
Running the Spark House, a hotel/event space that has been in her family for years, has been Avery Sparkās lifelong dream. After years of working hard and making personal sacrifices, Avery and her two younger sisters have turned the Spark House into the premier destination in Colorado Springs. Avery is living her best lifeāshe works with her sisters and loves every minute of it, she has a great group of friends, and she lives in a fantastic condo with her best friend Declan. She might not have any love in her life, but she’s happy.
But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Averyās caretaker, lines begin to blur.
Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what wouldāve happened if she’d dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.

Title: | When Sparks Fly |
Author: | Helena Hunting |
Series: | Spark House (Book 1) |
Pages: | 320 |
Genre(s): | Contemporary |
Trope(s): | Friends to Lovers Roommates to Lovers |
Point of View: | First Person, Present Tense, Dual Viewpoint (H & h) |
Location: | Colorado Springs, Colorado, US |
HEA: | āļø |
Release Date: | 21st September, 2021 |


Happy and heartwarming

I am a fairly recent convert to Helena Huntingās stories and was so excited to get my hands on this first book in this new series. This book focuses on Avery, the eldest of three sisters who own and run Spark House – an exclusive hotel / event space. Iām hoping Averyās sisters get their own stories but either way, this story is complete with itās on HEA so stands completely alone.
Avery is the heroine of our tale and sheās a strong and likeable woman. Sheās honest, owns her faults and is loyal and loving to her friends and family. I liked that she was constantly trying to push herself to be better but also realised her limitations. I definitely rooted for her all the way through.
I adored Declan. He had a respectable job, was healthy and hugely loyal – but was still in many ways a lost little boy with his fear of commitment. He makes mistakes but I loved that he owned up to them and tried to do better. His vulnerability when it came to Avery was swoonworthy and there was none of the usual drama when thereās a character who doesnāt usually ādoā relationships.
“…there is quite a slow burn while these two move from friendship into something more. But when they do⦠oh Lordy, I loved it.”
This is a best friends – who are also roommates – to lovers story and while that does mean we skip the usual āgetting to know youā phase, there is quite a slow burn while these two move from friendship into something more. But when they do⦠oh Lordy, I loved it. The whole premise about why they started hooking up was why romance books were invented.
This isnāt as lighthearted as some of Ms Huntingās romcoms and while it does deal with some potentially upsetting things, theyāre all handled very lightly and we never get bogged down with unnecessary emotions. Having said that itās not a straight romcom, this book was still really funny in places. The peanut brownies, the hobbyhorses to name but two – completely cracked me up.
Thereās more to the story than just the romance itās not just about Declan and Avery moving from friends to something more, but them becoming a couple that are perfect for each other and will stay together.
No matter what sheās writing, Ms Hunting pulled me in with this story. I was hooked from the first page and I just wanted to keep reading and reading and reading some more. As I said, Iām hoping for books for London and Harley. It may be too convenient to pair them with Declan and Averyās friends, Jerome and Mark – but hereās hoping and Iāll read them all, regardless. This is a fun and delightful story that is adorable and will warm your heart. I very much enjoyed it and didnāt hesitate to give it 5 stars.

*I received this book in exchange for my honest review.*



NYT and USA Today Bestselling author, Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her two awesome cats, who think the best place to sleep is her keyboard. Helena writes everything from contemporary romance with all the feels to romantic comedies that will have you laughing until you cry.



