Fire and Rain is the third book in the ‘Carlisle Cops’ series. The main characters are Officer Kip Rogers, Josten aka ‘Jos’ Applewhite, and his little brother, Isaac. This is told in third person from both Kip and Josten’s povs.



The blurb does a good job explaining the plot, but here’s a quick run-down. Officer Kip Rogers finds Josten and Isaac on the streets sleeping in a doorway in the rain. He offers to help take them to a shelter but the shelters are booked. Josten is suspicious of anyone who might take Isaac away and put him in foster care, so he doesn’t accept any help. Kip feels guilty and keeps an eye on them while he’s on duty. He ends up rescuing Josten from a bad situation and offers them to stay at his home, which Jos accepts. From then on, it’s a story about Jos getting over his bad insecurity, Kip starting to believe he can have a relationship without pressuring Jos, because Jos is very vulnerable right now. In addition, there’s Isaac who’s okay for a kid. This author loves putting children in stories, and I don’t particularly care for that because the story starts to revolve around the child, and not the men. So be warned, there’s a lot of Isaac in this book.

I don’t remember Kip’s age being mentioned, but got the impression he was close to ten years or more older than Jos with Jos being somewhere around 20-21. At least no older than early twenties. Jos is very insecure, I mean very, very insecure to the point of him being very, very annoying. The one good thing about him is he cares for Isaac and tries to do good for him. Their mother was an alcoholic who brought home numerous loser boyfriends. Jos and Isaac’s life has been tumultuous and that’s how they ended up on the streets. Jos at the same time doesn’t like accepting help because he doesn’t trust anyone. Gradually he learns to trust Kip and the other people trying to help him. Kip is a very understanding man, not perfect but kind. Which brings me to the point about how cops are idealized in this story and in the other two books I’ve read in this series. The cops are portrayed how people would like to imagine cops behave, which means suspending reality when reading the book.

There’s a couple of loose ends that are not taken care of in the story. First one has to do with the ex-landlord. It’s made a big deal of in the story but never concluded, just dropped. The next one is near the end with the hit-and-run driver. I’ve noticed other stories where the author has dropped subplots or brings up critical turning points, but doesn't finish them. It doesn’t speak well of the thoroughness of the writing or of the proofers or editors who let it slide by.

One of the things I liked, was the author wove in characters from the Taste of Love series which I enjoyed more than I have this series. It was nice seeing characters from previous stories again even if only for a brief moment.

There’s the usual overuse of telling monologue that’s typical in this author’s writing, along with repetitive thoughts. I sometimes wonder why I read this author’s books if his writing is predictable with its errors and plots. I’m guessing it’s because the books end in HEAs, which I like, and they aren’t deep reads. If I want a book that I don’t have to invest my emotions in too deeply, then I read this author’s stories. They’re good for a breather after reading something more intense.

I wouldn’t say this is one of the author’s better books. Kip was my favorite character by a long shot. Jos was annoying, and Isaac was okay. I want to give this 2.5 stars, but I’ll give it 3 Stars, only because I don’t think it’s as bad as one of his other books I recently read. At the same time, it’s a stretch giving it three stars. I wish Goodreads allowed half stars.

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Andrew Grey, the author of this series...has allowed us to come to meet and know the police force of the small town of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, The characters are well written and portrayed as caring and dedicated officers...good friends...extremely fair...and interested in bringing peace and justice to all the citizens. Each of the characters in the 3 series thus far have met and found happiness with their boyfriends. Instead of the romances being the main and only focus of the stories...they are a backdrop that serves to allow the reader to see this little town as a good place to live...with helpful citizens. The books are fairly short so they are quick easy reads. They are all, of course, same sex couples but the guys are so sweet with one another that you just have to root for them to find happiness. I really like that characters from the other books make reappearance so we get to make connection again with old friends. ( )

Jos finds himself an insta parent after his mum is murdered. His little brother become his only focus in life. They manage to do ok until Jos looses his job and his landlord illegally evicts him. The book begins where the two are on the streets.

Kip is an officer with a heart to help make the city safer. But, the events in book two opened his eyes to a part of the city he didn’t notice before and made him realise he was in a position to do more and needed to remember that good or bad they were all people. It is one thing to have your eyes opened to how you can grow, it’s another to actually take the steps towards that change. Kip has to step out of his comfort zone to do the right thing for Jos and Isaac.

Mixed into all of this is the threat of a system that has the potential to complicate things, estranged family that is only out for their own selfish desires, and a attacker.

The story is well written and uses realistic struggles to round it out. ( )

The first two books of the ‘Carlisle Cops’ series are both about men who have had to overcome the odds before being able to live a normal life and find love. This third volume has the same central idea, showing how determination and courage can overcome any obstacle, yet is very different. After physical disfigurement in book one and a dark past causing abandonment issues in book two, Andrew Grey focuses on homelessness and its effect in this third installment. And as devastating as it is for an adult like Jos to deal with the helplessness and hopelessness of his situation, the suffering is different and in many ways worse for his four-year-old brother Isaac. Finding the right way to help, without crushing Jos’s self-confidence even more, is a tough job and Kip, a cop and colleague Of Red and Carter’s, faces more problems than he suspected.

Jos has had a hard time since his and Isaac’s mother died. She was an alcoholic and never really provided more than a basic home for them, but they had a fixed address and a roof over their heads. Now that she is gone, and Jos has lost his job and the apartment he found but was barely able to afford, he is living on the streets. Both he and Isaac are constantly hungry, never feel safe, and have discovered that shelters are not the solution because when they are full, anyone not there in time is out of luck. Jos does the best he can to keep Isaac fed, often giving him his own food as well, but it is a losing battle. When Officer Kip finds them in a doorway where they can’t stay and ends up helping them, Jos can’t believe his luck. It takes him a long time to be able to begin to trust that Kip is not going to abandon him and Isaac. Fighting for independence becomes Jos’s most important goal.

Kip never expected to get involved in a homeless guy’s case the way he does when he saves Jos from an attack by a lowlife taking advantage of people who have no choice but to live on the streets. Kip is a cop because he wants to help, but he has never taken a personal interest before. As they get to know each other and try to make sure Isaac can legally stay with Jos, Kip begins to develop feelings for Jos. He is hesitant about expressing them, trying to make sure he doesn’t take advantage of Jos, but when Jos takes the initiative, there is no stopping them. Kip does a great job supporting Jos, to the point where he lets him move into his own apartment despite the fact he wants both guys to stay with him – and almost loses everything.

If you like stories about men who defy the odds by never giving up, if you want to know more about the effect of homelessness on young children, and if you’re looking for a story full of emotion, heartbreak, desperation, and an indomitable will to survive, then you will probably like this novel as much as I did. I found its message of hope very uplifting.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )