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Spark House #1
When Sparks Fly
Running the Spark House, a hotel/event space that has been in her family for years, has been Avery Spark’s lifelong dream. After years of working hard and making personal sacrifices, Avery and her two younger sisters have turned the Spark House into the premier destination in Colorado Springs. Avery is living her best life—she works with her sisters and loves every minute of it, she has a great group of friends, and she lives in a fantastic condo with her best friend Declan. She might not have any love in her life, but she's happy.
But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, lines begin to blur.
Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what would’ve happened if she'd dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.
But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, lines begin to blur.
Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what would’ve happened if she'd dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2021
About the author
Helena Hunting
62 books24.1k followersHelena Hunting is the author of The USA Today and NYT bestselling PUCKED Series. She lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes everything from romantic sports comedy to new adult angst.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,630 reviews
June 12, 2022
Happy belated birthday to one of sexy, emotional, angsty romance reads we need to dive into on this week!
Awwww! I loved this book so much! Friends to lovers theme about college friends who chose to be roommates with unresolved feelings to each other is such a delicious concept made me glue my precious ass to my couch to finish at one sit as I keep hyperventilating because of extremely high sexual chemistry.
Avery and Declan are sweet, sexy, meant to be from the beginning. But... yes that eerie but is coming right up...there are ugly facts pretend them to take the first step to come clean so they keep restraining years long feelings.
Avery dated with Dec’s college friend Sam instead of him because Dec is commitment phobic, prince of night one stands, carrying huge baggages from his parents’ dysfunctional relationship issues. But Sam cheated on Avery. Dec is the one who tells her and he’s the one cut his entire relationship with Sam to support Avery and now they’re closing to their thirties.
Avery is running Spark House: a hotel/ event center she’s inherited from her family she lost in traffic accident when she was teenager. She’s running the business with her sisters London and Harley. But she bought a combo with her best friend Dec and even though she’s harboring feelings she never crosses the lines with him because she’s caring him too much and afraid of losing him as if her feelings are unrequited.
But she doesn’t know Declan is feeling the same.
In the beginning I’m seriously pissed off Dec! He earned at least ten punching points from me! Before their alumni gathering trip he’s promised to take with his SUV accompanying Avery, he gets drunk and brings a random girl from the bar. ( I can understand his reasoning: he got jealous when he found out Avery goes a hot date in a hot dress so he ran to the bar for distraction! But it’s really douche move, dude! ) As Avery bangs on her room door in the morning, she realizes he’s still with the girl, suffering from hungover and he already left his car at downtown so he cannot pass the keys to Avery.
She has to travel all the way with her not so safe car when it’s raining. Did I mention she’s scared to drive at this weather condition because she lost her family at car accident! Yes, Declan you’re BIG DOUCHE!
Declan feels terrible as he should be. He calls Avery on the phone and throughout their conversation he witnesses she’s being harassed by a white van and BAM! Somebody hits her car! Declan stays on line, informing paramedics who find Avery about her health condition, calling her sisters from the other line as Landon blames on him about this disaster!
Thankfully Avery survives, breaks one of her leg, arm, several ribs which prevent her functioning properly. Declan never leaves her side, keeps groveling, telling he’s sorry million times and he turns into a designated nurse of her!
At those parts he takes care of Avery, he absolutely fixed his shitty image and cleared his punching points. I actually started feeling sorry for him but just a little bit.
But when his nursing service includes giving pleasure...whoa...well things get way too much hot! I was thankful that I was holding a reader because of I held paperback, those extreme hot chapters put fire on my entire book!
I gave too much away! But I loved sport addict MCs reminded me of author’s Pucked series! Their friendship circle reminded me of New Girl series as well. As supporting character: London was my favorite, loyal, genuine, badass sister. I’d like to read her own book.
Overall: emotional depth of the story was great! Chemistry is inflammable! Both MCs are so much likable ( yes I forgave Dec! He groveled a lot! ) And I liked the sweet conclusion which was also smart. So I’m rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 finally I found a good, sexy romance I missed a lot stars!
This is the best work of Ms. Hunting I’ve read lately.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Please feel free to send me more romance novels! I’m truly craving them!
Awwww! I loved this book so much! Friends to lovers theme about college friends who chose to be roommates with unresolved feelings to each other is such a delicious concept made me glue my precious ass to my couch to finish at one sit as I keep hyperventilating because of extremely high sexual chemistry.
Avery and Declan are sweet, sexy, meant to be from the beginning. But... yes that eerie but is coming right up...there are ugly facts pretend them to take the first step to come clean so they keep restraining years long feelings.
Avery dated with Dec’s college friend Sam instead of him because Dec is commitment phobic, prince of night one stands, carrying huge baggages from his parents’ dysfunctional relationship issues. But Sam cheated on Avery. Dec is the one who tells her and he’s the one cut his entire relationship with Sam to support Avery and now they’re closing to their thirties.
Avery is running Spark House: a hotel/ event center she’s inherited from her family she lost in traffic accident when she was teenager. She’s running the business with her sisters London and Harley. But she bought a combo with her best friend Dec and even though she’s harboring feelings she never crosses the lines with him because she’s caring him too much and afraid of losing him as if her feelings are unrequited.
But she doesn’t know Declan is feeling the same.
In the beginning I’m seriously pissed off Dec! He earned at least ten punching points from me! Before their alumni gathering trip he’s promised to take with his SUV accompanying Avery, he gets drunk and brings a random girl from the bar. ( I can understand his reasoning: he got jealous when he found out Avery goes a hot date in a hot dress so he ran to the bar for distraction! But it’s really douche move, dude! ) As Avery bangs on her room door in the morning, she realizes he’s still with the girl, suffering from hungover and he already left his car at downtown so he cannot pass the keys to Avery.
She has to travel all the way with her not so safe car when it’s raining. Did I mention she’s scared to drive at this weather condition because she lost her family at car accident! Yes, Declan you’re BIG DOUCHE!
Declan feels terrible as he should be. He calls Avery on the phone and throughout their conversation he witnesses she’s being harassed by a white van and BAM! Somebody hits her car! Declan stays on line, informing paramedics who find Avery about her health condition, calling her sisters from the other line as Landon blames on him about this disaster!
Thankfully Avery survives, breaks one of her leg, arm, several ribs which prevent her functioning properly. Declan never leaves her side, keeps groveling, telling he’s sorry million times and he turns into a designated nurse of her!
At those parts he takes care of Avery, he absolutely fixed his shitty image and cleared his punching points. I actually started feeling sorry for him but just a little bit.
But when his nursing service includes giving pleasure...whoa...well things get way too much hot! I was thankful that I was holding a reader because of I held paperback, those extreme hot chapters put fire on my entire book!
I gave too much away! But I loved sport addict MCs reminded me of author’s Pucked series! Their friendship circle reminded me of New Girl series as well. As supporting character: London was my favorite, loyal, genuine, badass sister. I’d like to read her own book.
Overall: emotional depth of the story was great! Chemistry is inflammable! Both MCs are so much likable ( yes I forgave Dec! He groveled a lot! ) And I liked the sweet conclusion which was also smart. So I’m rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 finally I found a good, sexy romance I missed a lot stars!
This is the best work of Ms. Hunting I’ve read lately.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Please feel free to send me more romance novels! I’m truly craving them!
October 2, 2021
How do you know the book you read was 5 stars worth?
Well, one of the signs is if it warmed your heart to the point you feel like you're melting of pleasure.
Obviously, this is me figuratively speaking, but I am not far away from the truth, because this book really brought me so much joy. In other words, it reminded me why I fell in love with books in the first place.
The writing style was so addictive, I understand why Helena Hunting is popular in romance community.
She knows how to start a book to grab your attention, and she surely knows how to finish it.
