Publish Date: September 21, 2021
When Sparks Fly is a best friends-to lovers romance that brings a unique spin to the classic trope.

Declan and Avery are the very best of friends. Things begin to change when a guilt stricken Declan desire to car for Avery after a terrible accident. Declan and Avery are a wonderful match and I commend Hunting on bringing awareness to mental health in this novel. Declan is so caring but struggles with guilt and his self-worth. I loved how supportive Avery is in this story and she had friends to lean on.

When Sparks Fly is a great best friends-to-lovers romance that will evoke a multitude of emotions but still love every minute of it. I recommend this books for any romance reader.

Thanks to St. Martin Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoy Helena's fun, romantic comedies and was really excited to read her newest creation.

This book is significantly heavier than the other books of Helena's that I've read in that there's a lot going on including; parental death, a very serious injury, and mental health issues, and so it doesn't really fit the rom-com genre for me. It did, however, highlight why therapy can be extremely important when dealing with mental health issues, something we don't see enough of in this genre.

Saying that, I enjoyed the plot and the forced proximity between the two lead characters, and the pacing of the story certainly kept me gripped from start to finish. I liked that most of the scenes were between the two leads and it felt like things were building well at the start to create an interesting friends-to-lovers romance.

I do wish there was more chemistry between the characters, the heat and 'sparks' just weren't really there until the last chapter or two, and the writing, especially some of the dialogue, felt a bit stiff and formal at times in a way that's very different to Helena's other books.

I liked Avery's character, she's strong and resilient, but a lot of things about Declan unfortunately didn't sit right, including his view that Avery is 'broken' while she's hurt and Avery admitting fault for certain things that happen later in the book just didn't fit with her character or the situation, in my opinion.

Overall, it was a very different type of rom-com than I'm used to reading and was much heavier than I'd expected. It kept my interest throughout, but probably isn't something I'd read again as it just didn't pique my interest enough.

This was a great story about friendship, love and loss. Avery and Declan are both so well written and perfectly flawed, you can’t help but root for them to get their HEA. The only thing I missed reading was Avery meeting Sam’s wife. I think that would have rounded out the story perfectly but other than that, this book was exquisitely delivered!

After a terrible accident, that wouldn’t have happened if Declan wasn’t being a jerk that morning, Avery is couch bound to heal for the next two months. Since he blames himself for his best friend being down for the count, Declan decides he will be her full time caretaker. Though they have been best friends and roommates since college, but both are shocked when they start to feel more than just friendship.

I love a good friends to lovers book, and this one was no exception! I just loved Declan and Avery and their sweet friendship! There were definitely some times I wanted to smack Declan, but that’s always needed to add some tension right? I though the chemistry between these two was amazing right from page one, and while it seemed like a very quick switch from only friends to hooking up, I still really enjoyed it! Hunting knows how to write a great rom com! I also loved that therapy was so normalized in this read!

This was a steamy friends to lovers romance. Declan and Avery have been best friends and roommates for years. I loved the forced proximity aspect to this book. The majority of the scenes were between the main couple which is always right up by alley. It was a unique situation that caused them to transition from friends to lovers. However that transition didn't feel natural to me.

In contrast to the title, I didn't really feel sparks between Declan and Avery until the very end. I struggled through the majority of the book to feel any chemistry between them. It felt more like just friends hooking up. Ultimately I did appreciate the effort they put in to trying to make their relationship work after a conflict pulled them apart. The last two chapters had some very sweet moments.

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released September 21.

I LOVED this friends to lovers trope! I was on vacation when I started this one and couldn't put it down! Avery and her sister's run "The Spark House" and event center. Declan is a financial adviser or something like that. He's also a commitment phobe. When he blows Avery (his roommate) off for a one night stand, she heads to her event without him and his more reliable vehicle. She gets into an accident and Declan feels so guilty he offers to care for Avery. This is when the "sparks" fly. They realize they like each other more than friends. This book was super spicy and hit me right in the feels. I enjoyed every second laughing through many parts. This book was very well written. I highly recommend this book and any other of Helena Hunting's books. She's a fantastic writer.

I burn through the pages of this is a funny, fantastic, emotionally driven story. This is the perfect friends-to-lovers romance.

Avery Spark and Declan McCormick are best friends who live together and have a great relationship. When Avery is in a serious car accident things change. Declan was supposed to go with her to a potential client meeting, but messes up and has a one night stand. Now he's full of guilt and remorse and will do anything he can to help her mend her broken bones. Can Avery forgive him for his selfishness and will their relationship endure or be lost forever?

