Sink or Swim: The Perfect Beach Read

Annabeth Albert

Feb 2022 · Shore Leave Book 2 · Sold by Carina Press

About this ebook

"Albert makes a deeper and more sensitive investigation into what love is than most romances." —New York Times Book Review on Conventionally Yours

A meet-cute leads to more than they expected in this military-hero romance from award-winning author Annabeth Albert

Navy chief Calder Euler loves to win big. His latest score? A remote mountain cabin. Checking it out is supposed to be a quick trip, but Calder’s luck abruptly turns when a freak injury and a freakier snowstorm leave him stranded.

Oh, and the cabin isn’t empty. A silver fox caring for two young girls claims that the property is his, but Calder’s paperwork says otherwise.

Felix Sigurd is on a losing streak, and his ex-husband risking the cabin in a reckless bet is only the latest in a series of misfortunes. He’ll tolerate the handsome stranger for a couple nights--even care for his injuries—but that’s it.

Calder doesn’t know a damn thing about kids, but making pancakes for Felix’s girls is a surprising delight. Trapped in the cabin, the four of them slip easily into the rhythms of a family. But when the ice melts, they’ll have to decide if a future together is in the cards.

Carina Adores is home to romantic love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.


Shore Leave
Book 1: Sailor Proof
Book 2: Sink or Swim

Also by Annabeth Albert:

Out of Uniform
Book 1: Off Base
Book 2: At Attention
Book 3: On Point
Book 4: Wheels Up
Book 5: Squared Away
Book 6: Tight Quarters
Book 7: Rough Terrain

Ratings and reviews

The second book in Annabeth Albert's standalone Shore Leave series, Sink or Swim is a fun, sweet, and sexy forced proximity romance. I love Albert's stories with macho military men, and I loved Calder! Talk about finding his perfect place, this guy really blooms when he gets together with Felix. And the careful, caring way Felix addresses Calder's issues totally melted my heart. The slower pacing works great for this pair, and the way Calder bonds with the kids is the icing on the cake. Marvelous!

Sink or Swim by Annabeth Albert Shore Leave #2 Truly liked both Calder and Felix and loved the way they found their happily ever after ~ Great addition to the series! What I liked: * Calder Euler: Navy Chief, submarine sailor on shore duty, brother of Arthur from book one, good with spreadsheets, likes to win, gambler, likes a sure thing, flummoxed by his feelings for Felix * Dr. Felix Sigurd: Geriatric Psychiatrist, divorced, raising his nieces, good man in a difficult situation, has trust issues, conflicted, feels he should put nieces first, drawn to Calder * Charlotte: younger sister, somewhat morbid interests, highly intelligent, outgoing, intriguing * Madeline: older sister, quieter than Charlotte, protective of her Uncle Felix, tells it like it is * The growth of Calder and Felix as they spent time together and faced some of their issues * The communication between Calder and Felix * That both men were giving, open, and caring with one another * The times Calder spent with Felix, Charlotte and Madeline * The wedding and getting to see Arthur and Derrick again * The closeness of Calder with his family * All of it really… What I didn’t like: * Tim: Felix’s greedy ex-husband…despicable man Did I like this book? Yes Would I read more in this series? Yes Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Adores-Harlequin for the ARC – this is my honest review. 4-5 Stars

About the author

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a Pacific Northwest romance writer of many critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series. To find out more, check out: www.annabethalbert.com. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content.