The characters of the story were both likeable and relatable.
The story is written in first person, following Avery's and Daclain's POVs. If I am being completely honest, they did kind of sound the same, but I didn't mind it.
This story is somewhat personal to me as I was in a car accident myself and I was also at one point in my life a carrier, so I could understand both of the characters to some point.
Of course, this being a romance fiction it was sugar coated to a certain degree.
My favourite part was the last fourth of the book, when the writer (or I should say characters) approached to problems in realistic and mature way. It is what made this book special and of course, when it sums with the end, it made perfect friends to lovers story.
Well, one of the signs is if it warmed your heart to the point you feel like you're melting of pleasure.
Obviously, this is me figuratively speaking, but I am not far away from the truth, because this book really brought me so much joy. In other words, it reminded me why I fell in love with books in the first place.
The writing style was so addictive, I understand why Helena Hunting is popular in romance community.
She knows how to start a book to grab your attention, and she surely knows how to finish it.
The characters of the story were both likeable and relatable.
The story is written in first person, following Avery's and Daclain's POVs. If I am being completely honest, they did kind of sound the same, but I didn't mind it.
This story is somewhat personal to me as I was in a car accident myself and I was also at one point in my life a carrier, so I could understand both of the characters to some point.
Of course, this being a romance fiction it was sugar coated to a certain degree.
My favourite part was the last fourth of the book, when the writer (or I should say characters) approached to problems in realistic and mature way. It is what made this book special and of course, when it sums with the end, it made perfect friends to lovers story.
October 13, 2021
ive seen more than a few less-than-stellar reviews for this, but i personally didnt find this to be as problematic as others are saying.
yes, some of the interactions dive into murky waters but, with the basis of mental health and trust issues, i think there are valid explanations for the characters actions and enough character growth/change that it didnt bother me.
and as a friends-to-lovers trope-based story, i think this is pretty good. a bit repetitive until the last third, but still very entertaining and sweet and definitely has the kind of flow where you can turn your brain off and just enjoy it.
overall, nothing new to the romance genre, but a fun read nonetheless.
↠ 3.5 stars
yes, some of the interactions dive into murky waters but, with the basis of mental health and trust issues, i think there are valid explanations for the characters actions and enough character growth/change that it didnt bother me.
and as a friends-to-lovers trope-based story, i think this is pretty good. a bit repetitive until the last third, but still very entertaining and sweet and definitely has the kind of flow where you can turn your brain off and just enjoy it.
overall, nothing new to the romance genre, but a fun read nonetheless.
↠ 3.5 stars
June 12, 2022
When Sparks Fly is such a fun, cute read! I really enjoyed it and flew through it. The chemistry between Avery and Declan is amazing from the very beginning and builds perfectly throughout the book. A quintessential, true friends to lovers story. There are some steamy, sexy parts included!! This book made me smile and gave me feel good vibes. This is my first book by Helena Hunting and I will definitely be reading more!
Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in return for my honest review!
Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in return for my honest review!
October 25, 2021
Friends and roommates in social isolation!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Romance: 🖤💜🤎💚💛
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📙📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌎🌏🌍🌍🌏
Character development: 😍😕🙃☺️🤩
The heroine: Avery - owner of a family business with her two sisters. It is a hotel with event capabilities and Avery is the one that deals most directly with the clients and plans the events that are held there. She lives in a luxury condo with her best friend Declan.
The Hero(es): Declan - has been best friends with Avery since college. He and Avery have always gotten along well and any romantic feelings that might have started between them had been pushed aside long ago when Avery went out with Declan’s best friend at the time, Sam. Declan had grown up in a home where his father often cheated and his mother would do the same to get back at him. So Declan has never been interested in long lasting relationships with the women he has dated.
The story: Though both Avery and Declan can afford their own place, Avery likes to live with someone else and it works well to live with her best friend Declan. However, when Declan has a late night out at a bar, brings home a random woman and oversleeps when he was supposed to drive to an alumni meeting with Avery, she goes without him and gets in a car accident.
Guilt-ridden, Declan insists on taking care of Avery as she recovers and the two get closer than ever before and both start to get feelings for each other. Though other things start to get in the way. This is a very good story and kept me interested throughout. It is steamy in parts and funny in others which is so much Helena Hunting’s standard. I loved it.
The narrators were perfect. Stella Bloom was perfect as an intelligent and independent woman who has some anxieties and isn’t a fan of being out of commission while recovering. Jason Clarke is one of my favorite male narrators with his deep and somewhat gravelly voice. He made a great Declan. I am a big fan of dual POV with two narrators. I love to get the Hero’s POV and it is best when he has a deep sexy voice.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Romance: 🖤💜🤎💚💛
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📙📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌎🌏🌍🌍🌏
Character development: 😍😕🙃☺️🤩
The heroine: Avery - owner of a family business with her two sisters. It is a hotel with event capabilities and Avery is the one that deals most directly with the clients and plans the events that are held there. She lives in a luxury condo with her best friend Declan.
The Hero(es): Declan - has been best friends with Avery since college. He and Avery have always gotten along well and any romantic feelings that might have started between them had been pushed aside long ago when Avery went out with Declan’s best friend at the time, Sam. Declan had grown up in a home where his father often cheated and his mother would do the same to get back at him. So Declan has never been interested in long lasting relationships with the women he has dated.
The story: Though both Avery and Declan can afford their own place, Avery likes to live with someone else and it works well to live with her best friend Declan. However, when Declan has a late night out at a bar, brings home a random woman and oversleeps when he was supposed to drive to an alumni meeting with Avery, she goes without him and gets in a car accident.
Guilt-ridden, Declan insists on taking care of Avery as she recovers and the two get closer than ever before and both start to get feelings for each other. Though other things start to get in the way. This is a very good story and kept me interested throughout. It is steamy in parts and funny in others which is so much Helena Hunting’s standard. I loved it.
The narrators were perfect. Stella Bloom was perfect as an intelligent and independent woman who has some anxieties and isn’t a fan of being out of commission while recovering. Jason Clarke is one of my favorite male narrators with his deep and somewhat gravelly voice. He made a great Declan. I am a big fan of dual POV with two narrators. I love to get the Hero’s POV and it is best when he has a deep sexy voice.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
July 5, 2021
3 stars
I love Helena Hunting’s writing and a good friends to lovers story so I was excited to pick this one up. It had it’s cute, sweet, and steamy moments, and I loved a lot about the first half, but the last half didn’t work great for me.
Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and are currently roommates. There has never been anything romantic between them, but Avery gets in an accident that has her depending on someone most of the time for healing. And that someone becomes Declan.
I enjoyed this part of the book a lot. Watching Declan realize his feelings for Avery, him trying to make up for the accident which he feels to blame for, and especially watching things change and grow in their relationship. When Avery was mostly back to normal and started to go back to work etc things started to shift for me.
The book kind of lost that spark for me. It wasn’t bad by any means, just all the tension and those moments between Avery and Declan were gone. Add in the hero jumping to conclusions and things crumbling for a while as well as a few interactions with London (her sister) that bugged me, this one just ended up being okay for me.
I did enjoy the epilogue a lot and I think many romance readers will enjoy this friends to lovers story!
I love Helena Hunting’s writing and a good friends to lovers story so I was excited to pick this one up. It had it’s cute, sweet, and steamy moments, and I loved a lot about the first half, but the last half didn’t work great for me.
Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and are currently roommates. There has never been anything romantic between them, but Avery gets in an accident that has her depending on someone most of the time for healing. And that someone becomes Declan.
I enjoyed this part of the book a lot. Watching Declan realize his feelings for Avery, him trying to make up for the accident which he feels to blame for, and especially watching things change and grow in their relationship. When Avery was mostly back to normal and started to go back to work etc things started to shift for me.
