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Mount Hope #1
Up All Night
What happened to my predictable life?
I had a stable life as a fire captain in Seattle, married to one of my best friends and raising two awesome kids. Now, my kids are grown, and my marriage is toast. I'm solidly past forty and back in my tiny hometown of Mount Hope, Oregon, filling in as a firefighter. My future is one big question mark keeping me up at night.
Also keeping me up? The short-order cook at Honey's Hotcake Hut.
Denver might be close to my age, but we're total opposites. The former rock roadie runs from stability, never puts down roots, and lives for the moment. Point in case, we barely speak before he invites me into his shower.
I've never been with a man, but my fresh start has me trying all sorts of new things—including Denver’s shower.
Our future? Hopeless.
Denver doesn't do repeats, but I convince him to have a fling since we're both in Mount Hope short-term. The more time we spend together, the deeper our friendship and bond grows. Our time together outside of the bedroom, reveals a caring side to the grumpy cook. Even better, my sunshine-y optimism softens him like butter.
Should a fling give me these deep feelings? Nope.
Worse, the feelings are mutual. Big decisions loom for both our futures, and our time together grows short. I might have Denver's heart, but his trust is far harder to win. He's the answer to all my question marks, and I need him to believe in us. Can I convince him to give our love a chance?
UP ALL NIGHT features a grumpy/sunshine pairing for a forty-something firefighter on a path of self-discovery with an UP ALL NIGHT short-order cook. It contains loads of first-time feels with sexual awakening and exploration with a heaping helping of personal growth and deep connection for this opposites-attract couple.
I had a stable life as a fire captain in Seattle, married to one of my best friends and raising two awesome kids. Now, my kids are grown, and my marriage is toast. I'm solidly past forty and back in my tiny hometown of Mount Hope, Oregon, filling in as a firefighter. My future is one big question mark keeping me up at night.
Also keeping me up? The short-order cook at Honey's Hotcake Hut.
Denver might be close to my age, but we're total opposites. The former rock roadie runs from stability, never puts down roots, and lives for the moment. Point in case, we barely speak before he invites me into his shower.
I've never been with a man, but my fresh start has me trying all sorts of new things—including Denver’s shower.
Our future? Hopeless.
Denver doesn't do repeats, but I convince him to have a fling since we're both in Mount Hope short-term. The more time we spend together, the deeper our friendship and bond grows. Our time together outside of the bedroom, reveals a caring side to the grumpy cook. Even better, my sunshine-y optimism softens him like butter.
Should a fling give me these deep feelings? Nope.
Worse, the feelings are mutual. Big decisions loom for both our futures, and our time together grows short. I might have Denver's heart, but his trust is far harder to win. He's the answer to all my question marks, and I need him to believe in us. Can I convince him to give our love a chance?
UP ALL NIGHT features a grumpy/sunshine pairing for a forty-something firefighter on a path of self-discovery with an UP ALL NIGHT short-order cook. It contains loads of first-time feels with sexual awakening and exploration with a heaping helping of personal growth and deep connection for this opposites-attract couple.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 28, 2024
517 people are currently reading
605 people want to read
About the author
Annabeth Albert
107 books3,760 followersFrequent tweeter, professional grammar nerd, and obsessive reader, Annabeth Albert is also a Pacific Northwest romance writer in a variety of subgenres.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
July 26, 2024
Sean returns to Mount Hope following an amicable divorce. Sean has always suspected he's gay, or at least bi, and is quick to agree when the sexy chef at the local diner invites him in for a shower. I mean, why bother with drinks when you can just whip your dick out, amirite?
Denver doesn't want to play games. He's attracted to the ginger firefighter and figures a fling would be fun. When Sean tells Denver it's his first time with a man, Denver is none too happy. I found it weird just how pissy Denver was about this, basically shaming Sean and accusing him of using Denver to experiment.
We're introduced to other characters: Sean's parents, Denver's friend Tammy at the diner, other first responders, and Sean's three best friends, one of whom just lost his husband.
Sean moves in with his widowed friend to help out financially and emotionally. The friend has four children, three of whom are teenagers, who are miraculously well-adjusted and cheerful considering they're all former foster kids and their father recently died.
I'm a widow and have done my fair share of individual and group grief counseling, and that entire situation rubbed me the wrong way. The lack of tears, trauma, anger, acting out struck me as simplistic and unbelievable. Plus, it was strange how much supervision three teenagers (13, 16, 18) required - like you have four grown men doing everything for these kids.
I mention all this because it's a huge focus of the story and almost overshadows the relationship, which is nothing special. The sex was fairly bland, and I never really warmed up to Denver.
I also thought it was weird how Sean's son showed up at the end, acting all homophobic, like why even introduce him at that point.
Also, the "epilogue" is once again told from the perspective of a secondary character. An epilogue is by definition "a section ... at the end of a book or play that serves as a ... conclusion to what has happened; a final or concluding act."
Write what you want but call it a bonus scene, a teaser, a prologue to book 2, NOT an epilogue. It's not a fucking epilogue if it begins another story ffs. I'm super salty about this as you can tell
Three stars because Albert is a strong writer, and I think this series has potential.
Denver doesn't want to play games. He's attracted to the ginger firefighter and figures a fling would be fun. When Sean tells Denver it's his first time with a man, Denver is none too happy. I found it weird just how pissy Denver was about this, basically shaming Sean and accusing him of using Denver to experiment.
We're introduced to other characters: Sean's parents, Denver's friend Tammy at the diner, other first responders, and Sean's three best friends, one of whom just lost his husband.
Sean moves in with his widowed friend to help out financially and emotionally. The friend has four children, three of whom are teenagers, who are miraculously well-adjusted and cheerful considering they're all former foster kids and their father recently died.
I'm a widow and have done my fair share of individual and group grief counseling, and that entire situation rubbed me the wrong way. The lack of tears, trauma, anger, acting out struck me as simplistic and unbelievable. Plus, it was strange how much supervision three teenagers (13, 16, 18) required - like you have four grown men doing everything for these kids.
