Conrad is in it to win it. He and a few other gamers are given the chance to get to a convention full of players who enjoy the same game. His reasons for wanting to win are his own. The attraction he suddenty feels for another gamer shocks him. Will he be brave and share some of himself?

Alden has always been the one not good enough. Finally he has a chance to prove he is good at something. Something for himself. He puts it all out there for someone who only gives him glimpses of himself. He too, has his reasons to want to win. Can they compromise somehow?

These characters were brilliant in their own right. Both bringing so much to the story it almost blinded me. I loved the friendships gained, and the journey itself. Each of the students seemed to have so much to them. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.


***This early copy was given by Netgalley and its publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Conventionally Yours is a "gaymer" geek romantic comedy following characters Conrad and Alden, rivals in a tabletop card game who grow closer as they head to an upcoming gaming tournament.
Alden and Conrad are well-written characters with realistic flaws and personalities. Their character arcs are amazing as they make the move from enemies to friends to lovers, facing internal conflict as they each have important reasons to win the Odyssey tournament but are having difficulties managing those reasons with their desire to be together. I did find the connection between the characters a bit lacking. Not that the romance wasn't there, but I would have appreciated a few more sparks. Conventionally Yours definitely counts as a slow-burn which makes the payoff that much sweeter.
If you're familiar with this author you may find the intimate moments a bit tame. There is no fade to black, but whats on-page is very mild in comparison to this author, which is important to note going in.
I know readers are going to love Conventionally Yours!

This is one of my favorite authors, so I was eager to pick up something a bit different than what I’ve read of hers in the past. This is a new adult read, so if you’re used to the steam and sexiness of past books by this author, you won’t find all of that here. That being said this rivals to lovers story is very good. If you’re a fan of gaming yourself, this read may be right up your alley. In a bit of a forced proximity situation, Conrad and Alden, bitter rivals, are forced into a cross-country road trip together. These are two MCs where their inside turmoil does not match the personalities they project. Conrad appears to have it all, but he’s scrambling to keep it together. While Alden screams perfection, it’s not how he feels inside. As I’ve come to expect from Annabeth Albert, I found this to be a very well developed plot and characters. This read was funny, sweet, and cute romance.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and the author for providing a review copy!

(🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 5 stars)

"𝙱𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚎𝚠 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍, 𝚕𝚘𝚢𝚊𝚕 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍-𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚐𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍." (𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 - 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎)

Conrad is a popular guy in school who was rejected by his father when he came out as a gay man. Alden is more of an introvert and a total opposite of Conrad. They both know each other but also seemed to hate each other’s guts because of the game that they both love which is Odyssey and they work/play with a vlogger who was their Professor.

When their team had scored tickets for a tournament convention for the said game, they planned a road trip so every one of them could go—that is until emergencies popped up here and there and it was only down to Conrad and Alden to continue the much awaited trip.

I honestly enjoyed this book because of the banter’s and the relationship built between Conrad and Alden. I never thought it would be so much fun to read a book in the LGBTQ category! (Which i am now excited to read more about—no hate, this is my first time) Also, i love how they were talking about card games because i can somehow relate to it. Growing up with a brother exposed me to these kinds of games in the 90s and early 2000s and it was actually fun once you get to know the rules for the different card games that were possible to play.

I highly recommend this to readers who likes stories related to the LGBTQ and gaming world! This one is definitely for you!

P.S. i would like to apologize if i had (possibly) implied insult to the LGBTQ community with my review, please know that it wasn’t my intention to insult or offend any one.

Anyway, happy reading everyone!

Thank you to Netgally and Sourcebooks Casa for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!! All opinions are my own

This isn't only an enemies to lovers book. It's a well done enemies to lovers book. And if you know anything at all about me, I LOVE ENEMIES TO LOVERS. Add to that a road trip and a "there's only one bed"???? This book was practically made for me.

