While I didn't find this book as effective as the first in the series it was still an enjoyable read. Oddly, I think we spend too much time with the two main characters alone and not enough time with them interacting with the world they live in. The pacing seemed off as well with the central conflict sometimes being very important and pressing and sometimes feeling like there was plenty of time. The relationship seemed a little unbalanced with Milo doing all the of the growth, but not so unbalanced to put me off of the book entirely.

I didn’t realize this was book two in a series, so I can confirm this can be read as a standalone. I absolutely loved this though so I’ll definitely be backtracking to get the first book! The banter and pining made for such a great slow burn romcom. It was super cute and quirky with a full list of characters to enjoy.

This is a perfect read for gamers or anyone who can appreciate fandoms / conventions. Also anyone interested in riends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. It also felt like a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a sweet romance between 2 ex- best friends. One is a nerdy gamer and the other is a troubled, ex- jock. They were once best of friends as children, who loved playing legos, but then Milo made the soccer team in high school. And the supposed cool jocks didn't have time for the nerdy gamers like Jasper. And what made matters worse, Jasper had been seen at an LGBTQ+ meeting. High School became a nightmare to Jasper! But what he didn't know, is that life wasn't so great for Milo either.

Now it's several years later, and Milo needs help. And he knows that the only person that can help him is his old friend, Jasper. But first, he needs to convince him that he isn't the same guy any more.

I loved this story. Jasper's friends are great and very funny! And I loved his sister, April! She is such a little spitfire and I definitely want to hang out with her!

I'm hoping there is a book 3!
I love this nerdy, gaming group of friends! They are adorable!! I would feel right at home with them! I wonder who it would focus on?

I haven't read the first book of this series yet, so I can guarantee that it can be read as a standalone. Out of Character was a perfectly entertaining, nerdy, geeky, adorable romcom I didn't know I needed but enjoyed so much! If you are looking for an easy read full of pop culture tropes and lovable characters you are in for a treat.

4.5 Stars

Jasper Quigley is a gamer and cosplayer and all around humanitarian. He's an out-gay college senior about to finish his degree and might be taking his first job working for Odyssey--his fave card game--as a game designer. He has an in with a gaming friend who currently works there. But it would mean moving away from his hometown in New Jersey, and his family. This wouldn't normally seem an issue, but he's devoted to his younger sister, April, who has a congenital immune deficiency that continues to send her into the hospital. It's why Jasper and his cosplay pals, including April when she's well enough, dress as Odyssey characters and visit the children's ward at April's hospital each week to cheer the kids and play the game with them. Right now, April is bummed that one of Jasper's pals is on a study abroad mission, because the popular character of Prince Neptune is MIA for several months.

Milo Lionetti is a man in search of redemption, and rare Odyssey cards. He was Jasper's best friend for years, until high school and the GSA-club made Milo shun him. Jasper had a loving and supportive family. Milo had an alcoholic, homophobic and abusive dad, a browbeaten mom and an older brother who escaped to the military. He may have felt the same as Jasper did about boys, but he certainly couldn't own it. But, not only did he hide his feelings, he didn't intervene when his colossal-idiot friends bullied Jasper for his brains and his sexuality. Well, it's all water under a bridge someplace, right? At least, it's been years since Milo saw Jasper--but now he needs his help. Because the game shop where Jasper works could sell him a set of rare Odyssey royalty cards to replace the ones he just lost to a scumbag cheater. The cards that were his brother's, who'll be returning home from his tour in a matter of weeks. The cards, Jasper has just informed him, that are worth thousands of dollars...and are also not "for sale". One needs to win them, or find them in decks.

Milo is crushed, and Jasper isn't one iota sorry. Well, okay, maybe a single iota. Because he did like Milo's brother, and he does hate the dude that torched Milo and fleeced him of the valuable cards. But, well, Milo can just take a hike, right? Except he's still so attractive, and being around him is rekindling a confusing mix of sadness and attraction, as Milo was Jasper's first crush, the boy he'd loved in secret until Milo's betrayals cut too deep. So, yeah! See ya later, Milo! And, by later, Jasper means in a week, because he agrees to help Milo with the impossible--score FOUR ultra rare Odyssey Royalty replacement cards--if he will join the hospital cosplay nights.

And this bargain between "enemies" leads to romance.

I loved this story from the start. We met Jasper in CONVENTIONALLY YOURS, as one of the players on the Gamer Grandpa vlog who had to drop out of the cross-country quest when April got hospitalized and he feared she might not make it. He seemed a sweet guy, willing to bend over backwards to help anyone--which is how Milo knows that asking for his help will actually yield results. Milo is restarting his life after a bad car wreck, and dashed college dreams. The dark shadow his dad loomed over him is now gone--having died a couple years back. He's living with his old high school friends, who are just as vile as before, with the poetic justice of them being lowly custodians, while Milo is scrambling for steady work, and maybe art school? He's been an avid doodler for years, though his dad discouraged it.

But now, seeing the vibrant lives of Jasper and his friends, well, Milo is more than willing to try some new things, including being honest with Jasper about his true feelings for him. I loved the "quest" these guys embark upon, and how they are easily able to fall back into camaraderie, building a mature friendship that includes forgiveness, and even kindles love. Both Milo and Jasper have some demons to lay to rest, if they are going to move forward into adulthood. Milo needs to love himself, and it's Jasper's support that gives him to courage to do so--and come out. In the meantime, Milo also needs to take responsibility for his actions, or INactions, something he didn't do well as a kid. As a man, however, he's making far better decisions, and that includes an HEA for himself, and for Jasper.

If you enjoyed Conventionally Yours you'll probably love this one, too.

I would like to preface this review by saying I didn't read the first book in this series so I may be confused on a few things. And of course, a massive thankyou to NetGalley for providing me with a copy.
This was such a lovely read! It was super refreshing to read a love story for young adults instead of teens, too! It was super light and fluffy and exactly what I was hoping it would be - a nice bit of escapism with a sweet romance. I will say that at points I was very confused by the language used, as the characters in this book just do not swear. They call each other dorks and goofs and a scuzzbucket (?? lol) but it definitely does not seem like something these characters would say.
Until about halfway through the book I wasn't even going to mention the language but man, this book is steamy! If the sex scenes are going to be even somewhat explicit, please, just let your characters swear. Swearing gives characters personality, and makes them seem like real people who get frustrated and annoyed and maybe don't fully know how to handle strong emotions - which was a very poignant topic in this novel.
That's really the only criticism I have, overall I loved this story! A wonderful and fluffy read.

I received an advanced copy of Out of Character through NetGalley so I could share my review with you! Though Out of Character is technically the second book in the “True Colors” series, the novels focus on different sets of protagonists, so my review is spoiler-free for the first book, Conventionally Yours. However, if you enjoy this review of Out of Character, be sure to check out my review of Conventionally Yours as it is also an excellent read!

Jasper Quigley and Milo Lionetti were best friends once, but that was years ago. Before all the high school drama, they were nearly inseparable, though Milo destroyed that trust along with any connection they had when he chose his jock friends over Jasper. The pair haven’t spoken in years until circumstances force them back together. Milo needs Jasper’s help to make up for a mistake he made over a drunken bet which cost him something that wasn’t his to be gambling with in the first place. Jasper needs Milo (or some other equally muscular and handsome guy) to stand in for a key member of his cosplay group for a hospital visit. Though their friendship is a thing of the past, they’ll have to put aside their differences if they want to work together.

I was a huge fan of the first book in the series, Conventionally Yours, in all of its gamer-glory, and I am pleased to report that Out of Character is every bit as good! This story has a lot of well-written romantic moments and is wonderfully set against the backdrop of fandom and gaming. I especially appreciated the integration of a cosplay element, which set this book apart from its predecessor. I cannot wait to read what will come next in the “True Colors” series, as this book cemented Albert’s place as one of my absolute favorite romance authors.

My Recommendation-
If you enjoy steamy queer romances with complex characters, you need to check out the True Colors series! Annabeth Albert’s books would be perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, Cat Sebastian, or Olivia Waite.

I have been in a reading funk lately and I always forget that Annabeth Albert is one of the cures to get me out of that funk.

I adore every story from Annabeth. This time around this story is around Milo and Jasper. Best of friends when they were younger then life got in the way and there was hurt and an end of a friendship.

Now years later, Milo needs Jasper for help but much more than what he originally asked help for.

I loved Jasper's fierce and forgiving heart. He is such a great character. His relationship with his sister is so sweet. I loved the quirkiness of his friends with the cosplay and obsession with the card game.

Milo's journey was harder for him and he had a lot to go through but Jasper is the perfect person to guide him through his journey.

This was such a sweet read and I enjoyed all the characters. Sure at time it was a bit schmaltzy but it was still super sweet. I can't wait to read more from this series and this author.

I was so excited to see that the second True Colors book was out this summer, as last summer I loved reading Conventionally Yours. I admit that I didn't remember Jasper well from the first book, but this was a delightful read that could easily be read as a stand alone novel. The duel narrator technique is one that I enjoy, and it was interesting to see how both Jasper and Milo were viewing their interactions and how each was trying to learn how to both take care and take a step back when it was needed. Can't wait to see who gets to be the lead in book #3!

Jasper and Milo used to be the best friends but they were not. I was really curious how their friendship/relationship would develop.

I have not read the first book so I can not compare these two books. But I can ensure that this book can be read as a standalone. I am going to focus on the things I liked the most in this book.

