I had enjoyed Sailor Proof earlier this year, and was excited to see the second book in the series on Netgalley. I grabbed it right away. The book didn't disappoint --but I was also not blown away by it either.
The characters are likable, but the story itself requires a certain amount of "suspension of disbelief". There is some trope work here that just makes me roll my eyes. If I went to my family's cabin and found my ex-husband had gambled away the property --I'd be livid. And Felix...took it exceedingly well. Too well.

The be honest, my real take away from this book was the refreshing idea that a man wasn't interested in *sex*. Calder being a bit on the demi side of things, enjoying making out and touching was a great addition to his character --especially as most people tend to see guys like Calder as oversexed pervs. I was less enthused with the "magic prostate" discovery. I mean...yeah, that's definitely a thing for many, many men but it seems very odd to me that he wouldn't have discovered that on his own or with other partners previous to Felix.

My only real irritation, and it's a Me Problem: I dislike kids in romance. I'll simply leave it at that.

Over all, didn't regret the time spent reading this one.

A witty, fun loving navy chief and recently divorced father getting stuck together with two kids in a snowed in cabin...its the perfect meet cute! It is also a recipe for the low level angst Annabeth Albert writes so well.

Sink or Swim is an adorable story and one I could not put down. I devoured it and any lover of romance will enjoy it too.

One man focused on his career and having fun, while the other is bogged down by a bad divorce that just won't end and the never ending duties of fatherhood. Together, they find a way to move past their hangups and fears. It isn't a new idea, but it is done very well in this book.

Three things that made this book stand out for me. The kids are a main fixture in the story. They do advance the plot, like kids usually do in romance books, but they also don't exactly take a back seat to the romantic plot either. Just as when you date a parent, the kids are a huge part of the relationship, in this book they are a big part of the story.

The other two things I enjoyed are the ages of the characters (late 30s and early 40s - score!) and the sexual relationship between Felix and Calder. I refuse to give anything away, so I'll just say the level of intimacy these two find is beautiful and not exactly the usual for mm romance.

I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

4 stars - It was really good

Navy Chief Calder Euler loves to win big and his latest score was a remote mountain cabin. What he doesn’t expect is for the cabin to not be empty but occupied by a single dad with two adorable girls.

This was a wonderful romance. Calder and Felix had a very slow relationship that was built on trust and acceptance. Calder is known for his competitive and outgoing personality but it just hides how lonely he is. Felix sees past that to the real man and appreciates everything that Calder provides, even when he was trying to push him away.

Felix is a single parent who has been taking care of his nieces for years now. He isn’t used to helping and struggles to lean on Calder, or his stepmother for help. I loved how Calder slowly got him to realize it was ok to lean on others and to be happy, have fun, and have a life outside of the girls. Also, he is an absolute wonderful parent to these girls. I loved how accepting he was of their different personalities and encouraged them to pursue things that interests them, like medical facts and bones.

My absolute favorite part of this book though was the open and frank discussions about sex these two have. Calder has issues with sex and Felix is accepting of that from the very beginning. He never questions or shames Calder, just works with it and makes their sexual experiences wonderful for both of them. I adored that about these two. It made me instantly love them both.

Overall, this was a wonderful, heartfelt, and sweet romance. I couldn’t get enough of these two and their sweet little family.

I am a big fan of Annabeth Albert, and this book was exactly what I have learned to expect from her work. It has excellent characters and a fun twist on some tropes.

Navy chief Calder is sexy and playful, but he also is dealing with an injury changing his career plans, leading to some great character growth throughout the book. Felix is also compelling, raising two young girls and trying to get over his divorce. I loved the kids in the book too! They are compelling and more than just window dressing.

The book was low angst and a great winter read. I highly recommend it. I can't wait to read the first book in the series Sailor Proof. You don't need to have read that one to enjoy this one, but the characters do make an appearance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

Whilst I'm still not a fan of military romance, I did really like all the family stuff in this. They were super cute, and I think Annabeth Albert is good at that.

*Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.*


I was SO STOKED when I got an ARC of this title. I read Sailor Proof last month and I enjoyed it so much. It was a sweet Brother's Best Friend MM romance and this follow up novel is about said brother.

Calder is a Navy Chief on a submarine and he has been shore leave do to an injury for the last little bit. He is getting restless, so a weekend at his recently acquired cabin in the mountains sounds like the perfect thing to relax him. Except… this cabin he won in a poker game? Yeah, it belongs to the ex-husband of the man he "won" it from.

Felix is basically a single dad. He is the guardian of his two young nieces and he is wholly devoted to them. When he shows up at his grandfather's cabin with the girls to discover it has been gambled away to this hunky young sailor… he is anything but thrilled. Even worse, Calder gets injured and they get snowed in together for the weekend.

Neither of them is looking for commitment, or so they think.

I was just enchanted with this book. I was so caught up in deep connection growing between these two. I loved how they got to know each other and how.. Intimate their relationship becomes and not just in the way you think. They are more honest with each other than they are with anyone else. They discuss things in ways they never have with anyone else.

I was honestly so stunned by how sweet and deep their relationship was by the end. The way they are able to be raw and open with themselves. In the bedroom and in the kitchen, haha! It was so beautiful.

I absolutely Love the Shore Leave series by Annabeth Albert and she is changing the way I look at Gay Romance.

Do yourself a favor and give this series a try.

5/5 stars

I adored this book! So fresh and different. Calder is definitely not what you expect. Nor did he expect to find Felix and his two nieces at the cabin he's just won. Albert takes forced proximity as a trope and turns it deliciously on its head. The progression of their relationship was perfect. Each got to learn about themselves and work through their individual baggage. Calder's interaction with the children was adorable and how he really just wants to help others made me want to hug him. He definitely learns boundaries while Felix learns to trust. They had chemistry but also a deeper connection that I felt throughout the book. Albert's characters always have depth and grow as they fall in love. This book perfectly illustrates this. I wanted their story to go on and on. Definitely one of my favorites from this author.

I loved Sink or Swim from the beginning. The author does a great job drawing you into the snowy cabin in the woods. Calder and Felix had a bumpy start but there was an immediate connection that had me routing for them. The kids were adorable as well. I thought they were written perfectly!

I was excited when I saw this second installment for this series and I couldn't wait to read! ]I loved the first installment and this one was no different.

Calder, who we met in the first book has been on shore duty since he obtained an injury. He continues to fill his free time with poker playing where he 'scored' big and won a vacation cabin but unbeknownst to him, he got more than just the cabin.

Felix, freshly divorced and the sole guardian of his nieces plans a getaway at the family cabin only to stumble into Calder. After a weekend getting snowed in together, the pair spend time together working on the cabin and resolving ownership of the cabin while forming a friendship.

This was a slow burn, age gap read. Both Felix and Calder struggle in the beginning with what they both want from their friendship and relationship together. The attraction between the pair is strong as is the chemistry. Both have issues that they need to work through - Calder with if is happiness is continuing with life as he is or if he is ready to find roots and Felix with his continued need to solve everything (from small household issues to accepting help with his nieces) on his own or can he learn that it is okay to depend on someone else since not everyone is like his ex.

I was rooting for this pair from the start and I was not disappointed in this book at all. In the end without revealing the entire book, this was a good read that I would recommend to others.

I adore Annabeth Albert's books. She writes the sweetest, sexiest romances around. I love how her heroes are not idealized versions of people - but are very real. Felix is a doctor - but not a surgeon or a superstar - he is a geriatric psychiatrist who adores his job, but is struggling to balance his work life with being a single parent. He also isn't magically in perfect shape with a bazillion dollars to his name. Calder is career Navy - but isn't SEAL (shocking in romancelandia). He is a born organizer and details man - he hasn't really pursued a relationship - with anyone before now because his main love was the Navy and being on a submarine. As life has changed around him - he meets Felix and starts to see that what he wants from life is changing too.

