The Spark

This was my first book by this author and won't be my last it was a fun and entertaining light hearted read that also covered more serious ssues at the same time and explored the way that relationships and love can be complicated but these complications can be overcome and true love can be found. A fab romcom read the perfect pick me up in the current times.

I finished this adorable romance in a single day, it was exactly the perfect light read romance.

Jess and Sam meet at a garden party and have an instant "spark" . Things flow between them as if they have known one another for years and that instant connection is noticed by both. However, Sam has a long term girlfriend (something he is upfront about) and Jess has a family broken by "the other woman". They part as friends but can't stop bumping into each other and each time the spark is ignited again. Sam leaves his relationship, and waits as long as he can before going after Jess. From here things heat up, drama ensues, families are tangled, and you read with baited breath wondering if it is all going to work out.

The first chapter grabs you there is no waiting for the plot to thicken. Jules Wake captured the chemistry between these two destined characters right off the hop and it only got better from there. You can feel their connection and it builds effortlessly.

One thing I didn't love was the ex girlfriend and the whole pitting women against women, however, she was the main antagonist of this book and in this case I see why it had to be this way, and they needed to draw the parallels of Sam's ex with Jess' mom.

The family characters and dynamics were well done, although at times I did want to shake Sam and have him stick up for his girl.

Overall this is a great escapist read that has lots of chemistry and a strong, independent, female lead.

This book drew me in from the very first page and I couldn't put it down.

I loved the depiction of the initial attraction - the spark - and then how that transcended the physical connection between these two characters and became love. This is a deep dive into the complexities of all relationships, not just romantic, and I loved how well the author explored family dynamics and friendship as much as the romance.

At the core is Jess' journey and this was so well written. I loved how she discovered her inner strength and how to 'wield it' with compassion, and how she remained true to herself and her values, yet let herself be vulnerable.

Thoughtful, truthful, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. A must read.

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for providing me this ARC to review.

This is my first Jules Wake read and certainly will not be my last, what a breath of fresh air this was!

I was totally engrossed is Jess and Sam they both fit together like Lego.
Sam ends his relationship with Victoria to be with Jess, of course Victoria is just not going to accept they are over so will do anything to get Sam back.

This is not your kind of boy meets girl love story and I really felt the connection between them and enjoyed reading this one.

I have already added Morning Park Run to my reading list and looking foward to more from Jules in the future.

I seriously think this author is becoming one of my favourite authors! I love her writing and get hooked into her stories every single time! I knew when I first saw this book that I would love it, and I was right! The story introduces us to Jess and Sam who meet at a garden party. They both know that there was a spark between them, but Sam had a long-term girlfriend and Jess isn’t one to look at another woman’s man!! But when Sam gets in touch several weeks later asking Jess out, she has to make sure that he is free and single. Sam says he is…but his ex, Victoria has other ideas.

I was captivated by this book from the very first page! Jess’s character was great and I loved her high morals and her caring nature. I have to say I don’t think I could ever be as patient and sympathetic as Jess was though with regards to Sam’s ex…and dare I say it, with regards to Sam also. For every time that Victoria gave her a smug smile and Sam leaves her standing there to sort out his ex, I would have given them both a slap!! But then again, I’m not as forgiving as Jess obviously is! Whilst you could look at it from Victoria’s perspective and think she is wronged party, there was no excuse for how she behaved!!

It is obvious though that Jess and Sam are meant to be together. Is there such a thing as that instant spark, the perfect chemistry or love at first sight? This book goes to prove that all those things exist!! I love the Lego reference which Jess and Sam use and thought this was really simple, yet absolutely perfect to describe them! The course of true love doesn’t go smoothly for them though and there are so many obstacles for them to overcome. I loved Sam’s character just as much as Jess. I did feel for Sam at times, having to choose between Jess and his family and friends, but couldn’t help but think that perhaps he could have sorted out some of those choices a lot sooner!

The story flowed along perfectly and once started, I didn’t want to put it down until I’d finished. It wasn’t all about true love though, there were lots of other issues covered in the book which all played a part in Jess’s storyline. Without giving away any spoilers, I found Jess’s storyline later in the book visiting her family very emotional and loved how it made everything else a lot easier to deal with afterwards. It was a lot more of a serious book than I first thought, but it did have it’s laughs! Jess’s cousin, Shelley was very likeable and her aunt and uncle were like a breath of fresh air! The characters, good and bad, all complemented the storyline and I connected with them all more and more as the book moved on.

I was genuinely sad to finish this book and could have started it all over again! It is full of family, friends, love and loss, with some of the characters learning so much about themselves. It showed us how complicated relationships can be, even though they don’t necessarily have to be. It also kept us wondering whether Jess would ever get a happy ending! Light-hearted, warming and emotional, this book ticked all the boxes for me! Fab, fab, fab!!