cover image When Sparks Fly

When Sparks Fly

Helena Hunting. Griffin, $16.99 trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-250-62470-3

Hunting (A Kiss for a Kiss) delivers an enjoyable friends-to-lovers romance ignited by a lengthy recovery from a car accident. Twenty-eight-year-old hotelier Avery Spark is on her way to a business meeting when she crashes her car and breaks multiple bones. Declan McCormick, her roommate and best friend since college, offers to provide round-the-clock care during her recovery out of guilt for not driving her to the meeting as he’d promised. Avery is frustrated with her lack of mobility, but, with the encouragement of her sisters, finds an outlet in documenting her recovery on social media. And after Declan walks in on Avery masturbating, the pair decide he should help her relieve her sexual tension while her mobility is limited, leading both to admit to long-hidden mutual attraction. When pot brownies inspire an out-of-character rant from Avery that she posts on her hotel’s social media, the loss of a major sponsor threatens the business. In her attempts to fix her mistake, Avery pursues an alternate sponsor—with serious consequences for her fragile relationship. Hunting hits familiar notes but makes them sing, resulting in a predictable but charming love story. This is a solid pick for romance fans. (Sept.)