Helena Hunting has consistently been one of my favorite romance authors, but this unfortunately wasn't my favorite book of hers. I did still really enjoy it, but parts of it just felt weird. & forced (the guilt, the romance ... it just didn't quite hit right for me). I did enjoy the story, and I enjoyed the familial relationships (and ultimately the arc of the main characters), but parts just felt off for me.

Loved it! What a fun book! I like the friends to lovers theme. I connect with her since I too was in a car accident that changed my life. Tho mine was a lifetime change. The Sparks business sounds amazing. Declan and Avery were interesting characters. There were so many things that made this book a fabulous read.

A fun start to a new series! I love a friends to lovers trope and a split narrator and this was a delight

I loved the friend dynamic between our heroine, Avery, and Hero, Declan. Best friends try not to judge one another, but accept their friend for who they are, which is what happens at the beginning of this story. You should also be able to depend on your best friend when he makes a commitment to you, knowing you have concerns about driving distances in the rain. I felt all the same angry and hurt emotions Avery did when she realized WHY Declan wasn't going to be able to drive to their event together. I can understand why he did what he did the night before, but in the morning, he had a chance to make it right, but opted not to. This set the tone of the story for me regarding Declan's character.
There was a lot of predictability with this story, but I did enjoy Declan's attempts to right their relationship "ship". This is probably more a 3.5 star read for me.

What a cute story of two friends denying their feelings for each other. I loved the relationship between Declan and Avery and how an accident puts things into perspective.

This is a friends to lovers romance, sweet and fun. Avery and Declan become roommates and the chemistry is there and of course things start to evolve, like feelings, jealousy and so much more.
This was a great emotional and fun read, definitely give it a try if you favor Friend to lovers trope. Wasn’t one of my favorites by this author, but definitely one I enjoyed.

3.5 stars

Honestly, I had a hard time getting going with this title. I responded better to the audiobook. Overall it was a good listen/read once it got going.

Not my book. Couldn’t get behind the trope. Didn’t understand the entire premise of her job / why it was the focus of the book. Wasn’t invested in the relationship arguments. Didn’t feel the emotion as the characters went through it.

Helena Hunting strikes again! I loved this story and the relationships she created. I hop this ends up as a sort of series and not just a one off. Like always, Hunting has created a world with relationships that feel real and complete… you can feel the history and all the characters fit so well together.

I loved Avery and Declan’s friendship and this book had me hanging on through all the ups and downs. I also really enjoyed Avery’s relationship with her sisters; it’s such a special story and relationship. My emotions were all over the place.

Definitely recommend if you like a little steam and the best friends to lovers trope.

This is probably one of my favourite romances!

I never really gravitated towards friends-to-lovers books but this one was so good! It reminded me of Emily Henry's writing. I thought everything in here was fantastic. I loved the progression both characters went through. I love that our male protagonist was so in love and trying his best to hide it. The conflicts in here were so well done and fit perfectly into the story and the backstories of the two MCs.

Definitely some steamy scenes in this one!

This book was different from any other book I've read by Helena Hunting and in the most refreshing way! I couldn't get enough of the story. The characters had so much depth and the slow burn friends-to-lovers romance was fun to see play out.

The plot itself was EXTREMELY relatable for me. Almost a decade ago my husband broke both hands in an accident at work. Seeing Avery and Declan navigate that recover brought up so many old feelings. Even if you haven't had a similar experience, the author does great at putting you in their shoes.

WHEN SPARKS FLY is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren's books and of course Helena Hunting herself! If you enjoy a fast paced, slow burn romance, with just the right amount of drama and a whole lot of swoon, definitely pick this one up.

Une romance new adult plutôt mignonne qui commence fort en couleurs puis qui prend un rythme plus tranquille. On s'attache rapidement à ce duo qui traverse des épreuves . Avery et Declan n'ont pas un parcours facile et même si souvent on devine là où nous embarque l'auteure les remise en questions laisse planer bien des doutes. Une jolie lecture !
A rather cute new adult romance that starts out colorful and then takes a quieter pace. We quickly become attached to this duo who are going through a lot of trials. Avery and Declan do not have an easy path and even if we often guess where the author takes us, the questioning leaves many doubts. A nice read!

This is my first, and definitely not my last, book by Helena Hunting. I really enjoyed this story! When Sparks Fly is the first book in a new series about sisters who are running Spark House, their grandmother's inn. In this book, the events were focused mainly on Avery Spark, one of the sisters. I can only assume the following books in the series will focus on the other sisters. I really enjoyed reading about the characters in this story and I loved Avery and Declan so much, most of the time! Although I thought things happened kind of fast and awkwardly between the two of them, I was rooting for them during the entire story. There were some moments that I was worried about how this story would end, but overall, this was a fun read! I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series!

