This is a story about Jessica Sterling who is a geologist and writing her thesis. She’s given permission to work at Dry Falls State Park in Washington state over the summer. While doing her research she meets park Ranger Clare DeVere. They have an instant attraction and spend the summer exploring the park and its caves and do a bunch of rock climbing.

Jess struggles with loneliness and has a secret that she doesn’t share with Clare and it turns into a black moment. Clare has had a bad relationship and is reluctant to start a new one.

I enjoyed this book and enjoyed the slow burn romance. Both MC’s were very likable for me. And it’s a good lesson for all of us starting a new relationship to come clean up front with your past relationships. I love being outside and going to national parks to hike and explore. So this book was perfect for me in that regard.

ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

Clare DeVere has worked as a Park Ranger for the past nine years. In that time she’s made a few friends and even fell in love. One of the many jobs Rangers do is try spotting a fire and hopefully be able to put the fire down before it has a chance to grow. Clare loved her job and when she fell in love she was the happiest she’d remembered for a long time. Then the worst thing that could have happened did. One member of Clare’s team didn’t make it back. The fire was faster than the Ranger.
Jessica Sterling was for all intents and purposes an orphan. Her mother died during childbirth, so for many years it was just the two of them. Just when everything seemed to be going in the right direction, with Jess starting college to become a geologist, news came that her father had passed. Now really alone she starts dating Jackson just to try to overcome the loneliest.
Now Jess has traveled to Dry Falls State Park to finish the research needed to complete her thesis. There she meets Clare and a summer romance begins. Ms Erdell has done a pretty good job with her first novel. Great characters and an interesting plot turned this book into a very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

Thank you so much to net galley and Alaina Erdell for this early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a debut novel by Alaina Erdell, and she takes us on a journey to Dry Falls State Park in Washington. The brilliant way Erdell sets the scenes made me want to see the place for myself, I ended up online, looking at pictures of the park so I could visualize it more, and my god it is beautiful (added it to my future trip list)

This book was like when you try and recreate a recipe from scratch, but you arent sure of the measurements so everything is a little off, but its still edible.

What I will say is the characters were likable and relatable With a couple of little mysteries to keep the reader on edge, even if sometimes its not comfortable.

I think this was great for a debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what else Alaina Erdell writes in the future:)

Not really got in to the start. The male officer seems a bit cartoony. There is pretty much instant interest between the mains but I’m not quite there with them. There are clues to back story being dropped, and if they were right at the start with Jess and her boyfriend, I missed it, but she didn’t seem to miss him. In fairness, although it was made clear, he was not even close to the love of her life, I’m not even sure the like of her life, she pretty quickly wanted a date with Clare. No issue with that, but there didn’t seem any second guess. This niggled me throughout the book. However I think it was very well explained by the writer, via character, towards the end of the book.
I confess to not being a geologist or wanting to be a geologist so a lot of information went over my head, and I mean a lot of information! I also didn’t get the cajoling “even little kids do it” form of persuasion.
A lot of imagery is used throughout the book. Not saying this was good or bad, but there was lot compared to most books. Almost literaturish!
There is a plot bomb that is alluded to throughout the book. There were many times I expected it to explode. When it eventually did the aftermath is well written and I felt a compulsion to keep reading. That compulsion for me was missing prior to that. I think the spectre of the plot bomb did not generate enough tension to keep the plot tight and keep me engrossed. The book finished a lot more strongly than the start and middle. The writer shows potential and people that are looking for a quickish to ignite romance in a geological/nature setting will rate it higher than me.

𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴.

This is one of those books where you'd probably learn more than you feel. This story takes place in a park and one of the characters, Jess, is a camper there. She is also a geologist and is passionate about what she knows so whenever she discusses rocks with the other character, park ranger Clare, I learnt quite a fair bit and I couldn't help smiling at Jess' enthusiam.

The romance itself is pretty easy in the sense that Jess and Clare are drawn to each other the moment they meet and certain things about themselves which I thought would deter them somehow from dating never really played out. For example, Jess never dated women before and Clare seemed to still be grieving over a dead girlfriend. But neither of them seemed to let any of it get in the way of their feelings for each other.

The romance isn't too bad. It's easy, though not easy to the point of being uninteresting. There's still a little bit of tension here and there. Like how Clare's best friend, Lyn, has unrequited feelings for Clare and becomes an awkward inconvenience to the couple. Jess herself keeps some secrets and makes some eyebrow-raising decisions along the way too.

That being said, this book is a debut and I thought it could have been smoother. Some aspects of the book that I thought were interesting were glossed over and it left some question marks for me. But overall, I enjoyed the little nuggets of information on rocks and even the romance storyline.

Really good story. The relationship between Clare and Jessica was really sweet and hot. I liked how their relationship developed over the course of a few months where they are friends first, before becoming romantically involved. Clare who had more experience in life was the more mature one where as Jess seemed immature at times especially in how she thought about relationships with her friends and her significant other. Sometimes her immaturity was jarring, because you don't expect that, at least I didn't. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family, and I look forward to what's next from this author.

