Annabeth Albert is an author who first came to my attention with her Portland Heat series, centered around small shop owners of assorted varieties and her #gaymer series which features a video game company. The last book in the #gaymer series, Connection Error, featured a Navy SEAL (Ryan) and this new series Out of Uniform is a spin off from that. While the previous books of hers that I've read (and truthfully enjoyed very much) were fairly lighthearted, Off Base tackles more serious subjects such as workplace harassment and family conflict in a compelling and believable story.

Zack Nelson is a 23 year old active duty SEAL. He's also a virgin, and unsure of his own sexuality. He's dated girls, but never felt the same kind of attraction that he feels towards men. While the military's 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' policy is no longer in effect, it hasn't stopped the harassment of gay servicemen and women, it's just kept it more hidden. Zack's inadvertent physical reaction to a male friend is noticed by a homophobic teammate who proceeds to corner Zack and threaten to out him, taking opportunities when they are working alone to bully him. Looking to ease some of the stress, Zack moves off base to a fixer upper house owned by a senior officer, under the auspices of cheaper rent in exchange for helping to renovate the house.

Truth is, Zack has no idea how to do most of the work involved. When a friend of a friend, Pike Reynolds, is in need of a place to live for a term mathematics teaching contract at a local college, Zack reluctantly agrees to let him live with him. Pike used to help his mom renovate houses and has the technical expertise that Zack lacks. But Pike is also very out of the closet. He's comfortable with his sexuality and doesn't shy away from conversations about it. Zack's denial of his sexuality doesn't last long when his attraction to Pike surfaces. But Pike isn't interested in a having a 'tourist' visit the gay lifestyle. He's looking for long term commitment. Will Zack have the courage to accept the truth about himself and his feelings for Pike, no matter the consequences?

Most of this story is about Zack's struggle to accept his sexuality. Faced with real harassment at work, homophobic sentiments and actions from some of his teammates and reluctance to break team cohesion, it's no wonder he doesn't want to fully open that closet door. Better to continue denying his feelings and stay clear of other gay men so as to not be tempted, or outed inadvertently. It doesn't help that he comes from a small town religious conservative background. His parents are active in their church and believe the lie about homosexuality being a lifestyle choice. They are proud of Zack being a member of the Navy and constantly tell him so. Plus, his older brother is a troublemaker, making Zack the 'good' son. Zack was bullied by his brother as a child, a fact his parents refuse to accept. Being bullied again in his work life reminds him uncomfortably of what it was like at home as a child, one of the reasons he left his home town to join the Navy. It's a lot of pressure on a young man. He's great at his job, but he believes that rocking the boat by coming forward with harassment charges against a teammate could mean the end of his career and being forced to move back home.

Pike knows that Zack is struggling, though not the extent of the reasons why. He's part of a circle of gay friends that includes a Navy SEAL, Ryan, which is how he and Zack initially met. He's been attracted to Zack for ages, but isn't going to act on those feelings. Instead he focuses on being a friend to Zack, supporting him by being someone he can talk to and dealing with the home renovation jobs for which he has the expertise. It's not long before Zack makes the first move in the privacy and safety of their home, and they share some steamy scenes together. As a virgin, Zack is hesitant but his enthusiasm makes up for any inexperience. Pike finds himself falling for Zack pretty quickly, even as he understands that their relationship can only be temporary, and that unless Zack is willing to come out of the closet, it won't have a future.

Pike is a very engaging and likable character. He's smart and funny and self assured, the opposite of Zack's quiet and introverted self. He's a young professor and this is his first teaching job, so he worries about whether he's being effective in the classroom. Prior to this position, he'd been hoping to work for a gaming company and with this job being only for a term, and Zack's commitment problems, he's still feeling in limbo about his future.

Things get pretty intense in the latter half of the story, with Zack's family, his work and his relationship with Pike all coming to a head. Choices can no longer be put off. I really like how all of the issues are dealt with and the way that Zack and Pike get their happy ending. The situations that both men encounter along the way feel realistic and are dealt with in a believable manner. There are some well written secondary characters that have major impacts on Zack and Pike's relationships, both negatively and positively, including ones who will feature in later stories in the series. Off Base combines a sexy romance with an emotionally dramatic story and is a great start to the Out of Uniform series.

Note: this review has been posted at All About Romance and feedback updated with the link. An abbreviated version will be posted at sale sites during release week.

