3.5 Stars. I love a good friends to lovers trope. Avery and Declan's was a sweet story, with a strong foundation. There were a lot of sweet and heart wrenching moments throughout the book and overall it was an enjoyable read. For some reason, the story fell a bit flat for me. I knew some sort of confrontation or issue would have to arise and the one that did, did not feel organic to me. I did like the path they took to heal from it though. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Hunting fans as well as those who love a good friends to lovers storylines need to pick up When Sparks Fly on September 21st! Hunting does another great job crafting a love story that mirrors real life with set backs, victories, easy days when everything just "fits" and the hard days that leave you questioning everything. The characters in this book jumped off the page for me and I love that they were flawed and determined. When Sparks Fly was easy to get emerged in and I flew through it.

I’ve read a couple of books from this author and have enjoyed them very much, so when the opportunity came up to read When Sparks Fly, I didn’t hesitate to request a copy. Definitely a best friends to lovers story, loved the chemistry between Declan and Avery, made you wonder what took so long for the two of them to get together. Enjoyed the premise of the Spark House and the event planning aspect (the opening was hysterical), loved the way Avery interacted with the guys and Declan. Declan was a typical man whore, doesn’t want commitment or to deal with a dedicated relationship because of his parents and what he went through in his childhood. Lots of emotional parts to this story, you really feel for Declan and Avery during the challenging parts of this book, some difficult to imagine, but really added to the story. I think the only thing that could have been cut down was the insecurities both characters had, especially Declan. You pretty much get the issues they had, but it just seemed to harp a bit too much, other than that I really enjoyed this book, especially the end, tissue moment for sure.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

This book is about loss, fear and love. For the Spark sisters, running Spark House is a way of coping with the past. The one who really loves running the place is Avery. She went to college, is a tom boy of sorts and loves to interact with people. She was in love but the break up crushed her. Since then she has never taken anyone seriously. Declan was on a soccer team when they met. They became fast friends. Through all their ups and downs, they were friends. In a blink of an eye, that all changed. How do you stay friends with the person you are falling in love with? How does this change the dynamics? Cross the line they did and eventually it went bad. Now they are working their way back to each other. Only it is not just friendship, it is more. I love the ending!

Helena Hunting is one of my sneaky favorite romance authors, I've really enjoyed everything I've read of hers so far, but When Sparks Fly may be my favorite now. I'm obsessed with the trope where one has to take care of the other so this was right up my alley. Friends to lovers isn't normally a trope that speaks to me, but that should tell you how great the book was that I enjoyed it so much.

Told in alternating POV's, we meet roommates and best friends since college, Avery and Declan. Avery is a guy's girl - plays sports, dresses in athleisure, doesn't date, is friends with all men, etc. Declan is a player, always bringing home random women but is a complete commitment phobe and doesn't believe in relationships after watching his parents mess theirs up for years. But, when Declan inadvertently helps cause a huge car accident that leave Avery with two working limbs, his guilt insists he take care of her and in doing so, become so close to her. But can the commitment phobe make a relationship work?

This book hit all the right spots for me. I will say the end dragged a bit and could have wrapped up sooner, but that's a small piece of the larger story of seeing your friend in a romantic light and bonds changing. There is a decent level of spice to this book, but I would label it as medium spicy by my definition. I hope we can get companion stories for the other two Spark sisters but we'll see!

**Thank you to St Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

Avery and Declan met in college and have been roommates since they graduated. It’s not romantic, but they are best friends and do almost everything together. While Avery doesn’t have the time to date, this is what she tells herself, Declan is a playboy. Rarely does he date the same girl more than a couple of times. When Avery’s sisters tell her to start dating, she finally agrees to try it again. Going on these dating sites is very difficult since you really don’t know what you are getting. Her guy friends that she plays soccer with in a small league, are all at the place she and Declan bought years ago. Tonight she told them she was going out on a date, which for some reason didn’t sit well with Declan. Well, said date didn’t go well, so she was back in their place early. The place was empty, which surprised her. The next morning she and Declan were supposed to leave early, as she was going to their alma mater, to get more business for Spark House, the small hotel she and her two sisters run. After knocking on Declan’s bedroom door several times, he comes out and Avery can see he has company. Her parents died in a car accident when she was in high school, since then she’s always had issues driving in the rain. Which is why Declan was driving in his SUV. Well not only is his car back at the bar he was at, but Avery’s car needs new tires. At this point there’s nothing she can do but take her car. Guilt gets to Declan, so calling Avery on her drive to apologize is all he can do at this point. While they are talking she tells him there’s an idiot behind her in a white pickup truck that is driving recklessly. Finally he passes her but creates an accident, and all Declan can hear is metal crashing, Avery screaming, and then total silence.

Declan feels responsible for Avery’s accident and she’s hurt badly. After a few weeks in the hospital, Declan convinces her sisters, which are angry with him, that Avery is better going back to their place. He’s taken time off from work, got a hospital bed and all the equipment she will need. Being her caretaker, has brought them together in a way they never thought it would be.

I absolutely loved this book. So much so, that I read it twice!

Another great romantic comedy from Helena Hunting! When Sparks Fly is the first in a new series (that can be read as standalones) and perfectly captures Hunting's signature mix of steam and sweetness. In this friends to lovers romance, Declan vows to care for Avery following a car accident he feels responsible for. Her injuries are temporary, but can the connection between them last longer than her bedrest?

I think Declan's character isn't 100% likable, but he's extremely realistic. He's not the perfect man by any means, and that's okay. He's the guy we can picture as our college best friend or the guy we watch sports with and have always thought was cute but was strictly off limits. I also think the ending of this book was remarkably realistic. I don't want to spoil too much, but let's just say after The Big HurdleTM, the characters take time to work on themselves before their HEA.

Thanks St. Martin's for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 8/10

What an absolutely wonderful story of two friends who have always liked each other but not realized it. I love books where they start as friends and slowly realize there's more to the relationship but aren't sure what to do about it. Great story and would most definitely recommend!

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This is a sweet friends-to-lovers romance, about two roommates, who find a deeper connection following a near catastrophic injury.

Whenever I read or watch about two roommates that are of the opposite sex, and heterosexual, I can't help but assume that at some point, lines may be crossed. But they made it work on Three's Company, right? Well, Avery and Declan, who built a friendship in college, decide to make a go for it. And things go well for some time, longer than their friends and family ever expected. But everything changes one day when a careless decision by Declan and some bad luck on Avery's part, result in her being on bedrest as her body heals. And rather than take up her sisters' offers for assistance, uses Declan's guilt in the accident, for her benefit.

Kodos to Declan, the man steps up big time. While I thought he was stupid with how he handled things pre-accident, I don't actually blame him for it. It was obvious with the set up that Avery was doomed from the start and probably could have made some better decisions of her own. Nevertheless, he does everything to make Avery's time at home a smooth one - cooking, bathroom assistance, massages, etc. Despite some moody days, the dynamics between them remain unchanged, until one day when Avery's sexual frustrations reach a boiling point. And once again, Declan steps up.

I personally didn't think this transition from friends to lovers was realistic, maybe alcohol would have improved the believability. However, with their dual POVs, it became clear that both harbored attractions for one another that they tried to hide, and that made things more believable.

There is a bit of unnecessary drama between the two, which I guess could be expected given their poor track history with relationships. But eventually these two find that they mean too much to one another to be apart.

Overall, this was a quick and engaging read. A great choice if you are looking for something lighter in-between heavier reads.

They had been each other’s “person” for many years, but when Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, the sparks fly. Will they be willing to cross that line from friendship to more?

I have always enjoyed Hunting’s books, but there was something about this one that pushed me over into LOVE territory. I am a sucker for a good friends-to-lovers romance, but it was more than that. I never expected this book to dazzle me the way it did, considering how much a certain someone disappointed me in the beginning. But as the story played out, I found myself falling for Declan just as much as Avery was. Below were some highlights for me.

• Friends-to-Lovers is my all-time favorite romance trope. I think I say this every time, but it really is. Avery and Declan had a solid friendship. They met at the beginning of college, and when push came to shove and hard choices needed to be made, they stood by each other. Their shared history played a big role in why I thought they were destined for each other, but I also loved the ease of their friendship and how well they understood one another.

