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Safe Harbor #3
Find Me Worthy
I thought I’d lost myself…
Until Sam found me. I’m back in Safe Harbor, where I haven’t belonged in over twenty years. I’m unsure how I ended up here, yet I’m certain Sam is the key to finally healing.
But it’s complicated.
Sam’s had a crush on me since we were younger. To me, however, he was always the annoying kid tagging along. Now he’s all grown-up and delightfully bossy—and sexy—as he encourages me to reclaim my health.
I enjoy pushing Sam’s buttons, but one button too many leads to a scorching kiss. Soon, we’re using Sam’s cushy bed for way more than sleeping. But I can’t imagine staying in Safe Harbor forever, and no way is Sam leaving.
Sam’s given me a place to stay, a job at his nonprofit coffee shop, and a sense of purpose when I had none. But can I give him my heart? And more importantly, can I overcome my past to make Safe Harbor my future?
FIND ME WORTHY is a hurt/comfort childhood crush-to-lovers MM romance. This unexpected roommate arrangement stars two mature heroes with a minor age gap, mental health representation, and plenty of first times and sexy discoveries for everyone. Deep feels, dual point-of-view, and big fluffy HEA guaranteed.
FIND ME WORTHY is book three and the thrilling conclusion to the Safe Harbor series from acclaimed author Annabeth Albert. This small historic Oregon town has a tight friend group, memorable secondary characters, quirky businesses, and long-held secrets. Each book stands alone with a fresh couple, but the background mystery of the town’s secrets ties the series together, making reading in order more fun!
Until Sam found me. I’m back in Safe Harbor, where I haven’t belonged in over twenty years. I’m unsure how I ended up here, yet I’m certain Sam is the key to finally healing.
But it’s complicated.
Sam’s had a crush on me since we were younger. To me, however, he was always the annoying kid tagging along. Now he’s all grown-up and delightfully bossy—and sexy—as he encourages me to reclaim my health.
I enjoy pushing Sam’s buttons, but one button too many leads to a scorching kiss. Soon, we’re using Sam’s cushy bed for way more than sleeping. But I can’t imagine staying in Safe Harbor forever, and no way is Sam leaving.
Sam’s given me a place to stay, a job at his nonprofit coffee shop, and a sense of purpose when I had none. But can I give him my heart? And more importantly, can I overcome my past to make Safe Harbor my future?
FIND ME WORTHY is a hurt/comfort childhood crush-to-lovers MM romance. This unexpected roommate arrangement stars two mature heroes with a minor age gap, mental health representation, and plenty of first times and sexy discoveries for everyone. Deep feels, dual point-of-view, and big fluffy HEA guaranteed.
FIND ME WORTHY is book three and the thrilling conclusion to the Safe Harbor series from acclaimed author Annabeth Albert. This small historic Oregon town has a tight friend group, memorable secondary characters, quirky businesses, and long-held secrets. Each book stands alone with a fresh couple, but the background mystery of the town’s secrets ties the series together, making reading in order more fun!
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2023
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
December 2, 2023
5 “You’re enough. Exactly how you are.” stars
“You gave me a home when I had none, showed me a life I truly want to lead, and loved me even when I wasn’t sure I was worthy.”
“You’ll always be Worthy. […] And this will always be your home”
“You. You will always be my home”
If there is a type of book that works for me more than any other type of book ever had it’s one full of hurt/comfort and someone making his lover feel loved and accepted for the first time in a long time and someone who has been for someone for a long time before they finally got together. And all those things perfectly describe this book, so no one should be shocked that I adored this book. Let’s be honest, if Annabeth Albert was able to do a scan of my brain and write a book based on that, this book would have been the exact book she would have written. This book was just the perfect match for everything I love reading about and everything I was in the mood for at this time of my life.
I have spoken a lot about how I’ve been in the worst reading slump ever for the last 3 months, and I’ve been really struggling to read book as quickly as I used to, and I was just so invested in this book that I almost read it in one sitting, which is definitely something to celebrate due to how hard the reading slump has been hitting me lately.
Brief Summary
Worth is down on his luck, depressed, alone and hates his life. He goes back to his hometown after not having been in a very long time and Sam finds him as Worth is mourning everything that he lost. Sam has been in love with Worth from a far for years ad all he wants is to take care of Worth, and that’s exactly what happens, and they fall in love in the process.
“Tell me how to be what you need.”
“Keep being you. That’s all. Just be you.”
This book seemed to know the way to my heart, because it just had all of my favourite tropes wrapped in one lovely package. This book had long term pining, hurt/comfort and some light kink with a lot of aftercare and the taking care of your partner part and if you know me, you will already know that those are my absolute favourite things to read about, so this book was the perfect match for me. It’s not shocking how well this book worked for me knowing it had everything I love reading about in it, but the way everything was don in this book was just so lovely and it really helped make this book one of my favourite book of the year. So not only did this book include all my favourite tropes, but it also did them in a way that I just loved and couldn’t get enough off. So, this book was just the perfect package of everything for me.
My favourite past time is crying at books and this book just had me. I cried so much while reading this book that I had to take breaks to wipe away my tears because I couldn’t see my kindle anymore. What really gets me is when I get attached to main characters and then they are troubled and feel sad. I always just feel so bad for them, and I keep crying because of the things that they are going through and this book just did that in the best way. I kept crying for Worth and all I wanted to do was reach through my kindle screen and give him a big hug.
Hurt/comfort is my favourite thing to read about and this book just had the best hurt/comfort I have ever read. Worth was super depressed and hated his life and Sam was always there to hug him and provide him a little bit of comfort and it was just so wonderful. I must admit that I cried many times while reading this book just because the comfort was hitting so well with me. I just adore reading about characters who are down in the dumps and who was comforted, and this book just hit all those things so well. I have always said that it’s the lower angst books that have angst related to the characters but not really the outside world that made me cry the most and this one just proved this so well. This book just kept playing with my strings and made me cry so much, just because everything in it just hit me like a ton of bricks.
All Sam wanted to do was to take care of Worth and I just loved that so much. Worth was super sad and alone and he needed someone who would listen to him and hug him and Sam was just the perfect person for that. Sam was just so nice and always listened to Worth and Sam did everything in his power to make Worth feel better and it was just so lovely to read about. I loved seeing how Sam would try to do everything he could think off to make sure that Worth was taken care off and felt comforted. I just loved all of the scenes of comfort in this book, whether it was Sam hugging Worth, Sam making baths for Worth so he could relax after a long day, them cooking for each other when the other needed it, them supporting each other and fighting for the other when it was needed, them being there for each other even when it was harder for them to do so, them being each other’s biggest cheerleader. Just everything about this part of the book was just perfect to me.
And all this blended so well into the romance in this book, which I just adored. Not only did I love how much they loved each other and how they showed it by always being there for each other, but I also loved their connection and how they interacted with each other. These two just had such cute interactions and you could see how much they appreciated and respected each other through all of them and it was just the cutest thing to read about. I found myself smiling through my tears a lot while I was reading this book just because I loved how they interacted with each other so much, I just found it so cute.
Worth is depressed, and this book might have the most vivid depiction of depression I have ever read in a book. There is something about it that just hit me like a ton of bricks because everything about how depression was shown in this book was just something I could deeply relate to. I just loved how Worth was so wishful for the past and how he kept reliving those memories because he wasn’t happy with his current life situations. And all the little ways how his depression was ingrained in all every thought and his everyday life, everything about it was just so well done. It’s the depiction of depression that reminded me the most of real life that I have ever in a long while, and I just loved how it was done so much.
There is a little kink in this book, and it’s mostly focused on aftercare, and Worth wanting someone to take care of him and to take control over him. And a lot of praise. Both of those things just really worked for me. I felt like it fit Sam and Worth’s personalities so well and it was just so lovely to read about. Plus it was hot, which is always a bonus in my book.
I loved how the small town in this book was depicted. I also live in a small town and I just could relate to how it shown in this book and I found it so much to read about. It just really enhanced my reading experience of the book because I could really relate to how everyone in the town acted, as it was so reminiscing of moments from my own life.
This book just came into my life at the perfect time and I had the best of time reading it. This was THE book I have been looking for for so long and I just adored everything about it.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
“You gave me a home when I had none, showed me a life I truly want to lead, and loved me even when I wasn’t sure I was worthy.”
“You’ll always be Worthy. […] And this will always be your home”
“You. You will always be my home”
If there is a type of book that works for me more than any other type of book ever had it’s one full of hurt/comfort and someone making his lover feel loved and accepted for the first time in a long time and someone who has been for someone for a long time before they finally got together. And all those things perfectly describe this book, so no one should be shocked that I adored this book. Let’s be honest, if Annabeth Albert was able to do a scan of my brain and write a book based on that, this book would have been the exact book she would have written. This book was just the perfect match for everything I love reading about and everything I was in the mood for at this time of my life.
I have spoken a lot about how I’ve been in the worst reading slump ever for the last 3 months, and I’ve been really struggling to read book as quickly as I used to, and I was just so invested in this book that I almost read it in one sitting, which is definitely something to celebrate due to how hard the reading slump has been hitting me lately.
Brief Summary
Worth is down on his luck, depressed, alone and hates his life. He goes back to his hometown after not having been in a very long time and Sam finds him as Worth is mourning everything that he lost. Sam has been in love with Worth from a far for years ad all he wants is to take care of Worth, and that’s exactly what happens, and they fall in love in the process.
“Tell me how to be what you need.”
“Keep being you. That’s all. Just be you.”
This book seemed to know the way to my heart, because it just had all of my favourite tropes wrapped in one lovely package. This book had long term pining, hurt/comfort and some light kink with a lot of aftercare and the taking care of your partner part and if you know me, you will already know that those are my absolute favourite things to read about, so this book was the perfect match for me. It’s not shocking how well this book worked for me knowing it had everything I love reading about in it, but the way everything was don in this book was just so lovely and it really helped make this book one of my favourite book of the year. So not only did this book include all my favourite tropes, but it also did them in a way that I just loved and couldn’t get enough off. So, this book was just the perfect package of everything for me.
My favourite past time is crying at books and this book just had me. I cried so much while reading this book that I had to take breaks to wipe away my tears because I couldn’t see my kindle anymore. What really gets me is when I get attached to main characters and then they are troubled and feel sad. I always just feel so bad for them, and I keep crying because of the things that they are going through and this book just did that in the best way. I kept crying for Worth and all I wanted to do was reach through my kindle screen and give him a big hug.
Hurt/comfort is my favourite thing to read about and this book just had the best hurt/comfort I have ever read. Worth was super depressed and hated his life and Sam was always there to hug him and provide him a little bit of comfort and it was just so wonderful. I must admit that I cried many times while reading this book just because the comfort was hitting so well with me. I just adore reading about characters who are down in the dumps and who was comforted, and this book just hit all those things so well. I have always said that it’s the lower angst books that have angst related to the characters but not really the outside world that made me cry the most and this one just proved this so well. This book just kept playing with my strings and made me cry so much, just because everything in it just hit me like a ton of bricks.
