Rough Terrain

This is a nice final entry in a series that has kept a consistent tone in telling the different love stories for some SEALS stationed in San Diego: strong family dynamics and friends that are like family.

Renzo Bianchhi aka Rooster, he of the Health & Fitness IG, turns out to be a sensitive soul. He's 28 and more than ready to enter into a more adult stage of his life. He's also cautious of personal involvements as he's been burned.

Canaan has left behind his early avocation as a drummer in a moderately successful band (they're famous in Europe) to take care of his grandfather and become a nurse. He also works at smoothie bar where he can ogle all the SEALS he wants but his favorite by a mile is Renzo.

The initial coming together of Renzo & Canaan comes about as a fake boyfriend thing which I don't hate but also don't love. I can never take it seriously. Luckily Canaan isn't shy about talking and he drags Renzo out of his shell. They quickly acknowledge that there is something real worth exploring and that they both want to take a chance. Renzo's hangups and fears can't withstand Canaan's “can do spirit”. The boy is fearless when it comes to sex and he's pretty brave with the emotional stuff too. Renzo is a lucky guy but also very deserving of that luck.

The sex is smoking but, as usual with this series, it's the emotional intimacy that wins out. Though they have loving families Renzo & Canaan are each other's home. It was sweet.

Just what I needed in a challenging world, an M/M romance that shows two nice people falling in love and having hot sex. This is why I like contemporary romance sometimes; no fancy paranormal or sci-fi plot gimmicks, just the joys and terrors of finding someone who isn't perfect but is perfect for you. Both Canaan and Renzo have their insecurities and baggage, but they move naturally from attraction to like to love with only a minimum amount of angst. The fake boyfriend plot isn't even necessary (neither is the Evil Ex); I would have been happy to hang out with them while they open up and get to know each other in and out of bed.

A solid 3.5..!!!

The Out of Uniform series has been so much fun to read, especially considering the unique challenges that the characters face due to being part of the lgbtq+ community while also being from the armed forces. This book is obviously bittersweet because it's the end of the series, but I was so happy to have been able to get the review copy.

Canaan is a nursing student working as a smoothie barista and also a former drummer. Despite missing his bandmates, he doesn't really miss touring anymore and is very confident about his chosen path. He also enjoys ogling at the SEALS and it took some time for me to figure out out that he is the one who had an almost threesome with Ben and Maddox in On Point. I particularly liked his flirty nature and very open communication.

Renzo carries a lot of guilt from a childhood incident and also feels burdened by the expectations of his family. He is also very insecure about sex and certain bad experiences have put him off any relationships. However, he is wonderful at his job and also very devoted towards his fitness regimen; it was actually quite interesting to see a character who is sort of a social media fitness icon.

The attraction between Canaan and Renzo was almost immediate but I loved the development of their friendship first. They have such open and honest conversations, especially about Ren's sexual hangups and it was very refreshing to read. There are lot of very sexy and sweet moments and it was a delight to see the progression of their love. Even when they are threatened by separation due to the nature of the job, each of them only thinks what's best for the other and they made me cry a bit. I absolutely loved the resolution and the HEA.

There was a lot of importance given to family bonding in the book and I think it was done really well. Despite both of them having to make life changing decisions due to family issues, they are never resentful and their relationships are depicted beautifully. There are a few good friendships too but we don't see them developed a lot, except Canaan's ex who is definitely a douche. And that little awkward cameo of Ben and Maddox was a wonderful surprise.

Even though the first two books in this series will always be special, this book is definitely a nice addition and I liked that the author decided to end it on such a sweet note. Definitely recommend if you like Annabeth Albert's adorable love stories.