Even though I hadn't read the first book, Conventionally Yours, I still enjoyed this book.

It was a cute, short and easy read. Jasper and Milo are two characters that are enjoyable to see together. I thought they had great chemistry. It was great to Milo's character growth as well. Being thrown into the world of gaming, streaming and cosplay made it fun.

It was fine, but I did find it hard to relate to the characters myself. Some decisions that were made by the characters were ones that didn't make sense - perhaps it also plays more to the demographic of Young Adult and not being able to relate (though, I have enjoyed many recent Young Adults and related in such a way).

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am happy to give my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was excited to read this one. It was cute but fell short for me compared to the first book.

Jasper is finishing up his senior year in college and doesn't know where he wants to go next. His little sister has been sick for most of her life so he enjoys spending time volunteering at the children's hospital by cosplaying his favorite character from a card game (think Magic the Gathering). He works at the game shop, hangs out with his friends, and rarely thinks about his old best friend Milo who abandoned their friendship early on in high school to become the popular guy.

Milo feels like a failure. He had to drop out of college after losing his sports scholarship when he made some mistakes. His brother Bruno bails him out and he finds himself living in his old, toxic friends apartment trying to get his feet back on the ground. He makes yet another mistake and needs Jasper's help to make things right. Of course, Jasper feels complicated about helping his old friend but he wants to be a hero so he takes on the challenge.

This is very much a coming of age story. Milo discovers things about himself and the person he wants to be while Jasper learns how to forgive and support the people he cares about. Ultimately they do get together and the steamy scenes aren't as graphic as I'm used to seeing from this author. Also, I couldn't understand why the characters say "heck" so much. They're in their early 20's... it felt so weird. I think the worse part was I couldn't necessarily connect to the characters. I kept forgetting which one was Jasper and which was Milo. And, I hated the scene where Milo came out as gay to his brother. It ends up okay in the end but it was heartbreaking in the moment and probably very realistic to how many LGBT+ folks experience their family.

In all, I'm glad I read it and found it cute. It just wasn't my favorite of the series or of this author's.

Ok. I absolutely LOVED this book! Annabeth Albert has done it again.

This is definitely a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story, which can often not be written that well, but the author knocked it out of the park with this one. Although I would have liked to see some more petty-ness from one of the main characters - Jasper - when his old childhood friend Milo enlists him in a quest to try and replace Milo's older brother's gaming cards.

I feel that Milo's growth throughout the novel was written really well, however I would have enjoyed a deeper look into resolving the issues between Jasper and Milo from the past. Milo had pretty much ditched Jasper as a best friend in high school so he could fit in with the 'cool kids', which obviously hurt Jasper a lot, and I feel was often a cause for strife whenever problems arose in the book. Jasper from his (valid) trust issues when concerning Milo, and Milo for not really owning up to his part in the problem.

I loved the exploration of Jasper and Milo's relationship, and the discussion surrounding 'coming out' in different family environments. This was evident where Milo's family was set as a more old-traditional-thinking European family, where Milo's father was a significant focus of his fear to openly express his sexuality. And therefore contrasted with Jasper's family, where Jasper is able to openly express who he is without fear of reprimand.

The story didn't have a lot of angst, or tension build-up when things start to get a bit more 'romantic' between Milo and Jasper, but there was certainly a lot of 'aww' moments for me, which I actually enjoyed more than I usually do.

Overall, this was an amazing read, and I would 100% read it again!

This was so so cute and I really enjoyed this! Off the bat, I knew I would love it anyways, friends to enemies to lovers being one of my favourite tropes and the author executed it extremely well with this book. Both Milo and Jasper were such fun, lovable characters and I enjoyed seeing them grow over the length of the book. Especially Milo. I also really enjoyed the nerdy, geeky gamer elements of this book, despite not being a gamer myself - it was fun and I think really brought the story to life. Overall, it was cute, light read and so enjoyable. I will definitely be picking up the other book in this series.

Out of characters 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.

