expect is to come up against Isaiah, who is determined to file for custody. But Mark remembered that last time they met six years ago, Isaiah was young, wild and gets bored easily...

But Isaiah is determined to prove Mark wrong. Isaiah has been there for the family while Mark was away on missions and he's determined to keep the kids together, no matter what. The kids are the most important thing in this situation, not Mark's fears or Isaiah's now dead crush on Mark.

But as the legal situation tries to sort itself out, the two start developing attraction for each other... but unless one of them can open their heart and speak, they both could lose what's important...

I power-read this over the course of three days when I was off work and it was such a lovely distraction. It was light, fluffy, sexy, a Happily Ever After ending (the publisher has said on their site that they publish happily ever after [HEA] or happy for now [HFN] endings), everything I needed at the moment. So, this book came out the right time for me.

What I found interesting is that one of the characters used LGBT terms I have never heard of - demisexual and ace-grey - and it was fascinating to read a character who identified as demisexual and understand this more. I do wish that there was more information on this, though, as when I first heard of it, I did a Google search to get a basic understanding on it, but it's nice to see other sexual identities being talked about here.

This is a beach read for me, a story I switched my brain off to while reading, but I had such a good time reading this, and I am open to trying out another Annabeth Albert story - not sure if it will be in the series or another, but I'm up for the idea.