The Brothers Grime: Eddie

Title: The Brothers Grime: Eddie
Grime Doesn’t Pay
Author: Z. A. Maxfield
Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs
Publisher & Buy Link: Loose Id
Amazon:  Eddie: Grime Doesn’t Pay (The Brothers Grime)
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel
Rating: 4.25 out of 5 rating stars

A Guest Review by Raine

Summary Review: The second in this down to earth series is an interesting thoughtful romance- worth reading for the appealing character of Eddie Cha-Cha Vasquez alone.

Blurb: Grime Doesn’t Pay

Eddie and Andrew have dynamite chemistry. But Eddie is profoundly dyslexic, and Andrew lives to read. Andrew is pathologically disorganized, and Eddie likes things neat and clutter-free.

Andrew is desperately ashamed of his hoarder father, and Eddie is embarrassed by his lack of education — secrets that could pull them apart even as a friend’s tragedy brings them together.

When Andrew’s father’s condition deteriorates and he nearly dies because of his compulsion, Eddie and Andrew must learn compassion begins with loving oneself.

Review:

The background to this story is again the professional cleaning company run by a group of friends who clean up after crime scenes or other instances of domestic trauma. I find this set up particularly successful, the job has a stomach churning fascination and the guys have a family like relationship with each other. This second story stars Eddie and I mean stars. I enjoyed getting to know this gorgeous, warm, kind and very appealing man, who has over come his extreme dyslexia to live a mostly happy and successful life. His slightly awkward but determined crush on his niece’s teacher is developed nicely in an opposites attract kind of way.

Andrew felt a little less focused as character as his relationship with his father, whose hoarding has become a big problem, took a lot of his mental energy. Though the physical side of his relationship with Eddie was well and often demonstrated. Both of these guys have their problems and how they realistically come to terms with what they feel are weaknesses makes for an easy going and interesting read.

The ensemble scenes with the guys from the cleaning firm and Eddie’s family are very successful. Reformed bad boy Skippy once again had some scene stealing lines. Being a happily married heterosexual it is such a shame he is not going to get his own hot boyfriend , but I really can’t wait for Dave and Gabe to get themselves sorted out. Hopefully this plot will involve someone hitting Dave over the head a few times while screaming helpful abuse at him………

I thought this was a story with well grounded roots in messy real life, ageing and death situations and given those elements there is an air of melancholy hanging over it. This made it an absorbing read but did kind of dampen my enthusiasm. I do like my escapism, even if life is not a fairy tale. However sweetheart Eddie was a particularly charming character and one I will remember.