This was a delightful friends to lovers romance. I enjoyed this so much. I liked Avery and Declan and the mine characters as well.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. I was very excited to read this, but it just fell flat for me. I never thought would find a Helena Hunting book boring, but I barely made it through this one. Friends to lovers trope, and of course Helena is excellent at writing steamy scenes, but I found these two characters (especially Declan) so unlikeable. It just made me not care about their story, and while Avery had her faults too, I just wanted her to run far away from this man.

I didn't really see eye to eye with the male lead - but overall this was an entertaining read with an engaging plot and romance. Thanks for the ARC

This book started out great - longtime friends who love each other and can’t figure it out. Once Avery is in a bad car accident, Declan takes care of her and they finally start to acknowledge their feelings.

The end of this book dropped my rating though. Declan’s relationship issues come raging forth and suddenly the story takes a whole left turn. The brakes are slammed and suddenly no reconciliation can happen until he and his therapist agrees it’s time and the tone of the whole book changed and became very heavy versus the light rom com I was hoping for.

I received a copy of this book to read and review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really like friends to lovers stories when done well, this one was done adequately, but still left something to be desired. I did not feel the chemistry between the heroine and hero, and the way the heroine sustained her injuries, the whole part of the plot that set it in motion, made the "hero" unforgivable in my eyes. I did not feel there was a compelling reason for these two to be a couple, there union seemed to be one of convenience. There were some enjoyable aspects of the novel; Hunting does a great job of worldbuilding and I especially enjoyed how the hero finds it in himself to go to therapy to better himself. In the end, it was a mostly fine book that some may like but I personally would not recommend.

I really enjoyed this friends to lovers book! The steam was on point. Thank you SMP Romance and Netgalley for the complimentary book.

Thank you for the Arc! Sorry for the incredibly slow feedback. I have had the review written for quite a while.
❤️
The beginning starts off relatively confusing and the discussion of Hobby Horses is not only out of place but completely random. It seems to just be a nosedive into something with no cohesive thought. Which just screams rough draft.
Why was hobby horses discussed in the opening chapter? Instead of making you want to read more it makes you want to read less.
•Not a strong opening.
Ahh, the weird hobby horse thing comes full circle, but I still disliked it. Out of every outdoor activity you choose, you choose this one?
•Just not like other girls.
This book has a case of she’s just not like other girls, but in a more subtle way. I’m already kind of not vibing to well with the characters, especially the heroine.
•Brief improvement.
The first bit of the book had a rough start but as it progressed it did make me get the giggles and made happy. They have certain amount of chemistry. An once they get past the odd hobby horse thing it greatly approves. This was the time I started to see the potential (FYI the hobby horse is supposed to give the book humor. I just found it not funny and a little off putting).
•The Omg please don’t, cringe.
Back on the hobby horse wagon chapter 4… kill me now.
lol, Vibe?? Just say vibrator, why shorten the world. Whose sensitive sensibilities are you trying to save? This is a adult romance after all.
• There are some exciting with the car wreck (I know I shock myself with my own morbidity) the slow realization of feelings for one another is very enjoyable and the author is very adept at conveying denial between hero and heroine. I like how the reader gets a glimpse from other characters what the main characters don’t see from themselves. IE how much they love and truly care for one another. It’s like Georgianna looking at Mr. Darcy when he is conversing with Elizabeth Bennet in 2005 movie adaptation. Very enjoyable.
• This book has caretaker scenes galore and I was living my best life with them! If you like caretaking scenes then you are going to eat this book up.
• This book is like a teeter tauter of love hate for me. I love the caretaking scenes but I’m so over the “I’m just not like other girls” trope. It’s okay to enjoy sports and facemasks (oh yeah this was a thing) why should anyone have to choose? There was also this weird spontaneous sex talk that was just kind of thrown in there. I’m not a prude by any means but it just came off awkward and I cringed.
I mean for Pete’s sake how many times can blue balls and orgasms be thrown in a book, surely this story holds the record.
It’s as if the story started off as a great friends to lovers story just to only become about the sex. Where’s the relationship? The passion?
Also, I laughed when a character compared the female sex drive to a box of cookies. I don’t think it was meant to be funny but god it was just so ridiculous.
Humor just seems to be randomly tossed with no purpose and has no connection to the story itself. It’s just spontaneous and it takes you out completely.
An good grief don’t get me started on the side characters/main characters. One of the sisters is a selfish hag and the other is forgettable. Declan the male protagonist is smothering as if he doesn’t want the lead character to get better.
The crossword puzzle thing was super cute, so read it if you at least want to know about that!