From their first meeting it is rather obvious that Jess and Sam are scarily in tune with each other, they literally clicked instantly.

However Sam at the time had a girlfriend, and so it took a while, and for him to realise he can't get Jess out of his head, to dump Victoria and then as he is a good guy waits a month before even contacting Jess again.

Although their connection is key to the book there is so much more to it than their relationship. We have a psycho ex to deal with.

Then there is Jess' rather important job that she has that adds a new dimension to the depth of the book. Oh and various family rifts to work through too!

It's a really fun book on the whole, and a pleasure to read. I would happily fight Jess for Sam, as he is my sort of guy. Hating Victoria became a fun past time while I was reading this, as she really is desperate and despicable and I kept wanting her to leave the happy couple alone.

It's a really enjoyable story from Jules Wake, and I feel this would make a wonderful movie. I could picture it so easily as a film, or possibly even a play.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

If you believe in love at first meeting, then you’ll be interested in the premise of this novel. Sam and Jess meet and immediately feel an attraction which is cemented by how much they have in common in their career choices and approach to life. Jess helps run a refuge for abused women and their children. Sam teaches autistic children. They both are good-hearted people who want to help others.

The problem is that Sam is in a long-term relationship already. He soon breaks it off because he realizes that Jess is the woman for him. However, the former girlfriend is a real b***h. She isn’t going to let him go gracefully and sets out to spoil every relationship he has in his life from his parents to his friends and his place on the local cricket team.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and was eager to see how the former girlfriend would get her comeuppance. I just couldn’t figure out why such a great guy like Sam would have been with this wealthy, high-maintenance, selfish woman. They seemed to have nothing in common except that they are both good-looking. Why was he with her so long? It just seemed like a plot contrivance so that there could be barriers put in front of Sam and Jess’s romance.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

What a corker of a read, I always love books by Jules Wake and this was exactly the type of read I needed right now.

Jess is a character who is a pessimist when it comes to love at first sight and is happy with her friends and family around her, until she bumps into Sam at a family BBQ.

A story to make you laugh and cry, Jess hasn't had an easy childhood and her past traumas are delved into during this story. This was one of those books that you are desperate to keep reading to find out just how the initial spark between Jess & Sam works out.

I read this in two days, it drew me in and was engaging throughout! It's a light-hearted, easy read but also covers complex issues and feels like it has more substance to it than some other books of this genre. I really believed the characters and Jess was a complex and well-developed character which made it enjoyable to read from her point of view.

This is the first book I have read by Jules Wake but it has made me want to read others now!

As a fan of Jules Wake I couldn't wait to get my hands on this. Notting Hill in the Snow is one of my favourite books. But this book just didn't quite 'spark' for me. The writing was excellent and Wake really does know how to set up a relationship. The weak part for me was the character of Sam. I felt no spark towards him and thought he was a bit of a crappy bloke so I just couldn't make myself fall in love with this book. 3.5 stars

I loved this book!

It had a really nice natural flow to the storyline and it was one that I wanted to carry on reading.

Everything about the book worked well for me, it all fell into place as the book progressed and it was one that was easy to read with some excellent characters that were really well developed and I just loved their interaction too.

Love really shone through with this one - well done to Jules it was a lovely read.

It is 5 stars from me for this one, very highly recommended!

For the first time in a while I haven't been able to easily find a way to put down words for a review. Not because of being speechless, but rather that I wanted to spend time thinking of a way to say how confused I have come away from this book. To be honest, I had many moments reading this book where I had to grit my teeth rather than shout out loud. I just don't get it. I don't get all the hype.

First of all, it seems like the majority of the characters within this book are not very likeable. Jess is whiny, Sam is lets say, boring and Jess's mum, oh my, I wouldn't want to be in a room with her. I know this sounds harsh and now that I look at it, quite brutal but it seems all the time they are going around the same circle in the book, time and time again. If I had to put all my cards down on the table, the only redeeming qualities is Auntie Lynn and her Jess' father's family. These always brought a smile to my face because they seemed like such lovely people.

Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely frustrating as to the attitude of Victoria and what she did to both of them, but somehow I feel like she is not totally to blame. Any woman in her position would be annoyed after being together with someone for that long and being dumped in a millisecond. Because when you're in a relationship like that, you don't really expect your other half to be looking at someone else. It was a dick move I tell you that. But in some ways she really did go far, a little too far for my liking.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of The Spark by Jules Wake in exchange for an honest opinion.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Sam and Jess do. Or at least they think they do. They meet at a party and there is definitely a spark between them but Sam has a girlfriend. Jess is disappointed and in the following weeks, can't stop thinking about Sam. Then, a few weeks later, Jess receives a phone call from Sam that he broke up with his girlfriend awhile ago because he couldn't stop thinking about Jess. Things seem amazing...until the ex-girlfriend tries to get him back. Jess and Sam go through a lot to be together, is their love enough to fight the obstacles they face and keep them together?

I loved this story. I did have a few issues with it, hence the 4 stars and not 5. One of the biggest being that Jess's mother was left by Jess's father for another woman. Throughout the book, Jess struggles with, "am I the other woman." Her love for Sam (which seemed to move ridiculously fast, IMO) caused her to see both sides of the coin and caused her to look at her parents' relationship more thoroughly.
#Divorce #LoveAtFirstSight #Neighbors #ExGirlfriends #Relationships #BeachRead #LoveScenes #Abuse

What happens when you get “the spark” but the person you have it with is already taken? The story revolves around Jess and Sam who meet at a party, things start off rocky as Sam leads her on throughout the party and at the end he tells her “ oh yeah, I have a girlfriend, let’s be friends.” Cue a few awkward encounters, and then Sam is single and starts dating Jess. Thus begins their very rocky relationship as Sam’s ex Vic has made it her mission to stalk Jess, ruin their dates, and be a general psycho. Jess is feeling absolutely guilty since growing up her own father left her mother for another woman and now Jess feels like she’s the “other woman” in her relationship with Sam. Sam’s family is convinced that Jess is just a phase and that Sam will get back with Vic and just instantly hate and mistreat Jess. Now my biggest issue with this story was Sam. Sam who constantly goes off to comfort his ex and who doesn’t set clear boundaries with his family and ex about how he has moved on and is in a new relationship. Sam was the weakest link in the story for me. I didn’t like him from the get go, and I initially didn’t like Jess either, but she grew on me by the end of the book. All in all, I just didn’t see what Jess saw in Sam, and I just couldn’t find “the spark” in this romance. However, this was a fast and easy read, and if you enjoy really easy romances, I guess that could work for you.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was a cute feel good book. Well written and the characters were well developed and likeable. Definitely would recommend for a quick light read!

Aw man aw man aw man.
This book is the best feel good contemporary romance I've read in a while, it's so gushy and I love it. So stereotypical it's great. The spark, the sibtant connection, love at first sight couple need to fend off the evil ex girlfriend. It's perfect. Had me screaming at the plot twist.
Honestly go read this.

Will be posting on good reads and amazon. Thanks for letting me read your novel, I loved it.

When Jess is ditched by her cousin she's got to go to Uncle and Aunts party alone. The only person close to her age is Sam. They have loads in common but he has a girlfriend and he asks if they can be friends! After few shared texts and they start being Facebook friends, feelings stir. After a month he's single again and ready to be with Jess. But his ex isn't going to make life easy!

I really enjoyed this book. The perfect instalove storyline. It is the perfect romantic comedy to escape to. Lots of fun moments. Really fun book. Uplifting and makes you warm and fuzzy.

This was such a cute book. Well-written and full of quirky and fun dialogue, I was so happy to try a new book by a new author as I have not read Jules Wake before. As a Canadian, some of the British references and slang went right over my head, but my unfamiliarity didn't take away from the book which was great.

Both Jess and Sam were relatable characters with a series of individual issues and conflict to overcome, although I did feel like Jess received a lot more of the book's attention than Sam and Sam's character felt less like a main character and more like a support character. The plot was predictable and a bit cliché, but that's okay and I quite enjoyed it anyway. I got invested enough in the book that I wish there was an epilogue!

Overall, a great light and entertaining read for a cold winter day. Would recommend for anyone looking for an entertaining beach read!