The book kind of lost that spark for me. It wasn’t bad by any means, just all the tension and those moments between Avery and Declan were gone. Add in the hero jumping to conclusions and things crumbling for a while as well as a few interactions with London (her sister) that bugged me, this one just ended up being okay for me.
I did enjoy the epilogue a lot and I think many romance readers will enjoy this friends to lovers story!
October 26, 2021
A sweet and emotional friends-to-lovers/forced proximity romance about friendship, family and trust
When Sparks Fly was a fun and easy read when I needed it! I flew through this romance, and enjoyed it for what it was.
Sweet and hot, with a fair few steamy scenes, When Sparks Fly definitely had great chemistry between it's main characters. I don't always enjoy friends-to-lovers, but this one was so cute, and I liked the way Declan took care of Avery when she needed him.
There were some heavier themes around grief and loss, and how your parent's relationship can affect you as an adult, but the inclusion of therapy and talk about mental health balanced that out.
I loved Avery! An independent, smart, strong and athletic heroine-yay! I also loved her sisters Harley and London, and hope there will be books about them! Avery and Declan's friends Jerome and Marc were awesome too.
The reason that this did not score higher for me was because of Declan's shady behaviour near the end of the book. He crossed the line for me barging in on Avery, reading her texts, and using a tracker on her?!! He did have some great character development though, and I liked the way they dealt with the fallout of his behaviour.
There also wasn't quite enough yearning/build up of feelings between the pair of them before their relationship became physical. With FTL, I want that secret longing for each other!
Recommended if you're looking for a quick, light romance!
When Sparks Fly was a fun and easy read when I needed it! I flew through this romance, and enjoyed it for what it was.
Sweet and hot, with a fair few steamy scenes, When Sparks Fly definitely had great chemistry between it's main characters. I don't always enjoy friends-to-lovers, but this one was so cute, and I liked the way Declan took care of Avery when she needed him.
There were some heavier themes around grief and loss, and how your parent's relationship can affect you as an adult, but the inclusion of therapy and talk about mental health balanced that out.
I loved Avery! An independent, smart, strong and athletic heroine-yay! I also loved her sisters Harley and London, and hope there will be books about them! Avery and Declan's friends Jerome and Marc were awesome too.
The reason that this did not score higher for me was because of Declan's shady behaviour near the end of the book. He crossed the line for me barging in on Avery, reading her texts, and using a tracker on her?!! He did have some great character development though, and I liked the way they dealt with the fallout of his behaviour.
There also wasn't quite enough yearning/build up of feelings between the pair of them before their relationship became physical. With FTL, I want that secret longing for each other!
Recommended if you're looking for a quick, light romance!
October 8, 2021
Avery Spark and her sisters run an events hotel in Colorado. It’s Avery’s burning passion, and her sisters? Well, they support her dream and are all in with just one caveat…Avery must run the show.
Avery’s personal life isn’t nearly as exciting as her professional life. She lives with her long time (male) friend Declan. Strictly plutonic folks! They are besties at best. No benefits here.
But after Avery gets into a serious accident that leaves her incapacitated it’s Declan that steps up to look after Avery’s every need. Did I mention every?
This was a sweet and fun rom-com that I listened to in just a few sittings. Narrated by Jason Clarke and Stella Bloom, both did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life.
Looking forward to reading (listening) to more from this author.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio 🎧
Avery’s personal life isn’t nearly as exciting as her professional life. She lives with her long time (male) friend Declan. Strictly plutonic folks! They are besties at best. No benefits here.
But after Avery gets into a serious accident that leaves her incapacitated it’s Declan that steps up to look after Avery’s every need. Did I mention every?
This was a sweet and fun rom-com that I listened to in just a few sittings. Narrated by Jason Clarke and Stella Bloom, both did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life.
Looking forward to reading (listening) to more from this author.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio 🎧
September 18, 2021
When Sparks Fly by Helen Hunting
Contemporary romance. Friends to lovers troupe. Alternating chapters between Avery and Declan. Stand-alone.
Avery and Declan have been friends and roommates since college. When Avery gets in an accident, Declan puts everything on hold to take care of her. Their awkwardness in intimate situations such as helping her into the shower becomes routine. Their awareness of each other increases as they spend time together.
Laugh out loud antics and quips. I enjoyed this novel for the amusing friendship they shared and the increasing sexual tension. There were issues they had to deal with to get to a healthy relationship. It wasn’t just bushed away which I appreciated.
I liked the heroine for her comfort with her life and body and her understanding of dealing with issues head on.
Is love different than “in love”? Avery and Declan need to figure that out.
🎧 I listened to the audio version while reading along with an ebook copy. For me, the ebook increased the humor and tension but the audio made me more aware of Declan’s thoughts since his chapters were narrated Jason Clarke. Both he and Stella Bloom did a wonderful job with the performances. For each of their chapters, they did both male and female. I was impressed with both and liked the alternating as the change enhanced the two different points of view. I listened to most of the recording at 1.25 which is the most comfortable for me but to read the text at the same time, I needed to increase the speed to 1.5.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley, Macmillan and Macmillan Audio. I also purchased a copy to keep and read again in the future.
Contemporary romance. Friends to lovers troupe. Alternating chapters between Avery and Declan. Stand-alone.
Avery and Declan have been friends and roommates since college. When Avery gets in an accident, Declan puts everything on hold to take care of her. Their awkwardness in intimate situations such as helping her into the shower becomes routine. Their awareness of each other increases as they spend time together.
Laugh out loud antics and quips. I enjoyed this novel for the amusing friendship they shared and the increasing sexual tension. There were issues they had to deal with to get to a healthy relationship. It wasn’t just bushed away which I appreciated.
I liked the heroine for her comfort with her life and body and her understanding of dealing with issues head on.
Is love different than “in love”? Avery and Declan need to figure that out.
🎧 I listened to the audio version while reading along with an ebook copy. For me, the ebook increased the humor and tension but the audio made me more aware of Declan’s thoughts since his chapters were narrated Jason Clarke. Both he and Stella Bloom did a wonderful job with the performances. For each of their chapters, they did both male and female. I was impressed with both and liked the alternating as the change enhanced the two different points of view. I listened to most of the recording at 1.25 which is the most comfortable for me but to read the text at the same time, I needed to increase the speed to 1.5.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley, Macmillan and Macmillan Audio. I also purchased a copy to keep and read again in the future.
September 28, 2021
2.5 STARS
If you've read my reviews or know me at all, you know I love me the a-holes. HARD. The meaner they are and the more tortured, the better. However, it seems even I have a line. And this particular hero was that line in the sand for me.
I'll keep this short and sweet. The thing that happens that sets this entire story in motion bothered me. A lot. And while Declan does grovel for a good amount of the story afterwards, I couldn't find it in me to forgive him and move on. Because what he did was that petty and low, that I could look past if they were acquaintances. But the fact that these two are best friends who live together, I absolutely hated his choices.
The other missing link was the chemistry. I felt none of it. It truly felt like the two of them got together because it was convenient. And the thing that set that
And then as I finally start to get on the road to forgiving Declan and this coming to a solid three star read, the major conflict happened. And I. Was. Done. His reaction was just too much, on the tail end of his original screw ups, that no groveling would make it right for me. And I appreciate the author handling it in a better way than just grazing over the issue and having him go to therapy. But alas, it was too little too late. And Avery taking :accountability" in her role in it, was just plain ridiculous.
Suffice it to say, I didn't enjoy it sadly. There were things I liked, but most of it I didn't. And as much as I wanted to love it, the ending simply killed it for me.