I mention all this because it's a huge focus of the story and almost overshadows the relationship, which is nothing special. The sex was fairly bland, and I never really warmed up to Denver.
I also thought it was weird how Sean's son showed up at the end, acting all homophobic, like why even introduce him at that point.
Also, the "epilogue" is once again told from the perspective of a secondary character. An epilogue is by definition "a section ... at the end of a book or play that serves as a ... conclusion to what has happened; a final or concluding act."
Write what you want but call it a bonus scene, a teaser, a prologue to book 2, NOT an epilogue. It's not a fucking epilogue if it begins another story ffs. I'm super salty about this as you can tell
Three stars because Albert is a strong writer, and I think this series has potential.
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March 30, 2024DNF
Boring flavorless porn with 2 boring and unlikable characters. 🙄
Don’t know why I thought this author might come up with something more interesting and innovative when she hasn’t written anything worthwhile in years.
Boring flavorless porn with 2 boring and unlikable characters. 🙄
Don’t know why I thought this author might come up with something more interesting and innovative when she hasn’t written anything worthwhile in years.
April 6, 2024
Honestly, I was almost going to dnf this one. Between the info dump in chapter 1 and what happens in chapter 2, I thought I was seriously done. I decided to push through and really enjoyed he story from 55% on. The first half was just a little boring with not much happening. I liked both MC Sean and Denver, but Denver did get on my nerves a little bit. The side characters were interesting and probably another reason why I kept going.
Please read other reviews and not just go by my ramblings.
Please read other reviews and not just go by my ramblings.
September 11, 2024
2.5 stars
I usually like Annabeth Albert's books, but Up All Night was hard to finish. It just felt... bland, emotionless, and didn't do it for me. It took me ages to finish, which is a shame because it doesn't get me pumped up for the rest of the series.
I usually like Annabeth Albert's books, but Up All Night was hard to finish. It just felt... bland, emotionless, and didn't do it for me. It took me ages to finish, which is a shame because it doesn't get me pumped up for the rest of the series.
March 28, 2024
This is a solid opener for Annabeth Albert's new small town series which has a definite 911 vibe based around a friends' group of emergency service workers.
I did find myself wondering how heavily emotive things would get, given we open with a funeral scene and a family with four adopted former foster kids, mourning the loss of a father, but they're not the main focus of the narrative and it turns out, the story's not really angsty at all.
Perhaps it might have been more realistic if there'd been a bit more drama with the kids dealing with their grief, but this seems to be a more laid back vibe with people tending to roll with the punches and that does fit within the cosy community small town setting.
Both MCs have unique voices, although I'm not sure I quite came round to completely warming to Denver fully before the book ended. He seemed to spend a lot of time brushing Sean's willingness to commit off just because of getting burned by a closeted musician in his past.
Not Sean's fault you got screwed over Denver, move on and see what's in front of you!
Sean himself was a study in contrasts, a big puppy type but someone who seemed to have absolutely zero issues with the fact he'd spent 20 years in a marriage with no sexual connection, given his wife's realisation she was asexual, and his own dawning awareness he was gay (or bisexual).
Again, I think I'd have just preferred a teeny tiny bit more introspection when he came to this realisation and less prissiness from Denver accusing him of wanting to use him to experiment.
And Sean's son showing up and being borderline homophobic at the end just didn't sit well within the narrative at all, especially when there was no chance for any resolution to that particular plot point.
Now, it may seem I'm being overly critical, but the rest of the story flows really well and I did like the relationship development, which sees Denver slowly come to realise he's the one who's been holding himself back from trying to make any connections because of his own past.
There's a good group of secondary characters, including the other three friends, Sean's fellow firefighters and EMTs, the people at the diner when Denver's the chef, Sean's family, who all help to get the cosy community setting established.
Overall, I liked this one in the main. The writing is strong, as I'd expect from Annabeth, she's good at creating a feeling within her settings and with the emotional connections she establishes.
I will say I noticed that, as seems to be the case in the last few books, there's once again an element of light kink in the sexual encounters. Here we get a bit of light TPE (total power exchange) but only in a giving up control/do as I say fashion during sex, when Sean lets Denver call the shots.
It felt a bit like it came out of nowhere, especially for a newly discovered gay/bisexual guy who's never done anything with a man before, knowing without any kind of experimentation, that he wanted to hit what's essentially sub-space from the descriptions.
That's only a minor observation though, I was rooting for them by the end and I liked that it took a bit of work to get there.
I will say, though, please don't call an Epilogue an Epilogue if it's going to be about the characters in the next book.
An Epilogue, by its (and the Oxford dictionary) very description, is a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened. It's not an introduction to the next two MCs.
Call it a Bonus Scene, call it a Sneak Peek, call it Chapter One of Book Two, just don't call it an Epilogue!
I am, however, very much interested in the two MCs of book two and cannot wait to see what their story is going to revolve around.
#ARC kindly received from the author, I am voluntarily leaving a review
I did find myself wondering how heavily emotive things would get, given we open with a funeral scene and a family with four adopted former foster kids, mourning the loss of a father, but they're not the main focus of the narrative and it turns out, the story's not really angsty at all.
Perhaps it might have been more realistic if there'd been a bit more drama with the kids dealing with their grief, but this seems to be a more laid back vibe with people tending to roll with the punches and that does fit within the cosy community small town setting.
Both MCs have unique voices, although I'm not sure I quite came round to completely warming to Denver fully before the book ended. He seemed to spend a lot of time brushing Sean's willingness to commit off just because of getting burned by a closeted musician in his past.
Not Sean's fault you got screwed over Denver, move on and see what's in front of you!
Sean himself was a study in contrasts, a big puppy type but someone who seemed to have absolutely zero issues with the fact he'd spent 20 years in a marriage with no sexual connection, given his wife's realisation she was asexual, and his own dawning awareness he was gay (or bisexual).
