On Point (Out of Uniform #3) [Maddox & Ben] by Annabeth Albert

I couldn't put this book down. Just COULDN'T. It was SO beautiful I don't think I could possibly have the right words to describe it so if I have to sum it up let's go with - A MUST READ. I DO recommend you start with the first book in the series - it's going to be worth it! - but in a way you don't have to. Because this book is mostly about Maddox and Ben, Ben and Maddox and their "not relationship relationship" as their friend Apollo calls it.

So we've already met these two. Best friends. Living together. Serving in the same SEAL team. Have been unseparated since they first joined the army. But things have changed recently and even their friends have realized there is something different. They made a mistake, two actually, and these two prevents them from going back to the way they used to be - just friends.



Ben Tovey is the biggest flirt. He enjoys sex, and is happy to get it in any shape or form as long as it's plentiful. He had his difficulties with relationships, his mother leaving when he was a kid, and once his only relationship ended he was left questioning his already flimsy trust issues. As long as he has his team, has Maddox on his side, he doesn't need anything else. Or he thought that up until things changed between them and to top it off they BOTH barely survived their last mission. For Ben it was a wake up call to do everything in his power to FIX their friendship even if the one thing he can think to offer is a "Trail Relationship".

Maddox Horvat knows what he wants and what he can't have. The answer to these two questions is one and the same - Ben. He might have "played" his buddy for the past 12 years but deep down inside he knows he had a crush on the guy since day one. But when they met he was in a relationship and then Ben was in one, and again Maddox was in one and now that they are both single they find themselves living together and though it's GREAT it's also difficult to handle at times, especially when Ben brings home his latest "catch" of the night. After two very hot encounters they in a way share something changes. Maddox is simply unable to put what happened, their attraction, to rest as he did for so many years and his near death experience made him realize he needs to make the right decisions in life to make it his own. He has long dreamed of opening his own little Bakery, question is, can he put everything he made of himself aside to pursue this dream?

When Ben offers Maddox this sort of "Trial Relationship" it's everything Maddox has ever wanted. It fixes everything that was ever wrong in their friendship and offers Maddox a day dream of having it ALL. Yet He is scared that Ben will wake up one day and realize that though it's "nice" having Maddox around, it's not enough for his adventurous nature. What would remain of his heart when THAT happens.. Ben has offered this "Trial" mostly because he couldn't handle the thought of Maddox being with anyone else. He isn't sure what a relationship means but he is willing to do his best to be the absolute PERFECT boyfriend ever. Only both of them leave some things off the table right from the start, mostly a real TRUST in each other, that they would be enough and they could see a future together no matter what.

So though it SEEMS to work once Ben realizes Maddox's plans are REAL and not just something to think about when they retire YEARS from now, he feels utterly betrayed. At this point I was simply HEART BROKEN. I don't think neither of them were open enough so I couldn't be mad at one or the other, they just needed to somehow find a way to make it work even though it's not what neither of them thought it's going to be. In a way that's relationships in a nutshell. There are the plans each of us makes of what a "HEA" means to us, the "How life should be" concept, but once we are together, we need to realize the other person has his own version and unless we are truly committed to this relationship and having the HEA TOGETHER it also means that our perspective or our ideal might need to have adjustments in a way that encompasses the other person wishes as well. Sounds the most basic thing but it never is. Both Ben and Maddox had their own vision of HEA together but it wasn't the same dream. Question is could they made the changes needed so they can build a HEA they are both happy with? Well, this is a romance novel so you already know they can :)

Truly, I couldn't have asked for more than I got in this one. Best friends to lovers was such an easy step for them, the natural one, but a relationship, a REAL one, that took time. I enjoyed every step of the way, even when I was close to tears.

Off to read the next one...

Rating: ★★★★★

E-Book Edition

320 pages

Read on: 11-12 March 2019

ABOUT THIS SERIES

 

Out of Uniform is a Contemporary MM Romance series by Annabeth Albert. It starts as a sort of spin-off to the #gaymers series with a few visits from their characters but in each one at least one is at guy is in uniform - and specifically a Navy SEAL.

The biggest problem I have with this series is the fact, once you grab one of them, it'e IMPOSSIBLE to put it down. Each story is absolutely unique and SO SO beautiful and heart felt even with "manly men" as you'd expect SEALs to be. There's emotional ride both MCs need to get through, on their own, together and though it's painful at times, it's SO satisfying once you get to the very end.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Books:
1. Off Base [Zack Nelson & Pike Reynolds] (Published 9 January 2017) ★★★★★
1.5 Homecoming [Zack Nelson & Pike Reynolds] (Published 5 June 2017) ★★★★★
1.6 Off Leash [Zack Nelson & Pike Reynolds] (Published 17 May 2018) ★★★★★
2. At Attention [Apollo Floros & Dylan Strauss] (Published 10 April 2017) ★★★★★

2.5 I Do [Apollo Floros & Dylan Strauss] (Published 4 November 2017) ★★★★★
3. On Point [Maddox Horvat & Ben Tovey] (Published 5 June 2017) ★★★★★
4. Wheels Up [Dustin Strauss & Wes Lowe] (Published 7 November 2017) ★★ (DNF 37%)
4.5 Homebodies [Dustin Strauss & Wes Lowe] (Published 10 July 2018) [Didn't Read]
5. Squared Away [Mark "Wizard" Whitley & Isaiah James] (Published 16 April 2018) ★★★★★
6. Tight Quarters [Delbert "Del" Lawrence Bacon & Spencer Bryant] (Published 9 July 2018) ★★★★
- New In Town [Alex & Marco] (Published 26 October 2018) ★★★★
7. Rough Terrain [Lorenzo "Rooster" Bianchi & Canaan Finley] (Published 14 January 2019) ★★★★★