Competitors in the professional surfing championships, and potential lovers onshore? Is this love or war…

4.5 stars

This is the third in the Seven Shores romance series. This is a group of four friends who live in Venice Beach, with different lives and jobs, but a lovely sense of fun and friendship. Each book examines a different member of the group as they work, and find a soul mate. 

Gia Malone is the #2 surfer in the world, and she is gunning for #1. Absolutely determined to be the best in the world, Gia’s focus is on improving her skills and techniques, and that comes by hard work. 

In the number 1 spot in the surfing rankings is the smoking hot, and always happy, Elle Britton. Elle is getting tired of the endless promotions and the grind that cuts in on her surfing time, but her feel for the waves and hard work keeps her on top of her game. 

When a company wants to sponsor them both, it throws the competitive pair into each other’s orbit. Not sure whether to make love or war, this is a battle on and off the waves for Gia and Elle. 

Once again, Brayden shows just how good she is at bringing these characters, and an unlikely scenario, to life. Gia and Elle are smart and capable, and there is believability to the dialogue and their interactions, which I really liked. The pacing of the romance was good, and there were enough surprises in the plot to keep me guessing. 

In the background is the friendship of the rest of the gang. While I have read the other stories, I haven’t read them for a while and it took me a bit of time to work out who was who. I don’t think it would be a problem to come into the series at this point, but if you can, read the series from the first book. The first one is Eyes Like Those (probably the best of the series; 5 stars from me), and then Hearts Like Hers (probably the least successful of the series so far).  I presume the next one will star the engaging Hadley, and I’m really looking forward to reading that episode in the series.

Regardless of my slight preferences for one book and set of characters over another, this is a very even series, and a well written one. It is a joy to dip into Brayden’s world, and to hang out with her smart, brave and funny characters. Enjoy.

Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Gia wants to be the best surfer in the world. The only one standing in her way is Elle. Elle is a fan favorite and currently ranked number one. Gia wants to dislike her but the more she gets to know her, the more she likes her. Can these two compete to be number one while exploring their feelings for one another?

 

This is my first Melinda Braydon book, so I didn’t know anything about the series or her writing style. I came into it with an open mind and absolutely loved it. Not only are Gia and Elle fleshed out characters but there’s a depth to them I didn’t expect. The conflict is there but so is the electric chemistry. The plot moved quickly with plenty of minor characters to keep me turning the pages. The romance was lovely and the surfing makes Sparks Like Ours the perfect beach read! I can’t wait to read more in this series and highly recommend.

 

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.

 

My Rating: 5 stars

This book was the latest in the Seven Shores series. It wasn't the best of the series, but it wasn't my least favorite either. The formula is pretty much the same - each book features one of the Seven Shores friends who finally finds and loses love, then finally ends up happily ever after.

As a fan of connected stories, I really enjoyed this latest installment of the Seven Shores romances. These are not complicated tales, but they do have great characters each with very different backgrounds and backstories. I love the way Melissa Brayden crafts her books to make them so easy to read. 
Gia is a great character, and I really liked the surfing background. It was something different and added depth and interest. That said, Izzy and her trademark quick wit introduced in Eyes Like Those will be difficult to outshine.
Overall, an excellent addition to a fun, very readable series.

This is the third book in the Seven Shores series and after reading the last book I really needed this book to make me fall in love with it.

I feel like this book was a bit like the series for me so far. I loved Gia and Elle and their chemistry as a couple was amazing, but I didn't particularly enjoy the storyline. I hated that their professional careers had to take a hit for their personal lives to flourish.

Elle was a really awesome character and I completely fell in love with her bubbly personality which balanced Gia out perfectly.

If I put aside my issues with the storyline and just focus on the story created around Elle and Gia then I can honestly say that I enjoyed this book and as always, Brayden's style of writing drew me in.

*3.7 stars

Book number three I the Seven Shores series and I think my favorite. I've been waiting to get into Gia's story it didn't disappoint. Gia and Elle are surfing competitors that doesn't exactly get a long. But when an ad campaign throws them together, they must learn to work together and leave a bit of the surfing at the door. Things of course head toward a romantic relationship and that messes up both their surfing. So they both have to deal with what they really want in life before they can have their happily ever after. Like I said, this was my favorite of the series and I look forward to seeing this couple again in future series additions.

