What do you think?
Rate this book
Out of Uniform #4
Wheels Up
Their love is forbidden, but their hearts aren't listening to rules and regulations.
Lieutenant Dustin Strauss is a reformed man. No longer a twentysomething hell-raiser, he's his SEAL team's new XO-and a man with a secret. Or seven. He's kept his bisexual identity under wraps for years, along with his kinky side and a fondness for the military-themed semianonymous hookup website Joe4Joe. His latest chat buddy is more than a sexy online distraction-they're taking their very not-safe-for-work relationship into real time.
Petty Officer Wes Lowe has a smart mouth, a take-charge attitude and an uncanny ability for making things go boom. The life of an enlisted man isn't always enough to satisfy him, but one wild, no-questions-asked weekend with his online love comes close. When a transfer order comes in, Wes feels ready and centered. He'll make a good impression on his new SEAL team and keep his growing feelings for Dustin on the down low.
But as they log more time online and some very real emotions surface, Dustin and Wes struggle to pretend they're just a harmless fling. And when his commander introduces Dustin to his team's newest member, they're in for the shock of a lifetime...and a crushing disappointment: their difference in ranks means even a friendship without sexual contact could end their navy careers for good.
With their hearts on the line, Dustin and Wes may not survive their next mission, let alone find a way toward a future together.
Lieutenant Dustin Strauss is a reformed man. No longer a twentysomething hell-raiser, he's his SEAL team's new XO-and a man with a secret. Or seven. He's kept his bisexual identity under wraps for years, along with his kinky side and a fondness for the military-themed semianonymous hookup website Joe4Joe. His latest chat buddy is more than a sexy online distraction-they're taking their very not-safe-for-work relationship into real time.
Petty Officer Wes Lowe has a smart mouth, a take-charge attitude and an uncanny ability for making things go boom. The life of an enlisted man isn't always enough to satisfy him, but one wild, no-questions-asked weekend with his online love comes close. When a transfer order comes in, Wes feels ready and centered. He'll make a good impression on his new SEAL team and keep his growing feelings for Dustin on the down low.
But as they log more time online and some very real emotions surface, Dustin and Wes struggle to pretend they're just a harmless fling. And when his commander introduces Dustin to his team's newest member, they're in for the shock of a lifetime...and a crushing disappointment: their difference in ranks means even a friendship without sexual contact could end their navy careers for good.
With their hearts on the line, Dustin and Wes may not survive their next mission, let alone find a way toward a future together.
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2017
About the author
Annabeth Albert
100 books3,561 followersFrequent tweeter, professional grammar nerd, and obsessive reader, Annabeth Albert is also a Pacific Northwest romance writer in a variety of subgenres.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews
September 10, 2017
Two Navy SEALs
A forbidden love affair
Heartbreaking relationship angst
Danger (these guys put their lives on the line every fucking day)
One heard-earned HEA
All that and KINK galore!
Dustin is a badass SEAL. He's built like a tank. He's emotionally resilient. And he won't let his men down.
Wes is an explosives expert. He loves his family and is particularly close to his younger sister Sam, who has a life-threatening heart condition.
Dustin and Wes meet on a military-themed app and quickly become close friends who get off together virtually. Dustin, who has to be in charge everywhere but the bedroom, wants (NEEDS) to be bossed, and Wes gets off on being in control.
They have ridiculously sizzling chemistry and a strong emotional connection, both of which translate to real life.
But what happens when your soul mate is your commanding officer? Fraternization is not allowed and could cost both men their careers. Yet Wes and Dustin can't stay away from each other. Oh, they try, but they are drawn together like magnets.
I loved everything about this story:
✔ hot, kinky sex with mild D/s elements: bondage, some pain play, and plenty of dirty talk
✔ hurts-so-good relationship angst (Wes and Dustin know they need to end their affair, but their passionate chemistry proves too strong to resist.)
✔ hurt/comfort, and not just physical (The men worry about and take care of each other.)
✔ interesting, well-sketched secondary characters, particularly Wes's awesome family and his brave little sister, although Bacon and Curly certainly made an impression
✔ Dustin's realistic struggles with his bisexuality (Dustin doesn't want to let down his dad, who's always put so much pressure on Dustin to carry on the family name.)
✔ believable HEA (I had no idea how these guys were going to make it work, but their honesty and willingness to put their relationship first won the day.)
Although Dylan and Apollo, the MCs from book 2, play a minor role in this story, Wheels Up CAN be read as a standalone.
The entire Out of Uniform series is amazeballs!
A forbidden love affair
Heartbreaking relationship angst
Danger (these guys put their lives on the line every fucking day)
One heard-earned HEA
All that and KINK galore!
Dustin is a badass SEAL. He's built like a tank. He's emotionally resilient. And he won't let his men down.
Wes is an explosives expert. He loves his family and is particularly close to his younger sister Sam, who has a life-threatening heart condition.
Dustin and Wes meet on a military-themed app and quickly become close friends who get off together virtually. Dustin, who has to be in charge everywhere but the bedroom, wants (NEEDS) to be bossed, and Wes gets off on being in control.
They have ridiculously sizzling chemistry and a strong emotional connection, both of which translate to real life.
There was something in his body that recognized Dustin on a deep, cellular level, and he wasn't ever going to get over that, no matter how wrong these feeling were. No. Not the feelings. The feelings were real, and anything this fucking potent couldn't be wrong. Fuck the regulations. I can't let go.
But what happens when your soul mate is your commanding officer? Fraternization is not allowed and could cost both men their careers. Yet Wes and Dustin can't stay away from each other. Oh, they try, but they are drawn together like magnets.
I loved everything about this story:
✔ hot, kinky sex with mild D/s elements: bondage, some pain play, and plenty of dirty talk
✔ hurts-so-good relationship angst (Wes and Dustin know they need to end their affair, but their passionate chemistry proves too strong to resist.)
✔ hurt/comfort, and not just physical (The men worry about and take care of each other.)
✔ interesting, well-sketched secondary characters, particularly Wes's awesome family and his brave little sister, although Bacon and Curly certainly made an impression
✔ Dustin's realistic struggles with his bisexuality (Dustin doesn't want to let down his dad, who's always put so much pressure on Dustin to carry on the family name.)
✔ believable HEA (I had no idea how these guys were going to make it work, but their honesty and willingness to put their relationship first won the day.)
Although Dylan and Apollo, the MCs from book 2, play a minor role in this story, Wheels Up CAN be read as a standalone.
The entire Out of Uniform series is amazeballs!
September 11, 2017
Take a moment with me to enjoy this cover. Need a close up? I'll wait.
Wheels Up is the fourth installment in the Out of Uniform Series by Annabeth Albert. The series follows a group of Navy SEALs and their struggles with romance. Wheels Up focuses on Wes and Dustin.
Wes and Dustin meet via a Grindr like hook-up app called Joe4Joe with caters to military men. After 6 months of developing a friendship and some hot and heavy cyber sex, they decide to meet. Neither knows the other is a SEAL, choosing to keep real names and personal info out of their cyber relationship.
Their first meeting is mind-boggling hot. Like melt-the-paint-off-the-walls hot. The men live on different coasts, so they both know this is a one-time thing.
Now, a few weeks later Wes is transferred and I'll give you one guess whose unit he is moved to. *touches nose* Got it in one! While the men already have an emotional connection, fraternization rules forbid them having any sort of relationship, including a basic friendship. Oh no... This sucks!
I need to note here that Ms. Albert has an author's note at the end of the book talking about the seriousness of military fraternization rules. Here it is in its entirety:
As Ms. Albert promises, the book takes these rules quite seriously so these boys have to have clandestine meetings, which are filled with passion and a large doses of guilt. This is where the story fell apart for me. Like in LA Witt's Just Drive, these meeting made me crazy. "We can't have a relationship! It's against the rules! One of us could be court-martialed !" *hot sex, hot sex* "We can't let that happen again! This is the last time!" Shower, rinse, repeat for 70% of the book. UUUGGG!!!
And I get it. Ms. Albert was going for realism. But that didn't silence my frustration with these boys coming back to each other over and over and over again and heaping on the guilt each time.
Another problem was the ending. It was HFN and a verbal HEA. After the mind-numbing angst in the last 80% of the book, I needed a rainbows and fluffy bunny epilogue to balance everything out.
So, this book started off great and hot and emotional but quickly went off the rails for me. I'm pretty sure I'll be in the minority here when more reviews start coming in, but those of you who are easily frustrated with clandestine hook-ups and heavy relationship angst will want to skip this one. Everyone else, enjoy the hot and passionate SEALs goodie!
Advanced review copy of Wheels Up provided by Carina Press in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
Wheels Up is the fourth installment in the Out of Uniform Series by Annabeth Albert. The series follows a group of Navy SEALs and their struggles with romance. Wheels Up focuses on Wes and Dustin.
Wes and Dustin meet via a Grindr like hook-up app called Joe4Joe with caters to military men. After 6 months of developing a friendship and some hot and heavy cyber sex, they decide to meet. Neither knows the other is a SEAL, choosing to keep real names and personal info out of their cyber relationship.
Their first meeting is mind-boggling hot. Like melt-the-paint-off-the-walls hot. The men live on different coasts, so they both know this is a one-time thing.
Now, a few weeks later Wes is transferred and I'll give you one guess whose unit he is moved to. *touches nose* Got it in one! While the men already have an emotional connection, fraternization rules forbid them having any sort of relationship, including a basic friendship. Oh no... This sucks!