I loved the descriptive language used in this book! I also loved the character development and plot. I recommend this book to all who want to read about National Parks and being in the wilderness.

The thing about this book is that it has all the usual ingredients that make up a good romance, but I think they have been poorly mixed or dosed. Or perhaps they have been placed by force, as if it were necessary to include them, and for this reason they have not formed an entirely optimal final result.

Let's see if I explain myself. The two protagonists are themselves potentially acceptable. There is Jess, who must complete her thesis in geology and for this she is going to spend a few months in a campsite in the mountains where the other protagonist, Clare, works as a ranger.

Jess is young, about ten years younger than Clare, and is somewhat naive and inexperienced in love. Clare has a trauma that is not shown until the final part of the story. Then there's Lyn, Clare's best friend who's kind of nasty, and some other minor characters, none of them very relevant. Because the other thing about this book is that the characters are quite flat, without depth, which has not allowed me to empathize.

Because you have to be interested in the characters to understand why they have acted as they have and perhaps that lack of complexity in their definition has not allowed me to do so.

Therefore, this story has remained for me just ok, it may be acceptable although it could be better.

When I read a book with themes that I know next to nothing about and the narrative makes me want to go investigate…Well, credit must go to that writer. Fire, Water and Rock gives brilliant explanations of rocks and geological formations. Erdell explains the basics in a way that captures one’s interest. For someone like me who likes to learn new things, I found it all very interesting. Because Erdell makes it sound so majestic, I often stopped my reading to do a little Googling.

This is Erdell’s first published novel and one can easily see the passion she has for storytelling. Using colorful language and vivid detail, she immerses her readers in an impressive story world. The setting really comes alive on the page and readers can easily envision Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park (another place I Googled). The descriptive writing captures the imagination and initiates the senses, making the reading experience quite fun.

As splendid as the story world is, readers find the characters equally compelling. Erdell gives Fire, Water and Rock two captivating women to drive the storytelling forward. Jessica and Clare are well-developed and likable individuals. There’s a bit of an age gap between the women and Erdell portrays it nicely. We see Jess’s inexperience and poor decision-making play out well within the story arc. On the flip side, readers see Clare’s maturity. Her life experience enables her to communicate her emotions honestly and fairly. It all works to facilitate tension within the relationship and give it a sense of believability. Ultimately though the dynamics work to promote change, as this is a character driven story.

As fascinating as all the themes of geology and nature are in the storyline, Fire, Water and Rock still remains a romance at its core. Erdell captures a tenderness in Jess and Clare’s journey that’s heartfelt and sweet. She’s a patient writer though; she moves her readers through Jess and Clare’s story in a measured and intentional way. She doesn’t rush the romance between them. Instead, she chooses to build the chemistry slowly, brick by brick. When their HEA does finally come, readers are more than ready for it.

Final remarks…

Erdell’s debut is a compelling and read-worthy tale; it’s definitely a sign of exciting things to come. Though the storytelling isn’t perfect, readers can see the promise in the writing. Her style and tone are very engaging and I’m excited to see what her next book (Off the Menu—March 2023) brings.

Strengths…

*Tenderly told
*Heartfelt
*Likable main characters
*Vivid descriptions of nature
*Interesting geology tidbits pleasantly worked into the storytelling

I thought the characters were likable and relatable. The premise of the story is different than usual but I felt as though the story moved a little too slow. Maybe it’s because I’m not a fan of camping or because I’m not super outdoorsy but the set up for the romance didn’t interest me too much and made it difficult for me to finish the book, I was a big fan of the authors writing style, just not the plot of this one.

Jessica Sterling is working to finish her Master's degree in the field of geology and will be camping in a state park for the summer. She certainly didn't intend to meet the strong, sexy park ranger Claire DeVere while she was there but that's what happened.
The attraction was instant for both of them but Claire hasn't dated since last girlfriend also a park ranger, died during a fire.
Jessica isn't being forthcoming with her own relationship which of course is going to cause their path to be rocky (pun intended).
This is an interesting story and I found the geology parts, fossils, layers, natural disruptions to life to be fascinating and easy to understand.
Great read!
Thank you #NetGalley #BoldStrokesBooks for this ARC

An OK read. Bit of angst in it but then we knew it was coming. Would have liked a bit more from the park ranger side of it to make a bit more than just a romance and add a bit of excitement.

Fire, Water, and Rock is a well written, heart-warming debut novel by Alaina Erdell centred on a State Park, where Clare is one of the park rangers whilst Jess is staying within the park for an extended period to complete her geology thesis.

Both Clare and Jess have believable back stories with differing past demons/insecurities to contend with. Despite their different walks of life, there is an instant chemistry between the pair that draws you into their world, which is further enhanced by their common interest in the State Park and its hidden secrets.

The storyline is interesting, and their adventures captivated me. The plot progression and pace of the book are good. Throughout the book, there is an injection of humour which I enjoyed especially around newly forming friendships. I felt invested in the future for Clare and Jess and did not want the story to end.

