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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Jaxon Lee’s Cluster*uck, book one in the Crash Jaxon series, follows the titular Crash Jaxon, a young Australian gardener whose affair with married client Jessica Tomlinson ends in chaos when her husband, John, arrives home unexpectedly. John chases Crash through the neighborhood with a kitchen knife, beginning a feud that repeatedly draws the men into trouble. Crash has plans beyond his gardening jobs. He lives in a deteriorating caravan park and hopes to persuade its owner, Mrs Delaney, to let him take over management. With Hanna, a young mother whose daughter Evie he has adopted, Crash intends to restore the park and attract holidaymakers, giving their makeshift family a home. As he works toward a deal with Mrs Delaney, his continuing encounters with John threaten to disrupt the future he is trying to build.
Jaxon Lee’s Cluster*uck is a wonderful slice of contemporary Australian fiction, and Crash is enormously likable through his instinctive generosity toward people who need him. The fleshing out extends to ancillary characters, including John, a construction supervisor, and his wounded pride coming through when his outspoken boss Viv presses him about an embarrassing situation at the construction site. The author writes every conversation with an unmistakably Australian cadence that suits the brisk pace and wildly unpredictable turns. I particularly enjoyed the quieter moments, like Crash sitting beneath the stars with his hunting mate Falcon, discussing what might happen after death. It leans into the book's thoughtful interest in human connection, alongside the strong sense of companionship running through the story. Readers who appreciate earthy Australian fiction along the lines of Barrett’s You Wouldn't Be Dead for Quids and Linnell's Bottlebrush Creek are in for a treat. Very highly recommended.