I found this story to be adorably sweet as ex best friends reunite when Milo needs help from Jasper in fixing another of his mistakes.
The two were inseparable right up until Milo joined the soccer team in high-school where bullying was rife towards anyone they deemed different which of course meant Jasper and his friends who were academic, nerdy and possibly under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. Decisions were made that ended their friendship and Milo's bad choices didn't end there. Now he needs help from the one person he knows that the brains and skills to help find a rare set of cards for a game.
Milo is very different the man that Jasper thinks he is and over the course of the story, his vulnerabilities, negative way of thinking and deep regrets for what happened draw Jasper in. He's someone that always wants to help but also does this while getting something in return. It's a wonderful thing he and his friends do, dressing up in cosplay to visit sick children and Milo is just the man they need to step in at the last minute. There's a lot of emotion right from the start of the book that stays strong throughout and a learning curve for both young men along the way. It's a bit of a redemption story for Milo in several ways as he seeks to replace the cards he lost and all his reasons are equally important but his flourishing relationship with Jasper definitely grounds him and gives him hope. This isn't a hot and heavy read but it's endearingly sweet and more of a slow burner between the two as trust takes time to rebuild.
I really enjoyed this story. It's fast paced and kept me entertained throughout. My heart went out to Milo, probably from being on his pessimistic wavelength and I loved how things worked out for them both. I haven't read book one of the series so this can definitely be read as a standalone but I will be going back to it to read more of the characters we meet here.
I received an ARC via Netgally and am happily giving a review.

I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS SERIES.
Okay I had to start with this, before jumping into a more coherent review. I read Conventionally Yours (the first book in True Colors series) a couple of months back and loved it, so applying for an arc of Out of Character was a must and I was so happy when I got approved for it.
Out of Character is a ridiculously, painfully, incredibly realistic story of friendship and love and following your dreams - and finding out what those actually are. I love how these books show both the hardship and the payoff - and how sometimes one sadly doesn't come without the other. But that's okay until you have people who love you and will help you, even if in small ways, like believing you can do it.

This story of friends to low-key enemies to eventual lovers in adulthood made my heart ache with happiness! It had just the right amount of regret and pain on both parts to make it realistic (since one of the characters was a witness in the bullying of the other and never stood up for him - despite the bullying being performed by his friends). There was no magical fix-it-all. Milo and Jasper learned to trust each other - and fell in love with each other - over time.
One of the most important themes throughout the book was that of consent - and I freaking LOVED IT!! We need more NA books with characters who ask for consent and repeatedly check on each other during sexy times. My heart swelled when one of them checked on the other and made sure that they were cool with how things were progressing.

I am still not sure I understand how the card game in the center of this story is played - but I was intrigued. And there was definitely a bit less of playing it and more of scenes that were indirectly related to it, which was fun (and a bit different from Conventionally Yours)..

Who should read this book? Anyone keen on beautiful queer stories with great rep (queer + disability rep), some sexy times, and lots of geekiness!

Rep: Two gay MCs, MC with a physical disability, queer SCs, chronic illness rep in a SC

Trigger warnings? Homophobia, past alcohol abuse, past death in the family.

Happy reading!

Out of Character is the second book in the True Color series and sequel to Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert. This time we follow Jasper Quigley, a side character from Conventionally Yours and his ex-best friend Milo Lionetti who has made a surprise reappearance in Jasper's life.

Jasper's life is pretty good, but he always feels a little on the sidelines of everyone's life and is trying to figure out how to stand out. Milo Lionetti has had a hard time this year, and he digs himself in deeper once he loses his brother's prized Odyssey card set in a stupid bet, his only option, to turn to his ex-best friend Jasper and see if they can overcome their falling out as teenagers and help each other out. Jasper needs a Prince for his cosplay group and Milo need's Jasper's brilliance to replace the cards. They come to quid pro quo agreement and friendship, understanding, and growth come out of it.

I loved this book. I think it ended up having a much stronger story than Conventionally Yours, but fits so well into the series. Each character had steady character growth, but I found Milo's journey to be so much more intriguing and I couldn't wait to see how everything played out. As usual conflict has to come up in a book, but any points of contention didn't feel like they were thrown in there to move the plot forward, but to explore and develop the characters.

This book was full of charm, humor, and heartfelt moments that just made happy to be reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with this delightful book in exchange for my honest review.

I was beyond excited to return to the world of Odyssey and catch up with the Gaming Grandpa crew, and this sequel did not disappoint.

