Avery and Declan have been best friends for a long time and even live together. Their relationship has always been platonic. When Declan is not able to drive Avery to an appointment, she drives herself and gets in an accident. She is badly injured, and Declan feels guilty. He does everything he can to help her after the accident. As they grow closer, feelings come out between them, and best friends become lovers. This book is relatively conflict free until the last section. This makes it a bit boring in spots. The whole middle of the book is Avery getting over her injuries and Declan being at her beck and call. This book was at times lighthearted (the goofy events at Spark house) and other times very heavy (Avery’s injuries, and Declan’s family issues). Ultimately you are rooting for them to finally see what everyone else thinks is so obvious, that they are prefect for each other.

This book is a mostly sweet, thoroughly fun story, with a bit of an emotional roller-coaster element to it. I really liked Avery and Declan. I particularly liked them together. I had a lot of fun giggling at the situations they wound up in as Declan played nurse and the pair started to realize what their true feelings for one another were. It made my heart bleed to see how badly scarred Declan had been by his parents’ relationship. But I especially appreciated that this wasn’t a story of True Love simply conquering all. It took work and compromise and a commitment to making their relationship the best it could be to bring about the ending they get. Now that we’ve met Avery and her sisters, I hope we get the chance to know them better in future books about the other two Sparks.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.

I have always loved Helena Hunting books and this book is no different. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Avery and Declan had me hooked from the beginning and I could not put the book down.

Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and they have been roommates since graduating. After a car accident Avery needs someone to help care for her. Declan blames himself for the accident. That's when the sparks start to fly between them.

I can’t wait to see which Spark sister will get their story next. I loved all the characters in this book and I am looking forward to more of them.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a cute friend who loves books with humor, emotion and is steamy!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in return for my honest review. I loved it!

I really...did not like this book. Like, at all.

I generally love this author's writing, but WHEN SPARKS FLY felt totally disjointed to me. There was way too much time spent on unimportant story points and then the author rushed or skipped over very important story points.

WHEN SPARKS FLY is a friends to lovers romance in which we get almost no shifting of feelings from friends to more until AFTER these two start hooking up. It goes from "just friends" (with no hint of a romantic spark for either of them) to "give me orgasms".

In the end, that takes away the delicious tension and lead up that is the hallmark of a good Friends-to-Lovers romance.

We also get highly detailed scenes of these two fooling around, but when the important physical moment occurs, the moment when they seal the deal, we get fade to black AND no mention of how that major shift in their behaviors actually effects their relationship.

Sadly, WHEN SPARKS FLY just didn't work for me.

Avery and Declan have been best friends since college, they are also roommates. They understand each other and they have a great friendship. I absolutely loved their friendship and the bond that they had from the start. When Avery gets into a pretty bad car accident, Declan steps up to help and become her caretaker. However, this accident has also caused a shift in their friendship.
Avery and Declan have chemistry, they have a strong connection that goes deeper than friendship. Yet, neither of them wants to risk ruining what they have or their friendship with the rest of the group. Avery is focused on her job with her sisters and recovering from the accident. Declan is focused on taking care of Avery, but he also avoids relationships thanks to what he has witnessed growing up with his parents.
I loved seeing their friendship grow into something more throughout the course of the story. It is a slow burn, but it is worth the wait. I loved seeing the growth of these characters throughout the course of the story, especially with Declan.
I can’t wait for more of the Spark sisters!
If you’re looking for a slow burn, friends to lovers romance this is one to check out.

When Sparks Fly was a good friends to lovers story. Avery and Declan's chemistry from the beginning was amazing and builds throughout the book! I loved the banter, friendship and steamy scenes. After the issues were resolved, Avery and Declan were perfect together!

Avery and Declan's best friends-to-lovers story in When Sparks Fly by Helen Hunting is an enjoyable and emotional story that brings out all the feels. Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and are currently roommates, never having crossed the friend line to feeling more; romantically speaking. When Avery is in a terrible car accident that leaves her injured both physically and mentally it brings up intense past emotions for both her and her sisters; reminders of their parents’ own fatal accident. Declan was supposed to be driving with Avery that day but after messing up, he is torn up with guilt over what happened, and the realities of why he wasn’t there. Being best friends and roommates, he works for forgiveness by taking care of Avery while she’s on the mend. Spending time together has these two starting to have romantic feelings for each other and while neither of them are relationship experts, they recognize that they already have an established friendship and dedication to each other. Declan, however, has only seen a very toxic relationship between his parents, and he’s always cut any of his relationships off before they became serious. Their journey to a relationship and love is a bumpy ride and at times, Declan was a real jerk. When he jumps to conclusions causing their fragile relationship to implode, I wanted to slap Declan upside his head. Despite the sizzling chemistry they shared, it is going to take a lot of groveling by Declan before Avery will be able to trust him again.

