Loved Avery and Declan! Spark House is Avery’s passion. She loves running it with her sisters. Declan is her best friend and her roommate in the condo they share. A tragic accident causes things to shift. Can these two navigate the crossover into love? A lot of obstacles stand in the way. This book has all the feels! Crossword puzzles, movies, friends, and even a blow up doll! Helena’s books are the best!

This was a cute friends to lovers romance. I loved how realistic it was and how it depicted a real relationship. I definitely felt the chemistry between Avery and Declen and was rooting for them from the beginning.
It was a sweet romance I would definitely recommend.

SPARKS CAN BURN YOU - A review of "When Sparks Fly" by Helena Hunting

Avery and Declan have been best friends since college so co-owning a condo was a natural progression of their relationship. Their careers are separate but most everything else is an extension of their friendship. That is, until Declan forgets his promise to drive Avery to her alumni reunion. He forgot because he over imbibed and brought his date home and now he's hung over. On her way to the reunion Avery is rear-ended and the next time Declan sees her is in the ICU, her athletic little body battered and broken. He is consumed with worry and yes, guilt that his best friend is suffering because he failed her. So he sets about trying to atone for his sins by taking care of Avery himself, even though her two sisters want to bring her home to Spark House, the event destination the three sisters own and operate.

Declan and Avery are forced to confront their mutual feelings because of the intimacy of their respective roles, his as caregiver and hers as the patient. As her recovery progresses, it isn't long before the lines between them blur to where they are all but indistinguishable. Forced to acknowledge their feelings for each other they glory in their new emotional bond until their pasts get in the way and complicate the situation. Can Declan get beyond the horrible example set by his parents?  Is there nothing Avery can do to salvage their friendship and avoid the train wreck their relationship is heading for?

I've read several of Helena Hunting's novels and loved them all but "When Sparks Fly" is in my opinion, the best so far. It is so much more than your run-of-the-mill Rom Coms. The characters come to life and feel like old friends now. The witty dialogue is sometimes laugh out loud funny and at times, moving in its poignancy. I laughed and cried and commiserated with both Declan and Avery as they confront their feelings and cope with the reality of their relationship and the bigger fear of losing their best friend.

Hunting's writing is always fresh and original and that originality shines in this friends to lovers story.  Even though the three sisters in business together in destination and event planning has been done before, it merely serves as a backdrop to the real plot which is the development and evolution of Avery and Declan's relationship. The characters are refreshingly complex and as likely to mess up and make poor decisions as you and I are and we love them in spite of their foibles. And did I mention the sexy love scenes? Ooh la la! Careful you don't get too close 'cause "When Sparks Fly" you could get burned. Four and a half stars.

The expected publication date is September 21, 2021 so check with your favorite bookseller and reserve a copy. This is one you don't want to miss. My thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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#whensparksfly by author @helenahunting
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What a cute story about Avery and Declan who have been best friends since college. When Avery is in a bad car accident, and Declan offers to help take care of her while she recovers. Grant it they live together and so it makes sense that she be at home and he is there so why not.... well, except that when you need more help and think you may be developing feelings for your best friend that aren't soo friendly
#netgalley #hotroomate #dailystruggle
#igreaders #romance #bestfriends #accidents #love #romancereaders #bookrecommendations #noseinabook #lovereading #bookstagram

I’ll be honest I have read quite a few books by Helena Hunting so when When Sparks Fly found it’s way to my kindle I expected to be reading a hot and steamy hockey book. What I received couldn’t be further from that thought. I received a book about loss, undiscovered love, friendship, and a lot of personal growth. I found a book that had me invested into Declan and Avery.

Hunting brought her A game and then some to this friends to lovers book. You could see the love from the beginning but the twists and turns are so realistic that this reader felt like she was hanging out with friends. Helena was able to put me in with a group of tight friends, that while we have nothing in common, I truly enjoyed being around and watch their lives unfold.

This story is one that will draw you in and keep you there until the last word. You root for the main characters. The flow is flawless, which as a fan of Hunting’s work, you expect. Her characters show growth, both separately and together. I truly enjoyed When Sparks fly, from beginning to end.

When Sparks Fly by H. Hunting, published by St. Martin's Press/ St. Martin's Griffin, is a stand-alone romance.
Avery Sparks is one of three sisters who are running the Top Destination Hotel in Colorado Springs and she's living her dream, her best life. When tragedy changes a lot for her, her family and her friends, things become complicated.
Declan is her best friend since college. They're roommates, they simply get each other. Annnd then , when he becomes her caretaker, things get complicated, more and more.
When Sparks Fly is an outstanding, can't put down anymore read.
A slow burn with characters emotions I could feel through the pages. This is a marathon, not a sprint for Avery and Declan. And this is a highly entertaining, fantastic read for moí.

I went into this book totally blind. All I saw was that Helena Hunting wrote it, so I wanted to read it. I was surprised by the emotional turn this story took (grieving the death of parents, dealing with abandonment issues, & also how to recover physically & mentally from a near-death accident). This romance took the whole “forced proximity” to a new level! I was 100% here for the sexual tension between these two best friends, but it was the unexpected emotional journey that kept me turning the pages.

Fans of HH will definitely devour this one, & I hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised the way I was

I've read most of Helena Hunting books and I can say with the utmost confidence that this is her best book to date. It's by far my favorite of her. When Sparks Fly is the epitome of the best friends to lovers stories and I loved it so much!
I loved reading about Avery and Declan together. You could feel the attraction under the surface, the friendship, and the love.
I laughed and smiled so much while reading this book and it gave me the best heartwarming feels.
Avery and Declan were both such endearing and fantastic characters and I loved their connection and chemistry. If you're looking for a book that will give you a permanent smile and just a completely lovable friends to lovers book, pick this one up. You won't regret it!

Special thanks to the author, her assistant, St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a sweet, endearing story. Declan and Avery's friendship was so much fun to read. Their chemistry felt real and the development of their romance felt inevitable, with just the right blend of tender moments and sexual tension. Their sisters and friends rounded off a very likable cast of characters. When Avery needs Declan, he is there for her unconditionally and without reserves. At the end, I thought some of the angst was a bit overdone, but overall it was a story that made me smile a lot.

I was so excited to receive this book. I loved her past work and this did not disappoint! The characters were so well established, and the book didn't feel like anything else I've ever read. Loved it!

After enjoying Helena Hunting’s Kiss My Cupcake, I was happy to read her latest, When Sparks Fly!
Avery Sparks and her two sisters run Sparks Hotel (I spy a trilogy coming…). After an accident, Avery’s best friend and roommate Declan helps nurse her to health, which of course leads to much more.
This was a fun, quick read!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC. Reviewed on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Instagram (@teacherneedsabook).

Good book, this is Avery and Declan book. They have been best friends and roommates for a long time, both have had other relationships and hookups! Avery had a bit of a fear of driving from her past and relies on Declan to help her out driving in bad weather on long trips. Well Declan screws up and misses a long trip with Avery and she gets in a bad accident! This starts on a journey of them being in close quarters with just each other! This book was a good story definitely entertaining but kind of just ok for me! I did enjoy reading it and would recommend it but it was just ok for me! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Pick up this delightful romance as soon as possible! The author has such a lovely rhythm to her writing and romance arcs. Declan our male lead is dreamy, you will want to be friends with Avery, and I’m such a fan of the relationship between the sisters. Was a fan of the author’s book Meet Cute and will need to check out some others, too.

3 1/2 stars.

This is a story between Avery and Declan, who have been friends since college. They live together as roommates and hang out with friends from college.

When Avery is in a serious car accident, Declan steps up to take care of her when she returns home from the hospital. They become very close, both physically and emotionally, with him doing everything for her. Their relationship shifts, and the change starts putting a strain on it.

Declan's growth surprised me. I was expecting him to change quickly, but he put the effort into become a better person for Avery.

Sexual content and language.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I literally received this book less than 24 hours ago and have already devoured it. Helena Hunting is a genius, creating relatable characters, a moving storyline, and a plot that will leave you laughing, swooning, and wanting more.

Avery and her sisters are likable in every way. I connected with each of them easily and loved how close they were. Declan is the perfect BFF and I loved watching him grow and realize he was more than the environment he grew up in. Together, they were so cute and their chemistry was electric.

The overall storyline was gripping and the plot was fast paced and entertaining. I loved everything about this book.

I want to note that Helena Hunting is one of my FAVORITE romance writers. Her books are consistently some of my favorite rom-coms and I’ve loved her for years. That being said, I did not love When Sparks Fly.

I had such high hopes for this story, I got a copy from Edelweiss and was so excited to dive in. Friends to lovers and forced proximity (they’re roommates) AND the hero takes care of her after an accident?? Yes please! All my favorite things! I always go into Helenas books with really high expectations, and that might have been my mistake. I felt so disappointed by this story. (Spoilers to follow)

To start, I was surprised the hero, Declan, has a one night stand with someone else at the start of the book. That didn’t bother my necessarily, but I know a lot of romance readers who will not like that aspect of her story. I didn’t love that his actions that night propelled the story forward and were seen as the *cause* of Avery’s accident.

Speaking of accidents, holy cow if car accidents are a trigger for you, do not read this book. Avery’s parents die in a tragic car accident when she was a child, she has a lot of PTSD around cars from losing them. Her accident in the story is on the page and kind of horrifying. On top of that it is a multi-car accident and only she and one other person survive. I was surprised this part of the story was so graphic and killed off so many people.

I did enjoy the first 50% of the book (once it was past the accident scene) but Declan’s behavior quickly began to wear on me. I did not like his character at all. He’s noted in the synopsis as being a playboy, and you see some of that behavior in the beginning, but he absolutely wasn’t ready for a relationship. He has so many problematic jealous and immature moments that were red flags for me.

One notable moment that really bothered me comes towards the end of the book. Declan and Avery have started a romantic relationship at this point, it’s new but very hot and heavy. It’s noted a few times that Avery dated Declan’s friend in college, and that almost split up their friend group when she and her ex broke up. Years later and Declan STILL can’t get over that, even though he chose to stay friends with Avery. The ex starts communicating with Avery again and they meet up to combine their businesses for an event. Declan becomes controlling and suspicious, TRACKS HER PHONE, and sees she was with her ex (and his ex best friend. From there all hell breaks loose and Declan explodes on Avery, and accuses her of cheating on him.

It’s a mess, his behavior during this last part of the book is horrendous (he invades her privacy so many times). He doesn’t even let her explain before he gets mad. To make matters worse, she temporarily moves out and when she returns a few days later he’s having a party with other women over. At this point in the story I wanted them to break up for good, Avery deserved better!

In all this was sadly a two star read for me. I was really disappointed, but I still love Helena’s other books and will continue to read her in the future.

I woke up to an email from Helena Hunting's publicist inviting me to read an ARC of this book, and clicked it instantly.

This is a friends to lovers story that includes the caretaker/sick person trope. Declan and Avery are long-standing best friends who live together. Avery gets into a car accident on a trip Declan was supposed to accompany her on and is seriously injured. Declan becomes her caretaker out of a sense of guilt. While caring for her, he realizes he has long buried feelings for her and she realizes the same.

I liked that Avery was independent and not helpless or self pitying. The focus wasn't on what she couldn't do all of the time, and more emphasis was put on her recovery.

This book was entertaining and a quick read. I enjoyed that after the dark moment, there wasn't instant forgiveness. Declan went to therapy and worked through his issues so that they could have a healthy relationship when he was ready. We love to see it.

Avery and Declan are friends and roommates but that’s all. However after an accident, Declan goes from friend to caretaker for Avery and that has them getting closer then ever before. Avery runs Spark House Hotel with her sister’s and Declan works on the financial side of the business. Can they stay just friends when boundaries get crossed? This a sweet and funny friends to lovers romcom with some emotional moments. I really enjoyed the moments between Declan and Avery. A easy paced, light hearted read with some great characters. Told in dual POV