I need to note here that Ms. Albert has an author's note at the end of the book talking about the seriousness of military fraternization rules. Here it is in its entirety:
As always, I tried to be as accurate as possible in my depictions of military life. However, the reality is that fraternization among officers and enlisted people is a very big deal for the military in all branches, and I had to find a balance between the gravity of the situation and the need to give Wes and Dustin a happy ending. To that end, I consulted two military attorneys as well as several current and former military personnel. A particular thanks to L.A. Witt, who was invaluable with her insights on this matter. Any inaccuracies or liberties are solely my own. Thanks to the military and special-ops boards and blogs that do an amazing job providing information about special ops and the lives of the people who serve.
As Ms. Albert promises, the book takes these rules quite seriously so these boys have to have clandestine meetings, which are filled with passion and a large doses of guilt. This is where the story fell apart for me. Like in LA Witt's Just Drive, these meeting made me crazy. "We can't have a relationship! It's against the rules! One of us could be court-martialed !" *hot sex, hot sex* "We can't let that happen again! This is the last time!" Shower, rinse, repeat for 70% of the book. UUUGGG!!!
And I get it. Ms. Albert was going for realism. But that didn't silence my frustration with these boys coming back to each other over and over and over again and heaping on the guilt each time.
Another problem was the ending. It was HFN and a verbal HEA. After the mind-numbing angst in the last 80% of the book, I needed a rainbows and fluffy bunny epilogue to balance everything out.
So, this book started off great and hot and emotional but quickly went off the rails for me. I'm pretty sure I'll be in the minority here when more reviews start coming in, but those of you who are easily frustrated with clandestine hook-ups and heavy relationship angst will want to skip this one. Everyone else, enjoy the hot and passionate SEALs goodie!
Advanced review copy of Wheels Up provided by Carina Press in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
![Profile Image for Kati *☆･ﾟ [a bit distracted atm].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1725834613i/144158876._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
April 18, 2023
re-listen March 2023
Two men in uniform in a forbidden romance, given voice by Greg B. —what more is there to want? ♡ Still one of my favorite audiobooks. I just realized that I've written almost the exact same thing at the end of my original review *lmaooo
4.5***** stars
re-listen April 2022
First can we take a minute to admire this cover? It’s so hot!
I thought with having a lot more MM romances under my belt now than I had back then, I would be less enthusiastic about this book, but nope - it was as good as it was the first time.
And Greg Boudreaux makes it even better. Boy what this guy can do to a story with his voice… Let me tell you, who never had experienced a sex scene read to you by this narrating god yet really missed out! *huff
The forbidden part of their relationship is of course one thing that excited me about this book but what really made this special for me was that their roles in bed are reversed to their roles in real life. That’s a trope for my liking.
So when they are on base Dustin is the superior, the commanding officer and Wes the one obliged to take his orders while when they are intimate Dustin transforms to a submissive bottom to Wes’ dominant top. And that feels particularly special because on top of their different ranks in the Navy and their positions in their team Wes is also younger and less built than Dustin. God I love that!! And what a good job Wes does with being in charge. *fans self!
But other than that the forbidden aspect about their relationship is a huge part of this book.
The longing for each other and the feel of hopelessness about their situation is so very palpable.
And they try really hard to follow the rules of non fraternisation.
But when they finally get their shit together we’re in for a sweet happily ever after ♡ Ugh! This really is my kind of story. So good!
A little tough guys, a little forbidden romance and a little Greg Boudreaux to listen to - what more is there to want?!
*************
Out Of Uniform Series:
Book 3 - On Point - 3.75 stars
Book 4 - Wheels up - 4.75 stars
Book 6 - Tight Quarters - 4.25 stars
⇢ related novellas to Wes & Dustin:
Homebodies - 3.5 stars
Mr Strauss & Mr Lowe - 3.5 stars
Two men in uniform in a forbidden romance, given voice by Greg B. —what more is there to want? ♡ Still one of my favorite audiobooks. I just realized that I've written almost the exact same thing at the end of my original review *lmaooo
4.5***** stars
re-listen April 2022
First can we take a minute to admire this cover? It’s so hot!
I thought with having a lot more MM romances under my belt now than I had back then, I would be less enthusiastic about this book, but nope - it was as good as it was the first time.
And Greg Boudreaux makes it even better. Boy what this guy can do to a story with his voice… Let me tell you, who never had experienced a sex scene read to you by this narrating god yet really missed out! *huff
The forbidden part of their relationship is of course one thing that excited me about this book but what really made this special for me was that their roles in bed are reversed to their roles in real life. That’s a trope for my liking.
So when they are on base Dustin is the superior, the commanding officer and Wes the one obliged to take his orders while when they are intimate Dustin transforms to a submissive bottom to Wes’ dominant top. And that feels particularly special because on top of their different ranks in the Navy and their positions in their team Wes is also younger and less built than Dustin. God I love that!! And what a good job Wes does with being in charge. *fans self!
But other than that the forbidden aspect about their relationship is a huge part of this book.
"I hate this."
"I don’t. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. And not only the sex. … I’m not gonna apologise for being a friend. For caring."
"I care, too."
The longing for each other and the feel of hopelessness about their situation is so very palpable.
Fury and frustration in equal measure welled up inside him. Never before had doing the right thing sucked so hard.
And they try really hard to follow the rules of non fraternisation.
"I don’t want that."
"You don’t want an us?"
"There was never an us. Just two lonely guys jerkin’ off."
"That’s all this was? Easy sex?" …
He could only steel his voice, force the lie out.
"Yup, just gettin’ off."
But when they finally get their shit together we’re in for a sweet happily ever after ♡ Ugh! This really is my kind of story. So good!
A little tough guys, a little forbidden romance and a little Greg Boudreaux to listen to - what more is there to want?!
*************
Out Of Uniform Series:
Book 3 - On Point - 3.75 stars
Book 4 - Wheels up - 4.75 stars
Book 6 - Tight Quarters - 4.25 stars
⇢ related novellas to Wes & Dustin:
Homebodies - 3.5 stars
Mr Strauss & Mr Lowe - 3.5 stars
January 20, 2019
5 Stars!
The struggle was real in this one y'all!
These men struggled throughout the book.
They tried their best to keep their growing feelings at bay. But one kiss or touch wasn't enough. With every breath they craved more from one another. They pushed boundaries and crossed lines to be with each other. Always just one more time. Always one last goodbye. They tortured each other with messages and calls. They said it was over so many times wanting to believe they could stay away from each other even though they continued to wake up missing each other. Pretending during the day to be co-workers who didn't know each other as intimately as they did. Pretending they didn't want to reach out and touch each other. Both men are wanting something they can't quite reach but continue to try and grab. They both try to convince themselves that they won't lose control around each other when they're alone, but one look at each other and they can't fight the pull. So it was only a matter of time before they slipped and suspicion was brought upon them. Dustin and Wes lie their way out of it, but the way Wes lies so easily as if what he says is truth puts Dustin on edge. It gets worse with a phone call with Wes saying it was just "two buddies jerking off". It tears Wes up to say it as much as it does to watch Dustin's face fall with every lie from his mouth. But he can't risk Dustin's job and feels like he pushed too hard for something that can never be. But Dustin isn't ready to give up. Their love isn't a phase and he knows that it's too strong and nothing or no one will ever be able to replace what they feel for one another. So he makes the decision to fight for them.
I loved these men. They took each other for who they were. They took each others sorrows and pain and made it better for the other. So it was so heart breaking for them have to hide but also rewarding to have them get their HEA.
A fantastic angsty read!
Happy reading dolls!
The struggle was real in this one y'all!
These men struggled throughout the book.
They tried their best to keep their growing feelings at bay. But one kiss or touch wasn't enough. With every breath they craved more from one another. They pushed boundaries and crossed lines to be with each other. Always just one more time. Always one last goodbye. They tortured each other with messages and calls. They said it was over so many times wanting to believe they could stay away from each other even though they continued to wake up missing each other. Pretending during the day to be co-workers who didn't know each other as intimately as they did. Pretending they didn't want to reach out and touch each other. Both men are wanting something they can't quite reach but continue to try and grab. They both try to convince themselves that they won't lose control around each other when they're alone, but one look at each other and they can't fight the pull. So it was only a matter of time before they slipped and suspicion was brought upon them. Dustin and Wes lie their way out of it, but the way Wes lies so easily as if what he says is truth puts Dustin on edge. It gets worse with a phone call with Wes saying it was just "two buddies jerking off". It tears Wes up to say it as much as it does to watch Dustin's face fall with every lie from his mouth. But he can't risk Dustin's job and feels like he pushed too hard for something that can never be. But Dustin isn't ready to give up. Their love isn't a phase and he knows that it's too strong and nothing or no one will ever be able to replace what they feel for one another. So he makes the decision to fight for them.
I loved these men. They took each other for who they were. They took each others sorrows and pain and made it better for the other. So it was so heart breaking for them have to hide but also rewarding to have them get their HEA.
A fantastic angsty read!
Happy reading dolls!
November 10, 2017
*3.5 stars*
I love everything Annabeth Albert writes, and this book was another good one in the Out of Uniform series. However, though I really enjoyed it, the drama got a little exhausting for me near the end of the story.
I love, love, love certain dynamics in M/M, and a big muscle guy who likes to bottom has to be one of them. (Yes, I know I'm opening this review with sex... I can't help it!) Annabeth Albert got it just right with the shy, huge Navy Seal who likes to be dominated. Me likey!! The sex was just super hot, but I wished that they got to push the kink even further! (Psst- write some daddy kink, Annabeth!!)
