LGBT Monday: Status Update

Author: Annabeth Albert
Series: #gaymers, #1
Released: December 7th 2015
Publisher: Carina Press
Length: 189 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Amazon

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?

This time of the year just wouldn’t be the same without the smell of Christmas cookies and several good, heart-warming holiday romances. I’ll admit that I’m a Christmas romance addict, having always preferred low-angst stories that allow me to bask in their happy ending. The hunt for really good ones usually starts around this time and stretches long into January.


Status Update was a must read for me mainly due to its author, Annabeth Albert, whose work I’ve enjoyed many times in the past. She’s one of those authors who always get it just right for me, since we seem to share the same opinions and tastes in our romances. When those first reviews started trickling in, one more enthusiastic than the next, I knew Status Update would be another huge success by this wonderful author.

Noah and Adrian are both wonderful, complete characters with so many intricacies that make them stand out. We meet them as complete opposites: one light-hearted and extroverted, and the other closed off and deeply closeted. As they get to know each other, though, more and more similarities come to light and it is slowly revealed that the two have far more common ground than we (or they) first thought.

Despite their similarities, the lives Noah and Adrian lead simply don’t go well together. It’s fine while they are in their little bubble (aka Noah’s RV), but they just can’t function in the real world. Above all, Noah’s worldview and life plans get in the way – his ultraconservative upbringing and work environment, as well as his deep shame and conviction that being gay is utterly wrong.

Adrian provided an excellent counterbalance with his openness and humor that always remained present, despite his own issues. He wasn’t without fault either- if he was to truly be with Noah, he had to learn from his past behavior and finally stand up for himself. Albert did an excellent job with these two characters, and while some side characters seemed a bit plastic and over the top, the focus was always on these two where it belonged.

If you’re looking for a holiday romance with an unusual amount of substance and realistic issues, but still wonderfully warm and romantic, look no further. Status Update is everything you need and more.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.