Ms. Hunting wrote an emotional, wonderful, heartwarming romance that kept me turning the pages as I followed the twist and turns of Avery and Declan’s relationship. She provided a tale rich with magnetic attraction, sizzling chemistry, clever banter, the magic of friends, and charming characters giving Avery and Declan a chance at love, happiness, and a future neither expected. I highly recommend When Sparks Fly to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Avery and Declan have been best friends for years. They live together, have the same friends, and share a love of soccer. There's nothing more between them than friendship. After Avery is injured in a car accident, though, everything gets a lot more complicated.

I really liked Avery as the heroine. She is relatable, close with her sisters, and really passionate about her work at the event space/hotel Spark House. I really felt for her struggles after the accident and how she worried about her changing relationship with Declan.

Declan was a character I really struggled with for much of the book. I could see how much he genuinely cared for Avery and why he was so relationship adverse. However he frustrated me with some of his actions. I do have to say, though, that I was so impressed by the growth he exhibits near the end of the book.

I am really looking forward to Avery's sister's books. They were really great here and it will be interesting to see what happens next for them and Spark House.

Was I hooked by that book? Yes. Friends-to-lovers, plenty of drama, and plenty of steamy hotness.

Avery loves her job, she works with her sisters, she has great friends, and she loves living with her best friend, Declan. They have kept each other firmly in the friend zone, but the lines get blurred after Avery is in a car accident and Declan takes on her care.

At the start Declan made some bad decisions because he was left off-kilter after Avery dressed up all sexy to go on a date. It left a super nervous Avery to drive by herself in the rain with her less-than-reliable car. She ends up in a bad accident and in need of constant care when she is discharged from the hospital. Declan offers to be her nurse. Avery and Declan end up spending a lot of time in close proximity because of all the physical help that Avery needs.

Declan tends to overreact first and think later. He did it when he saw Avery all dressed up for her date before the accident and he did again in a big way later on when Avery and Sam had their meeting. He did take very good care of Avery, but he let his insecurities override everything else. Avery stood up for herself and demanded more from Declan.

The ending is sweet and emotional and wraps everything up nicely. Declan ended up doing the mature thing by getting help.

I really liked the writing style. It's fun and the plot moves at a good pace. The developing relationship between Avery and Declan progressed nicely.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars

Friends to lovers are some of my favorite stories. There is no denying the strength of the friendship between Avery and Declan. You can definitely tell that they are each other’s ride or die. Their friendship has stood the test of time and a few ups and downs along the way. To the average outsider they would be considered not then friends.

When Sparks Fly finds two friends that don’t realize what is right under their noses. It takes a major event for the reality to come to light. Avery is in a major accident and requires a good deal of care. Declan steps up to the plate no question asked. As they discover new things within their friendship, some of their inner flaws show up and take root. Avery and Declan take the leap now they just have to stay a float.

I honestly enjoyed this friends to lovers tale, I do feel there were several parts that seemed to drag on. With that being said, I really liked how Avery and Declan worked through their issues to be able to find their happiness.

I'm always excited to read a new Helena Hunting title! I liked the tropes covered in this story, Friends to lovers, forced proximity & slow burn. I really liked this story. The build up between Avery & Declan was hot from the get go!

Sincere, sophisticated, and sweet!

When Sparks Fly is a passionate, engaging, friends-to-more romance that features the focused, determined Avery, who finds it harder and harder to keep her attraction to her best friend a secret, and the sexy, fun-loving Declan, who realizes that sometimes things happen for a reason, and everything he’s ever wanted or needed may be standing right in front of him.

The writing is amusing and light. The characters are supportive, kind, and endearing. And the plot is a delightful blend of emotion, drama, heat, attraction, unconditional friendship, true love, and a sliver of angst.

Overall, When Sparks Fly is a charming, feel-good, intimate tale by Hunting that’s full of heart, humour, engaging characters, and touching moments.

Best friends who are not romantically involved but live together? Ok, sure.
But then one gets injured, the other is partially to blame, and now they are living together as not only best friends, but as caretakers. All boundaries are broken and they get closer than they could have ever imagined.

This story was heartwarming, heartbreaking, and also everything I wanted for Avery and Declan in their friendship. This book is the epitome of what it means to develop a strong relationship from an even stronger friendship – and how without the friendship, the relationship can crumble. I cannot recommend this one enough!

Unfortunately this book didn't work for me at all. I did not finish it because the hero did so many reprehensible things. I didn't think it was possible for him to be redeemed in my eyes. I love a good character arc but he was too much of a jerk for me to change my opinion of him ever. 0/5 stars

First of all, I love, love, love Helena Hunting. She is a beautiful, talented woman. I am always pulled into her books from page 1. This book was so sweet, Declan and Avery started as best friends and roommates. Because of an accident, Declan was overrun with guilt, Avery depended on him for all of her needs while she recovered. That is When Sparks Fly! It was a great story that included lots of feelings from angst to lust, to healing, both physical to mental and a HEA. I highly recommend this book.

