Item: Wildfire
Rating: 3
Author: Jen

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!

BOOK REVIEW: Icebreaker (Maple Hills #1) by Hannah Grace

Icebreaker (Maple Hills #1)
by Hannah Grace
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. It looks like everything is going according to plan when she gets a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills and lands a place on their competitive figure skating team.

Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins.

Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team—including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him.

But when Anastasia’s skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot.

Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried…because she could never like a hockey player, right?

Review:

Icebreaker was a steamy NA sports romance that had a reverse grumpy sunshine that was done so well. I laughed so much with this story, like tears pouring down my face gasping for air kind of laughter. Mix that in with some found family and I was hooked. While I felt like the book was longer than what I would have preferred, I still had a lot of fun reading this story!

“Ask me nicely. Let me show you how much I like it when you’re nice.”
“Why would I do that when I don’t like you?” Her words are strong, but her delivery is strained and wispy, giving her away.
“You don’t have to like me to scream my name, Anastasia.”

Anastasia was a tough one for me to connect to, until I was almost halfway through the book. I love me a grumpy character, but my gosh she was so challenging to find that connection with, especially when she was being cold to Nathan. But I still enjoyed my time with her till we finally clicked. She made me laugh so much. Like when she told Ryan and Lola what she did, I couldn’t breathe. She was hilarious without meaning to! And she tried her best to be a good friend, and was dedicated to her goal of making it to the Olympics.

Removing his fingers and mouth, he leans back so he can look up at me properly, wearing the smuggest expression I’ve ever seen as he sucks his fingers into his mouth, not once breaking eye contact.
Oh fuck.

Nathan was such a steamy book boyfriend. He played Hockey in college, and had a professional team waiting for him to graduate. When he did the whole putting his hands on either side of her head while leaning in move, yup, I was done for! I loved how he had no problem proving Anastasia wrong, like when he was on his knees. And I loved that he was a good guy who would step up for his team again and again. I was just sitting here tapping my fingers waiting for Anastasai to catch up with the rest of us!

From now on, she’s going to come to me.

The two of them together were like fire and ice. They were forced to co-exist. And while Anastasia seemed to rally with the enemies to lovers vibe, I never got the enemies vibe from Nathan. He liked her. And as they spent more time together, their moments could be scorching hot. The uber scenes?! *fans face* His dirty talk?! Loved! There were so many steamy, descriptive scenes in this book! I love how they both respected each other physically and mentally, and how they talked a lot of things out, it made my heart happy.

I’m addicted to her when she’s like this. When she forgets about this game we’re playing, when her eyes drink me in, and her hands grip the front of my shirt like she’s scared I’m going to slip away.
Our faces are dangerously close; I feel her breath against my lips.

Their friend groups were phenomenal! I loved Nathan’s group chat with his teammates. I knew each time those popped up, I would be laughing. Lola was a true ride or die bestie. She had Anastasia’s back again and again! And I loved that she got her own little side romance story too! And Henry was my favorite of Nathan’s friends. I’m so excited he got his own story too! The one person who I didn’t like was Aaron. The rage I felt towards him was just another level. And just when he made us think we couldn’t hate him more, nope, he ratcheted it up even higher. He was a toxic douchebag who I kept waiting for something horrific to happen to. Like in my fantasy novels where his heart would get ripped out of his chest haha.

“I can’t believe you think I could ever reject you, Anastasia,” he said in shock. “You have no idea, do you? The lengths I’d go to if you’d let me. What I’d do to make you happy.”

This story ended with a fabulous epilogue that jumped years into the future and made my heart so happy! I love when contemporary books end like that! So while I struggled finding that connection in the beginning, and the book went on a little longer than I would have wanted, I still absolutely adored this story. The steam, friendships, personal growth, family, and storyline were so well done! I can’t wait to read her next book!