When I first discovered this book I thought it'd be a romance book, I wasn't prepared for the dual stories and Hitler's reign. This is a book based off a Grandma's life in WW2. Lots of tragedy and twisted plots, but it was easy to navigate. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone! Especially those who like historical fiction. While there is romance it's not a romantic story more of a "let me to you about the love I have for these people" thanks to netgallery I was able to read such a good book

I really loved this book. It has all the things I look for in historical fiction, compelling characters, important historical events, family secrets, mystery, suspense, twists and turns. The list can go on and on. The story was interesting and kept me hooked. The characters were well developed and I felt invested and the book had me guessing right up till the end. I highly recommend if you liked the Nightingale or any other world word II historical fiction.

A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean. This book is a beautifully written sad story about Gillian grandmother and the story behind the photographs found hidden in a secret part of her grandmothers box in the attic. If you love historical fiction read the book.

Secrets and history!!! I really enjoyed A Fire Sparkling by Julianne Maclean!!! Digging into the past to learn Gillian's grandmother's secrets was very intriguing!!! I look forward to Julianne's next book!!! Read and enjoy!!!

The Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean was a story within a story type of book. While part of the story revealed was during WWII, the rest was during present day. Gillian thought she had it all, a great job and boyfriend, until she came across him with someone else. She left and showed up at her family’s house where her dad and grandmother lived in Connecticut. That’s when her father dropped a surprise on her too - pictures of her grandmother and a Nazi during 1939. Her grandmother shared the information about the picture, which rearranged her narrative of her life. Between the two surprises Gillian realizes that she needs lots of answers to figure out her life. She goes searching for them.

Stories like this either can be great or horrid. In this case I totally bought into the storyline and wanted to know answers to the questions I had! Gillian finds some answers and more questions. I love how she was able to reframe her fears and consider the various aspects of the story. I think the story had some powerful moments that made the book a worthwhile read. Coming to grips with yourself and your past is not always easy.

The Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean invites us to be amazed by the stories of bravery from WWII and how precious life really is. The story was a good read with lots of poignancy.

If I could give 10 stars I would. Honestly the best book I have read in 2019. You will fall in love with the characters. I read this book in two sittings. I can't wait to find out what happened next. A surprising twist in the middle of the book will leave you speechless. If you love reading about the lives of the people who experienced World War II, this book is for you. I highly recommend this book, you will be delighted to have experienced this journey with the author. 10 stars.

Wow! What a rollercoaster of a read this was! I loved it. There is so much happening at all times. Love, heartache, passion, war, intrigue, suspense, mystery... so much that it is a pure joy to read and see where it leads.

At the risk of giving anything away, I will keep this simple.

Gillian is in present day New York. He father calls her up and asks her to come quickly to the house he is living in with his 95 year old mother. She is more than happy to oblige, as she is in the middle of a crisis in her life that she is avoiding.

Then we meet Vivian, who lives in WWII England. A talented singer and daughter to a wine shop owner. She meets the man of her dreams and then the ride begins!

So many twists and turns in this story. It kept me engaged and I never knew what would happen next. I will definitely search out other books by this author.

*i also appreciated that this was a “clean” book as well. Nothing in there to muddy it up or distract from the story.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this story!

I really enjoyed: A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean and it's a book full of interesting surprises.
It's a book with a dual timeline that seamlessly blends the past and with the present.
In 2011, Gillian catches her boyfriend cheating, she's very upset, and she's goes to visit her dad. She had no idea that he's just found a mysterious box filled with old photographs of his mother Vivian and she's standing next to a man who's dressed as a Nazi officer?
Edward is very confused, he had been told his dad Theodore had died during WW II during the blitz in London, why is his mum standing next to a German soldier and he's now worried this mysterious man might be his father?
Vivian is now in her 90's, she begins the story by explaining to her son Edward and her grand daughter Gillian why she's in the photograph, what happened to her in the past and during WW II.
Soon your swept way in a dramatic heartfelt tale about lost love, romance, secrets, mystery, and danger that all takes place during the war. I loved A Fire Sparkling, I'm a fan of WW II historical fiction and I gave the book fours stars. I have posted my review on Goodreads, Australian Amazon, Twitter and NetGalley.