Excerpt:
DECLAN
Iām in the middle of a set of crunches when I notice Avery standing at the end of the hallway, her phone in her hand, aimed at me. āWhat are you doing?ā
āEntertaining my followers. I saved the last video in my highlights, and it has over six thousand views. I figured they could use another hit of your abs. Maybe you should do a few burpees, just for fun.ā
āNo one does burpees for fun, but Iāll do a few for the sake of your entertainment.ā I roll to a sitting position and grab the towel at my side, swiping it over my face before I stand up and roll my head on my shoulders. āReady for the gun show?ā I waggle my brows and flex one of my biceps.
She shakes her head, but sheās smirking. āStop stalling, McCormick, and show us what you got.ā
I do a set of burpees, my sweatpants slipping lower and lower. I stop before I lose them and flash Avery. āHow was that?ā
āGood.ā She clears her throat. Her gaze moves slowly from my waist back up to my face. āThe fans will appreciate your dedication.ā
āIām gonna jump in the shower. You want pancakes or something for breakfast?ā I grab the towel from the floor.
āYeah. Sounds good.ā She nods a few times, eyes bouncing around, face a little flushed.
āDo you need my help with anything first?ā
She blinks a couple of times. āUh no. Iām good. Iāll put on a pot of coffee and get changed.ā
āSounds good.ā I brush by her on my way to my bedroom. Usually sheād be grossed out by the fact that Iām sweaty, but today she seems distracted. āYou okay?ā
āYeah. Fine. Just burpee envy.ā
āDonāt worry, Ave, youāll be back to hating burpees soon enough.ā I kiss her temple and head down the hall.
Fifteen minutes later Iām showered, and I pass Averyās closed bedroom door on the way to the kitchen, but pause when I hear a soft groan. I wait a few seconds, unsure if Iām imagining things, or maybe I stepped on the spot on the floor that creaks, but ten seconds later she groans again, longer and lower this time.
Worried sheās hurt herself trying to get to the bathroom and isnāt within reach of her phone, I wrench the door open. At first Iām confused, because Averyās expression isnāt one I can read. At least until another low sound escapes her, and what Iām finally seeing makes more sense. Itās also 100 percent not what I expect. And Avery most definitely did not hurt herself trying to get to the bathroom. At all.
Her nightshirt is pushed up high, exposing a few inches of toned stomach and a thin sheet covers most of the lower half of her body. Her uncasted leg is bent with her knee and calf peeking out from under the sheet. Her head is thrown back, exposing the smooth expanse of her throat. Her good arm is hidden under the sheets, but the angle and the way the sheets are moving tell me exactly where her hand is and exactly what sheās doing under there.
Sheās so focused that she doesnāt notice me standing in her doorway. And Iām so shocked, and maybe a little concerned, or enthralled by how aggressively her hand is moving under that sheet, that all I can seem to do is gawk.
She groans again, and this time itās one Iām familiar with because Iāve heard it a lot since the accident. Frustration.
āCome on!ā The slap is unexpected and based on the sound, she isnāt hitting the mattress.
I jump back, bashing my elbow into the doorjamb.
Her eyes pop open and her head lifts, gaze locking with mine.
āShit! Sorry! I thought youād hurt yourself.ā I back out of the room, slamming the door shut.
āWhat the fuck. What happened to knocking?ā she yells from the other side.
āIām really sorry!ā I shout back.
I should move away from her door, but I donāt. Instead, I stand there, like a dumbstruck idiot, with my hand still on the knob, trying to wrap my brain around what I walked in on. I donāt know why Iām so surprised. I take care of my own needs at least once a day, so why wouldnāt Avery do the same?
Iāve seen the black packages that come in the mail for her periodically, which indicates that sheās taking care of her own needs. Not once have I allowed myself to think about what that might look like or sound like. But now Iāve seen and heard it, and based on whatās going on below the waist, my body would very much like to witness that again. I shake my head, trying to make the images disappear and force my body to calm the heck down. āIāll get breakfast started.ā I figure the best way to deal with this is to go about things like normal and pretend it didnāt happen.
Iāve managed to get my body under control again by the time Avery appears in the kitchen.
āHey!ā I cringe at the high, almost-prepubescent pitch of my voice and the excessive chipperness.
All I get in return is a grunt. She adjusts her crutch under her arm, hops a couple of times as she finds her balance and opens the cupboard door.
āWhat do you need? I can help.ā
She wobbles, and an elbow gets me in the side as she reaches up to open the cupboard. āI got it, thanks.ā
She finally manages to grab the knob, but she loses her hold on her crutch in the process and hops perilously on one foot. I catch it before it hits the ground and wrap my other arm around her waist to keep her steady.
āIām really sorry, Ave. I thought maybe youād fallen and hurt yourself. I shouldāve knocked first.ā
āI shouldāve locked my door,ā she mumbles, face red, refusing to meet my gaze.
āYou donāt need to be embarrassed about it, okay? We all masturbate.ā I pull down a coffee mug and move around to her other side to grab the carafe. The last thing I need is Avery spilling hot coffee on herself.
āPlease, Deck, Iām good without the pro-self-exploration pep talk.ā
āItās a good thing youāre getting your drive back, right? It means youāre healing.ā I fight a cringe. Thereās a solid chance Iām making things worse. While weāve jokingly talked about my masturbation habits in the not-so-distant past, talking about it and witnessing it firsthand are two totally different things.
āSeriously, Declan, can you please drop it? The cheerleading isnāt really all that helpful.ā She dumps a heaping spoon of sugar into her coffee and stirs it aggressively. Coffee sloshes over the side of the cup.
āYouāre not mad at me, are you? It was an honest mistake.ā I canāt read her right now.
She sighs and tosses the spoon into the sink. āIām not mad at you. Iām frustrated.ā
That doesnāt make a whole lot of sense. āShouldnāt you be relaxed?ā
āYes, Declan, I should be relaxed, but Iām not because I couldnāt finish. I canāt maneuver properly and itās too freaking awkward to manage dual stimulation.ā
āDual stimulation?ā I have no idea what sheās talking about, and Iām pretty sure where my mind has gone canāt be right.
Her face turns red. āBoth buttons need to be pressed at the same time.ā
āBoth buttons?ā What the hell kind of high-tech vibrator is she using?
āThe G-spot and the bean! I donāt even know why Iām explaining this to you. Itās the girl equivalent of blue balls!ā She waves her left hand around. āIām probably not going to have a freaking orgasm until this stupid cast comes off, unless youāre planning to help me out with that too!ā
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Review: Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting - Jo Reads Romance
1 May 2022 at 11:06 pm[…] feature heavily in all stories. Having said that, Iām glad that I read Averyās story first in When Sparks Fly, as as much as I liked her in her own story, I didnāt really care for her in this one. But […]