This is another great read by Hannah Grace. The characters are endearing, and the story captivated my heart. I received Wildfire by Hannah Grace from #NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Wildfire had me squealing, screaming, and swooning (in no particular order and not necessarily in isolation from one another).

While Wildfire thematically was very different from Icebreaker, I felt Russ and Aurora's story was such a wonderful continuation of the Maple Hills series. Russ and Aurora had such fantastic chemistry that I couldn't put the book down (except when they just kept turning one another into master miscommunicators, then I had to take a moment and remind myself they are actually fictional and can't hear me telling them to just stop before I go crazy 🥴)!

Wildfire // Hannah Grace

Rating: ⛺️⛺️⛺️

The night before heading to camp to work as counselors for the summer, Russ and Aurora find themselves together at a party, completely enamored by each other. Cut to the next day at camp: they see one another, which comes as a wild surprise. Rule number 1 for counselors is very simple: no fraternizing with coworkers. Too bad for Russ and Rory, as they already broke that rule before stepping foot at camp. Can they make it the whole summer simply as coworkers, when neither of them can stop thinking about their budding friendship and the special night they spent together pre-summer?

This one just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t really care that much about the characters or their side stories. Their personal traumas were definitely heavy, but they seemed a bit aggressive and out of place. The setting was cute, fueling perfect summer camp dreams, but I just felt like it was kind of boring. It was definitely a quick read, and you get to see a few of Icebreaker’s characters, but it all but unrelated minus their cameos.

I absolutely devoured this book. Hannah Grace really knows how to make you love the characters. The morning after a one night stand can be awkward, but to be run into that person days later at work for your summer job, amplifies that awkwardness to an entire new level!

4.5⭐️ I LOVED THIS😫I highlighted the heck out of it and I’ve gone back to re-read quotes multiple times.

Definitely better than Icebreaker imo, I liked Russ and Aurora’s dynamic and relationship better and related to it more than Nate and Stassie’s story.

Russ is so observant, genuine, and sincere and he’s so babygirl. He’s so real for wanting to keep things to himself while also wanting to let Aurora in completely. Like, “Wanting to give her what she wants because I’d give her everything if I could, is not the same as being ready.” (!!!!)

And I love a good nervous tick, Russ’ is the classic “rubbing the back of his neck when he’s stressed out/uncomfortable/nervous” and I eat it up every single time.

Aurora was so real and I relate to a lot of her inner battles. Her monologues about constantly claiming to be self-aware yet not knowing a single thing about herself really resonate with me bc same🥲

The daddy issues/stuff with their parents hit DEEP though🥵For example:

“The balance between being the perfect daughter and my own person is like walking a tightrope. Except there’s a hurricane. And the rope is on fire.”

AND

“I don’t hate my parents, even though they’re definitely the root of all my problems.”

Like, YIKES☠️but you’re so real for that Hannah Grace.

The found family aspect of this story was so sweet🥹I liked the summer camp vibe and the tension that built between them because of their job as camp counselors. I wouldn’t say it’s a slow burn by any means though since they hook up at the start of the book lol.

I liked seeing the positive effect that Russ and Aurora had on each other and how they helped each grow, stick up for themselves and work through their respective family situations.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc!! Hannah Grace has officially become one of my auto-buy/auto-read authors 🫶 Can’t wait for the rest of the Maple Hills series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Oh how I’m LOVING this series! Icebreaker was wonderful, but I actually think I loved Wildfire more!!

Russ and Aurora share deep rooted issues with their fathers (relatable for me very personally) and one of my favorite parts is seeing them work through these throughout the book.

Forced proximity is a favorite trope of mine!! Loved to see it in a summer camp setting! The main characters are wonderful, but I always love HANNAH Grace’s supporting characters, too!

I just thought this book and romance were sweet, thoughtful, and a very nice level of spicy that we get a taste of right away!!!

Maybe my expectations were high for this book because I was a bit disappointed. I didn't connect with the main characters. I felt like the Daddy issues were a bit much. I found the side characters a lot more likeable. Overall, this was just an okay read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the E-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of Wildfire by Hannah Grace!