Fantastic debut novel! The Clare and Jess were likeable and fun, as were the brothers with the neighboring campsite, and even the geology information was interesting. I enjoyed all the details about the setting as well (and even looked it up to learn more about it). The only thing that bothered me was Jess' boyfriend. He seemed so flat - even their breakup was boring and easy. If they had so little connecting them, why didn't they just end it sooner? But without him, there wouldn't have been any drama, so it makes sense to keep him around in the background. I'll definitely be looking forward to more by this author!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Fire, Water, and Rock by Alaina Erdell was a great debut!

"A hot summer fling or true love?"

WoW! What an engaging and entertaining read this one was!
Great Plot, amazing chemistry and two phenomenal characters who instantly fell in love with.
I loved both Clare and Jess. Their attraction to one another was amazing and could be felt through the pages.
I am very impressed with how well this novel is written. I immediately got sucked into this story and was sad to see it end so soon.
I adored this story, the characters, and everything about it!
Alaina Erdell's writing is fantastic and I think she did an awesome job at creating well defined characters who are relatable and fun!
An enjoyable read overall.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Bold Strokes Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

Yay, a new author with a well written summer romance debut novel. Jessica Sterling is spending her summer camping in Washington’s Dry Falls State park working on her Master’s thesis in Geology. Erdell writes beautifully of the geological wonders. I learned new things. The descriptions alone made me want to plan a visit to the area. Park ranger Clare DeVere, loves her work as a ranger. She’s been at the park for nine years. But she lost her girlfriend two years ago and she hasn’t really been interested in anyone until she meets Clare.

I love the novel doesn’t feel rushed. There is time to hike, swim, bike-ride and talk. This is a first female relationship for Jess but she doesn’t seem to question her attraction to Clare. As a first time author I found she occasionally over explains someones reasons or thinking. On the other hand I still had a few questions about the actions of others. Why didn’t Jess’s boyfriend ever respond to her or explain he side of things when they meet, or did the head of the park have thoughts about his past actions. But those are small things in a sweet and naturally progressing romance. I even like that Clare needs to take time with herself and her therapist to come to understand the actions of Jess.

Very Enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jess is spending the summer in Washington’s Dry Falls State Park to finishes her thesis. She excited to explore and even more shock when she meets Clare park ranger and is instant attracted to her. Clare is grieving and angry and is struck by her instant attraction to camper Jess they both go out of their way to be in each other orbit as they grow closer Clare has deal with her best friend Lyn unrequited crush on her for years and doesn’t want to hurt her in fear of losing her. I love how Jess is so passionate about her work and details and Clare actually being interested in what she does and I like the friendships they form with Tim and Dan who is rooting for Jess and Clare. Overall enjoyable read.



I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Fire, Water and Rock is the debut novel by Alaina Erdell, and she takes the reader to Dry Falls State Park in Washington. The brilliant way Erdell sets the scenes made me want to see the place for myself, so I ended up online, looking at pictures of this mind-blowing geographical landmark.

Clare is a park ranger who is struck by her sudden attraction towards new camper Jess, who will be hanging around longer than the usual tourists as she works on her thesis. Jess is so close to finishing her studies, and her dreams of being a geologist are clearly in sight. Her home life however isn’t stable, and Clare is proving to be someone she has no intention of trying to steer clear of.

While Jess spends her days researching the park, and Clare spends hers working, and trying to come to terms with the grief that has been a constant companion, both women go out of their way to spend time together, and a friendship quickly turns to more as neither have the inclination to deny their intense chemistry.

Fire, Water and Rock is not without its flaws, but Erdell created a cast of (mostly) likable and relatable characters and used a beautiful landscape to set their story. With a couple of little mysteries to keep the reader on edge, even if sometimes not comfortably so, this debut is a sign of a new writer to keep your eyes on for future releases.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🏕🎆🏞️🔥🪨

Someone once asked me how I make a choice between a 4-star review and a 5-star review. My reply is this; did it make me cry? Did it make me want to rip my heart out because it was so amazingly written that it toyed with my emotions, heart and soul? If the answer is yes, then it's a 5-star review.

Fire, Water, and Rock by Alaina Erdell is a beautifully written story about overcoming heartbreak, betrayal, forgiveness, finding yourself and realising you deserve more than settling. This book made me cry in all possible ways, hence why I am giving this debut novel a 5-star review.

Jess and Clare meet when Jess arrives at Clare's camping ground for a three-month research trip for her thesis. The instant attraction between the two made my heart flutter with joy because I believe when you know you know. I believe in love at first sight, soul mates and destiny. These two had sparks from the start and it was beautifully written.

I loved all the facts you learnt about Geology through Jess's passion. I loved the found family through other campers and workmates. I loved everything about this book. Thank you so much to Alaina for a copy of the ebook. I leave this review entirely for my own benefit because let me tell you, I'm going to be singing it's praises.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldstrokes too.