The two MCs have lots of difficulties getting their relationship up and running. They have the very real fears about being discovered and breaking fraternizing rules, and there is one of the MCs closeted status to take into account. I didn't love the push and pull, and though it is, I'm sure, reality for some military men, I had a difficult time reading some of it. The back and forth also reminded me a bit of a recent L.A. Witt book that I've read and struggled with, so that wasn't a great thing either.
However, aside from those issues, I found the story to be really compelling, even if there was piles of drama with the MCs' friends and family alongside their own personal drama. I wish they had more time together to let their relationship grow, but I still enjoyed the book overall.
It is interesting that right before reviewing this book I read Tender with a Twist, also by Annabeth Albert, that I liked a whole lot more. It actually made me downgrade my rating for this one, on reflection, because I saw the kinky, kinky potential of this author.
I'll still read anything in the Out of Uniform series and ANYTHING by Annabeth Albert. She truly never steers me wrong.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
I love everything Annabeth Albert writes, and this book was another good one in the Out of Uniform series. However, though I really enjoyed it, the drama got a little exhausting for me near the end of the story.
I love, love, love certain dynamics in M/M, and a big muscle guy who likes to bottom has to be one of them. (Yes, I know I'm opening this review with sex... I can't help it!) Annabeth Albert got it just right with the shy, huge Navy Seal who likes to be dominated. Me likey!! The sex was just super hot, but I wished that they got to push the kink even further! (Psst- write some daddy kink, Annabeth!!)
The two MCs have lots of difficulties getting their relationship up and running. They have the very real fears about being discovered and breaking fraternizing rules, and there is one of the MCs closeted status to take into account. I didn't love the push and pull, and though it is, I'm sure, reality for some military men, I had a difficult time reading some of it. The back and forth also reminded me a bit of a recent L.A. Witt book that I've read and struggled with, so that wasn't a great thing either.
However, aside from those issues, I found the story to be really compelling, even if there was piles of drama with the MCs' friends and family alongside their own personal drama. I wish they had more time together to let their relationship grow, but I still enjoyed the book overall.
It is interesting that right before reviewing this book I read Tender with a Twist, also by Annabeth Albert, that I liked a whole lot more. It actually made me downgrade my rating for this one, on reflection, because I saw the kinky, kinky potential of this author.
I'll still read anything in the Out of Uniform series and ANYTHING by Annabeth Albert. She truly never steers me wrong.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
September 29, 2017
4.5 Stars
Dustin and Wes did video chat for six months but now they've decided to meet each other in person. Dustin did this online connection before but with Wes it was different, it was like a real friendship. But the thing is they both don’t know much about each other, like their jobs. Dustin thinks Wes’s job involved security and Wes thinks Dustin is marine. So anyway, they spent one night with each other and enjoy it so much. one month after that night Dustin’s LT announced they have a replacement and guess who is he? Yep, WES!
"No more late-night chats. No more…anything. From this moment forward, whatever he’d had with Wes in the past was dead."
First of all, such a hot cover! All the covers in this series are hot but this one… and it’s not just the cover! The story, itself, is really hot and beautiful! The thing that I loved so much about this book was their relationship. That at work, Dustin bossing Wes around but at home he lets Wes take charge. Wes helped Dustin know more about himself; that who he was, what he liked, what he needed. I liked both characters. They both were perfect with each other.
The story is well-paced and well-written. Characters were perfect and story-line was great. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s the fourth installment in "Out of Uniform" series but it can be read as a stand-alone. Overall, I loved it and hope you enjoy it as well!
Thanks to Annabeth Albert, Netgalley and Carina Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.
Dustin and Wes did video chat for six months but now they've decided to meet each other in person. Dustin did this online connection before but with Wes it was different, it was like a real friendship. But the thing is they both don’t know much about each other, like their jobs. Dustin thinks Wes’s job involved security and Wes thinks Dustin is marine. So anyway, they spent one night with each other and enjoy it so much. one month after that night Dustin’s LT announced they have a replacement and guess who is he? Yep, WES!
"No more late-night chats. No more…anything. From this moment forward, whatever he’d had with Wes in the past was dead."
First of all, such a hot cover! All the covers in this series are hot but this one… and it’s not just the cover! The story, itself, is really hot and beautiful! The thing that I loved so much about this book was their relationship. That at work, Dustin bossing Wes around but at home he lets Wes take charge. Wes helped Dustin know more about himself; that who he was, what he liked, what he needed. I liked both characters. They both were perfect with each other.
The story is well-paced and well-written. Characters were perfect and story-line was great. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s the fourth installment in "Out of Uniform" series but it can be read as a stand-alone. Overall, I loved it and hope you enjoy it as well!
Thanks to Annabeth Albert, Netgalley and Carina Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.
November 16, 2017
Tag Team Review with The Adam
4.5 HEARTS--
I'm still wearing a WTF face after finishing Wheels Up. And not for the reasons you might think.
This is my favorite of the Out of Uniform series (so far). So...what's the face for?
See, I wasn't expecting it. Hence me being perplexed at how much I enjoyed this story and leading men. I didn't think any character would have knocked Dylan off of my pedestal of #1. Looks like Dustin just did. At least, I'm keeping it in the family. I love the Strauss brothers!
I couldn't get into the beginning of Wheels Up. I liked the setup, people who have a connection online who finally take a chance and meet in real life. But something about the beginning, had me going through the motions. I continued and then somewhere in the middle it finally clicked, I really liked the MC's.
Standalone Wheels Up features Dustin, the older brother of At Attention's lead Dylan, is a 32 year old lieutenant who is coming to terms with his sexuality and finally admitting to himself that he is bisexual. He's still figuring things out with himself and not sharing with anyone including his best friend or brother. He worked himself up to seeking someone to jerk off with on a gay military hookup app. And he ends up befriending a guy. Other than sharing aliases, neither one share what department of the armed forces they serve in. They just bond through shared kinks and form something more than a jerk off buddy. After months of interactions and cyber hookups, they meet in person. And the chemistry they share only blossoms. But it was supposed to be a one night stand...
Until Dustin's jerk off pal becomes his subordinate the next month due to a transfer. Younger, semi out Petty Officer Wes is a shock to Dustin's system. And it's a shock for Wes himself. Wes has his own shit to deal with as he has a sick sibling that rocks him to his core. The camaraderie with Dustin, though it is forbidden the moment he became Dustin's subordinate, helps get Wes through the day.
The bond between both men is present from the beginning hookup to the San Diego naval base. And reading them try to fight and deny it is what finally pulled me in.
The sexual chemistry is undeniable. Dustin's 6' 4" and a walking and talking SEAL poster boy. But in the bedroom, he's submissive with a penchant for ass play. And has a problem coming to terms with needing to have someone dominating him. Wes fills that role perfectly. Wes is a sexy care taking dominant (my fave!) The kink is mild D/s with some bondage. If kink isn't your fave to read, I think it is light enough to be tolerated. Big Guy Bottoming SCORE! *coughs*
The sex was not on every page though it starts off as a sexual relationship. It was a slow build into something more and each sexual contact has an emotional aspect that I dug, each act meaningful since they have to go through some many hoops to keep their secret.
There is some angst, Dustin dealing with his bisexuality and his perception of what his family and friends will think, he's lived the lie as a ladies man for so long it's all he knows. and Wes has his family crisis to deal with. The forbidden love just added another layer on a difficult setup.
But it worked.
And somewhere around 50-60%, I was all in and invested on seeing how these would ever get a chance to be together. I loved the angsty moments so much.
The ending is perfect for the main characters, not overly sweet and schmoop without consequences. It's realistic and they both have to put in work for it. You can give me any romance where their HEA isn't handed to them on a silver platter and you will have one enthralled reader on your hands.
As I was with Wheels Up.
Recommended to fans of loners who finally get their chance at a HEA, sexual exploration, and military men!
A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
4.5 HEARTS--
I'm still wearing a WTF face after finishing Wheels Up. And not for the reasons you might think.
This is my favorite of the Out of Uniform series (so far). So...what's the face for?
See, I wasn't expecting it. Hence me being perplexed at how much I enjoyed this story and leading men. I didn't think any character would have knocked Dylan off of my pedestal of #1. Looks like Dustin just did. At least, I'm keeping it in the family. I love the Strauss brothers!
I couldn't get into the beginning of Wheels Up. I liked the setup, people who have a connection online who finally take a chance and meet in real life. But something about the beginning, had me going through the motions. I continued and then somewhere in the middle it finally clicked, I really liked the MC's.
Standalone Wheels Up features Dustin, the older brother of At Attention's lead Dylan, is a 32 year old lieutenant who is coming to terms with his sexuality and finally admitting to himself that he is bisexual. He's still figuring things out with himself and not sharing with anyone including his best friend or brother. He worked himself up to seeking someone to jerk off with on a gay military hookup app. And he ends up befriending a guy. Other than sharing aliases, neither one share what department of the armed forces they serve in. They just bond through shared kinks and form something more than a jerk off buddy. After months of interactions and cyber hookups, they meet in person. And the chemistry they share only blossoms. But it was supposed to be a one night stand...
Until Dustin's jerk off pal becomes his subordinate the next month due to a transfer. Younger, semi out Petty Officer Wes is a shock to Dustin's system. And it's a shock for Wes himself. Wes has his own shit to deal with as he has a sick sibling that rocks him to his core. The camaraderie with Dustin, though it is forbidden the moment he became Dustin's subordinate, helps get Wes through the day.
The bond between both men is present from the beginning hookup to the San Diego naval base. And reading them try to fight and deny it is what finally pulled me in.
