Review: Sailor Proof by Annabeth Albert

January 15, 2022

5 stars out of 5

So I finally got around to reading Sailor Proof by Annabeth Albert, which I've had on my kindle for ages and have been wanting to get to forever. (Okay, it hasn't been THAT long; it was published in September, but it felt like forever.) Anyway, it was worth the wait. It was amazing! It was the perfect fluffy, smutty follow-up/antidote to the very dark, very stabby, very murdery monster book I finished the other day.

I mean, it was SO FLUFFEH.

Derrick is a naval chief on a submarine coming back stateside after a deployment. Derrick's naval buddy bestie, Calder, offered up his younger brother Arthur to come meet Derrick at port for the big homecoming so Derrick could exact a little revenge on his dirty, cheating ex (who has since moved on to one of his shipmates, ouch) by making him jealous with a steamy dockside welcome from an unexpected new (fake) boyfriend.

Derrick and Arthur were so sweet and wonderful. They were always kind and supportive of one another, there was good communication, lots of mutual pining, and obvious adoration. FLUFFEH, I tell you! No huge arguments or blow ups or high-level angst. This is exactly my speed, tyvm. Albert used some of my favorite tropes: Fake dating. Only one bed. Best friend's brother. First time/virgin. Plus... hot dudes in naval dress whites? um YES PLEASE. I really appreciated that the sex scenes were very emotional and communicative in addition to being explicit, and not gratuitous (in my estimation). There were several but they all seemed to have a purpose and illustrate something important about their relationship. It was all perfect. 🥰

I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the author's Shore Leave series: Sink or Swim. This one is about Arthur's older brother Calder. (The one who set up Derrick and Arthur in this book.)