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andreafeshold's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
emwilliamson's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you NetGalley for gifting me this book to read before the publish date!! What would you do if you felt a spark with someone only to find out they are already in a relationship? Put him out of your mind because you don't want to be responsible? You can try- and Jess tries very hard to do just that. But of course, fate had other plans for her and Sam, and they can't stay away from each other. Sam breaks it off with his ex, but she turns into the "evil ex" and proceeds to sabotage their new relationship. This was a cute story and I wish their relationship was developed a little more, along with having a more wrapped up ending. This was a fun story and made me believe that love at first sight, or that 'spark' if you will, still happens and could very well happen to us!! Happy reading!
andeepants's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
cheryl59's review against another edition
5.0
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it, the lead characters were great and I found the story to be very believable. I would definitely recommend this book.
hannahxalicea's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book as a weekend read, which was light and easy to read. I really enjoyed the very English language, as the novel was set in England. I also love the love at first sight feeling and the "spark" that is felt between the main characters. It was definitely a sweet read that I really enjoyed.
keerenmaria's review against another edition
5.0
Funny and cute
I loved the dynamic and how their argument didn’t last too long. It had a satisfying ending which I always appreciate.
I loved the dynamic and how their argument didn’t last too long. It had a satisfying ending which I always appreciate.
ravenmstene's review against another edition
4.0
I finished this adorable romance in a single day, it was exactly the perfect light read romance.
Jess and Sam meet at a garden party and have an instant "spark" . Things flow between them as if they have known one another for years and that instant connection is noticed by both. However, Sam has a long term girlfriend (something he is upfront about) and Jess has a family broken by "the other woman". They part as friends but can't stop bumping into each other and each time the spark is ignited again. Sam leaves his relationship, and waits as long as he can before going after Jess. From here things heat up, drama ensues, families are tangled, and you read with baited breath wondering if it is all going to work out.
The first chapter grabs you there is no waiting for the plot to thicken. Jules Wake captured the chemistry between these two destined characters right off the hop and it only got better from there. You can feel their connection and it builds effortlessly.
One thing I didn't love was the ex girlfriend and the whole pitting women against women, however, she was the main antagonist of this book and in this case I see why it had to be this way, and they needed to draw the parallels of Sam's ex with Jess' mom.
The family characters and dynamics were well done, although at times I did want to shake Sam and have him stick up for his girl.
Overall this is a great escapist read that has lots of chemistry and a strong, independent, female lead.
Jess and Sam meet at a garden party and have an instant "spark" . Things flow between them as if they have known one another for years and that instant connection is noticed by both. However, Sam has a long term girlfriend (something he is upfront about) and Jess has a family broken by "the other woman". They part as friends but can't stop bumping into each other and each time the spark is ignited again. Sam leaves his relationship, and waits as long as he can before going after Jess. From here things heat up, drama ensues, families are tangled, and you read with baited breath wondering if it is all going to work out.
The first chapter grabs you there is no waiting for the plot to thicken. Jules Wake captured the chemistry between these two destined characters right off the hop and it only got better from there. You can feel their connection and it builds effortlessly.
One thing I didn't love was the ex girlfriend and the whole pitting women against women, however, she was the main antagonist of this book and in this case I see why it had to be this way, and they needed to draw the parallels of Sam's ex with Jess' mom.
The family characters and dynamics were well done, although at times I did want to shake Sam and have him stick up for his girl.
Overall this is a great escapist read that has lots of chemistry and a strong, independent, female lead.
ruthyroo's review against another edition
4.0
Jess and Adam meet at a party one summer and their attraction is instant....but Sam has a girlfriend. After meeting a few more times, they are unable to deny their attraction. Sam breaks up with his girlfriend and, several months later, Jess and Sam become an item. But Sam’s ex Victoria has other ideas and is determined to make things difficult for the new couple.
I’ve read a lot of romance type novels this year. With everything going on in the world, I’ve just not been able to face anything that’s too grim and realistic so the escapism of romance books with their almost-always-guaranteed-Happy Ever After has kept me entertained and distracted. With that in mind, I can say that The Spark is one of the better ones I’ve read this year.