The sexual chemistry is undeniable. Dustin's 6' 4" and a walking and talking SEAL poster boy. But in the bedroom, he's submissive with a penchant for ass play. And has a problem coming to terms with needing to have someone dominating him. Wes fills that role perfectly. Wes is a sexy care taking dominant (my fave!) The kink is mild D/s with some bondage. If kink isn't your fave to read, I think it is light enough to be tolerated. Big Guy Bottoming SCORE! *coughs*
The sex was not on every page though it starts off as a sexual relationship. It was a slow build into something more and each sexual contact has an emotional aspect that I dug, each act meaningful since they have to go through some many hoops to keep their secret.
There is some angst, Dustin dealing with his bisexuality and his perception of what his family and friends will think, he's lived the lie as a ladies man for so long it's all he knows. and Wes has his family crisis to deal with. The forbidden love just added another layer on a difficult setup.
But it worked.
And somewhere around 50-60%, I was all in and invested on seeing how these would ever get a chance to be together. I loved the angsty moments so much.
The ending is perfect for the main characters, not overly sweet and schmoop without consequences. It's realistic and they both have to put in work for it. You can give me any romance where their HEA isn't handed to them on a silver platter and you will have one enthralled reader on your hands.
As I was with Wheels Up.
Recommended to fans of loners who finally get their chance at a HEA, sexual exploration, and military men!
A copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
September 17, 2017
5 stars
I loved it! Great writing, as always. Amazing characters! Loved their chemistry.
I've been dying to read this book since I've read the excerpt at the end of On Point.
Annabeth Albert's writing style became one of my favorites and Out of Uniform series is amazing. If you haven't read it, you should give it a try. Hot SEAL men, danger and a lot of angst. What could we want more?
I was pretty excited to read Dustin's story. All the other books were great, so I just knew I will fall for Dustin hard. And I was right. His life wasn't easy, while trying to keep his bisexuality hidden. Even if he loved to be a SEAL, something was missing in his life. Talking to a guy for 6 months through internet seemed harmless, but meeting him and discovering how much he craved him was surprising to say the least. When the guy he wasn't supposed to see again became a part of his work, Dustin got miserable.
It pained me so much to witness their sorrow. They were so attracted to each other and they fit perfectly in every way. But they were supposed to keep the distance. Even a friendship was forbidden, let alone a romantic relationship. Their military careers were on the line.
I was heartbroken so many times. I wanted to scream it's not fair!!! But as they discovered how much they meant to each other, I got to enjoy their stolen moments and well, the ending brought me hope in their future. For a new beginning together.
ARC kindly provided to me by the publisher - Carina Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I loved it! Great writing, as always. Amazing characters! Loved their chemistry.
I've been dying to read this book since I've read the excerpt at the end of On Point.
Annabeth Albert's writing style became one of my favorites and Out of Uniform series is amazing. If you haven't read it, you should give it a try. Hot SEAL men, danger and a lot of angst. What could we want more?
I was pretty excited to read Dustin's story. All the other books were great, so I just knew I will fall for Dustin hard. And I was right. His life wasn't easy, while trying to keep his bisexuality hidden. Even if he loved to be a SEAL, something was missing in his life. Talking to a guy for 6 months through internet seemed harmless, but meeting him and discovering how much he craved him was surprising to say the least. When the guy he wasn't supposed to see again became a part of his work, Dustin got miserable.
It pained me so much to witness their sorrow. They were so attracted to each other and they fit perfectly in every way. But they were supposed to keep the distance. Even a friendship was forbidden, let alone a romantic relationship. Their military careers were on the line.
I was heartbroken so many times. I wanted to scream it's not fair!!! But as they discovered how much they meant to each other, I got to enjoy their stolen moments and well, the ending brought me hope in their future. For a new beginning together.
ARC kindly provided to me by the publisher - Carina Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
January 30, 2018
5 stars for Greg
4 stars for the story
Overall 4.5 stars
“Hi.” Wes blinked.
“Hi,” Dustin said back, mouth all dry and cottony with longing.
“Fuck. I missed you.” Wes’s eyes shone. “Should have said that first thing.
I enjoyed this more than book 3. There were no asshole Mcs, Dustin (Dylan's brother from book 2) and Wes were great together. The two met online started chatting and formed a friendship. Fast- forward months later Wes got transfered to Dustin's unit and things became complicated.
I loved
- Their online interactions were amazing.
-The first meeting in DC was so hot.
- The relationship development and chemistry was there from the start.
-The stolen moments, the friendship that Dustin and Wes formed felt realistic.
- It was nice seeing Apollo and Dylan.
I enjoyed this. Dylan will always be favorite character from this series.
4 stars for the story
Overall 4.5 stars
“Hi.” Wes blinked.
“Hi,” Dustin said back, mouth all dry and cottony with longing.
“Fuck. I missed you.” Wes’s eyes shone. “Should have said that first thing.
I enjoyed this more than book 3. There were no asshole Mcs, Dustin (Dylan's brother from book 2) and Wes were great together. The two met online started chatting and formed a friendship. Fast- forward months later Wes got transfered to Dustin's unit and things became complicated.
I loved
- Their online interactions were amazing.
-The first meeting in DC was so hot.
- The relationship development and chemistry was there from the start.
-The stolen moments, the friendship that Dustin and Wes formed felt realistic.
- It was nice seeing Apollo and Dylan.
I enjoyed this. Dylan will always be favorite character from this series.
March 31, 2018
4.5 Stars
Wheels Up is, hands down, the best contemporary military romance I've read this year. I've had a hit-or-miss relationship with Annabeth Albert's books, but let me tell ya, she gets almost everything right here. We get alpha males, some mild kink, delicious chemistry and a happy ending. Breaking the rules never tasted so good.
Wes and Dustin meet on a hookup app -- Joe4Joe -- and they discover that they each has something the other craves. Wes has always wanted to explore his kinky dominant side and Dustin wants to explore his bisexuality and submitting sexually to a more dominant partner. I love this. The whole progression of online friends-with-benefits to real life friends - to lovers just did me right. Add in the whole forbidden aspect of their relationship (since this is fiction and we know they will get their happy) and I'm in heaven.
The military takes its fraternization rules pretty seriously, though. Dustin is an officer and Wes is enlisted, and to make matters worse, once Wes gets transferred, they are in the same chain of command. They both know that they should not stay involved, but... yeah, you know where this is going. Dustin and Wes just can't stay away from each other. The rules are strict, but they're there and if they get caught, the consequences would be dire.
But I loved their chemistry, I loved their smexy-times, and I loved both of them.
My only real niggle doesn't come from the story, at all, but the use of "y'all" as a singular, by Wes, who was raised in North Carolina. I grew up in North Carolina. My husband was born in raised in a different part of North Carolina, and our friend and current housemate was also born and raised in NC. In all our years there, none of us have ever heard anyone, that was from there, use "y'all" as a singular. Maybe it's a new thing, I don't know. I moved away from NC some time ago, so it is possible. But even the times I've visited in the last few years, I've never ever heard that. Now, if Wes had been from a different part of the south, my brain would not have likely short circuited because I do know that some parts of the south do use it as a singular. If any of you reading this are living in NC and "y'all" as a singular has been incorporated into the NC vernacular, let me know, because I'm truly curious.
Aside from that one niggle, I loved the story. Dustin and Wes's romance was strong and they burned up my Kindle a bit, too. The ending was very satisfying and hard fought. LOVED. I can't wait to see what the next book brings!
#HOOYAH
--------------------
ARC of Wheels Up was generously provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Wheels Up is, hands down, the best contemporary military romance I've read this year. I've had a hit-or-miss relationship with Annabeth Albert's books, but let me tell ya, she gets almost everything right here. We get alpha males, some mild kink, delicious chemistry and a happy ending. Breaking the rules never tasted so good.
Wes and Dustin meet on a hookup app -- Joe4Joe -- and they discover that they each has something the other craves. Wes has always wanted to explore his kinky dominant side and Dustin wants to explore his bisexuality and submitting sexually to a more dominant partner. I love this. The whole progression of online friends-with-benefits to real life friends - to lovers just did me right. Add in the whole forbidden aspect of their relationship (since this is fiction and we know they will get their happy) and I'm in heaven.
The military takes its fraternization rules pretty seriously, though. Dustin is an officer and Wes is enlisted, and to make matters worse, once Wes gets transferred, they are in the same chain of command. They both know that they should not stay involved, but... yeah, you know where this is going. Dustin and Wes just can't stay away from each other. The rules are strict, but they're there and if they get caught, the consequences would be dire.
But I loved their chemistry, I loved their smexy-times, and I loved both of them.
My only real niggle doesn't come from the story, at all, but the use of "y'all" as a singular, by Wes, who was raised in North Carolina. I grew up in North Carolina. My husband was born in raised in a different part of North Carolina, and our friend and current housemate was also born and raised in NC. In all our years there, none of us have ever heard anyone, that was from there, use "y'all" as a singular. Maybe it's a new thing, I don't know. I moved away from NC some time ago, so it is possible. But even the times I've visited in the last few years, I've never ever heard that. Now, if Wes had been from a different part of the south, my brain would not have likely short circuited because I do know that some parts of the south do use it as a singular. If any of you reading this are living in NC and "y'all" as a singular has been incorporated into the NC vernacular, let me know, because I'm truly curious.
Aside from that one niggle, I loved the story. Dustin and Wes's romance was strong and they burned up my Kindle a bit, too. The ending was very satisfying and hard fought. LOVED. I can't wait to see what the next book brings!
