Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was a different read for me. The story was so well done and the characters were so relatable. I really enjoyed it. There are layers of mystery and even romance throughout the story. Wonderfully written.

I think I anticipated more of a thriller element and that’s just my ignorance. But I was looking for more, I suppose.

Beth and Ally started a fire in a school gym many years ago when they were in high school. What started as a prank burned down the entire building and ruined the life of the maintenance man who was blamed for it. Now they want to tell the truth and right the wrong they committed way back then. Is it too late to do the right thing now? How can they ever make amends.

An interesting novel with believable characters about how actions have consequences and mistakes cannot always be fixed.

This was my first book by this author and I was just ok for me! I didn’t think the relationships in the story really had a connection. I didn’t think there was much flow to the storyline.

This is a gripping fast going book which will have you hooked, it is well written and easy to follow, the author did an excellent job!

This a story of secrets, consequences, and finally redemption for estranged friends Ally and Beth. What they did twenty years ago has come back to haunt them and it was really interesting seeing the long term effects of a teen prank gone horribly wrong. This book also touched on parental elder care and even had a little romance. An intriguing read that will keep you turning the pages to see how it all works out.

A gripping novel about two best friends who made a terrible mistake as teenagers and then tried to bury the past, which also meant burying their friendship. I was drawn in by the relatable characters and layered plot, which includes romance, mystery, and an exploration of the subtle scars left by untold secrets.

A quick read but with a lot packed in! I liked knowing the secret that the girls kept but not knowing what they were going to do about it as their life started to change even more. Beth and Ally were able to pick up their friendship quickly as if they hadn’t spent years apart and not talking which felt like a real friendship. I loved the mystery and the growth that Beth especially had. It was heartwarming at times and drama filled at others. I think out of the three POV Beth was my favorite to read. It was the perfect balance of mystery, drama, and romance.

I really enjoyed reading LIGHT OF THE FIRE for several reasons. I love an estranged-besties-reunited story. Set amid pro-soccer and add an unresolved crime where the reader knows from the getg0 who done it, and I will keep turning the pages until I figure out if justice will be finally served. So much book club goodness in this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced reader copy.

What a beautiful story about friendship and returning home! I loved this highly relatable story about how life can bring you back to face the things you once ran away from. It’s got intrigue with the girl’s big secret, romance, but at the heart—friendship and soccer! The integration of the sport made it fun! This an excellent, page turning read that gripped me from the intense start and left me thinking of the girls well after I’d finished the book.

A touching story about the power of friendship, Light of the Fire follows two former high school best friends as they reunite in adulthood and finally face the ripple effects that followed a devastating choice they made as teenagers. There’s an appealing combo of soccer, nostalgia, family, small town vibes, and romance, too, but at its heart, this is a book about facing our mistakes. Bruck’s characters remind us that sometimes taking responsibility requires forgiving ourselves first.

This was an average read. It had a decent storyline and enjoyable characters. I think the author did a good job with character and plot development - she got deep enough to build a complex story without including a lot of unnecessary fluff. The characters were all real and believable and sympathetic. So I have no complaints about the book, but I also don't have anything that makes me say "wow, you have to read this book!" So, good book. Not bad, not great, but good and solid and a quick, easy read.

The storyline was great! But what didn't work for me was that there were too many characters with their own chapter.
The cover of the book was absolutely beautiful and the title itself was what made me want to read it.
A wonderful plot that kept me going because I wanted to see what the outcome would be for Beth and Ally.
What I also liked was how the author shows us how a prank can be not so good that hurts other people.
It can also follow you for the rest of your life. That's how karma is.
It will eat eat and eat at you until eventually it wears you down.
Forgiveness is the main theme of this story. Forgiving yourself is the first step in moving forward.
I loved Jordan. He was my favorite character. He's proof that people can grow and change if we let it by forgiving others even though it's very hard at times or not at all.
Again, I just wish this story was written straight through instead of different characters' POV. It can get confusing. I feel like when u get into Beth's storyline real good then we jump over Jordan's or some other character. For this reason I'm giving it 4 stars. I still will recommend it to others.
My thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received a digital ARC from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I appreciated the honesty of this story. Ally and Beth’s friendship, and the family dynamics were my favorite parts of the novel. I do look forward to reading more from Sarahlyn Bruck.

This novel about hidden secrets was right up my street. It kept me gripped until I finished it. Beth and Ally are three-dimensional and authentic characters, best friends painfully estranged since they chose different ways to try to move on from the biggest mistake of their lives. I cared very much what happened to them both and longed for them to be able to patch up their differences and to free themselves from their past. A character-driven, emotional treat of a story.

The description of this book grabbed my attention, the story was interesting and I enjoyed the characters. I appreciated the emotions that come along with astranged friends coming back together and old mistakes haunting you for decades, but I did find the book slightly difficult to get through. Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sarahlyn Bruck , the Author of “Light of the Fire” has written a memorable, intense, and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this well-written novel are Contemporary Fiction, Family and Friends and Fiction, with a feeling of suspense. I appreciate how the author emphasizes the danger of past secrets, and how this can affect the past, present and future. This is also a novel about second chances, forgiveness, loyalty, betrayal, communication honesty, and searching for the light of the truth. Life is an adventure where you have to make peace with the past, to deal with the present and future.

The author vividly describes when the two main characters were coming of age, and years later when they were adults. The characters are described as complex, complicated, and confused. Beth and Ally were best friends in High School, and shared their love for soccer. Some of the boys feeling intimidated with the girls being on a team, would taunt and tease them, and locked them in one of the closets, until a custodian freed them. Twenty years ago, there was a fire in the high school gymnasium, and someone is blamed. Only Beth and Ally know what really happen, and keep it a secret. The two friends become estranged for years.

In the present time, Beth has a serious concussion which may end her professional career in soccer. Her father has a stroke and she has to go back to her home town. Ally has two teenage daughters, a boyfriend, and some unexpected news. Both women become friends again, and realize when another student, Jordan, a Journalist comes to town to find out the truth about the fire, they have make a decision about the past.

I highly recommend this emotional and thought-provoking novel to others.

A book about two friends who accidentally started a fire when in high school. Ally and Beth kept their secret for over 20 years. Beth comes back to town when her Dad has a stroke. So much happens from that point on.
While I enjoyed the story I did think it was a bit slow moving. It felt like too much time was spent in their heads. It did seem rather unfair that more didn’t come out as to what was really the cause of the fire.

Beth and Ally let someone else go to prison for something they did- what they thought would be a prank that burned down their high school gym. Now 20 years later, Beth is back in town just as James, whose father tool the fall, starts looking for answers of what really happened that night. This is told by all of them. Know that you're meant to be sympathetic to Beth and Ally but I had a had time summoning that given what their silence did to James and his family. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An interesting read.

Warning: Nothing about this book feels thriller-y, fast paced, dangerous or is much of a mystery. This is a contemporary story about the friendship between two 30-something women in a small town, and soccer. If that's your thing, then read this. If you're looking for some juicy, high stakes, shady situation about an arson, this isn't it.

The main positive for me was the focus on women's sports. The main character is forced into retirement from playing soccer and we see her navigate that shifting identity. She's no longer the star player and must find a new goals and purpose. It also touches on the choices women may make in order to pursue a career in sports, such as delaying marriage and kids. If you're interested in soccer or the lives of female athletes off the field, you might find something to like here.

To most other readers, I'd say proceed with caution. To me, this failed as any kind of mystery and just barely met minimum requirements for a contemporary. Much of the story felt contrived and low stakes, the constant state of tragedy often felt manipulative, and it was difficult to sympathize with most of the characters' actions/motivations.