Review: Excellent star to a new series
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 7, 2013
I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.I really enjoyed this. The writing is sharp, and witty, and the plot well developed, and compelling. I liked the idea of the crime clean up company, and I'm glad that the author didn't spare any of the gritty details. Be forewarned if you are a sensitive person there is copious amounts of blood, and gore in this story. Jack does run a crime scene clean up company, and more than one scene is described in pretty graphic detail.I really liked Jack. He is an angry guy, and considering his past, and the injuries that ended his career as a firefighter, and the chronic pain he lives with that isn't a surprise. I do like the fact that he doesn't just sit around feeling bad for himself, and whining about what he has lost. His strength is his ability to move forward, even if she shuts himself off a bit personally, he has made a strong business for himself, and he has used it to give others a chance at a different life. I also loved his intelligence, and sharp sense of humor. It's nice to read a story where characters from working class backgrounds aren't treated as inferior or less intelligent than people from more privileged backgrounds.I like Ryan as well. He has some truly terrible taste in men, but a really good heart tempered with hard, earned, practical wisdom. I liked that, while he cared, he knew enough to know that he couldn't save someone who didn't want to be saved, but that didn't stop him from doing what little he could to try to make the situation a bit better.I respected the bond that was growing between the two of them. I liked that it was never presented as true love, but sexual attraction, and mutual respect, and a deep desire to get to know each other better. Reading a story where two characters meet, and don't fall instantly into hearts, and flowers love. It felt more honest, especially with the secrets Jack was keeping. I respected Jack's reasoning for not sharing the secrets he kept, but for love to grow Ryan needed to understand what happened between his cousin, and Jack.I really liked the secondary characters, even Dave. I might not have liked him all the time, but I understood him. There were complex, and well written. I liked that the events of the past not only changed Jack's life, but the lives of everyone who knew, and cared about him. Having such a well drawn cast of characters, aside from just the main couple, made for a much richer reading experience. I'm really looking forward to seeing where, and how the plot develops from here. I'm actually hoping to see Dave find a little peace, and acceptance.