When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

New Adult Romance 
Publication date: ​09/21/2021
Kindle Unlimited: No
Cliffhanger: No

Another great, fun read from Helena Hunting. No surprise here, really. Here's the scoop:

Plot overview: Declan and Avery are roommates and good friends. Declan breaks a promise to Avery and Avery ends up injured in a car accident. Feeling very guilty, Declan takes care of her. And, as the title suggests, sparks fly, and they realize they're maybe more than just friends after all. 

Trope bingo: new adult romance, roommates-to-lovers, friends-to-lovers, forced proximity

There are a few things you can always count on from Helena Hunting: 

Swoony heroes: Declan fits the bill nicely. Sure, he's a bit of a "playboy" when the story starts, but he never ventures into manwhore territory as far as I'm concerned. He dates, has sex, and enjoys women. He's not an a-hole about it. And when he realizes how much he actually cares for Avery, he's as loyal as a little puppy dog, and every bit as cute. 

Sassy heroines: Avery is smart and doesn't take crap from anyone. Not being able to maintain her independence while she's injured grates against her very soul, but she's wise enough to realize when she needs help, and she doesn't push it away. She also graciously forgives Declan for the asshattery that lands her in the car wreck, understanding that it wasn't really his fault. She didn't hold any irrational grudges, and for that alone, I loved her. She also wasn't ashamed to admit that she was a sexual person who had no trouble asking for exactly what she wanted. I respected the hell out of her for that. 

Great banter: Couples in Helena Hunting books banter like no one else. It's always a ton of fun. 

Sexy times: Yes, they bang. Yes, it's totally hot. :) 

Dual POV: My 5-star keeper reads are almost exclusively dual POV. So many romances these days are 1st person POV that I felt I needed to point out this one as a dual POV read. I love knowing what both main characters are thinking. I hate guess work .

Now, if I was going to complain, I'd say that this book isn't necessarily what I'd call a rom com. To me, these cartoon covers only belong on rom coms, where there are shenanigans and wackiness and lots of laughs. This was more of a straight forward new adult romance. That's not the author's fault, mind you. I blame St. Martin's marketing department for this one. Quit trying to market every romance as a rom com!!! It only ends up pissing readers off. 

So, I give the book 5 stars. I give St. Martin's marketing department only 2 stars. 

Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley and voluntarily left this review. 

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
No rehab needed. This one is clean and sober.