As a big fan of Icebreaker, I was very excited to read this book early! These two books were completely different from one another, and the plot of Wildfire was definitely not what I expected. I did enjoy the summer camp plot, but I anticipated there to be more of a sports romance plot and was somewhat disappointed when I found out there wasn't. I liked Russ and Aurora's slow burn and thought they were really sweet together. I was really rooting for their growth and to find their ways to one another. In all honesty, though, I just didn't feel the same connection between Russ and Aurora that I felt when reading about Nate and Stassie in Icebreaker. These two just seemed to keep each other at arms length throughout the entire book which definitely made the epilogue in the end seem rushed and unfitting. Both characters seemed to lack the emotional depth and passion that I felt in the first book. One thing that I liked a lot about Icebreaker was how therapy and mental health were positively addressed throughout the book. In Wildfire, both Russ and Aurora had many issues, and they seemed to be addressed in the opposite manner in comparison with Icebreaker.

However, I did think that the supporting characters were fun to read about, and the found family trope always makes me happy. I also appreciated the mentions of Nate, Stassie, and other Icebreaker characters--it was good world building.

Overall, I'm grateful I got to read this book early and I'm looking forward to Hannah Grace's next book.

*4.25⭐️
This is one of the healthiest relationships I’ve ever read in a book. While they have a major miscommunication at the beginning of the book, once they figure that out, they make sure to have open communication. Even when one of them keeps something from the other, they talk through it rather than negatively reacting. It’s so healthy that it’s incredibly unrealistic for 20 year olds! I’m not faulting the book for that, since I’m both not reading this for realism and 20 year olds should strive for this, but I just needed to point that out.

I really liked Russ and Aurora as characters. They’re both well-developed and I love how they complement each other with similar backgrounds that make them kind of like two sides of the same coin. I also related a lot to Aurora’s tendency to blurt whatever comes to mind, so I really appreciated that.

The major thing that kept this from being five stars was the general plot of them sneaking around, which like Russ, made me too nervous to really enjoy, but that’s more of a me issue than an issue with the book.

Two things to note: first, this book is very different from Icebreaker. I liked that book too, but for vastly different reasons because the vibe of the books is very different. The other thing to note is that while the books are very different, I don’t think this should be read unless you’ve read Icebreaker first. I was a little confused by things because I didn’t remember certain plot points from Icebreaker since it’s been almost a year since I read it. I ended up going back to Icebreaker multiple times, but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of Wildfire. If anything, it made me feel even more involved in the lives of the characters, seeing a fuller picture of their lives.

I love a book with spice but also a great plot and “Wildfire” fits the bill! After a one night stand Aurora and Russ then go as counselors at the same camp. Their secret summer romance is steamy but heartfelt as they both work on issues with their families.

Icebreaker was the internets favorite hockey romance last year and collectively we we’re all so excited to get a sequel! Russ is adorable! I was ecstatic to hear he was going to be the main male character and I love his golden retriever energy. After a one night stand with Aurora (FMC) and a massive misunderstanding these two have to overcome their own issues to work together. The chemistry between Russ and Aurora was fantastic. . Wildfire was steamy, charming, and funny! I can’t wait to for the next book in this series (hopefully it’s Henry)!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars
Wait, this was actually adorable (and incredibly spicy lol). I'm so here for Aurora and Russ (I love his golden retriever energy), I loved seeing these two fall in love, the growth in their relationship was refreshing to see and they made me tear up lol. I also loved how all the same characters from Icebreaker are in this book. That being said, you could probably read it as a standalone but it'll connect better if you read the first book. I actually didn't hate the epilogue in this one but overall, it was missing a bit more depth, the plot was cute but not much really happened and the ending was predictable but I still loved spending time with these characters. I'll probably read the next one lol.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

