Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Liam for Hire
SERIES: London Stories #2
AUTHOR: A. Zukowski
PUBLISHER: Beaten Track Publishing
LENGTH: 216 pages
RELEASE DATE: August 24, 2018
BLURB:
Liam Murphy has kicked his drug habit and now pays for the high living costs in London as an escort. His life is finally in balance. His only problem is that he obsesses about the minimum number of times he has to bend over to make ends meet. As long as he has his emotions under control, it’ll be fine. That’s what Liam keeps telling himself until he meets the young widower Alastair, also known as Ali, whose emerald eyes remind him of Ireland.
“I…I want us to have sex as though we’re making love.”
Making love? Jaysus.
I scratch my head. “Okay. You mean more kisses and shit?”
Ali laughs.
“And shit.” His face lights up and he looks about ten years younger. “Like cuddles.”
Featuring Liam from The Boy Who Fell to Earth
This title contains material some may find objectionable or trigger-inducing: mature content, drug use, suicidal thoughts.
REVIEW:
Okay. First and foremost, let’s get the formalities out of the way. Holy crap, I sound like a lawyer or something lol. First, for anyone with triggers, pay attention to the blurb footnote. Second, if you have not read The Boy Who Fell to Earth, you sooooooooo need to. It doesn’t affect you reading this. Even though Liam is in that book, this can be read as a standalone. But it gives you a bit of background. This book or The Boy are not for the faint of heart. At all. Having said that, I love this book as much as The Boy. It is excellently written and it pulls no punches.
Getting high was it for Liam. Squatting, drugs, whatever. Anything to dull the pain and numb himself. Until an almost overdose causes Liam to reevaluate. The pain of rehab and everything he went through are enough to keep him sober. His friend, Chris, has helped him with a place to live and a job. May not be the best job being an escort, but at least he has a real roof over his head, clean clothes, and food. He’s meeting his needs. Everything seems to be going alright until a beautiful green-eyed widower calls him for a hookup. He learns about Ali and his life and every wall he has constructed is starting to crumble. Liam can’t understand why Ali likes him so much and why he wants him. His past is just too much. And his present isn’t a whole lot better for someone like Ali. He has to deal with his demons or possibly lose the one person in his life who has truly loved him and still loves him for him. But it may not be enough.
When I first read The Boy Who Fell to Earth, I really almost hated Liam. I’m so ashamed to say that, even if it is a fictional character. Anyone who has been around or even is a person that has addictions, you know they most often have a background that is less than stellar. Abuse, of some sort, is often involved. Sometimes financial situations. Or asshole parents. In Liam’s case is was quite a few reasons. But in The Boy, most often he came across as assholish, self-centered, etc. He even got Sasha hurt. That really hit me hard as far he was concerned. But in this book, you learn why he is the way he is and what he’s been through. And yeah, my heart melted. All the way melted. And I felt so bad for how I felt about him to begin with. All Liam ever wanted was not to go through what he did and to be with the love of his life. But life doesn’t work out that way. At least not for Liam. By the time Ali came along in his life, he was resigned that he would never have love. No one could possibly love him with his past. Or for the fact he’s an escort. That just breaks me. When people think no one could love them or that they aren’t deserving. Ali is what made the difference. Even after one night.
I love this book. The passion, the desperation, the absolute realness. Life’s not easy. It gets downright cruel. Sometimes there feels like there’s no way out. We just have to hold on to hope. And let love in. Grab life with both hands and don’t let go. If you are an addict or know someone who is, there is hope.
RATING: 
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