The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
andeng's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
bzliz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My biggest complaint is honestly that there are too many direct parallels between this book and the last one. Both couples have a sexual encounter prior to really talking to each other while at least being semi-drunk at a party, it happens in the same room of their hockey house, and both women even had the same friends with benefits situation with the same guy prior to their new situation beginning. It feels unnecessary.Ā
I liked that Aurora and Russ had different flavors of daddy issues and got to work through those together. Auroraās relationship with her singular friend (why canāt these women have more than one female friend prior to becoming hockey girlfriends?) felt more solid than Stassieās in the previous book. I actively believed that they cared for each other. Russ is a hard type of main character to have but I can understand why the BookTok girlies would love someone like him; heās thoughtful and kind while being adorkably shy and has some secrets that heāll share only if someone can be the perfect woman enough to get close to him.Ā
Iām undecided on if Iāll be reading the third book in the series or not. Henry is probably my favorite side character (like everyone else) but Iām not particularly jazzed about returning to the college again.Ā
Content warnings:
Sexual content (on page):
Addiction (on page):
Toxic relationship (on page):
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction and Toxic relationship
sebradley29's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Vomit
kelly_e's review against another edition
- 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
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 ā¢ W O R D S
Dissimilar ā¢ Sizzling ā¢ Juvenile
š 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 fatherās 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 campās strict āno staff fraternizingā 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 canāt put out?
š 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.
š R E C O M M E N D ā¢ T O
ā¢ fans of the ONS trope
ā¢ readers who like the summer camp romance
š F A V O U R I T E ā¢ 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."Ā
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
author2223's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Addiction
Moderate: Alcoholism
megcarrick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Medical content, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
annamay1021's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Sexual content
kamreher's review against another edition
- 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
did it make me cry? - nope
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, Addiction, and Toxic relationship
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Addiction, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Alcoholism
Minor: Car accident
vj_thompson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Cursing
Minor: Medical content, Car accident, and Vomit