Wildfire: The Instant Global #1 and Sunday Times Bestseller

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My original review had tons more (well deserved) praise for the book but now I'm on a time crunch, 'cause I'm doing this at work, so this will have to do. The way this book was planned really played to the strength of the plot , the characters’ personalities and pain. As mentioned in the synopsis, the characters share an intimate night with one another and part ways immediately only to meet again at a summer camp as colleagues. The large part of the plot is the characters healing, revealing their scars and painting galaxies around them and finding beauty in one another and themselves; however , there’s a subtler underlying theme that Grace talks about that takes up a lot of the emotional real estate in the book. The breakthrough moments we witness within that theme were sometimes hard to believe and I loved that Grace writes them that way. There definitely isn’t as much spice in this book as there is in Icebreaker. This goes from a one night stand to a slow burn. But because it’s Hannah Grace, the spice is spicing when you get to it. From the author of TikTok sensation Icebreaker comes a deliciously swoonworthy romance following two summer camp counsellors who reconnect after a sizzling one-night stand. You’re my favorite,” I whisper, leaning in to kiss her flushed cheek. “Even if I had crab hands?” “Even if you had crab hands, Anastasia.”

Their small interactions with one another throughout the day had me giddy and wanting so much more. It was kind of the same rush as to when you have a crush on a boy at school, it was nostalgic and Hannah executed it perfectly! The secondary characters were aplenty. Both Aurora and Russ had separate social circles and friends, and a shared one that existed within the camp. This was my first Hannah Grace book and even though this is the second book in the Maple Hills series, it reads fairly well as a standalone. However, all of Russ’ friends I presume were already introduced in Icebreaker (Maple Hills, #1), because they were the only characters we weren’t introduced to. The characters closest to Russ were clear but the next circle merged a little bit. While it didn’t take away from the experience, reading the books as the series intends would possibly add to the joy.I found this book to be an extremely easy read with lots of laughter thrown in. I’m looking forward to book 3 now to see what happens to this friendship group next. Like Icebreaker, I really enjoyed the friendships between everyone, they all got on great and had so much respect for each other. Given their history, there’s still an obvious tension between the two but the camp has a strict “no staff fraternizing” rule. Russ doesn’t want to risk heading home early but Aurora has never been one for rules. My god I don’t know what Hannah Grace is putting in her books but I’m completely addicted!!! I absolutely LOVE Icebreaker and was worried this one wouldn’t be as good because it was set at a summer camp so I thought the amazing friend group from Icebreaker would be missing. I’m so happy that not only was that not the case (I swear I giggled every time Henry made an appearance because I’m so obsessed with him) but we also get some amazing new friends with Xander and Emilia. I honestly kinda hope we get a Xander book someday in the future. All the people we know and love from UCMH are still so involved in this story because they all love Russ so much and of course have their usual shenanigans lol Russ and Rory meet one night at a party. After their spontaneous yet mind blowing night, both being the miscommunicators they most definitely didn’t want to be, they part ways, assuming the other didn’t want to see them again. Noooothing like Nate whatsoever, Russ is modest, shy and so nervous—especially when you get him alone around Aurora who he thinks is not only way out of his league, but the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen!

This anonymity ends when they both turn up to their first day of work as camp counsellors. A job they had both chosen to escape Maple Hills for the summer. Their close proximity breaches the camps non-fraternizing policy but naturally, the rebel in Rory really doesn’t give a crap 🤪Russ is such an amazing MMC and there were several times when he’d be explaining how he views his dad and their relationship because of his addiction where I just really felt seen for the first time in the way I view my own father’s addiction versus other addicts. Russ was also so great at making Rory feel wanted like she needed. He would say the sweetest things and every time he’d blush I fell more in love with him. Both characters have flaws and both are broken and traumatized by their parents who’d failed them, but Rory and Russ end up finding solace in one another despite their imperfections. Maple Hills students Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts cross paths at a party celebrating the end of the academic year, where a drinking game results in them having a passionate one-night stand. Never one to overstay her welcome (or expect much from a man), Aurora slips away before Russ even has the chance to ask for her full name. We only saw them for a short while though as we head to summer camp where we spend the majority of the book. This pair are champions at miscommunication which is a trope I don’t really like, however it was not over the top and it didn’t bother me at all.