Again, I think I'd have just preferred a teeny tiny bit more introspection when he came to this realisation and less prissiness from Denver accusing him of wanting to use him to experiment.
And Sean's son showing up and being borderline homophobic at the end just didn't sit well within the narrative at all, especially when there was no chance for any resolution to that particular plot point.
Now, it may seem I'm being overly critical, but the rest of the story flows really well and I did like the relationship development, which sees Denver slowly come to realise he's the one who's been holding himself back from trying to make any connections because of his own past.
There's a good group of secondary characters, including the other three friends, Sean's fellow firefighters and EMTs, the people at the diner when Denver's the chef, Sean's family, who all help to get the cosy community setting established.
Overall, I liked this one in the main. The writing is strong, as I'd expect from Annabeth, she's good at creating a feeling within her settings and with the emotional connections she establishes.
I will say I noticed that, as seems to be the case in the last few books, there's once again an element of light kink in the sexual encounters. Here we get a bit of light TPE (total power exchange) but only in a giving up control/do as I say fashion during sex, when Sean lets Denver call the shots.
It felt a bit like it came out of nowhere, especially for a newly discovered gay/bisexual guy who's never done anything with a man before, knowing without any kind of experimentation, that he wanted to hit what's essentially sub-space from the descriptions.
That's only a minor observation though, I was rooting for them by the end and I liked that it took a bit of work to get there.
I will say, though, please don't call an Epilogue an Epilogue if it's going to be about the characters in the next book.
An Epilogue, by its (and the Oxford dictionary) very description, is a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened. It's not an introduction to the next two MCs.
Call it a Bonus Scene, call it a Sneak Peek, call it Chapter One of Book Two, just don't call it an Epilogue!
I am, however, very much interested in the two MCs of book two and cannot wait to see what their story is going to revolve around.
#ARC kindly received from the author, I am voluntarily leaving a review
April 7, 2025
lol at the cover
I didnt really like this. It was kind of boring and not interesting. Also the characters were kind of annoying. I wont be continuing this series (and probably not this author)
I didnt really like this. It was kind of boring and not interesting. Also the characters were kind of annoying. I wont be continuing this series (and probably not this author)
March 24, 2024
If you're looking for a feelings packed romance filled with starting over and older mcs ❤️❤️❤️ look no further. And when I say older, I mean my age, LOL. The mcs are 43 and 39, and I love that.
Up All Night was a low drama, high communication love story focusing on firefighter Sean and his move home to Mount Hope after his divorce [now that was an interesting backstory, truly!] Denver is a line cook at a diner with a history of not putting down roots.
Y'all, this is a classic case of YOU'RE MY HOME and STAY.
With Up All Night being book one in the Mount Hope series, we meet TONS of side characters that will get books and/or keep popping up throughout the series. I can wait for book 2 and getting back to this sweet little town and all of its big hearted residents.
Speaking of big hearted, Denver ❤️❤️❤️ That sweet man, so afraid to love and get his heartbroken again. The signs. The ex. He gave me quiet, but broody vibes. You know I love a sad man.
Oh! And there was a surprising light D/s vibe that just worked for these two the more their characters are unveiled. I wasn't expecting it, but it totally worked.
I definitely recommend Up All Night, especially if you want low angst big feelings. Annabeth Albert is amazing at writing a diverse cast of characters that make you feel welcomed and accepted.
UP ALL NIGHT comes out March 28th! Don't miss it!!!!
Up All Night was a low drama, high communication love story focusing on firefighter Sean and his move home to Mount Hope after his divorce [now that was an interesting backstory, truly!] Denver is a line cook at a diner with a history of not putting down roots.
Y'all, this is a classic case of YOU'RE MY HOME and STAY.
With Up All Night being book one in the Mount Hope series, we meet TONS of side characters that will get books and/or keep popping up throughout the series. I can wait for book 2 and getting back to this sweet little town and all of its big hearted residents.
Speaking of big hearted, Denver ❤️❤️❤️ That sweet man, so afraid to love and get his heartbroken again. The signs. The ex. He gave me quiet, but broody vibes. You know I love a sad man.
Oh! And there was a surprising light D/s vibe that just worked for these two the more their characters are unveiled. I wasn't expecting it, but it totally worked.
I definitely recommend Up All Night, especially if you want low angst big feelings. Annabeth Albert is amazing at writing a diverse cast of characters that make you feel welcomed and accepted.
UP ALL NIGHT comes out March 28th! Don't miss it!!!!
May 6, 2024
I've given this a B- at AAR, 3.5 stars rounded up.
Up All Night is the first book in Annabeth Albert’s new series featuring first responders, which is set in the small (fictional) Oregon town of Mount Hope. The author is a long-time favourite whose books, even when they’re not stellar, are good, solid reads featuring protagonists who are easy to like and relate to, with well-established emotional connections, strongly realised settings and an engaging secondary cast, often with an enjoyable found family vibe.
While Up All Night does fall into the ‘not stellar’ category, it’s nonetheless an easy, low-angst read, and I applaud the author for once again writing a central couple who are a bit older than the norm for romance novels (and especially in m/m, where nine out of ten books seem to feature college-age leads). Firefighter Sean Murphy is a forty-three-year-old divorced father of two who has come back to Mount Hope to attend the funeral of an old friend. The sale of his former family home in Seattle has coincided with his stepping down as captain at his fire house, leaving Sean temporarily homeless and jobless, and his father – who is soon to retire as fire chief of Mount Hope - suggests that Sean take a short-term position with the local fire service. He can even have his old room in the family home back for as long as he wants it. Sean can’t deny being tempted at the thought of being back out in the field fighting fires rather than sitting at a desk doing admin, but if he comes back to Mount Hope, there’s no way he’s moving back into his childhood bedroom! Fortunately, a solution emerges from an unexpected source. Eric – it’s his husband’s funeral – is one of Sean’s oldest friends, and offers Sean room and board in exchange for his help with some renovations to his property.