All Sam wanted to do was to take care of Worth and I just loved that so much. Worth was super sad and alone and he needed someone who would listen to him and hug him and Sam was just the perfect person for that. Sam was just so nice and always listened to Worth and Sam did everything in his power to make Worth feel better and it was just so lovely to read about. I loved seeing how Sam would try to do everything he could think off to make sure that Worth was taken care off and felt comforted. I just loved all of the scenes of comfort in this book, whether it was Sam hugging Worth, Sam making baths for Worth so he could relax after a long day, them cooking for each other when the other needed it, them supporting each other and fighting for the other when it was needed, them being there for each other even when it was harder for them to do so, them being each other’s biggest cheerleader. Just everything about this part of the book was just perfect to me.
And all this blended so well into the romance in this book, which I just adored. Not only did I love how much they loved each other and how they showed it by always being there for each other, but I also loved their connection and how they interacted with each other. These two just had such cute interactions and you could see how much they appreciated and respected each other through all of them and it was just the cutest thing to read about. I found myself smiling through my tears a lot while I was reading this book just because I loved how they interacted with each other so much, I just found it so cute.
Worth is depressed, and this book might have the most vivid depiction of depression I have ever read in a book. There is something about it that just hit me like a ton of bricks because everything about how depression was shown in this book was just something I could deeply relate to. I just loved how Worth was so wishful for the past and how he kept reliving those memories because he wasn’t happy with his current life situations. And all the little ways how his depression was ingrained in all every thought and his everyday life, everything about it was just so well done. It’s the depiction of depression that reminded me the most of real life that I have ever in a long while, and I just loved how it was done so much.
There is a little kink in this book, and it’s mostly focused on aftercare, and Worth wanting someone to take care of him and to take control over him. And a lot of praise. Both of those things just really worked for me. I felt like it fit Sam and Worth’s personalities so well and it was just so lovely to read about. Plus it was hot, which is always a bonus in my book.
I loved how the small town in this book was depicted. I also live in a small town and I just could relate to how it shown in this book and I found it so much to read about. It just really enhanced my reading experience of the book because I could really relate to how everyone in the town acted, as it was so reminiscing of moments from my own life.
This book just came into my life at the perfect time and I had the best of time reading it. This was THE book I have been looking for for so long and I just adored everything about it.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
September 20, 2023
This book is the series finale, and it's a poignant, angsty read. And by "angsty" I don't mean melodramatic.
No, this is real life angst. Worth's had his share of tragedy heaped upon him. His mom disappeared, with his dad the prime suspect. He believed his dad murdered his mom until Holden and Monroe's cold case investigation, which traced the murder to a serial killer and exposed his mom's affair.
Then Worth's financial firm was involved in an embezzling scheme of some sort, and even though Worth was absolved of all wrongdoing, he lost his job, condo, friends, and reputation.
The man cannot catch a break ... not until he returns to Safe Harbor and into the welcoming arms of Sam, everyone's favorite coffee shop owner.
I adored Worth and Sam (who's not such an innocent preacher's son after all), although I think things progressed too quickly from Worth simply staying for a while to get back on his feet to a full-fledged sexual relationship, with D/s overtones, between the MCs to .
I appreciate the author not glossing over mental health issues. Granted, it typically takes months upon months of therapy, not to mention med tweaking, to get to where Worth was at a few weeks after initial treatment, but it's something at least.
No one really wants to write about depression; it's not romantic.
Monroe and Holden were not particularly enthusiastic about Worth's return, which was weird considering Worth used to be a close friend. I guess they were cautious, but Monroe not trusting Worth to help Sam with his business accounting really ticked me off.
Also, as touching as everyone coming together to help save Sam's shop was, I didn't find it believable. There just wasn't enough time to organize all that. But it sure was a feel-good moment.
I wanted more from the epilogue too. How is the coffee shop doing? (Calling the big, bad competitor "The Green Label" was hilarious!) Did the book, with Worth's input, do well?
I think the ending would have been more meaningful had we been previously introduced to the narrator of the epilogue.
On the whole, however, this is a lovely story about healing and forgiving - others, but most of all, yourself.
Plus, there's a grumpy cat, adorable dog, good coffee, HOPE, and love. So much love.
No, this is real life angst. Worth's had his share of tragedy heaped upon him. His mom disappeared, with his dad the prime suspect. He believed his dad murdered his mom until Holden and Monroe's cold case investigation, which traced the murder to a serial killer and exposed his mom's affair.
Then Worth's financial firm was involved in an embezzling scheme of some sort, and even though Worth was absolved of all wrongdoing, he lost his job, condo, friends, and reputation.
The man cannot catch a break ... not until he returns to Safe Harbor and into the welcoming arms of Sam, everyone's favorite coffee shop owner.
I adored Worth and Sam (who's not such an innocent preacher's son after all), although I think things progressed too quickly from Worth simply staying for a while to get back on his feet to a full-fledged sexual relationship, with D/s overtones, between the MCs to .
I appreciate the author not glossing over mental health issues. Granted, it typically takes months upon months of therapy, not to mention med tweaking, to get to where Worth was at a few weeks after initial treatment, but it's something at least.
No one really wants to write about depression; it's not romantic.
Monroe and Holden were not particularly enthusiastic about Worth's return, which was weird considering Worth used to be a close friend. I guess they were cautious, but Monroe not trusting Worth to help Sam with his business accounting really ticked me off.
Also, as touching as everyone coming together to help save Sam's shop was, I didn't find it believable. There just wasn't enough time to organize all that. But it sure was a feel-good moment.
I wanted more from the epilogue too. How is the coffee shop doing? (Calling the big, bad competitor "The Green Label" was hilarious!) Did the book, with Worth's input, do well?
I think the ending would have been more meaningful had we been previously introduced to the narrator of the epilogue.
On the whole, however, this is a lovely story about healing and forgiving - others, but most of all, yourself.
Plus, there's a grumpy cat, adorable dog, good coffee, HOPE, and love. So much love.
September 28, 2023
The couple at the heart of the final book in Annabeth's Safe Harbor series have been in the background of both previous narratives that I was intrigued to see how she would pull off their own story.
Of course, it's done with skill and compassion, understanding and no stupid unnecessary drama or ridiculous actions which seek only to cause tension.
Instead we're given a man who's rock bottom has sent him back home to the town he'd left to attend college and which, in the intervening two decades, has seen his mother disappear and his father under suspicion for her death, his own early passing still not stopping any of the speculation.
So, when Sam finds Worth underneath the tree outside the old Stapleton house which he's bought to turn into a refuge for foster children, he can't quite believe it.
As with the previous two books, there's a light element of kink - here it's praise and servitude on Worth's part and control and caring on Sam's - which feeds into how Worth's slow growth from the depression he's languishing in, progresses.
Annabeth also deals with the fallout of the cold case murder we've seen investigated - and solved - in the previous two books, that of Worth's mother, and it's everything I hoped it would be.
She reminds the reader - through an interchange with a true crime fan who turns up in Safe Harbor as a tourist visiting the various different locations associated with it, that the victim was human, that they had loved ones - ie Worth - and that there were consequences from the crime still being felt today.
I think this is something which is often overlooked by true crime dramas on TV, they don't always take into account the human cost for the loved ones of those murdered, especially for surviving family members if the crime was committed by another loved one.
Anyway, that aside, I loved the nature of this relationship, it starts as friendship but quickly morphs into something else that, while Worth thinks is only temporary, it's clear to see there's the potential for a lifetime's happiness, if he can get out of his own way.
For the final book in the series, I think Annabeth wrapped everything up beautifully for these small town residents. Each book has brought its own unique flavour while adding to the overall plot arc involving the cold case and, while book two remains my favourite, I've enjoyed each one for different reasons.
I also loved the different way she did the Epilogue in this book, not quite so much in the previous two though, which just nicely cemented all those happy ever afters.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
Of course, it's done with skill and compassion, understanding and no stupid unnecessary drama or ridiculous actions which seek only to cause tension.
Instead we're given a man who's rock bottom has sent him back home to the town he'd left to attend college and which, in the intervening two decades, has seen his mother disappear and his father under suspicion for her death, his own early passing still not stopping any of the speculation.
So, when Sam finds Worth underneath the tree outside the old Stapleton house which he's bought to turn into a refuge for foster children, he can't quite believe it.
As with the previous two books, there's a light element of kink - here it's praise and servitude on Worth's part and control and caring on Sam's - which feeds into how Worth's slow growth from the depression he's languishing in, progresses.
Annabeth also deals with the fallout of the cold case murder we've seen investigated - and solved - in the previous two books, that of Worth's mother, and it's everything I hoped it would be.
She reminds the reader - through an interchange with a true crime fan who turns up in Safe Harbor as a tourist visiting the various different locations associated with it, that the victim was human, that they had loved ones - ie Worth - and that there were consequences from the crime still being felt today.
I think this is something which is often overlooked by true crime dramas on TV, they don't always take into account the human cost for the loved ones of those murdered, especially for surviving family members if the crime was committed by another loved one.
Anyway, that aside, I loved the nature of this relationship, it starts as friendship but quickly morphs into something else that, while Worth thinks is only temporary, it's clear to see there's the potential for a lifetime's happiness, if he can get out of his own way.
For the final book in the series, I think Annabeth wrapped everything up beautifully for these small town residents. Each book has brought its own unique flavour while adding to the overall plot arc involving the cold case and, while book two remains my favourite, I've enjoyed each one for different reasons.
I also loved the different way she did the Epilogue in this book, not quite so much in the previous two though, which just nicely cemented all those happy ever afters.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
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September 30, 2023DNF 20%
It’s this awkward mix of preachy and cartoonishly happy. Like, the first couple chapters feel like one of those old radio programs where the main character hits rock bottom and then finds Jesus. And then the book veers into a bit too much “this is the perfect town” stuff. I honestly lost interest when we started worrying about the way the coffee shop paid for itself, and whether our main character could get his workers to be more reliable.
I’m sure the book is sweet, but honestly, I just want a book that doesn’t make me roll my eyes. I have quit four in a row, and that’s a bad sign.
It’s this awkward mix of preachy and cartoonishly happy. Like, the first couple chapters feel like one of those old radio programs where the main character hits rock bottom and then finds Jesus. And then the book veers into a bit too much “this is the perfect town” stuff. I honestly lost interest when we started worrying about the way the coffee shop paid for itself, and whether our main character could get his workers to be more reliable.
I’m sure the book is sweet, but honestly, I just want a book that doesn’t make me roll my eyes. I have quit four in a row, and that’s a bad sign.
November 16, 2023
I've given this a B at AAR.
Our final visit to the small (fictional) Oregon town of Safe Harbor brings with it the story of the couple who have been in the background of the previous books – Sam Bookman, who is, in many ways, the heart of the Safe Harbor community, and Worth Stapleton, who hasn’t been back in decades, and whose life is crumbling about his ears. I’ve been looking forward to Find Me Worthy, to watching Worth coming home and finding his place in the world, and to watching Sam finally snagging the man of his dreams, and the author has done them proud with a deeply emotional story about grief, loss and sadness, and the struggle to find a way out of the darkness.
