The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
birbpal's review against another edition
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
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
claire_fitzgibbon13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
fast-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
4.25
Fun, funny, cute, love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction and Abandonment
andeng's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
sebradley29's review against another edition
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Vomit
hannahmichele5's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The daddy issues for both characters was a lot for me personally but still enjoyed! Wish I had read in the summer because the summer camp vibes are immaculate☀️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment, and Addiction
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
4.5
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
michaelahoyman's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Incredible. 10/10. I think this might be one of my favorite books that I’ve ever read. I love it with all of my heart. The characters, where it takes place, the story line, all chef’s kiss. It all makes my heart burst. I honestly procrastinated on finishing the book because I’m emotionally attached to it and was dreading the book ending. I loved every second. Such lovable characters and incredible story. So cute and adorable. I highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
bkc's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.0
Initially, I strongly disliked this book. It immediately started with Russ mentioning that he no longer had to worry about when he would "jerk off or get laid" and it put me off. I know it's a romance novel so maybe I should have expected it, but not in Chapter 1.
The writing style was simple once again, but felt a bit cringey in Wildfire compared to Icebreaker and I'm not sure why. Regardless, I enjoyed hearing about the Maple Hills gang again, except for one member.Ryan. Aurora was friends-with-benefits with Ryan. Why Ryan again!? Seriously!? It felt so stupid to me that he was the Maple Hills harlot.
This was just the beginning, though. The majority of the story was boring for me, even though it unfolded at the perfect pace. I also didn't care for the main characters.
Firstly, Aurora was too needy. I usually like characters like her, but it just wasn't clicking for me here. The "clean room" comments were ridiculous too. Secondly, Russ was cool in Icebreaker but seemed like a mess in this book. I get that he was acting confident whilst not in reality, but it felt like too much. Finally, there were so many daddy issues between them both. However, I did like Emelia and Xander, and felt like they kept the story fun enough for me.
The mechanics of the relationship between Russ and Aurora were also quite similar to Nate and Anastasia in Icebreaker. It reminded me of books by Ali Hazelwood, where each relationship in each book is basically the same. Is this a romance thing? It may have contributed to my lack of interest in the book, since I know how it goes. Yet, I do like that we always get a happy ending with and love getting closure in the epilogues of Hannah's books.
The last third of the book was definitely more enjoyable than the previous two thirds in terms of pacing. I think I got used to the characters by then too. In the end, it was a solidly okay book.
The writing style was simple once again, but felt a bit cringey in Wildfire compared to Icebreaker and I'm not sure why. Regardless, I enjoyed hearing about the Maple Hills gang again, except for one member.
This was just the beginning, though. The majority of the story was boring for me, even though it unfolded at the perfect pace. I also didn't care for the main characters.
Firstly, Aurora was too needy. I usually like characters like her, but it just wasn't clicking for me here. The "clean room" comments were ridiculous too. Secondly, Russ was cool in Icebreaker but seemed like a mess in this book. I get that he was acting confident whilst not in reality, but it felt like too much. Finally, there were so many daddy issues between them both. However, I did like Emelia and Xander, and felt like they kept the story fun enough for me.
The mechanics of the relationship between Russ and Aurora were also quite similar to Nate and Anastasia in Icebreaker. It reminded me of books by Ali Hazelwood, where each relationship in each book is basically the same. Is this a romance thing? It may have contributed to my lack of interest in the book, since I know how it goes. Yet, I do like that we always get a happy ending with and love getting closure in the epilogues of Hannah's books.
The last third of the book was definitely more enjoyable than the previous two thirds in terms of pacing. I think I got used to the characters by then too. In the end, it was a solidly okay book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Abandonment