Denver Rucker is the overnight cook at Honey’s Hotcake Hut, one of the few eateries in the area that’s open 24/7 and thus a regular haunt of the area’s first responders. The arrival of a new firefighter – who has been in a few times now - hasn’t escaped his notice and neither has the fact that the hot ginger is very easy on the eye. When, at the end of his shift, Denver walks out into the car park to find said hot ginger has managed to lock himself out of his truck, he offers him a lift home – it’s not out of his way as they live on the same street – and then finds himself inviting the man into his shower.
Sean has suspected for quite some time that he’s into guys, but he married young and was a faithful husband, so never really had any opportunity to experiment. Now, however, he’s recalling advice given to him very recently to have a fling while he works out his next move - and something about the sexy cook is pushing all the buttons he wasn’t even sure he had! He decides not to overthink things so he takes Denver up on his offer; the sex is fantastic and goes a long way to confirming Sean’s suspicions that he’s probably gay (or at the very least, bisexual) but when he indicates it was his first time with a man, Denver has a mini freak-out about not wanting to be an experiment and they part on uncertain terms. Sean would very much like a repeat but Denver is adamant it can only be a one-time thing; he’s not into relationships, he moves around a lot, and being badly burned in the past has made him unwilling to open himself up to hurt again.
But no matter that he knows getting involved with Sean is a bad idea, Denver just can’t help himself, and what was supposed to have been a one-time thing soon becomes more. He tries hard to tell himself that whatever is going on is just temporary, to ignore the deeper feelings he’s developing for Sean and not to be drawn any deeper into Sean’s life. But it’s proving every bit as impossible to resist Sean out of bed as it is to resist him in it – and Denver is going to have to decide whether to take a risk and go all in… or to risk losing something that could just be the best thing ever to have happened to him.
Denver isn’t as well-developed a character as Sean and he spends way too much time ignoring or just brushing off Sean’s willingness to commit because he was badly burned by a lover many years before. The ‘I will not love because I got my heart broken once before’ trope doesn’t work for me often, and sadly, it doesn’t here.
Grieving widower Eric and his four children (one at college, two older teens and a tween) – all of whom were fostered then adopted - are a fairly large part of the story, but the only one of them who appears to be grieving at all is Eric. The kids seem remarkably well-adjusted considering they’ve just lost a parent; I’d have expected a bit of drama as they deal with their grief but no, they mostly bounce around like happy campers and seem to be present only to provide a way for Denver to start becoming absorbed into the friendship/found family grouping.
And then, right near the end, we meet Sean’s son who *cue sound of screeching record scratch* acts like a homophobic arsehole one minute (“I guess we know why mom left…”) and the next is all ‘want a drink, Dad?’ - and wanders off never to be seen again. It feels as though he’s been shoe-horned in to the story for no real purpose.
Finally – and I know this is really nit-picky, but… Ms. Albert seems to have got into the habit of writing a chapter that leads into the next book at the end of the current one and calling it an epilogue. An epilogue is something added to the end of a book to act as a conclusion to the story; it is NOT the beginning of a new story. I have no objections to getting a sneak peek of the next book, but please stop calling it an epilogue!
That all sounds like a lot of criticism and it does pain me to heap it on to a book by an author whose work has brought me so much joy over the years – but it really isn’t all bad news, because I enjoyed reading it anyway. Up All Night might not be my favourite Annabeth Albert book, but even a not-stellar Annabeth Albert book is well worth a look, so I’m giving it a qualified recommendation.
This review originally appeared at All About Romance .
Up All Night is the first book in Annabeth Albert’s new series featuring first responders, which is set in the small (fictional) Oregon town of Mount Hope. The author is a long-time favourite whose books, even when they’re not stellar, are good, solid reads featuring protagonists who are easy to like and relate to, with well-established emotional connections, strongly realised settings and an engaging secondary cast, often with an enjoyable found family vibe.
While Up All Night does fall into the ‘not stellar’ category, it’s nonetheless an easy, low-angst read, and I applaud the author for once again writing a central couple who are a bit older than the norm for romance novels (and especially in m/m, where nine out of ten books seem to feature college-age leads). Firefighter Sean Murphy is a forty-three-year-old divorced father of two who has come back to Mount Hope to attend the funeral of an old friend. The sale of his former family home in Seattle has coincided with his stepping down as captain at his fire house, leaving Sean temporarily homeless and jobless, and his father – who is soon to retire as fire chief of Mount Hope - suggests that Sean take a short-term position with the local fire service. He can even have his old room in the family home back for as long as he wants it. Sean can’t deny being tempted at the thought of being back out in the field fighting fires rather than sitting at a desk doing admin, but if he comes back to Mount Hope, there’s no way he’s moving back into his childhood bedroom! Fortunately, a solution emerges from an unexpected source. Eric – it’s his husband’s funeral – is one of Sean’s oldest friends, and offers Sean room and board in exchange for his help with some renovations to his property.
Denver Rucker is the overnight cook at Honey’s Hotcake Hut, one of the few eateries in the area that’s open 24/7 and thus a regular haunt of the area’s first responders. The arrival of a new firefighter – who has been in a few times now - hasn’t escaped his notice and neither has the fact that the hot ginger is very easy on the eye. When, at the end of his shift, Denver walks out into the car park to find said hot ginger has managed to lock himself out of his truck, he offers him a lift home – it’s not out of his way as they live on the same street – and then finds himself inviting the man into his shower.
Sean has suspected for quite some time that he’s into guys, but he married young and was a faithful husband, so never really had any opportunity to experiment. Now, however, he’s recalling advice given to him very recently to have a fling while he works out his next move - and something about the sexy cook is pushing all the buttons he wasn’t even sure he had! He decides not to overthink things so he takes Denver up on his offer; the sex is fantastic and goes a long way to confirming Sean’s suspicions that he’s probably gay (or at the very least, bisexual) but when he indicates it was his first time with a man, Denver has a mini freak-out about not wanting to be an experiment and they part on uncertain terms. Sean would very much like a repeat but Denver is adamant it can only be a one-time thing; he’s not into relationships, he moves around a lot, and being badly burned in the past has made him unwilling to open himself up to hurt again.
