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heabooknerd's review
5.0
I am a long time fan of Annabeth Albert so I was really excited to read LEVEL UP and I was not disappointed. I adored Landon and Bailey; they were just too perfect together. Bailey was the most understanding, sweet guy there is and considering he's also this bearded giant, it made the perfect mix. Landon is bisexual and he prefers to be with men or women who are smaller in stature. In college he was drugged and sexually assaulted at a frat party and since then he's struggled with panic attacks.
Landon really likes Bailey but he's not sure they can be together after a make-out session triggers a panic attack. I loved that Bailey sticks by Landon and supports him through his struggles even when Landon doubts himself. I also appreciated that Albert didn't magically cure Landon of his problems just because he's fallen in love. It made the efforts they're both putting into the relationship more real and meaningful.
Content Warning: Landon was abused in the past and deals with panic attacks
Landon really likes Bailey but he's not sure they can be together after a make-out session triggers a panic attack. I loved that Bailey sticks by Landon and supports him through his struggles even when Landon doubts himself. I also appreciated that Albert didn't magically cure Landon of his problems just because he's fallen in love. It made the efforts they're both putting into the relationship more real and meaningful.
Content Warning: Landon was abused in the past and deals with panic attacks
rellimreads's review
4.0
3.5. KU borrow. Novellas are always difficult to rate because they tend to seem like underdeveloped books. What I did appreciate is that this was a month’s worth of relationship instead of a day or a week of BAM insta-love & HEA. So that helped me round this up.
Bailey was awesome. Most of the angst came from Landon, and as a DVSA Advocate & CASA ~ I probably have a lot more grace than some readers on what it’s like for a victim to start a new relationship. I’m not sure if there’s a “perfect” way for an author to have their characters behave and still move the plot forward satisfactorily for most readers. I think it might have gone over better as a long, slow burn with buildup and ditch the “mini-breakup” route.
Savannah & Rachel, as secondary characters, actually distracted as much as they contributed to the plot. Maybe if their own drama wasn’t taking place concurrently it would have helped. IDK.
There’s mention of characters from both the #Gaymers and Out Of Uniform series ~ but it’s so minor that you could read this without those as background. And if you’re expecting any kind of “how are they now” info on folks from those books, don’t. They are literally just name drops.
Frankly, this is a good intro to Albert’s writing, but I hope folks wouldn’t be put off by it ~ because most of her books are a solid 4 stars or more for me.
Bailey was awesome. Most of the angst came from Landon, and as a DVSA Advocate & CASA ~ I probably have a lot more grace than some readers on what it’s like for a victim to start a new relationship. I’m not sure if there’s a “perfect” way for an author to have their characters behave and still move the plot forward satisfactorily for most readers. I think it might have gone over better as a long, slow burn with buildup and ditch the “mini-breakup” route.
Savannah & Rachel, as secondary characters, actually distracted as much as they contributed to the plot. Maybe if their own drama wasn’t taking place concurrently it would have helped. IDK.
There’s mention of characters from both the #Gaymers and Out Of Uniform series ~ but it’s so minor that you could read this without those as background. And if you’re expecting any kind of “how are they now” info on folks from those books, don’t. They are literally just name drops.
Frankly, this is a good intro to Albert’s writing, but I hope folks wouldn’t be put off by it ~ because most of her books are a solid 4 stars or more for me.
jagiaquinto's review
4.0
Amazing anxiety rep!
I think Annabeth is the best when it comes to research because landons anxiety and panic attacks were so accurate I felt such a kinship with him. I know how frustrating it is to live with that kind of mind but happy endings are possible if you're willing to take a leap!
I think Annabeth is the best when it comes to research because landons anxiety and panic attacks were so accurate I felt such a kinship with him. I know how frustrating it is to live with that kind of mind but happy endings are possible if you're willing to take a leap!
tinkcourtney's review
4.0
A sweet addition to the series.
I was going to say this was a slow burn, but then I went over the timeline in my head and realized it wasn’t all THAT slow.
Still, it’s sweet how patient one character is over the other’s panic attacks, and it feels realistic that they aren’t magically fixed by love. It’s still something they have to work around and be aware of. They make a great couple, and it was an enjoyable read.
I was going to say this was a slow burn, but then I went over the timeline in my head and realized it wasn’t all THAT slow.
Still, it’s sweet how patient one character is over the other’s panic attacks, and it feels realistic that they aren’t magically fixed by love. It’s still something they have to work around and be aware of. They make a great couple, and it was an enjoyable read.
bookpimpfairy's review
4.0
Cute story love Bailey for being so understanding of issues. Just didn't feel the connection as well as others in this series.
redhairedashreads's review
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
4.0
4 stars - It was really good
This was a beautiful story about healing and acceptance. Landon is a teacher and researcher who struggles with relationships due to past trauma. Bailey is a photographer who captures the emotions of others while he hides his own. Albert does a wonderful job tackling their trauma and anxiety together and healing.
I adored these two. Bailey was an extremely sweet and understanding guy. He was so wonderful with Landon, especially after a panic attack. Landon was a shy and reserved man. Because he was sexually assaulted in college, Landon prefers his men and women to be smaller than him and struggles with Bailey being a bear.
I loved the slower pace of their relationship. We see these two slowly get to know each other and worth through the panic attacks and fears. I also loved that Bailey sticks by Landon and continues to support him even when Landon is pushing him away. Albert really does a wonderful job at creating emotional and real life characters. I also love that she doesn’t magically cure Landon just because he fell in love. It makes the relationship more real and meaningful.
Trigger Warnings: Landon was sexually assaulted in the past and suffers from panic attacks; PTSD; nonconsensual drugging recounted; one Harry Potter reference;
frogy927's review
3.0
Very quick, easy read. Unfortunately, Bailey had basically no personality. So it was fine but not great.
jessilwow12's review
3.0
This is a nice addition to the #gaymers series and I really liked the honest obstacles in this book. I liked both MCs having wildly different personalities but having something that they could connect with and bring them together. This is a quick and easy read and while there are some ups and downs, but Landon and Bailey are ale to if not always weather them together they do always find a way back to each other and I love the understanding and acceptance that shows in this book.