#HOOYAH
--------------------
ARC of Wheels Up was generously provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2017
We met Dustin in At Attention as Dylan's older brother, and Apollo's best friend. When I saw that he was going to get his own story I was over the moon! Wheels Up did not disappoint!
Turns out that Dustin is bisexual but he hasn't explored this side of himself yet. But for the last few month he has been talking online with someone, through a military themed app.
What I loved :
-The online relationship. I'm a firm believer that online friendships/relationships can be as real and strong as real life ones.
-That first weekend when Wes meets Dustin for the first time. Very realistic and sexy.
-The sex. Holy hotness Batman! Crazy sexual chemistry with just the right amount of kink. Dustin might be in control at work, but he certainly likes to give it all up in bed.
-Great bi representation.
-The angst is as real as it can be. There really is no way for Wes and Dustin to be together unless they want to ruin their careers.
-Wes's sister. I loved that storyline. I think it added a lot to the book overall.
What I didn't love :
-There's A LOT of push and pull here. As time goes by, and the MCs realise that they can't stay away from each other they keep going back and forth. Up to a point, I liked that. After a while, though, it got kinda old and I wanted them to move on.
Wish granted because shit finally hits the fan and didn't that bring all the feels!
-I was a little bummed that I didn't get to see more interaction between Dustin and his brother, Dylan or his friend, Appollo. There is a brief scene buut it felt shallow.
All in all, this was a winner. Out of Uniform is definitely one of my favorite series by Annabeth Albert.
Turns out that Dustin is bisexual but he hasn't explored this side of himself yet. But for the last few month he has been talking online with someone, through a military themed app.
What I loved :
-The online relationship. I'm a firm believer that online friendships/relationships can be as real and strong as real life ones.
-That first weekend when Wes meets Dustin for the first time. Very realistic and sexy.
-The sex. Holy hotness Batman! Crazy sexual chemistry with just the right amount of kink. Dustin might be in control at work, but he certainly likes to give it all up in bed.
-Great bi representation.
-The angst is as real as it can be. There really is no way for Wes and Dustin to be together unless they want to ruin their careers.
-Wes's sister. I loved that storyline. I think it added a lot to the book overall.
What I didn't love :
-There's A LOT of push and pull here. As time goes by, and the MCs realise that they can't stay away from each other they keep going back and forth. Up to a point, I liked that. After a while, though, it got kinda old and I wanted them to move on.
Wish granted because shit finally hits the fan and didn't that bring all the feels!
-I was a little bummed that I didn't get to see more interaction between Dustin and his brother, Dylan or his friend, Appollo. There is a brief scene buut it felt shallow.
All in all, this was a winner. Out of Uniform is definitely one of my favorite series by Annabeth Albert.
October 12, 2017
I have been waiting for Dustin's story and I loved it!!
This is a fan-fucking-tastic story!! Wes & Dustin are hot as hell together, I want to say this is probably the dirtiest story of Ms. Albert's I have read...and she really blew me away. Did I mention the angst? Oh the fabulous angst, loved it!!
This is a book you don't want to miss...I mean look at that cover!! You think its hot just wait until you read about the men in their story!!
RTC -- 5 stars
This is a fan-fucking-tastic story!! Wes & Dustin are hot as hell together, I want to say this is probably the dirtiest story of Ms. Albert's I have read...and she really blew me away. Did I mention the angst? Oh the fabulous angst, loved it!!
This is a book you don't want to miss...I mean look at that cover!! You think its hot just wait until you read about the men in their story!!
RTC -- 5 stars
June 23, 2024
|| 4.5 stars ||
Wow, this was exactly what I was hoping it would be! I’m so happy!
Wes and Dustin are both in the military and have been chatting online for over six months. They have slowly but surely formed a very close friendship and flirtatious dynamic together. When they finally decide to meet, the sparks fly.
However, when Wes gets transferred, they suddenly find that Dustin is now his superior officer, and they can no longer have any sort of friendship let alone a romance. Any type of casual interaction is completely forbidden.
Yet, their feelings are so strong and so deep, they cannot seem to stay away, even if it means risking everything they have worked towards with their careers.
The reason this book worked so well for me was because I could genuinely see Wes and Dustin’s connection. They had such a deep bond, a true friendship, scorching chemistry, an emotional attachment, and they were always there for each other. They cared so much. They understood each other like no one else. They were perfect together: soulmates even. And it showed.
It also helped that the ‘forbidden’ aspect here actually made sense. It wasn’t something that could have easily been resolved: this was a very real and very serious problem; they simply were not allowed to be together. Period.
And oh my, this issue made their longing all the more real. They wanted each other so much, and were so desperate to be together. I really felt their pining and their dedication.
Wes and Dustin had an amazing dynamic going on: their personalities meshed incredibly well together, and their sexual inclinations also fit together like the last two pieces of a puzzle. Together they discover their desire for a (light) dom/sub kink in the bedroom.
It made for incredibly hot steam, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Although, I must say that I personally thought there was a bit too much smut. This is an individual preference though, as I am certain the amount of sex here would not be too much for the average romance reader.
Luckily, their sex scenes often had emotions involved as well, and the smut definitely didn’t take away from the depth within their relationship!
Long story short, these characters completely won over my heart and their love was so authentic and real, I couldn’t get enough of it! I adored this so much!!
Spin-off novellas:
Homebodies - 3.5 stars
Mr. Strauss & Mr. Lowe - 2.0 stars
Wow, this was exactly what I was hoping it would be! I’m so happy!
Wes and Dustin are both in the military and have been chatting online for over six months. They have slowly but surely formed a very close friendship and flirtatious dynamic together. When they finally decide to meet, the sparks fly.
However, when Wes gets transferred, they suddenly find that Dustin is now his superior officer, and they can no longer have any sort of friendship let alone a romance. Any type of casual interaction is completely forbidden.
Yet, their feelings are so strong and so deep, they cannot seem to stay away, even if it means risking everything they have worked towards with their careers.
“You say this isn’t about me, but it is. And I’m not worth you tossing your career away over. I’m not.”
“You are. We are. What we have together is. Most people never find a connection like ours. You’re crazy if you don’t think that’s worth fighting for. And you... You’re amazing. You inspire me. You make me laugh. You listen better than anyone I’ve ever met. If anyone is worth this, it’s you. But I won’t have you drowning yourself in guilt. Tell me to fuck off, tell me there’s no chance of anything between us, tell me that it really was just sex. I’m still doing this.”
The reason this book worked so well for me was because I could genuinely see Wes and Dustin’s connection. They had such a deep bond, a true friendship, scorching chemistry, an emotional attachment, and they were always there for each other. They cared so much. They understood each other like no one else. They were perfect together: soulmates even. And it showed.
It also helped that the ‘forbidden’ aspect here actually made sense. It wasn’t something that could have easily been resolved: this was a very real and very serious problem; they simply were not allowed to be together. Period.
And oh my, this issue made their longing all the more real. They wanted each other so much, and were so desperate to be together. I really felt their pining and their dedication.
“I’ll wait. I’m going to wait for you. However long. Until you get out. If you stay in. Until the statute of limitations on the fraternization runs out. Whatever it takes, I’m waiting. I’m in this and I’m not going anywhere unless you ask me to leave you alone, and then I can do that too. But I’ll still be waiting. Hoping.”
Wes and Dustin had an amazing dynamic going on: their personalities meshed incredibly well together, and their sexual inclinations also fit together like the last two pieces of a puzzle. Together they discover their desire for a (light) dom/sub kink in the bedroom.
It made for incredibly hot steam, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Although, I must say that I personally thought there was a bit too much smut. This is an individual preference though, as I am certain the amount of sex here would not be too much for the average romance reader.
Luckily, their sex scenes often had emotions involved as well, and the smut definitely didn’t take away from the depth within their relationship!
Long story short, these characters completely won over my heart and their love was so authentic and real, I couldn’t get enough of it! I adored this so much!!
Spin-off novellas:
Homebodies - 3.5 stars
Mr. Strauss & Mr. Lowe - 2.0 stars
Shelved as 'dnf'
July 26, 2022DNF @ 38% … I’m just not into this at all and I’m kinda forcing myself to read it because I loved the first three books and thought I would love this too and it’s making for not the best reading experience so I’m gonna call it quits with this one. I hope I’m not too confused having dnfed this one and continuing to read the rest of the series (eventually) lol.
November 9, 2017
Una serie un tanto desigual que resume perfectamente lo que me pasa con esta autora, a veces me gusta, a veces me encanta y a veces no me gusta nada. En esta ocasión, afortunadamente, el libro va al apartado de "historias que me encantan de Annabeth Albert".
No soy muy fan de los libros sobre militares, más bien nada fan, aunque he de confesar que si he de leer de algunos, los SEALs serían mi primera opción (no sé nada, yo). La carga militar en toda la serie varía de unos libros a otros, aquí probablemente está más presente porque el eje argumental es lo problemático de una relación entre un oficial de un equipo de SEAL y un miembro de ese equipo, no porque sea una relación homosexual, el problema radica en las estrictas norma contra la fraternización (yo no tenía ni idea) que existen en la Navy. Nuestros protagonistas se conocen a través de una aplicación del móvil, somos testigos de mensajes, un primer encuentro y cómo todo se complica al convertirse uno de ellos en el Superior del otro. A partir de ahí habrá tiras y aflojas, tensión, miedo a ser descubiertos, etc... La carga emocional y de angst está bastante presente, junto con unas escenas de sexo con presencia D/s. Todo ello crea un cocktail que personalmente a mi me ha tenido de lo más entretenida e investida en la relación de los protagonistas. Hay algunos problemas en el argumento y en el desarrollo de los personajes, nos falta información sobre esas duras normas contra la fraternización hasta la parte final del libro, antes no comprendes bien por qué el problema es tan grave; además, en el caso de Dustin, el oficial, falta que quede bien plasmado por qué toma las decisiones que toma y qué piensa realmente de su vida como militar, lo descubrimos realmente al final y hasta ese momento el lector está un tanto a oscuras cuando no es lógico porque el personaje tiene su POV.