This had a little bit of everything that I love. Childhood best friends to enemies to friends to lovers meets Nerd x Jock with heavy feels back it up.

Milo keeps finding himself making the same mistakes over and over, and when he finally does something to hurt the one person he can't bear to, he has to swallow his pride and go after someone he never thought he'd see again. Jesper.

Jasper will do anything for his sister April, even if 'anything' means helping a guy who use to be his best friend... until he broke his heart.

This was such a fun and warm read, and I can't wait to hang out with more members of the gang.

If you’re looking for a sweet and nerdy friends to enemies to lovers than this is for you! And while this says it’s the second in a series I read it as a standalone and felt that there was nothing I was missing out on or that the story was lacking.

Filled with cosplay and card games this is the nerdy romance I’ve been craving. Jasper is a sweetheart and Milo is such a messy relatable character who’s trying to dig himself out of the messes he’s made.

The only downside to this book is it’s entirely too long.

3.75 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for a copy of this Arc. All opinions are my own

True Colors is an enemies-to-lovers LGBTQIA new adult series by Annabeth Albert. Whilst introduced as a series, Conventionally Yours and Out of Character follows different characters and storyline.

I had so much fun reading Conventionally Yours and Out of Character. I relate to everything in the series thus far, making it very realistic in my point of view. I felt this most when it came to the plot and characters. It reminded me of some people who are close to me considering I have been in similar situations as them. And especially since I’ve met people similar to Milo, a character who annoyed the heck out of me 🙃 I used to go to a spot with my friends near Uni where you can play cards, they’d play and I would mostly just watch but it was so fun. I love conventions. I love dressing up. So I feel for the characters seriousness and enthusiasm. I can say these books brought back good memories. That shared experience furthered my personal connection with it. The struggles of certain characters like Alden’s struggle with anxiety spoke to me. Not only was it fun, it also tackles relevant issues in the field of gender and mental health.

If you love going to conventions and gaming or just looking for a light and fun read, then I highly recommend this book

This books screams CUTE. Like actually loved it soo much! I can't wait to read more from Annabeth Albert! She has got this corner of LGTBQ+ romcom's cornered.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this! It was perfectly geeky, perfectly nerdy, and the cutest book I've read in quite some time. Yes, there were some things that could've been improved, but considering I binged this in a sitting, I don't think it caused too much of a problem.

My favorite thing about this was definitely the gaming aspects. It separated this from the hundreds of other romances on the market, and was unlike anything else I've read. I do wish we would've gotten to know a bit more about Odyssey, the game featured. The games we got to see were epic, so I wish we would've gotten a clearer picture of what it was. This wasn't a big deal though, I still loved the cosplat and gaming elements.

I also loved the relationship between Jasper and Milo. Sure, I expected them to be enemies for a bit longer, and the insta-lust between them might’ve been a bit much, but I loved them together. I think having both of their perspectives really helped because I got to see into their minds, and know how legitimate their feelings were. They had some of the cutest moments, and I found myself laughing several times. I may have looked crazy, but its not my fault this couple was so cute!

Finally, I loved that there wasn't any unnecessary drama added. I had the feeling we were going to have to deal with the typical drama being added at the end to extend the page length, but this didn't happen!!

If you're looking for another read like Boyfriend Material or Red, White and Royal Blue, I'd definitely recommend this one! It had the perfect mix of banter, spice, and fun, and I can't wait to see what else Albert writes.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I already lived this author and this book was just as good as her others. I did like that is focused more on the couple instead of the card game first featured in Conventionally Yours. I thought it was really cute and will recommend this to everyone

This is a fun 'friends to enemies to lovers' trope and we all love a trope now and again. I was initially drawn into this as a romance LGBT story with a gaming angle. This is number 2 of the True Colours series but can be read as a standalone.

In Out of Character, Milo has gambled away his brother's playing cards which as it turns out are quite valuable and as such enlists the help of Jasper, his former friend and gamer afficionado. Jasper agrees to help albeit reluctantly and they have to try to find some common ground on their journey.