*** Copy provided to the reviewer via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

Navy SEAL Zack Nelson is in the closet, which considering his religious family and homophobic team members are not that much of a surprise. When life on the base becomes unbearable, he finds a place to live off base, just so he can be in peace somewhere. Pike Reynolds is just Zack's opposite, out, proud and flirty and in need of somewhere to live in San Diego, and through his friends Josiah and Ryan (who coincidentally is Zack's best friend), he convinces Zack he's the roommate he needs to help him with the house's repairs.

Living in close proximity makes Zack's control snap and soon Zack and Pike discover just how good they can be together, but Zack is aware that Pike deserves more than just being his dirty little secret.

My heart broke for Zack so many times. Having to grow up with that kind of parents and older brother, I'm surprised he came out as nicely as he did. And what he was subjected to with his teammates, well, it was awful. No wonder he didn't want to come out. And Pike, well, he was sweet and so good for Zack. And while they were both flawed and messed up, I loved that they managed to move past that and just work things out. Of course, it didn't hurt that they were hot, oh so hot together!

All in all, another great book by Annabeth Albert and a fascinating start to this series! Fast-paced and very entertaining, with an engaging cast of characters that I hope we see again in the next book.

Very recommendable!

Rating: 4.5 Stars!!!

Intriguing, romantic and heartwarming!

This is a contemporary romance story about military life, discovering one's true self, and having the strength to follow one's heart regardless of the consequences all wrapped up in a plot filled with flirty banter, sexual tension, chemistry, doubt, acceptance, harassment, friendship and love.

The writing is clear and precise. And the main characters are an alluring mix of an uncertain, strong, hunky Navy Seal and a fun-loving, charming professor who loves to tease.

Overall, I would have to say this is an encouraging, lighthearted story with endearing characters that will captivate you from the very beginning.

This is the first novel in the new "Out of Uniform" series by Annabeth Albert, and I look forward to reading At Attention (Out of Uniform #2), Apollo and Dylan's story, due out later this year.

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Carina Press, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book in Annabeth Albert's Out of Uniform series, but it's not the first time that Pike and Zack are introduced. Since it's also the first book of Annabeth Albert's that I've read, I now have to go back and read some of her #gaymers series... sneaky, sneaky author. *sigh*

To be honest, it took me a little while to connect with Pike. I'm not sure why, because once that reader/character connection clicked, there was no breaking it. I admired the way he was comfortable with who he was as much as I understood Zack's crippling uncomfortableness. Their stalemate was heartbreaking. :(

The supporting characters were great and I can't wait to see more of most of them. I wanted to cheer the heroes that came to Zack's rescue in this book... characters that gave him hope. One thing that I would have liked that readers didn't get was true interaction between Pike and his mom. She was painted as such a cool character that I really wanted to meet her.

Needless to say, I can't wait to read more about these men Out of Uniform. In the mean time I'm going to peruse more of this author's back list.

I didn't realize at first that this was a spin-off of the gaymers series, but I was so excited when I realized who it was. And no, you don't HAVE to read Gaymers before reading this book.

Zach and Pike's chemistry was amazing. I seriously loved the fact that Zach was this Navy SEAL bad ass, but also this big softy romantic and a virgin to boot! The fact that yeah, he was confused, bit he didn't do anything else to add more drama to his confusion. So when it came to Pike, he definitely wasn't confused as to who he wanted, but rather who he could tell and share his joy with. That right there is a kick to the heart.

Zach's teammate,Cobb, was a real douchenozzle. The comparisons between Cobb and Zach's brother was also another kick in the heart. I guess I just feel really bad for Zach. At the same time, he's so passionate in his feelings towards Pike (at least in private) that you can't but be endeared by him.

Granted Zach's parents are ultra conservative, I hope they can figure things out, that's if they're feats in anymore of this series.

That being said, I think I have a pretty good inkling as to whom is next and it's pretty exciting.

All in all I give this one a solid 4.5*

Annabeth Albert is an author who first came to my attention with her Portland Heat series, centered around small shop owners of assorted varieties, and her #gaymer series which features a video game company. The last #gaymers book, Connection Error, featured a Navy SEAL (Ryan) and this new series Out of Uniform is a spin off from that. While the previous books of hers that I've read (and enjoyed very much) were fairly lighthearted, Off Base tackles more serious subjects such as workplace harassment and family conflict in a compelling and believable story.

Zack Nelson is a twenty-three year old active duty SEAL. He's also a virgin, and unsure of his own sexuality. He's dated girls, but never felt the same kind of attraction for them that he feels towards men. While the military's 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' policy is no longer in effect, it hasn't stopped the harassment of gay servicemen and women, it's just kept it more hidden. Zack's inadvertent physical reaction to a male friend is noticed by a homophobic teammate who proceeds to corner Zack and threaten to out him, taking opportunities when they are working alone to bully him. Looking to ease some of the stress, Zack moves off base to a fixer-upper house owned by a senior officer, where he’ll pay a reduced rent in exchange for helping to renovate the house.

Truth is, Zack has no idea how to do most of the work involved. When a friend of a friend, Pike Reynolds, is in need of a place to live while he teaches for a term at a local college, Zack reluctantly agrees to let him live with him. Pike used to help his mom renovate houses and has the technical expertise that Zack lacks. But Pike is also very much out of the closet. He's comfortable with his sexuality and doesn't shy away from conversations about it. Zack's denial of his sexuality doesn't last long when his attraction to Pike surfaces. But Pike isn't interested in a having a 'tourist' visit the gay lifestyle; he's looking for long term commitment. Will Zack have the courage to accept the truth about himself and his feelings for Pike, no matter the consequences?

Most of this story is about Zack's struggle to accept his sexuality. Faced with real harassment at work, homophobic sentiments and actions from some of his teammates and reluctance to break team cohesion, it's no wonder he doesn't want to fully open that closet door. It’s better to continue denying his feelings and stay clear of other gay men so as to not be tempted or outed inadvertently. It doesn't help that he comes from a small town religious conservative background. His parents are active in their church and believe the lie about homosexuality being a lifestyle choice. They are proud of Zack being a member of the Navy and constantly tell him so. Plus, his older brother is a troublemaker, making Zack the 'good' son. Zack was bullied by his brother as a child, a fact his parents refuse to accept. Being bullied again in his work life reminds him uncomfortably of what it was like at home as a child, one of the reasons he left his home town to join the Navy. It's a lot of pressure on a young man. He's great at his job, but he believes that rocking the boat by coming forward with harassment charges against a teammate could mean the end of his career and being forced to move back home.

Pike knows that Zack is struggling, though not the extent of the reasons why. He's part of a circle of gay friends that includes a Navy SEAL, Ryan, which is how he and Zack initially met. He's been attracted to Zack for ages, but isn't going to act on those feelings. Instead he focuses on being a friend to Zack, supporting him by being someone he can talk to and dealing with the home renovation jobs for which he has the expertise. It's not long before Zack makes the first move in the privacy and safety of their home, and they share some steamy scenes together. As a virgin, Zack is hesitant but his enthusiasm makes up for any inexperience. Pike finds himself falling for Zack pretty quickly, even as he understands that their relationship can only be temporary, and that unless Zack is willing to come out of the closet, it won't have a future.

Pike is a very engaging and likable character. He's smart, funny and self-assured, the opposite of Zack's quiet and introverted self. He's a young professor and this is his first teaching job, so he worries about whether he's being effective in the classroom. Prior to this position, he'd been hoping to work for a gaming company and with this job being only for a term, and Zack's commitment problems, he's still feeling in limbo about his future.

Things get pretty intense in the latter half of the story, with Zack's family, his work and his relationship with Pike all coming to a head. Choices can no longer be put off. I really like how all of the issues are dealt with and the way that Zack and Pike get their happy ending. The situations that both men encounter along the way feel realistic and are dealt with in a believable manner. There are some well written secondary characters that have major impacts on Zack and Pike's relationships, both negatively and positively, including ones who will feature in later stories in the series. Off Base combines a sexy romance with an emotionally dramatic story and is a great start to the Out of Uniform series.

reviewed by AAR's Maria Rose

Enjoyable, but not her best book. Still a fun read though.

This is a spin-off of her Gaymers series but works well on its own, so there is no need to read the other series though they are rather good, especially the last book, and I highly recommend them.

The main set up is in a way similar to that in Connection Error, here we have a military man and a gamer (in this case, gamer--turned-college professor) coming together. The Navy SEAL Zack is a virgin hero, deeply in the closet, not fully out even to himself, while Pike is his opposite - he has never been in the closet and cannot (doesn't even try) to pass as straight. Now, you can imagine the tension arising from these two living under the same roof and dealing with the strong attraction existing between them.

I liked the intensity of the relationship, both their struggles - personal and professional felt real to me. Pike didn't want to start things with someone who was not clear about his own sexuality, while Zack was under a lot of pressure from his family and the military to keep playing the perfect straight boy. At time sit felt like Pike came as a bit too aggressive in his insistence for Zack to come out since this could and in a way, did, put him in real physical in the military. His family were ultra conservative, religious and homophobic and coming out as gay to them went as well (bad) as can be expected.