The vast majority of romance novels spend the entire book building up to getting the main characters together, throwing obstacles in their way only to resolve them and allow them to finally unite. This mixes things up a bit and gets our MCs together pretty early....and THEN throws the obstacles in their way. The main obstacle is Victoria, Sam’s ex and I think the book does a good job of showing that she’s not necessarily the bad guy here. Yes, she does some awful things and acts terribly at times but both MCs recognise that she is hurting and that’s the motivation for her actions. Jess in particular feels Tempe does guilt for her involvement in their breakup given that she experienced her parents breakup as a child when her father met someone new.
The book did a good job of showing that things are complicated and there’s always two sides to every story. An enjoyable read with likeable leads and interesting relationship dynamics.
I’ve read a lot of romance type novels this year. With everything going on in the world, I’ve just not been able to face anything that’s too grim and realistic so the escapism of romance books with their almost-always-guaranteed-Happy Ever After has kept me entertained and distracted. With that in mind, I can say that The Spark is one of the better ones I’ve read this year.
The vast majority of romance novels spend the entire book building up to getting the main characters together, throwing obstacles in their way only to resolve them and allow them to finally unite. This mixes things up a bit and gets our MCs together pretty early....and THEN throws the obstacles in their way. The main obstacle is Victoria, Sam’s ex and I think the book does a good job of showing that she’s not necessarily the bad guy here. Yes, she does some awful things and acts terribly at times but both MCs recognise that she is hurting and that’s the motivation for her actions. Jess in particular feels Tempe does guilt for her involvement in their breakup given that she experienced her parents breakup as a child when her father met someone new.
The book did a good job of showing that things are complicated and there’s always two sides to every story. An enjoyable read with likeable leads and interesting relationship dynamics.
whatirinreads_18's review against another edition
4.0
3.85/5 ⭐
The Spark by Jules Wake was a very thoughtfully written novel! The plot had the perfect amount of family tension and drama (my favorite things in books lol) I’ve always enjoyed reading romance novels which don’t only revolve around the couple involved, which was the case for The Spark too.
Jess and Sam were such a swoon-worthy pair! Just like the title of the book suggests, I saw sparks flying between them from the very first chapter. I loved seeing them connect through their similar interests, goals and outlook towards life. As individual characters, Jess and Sam were written with multiple layers too, instead of having one-dimensional natures/attitudes. I think that made them very real to me, and I felt as if I was reading about people who I know in real life. Sam and Jess both had histories which were pivotal to the plot of The Spark – it was interesting to see how their past affected their relationship at the present. I loved how honest they were with each other, how they handled different issues that they stumbled upon with an appreciable amount of maturity, and didn’t sugar-coat different situations just to make the other person happy. Sam and Jess (at this point I just want to call them JAM haha) were very cheesy too, which kind of balanced out the struggles they faced to be together.
The Spark by Jules Wake was a very thoughtfully written novel! The plot had the perfect amount of family tension and drama (my favorite things in books lol) I’ve always enjoyed reading romance novels which don’t only revolve around the couple involved, which was the case for The Spark too.
Jess and Sam were such a swoon-worthy pair! Just like the title of the book suggests, I saw sparks flying between them from the very first chapter. I loved seeing them connect through their similar interests, goals and outlook towards life. As individual characters, Jess and Sam were written with multiple layers too, instead of having one-dimensional natures/attitudes. I think that made them very real to me, and I felt as if I was reading about people who I know in real life. Sam and Jess both had histories which were pivotal to the plot of The Spark – it was interesting to see how their past affected their relationship at the present. I loved how honest they were with each other, how they handled different issues that they stumbled upon with an appreciable amount of maturity, and didn’t sugar-coat different situations just to make the other person happy. Sam and Jess (at this point I just want to call them JAM haha) were very cheesy too, which kind of balanced out the struggles they faced to be together.