But hey, that's just one reader's opinion. If you like friends to lovers romances with an imperfect sort of hero with a slew of issues from his divorced parents, give this a go.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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If you've read my reviews or know me at all, you know I love me the a-holes. HARD. The meaner they are and the more tortured, the better. However, it seems even I have a line. And this particular hero was that line in the sand for me.
I'll keep this short and sweet. The thing that happens that sets this entire story in motion bothered me. A lot. And while Declan does grovel for a good amount of the story afterwards, I couldn't find it in me to forgive him and move on. Because what he did was that petty and low, that I could look past if they were acquaintances. But the fact that these two are best friends who live together, I absolutely hated his choices.
The other missing link was the chemistry. I felt none of it. It truly felt like the two of them got together because it was convenient. And the thing that set that
And then as I finally start to get on the road to forgiving Declan and this coming to a solid three star read, the major conflict happened. And I. Was. Done. His reaction was just too much, on the tail end of his original screw ups, that no groveling would make it right for me. And I appreciate the author handling it in a better way than just grazing over the issue and having him go to therapy. But alas, it was too little too late. And Avery taking :accountability" in her role in it, was just plain ridiculous.
Suffice it to say, I didn't enjoy it sadly. There were things I liked, but most of it I didn't. And as much as I wanted to love it, the ending simply killed it for me.
But hey, that's just one reader's opinion. If you like friends to lovers romances with an imperfect sort of hero with a slew of issues from his divorced parents, give this a go.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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August 8, 2022
This is Cute Romance, and this is the first book in the Spark House series. I really enjoyed listening to this book's audiobook, and the narrators was very good. The ending I did not love mostly because I know it was coming, and I know how it would end. The beginning a found very funny, and I really enjoyed the romance. I loved to see the two main characters figured out they loved each other. I also Declan (the player) take care of his best friend, Avery. If you are looking for a Cute (With some Steamy times) then this is the book for you. I was kindly provided an e-audiobook of this book by the publisher (St. Martin's Griffin) or author (Helena Hunting) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
May 27, 2021
Sadly this one just didn't hit the spot for me.
I usually enjoy a good friends to lovers premise but this one quickly turned into something repetitive and boring which is a risk with this trope. I just didn't understand how these two made it this far sharing a place together without anything happening between them and then I wasn't convinced with their half-assed chemistry, it felt forced, far from genuine.
The hero's behavior at the beginning of the story was also hard to forgive and I bet it will be a serious no-no to readers seeking non-cheating male characters. I usually don't care much about these things myself but I have to admit his actions from the beginning then again when things turned sour between him and the heroine truly bothered me until the end of the book.
I get the hero had trust issues and I appreciated the author's highlight about therapy and mental health BUT once again we have a hero using and abusing women—heroine included— to get over his issues. Not attractive.
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I usually enjoy a good friends to lovers premise but this one quickly turned into something repetitive and boring which is a risk with this trope. I just didn't understand how these two made it this far sharing a place together without anything happening between them and then I wasn't convinced with their half-assed chemistry, it felt forced, far from genuine.
The hero's behavior at the beginning of the story was also hard to forgive and I bet it will be a serious no-no to readers seeking non-cheating male characters. I usually don't care much about these things myself but I have to admit his actions from the beginning then again when things turned sour between him and the heroine truly bothered me until the end of the book.
I get the hero had trust issues and I appreciated the author's highlight about therapy and mental health BUT once again we have a hero using and abusing women—heroine included— to get over his issues. Not attractive.
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
September 20, 2021
Friends/Best friends-to-lovers is one of my favourite tropes, but I do appreciate it isn't easy to do it well. You have to show the emotional connection and the development of the relationship. Helena Hunting does a great job of doing this as well as creating likeable characters and an entertaining storyline.
Avery Spark lost her parents in a car accident when she and her sisters London and Harley were teenagers. Now all three of them run Spark House (a hotel/an events centre) together. They have a very close relationship and complement each other. Avery enjoys organising events and dealing with customer relations and tries to expand the business by bringing in new contracts. She is on her way to a business meeting at her former university when she gets into a bad car accident. Her best friend/roommate Declan was supposed to be with her driving his SUV to the meeting (Avery's car wasn't suitable for the weather conditions), but he really messed up. Feeling guilty for what happened and eager to earn Avery's forgiveness, he promises to take care of Avery and all her needs.
There is a good reason why these two are best friends-they really understand each other and care. There's also a good reason why neither of them has had a serious romantic relationship for a long time.Avery had her heart broken by Declan's friend and is happier spending her time at work or doing sports rather than dating, and Declan... Declan has a lot of emotional baggage. If you like the trope of close proximity, you can guess that sparks will fly (and bring in lots of heat), but will Avery and Declan find it easy to navigate the new dynamics of their relationship? The book is told from two alternating perspectives -Avery's and Declan's, so we get a pretty good insight into their feelings. This kind of narrative also helps with the pace of the story esp. since the romance itself is slow-burn.
I really liked Avery and her sisters. It was interesting to read about the way they ran the business together dividing roles according to their strengths and how they all had to pull their weight to make sure the company stayed successful. They had very different personalities, but it was obvious that they cared for each other. Avery also has a very supportive group of friends. There is clearly a potential for a series-hooray! I love a good catch-up to see what happens after the HEA.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters. If you are a fan of Helena Hunting's writing style, you know her books are very easy to read and have an addictive quality. Looking forward to reading London's and Harley's stories!
Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Avery Spark lost her parents in a car accident when she and her sisters London and Harley were teenagers. Now all three of them run Spark House (a hotel/an events centre) together. They have a very close relationship and complement each other. Avery enjoys organising events and dealing with customer relations and tries to expand the business by bringing in new contracts. She is on her way to a business meeting at her former university when she gets into a bad car accident. Her best friend/roommate Declan was supposed to be with her driving his SUV to the meeting (Avery's car wasn't suitable for the weather conditions), but he really messed up. Feeling guilty for what happened and eager to earn Avery's forgiveness, he promises to take care of Avery and all her needs.
There is a good reason why these two are best friends-they really understand each other and care. There's also a good reason why neither of them has had a serious romantic relationship for a long time.Avery had her heart broken by Declan's friend and is happier spending her time at work or doing sports rather than dating, and Declan... Declan has a lot of emotional baggage. If you like the trope of close proximity, you can guess that sparks will fly (and bring in lots of heat), but will Avery and Declan find it easy to navigate the new dynamics of their relationship? The book is told from two alternating perspectives -Avery's and Declan's, so we get a pretty good insight into their feelings. This kind of narrative also helps with the pace of the story esp. since the romance itself is slow-burn.
I really liked Avery and her sisters. It was interesting to read about the way they ran the business together dividing roles according to their strengths and how they all had to pull their weight to make sure the company stayed successful. They had very different personalities, but it was obvious that they cared for each other. Avery also has a very supportive group of friends. There is clearly a potential for a series-hooray! I love a good catch-up to see what happens after the HEA.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters. If you are a fan of Helena Hunting's writing style, you know her books are very easy to read and have an addictive quality. Looking forward to reading London's and Harley's stories!
Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
March 10, 2023
4.35⭐
Book 1 in a trilogy following the Spark sisters ~ Avery, London and Harley
Featuring ~ dual 1st person POV, roommates, best friends to lovers, forced proximity, some steamage
Avery and Declan
When Avery is involved in a car accident Declan is feeling responsible because he didn't drive her out of town like he promised. He makes it his mission to take care of her and help her heel. And let me tell ya I would NOT mind at all if Declan wanted to wash my hair.
As these two spend more and more time together in close proximity, and in compromising near naked situations, they soon realize maybe they could be more than bff's.
As always, I love that is was told in both Avery and Declan's POV's. Avery's friendship and easy banter with all the guys when they got together to watch games was fun to listen to. Her and her sisters seem like the best of friends too, and I loved that they inherited the hotel and run it together.