Worth left his small home town to attend college and then stayed away in the attempt to escape its associated memories after his mother disappeared and his father was suspected of her murder. When the news broke – courtesy of the investigation by his friends Holden and Monroe – that his mother had been the victim of a serial killer two decades earlier, and that her remains had finally been found, a weight of guilt crashed over him – for having left, for having believed that his late father was responsible – and then the life he’d made for himself in the city fell apart when it emerged that the investment company he worked for was embezzling funds and cheating customers. Already reeling from the revelations about his family, the loss of everything he had worked for together with the suspicions raised about his involvement in the shady financial dealings have pushed Worth to the edge. Broke, evicted and disgraced – even though the investigation proved him innocent of any wrongdoing, his reputation is in tatters – he does the only think he can think of, and goes back to his childhood home – to say goodbye.
Sam is surprised, to say the least, to find Worth sitting beneath the massive oak tree in the front yard of his childhood home – the house that Sam now owns, purchased with a view for providing shelter for at-risk teens and perhaps, one day, housing a family of his own. He had a massive crush on Worth when he was younger, and has been one of the few people to keep in touch with him since he left town. He recognises that while he’s grown out of his crush, his feelings for Worth have never gone away, and seeing Worth sitting beneath that tree looking so worn-down and hopeless, Sam determines to do whatever he can to help Worth to find himself again, to find purpose, to realise he’s loved and that yes, he is worthy of happiness and all the good things life has to offer.
Annabeth Albert does a superb job when it comes to conveying everything Worth is going through – the apathy, the lack of drive, the confusion and the certainty that nothing is ever going to be right with the world again - and I dare say that anyone who has experienced depression and how very debilitating it can be will recognise his pain and fragility. And luckily for Worth, Sam recognises it, too, and sets about coaxing him back from that metaphorical ledge.
Find Me Worthy is a heartfelt and steamy hurt/comfort romance that, like the other books in the series, focuses on finding home and family, forgiveness and trusting in yourself and the people around you. I liked seeing just how valued Sam is within the community; he’s caring, thoughtful, and supportive, one of those people who genuinely make a difference in life by just being who they are. I have to say, however, that for most of the book, he seems just a little too perfect (it’s easy to see why he’s been nicknamed “Saint Sam”); his background in social work has equipped him with the tools to be able to provide very specific help to Worth, finding him the right medical care and the other support he needs, and he’s very good at knowing when to push and when to step back – so it’s not until near the end that we get to see that he has his flaws, too. He’s become so used to putting other peoples’ needs first that he fails to take his own into account and to let people care for him, and lets his attachment to Safe Harbor blind him to the fact that Worth might not feel the same way about the place.
Sam and Worth’s romance is full of tenderness, care and affection, although I wasn’t completely convinced by the way they initally get together. Like the previous book, there’s a light element of kink (Worth likes to serve and Sam is only too happy to praise and care for him) – although I couldn’t help thinking that maybe becoming sexually intimate with someone you only recently had to talk out of harming himself wasn’t quite the way to go so soon.
I realise this is a completely personal thing, but I really didn’t care for the scenes that depict the characters as regular Sunday churchgoers. It makes sense for Sam – his dad is the pastor or whatever, and he’s been brought up to it – but I don’t recall Monroe or Holden and their respective other halves going to church in their books, so seeing them there just didn’t sit right. Plus I almost felt as though Worth was guilted into going, and that bothered me. (Let’s leave the churchgoing to the inspys, because then I can avoid reading about it!)
I did, however, appreciate the way the author uses one fairly small scene to remind us all that crime isn’t victimless and that the people involved are people with real feelings and not just commodities to be gossiped about, when a true crime ‘tourist’ fetches up in Safe Harbor and basically starts fangirling Worth because his mother was murdered by a serial killer. It is, sadly, all too believable.
Reservations aside, Find Me Worthy is an emotionally complex story that will tug at the heartstrings as Worth struggles to believe that he matters – not just to Sam and his friends, but to himself enough to want to take that long, difficult road back to being the man he was meant to be. I liked seeing Worth slowly regaining his confidence and sense of self, and there’s a nice sub-plot about Sam’s fight to save his non-profit coffee shop, plus a sweet epilogue that sees Sam and Worth achieving a long-held dream. Find Me Worthy is a fitting farewell to Safe Harbor and the men who have found love, life and home there.
This review originally appeared at All About Romance .
Our final visit to the small (fictional) Oregon town of Safe Harbor brings with it the story of the couple who have been in the background of the previous books – Sam Bookman, who is, in many ways, the heart of the Safe Harbor community, and Worth Stapleton, who hasn’t been back in decades, and whose life is crumbling about his ears. I’ve been looking forward to Find Me Worthy, to watching Worth coming home and finding his place in the world, and to watching Sam finally snagging the man of his dreams, and the author has done them proud with a deeply emotional story about grief, loss and sadness, and the struggle to find a way out of the darkness.
Worth left his small home town to attend college and then stayed away in the attempt to escape its associated memories after his mother disappeared and his father was suspected of her murder. When the news broke – courtesy of the investigation by his friends Holden and Monroe – that his mother had been the victim of a serial killer two decades earlier, and that her remains had finally been found, a weight of guilt crashed over him – for having left, for having believed that his late father was responsible – and then the life he’d made for himself in the city fell apart when it emerged that the investment company he worked for was embezzling funds and cheating customers. Already reeling from the revelations about his family, the loss of everything he had worked for together with the suspicions raised about his involvement in the shady financial dealings have pushed Worth to the edge. Broke, evicted and disgraced – even though the investigation proved him innocent of any wrongdoing, his reputation is in tatters – he does the only think he can think of, and goes back to his childhood home – to say goodbye.
Sam is surprised, to say the least, to find Worth sitting beneath the massive oak tree in the front yard of his childhood home – the house that Sam now owns, purchased with a view for providing shelter for at-risk teens and perhaps, one day, housing a family of his own. He had a massive crush on Worth when he was younger, and has been one of the few people to keep in touch with him since he left town. He recognises that while he’s grown out of his crush, his feelings for Worth have never gone away, and seeing Worth sitting beneath that tree looking so worn-down and hopeless, Sam determines to do whatever he can to help Worth to find himself again, to find purpose, to realise he’s loved and that yes, he is worthy of happiness and all the good things life has to offer.
Annabeth Albert does a superb job when it comes to conveying everything Worth is going through – the apathy, the lack of drive, the confusion and the certainty that nothing is ever going to be right with the world again - and I dare say that anyone who has experienced depression and how very debilitating it can be will recognise his pain and fragility. And luckily for Worth, Sam recognises it, too, and sets about coaxing him back from that metaphorical ledge.
Find Me Worthy is a heartfelt and steamy hurt/comfort romance that, like the other books in the series, focuses on finding home and family, forgiveness and trusting in yourself and the people around you. I liked seeing just how valued Sam is within the community; he’s caring, thoughtful, and supportive, one of those people who genuinely make a difference in life by just being who they are. I have to say, however, that for most of the book, he seems just a little too perfect (it’s easy to see why he’s been nicknamed “Saint Sam”); his background in social work has equipped him with the tools to be able to provide very specific help to Worth, finding him the right medical care and the other support he needs, and he’s very good at knowing when to push and when to step back – so it’s not until near the end that we get to see that he has his flaws, too. He’s become so used to putting other peoples’ needs first that he fails to take his own into account and to let people care for him, and lets his attachment to Safe Harbor blind him to the fact that Worth might not feel the same way about the place.
Sam and Worth’s romance is full of tenderness, care and affection, although I wasn’t completely convinced by the way they initally get together. Like the previous book, there’s a light element of kink (Worth likes to serve and Sam is only too happy to praise and care for him) – although I couldn’t help thinking that maybe becoming sexually intimate with someone you only recently had to talk out of harming himself wasn’t quite the way to go so soon.
I realise this is a completely personal thing, but I really didn’t care for the scenes that depict the characters as regular Sunday churchgoers. It makes sense for Sam – his dad is the pastor or whatever, and he’s been brought up to it – but I don’t recall Monroe or Holden and their respective other halves going to church in their books, so seeing them there just didn’t sit right. Plus I almost felt as though Worth was guilted into going, and that bothered me. (Let’s leave the churchgoing to the inspys, because then I can avoid reading about it!)
I did, however, appreciate the way the author uses one fairly small scene to remind us all that crime isn’t victimless and that the people involved are people with real feelings and not just commodities to be gossiped about, when a true crime ‘tourist’ fetches up in Safe Harbor and basically starts fangirling Worth because his mother was murdered by a serial killer. It is, sadly, all too believable.
Reservations aside, Find Me Worthy is an emotionally complex story that will tug at the heartstrings as Worth struggles to believe that he matters – not just to Sam and his friends, but to himself enough to want to take that long, difficult road back to being the man he was meant to be. I liked seeing Worth slowly regaining his confidence and sense of self, and there’s a nice sub-plot about Sam’s fight to save his non-profit coffee shop, plus a sweet epilogue that sees Sam and Worth achieving a long-held dream. Find Me Worthy is a fitting farewell to Safe Harbor and the men who have found love, life and home there.
This review originally appeared at All About Romance .
September 20, 2023
4.5 stars rounded to 5
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Find Me Worthy is the 4th book in the Safe Harbor series by Annabeth Albert. While you could read this as a stand alone, it is centered around a small group of friends in a small town and has a background criminal case that has been being solved in the background as the series progressed.
“I’m not the man I once was,” he whispered. “Good.”
[...]
“I don’t want that man. I want this one. As long as he’ll let me. I don’t need promises, Worth. I just want a chance.”
Worth has hit rock bottom and finds himself in the last place he wants to be. His hometown, where the ghosts of what happened to his parents lingers. Sam has moved into Worth's childhood home, with dreams of using all the space to foster young kids in need. When Sam finds Worth outside, struggling hen gives him a place to stay and the comfort he didn't know he desperately needed. Worth doesn't have any plan to stick around and Sam has no desire to leave, so what happens when they both fall hard with different ideas of home.
"Tell me how to be what you need.” “Keep being you. That’s all. Just be you.” He pulled me down for a soft kiss.
I loved the main characters. Sam is sweetheart with his big dreams of helping kids in foster care and giving work opportunities to those struggling with their mental health. Then we have Worth, who is a mess of emotional damage. With what happened to his parents to the fiasco at his prior job, he feels like he has nothing left. He may be a mess, but with the help of Sam he puts in the work seeing a therapist and support groups in order to work on his trauma. The way he latches onto the stray pup is precious.
"You could be. You are. You’re more than enough right now, but you can’t see it, and I can’t make you.”
Together, Sam and Worth have delicious sexual chemistry. Worth likes to be dominated in the bedroom and craves the directions and a bit of pain to take him out of his headspace. Sam is a natural caretaker Dom, which he discovers with Worth. He may be a Virgin, but he easily steps into the dominant role when Worth asks. Sam shows Worth the benefits oF intimacy when you actually care about the person and it's more than just sex.
“That’s right. Say my name.” I loved how my name sounded on his lips, all drawn out and raspy.
Overall, Find Me Worthy is an emotional story about grief and self-doubt, but also the hope you can find from those around you. It's filled with a diverse supporting cast, forced proximity, spooning, first times, kink, bubble baths, mental healing, and the sweetest epilogue ever .
