This is my first, and definitely not my last, book by Helena Hunting. I really enjoyed this story! When Sparks Fly is the first book in a new series about sisters who are running Spark House, their grandmother's inn. In this book, the events were focused mainly on Avery Spark, one of the sisters. I can only assume the following books in the series will focus on the other sisters. I really enjoyed reading about the characters in this story and I loved Avery and Declan so much, most of the time! Although I thought things happened kind of fast and awkwardly between the two of them, I was rooting for them during the entire story. There were some moments that I was worried about how this story would end, but overall, this was a fun read! I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series!

This was a delightful friends to lovers romance. I enjoyed this so much. I liked Avery and Declan and the mine characters as well.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. I was very excited to read this, but it just fell flat for me. I never thought would find a Helena Hunting book boring, but I barely made it through this one. Friends to lovers trope, and of course Helena is excellent at writing steamy scenes, but I found these two characters (especially Declan) so unlikeable. It just made me not care about their story, and while Avery had her faults too, I just wanted her to run far away from this man.

I didn't really see eye to eye with the male lead - but overall this was an entertaining read with an engaging plot and romance. Thanks for the ARC

This book started out great - longtime friends who love each other and can’t figure it out. Once Avery is in a bad car accident, Declan takes care of her and they finally start to acknowledge their feelings.

The end of this book dropped my rating though. Declan’s relationship issues come raging forth and suddenly the story takes a whole left turn. The brakes are slammed and suddenly no reconciliation can happen until he and his therapist agrees it’s time and the tone of the whole book changed and became very heavy versus the light rom com I was hoping for.

I received a copy of this book to read and review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really like friends to lovers stories when done well, this one was done adequately, but still left something to be desired. I did not feel the chemistry between the heroine and hero, and the way the heroine sustained her injuries, the whole part of the plot that set it in motion, made the "hero" unforgivable in my eyes. I did not feel there was a compelling reason for these two to be a couple, there union seemed to be one of convenience. There were some enjoyable aspects of the novel; Hunting does a great job of worldbuilding and I especially enjoyed how the hero finds it in himself to go to therapy to better himself. In the end, it was a mostly fine book that some may like but I personally would not recommend.

I really enjoyed this friends to lovers book! The steam was on point. Thank you SMP Romance and Netgalley for the complimentary book.

Thank you for the Arc! Sorry for the incredibly slow feedback. I have had the review written for quite a while.
❤️
The beginning starts off relatively confusing and the discussion of Hobby Horses is not only out of place but completely random. It seems to just be a nosedive into something with no cohesive thought. Which just screams rough draft.
Why was hobby horses discussed in the opening chapter? Instead of making you want to read more it makes you want to read less.
•Not a strong opening.
Ahh, the weird hobby horse thing comes full circle, but I still disliked it. Out of every outdoor activity you choose, you choose this one?
•Just not like other girls.
This book has a case of she’s just not like other girls, but in a more subtle way. I’m already kind of not vibing to well with the characters, especially the heroine.
•Brief improvement.
The first bit of the book had a rough start but as it progressed it did make me get the giggles and made happy. They have certain amount of chemistry. An once they get past the odd hobby horse thing it greatly approves. This was the time I started to see the potential (FYI the hobby horse is supposed to give the book humor. I just found it not funny and a little off putting).
•The Omg please don’t, cringe.
Back on the hobby horse wagon chapter 4… kill me now.
lol, Vibe?? Just say vibrator, why shorten the world. Whose sensitive sensibilities are you trying to save? This is a adult romance after all.
• There are some exciting with the car wreck (I know I shock myself with my own morbidity) the slow realization of feelings for one another is very enjoyable and the author is very adept at conveying denial between hero and heroine. I like how the reader gets a glimpse from other characters what the main characters don’t see from themselves. IE how much they love and truly care for one another. It’s like Georgianna looking at Mr. Darcy when he is conversing with Elizabeth Bennet in 2005 movie adaptation. Very enjoyable.
• This book has caretaker scenes galore and I was living my best life with them! If you like caretaking scenes then you are going to eat this book up.
• This book is like a teeter tauter of love hate for me. I love the caretaking scenes but I’m so over the “I’m just not like other girls” trope. It’s okay to enjoy sports and facemasks (oh yeah this was a thing) why should anyone have to choose? There was also this weird spontaneous sex talk that was just kind of thrown in there. I’m not a prude by any means but it just came off awkward and I cringed.
I mean for Pete’s sake how many times can blue balls and orgasms be thrown in a book, surely this story holds the record.
It’s as if the story started off as a great friends to lovers story just to only become about the sex. Where’s the relationship? The passion?
Also, I laughed when a character compared the female sex drive to a box of cookies. I don’t think it was meant to be funny but god it was just so ridiculous.
Humor just seems to be randomly tossed with no purpose and has no connection to the story itself. It’s just spontaneous and it takes you out completely.
An good grief don’t get me started on the side characters/main characters. One of the sisters is a selfish hag and the other is forgettable. Declan the male protagonist is smothering as if he doesn’t want the lead character to get better.
The crossword puzzle thing was super cute, so read it if you at least want to know about that!

This is the first book in a new series. Three sisters run Spark House together- it's a resort/conference center. The first book focuses on Avery and is a friends to lovers romance. She and Declan have been best friends and roommates for a lot of years and neither have ever acted on the attraction between them. Until circumstances lead to Declan being Avery's caregiver as she recovers from an accident.

I really liked both Avery and Declan. The romance was excellent; however I think I enjoyed their personal journeys just as much as the relationship journey. They both had some inner work to do to get a place where they were ready for a relationship. I am looking forward to reading Avery's sisters stories.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Spark House is an event planning business that Avery runs with her sisters in Colorado. Best friends, the three girls have clung tightly to each other since their parents passed away. They are doing their best running the family business while their Aunt is traveling. Avery is beautiful, sweet and smart but Avery is like one of the guys when it comes to her tight knit group of college friends. One of them is Declan, who is both her close friend and super sexy roommate. Just friends, Avery secretly smirks at the parade of beautiful women who leave Declan’s room in the morning. When Avery has a horrific accident it is Declan who steps up to take care of her. It is Declan that she suddenly realizes can fulfill her every need. Sweet and sexy romance about friends becoming more than friends.

I really enjoyed this one and read it in one day! I loved Avery and Declan's relationship and seeing how it evolved throughout Avery's recovery. I thought Declan's reaction to what happens toward the end of the story was a little bit over-the-top, but it didn't really take anything away from the story for me personally.

I can't wait to read more from this series!

The sparks literally flew off the page between Avery and Declan! I loved the writing and character development. Will definitely grab the next book by this author.

What a dissapointment this one was. Usually I enjoy reading books with "friends to lovers " and
"second chances" tropes, but in this case even these tropes didn't help.
Both main characters were boring and unlikable, I didn't care if they end up together or not. The relationship were a strange and from Declans side even controlling.
The romance was forced and too instalovee, the change between friendship and courtship was sudden and reminded more of a bussiness deal.
The story was very predictable and draged way too much. The "plot twist",if you can call it that, that main argument of the book made me cringe and it felt that the book went down hill full speed. There was no redeaming points in this book after that.
I had such hihg hopes for this book,for them not to be fulfiled.
P.S. It took me ages to read this book, even though it's not that long, but everytime I had to force myself to pick it up.
Do not recommend.

This book is absolutely adorable! I love the friends to enemies trope an this book did such an amazing job of developing the relationship between the Avery and Declan. There was the perfect amount of humor and heat in this book and I honestly couldn’t put it down (I stayed up until 3 am reading because I had to know what happened)!! I found myself smiling and laughing at multiple points (especially the opening chapter) and truly enjoyed reading this! It’s light, fun, fluffy, and a great easy read!

I'm seriously not into the "best friends turn into lovers" trope. Yet somehow, I gave this a try.

Avery focuses on their family's business since it was given to her by their grandma. She had no time for dating, yet when she got into an accident, she took a step back in her life.

Her best friend, Declan, came to her rescue to take care of her because he was guilty that it was his fault that she got into an accident.

As time passed, these two got to know each other better, and they realized they could be more than just friends.

I actually enjoyed the story and, though at times, I wanted to shake Avery and shout in her face, "Hey girl, are you numb?" Well, in the end, I understood her because I could relate.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

3/5 stars

I really enjoyed this one in the beginning! I loved the friends to lovers feels and interactions between Avery and Declan. I could understand Declan's playboy screw up in the beginning that lead to the incident, however I had a hard time swallowing the 3rd act break-up or argument along with the make up. The romance had such good chemistry with steamy scenes and then I felt like it fell apart with miscommunication and lack of trust. Overall, I liked this one, but the end fell apart and there were too many issues within the break up and make up to make a happy ending believable.

When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting is charming and sweet, which is signature HH. I enjoy her writing, and this book is no exception. It's an enjoyable friends-to-lovers story, and I happened to be recovering from a broken leg while I was reading, so I really empathized with Avery Spark's recovery from the car accident.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.
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I was beyond excited to get the opportunity to listen to this story! It wasn't without its #twitchy plot-points, imo, but overall it was a feel-good story that warmed my heart from the inside out.

Two, already long time friends, get even closer when tragedy strikes one and the other is guilt-ridden because of it. Throw in the close proximity factor and it just made for a perfect friends-to-more journey! I was specially pleased that with this story, we not only got a journey to HEA between two people, but also a growth journey for our characters. It was very organic and relatable.

Without giving away any of this story, I will say that I was not a huge fan of not only the *huge* conflict at the end but also the *tragedy* that began this entire journey. Both of those centered around Declan and his behavior and it made it very difficult to root for him. They were both HUGE *what the actual F* am I reading right now moments and they both sucked a lot of joy of the story from me but like I mentioned above, overall, this story did warm my heart and I was happy while reading it but some of the choices the author made for the characters tested me LOL

As for my listening experience ... I am glad that I had the opportunity to listen to this audio because just listening to Stella Bloom & Jason Clark together gave me a little of the joy back that the reading had sucked away :) I've learned that reading a book and listening to it can give you different experiences and this particular one gave me a better experience!

As for the *rating* of my experience, I'd have to say that overall, it was a 3.5 out of 5 star but the reading was merely a 2(ish) star and the audio bumped it up to a 3(ish) star.

Super cute rom-com about Avery and Declan, who are best friends and roommates.
Avery gets into a car accident and Declan becomes her caretaker. It’s sweet, well written, and everything I love in a romance. Good character development and unique story. I really enjoyed this read, it’s the second book I’ve read my Helena Hunting and I look forward to reading more from her.
A special thank you to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

As a friends-to-lovers trope-based story, i think this is pretty good. a bit repetitive until the last third, but still very entertaining and sweet and definitely has the kind of flow where you can turn your brain off and just enjoy it.

overall, nothing new to the romance genre, but a fun read nonetheless.