Gia Malone and Elle Britton are competitors for the World Championship surfing title.  Gia thinks that Elle is a fake, publicity seeking poser and she is determined to knock her from her number one ranking.  Elle thinks that Gia is a cold, unlikable automaton and is determined to remain World Champ at all costs.  Then the two are paired for an endorsement deal and the titular sparks begin to fly.  

I loved the little world that Melissa Brayden created with her Seven Shores series.  I am sad to have only found it on book 3 and plan to go back and search out books one and two!  The secondary characters were interesting and felt fleshed out, not serving merely as background noise or support for Gia and Elle.  

The romance was slightly unbelievable in spots, but was enjoyable overall.  Gia was an intriguing character and I wished I could have kept reading about here (maybe in the other books in the series!).  I was a little less interested in Elle's straight-to-gay arc and she was less likable to me, but it didn't detract from the book.

Overall, I enjoyed the romance, the foreign (to me) world of surfing, and the characters.  Give this light, fun, beach read a go.

Just an Ok read.  Friends are faithful and dialog is clever.  But nothing unusual about the storyline.  The first 2 books in this series were lukewarm for me and this one followed suit.

I know a lot of people are on the lookout for quality f/f. I also know Melissa Brayden is kind of a superstar of f/f and I’m very late to the game, but please let me shine a spotlight on her newest release anyway. We’ve got some quality f/f right here!

Firstly: It’s a surfing romance, and the surfing was awesome. I’m not a surfer myself, but I grew up in a beach town with a surf-cultured family, and the competitions brought me back to those days. I realized I haven’t had so much fun reading about sports games since <i>Harry Potter’s</i> Quidditch matches (I know how basic that sounds. Still true.).

Brayden tweeted that she “immersed” herself “quite a bit in the world of surfing, but what a fascinating study that turned out to be.” I can tell she did her research. It felt really detailed, and I liked the light glazing of surf politics: 

<i>The surfing world was just as sexist as any other sport out there. The women were rewarded for their appearances with ads, sponsorships, and endorsement deals. Others used their charisma to pull in the necessary cash to compete. But if you were a less-than-attractive or shy person, the going was rough, if not impossible. Didn’t matter how great a surfer you were. Your only hope was to have been born independently wealthy and bankroll your travel and tournament fees personally. It didn’t make sense.</i>

The second core part of the story is the rivals-to-lovers romance. The characters progress from distrust to love, and I was on board for every part of it. There’s an immediate “spark” there that makes all of their interactions pop out on the page. 

<i>Elle raised her glass and touched Gia’s. “To taking each other down. That should be the story of our joint memoir.”</i>

Honestly, there are plenty of books that would bank of those two aspects of the story (surfing, rivals-to-lovers) being compelling enough and be done with it. Brayden adds so much more, and that’s what turned this from a light, decent read to a page-turner that I greedily read in one day. I didn’t realize this was the third book in the <i>Seven Shores</i> series before I began, but Gia is part of an established friend group, most of whom were protagonists in books one and two. Their friend group was so lovely. I’ve complained in the past about fictional characters who never stop bickering—I think argumentative dialogue sounds quick and witty to a writer, making endless banter tempting to write, but it quickly grates on my nerves and feels unrealistic. Brayden wrote a mature, loving friend group that felt like real life, supportive adults. I really loved them. 

Also? There’s a pregnant lesbian in this book. This is kind of personal, but the pregnancy subplot made me cry, because I realized that the only other times I seen pregnant lesbians in fiction, they’ve been the butt of cruel, homophobic, and misogynistic jokes, like in shows such as <i>Queer as Folk</i> and <i>Friends.</i> 

When Gia’s pregnant friend suffers from mood swings, worries about overeating, and experiences the anxieties I’ve known pregnant people to suffer from, Gia (and her other friends) are continuously supportive. They compliment her, boost her confidence, and Gia never has a single mean or annoyed thought in her head about it. I didn’t realize how rare that was until I saw it. We’re often really cruel to pregnant women in our fiction, especially when those women are lesbians.

Another thing I loved? Gia is out before the story begins, but Elle’s arc is one of recognizing her sexuality and then coming out. I really loved the arc with Elle’s parents. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’m going to write about it in detail at the bottom of this review. Overall, it felt touchingly real, and it was another thing that made me tear up.

