2015 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Jackdaw by KJ Charles

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Jackdaw by KJ Charles
Gay Fantasy Romance
Paperback: 226 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing (March 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1619228033
ISBN-13: 978-1619228030
Amazon: Jackdaw
Amazon Kindle: Jackdaw

If you stop running, you fall. Jonah Pastern is a magician, a liar, a windwalker, a professional thief...and for six months, he was the love of police constable Ben Spenser's life. Until his betrayal left Ben jailed, ruined, alone, and looking for revenge. Ben is determined to make Jonah pay. But he can't seem to forget what they once shared, and Jonah refuses to let him. Soon Ben is entangled in Jonah's chaotic existence all over again, and they're running together-from the police, the justiciary, and some dangerous people with a lethal grudge against them. Threatened on all sides by betrayals, secrets, and the laws of the land, can they find a way to live and love before the past catches up with them? This story is set in the world of the Charm of Magpies series. Warning: Contains a policeman who should know better, a thief who may never learn, Victorian morals, heated encounters, and a very annoyed Stephen Day.


The author's writing packs quite a punch, regardless of the type of scene. Her characters are flawed, both good and bad qualities warring within them. But they still retain their personality consistency and thus feel extremely real. They will infuriate and frustrate. And you will shed a couple of tears too over the injustice of it all. The plot twists well enough but its the complex characters that breathe life into the story. It was intriguing to see characters from the previous books in the series as well but shown in a very different, and not a particularly sympathetic, light.

I have found a new genre to read with this book.  The story was so exciting and intense that I could hardly pull myself away from reading it.  The relationship between Jay & Ben was outstanding and so real that even during the most difficult times I was hoping they managed to get past their issues and come together because of how great their love and need for each other was presented.  Just a really great story and I loved every minute of it.