Jeza Belle’s Blood Rouge is an emotional and heavy, but very important story. It’s very easy to fall in love with a protagonist like Josef, who is so big-hearted and vibrant. And, as a queer reader, it was also very easy to see a lot of myself in Josef as well, which really served as an additional emotional hook for me. I loved many of the characters in the book, but especially Helena and Lucas, who make such a last impression on Josef’s life. I could see my own queer mentors and first loves in them. It really lifted my spirits to see Josef find the love and affirmation that he was deprived of in the early years of life, even if that joy was quickly interrupted by the vicious tide of history.

The pacing in Blood Rouge is really terrific, everything moves so quickly that it’s difficult to put this book down. And this is by no means a happy story, but I always love when an author is unafraid to tackle difficult subject matter head-on while maintaining a certain level of sensitivity. I think that this is something Jeza Belle excels at. Queer joy and queer pain are two sides of the same coin, which is recognized in Josef’s story. Through all the darkness, there are moments of light and laughter that allow the reader to decompress and cheer for our sweet protagonist. The ending was dark, but poetic, and is a stark reminder of the injustices endured by so, so many under the Nazi regime.

With Blood Rouge, Jeza Belle has earned a new fan. I look forward to adding more books from the Presence Collection to my library!