Rough Terrain: A Fake Boyfriend Gay Romance

Annabeth Albert

Jan 2019 · Out of Uniform Book 7 · Sold by Carina Press

About this ebook

“Whether making my heart melt, or my head burst into flames, Annabeth Albert draws the reader in and keeps them captivated.” —Gay Book Reviews

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…

Out of Uniform
Book 1: Off Base
Book 2: At Attention
Book 3: On Point
Book 4: Wheels Up
Book 5: Squared Away
Book 6: Tight Quarters
Book 7: Rough Terrain

Also by Annabeth Albert:

Shore Leave
Book 1: Sailor Proof
Book 2: Sink or Swim

Hotshots
Book 1: Burn Zone
Book 2: High Heat
Book 3: Feel the Fire
Book 4: Up in Smoke

Ratings and reviews

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ 4-1/2 - STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ > > Judging a Book by its Cover < < Two shirtless men sitting back to front, looking almost contemplative. Strong font choices. Good overall composition. Interesting synopsis. > > Looking Deeper < < POV ~> Third-person Canaan works at a smoothie shop on or near base, which feeds his SEAL “eye candy” fascination. One SEAL in particular, a guy his buddies call Rooster, mesmerizes him to a truly elevated field. Overhearing a casual comment between the team one day allows Canaan to learn that Rooster is bisexual and single & decides to make a move. Renzo is intrigued by Canaan but when Canaan suggests a little “trouble” after work, he clams up. Not as experienced as many would think and having mostly bad experiences in the past, he’s not sure what Canaan is really suggesting or what to do about it. But he can’t stop thinking about the guy and the offer. Together the men formed a friendship that slowly became more. The bond deepened through a hiking trip from hell and a crazy trip at Disney. A lot of focus seemed to be Renzo’s exceptionally large cock (perpetuating the stereotype of “The Italian Stallion”?), the worry Renzo had about making it good for Canaan and Canaan teaching him that there are more ways to get off other than penetration. Family played a big part in the plot as well. Canaan quit playing for a band on the rise, having left in the middle of their European tour when he learned his grandmother was dying. He and his grandfather lived on shared property and were a “package deal”, something Renzo could relate to. Prior to getting involved with Canaan, Renzo had been fighting for an East Coast transfer to move closer to family. When a promotion in position and subsequent East Coast transfer come available, this became the big climax. Sweet and entertaining lead couple. Chemistry was very nice, they complimented one another very well. Secondary cast varied from lovable to deplorable, which gave it a well-rounded feel. Dialogue was smart, interactions felt natural. The plot was rich and full, the writing flowed smoothly. I enjoyed all of the elements this book contained. Conflicts came up here and there but were resolved maturely or in a way that fit the character(s) best. Predictability was low. The conclusion was satisfying and solid. Overall, I was entertained and emotionally invested in this pair which made for a wonderful read. . Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.45 ~ Stars: 4 (4.5, if I could) ========================== ⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐

I hate to see this series end. Well, someone once said "all good things must come to an end" but that doesn't mean we have to be happy about it. 😊 I have loved the Out of Uniform series so much! Each book in this series can easily be read as a standalone story and each one has been special in its own way. Rough Terrain is now tied for first place as my favorite in the series; my other favorite was On Point. I think there must be something about two guys getting stranded together with no one else around that really works for me. Canaan and Renzo's relationship starts out pretty slow but Renzo is as attracted to Canaan as Canaan is to Renzo – Canaan just doesn't know it. Canaan Finley has a bit of a reputation for lusting after Navy SEALs and Renzo Bianchi sure caught his attention when he and his fellow SEALs came into the smoothie shop where Canaan works. Renzo's attracted to Canaan but doesn't intend to lose his heart or get burned again. His last relationship ended badly when his now ex-boyfriend used him to make *his* ex jealous. I always enjoy a good fake-relationship story and this one is really great. Canaan's former bandmates are going on a camping trip and insist that Canaan bring his current boyfriend. Canaan might have made up a Navy SEAL boyfriend just to get his ex-boyfriend/ex-bandmate off of his back. So Canaan is happily shocked when Renzo agrees to pretend to be his boyfriend for the weekend. I felt so bad for Renzo that his few sexual relationships didn't really go well (you'll find out why when you read the book). He likes to cuddle and kiss but doing much more hasn't really worked for him in the past. Canaan is determined to show Renzo that there is nothing wrong with him and that he just hasn't met the right person yet (Renzo is bi). This story has lots of feels in it. Canaan left the band he was in to be there for his Grandpa when his Grandma got sick. After Grandma died, he's continued to stay in the small apartment in back of Grandpa's house so he can keep an eye on him. Renzo lives across the country from his parents and brother but has requested a change of duty station in order to be closer to them. Family relationships are complicated but important in this book. I could go on and on about this story but you really just need to read it for yourself. If you are a fan of this series you won't want to miss it. If you haven't started the series yet don't be intimidated by the fact that this is book 7. While I almost always like to read a series in order, I can tell you that you won't feel lost or like you're missing anything if you start with this book. Characters from previous books do make an appearance but they are very brief and not really integral to Canaan and Renzo's story. While this series is now complete, don't despair; Annabeth has a new one coming up soon called Frozen Hearts and I'm really looking forward to reading it. A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book. ***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions***

Rough Terrain was a bit of a mixed bag for me. There's some danger, and both Canaan and Renzo have their share of issues to work through, so the book does have the required angst. Nevertheless, it all felt a little too easy. Most issues are worked through quickly with the exception of Renzo's... umm, intimacy problems. There was quite a lot of time devoted to Canaan reassuring him, including during sexy times. Those times were certainly hot, but the continued mention of that one thing grew repetitive and tedious. For me, there were other things that should've been more of an obstacle in the relationship than that one, but they're almost glossed over. I did enjoy the wit and banter throughout the story, and Canaan's grandfather was one of my favorite characters, but for a lot of the book, it felt like this story couldn't decide what it wanted to be - fun and lighthearted or emotional and angsty. There's nothing wrong with a combination of both, but this one seems to go from one extreme to other and the result is somewhat choppy. In the end, there were things I liked and things I didn't, landing me somewhere in the middle.

About the author

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a Pacific Northwest romance writer of many critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series. To find out more, check out: www.annabethalbert.com. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content.