BOOK REVIEW: Wildfire (Maple Hills #2) by Hannah Grace

Wildfire (Maple Hills #2)
by Hannah Grace
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

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?

Review:

While I adored Icebreaker, this book and I didn’t mesh as well.  One of my favorite things that was missing in this story was the group dynamic.  I adored that we got it in the beginning, with the Jenga scene.  And that it pushed Russ and Aurora together.  But once they left for camp, that component was gone.  Yes there were characters at camp I adored, but they didn’t give off that same feeling, or the banter.  I missed it.

Russ Callaghan can call me a good girl anytime.

While the camp scene wasn’t really my thing, what I did enjoy about this story was the characters.  I adored them and felt their struggles in my heart.  These characters were so fleshed out and their issues felt real to me.  Russ was the sweet, cinnamon roll guy that was so easy to fall for.  And Aurora felt like the girl next door you could easily be besties with.  And both of them were hurting because of their family.  People had always made both of them feel less than and they tried their best to hide their hurt deep.  His dad had a gambling addiction, and her dad just ignored her.  I knew that they could find happiness with each other, if they would just take that next big step!

“We could have just had a conversation. This is not the kind of main character moment I’m looking for in my life!” She groans loudly, peeking at me between her fingers.

Watching their friendship form was heartwarming.  I loved how they had to work for it.  How the camp forced them together, like in the team building activities.  And how they realized they were having miscommunication issues.  Yet the whole time, it felt like their story was low on the angst and tension.  So they were adorable and also had some steam too!  Their date in the back of the truck was beyond cute!  And the epilogue down the road left me closing this book with a smile.  But for me, this book was wayyyyy too long.  I would have been happier with a couple hundred less pages.  So if you’re looking for a forced proximity, miscommunication, NA romance with a cinnamon roll guy, then this book may just be what you were looking for!

“You are the brightest thing in my life, Aurora,” he says. “And you’re a living reminder of the good things that can happen when I allow myself to be happy.”

PS I adored Fish, Trout, and Salmon!

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