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underscoresyd's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Addiction
Minor: Car accident
birbpal's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
⭐️⭐️.75 Stars
I feel kinda disappointed after reading "Wildfire." Russ was one of my favorite characters from the first book, so I was hyped for this one! However, I felt his and the rest of the characters in this book all had one glaring problem; they all felt flat.
Someone else wrote in their review on here that the characters were two-dimensional, and I can't agree with them more. Russ was a sweet guy, but he really didn't have any depth except being insecure and shy. I love shy guys, don't get me wrong, but I was hoping for major character development. At most, Russ faced his gambler of a father, but did we see him become confident? No. Did we see him become more comfortable with himself and his feelings? Kinda. Idk... I just did not connect with Russ like I thought I would.😓
But don't get me started on Aurora. I really... ugh, I really didn't like her. I get that she is a hot mess and she chronically overshares. But dear God, if I hear her spout on about her "daddy issues" one more time, I am strangling myself.
Aurora as a FMC was just hard to follow. She wasn't a bad person by any means, and she has endearing qualities to her, but her decision-making skills had me shaking my head. That, along with Russ' inability to face his problems, led to multiple instances of miscommunication. 🫠
What is probably my other biggest problem is how boring I found the book. Literally, nothing happened. At least with "Icebreaker," there was the tension involving Stassie and her skating partner along with the hockey championship. This book? Nothing. I was bored out of my mind, and I feel like if the characters were interesting, at least they would have carried the plot. Sadly, that's not the case for me.
Overall, I'm glad I didn't outright buy this book and instead waited for it in the library. I'm still excited for Miss Hannah's next one, though. Hopefully it will be better!🐥💕
I feel kinda disappointed after reading "Wildfire." Russ was one of my favorite characters from the first book, so I was hyped for this one! However, I felt his and the rest of the characters in this book all had one glaring problem; they all felt flat.
Someone else wrote in their review on here that the characters were two-dimensional, and I can't agree with them more. Russ was a sweet guy, but he really didn't have any depth except being insecure and shy. I love shy guys, don't get me wrong, but I was hoping for major character development. At most, Russ faced his gambler of a father, but did we see him become confident? No. Did we see him become more comfortable with himself and his feelings? Kinda. Idk... I just did not connect with Russ like I thought I would.😓
But don't get me started on Aurora. I really... ugh, I really didn't like her. I get that she is a hot mess and she chronically overshares. But dear God, if I hear her spout on about her "daddy issues" one more time, I am strangling myself.
Aurora as a FMC was just hard to follow. She wasn't a bad person by any means, and she has endearing qualities to her, but her decision-making skills had me shaking my head. That, along with Russ' inability to face his problems, led to multiple instances of miscommunication. 🫠
What is probably my other biggest problem is how boring I found the book. Literally, nothing happened. At least with "Icebreaker," there was the tension involving Stassie and her skating partner along with the hockey championship. This book? Nothing. I was bored out of my mind, and I feel like if the characters were interesting, at least they would have carried the plot. Sadly, that's not the case for me.
Overall, I'm glad I didn't outright buy this book and instead waited for it in the library. I'm still excited for Miss Hannah's next one, though. Hopefully it will be better!🐥💕
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcohol, and Addiction
Minor: Car accident, Alcoholism, and Abandonment
bookedandbusy's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was absolutely adorable. I loved it so much. Much like icebreaker, this one dealt with some serious topics such as addiction, verbal abuse, and absent parents, but it was done very well! I can’t wait for the next one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Car accident
rebekkamafia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism
Minor: Alcohol and Car accident
graceev's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Car accident
kelly_e's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Title: Wildfire
Author: Hannah Grace
Series: Maple Hills #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: October 3, 2023
I received a complimentary eARC from Simon & Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Dissimilar • Sizzling • Juvenile
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Maple Hills students Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts cross paths at a party celebrating the end of the academic year, where a drinking game results in them having a passionate one-night stand. Never one to overstay her welcome (or expect much from a man), Aurora slips away before Russ even has the chance to ask for her full name.
Imagine their surprise when they bump into each other on the first day of the summer camp where they are both counselors, hoping to escape their complicated home lives by spending the summer working. Russ hopes if he gets far enough away from Maple Hills, he can avoid dealing with the repercussions of his father’s gambling addiction, while Aurora is tired of craving attention from everyone around her, and wants to go back to the last place she truly felt at home.
Russ knows breaking the camp’s strict “no staff fraternizing” rule will have him heading back to Maple Hills before the summer is over, but unfortunately for him, Aurora has never been very good at caring about the rules. Will the two learn to peacefully coexist? Or did their one night together start a fire they can’t put out?
💭 T H O U G H T S
I absolutely (somewhat surprisingly) adored Icebreaker earlier in the year, so I was eagerly anticipating Wildfire, book two of the Maple Hills series. Unfortunately, so many of the elements I loved about book one were missing from this second installment, which left me rather disappointed.
I will start off by saying the romance between Russ and Aurora was wholesome. There's definitely a bit of a miscommunication vibe going early on, but it never overrode the development of their relationship. Both main characters have family issues that are at the heart of the story, yet there is a great emphasis on working through things together and developing an open line of communication.
There is a different sense of found family with the staff of the summer camp that I liked. However, I really missed all of the characters I'd come to love from book one. Additionally, I missed Maple Hills and the hockey backdrop. In my opinion, its because so many of the things I loved from book one were missing that I really struggled to form a deep connection with Russ and Aurora's story. Even the spice level felt completely different.