P.S. I totally caught on to a few easter eggs from a few of Albert's other books like Rainbow Cove and Portland Heat series.
More Favorite Quotes:
“I don’t need promises, Worth. Just you.”
I’d spent years restrained, carefully searching for something that didn’t seem to be out there, and now I was going to take the one thing I’d wanted all along: Worth.
“Yes.” Worth closed his eyes, lips parting, jaw going slack. He wanted this, wanted my rough treatment and my domination.
He might love me cocky and toppy, but I wasn’t going to give up until he loved me, full stop. I’d seen what we could be together, and no way on earth was I giving that up.
Wait. Not sex. Love making. Because Sam Bookman didn’t fuck or screw or have sex, some item on a weekend to-do list. No, Sam made love, a whole body, fully orchestrated event. Each kiss, touch, and emotion was etched into my memory bank in perfect detail.
“I don’t know how to make you the promises you deserve, but I’m also not ashamed to be part of a couple with you. If that’s what you want.” “I want.” I tugged him closer for a real kiss, sweet and slow.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Find Me Worthy is the 4th book in the Safe Harbor series by Annabeth Albert. While you could read this as a stand alone, it is centered around a small group of friends in a small town and has a background criminal case that has been being solved in the background as the series progressed.
“I’m not the man I once was,” he whispered. “Good.”
[...]
“I don’t want that man. I want this one. As long as he’ll let me. I don’t need promises, Worth. I just want a chance.”
Worth has hit rock bottom and finds himself in the last place he wants to be. His hometown, where the ghosts of what happened to his parents lingers. Sam has moved into Worth's childhood home, with dreams of using all the space to foster young kids in need. When Sam finds Worth outside, struggling hen gives him a place to stay and the comfort he didn't know he desperately needed. Worth doesn't have any plan to stick around and Sam has no desire to leave, so what happens when they both fall hard with different ideas of home.
"Tell me how to be what you need.” “Keep being you. That’s all. Just be you.” He pulled me down for a soft kiss.
I loved the main characters. Sam is sweetheart with his big dreams of helping kids in foster care and giving work opportunities to those struggling with their mental health. Then we have Worth, who is a mess of emotional damage. With what happened to his parents to the fiasco at his prior job, he feels like he has nothing left. He may be a mess, but with the help of Sam he puts in the work seeing a therapist and support groups in order to work on his trauma. The way he latches onto the stray pup is precious.
"You could be. You are. You’re more than enough right now, but you can’t see it, and I can’t make you.”
Together, Sam and Worth have delicious sexual chemistry. Worth likes to be dominated in the bedroom and craves the directions and a bit of pain to take him out of his headspace. Sam is a natural caretaker Dom, which he discovers with Worth. He may be a Virgin, but he easily steps into the dominant role when Worth asks. Sam shows Worth the benefits oF intimacy when you actually care about the person and it's more than just sex.
“That’s right. Say my name.” I loved how my name sounded on his lips, all drawn out and raspy.
Overall, Find Me Worthy is an emotional story about grief and self-doubt, but also the hope you can find from those around you. It's filled with a diverse supporting cast, forced proximity, spooning, first times, kink, bubble baths, mental healing, and the sweetest epilogue ever .
P.S. I totally caught on to a few easter eggs from a few of Albert's other books like Rainbow Cove and Portland Heat series.
More Favorite Quotes:
“I don’t need promises, Worth. Just you.”
I’d spent years restrained, carefully searching for something that didn’t seem to be out there, and now I was going to take the one thing I’d wanted all along: Worth.
“Yes.” Worth closed his eyes, lips parting, jaw going slack. He wanted this, wanted my rough treatment and my domination.
He might love me cocky and toppy, but I wasn’t going to give up until he loved me, full stop. I’d seen what we could be together, and no way on earth was I giving that up.
Wait. Not sex. Love making. Because Sam Bookman didn’t fuck or screw or have sex, some item on a weekend to-do list. No, Sam made love, a whole body, fully orchestrated event. Each kiss, touch, and emotion was etched into my memory bank in perfect detail.
“I don’t know how to make you the promises you deserve, but I’m also not ashamed to be part of a couple with you. If that’s what you want.” “I want.” I tugged him closer for a real kiss, sweet and slow.
September 27, 2023
This book made me feel Emotional with capital E. There's something about two characters who feel they're unworthy themselves but believe their significant other is worth the world (and it is mutual) that just hits me right in the feels. Especially when it is well done. And this book is beyond well done.
I really like series where every book that comes out tops the previous one. So I will definitely miss this series. But Annabeth always comes out with good stuff so I know we have good things waiting in the future.
I really like series where every book that comes out tops the previous one. So I will definitely miss this series. But Annabeth always comes out with good stuff so I know we have good things waiting in the future.
April 3, 2024
I'm rather sad that this is our final visit to the small Oregon town of Safe Harbor. It's the last book in what has been an amazing trilogy. Finally, we have the story of the couple who have been in the background of the previous two books, Sam Bookman, and his coffee shop, The Blessed Bean, who is, in many ways, the heart of the Safe Harbor community, and Worth Stapleton, who hasn’t been back to his hometown in decades, but we have seen parts of his story reflected in the other two books also. The murder of his mother, the blame that he and the rest of the town placed on his father. It helped to somewhat already know that things would end well for him eventually. Now he has returned, but we find that his life is crumbling about his ears. Anxiety, and depression his constant companion...he feels anything but "Worthy". I’ve been looking forward to his and Sam's story... to watch Worth come home and find his place in this small world. Sam finally getting the man of his dreams, the boy/man that he has loved since childhood...and we know who that is. Annabeth Albert always tells a wonderful story but has really done an above average job with this deeply emotional story about grief, loss and sadness, and the struggle to find a way back to the light. This trilogy absolutely must be read in order, otherwise you will miss meeting and learning about the wonderful residents of Safe Harbor, how their lives blend together, and seeing the stage being set for Worth's homecoming and his and Sam's "Happy Ever After". You are going to have to go to some great lengths to top this one Ms. Albert.
October 1, 2023
Lovely ending to the series.
I've so looked forward to this last book in the series, I've wondered about Worth, his problems and his place in the ongoing story. I've got to admit that this wasn't what I was expecting, and I don't say that in a bad way. Both Worth and Sam are presented as strong and well drawn, even though Worth wouldn't agree, he has such a downer on himself. The story involves love long anticipated, serious mental issues experienced by one of the MCs, but is not sentimental. It rather shows the reality of difficult issues. Worth's story is heartbreaking, Sam was so wonderful and so insightful, showing empathy for Worth, recognising that he needed help sooner rather than later. The book shows a clever insight into mental health and the quirks of family life...which have forever been a trigger for Worth. There's also a great deal of love shown for Worth, from Sam, their friends, and also family and the townspeople. It reminded me of The Prodigal Son, Worth being welcomed back into Safe Harbour, no judgements passed. The sensitivity that it's written with and the power behind the story is phenomenal. The story successfully covers family life, love, tragedy, loss, mental health and eventual recovery. A good ending to the story, the suspense from the previous books is cleared up, and there's a lovely HEA for Sam and Worth. 4.5 stars.
Please be aware that there are TW pertaining to serious mental health issues.
I've so looked forward to this last book in the series, I've wondered about Worth, his problems and his place in the ongoing story. I've got to admit that this wasn't what I was expecting, and I don't say that in a bad way. Both Worth and Sam are presented as strong and well drawn, even though Worth wouldn't agree, he has such a downer on himself. The story involves love long anticipated, serious mental issues experienced by one of the MCs, but is not sentimental. It rather shows the reality of difficult issues. Worth's story is heartbreaking, Sam was so wonderful and so insightful, showing empathy for Worth, recognising that he needed help sooner rather than later. The book shows a clever insight into mental health and the quirks of family life...which have forever been a trigger for Worth. There's also a great deal of love shown for Worth, from Sam, their friends, and also family and the townspeople. It reminded me of The Prodigal Son, Worth being welcomed back into Safe Harbour, no judgements passed. The sensitivity that it's written with and the power behind the story is phenomenal. The story successfully covers family life, love, tragedy, loss, mental health and eventual recovery. A good ending to the story, the suspense from the previous books is cleared up, and there's a lovely HEA for Sam and Worth. 4.5 stars.
Please be aware that there are TW pertaining to serious mental health issues.
September 28, 2023
Find me Worthy is the third and final book in the Safe Harbor series. If you like surprise light D/s, childhood manifested current love, candid talks around mental health and treatment, and/or 35 year old virgin who had been waiting for his ONE- this is the book!
This book is heavy on the feels. I cried a couple of times because there were BIG moments, and the tears had to go somewhere.
Sometimes you can't run away from your problems anymore - you have to face them. Worth has had a lifetime of bad luck and mental health issues. He feels as if he was born under a bad star. At his rock bottom, he reconnects with the town's good-hearted good samaritan Sam.
Sam has loved Worth his whole life, and now that Worth needs help, he's ready to step in and go to war to make everything right.
Again, this book is big on the feelings, and I loved seeing these two work out what their future was going to look like.
Another great book by the queen of feelings, Annabeth Albert 💜💜💜
This book is heavy on the feels. I cried a couple of times because there were BIG moments, and the tears had to go somewhere.
Sometimes you can't run away from your problems anymore - you have to face them. Worth has had a lifetime of bad luck and mental health issues. He feels as if he was born under a bad star. At his rock bottom, he reconnects with the town's good-hearted good samaritan Sam.
Sam has loved Worth his whole life, and now that Worth needs help, he's ready to step in and go to war to make everything right.
Again, this book is big on the feelings, and I loved seeing these two work out what their future was going to look like.
Another great book by the queen of feelings, Annabeth Albert 💜💜💜
January 17, 2024
Well, maybe it’s me? I’m a big fan of this author so it’s certainly not the writing. I didn’t read the previous books in the series either but I didn’t think the previous characters took over the story so that also wasn’t the problem.
Maybe it’s because the mental health issues Worth struggles with are things that hit a little too close to home, this book was just making me sad. I liked the characters, especially Sam. The hurt/comfort was also nice but i didn’t really feel the love?
It kinda felt like Sam was all in from the beginning and Worth kinda wasn’t? But was at the same time? It just felt kinda weird, I wanted to love it but I couldn’t. 😭
And the proposal ? Was the least romantic one I’ve ever read? Worth really went from ‘ I’ll move out ‘ to ‘ will you marry me’ in seconds??? I didn’t like it, sure he said it wasn’t because it would make it easier to get approved to foster kids but that was literally the reason, the proposal felt cheap because of the timing regardless of saying that it was because of love too.
The story was fine and there was love and declarations of a future together and all the good stuff I like but I just wasn’t feeling this one.
Maybe it’s because the mental health issues Worth struggles with are things that hit a little too close to home, this book was just making me sad. I liked the characters, especially Sam. The hurt/comfort was also nice but i didn’t really feel the love?
It kinda felt like Sam was all in from the beginning and Worth kinda wasn’t? But was at the same time? It just felt kinda weird, I wanted to love it but I couldn’t. 😭
And the proposal ? Was the least romantic one I’ve ever read? Worth really went from ‘ I’ll move out ‘ to ‘ will you marry me’ in seconds??? I didn’t like it, sure he said it wasn’t because it would make it easier to get approved to foster kids but that was literally the reason, the proposal felt cheap because of the timing regardless of saying that it was because of love too.