This book was incredible. We go from present day back to WWII and follow a story of love and survival. It kept me guessing through the end and was very profound. I loved it. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

A FIRE SPARKLING by Julianne MacLean is a story of fiction, of history, of one family’s ties to the past.

Told from third person (Vivian), and dual first person (Gillian and April) using present day (2011) and memories from the past (1939-1945) A FIRE SPARKLING focuses on the search for the truth. Gillian Gibbons life was upended when she discovered her boyfriend of several years with another woman on the night of his fiftieth birthday. Hoping to clear her head, Gillian heads home only to be met by her father with a WWII era picture of her beloved grandmother in the arms of a Nazi officer. Gillian and her father struggle to confront Gillian’s ninety-six year old grandmother in an effort to understand what it is they found. What ensues is the retelling, revelations and acceptance of one family’s history, a history that has been turned on its’ head as Gillian’s grandmother reveals the truth about the past.

A FIRE SPARKLING follows three generations as past sins are slowly revealed. The mother and grandmother they have come to know is so much more than the frail old woman that now struggles with her life. Vivian Hughes’ life reads like a Hollywood movie script but a script where one woman has lived and died in an effort to save the people she loves. From London, England, Bordeaux France, then to the USA, the Hughes/ Cooper/ Gibbons family history is awash in secrets, lies, betrayal and love.

The world building pulls the reader into two vastly different timelines: 2011, and WWII beginning in 1939 and ending a few days after the Nazi surrender to the Allied forces. A FIRE SPARKLING is a tale of love wrapped in an historical account of one woman’s adventures, struggles, and loss during the war to end all wars. We are witness to the devastation of London before and after the day known as Black Saturday; the blackouts and rationing; the loss of lives and loves; betrayal and hate. Friendships forged but not forgotten reveal more to the story than everyone knew.

A FIRE SPARKLING is an emotional story of conflict and war; of betrayal, family, acceptance and love. A character driven story set to the backdrop of WWII wherein history is rewritten by one family’s secrets, and lies perpetuated by desperation and love.

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I loved this story! The characters were great. I didn't like April at first, but by the end of the story, I knew she was a heroine. What a life she lived. Gillian learned a lot from her grandmother's life and came out better for it. I can understand why she went to research her grandmother's past and to discover things about her family. Wow!

This story has it all, from wonderful characters, romance, mystery and history. Taking place during WW2 to present day the story is between a granddaughter, her father and her grandmother. The plot has so many twists and turns about things that the family thought they knew, that might not be exactly true. Get ready for quite a few unpredictable truths that finally surface after years of never being told. It was a real page turner from beginning to end with joy and sadness too!
Many thanks to Lakeside Publishing, the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book. My review and opinions of this book are completely my own. I have read several of Julianne MacLean's books and have enjoyed all of them!

What an emotional roller coaster this book is. Anytime you have a story about WWII a lot of emotions will be added to the story. I never saw all the secrets that came out coming. When you think you know everything, you don't. I really enjoyed how we started in 2011 and then went back to hear the grandmother's time during the war. What a life the grandmother had, wow. I really did enjoy this story.