But no matter that he knows getting involved with Sean is a bad idea, Denver just can’t help himself, and what was supposed to have been a one-time thing soon becomes more. He tries hard to tell himself that whatever is going on is just temporary, to ignore the deeper feelings he’s developing for Sean and not to be drawn any deeper into Sean’s life. But it’s proving every bit as impossible to resist Sean out of bed as it is to resist him in it – and Denver is going to have to decide whether to take a risk and go all in… or to risk losing something that could just be the best thing ever to have happened to him.
I liked Sean and his decision to go for what he wants after playing it safe for so many years. I enjoyed his friendships with Eric and their friend-group, and the way he naturally draws Denver into that, showing Denver what it’s like to have people around you who have your back. But while Up All Night is very readable, there are some things that feel rushed, not properly explored and/or glossed over. Sean hooking up with Denver so soon is fine, but he’s quick to decide that he wants more with Denver and trusts him given he doesn’t really know him. The light kink in the story - a little bit of power exchange with Sean happily giving up control to Denver in the bedroom - feels like it comes out of nowhere (and see above comment re. trust). I get that for someone like Sean, who has to make lots of important decisions all the time, being able to cede control in that way is an attractive prospect, but from the author’s descriptions, he’s essentially hitting sub-space, and there’s no discussion or experimentation beforehand. And for someone who has only just confirmed his sexual orientation to himself and is having sex with another man for the first time, it all feels way too much way too soon.
Denver isn’t as well-developed a character as Sean and he spends way too much time ignoring or just brushing off Sean’s willingness to commit because he was badly burned by a lover many years before. The ‘I will not love because I got my heart broken once before’ trope doesn’t work for me often, and sadly, it doesn’t here.
Grieving widower Eric and his four children (one at college, two older teens and a tween) – all of whom were fostered then adopted - are a fairly large part of the story, but the only one of them who appears to be grieving at all is Eric. The kids seem remarkably well-adjusted considering they’ve just lost a parent; I’d have expected a bit of drama as they deal with their grief but no, they mostly bounce around like happy campers and seem to be present only to provide a way for Denver to start becoming absorbed into the friendship/found family grouping.
And then, right near the end, we meet Sean’s son who *cue sound of screeching record scratch* acts like a homophobic arsehole one minute (“I guess we know why mom left…”) and the next is all ‘want a drink, Dad?’ - and wanders off never to be seen again. It feels as though he’s been shoe-horned in to the story for no real purpose.
Finally – and I know this is really nit-picky, but… Ms. Albert seems to have got into the habit of writing a chapter that leads into the next book at the end of the current one and calling it an epilogue. An epilogue is something added to the end of a book to act as a conclusion to the story; it is NOT the beginning of a new story. I have no objections to getting a sneak peek of the next book, but please stop calling it an epilogue!
That all sounds like a lot of criticism and it does pain me to heap it on to a book by an author whose work has brought me so much joy over the years – but it really isn’t all bad news, because I enjoyed reading it anyway. Up All Night might not be my favourite Annabeth Albert book, but even a not-stellar Annabeth Albert book is well worth a look, so I’m giving it a qualified recommendation.
This review originally appeared at All About Romance .
July 3, 2024
The tame romance between a commitment phobe short order cook and a newly divorced hetero fireman was lost among the way too many side characters. After a chapter two shower hookup, a different type getting to know you scene, which I liked, the action went to teenage kids wrecking a kitchen making pancakes while their tired dad slept. Since the scene before the hot hookup was with the too chatty and intrusive friends, I could tell that this was a character heavy, back burner romance.
It seemed like the author was going for something different here than what I’ve usually read in their books, but it just didn’t work for me or take me away.
DNF 20%
It seemed like the author was going for something different here than what I’ve usually read in their books, but it just didn’t work for me or take me away.
DNF 20%
March 20, 2024
For a book that touches heavy topics, it's really sweet and lighthearted. My inner self is squealing in cuteness. It has its spicy moments, but what remains present for me is the sweet, sentimental and wholesome ones.
April 1, 2024
4.5 rounded up
Albert is hit or miss for me, and this one really worked! I'll be honest, this is one of those books that delivered the exact dynamic I was looking for at the exact right time, so other things in the book that I may have been more annoyed by/critical of in other contexts just didn't even phase me. This is probably an inflated rating but I don't even care! I enjoyed the characters and their connection, and the smut really worked for me.
I did think some of the secondary characters were a bit overly present, and I didn't totally feel like the grief of the secondary characters (who just lost a husband / father) totally hit the right note, which was a little annoying because they were all SO present that even though it had nothing to do with the main plot, it was a little distracting to have it be so present but not quite nuanced enough. The epilogue from a different characters' POV clearly setting up the next book was a little annoying, but I am looking forward to reading it!
Albert is hit or miss for me, and this one really worked! I'll be honest, this is one of those books that delivered the exact dynamic I was looking for at the exact right time, so other things in the book that I may have been more annoyed by/critical of in other contexts just didn't even phase me. This is probably an inflated rating but I don't even care! I enjoyed the characters and their connection, and the smut really worked for me.
I did think some of the secondary characters were a bit overly present, and I didn't totally feel like the grief of the secondary characters (who just lost a husband / father) totally hit the right note, which was a little annoying because they were all SO present that even though it had nothing to do with the main plot, it was a little distracting to have it be so present but not quite nuanced enough. The epilogue from a different characters' POV clearly setting up the next book was a little annoying, but I am looking forward to reading it!
March 29, 2024
I’m so excited for this series! It has everything I love about Annabeth Albert’s work - a charming small town setting, fantastic characters, inclusive rep, and heartfelt romance - combined with themes of starting over and new beginnings.
Mount Hope is the kind of place that’s easy to imagine — from the 24-hour diner that fuels the town to the people who call it home. It’s quaint and quiet with a strong vibe of stability. It’s exactly the kind of place you’d expect to find this tightknit friend group whose love and devotion are evident in all they do.
