Fire and Hail

*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*

The Carlisle Cops Series by Andrew Grey is set in a small town in Pennsylvania. There are currently five books in this series, and I was very fortunate to be given a chance to read all five books in it. If you've read my previous reviews, you'll know I'm a fan of Andrew Grey's. There is just something about his stories and his men that just makes my heart sigh in happiness every time I read one of his books.

Book 5, Fire and Hail, brought the heartbreak early. New police officer, Brock started his first day on the job by pulling over his ex-boyfriend, Vincent, for speeding and then being the person that rescued two young children from the trunk of a car in the next traffic stop. What he doesn't expect is that the driver of the car, and mother of the children, is Vincent's sister. Donald and Carter take the children into their home as an emergency placement, and work with Vincent so he can become temporary guardian of his niece and nephew. Brock hasn't forgiven Vincent for ending their relationship when they were younger, but for the sake of the kids, he's willing to overlook his feelings and do what's best for them. But spending the time together and with the children forces Vincent and Brock to acknowledge what went wrong previously and what they both want now.

Brock and Vincent were both great characters. Their relationship ended previously because Vincent couldn't come out to his parents and both men regretted the end of the relationship. They've both matured and are ready for a commitment but they both have baggage they need to deal with. And, in Brock's case, that baggage is going to tie into the many issues Vincent's sister faces. Honestly, I loved that the two men were able to work through their issues, accept where they went wrong, and move on. There was no throwing it in the other's face, no continuous sniping and snarking, no using it as a weapon. It happened, they worked through it, the end.

The author did a fantastic job, again, of showing the foster care system. He accurately portrayed the work of child service workers, caregivers and the process of working towards reunification. He gave insight into a system that can be confusing to those who have never experienced it and may question why it works the way it does.

And I admit, I'm a sucker for kids in a story. Sure, sometimes they don't really work into a story, but in this series, they are just the perfect additions. I love watching all these men creating their families and seeing that the kids have such a strong part in drawing these men together. I can't recommend this whole series enough! If you like books about hope, overcoming adversity, strength, friendship, love, and family, then this series is one you must read!

Rating: 5 stars!

This is the fifth book in the Carlisle Cops series. We meet Brock a new Police officer in Carlisle. After a traffic stop and he finds to young children in the truck if the car. Things start to spiral down. Vincent cant believe that he let Brock slip through his fingers. When he finds out about his niece and nephew. Can Vinny and Brock set aside their angust from their break up and do the best for Abey and Penny. The emotional scene in this story will bring you to tears and some happiness. Highly recommend this book