carlisle cops

Fisher Moreland has been cast out of his family because they can no longer deal with his issues. Fisher is bipolar and living day to day, trying to manage his condition, but he hasn’t always had much control over his life and self-medicated with whatever he could find.

JD Burnside has been cut off from his family because of a scandal back home. He moved to Carlisle, but brought his Southern charm and warmth along with him. When he sees Fisher on a park bench on a winter’s night, he invites Fisher to join him and his friends for a late-night meal.

At first Fisher doesn’t know what to make of JD, but he slowly comes out of his shell. And when Fisher’s job is threatened because of a fire, JD’s support and care is more than Fisher ever thought he could expect. But when people from Fisher’s past turn up in town at the center of a resurgent drug epidemic, Fisher knows they could very well sabotage his budding relationship with JD.

Title: Fire and Snow
Series: Carlisle Cops: Book Four
Author: Andrew Grey
Release Date: May 20, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 200

I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, but I’m beyond in love with the boys of Carlisle! I’m not sure how Andrew Grey does it, but every time a book releases in this series, I fall even harder.

JD and Fisher both have their demons to battle, but Andrew did an amazing job of making sure that their issues complemented one another. They weren’t both so broken that it felt as if he’d tried to write in every obstacle possible. Fisher’s past, combined with his memory and anxiety issues, definitely solidified him as the more damaged character. JD, on the other hand, had faced just enough in his life to be empathetic to Fisher and feel drawn to help him.

It’s understandable that Fisher thought JD was with him out of pity or some sort of need to help someone who appeared to be down, but JD fought hard to prove that wasn’t the case.

As always, there were a few unexpected little turns, which sadly I can’t tell you because you’ll have to read about those in the book, but they were well done.

Fire & Snow by Andrew Grey gave me exactly what I want out of a romance. It was an amazing love story (meaning it’s not the book for you if you’re into porn on paper), I saw the characters grow, not only together but as individuals, and when I closed the book, I was certain JD and Fisher will be one of those couples who grow old together.

The Carlisle Cop series is my favorite series by Andrew Grey so I was really excited to get my hands on the new book. Not only was I not disappointed but it exceeded my expectations!

JD Burnside is a cop in Carlisle with roots in the south. JD’s family has turned their back on him in the wake of a small town scandal and he is forced to not only leave the only home he’s ever know, but to find a way to succeed on his own.

Fisher Moreland was in an accident a few years ago suffering a traumatic brain injury which has left him bi-polar. Fisher had a hard time adjusting after his injury and made a few bad choices which caused his family to wash their hands of him. Essentially alone, trying to live a normal life and stay in control of his bi-polar symptoms, Fisher shuts down not allowing anyone to get close to him.

When JD sees Fisher sitting on a bench in the snow he is drawn to the man. A few late night dinners and JD starts to feel a connection with Fisher. Fisher feels it too, but to protect his heart he immediately pulls away. Fisher needs order and routine in his life and JD walks in upsetting his orderly existence. JD realizes that he can’t muscle his way into this one, he will need patience and finesse to win over Fisher.

As a budding relationship forms between the two, JD’s job starts to get hectic. Someone is pedaling drugs through Carlisle, not just one type but all of them. JD and his friends on the force can’t seem to get any leads on the case. As if stress from an unsolved case isn’t enough, JD’s mom makes a surprise visit to town and things really heat up. Through it all Fisher and JD realize that if they have each other’s back, they can weather any storm.

I didn’t want to put this book down. I was so mad when real life interfered with my reading. The story is fast paced and exciting. I was so into the story that when I finally looked up it was 2 AM.

I loved the quiet strength Fisher didn’t even know he had. I loved how JD cherished and cared for him without babying him. I love that JD’s friends accepted Fisher without question.

JD’s mom, what can I say. I hated her…. at first. By the end of the book I really think she redeemed herself, and I loved that she loved Fisher. Fisher may just be what saved her relationship with JD and I love Fisher even more for that.

Everything about this story was amazing; the plot, the characters, the setting, but this is what I have come to expect from Andrew Grey.

5 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

ARe

Since the death of their mother, Josten Applewhite has done what he’s had to do to take care of his little brother and keep their small family together. But in an instant, a stroke of bad luck tears down what little home he’s managed to build, and Jos and Isaac end up on the streets.

That’s where Officer Kip Rogers finds them, and even though he knows he should let the proper authorities handle things, he cannot find it in his heart to turn them away, going so far as to invite them to stay in his home until they get back on their feet. With the help of Kip and his friends, Jos starts to rebuild his life. But experience has taught him nothing comes for free, and the generosity seems too good to be true—just like everything about Kip.

Kip’s falling hard for Jos, and he likes the way Jos and Isaac make his big house feel like a home. But their arrangement can’t be permanent, not with Jos set on making his own way. Then a distant relative emerges, determined to destroy Jos’s family, and Kip knows Jos needs him—even if he’s not ready to admit it.

Andrew Grey is one of the few author’s who’ve made it onto my auto-buy list. Fire and Water, the first book in the Carlisle Cops series, was the book that placed him there. While I love seeing more books released featuring the small communities I’ve come to expect from Andrew, I will admit it always makes me nervous when I crack open the next book. I keep worrying that, as much as I love him, this book will be the one to make me wish he’d ended the series sooner. I’m elated to say Andrew has not hit that point with the boys from Carlisle. If anything, he has continued leaving me wanting more.

From the moment Kip responds to a call and finds Jos and Isaac trying to stay warm and dry, your heart begins to melt. As typical for this author, he doesn’t simply try to draw you into the romance between the couple, he takes you on a journey of growth for all of the characters.

It was easy to see the road Jos would have to travel. No matter how bad his situation might have seemed, he was determined to make it on his own, not only for himself, but for his young brother who needed him. At times, I wanted to slap him but then I thought about how I would look at the world if I’d gone through what he had. A steady parade of men coming through the door, a minimally present mother, being thrust into parenthood at a young age, and then losing everything. It’d be hard to believe anyone truly wanted to help without expecting anything in return.

Kip’s journey was a bit harder to figure out. I never doubted that he was helping Jos and Isaac for a reason deeper than feeling some sense of civic duty. The revelation was heart-wrenching. What I loved the most about him was that he tried to weigh his own desires against Jos’. It truly felt as though he wanted what was best for Jos and Isaac, even if it was painful for him.

Unlike many romances involving children, I didn’t feel as though Isaac played a supporting role. He was the key to Jos and Kip falling in love. If Jos had been alone, Kip may not have felt the same draw to help him. If Jos hadn’t been responsible for Isaac’s well-being, he’d have never let Kip offer him a helping hand. He offered comedic relief at times, and worked well to show the soft heart of both adults.

I’ll admit, the distant relative’s return didn’t hold many surprises, but I don’t think it was meant to. It was simply a tool to help Jos realize how strong he was. What I enjoyed about this particular plot arc is that Andrew knew how much to add without going overboard.

I will say, if you’re looking for a hotter read, along the lines of Andrew Grey’s Bronco’s Boys series, this may not be the book for you. That’s not to take a single thing away from this story, because it’s one of my favorite books he’s written. But I felt it worth mentioning that this is a love story, a slow burn that leaves you with no doubt the couple will make it through anything life throws their way.

I’m not sure if there will be more Carlisle couples, but Fire and Rain left me wanting to read the story again, trying to figure out who might be next.

Fire and Snow by Andrew Grey : Release Day Review

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

ARe

Andrew Grey’s Fire and Rain – Release Day Review

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy