Britton Walsh grew up in the Massachusetts’ foster system. Multiple homes, and less than ideal situations, bring her to the Cahill household her senior year of high school. Determined to survive yet another home to finally be on her own, she is unprepared for what she finds there. Avery Cahill is a cheerleader and the popular kid at school. She also carries a secret burden that positions her to better connect with Britton. From friendship to more, but only if able to overcome the personal and ethical dilemmas.

Fans of Zimmer’s debut novel had a while to wait, but her second effort is here at last, and for the most part it did not disappoint. It has been almost eight years since ‘The Gravity Between US’ and some of those young readers are in another stage of their lives altogether. I had just started reading lesfic when I read it and loved it. I am curious how many of those readers will enjoy this one too. ‘When Sparks Fly’ is another Young Adult (YA) story but entirely based in high school, as both mains are seniors. Since I do not read blurbs of books I will read, I was hoping for more of a story beyond that year. I find I enjoy it immensely when the story moves into adulthood.

All that said, the story kept me engaged and only lost me with a bit too much details of high school dances and games. There is good character development, especially for Avery, going from this rich cheerleader stereotype to allowing us to see how kind and thoughtful she really is. Britton narrates the book in first person, and it is great to read about her struggles and insecurities growing up as an unwanted child, but even better to see the unapologetic goodness within her. She is such a good observer and provides fantastic insight on hers and others’ emotions. All with a touch of humor.

The constant slang used took me some time to get used to. Please, do not let my daughters talk like that! Also struggled with the thoughts in the middle of the narration. It made for a somewhat hectic recount of things but keeping in mind the character is 18, probably appropriate. The mains were a believably good couple and I found myself rooting for them early on. I absolutely loved Avery’s parents and wish to be like them when I grow up! The main friend, Spencer, was good, but the rest of the two groups of friends got too confusing and honestly, I had no desire to make an effort to remember who was who.

Overall, a sweet YA tale that will have fans of the genera sighing. 4 stars

ARC provided by Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic read a d one that I couldn't put down. A very good read that addresses modern day issues with LGBTQIA. An excellent read for all ages.

So, at this point I feel it's a little cliché to be a late 20's millennial lesbian and say that "The Gravity Between Us" by Kristen Zimmer was one of the first wlw books I can remember reading but... "The Gravity Between Us" by Kristen Zimmer was one of the first wlw books I can remember reading. And it was definitely the first one with an unambiguously happy ending (I still need resolution to The Miseducation of Cameron Post, but that's a different review for a different time...)

I really enjoyed The Gravity Between Us. And for a long time I wondered why Zimmer only had the one book. So when When Sparks Fly was announced, I was very excited to read her next work after a long wait.

And it didn't disappoint! This book was lovely and there was so much I enjoyed about it.

When Sparks Fly is the story of Britton Walsh, an 18 year old teenage girl who has spent her life bouncing around the foster system, until she comes to the Cahill family and things seem different, she is accepted and loved. Especially by the Cahill's daughter Avery...

As I said, I really loved this book. The characters were all wonderful. Both Britton and Avery have real depth to them. They both have demons but they both have survived and grown in different ways. And I absolutely loved their relationship. These two definitely brought out the best in each other and both helped each other grow into the best versions of themselves. I loved them individually and I loved them together.

I loved all the side characters too! Tom and Cait were such wonderful parents. I loved how they took Britton in and accepted her so easily. And everybody needs a best friend like Spence.

And to finish complimenting character work, I really liked how there was no "big bad" character. Both Avery and Britton have issues in their past, but in this book there was no evil person getting in the way of their relationship.

<spoiler> I also really love and appreciate how there was no blackout moment or late breakup and resolution in this book. I was kinda waiting for it as I've become accustomed to it in many romance novels at this point. But this book didn't do that at all. It just continued to tell the story of Britton and Avery together. And the story was great enough to carry the book without contrived drama! I really liked that </spoiler>

I'm definitely willing to wait another eight years for another book this good! I loved it, and couldn't put it down once I started it. 5/5

<i>I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I really liked this book!!! I'm a sucker for a sapphic romance so this one was an obvious win for me. I went based solely on the cover for this book so I was a little thrown when they were in High School but I rolled with it and really liked the idea. I love the terms like "Brigade" that the author gave the cheerleaders and "Squad" that she gave the soccer players. The writing was a little awkward but it was written for a younger audience so I rolled with that too and it didn't bother me too much after all. The only reason I didn't absolutely love this book was the fact that the love interests were foster siblings. I got around to the idea because they didn't know each other very long and they always felt the sexual tension between them. But it was a little creepy in my opinion. Not so creepy that I didn't thoroughly ship them though so that was good! I enjoyed this one a lot :)

This book was a quick and easy read, despite being a descent sized story. When Britton comes to live in yet another foster home, she doesn't expect to have a crush on her foster sister. The connection could pave the way to a romance or a complete disaster. Both dealing with their past baggage, their connection is one that keeps you captivated and hard to put down.
While the book doesn't have the usual drama of adult lesbian romance, the YA aspect is refreshing and the first person perspective is fitting for a young adult reader. I would recommend this to anyone who likes LGBTQ YA novels or a quick read.