After a misunderstanding after a one night stand, two college students find themselves facing each other again as camp counselors, but the chemistry between them is undeniable, but can they work through their issues? Russ Callaghan is a hockey player at Maple Hills, he's shy, has a ton of emotional baggage from his family, and tries to keep everything to himself. Aurora Roberts is the daughter of a famous race car team owner and has tons of daddy issues of her own, all she's ever wanted was to be loved but she'll settle for one night stands or friends with benefits. When they meet at an end of the year party they end up having a passionate one night stand... the only issue? There was a bit of miscommunication and both of them think that the other isn't interested in more when in fact they both are. To their surprise they meet again the very next day at the summer camp they'll both be working at as counselors! The camp has a strict no fraternization rule, but after clearing up the misunderstand both Russ and Aurora can't help but fall for each other and they really can't keep their hands to themselves. Yet their perspective family drama keeps coming up and keeping their relationship a secret is getting harder and harder. Russ wants to keep all his secrets to himself while Aurora wants him to tell her everything, Russ wants to keep his job at the camp and follow the rules but Aurora wants nothing more than to break them. Can they find a way to navigate their family dramas and daddy issues and make the relationship work or is it too complicated? This one was a fairly cute read, the steamy scenes were great, my only thing was that it was such a slow paced book and not that much happened. I was expecting it to be a bit better paced and have more things occurring since this is a 300 page book but it truly didn't have that much going on. It's an easy summer camp read and if you enjoy college romances with daddy issues, this is for you!

*Thanks Netgalley and Atria Books

A continuation of the Icebreaker world with Russ as the main male lead and what a choice!! Russ and Aurora are a realistic depiction on what happens in real life. People doubt themselves and they make mistakes but it’s in those moments where growth occurs. Hannah Grace has done it again with Wildfire! I. Any wait to talk to people about this book.

This is a seriously sweet HEA with very likable characters. Aurora and Russ are broken people who manage to put each others pieces back together. Both have major family and daddy issues. Great quick read. Enough spice to keep it interesting without being overwhelming.

I absolutly loved Icebreaker and was so excited to read another book about a character from Maple Hills. While Icebreaker was more of a sports romance this one isn’t at all since this book is set during summer when they aren’t in college but it’s almost as good. After reading Ice Breaker I was so excited for Russ to get his moment in the spotlight and this sweet, sad, compassionate man completely stole my heart. I am always so grateful for a good dual POV and in this case with both Aurora and Russ facing similar familial issues, the quality of writing really shined through because it never felt repetitive. It made it so much easier to relate to both Aurora and Russ and I loved that. I eagerly anticipate catching glimpses of more beloved characters, playing a guessing game as to who will take the lead in the next installment (I constantly debate between JJ and Henry)

This book was alright. I wish we had more variety setting wise and saw things other then summer camp. I was expecting this book to have more spice but it didn’t live up to that expectations. The characters were alright but the daddy issues between them were a lot. This was one of those instaconnections that led to instant love moments. Which I personally don’t enjoy I need more development. I definitely enjoyed the side characters more.

All in all I would rate it 3 stars. I feel it needed more depth. It was still an enjoyable read with some cute moments mixed in.

Wildfire by Hannah Grace is a stunning next edition to the romance that took the internet by storm, Icebreaker. Grace makes her triumphant return to the UC Maple Hills Campus with Russ and Aurora who are both incredibly likable and complex in their own right. The way the author manages to balance serious topics of family dysfunction and gambling addictions with adorable and swoon-worthy scenes between the two main characters is a work of art. This book surpassed my expectations in every way and shows the world that Hannah Grace is one to watch.

Who cares about basketball players when hockey players exist

I am OBSESSED with Russ and Aurora. I LOVED that they knew how to communicate with each other, which is often lacking (and annoying) in romance books. Hannah Grace knows how to write complex, deep characters while keeping everything light, fun, and enjoyable. This book was incredibly fun and enjoyable to read. The summer camp setting has me surprised this didn’t come out earlier, like June or July, but I would enjoy reading it in any month. I am so, so excited for everyone to read this book. I could not stop sending my highlights to the book club group chat. (Side note- as its #1 fan, I was <i>living</i> for the <i>Ratatouille</i> representation.)

If there is more to come in the Maple Hills series, I will be first in line to read it. Until then, thank you so much to Atria Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5/5

Is Hannah Grace quickly becoming one of my must read romance authors? Yes, yes she is.
I hate sports, but the way Hannah Grace writes them? I'd be going to hockey, basketball, sports games all year long. I LOVE the characters she writes, I love the way they communicate, I love the banter, the honesty the growth. LOVE IT.
And the sex! So good!
I could do without everyone walking in on each other, or constantly overhearing each other, but maybe that's just because I've been blessed enough not to have to hear or see any of my friends in the middle of their actions.