Wildfire was a bit of a letdown after being so excited to pick it up. One of the complaints about Icebreaker was the length, and that's exactly how I felt about this one. The summer camp setting felt completely different and honestly, made it seem like a standalone. I will still continue with the series (book 3 is Henry's story!!), but I am really hoping for a return to the college setting and sports romance trope.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the ONS trope
• readers who like the summer camp romance
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"You don't turn your back on people because they're not perfect."
"It's incredible how shame fills the cracks other people create."
"It's no secret that I love books. I love stories about people I don't know, and place I haven't been to. I've lived a thousand lives between a thousand pages, but no story, no life, no page has ever made me as happy as you do, Russ Callaghan."
Author: Hannah Grace
Series: Maple Hills #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: October 3, 2023
I received a complimentary eARC from Simon & Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Dissimilar • Sizzling • Juvenile
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Maple Hills students Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts cross paths at a party celebrating the end of the academic year, where a drinking game results in them having a passionate one-night stand. Never one to overstay her welcome (or expect much from a man), Aurora slips away before Russ even has the chance to ask for her full name.
Imagine their surprise when they bump into each other on the first day of the summer camp where they are both counselors, hoping to escape their complicated home lives by spending the summer working. Russ hopes if he gets far enough away from Maple Hills, he can avoid dealing with the repercussions of his father’s gambling addiction, while Aurora is tired of craving attention from everyone around her, and wants to go back to the last place she truly felt at home.
Russ knows breaking the camp’s strict “no staff fraternizing” rule will have him heading back to Maple Hills before the summer is over, but unfortunately for him, Aurora has never been very good at caring about the rules. Will the two learn to peacefully coexist? Or did their one night together start a fire they can’t put out?
💭 T H O U G H T S
I absolutely (somewhat surprisingly) adored Icebreaker earlier in the year, so I was eagerly anticipating Wildfire, book two of the Maple Hills series. Unfortunately, so many of the elements I loved about book one were missing from this second installment, which left me rather disappointed.
I will start off by saying the romance between Russ and Aurora was wholesome. There's definitely a bit of a miscommunication vibe going early on, but it never overrode the development of their relationship. Both main characters have family issues that are at the heart of the story, yet there is a great emphasis on working through things together and developing an open line of communication.
There is a different sense of found family with the staff of the summer camp that I liked. However, I really missed all of the characters I'd come to love from book one. Additionally, I missed Maple Hills and the hockey backdrop. In my opinion, its because so many of the things I loved from book one were missing that I really struggled to form a deep connection with Russ and Aurora's story. Even the spice level felt completely different.
Wildfire was a bit of a letdown after being so excited to pick it up. One of the complaints about Icebreaker was the length, and that's exactly how I felt about this one. The summer camp setting felt completely different and honestly, made it seem like a standalone. I will still continue with the series (book 3 is Henry's story!!), but I am really hoping for a return to the college setting and sports romance trope.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the ONS trope
• readers who like the summer camp romance
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"You don't turn your back on people because they're not perfect."
"It's incredible how shame fills the cracks other people create."
"It's no secret that I love books. I love stories about people I don't know, and place I haven't been to. I've lived a thousand lives between a thousand pages, but no story, no life, no page has ever made me as happy as you do, Russ Callaghan."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Mental illness, and Alcohol
Minor: Medical content, Vomit, Car accident, and Gaslighting
frantically's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm loving this trend that Hannah Grace is starting in romance where we get heroes who are partly what we're used to — they're buff, they're protective, they love dirty talk — but they're also just such sweethearts! We get men who actually care for their women from the start, who are vocal about caring for and wanting to be with them, heroes that don't turn into absolute dick heads the moment the 75% drama hits, heroes that are self-aware and talk to their friends about the issues they're having. They're not the sweet guys the heroine eventually leaves for the more interesting, hotter bad boy, they are the interesting hot man but without being an asshole.
And on the other hand, we also get heroines who genuinely take no shit, who aren't 110% nice and meek at all times, who know how to stand up for themselves and just act like girls in their twenties — they even go so far as to not be virgins and like having sex, god forbid ;)
So excited to read more from this author!
And on the other hand, we also get heroines who genuinely take no shit, who aren't 110% nice and meek at all times, who know how to stand up for themselves and just act like girls in their twenties — they even go so far as to not be virgins and like having sex, god forbid ;)
So excited to read more from this author!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Addiction
Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Minor: Car accident and Medical trauma
kb33's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved this! So many real life funny moments and quips. And the characters were some of the most real I’ve read - they had flaws, big and small, and some they knew about and didn’t know how to fix, and they talked to their friends and each other about the flaws, and I loved it. Mmc is a college hockey player, but this book takes place over the summer, so there’s no hockey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, and Medical content
sdupont's review
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While I enjoyed Wildfire, it is not as strong as Icebreaker. I felt that the pacing was slow at times and that the book could’ve been a little shorter. I like Aurora and Russ, I think they were good about trying to support the other and their needs. I think the characters had nice development over the course of the book. Unfortunately this book left me wanting more of the fireworks that Icebreaker had. That being said I am excited to read Henry’s book next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Addiction
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Car accident
julierambaeck's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
IIIIIIH!! So cute! Loved the setting, the animals, the small town vibes, the found family!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcohol and Car accident