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Hunting and while she hit on some important issues, it was just okay for me. I thought it was a little slow in the beginning, but that was necessary to set up the story. Avery and Declan are two people who for years refused to see what their relationship could be, instead keeping things strictly in the friends zone. Through Avery's painful recovery and Declan's refusal to deal with his own childhood issues, these two struggle with maintaining their friendship or moving past friendship into something more. The author does a good job highlighting the need for mental health therapy for Declan to begin his own healing. In the end, this story was okay for me. Nothing really wrong with it, just wasn't my favorite.

Helena Hunting's books are so sweet that I couldn't resist diving into this one a perfect relaxing weekend read. I love a good friends to lovers trope and was very curious about the premise where the friendship changes to a caregiver role after a severe car accident

Unfortunately this book fell flat for me. I don't feel like I really felt Avery and Declan's relationship until the end of the book where more of their shared history was uncovered, but I really wish there had been more flashbacks at the start of the novel to develop their friendship backstory more.

The biggest miss to me though would be Declan's declaration after the car accident that Avery needed to be "whole" so she could maintain her active lifestyle. The term "whole" is a an able bodied term and does not recognized that people with disabilities can have an rich and active lifestyle (which includes sports!). I sincerely hope this passage is removed from the final version of this book.

Overall, this book was very cute. I loved how strong and resilient Avery was, but I just needed a bit more relationship development. I definitely loved that Declan went to therapy to deal with his issues and thought the ending of this book was lovely!

This was a wonderful book! I am such a big fan of Helena Hunting and this one didn't disappoint. I also loved the relationship between Avery and her two younger sisters as well. Helena Hunting is great at writing angst, heat, and romance. .Such a fun read!

Avery Spark is a strong, independent woman who helps run an event company with her sisters and lives with her long-time best friend, Declan. Declan and Avery are meant to head to an alumni event together, but due to some jealousy and poor decision-making, Declan ends up very hungover, leading Avery to go by herself, and resulting in a car accident that incapacitates her for weeks. Declan blames himself and becomes her temporary care-taker. Lines get blurry, feelings are revealed; it's a best friends-to-lovers story with some bumps in the road!

I will say, this book felt very realistic-the characters were multi-dimensional (even the secondary ones), the things that happened were sometimes heavy, and communication and accountability between all relationships, while not perfect, was highlighted as something that was super important, with characters either being good at it or working on it. That fact felt very important to me, since so many romance novels rely on banter but not actual communication! This was also a mildly spicy book (for whomever may want to know.) Super quick read once you get into it, great for a vacation read or a beach read!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Overall this book was fine. I think that the premise was a little better than the execution. I felt a little detached from the characters, maybe the chemistry just wasn't there for something that in theory had been building up for years. I felt that the characters felt a little one dimensional and the tropes were too overused for the execution. I wanted to really root for Avery and Declan but they were kind of dull to be honest. I'm normally ok with predictability (e.g. when their relationship takes a tumble), but as long as you have great characters or chemistry or even side characters. I'm saddened to say When Sparks Fly didn't really have any of that for me so it fell a little flat.

The sisters or friends could have also been more engaging or entertaining, instead just props to in theory build barriers up against Avery and Declan, but I found that I didn't really care about them or the business and in the end I had to slog through it just to finish even though you could see what was coming a mile away. 2.5 stars

If you're looking for a fluffier, light-hearted romance, sparks just might fly for you with this book. While the story does include some serious stuff such as the serious car accident that Avery, our female lead, is seriously injured in, it doesn't have any extreme plot twists that scorch our emotions. However, that is exactly what I was looking for with this title. A lighter read that still tackles some tougher relationship hurdles along with the support of loving side characters to cheer them on the whole way. Admittedly, Declan was not the Prince Charming of the ball at some specific points in this book, but both characters in the end were likeable and fit well with the tone of the story. It was enjoyable to see real conversations and a slower repair of a relationship after the familiar miscommunication trope causes a rift between the two best friends/boyfriend, girlfriend. Both Declan and Avery's work in trying to continue and rebuild their relationship towards the end of the story was genuine and refreshing instead of being shallowly resolved in the last two paragraphs of the book.

Fun, fresh romp of a romance. Four out of five stars. Never had lobster mac and cheese, but it does sound pretty delicious.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title.