It's a fun addition to have each chapter titled as well.
Overall, this was a wonderful friends to lovers contemporary romance. Helena has a lovely writing style and I can't wait to read London's story next.
Jason Clarke and Stella Bloom did a wonderful job narrating. 8 hours and 32 minutes and easy to listen at 2x.
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Book 1 in a trilogy following the Spark sisters ~ Avery, London and Harley
Featuring ~ dual 1st person POV, roommates, best friends to lovers, forced proximity, some steamage
Avery and Declan
When Avery is involved in a car accident Declan is feeling responsible because he didn't drive her out of town like he promised. He makes it his mission to take care of her and help her heel. And let me tell ya I would NOT mind at all if Declan wanted to wash my hair.
As these two spend more and more time together in close proximity, and in compromising near naked situations, they soon realize maybe they could be more than bff's.
As always, I love that is was told in both Avery and Declan's POV's. Avery's friendship and easy banter with all the guys when they got together to watch games was fun to listen to. Her and her sisters seem like the best of friends too, and I loved that they inherited the hotel and run it together.
It's a fun addition to have each chapter titled as well.
Overall, this was a wonderful friends to lovers contemporary romance. Helena has a lovely writing style and I can't wait to read London's story next.
Jason Clarke and Stella Bloom did a wonderful job narrating. 8 hours and 32 minutes and easy to listen at 2x.
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
September 20, 2021
I want to note that Helena Hunting is one of my FAVORITE romance writers. Her books are consistently some of my favorite rom-coms and I’ve loved her for years. That being said, I did not love When Sparks Fly.
I had such high hopes for this story, I got a copy from Edelweiss and was so excited to dive in. Friends to lovers and forced proximity (they’re roommates) AND the hero takes care of her after an accident?? Yes please! All my favorite things! I always go into Helenas books with really high expectations, and that might have been my mistake. I felt so disappointed by this story. (Spoilers to follow)
Seriously look away if you don’t want to read spoilers!
To start, I was surprised the hero, Declan, has a one night stand with someone else at the start of the book. That didn’t bother my necessarily, but I know a lot of romance readers who will not like that aspect of her story. I didn’t love that his actions that night propelled the story forward and were seen as the *cause* of Avery’s accident.
Speaking of accidents, holy cow if car accidents are a trigger for you, do not read this book. Avery’s parents die in a tragic car accident when she was a child, she has a lot of PTSD around cars from losing them. Her accident in the story is on the page and kind of horrifying. On top of that it is a multi-car accident and only she and one other person survive. I was surprised this part of the story was so graphic and killed off so many people.
I did enjoy the first 50% of the book (once it was past the accident scene) but Declan’s behavior quickly began to wear on me. I did not like his character at all. He’s noted in the synopsis as being a playboy, and you see some of that behavior in the beginning, but he absolutely wasn’t ready for a relationship. He has so many problematic jealous and immature moments that were red flags for me.
One notable moment that really bothered me comes towards the end of the book. Declan and Avery have started a romantic relationship at this point, it’s new but very hot and heavy. It’s noted a few times that Avery dated Declan’s friend in college, and that almost split up their friend group when she and her ex broke up. Years later and Declan STILL can’t get over that, even though he chose to stay friends with Avery. The ex starts communicating with Avery again and they meet up to combine their businesses for an event. Declan becomes controlling and suspicious, TRACKS HER PHONE, and sees she was with her ex (and his ex best friend. From there all hell breaks loose and Declan explodes on Avery, and accuses her of cheating on him.
It’s a mess, his behavior during this last part of the book is horrendous (he invades her privacy so many times). He doesn’t even let her explain before he gets mad. To make matters worse, she temporarily moves out and when she returns a few days later he’s having a party with other women over. At this point in the story I wanted them to break up for good, Avery deserved better!
In all this was sadly a two star read for me. I was really disappointed, but I still love Helena’s other books and will continue to read her in the future.
I had such high hopes for this story, I got a copy from Edelweiss and was so excited to dive in. Friends to lovers and forced proximity (they’re roommates) AND the hero takes care of her after an accident?? Yes please! All my favorite things! I always go into Helenas books with really high expectations, and that might have been my mistake. I felt so disappointed by this story. (Spoilers to follow)
Seriously look away if you don’t want to read spoilers!
To start, I was surprised the hero, Declan, has a one night stand with someone else at the start of the book. That didn’t bother my necessarily, but I know a lot of romance readers who will not like that aspect of her story. I didn’t love that his actions that night propelled the story forward and were seen as the *cause* of Avery’s accident.
Speaking of accidents, holy cow if car accidents are a trigger for you, do not read this book. Avery’s parents die in a tragic car accident when she was a child, she has a lot of PTSD around cars from losing them. Her accident in the story is on the page and kind of horrifying. On top of that it is a multi-car accident and only she and one other person survive. I was surprised this part of the story was so graphic and killed off so many people.
I did enjoy the first 50% of the book (once it was past the accident scene) but Declan’s behavior quickly began to wear on me. I did not like his character at all. He’s noted in the synopsis as being a playboy, and you see some of that behavior in the beginning, but he absolutely wasn’t ready for a relationship. He has so many problematic jealous and immature moments that were red flags for me.
One notable moment that really bothered me comes towards the end of the book. Declan and Avery have started a romantic relationship at this point, it’s new but very hot and heavy. It’s noted a few times that Avery dated Declan’s friend in college, and that almost split up their friend group when she and her ex broke up. Years later and Declan STILL can’t get over that, even though he chose to stay friends with Avery. The ex starts communicating with Avery again and they meet up to combine their businesses for an event. Declan becomes controlling and suspicious, TRACKS HER PHONE, and sees she was with her ex (and his ex best friend. From there all hell breaks loose and Declan explodes on Avery, and accuses her of cheating on him.
It’s a mess, his behavior during this last part of the book is horrendous (he invades her privacy so many times). He doesn’t even let her explain before he gets mad. To make matters worse, she temporarily moves out and when she returns a few days later he’s having a party with other women over. At this point in the story I wanted them to break up for good, Avery deserved better!
In all this was sadly a two star read for me. I was really disappointed, but I still love Helena’s other books and will continue to read her in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2021
3.5 stars
I wanted to love this one - it’s friends to lovers with the roommates trope, both of which I love. This audio actually could’ve been 4 stars for me (the narrators are fantastic) but the hero Declan brought it down for me. He was an IDIOT, mostly towards the end of the book.
Declan and Avery have been best friends since college and they now live together. Declan is your cliched manwhore and it’s because of a random hookup that he flakes on driving Avery to an event. She’s terrified of driving because her parents passed from a car accident and now she gets in an accident herself, and she’s not happy with Declan because of it. Declan is feeling all guilty and promises to take care of avery while she recovers. While she’s healing, the lust between them amps up. Honestly, I wasn’t minding the story too much and I liked the book so far. But then Declan does something SO dumb at the end - I was cringing when I read it. He definitely needed to grovel more than he did for how he hurt Avery.
I wanted to love this one - it’s friends to lovers with the roommates trope, both of which I love. This audio actually could’ve been 4 stars for me (the narrators are fantastic) but the hero Declan brought it down for me. He was an IDIOT, mostly towards the end of the book.
Declan and Avery have been best friends since college and they now live together. Declan is your cliched manwhore and it’s because of a random hookup that he flakes on driving Avery to an event. She’s terrified of driving because her parents passed from a car accident and now she gets in an accident herself, and she’s not happy with Declan because of it. Declan is feeling all guilty and promises to take care of avery while she recovers. While she’s healing, the lust between them amps up. Honestly, I wasn’t minding the story too much and I liked the book so far. But then Declan does something SO dumb at the end - I was cringing when I read it. He definitely needed to grovel more than he did for how he hurt Avery.
