This took me a while to get into, to be honest. It started off a little slow, then picked up momentum. I definitely appreciated the representation in this book: a non binary character along with an Arab asexual transgender man in a relationship together. It was a unique pairing that worked well due to the author’s writing ability. In the book, Ashraf, one of the two main characters, deals with bigotry regarding his relationship with a slightly younger PhD student, Jamie, as well as his extreme fear of water due to a childhood trauma. We get to see what a healthy relationship might look like for an asexual character, and the interactions between Ashraf and Jamie were very sweet. I do wish we had more closure on Ashraf’s relationship with his family, and a little more closure on the bigotry he faced at work regarding his relationship. Overall a nice read.

This so was fascinating to me. I have never read a transgender book quite like this one. It gave the point of view from Jamie’s and Ashraf’s point of view. Ashraf is a sweet man who just wanted to be with Jamie and didn’t want everyone in their business. I love the fact that he stood up to everyone when it came to his relationship. I also like the fact that Jamie’s family was so understanding and accepting of their sexuality. I’m glad that can communicate with each other, and their love for each other was shown in this book. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did
Matthew Metzger always writes good books.

I just finished "Life Underwater" by Matthew J Metzger! What a fantastic read! It was completely engrossing & covered so many sensitive topics head-on. I think a lot of people will identify with the characters in one way or another - whether it's through the relationships, sexual orientation, university life, a love of the ocean or a fear of it. The book is an absolute page turner and I read it in one go! I couldn't put it down.