Overall I adored Felix and Calder. Felix is the definition of a good man - and the true antidote to toxic masculinity. Watching him with the girls - who were wonderfully true representations of actual 3D kids - was heart melting. And watching Calder grow and find what he didn't know he was missing with Felix and the girls was beautiful.

Highly recommend!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

Calder Euler loves to win almost as much as he hates to lose. In Sink or Swim, his philosophy on relationships—that they're too big of a risk for a man who never bets on something he doesn't think he'll win—gets a major challenge when he's thrown for a loop by Felix Sigurd and his girls.

With Felix, Calder learns to take it slow and Felix learns to have a little fun, but when they're both scared to bet their hearts and take a chance on love, they'll need to either fold or take the biggest risk of their lives.

Once again, Annabeth Albert follows up a brilliant series starter with a fantastic second book. Sink or Swim is sweet, loving, and will tug on your heart strings in the best way.

Annabeth Albert is a master at MM military romances with undeniable chemistry and relatable characters. The second book in her Shore Leave series, Sink or Swim, is no exception. This book follows Navy man Calder who has a reputation for a fun time but not a long time. When a mix up lands him in the same cabin as recently divorced single dad of two Felix he is hesitant at first. However, these two hit it off immediately and eventually their mutual attraction turns into something more. Both of these men aren’t looking for anything more, but their relationship slowly starts to feel serious. Can their friends with benefits arrangement last? Or is their relationship destined to sink? I really enjoyed this funny and steamy romance!

This is the second book in the series, but can almost be a standalone since the focus is on Calder and Felix. We see Arthur and Derrick from book one late in this story, and their relationship to Calder is easily explained.

I really liked the relationship between Calder and Felix. The physical and emotional aspects were slow and built on an easy friendship. They both had good character growth and made an effort to communicate with each other. They also paid attention and tried to look at things from the other's POV. It is sweet and, from my perspective, low angst. I just really liked how they talked, listened, and understood that holding on to the past was stunting their future.

Overall, I would recommend this book.

The ARC still had proofreading issues, which I hope they caught before going live.

What starts as a bet ends in romance in this lovely new story from Annabeth Albert, which features a NAVY officer and a single dad, who are thrown into close proximity by unforeseen circumstances. A story with heart and humor!

A sweet, easy read. The family/single dad vibes are similar to the author’s previous titles, Squared Away and At Attention, but with less angst and steam. Good for readers looking for a romance that’s not all about sex.

SINK OR SWIM is book 2 in the Shore Leave series by Annabeth Albert. We’re following Navy Chief Calder Euler and newly single dad, Dr. Felix Sigurd. Calder loves to win, and he recently hit the jackpot— a remote mountain cabin. When he shows up to check out his winnings, he finds Felix and his 2 girls there. The cabin belongs to Felix and his ex husband tried to gamble away his property. After an accident and their awkward meeting, a snowstorm forces them to shelter together. They’re surprised by how easily they fall into a pleasant rhythm together.
-
I loved book 1, Sailor Proof, and this sequel did not disappoint! I absolutely adored Calder, Felix and the girls together. Talk about heartwarming! I couldn’t stop smiling. This book starts off with one of my favourite tropes— they’re snowed in! Forced proximity is golden.
-
I appreciated the discussion on sex in this book. Sex and intimacy is different for every individual person, and I loved how Felix handled that conversation with Calder.
-
Something I *loved* about this book was the communication between Felix and Calder. I was just talking to a friend about how I’m finding myself annoyed with dramatic third act break ups, and this book is a great example of what I’d like to see more of. It felt realistic. When you have an argument or a miscommunication, you don’t always blow up and storm off and ghost each other for months. Seeing how Felix and Calder could communicate healthily during tension made me appreciate their romance all the more. I adored this little family and I can’t wait to read more from Albert!
-
5 stars, SINK OR SWIM by Annabeth Albert is available February 22, 2022!
-
Thank you to Carina Adores and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review.

