This book had everything I wanted and needed in a good romance! The characters were vivid and fully fleshed out, the stakes were real and I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning. I loved that both Milo and Jasper did the hard work of confronting their weakness, fears, past transgressions and came out on the other side stronger - both as a couple and as individuals. My only two issues were that at times I didn't feel two distinctive voices and had to search for whose point of view I was in. I also didn't love that Milo didn't seem to have a life outside his relationship with Jasper by the end of the story - he had rightfully given up his old friends, but all his new friends were Jasper's friends... hopefully he made some friends of his own in his Brooklyn art school.

Ahh this book has left me with one to many feels and questions and idk what to do anymore. So I'll try to make way through my confusion with this review.

Out of Character tells us the story of Jasper and Milo which is highly dependent on character development. Jasper is your neighborhood nerdy character - math genius and gamer. While Milo is your neighborhood jock - sports and weak at studies. Do you see a familiar pattern here? The book follows the trope of a nerd and a jock falling for each other but it mixes bullying and character development. Now, Milo and Jasper were childhood friends, really close to each other but due to some reason they drifted apart when they broke friendship when they were fourteen only to "meet" again when they were twenty two.

The story is told with alternate narration of Jasper and Milo and dare I say it does provide a good reading experience. Milo's character I guess can be considered morally grey as he has committed one too many mistakes - the biggest one would be not standing up for the people his apparent "friends" bullied. Actually that's the only thing I am most confused about. Should Milo be given another chance with someone who went through shit in school maybe not directly because of him but definitely where his friends were concerned.

What made it easier to forgive Milo was the character development and narration from his perspective because it portrayed how confident he was to change. He fully took into account the mistakes he had committed and while his frustration with Jasper not trusting him was sometimes apparent, he still gave Jasper time about it. So, that is actually pretty good. And it also focuses on how in case of Milo, his responses were mainly driving by his surroundings. While it did focus on his past, how he was brought up and the struggles he had to face, I don't think it was used as a blatant excuse for Milo.

And Jasper didn't forgive him just "out of love". He had history with Milo and he was willing to see progress and change in him in order to believe in him. You won't see me holding a banner or saying always yes to second chances, but Milo's narration definitely made it easier to believe in him. To be honest, I am still not sure how to process this book but one thing is certain - I was rooting for Jasper and Milo. I especially liked how their relationship wasn't the usual lovey-dovey then break up and then make up. They had struggles being with one another - not understanding one another - but they always ended up communicating with one another which I was really glad about.

! SPOILER ! There was just few troubling things to, one of them being how Jasper was ready to let go of his dream for Milo. Like I understand that he is an adult and he knows what he wants but apparently he had confirmed in his head that big sacrifices on his part made him a big hero. And while did protest against it, he didn't emphasize on how it wasn't fair on Jasper, not because Milo wasn't worthy but rather because it wasn't what Jasper had to do - especially if the scenario wasn't that dire. Furthermore, I am actually not sure whether Jasper realized this. Like he did realize that he didn't have to be too bent towards "saving" people but I am not sure if he realize that large sacrifices weren't required from him in order to become a "hero". ! SPOILER !

I actually quite enjoyed this book because the plot itself had one too many elements in it for me to ponder. Also, if any one of you have read this book, I will love to have a conversation about it!

Trigger Warnings: mentions of bullying, strict parent, domestic mental abuse, mentions of accident, alcohol influence discussed, homophobia, coming out narration, frequent visits to hospital

I really liked this sequel to Conventionally Yours! I enjoyed the continued delve into deck building card games, and the way the characters interact with the community and each other. I especially liked the amount of communication between the characters. So many romance novels rely on a very specific plot—couple meets, couple likes each other, couple gets it on, couple has misunderstanding, couple briefly separates before finally talking. And Albert didn’t do that with this book! Many of her books diverge from that plot, which I’ve always appreciated, and Out of Character was no exception. There is still a little bit of miscommunication, but the characters work past it relatively quickly and in a surprisingly healthy way. Overall, a very enjoyable and quick read that hits the gay romance AND nerd boxes.