*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley/author and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

Whatever you expect from this novel, there is more, so much more. When a personal crisis sends Gillian to her Grandmother’s home to re-evaluate her life and her future, she finds that there is more to her grandmother than she ever knew or could even imagine. Told in a dual time-line, we are moved from the present to World War II as Gillian’s Grandmother starts to reveal the secrets of her life.
This was a story with so many layers. The descriptions had me in London during the War and I felt what the characters went through as they navigated their lives trying to survive. There were secrets and betrayal, and love that sacrifices everything for another. Overall, there is family: a family that needed to heal and find its way to be whole; each individual and as a family.
A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean was heart-wrenching and beautiful. I stayed up half the night reading with tears running down my face. Grab some tissues and let the story sweep you away.
#AFireSparkling #JulianneMacLean #LakeUnionPublishing

A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean
Vivian has a secret, one she has held onto since the war. She never meant to reveal it, but her son, Edward discovered the photos in the hidden compartment in the old sea chest. And now, Vivian has to tell her story in order to unravel seventy years worth of deceit.

Vivian's granddaughter, Gillian, is home to nurse a broken heart after discovering her beau with another woman. Will she give Malcom a second chance or will she move on without him?

Vivian's story leaves Edward and Gillian with questions...and reflections of their own.

Julianne MacLean shares with her readers a story of love, heartache, secrets, survival, and forgiveness. How far would you go to save the one you love? I look forward to reading more titles by author Julia. S Maclean.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher and author for A free ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean is not what I expected and yet so so much more than I expected!! Twists and turns that dropped my jaw! I couldn't put the darn book down it was so good!
Gillian's story begins with her long time boyfriend breaking her heart, which leads her to head home to her father and grandmother to lick her wounds. A shocking find by her father adds to her confusion, and takes them back to her grandmother Vivian's past during WW2. What the family had though was her story turns out to be a fabrication and with the find from her father, her grandmother is confronted and compelled to explain. What comes out turns out to be a heartbreaking and shocking story of her true life during WWII.
The writing was phenomenal! I fell into the pages from the beginning of the story. I loved the complex complete characters. I cared about what happened to them and was involved in their story.
I fully recommend this wonderful
historical fiction/ romance / suspense! 5 stars!
Expected publication: August 1st 2019 by Lake Union Publishing

Wow, what a fantastic read. Julianne MacLean does it again. This was such a great book. I love the blend of history and romance as it makes for a fantastic story line, this is a page turner that you can’t put down. She leaves you wanting more page after page but totally satisfied at the end. I look forward to reading anything this author writes.

There are casualties of war that no one can see coming, and some of them are going to shock a family more than anyone could ever know...

When pictures are discovered in her grandmother's attic, Gillian is not sure what to think. She thinks of the grandmother she knew, and cannot imagine what she would be doing with a Nazi officer. But as the story starts to unfold, the past comes to light, and the horrible secret that her grandmother has been hiding for many years is finally about to be shared.
As Gillian sets off on a journey to discover what she can learn about her grandmother and the story that was told, the sacrifices that were made during the war are made more clear. However, there are secrets from the past that have yet to be revealed...

Oh my goodness! I could not put this book down, it was amazing! I sat and read it in one sitting. Get ready for a story that is going to run you through an emotional loop!

Wow! Just Wow! A truly inspiring multi-generational story where Grandma reveals her incredible past during WWII. Beautifully written with amazing twists and turns. Julianne MacLean takes the reader on a journey into the past where we learn about the perils of war and the bravery of one woman to make a difference. The ensuing story will leave you on the edge of your seat as page after page reveals one shocking twist after another. A definite must-read! I absolutely loved it.

If you are looking for an intense, emotionally rich story then Julianne MacLean’s latest book, A Fire Sparkling is it. As one granddaughter seeks to work through her own heartache she asks her grandmother some tough questions that cause her to relive hers. Not exactly what Vivian Hughes had planned to ever do, especially now. Told in such vivid detail and beautiful description it isn’t just a story that is read but one that is felt and experienced.

I was transported back in time to WWII London through Vivian’s eyes. Change is inevitable but war brings it on even faster. Choices are made, consequences follow, this is Vivian’s story; her family and her friends. Perhaps it is also Gillian’s story who now needs to find her own future. What I am sure A Fire Sparkling is, is a story that will stick with you long after you finish the last page; heartbreaking and inspiring, significant and evocative.