Wildfire – Hannah Grace

When I fell for the #BookTok hype and read Icebreaker, I was so impressed that I immediately picked up a copy of the next book in Hannah Grace’s Maple Hills series: Wildfire. I wish I’d read it sooner, because even having read Icebreaker a while back, I found it a bit hard to track who was what to whom in the start. So, that’s my first tip: read them back-to-back (or at least skim over Icebreaker for a refresher before you dive in).

It might seem strange, then, that my first complaint about Wildfire is that it’s very exposition-heavy. You’d think that would mean it would be easier to connect the dots, but alas it ain’t so. The exposition is more internal, with both main characters constantly telling the reader Who They Are, Why They Are The Way They Are, and What They Want. Unfortunately, that continues throughout the novel, long after the reader is well acquainted with what’s going on.

The story follows Aurora Roberts and Russ Callaghan’s summer romance. They have an end-of-year party one night stand, and part without sentiment, figuring they’re unlikely to see each other ever again. Of course, Russ (who needs the money) and Aurora (who needs “a factory reset”) both find themselves working side-by-side as counselors at the same summer camp.

But the workplace isn’t all they have in common. They both have serious Daddy Issues, and they’re both beholden to the camp’s strict No Fraternisation policy. Of course, this is a romance novel, so we all know those minor obstacles aren’t going to be nearly enough to keep them apart.

This conceit means that Wildfire starts with a spice explosion, then slows right down. There’s a long stretch at Honey Acres summer camp with no sexy bits – not even a stolen kiss. I prefer my spice spaced evenly (and the more the better), but that wasn’t the biggest issue I had with Wildfire.

What bothered me most was reading about two twenty-year-olds who talk and act like people who have had decades of therapy, even though they explicitly have not so much as looked at a shrink’s website (Aurora actually jokes repeatedly about being fine with making some future therapist rich off dealing with all her issues). I don’t know how much time Grace has spent speaking to actual twenty-year-olds, but none of them are communicating this transparently about their desires and foils and triggers and needs. Wish-fulfillment is fine in romance novels when it’s “wouldn’t it be nice if he threw me against a wall and ravished me”, but I find it icky when it’s “wouldn’t it be nice if some tall, handsome, kind guy who’s great with kids and dogs also communicated clearly and openly and respected my boundaries and had the self-awareness to articulate his own”.

So, I guess it’s no surprise that I found Wildfire a bit of a let-down after how much I enjoyed Icebreaker… but I’ll grant that it wasn’t such a stinker that I won’t now seek out the next book in the Maple Hills series. Maybe Daydream will be a return to form.

Read Wildfire on audiobook via Libro.fm here.

My favourite Amazon reviews of Wildfire:

• “Aurora is an insufferable character. Constantly whining about her daddy issues and how no one loves her.” – Sarah
• “Do not buy this for your teenage daughter even if the cover is cute and TikTok said to.” – Melissa W Sais
• “for the love of God, why are summer campers drinking hot chocolate so often” – Jess
• “I swear Russ had more of a connection with the dog mascots then his own “girlfriend”.” – Natalie
• “Did not enjoy book. Too many characters too confusing too woke.” GpS