In need of a fresh start, firefighter Sean Murphy returns home to surround himself with family and friends. It’s supposed to be temporary. Cathartic. Definitely not complicated by hookups with a hot diner cook.
Especially when that cook is the definition of temporary. Denver’s a nomad with an aversion to settling down — temporary is practically his middle name. But there’s no denying their chemistry and that maybe he’s exactly the fresh start Sean needs.
I love stories where love finds people when they least expect it, and while these guys are looking for what’s next, it’s not love. Their interest starts as attraction but quickly becomes something more, and watching them work through their vulnerability and uncertainty makes that evolution even sweeter.
In true Annabeth style, this story is a minefield of complexity in all the best ways. She gives us layered characters in difficult situations with nuanced emotions, tackling tough topics like coming out, grief and loss. Even when those feelings don’t belong to either MMC, their impact is felt all the same.
This story sets a lot of parts in motion, so it’s the perfect start to the series. I easily fell in love with this extended found family and can’t wait for their stories, but especially Wren. I love their honesty - ALL the honesty in this book for that matter - something adults shy away from. Their observations and motivations are the purest, most genuine distillation of emotion, and in a way only teens can, they call things as they are without hesitation.
*I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book*
Mount Hope is the kind of place that’s easy to imagine — from the 24-hour diner that fuels the town to the people who call it home. It’s quaint and quiet with a strong vibe of stability. It’s exactly the kind of place you’d expect to find this tightknit friend group whose love and devotion are evident in all they do.
In need of a fresh start, firefighter Sean Murphy returns home to surround himself with family and friends. It’s supposed to be temporary. Cathartic. Definitely not complicated by hookups with a hot diner cook.
Especially when that cook is the definition of temporary. Denver’s a nomad with an aversion to settling down — temporary is practically his middle name. But there’s no denying their chemistry and that maybe he’s exactly the fresh start Sean needs.
I love stories where love finds people when they least expect it, and while these guys are looking for what’s next, it’s not love. Their interest starts as attraction but quickly becomes something more, and watching them work through their vulnerability and uncertainty makes that evolution even sweeter.
In true Annabeth style, this story is a minefield of complexity in all the best ways. She gives us layered characters in difficult situations with nuanced emotions, tackling tough topics like coming out, grief and loss. Even when those feelings don’t belong to either MMC, their impact is felt all the same.
This story sets a lot of parts in motion, so it’s the perfect start to the series. I easily fell in love with this extended found family and can’t wait for their stories, but especially Wren. I love their honesty - ALL the honesty in this book for that matter - something adults shy away from. Their observations and motivations are the purest, most genuine distillation of emotion, and in a way only teens can, they call things as they are without hesitation.
*I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book*
March 23, 2024
Up All Night (Mount Hope #1) by Annabeth Albert
3 stars
M/M Romance
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
So, this is the first book in a series. I normally expect a little more to happen in first books to help set up the next ones in the series.
Denver is a short order cook who lives in a small town. He landed here and just never left. It's hinted at that he had a more difficult life, but you never really hear about it. It's just lingering.
Then you have Sean. He's returning home after his good friend's husband passes away. He's a firefighter and recently divorced from his wife of several years. Now that he's divorced, he can explore who he truly has always felt like.
This story, to me, was not really a romance. It was more of a coming to know ones self book. Denver and Sean have to navigate Sean's "newness" and the friends and family too. It was also strange how much the widowed husband's kiddos played a part in the story. Again, feeling more like a coming of age - finding yourself book.
I was very underwhelmed with this story. The romance was secondary to almost everything and the timing was just off. Maybe book 2 will gather more steam.
3 stars
M/M Romance
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
So, this is the first book in a series. I normally expect a little more to happen in first books to help set up the next ones in the series.
Denver is a short order cook who lives in a small town. He landed here and just never left. It's hinted at that he had a more difficult life, but you never really hear about it. It's just lingering.
Then you have Sean. He's returning home after his good friend's husband passes away. He's a firefighter and recently divorced from his wife of several years. Now that he's divorced, he can explore who he truly has always felt like.
This story, to me, was not really a romance. It was more of a coming to know ones self book. Denver and Sean have to navigate Sean's "newness" and the friends and family too. It was also strange how much the widowed husband's kiddos played a part in the story. Again, feeling more like a coming of age - finding yourself book.
I was very underwhelmed with this story. The romance was secondary to almost everything and the timing was just off. Maybe book 2 will gather more steam.
March 22, 2024
Denver and Sean couldn't be more different; one has a sunshiney outlook on life, whereas the other one is definitely more of a rain cloud. I am a sucker for a good opposites attract story and this one was a great one!
I liked the growth both of these characters went through during the course of this story, I found it to be written well and really added more to the story to see those characters growing and developing. The pacing of the story itself was well done, events that happened occured naturally and nothing ever felt forced or too fast.
I loved the relationship that Sean had with Eric's kids, and the relationship that eventually developed between Denver and the kids also. It was so sweet to see everyone pitching in and offering help to be there for Eric. I found the amount of detail that went into describing Denver's job was terrific! I really enjoyed reading about him in his element, and him sharing that passion and his information with Wren. The two MC's were fantastic, but I think i loved the side characters a bit more. Specifically Wren, Rowan, and John, I adored their characters!
Overall I found this book to be really great! Its full of different types of tropes; such as, opposites attract, age gap, grumpy/sunshine, single dad, and first times.
I liked the growth both of these characters went through during the course of this story, I found it to be written well and really added more to the story to see those characters growing and developing. The pacing of the story itself was well done, events that happened occured naturally and nothing ever felt forced or too fast.
I loved the relationship that Sean had with Eric's kids, and the relationship that eventually developed between Denver and the kids also. It was so sweet to see everyone pitching in and offering help to be there for Eric. I found the amount of detail that went into describing Denver's job was terrific! I really enjoyed reading about him in his element, and him sharing that passion and his information with Wren. The two MC's were fantastic, but I think i loved the side characters a bit more. Specifically Wren, Rowan, and John, I adored their characters!