The story was fine and there was love and declarations of a future together and all the good stuff I like but I just wasn’t feeling this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2023
DNF at 73%. I tried but this book is so boring. I skimmed a ton but decided to just give up. I’m bummed because I really liked Sam and the whole café and teen situation but Sam and Worth together were just boring.
Also “Stanford” was spelled differently every time I encountered it in the book. I can’t believe her entire editing and proofreading team missed that.
Also “Stanford” was spelled differently every time I encountered it in the book. I can’t believe her entire editing and proofreading team missed that.
October 2, 2023
3.5 stars - This series is tough for me to explain how I feel about it. I gave book one 3.5 stars (rounded down), book two 4 stars, and while I think the writing is better in book one, I think this gets 3.5 stars, too. I can't recommend it without all the caveats below, but it worked for me even though I can see most of its flaws.
Like, a lot of the dialogue is way too on the nose, there's more religion (tho very positive? non-toxic? religion) than I was expecting, the elements of the story feel patchworked together and kinda clunky. The part that worked best for me was Sam's outreach work with teens and quest to be a foster parent, and that was the stuff that made me tear up.
This book is super schmoopy and at the same time, there's a lot of mental health stuff, from suicidal thoughts/talk, PTSD, therapy, and while both characters say all the right stuff (Sam is all 'I can't fix you, I can only support you') the feeling I was left with was that the relationship is pretty key in Worth's recovery. Which, it's a romance, so . . . I don't know
This has the issue that I've had with a lot of recent books: an unrealistically short timeline from the beginning of a relationship to full commitment. Authors do seem to be self-aware about this and put in some commentary about how quick things are happening, and sometimes it gilds the pill and sometimes it just makes it more obvious that this could have been paced more realistically. I do think these two can and probably will work, but I could have felt even more strongly about them if we'd gotten more time for them to build their foundation.
I get that it's fiction, and Albert just about got away with it for ME in this instance, but if the writing had been a bit smoother, I might not have even noticed the things that pulled me out of the reading from time to time.
Like, a lot of the dialogue is way too on the nose, there's more religion (tho very positive? non-toxic? religion) than I was expecting, the elements of the story feel patchworked together and kinda clunky. The part that worked best for me was Sam's outreach work with teens and quest to be a foster parent, and that was the stuff that made me tear up.
This book is super schmoopy and at the same time, there's a lot of mental health stuff, from suicidal thoughts/talk, PTSD, therapy, and while both characters say all the right stuff (Sam is all 'I can't fix you, I can only support you') the feeling I was left with was that the relationship is pretty key in Worth's recovery. Which, it's a romance, so . . . I don't know
This has the issue that I've had with a lot of recent books: an unrealistically short timeline from the beginning of a relationship to full commitment. Authors do seem to be self-aware about this and put in some commentary about how quick things are happening, and sometimes it gilds the pill and sometimes it just makes it more obvious that this could have been paced more realistically. I do think these two can and probably will work, but I could have felt even more strongly about them if we'd gotten more time for them to build their foundation.
I get that it's fiction, and Albert just about got away with it for ME in this instance, but if the writing had been a bit smoother, I might not have even noticed the things that pulled me out of the reading from time to time.
October 3, 2023
3.25 stars. It's hard to describe why I didn't completely feel this book, but I'll try.
* Worth went from maybe going to try to kill himself to functioning quite allright to wanting to marry and starting a family way too quickly. And I mean really really way too quickly. At least he went to therapy and got meds, but still. If you're that kind of depressed (and have been for some time), I would advise against taking lifechanging decisions for a time. I'm really glad he found Sam and saw light at the end of the tunnel, but maybe see if it sticks before taking children in?
* Sam said Monroe and Holden still treated him like a naive young guy who didn't get their sex jokes. I found this very unrealistic, since Sam was around 35. Even being still a virgin, because he wanted to save it for someone special, that doesn't mean he's an idiot and I would think that somewhere in their twenties that dynamic would have changed. Or should have at least.
* The dynamic between Monroe, Holden and Worth was very weird, for guys who were supposedly great friends. I get that Worth went offline for a while, but since they all knew what happened to him, I would think they would try to be there for him, instead of questioning his integrity and basically leaving Sam to try to let the guy feel some love. I thought this was very weird and didn't match Holden and Monroe's personalities from their own books.
* The saving of the coffeeshop thingy was very unrealistic, especially since it had to be organised in just a few days. And I get that such a gathering could garner a short temporary burst, but I don't buy a longterm change, unless Sam made some real lasting changes in his business model.
* While Sam and Worth's relationship went way too fast for me, they were good together and it was nice to have Sam in a dominant role, especially because everyone always saw him as the opposite.
* There were some nice side characters, like Marta, and especially Sam's mother.
* The epilogue was very nice!
* Worth went from maybe going to try to kill himself to functioning quite allright to wanting to marry and starting a family way too quickly. And I mean really really way too quickly. At least he went to therapy and got meds, but still. If you're that kind of depressed (and have been for some time), I would advise against taking lifechanging decisions for a time. I'm really glad he found Sam and saw light at the end of the tunnel, but maybe see if it sticks before taking children in?
* Sam said Monroe and Holden still treated him like a naive young guy who didn't get their sex jokes. I found this very unrealistic, since Sam was around 35. Even being still a virgin, because he wanted to save it for someone special, that doesn't mean he's an idiot and I would think that somewhere in their twenties that dynamic would have changed. Or should have at least.
* The dynamic between Monroe, Holden and Worth was very weird, for guys who were supposedly great friends. I get that Worth went offline for a while, but since they all knew what happened to him, I would think they would try to be there for him, instead of questioning his integrity and basically leaving Sam to try to let the guy feel some love. I thought this was very weird and didn't match Holden and Monroe's personalities from their own books.
* The saving of the coffeeshop thingy was very unrealistic, especially since it had to be organised in just a few days. And I get that such a gathering could garner a short temporary burst, but I don't buy a longterm change, unless Sam made some real lasting changes in his business model.
* While Sam and Worth's relationship went way too fast for me, they were good together and it was nice to have Sam in a dominant role, especially because everyone always saw him as the opposite.
* There were some nice side characters, like Marta, and especially Sam's mother.
* The epilogue was very nice!
September 27, 2023
2.5 stars
Received from the author's PR person, thanks!
So, overall I liked this series, though I think this may have been the weakest of the trilogy? It was fine, though felt a bit sloppy. For example, there was some light kink (D/s, power dynamics stuff), but *to me* it didn't feel quite right? Like, the more dominant partner would basically just command the submissive partner to hold still, or keep his hands up, or whatever, while he went to town on him, despite the sub saying he was into service. Like, it sort of felt like the author was throwing around terms without really understanding what they mean? Also, at one point the coffee shop that one of the MCs owns is in bad financial trouble, but all of a sudden there is an outpouring of community support and a rally and a bunch of former staff show up. But, like, how? How did this come about? There was no explanation for how this all came together, which felt really off and like sloppy writing.
So, overall, the story was fine, the characters were fine, but not some of Albert's better writing.
Received from the author's PR person, thanks!
So, overall I liked this series, though I think this may have been the weakest of the trilogy? It was fine, though felt a bit sloppy. For example, there was some light kink (D/s, power dynamics stuff), but *to me* it didn't feel quite right? Like, the more dominant partner would basically just command the submissive partner to hold still, or keep his hands up, or whatever, while he went to town on him, despite the sub saying he was into service. Like, it sort of felt like the author was throwing around terms without really understanding what they mean? Also, at one point the coffee shop that one of the MCs owns is in bad financial trouble, but all of a sudden there is an outpouring of community support and a rally and a bunch of former staff show up. But, like, how? How did this come about? There was no explanation for how this all came together, which felt really off and like sloppy writing.
So, overall, the story was fine, the characters were fine, but not some of Albert's better writing.
September 28, 2023
This is an ideal read for lovers of hurt/comfort, small town stories, pining, and happily ever after. Once again, Annabeth provides fans the quintessential comfort read.
Sam and Worth together are so fluffy and heartwarming, but still with that edge that comes with tackling grief and working on different aspects of mental health. A healthy balance of sweet and serious, and always with that bit of spice to satisfy the readers that come with certain expectations.
Compromise is a big theme in this one, and no two characters highlight this idea more succinctly than Marta and George. I also felt that their little side romance reinforced some of the main messages Annabeth was trying to send via our leading men. I enjoyed how the two teens were taking their cues from Sam and Worth, while at the same time inadvertently modelling ways Sam and Worth could approach their own relationship better.
Annabeth makes diverse representation look effortless, whether it be including different races, different sexualities, different genders, or differing abilities. In Find Me Worthy, we have a deaf side character and a trans side character. Neither deafness nor transness makes up these peoples’ entire personalities, the story doesn’t pause to make us hyper aware of either, there is no agenda. It’s all a seamless part of everyday life within the Safe Harbor universe, presented as normally, realistically. . . even mundanely as possible. That is how you do representation right, that’s how normalisation happens.
Lastly, but not least, I must say that Find Me Worthy gave me all the It’s A Wonderful Life vibes. Sam would totally be George Bailey, you can’t convince me otherwise.
Many thanks to Annabeth and her team for providing a review copy. I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily.
Sam and Worth together are so fluffy and heartwarming, but still with that edge that comes with tackling grief and working on different aspects of mental health. A healthy balance of sweet and serious, and always with that bit of spice to satisfy the readers that come with certain expectations.
Compromise is a big theme in this one, and no two characters highlight this idea more succinctly than Marta and George. I also felt that their little side romance reinforced some of the main messages Annabeth was trying to send via our leading men. I enjoyed how the two teens were taking their cues from Sam and Worth, while at the same time inadvertently modelling ways Sam and Worth could approach their own relationship better.
Annabeth makes diverse representation look effortless, whether it be including different races, different sexualities, different genders, or differing abilities. In Find Me Worthy, we have a deaf side character and a trans side character. Neither deafness nor transness makes up these peoples’ entire personalities, the story doesn’t pause to make us hyper aware of either, there is no agenda. It’s all a seamless part of everyday life within the Safe Harbor universe, presented as normally, realistically. . . even mundanely as possible. That is how you do representation right, that’s how normalisation happens.
Lastly, but not least, I must say that Find Me Worthy gave me all the It’s A Wonderful Life vibes. Sam would totally be George Bailey, you can’t convince me otherwise.
Many thanks to Annabeth and her team for providing a review copy. I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily.
February 5, 2024
Soooo sweet!
Gosh, I can’t stop crying! This was just beyond sweet and so so beautiful. Annabeth Albert has such a caring way with her words that constantly brings me to tears. She’s so GENTLE. It kills me.
This was absolutely my favorite of the trilogy. The love between Sam and Worth is electric. It’s so beautiful. The way they both need each other. The way they both want each other. How perfect they are for each other. UGH. It was just beyond.
So many touching and heartwarming and tough moments throughout FIND ME WORTHY. Definitely make sure you have tissues handy.
