Another sweet romance with a bunch of game play. And by game play I mean actual gaming. The two main characters, Alden and Conrad, are in a gaming group who play a Dungeons and Dragons type game called Odyssey. The group gets tickets to go to the big convention and compete. Most of the story is about Alden and Conrad driving to the convention and bickering, then becoming friendly, then falling in love. It was so sweet and adorable. They each have issues that make for convincing drama. Alden is more introverted and he has anxiety problems. Conrad's parents kicked him out of the house when he came out and has trust issues among other problems. I loved everything in this story from the beginning to the end. A happy-ever-after is my thing and this book is so good at this. I did come across a pet peeve of mine. Winking. Yes, there was a wink. But in the context it was sweet and I didn't mind it at all. I hope the next book in the series has Alden and Conrad because I want to see how they are doing in the future.

Charming and charismatic Conrad Stewart seems to have it all...but in reality, he’s had the toughest year of life.

Brilliant and driven, Alden Roth may as well be the poster boy for perfection...but even he can't help but feel a little broken inside.

When these mortal enemies are stuck together on a cross-country road trip to the biggest fan convention of their lives, their infamous rivalry takes a backseat as an unexpected connection is forged. Yet each has a reason why they have to win the upcoming Odyssey gaming tournament and neither is willing to let emotion get in the way―even if it means giving up their one chance at something truly magical.

This your classic enemies-to-lovers, and while the game played by the characters will not be familiar (as it’s made up), this is a trope we all know and love. These characters really were the polar opposites of one another. With each chapter written in an alternating POV, the reader really gets an in-depth look at both of the characters’ ways of thinking and distinct personalities. Alden and Conrad were two truly different, lovable characters.

Conrad’s back story gave this novel a lot of depth relating to the challenges faced by queer kids who come out. Especially when they did not come out of their own volition.

There is a host of diverse secondary characters. Three out of four of the members of the play group are gay. One is non-binary. Their sponsor is a gay male with a Hispanic husband. Alden’s parents are two women. So there Is no shortage of the representation, which I appreciate.

However, I dislike when the inclusion of certain characters feels like a box to check. While I do love the inclusion of Payton (the non-binary character), their non-binary identity is never mentioned beyond their pronouns. While Albert may have done this to emphasize how much the other characters accepted them in order to normalize their identity, it also makes the character slightly two-dimensional. BUT, this book is the first in a series so I am hoping that Payton will get their own book *fingers crossed* and we can delve deeper into their journey. This book is also one of the first books I have read with a non-binary character so I definitely love the rep.

There are still a few spelling errors, so I am hoping this is resolved before the very final draft as this is my absolute peeve as a reader. For instance, in the last chapter it says “dismissal record” when the intended word choice was “dismal.”

This was a very fun and lighthearted YA read, while also lending light to important topics. I am excited for the rest of this series by Annabeth Albert.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Conventionally Yours is my first book by Annabeth Albert, and it won’t be the last. This book is a charming road-trip romance between unlikely lovers that also isn’t afraid to tackle some of the issues faced by LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse people, especially those just coming of age and figuring out what they want to do.

I liked both Conrad and Alden, and how their rivalry never felt over the top, leading to a realistic progression to love. I also like that the characters have nuance, discussing Conrad’s rejection by his parents due to his sexuality and how it led to him having to drop out of school because of the financial stuff, and Alden’s struggle post-college figuring out what to do with his life when his first choice didn’t pan out. And their coming to an understanding about these secret parts of each other, and how it led to more, was really sweet.

The main premise revolves around gaming, so at times, I did feel a bit out of my depth, but enough of that phenomenon is conveyed to get the gist of it, even if it wasn’t necessarily my favorite part of the book.

This was a fun book, and I can’t wait to read more from Albert going forward. I recommend this to lovers of LGBTQ+ romance and/or those interested in stories centered on gaming.

I liked this book a lot. I think both Conrad and Alden are extremely likeable main characters, you’re rooting for them both throughout the story. I love books about fun roadtrips and this book is no exception! If you liked ‘How to Repair a Mechanical Heart’ by J.C. Lillis, you’ll definitely like this book. The ending is a bit fast for me but for others that may not be an issue. I loved the card game which is basically Magic the Gathering and found the gameplay descriptions really fun to read. Overall, this is a very cute, fun, fast read!

Conventionally Yours follows Alden and Conrad, two nerdy game players coming from very different backgrounds who are suddenly traveling together on a cross country journey to a major gaming convention where each needs to win the game tournament for personal reasons.

For some reason when I picked this one up I was expecting the game to be a video game rather than a card game so that threw me a bit to start- but as a former Magic The Gathering player I was familiar with the gaming convention scene the author was building.