• The Sisterly Love was strong between this trio, and it was wonderful the way they all filled a role in the family. Having lost their parents in their teens made their bond super strong. I really liked their dynamic and would love to see the other Spark sisters get their own books (I’m just saying…)

• Obviously, this book was funny. Hunting is on my list of go-to authors who always deliver the laughs. I mean, chapter one opened with a hobby horse dressage (see below). My mind was blown when I found out this was a real thing, but it was definitely comedic gold, and there was a lot more where that came from.

• Friendship was given a lot of attention, and it wasn’t just the friendship between Declan and Avery. They were actually part of a great group of college friends. I loved having wings and pizza with them as they watched the game, and there were some very sweet moments shared between them.

• I just used the word sweet, and there as a lot more where that came from. If I was laughing, I was grinning like a fool because something had touched my heart. Both Avery and Declan had baggage to deal with, and I had some emotional moments as they unpacked that, but the interactions, support, and subsequent actions turned me to mush. There are two big moments towards the end that just melted my heart.

Overall: This was a stupendous friends-to-lovers romance! My heart ached and broke, while also filling with warmth and joy. I loved this book so much, and that ending was pure gold for me. *dries happy tears*

This book was such a cute read. It was a faster-paced read which i enjoyed and had a wonderful friends to lovers trope crossed with forced proximity. It was easy to tell that there was chemistry between Avery and Declan right from the start. Both of them had their pasts that lead them to have their reasons for not being in relationships but I was so glad they managed to work things out in the end.
Avery was such a sweet character. She’s obviously a very hard worker and absolutely loves running the Spark House, and she’s a great sister and friend. You could tell Avery’s heart was with her work since she didn’t do much outside of it except her weekly hangouts with her friends. Unless her sisters convince her to go out on a date for once, that is.This is what leads to some of the problems at the beginning after Avery unintentionally makes Declan jealous by ditching a night with friends to go on a date. That jealousy is also the reason Avery ends up driving alone when she gets into the car accident. I was definitely mad at Declan for the way he acted when he got jealous. Going out, getting drunk, and hooking up with a stranger, all to not be able to go on an alumni trip with Avery because of a hangover. Not winning any points at all for that, and Avery’s sister were right to not be happy with him - maybe not quite to the extent that one of them was, but still.
Declan felt incredibly guilty about the car crash and had it set in his mind that he was to blame which was one fo the reasons he insisted on being the one to care for Avery, to try and make it up to her. He really went into full nurse mode while helping Avery and that was absolutely adorable to see. It was obvious that Declan had feelings for Avery for quite some time and being in close proximity to her at all times did not help those feelings. It was cute to see not only Declan’s feelings grow but to watch Avery come to realize her feelings as well. Seeing their friendship change into something more over the course of the book was really sweet to watch. I also liked how in the last part of the book there were some personal issues from Declan’s past that were brought up and handled in a mature and realistic way. It wasn’t something that was just pushed aside to make a happy ending, but it was talked about and worked through so the characters could end up with a healthier relationship in the end. I thought that it was well done and honestly made the very end even better.
Especially with the way the story ended, I really did like this book. It was the perfect kind of book to read in one sitting and it kept me entertained the whole time. And of course, it had its steamy moment too which I feel like fit into a story like this quite well.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.

There's a lot to like about Hunting's latest romance. Her characters are just broken enough to be believably lovable, despite the mistakes they make. I love any romance novel that ends with a character who needs therapy GOING TO THERAPY. It's a new trend and I am all here for it.

WHEN SPARKS FLY pushes the trope of two best friends not realizing they're in love with each other to the limit and back. It's a little unbelievable at times how dense they are, but it works for the story. All in all a fun read. A little slow at times but it makes up for it in others!

“When Sparks Fly” is a friends to lovers story by Helen Hunting. I was excited to read another book by this author.
Avery Sparks shares an event hotel , Spark Hotel , with her sisters. She works as the event planner creating memorable activities. When possible, she spends time with ,best friend, Declan.
After Avery has a serious accident she needs help. Declan takes it upon himself to provide support and help while she heals. As they spend more time together , lines blur. The sparks fly and they give in to the intense passion..
Initially I struggled to connect with Avery. Declan was somewhat promiscuous but I like his affection forAvery. I enjoyed watching the characters develop through the story.
I honestly felt the title was perfect. There were definitely sparks flying between the sisters when it came to their relationships. Declan and Avery definitely had sparks flying in their relationship. Once again,the author created a story worth reading.