When Sparks Fly had the makings of a perfect friend's to lovers romance that was going to be one of those stories that would have you smiling long after you've finished reading it. Sadly that was not the case for me and while I did expect more from this, there were some moments that I did enjoy.

Avery has a successful business that she runs with her two sisters, she's happy and she has the best roommate that any could have asked for. It also doesn't hurt that her roommate is also her best friend and they've weathered the storm together. But when an accident leaves Avery unable to do things on her for a while, that very same friendship is going to be tested.

Declan is a very simple man. He loves his job, hanging out with his boys and having the occasional company of a woman. But if you were to ask who's the most important person in his life, he will proudly tell you that it's his best friend Avery. There is nothing that he wouldn't do for her and he got a chance to show just how far he will go for her. But can their friendship withstand everything that they're going to face?

I really liked that this was a best friends/roommates romance but I was expecting to feel more from this. I didn't feel that yearning from the characters for each other and there was no buildup to their attraction or their romantic relationship. I felt like one minute I was reading something about someone being jealous and boom! They were together.

For some reason I was a fan of Avery. I liked that even though she didn't have everything in her life figured out, she still tried to be happy and content in the Moment and she knew her worth. Declan on the other hand I wanted to throttle a few times and have a good talk with him with a chair but I managed to reign it in. I think that if the romance connection was there from the very beginning, I would've enjoyed this story much more. That being said, if you're a fan of this author then you're probably going to love this one as well.

Due to hospitalization and health issues I cannot review at this time. Will review at a later time when convenient.

When Sparks Fly by Helen Hunting
Contemporary romance. Friends to lovers troupe. Alternating chapters between Avery and Declan. Stand-alone.
Avery and Declan have been friends and roommates since college. When Avery gets in an accident, Declan puts everything on hold to take care of her. Their awkwardness in intimate situations such as helping her into the shower becomes routine. Their awareness of each other increases as they spend time together.

Laugh out loud antics and quips. I enjoyed this novel for the amusing friendship they shared and the increasing sexual tension. There were issues they had to deal with to get to a healthy relationship. It wasn’t just bushed away which I appreciated.
I liked the heroine for her comfort with her life and body and her understanding of dealing with issues head on.

Is love different than “in love”? Avery and Declan need to figure that out.

🎧 I listened to the audio version while reading along with an ebook copy. For me, the ebook increased the humor and tension but the audio made me more aware of Declan’s thoughts since his chapters were narrated Jason Clarke. Both he and Stella Bloom did a wonderful job with the performances. For each of their chapters, they did both male and female. I was impressed with both and liked the alternating as the change enhanced the two different points of view. I listened to most of the recording at 1.25 which is the most comfortable for me but to read the text at the same time, I needed to increase the speed to 1.5.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley, Macmillan and Macmillan Audio. I also purchased a copy to keep and read again in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the chance to read an early copy of this book!

I'm afraid I cannot recommend this book as a romance; in fact, I was rooting against the characters' relationship the whole time. Little did I know that this part of the cover copy was so crucial: "While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries." While I enjoy a good hurt/comfort trope, it's pretty uncomfortable when the one doing the comforting really did have, as I see it, a part in the hurting.

So here's the setup of the book:
--Tomboy and ladies' man live together as roommates
--Tomboy gets all dolled up for a date one night
--Ladies' man has confused angry pants feelings because he thinks tomboy looks hot, and gets super super drunk
--"Hero" left SUV at the bar because he couldn't drive himself home (good choice)
--"Hero" forgot that heroine needed to drive with him somewhere the next day, and his SUV is in much better shape than her crappy car, and begs off the trip to sleep off his hangover
--Heroine drives crappy car and aggressive pickup truck causes a FATAL CAR ACCIDENT WHERE THE PICKUP DRIVER AND MULTIPLE OTHER PEOPLE DIE (something I did NOT need to ever read in a romance novel), and the heroine is severely injured and requires lots of physical assistance while she recovers
--"Hero" volunteers to be her main caretaker and (rightfully) feels guilty, but also thinks she is super hot when he helps her shower
--Friends to lovers relationship develops during this messed-up caretaker situation (and hero doesn't go to therapy until the very end of the book)

I'm sorry, but when one person has done something that they will need to atone for the rest of their life, THIS IS NOT A HEALTHY BASIS FOR A RELATIONSHIP. I found the situation extremely toxic and upsetting, and instead of a romance I think this should be a women's fiction novel about the heroine going through therapy after the inevitable bitter breakup.

Declan and Avery are best friends and roommates. They'd proven people wrong when they say members of the opposite sex can't maintain a friendship. Declan makes a bad decision and lets Avery down which leads to a situation he feels quite guilty about. Over time, the entire course of their relationship changes and they find themselves admitting feelings that they never acknowledged before.

The flow of this book was perfect. There was a strong back story, great character development and a storyline that kept me reading until I finished the book. Ms. Hunting did not disappoint - - she knocked it out of the park with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.