REVIEW: Status Update (#gaymers, Book 1) by Annabeth Albert

I realized I haven't posted this here on the blog even though I have reviewed this on Goodreads and Amazon. With Beta Test around the corner, another 5-napkin read btw and review coming soon as well, what better time than to post this, right?

RATING:

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Blurb

Adrian Gottlieb is winning at life. He's a successful video game designer with everything a man could ask for, including a warm comfy ride to Denver and a date for his sister's wedding. But he finds himself in need of a total reboot when he's left stranded at a snowy campground in Utah. Holiday plans? Epic fail.

That is until Noah Walters offers him shelter for the night and a reluctant cross-country ride. Nothing about the ultraconservative geoarchaeologist should attract Adrian, but once he discovers Noah's hidden love for video games, the two connect on a new level. Soon, a quiet but undeniable chemistry sparks.

Something doesn't add up, though. As the miles accumulate and time runs out, Noah must face the most difficult choice of his life. Meanwhile, Adrian must decide whether he's ready to level up. Is their relationship status worth fighting for, or has this game ended before it's even begun?

Review

(As posted on GR)

This is a first Annabeth read for me and definitely won’t be the last.

This is such a sweet story that just felt authentic to the core.

Noah and Adrian met by happenstance, and from that, and in a short amount of time to boot, something developed, from their easy camaraderie to a deeper understanding of each other.

In as much as nothing stands out here per se nor an extreme high or low in the story arc, I really enjoyed everything about it. With Noah and his conundrum, did it feel realistic, considering his age? I suppose? But in the end, what I took away was how real his emotions were. And Adrian, I love his easy-going spirit without minimizing his experiences. And there is such consideration for each other. It didn’t mean that it was all sunshine and rainbow for them throughout the book but regardless of their inner conflicts, especially on Noah’s part, I believed the effort each one took for each other. Yes, Noah almost lost me for a bit and in my head, only a grand gesture can fix that because Adrian definitely deserved more, and I felt he delivered.

I’m telling ya, this just makes me gooey inside. And considering their work backgrounds, it just totally spoke to the geek in me. What more can I ask for, right?

Off to look at Annabeth’s other books, wheee!!!

Thanks for dropping by!

~Leftie