The Spark sisters are back and I am HERE FOR IT! While I didn't love this book as much as book 1, I enjoyed spending time the girls again. Seeing London get her HEA was fun to watch.

What I struggled with was that I felt like Jackson and London were way too analytic together. Their conversations were seemed to be laced with work and problem solving sessions, not a lot of banter and spice. Give me more spark (pun intended) and humor. There were times we saw Fun London - she was a girl who went after her needs without fail - but I found Jackson to lack personality for the bulk of the novel.

I can't review this book without saying how much I disliked Avery's character in this book. I loved her character in "When Sparks Fly" but in London's book, Avery was a bit much for my liking.

"Starry-Eyed Love" was a binge-worthy rom-com (low on the comedy IMO). Now that 2 of the sisters have found their happily ever after, I'm eager to see what's in store in book 3.

After reading the first book in this series, which I loved I was ready to dig into Starry-Eyed Love. We know from the first book that London did anything and everything her sisters ask of her surrounding their business, even though it frustrated her.

I absolutely loved London and Jacksons story. They seem to bring out the best in each other. London started to have a back bone and stand up for herself and her place in the sister’s business. Jackson was so patient with London. Their romance was so sweet, their chemistry was off the charts!!

As always I love the epilogue and looking forward to read the next book!

London Spark is not looking for any kind of romance in her life. She is newly single and looking to prove herself to her sisters in their business. She and her sisters are out celebrating when a handsome man buys them a round of drinks and slips her his number. She turns him down because she wants nothing to do with men. When she turns to the family business to grow and expand it, the handsome man walks back into her life. Can they have a romance, or will their business interests and family destroy any hope of happiness in their personal life?

I have been a fan of Helena’s since discovering her years ago. Her books are a witty and emotional blend that I simply enjoy reading each time there is a new release. Starry-Eyed Love is no exception to that. It is the 2nd book in the Spark House series but can be read as a standalone.

London and Jackson’s story was a slower burn for me, but man did the delay pay off in intensity in the end. Their first encounter doesn’t go as expected and it isn’t until months later when their second throws them back together again, that the chemistry slowly begins to build. The characters have great depth and personality and thrown together in business is always a fun read. Since this book is a sequel to the first, and centered around the Spark sisters, I enjoyed getting glimpses back at past characters.

I cannot wait to see what she does with book 3 and get more time to revisit everyone again. This is just a laugh out loud, slow burn romance that is just what you need to unwind.

“And I realize that this is the spark I’ve been missing all along. And now that I’ve found it, I want to nurture it and turn it into a flame that will never extinguish.”

London Spark’s life is too busy for a boyfriend, and she just hasn’t found the person who makes her heart go pitter-patter. After ending her most recent relationship, London is hit on by a stranger at a bar but decides to lie that she has a boyfriend. Fast forward three months, and Spark House is being considered for a Teamology project with Holt Media. Little does London know that the CEO of Holt Media, Jackson Holt, is also the man she rejected that night many months ago.

This book confused me somewhat. Mainly because it felt as if it was written by two different people. The first half lacked passion, engaging conversation, and real chemistry between any characters not just the leads. The author tried tremendously hard to pack in everything that was missing in the beginning into the second half, and it did not work. At least for me. I wish some of what I saw in the second half had been sprinkled throughout the story because it would have the made the book more engaging and fun. I think this had the ability to be great, but the slow pacing in the beginning and awkward conversation dragged it way down. It utilized too many over used tropes but didn’t do anything new or exciting with them.

Overall, it was just a kind of an okay read for me. I am sure that if you are already a fan of Helena Hunting or authors similar to her like Lauren Layne and Carly Phillips then this book might be better for you than it was for me.

~ Michelle

It's a very, very different experience to read a straight-people romance than my usual M/M reads. In this case, I think I came in after some character work had already been done in the first Spark House book, <I>When Sparks Fly</i>, on this entry's PoV character. London Spark, to those who might not know her from before, is a rather serious-minded and goal-oriented participant in a family enterprise called Spark House. It is an event hotel-cum-venue, and London has somehow been foisted the job of numbers lady. She's not a natural number-cruncher but she knows about sacrificing for a greater goal and gets her considerable wits marshaled to the task of making the finances run.

I, like all other readers, am meeting Jackson the love interest with London. He lets her know he's interested without being more than ordinarily persistent. She declines; he leaves her possessed of his details and accepts his rejection without drama. So far, so good. When a time has passed and Spark House attracts business interest from a tech-bro investor, one who's made to sound like Elon only hot, absolutely not one soul is surprised it's Jackson the rejected suitor.

We know this drill: what's going to happen, the misunderstandings, the idiotic miscommunications, the resolution of HEA or HFN; so the point of reading this book is *how* not what.

