Stevie‘s review of Squared Away (Out of Uniform, Book 5) by Annabeth Albert
Contemporary Asexual and Gay Military Romance published by Carina Press 01 Apr 18
Out of Uniform is heading towards being Annabeth Albert’s longest running series, especially when you count in the shorter Gaymers series it spun off from, and yet it still manages to bring in new scenarios and new types of romantic pairings, even as it keeps us informed on how past books’ heroes are faring. This time around our would-be couple are a familiar face from previous books and a less familiar comrade of some of the other heroes.
Although we’ve met Isaiah before, we first see him in this book – and for the first time in conversation with Mark – some years before the series’ beginnings, at the wedding of Isaiah’s cousin to Mark’s sister. Isaiah sets out to woo Mark, but is turned down gently on account of his age and virginal status, and in spite of Mark’s obvious reciprocal interest. Fast forward six years, and Isaiah is a hard-partying perpetual student, while Mark is a hard-working SEAL medic. Their worlds collide once again when their mutually wed relatives die in a car crash, and Mark takes leave from active service to care for his nieces and nephew, only to find Isaiah already in place as their primary caregiver.
The situation is complicated further, when it is revealed that the parents’ wills – made separately several years apart – each name one of the men as potential legal guardian to the children. Although other relatives are prepared to help out, only those two are prepared to keep the children together in their current home. They agree to share responsibilities – at least until the courts decide who has the greater claim – and to live together in Mark’s old family home, which he now owns following his sister’s death.
Both the guys take steps towards being in a position to look after and financially support the children by themselves if necessary. Although Mark comes from a much wealthier background, Isaiah also has a potential family network, even if his academic father disapproves of his decision to set up in business as a landscape gardener. Meanwhile, their attraction to each other is rekindled – more strongly on Mark’s part, although he rarely experiences desire beyond random crushes – and alternately helped and hindered by people they meet all assuming that they must be a couple since they have one to three children with them much of the time. The looming legal guardianship case, however, threatens to create a rift between them, even before they’ve figured out what to do about their developing feelings.
I really enjoyed this book. The guys’ families were very believable in their keenness to help out – but only on their specific individual terms – and it was great to see real help coming to the newly blending family from heroes from the previous books (not to mention their kids in one particular case). I was a little frustrated at times by both our current heroes’ abilities to stick their heads in the sand where legal matters were concerned and to fail to talk to each other about how their family matters were going to be resolved. Some of that did tie in with their past failures to intervene in their relatives’ issues that led to the children being orphaned, so I suppose we can blame residual guilt for a lot of it. All in all, a great addition to a series that I still want to see plenty more from.
Grade: B
Summary:
In the wake of tragedy, SEAL Mark Whitley rushed stateside to act as guardian to his sister’s three young children. But a conflicting will could give custody to someone else—someone Mark remembers as a too young, too hot, wild party boy. Even after six years, Mark can’t shake the memory of his close encounter with Isaiah James, or face up to what it says about his own sexuality.
Isaiah’s totally over the crush that made him proposition Mark all those years ago. In fact, he’s done with crushing on the wrong men altogether. For now, he’s throwing himself into proving he’s the best person to care for his cousin’s kids. But there’s no denying there’s something sexy about a big, tough military man with a baby in his arms.
As the legal details get sorted out, their long-buried attraction resurfaces, leading to intimate evenings after the kids are tucked in. A forever future is within reach for all of them, if only Mark can find the courage he needs to trust Isaiah with his secrets—and his heart.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