September 22, 2021
4 Stars!
(ARC provided by St. Martin's Press)
Avery Spark is a 28 yr. old independent, single woman living in Colorado Springs. She's the oldest of three sisters who own and run a hotel event company called Spark House. She loves her job and their family business keeps her pretty busy. When she's not working or with her sister's she's usually enjoying time with her close group of friends. This includes her roommate and best friend Declan. They've shared a decade of friendship and have lived together for the last two years. They have a lot in common and he's always been her rock and safe place to land, but their relationship shifts when she's in an accident and has to lean on and rely on him. He's loyal and always been easy on the eyes, but things have never been more than platonic between them. Lately they've reached a new level of intimacy neither can deny, and she's starting to see him differently. As their emotonal connection and physical attraction grows stronger their relationship changes and evolves. As lines are blurred things turn intense and complicated.
Declan McCormick doesn't do realtionships and enjoys playing the field. The only important woman in his life is his best friend Avery. Her friendship means everything to him. Since college they've built a foundation that has lasted, and she's been his one constant for years. Then he hurts her when he lets her down. Full of regrets he will do anything to make things right between them. When her world is turned upside down he vows to be there for her. As they spend more time together unexpected feelings develop. She affects him more than he'd like to admit, and when they touch it's charged and electric. Soon they aren't sure how to navigate their relationship anymore. Will they ignore what's been right there all along, or will they finally explore how good they could be together?
-There's chemistry between us, the kind that's going to be impossible to ignore.
-All my feelings are right in front of me. Clear and painfully obvious. I don't know when things shifted, but they have.
-I drag my lips along her skin, biting gently when I reach the base of her neck, tasting her skin for the first time. She's sweet and warm under my tongue. Addicting. Enthralling.
When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting is a sexy, friends to lovers, roommates romance full of emotion, chemistry and humor. It's a sweet, fun, flirty story about friendship, family and falling in love. <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3u17pm9
(ARC provided by St. Martin's Press)
Avery Spark is a 28 yr. old independent, single woman living in Colorado Springs. She's the oldest of three sisters who own and run a hotel event company called Spark House. She loves her job and their family business keeps her pretty busy. When she's not working or with her sister's she's usually enjoying time with her close group of friends. This includes her roommate and best friend Declan. They've shared a decade of friendship and have lived together for the last two years. They have a lot in common and he's always been her rock and safe place to land, but their relationship shifts when she's in an accident and has to lean on and rely on him. He's loyal and always been easy on the eyes, but things have never been more than platonic between them. Lately they've reached a new level of intimacy neither can deny, and she's starting to see him differently. As their emotonal connection and physical attraction grows stronger their relationship changes and evolves. As lines are blurred things turn intense and complicated.
Declan McCormick doesn't do realtionships and enjoys playing the field. The only important woman in his life is his best friend Avery. Her friendship means everything to him. Since college they've built a foundation that has lasted, and she's been his one constant for years. Then he hurts her when he lets her down. Full of regrets he will do anything to make things right between them. When her world is turned upside down he vows to be there for her. As they spend more time together unexpected feelings develop. She affects him more than he'd like to admit, and when they touch it's charged and electric. Soon they aren't sure how to navigate their relationship anymore. Will they ignore what's been right there all along, or will they finally explore how good they could be together?
-There's chemistry between us, the kind that's going to be impossible to ignore.
-All my feelings are right in front of me. Clear and painfully obvious. I don't know when things shifted, but they have.
-I drag my lips along her skin, biting gently when I reach the base of her neck, tasting her skin for the first time. She's sweet and warm under my tongue. Addicting. Enthralling.
When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting is a sexy, friends to lovers, roommates romance full of emotion, chemistry and humor. It's a sweet, fun, flirty story about friendship, family and falling in love. <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3u17pm9
August 14, 2021
I’ve read Helena Hunting before and enjoy her work tremendously. Sadly When Sparks Fly was a disappointment. The synopsis sounded promising but the overall execution felt flat and was too predictable.
The characters Avery and Declan felt like characters I’ve met before and his reason for not wanting to be in a relationship wasn’t anything new. How they went to be intimate and then it progressed into a relationship felt rushed and forced. I was disappointed that it was sex that let them to become closer. I guess I expected more.
I only saw Avery and Declan as friends mainly because there wasn’t much chemistry or a connection between them. The conflict towards the end was too easy and predictable as well.
The friendships were the highlight. Avery and her two sisters London and Harley. The guys Declan, Mark and Jerome. It was obvious and I could feel that they had a strong bond. A certain treasure hunt scene made me smile.
Sometimes a book work and sometimes it doesn’t. When Sparks Fly wasn’t the book for me but that doesn’t mean it can’t be the one for you.
*The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
The characters Avery and Declan felt like characters I’ve met before and his reason for not wanting to be in a relationship wasn’t anything new. How they went to be intimate and then it progressed into a relationship felt rushed and forced. I was disappointed that it was sex that let them to become closer. I guess I expected more.
I only saw Avery and Declan as friends mainly because there wasn’t much chemistry or a connection between them. The conflict towards the end was too easy and predictable as well.
The friendships were the highlight. Avery and her two sisters London and Harley. The guys Declan, Mark and Jerome. It was obvious and I could feel that they had a strong bond. A certain treasure hunt scene made me smile.
Sometimes a book work and sometimes it doesn’t. When Sparks Fly wasn’t the book for me but that doesn’t mean it can’t be the one for you.
*The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
May 13, 2023
What a delicious book! I spend a whole day listening to the audiobook. Declan, Declan. I wish I have a best friend like him. Miss Hunting is superb as usual in the writing style.
I love how she gives her main characters to grow in the story. I love every minute enjoying her story, her characters. Love the banter ans love Declan.
Overall a very good book.
4 stars
I love how she gives her main characters to grow in the story. I love every minute enjoying her story, her characters. Love the banter ans love Declan.
Overall a very good book.
4 stars
June 7, 2021
Overall this is a good best friends to lovers read. Underneath there is a heavy emotional aspect for both of the main characters. Avery is unfortunately in a terrible car accident that leaves her injured in many ways both physically and mentally. It brings up heavy past emotions for both her and her sisters about their parents fatal accident. Declan who was meant to be driving with Avery that day is also torn up with guilt over what’s happened, and the realities of why he wasn’t there.
Luckily they are best friends and roommates so he can work for forgiveness by taking care of her while she’s on the mend. Which is honestly pretty sweet, and it was great as a reader to see their connection and friendship from that side and not just a romantic side. These two start to realize their feelings for each other and while neither of them are relationship experts they do know that they already have an established friendship and dedication to each other. Declan however has only seen a very toxic relationship between his parents, and he’s always cut any of his relationships off before they became serious at all. So is their relationship journey simple? No. It gets bumpy and while I liked that things weren’t all gumdrops and good times, how their angst starts did make me want to junk punch Declan.
Anyway. I’d consider this relatively slowish burn, sweet at times, heated at times, emotional at times, frustrating at times, and fun at times. If you’re looking for a good contemporary romance, then you’ll find it here.
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 21ST!
*ARC
Luckily they are best friends and roommates so he can work for forgiveness by taking care of her while she’s on the mend. Which is honestly pretty sweet, and it was great as a reader to see their connection and friendship from that side and not just a romantic side. These two start to realize their feelings for each other and while neither of them are relationship experts they do know that they already have an established friendship and dedication to each other. Declan however has only seen a very toxic relationship between his parents, and he’s always cut any of his relationships off before they became serious at all. So is their relationship journey simple? No. It gets bumpy and while I liked that things weren’t all gumdrops and good times, how their angst starts did make me want to junk punch Declan.