Pero, a pesar de ciertos problemas, he disfrutado, me ha gustado la pareja y poco más se puede pedir que el buen rato que he pasado.
No soy muy fan de los libros sobre militares, más bien nada fan, aunque he de confesar que si he de leer de algunos, los SEALs serían mi primera opción (no sé nada, yo). La carga militar en toda la serie varía de unos libros a otros, aquí probablemente está más presente porque el eje argumental es lo problemático de una relación entre un oficial de un equipo de SEAL y un miembro de ese equipo, no porque sea una relación homosexual, el problema radica en las estrictas norma contra la fraternización (yo no tenía ni idea) que existen en la Navy. Nuestros protagonistas se conocen a través de una aplicación del móvil, somos testigos de mensajes, un primer encuentro y cómo todo se complica al convertirse uno de ellos en el Superior del otro. A partir de ahí habrá tiras y aflojas, tensión, miedo a ser descubiertos, etc... La carga emocional y de angst está bastante presente, junto con unas escenas de sexo con presencia D/s. Todo ello crea un cocktail que personalmente a mi me ha tenido de lo más entretenida e investida en la relación de los protagonistas. Hay algunos problemas en el argumento y en el desarrollo de los personajes, nos falta información sobre esas duras normas contra la fraternización hasta la parte final del libro, antes no comprendes bien por qué el problema es tan grave; además, en el caso de Dustin, el oficial, falta que quede bien plasmado por qué toma las decisiones que toma y qué piensa realmente de su vida como militar, lo descubrimos realmente al final y hasta ese momento el lector está un tanto a oscuras cuando no es lógico porque el personaje tiene su POV.
Pero, a pesar de ciertos problemas, he disfrutado, me ha gustado la pareja y poco más se puede pedir que el buen rato que he pasado.
November 27, 2017
4.5 Stars!
I liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. I really thought the back and forth would do my head in. But it was fitting with the circumstances.
Super hot.
I really liked both MCs and how everything played out.
This is definitely my favorite Annabeth Albert series.
I liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. I really thought the back and forth would do my head in. But it was fitting with the circumstances.
Super hot.
I really liked both MCs and how everything played out.
This is definitely my favorite Annabeth Albert series.
October 17, 2017
I don't know how to review this book, I've been stumped since I finished it.
Wheels Up by Annabeth Albert is a kinky forbidden love story of two Navy Seals who meet through a military app.
My highlights:
-Kink. I like when authors venture outside their norm. This book shows a kinkier side of Ms. Alberts and her attempt was successful.
-Friends to lovers. Dustin and Wes met through an app. They talked online and got off together occasionally so from the beginning of the book they're already friends.
-The sex scenes are hot and intense. D/s elements, light BDSM that didn't make me squirm as I'm not a huge fan.
-Push and pull. Sometimes push and pull can get on my nerves but because of the situation that they're in with the military, it made perfect sense. It just made their longing for each other and the forbidden aspect of their relationship that much better.
-Bisexual representation.
-Family angst without it being overdramatic or contrived.
-I loved the supporting cast, they added to the story.
-The end was realistic and left me with a feeling that these guys are in for the long run and will make things work.
All in all, a win. Wheels Up is an outstanding addition to the Out of Uniform Series- which I think is the best military series out there.
4.25 stars!
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1626057011i/10717098._UX200_CR0,33,200,200_.jpg)
September 2, 2024
RATING 4.5 STARS
Wheels Up is book four in the Out of Uniform series by Annabeth Albert. I have a confession to make. I read the first book in this series and while I enjoyed it, I didn’t fall head over heels in love so I went on to other things. But it’s been weighing on my mind that I needed to try again. This book has been on my to read list for ever so I decided to skip ahead and see if I felt more of a spark. Best decision ever! I fell so in love with these two. They had so many road blocks in their paths but somehow, they found their way. I saw some reviewers considered this angsty. For me, it really wasn’t. These two just had a hard fought battle to overcome. But I had confidence that it would all work out.
Lieutenant Dustin Strauss is thirty two years old and is a Navy Seal. He is stationed in San Diego. Dustin has known for some time that he was bi-sexual but hasn’t told anyone. But, he has found a friend on a hook up website where he has allowed himself to admit what he really likes, to be submissive. But for the past six months, his online relationship with his person has gone beyond just sexy times. They talk, watch TV together, fall asleep together. And then the words he never thought he’d read show up...”Let’s meet!”
Petty Officer Wes Lowe has always known he was gay. He is also military, stationed in DC. He has logged hundreds of hours talking to his online friend and through that relationship he realized that being in control was what did it for him, what he needed. When he found out his friend had to travel to the East Coast, he knew he wanted to meet. Never did he ever imagine how that one night together would change both of their lives forever.
A few months later, Wes gets transferred. And when he showed up at his new base in San Diego, he was speechless, because standing right there was his new boss and also his online chat buddy.
Any type of relationship between an officer and an enlisted man was strictly forbidden, friendship even. So these two were doomed. Only that pull between them was too much to ignore. They keep saying, this can never happen again. But will they ever really be able to walk away? Their jobs are dangerous, they can’t ever allow themselves to be distracted for even a second. So walking away would be the smart thing to do, right?!
While the dom/sub thing isn’t really one of my favorites, I still couldn’t help but love these two. They had finally found the perfect match, the person meant just for them. Only the outside world was saying they couldn’t be together. I believe they had to go on that journey to finally decide just what they really wanted in life. And to be strong enough to go out and make it happen. I think I am going to continue to jump around a little bit in this series but knowing me, I’ll go back and read the ones I skipped as well. I’ll end up reading the whole series, just in my own way!
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Wheels Up is book four in the Out of Uniform series by Annabeth Albert. I have a confession to make. I read the first book in this series and while I enjoyed it, I didn’t fall head over heels in love so I went on to other things. But it’s been weighing on my mind that I needed to try again. This book has been on my to read list for ever so I decided to skip ahead and see if I felt more of a spark. Best decision ever! I fell so in love with these two. They had so many road blocks in their paths but somehow, they found their way. I saw some reviewers considered this angsty. For me, it really wasn’t. These two just had a hard fought battle to overcome. But I had confidence that it would all work out.
Lieutenant Dustin Strauss is thirty two years old and is a Navy Seal. He is stationed in San Diego. Dustin has known for some time that he was bi-sexual but hasn’t told anyone. But, he has found a friend on a hook up website where he has allowed himself to admit what he really likes, to be submissive. But for the past six months, his online relationship with his person has gone beyond just sexy times. They talk, watch TV together, fall asleep together. And then the words he never thought he’d read show up...”Let’s meet!”
Petty Officer Wes Lowe has always known he was gay. He is also military, stationed in DC. He has logged hundreds of hours talking to his online friend and through that relationship he realized that being in control was what did it for him, what he needed. When he found out his friend had to travel to the East Coast, he knew he wanted to meet. Never did he ever imagine how that one night together would change both of their lives forever.
A few months later, Wes gets transferred. And when he showed up at his new base in San Diego, he was speechless, because standing right there was his new boss and also his online chat buddy.
Any type of relationship between an officer and an enlisted man was strictly forbidden, friendship even. So these two were doomed. Only that pull between them was too much to ignore. They keep saying, this can never happen again. But will they ever really be able to walk away? Their jobs are dangerous, they can’t ever allow themselves to be distracted for even a second. So walking away would be the smart thing to do, right?!
While the dom/sub thing isn’t really one of my favorites, I still couldn’t help but love these two. They had finally found the perfect match, the person meant just for them. Only the outside world was saying they couldn’t be together. I believe they had to go on that journey to finally decide just what they really wanted in life. And to be strong enough to go out and make it happen. I think I am going to continue to jump around a little bit in this series but knowing me, I’ll go back and read the ones I skipped as well. I’ll end up reading the whole series, just in my own way!
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
January 18, 2018
3.5 Stars
I’ve got to say, that though this did not top On Point, I’m designating this latest installment as my 2nd favorite of this series.
Per the blurb and many a review, Dustin and Wes have been having a cyber relationship with each other for months, and these two connect on many levels despite it being 80% anonymous. When the chance for them to meet up results in quite the smexy hot encounter, both realize that they match up phenomenally. Too bad they live on separate coasts right? Both think that just maybe they can perhaps finagle a long distance “something”, each pretty satisfied with what they have. That is, until Wes is transferred across the states to be the new member on Dustin's Seal team.
Surprise!!! Well of course that situation explodes nicely in their faces as they get a dose of horrible reality, discovering that Dustin is the superior officer to enlisted Wes. Such differences in rank preclude absolutely no fraternization. Not even being platonic friends is possible and thus their “relationship” is a no-go before they can even think to want more. All ties must be cut immediately, and each struggles to forget the best they’ve ever had, each missing the other so hard. Try as they might, they can’t keep things professional nor distant. They can’t not stay away from each other. Oh, if only wishes were dollars, Dustin and Wes would be millionaires.