I’m so sad this trilogy is over! Definitely looking forward to more by Annabeth Albert, though!
Gosh, I can’t stop crying! This was just beyond sweet and so so beautiful. Annabeth Albert has such a caring way with her words that constantly brings me to tears. She’s so GENTLE. It kills me.
This was absolutely my favorite of the trilogy. The love between Sam and Worth is electric. It’s so beautiful. The way they both need each other. The way they both want each other. How perfect they are for each other. UGH. It was just beyond.
So many touching and heartwarming and tough moments throughout FIND ME WORTHY. Definitely make sure you have tissues handy.
I’m so sad this trilogy is over! Definitely looking forward to more by Annabeth Albert, though!
September 22, 2023
Beautiful Story
This is a beautiful ending to this series. When it starts out, it may seem like it's about Worth's pain and need for comfort but it quickly becomes clear that Sam has pain and anguish also. These two were exactly what the other needed and I enjoyed reading their story.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This is a beautiful ending to this series. When it starts out, it may seem like it's about Worth's pain and need for comfort but it quickly becomes clear that Sam has pain and anguish also. These two were exactly what the other needed and I enjoyed reading their story.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
October 12, 2023
Annabeth Albert can create strong feelings with getting sappy or melodramatic. That skill makes her books a pleasure to read. All the loose ends are tied up with the coupling of two reunited friends to lovers. No complaints here.
October 7, 2023
Eine super nette Geschichte und ein gelungener Abschluss für die Serie. Es hätte ruhig noch etwas länger und in die Tiefe gehen können.
Read
April 4, 20241.5 Stars
October 14, 2023
3.5 stars
October 2, 2023
a epilogue with real issues, lovely book
Rating: 3.75🌈
Rating: 3.75🌈
So close. Find Me Worthy was so close to being an absolutely 5-Star story when the author , imo, sabotaged it by adding on an epilogue that negatively changed my view about the book but felt so unnecessary.
But first let’s look at what Albert does remarkably well, and that’s everything that goes on beforehand.
Safe Harbor has dealt with a central question of a dead file mystery case was solved when it turned out that the local popular mother of the community who went missing years ago had been murdered by a serial killer. Her body was discovered in the nearby body of water by former police officer, brought up by a recovery diver, and the crime along with the discovery was part of an investigation led by a popular crime podcast.
All that information is part of the series themes and an integral part of the men involved in the investigation and as victims of the original crime itself. Some were once close friends and now others have become, through the investigation, partners of these men who live in Safe Harbor.
The reader , through the descriptions and memories of the men, become part of their journey to resolve the mystery and work through their own issues as well. It’s been a moving, and sometimes tearful journey. Albert has done a spectacular job with the town, the professions of each person, in some cases their disabilities, and the traits that make each man a unique individual.
Now we get to the finale. There’s the two strong main characters. Sam Bookman, owner of Blessed Bean coffee shop, son of a pastor and a hearing impaired mother, a social worker who’s the heart of Safe Harbor.
Sam has always had a huge crush on older Worth Stapleton, whose mother was murdered by a serial killer and in whose family house Sam bought and now lives.
Worth always thought his father was guilty of his mother’s death and told him so before he died. He’s been absent from Safe Harbor for decades, until a business scandal cost him everything and his mother’s death was resolved. The Worth we meet is ill, highly depressed, with nothing but an incredibly expensive car to his name and an unexpected desire to return home.
Which he does. But that home is now owned by Sam, and that’s where the story begins. Where a man who’s lost everything ends back at his beginnings only to find that that house is now the beginnings of someone who has always been there for him.
It’s a haunting, emotional, fabulous moment. And , importantly, it includes a young sheltie who’s been abandoned and will become central to Worth’s recovery and journey into a new life. That’s Buttercup. Make note of this dog and his huge role as a support animal and loved companion.
As the men try to find a way to make this tenuous relationship they’ve begun work, sharing their past life experiences and new present struggles, we learn that depression has always been a part of Worth’s life but that he’s never really gotten the treatment and therapy that would have helped him cope with the trauma and stress that his life has offered up.
The raw pain, the guilt and trauma that he’s felt and carried is powerfully portrayed by Albert’s skillful handling of this man’s emotional issues. And having and transferring some of those feelings of being left behind by his family over into the abandonment of a dog by its owners is a realistic element, making Buttercup’s presence even more impactful.
Sam’s personality is no slouch against such a great character. He’s got so many qualities and outstanding personal traits here. Plus he’s got a fabulous Siamese cat to balance Buttercup. He’s got Blessed Bean with all its diversity in its workers, and its issues. The house and its renovations along with its memories. And the community which is constantly circling around him.
So I did have a few questions about things within the main storyline, things that I’m still thinking about:
Spoiler Alert 🚨:
1. When things were going financially wrong at the Bean (even with that expensive coffee machine) and the men were together, why was it never ever brought up for Worth to offer to sell his 6-figure “Ive made it” high priced car to help with the expenses? Nope, that millionaire buggy isn’t mentioned except that they ride in it a couple of times later on.
2. What happens to the severe coffee competition? A big brand buys next door to try and squeeze the local coffee shop out. Stuff ensues. But logically?? What happens? We don’t know. The author doesn’t tell us, and from the drama that’s written, it’s not enough to make any difference.
3. What’s Worth doing? Running the shop ? Financial advisor? What?
I have to admit it’s great seeing Holden and Cal, and Monroe and Knox. Their roles here are perfect and made me want to read their stories all over again.
The way Find Me Worthy ended, with that wedding. It was perfect , and most importantly, that emotional support dog, Buttercup, being a part of the celebration and ceremony? Made it everything I wanted to read .
So why am I so unhappy?
Because the author doesn’t stop there. She should have. But then we get an epilogue. With a different voice, a foster kid. Which, ok, but now issues. Because guess who’s been wiped completely away? No dog or cat. We have two young adults, and it’s two years later. But Albert has totally changed or forgotten that all important Buttercup or cat. Which would have been great in this scenario when all the people were gathering on this occasion. Kids and pets! But nope.
We don’t need animals if we got the kids? Or is this just another example of the missing animal character that the author drops without explanation? Because that’s a number one problem that has always bugged me so completely in a book. Make an animal an important factor in a character’s journey and personal growth, and then without a word, it disappears from the narrative.
Like Buttercup does here. So weird change of POV, missing important elements, and ,imo, unnecessary epilogue.
Either way, a complete fail.
Because now that’s all I’m thinking about. What happened to Buttercup. Not about the story or anything else. That missing dog.
It’s enough for me to want to kick this even further down another notch.
Most people will love this. Others? Skip the epilogue so you don’t fall down this narrative rabbit hole I have.
Just say no.
Safe Harbor:
- [x] Bring Me Home #1
- [x] Make Me Stay #2
- [x] Find Me Worthy #3
Rating: 3.75🌈
Rating: 3.75🌈
So close. Find Me Worthy was so close to being an absolutely 5-Star story when the author , imo, sabotaged it by adding on an epilogue that negatively changed my view about the book but felt so unnecessary.
But first let’s look at what Albert does remarkably well, and that’s everything that goes on beforehand.
Safe Harbor has dealt with a central question of a dead file mystery case was solved when it turned out that the local popular mother of the community who went missing years ago had been murdered by a serial killer. Her body was discovered in the nearby body of water by former police officer, brought up by a recovery diver, and the crime along with the discovery was part of an investigation led by a popular crime podcast.
All that information is part of the series themes and an integral part of the men involved in the investigation and as victims of the original crime itself. Some were once close friends and now others have become, through the investigation, partners of these men who live in Safe Harbor.
The reader , through the descriptions and memories of the men, become part of their journey to resolve the mystery and work through their own issues as well. It’s been a moving, and sometimes tearful journey. Albert has done a spectacular job with the town, the professions of each person, in some cases their disabilities, and the traits that make each man a unique individual.
Now we get to the finale. There’s the two strong main characters. Sam Bookman, owner of Blessed Bean coffee shop, son of a pastor and a hearing impaired mother, a social worker who’s the heart of Safe Harbor.
Sam has always had a huge crush on older Worth Stapleton, whose mother was murdered by a serial killer and in whose family house Sam bought and now lives.
Worth always thought his father was guilty of his mother’s death and told him so before he died. He’s been absent from Safe Harbor for decades, until a business scandal cost him everything and his mother’s death was resolved. The Worth we meet is ill, highly depressed, with nothing but an incredibly expensive car to his name and an unexpected desire to return home.
Which he does. But that home is now owned by Sam, and that’s where the story begins. Where a man who’s lost everything ends back at his beginnings only to find that that house is now the beginnings of someone who has always been there for him.
It’s a haunting, emotional, fabulous moment. And , importantly, it includes a young sheltie who’s been abandoned and will become central to Worth’s recovery and journey into a new life. That’s Buttercup. Make note of this dog and his huge role as a support animal and loved companion.
As the men try to find a way to make this tenuous relationship they’ve begun work, sharing their past life experiences and new present struggles, we learn that depression has always been a part of Worth’s life but that he’s never really gotten the treatment and therapy that would have helped him cope with the trauma and stress that his life has offered up.
The raw pain, the guilt and trauma that he’s felt and carried is powerfully portrayed by Albert’s skillful handling of this man’s emotional issues. And having and transferring some of those feelings of being left behind by his family over into the abandonment of a dog by its owners is a realistic element, making Buttercup’s presence even more impactful.
Sam’s personality is no slouch against such a great character. He’s got so many qualities and outstanding personal traits here. Plus he’s got a fabulous Siamese cat to balance Buttercup. He’s got Blessed Bean with all its diversity in its workers, and its issues. The house and its renovations along with its memories. And the community which is constantly circling around him.
So I did have a few questions about things within the main storyline, things that I’m still thinking about:
Spoiler Alert 🚨:
1. When things were going financially wrong at the Bean (even with that expensive coffee machine) and the men were together, why was it never ever brought up for Worth to offer to sell his 6-figure “Ive made it” high priced car to help with the expenses? Nope, that millionaire buggy isn’t mentioned except that they ride in it a couple of times later on.
2. What happens to the severe coffee competition? A big brand buys next door to try and squeeze the local coffee shop out. Stuff ensues. But logically?? What happens? We don’t know. The author doesn’t tell us, and from the drama that’s written, it’s not enough to make any difference.
3. What’s Worth doing? Running the shop ? Financial advisor? What?
I have to admit it’s great seeing Holden and Cal, and Monroe and Knox. Their roles here are perfect and made me want to read their stories all over again.
The way Find Me Worthy ended, with that wedding. It was perfect , and most importantly, that emotional support dog, Buttercup, being a part of the celebration and ceremony? Made it everything I wanted to read .
So why am I so unhappy?
Because the author doesn’t stop there. She should have. But then we get an epilogue. With a different voice, a foster kid. Which, ok, but now issues. Because guess who’s been wiped completely away? No dog or cat. We have two young adults, and it’s two years later. But Albert has totally changed or forgotten that all important Buttercup or cat. Which would have been great in this scenario when all the people were gathering on this occasion. Kids and pets! But nope.
We don’t need animals if we got the kids? Or is this just another example of the missing animal character that the author drops without explanation? Because that’s a number one problem that has always bugged me so completely in a book. Make an animal an important factor in a character’s journey and personal growth, and then without a word, it disappears from the narrative.