It's been a couple of weeks since I read this one and I purposely waited for things to percolate before jotting down my thoughts. I’m a big fan of this talented lady's work, most recently devouring the All In series. And there's so much to love about a relationship developing between best friends, all that angsty “I want it to be more, but what if it ruins the friendship" trepidation.

Avery and Declan have been friends since college and share a condo. She works with her sisters at the event inn her grandparents started and he works in finance, also helping the inn manage their finances. Avery was burned by her college boyfriend and may be a little skittish when it comes to relationships, but Declan has a major hang up due to his parents' bad example and has pretty much had a revolving door on his bedroom ever since.

At this point, I need to warn my reader peeps who have staunch views on cheating, or who are uncomfortable with details of the hero with anyone other than the shero. I understand it makes it more difficult to connect with the hero and raises the bar for redemption to a potentially unreachable high. If you’re one of these readers, you'd do best checking out some of the other books in Hunting's catalog.

I wanted to fall in love with this one, and I did in a lot of ways. I love the small-town feel and the family business setting, as well as Avery's sisters who offered some comic relief. I wasn’t overly impressed with Declan as a either a best friend (at first) or a hero, but I enjoyed this enough that I’m looking forward to returning to this book world should the sisters get their own stories.

I feel that this friends to lovers story did a lot of things right, and fell into some tragic tropes as well.

The first half of this book was amazing. I loved the friendly dynamic between them, as well as their friend group in general. Our hero, Declan, comes across as a playboy unwilling to commit because he doesn't want to be like his parents who had a very toxic relationship.

Avery has her own anxieties and things that she deals with, and leads to Declan being a reason she pushed herself into a situation that furthers her anxiety. This leads to a devastating car accident, where she is out of work for a long while.

I loved the nursing back to health grovel that Declan goes on. I felt like it was appropriate. The chemistry and tension in the house because of that was really captivating, and I enjoyed that. Once things started to go back to their more normal circumstances, that is where this book fell apart for me a bit.

Overall, it was still a fun time, and the audio narration was fantastically done as well. Really enjoyed the dual narration. If you are going to pick this one up, I would recommend the audio.

Heyyyy there. Friends to lovers with a little bit of past college romance drama (not between them, but between her and one of their other friends) alert! Which sounds complicated. And it is! Because Avery and Declan have had a thing for one another for a while, but they both pushed it away and avoided it because they were BFFs who shared a house and they wouldn't want to mess that up, RIGHT?!?

Then Avery gets in an accident (which bad decisions and bad timing have Declan blaming himself for) and suddenly they're spending a WHOLE LOT of time together doing somewhat intimate things. Not THOSE things (not yet, at least), but Declan has to care for Avery in ways they hadn't dealt with before and it changed their friendship dynamic a bit.

Then they took it a step further and suddenly that friendship dynamic was veering into the physical AND emotional and HOO-BOY they were now in a relationship. Did you read that part above about the past college romance drama? Yeah, they were both a little gunshy about starting anything within their friend group because they'd seen and experienced first-hand how that can mess things up when they implode.

Let's just say that things get very messy before these two get their HEA. But they do get there. Eventually. After a lot of soul-searching and work. *thumbs up*

When Sparks Fly follows 28-years-old Avery Spark. She runs an event hotel, Spark House, which she recently took over from their grandmother, who is now retired and traveling in Italy, together with her sisters, London and Harley. She lives together in a high-rise condo in Colorado Springs with her best friend and co-owner, Declan. The two of them met during her freshman year at the University of Colorado. Jerome and Mark are the other two members of her core friend group and the four of them hang out together, especially to watch Monday Night Football. Declan and Avery first became very close as best friends after Avery was dating Declan’s friend, Sam, during their university years and Declan stopped being friends with Sam after he is discovered to have been cheating on Avery. Declan also ties into Avery’s life as he works in finance and handles the portfolio for Spark House.