Milo is down on his luck and essentially having a quarter-life crisis and his individual redemption journey is central to the book. I warmed to Milo as a character who seemed good at his core but had made some silly decisions which we're all guilty of at times. Personally I would have liked to have more back story before introducing Jasper and the friend/enemy/lover dynamic as then I would have been more invested from the outset. There were also some prior events referred to throughout which could have been elaborated on more.

That being said I really liked the fact that Albert pushed the idea that everyone's journey in coming to terms with their sexuality is different and that's okay; it was also done in quite a subtle and not preachy way too.

All in all, this is a cute gamer romance and would work perfectly as a nice holiday read! There is a nice quasi-opposites attract dynamic to Milo and Jasper which worked well with the 'friends to enemies to lovers' trope.

Out of Character is a cute gamer romance. Jasper and Milo were once best friends until Milo sided with his jock friends and let them bully Jasper for being a nerd. Years later, Jasper is on the cusp of finishing college and struggling a bit with what happens after college ends. Due to an accident, Milo was kicked out of college and he works a low-paid job with crappy roommates. He makes a bad bed and looses a set of very expensive Odyssey cards, which belong to his army brother, and he seeks out Jasper to beg for any help. There begins a hunt for four expensive cards, which is a joy to follow. It's fascinating to see how Jasper and Milo get to know each other again, and yes, Milo has to apologize for a lot of things. I like the research and hunt for the cards, particularly since as part of the bargain for help, Milo has to join Jasper to cosplay in a hospital for children.

There is a lot happening, particularly since old and new feelings awaken between Milo and Jasper. Only, Milo is not out and Jasper is very wary of him because of that. While the overall pace for the story is good, there is a part after halfway of the book where it feels slow. It is particularly because Jasper makes assumptions instead of listening to Milo, and it gets frustrating because it feels like Jasper is constantly pushing Milo to come out to his family, despite the possible consequences. However, it gets better when Jasper realises what he's doing and from there on, it's a cute romance again. Overall, Out of Character is a cute gamer romance, but it is not as poignant and memorable as Conventionally Yours.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

“Two Best Friends - Turned Bitter Enemies - Turned Reluctant Allies -Turned Something much much more…”

If you are in need of sweet and nerdy friends to enemies to friends to lovers then look no further than Annabeth Albert’s new novel, Out of Character (released July 6, 2021). This was a fun, easy, quick read great for new adult romance lovers, lgbtq+ fiction lovers, gamers, all nerds alike.

Milo and Jasper grew up the best of friends until Milo abandoned him for a soccer ball and popularity. Even though years had passed, Milo appeared back in Jasper’s life begging for help in replacing a set of ultra-rare Odyssey gaming cards he lost in a game. Milo’s life has been filled with a lot of stupid mistakes and losing those cards, his brother's cards weigh heavily on him, on top of everything else.

Milo in his own way is lost as well, insecure in his sexuality, his art, and relationships but as his time with Jasper grows the one thing he knows for sure is that his future is bright so long as Jasper is in it.

This novel had some truly amazing character growth and development, especially through Milo’s eyes. We saw his struggles with coming out to his family, expressing himself through art, and falling in love with a man who saw he could change and stuck around for the long hall.

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶

Disclaimer: Although this is book two in a series, you do not need to have read book one “Conventionally Yours” to understand the storyline it just gives you insight into two of the side characters. I have not read book one.

If there’s one thing I don’t like about reading series as they’re released it’s all the small details I forget between the books! I vaguely remember Jasper from Conventionally Yours, but only just. However, Annabeth Albert is the pinnacle when it comes to MM romances so when the opportunity arose I jumped for a review copy!*

Out of Character is the story of childhood best friends Jasper, nerdy gaymer geek with a heart of gold, and Milo, sporty problem child who hasn’t quite figured his life out yet. They stopped being friends when they were younger when Milo abandoned Jasper for his jock friends and Jasper held on to that hurt until this book. And I think second chance romances might be slowly climbing my trope list because this one was freakin’ adorable.

The impetus of this novel is Milo has lost four very expensive trading cards from the same TCG that features in the first novel of the series. He realizes the only person he knows who could help him is his former best friend, Jasper. And then we follow them through the trials and tribulations of looking for the cards and getting to know each other again as (young) adults.

