Release Day Review ~ Fire and Agate (A Carlisle Deputies Novel) by Andrew Grey

Release Day Review ~ Fire and Agate (A Carlisle Deputies Novel) by Andrew Grey

Title: Fire and Agate

Series: Carlisle Deputies: Book 3

Author: Andrew Grey

Release Date: November 6, 2018

Category: Mystery/Suspense

Pages: 193

Dreamspinner  

When Chris Anducci is moved off jail duty and into the sheriff’s office, he doesn’t expect his first assignment to be protecting a witness against a human trafficking ring. Knowing the new sheriff doesn’t abide screwups, Chris reluctantly agrees to work the case.

Pavle Kasun has spent the last four years of his life at the mercy of others. When an opportunity presented itself, he took it, resulting in his rescue. Now the safe houses he’s placed in are being threatened and he needs protection if he is to have any sort of chance at a life.

Chris opens his home to Pavle, but he doesn’t expect Pavle and his story to get under his skin… and stay there. Soon they discover they have more in common than either of them thought. Slowly Pavle comes out of his shell and Chris finds someone who touches his heart. But as the men looking for Pavle close in, they will stop at nothing to get him out of the way. But even if Chris can keep him safe, he might not be able to protect his heart if Pavle moves back home.

**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.**

Fire and Agate is book three in the Carlisle Deputies series by Andrew Grey. Though this is the third book in the series, I think you could read it as a standalone, but you’d get more enjoyment out of it if read in the appropriate order. In this book, the author tackled the serious issue of human trafficking. This is a hard subject, but the author handled it without it being too negative and depressing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s horrible and the subject matter is not made light of, it just had the potential to be a tearjerker but it wasn’t.

I really liked the characters of Chris and Pavle. I always love to see characters from previous books, or series on the page. What I struggled with, was the relationship between Chris and Pavle. I didn’t have a problem with them having one, per se, but with them having one within Chris’ job to protect Pavle and to help him. I would have felt more comfortable had there been a friendship, and a relationship after Pavle could stand on his own two feet. And by standing on his two feet, meaning he worked a job and supported himself. That he figured out his likes and dislikes. That he didn’t go from being a slave to a relationship with the first adult male that came along, who was supposed to be protecting him. He was in a vulnerable situation, and though I think Chris was a nice guy and I liked him, I didn’t like this aspect of the story.

I just really struggled with the vulnerability of Pavle and the situation he was in. Sure, he made it clear he knew his mind, but I just struggled with this aspect of the story. I also felt that Pavle was able to overcome the horrors he had suffered too quickly and moved into a sexual relationship with no issues. Which then made me wonder, did he feel obligated to be in this relationship because of all Chris had done for him?

I’m probably overthinking this book, because the reality is that it is fiction, but the overthinking kept me from fully enjoying the story. As with all other books by this author, the writing is well done, the characters are lovable, and there’s a sweet HEA waiting for the characters at the end.

Rating: 3.5 stars