The story starts with the two of them and there are some initial hints that the two may have feelings for the other. Both have their own reasons to not explore the feelings including they do not want to ruin the friendship. These feelings are tested when Avery gets in a car accident and must rely on Declan to be her full-time caregiver as she recovers. While it did not affect my rating or enjoyment of the story, I did question Avery’s decision to drive her car in the rain when Declan flaked. She leaves in the morning and even states that there was a train. Although there is only one per day going to her destination, she left early in the morning and could have easily caught it. I realize that this car trip needed to be happy as the story would not have moved forward without it, but I wish there was an explanation included about why she did not take the train. The two characters during Avery’s recovery are forced to be in close proximity together and they start to realize that maybe their romantic inklings for the other might be real. It is an entertaining friend to lovers’ story and I enjoyed the general concept of one character stepping up to care for the other as they need a lot of assistance.

The novel is duel-perspective so the reader can experience both Avery and Declan’s sides of the story. It was interesting to get into each of their heads to witness their developing feelings for the other. While I loved all of the characters, I felt that the number of times Declan was blamed for the accident was a bit much. While it is acknowledged that he played a part in certain circumstances, the actual accident is beyond his control. For me, I felt this repeated too many times and should have been shut down early on in the story. His guilt may still be there and the reader may explore these feelings as inner thoughts, but the outer dialogues about it could have been reduced. Even with this, I still loved the open communication with the characters. Avery and Declan were excellent friends and I loved their shared moments.

Overall, this novel is an entertaining and easy read as I ended up finishing it before I knew it as I could not put the novel down. Declan’s rocky relationship with romance due to his past mixed with Avery’s complex romantic past created a nice bit of tension as the two start to acknowledge attraction to the other. Each character not only is trying to work on where their relationship stands, but they have the individual journeys that they go through. This novel is currently standalone, but there is a lot of room to expand it into a series as there are four characters (Harley, London, Mark, and Jerome) that could all be featured in their own novels and I would read them all!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin, for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**

Fabulous cover and blurb…. But it’s the authors name that has me requesting this book before it hits the shelf!

What did I like? Avery and Declan have been besties since college and are platonically attached at the hip. A freak accident and a boat load of guilt later these two are navigating unchartered area. It’s angsty, and a sweet slow burn with some quirky humor. I absolutely loved it!

Would I recommend or buy? I’ve been in a book slump lately and this book revived me. It’s not your average romance but the book was fun. The author did a great job pulling these two characters together and I recommend to any lovers of romance! Five stars of entertainment! I definitely want more from this author!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and voluntarily left a review!

Maybe I've been living under a rock, but this ARC of When Sparks Fly that I could not put down was my first book by Helena Hunting! Part of me is bummed it took me this long to read any of her books, but the other part of me is SO excited to have another author's backlist to dive into and add to my ever-growing TBR!

This is a friends-to-lovers romance with a decent amount of steam. Avery is in a horrible car crash, partially due to her best friend's immaturity, but Declan redeems himself by taking care of her needs while she's recovering. While this starts with helping her eat, move, bathe, etc., it grows to include more personal needs. Declan's lack of experience with positive relationships leaves room for plenty if misunderstandings and drama as Avery starts to heal.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press - I definitely recommend it to romance readers everywhere when it comes out 9/21!

Avery and Declan have been best friends since college. After graduating, they decided to buy a condo together and gave been living there together for years. When a terrible accident occurs, Declan steps up to take care of Avery. Avery is not used to being taken care of and is really bummed she can’t work. She and her sisters own Spark House, an event center that their grandmother started and Avery has poured everything she had into it. During recovery, Declan helps Avery reclaim her independence, but the lines between friendship and more start to get blurred. After making an important decision for her company, Avery risks losing her friendship with Declan forever.

This book was so good! This was the first book I’ve read by Helena Hunting and it definitely won’t be the last. I loved how the author developed the characters over time and helped them work through their personal problems. The romance was realistic and the dialogue was believable. Both Avery and Declan were like able characters with great senses of humor and awesome chemistry. This was such an easy read but the themes were profound and will stick with you!