Out of Character
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4.7 • 75 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
It's friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers in this LGBTQIA+ Romance for fans of Red, White & Royal Blue and The Pros of Cons who enjoy:
•Ex-best-friends falling in love
•Gaming, conventions, fandom & cosplay
•Nerd culture at its finest
•Learning how to be true to yourself
Jasper Quigley is tired of being everyone's favorite sidekick. He wants to become the hero of his own life, but that's not going to happen if he agrees to help out his former best friend turned king of the jocks, Milo Lionetti. High school was miserable enough, thanks, and Jasper has no interest in dredging up painful memories of his old secret crush.
But Milo's got nowhere else to go. His life is spiraling out of control and he's looking to turn things back around. Step one? Replace the rare Odyssey cards he lost in an idiotic bet. Step two? Tell his ex-best-friend exactly how he feels—how he's always felt.
Jasper may be reluctant to reopen old wounds, but he never could resist Milo. There's a catch, though: if Milo wants his help, he's going to have to pitch in to make the upcoming children's hospital charity ball the best ever. But as the two don cosplay for the kids and hunt for rare cards, nostalgia for their lost friendship may turn into something even more lasting...
Praise for Conventionally Yours:
"Fast, funny, and fantastic."—Eoin Colfer, New York Times bestselling author
"Uniquely quirky."—Carrie Ryan, New York Times and USA Today bestelling author
"You will ship this couple."—Sarina Bowen, USA Today bestselling author
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Sparks fly when two former high-school friends reunite in this quirky queer romantic comedy. Jasper and Milo were once unlikely BFFs, but when nerdy Jasper came out, Milo joined his fellow jocks in ostracizing him. Now, years later, Milo visits Jasper at his game store, looking for help replacing a valuable set of gaming cards. Jasper agrees—provided Milo volunteers at a charity gala for a local hospital. Annabeth Albert absolutely nails the great parts of nerd culture (the sense of community! the cosplay!) while acknowledging some of its problematic elements. Like how teenage Milo was so easily swayed by toxic masculinity, even as he was hiding a softer, artistic side of his own. She also makes Jasper’s skepticism about his ex-friend’s motives feel entirely realistic. You don’t have to be into gaming to enjoy this opposites-attract romance, which will speak to anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Closeted college dropout Milo Lionetti embarks on a journey of forgiveness, redemption, and self-discovery in Albert's cute second True Colors romance (after Conventionally Yours). After jock Milo gambles away his brother's ultra-rare trading cards for the fictional game Odyssey without realizing how valuable they are, he begs his estranged childhood best friend, nerdy Jasper Quigley, for help finding replacements. Jasper, who's still hurt by the way Milo pulled away from their friendship after Jasper came out as gay in high school, reluctantly agrees only if Milo fills a vacant role in Jasper's cosplay group during their charity work at the local children's hospital. The drawn out hunt for the cards brings the pair to an Odyssey tournament, where Milo emotionally comes out as gay after he and Jasper kiss for the first time. As they spend more time together, Jasper must decide if he's ready to forgive Milo's past mistakes, and Milo must find the courage to move into a more authentic future as an openly gay artist. Milo's arc is far more nuanced and developed than that of Jasper, whose characterization is somewhat bland, but the slice-of-life plot and sweet, supportive romance that develops between them will have broad appeal. This is sure to please.
Customer Reviews
This is exactly my cup of tea
I truly loved this book, racing through it in one go.
its the friend-turned-highschool-bully-turned-friend-turned-boyfriend trope. But both of these characters have a lot of heart behind their 1st impressions as well as a lot of insecurities within them. Nothing is ever what it seems, and you fall fully in love with how tender both these boys are to each other. One of my new faves.
Satisfying read
Jasper and Milo were best friends as kids. But in high school, they went their separate ways—Milo joining up with the jocks, and Jasper with the gamers. Now, as seniors in college, Milo needs Jasper's help. He lost his brother's trading cards in a bet, having no idea how valuable they were. He needs to get replacements before his brother returns from his deployment.
Jasper's still angry over how their friendship ended, but he's willing to help if Milo does him a favor in return. As they spend time together, they reconnect—first as friends, then as lovers. But can Jasper ever truly trust Milo again?
This is a sweet friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, jock/geek romance. Both characters have wounds from their past that drive their choices in the present. Milo is tired of living in the closet but afraid of how his family and friends will react if he comes out. It's satisfying to see how Jasper helps him become the man he wants to be.
This is a lower-steam read. The intimate scenes are open-door but not detailed.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.