Overall, I liked the angsty pull of desire and not being able to have what they want due to military rank and rules. I liked that they had some insecurity, doubts, and longing and tried to protect one another from the potential fall out. Their being apart, while always understandable, got quite frustrating, but no more frustrating than Dustin’s fear of coming out as bisexual and living up to his parents unrealistic expectation of carrying on the family name when they were also already loving and accepting of his gay brother Dylan? Oy. Too, I’m not a huge fan of bdsm but this was still pretty darn hot despite the D/s dynamic, pain kink, and light bondage. Rest assured, seasoned aficionados will interpret this as just barely toeing the line when it comes to that sort of thing and are probably quite disappointed that this didn’t go further.
So yes, this had a lot going for it, but there were just several little things that didn’t allow me to fully enjoy myself. However, Albert is not an author I’ll say no to, and sexy military alphas are just a forgone conclusion.
I’ve got to say, that though this did not top On Point, I’m designating this latest installment as my 2nd favorite of this series.
Per the blurb and many a review, Dustin and Wes have been having a cyber relationship with each other for months, and these two connect on many levels despite it being 80% anonymous. When the chance for them to meet up results in quite the smexy hot encounter, both realize that they match up phenomenally. Too bad they live on separate coasts right? Both think that just maybe they can perhaps finagle a long distance “something”, each pretty satisfied with what they have. That is, until Wes is transferred across the states to be the new member on Dustin's Seal team.
Surprise!!! Well of course that situation explodes nicely in their faces as they get a dose of horrible reality, discovering that Dustin is the superior officer to enlisted Wes. Such differences in rank preclude absolutely no fraternization. Not even being platonic friends is possible and thus their “relationship” is a no-go before they can even think to want more. All ties must be cut immediately, and each struggles to forget the best they’ve ever had, each missing the other so hard. Try as they might, they can’t keep things professional nor distant. They can’t not stay away from each other. Oh, if only wishes were dollars, Dustin and Wes would be millionaires.
Overall, I liked the angsty pull of desire and not being able to have what they want due to military rank and rules. I liked that they had some insecurity, doubts, and longing and tried to protect one another from the potential fall out. Their being apart, while always understandable, got quite frustrating, but no more frustrating than Dustin’s fear of coming out as bisexual and living up to his parents unrealistic expectation of carrying on the family name when they were also already loving and accepting of his gay brother Dylan? Oy. Too, I’m not a huge fan of bdsm but this was still pretty darn hot despite the D/s dynamic, pain kink, and light bondage. Rest assured, seasoned aficionados will interpret this as just barely toeing the line when it comes to that sort of thing and are probably quite disappointed that this didn’t go further.
So yes, this had a lot going for it, but there were just several little things that didn’t allow me to fully enjoy myself. However, Albert is not an author I’ll say no to, and sexy military alphas are just a forgone conclusion.
September 22, 2017
Why can't I write a proper review for this book?
Short and sweet, folks. This will be short and sweet.
Dustin and Wes cybertalk on Joe4Joe, a military app, for six months prior to the start of the book. The cybertalking leaps to meeting in person at the beginning of the book, and these two already have a good connection. Thank you, Ms. Albert, for the early-on, scorching hot scene!
But then Wes is transferred to Dustin's team, in which Dustin is his superior. Suddenly, everything is off limits for these two, even friendship.
The rest of the story is a lot of push-pull, but it felt really genuine to the story. I felt for these two every step of the way.
And the ending, while not too sugary-sweet, felt very realistic. I dug it.
Short and sweet, folks. This will be short and sweet.
Dustin and Wes cybertalk on Joe4Joe, a military app, for six months prior to the start of the book. The cybertalking leaps to meeting in person at the beginning of the book, and these two already have a good connection. Thank you, Ms. Albert, for the early-on, scorching hot scene!
But then Wes is transferred to Dustin's team, in which Dustin is his superior. Suddenly, everything is off limits for these two, even friendship.
The rest of the story is a lot of push-pull, but it felt really genuine to the story. I felt for these two every step of the way.
And the ending, while not too sugary-sweet, felt very realistic. I dug it.
November 11, 2017
I finally got to read Dustin's story. Dylan's brother was a character I've been looking forward to since reading what was probably my favorite book this year: At Attention.
The brooding Navy SEAL lieutenant is the only one left among the circle of gay SEAL friends who is not yet coupled up. The thing is, he is not out. Not even to his friends. So watching his friends fall in love with men (or each other) isn't making things easier on him, especially since his younger brother Dylan already drew the coming out card with his family, leading to their dad putting all his hopes for grandkids to carry on the family name on him.
But despite being bisexual, Dylan doesn't ever find his Mr/Mrs Right, probably because the big muscled military hunk likes being dominated in bed.
His cyber sex pal Saucer-Man from the military themed dating app Joe4Joe is the first guy who gets to know this side of Dustin- albeit only via camchat.
When Dustin needs to travel to DC, 'Saucer-Man' suggests to hook up for real since he's living on the East Coast. A steamy encounter ensues and an incredibly weird romance-novel worthy coincidence leads to both guys crossing paths again.
However, their affair is doomed from the start...
There are a few issues I had with this story...
I'm generally not a fan of dom/sub play in my books, but this was not heavily emphasized here anyway, so I could still enjoy the book.
What I really didn't like was the constant talk of "We can't", "We shouldn't", "This has to end" etc.
While I understand the main conflict of the story, I got REALLY tired of these empty statements coming from both guys again and again and again...
I also wish a few things about Wes had been explained a bit more in detail. Why didn't he like to be touched? Why did he feel uncomfortable naked in front of Dustin? Or why he never smiled (except with Dustin, of course)?
It seemed to me like there must have been some trauma in his past, but that was never addressed - other than his sister's issues.
We just know that he was a good dom and felt comfortable bossing Dustin around in bed. LOL.
Other than that, it was definitely a wonderful story and I really enjoyed Dustin whom I secretly loved in 'At Attention', but as he was the odd straight guy out, I never expected him to get his own book.
But what do you see? Awesome!
4 stars!
The brooding Navy SEAL lieutenant is the only one left among the circle of gay SEAL friends who is not yet coupled up. The thing is, he is not out. Not even to his friends. So watching his friends fall in love with men (or each other) isn't making things easier on him, especially since his younger brother Dylan already drew the coming out card with his family, leading to their dad putting all his hopes for grandkids to carry on the family name on him.
But despite being bisexual, Dylan doesn't ever find his Mr/Mrs Right, probably because the big muscled military hunk likes being dominated in bed.
His cyber sex pal Saucer-Man from the military themed dating app Joe4Joe is the first guy who gets to know this side of Dustin- albeit only via camchat.
When Dustin needs to travel to DC, 'Saucer-Man' suggests to hook up for real since he's living on the East Coast. A steamy encounter ensues and an incredibly weird romance-novel worthy coincidence leads to both guys crossing paths again.
However, their affair is doomed from the start...
There are a few issues I had with this story...
I'm generally not a fan of dom/sub play in my books, but this was not heavily emphasized here anyway, so I could still enjoy the book.
What I really didn't like was the constant talk of "We can't", "We shouldn't", "This has to end" etc.
While I understand the main conflict of the story, I got REALLY tired of these empty statements coming from both guys again and again and again...
I also wish a few things about Wes had been explained a bit more in detail. Why didn't he like to be touched? Why did he feel uncomfortable naked in front of Dustin? Or why he never smiled (except with Dustin, of course)?
It seemed to me like there must have been some trauma in his past, but that was never addressed - other than his sister's issues.
We just know that he was a good dom and felt comfortable bossing Dustin around in bed. LOL.
Other than that, it was definitely a wonderful story and I really enjoyed Dustin whom I secretly loved in 'At Attention', but as he was the odd straight guy out, I never expected him to get his own book.
But what do you see? Awesome!
4 stars!
February 21, 2021
*Re-read - January 2021*
My 5 stars rating remains. Still my favorite of the series!
*Original review - October 2017*
This story deserves all the stars!
It had me so immersed that I didn't want it to end.
Wheels Up is another great instalment in the Out of Uniform series. An emotional read with two kinky characters navigating a minefield of regulations and restrictions in an effort to find a way to be together, all the while battling their feelings for each other.
Wes and Dustin were amazing and earned a place right up there along with Apollo and Dylan as my favorite couples of the series. I can't pick just one, sorry.
I won't go into the plot at all. I'll just recommend this to everyone because it's so worth reading!
There is enough angst throughout most of the book that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. It's over the relationship and the many obstacles they have to overcome in order to be together. Real obstacles. Their actions have serious consequences and Annabeth Albert handled everything expertly giving them a realistic solution. It shows how much time, effort and research went into making everything believable and as close to reality as possible. A big bravo to her for that!
Dustin and Wes were well-developed characters and they had depth. They had insecurities even as they appeared to be the most confident men. They were honest with each other and had real conversations. They communicated and trusted each other. They managed to pull through a very difficult situation and it was really amazing to see that.
I can't wait to see what's coming next from this series!
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
My 5 stars rating remains. Still my favorite of the series!
*Original review - October 2017*
This story deserves all the stars!
It had me so immersed that I didn't want it to end.
Wheels Up is another great instalment in the Out of Uniform series. An emotional read with two kinky characters navigating a minefield of regulations and restrictions in an effort to find a way to be together, all the while battling their feelings for each other.
Wes and Dustin were amazing and earned a place right up there along with Apollo and Dylan as my favorite couples of the series. I can't pick just one, sorry.
I won't go into the plot at all. I'll just recommend this to everyone because it's so worth reading!
