Member Reviews

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Naturally, like everyone else that read Icebreaker, I was beyond excited for this book. However, I do find that I liked Icebreaker better, but it also had some of my preferred tropes compared to this. It was definitely a slow burn, which I don't mind at all. Overall it was an adorable, cheesy, rom com that had some spice, and also delved into some family issues. Definitely worth the read.

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Hannah is an amazing writer and weaves in emotional themes coupled with humor, lightheartedness, and steam, and Wildfire hits the same way as Icebreaker did in those ways. The characters are vibrant and funny, and I had a good time.

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Though we enjoyed the initial offering in this series, this followup felt forced and overly long. It's fun to see some of the background development of the banter amongst the friend group, but this was not a solid enough conflict or set of plot points to warrant a standalone journey being followed.

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I love camp and I enjoyed Icebreaker, but unfortunately I didn't love this book as much as I hoped. I found the relationships slightly stilted and the conversations not as engaging as I had hoped. I had high hopes and unfortunately it didn't meet them.

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After reading Icebreaker I was super excited to read more from Hannah Grace. I will say I do think you should read the first book, but it is not necessary. In all honesty Icebreaker wasn’t my favorite, but after reading Wildifre, I will say this was more of my cup of tea. We met Russ in the last book, and I really enjoyed getting to see his POV in this book. I will say I was surprised that this was the character Hannah picked to make the second book for but I really did enjoy it!

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I absolutely love Aurora and Russ. Icebreaker set the bar so high, I felt like the plot in "Wildfire" was slightly lacking. Overall, this was a fast, cozy, summer-camp-vibe and I loved it. I always wanted to go to camp as a kid and never got to so I was vicariously living through these characters. A solid 4 stars from me! Also Hannah Grace, please give us a book on Henry, please!

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Another good read from Hannah Grace!
While in a hockey romance series, there is much less hockey. This title is set at a summer camp where the main characters are counselors. This was a solid romance with fast pacing. Despite that, it still felt long at times. A lot of the same issues were repeated over and over partially by nature of being at a summer camp with rules against counselor fraternization. However, it would have been nice to see different conflict and mental health issues surrounding more than family issues (not belittling family issues as a strain though).

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I have fallen in love with Hannah Grace’s universe.
This is a great story for any romance lover and a special bonus for those who would spend their summers a sleep away camp. I loved the ties to sleep away camp, and reminded me a lot of me early teen years and always being nosy of what the camp counselors were up to, so this books feed my imagination lol
Both characters were really easy to follow and their story and chemistry flowed really well on the page!

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3 ⭐️

I liked the characters in this story, but the writing felt a little predictable and cheesy at times. I really liked how there was actual communication, as well as spice, and the third act break up was minor and easily resolved. Yes, this is a romantic comedy, but it also has aspects of literary fiction because of the aspects of familial relationships within the plot.

Overall, I wasn’t super attached to these characters but I didn’t dislike them either. I would recommend reading this book during the summer since it’s set at a summer camp the majority of the time.

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**I was excited to receive a complimentary copy of Wildfire by Hannah Grace from NetGalley. Opinions in this review are completely my own.**

I was excited to read another book in this series because I enjoyed the first novel in this series, Icebreaker. I like the way that the hockey guys joke around with each other and the bond they share. It is fun to read about their friendship.

I thought the camp counsellor romance was fun to read. It reminded me of the summer camp movies I watched when I was young. The camaraderie, the laughter, and the sense of nostalgia that summer camps evoke are beautifully portrayed. As well, how the kids were asking questions about if they liked each other is exactly how kids are. I teach elementary and they have done this to me a million times.

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A solid romance novel but ultimately nothing spectacular. Good use of standard romance tropes and likable characters, but lacking a strong plot, especially for the first half. The first half of the book dragged for me, the second half was good but missing something. I did enjoy the characters and their chemistry, but it’s missing that extra something to make it a GREAT read.
I received a digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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From the moment I picked up this book, I was completely hooked. Hannah Grace writes in such a fun, captivating way that I connect to immediately. She combines fluff, romance, and happy moments, with deeper conversations of personal growth, and living with trauma, resulting in the most vivid and comforting books ever.

Aurora’s character was so refreshingly real. Most times, I found myself connecting with so many of the worries she shared. She is such a powerful character in that she was fiercely and unapologetically herself, while simultaneously having the courage to be vulnerable and emotional. As the book progresses, you can see her grow into herself, and become even braver and bolder than before. I love a girl who isn’t afraid to occupy space, and who shows others it’s okay and important to be vulnerable, by modeling that herself. Even with her self-declared raging daddy issues, her self-awareness, and eventual ability to put herself first, really made her healing journey so special for me. There could not have been a better person to compliment Russ.

Russ is simply an ideal man. He is an angel, and just such a soft character. Perhaps what I loved most about Russ was how loud he loved. One of his love languages is most definitely words of affirmation, as he was consistently verbal about his feelings about Aurora. His praise had me tearing up. “You’re like sunshine, Rory. I want to bask in everything you have.” He just raised the bar so high in every way possible. Also, the mouth on that man… Wow.