I liked the beginning of the book, and enjoyed each of the characters, but felt like the middle part dragged on a bit longer than it needed to. Of course a cross country trip takes a long time, but I felt like we could have shortened the trip by a day or two without missing too much.

As the book was closing, I was really enjoying the ending, but the last few pages seemed a little too clunky, and like the characters weren’t committing to any one possible path enough. I don’t mind open ended stories, but this one seemed to have multiple possible endings that even the characters couldn’t choose between.

Overall a solid 3.5 stars from me. An enjoyable read that had romance without getting too steamy. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sometimes you can see people once or twice a week for years, but do you really know them? You most likely come to assumptions about those people. You know what they say about assumptions thought right? Well for Conrad and Alden, that was the case. A road trip to Vegas was all they needed to not only have those assumptions blown out of the water, their views of each other make a complete 180. A game introduced them, Luckily it also brought them together. Throughout their trip, they learn more about each other and open up about their circumstances in life. What they find is love but more, they find how their lives would fit together in the future. Conrad is so patient with Alden. And Alden reminded me of Sheldon. A wonderful story of two men who find themselves as well as love.

I haven’t before found an enemies to lovers relationship that I find as believable and easy to root for as the one here between Alden and Conrad.

The dual perspective allows the reader to really see why the characters dislike each other and see how their feelings slowly start to change. I’m tired of seeing “enemies” where one side doesn’t have a perspective because they are secretly in love with the other character, so this was a welcome change.

I am not a gamer, but found the whole concept of this story easy to follow and relate to. I think anyone who has taken part in any sort of fandom culture would be able to see themselves in the characters and their experiences.

While I went into this story expecting a light, fluffy romance, I did appreciate the more heavy topics dealt with as well. Alden is nuerodiverse and dealing with overbearing parents who have a definite idea of who he should be and what he should be doing. Conrad has had a falling out with his family after being outed to his dad. Both of them are struggling with the (always relatable) fact that they need to find their own paths in the world and what they want for their lives versus the expectations that have been placed on them.

Overall, this is definitely a book I would recommend for those who love romance, rivals to lovers, fandom culture, and anyone who has struggled with the struggle of figuring out your own life post-college.

As a general rule these days, I try to read more queer books these day written by Own Voices authors. I don’t solely read them though and this book looked like the perfect rom-com for me and it was New Adult which is an age-range I’ve not read much of. So when I saw it on NetGalley, I decided I wanted to give it a read.

Conventionally Yours focuses on Conrad and Alden, two young men who play the fictional card game Odyssey. They appear on a vlog called Gamer Grandpa with their play group and their connections to it nets them tickets to a massive con and competition in Vegas. A competition that could win them a lot of fame and money. Something both of them need. Only their journey there is going to be a road trip they won’t forget and, unsurprisingly, they fall in love.

This being a romance novel, I was a little worried that it would be a lot of pointless smut. I find that boring and it’s one of the reasons I don’t enjoy a lot of romance novels but this wasn’t too bad. This book employs the there’s only one bed trope at some point and yet? When they share a bed you get a moment that is just sweet and I preferred that so much. There’s more kissing then sex and the smut is a bit more fade-to-black then I expected. Thankfully for me, this meant that I could enjoy the book a little more than I do other romances.

Still, at first, I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this book. It took a little while to get into, the opening chapters a little slow but once Alden and Conrad are really on their journey, I found myself enjoying it. The book was easy to get through, their adventures fun and honestly? I wanna eat at some of the diners they found. I liked Alden best but I felt for both boys, their home situations aren’t great but they really help each other grow. They become more likeable the more time they spent together and that worked really well.

I will say though, for a book about something as nerdy as a trading card game, there weren’t many other pop culture references. I know these can date a book a bit in the future but it made them feel less nerdy I guess. These guys who play a game – that made sense and I honestly did enjoy reading the matches of – don’t really make references to anything else nerdy? Seems kinda weird to me.

But this book was enjoyable enough and I think I will be checking out the next ones!

This book was such a wonderful read. I enjoyed the setting of a road trip and convention. Two things I love. They really added to the character building and growth of Conrad and Alden. The beginning of the book was a bit slow, but I liked seeing the different sides of Conrad and Alden. They were opposites and "enemies", which made this book even more interesting to me. I liked seeing them grow and learn more about each other along their road trip. The convention and game play made me feel like I was there watching the tournament. Overall, this was a fun enemies to lovers book with lots of ups and down for both the main characters. I'd definitely recommend it.

I'm curious to see what happens in book two and if it follows these two or some of the supporting characters like Jasper or Payton.