And I was not disappointed. Both the main characters are awesome. I loved how well rounded they were, with their own issues and problems and complicated families – because no one is perfect. Both characters were so loveable. I really liked reading about a character that is more on the introvert side and has some trouble being social. We don't often read about characters like that, and I really want to read more books with characters like this to educate myself further.

Plus, I really liked the way the non-binary rep was done; subtly enough to not make it a big deal (it was completely normal and the character isn't misgendered/mispronouned ONCE) but firmly enough that, well you would notice and that it was there.

The story in itself was really great. The pace was perfect for me, and the relationship was just slow burn enough that I wanted to rip my hair out (in a good way lol) but like... not too much that I wanted to give up. The chemistry between Conrad and Alden was immediate for me, almost so immediate it's ridiculous! Literally the first chapter I was like hehehehehehe and rubbing my hands happily like some insane person. The competition between Conrad and Alden was also another subplot of the story I really enjoyed. I thought that maybe it could turn into something toxic – thank GOD that was absolutely not the case!!!

The whole world of Odyssey was very well done in my opinion. Tabletop games are definitely not my thing – and to be frank it took me a little while to figure all of it out – but I ended up loving it!!! I got so invested in the games (especially the one game oh my god I was almost jumping out of my skin). I know some people thought it was boring, but I really don't agree. I thought they were fun to read!!

Not to mention the little touches of humour throughout the book that were just delightful.

In the end, this is a book I really recommend. This is a light, fun read that gets you hooked from the very first page with an adorable couple that will make your heart so full and warm!!!

Although initially it took me awhile to get into this story, once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it and could barely put it down. I loved watching Conrad and Alden go from enemies/rivals to friends/lovers, especially since they both had complicated personalities and lives. Sending them cross country on a road trip to a major gaming convention and competition was an inspired idea and plot device. I am not a gamer, but I enjoyed learning about the game and the different strategies. I hope there will be future entries in this world.

I absolutely adored this book. I enjoyed it so much I finished it 3 days.

This is very different of what Annabeth Albert usually offers - NA (which I adore), low angst, low steam - but it all worked wonderfully.

I adored both Conrad and Alden - Enemies to lovers and 'there is only one bed in the room'?, put me in, coach!

I believed every part of their connection and their love. As a big fan of Pokemon trading cards I was really captivated with Odyssey and all it's mythology. While the books clocks at almost 400 pages, it never dragged - every part of the road trip was amazing.

The secondary characters were good and I would have loved to see Alden's moms reaction to him being with Conrad.
At the beginning of the book I thought the low steam was going to be a problem but it just right.

A HUGE win for Annabeth Albert in my book and I can't wait to go back to the Odyssey universe! Maybe with Jared story?

Alden and Conrad were great characters, their romance was a very enjoyable NA/enemies to lovers/forced proximity story. I enjoyed the gamer aspect of the storyline and the interactions between Alden and Conrad, their opposing personalities ending up blending well together. A very entertaining series opener, I'm looking forward to reading more.

*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley*

I was given this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alden and Conrad are rivals. They have nothing in common except their mutual love for the game Odyssey. They are part of a team that produces and uploads Odyssey content on youtube and they have managed to become sort of a household name. When Professor Tuttle (aka Gamer Grandpa, the team leader and creator of the channel) announces that the group has received complimentary tickets for the upcoming Odyssey tournament, Alden and Conrad can’t quite believe it. The tournament had seemed such an unreal possibility that they had never thought they would be able to attend and compete in it. Both of them have a million reasons to want to win its prize: a professional spot as an Odyssey player on the official tour.

Alden is a skilful and tactical player, he has a seemingly perfect life and an unnervingly polished attitude but, under the surface, there is a lot he needs to prove. Conrad, on the other hand, has dropped out of university, he’s jumping in and out of jobs and is soon to be homeless, his whole life is precarious and the only hope he can see is making a career out of his passion for Odyssey.