2.5 stars
I liked how real this book felt. It’s about relationships, but not just the romantic kind. It was raw. There are obstacles and highs and lows. Not everything falls perfectly into place.
But I did have some qualms with it...
For a book that’s called “The Spark”, I never felt said spark between the characters.
I didn’t really like Sam from the get go. Leading someone on while having a girlfriend? That’s not a meet cute. And I never thought it got better from there. He let people walk all over him and Jess.
Honestly, I felt bad for Victoria at first. Sure, she was not being a great person, but her long term boyfriend broke up with her for someone he just met. It doesn’t excuse bad behavior, but I mean, she is going through a lot of emotions. Then she got vindictive...
I also thought their families were pretty awful. Let your kids do what they need to do.
I don’t know. I have mixed feelings. I feel like I wasn’t really rooting for anyone.

*special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

When Jess and Sam meet at a family barbecue there is an instant connection, they know that they are meant to be together, but there is only one problem. Sam has a girlfriend, the beautiful Victoria. Muscling is on another girls man is a no-go for Jess. Her father left when she was young, to move in with someone else, and Jess saw how it destroyed her mother. She can't do that to another woman.
But Sam just can't stop thinking about Jess He ends his relationship with Victoria and a few weeks later they start dating.
Sam and Jess has an intense attraction and share a sense of humour and a love of adventure. Is that enough to keep them together when Victoria is doing everything in her power to keep them apart.

It did take me a while to warm up to this book. It struck me as quite childish. Jess and Sam are both in their 20's with their own lives but still emotionally dependant on their parents and other relatives, and still act like teenagers around them. The main characters are likeable enough, they have standard romantic novel extreme good looks and kind hearts, this can be a little bland at times. The villain is very villainous indeed, whilst all the time pretending to be the victim – It does stretch belief a little far at times, to think that none of her closest friends would realise that she was not what she seemed.

I got into it eventually and I did enjoy the ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher allowing me to read a free e-copy of this book so I could review it.

I enjoy this author’s books and this one was no exception.

When Jess meets Sam there is an instant attraction, but Sam has a girlfriend and Jess has no intention of being the other woman. Four weeks later when Sam gets in touch with Jess, he no longer has a girlfriend and the spark between them can now ignite. The story follows Jess and Sam as they try to build a relationship while dealing with his vengeful ex.

A good story with a great cast of characters which was a quick and easy read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e/copy of The Spark by Jules Wake!!!

What happens when you meet the one but he is already in a relationship? What happens if after he breaks up with his girlfriend in order to date you and his ex does not accept the break up?

I really liked this book!! I usually don’t read books like this and I’m glad I gave it a chance. I liked the main character Jess a lot. This book is well written and flows very well with many interesting characters. One thing I wished for was maybe a point of view from the ex girlfriend to make her a bit more of a sympathetic character, but overall I enjoyed this book!

I loved this book! I couldn't put it down until I had finished it and that doesn't happen very often to me. The characters felt very real and you get very involved with them. I loved the way Jess gradually gains an insight into her Mum's relationship through her own problems. A romance you will be rooting for from start to finish.

What happens when you meet your soul mate and you feel that instant spark? This novel sets out to explore how two people meet and feel that connection where they are meant to be, but when life gets in the way, can this spark be enough? The Spark was an easy enough read where I was able to read it within a day. As it is set in England, there are random phrasings that took me a few seconds longer than normal to understand as they aren’t quite the same meanings/uses in the U.S. Two people who are each other’s Lego pieces and just click seamlessly together face many obstacles to be together.

We begin the story where Jess Harper, a woman in her late twenties who works for a women’s refuge, is attending a party at her aunt and uncle’s house. While out in the garden, she meets the only other attendee her age, Sam Weaverham, a man in his late twenties who is a primary school teacher for kids with special needs and a semi-pro cricket player. The two have an instant spark and their conversation flows seamlessly and they feel super comfortable being around each other. The only issue is that Sam is currently in a long-term relationship (four years) with an influencer named Victoria. To remain faithful to his girlfriend, they agree that they have a connection, but Sam and Jess can’t be together, even as friends. Jess is torn by being in contact with Sam as her family has been broken by having another woman involved. Unfortunately, they run into each other, text, and become Facebook friends and Jess can’t help how she’s feeling for Sam. This dynamic conflicted me as on one hand, I can understand how you would want to stay somewhat connected to your soul mate, but on the other, as Jess has been so damaged by her past “other woman” issues, I could not understand why she refused contact with Sam for a clean break before anything could potentially happen. (It wouldn’t be a story though if she followed the latter.)