All this put enormous stress on both Pike and Zack and made it really difficult for them to form a real relationship rather than just being f*ck buddies on the sly. Add to this the professional insecurity and turmoil both faced as two young men trying to fit in the world of grown-up working people after graduation, and things quickly reached a boiling point.

The story creates a strong sense of community and support for Zack and Pike as a couple, which really sends a positive, hopeful message. Zack ended being rejected by his family and it was not an easy thing for him to deal with but he also got the support he needed from the military and his friends (waves to Ryan and Josiah).

I found both main characters to be well developed, full-fledged, which made them so very likable. Their story is the story any two young men trying to build a life of their own - personally and professionally which I can recommend to any fan of good contemporary romance.

A great start to a new series; I can't wait to see who else gets a book. Please say Apollo is next!

Quick bullet points for this review:

~There's some angst as Zack finds the courage and confidence to admit his sexuality to others (he's always known though).
~Fantasy chemistry; no surprise, as Albert never disappoints here.
~Loved watching these two working together on the house.
~I was glad to see the homophobic team member was transferred and didn't ruin things.
~I was also glad that Zack's parent,s though not happy about his sexuality, stayed out of the picture and didn't cause unnecessary drama/issues

Off Base kicks off a new series that's a new military spin-off of her previous series (#gaymers) and I am so here for this.

Post goes live 10 Jan

Off Base is a sweet, and occasionally very hot, love story between Zack Nelson, a newly minted Navy SEAL and Pike Reynolds, a mathematician fresh out of graduate school. They are polar opposites from the start. Zack Is struggling with his own sexuality and with making his way in the testosterone-laden world of the SEALS. Pike is out and proud and doesn’t care who knows. When the book begins, the two know each other only vaguely as acquaintances with mutual friends. However, when Pike takes a job in San Diego where Zack is stationed and needs somewhere to live, ends up becoming Zack roommate in his newly acquired off-base housing. From there, the relationship blossoms from barely friends, to friends with benefits, and finally to love.

However, throughout the relationship, Zack remains confused and deeply closeted about his own sexuality. When he is hurt in the field and his denial of Pike’s true place in his life leads to Pike not being told about his injuries or allowed to see him, Zack’s secrecy threatens to tear them apart. Will Zack be able to step up to the plate and be honest about himself in their relationship or will his inability to come to terms with it tear them apart?


I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed Zack and Pike’s story. My heart ached for Zack all the way through. He’s a good, honorable man, from an ultraconservative upbringing with ultraconservative parents, who is trying his best to be all things to all people. His struggle is believable and realistic. He knows that whatever choice he makes it will fundamentally alter his life forever after. There are real emotional stakes here.

The main plot line is extremely well done. The subplots, not so much. There’s one particular subplot about one of their cats getting very sick and needing to have surgery that never gets resolved at all. They take the cat to the vet. The cat goes back for surgery, and you never see it or hear of it mentioned again. It’s not necessarily an important part of the story itself, but if you’re going to bring up the subplot like that it should be resolved. This one wasn’t and that bothered me. Overall, it’s a good story. With a little tighter editing, it could’ve been a great one, but it’s not quite there yet.

Hold please, while I run out and add all of this author's books to my wish list. Because this was the first book I've read by Annabeth Albert and now I have this insatiable need to read all the others. Particularly the #gaymers series from which Off Base is a spin-off. Don't get me wrong, it worked completely fine as a standalone, but it made me want to read all the stories that came before it. Because these characters are fantastic - yes, even the secondary ones - and I want to know so much more.

It took me a little bit to warm to this story. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to buy-in to the closed off and closeted Zack. But then I did. Actually, I pretty much insanely adore him right now so it's safe to say that I more than bought in. I wrapped my heart around him, and Pike, and their incredibly sweet - if not always pretty - love story.

There's a lot of realness here. Some ugly truths and some things that were difficult to read. Some things I wanted to dismiss as over-the-top for the sake of storytelling, but which I know actually exist in this world, whether I want to believe it or not. So some parts of Pike & Zack's story are hard to read. But those parts are balanced out by so much loveliness -- the banter, the scorching hot chemistry, the tenderness, the aching need between them -- and so, in the end? The hard parts were completely worth it.

Zack's storyline and character arc was one of my favorite things about this book. His relationship with Pike, his relationship with his parents, and his relationship with his SEAL team all featured prominently at one point or another and all resolved in an incredibly satisfying way. I felt like Ms. Albert did justice to all of the issues that presented themselves and I could not have been happier with the ending. I loved this book, and I cannot wait to get my hands on more.