I’d waited for this. For him. Even if I hadn’t quite known why, I’d waited. I’d denied myself this because deep down I didn’t think I deserved it, but when Jasper kissed me like this, I felt . . . worthy. Like this whole trying-to-be-a-better-person thing mattered and like it might truly be possible. Because anything that felt this good had to mean that I was doing something right. (Chapter 20)

Albert does a wonderful job of writing the tension between the characters and the edginess/caution of Jasper and nervousness/resignation of Milo. You really feel the emotions constantly between the two and the dual narrative really helps to get this through, even if it just drives me nuts they won’t talk to each other.

I love that Jasper is a cosplayer and that’s how he gets his payment for helping Milo find the cards, by really putting Milo well outside of his comfort zone. The gala scene is by far the best scene of the novel, because it’s when Jasper understands that Milo really is going to do what he can to be better for them as a couple. And reading it from both their perspectives was awwww inducing and pearl clutching swoon-worthy.

I toed my shoes off, leaving them next to his by the door. I liked how they looked lined up together. (Chapter 20)

I’m writing this a little further away than I would usually want to write it, but from what I recall the sex scenes were well written and not too quick or too drawn out (Albert’s one of the best). And ALL of the minor characters from Jasper’s sister (who suffers from an immunodeficiency) to the big bad guy, who I’m guessing might be the protagonist in book three are really well written. Add in Jasper’s family and how overprotective they are of Jasper’s heart when it comes to Milo and the rockiness Milo’s coming out and overall problems causes with his brother (and to a lesser extent his mother) and it’s a great book!

Recommendation: What can I say? Albert has delivered another wonderful book. I’m really enjoying the younger characters and the opportunity for a new range of emotions that I don’t recall having read too often in her works. There are just enough “OMG yes” moments and Albert brings her wonderfully nerdy humor and hobbies to the series. I have everything crossed there will be more books in this series!

*I received a copy of Out of Character from the publisher via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.

Trigger Warnings: Bullying, injury, soldier/war, death of a parent, sick sibling, genetic blood disorder, internalized homophobia, homophobia, toxic parent, coming out, sex

Representation: Gay

Out of Character is a romance story about ex-best friends, Milo and Jasper, who work together to save Milo’s reputation and relationship with his brother. Through a trade of favors, the boys reconnect and realize what they have been missing for all of these years.

Overall, another great story from this author! I loved the quirks that both boys had and felt both main characters were very well developed! I wish we saw glimpses into Conrad and Alden’s new lives more and more development had occurred with their other friends as well. I also wish Jasper wasn’t so judgmental at times in regards to what Milo should and shouldn’t do, but I loved how the author acknowledged this flaw in the character and their work to better listen to their partner.

I found this story light and easy to read, as well fun and geeky! I liked how the storyline included a coming out story but that wasn’t the point of the book. I loved that we got to explore a first relationship, especially with one character being more experienced than the other. I think we often see queer stories as coming out or dealing with homophobia but do not see enough of the aftermath.

<b>~4.5~</b>

Young love is glorious, especially when it features friends-to-enemies-to-lovers and opposites (jock/nerd) attract tropes.

Milo was once Jasper's best friend, until he ditched Jasper for soccer and popularity. A few years later, Milo appears at Jasper's work begging for help. Milo did something reckless ... again. He gambled with his brother's rare gaming cards and lost.

Milo is lost too. Closeted, insecure, Milo doesn't know who he is and what he wants, but he knows he wants Jasper who's grown into a confident, kind young man.

This is such a cute story with complex characters who evolve as the story progresses. Milo learns to stand up for himself, and Jasper learns to forgive. I loved the way Jasper encouraged Milo's artistic talents and how hard Milo worked to earn Jasper's trust.

The steam is on the low end, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything. The feels are all there, as is the tenderness.

I didn't read book 1 but had no issues reading this one as a standalone.

I'm also not a gamer but really appreciate the skills and talent of those who are and was never bored with the gaming talk or cosplay.

Indeed, the guys as King Neptune and the Frog Prince are adorable!

The ending is a fairly firm HEA. I see a bright future for these MCs.

Oh, and I really liked the two professors! As Jasper said, Relationship Goals.