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. I really liked this, especially that for a teenage romance it was not filled with heart wrenching angst. Supportive family, supportive characters and had me feeling happy all around while reading. This was a very sweet read and I look forward to reading more of Zimmer's work. If you are in the mood for sweet teenage romance, this is the book for you.

3.5ish stars. This is a sweet, easy-to-read, YA romance. Britton Walsh (18, lesbian) grew up in the foster care system and has lived in her share of terrible, oftentimes abusive, foster homes. Her new foster parents, Tom and Cate Cahill, seem to be the kindest ones yet, but Britton’s growing attraction to their daughter Avery (17-18, bi) promises to complicate things.

This book is told in first-person from Britton's POV. Britton is a likable, sympathetic protagonist. She’s had a hard upbringing and has PTSD due to the way she was treated. I felt kind of meh about Avery through most of the book, as some of her behavior is pretentious/controlling and she definitely exudes that rich girl vibe. Britton is quick to notice the sadness behind Avery’s picture-perfect veneer, however, and when Avery’s pain is revealed, I started to sympathize with her more. I liked Britton’s new friend Spence, the confident jock lesbian who has history with Avery but proves herself to be a great friend to Britton. I found Spence’s relationships with both Britton and Avery to be some of the most interesting parts of this book. Honestly, I think my favorite characters were Tom and Cate, who are lovely individuals and come to accept Britton as part of their household.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel much for the main romance, though this does put me in the minority. It’s cute and they obviously care for each other, but I didn’t feel the chemistry and I didn’t feel warm-and-fuzzy while reading. I can also see how some readers might be put off by this romance, as Britton and Avery have the same parental figures, but it didn’t seem weird to me. It’s not like they grew up together, after all.

I didn’t find the writing style particularly remarkable. The plus side is that it’s easy to fly through; the downside is that it comes off as a bit simplistic. Section breaks occur very frequently, which felt to me like a bunch of random scenes spliced together (of course, this is an artistic choice, but it didn’t really work for me).

There’s an abundance of slang in this book, both in conversation and narration. I don’t live in the northeastern part of the US, nor am I currently a teenager, but I still didn’t find all that slang very realistic. One side character in particular seemed to have a personality that was 100% slang. It kinda got old after a while, though some of Britton’s slang-filled thoughts were quite hilarious.

(I’ll also note that the cover, while very aesthetically pleasing, doesn’t quite depict the MC’s accurately. I’m assuming that Avery is the brunette, but in the book her hair is long and wavy/curly instead of short and bobbed. Also, Britton seems to be on the baby butch/soft butch side of things, and it doesn't seem like she'd wear hoop earrings. It’s nitpicky, I know, but I’ve noticed that there are many BSB books with less-than-accurate covers.)

Content warnings: animal abuse (off-page), child abuse (off-page), alcohol (recreational use), claustrophobia, car accident (off-page), death of a loved one (off-page), guilt, panic attack, PTSD

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a solid contemporary romance for young adults/new adults (it contains mature and sexual content so advised for older teen readers). The story follows Britton who has been in the foster care system all her life and is finally placed in the home of the Cahills where she initially clashes with daughter Avery.
I really liked the progression of Britton and Avery's story throughout this book. We get to see their relationship blossom into friendship and then something more, with a nicely paced plot and comfortable writing style. There was minimal angst and drama, with a focus on family, friendship, and finding your place in the world.
It's also always a plus when books with queer relationships don't focus heavily on the 'queer' part - it's refreshing when a same sex couple is treated exactly the same as a heterosexual couple would be.
The only thing about this book that bothered me was the use of slang. Some of it came off as too young or strange, and this would probably date the book quickly in years to come. I have no idea what 'suh' means.

I honestly never thought I would enjoy reading a YA novel, or a book about adolescents as I’m not a fan of all the angst and over-the-top drama. I was really blown away with how much I liked this book! Plus, the cover is so beautiful!

Britton has never met her parents as she was given away as a baby. She has been jumping from one foster home to another, and her experiences have not been ideal. She gets assigned to live with the Cahills, who are decent, good people. They have a daughter, Avery, who befriends Britton and shows her kindness. Britton has to navigate her feelings for Britton while simultaneously trying to adjust to her life in a new environment.

Although there was nothing overly special about the plot, Kristen Zimmer made sure to sprinkle it with her magic. The writing was excellent; it was so engaging that I found myself continuously turning the pages. The story flowed really well.

The main characters were wonderful, and I love how they each grew throughout the book. At the start of the book, Britton has already accepted a life of loneliness and misfortune. She never believed that she can amount to much. Avery, on the other hand, is harboring guilt feelings because of an event that happened in the past. It was wonderful to see them unpack their feelings, lay them all out, and help each other pick up the pieces. Despite being adolescents, Avery and Britton were mature for their age. There a lot of moments wherein I thought they’d have a misunderstanding, but they actually communicate and are patient with each other. It made them all the more endearing to me.

The supporting characters like Spence and Avery’s parents were amazing, too. I appreciate that there wasn’t anyone toxic or problematic in the story, and it focused more on their journey. There was a part of the story near the end that I thought was too good to be true, but then again this is a fictional book. Also, I think Zimmer considered current times.

This is a book that will tug at your heartstrings. You will find yourself empathizing with the characters, laughing with them, and feeling their pain. I really enjoyed this read. What an excellent comeback from Kristen Zimmer! 4.2 stars for me. :)

An ARC was given by Bookouture in NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. :)

This book follows Britton Walsh as she is place with a new family until she finishes her last year of high school. The Cahill family is warm and welcome her with open arms, well, except their beautiful daughter, Avery. As the school year passes, Britton and Avery grow closer and closer, until their attraction cannot be ignore. But, will Britton risk her stay in a stable loving family for Avery?

This book was sweet and light. A fast easy read that will leave you feeling warm and happy. I was glad I gave this book a chance. The only problem I had was the keeping up with the slang of High School. But I kind of place over those conversations. I like that between the main characters and Avery's parents, the conversations were well written and the slang was kept to a minimum and mostly non-existent. It is definitely a slow burn and worth the read.

I received thin ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I discovered that Zimmer has a new book ! I mean the last book (and the only), was such a big hit. It was one of the first lesfics I’ve read, so obviously it kinda was a big deal for me :)

Thank you Zimmer for not letting me down on this one :) I was smiling from beginning to end ! This is such a positive read. I’m not normally into the YA genre , but this one had a bit more depth than I expected. I did hope for a longer epilogue as I really wanted to know more about the MCs. I’m hoping there would be a second book that features Spencer as well :)

This story is full of wonderful characters, very likable MCs, an amazing foster family and lots of smiles!

I highly recommend this book If you want a feel good read that will make you smile 😊

“I received an ARC for an honest review.”

It has been a while since i read YA, but considering The gravity between us was one of my first forays into the genre i really wanted to read this one. All the characters worked for me and the first person pov didnt bother in the slightest. Britton has been brought up in the foster care system and has had not so great experiences up until she meets the Cahills. The daughter Avery Cahill is mysterious at first but when you get to the reveal halfway through, you understand more of her. Britton and Avery have a spark and need to figure out how to make things work. I really enjoyed Britton's relation with Spence. It was very mature for an 18 year old.
Since its been a while since i read YA some of the slang went above my head.
#NetGalley

This was actually a good book. The characters were well written. The main romance did feel a little weird (once you've read it you'll see what I mean) but overall not bad. Overall, the dialogue was not bad for teenage characters except there was these TWO PAGES that just made me cringe so much because it was basically "I'm going to drop a word that I've heard the youths say every single line and make it sound very weird." However, it was just those two pages, which I found a bit odd. Overall, decent. #NetGalley

This is the second book by Kristen Zimmer. Her first book, The Gravity Between Us, was entertaining with very likable characters. This book was the same but had a higher sense of maturity to it as well as deeper emotional connections.

Britton’s parents gave her away the day she was born. She lived with several foster families throughout the years, some better than others. Even though Britton was 18, she was sent to live with a foster family to finish her last year of high school. Their daughter, Avery, was also a senior. She and Britton early on established a connection and were drawn to each other. However, both girls had to deal with past events in order to move forward. Britton also liked her foster parents. She never experienced that parental love the Cahills gave her and didn’t want to jeopardize her stay with them by getting involved with their daughter.

The characters were very likable and well developed. I enjoyed the different group of friends the girls had: cheerleaders and soccer players. It was actually nice to see Britton not abandoning her friendship with a certain soccer player because Avery had a problem with her, and Avery did not force Britton to choose. I think the best part about this story was the way the characters handled themselves. They had a level of maturity that was necessary because of the way they had to deal with life’s heartbreaking incidents.

This story dealt with some serious topics as well as the love story. It was sweet and funny and also quite emotional at times. The only aspect of the story I didn’t care for was the use of slang by the teenagers. Other than that, it was an entertaining read and perfect for its targeted audience.
4.5 stars
An ARC was given for an honest review.

It took me a second to get past the internal dialogue that apparently bantered with it’s own internal dialogue but I thought this was overall well done.

I thought the perspective was age appropriate for the characters. I enjoyed how Britton believes she understands how people and the world work but is so clueless at the same time.

I enjoyed Avery’s character as well. She’s confident and popular but sometimes a bit lost and insecure.

The story is solid and had several dimensions that all weaved together well.

The supporting characters in this round everything out. The cliques were written well and believable.

I was reminded how it’s been a very long time since I have been a teenager. The writer did a great job of not only telling a good story but taking you though a modern high school setting.

It’s been sometime between books but very happy to experience more of her storytelling and writing.

𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗭𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲.

Kristen Zimmer's debut was special to me because it was my first lesfic book ever and not only did it introduce me to a whole new fictional world, it left me feeling incredibly good. I finished her second book feeling the exact same way so now I'm beginning to learn that it is her style I like.

Young Adult and New Adult books are generally not my thing because young people do stupid things and I find that frustrating but Zimmer’s books are different. I love how much positivity is in her stories. Her characters are all so loveable no matter how complex their backgrounds are. Like Britton, our MC, who is the 18 year old foster kid living with the Carhill family. And our other MC, Avery, the privileged Carhilll daughter who hides secrets of her own. And I feel very happy to see how well they fit together even at that age. We also have plenty of supportive side characters like Avery’s parents and Britton’s newest best friend, Spence, all of whom are a dream come true. And I really love how Zimmer avoids needless drama, choosing instead to focus on the natural development of Britton and Avery’s relationship. 

This is another win for me from Zimmer. I love her style a lot, her writing brings a smile to my face and I can’t wait for her next one, even if it takes a couple of years.

A YA book told from the point of view of Britton Walsh, a foster kid placed with The Cahills during her senior year. Britton has trust issues after being placed and kicked out from foster homes since her birth. With the Cahills, when she found that her foster parents are not only decent people but found them endearing, she decides to step away from her feelings towards their daughter, Avery.

Avery Cahill is the popular and beautiful senior of Beverly High school. When Britton is placed with her family, she goes out of her way to care and blend Britton into her school and family. However, even being the centre of attention in her school and the apple of her parents’ eyes, Avery has been carrying a secret that is diminishing her light.

The pair found each other in unlikely circumstances and readers can expect angst while they battle with their emotions. My heart goes out to foster children who need a safe place to call home and a sense of security. It was heartening to watch Britton catch a break with her placement and find kinship and love within the same family.

I just reviewed When Sparks Fly by Kristen Zimmer. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

After reading this book, I realize this is written more for a YA audience. Regardless, I really enjoyed the slow burn of a lesbian relationship. It is an unconventional relationship in theory. Britton Walsh has been taken in by the Cahill family. Tom, Cate and their daughter, Avery Cahill. Britton has been shuffled from foster home to foster home. So, she is initially cautious about the family intentions. She slowly begins to warm to them and what seems to be genuine care. What she is very cautious about is their very popular and beautiful daughter, Avery. Avery tries to include Britton in activities with her friends. As Avery and Britton spend more time together they both realize there is more than friendship between them.
A wonderful read. If you enjoyed "The Gravity Between Us", you will enjoy this!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was completely emotionally invested in this novel from beginning to end. This all had to do with our two protagonists, Britton and Avery. Both have had some serious trauma in their short lives, with different results.

Britton has spent her life in the foster system, which sounds like its been cruel at times. She's not had a stable environment until she begins living with the Cahill's. They take her under their wing and she flourishes. Meanwhile, Avery Cahill has had her own traumatic experience that's impacted her greatly. Avery was a really compelling character, as she's quite aloof in the beginning and hard to gauge, but then as we continue the narrative she's revealed and humanised.

I felt so much for Britton, who seemed like the sweetest teen on the planet that had a really hard start to life. She was a great character that I was completely invested in. Let's also not forget that this story falls around a forbidden romance storyline, which I think is one of my favourite tropes that I don't read enough.

At points, however, I found the first person point of view quite frustrating. Some of her thoughts and feelings are quite exaggerated in the storytelling (I think due to her age?), and it was also quite limiting in its narration as it was purely from her point of view. I would've loved to have seen Avery's view point at certain points in this novel.

All in all, When Sparks Fly is a great young adult novel that I highly recommend.

I liked the concept of this book and the characters, but as someone who works with teens, including ones in the foster care system, I don't think it would be that easy of a situation living in the same household. It also reminded me of a TV show somewhat where there was a non LGBT relationship between a foster sibling and a boy in the household.