I'm not sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand, Blount did a fantastic job of writing the tangled web of family and making it so you cared about them. On the other hand, the romantic aspect and some of the execution felt very two-dimensional and bland.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Dear Dad,
I promised Matt I’d do this—become a Junior Cadet. That I wouldn’t let you break me down. I know you hate me. Blame me for everything you lost. But that day I lost my brother and my dad. You could never be proud of me, could you? I was too “different.” So, just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m saying goodbye. Maybe someday, you’ll miss me.
Reece

Reece’s words make her ache. Amanda understands wanting to belong. As a foster kid, the firehouse where she volunteers is the only place that feels like home. She wants to help Reece, but his dad is her boss. And she won’t risk her place as a Junior Cadet—it’s all that she has. But when a string of arsons suddenly point to Amanda, her whole world is about to go up in flames. And the only way to save themselves is to risk getting burned.

*2.5 stars*

This was a bit of a disappointment, to be honest. Lots of buzz about this novel, lots of great reviews...but I finished the book thinking "If only..."

Let's look at the positives first, though:

I think Reece's story was the best arc in the book. With issues with his father (trying to always prove himself to his jerk father), dealing with the grief after the death of his brother, and trying to make something better of himself, to reach for something more. He was a great character.

Amanda's story was also interesting. A foster child in a home where she isn't really wanted or loved, she makes her "home" at the firehouse. While not as emotionally invested in her story as I was in Reece's, it was still refreshing to see characters that I could relate to.

So, the main characters - and their separate storylines - were good...

...but that's about where it ended...

The two biggest drawbacks in this story for me were the insane amount of overwrought emotional scenes, and the insta-love thing.
I get that teens can be emotional. I get that, for a lot of the time, they don't understand what it is they are upset about. But they aren't ALWAYS like that. It felt like every other scene in this book with drenched in drama and emotion that it really did weigh down the pacing of the book and the story-telling aspects.
Also, the whole "boy-meets-girl, instantly falls in love" thing is just way over done. I appreciate that the story takes place over a relatively short time frame, but there is no chance to build chemistry when they are in love within minutes of meeting. It is one thing in YA fiction that really does my head in.

Add to that, the sometimes clunky dialogue and the final part, romanticising depression, wasn't a good look either.

So, what was a novel that I really thought would be a great read ended up being more frustrating...


Paul
ARH