So sweet! I liked how the story starts out as forced proximity but it’s only in the beginning for a short time. It was lovely how both Calder and Felix shared vulnerabilities but were also able to reassure the other. Charming men and charming kids too. And no third act breakup!

Thank you Carina Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I'm loving this series!

I got so excited to see this book since I've been waiting ever so patiently since the first book for it to come out!! I love age gap books and the meet cute sounded super fun too! Will there be more books?? I can't wait!

This book is a sweet MM romance, perfect for when you want a nice relaxing story that makes you feel all mushy, plus there's Charlotte and Madeleine which are the cutest kids!

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

Heat Factor: So tender! There’s not a lot of sex in this book, and it mostly occurs relatively early on.

Character Chemistry: “I don’t trust you, but you’re definitely hot, and we’re stuck together in this cabin.” → “OMG, feelings!”

Plot: Calder “wins” a cabin from Felix’s mean ex-husband, they end up stuck together there for a weekend, and why wouldn't that result in a friends-with-benefits-but-actually-dating situationship?

Overall: If you are looking for Big Hug Energy in your romance, this whole relationship is that

I have been waiting only somewhat patiently for this book to come out. I really enjoyed Sailor Proof, and also there were keywords: Silver Fox. What can I say? I know what I want.

Calder is a chief in the Navy, and he’s been stuck ashore since getting a concussion because of something that happened on his sub. It’s only important insofar as it comes into play re: Calder’s life goals (and how they change(?)). So when he wins a cabin in a poker game, he’s all, “Yay! A win!” (He really likes to win.)

Fun story, the guy who bet the cabin is the ex-husband of the cabin’s real owner, Felix. And guess what? Felix ends up at the cabin with his nieces (for whom he has sole custody) on the same weekend that Calder goes to check out the cabin. WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!

Oh, and it’s snowing.

I’m so tickled by this whole thing that I’m chuckling about it as I’m writing.

Albert’s books usually start with the blurb and then a whole bunch of stuff happens after that, so the whole book doesn’t take place at the cabin. They’re only snowed in for about 48 hours. Instead, relationship averse, married-to-his-job-at-sea Calder and post-divorce, I-have-to-mind-my-priorities Felix find excuses to see each other until they’re dating in everything but name after the cabin situation starts the ball rolling. It’s so totally charming.

Please note that this is a single parent book and the kids occupy a meaningful space in the story. Albert doesn’t always include kids in her stories, but when she does it’s usually pretty well done. The kids are three-dimensional characters, and they’re not really plot drivers except as relates to Felix needing to prioritize being a responsible parent. I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed a lot of things about this book. It’s a snuggly blanket on a cold day.

But my favorite aspect of this book relates to Calder’s relationship with sex. I have spent much of this year consuming Albert’s backlist, and one hallmark of her storytelling is that she identifies a thing and gives a protagonist who occupies that space a beautiful relationship. For example, I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance featuring a hero who orgasms dry except by Albert. (Obviously I haven’t read everything, but I do read a lot.) But Calder. Calder was a hero I didn’t know I needed. You see, Calder struggles to orgasm unless he’s doing the work himself, and most of the time he feels like it’s just not worth it to try. As he says to Felix:

"There’s lasting a long time like sexy endurance and then there’s marathon slog where I can legit sense that the other person really just wants to be done and go to sleep."

Feeling like your partner isn’t into it is so awful. Or feeling like they’ll be upset if you have to get yourself off. Poor Calder. But of course, because this is a romance novel, Felix understands and is present for Calder in such a way that he feels safe. Their time together is a space with no expectations other than that they both enjoy what they’re doing. Felix does such a great job of being present with Calder and being into whatever they’re doing and taking the burden of “we have to orgasm, and quickly” off Calder’s mind. This kind of “I see you” in romance novels is one of my absolute favorites.

"When we’d kissed, I’d never felt so taken care of or safe sexually, and as much as I wanted to explore those feelings more, I also wanted to take care of Felix in return."

Ugh my heart. 💕

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.