Fire and Water by Andrew Grey

Title: Fire and Water

Author: Andrew Grey

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC

Length: 200 pages

Release Date: December 15, 2014

 

Blurb:

Officer Red Markham knows about the ugly side of life after a car accident left him scarred and his parents dead. His job policing the streets of Carlisle, PA, only adds to the ugliness, and lately, drug overdoses have been on the rise. One afternoon, Red is dispatched to the local Y for a drowning accident involving a child. Arriving on site, he finds the boy rescued by lifeguard Terry Baumgartner. Of course, Red isn’t surprised when gorgeous Terry won’t give him and his ugly mug the time of day.

Overhearing one of the officer’s comment about him being shallow opens Terry’s eyes. Maybe he isn’t as kindhearted as he always thought. His friend Julie suggests he help those less fortunate by delivering food to the elderly. On his route he meets outspoken Margie, a woman who says what’s on her mind. Turns out, she’s Officer Red’s aunt.

Red and Terry’s worlds collide as Red tries to track the source of the drugs and protect Terry from an ex-boyfriend who won’t take no for an answer. Together they might discover a chance for more than they expected—if they can see beyond what’s on the surface.

Review:

“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” 
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Fire and Water by Andrew Grey is such a fantastic read. I kept looking at the page count to see how far from the end I was getting. I just wanted it to go on and on. It’s that good.

Terry begins the story believing himself to be one way and ends the story learning about the person he actually is and wants to be. First impressions are almost always the worst as they were for Terry. He portrayed himself as shallow, everything was about his looks and what he could get with them. It was pleasant to watch him grow into the man he unlocked from within.

At first sight, Red would be the beast in this story if Terry were the beauty. However looks aren’t everything, Red’s beauty shines from within. The big guy has such a kind heart that he chooses to help the very man who first insulted him. I have a soft spot for the big guys that Andrew Grey writes, they’re mostly big teddy bears with a slight edge, the heroes anyway.

I really enjoyed reading this story as I said. It was nice to see the last big guy Andrew created that I fell in love with from another book. I have already read it twice.

I will have to give this book  Six Blue Roses . I know it’s more than usual but this is my review site. I can do what I want. ;)

Stardust by Andrew Grey

Title: Stardust

Author: Andrew Grey

Cover Artist: Catt Ford

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC

Length: 62 pages

Release Date: December 1, 2014

Blurb:

Duncan is an ocean from home over the holidays and expects to spend them alone. To his pleasant surprise, one of his European co-workers, Georg, befriends him and includes Duncan in the holiday traditions of his homeland: cutting a Christmas tree under starry skies at Georg’s country estate, decorating it at the family’s city home, and shopping at the Christmas market in Munich. Both men are lonely and realize they have much in common. But Georg’s life is in Germany and Duncan’s is in Boston. With the project they’re working on nearing completion, any chance for more than a holiday fling seems as elusive as stardust.

Review:

Stardust is about a man who looks toward the stars while wondering if something better will come along down on the ground. It’s the holidays, because of work he’s alone in a foreign country where people are speaking a language he doesn’t know. He’s lonely. Duncan doesn’t expect to find love in a foreign land.

Enter Georg, a co-worker of sorts while Duncan is in Germany. He makes Duncan’s holiday magical. They spend a lot of time together and traditions about the holidays isn’t the only thing they share.

This is a lovely holiday read. I’ve already read it twice. I highly recommend it.

I give this story 5 Blue Roses