This is the first book I've listened to that was narrated by Joe Arden. The narration was good but not great. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Unlike many of the M/M books I've read recently the author didn't take the approach of getting the characters to sex as quickly and unbelievably as possible or filling the story with angst for the sake of angst. Instead a real depth is shown in the characters - especially Jack and Ryan - and the reader is let in on years of history. The characters are damaged, but not for the convenience of the story, and they don't magically overcome all of their problems in a page or two. Even the minor characters show a level of development that makes them easy to relate to (even though I really did find them infuriating at times).

I highly recommend this to anyone who likes M/M romance. It's well worth the read.

(eGalley provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.) ( )

Z.A Maxfield has the ability to create characters and scenarios so real that you feel you are living in the story itself. And the characters are real...three dimensional. Not flat cardboard copies. That is what draws me in. Gets me connected and invested in them. And this book did that.

Jack is a broken man. Scarred, forced to quit a job he lived for and with demons in his past. Then he has to face these demons...

Ryan, a beautiful, soft-hearted soul. A magnet for "lost causes". Together these two men walk an unusual path.

Their relationship is beautifully described and documented. Maybe things go a little fast, but again. it's fiction. I honestly loved this book and I'm looking forward to the next installment. ( )

It took me a while to figure out who the second MC actually was! I was hoping, but sometimes an author can throw a surprise or two into their books. I'm glad this one turned out the way it did...for MCs and feline! ( )

Read as part of a buddy read in May 2013.

First off, I am a huge fan of the super-talented [a:Z.A. Maxfield|2738500|Z.A. Maxfield|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1314555801p2/2738500.jpg]. Every book I have ever read of her's has been either a 4 or 5 star rating and her fabulous [b:The Long Way Home|5975704|The Long Way Home|Z.A. Maxfield|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1228492810s/5975704.jpg|6148951] is on my favorites list. She does hurt/healing/comfort, a favorite genre of mine, especially well. That being said, [b:Grime and Punishment|17861682|Grime and Punishment|Z.A. Maxfield|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1367279863s/17861682.jpg|25007963] did not meet the standards I am used to from a [a:Z.A. Maxfield|2738500|Z.A. Maxfield|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1314555801p2/2738500.jpg] book. I did not dislike the book, but I also did not like it and if this book is the beginning of a new series, I will most likely be stopping with this one.

[b:Grime and Punishment|17861682|Grime and Punishment|Z.A. Maxfield|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1367279863s/17861682.jpg|25007963] tells the story of ex-firefighter Jack who owns a crime scene clean-up business, the Brothers Grime, with his friend Eddie and cousin Gabe after he was permanently injured while on duty fighting a fire. Jack meets Ryan while at the scene of a suicide of an old boyfriend of Jack's, who just so happens to be Ryan's cousin. Even though Jack is currently involved in a fuck buddy/friends-with-benefits relationship, he feels a strong attraction to Ryan and plays on those feelings. Ryan reciprocates and the two begin a hot sexual affair. (I'll tell you, [a:Z.A. Maxfield|2738500|Z.A. Maxfield|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1314555801p2/2738500.jpg] sure knows how to write a good 'ol sex scene! You betcha!)

So, what didn't work for me? The whole crime scene clean-up business! Sorry, but gross. There is a scene where Ryan and Jack bond over cleaning up Ryan's cousin's remains from the bathroom after he shot himself. I believe Ms. Maxfield meant for this to be a critical moment in Jack and Ryan's affection for one another, but I couldn't get past my nausea of the entire situation. Also, I failed to properly bond with Jack before the romance with Ryan started, so I wasn't really rooting for him the way I usually do when I read M/M romances. This book is rather short, coming in just over 100 pages, and we didn't get a whole lot of background. The background we did get came sporadically and most towards the end of the book. Lastly, Jack was in a fuck buddy relationship with a closeted cop named Dave when his relationship with Ryan started. No, it wasn't going anywhere and I don't believe either one of them would call Jack and Ryan's relationship cheating, but it made me incredibly uncomfortable. I have a strong feeling this will be resolved in the next book in the series, but that doesn't help me here.

So, I cannot recommend this book to my M/M romance loving friends. This book was dark and dreary with characters I did not like and I did not have fun reading it. There is just WAY too much out there that is a hundred times better for you to spend your money and your time on. ( )