The satisfaction of a superior craftworker's results is this very thing. Now, the M/M romance world will usually have something very sexy pretty early. Not so this book. London's been burned and isn't in a huge hurry to try the waters with a tech bro. She is, once he shows back up as a potential financing source, perfectly happy to work with him. They come to know each other, and the readers each of them, as their work brings out facets of their lives quite naturally and unforcedly. Again to no one's surprise Jackson is a good guy, and he's got a solid head on his shoulders; he comes to like and respect London, he fully engages with her as an equal in business (if one with different skills from his); the result is a slow-burn low-steam character study of two young people whose lives are pressurized by goals instead of ambitions.

Why I enjoyed reading it enough to rate it more than a solid three or possibly three-and-a-half stars of five was London's affectionate but exasperated relationships with older sister Avery and younger sister Harley. They were...warm. They didn't ring swords of wit in battles for prominence, they half-ribbed and three-quarters snarked and generally behaved the way friends do. It worked to give me a sense of their bond that was less intense than the Three Musketeers and more positive than the Three Stooges but still very real.

You can't go wrong with a read that does this kind of work when one accidentally reads book two in a series. I am glad I spent time with the Spark family.

London and her sisters are devoted to their fami!y business, but love has a way of changing your priorities. Another successful emotional rollercoaster romance. I stayed up all night to finish.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Helena Hunting has a wonderful engaging and entertaining story with Starry-Eyed Love!

London and Jackson have a working relationship. However, the chemistry, connection and attraction they share means there's a lot more between them. Their relationship development was well done as they figure out if and how they can make a real, romantic relationship work.

One of my favorite aspects of both the first book in the series and this one is the love between the three sisters. They don't always see eye to eye or get along, but they have a strong relationship and play a big part in each other's lives.

Though this is the second book in the series, but can be read as a standalone.

Starry-Eyed Love is an all-new hilarious and heartwarming workplace romance from author Helena Hunting and it is now available! It is book 2 in the Spark House series and follows London Spark, the middle sister of the family.

London has just broken up with her boyfriend and is not for another relationship. That is why she does not accept the phone number of the attractive man at the bar while she’s out with her sisters. A few months later, while London is in a meeting with a multi-million-dollar company looking at potential partnership opportunities, in walks-in the guy she turned down at the bar; it just so happens that he’s the companies CEO!

I absolutely loved London. She has so much on her plate throughout this book and she is handling it all with grace and so much professionalism. I loved seeing more interactions and the clear bond between her and her sisters. I also really liked Jackson, our swoon-worthy yet down-to-earth (and environmentally conscious) millionaire. The chemistry and the buildup between him and London were fantastic! I happy we got to see their friendship develop before they went and dove into a relationship.

I was a little frustrated at some of the miscommunication in the book, especially since I was able to predict what was going to happen from early on. I was also angry with Avery (the eldest sister) while reading this book and feel like my opinion of her would have been much lower if I hadn’t read the first book in the series (When Sparks Fly) and know how caring and sweet she truly is. Overall, this was still an adorable romance, and I am so excited for the next book in the series (I can’t wait for Harley to get her Happily Ever After!).

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know this was a part of a series after I got the book.

Cute story. Boy likes girl, boy a gazillionaire, boy messes up, girl runs away, etc.

:)

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

I’ve been obsessed with Helena and her mind since I stumbled across Pucked years ago. She never fails to capture my attention completely from start to finish. This book was no different. From the cover to the words inside, I absolutely loved it all. London was so great. The chemistry between the characters was evident from the very beginning and it just flew off the page. Definitely a must read.

Starry Eyed Love follows London, who we met in When Sparks Fly. She has never really been all in when it comes to love and kept it all surface level…until she met Jackson Holt. He was sweet and charming and hard to deny. It was a battle of wills not to give into their feelings for each other which led to a crazy slow burn. I loved London’s relationship with her sisters. Even though they had their issues I loved how they fought to work things out for the betterment of their relationship because in the end that was the most important. Jackson and London’s story was a cute, funny and entertaining workplace romance.

Family first. But when a man wiggles his way over the walls London had built since the death of her parents, she is thrown into a new and confusing arena. Jackson is a distraction that seems to be just what this girl is in desperate need of. I find her sisters slightly annoying and frustratingly dependent on poor London but that's just how some families function. This is a heart-tugging story with a good hit of heat to keep it interesting.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

This is the second book with the Spark sisters and just like When Sparks Fly, Starry Eyed Love was laugh out loud funny. Fantastic characters, great story and tons of laughs and a lot of love. Loving these sisters and cannot wait for more!