Anyway. I’d consider this relatively slowish burn, sweet at times, heated at times, emotional at times, frustrating at times, and fun at times. If you’re looking for a good contemporary romance, then you’ll find it here.
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 21ST!
*ARC
June 16, 2021
So much heart in this book! I've come to expect to have a good laugh when I read a Helena Hunting book but I got so much more with Avery and Declan's story. I wasn't expecting to get all emotional ! I really loved that we got so much depth into their characters, how they met and what drove them to stay friends instead of reaching for more. You really feel like the author put her heart and soul into this couple.
Declan's loyalty and the amount of care he gives made him one of my favorite heroes. He has his issues and he did do some things in this book that I didn't like, but when you do get that character development to show you why he is the way that he is, I find that I am more forgiving. I could look past his faults and see what he will become. Kudos to the author for making me care so much.
Avery was a pretty awesome heroine. I loved how she was herself. Completely. There was no guessing to what kind of person she is or what you will get from her. She was such a refreshing character and exactly what Declan needed.
This was a fantastic, emotionally driven read that you can't help but fall hard for these characters. I highly recommend it!
Declan's loyalty and the amount of care he gives made him one of my favorite heroes. He has his issues and he did do some things in this book that I didn't like, but when you do get that character development to show you why he is the way that he is, I find that I am more forgiving. I could look past his faults and see what he will become. Kudos to the author for making me care so much.
Avery was a pretty awesome heroine. I loved how she was herself. Completely. There was no guessing to what kind of person she is or what you will get from her. She was such a refreshing character and exactly what Declan needed.
This was a fantastic, emotionally driven read that you can't help but fall hard for these characters. I highly recommend it!
January 10, 2023
Don't Miss Out, Only $1.99!!!
3.5 A Long Time Coming Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
When Sparks Fly was a book I was looking forward to. Helena Hunting has given me many hours of enjoyment with her Pucked Series. In this book, we have two people who have always felt something for each other BUT never acted on it for a number of reasons.
This friendship has been critical for both of them. They even have a condo together, as roommates, pals, and good friends. It seems the choice Avery made of dating Declan's best friend was a huge turning point. This laid the course of both of them not acting on any feelings they may have had, even after Avery broke up with the friend.
Years have gone by and that line has never been crossed. Then life throws these two a wake-up call in the form of a car accident. Avery is hurt and will need help while she heals. Declan realizes all the time he has wasted and while Avery is healing, let the fun begin.
This had all the necessary steps to have these two come together, have an awakening, and even a conflict moment. The good news is both of them figured out what needs to be done and let all the time it took to get together not stop them from seeing what is right in front of them.
When Sparks Fly
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Starry-Eyed Love
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~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~~
May 6, 2021
What Makes The Phrase...
Living Your Best Life Mean...
Well, For Avery Spark This Means...
Running The Spark House,
Her Family's Years-Long Business...
Having Your Two Younger Sisters Stand With You...
After Years Of Sacrifice...
Finally Making This Location...
The Best And Most Wanted Hotel/Event Space in Colorado Springs...
Having Your Best Friend As Your Roommate...
Sharing A Beautiful Condo, A Solid Group Of Friends...
All Icing On The Cake...
Not Having A Man In Her Life...
Well, She Sort Of Does...
After All, Declan Is Is A Man...
He Just Is Her Best Friend...
There Was A Time When...
They Both Had Feels For Each Other...
But When Declan's Friend Sam...
Made His Move Before Declan...
That Was It, Best Friends...
Ride Or Die...
Something Happens To Change The Dynamic...
Avery Is In A Car Accident...
She Needs Someone To Assist Her...
Declan Steps Up To Be The One...
As Helping Becomes More...
Then Changing Bandaids...
Avery And Declan Start To Notice...
When Sparks Fly-September 21, 2021
A gifted copy was provided by St. Martin's Griffin via NetGalley for an honest review.
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3.5 A Long Time Coming Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
When Sparks Fly was a book I was looking forward to. Helena Hunting has given me many hours of enjoyment with her Pucked Series. In this book, we have two people who have always felt something for each other BUT never acted on it for a number of reasons.
This friendship has been critical for both of them. They even have a condo together, as roommates, pals, and good friends. It seems the choice Avery made of dating Declan's best friend was a huge turning point. This laid the course of both of them not acting on any feelings they may have had, even after Avery broke up with the friend.
Years have gone by and that line has never been crossed. Then life throws these two a wake-up call in the form of a car accident. Avery is hurt and will need help while she heals. Declan realizes all the time he has wasted and while Avery is healing, let the fun begin.
This had all the necessary steps to have these two come together, have an awakening, and even a conflict moment. The good news is both of them figured out what needs to be done and let all the time it took to get together not stop them from seeing what is right in front of them.
When Sparks Fly https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Starry-Eyed Lovehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~~
May 6, 2021
What Makes The Phrase...
Living Your Best Life Mean...
Well, For Avery Spark This Means...
Running The Spark House,
Her Family's Years-Long Business...
Having Your Two Younger Sisters Stand With You...
After Years Of Sacrifice...
Finally Making This Location...
The Best And Most Wanted Hotel/Event Space in Colorado Springs...
Having Your Best Friend As Your Roommate...
Sharing A Beautiful Condo, A Solid Group Of Friends...
All Icing On The Cake...
Not Having A Man In Her Life...
Well, She Sort Of Does...
After All, Declan Is Is A Man...
He Just Is Her Best Friend...
There Was A Time When...
They Both Had Feels For Each Other...
But When Declan's Friend Sam...
Made His Move Before Declan...
That Was It, Best Friends...
Ride Or Die...
Something Happens To Change The Dynamic...
Avery Is In A Car Accident...
She Needs Someone To Assist Her...
Declan Steps Up To Be The One...
As Helping Becomes More...
Then Changing Bandaids...
Avery And Declan Start To Notice...
When Sparks Fly-September 21, 2021
A gifted copy was provided by St. Martin's Griffin via NetGalley for an honest review.
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May 12, 2021
I love Helena Hunting’s books, the Pucked series is an all time favourite but while this was a mainly sweet read, this wasn’t my favourite by her,
It’s a friends to lovers and a forced proximity which resulted in some quite delicious tension, but it seemed to flag a bit and become quite repetitive after a while . Unfortunately when the pace flagged, it lacked the humour and outlandish characters that made the Pucked series such a joy to read so it dragged a bit. It’s not to say it was bad, it was nice enough, but it didn’t blow me away.
As a Brit, all of the talk about therapy and working on yourself and working on your friendship with a therapist left me a bit bemused too. I guess it’s a cultural thing, but nobody I know talks like that or behaves like that and I found the navel gazing left me cold and rather killed the vibe between them which was a pity because it had been great at first.
Complete story. Thanks to the publisher via netgalley for the arc. Sorry I didn’t love it.
It’s a friends to lovers and a forced proximity which resulted in some quite delicious tension, but it seemed to flag a bit and become quite repetitive after a while . Unfortunately when the pace flagged, it lacked the humour and outlandish characters that made the Pucked series such a joy to read so it dragged a bit. It’s not to say it was bad, it was nice enough, but it didn’t blow me away.
As a Brit, all of the talk about therapy and working on yourself and working on your friendship with a therapist left me a bit bemused too. I guess it’s a cultural thing, but nobody I know talks like that or behaves like that and I found the navel gazing left me cold and rather killed the vibe between them which was a pity because it had been great at first.
Complete story. Thanks to the publisher via netgalley for the arc. Sorry I didn’t love it.
May 7, 2021
I've read most of Helena Hunting books and I can say with the utmost confidence that this is her best book to date. It's by far my favorite of her. When Sparks Fly is the epitome of the best friends to lovers stories and I loved it so much!