As Sam was unable to get over the spark he felt with Jess, he ends his relationship with Victoria and pursues Jess after a little over a month after first meeting. The two of them start to date, but are faced with many obstacles caused mainly by the scorned ex, Victoria. On their first date, Vic shows up outside when the new couple is exiting the restaurant and causes a huge scene. Sam comforts Vic and Jess leaves upset. This initial interaction between the three did not sit as well with me because Sam is the issue. By comforting Victoria, he sets up the expectations that it is okay for her to act out and he is in the wrong and therefore has to comfort her. It eliminates the boundaries and to me is actually what sets off Vic’s determination to break up Jess and Sam in order to win him back. If Sam placed the boundary between him and Victoria initially by reminding her that it’s over and showed her more tough love by walking away with Jess, then it would’ve at least illustrated that Jess was the woman in Sam’s life now.

As this scenario did not happen, Victoria remains in Sam’s life although Sam is frustrated by this. Jess keeps having inner turmoil as she feels bad for Vic and claims that Jess is the other woman that broke them apart and Jess needs to treat Vic kindly and accept everything (even the bad) that Vic does. It sort-of makes sense in a way how people outside the couple can initially believe that Jess is the other woman as Sam did leave Vic to be with Jess, but as some time did pass between one relationship ending and the other beginning along with Jess wasn’t involved with Sam before he broke up with Vic, however, I couldn’t fully get behind this idea. Sam’s family is a main culprit of this as they favor Victoria and just consider Jess a phase before Sam will return to Vic. It’s hard to fully tell as not every detail is shown if Sam had conversations about the end of his relationship with his family or not. If he did, then he really needed to reiterate the story that he is not with Vic and has no desire to go back. If he did not, then he needed to communicate more with his family. Either way, I could not understand Sam’s family as they dismissed Jess without giving her a chance because they favored Vic. Although it was realistic, it was extremely hard to relate to as my family would never remain in contact with an ex (no matter how long the relationship) unless we specifically had a conversation okaying it.

Jess and her mother have a strained relationship after Jess’ dad left to be with another woman. The mother experienced a break-down from the break-up and their relationship is strained from the incident. As Jess feels like the other woman in her relationship with Sam, she finds parallels from her own relationship to her parent’s. Throughout the novel, Jess reflects on her past and present as she starts to explore maybe there is more to the story of her parents then initially met the eye. Throughout this journey, as a reader, you do begin to feel some sympathy for Joan, Jess’ mother, but I think she needed either more therapy or outside help to have it continuously affect her over ten years later. I felt for both Joan and Victoria as it’s heart-breaking when the one you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with leaves and finds happiness with someone else. However, although it’s extremely painful, you’d think that either woman would even think for a second of the positive side. It’s better to break things off, then to be with someone who isn’t fully committed and is possibly thinking of someone else.

Overall, this is a story about dealing with the fallout of past relationships and the start of new ones. No love story is perfect and is worth any obstacle if you are meant to be. Jess and Sam were definitely meant to be as they are both similar personalities and dealt with situations in the same way. They both were super nice and gave people the benefit of the doubt, even when others would not. The novel was very realistic and it was nice to read a story, even if I don’t fully agree with the decisions the characters made along the way. It was well-written and flowed nicely between each chapter. I loved how family and friendships were included as they are affected by our romantic choices and the decisions we make in romance can affect those around us. After reading this story, I’m definitely intrigued to read more as I enjoyed this take on a classic romantic story.

This was a very lovely and easy quick read.

The story follows Sam and Jess as they have to overcome problems with ex-girlfriends, friends, family and their jobs. I really enjoyed this book as the relationship was very cute and I loved that both of their jobs really meant something in the world and how they would be helping people.

The only thing I struggled with really was Jess’ Mum and I felt that some of it was predictable but I enjoyed it nonetheless!

Thank you to Netgalley, publishers and the author for allowing me this copy in exchange for an honest review.