This is the second in the True Colors series, and while I haven’t read the first I thought this worked pretty well as a stand-alone.

Jasper Quigley and Milo Lionetti used to be best friends when they were young…until Milo started hanging with the soccer jocks and didn’t want to be seen hanging around with a nerd like Jasper anymore. Years later when Milo needs Jasper’s help he is reluctant to provide it. Eventually, Milo wears him down, after agreeing to do several favors in return, and the two are much thrown together in their quest. One thing leads to another and Milo comes out, and the two end up in a relationship. It’s not all smooth sailing though. There are internal struggles, self-esteem issues, family drama, and bullies to get past if these two stand a chance at their happy ever after.

While I did enjoy the premise of this book, and I liked the characters well enough, I felt like they were very immature for men in their twenties. In my mind they seemed more like they were 17 and I kept getting shocked all over again when one of them would mention their age. Plus the two characters, while having different interests and family situations had almost indistinguishable personalities so I often got a bit lost with whose point of view I was actually reading. I wanted more from both of them, to really hear their distinct voices, and feel like I really knew them. Overall, an enjoyable read, it just didn’t wow me, unfortunately.

This book was fun for a while but ended up feeling a lot longer than it needed to be. That being said, even though I didn’t love it, I’d recommend it to certain nerds who would absolutely love it.

I really wanted to like this book.

The fun description caught my attention. Gamer guy and his estranged childhood friend getting together after years apart? Count me in! But maybe it was because I hadn’t read the first book that I just couldn’t get into these two.

It felt too long and I just didn’t feel the chemistry between them.

Not an author I would try again.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

Milo and Jasper appear are seemingly very different. Milo was a jock in high school and went to college on a soccer scholarship until he could no longer play due to an injury. Jasper came out in high school and is very into a fantasy card game and cosplay—both of which caused endless bullying from the “popular” kids. So, it would be surprising to learn that Milo and Jasper used to be best friends. They were inseparable growing up but drifted apart in high school, finding themselves running with different crowds. But Jasper never forgot the sting of getting made fun by the jocks while Milo passively stood by. This is why Jasper is shocked when, nearly five years later, Milo turns up at his work asking for help obtaining super-rare gaming cards belonging to Milo’s brother that Milo gambled. Jasper begrudgingly agrees to help Milo, and in doing so both of their lives are unexpectedly changed for the better.

This is an interesting spin on your typical romance storyline because it’s a friends-to-enemies- to-friends-to-lovers story. This is a little more nuanced than other contemporary romance books I’ve read, which I appreciated and found immediately interesting. I feel like some romance books tend to blend together sometimes, but this one will continue to stand out for that reason.

In addition to the interesting premise, I was drawn to this book because it’s an LGBT romance, which is a sub-genre I haven’t read much of before. Given that it’s Pride Month, I thought this would be a good book to choose as I start to be more intentional selecting LGBTQA+ books. If you’re looking for one to break your typical reading this book is for you.

What I wasn’t expecting was the steaminess level of this book. The book read easily and wasn’t complex or taxing to follow, but almost to the point where I felt that I was reading a YA novel. Enter—the steam. While this book may not use many curse words (literally, there were two) and it may be written in a very straightforward way, there is plenty of stem to kick this book into new adult fiction. If steam is your thing, then this book would be for you!

While I’m not the biggest fan of reading these steamier scenes, it was different in this book. All the sex scenes were integral to the story and were very important to character development. Could this have been achieve with less steam? Probably. Would it have been as dramatic? No. So I get why the author added the extra detail, even if it got graphic at times.

Character development was definitely a strength of this book, and not only the main characters. For example, Jasper’s mom has to grapple coming around to Milo re-entering Jasper’s life despite how Milo treated him in the past. Milo’s mom and brother also have to undergo some transformation as well (but I’m not going to spoil anything!) Overall, this strength is what made the book become a 3.5 rather than a 3 for me.

If you’re looking to spice up your TBR or are like me and are looking for books in the sprit of Pride Month, definitely pick this book up!