Overall I found this book to be really great! Its full of different types of tropes; such as, opposites attract, age gap, grumpy/sunshine, single dad, and first times.
March 27, 2024
What a heart-warming story - I really love slightly older pairings and the idea that life can start afresh and love can be found or refound at any point.
Annabeth always writes great characters and this new series has a great friendship circle potential, that hopefully we’ll see more of in the next book. Sean and Denver are both great MCs and I especially loved some of the secondary characters - neurospicy Wren being my favourite.
Absolutely great read as always and one of the reasons that Annabeth remains one of my top authors.
Annabeth always writes great characters and this new series has a great friendship circle potential, that hopefully we’ll see more of in the next book. Sean and Denver are both great MCs and I especially loved some of the secondary characters - neurospicy Wren being my favourite.
Absolutely great read as always and one of the reasons that Annabeth remains one of my top authors.
April 2, 2024
This was ok. Nothing really bad about it but also nothing that I haven't read before.
April 2, 2024
This was such a sweet story, I loved it as always 🥹
April 4, 2024
And I am done with this author. When the second chapter starts with the MCs in the shower for no apparent reason and then the "baby" talk and the obvious positioning of one as the "top", it is safe to say plot and character developments are not this author's priorities.
April 2, 2024
❤️ 🔥 A good start to the book with Sean and Denver very briefly bumping into each other at a town event.
Sean was new back in his home town after years of being away and exploring what to do next with his life. Sean, 43 years, was single again after his marriage to his wife ending. He was born into the fire fighting career as his father was the town’s Captain before his up incoming retirement.
Denver, 39 years, worked at Honey’s and admired a certain hot fireman back in town.
Things heat up with a quick hookup with Denver being gay. This is a fast romance for Sean as he was a V card holder for the guys, we don’t get all the angst for being with a another man. I kinda missed that in this.
Denver has self imposed rules that he doesn't break, but they tumble down with the connection he has for Sean.
There perfect for each other, I loved there puns they use for sexy times, a shower, a ride etc. They need to sort out what they were doing together. I loved Sean’s cockiness humor as he teases Denver but Denver’s always in charge😉🔥, he’s bossy that one lol.
Trigger warning of an accident deaths told as a result with fire fighting duties. When two drifters meet and end up finding love. A really great ending to the book for an HEA, I really loved this one and look forward to the next in the series.
Sean was new back in his home town after years of being away and exploring what to do next with his life. Sean, 43 years, was single again after his marriage to his wife ending. He was born into the fire fighting career as his father was the town’s Captain before his up incoming retirement.
Denver, 39 years, worked at Honey’s and admired a certain hot fireman back in town.
Things heat up with a quick hookup with Denver being gay. This is a fast romance for Sean as he was a V card holder for the guys, we don’t get all the angst for being with a another man. I kinda missed that in this.
Denver has self imposed rules that he doesn't break, but they tumble down with the connection he has for Sean.
There perfect for each other, I loved there puns they use for sexy times, a shower, a ride etc. They need to sort out what they were doing together. I loved Sean’s cockiness humor as he teases Denver but Denver’s always in charge😉🔥, he’s bossy that one lol.
Trigger warning of an accident deaths told as a result with fire fighting duties. When two drifters meet and end up finding love. A really great ending to the book for an HEA, I really loved this one and look forward to the next in the series.
January 28, 2026
This book gave me all the low angst, high emotions, small town romance I love with all my heart. Sean amd Denver were perfect together. They start with fireworks, had some things to overcome, but small towns are hard to say no to, and their love magic is hard to escape from. Sean is sunshine; firefighter in his 40s, divorced and living his life as his true self for the first time ever. Sometimes we get there late, but we get there, right? And that's Sean's philosophy. He immediately sets his eyes on Denver and after a scorching shower fun shenanigans, he won't let him get away, no matter how much Denver runs from emotions, attachments and stability. Denver seems grumpy; he is big, a teddy bear truly, and he has a past that has left him with many fears and his solution is to never stay in one place too long, to never care to avoid being hurt and set aside. But Sean is stubborn, he has always played it safe, stayed in a marriage for his responsibilities, but now he wants things for himself and that happens to be Denver who coincidentally has awoken all his desires. There were many steamy scenes that had me kicking, giggling, blushing. Those two were fireworks and sweetness, vulnerability and stubbornness. Chemistry off the charts. Both their hearts just waiting to be claimed and cherished. I adored them! They truly deserve all the happiness.
February 4, 2026
3.5⭐️
This was okay.
I quite liked the characters, but I don’t feel like they worked hard on any development. It felt like a repeat sex scene until the very end when Sean managed to convince Denver to stay.
I think it got me intrigued for what comes next, but I hope if I do try the rest of the series that there’s more to their stories than this. I’m not bothered about loads of angst, but nothing really happens at all.
I feel like it’s a shame because it had a good premise and they were likeable, but I felt like something was missing throughout.
This was okay.
I quite liked the characters, but I don’t feel like they worked hard on any development. It felt like a repeat sex scene until the very end when Sean managed to convince Denver to stay.
I think it got me intrigued for what comes next, but I hope if I do try the rest of the series that there’s more to their stories than this. I’m not bothered about loads of angst, but nothing really happens at all.
I feel like it’s a shame because it had a good premise and they were likeable, but I felt like something was missing throughout.
Read
May 21, 20243.5 Stars
November 8, 2025
3.5 Stars!
This was just a super sweet fluffy fun book. I really enjoyed that both MCs were older so that they were a little more settled but still had plenty of room for growth. I didn't completely warm up to Denver and think his motivations could have been explored a bit more, but I liked Sean and his self discovery. I'm really looking forward to the next books as I liked all the introduced characters!