I loved reading about Avery and Declan together. You could feel the attraction under the surface, the friendship, and the love.
I laughed and smiled so much while reading this book and it gave me the best heartwarming feels.
Avery and Declan were both such endearing and fantastic characters and I loved their connection and chemistry. If you're looking for a book that will give you a permanent smile and just a completely lovable friends to lovers book, pick this one up. You won't regret it!
Special thanks to the author and her assistant and St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
I loved reading about Avery and Declan together. You could feel the attraction under the surface, the friendship, and the love.
I laughed and smiled so much while reading this book and it gave me the best heartwarming feels.
Avery and Declan were both such endearing and fantastic characters and I loved their connection and chemistry. If you're looking for a book that will give you a permanent smile and just a completely lovable friends to lovers book, pick this one up. You won't regret it!
Special thanks to the author and her assistant and St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2021
When Sparks Fly had the makings of a perfect friend's to lovers romance that was going to be one of those stories that would have you smiling long after you've finished reading it. Sadly that was not the case for me and while I did expect more from this, there were some moments that I did enjoy.
Avery has a successful business that she runs with her two sisters, she's happy and she has the best roommate that any could have asked for. It also doesn't hurt that her roommate is also her best friend and they've weathered the storm together. But when an accident leaves Avery unable to do things on her for a while, that very same friendship is going to be tested.
Declan is a very simple man. He loves his job, hanging out with his boys and having the occasional company of a woman. But if you were to ask who's the most important person in his life, he will proudly tell you that it's his best friend Avery. There is nothing that he wouldn't do for her and he got a chance to show just how far he will go for her. But can their friendship withstand everything that they're going to face?
I really liked that this was a best friends/roommates romance but I was expecting to feel more from this. I didn't feel that yearning from the characters for each other and there was no buildup to their attraction or their romantic relationship. I felt like one minute I was reading something about someone being jealous and boom! They were together.
For some reason I was a fan of Avery. I liked that even though she didn't have everything in her life figured out, she still tried to be happy and content in the Moment and she knew her worth. Declan on the other hand I wanted to throttle a few times and have a good talk with him with a chair but I managed to reign it in. I think that if the romance connection was there from the very beginning, I would've enjoyed this story much more. That being said, if you're a fan of this author then you're probably going to love this one as well.
May 1, 2022
I wanted to love this. I really did. It has some of my favorite tropes. We get a friends to lovers romance, with a lot of forced proximity. And yet, none of it felt authentic.
Avery and Declan are supposed to be best friends. And yet, if I hadn't been told that they were best friends, I might not have believed it. Likewise, if I hadn't been told that they were in love, I wouldn't have believed that either. Their relationship seemed forced and very superficial. There was little to no chemistry.
Another issue that I had was with Declan's character. He wasn't a hero I could cheer for. His jealous and selfish actions led to Avery's accident, even if he didn't outright cause it. Those same jealous actions led to his overreaction and jumping to conclusions and acting like a generally horrible person. And while I liked that he recognized that he was wrong and that he had issues, by that point, I had already lost all hope for him.
Lastly, I wasn't too much a fan of Avery's characterization. She was very much, 'not like other girls'. She was 'one of the guys' because, according to her own words, guys are easier than girls because they're 'uncomplicated'. Not just that, but aside from Avery herself and her two sisters, all the women in this story were depicted as being stuck up and horrible, or were slut shamed for being with Declan. Declan himself, of course, is excused from any negative label.
Overall, I wasn't a fan. I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't love this either. There was simply no one in this book for me to cheer for.
**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.** (less)
Avery and Declan are supposed to be best friends. And yet, if I hadn't been told that they were best friends, I might not have believed it. Likewise, if I hadn't been told that they were in love, I wouldn't have believed that either. Their relationship seemed forced and very superficial. There was little to no chemistry.
Another issue that I had was with Declan's character. He wasn't a hero I could cheer for. His jealous and selfish actions led to Avery's accident, even if he didn't outright cause it. Those same jealous actions led to his overreaction and jumping to conclusions and acting like a generally horrible person. And while I liked that he recognized that he was wrong and that he had issues, by that point, I had already lost all hope for him.
Lastly, I wasn't too much a fan of Avery's characterization. She was very much, 'not like other girls'. She was 'one of the guys' because, according to her own words, guys are easier than girls because they're 'uncomplicated'. Not just that, but aside from Avery herself and her two sisters, all the women in this story were depicted as being stuck up and horrible, or were slut shamed for being with Declan. Declan himself, of course, is excused from any negative label.
Overall, I wasn't a fan. I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't love this either. There was simply no one in this book for me to cheer for.
**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.** (less)
June 2, 2021
Sweet best friend romance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best friend to lover tropes are always a fun read. You get to know the characters from two different aspects; as friends and eventually as lovers. Once the admission of love occurs, most of the time the couples friends are saying “DUH!! You have been crushing on each other for years!”
Hunting takes this trope and brings a delightful level up with her characters who are not the typical best friends. They live together, play sports together, protect each other, and totally know each other, except in the biblical way- to start.
The storyline is unique and interesting. Hunting does not bring a tired theme and recycle it. She creates a lighthearted, creative story with a touch of angst. Declan and Avery are matched beautifully. My heart goes out to Declan who struggles with self-worth and guilt. Avery is his number one supporter and he is hers. I love the tight circle of friends that support them too!
When Sparks Fly offers a sweet yet emotionally engaging read with a light amount of heat and spice. Delightful story and another winner for this author.
* Copy received for review consideration
* Full review https://amidlifewife.com/when-sparks-...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best friend to lover tropes are always a fun read. You get to know the characters from two different aspects; as friends and eventually as lovers. Once the admission of love occurs, most of the time the couples friends are saying “DUH!! You have been crushing on each other for years!”
Hunting takes this trope and brings a delightful level up with her characters who are not the typical best friends. They live together, play sports together, protect each other, and totally know each other, except in the biblical way- to start.
The storyline is unique and interesting. Hunting does not bring a tired theme and recycle it. She creates a lighthearted, creative story with a touch of angst. Declan and Avery are matched beautifully. My heart goes out to Declan who struggles with self-worth and guilt. Avery is his number one supporter and he is hers. I love the tight circle of friends that support them too!
When Sparks Fly offers a sweet yet emotionally engaging read with a light amount of heat and spice. Delightful story and another winner for this author.
* Copy received for review consideration
* Full review https://amidlifewife.com/when-sparks-...
January 24, 2023
this is NOT it...
also where are the sparks?
will not read the rest of the series
also where are the sparks?
will not read the rest of the series
September 21, 2021
Avery + Declan
They've been besties since college and now they're even living together.
Avery works for her family's event hotel and Declan is in finance.
The one time Avery really needs Declan to be ready on time to drive them to their class reunion/ business opportunity, he's not ready - he still has an overnight guest in his room, plus he left his car at the bar last night - so Avery has to drive alone - in her old car.
That doesn't end good and we're really mad at Declan after that...
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN ... 😍
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Adorable!
Such a cute romance!
I loved the whole setting. The family hotel - which they took over from their grandma - with its sometimes really weird events. Not just bachelorette parties. Nope. LOL!
And Avery and Declan are so cute together. They love watching sports and hanging out - and of course the reader is the only one aware of their love for each other. It might take those two a little while to figure it out.
I loved reading this! It was funny and sparky and sweet and just adorable!
Of course Declan got on our nerves a bit with his views on relationships. How he could never have a real one because his parents were horrible examples. But he'll get there in the end of course.
Can't wait to read the other two Sparks siblings books!
WHEN SPARKS FLY was an adorable + funny + sparky + sexy + sweet BFFs-to-lovers love story! I just loved it! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Deck- he'll be sold out in no time!
💜
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