Rating: 5 stars out of 5
The camping trip from hell may be the first stop on the road to happily-ever-after.
Navy SEAL Renzo Bianchi has a soft spot for Canaan Finley, and not only because the man makes a mean smoothie. He’s the first guy to get Renzo’s motor revving in a long time. But when he agrees to Canaan’s insane charade—one all-access fake boyfriend, coming right up—he never expects more than a fling.
Creating a hot Italian SEAL boyfriend to save face seemed like a good idea…until his friends called Canaan’s bluff. Now he’s setting off into the woods with the very man who inspired his deception, and Canaan is not the outdoorsy type. The sparks are already flying when a flash flood separates them from their group, leaving Renzo and Canaan very much trapped…very much alone in the wilderness.
Working together to come up with a plan for survival is sexier than either of them expects. But back in the real world, being a couple is bringing its own set of hazards…
Everytime I think I have a favorite series by this author narrowed down, then Annabeth Albert goes ahead and releases a new story. In this case its Rough Terrain (Out of Uniform #7) and, sure enough my heart and attention is switched back to the Out of Uniform series from #gaymers or whatever series it happened to have landed on from the last Annabeth Albert novel I last finished reading.
It works like that with this author.
She has to ability to imbue her stories and characters with such vitality, such heart that they live beyond whatever electronic device you happen to be reading the novel on. From the moment you meet them, dive into their lives and whatever messy situations they happen to be in, you are completely sunk! Hooked by the fact that Albert has connected you heart to heart, thought to thought, emotion to emotion to these men and whatever she and this story has in store for them.
Rough Terrain has so much in store for us as readers and for its main characters! From meeting Canaan Finley making smoothies and waiting for the SEALs to arrive, especially the one he’s crushing on to finding out about the upcoming weekend where Canaan desperately needs to appear with a date, the reader’s anticipation starts to rise. We know who he will take but how will Albert bring it about? And what will happen. Then we meet Navy SEAL Renzo Bianchi and oh my!
This is a series filled with complicated men and rough roads to coupledom. But never have I so eagerly awaited the path these two took together and was so rewarded with the story that followed.
The dynamics between them in various situations from normal daily routines to some of the most traumatic, life threatening scenes imaginable were extraordinary. From the dialog, to the action I felt every moment, clung to the horror, and almost cried with relief with all the events that take place in the wilderness. It’s truly amazing in every respect. And that and the romance will make you want to read this story over and over. It’s really one of the highlights of the series.
If you love contemporary stories, here is a novel and a series you won’t want to miss. If you are a fan of Annabeth Albert, you are probably, like me, already for the next one.
I highly recommend the story, series, and author. I’m a huge fan of all three.
Cover art by Carina Press art department does a great job in continuing to brand the series with the color tone and overall design. The figures do well by the main characters and storyline.
Sales Links: Carina Press | Amazon
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 368 pages
Expected publication: January 14th 2019 by Carina Press
Original Title Rough Terrain
ASINB07GB8B4XR
Edition Language English
Series Out of Uniform #7
Series Out of Uniform /add to Goodreads here:
Homecoming (1.5)
I Do (2.5)
Wheels Up (4)
Homebodies (4.5)
Squared Away (5)
Tight Quarters (6)
Rough Terrain (7)
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 