A review by bzliz
Wildfire by Hannah Grace
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
I found this so much more enjoyable than Icebreaker. I think the sports element of the first book was a bigger thorn in my side than I’d previously thought. I’m glad there were other characters to interact with and nobody was a real “rival” here. My least favorite parts of the story almost exclusively consists of scenes with the other hockey players; there’s too many of them and they’re relatively interchangeable.
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.
I liked that Aurora and Russ had different flavors of daddy issues and got to work through those together. Aurora’s relationship with her singular friend (why can’t these women have more than one female friend prior to becoming hockey girlfriends?) felt more solid than Stassie’s 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; he’s thoughtful and kind while being adorkably shy and has some secrets that he’ll share only if someone can be the perfect woman enough to get close to him.
I’m undecided on if I’ll be reading the third book in the series or not. Henry is probably my favorite side character (like everyone else) but I’m not particularly jazzed about returning to the college again.
Content warnings:
Sexual content (on page):
Addiction (on page):
Toxic relationship (on page):
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.
I liked that Aurora and Russ had different flavors of daddy issues and got to work through those together. Aurora’s relationship with her singular friend (why can’t these women have more than one female friend prior to becoming hockey girlfriends?) felt more solid than Stassie’s 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; he’s thoughtful and kind while being adorkably shy and has some secrets that he’ll share only if someone can be the perfect woman enough to get close to him.
I’m undecided on if I’ll be reading the third book in the series or not. Henry is probably my favorite side character (like everyone else) but I’m not particularly jazzed about returning to the college again.
Content warnings:
Sexual content (on page):
Spoiler
These people have so much sex, I could not possibly list the instances. It is explicit and on page, that’s the whole warning.Addiction (on page):
Spoiler
Russ’s dad has a gambling addiction and regularly asks him for money, insulting and berating his son if he doesn’t send it. He does start to change after being in an accident and being kicked out by his wife and he does get involved with Gamblers Anonymous.Toxic relationship (on page):
Spoiler
I’m using this to refer to each lead character and their relationship with their parents. Russ’s dad gets abusive when things aren’t going well for him. Aurora’s dad actively doesn’t value her as his daughter or even as a person and he verbally abused her on the phone when she doesn’t scamper to his side when beckoned so it doesn’t look bad to the cameras. They both suck and only one of them makes any attempts to turn it around.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction and Toxic relationship