This was just a super sweet fluffy fun book. I really enjoyed that both MCs were older so that they were a little more settled but still had plenty of room for growth. I didn't completely warm up to Denver and think his motivations could have been explored a bit more, but I liked Sean and his self discovery. I'm really looking forward to the next books as I liked all the introduced characters!
July 27, 2025
One star, because I was lured in. But I started skimming a quarter of the way in, got to halfway, where I'm calling it quits. There is something about the characters that feels undifferentiated, and that makes me care less and less. :(
April 8, 2024
3.5 rounded up.
I enjoy Annabeth Albert's writing and this was no exception. She's a excellent wordsmith and writes characters I really enjoy. But while I enjoy her writing, this story didn't work as well for me as many of her others have.
Seth is recently divorced after 20 years and back in town for the funeral of a dear friend's (Eric) husband. He's just now exploring his attraction to men and therefore not out to anyone, including his good friends and family. Even with this rather somber background, the book ends up being very low stakes. The four kids who lost their father seem a little too unfazed by it. One child, Wren, a non-binary 14 year old science nerd who seems to be singularly unsupervised, took up a decent amount of page time. Unfortunately some of his antics were played off as humor which didn't land well for me. The deep sadness of Seth's friend losing his husband ends up being relegated to the background. It's not explored and Seth doesn't interact with Eric much at all, even though he's living in his house. I don't know if Eric will get his own book, but I just felt his loss made an unsettling backdrop for the story. (YMMV)
I enjoy a low angst story from time to time, but this one didn't quite work because it felt like it should have had some really emotionally charged moments but didn't. Still, the writing is good and the main characters are men I'm happy to root for, so it still a book I can recommend if you're looking for a low-angst read.
I enjoy Annabeth Albert's writing and this was no exception. She's a excellent wordsmith and writes characters I really enjoy. But while I enjoy her writing, this story didn't work as well for me as many of her others have.
Seth is recently divorced after 20 years and back in town for the funeral of a dear friend's (Eric) husband. He's just now exploring his attraction to men and therefore not out to anyone, including his good friends and family. Even with this rather somber background, the book ends up being very low stakes. The four kids who lost their father seem a little too unfazed by it. One child, Wren, a non-binary 14 year old science nerd who seems to be singularly unsupervised, took up a decent amount of page time. Unfortunately some of his antics were played off as humor which didn't land well for me. The deep sadness of Seth's friend losing his husband ends up being relegated to the background. It's not explored and Seth doesn't interact with Eric much at all, even though he's living in his house. I don't know if Eric will get his own book, but I just felt his loss made an unsettling backdrop for the story. (YMMV)
I enjoy a low angst story from time to time, but this one didn't quite work because it felt like it should have had some really emotionally charged moments but didn't. Still, the writing is good and the main characters are men I'm happy to root for, so it still a book I can recommend if you're looking for a low-angst read.
April 19, 2024
Oh ho ho what's this?? Another small town MM romance series with a close-knit group of single friends who are more like brothers where a different guy in the friend group is one of the MCs each time???? I'm so well fed 🥰🥰🥰
Annabeth put her whole foot in this one, I fear. I had a lot of fun with both MCs. Denver didn't exactly break new ground with the former foster child who now struggles to trust people and put down roots, but he was an incredibly charming and adorable version of the trope. I don't REALLY agree with him being grumpy or with this being a grumpy/sunshine book in general, he was just the more guarded of the two, but that's not actually a knock on him, just a little dig at the marketing. Buzzwords only work if you're using the correct ones. Sean was a little more interesting lmao, a 20 year marriage to his asexual wife before a divorce-of-convenience that leads to a man in his 40s just now poking his baby toe out of the closet. I wish we had a LITTLE more resolution with Sean's family, considering none of the other MCs are related to him, so the likelihood we'll get any more closure with them is a little slim, especially the son that doesn't even live in the town. But in Annabeth I trust, she hasn't really let me down yet.
Very much looking forward to the next book!
Annabeth put her whole foot in this one, I fear. I had a lot of fun with both MCs. Denver didn't exactly break new ground with the former foster child who now struggles to trust people and put down roots, but he was an incredibly charming and adorable version of the trope. I don't REALLY agree with him being grumpy or with this being a grumpy/sunshine book in general, he was just the more guarded of the two, but that's not actually a knock on him, just a little dig at the marketing. Buzzwords only work if you're using the correct ones. Sean was a little more interesting lmao, a 20 year marriage to his asexual wife before a divorce-of-convenience that leads to a man in his 40s just now poking his baby toe out of the closet. I wish we had a LITTLE more resolution with Sean's family, considering none of the other MCs are related to him, so the likelihood we'll get any more closure with them is a little slim, especially the son that doesn't even live in the town. But in Annabeth I trust, she hasn't really let me down yet.
Very much looking forward to the next book!
Read
March 28, 2024Up All Night kicks off Annabeth Albert's new small town series and I'm totally in love with Mount Hope already! I liked the instant connection between the MCs. but I also liked the supporting characters and I can't wait to see where the series goes!
I found the book steamy, with a slow building romance that takes you from Hook- up to HEA and with Derek as a short-order cook, it took me to research a few new breakfast options too! I also appreciated that the characters were mature men with lived experiences and some history to bring to the mix - even if that history was a little difficult.
I truly can't wait to see Caleb's story unfold in the next book!
I found the book steamy, with a slow building romance that takes you from Hook- up to HEA and with Derek as a short-order cook, it took me to research a few new breakfast options too! I also appreciated that the characters were mature men with lived experiences and some history to bring to the mix - even if that history was a little difficult.
I truly can't wait to see Caleb's story unfold in the next book!
January 7, 2026
It's fine. I usually want more plot than sex and this is mostly sex but it is fairly hot. The kids are a bit of a problem and I don't understand why it takes so many adult men to handle them. They definitely aren't getting enough discipline. Generally the first explosion is a wakeup call but here it takes at least two for the adults to do anything and even then it's just cooking lessons.
March 29, 2024
Very sweet.
April 6, 2024
3.5 stars
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