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: Our heroine is London Spark, the middle sister of the three Spark girls. The Sparks run their family’s bed and breakfast, the Spark House. London takes up more of the business side of things, at the expense of her more creative side. I really liked London, she is my favourite of the sisters so far. Her dynamic with her sisters was interesting, especially to watch her interact with Avery. Her hero is Jackson. He is the CEO of a massive corporation that links businesses with green initiatives together. I liked how caring Jackson was, but his secretive nature kept me warry. I found it often fueled unnecessary conflicts. There were so many cameos from Helena’s other series with St. Martin’s, these characters are Jackson’s friends we meet in the story.
Setting: The Spark House is in Colorado, and it is so quaint and lovely. It is so interesting to see how the Spark house ties these sisters together. We also get to spend some quality time in New York, I particularly like a particular scene of some early morning crepes between friends.
Pacing: The story was paced very well. It felt like a very natural build towards all the conflicts of the story. Of the push and pull between the working and more personal relationship between Jackson and London. As well as the bubbling up of the anxieties London has around running the Spark House.
Romance: This story starts with one of the best meet-cutes I have read in a long time. I loved suave Jackson waltzes in and London turns him down, just to see him later as the boss of the new deal she is crafting for the Spark House. The early part of the story showcased an initial crash and burn for London, which is relatable for so many readers out there. London and Jackson’s relationship is exactly the right person at the wrong time. I loved how the calm, cool and collected London gets all blushy and trips up her words when she’s around Jackson. It was so cute to see them do things that people do who are dating, but then be like no we are not dating. I got very invested in London and Jackson’s relationship. I felt every butterfly and every heartbreak along with them. This is much more of an emotive, sweet romance. There is a bit of steam, but this is much more of a lighthearted romantic comedy. Something we all need sometimes.

London & Jackson

This story is phenomenal! I love these sisters and was hooked from the very beginning. Here we have two people who are not looking for love. She is just days out of a relationship, he is running a multi-million dollar company. Neither one has had a relationship that felt like the forever kind. They have both suffered family loss and have mutual empathy for each other, but their communication skills are lacking.

I love London’s quirky personality. Her obsession with making puffy paper stars is endearing and revealing of a nervous habit which has morphed into a lucrative hobby. When they were both in the bar, I found the way Jackson was so intent looking at London quite romantic. Now days, if a man pays too much attention noticing and staring at a woman, the terms “creep”, “stalker” and “weirdo” are present. Initiating personal interest, acting on sexual attraction or true romance these days are long gone and in their place is impersonal communication through email or texting for dates as long as you can get a telephone number.

Jackson’s interest in London while they were in the bar is sweet. His way of asking her out in front of her two sisters is encouraging. London turning down his request for a date undoubtedly hurt his ego a little bit, but he survived. I love this. Old fashioned courting! Each encounter between them is full of sexual tension and London’s stress level creates an ever increasing volatile situation.

Jackson is a workaholic and prone to micro-managing his business. This kind of dedication is fine when one is growing a business, but IMO, this personality trait needs to relax for a new personal relationship to flourish. I was skeptical when Jackson was determined to keep his personal feelings for London out of the mix while they are working together. He proves to be an honorable man and an all-around thoughtful and nice guy.

I feel like this love story is sweet yet energetic. With as busy as they both are, Jackson and London find a way to handle their responsibilities well and nurture their family and friend relationships. Full of old fashioned courtship, sexual attraction and falling in love. This is a endearing and intense story that can’t be put down until you’re finished. Great story!

This was an adorable read. Jackson is super supportive, handsome, and truly just wants the very best for London—even though he put himself in a bind by getting into a business relationship with London. Meaning she’s now off-limits. London is juggling so many things and trying to balance being present in every area of her life. I loved to see all my favorites from the Shacking Up series make appearances and it read like some of my old favorites of Helena Hunting.

Another great read from this author. I am really enjoying this series. The storyline, the great chemistry between characters. A very enjoyable read.

Happy pub day to this fun book! I am loving this series. Book two was as fun as book one and I already cannot wait for book 3!
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London just came out of a relationship. Her sisters are happy to have Fun London back. They take her out to celebrate the return of Fun London when a very handsome stranger offers to buy her a drink. She declines. She’s not looking to jump right back into a relationship. Her focus is work.
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When a call comes in from a multi-million company looking to partner with Spark House she immediately jumps at the offer. What she doesn’t expect is for the handsome CEO to be the man she turned down months earlier.
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Jackson and London vow to keep their professional relationship all business but soon enough that becomes impossible. Between Jackson’s past and London’s sisters they need to decide where they stand as a couple and where London stands with Spark House. Also, can I please visit Spark House?!
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This book is just so much fun! Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book has got all the banter and sweetness! Although this is a part of a series, its perfectly fine and easy to read as a standalone. The series follows the three Spark sisters as they run their family’s event hotel, the Spark House.

When London Spark is celebrating being newly single at a bar, a man approaches her and offers his number. She declines since she is not in the mood to be hit on. While busy looking for new clientele, a multi-million dollar firm contacts her months later, and the CEO is none other than Jackson Holt, the same man she turned down at the bar. What starts as a professional relationship evolves into something more. Sparks fly!

If you are a fan of heartfelt romance, this is going to be a book you’ll love!