Another <i>another</i> thing I loved? There’s a surfing accident in the book, and unfortunately I have been there in my life. I’ve been the person waiting in the hospital, more than once (I grew up in a beach town). That arc also felt true to life.

<i>Sparks Like Ours</i> is made up of myriad bits of truth that make for a cozy, lovely summer read. I can’t call this book enemies-to-lovers because Gia and Elle are both too kind to have enemies. This is about two people trying to make it work in the best way they can, and there’s no immature, emotionally unintelligent, forced drama getting in the way. It felt organic and refreshing, and it made the loving moments so much lovelier, and the drama so much more tense for feeling utterly real. 

I can't wait to read more of Brayden's books. I think the next title might be <i>Strawberry Summer</i> because who can resist a title like that? But I also know I'll be reading the rest of the <i>Seven Shores</i> series this summer.

<b>Spoiler bit:</b>

So Elle and Gia go out to dinner with Elle’s parents right after Elle came out to them. Her mom and dad told her they were fine with her being with Gia, but it turned out they just didn’t take the relationship very seriously. The dinner goes quickly south:

<i>Elle went numb. Her mother thought this was a phase. She’d been supportive while quietly waiting for it to pass. Elle met Gia’s sad and uncomfortable eyes and sent her a reassuring smile.</i>

I loved this because I related to it. Sometimes lesbian romances either ignore homophobia or use homophobia to create forced drama. When it is used purely as a plot device, a certain psychological realism is sacrificed. That’s not what happens here, because this isn’t the central arc, and it’s definitely not forced. Here’s another part that really touched me: 

<i> “Maybe [your relationship with Gia] is a whim,” her father said <b>with annoying confidence.</b> “She’s not who I imagined for you, Elle. Not even close, and <b>that has nothing to do with sexuality.</b> Are you willing to throw away your career for an exciting few months?”</i>

God, it was cathartic to read this! The annoying confidence bit, in which a prejudiced loved one thinks they understand you better than you understand yourself. And the assurance that this conversation has nothing to do with homophobia, thereby invalidating the feelings Elle is experiencing, also rings true. Later, of course, Elle’s mother tells her it was totally about Elle dating a woman, and while her parents ultimately accept her, Elle’s father still can’t speak to her until he works more on accepting it. I really just loved every aspect of this, because I think it happens so often, but I rarely see it on the page. You never realize how cathartic books can be until you read stuff like this.

In this third in installment of her ‘Seven Shore’ series Ms Bryden takes on surfer Gia Malone, a resident of Seven Shore apartments where her three best friends all live. She’s wants more than anything to reach the number one ranking in the professional surfing circuit. The only thing standing in her way is Elle Britton. Gia can’t stand Elle but then again she doesn’t really know her. That is until they are asked to appear together in some ads for a surfing magazine. I learned a lot about surfing, and that was ok but what I really enjoyed was watching Gia and Elle fall in love. Very, very nice. Can’t wait to see what Ms Bryden has in store for Hadley. 
eARC via NetGalley

Sparks Like Ours is the latest installment in Melissa Brayden’s Seven Shores series.  I have not read the first two, but I really enjoyed this one and don’t feel it’s absolutely essential to have the background. Elle and Gia really do have sparks, although this starts out as an enemies-to-lovers theme. More competitors than enemies, and both are world class surfers. I had zero prior knowledge of the surfing world, so I enjoyed learning about it.
The main characters are both easy to love and the cast of friends in secondary roles are as well. Melissa Brayden is known for her snappy dialogue and this book is no exception. The plot and pacing were perfectly timed (about 5 hours to read, which is the perfect length for me). The inevitable conflict that breaks up the couple and the resolution that follows is different from other standard fare and I really enjoyed the difference. To me is was more real than the “fake” conflicts borne out of misunderstandings and made the ending all the sweeter.
Even though I didn’t read the first two installments, I’m certain I won’t miss the rest of them.

"For Gia, this was a form of church. She honoured the waves with the respect they deserved"

* * *
3 / 5

Definitely my favourite of the series so far! I loved all the surfing action, a sport I know virtually nothing about but that sounds really cool, and I'm a big lover of the enemies-to-lovers trope. Like it's content, this is definitely an easy beach read.

"Wait," Isabel said, holding up a hand. "Is that number two in the surf world walking toward us?"

Gia Malone is steadily climbing the rankings of the Women's World Surfing. She's young, she's vibrant, and she's got her eyes on the number one spot. The problem? The current number one is Elle Britton, a girl who knows how to charm the crowds; she knows the names of all the media people, she interacts with her fans, and she always has a ready smile on her face. No one can really be like that, right? Certainly not Gia, who thinks that Elle is faker than fake, and Elle thinks that Gia is rude and standoffish.

But then the two women end up working on an add campaign together and Elle offers Gia a lift home when her car breaks down. The two women begin to see a different side to each other, but their developing relationship has two big mountains in the way: one, they are prime surfing rivals, and two, Elle is straighter than straight. This is the first Seven Shores book with a romance that doesn't start with two women who know that they are either a lesbian or bisexual, but it was nicely written and wasn't dragged out.

"Elle never knew such happiness was possible for her"

I loved the romantic tension and the surfing scenes! The two had great chemistry and I loved the enemies to friends to lovers progression. But because they are so great together there isn't much tension in the book - you just know that the two will end up together! I also wish there had been a bit more on the surfing action - mostly the book focuses on what happens after a surfing tournament, on how Elle and Gia feel and how their performances affect their relationship.

This was definitely my favourites of the Seven Shores series; Gia is such a babe and she and Elle are great together. Only one single friend left now!

My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book

** spoiler alert ** Wonderful dialogue and lots of inclusion of our favourite couples from the past two books, Gotta love Autumn and her wonder and joy at the impending arrivals along with her ability to eat guilt free with the athlete that is Gia. My favourite conversation involved all four Seven Shores friends and their “Sparks” debate. Too funny. 

No question the rivalry between Gia and Elle quickly moves through longing to lust after they are forced to work together in an ad campaign. I was loving the sparks until the novel seemed to bog down somewhere around the halfway mark. The choices both women are forced to make might be realistic but those decisions and events that transpire pulled most of the lustre off this coupling. I loved Gia and Elle’s competitive spirits [ and missed them when love got in the way. Took the fire right out of the book. (hide spoiler)]

ARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.

Gia and Elle are competitive surfers. Elle is number one in the world, and Gia has always envied her. Gia is coming into her prime, and her skills are getting better and better. This could be her year. They have the opportunity to do some promotional work together, and sparks fly between the pair. Neither has been lucky in love. Elle is trying her hand at dating, but something has always been missing. Her new guy is ok but a little dull around the edges. Gia hasn't dated much, but that doesn't stop her checking Elle out. Unfortunately, Elle has only dated men. These two are focused on their career and everything else has always taken a backseat.

This is a sweet romance about competition, compromise and believing in others. It's an easy romance read with some hot surfing. Both leading ladies are interesting characters. They have a good network of friends and promising sports skills.

4 stars out of 5. This is a quick read with a cute romance.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An honest review thanks to NetGalley.  This series will suck you into their world, and I ended up rereading the first two books before this one to get a refresher.  You do not have to read the previous two books, but I would recommend to get a better idea and feel for the different characters that are incorporated into this book.  I loved Gia from the first book, so it was amazing to be able to get to know her better and see her adventure with Elle.  The friends in this book create a feel for the relationships between each of the characters, making this read so much more than just a romance.

What on earth has Melissa Brayden done? Did she...write a sports-themed romance that I can call a favorite? Maybe because it's surfing, which isn't a staple sport I hear about all the time, so I loved it. Even the competition parts which, frankly, had my competitive pulse racing. Good stuff. 

Okay, so how about Elle Britton? Number one in the world of surf and number one in my heart for this book, even over Hadley. She managed to charm me as well as she schmoozed the media shoving cameras in her face. There was something very easy and relaxed about her. In the Brayden universe--for those who are familiar--many characters seem in competition to make the wittiest quips or the grab the biggest reactions. Elle's character is people-pleasing without being annoying and try-hard. I appreciate that. Attractive character, relatable personality. I'd buy her calendar, for sure.

Elle and Gia, a main character of the Seven Shores books, match well and it is HOT. I hadn't paid Gia that much attention, assuming her to be a carbon copy of Hunter from the Savvy team. You know the type: hot, talented playgirl and all that. Imagine my relief when she turned out to be standoffish, even awkward around women! Much better. I love me a romance that unfolds like theirs. Elle and Gia's first kiss was perfection. I felt all the sparks there.

Sure, I had my usual quibbles with Brayden, mostly about dialogue, tone, and the overuse of certain words. But, those didn't deter me from acknowledging that she knocked it out the park for this one! Or, like, she shredded the wave thing that I...I'll stop now.

'Sparks like Ours' really exceeded my expectations and I'm too glad. Elle and Gia's relationship had all the parts of sweet, sexy, playful, hate-to-love, slow burn, toaster oven. The Seven Shores crew, I find them much more refreshing and interesting than the Soho Loft and that's coming from a New Yorker! I guess I craved this chill, sunny setting all along.

I'd like to add that the overall message resonated with me, especially with prioritizing one's career.

Now, let's get to Hadley's story because I've been anticipating it since book one in this series! Give that woman a girlfriend!

This was my favorite book in the series so far. I've been saying for a while now that Milissa Brayden needs to go back to writing some angst. This had a little but nowhere near her earlier stuff (Waiting in the Wings). "Just Three Words" in the "SoHo Loft" had similar vibes, at least in the main character. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Brayden books and sports stories.

Two pro surfers compete furiously for the number 1 spot in the world and inadvertently, fall in love. The book was smooth and read like a summer breeze and a cool cocktail. Gia and Elle are gorgeous, have fun friends, and make a very sweet couple, all which made it an enjoyable story. No real conflict at all. My favorite scene involved their first night together which was one of the tenderest moments I’ve read in a romance. If you’re looking for angst and craziness, keep looking but a wonderful beach read or a lazy, Sunday afternoon book, then yes. As for this book being part of a series, I have only read Sparks and it was fine as a stand-alone story.

This was my third Melissa Brayden title (and I have more in my TBR pile). Even after only two books, I knew Brayden would deliver a solid, enjoyable read, and she certainly did.

Sparks Like Ours is the third book in a four-book series following a group of four friends. This is Gia's book, although Isabel, Autumn, and Hadley all appear throughout the story. Gia's a pro surfer and looking to make it to the number-one spot, currently occupied by Elle Britton, surfing's golden girl. While Gia and Elle have crossed paths on the tour, there's little love between them. Until they're presented with a joint sponsorship opportunity and are forced to spend more time together and get to know one another.

Brayden's strength is in writing characters. I typically love brooding characters like Gia, but Elle won me over with her bubbliness. I thought they were a good, fun match. But what I especially love about these books is the friendship among the core four--Gia, Isabel, Hadley, and Autumn. They support each other through good times and bad, and when they're together, Brayden's gift for dialogue sparkles. It's great to see an emphasis on women being friends, I think that really makes this series stand out from others.

I do have quibbles, though. Surfing is an interesting world to set a novel in, and since I know nothing about it, I would've liked to see more of it. Sometimes, I was surprised when Brayden skipped surfing scenes I expected.

Getting to know Gia becomes an awakening for Elle, who never seems to be able to connect to the men she's dating. When her best friend, Holly, sets her up with a guy named Christopher, she loves conversing with him but isn't really interested in kissing him or doing anything more. Repeatedly, she refers to herself as "broken" because of this, and when she figures out she's attracted to Gia, she's happy because she's not broken after all. I was disappointed in this portrayal because a lack of sexual attraction doesn't mean a person is broken. Ace people exist, and "broken" is often a term used derogatorily. I thought it would've been an interesting opportunity to include an ace main character.

The last quibble is that so, so often, sports romances portray relationships as distractions from professional sports. I can see how that would be true, but it'd be nice to see one where love was shown to have a positive impact on all aspects of a character's life. So that just felt a little too predictable to me, although I thought Brayden wrapped it up in an interesting way.

I originally had skipped Hearts Like Hers, book two in the series (no offense to Autumn, but I wasn't that intrigued by her), but now I think I'll go back and read it. I'm looking forward to Hadley's book.

What can I say that already hasn't been said.  This author knows how to write a story that not only keeps the pages turning but keeps you coming back for more.  This is another solid read with great characters and a nice romance in a fun series.  A must read.