Slack by J A Huss

Slack - A Day in the Life of Ford Aston by J A Huss

I think I might just have developed a bit of a crush on Ford – he is a little out there and weird but he has something so loveable in a perverse sort of way.

The story is of Ford’s Christmas Eve and again there is only one small problem with all that goes with the festivities – the small problem being Ford.

Ford doesn’t do conventional. He doesn’t do Family, Christmas, Church, Parties, Presents etc. none of it all but he does his own thing and he does do his “pets” – the submissive nobodies that give Ford the control and release he needs to make it through the day. And today of all days he has a date set up with one of them.

Perhaps that she make his Christmas bearable.

Ford tries hard not to care but he does, he is always there to help and in this we see him cross paths with a feisty 12 year old by the name of Sasha while he is helping his friend Merc. Sasha has the making of Ford, and something about her just swells his heart. She touches him more than he should let her but he can’t help himself.

The events of Christmas Eve sent him batshit crazy and when his “pet” gets a bit above the station he has for her, Ford dismisses her and goes against every instinct racing around in his head and joins his mother in church for Christmas Eve mass.

The conversations that Ford has with himself are hysterical; the man really has no equal when it comes to being barking mad. But he is a conundrum of unpredictability; he is full of charm and wit but is equally sarcastic. He is Sadistic with his “pets” but loves Rook enough to walk away because he can’t have her. I was heartbroken when reading his conversation with Rook – he poured his heart out to her and took the hit because Ronin is his friend.

The book is short, fast and funny and Ford is dark and complicated. But the bottom line is that Ford is who he is, he funny and honest without reproach.

Life will never be boring with a Mr Rutherford Aston around.

Rating 4.5 out of 5