I think this is probably my fault. I went into this expecting a light, teen romance romp, but it's much more New Adult-y, which isn't a genre I tend to enjoy. I didn't dislike this one, exactly, it just didn't catch me like I was hoping it would. I hope it does well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so refreshing and a joy to read

-Rivals to lovers
-Opposites attract
-Only one bed
-Roadtrip/Close proximity
-So much tension
-A gaming convention
-First love
-Stargazing

This book was so sweet and just what I needed. I loved how both Conrad and Alden had such distinctive voices. Both had to learn not to judge someone based on outward appearances as they both fell in love for the first time. Their sweet glances and feelings developed naturally despite starting as rivals. I would describe this as a romance with the door partially open, letting you glance in but leaving a lot to the imagination too. If you're not into super steamy reads but prefer longing looks, handholding, and the subtleties this is definitely a book for you. The setting was so unique and added to the story. Alden's voice was especially distinctive due to his anxiety and being neurodiverse. There's so much to love in this sweet book.

Trigger warning: parental abandonment, homelessness, anxiety

4.5 Stars

This was so nerdy and adorable 💜
I LOVE a good rivals to lovers and Conventionally Yours is *chef's kiss* for this genre.

We follow the story of Conrad (the sporty likable dude that is full of charisma but has a lot more going on under the surface) and Alden (on the outside the grumpy one with the perfect life, but actually a guy that suffers from anxiety and has so many layers).

They both fell in love with a tabletop card game called Odyssey (probably inspired by Magic the Gathering) and they are heavily featured on a streaming channel called Gamer Grandpa. When both Conrad and Alden are in a crossroads in their life, they get the opportunity to go to MOC West, one of the largest Odyssey Cons, and compete in the Pro Tournaments.

To get to LA from NYC they embark on a road trip, driving through the midwest and visiting small gamer shops, while finally breaking their rivalry and finding a lot more about each other.

That set up is golden the road trip element + all the Odyssey world-building gives you a delightful story, that is so sweet and funny. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew these characters, and I wanted to be friends and sit down for a game with them.

And yes, this is such a cute and swoony romance. I did have a minor issue with pacing, some parts were very repetitive and contrived. But it didn't affect the overall story, which I definitely recommend.

This was really cute and geeky. I've never been into card games but this game sounded fun and entertaining. I appreciated a lot the dual POV, I liked knowing what was going inside both guys' minds, how they were changing their approach and how their feelings were starting to change.

Maybe it was all a bit cheesier than I thought but it brought a big smile my face and it filled my heart with feelings! Both guys had walls all around them, but they found common ground in the game, and they find out they could open up a bit, that maybe it wasn't a bad thing to be seen as vulnerable and accept someone's help and care.

Conrad and Alden were both very likable, flaws and all, and they were very sweet. There wasn't much drama, maybe a bit, but I love how the story was more than the unnecessary drama. It was about accepting yourself, accepting who you are, and find your path by yourself but also that it's okay to have someone helping you and cheering you up!

I will recommend this to everyone looking for a sweet new adult contemporary about two enemies dorks! Sweet sweet dorks!

Alden is a nerdy gamester riddled with anxiety. At times his inability to cope can be crippling, His two moms tend to overthink his condition and ultimately make things worse with their reactions and ultimatums regarding his career choices. They are frustrated they can't "fix" their son. It took me to about half of the book too see that he is not broken but was pretty much perfect in my eyes. The stress and expectations placed on him were enormous even if they are well meaning.
Conrad seems to be a well adjusted and popular guy that lacks self discipline. Once again appearances can be deceiving. He has reasons he is working numerous jobs, had to leave school and is one step away from being homeless.
Alden and Conrad initially are like oil and water, assuming the worst of each other. Getting tickets to a live gaming tournament is a dream come true. The two are stuck with each other as they travel cross country to the popular Odyssey convention. This gaming tournament could mean a once in a lifetime opportunity to change the direction of their dismal lives. The winner gets a huge cash award and the chance to travel around the country. Each man has their own personal reasons for wanting to win besides the monetary rewards.
Starting out as competitors the two finally start to talk and understand the various hardships each has endured. Soon the lines are blurred and they become closer. As the story evolves the reader gets to see deeper inside both of these endearing men. My heart ached for Conrad as he suffered a huge betrayal.
This book was different from previous works from Ms. Albert. Her past stories were definitely steamier. Physical connections are not graphically written but are more in the background. It worked beautifully in this low angst friends to lovers story. This book does spend a lot of time talking about the gaming community which I personally enjoyed. I recommend this sweet and at times heart tugging tale and Game On!

Another dub. Well... not entirely.

“Conventionally Yours” featured my favorite trope, enemies to lovers and it’s primary focus is on Conrad and Alden, polar opposites. The dynamic duo take a road trip to compete at a convention and in the midst of their adventure, emotions flare.

It was sorta kinda cute I give it that and there wasn’t much to complain about with the characters but… everything else was kind of meh. There lacked sparks between the main characters, the gaming aspect left me yawning, the cross county road trip was boring and just about everything in between left me in a daze. The story just dragged on and wasn’t up to my speed.

