Another solid addition to this series! Friends-enemies-lovers is always interesting. Lots of fun, quirky gamer fun. Mild sex and a lot of fluff! I really enjoyed Milo.

Read the book in one sitting. Adored the dynamic between the two protagonists. The author managed to inhabit both of them beautifully. A novel about misconceptions, second chances with heartwarming secondary characters. My only note would be that the happy ending seemed a bit rushed in comparison to the rest of the novel.

Schöne Liebesgeschichte

Wer nach einer frischen, schönen Liebesgeschichte sucht, bei der aus ehemaligen Freunden ein Paar wird, ist bei dem Buch genau richtig.

Ich habe vor einigen Jahren bereits einmal ein paar Bücher der Autorin gelesen und fand diese auch nicht schlecht, habe dann aber doch eine Pause von ihren Romanen genommen. Andere Bücher haben mich schlicht mehr angesprochen. Da sich „Out of character“ aber wunderbar frisch anhörte und mich das Cover angezogen hat, wollte ich dem Buch unbedingt eine Chance geben.

Nach dem ich das Buch nun gelesen habe, bin ich froh mal wieder zu einem Werk der Autorin gegriffen zu haben, wenn auch nicht alles im Buch für mich perfekt funktioniert hat.

Den Einstieg und Mittelteil des Buches fand ich stark. Ich habe es genossen, mehr über Milo und Jasper zu erfahren und fand es bewegend, wie beide einander so langsam näher gekommen sind. Überraschenderweise fand ich Milo als Charakter interessanter als Jasper. Seine Geschichte hat mich berührt und er wirkte auf mich echter als Jasper. Mit all seinen Problemen und Macken konnte ich mir Milo gut als richtige Person vorstellen, bei Jasper konnte ich das nur bedingt.

Der Verlauf der Geschichte ist interessant und in der Liebesgeschichte gibt es so manch schöne Szene. Gegen Ende fand ich einige der Entwicklungen etwas übertrieben (z.B. in Bezug auf Milos Karriere), etwas weniger wäre vielleicht mehr gewesen.

Alles rund um das Cosplay und das Kartenspiel fand ich leider nicht so richtig spannend, was vor allem mit meinen persönlichen Interessen zu tun hat und wenig mit der Darstellung der genannten Sachen im Buch. Wer damit mehr anfangen kann, wird wahrscheinlich auch noch mehr Spaß mit der Geschichte haben.

Da mich das Buch gut unterhalten konnte, ohne komplett zu überzeugen, gebe ich „Out of character“ 3,75 Sterne.

Teens will enjoy this romance coming of age story set in the world of tabletop gaming. Strong characters and shifting points of view.

I didn't always know the enemies-to-lovers trope would be my thing regardless of the characters. Whether it's two guys, two girls, or a guy and a girl I love it and I love for it. I love the snark and the drama and the made-up reasons to avoid each other and then come back together. The plot for this didn't reach me as much as some others, but it'll be perfect for gamers and nerds alike even if games aren't your thing.

With Conventionally Yours being one of my favorite books from last year and introducing me to the wonderful Annabeth Albert I was so excited when Out of Character was announced! A chance to slip back into the Odyssey universe- Sign me up!

Milo has made some really, really, really bad choices including losing his brothers extremely rare Odyssey cards and now is asking Jasper to help him get new ones. Too bad he treated Jasper horribly in high school and Jasper is not ready to forgive him. Jasper does have a way that Milo can earn his trust and hopefully the cards back, cosplay!

I truly love a book where we see the character grow- Milo going from the bully to discovering himself was an amazing arc. Milo’s struggle to come out to to his family and embrace the life he could have was so heartbreaking but rewarding. Jasper, just adorable, like no other words. His hero complex of trying to help Milo, take care of his sister and be the best Frog Wizard made him an extremely likable and fun character. His self confidence was inspiring.

There were some sexy but not graphic scenes. Their communication about consent and the care taken with the sex led to their caring, tender relationship.
I loved the side characters of April and the professors. It was fun to see Conrad and Alden again!

Overall, a fun, sweet, read with a great message about embracing who you are and being brave.

I have loved everything Annabeth has put out...until this one. For some reason, I couldn't get into it. I got to chapter 7 and just didn't like the characters, the story, or any of the side characters. I will still read her but this one just wasn't for me. :(

Adorable second foray into the Gamer Grandpa group! We met Jasper in the first book as a supporting character in the Odyssey playing podcast. The structure of this story almost made Jasper a supporting character in his own love story, though... The story really focused on the trauma happening around him - with his love interest, Milo, his little sister, even the tragedy of homophobia running rampant - Jasper seemed secondary. Milo had a fabulous character arc, recognizing and coming out as gay and growing beyond his close-minded friends and family legacy. The two came together through manipulation and desperation, leaving the love story feeling a little Stockholm. Still a fun read, and great for young and new adults - the sex scenes are a step up from fade to black, focusing on the feelings and not graphic physicality.

A sweet new adult and first love story. It took me a little bit to get into this story (unlike Conventionally Yours, which sucked me in immediately) and I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to like Milo. Fortunately that wasn’t the cases after a few chapters I got a better sense of him and both characters ended up being well developed and like able. The treasure hunt aspect of this was great, and the side characters were fun. This was a satisfying romance.

I loved this book so much, I don't know how to begin this review!

Jasper, Jasper, Jasper. The ultimate book boyfriend if I've ever witnessed one. He's kind, generous, has a huge hero complex and is just an all round amazing guy. Then we have Milo that made some mistakes in his life and needs a second chance for someone to believe in him and fix his mistakes. Who better than Book Boyfriend Jasper?

Everyone is going to fall in love with this book. I sure did. The duo of Jasper and Milo is a force to be reckoned with, and such a delight to read. It was so sweet I'm getting cavities. Seriously. I'm going to remember this book for a long time.

I loved the first book of the series and this one topped that one off! It's the series that keeps on giving.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the earc in return for an honest review.