A rom com back for the masses. Best friends come together when they realize they have feelings for each other as one helps the other recover from an accident. Declan and Avery had a strong friendship that got tested when Avery was hurt in a car accident. With sarcasm and banter, the first half of the book was fun and entertaining. The second half felt a bit drawn out and predictable but at least the ending wasn’t a quick and easy resolution.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I have read several of Helena Hunting's previous books and was excited to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Sparks Fly fell short for me. Avery and Declan are enjoyable characters for the most part. It felt at times that before Avery and Declan hooked up that Declan was a man-whore from comments and conversations. But the Spark House concept felt forced as did Declan's parents' disfunction. So when the situation with Sam arose 3/4 of the way through the book, it felt childish and contrived.

Hunting is still an author that I will always read. She produces great "beach reads" that are quick reads that are a great distraction from real life and heavier books.

Possible triggers: Loss of a parent, sudden lose, and car wreck.

Such a fun book by Helena Hunting! The writing is as always flawless.
Can't wait to see what comes next from this amazing author.
Thanks Netgalley for the Arc

I have read other Helena Hunting books and have loved them. This one did not disappoint. She is quickly moving up my list of favorite authors. I have read other books by her and loved them. This book did not disappoint.
This is the story of two bestfriends who live and work together. One day Avery is in a car accident and so Declan being the wonderful friend that he is steps up to take care of her. While he is taking great care of her they realize that their feelings go deeper than just friends.
This is a hilarious and emotional story. You have two bestfriends and what's a rom-com without the romance. This book was very well written and I was hopeful that I would love and I was not disappointed

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Right from the beginning we are brought into the lives of Avery and Declan. Avery is a very”sporty” kind of girl. She plays soccer with the guys, has sport watching hang-outs with the guys and considers these people to be her close friends, and they are. Declan is her best friend and after the accident he goes above and beyond to help Avery and assuage his guilt. They are falling in love but live in denial. We believe that they will figure it out but, of course, there are other obstacles. This is a good Contemporary Romance by an accomplished author. I did have some trouble relating to Avery. I just have never understood her personality type. That is nothing againist this book, it is totally me. I also wanted Declan to get into therapy early-on and was frustrated that Avery didn't stop with the seductive actions. (She could have had help from her sisters with bathing, even though there were excuses made as to why this wasn't possible.) So, my feelings are mixed but not about this good story and excellent writing.

<b>When Sparks Fly is a sweet, emotional friends-to-lovers/roommates-to-lovers romance.</b>

Everything changes for Avery after a nasty car accident. She’s forced to take time away from Spark House, her family’s event hotel, and the active lifestyle she loves to focus solely on recovering in the condo she shares with her best friend Declan. Instead of leaning on her sisters for support, Avery accepts Declan’s offer to care for her during her recovery. Declan feels terrible about the accident because it’s his fault Avery was driving on the highway by herself in the rain when the accident happened. He would do anything to make Avery feel better, including helping her get some much-needed release. When Avery and Declan finally give in to the attraction that’s always simmered between them, Declan will need to decide if he’s finally ready to give up his playboy antics and open himself up to the possibility of a lasting happily-ever-after.

Helena Hunting did an excellent job crafting the relationships between the characters. I loved Avery’s relationship with her sisters and her all-guy friend group. The sisters and the guys were always there to support Avery and Declan as well as call them out on the BS when it was warranted. The secondary characters were a fun bunch to read about.

<spoiler>I also loved how therapy was used in the novel to help Declan become the best version of himself. I always appreciate when therapy is talked about or used in books to help characters work through their issues, it goes a long way to destigmatizing mental health.</spoiler>

I’m not the biggest fan of the friends-to-lovers trope because the romances often jump in with the characters already having feelings for each other and I feel cheated of seeing them first experience those feelings/the initial attraction. With that said, I think readers who enjoy this trope will be happy with how Helena Hunting used Avery’s recovery as a chance for these two friends to finally acknowledge the feelings they had been burying for the sake of their decade-long friendship.

I did struggle a bit with some of the plot points involving Declan, namely his actions before Avery’s car accident and his self-destructive jealousy near the end of the novel. I completely understand how both plot points moved the story along, but they made me kind of hate Declan and the last thing I want is to hate the hero I’m supposed to be rooting for.

While I didn’t exactly love the plot of this romance, I did enjoy Helena Hunting’s writing style and most of the characters she created. Hopefully there’s a chance for Avery’s sisters to get their own romance stories in the near future.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Helena Hunting for the chance to read this digital ARC.</i>

So cute! It’s the usual friends to lovers but dine in Helena’s unique way. Laughter ensues, steamy nights persist, and usual conflict that eventually works itself out. I personally didn’t care for the rushed ending but did thoroughly enjoy their adventure getting together. You can’t go wrong with a read from HH.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an early copy of this book.