RATING 3/5 STARS

I remember loving CONVENTIONALLY YOURS, the first book in this YA series by Annabeth Albert. This book started out strong, but someway through the middle the storyline stalled a little and I found myself rushing towards the ending to finish. I'm giving this book 3 stars because I loved the setup and ex-best-friends-to-lovers trope. Jasper and Milo were likeable characters and I definitely rooted for them to be together. I think it was just missing that spark to keep my interest. This also could have just been a fluke reflecting my headspace while reading this book. If another book in this series comes out, I'll definitely give it a chance!

I want to start out by saying, I like this one immensely more than Conventionally Yours, and that seems to be a popular opinion, so if the first one wasn't your cup of tea, please don't be afraid to pick up this charming LGBTQ romance. Jasper and Milo have boat loads of chemistry, and this can be read as a standalone quite easily.
The message about trying to become better people, to forgive or walk when necessary no matter if it's people, places, or situations that you're removing yourself from is SO IMPORTANT. We don't hear it enough.
Someone else called this "grovel porn" and I couldn't help but chuckle since it's true. Luckily we get through that and get to watch Milo go from self-deprecating, closeted fuck-up to a confident and outspoken artist!
Strong recommendation for fans of queer romances in New Adult/YA reads and enemies- lovers tropes.

🌟 🌟🌟 🌟

a really sweet story with unique and likeable characters that celebrates geekdom and being different. Two former friends who stopped hanging out together at the start of high school because one became popular and the other did not. At first it may sound cliché but it is just heartwarmingly sweet to watch these two former friend form a rather reluctant bond that slowly grows to a friendship and more. All the while giving an insight in the gamer and cosplay community. I really loved this and finished it in two days.

I feel as though this book wasn't as gripping as its predecessor. Perhaps that's because the enemy to lovers vibe was very different. Most likely it's because the main character, Jasper, is much more of a push over than either of his friends Alden or Conrad were in Conventionally Yours.

Jasper is the one who didn't go on the road trip with them in the previous book. The reason given to them at the time was family reasons, and we find out in this novel that those reasons have to do with his youngest sister April and an autoimmune disease that she has which has the whole of her family walking on egg shells around her a lot of the time.

I loved the character of April. She is no one's victim, and gets to do as much as her body can physically handle. However, she wasn't the main character of this novel.

Milo is introduced as someone who bullied Jasper in high school when he comes into the shop where Jasper works and hopelessly demands some rare cards from the Odyssey card game that he's bet and lost. Problem is really that they were his brother's cards and Milo doesn't want to let him know. He feels like a big old failure in life for various reasons. And he beats himself up hard for what he did to Jasper in high school.

The only reason Jasper agrees to help Milo out is because he promised April he would find a cosplayer to fill in at the children's ward in the hospital, and Milo is pretty much a dead ringer for the particular character.

My favourite parts of this novel were definitely where Milo challenged himself and started to make a better life for himself, starting with no more drinking as he makes stupid decisions when he does that, and also to be honest about himself being gay.

The biggest problem I had with Jasper in this book is that, although he encourages Milo to grow and change, he kind of stays the same all throughout. His life and his friendship group are kind of painted as the ideal to which Milo should aspire.

I loved this book! Jasper and Milo were such a great duo, both within their relationship and outside of it. Their characters seemed to be really well-rounded, and I loved the growing up that Milo had to do to show the world his most authentic self. It was heartbreaking to read his perspective on how little he thought he deserved in life and how he had settled at such an early age because he felt he had already done so many things wrongs. This underlying insecurity was clear throughout the book and into his beginning relationship with Jasper and it was gut-wrenching to think how people can settle for so much less than they deserve. The storyline itself was wonderful and kept me engaged throughout, as I just had to know if they would win his brother's cards back! I absolutely recommend this title.

Annabeth Albert does a great job of creating the best romances. This is such a quick weekend read that will fill you with butterflies. I really enjoyed this book and it is in my top ten of Albert's books.

Out of Character is the second book in Annabeth Albert’s True Colors series and while I enjoyed it, it didn’t wow me. Childhood friends who went their separate ways in high school when one became a star soccer player and sided with his “jock” friends leaving the other, a gamer “nerd,” open to bullying are reunited when the once jock needs help from the nerd.

