Review: At Attention by Annabeth Albert
SYNOPSIS:
Lieutenant Apollo Floros can ace tactical training missions, but being a single dad to his twin daughters is more than he can handle. He needs live-in help, and he’s lucky a friend’s younger brother needs a place to stay. He’s surprised to see Dylan all grown up with a college degree…and a college athlete’s body. Apollo’s widowed heart may still be broken, but Dylan has his blood heating up.
It’s been eight years since the teenage Dylan followed Apollo around like a lovesick puppy, and it’s time he showed Lieutenant Hard-to-Please that he’s all man now—an adult who’s fully capable of choosing responsibility over lust. He can handle Apollo’s muscular sex appeal, but Apollo the caring father? Dylan can’t afford to fall for that guy. He’s determined to hold out for someone who’s able to love him back, not someone who only sees him as a kid brother.
Apollo is shocked by the intensity of his attraction to Dylan. Maybe some no-strings summer fun will bring this former SEAL back to life. But the combination of scorching desire and warm affection is more than he’d expected, and the emotion between them scares him senseless. No fling lasts forever, and Apollo will need to decide what’s more important—his past or his future—if he wants to keep Dylan in his life.
REVIEW:
I usually don’t fall in love with stories that have kids as a centerfold, but Annabeth Albert worked some magic because the kids are adorable. The story line was heart-wrenching and the kids were the perfect light-hearted balance to make this book an enjoyable read.
The tension in this story is an undercurrent that carries the book. Dylan has been pining for Apollo for years and his teenage fantasies have now become his reality. But the Apollo from his teens is a different, broken man now, weighed down by grief. As Apollo tries to start living again and Dylan tries desperately not to fall in love all over again, these two tackle some tough topics. And while there were moments of angry outbursts and harsh words, some bitter truths brought these two together in the end.
Annabeth Albert was able to keep the story line light-hearted, especially during some heavy scenes with charisma, an adorable pair of twin girls, and some good friends. I loved seeing other characters from the Out of Uniform Series make appearances. The twins seemed to interrupt and demand attention but they didn’t take away from all the conflicting emotions and budding feelings between Dylan and Apollo. If anything, the girls solidified how well these two men work together.
The ending left me smiling and looking forward to the next book. Especially as we get glimpses of several characters who I am dying to know more about. Most importantly, the kind-hearted baker, Maddox. Definitely looking forward diving into the next story in the series.
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