I enjoyed the gamer background of this book. The whole play Odysseus and the things around it - tournaments...
The biggest plus of this book (for me) was Jasper´s volunteerig in a hospital for sick children. I like this idea with cosplays and the visits to the hospital.
The next thing was the main characters were adult people, they were about 23. That is not casual in these books. Mostly the stories like this are set in a high school and the romance is between teenagers.
Beginning after all there was not anything new in this story, the end was a crystal clear beginning. So it was just the rest reading.

3,5/5

It was nice to be back in the world of "Conventionally Yours." I appreciate that you don't have to read that one to enjoy this title. Overall, a cute friends to enemies to friends to lovers story, the characters were sweet, if not a bit repetitive, but those looking for light summer read won't be disappointed.

Everyone knows I have a soft spot for the trope "enemies to lovers" but childhood friends to enemies to lovers?? Count me in! This was a heartwarming fun and easy read that I really recommend for anyone struggling in these weird times.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Milo and Jasper, I loved the development and all the baggage they had to deal with to get to where they end up. It would have been great to see a bit more of their past, but I'm happy as it is! As a bit of a nerd and cosplayer I could relate a lot to the characters and it was nice that the card game was "the spark".

As I disclaimer I haven't read the first book in the series but I believe you can totally enjoy this one, I didn't feel like I was missing anything! Truly love this nerdy and a bit spicy romance :)

What a sweet, geeky, and (just a little bit) sexy story!! I truly enjoyed this friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story with all the geeky gamer vibes to send my heart fluttering!

I’m a sucker for a full character arc and watching and stumbling with Milo as he worked to rectify the mistakes and hurts from his past, embrace his sexuality, and grow as a person was lovely! I adored Jasper. Like, ADORED Jasper. He was the perfect optimist, always full of good energy, cares deeply for all his people, and fights hard to make sure those around him are thriving! I felt he balanced out Milo perfectly as they navigated this new life Milo was stepping into together!

My biggest complaint with the book and why the rating only made it to three stars despite my love for the characters is the entire novel felt a bit too juvenile in the way it was written. These characters are adults but I had to keep reminding myself of that fact because they were acting younger and continuously referencing things like elementary and middle school. It took me out of the story each time and really threw off the romance for me a bit!

Annabeth Albert delivers on the spin-off sequel to her geeky and charming novel “Conventionally Yours” by diving into a new corner of Conrad’s friend group and potentially serving a story that outshines its predecessor.

“Out of Character” follows Jasper and Milo, two former friends who went their separate ways in high school after a blow up in their friendship. Jasper stays with his nerdier crowd while Milo goes off to pursue soccer. After losing his brother’s rare pack of Odyssey cards, Milo is in need of someone who can help him replace them, and finds himself wandering back to Jasper many years later. What starts as a mutual agreement to help one another as acquaintances quickly turns into more as the two learn about how the other’s been the past few years and feelings they thought they’d left behind start to turn up again.

“Out of Character” somehow manages to create its own story perfectly while balancing and borrowing from the world already established in “Conventionally Yours.” This sequel feels fresh and comfortable as readers will be familiar with the world of Odyssey and the familiar faces that pop up, while also learning about Jasper and Milo as their own stars. This book may arguably rely more on the characters rather than world building which gives it more of a romance novel feel than the first one.

This definitely works to “Out of Character”’s advantage in making it stand with “Conventionally Yours.” Though both books follow similar stories, relationships and tropes, the sequel is more of a story between two characters attempting to grapple with becoming friends once more while dealing with their growing (and at times repressed) feelings for one another with the gaming backdrop to accompany it. Many times the true reason they came together in the first place gets lost amongst their story, but in a completely positive way. I truly felt as though I were reading a romance novel and found myself being able to overlook the cheesy dialogue and writing because I was falling for these characters.

That being said, some of the figurative language used in this book is outright comedic and cringey at times which pulls readers out of the book. Luckily these are few and far between so there is no need to fret.

All in all this book is wonderful on its own and amazing as a sequel to “Conventionally Yours.” Alone, this book is a joy all around and has two great and relatable main characters at its center with a familiar set of characters around them. Further this with the gaming backdrop and a story that ties up nicely, fans of its predecessor and romance novels alike will find a genuinely lovely read in “Out of Character.”

My final rating: 4.5/5 stars

Are you looking for an emotionally satisfying, sexy M/M new adult romance? OF COURSE YOU ARE. Annabeth Albert has given us another winner from her True Colors series!

OUT OF CHARACTER is a childhood friends to enemies to lovers novel; this trope-tastic book will rip your heart out, then put it back together even better than before. Following Jasper, everyone’s favorite bestie, but never anyone’s favorite boyfriend, and Milo, his former best friend and eternal screwup.

