This was a story about trying to find yourself again while trying not to hurt or upset everyone around you. Also it lets you see how normal it is to rediscover yourself and grow into a new you. I did want to climb through the book and shake Jess at times but it was her journey.

King is an impressive novel from Chloë Fowler. The ‘king’ of the title is, of course, Elvis Presley, whose face in close-up and youth adorns the front cover.

Jess is a queer Elvis impersonator. A lesbian with a wife, child, and a desire to perform and to be adored.

King starts at the Edinburgh Fringe, where Jess has sell-out shows as she slowly dresses as Elvis through her act.

When her family faces a crisis, will she make the right decisions in life? Fowler brings the close-knit world of the Fringe, a busy London, and even the nightlife in Memphis to life.

She imagines situations, people, and feelings. Creates a whole world in stage and screen worlds where the King is viewed through a queer prism and the eyes of the woman who mimics his quiff and wears replicas of his bejewelled rings.

Seen wholly through Jess’s eyes, other characters do take a back seat but they feel ring through several intimate conversations in person or detached ones across screens.

Sarah, her businesslike wife who wants Jess to MC a work event but can’t be wholly proud of her. Tiff, a journalist who offers an open door. Jak, a non-binary director who offers an escape.

And two sets of people who love Elvis, one at a British ‘Elvis Con’ in Birmingham, one in a bar Jess finds when she’s walking in Memphis. Which group will embrace her and let her find her path in life, signposted by the King himself?

I really enjoyed this book. It captures the loneliness of life away from home for a performer, and tips a hat to the reality of a domestic life that may be right for one but not another.

It demonstrates an understanding of emotional and physical imtimacy without taking that aspect too far, and in Jess’s Elvis imitation, recognises that he has a legacy that reaches into the depths of many varied lives.

This novel may appeal to open-minded Elvis fans as well as those who appreciate good fiction in the LGBTQ+ space.

****

King is a sexy honest, and touching story about Jess, who is an Elvis impersonator on a quest to find her true self. Though she mesmerises audiences on stage. Her personal life leaves her feeling unfulfilled.
Her wife presents her with a difficult choice.
So Jess heads to Memphis to figure out if she's a wife a mother a lover or is she the king of rock and roll.

Fowler does an amazing job blending themes of love, attraction, commitment, family, and Elvis. Her heartfelt portrayal of Jess’s struggles, along with a well-researched look into the world of performance and fandom, invites readers on a journey both on and off the stage. With a strong gay lead character, the story gives a real glimpse into everyday life, offering much-needed representation for the LGBTQI+ community. "King" is a fantastic novel that many will love.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hatchling Press.

King is the story of Jess, an Elvis impersonator, wife, and mother. As a stay-at-home parent, Jess has foregone her hopes of a career in performance to raise her daughter while her wife Sarah’s continues to work. An opportunity rises and she finds herself touring Edinburgh doing what she loves best. Jess’s absence, combined with Sarah’s disinterest in Jess’s career, causes them to drift slowly apart. Jess comes to the realisation that she is not happy, but is uncertain why. A family tragedy causes her to re-evaluate her life. While Sarah is pressing her to have another baby, Jess, out of frustration agrees. But the road to pregnancy with all its ups and downs serves to push a greater divide between the two. When Jess’s big break comes and she realises she is not getting the support she needs from Sarah, she sets on a quest to find herself and identify what she really wants out of life.

Jess’s introspection throughout the book is written with such sensitivity and insight. The author has creatively tapped into her core being and takes the reader on a journey of exploration through all the emotions befitting the circumstances. As a reader, I felt Jess’s pain and sense of loss. I understood her confusion. And finally, when decisions were made, I felt her relief. Such great writing and insight for a debut novel.