Like Buttercup does here. So weird change of POV, missing important elements, and ,imo, unnecessary epilogue.
Either way, a complete fail.
Because now that’s all I’m thinking about. What happened to Buttercup. Not about the story or anything else. That missing dog.
It’s enough for me to want to kick this even further down another notch.
Most people will love this. Others? Skip the epilogue so you don’t fall down this narrative rabbit hole I have.
Just say no.
Safe Harbor:
- [x] Bring Me Home #1
- [x] Make Me Stay #2
- [x] Find Me Worthy #3
October 19, 2023
This destroyed me in the best way. She really wrapped this series up in a way I appreciate, though I wish the MMCs from the first two books were more included in book 3. I get the decision for the almost phone booth focus, but I missed those 4. The inclusion of a deaf secondary character and how the community supports their deaf neighbors, troubled teens, not to mention the wheelchair user from the second book in the series. Oh, and one of the MMCs’ father is a minister, and they attend church in the book. Albert clarifies it’s a non-denominational church and clearly it’s inclusive. It didn’t feel preachy and it didn’t make me uncomfortable, but YMMV. I appreciated how flawed both MMCs are and yet still go and are accepted in their church community. Neither are made to feel like they don’t belong or that it’s a “love the sinner, hate the sin” kind of situation. Albert didn’t shy away from including those you don’t normally see in romance, and did it flawlessly, in my opinion.
Check the author’s content warnings at the beginning. This book is definitely not for anyone who’s not in the right headspace for it.
Tropes: found family, small town, childhood friends, hurt/comfort, virgin MMC, therapy pocket dog, wedding (but not epilogue), epilogue adoption
Check the author’s content warnings at the beginning. This book is definitely not for anyone who’s not in the right headspace for it.
Tropes: found family, small town, childhood friends, hurt/comfort, virgin MMC, therapy pocket dog, wedding (but not epilogue), epilogue adoption
October 7, 2023
FR- Alors alors.... alors je suis très très partagée sur cette série.
Si j'avais adoré Bring me Home, j'avais été légèrement déçue par Make me Stay. Les personnages m'avaient plus mais je pense que je m'attendais à plus vu mon quasi coup de coeur pour le tome 1.
Du coup, je suis arrivée sur cette lecture un peu à reculons. Et j'ai été plus qu'agréablement surprise. A vrai dire, même si ce n'est pas le coup de coeur du premier tome j'ai vraiment été séduite par les choix de d'Annabeth Albert
La constante dans cette série, ce sont les personnages. Ils sont tous très bien travaillés et très touchants. J'ai aimé chacun des personnages de ces romans et si l'histoire de Monroe et Knox est celle que j'ai préférée, c'est cependant dans Find me Worthy que j'ai rencontré mon personnage préféré. Avec le personnage de Worth, Annabeth Albert nous livre une fois de plus, un personnage extrêmement touchant. J'ai ressenti toutes les émotions de Woeth puissance mille et j'aurai pu rester avec ce personnages pendant des heures.
On sent l'implication d'Annabeth Albert dans ce personnage et qu'elle a elle même traversé quelques épreuves proches de celles de Worth. Je ne suis pas particulièrement sensible à l'état dépressif et ma santé mentale est plutôt bonne toutefois j'ai vraiment ressenti ce lien entre l'auteure et le personnage de Worth. On sent qu'Annabeth Albert sort un peu des codes de ses romans habituels notamment au niveau des scènes de sexe. J'ai d'ailleurs été agréablement surprise par la façon dont Annabeth Albert traite la relation légèrement dominant-soumis entre Sam et Worth.
Avec Find me Worthy, Annabeth Albert nous livre un roman intimiste et très touchant, une parfaite conclusion à cette trilogie qui change de ce que l'auteure peut nous proposer habituellement.
ENG- So well well well... well I am very, very divided on this series.
If I loved Bring me Home, I was slightly disappointed by Make me Stay. I really liked all the characters but I think I expected more given my near crush on book 1.
So, I came to this reading a little backwards. And I was more than pleasantly surprised. Even if I did'nt loved it as musch as book 1, I was really seduced by Annabeth Albert' choices.
The constant in this series are the characters. They are all very well built and very touching. I liked each of the characters in these novels and if Monroe and Knox' story is my favorite, it was in Find me Worthy that I met my favorite character. With Worth, Annabeth Albert gives us an extremely touching character. I felt all of Worth's emotions so much and I could have stayed with him for hours.
We feel Annabeth Albert's involvement in this character and that she herself has gone through some ordeals similar to Worth. I'm not particularly sensitive to depression and my mental health is quite good, but I really felt this connection between the author and Worth. We feel that Annabeth Albert is going a little outside the codes of her usual novels, particularly in terms of the sex scenes. I was also pleasantly surprised by the way Annabeth Albert handled the slightly dominant-submissive relationship between Sam and Worth.
With Find me Worthy, Annabeth Albert gives us an intimate and very touching novel, a perfect conclusion to this trilogy which changes from what the author usually offers us.
Si j'avais adoré Bring me Home, j'avais été légèrement déçue par Make me Stay. Les personnages m'avaient plus mais je pense que je m'attendais à plus vu mon quasi coup de coeur pour le tome 1.
Du coup, je suis arrivée sur cette lecture un peu à reculons. Et j'ai été plus qu'agréablement surprise. A vrai dire, même si ce n'est pas le coup de coeur du premier tome j'ai vraiment été séduite par les choix de d'Annabeth Albert
La constante dans cette série, ce sont les personnages. Ils sont tous très bien travaillés et très touchants. J'ai aimé chacun des personnages de ces romans et si l'histoire de Monroe et Knox est celle que j'ai préférée, c'est cependant dans Find me Worthy que j'ai rencontré mon personnage préféré. Avec le personnage de Worth, Annabeth Albert nous livre une fois de plus, un personnage extrêmement touchant. J'ai ressenti toutes les émotions de Woeth puissance mille et j'aurai pu rester avec ce personnages pendant des heures.
On sent l'implication d'Annabeth Albert dans ce personnage et qu'elle a elle même traversé quelques épreuves proches de celles de Worth. Je ne suis pas particulièrement sensible à l'état dépressif et ma santé mentale est plutôt bonne toutefois j'ai vraiment ressenti ce lien entre l'auteure et le personnage de Worth. On sent qu'Annabeth Albert sort un peu des codes de ses romans habituels notamment au niveau des scènes de sexe. J'ai d'ailleurs été agréablement surprise par la façon dont Annabeth Albert traite la relation légèrement dominant-soumis entre Sam et Worth.
Avec Find me Worthy, Annabeth Albert nous livre un roman intimiste et très touchant, une parfaite conclusion à cette trilogie qui change de ce que l'auteure peut nous proposer habituellement.
ENG- So well well well... well I am very, very divided on this series.
If I loved Bring me Home, I was slightly disappointed by Make me Stay. I really liked all the characters but I think I expected more given my near crush on book 1.
So, I came to this reading a little backwards. And I was more than pleasantly surprised. Even if I did'nt loved it as musch as book 1, I was really seduced by Annabeth Albert' choices.
The constant in this series are the characters. They are all very well built and very touching. I liked each of the characters in these novels and if Monroe and Knox' story is my favorite, it was in Find me Worthy that I met my favorite character. With Worth, Annabeth Albert gives us an extremely touching character. I felt all of Worth's emotions so much and I could have stayed with him for hours.
We feel Annabeth Albert's involvement in this character and that she herself has gone through some ordeals similar to Worth. I'm not particularly sensitive to depression and my mental health is quite good, but I really felt this connection between the author and Worth. We feel that Annabeth Albert is going a little outside the codes of her usual novels, particularly in terms of the sex scenes. I was also pleasantly surprised by the way Annabeth Albert handled the slightly dominant-submissive relationship between Sam and Worth.
With Find me Worthy, Annabeth Albert gives us an intimate and very touching novel, a perfect conclusion to this trilogy which changes from what the author usually offers us.
November 11, 2023
If you’ve been reading along in this series, you know this one is going to pack an emotional punch. If you haven’t read the previous books, this can be read as a standalone but be warned, there are some complicated feelings that have to be worked through in this story and they can be triggering.
Sam has had a crush on Worth since they were kids and Worth was the older, cooler guy who was always nice to everyone. A lot has happened since then and Worth has stayed away from his hometown and the terrible memories. Worth’s mom disappeared when he was in college and many suspected his father of wrong-doing. The stress of the situation took its toll on his dad’s health and he died not long after. Now Worth’s mom’s body has been found, his old high school friends were instrumental in the recovery and one is writing a book about the case. A lot of complicated emotions for a town and all the more reason for Worth to stay away. But Sam always reaches out, knowing in his gut that Worth is not doing as well as he’d like everyone to believe.
When Worth shows back up in town even he doesn’t know why. Is it because he needs closure? Answers? Does he even want to know the truth of what happened or will it make it all worse for him? Sam’s there for him from the very beginning, yet makes it very clear that he can be a support for Worth but cannot be the cure for his depression and dark thoughts. And while it would be easy for Sam to let his feelings for Worth override doing what is best for them both, he knows he cannot do that. I appreciate the depth of character the author gave Sam. He is someone who needs to be needed, but he found it within him to do what was best for Worth even when it hurt.
I’m not a true crime fan. No shade to those who are, but I find it uncomfortable the way murders, disappearances, etc. are glorified knowing there are people out there grieving for these victims. With Worth’s mom’s murder being the exact type of story the masses love, there is a podcast that is done about her case and the author does an amazing job of capturing the intense emotions that happen when a fan of the podcast confronts Worth as if he’s a celebrity. Very uncomfortable and beautifully written.
This is a heavy story, but it’s also a story of love and finding light in the dark. I adore Sam and Worth together and the way they protect each other so fiercely, even when they are protecting themselves from themselves. I love their journey and all of the angst was worth the beautiful HEA.
Sam has had a crush on Worth since they were kids and Worth was the older, cooler guy who was always nice to everyone. A lot has happened since then and Worth has stayed away from his hometown and the terrible memories. Worth’s mom disappeared when he was in college and many suspected his father of wrong-doing. The stress of the situation took its toll on his dad’s health and he died not long after. Now Worth’s mom’s body has been found, his old high school friends were instrumental in the recovery and one is writing a book about the case. A lot of complicated emotions for a town and all the more reason for Worth to stay away. But Sam always reaches out, knowing in his gut that Worth is not doing as well as he’d like everyone to believe.
When Worth shows back up in town even he doesn’t know why. Is it because he needs closure? Answers? Does he even want to know the truth of what happened or will it make it all worse for him? Sam’s there for him from the very beginning, yet makes it very clear that he can be a support for Worth but cannot be the cure for his depression and dark thoughts. And while it would be easy for Sam to let his feelings for Worth override doing what is best for them both, he knows he cannot do that. I appreciate the depth of character the author gave Sam. He is someone who needs to be needed, but he found it within him to do what was best for Worth even when it hurt.
I’m not a true crime fan. No shade to those who are, but I find it uncomfortable the way murders, disappearances, etc. are glorified knowing there are people out there grieving for these victims. With Worth’s mom’s murder being the exact type of story the masses love, there is a podcast that is done about her case and the author does an amazing job of capturing the intense emotions that happen when a fan of the podcast confronts Worth as if he’s a celebrity. Very uncomfortable and beautifully written.
This is a heavy story, but it’s also a story of love and finding light in the dark. I adore Sam and Worth together and the way they protect each other so fiercely, even when they are protecting themselves from themselves. I love their journey and all of the angst was worth the beautiful HEA.
December 5, 2023
After reading the last two books I’m so happy to finally be getting Worths book. I’ve been curious about him the whole time and honestly just wanting the best for him after all the crappy things he’s been through. To finally have someone care and love him.
After the last book I wasn’t sure how I felt about Sam just cause I thought he could have been a better friend towards Holden doing his book and his struggles. Throughout this book I slowly came to love and appreciate him for everything he’s done for Worth. And his patience and understanding. Always there for Worth and encouraging him to get help and letting him know that his life isn’t over, it’s just beginning.
The relationship between the two did develop pretty fast in my opinion. It went from roommates to having a sexual relationship faster then I would have thought with Worth just returning home. With that said I did like the dynamic between Worth and Sam. I was expecting Worth to be more dominant and Sam being more submissive since Sam was described as being the more sweet one in previous books but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it’s the opposite. Sam is way more than a preacher son. And the kinky stuff they get up to was very spicy and I did enjoy.
I liked the mental health representation in the book between Worth having depression and working through his past trauma.
One of the things that was a big let down for me was the friend group between Monroe, Holden, Sam and Worth. I like all of these men separately and in their own books but when they come together not so much. I felt like the friend group never really supported each other and was never there. I especially felt this when Worth comes home and Monroe warns Sam about letting Worth help him at his cafe. This left such a sick feeling when they were suppose to be friends since childhood. Both him and Holden was no help at all in helping Worth feel more at home or helping him settle in. I expected more from them. Granted Worth didn’t make it easy but overall it was a huge let down and they didn’t really show up until the end.
Overall this was a solid book and a nice way to end this series. Some things could have be done better and better flesh out especially towards the end but I enjoyed my time with Sam and Worth. And Sam family completely embracing Worth into their family. The mystery part of the book was okay everything pretty much wrapped up at the end of the previous book and this was pretty much seeing where Worth is after everything. This was a beautiful story about healing, forgiveness and hope.
After the last book I wasn’t sure how I felt about Sam just cause I thought he could have been a better friend towards Holden doing his book and his struggles. Throughout this book I slowly came to love and appreciate him for everything he’s done for Worth. And his patience and understanding. Always there for Worth and encouraging him to get help and letting him know that his life isn’t over, it’s just beginning.
The relationship between the two did develop pretty fast in my opinion. It went from roommates to having a sexual relationship faster then I would have thought with Worth just returning home. With that said I did like the dynamic between Worth and Sam. I was expecting Worth to be more dominant and Sam being more submissive since Sam was described as being the more sweet one in previous books but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it’s the opposite. Sam is way more than a preacher son. And the kinky stuff they get up to was very spicy and I did enjoy.
I liked the mental health representation in the book between Worth having depression and working through his past trauma.
One of the things that was a big let down for me was the friend group between Monroe, Holden, Sam and Worth. I like all of these men separately and in their own books but when they come together not so much. I felt like the friend group never really supported each other and was never there. I especially felt this when Worth comes home and Monroe warns Sam about letting Worth help him at his cafe. This left such a sick feeling when they were suppose to be friends since childhood. Both him and Holden was no help at all in helping Worth feel more at home or helping him settle in. I expected more from them. Granted Worth didn’t make it easy but overall it was a huge let down and they didn’t really show up until the end.
Overall this was a solid book and a nice way to end this series. Some things could have be done better and better flesh out especially towards the end but I enjoyed my time with Sam and Worth. And Sam family completely embracing Worth into their family. The mystery part of the book was okay everything pretty much wrapped up at the end of the previous book and this was pretty much seeing where Worth is after everything. This was a beautiful story about healing, forgiveness and hope.
October 29, 2023
A terrific tale of love and healing.... Safe Harbor, Oregon.
Worth, 40, blonde, has come back
to the area, his Mom had been killed and he left 20 years ago, then he was an Investment Banker in a large Firm that got caught in a scandal. He's here with no where else to go, very down, depressed and alone.
Sam, 35, hot, wholesome, dark auburn hair,
lean and fit, is a businessman now, but has had a crush on Worthy from years ago.
Sam takes Worthy inside and helps him, making him a roommate and comforts Worthy. He finds him a job, a purpose, and mental health help, also. Worthy was not in a good headspace right now, and never healed from his Mom's death. Now he has the assed failure of a business he hadn't seen the Ponzi scheme happening.
Sam is the preacher's son, a caring, helping man who loved his home and the town loved him.
Worthy had never considered another man to be attracted to, but Sam was giving him those emotions. Sam is a virgin, and has been waiting for "the one" to have a relationship. Sam's nurturing nature wants to help Worthy turn his life around. They are both getting emotions, and neither one has had MM sex, but they begin slowly.
Sam, as a Dom figure who is bossy and likes control, is a perfect fit for Worthy who needs exactly that.
Worthy needs to get out of his own thoughts and feel free, and Sam can do just that. Worthy will get freedom from his guilt, problems and chaos, while Sam gets to show Worthy how much he truly cares for the man.
Their light D/s sexy times are super hot, satisfying and epic, exciting and explicit. Wow !
Beyond the sex, these guys are working together to help teens, and Worthy fits into the community and both do kind deeds. Their deep thoughts change wishes into reality.
The town likes them, but there are a few who hold grudges for Worthy. Sam's Mom uses ASL to communicate, which Worthy remembers some from his childhood there. There are other issues and much more to their stories.
It's a terrific story of a romance, future, hopes and we get an amazing epilogue.
ENJOY !
=====
Worth, 40, blonde, has come back
to the area, his Mom had been killed and he left 20 years ago, then he was an Investment Banker in a large Firm that got caught in a scandal. He's here with no where else to go, very down, depressed and alone.
Sam, 35, hot, wholesome, dark auburn hair,
lean and fit, is a businessman now, but has had a crush on Worthy from years ago.
Sam takes Worthy inside and helps him, making him a roommate and comforts Worthy. He finds him a job, a purpose, and mental health help, also. Worthy was not in a good headspace right now, and never healed from his Mom's death. Now he has the assed failure of a business he hadn't seen the Ponzi scheme happening.
Sam is the preacher's son, a caring, helping man who loved his home and the town loved him.
Worthy had never considered another man to be attracted to, but Sam was giving him those emotions. Sam is a virgin, and has been waiting for "the one" to have a relationship. Sam's nurturing nature wants to help Worthy turn his life around. They are both getting emotions, and neither one has had MM sex, but they begin slowly.
Sam, as a Dom figure who is bossy and likes control, is a perfect fit for Worthy who needs exactly that.
Worthy needs to get out of his own thoughts and feel free, and Sam can do just that. Worthy will get freedom from his guilt, problems and chaos, while Sam gets to show Worthy how much he truly cares for the man.
Their light D/s sexy times are super hot, satisfying and epic, exciting and explicit. Wow !
Beyond the sex, these guys are working together to help teens, and Worthy fits into the community and both do kind deeds. Their deep thoughts change wishes into reality.
The town likes them, but there are a few who hold grudges for Worthy. Sam's Mom uses ASL to communicate, which Worthy remembers some from his childhood there. There are other issues and much more to their stories.
It's a terrific story of a romance, future, hopes and we get an amazing epilogue.
ENJOY !
=====
August 25, 2024
READ ALL THREE IN ORDER!!!!
If I was to offer a suggestion to anyone considering this book, I would say read all three in order! Each book is uniquely it’s own BUT the greatest reading experience and insight is seeing things come together in this, the third instalment.
The series is set against a small town murder-mystery which Albert readily admits takes a backseat. The consistent cast surfaces in three distinct but intertwined storylines connected through subtle yet well crafted foreshadowing. Albert allows the depth of each character to shine with unique perspectives, strengths, and challenges in their placement within the mystery thread.
More importantly, Albert has an overarching message, which she shares through the main and secondary multi-dimensional and inclusive characters. Ultimately, through this series she reminds the reader that lives are lived, experiences are had, and our personalities and self worth are affected by the context around us. Each story has a unique message of allowing ourselves grace, forgiveness and healing.
While I LOVED reading each book, I wasn’t prepared to be OVERWHELMED by the concluding Epilogue in Find Me Worthy which highlights Albert’s incredible ability to summarize the series in a somewhat surprising yet completely suitable event. I suspect that had I read this one as a stand alone the concluding chapter would have lacked the impact intended.
As an author, Albert has consistently demonstrated the ability to connect with the demanding reader. Avoiding the trivial, details appear only when necessary to story development. She creates characters from multiple perspectives and experiences with ease. Their dialogue, thoughts and placement serve an intended purpose. Her writing allows the reader to engage with and/or become each character effortlessly. As a reader I am eternally grateful to have been able to witness and benefit from Albert’s immense talent.
FINALLY, in case it crossed your mind, I am not personally related to or in anyway connected to the author or the publisher, nor did I benefit in anyway from writing this lengthy post. Let’s just say I’m a HUGE fan of great writers who allow me to escape the frustration and monotony of daily life, and especially those who make me both FEEL and THINK.
If I was to offer a suggestion to anyone considering this book, I would say read all three in order! Each book is uniquely it’s own BUT the greatest reading experience and insight is seeing things come together in this, the third instalment.
The series is set against a small town murder-mystery which Albert readily admits takes a backseat. The consistent cast surfaces in three distinct but intertwined storylines connected through subtle yet well crafted foreshadowing. Albert allows the depth of each character to shine with unique perspectives, strengths, and challenges in their placement within the mystery thread.
More importantly, Albert has an overarching message, which she shares through the main and secondary multi-dimensional and inclusive characters. Ultimately, through this series she reminds the reader that lives are lived, experiences are had, and our personalities and self worth are affected by the context around us. Each story has a unique message of allowing ourselves grace, forgiveness and healing.
While I LOVED reading each book, I wasn’t prepared to be OVERWHELMED by the concluding Epilogue in Find Me Worthy which highlights Albert’s incredible ability to summarize the series in a somewhat surprising yet completely suitable event. I suspect that had I read this one as a stand alone the concluding chapter would have lacked the impact intended.
As an author, Albert has consistently demonstrated the ability to connect with the demanding reader. Avoiding the trivial, details appear only when necessary to story development. She creates characters from multiple perspectives and experiences with ease. Their dialogue, thoughts and placement serve an intended purpose. Her writing allows the reader to engage with and/or become each character effortlessly. As a reader I am eternally grateful to have been able to witness and benefit from Albert’s immense talent.
FINALLY, in case it crossed your mind, I am not personally related to or in anyway connected to the author or the publisher, nor did I benefit in anyway from writing this lengthy post. Let’s just say I’m a HUGE fan of great writers who allow me to escape the frustration and monotony of daily life, and especially those who make me both FEEL and THINK.
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