Jack Montoya is a doctor at the East End Clinic in the Houston barrio. Being the son of a man who was killed by coyotes (the name given to criminals who smuggle illegal aliens across the border and kill them for the valuables they might be carrying), Jack must help his people. He's been accused of falsifying diagnoses so he can legally treat the children of undocumented workers for asthma. Jack doesn't care where they come from; all he wants to do is keep them breathing.

But someone is giving this bleeding-heart liberal a message. They start by setting Jack's apartment on fire. There's a powerful man running for mayor who wants to derail border runners, give them no access to employment, no education for their children and no free healthcare. Jack must be the man plotting against him. Or is he?

Reagan Hurley is a firefighter; it's a job she loves, a job that provides a connection to her father and a sense of belonging. She needs to get a signature from a doctor to be able to return to work after fighting a fire where she inhaled a large amount of smoke. Reagan has asthma and her lungs are bad enough to jeopardize her job. Even though Reagan hasn't seen Jack Montoya for 20 years, she's in a desperate situation. He's her last resort, but he won't authorize her return to the job until she gets further testing. She leaves Jack's office in a huff and is almost run down by a car. This begins an ugly turn of events leaving Reagan's life in danger and Jack's career almost destroyed. However, desire and passion sizzle between these two and nothing is able to FADE THE HEAT.

This is a remarkable and marvelous suspense thriller. I was swept up in a whirlwind of mystery and intense drama, which kept me up through the wee hours of the morning. A great storyline, strong characterization and a sizzling romance makes FADE THE HEAT a real winner. I'm searching for more books by Colleen Thompson because this one is so great. I've found a new treasure.