When Professor Tuttle suggests that the team could travel to the convention together on a road trip and make different stops along the way to film content for their channel, neither Alden nor Conrad are too excited at the perspective of being stuck together in limited space for too long but they realistically know that it’s the only way that it will be possible for them to get there.

While stuck together on the trip, Alden and Conrad learn to know each other and their rivalry slowly starts to shift into something else, but how will this impact their gaming and what will it mean for their lives?

Annabeth Albert’s Conventionally Yours is enemies to lovers excellence. A fast-paced and witty lgbtq+ romance that will surely satisfy the readers and leave them longing for book two, highly recommended!

I was really excited to read this book because it was my first ARC and I also have been hearing about this for so long.I haven't read a book by Annabeth Albert before but I'm glad I'm reading this one.I read this non-stop.I really loved that there were soo many queer characters.Representation was over the top,really.When I was starting this book I knew I would like it but I didn't know I would LOVE it.The characters were comparatively older than what I have read before but I liked it.I loved seeing their character development.I really wasn't expecting to love it this much but it became one of my favorite queer books.It made me laugh ,it made me cry.It was so good.It had everything.Romance,heartbreaking storyline, sexual tension,QUEER PEOPLE.Please just go ahead and buy this one.Read it this PRIDE.

Rivals to lovers and a road trip?! Heck yes! I requested this after hearing Annabeth Albert discuss it at Book Con and I'm thrilled to get a chance to read this arc from netgalley. Good story line, characters who are realistic and believable all set in the world of gamers. Albert covers a lot of different topics in this story and it read quickly. I will be looking for more from her in the future!

This is a wonderful, feel good MM enemies to lovers book. It was funny and light hearted with some really difficult situations that were handled with style. It is set around a fantasy card game and the author does wonderful things with that. The characters were great with lots of backstory and the story kept me enthralled the entire time I was reading. A great feel good book in these trying times.

Road Trip anyone? lol What a way to bring two people that really don't like one another together, get them to take a road trip cross country, either they'll kill one another or they may just find out there is more to the other person then they originally thought.

Conrad Stuart is the person that is always joking around and "trash talking" while they film their Odyssey games for the "Gamer Grandpa vlog" while Alden is more of an introvert. You can say Yin and Yang because they are very much opposites on most things which makes for an enjoyable read.

I have to confess I am not a gamer but since I loved Annabeth Albert's #gaymers series I had a feeling I would enjoy this one as well. This story is more on the sweeter side and not as spicy as the other stories were but that was fine because this is a new adult romance so I sort of expected that.

Remember that things are not always as they seem, well that is what both Conrad and Alden figure out during their trip and it was great watching them not only become enlightened to who the other person is but to realize they are someone that they can truly care for.

I always recommend Annabeth Albert's books and this one is no different. If you enjoy a neurodiverse character, a Jewish character, or a MC that has some serious family issues, this book fits all of those characterizations so I would definitely recommend this book to you.

Happy Reading!!!

A great New Adult story from one of my favorite authors

OK, Conventionally Yours is quite a bit different from any of Annabeth Albert's recent books but I loved it all the same. You won't find hot, sexy times in this story but you will find great characters and a lot of snappy dialogue between them.

There was a lot of "gaming" dialogue that pretty much went over my head but I'm sure younger readers will understand a lot more of the lingo than I did. Even so, the abundance of gaming dialogue didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story one bit.

The road trip that Conrad and Alden take from New Jersey to Las Vegas was awesome. Several of the places they stopped were familiar to me. I especially love the bits where they were in Central Ohio since I was born and raised there. I laughed so hard when "Ohio pizza" was discussed; the boys were shocked to learn about pizza cut into squares (they were not fans).

The story isn't angst free. Conrad and Alden are competing against each other for a coveted gaming prize. Watching the characters grow and go from enemies to lovers was a wonderful journey. I loved that Annabeth gave us a look at these two six months later, even if it's not called an epilogue. 😊 (I love epilogues.)

I happen to love a good New Adult story and Annabeth delivered with this one. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

I'm trying to assimilate what I just went through. it was beautiful, stunning, wonderful; I loved it with all my heart and I didn’t want it to end.
First of all, this story is about Conrad and Alden. both so different yet similar in some ways. Conrad, who has been through a lot and it’s still going through a rough path and Alden, a brilliant man whose anxiety keeps him from experiencing more.
The two of them play this card game (that I did not understand at all) and because they have a youtube channel with others, they are invited to this convention and, suddenly, have to spend a lot of time together.
What I absolutely adored was how they thought they hated each other but deep inside was a misunderstanding of how they saw one another combined with banter and a feeling of trying to ignore how cute they thought the other was.
As they begin to spend more time together, to talk, to learn how they really are; they develop feelings. deep, astounding feelings. Their scenes were gorgeously written, my heart was pounding out of my chest with each line.
It was incredible to explore the differences in both, how innocent yet willing Alden was and how sexy yet fearful Corden was; and even more incredible, how they learned from the other and realized what they wanted to do but they had to do it together.
I loved, no, scratch that; I breathed, I lived for these pages and what they made me feel. I am already biting my nails thinking of how long i have to wait for the second one.

I really wanted to love this story but sadly it didn’t happen. Did I enjoy this book, yeah I did...but not for the romance. This book brought back the joyful memories of yesteryear and all my geeky gamer friends. All the joy filled nights of playing Magic and Dungeons and Dragons.
The pace felt a bit off for me. The first half or so of the book seemed to drag on forever.
I did like how well written both Conrad and Alden’s characters were. The author definitely knows what she’s talking about with the gamerverse. I’m not 100% why I couldn’t connect with this book even though I really wanted too.

This was a good rivals to lovers story.
At the beginning both assumed things about one another which was wrong, it was clear once those fog (assumptions) cleared up they would fall in love.

In this book we followed the perspectives of Conrad and Alden. Conrad who is a beautiful soul, very likeable but is having a hell of a life and Alden who seems perfect but suffers with anxiety. They played Odyssey with a club who upload videos on the channel called Gamer Grandpa.
The head of the club got them tickets to go to the biggest Odyssey pro tournament.

Winning this tournament would mean different things for the both individuals but one thing was clear is that it would change their lives.

With that being said they went on a road trip from New York to LA to get to the tournament and the love began.

I'm a big lover of road-trip books and the enemies to lovers trope so when I first heard about this book back in December, I instantly wanted to read it. Conrad and Alden's journey throughout the book was so adorable and sweet. Also, I really loved the aspect of the tabletop card game called Odyssey that they played. It was really entertaining to read about their love for the game. Truthfully, I really just loved each of their characters and loved rooting for them throughout the entire book.

This was so cute and just what I needed, a contemporary in the midst of all the sci-fi and fantasy I’ve been reading lately.

So many of my favorite tropes; Enemies to lovers, road trip, and more, were in this book, and it made me smile and laugh a bunch of times, but it was serious too - Conrad’s family situation had me in tears, because it looked a lot like things I’ve gone through. I had the EXACT same issues with financial aid, jumped through a ton of hoops, only to get approved then it immediately overturned when my parents were “concerned” and let the school know they would’ve provided me with the info if I’d asked (despite not talking to me in months or paying my bills in any way), they “didn’t want me to get in trouble for claiming they wouldn’t” Anyway, needless to say, this struck me in a deep seated place that won’t forget what it was like to wonder what was wrong with *me* that they didn’t love me right, but I was happy to see a hopeful ending.

I found this book to be a very fun read. It had compelling characters, a wonderful lovestory and a great adventure. I love how the characters all had very clear motives that were justified, and which made you contemplate who deserved what happy ending. I highly enjoyed the cardgame aspect as well, it was written in a way that it wasn't too hard to follow.

I highly recommend this book as a fun summer read for anyone who loves the "Enemies to Lovers" trope and a lot of miscommunication, of course.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley & SourceBooks in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!