This was a hard read. Full of triggers for people who have faved abuse and/or the foster system. Grey has an incredible way of conveying the depth of emotion and fears that come with troubled pasts. The dynamic between all three MCs was complex and enjoyable. I also liked that the child acts like a child. He isn’t just a tool to move the story, he has a story of his own. Grab some tissues for this one. ( )

Some people suffer more heartbreak than others, and the two men in this second book of the ‘Carlisle Cops’ series, Carter and Donald, have each had their share of difficulties to deal with. But nothing they have been through was as bad as what Alex has been through. He is only a little five-year-old boy, but he has suffered emotional and physical abuse to the point of malnutrition and complete neglect. Carter rescues him, Donald is supposed to find him a safe foster family, but as they help Alex through the first few days of freedom, both men begin to open up to each other and, very quickly, neither of them can imagine letting Alex go. There are obstacles to overcome, a “system” to deal with, and personal issues to solve, not to mention a criminal investigation into the perverted crimes Alex’s abusers have committed. As a result, this story is suspenseful, emotionally intense, and had me glued to the pages as I went from utter despair to hopeful and back more than once.

Carter is a cop. It wasn’t easy for him to make it through the academy because he is more of a nerd than a jock, but he persevered. His computer skills are still what gets him noticed first, so he has to battle for the “right” to go on patrol. And one of the times he does, he finds Alex in a horrible situation, and is soon involved far deeper than is probably advisable for his long-term mental and emotional health. To make matters worse, the social worker assigned to the case is a man he had a weekend fling with a year ago, only to be “iced” out of his life after that. Between trying to do the right thing for Alex and dealing with feelings for Donald that just won’t go away, Carter is under almost constant stress. And that is just his personal life. His job of helping investigate Alex’s abusers and the possible child pornography ring he was involved in isn’t exactly easy either.

Donald is a social worker for a reason, but he never talks about his basic motivation. There are dark secrets in his past, and he is convinced nobody will stay around if he tells the truth. As a consequence, Donald has closed himself off from all deeper human contact to protect his heart, but Carter gets under his skin. Donald fights his feelings as much as he can, but between Carter and Alex’s clear need for love and support, Donald soon reaches an impasse. I was afraid he’d break under the strain of being pulled in different directions, but Donald is not just strong enough to deal with the pressure, he is also clever enough to know when it’s time to give in – with a little support from Carter, who keeps pushing until he gets the response both of them need.

If you like stories about men with dark pasts and secrets that make happiness in the present almost impossible, if you want to find out more about the people who help abused children deal with life and what makes them tick, and if you’re looking for a read that is full of tension, deep emotions, pain, and makes you suffer before a beautiful, perfect happy ending, then you will probably like this novel as much as I did. ‘Fire and Ice’ is an emotional thriller I won’t soon forget.
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