There is enough angst throughout most of the book that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. It's over the relationship and the many obstacles they have to overcome in order to be together. Real obstacles. Their actions have serious consequences and Annabeth Albert handled everything expertly giving them a realistic solution. It shows how much time, effort and research went into making everything believable and as close to reality as possible. A big bravo to her for that!
Dustin and Wes were well-developed characters and they had depth. They had insecurities even as they appeared to be the most confident men. They were honest with each other and had real conversations. They communicated and trusted each other. They managed to pull through a very difficult situation and it was really amazing to see that.
I can't wait to see what's coming next from this series!
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
November 21, 2017
**** 3.5 Stars ****
November 4, 2018
Audio - 5 stars
Story - 4.5 stars
Story - 4.5 stars
June 1, 2019
A truly lovely forbidden lovers romance. There are some fantastic relationship dynamics at play here, but to say too much would be to ruin the story.
Fans of Annabeth Albert don't need me to tell them how well she crafts a story, and Greg Boudreaux reads her beautifully. Very enjoyable audiobook.
Fans of Annabeth Albert don't need me to tell them how well she crafts a story, and Greg Boudreaux reads her beautifully. Very enjoyable audiobook.
November 27, 2017
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Just doesn't work for me*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
This is so sad. Me and Annabeth Albert just doesn't work. I don't even know why, but I can't help but to not love her book. Hell, I can't even like them all that much. Sure, they are a easy read, little depth and fast forward story, but I just can't connect with none of the characters nor the story. Lieutenant (Navy SEAL) Dustin ‘Godzilla’ Strauss (32) and Petty Officer (Navy SEAL) Wesley ‘Wes’ ‘Saucer-Man’ Lowe (how old?) were just characters I was reading about, I didn't feel anything for them. Overall, it was a bust, but I had kinda expected it as book #1 & #2 was a bust as well (I skipped book #3). I guess it's something wrong with me since almost everyone else seems to love this series :/
“I wish too,” Wes said, voice rough. “I wish so much.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemporary Romance (M/M)
Series: - Series (Can Be Read As A Standalone), Book Four.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Wesley ‘Wes’ ‘Saucer-Man’ Lowe.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Probably not..
Would I recommend this book/series? - Not really.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2 stars.
October 10, 2020
Oh my heart! Such an emotional story, by far the angstiest in the series so far.
This is a story of Dustin (Dylan's big brother from At Attention) and Wes, who hook up via the military app Joe4Joe. They spend a memorable night together but things get a whole lot complicated when the new guy in Dustin's team turns out to be Wes. The regulations concerning fraternization between a superior and a subordinate are strict and very thoroughly upheld so even a close friendship would be breaking the rules - let alone an affair. So our heroes are faced with a dilemma - either continue in secret and hope they don't get busted or let go of their chance of something more...
I mean, wow. This was something else indeed. This is such a good series and each instalment just improves and completes this world the author has created. Here we get to peek at Apollo and Dylan's married life and Maddox and Bryan as well as Pike and Ryan get a cameo too - it's just so wonderful to see the threads come together.
This is a story of Dustin (Dylan's big brother from At Attention) and Wes, who hook up via the military app Joe4Joe. They spend a memorable night together but things get a whole lot complicated when the new guy in Dustin's team turns out to be Wes. The regulations concerning fraternization between a superior and a subordinate are strict and very thoroughly upheld so even a close friendship would be breaking the rules - let alone an affair. So our heroes are faced with a dilemma - either continue in secret and hope they don't get busted or let go of their chance of something more...
I mean, wow. This was something else indeed. This is such a good series and each instalment just improves and completes this world the author has created. Here we get to peek at Apollo and Dylan's married life and Maddox and Bryan as well as Pike and Ryan get a cameo too - it's just so wonderful to see the threads come together.
November 6, 2017
"Fucking is not skydiving, and you shouldn't have to talk yourself into it."
Welp. I didn't really expect to start this read off feeling so mixed and I definitely hoped it wouldn't have finished with me feeling that same sense of uncertainty. WHEELS UP is my least favourite of the Out of Uniform series and equally my least favourite of a recent run of books released by this author (not counting that co-authored novella). I wanted to attribute my disappointment to the fact that I'm coming off a reading slump of unparalleled shitty proportions, in addition to having been ill, but alas I couldn't let myself take the full blame for this one (but am rating this a cautious three just to balance it out).
Dustin wasn't supposed to have a type of guy, at least not so far as anyone in his life knew.
My main problem initially stemmed from the fact that other than the initial chapters where Dustin and Wes are trying to work up the courage/convince the other to finally meet and make their harmless, innocent (though sexy), chatting into something that could translate into a flesh and blood (even if it stayed platonic) relationship, I never actually felt the connection between these two. I found there to be a lot of background noise that tried to distract from this -- Dustin's mixed feelings over his secreted bi-ness, Wes' sister's health problems, the issue with fraternization, complex feelings over what is the 'right' kind of thing to inspire desire -- but ultimately I was never sold on the couple. I think that's mostly because of Wes more than Dustin, too. I found him very.. short and snappish, and sure that fits with his toppy controlling bedroom behaviour but outside of the intimate moments I just didn't find it, or him, likeable.
How weird was it to have spent all these hours missing someone he'd never even kissed until today.
Another mark against this book? It mirrored quite a bit of another m/m military romance I read by another author.. and one I didn't like for the same reasons : it was very back and forth, wishy washy, 'we can't do this, one last time, never again, I need you now', relentlessly push and pull with one character being sad about it, another being mad, then they'd swap. It was repetitive and frustrating and I was just waiting for them to be caught so the repercussions could blow it up or scare them straight (poor choice of words, maybe) and force a certain character to make a decision that you could see coming from the early chapters of the story.
Dustin felt like one of Wes's explosives, just waiting for the spark to set him off, and completely dependent on Wes's whims.
Don't get me wrong. I still love Albert's writing. I don't think she could ever conjure up a story I would hate. And I can't deny she knows how to steam up the pages and I liked that this was kinky but not full blown (with a little surprise along the way) but I also just read a BDSM-y book from her other series which was released a few weeks ago -- which was far far superior in my mind -- and this unfortunately felt like a bit of a step down from what I know and love from her.. not only for the sexytimes but the overall emotional impact of it all, too.
But.. I mean, that cover is damn fine, at least, right?
3 "the man's shoulders seriously should be registered as contraband for all the effect they had on Wes as a stimulant" stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Welp. I didn't really expect to start this read off feeling so mixed and I definitely hoped it wouldn't have finished with me feeling that same sense of uncertainty. WHEELS UP is my least favourite of the Out of Uniform series and equally my least favourite of a recent run of books released by this author (not counting that co-authored novella). I wanted to attribute my disappointment to the fact that I'm coming off a reading slump of unparalleled shitty proportions, in addition to having been ill, but alas I couldn't let myself take the full blame for this one (but am rating this a cautious three just to balance it out).
Dustin wasn't supposed to have a type of guy, at least not so far as anyone in his life knew.
My main problem initially stemmed from the fact that other than the initial chapters where Dustin and Wes are trying to work up the courage/convince the other to finally meet and make their harmless, innocent (though sexy), chatting into something that could translate into a flesh and blood (even if it stayed platonic) relationship, I never actually felt the connection between these two. I found there to be a lot of background noise that tried to distract from this -- Dustin's mixed feelings over his secreted bi-ness, Wes' sister's health problems, the issue with fraternization, complex feelings over what is the 'right' kind of thing to inspire desire -- but ultimately I was never sold on the couple. I think that's mostly because of Wes more than Dustin, too. I found him very.. short and snappish, and sure that fits with his toppy controlling bedroom behaviour but outside of the intimate moments I just didn't find it, or him, likeable.
How weird was it to have spent all these hours missing someone he'd never even kissed until today.
Another mark against this book? It mirrored quite a bit of another m/m military romance I read by another author.. and one I didn't like for the same reasons : it was very back and forth, wishy washy, 'we can't do this, one last time, never again, I need you now', relentlessly push and pull with one character being sad about it, another being mad, then they'd swap. It was repetitive and frustrating and I was just waiting for them to be caught so the repercussions could blow it up or scare them straight (poor choice of words, maybe) and force a certain character to make a decision that you could see coming from the early chapters of the story.
Dustin felt like one of Wes's explosives, just waiting for the spark to set him off, and completely dependent on Wes's whims.
Don't get me wrong. I still love Albert's writing. I don't think she could ever conjure up a story I would hate. And I can't deny she knows how to steam up the pages and I liked that this was kinky but not full blown (with a little surprise along the way) but I also just read a BDSM-y book from her other series which was released a few weeks ago -- which was far far superior in my mind -- and this unfortunately felt like a bit of a step down from what I know and love from her.. not only for the sexytimes but the overall emotional impact of it all, too.
But.. I mean, that cover is damn fine, at least, right?
3 "the man's shoulders seriously should be registered as contraband for all the effect they had on Wes as a stimulant" stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Shelved as 'dnf'
June 26, 2023dnf @ 55%
this was my second attempt reading this but for some reason these two can't keep my attention. i loved the longing they had for each other in the first half and the reverse power dynamics was really hot but i found myself getting bored many times. too much military talk and the drills/missions they did, i could care less for those details. i could not find it in myself to get invested in these characters or relationship sadly. 💔
this was my second attempt reading this but for some reason these two can't keep my attention. i loved the longing they had for each other in the first half and the reverse power dynamics was really hot but i found myself getting bored many times. too much military talk and the drills/missions they did, i could care less for those details. i could not find it in myself to get invested in these characters or relationship sadly. 💔
Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews