A sexy, angsty and emotional friends to lovers romance about friendship and family.
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Helena Hunting never disappoints! When Sparks Fly was so easy to get lost in. I enjoyed the friendship and simmering chemistry between best friends and roommates Avery and Declan. Their connection and genuine love for each other was evident. The audiobook was done in dual person narration which is always a big plus, especially in a romance read! ⁣
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This was exactly the kind of read I needed after so many thrillers last month. I flew threw the audio and although there were some heavier themes involving grief, loss, infidelity and guilt it never felt too heavy. Loved the inclusion of therapy and how positive it is. Looking forward to more from this series!

Well Helena Hunting has easily worked her way into one of my favorite author spots! I read Love Next Door a couple of months ago and I loved it. I’m so glad I then picked up When Sparks Fly because I loved it even more!

I’ve always enjoyed friends-to-lovers romances, but the ones I have read lately have been top-notch and When Sparks Fly is no exception. I loved seeing Avery and Declan’s progression from friends-to-lovers even though it was emotional, messy, and infuriating at times. I think that is why I loved it so much. Real-life relationships are complicated, the stars don’t always align, and people make mistakes, but in the midst of all of that sometimes love does win and that makes it all the more sweeter. Declan was especially flawed and there were quite a few times that he really pissed me off, but I appreciated his growth and that he, and his relationship with Avery, was still a work-in-progress. I mean, aren’t we all?!

Steam: Open door and multiple scenes

If you have been sitting on Helena Hunting like I was, do yourself a favor and pick up one of her books, especially When Sparks Fly. Just be prepared for a powerful and complex love story! And don’t worry, I plan to work through her backlist posthaste!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

When Sparks Fly is an adorable friends-to-lovers romance. Declan and Avery's chemistry is obvious from the start, and everyone else sees it well before they do. And that's just part of the fun of this book. The situations while Declan is taking care of Avery are uncomfortable and hilarious, and if you've ever needed the kind of help she does, you'll understand exactly what I mean by that. Of course, things get heated before this pair finally admits their feelings, and we also have that required bit of angst, but in true Helena Hunting fashion, that angst is tempered with funny situations, witty dialogue, and steamy romance. This is the first Spark House book, and we're introduced to a whole group of likable characters, so I'll be interested to see what's next for the series.

This book was SO good. Helena just never disappoints. I can’t wait to see more of the spark sisters in the next books.

Ahhh this was a fun book to read. From the first chapter, it engaged me and I found myself rooting for Avery, no matter which direction she chose to go. I laughed, and yes, I cried too. I enjoyed reading about her relationship with her sisters most of all. I would definitely recommend this!

Helena Hunting is not only a "must buy author" for me, her romantic comedies are some of my favorites. When I saw that "When Sparks Fly" was coming out, I had it pre-ordered in seconds. Getting to read it was a special treat.

Let me say this: it did not disappoint. I love that Avery is content with her life, including her friendship with Declan. Of course, with a solid friendship and an attraction, sparks are sure to fly when he becomes her caregiver... And it left me wishing I had my own injury for Declan to nurse.

This steamy romance is sure to warm up your cold nights... so go get your copy, get comfortable, and absorb all the goodness this book offers!

In When Sparks Fly we follow the journey of roommates and best friends Avery and Declan. Declan messes up big time and spends a majority of the story attempting to make it up to Avery. Along the way they grow closer and closer together, until they can no longer fight the inevitable. The story takes us through struggles and growth, not only together but as individuals. But, no matter how much we learn and grow it only takes one thing to throw us back into old patterns and bad habits.

I went into this one blind, so I didn't really have high expectation. This one just fell flat for me. I didn't find myself attached to Avery or Declan or even rooting for either of them throughout the story. I usually love a good friends to lovers story, but I felt this one was just repetitive and boring. I didn't enjoy the overall premise either which probably sways me even further from liking it. I also do I think it comes down to the story being told from both Avery and Declan's perspectives and the lack of character development. To me, both sounded the exact same and therefore chapter after chapter It was like I was rereading. I need depth with my characters and I just wasn't getting it from them. I would give it a 2.5/5,

Sweet yet emotional. Started off with some very “Helena” moments. Big fan of Helena, this one is a tad different than a lot of her other books. Beautiful friends to lovers book with some very touching moments.

Huge fan of Helena Hunting and When Sparks Fly did not disappoint! I don't know what it is, but I love the proximity and devotion in a injured patient/nurse story. When Avery Spark is injured in a car accident, Declan, out of regret and care, takes care of Avery as she returns to health. This time spent together, draw them together in new ways and sparks fly! The shower scene, the first time they are together, is SO HOT! Wow!! I loved the tenderness and newness of their exploration of each other. Declan is a bit rough around the edges, and a bit unlikeable, the playboy that he is. But I think he redeems himself at the end. Cannot wait for more of the Spark sisters!!

Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.

Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.

Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.

What a wonderful friends-to-lovers romance! I loved how Helena balanced the serious parts with the funny parts of the story. It all mixed very well. The characters were adorable! I loved how caring Declan was towards Avery. His consideration for all of her needs MELTED MY COLD HEART! I also loved the relationship between Avery and her sisters. I hope they get their own stories written!

I don't understand the mixed reviews. This is a fantastic read by Helena Hunting. I admire Ms. Hunting's fearless attitude when it comes to go between subgenres and take risks with her writing . While I wasn't a fan of her last book, this book is a definite win.

Friends to lovers is one of may top romance tropes, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting.

Avery and Declan have been friends since college. She is a one man woman while he is the epitome of a Playboy. The best friends end up moving in together following Avery’s break up with another guy in their friend group. A car accident leads Avery to depend on Declan for even the simplest of tasks while she recovers. This is where their relationship takes a turn.

I liked the steam and tension between the two main characters. I also feel that the frustration and anxiety the two have is realistic along with the concerns and reactions of their friends and family. The one thing that felt disjointed at times was the dialogue. There were several conversations or back and forths that felt unnatural to be spoken even if they are valid thoughts people in the situations would have. I still enjoyed the book, but feel the dialogue is what made the difference between a 4 and 5 star rating.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I want to start by saying that I loved the title choice, for me it was super creative.

I love plots where friends find themselves in love and sparks fly.

Avery is a sweet and hardworking woman who is very happy with her life and has no interest in starting any romance but at the insistence of her friends she ends up agreeing with a date but nothing happens as expected and that's where our love story begins.

Declan has been Avery's best friend for many years and when he feels guilty about a situation that happens to his friend, he is ready to take care of her. These cares will all end up revealing feelings that they themselves did not realize existed and little by little passion explodes between them. The couple have great chemistry and their relationship is super hot and sweet. But unresolved issues from the past end up driving the lovebirds away.

What I liked most about this story is that I expected an unpretentious cliché and I came across the first plot where a character asks for time to deal with his problems and rebuild himself so that his traumas don't end up undermining the relationship.

3,5/5 stars

2.5 stars. I usually like a friend to lovers romance but I just didn't warm up to the characters. The premise that he had to avenge himself for her accident and then fell in love just didn't seem believable to me. I did like Avery, felt she was the stronger character.

I just want to take a minute to share this cute romcom. When Sparks Fly is the story of Avery and Declan, two roommates chugging through life when Avery gets in an accident and has to be nursed back to health by Declan. And sparks fly! See how I did that? This was an adorable romance with all the heartwarming feels and witty banter. It also grappled with some real life issues of grief and mental health to balance out the fluff. I loved the dynamic of the friends which reminded me of the dynamics in New Girl. Basically, it was a fun, frothy romp which was perfect for my middle of the night insomnia reads.

This is definitely a 5 star friends to lovers book for me. The story of Avery and Declan - best friends with the chemistry of love just oozing from every pore.

I really, really loved this story. Sometimes the quarrel or fight in a romance book (that is bound to happen) ticks me off, but I actually enjoyed the one in this book. Mostly because mental health came into the picture and I believe each character grew from the episode.

The sexual tension was high in this book and when things started to roll I was so excited and happy for them.
Loved the side characters, too (sisters and guy friends!). Flew through book in just three days and excited to see its a series. Highly recommend for romance lovers, especially if you appreciate friends to lovers.

She was tucked into the corner of the couch, a pillow propped behind her back and a thick blanket on her lap as she cozied in to watch the game. She reached for a greasy slice of pizza and let the warm cheese melt on her tongue. Each bite of doughy goodness made her smile. Mid bite she lets out a shout as she leaps from her seat and cheers for her team. The guys around her join in on the celebration and she can’t keep the joy from her eyes as she feels fueled by her wonderful friends, but one friend in particular makes her smile a little bigger. She catches his eye and winks and then finishes her pizza slice.

When Sparks Fly really surprised me. It’s a cute friends to lovers romance, as Avery and Declan cross the line from good friends to something much more. But this isn’t just a cutesy romance… it has some real, raw moments that I really appreciated. Did the conflict create some over the top reactions? Yes. But I honestly think that it’s a true portrayal of how humans react to situations that trigger insecurities and traumas in their lives.

I loved the normalization of therapy and Avery and Declan were just too cute. I now need to start crossword puzzling with my husband.

If you’re a fan of friends to lovers and forced proximity tropes, then you’ll want to give this one a read!

This is book one of a series and I will certainly look forward to more books!

enjoyed reading how Avery and Declan’s relationship grew from friends to lovers. Declan feels a lot of guilt about things that were out his control. To make it right, he does everything in his power to help Avery when she needs him. These two are so close that they don’t realize that their feelings for each other are more than friendly. There are some miscommunications and things from the past come up that threaten their new relationship. This was a great story and it had me on the edge wondering if they can get past their issues and have a great romance. Loved the secondary characters and how they played in to this book. Absolutely a must read!

This was a fun, friends to lovers read! I really liked the characters, Avery and Declan were both very likeable and I really felt their connection! I'm also a big fan of stories where someone has to step in and take care of someone and Helena Hunting does a great job there for me.

These two may have been friends for some time, but they really have to open up to more and I loved seeing that happen. Great feels and an overall enjoyable read!

I loved it! It's a fun, entertaining read and I want to read more about this group. Bring on the next book!