Reviewed by Chris
TITLE: Life Underwater 
AUTHOR: Matthew J. Metzger
PUBLISHER: NineStar Press
LENGTH: 223 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 22, 2018
BLURB:
Ashraf never thought he could fall in love. So when he falls hard and fast for marine biologist Jamie Singer, it’s a shock to the system—in more ways than one.
Even if he can wrap his head around what love is and how relationships work, Ashraf’s not sure this is viable. He’s hydrophobic. And Jamie’s entire world revolves around the sea. What’s the point of trying if so much of Jamie’s life is inaccessible to Ashraf?
But Ashraf has vastly underestimated the pull of loving Jamie. For the first time, he wants to face the water, rather than flee from it. He has underestimated the power of love in making people brave, stupid, or a little bit of both.
Maybe it’s time to take a leap—and sink or swim.
REVIEW:
I can’t say I was terribly surprised my how much I enjoyed this story by Metzger. He has an incredible knack for publishing stories that I just adore, and this one was just awash with the same great writing, characters, and personality that I have come to expect and crave from him.
This story is centered around the lives of Ashraf and Jamie. Jamie is marine biology grad student (or whatever the English equivalent is, I think) at the university where Ashraf teaches anthropology. By all accounts their relationship is one that should not work. Not only with the age difference, as well as radical differences in their upbringings and cultures, but until the day that Jamie kissed him while they both waited for the bus, Ashraf was almost positive that he was aromantic as well as asexual. Yet despite all the things that would seem to set them apart, Jamie and Ashraf fit together as well as they can hope. Ashraf worries though that what is perfect for them right now might be tested and strained by his hydrophobia. For how can they build a life together when Jamie practically lives for the water, and Ashraf breaks out is sweats even thinking about oceans and rivers?
What can I say but that once again Matthew J. Metzger has completely astounded me with how well he is able to put words on a page in such a way as to totally suck me in? The characters were so wonderfully crafted, and I adored how Ashraf was portrayed. Jamie as well. I didn’t go into this book knowing that one of the characters would be non-binary, so I was thrilled to find out that not only was I getting a story about a grumpy asexual trans guy, but a totally adorable non-binary person who probably would give a crate full of puppies a good fight in a competition on which has the more energy. I am a huge sucker for stories about grumpy guys falling for people who are just so lighthearted and genuine.
And Jamie did a whole lot of good in this story, not only for Ashraf, but in bringing a lighter tone to balance out some of the more darker and depressing aspects of Ashraf’s past. While I wouldn’t consider this story, on the whole, to be “dark,” there are certainly some really sad moments as we learn more about exactly why Ashraf fears the water so much. It was a part of the story that I found incredibly compelling. Not heavy handed, but not shrugging off the reality of how certain parts and people in his past shaped him into the man who he is today.
Overall I found this story to a real joy to read. Honestly I’ll say that about almost everything Metzger has written. I am pleased I got a chance to review this story, because it gives me great joy to share stories featuring trans and asexual characters, that are well and truly fantastic reads even not taking into account the representation they have as well.
RATING: 
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