One of my favorite parts of Wildfire was how Russ and Aurora worked through miscommunications and issues, and never gave up on each other. They met each other halfway always, and brought out the best in one another.

While Wildfire and Icebreaker were gravely different (and both amazing), the best elements of each are the same: beautifully complex characters, deep love, fun fluffy stories, and a found family that makes you feel included! I truly laughed so hard reading this book. The new characters —Emilia, Xander, Jenna— all fit perfectly in the Maple Hills world. And don’t get me started on the PETS of Maple Hills!! Fish, Salmon, and Trout stole the show. The camp setting was so unique, and transported me into their little world in Honey Acres. It felt nostalgic, and fun, like I was in camp, and not in the middle of autumn.

Overall, Russ and Aurora’s story was so cute, real, and meaningful. I am forever reading anything and everything Hannah Grace publishes, and I cannot wait for Henry’s story!

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Russ and Aurora hook up and then end up at the same summer camp together where they have to avoid canoodling, or at least getting caught. I have complicated feelings about this book. I guess maybe the premise of this really wasn't for me but I was excited none the less because I really enjoyed Icebreaker for it's cast of side characters and the deep friendships I felt she depicted. Unfortunately Wildfire spends most of the book away from that cast of lovable nerds. This book wasn't bad, I just found it to be boring at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing the ARC.

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This was just as good as Icebreaker. I was surprised that the author went with Russ rather than one of the other members of the hockey team. But I absolutely loved him and Rory together!! At first, I messed the banter from the first book, between Nate and the guys. And I wasn't sure if there would be any of that since the Russ and Rory were at a summer camp. I should never had doubted Hannah Grace. It was laughing at the things the characters were saying to each other. It was pure perfection!!

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This was such a fun a read! I loved the main characters and how different their personalities were. I didn’t realize this was a book in a series, I am definitely going to pick up the first book now.

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I immediately fell in love with Russ and Rory! College romance! Summer camp! SIZZLING hookups! This book is an excellent choice if you're looking for a fun contemporary romance! Includes: witty banter that will have you smiling at the pages, steamy hookups, and a very fun ending. Hannah Grace had a home run with Ice Breaker, but she hits it out of the park with Wildfire.

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Wildfire was such a cute camp read that I got around to enjoy, it will pick up fans of summer love romances and icebreaker. Russ was such a fantastic love interest as opposed to the first book gives off more teddy bear vibes.

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Wildfire is a worthy continuation of the Maple Hills series and strong enough that it could stand on its own. After a romantic interlude at a campus party, Russ and Aurora believed they'd never see each other again. When they wind up as counselors at the same summer camp, they realize their connection is deeper than they realized. Russ and Rory find common ground as they try to evade their respective family dramas. Their budding summer romance faces challenges as they attempt to evade the "no staff fraternizing rule."

Russ and Aurora had a believable chemistry that leaped off the page. They were just as compelling as Nate and Anastasia from Icebreaker, and yet unique in their own right. Their banter was entertaining, and the story fleshed out their characters believably. The camp setting was unexpected, but a nice change of pace from the Maple Hills setting of the first installment. The new characters added humor and light-hearted zest to the storyline.

Hannah Grace's writing has tremendous heart, allowing the characters to share their vulnerabilities and support each other in healthy ways. It's nice to see supportive relationships and friendships modeled in literature, and Grace tackles difficult subjects with finesse and care. The story had an easy flow to it. I was engrossed in the story, eager to find out what happened next. The plot didn't rely on soap-opera-esque drama, which was refreshing to see.

It was also nice to see the characters from Icebreaker make an appearance in Wildfire. Their friend chemistry is still going strong, as evidenced by the snippets at the party and in the group message. Hannah Grace found a way for the characters to stay in touch, yet continue to grow outside of their friendship circle.

Wildfire is a strong installment to the Maple Hills series with heartwarming characters you can root for. I can't wait to find out which hockey player is next in the series!

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A great second novel from Hannah Grace! Her writing style greatly improved from the first!

Wildfire had all the feels from the first with an added bonus of camp vibes! It was a quick read with lots of sweet moments and character development!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing the ARC.

In the interest of honesty, I found Icebreakers to be pretty mid tier, but I was more intrigued by the story synopsis for this book than I ever was for Icebreakers. However, this book for me is a total snoozefest.

I love the idea of a sweet, shy MMC and a rambunctious FMC, but I honestly felt like both Aurora and Russ fell very flat. I had a very hard time getting into this book for that reason. Additionally, I just don't feel like I jive with the writing style. There are parts where Grace definitely shines throuh, but more often than not there is a great deal of explanation or backstory that detracts from the overall book.

Definitely not my thing, and I feel like it could be for someone who was a big fan of Icebreakers

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