Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Blue Jay
SERIES: London Stories #3
AUTHOR: A. Zukowski
PUBLISHER: Beaten Track Publishing
LENGTH: 93,600 words
RELEASE DATE: October 3, 2019
BLURB:
Boxing was all Alex had ever known, his entire being now shattered beyond repair. One night and four years in jail changed everything. These days, Alex prefers the shadows and dreams of nightmares. Will he find rainbows and glitters in the run-down flat he’s moving into?
Chris has been selling their looks and body for too long. It may be time for a life change, but one thing is clear. The fairest of them all will make a lousy lover until they stop acting the smart-mouthed and blasé cynic. Their story begins with an elegant tango up the narrow stairwell…
A match made in London.
Featuring Chris from Liam for Hire, Blue Jay is a hopeful and romantic story with genderqueer and bisexual characters.
REVIEW:
So, I need to forewarn you. If you’ve read this series, you know these books have some very dark times and dark moments. Life isn’t always pretty and these books don’t pull any punches. You get to see the harsher side of life where people often don’t want to look or ignore. But it’s there and will never go away until more people start taking a stand. If you haven’t read these books, you need to start with book 1, The Boy Who Fell to Earth. If you haven’t read these books, I will tell you they are some of the best written I’ve ever read, but as I said, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture. This story in particular deals with a gender fluid/gender queer individual who’s live has been hell on Earth. They’ve been bullied, beaten, raped, cut up and just about anything you can think of. All because they were different. They couldn’t even rely on their own mother. It also deals with a man who is bisexual but has had to repress that side of him because of his celebrity status. Because of drugs and alcohol, he committed vehicular homicide, and has to deal with that grief every day. And just because these things happened in the past, doesn’t mean they aren’t still happening now. It’s a dark story, that shows the darker sides of life, and even though it may have a happy ending, you really need to take these books to heart. Kids like these are on the streets and stuff or living horrid lives every day because no one steps in and everyone turns a blind eye. We have to make a stand.
For Chris, they knew they were different from a young age. They like both genders and wanted to be both genders. Although born a boy, they related to be a girl just as much and loved the makeup and looking pretty as much as wearing jeans and a t-shirt. But with all they have been through, they’ve learned to take things at face value and take things as they come. They don’t necessarily believe in love, because they’ve never been shown any. But when Alex moves in, Alex finds a way to start digging under that wall Chris has built up. They’re terrified because love never works for him and it will be just one more person who doesn’t accept them the way they are or what they do for a living. But Alex is different. And I love it. I love these two. The sass between them, the banter, the wit back and forth. The verbal sparring. It’s hilarious, but it’s also important. They are getting to know each other through it and Alex is learning who he really is. Sure, he goofs and gets terminology wrong, which Chris never fails to call him on lol, but Alex keeps trying and for once in his life, he’s free to be himself. Which is very attracted to Chris. No matter which gender form he may be in. That’s what I love about these two. Alex accepts Chris without blinking an eye. He doesn’t care much for the whole prostitution thing, but it’s more for worrying of Chris’s safety. And Chris knows all about Alex’s background, after Alex told him, and still cares for the man regardless. They may both feel broken and cold and without a heart, but these are actually two of the most caring people ever. They just keep it blocked to keep from getting hurt. And hell, when you get all the details of what they’ve been through, who can blame them. The one thing, though, no matter what, even if they had a fight, they never really gave up on each other. There were a few close calls, but they matter too much to each other for that.
I have absolutely loved this series. It saddens me that it’s the last book. I’ve grown to love these guys so much and have loved watching them grow from what they were and what they came from to the men they are today. And let me tell you, it’s a beautiful thing. And it’s a huge thing. I recommend this series to anyone who can get their hands on it. It’s a great one. All about redemption, second chances and love.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: