A review by bkc
Wildfire by Hannah Grace
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.
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.
Spoiler
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.
Spoiler
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Abandonment