Milo Lionetti has made some colossal screw ups over the last year and his latest one has left him feeling desperate and sick. Not realizing the value of his older brother’s Odyssey cards he bets them and loses them to a known cheater. He heads to the local game shop hoping to find them or at least some help locating them and must face Jasper Quigley, his once best friend whom he treated horribly in high school.

I liked watching these two move past the hurt from their teen years especially given that Milo apologized for his actions over and over. I did feel that Jasper seemed to go from not trusting Milo to wanting more with him a bit quickly given the circumstances, but they also had a history of a lot of years of friendship and most importantly Milo showed great growth throughout this book.

This series reads more like a young adult series although the characters are new adult age and while there’s nothing wrong with that, fans of the author might be a bit disappointed in the mostly off the page sexy times.

As Jasper and Milo work to find the cards Milo lost, they also work to repair their friendship, learn each other as the adults they’ve become, and fall into a relationship neither one expected. It was sweet and at times a bit heartbreaking, but it was also easy to hope they’d make it together.

Full of role playing card games, cosplay, atoning for past mistakes, and self discovery; Out of Character was a fairly predictable and easy to read story.

It’s finally here! Out of Character is @annabeth_albert’s follow up to the slow-burn queer teen story, Conventionally Yours. The story follows Jasper Quigley and his childhood best friend-turned-high school bully, Milo Lionetti as they go on a quest for a set of prized cards.

As the quest goes on, Jasper and Milo bury the hatchet and learn that working together can make them both stronger. Jasper, “tired of being everyone’s favorite sidekick,” prides in the hero role he takes on in his new relationship, while Milo learns that speaking his truth can set him free. The result is a charming and heartfelt story about growing up and falling in love.

Though this book can stand in its own right, fans of Conventionally Yours can look forward to appearances from some of the beloved characters in Book 1.

Out of Character is in bookstores now!

Thank you @sourcebookscasa, @annabeth_albert, and @netgalley for an advanced reader copy of this delightful story! I am so excited that Jasper and Milo are finally out in the world!

Sometime people act out in their younger years out of fear and the unknown. They never realize how much they hurt others. Milo was one of those guys. Now that he needs help, he needs to do some penance before someone he hurt helps him. Jasper is the only person that can help Milo, but he will make Milo pay for the past before he will help. The two embark on a quest where they fall in love on the way. I love seeing old friends from past books make cameos in this book.

True Rating: 3.5 stars

This New Adult M/M romance was really sweet. The almost enemies to lovers romance is rooted in bullying, which made our love interest hard to love. I get that they are in their early 20's, but it was a harder sell than it should have been.
It's steeped in nerd culture for sure, but I thought it was a bit 2D.

3.75 ⭐
Oh my god 😍
Absolutely loved this book!
Milo lost his brother's rare game cards and asked for help to Jason. And in return, Jason Find a reason to help him.
And slowly, their rivalry grows to friendship and then love.

I feel like the chemistry should have been better and there was some lack of plot which makes the book more awkward but I really like the concept and storyline.
I would still recommend this book to all those people who likes reading M/M romance, gaming, fandoms and cosplay,
Friends to enemies to friends to lovers trope at its finest 😌

Not my typical genre but very enjoyable. The characters were absolutely adorable and I was invested in what happened with them despite not reading the first book.

While I enjoyed Out of Character a bit more than the first book in the True Colors series (Conventional Yours), I still had some difficulty fully enjoying this book.

I should preface this review with a disclaimer: I find I have issues with bully redemption stories, which is what this story is. It takes A LOT for me to forgive a bully character and get past their evil deeds, and I'm not sure Albert succeeded in winning me fully over to Milo's side. In fact, I can safely say that I was completely against him being Jasper's love interest in the beginning., even without the complete background and history of these two,.

As the story progressed and Milo's motivations and struggles were revealed, I softened somewhat. But, I still felt Milo needed to get his crap together without bringing Jasper into his drama. Fortunately for Milo, Jasper has an enormously forgiving heart. I did like Jasper a heck of a lot and wished there was a better match for him. For the purposes of Out of Character, I suppose Milo will do.