Milo needs Jasper’s help after he’s swindled out of valuable cards. Jasper still hasn’t forgiven Milo for ruining their childhood friendship, but they reach a shaky truce. Jasper will help Milo find the cards, Milo will fill in cosplay with Jasper’s troop at the hospital.

Drawing heavily on coming-of-age themes and self-acceptance. Jasper and Milo’s HEA is extremely hard-won. There are moments that will make you laugh out loud (Milo’s reaction to his cosplay costume comes to mind), cry, and turn the pages until late in the night.

While Jasper had an emotional journey in this book, Milo stole my heart. If you’re a fan of Tessa Bailey’s HEAT STROKE, you’ll fall in love with Milo. I know I did! I was prepared not to like him, but he stole my heart page after page. He’s a down on his luck former jock and has made some BIG mistakes. Life continually knocks him down, and he continually gets back up, each time a little wiser. By the time the book ends, you know he’s exactly who Jasper needs. I’ll think about his character for a long, long time to come.

I thought the middle of the book dragged just a touch. The emotional push and pull was angsty and delicious, but for a few chapters it felt like Jasper and Milo were having the same conversations over and over. Not long enough to truly impact my enjoyment, but I think it could have been tightened up a little bit.

Overall, I absolutely adored this book. The romance is so satisfying and I actually fell in love with both main characters. The scenes with Milo’s family at the end? I am crying just thinking about them! I need 1000 more books in this series ASAP!

**I received a free copy of this audiobook in order to provide an honest review**

I truly loved this! It was exactly what I needed, something sweet, a little spicy, fun, and easy to read while in the hospital. I loved Conventionally Yours and returning to this world and the found family was great. I'd love to see more and I would read all of them.

After reading and loving Annabeth Albert's Conventionally Yours, I was a little wary of this novel. Would Albert be able to follow up Conventionally Yours with an equally great sequel? I'm happy to say my wariness was unneeded. I was afraid, with a similar plotline and a lot of the same characters, Out of Character would be either a poor copy of the first book, or be an unsatisfying continuation of a great standalone. Thankfully, the book I read was neither of these things.

The plot is a friends-to-lovers story, with the added complication that the friends used to be enemies, and one of them believes himself to be straight. Both "friends-to-lovers" and "gay for you" relationships are tropes I've never been fond of, but Albert give new life to them with compelling character arcs. I particularly liked Milo's character development, and felt that his side of the story was the more interesting and realistic. As a person I relate more to Jasper, though his side of the story never felt to me like it had any real stakes to it: there were no consequences for his actions and the conflicts he faced weren't as engaging. That being said, I love the two of them together, and enjoyed the many sweet moments they shared looking for the cards or sharing Milo's art. (Speaking of Milo's art, I would have liked to see the return of the cute interior illustrations by Lauren Dombrowski, especially in a story that features drawing so much.)

A few things I didn't like as much: The setting and stakes of this book are less exciting than the first. I liked that the relationship in Conventionally Yours was developed over a roadtrip in anticipation of OdysseyCon, with lots of interesting locations and events along the way building up excitement for the convention. While Out of Character had the charity ball, it didn't build suspense like the first.

Additionally, the talk of playing the card game still goes a little over my head, and I ended up skimming lots of the scenes where it was featured. I think Albert does a good job of describing the movement and mechanics of the game, but it just isn't that engaging to read.

I don't know that I can say I liked Out of Character as much as Conventionally Yours, but I still loved it. Annabeth Albert will definitely be on my radar in the future when I am looking for quality LGBT romance, and I look forward to reading more of the True Colors series.

Out of Character is the sequel to Conventionally Yours. The story once again focuses on characters in the tabletop gaming world. This time we follow Jasper, a supporting character from the first book, and Milo, Jasper's childhood friend turned jocky jerkhead.

What follows is a sweet little love story with some angst, some nerdiness, and some cosplay. This was a fun read on a quiet Saturday. The alternating narration between the two main characters was well-used to tell the story and the emotional high points were handled deftly.

A sweet coming-of-age story that takes the rare route of having the main characters be out of high school and a bit more understanding of sex, sexuality, and what it means to be a young adult. That made all of the difference for me! I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you enjoyed the author's book Conventionally Yours, to which this one is loosely tied.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a YA, LGBT romance that follows two boys, Milo and Jasper. Even though you might pick it up for romance, you can learn a lot from it. It discusses many things like the microaggressions against the queer community, bullying, forgiveness, and learning from your past mistakes. It is the story of a kid who once upon a time let someone bully his best friend and moved away when he came out, but a few years later he needs that friend's help after he makes a mistake. It's about giving people a second chance and becoming a better version of yourself while rectifying your past mistakes.

Definitely give this debut a chance.