Sadly, this didn’t leave a lasting impression on me and was a complete miss.

Conventionally Yours is a delightful road trip romance. Conrad thinks Alden has a stick up his nethers. Alden thinks Conrad is floating through life without a care. When a chance of a lifetime has them driving cross country together the close quarters force them to reconsider previous notions. This is a read that will fill your heart with happy.

I had the privilege of reading this book on NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this sweet and charming story, I could really tell the author did a lot of research into the game dynamics, the characterizations of our neurodiverse MC and even the geography and timelines. Honestly, going into this story I was SURE that some of these things would be awkward to read. One of my biggest pet peeves, when I read stories like this, is timelines for travel and distance. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised they were handled well and everything felt realistic.

One of the things I especially loved was how different the characters were, and how well their thoughts and fears were written. I started off not liking Alden, with his super strict and rigid personality, but after reading a few of his chapters I was completely enamored and began to really root for him.

I am especially impressed with how well the game of Odyssey translated in this book. I have played quite a bit of card games like this and I could tell the author had as well. The strategies and even the convention have strong roots in the real world, one of the biggest Magic the Gathering conventions does happen in Vegas (I live there lol).

I can't really think of any negatives, other than there was a lot of traveling and a lot of feeling like the characters were rushing, which they were haha. I really loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet, easy afternoon read.

Alden is socially inept, perhaps on the autism spectrum, perhaps not. He likes rules and regulations and things being just so (as do I). Conrad is his opposite, charming, casual and someone who makes friends easily. The two of them play Odyssey in a weekly game which is narrated and blogged by one of their professors. Conrad thinks that Alden is uber-critical and sneers at him, Alden thinks Conrad finds him boring and a stick-in-the-mud.

When their professor is given free tickets and competition entries to the Odyssey convention in Las Vegas they all make plans to drive cross-country to the convention, but first the professor and then one of their team fall out, leaving Alden and Conrad to spend six days driving across America together. Squabbling over directions and food stops turns into friendship and romance, but when the two of them come head-to-head in the tournament that they both desperately need to win, will romance survive?

I really liked the sound of this geeky, enemies to lovers, road trip romance and was thrilled to be gifted an ARC by the publisher. While the plot was pleasant enough I just felt that Annabeth Albert was trying too hard to be politically correct, with the gender-indeterminate friend who felt like a plot device. I have no idea if Odyssey is a real game (google would suggest not) but I really didn't get a feel for the game at all. Similarly, Conrad and Alden's romance was of the fade-to-black variety and I got the overwhelming impression that it was because the author didn't know how to write about gay sex. Heck there was mild swearing, a few F-bombs were dropped but no-one mentioned a c*ck at all. I felt, and it was only an impression, that Annabeth Albert had seen that YA/NA gay romances were a thing and so set out to write one without much knowledge of the subject. As a consequence it felt a bit like a road trip with two fourteen year olds and we hit every teenage cliché known to man.

I liked this, and I felt there was a great book trying to get out but I wouldn't recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review — thank you for this opportunity!

I feel like this is going to be one of my more critical reviews, but I'm going to focus on the positive things first. I didn't have much of an issue with the style of writing, or the technical skill. I think that dual perspective was the right way to do this book, but I found the perspectives to be startlingly similar, and I still couldn't tell you who was who based on the perspective alone. Their voices were really similar, and they did not have the own-voices feel that I really like when reading this sort of book. I requested this book because I wanted to give the fandom thing a go — I figured it would have a few tropes in it that I'd really enjoy reading (sharing a bed, to name an absolute classic), but the execution left a lot to be desired. I don't think this type of story is the right fit for me, which is totally okay. There were some good topics that I liked that were discussed — different levels of privilege, homophobia, and boundaries for consent.

I think my main issue was that I found it very unbelievable that someone in that degree of poverty would just blow all of their money on a convention. As someone who grew up economically under-privileged, this part of the book didn't sit right with me. It felt almost cheap, which is not what I wanted. I was also uncomfortable about the vibes that I got realising that this book wasn't written by an LGBT+ man, which would have made it have a lot more depth, in my opinion. I don't have any issues with the author, it was just evident that this wasn't own voices, which I think detracted from my personal experience reading the book.

I believe that you would like this book if you like: fandom culture, LGBT+ stories and romances, and road trip style stories. I just don't believe that this is the right book for me, but I could see how other people might enjoy it!

I absolutely adored everything about this story. It was a sweet enemies to lovers tale set in the world of cons and games that I new nothing about.

I fell in love with the characters and found myself cheering for them through the story. They were wonderfully developed and I couldn't wait to read their happily ever after.