Book Summary: 

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.

Imagine their surprise when they bump into each other on the first day of the summer camp where they are both counselors, hoping to escape their complicated home lives by spending the summer working. Russ hopes if he gets far enough away from Maple Hills, he can avoid dealing with the repercussions of his father’s gambling addiction, while Aurora is tired of craving attention from everyone around her, and wants to go back to the last place she truly felt at home.

Russ knows breaking the camp’s strict “no staff fraternizing” rule will have him heading back to Maple Hills before the summer is over, but unfortunately for him, Aurora has never been very good at caring about the rules. Will the two learn to peacefully coexist? Or did their one night together start a fire they can’t put out?

Mini Review:

Hannah Grace, a force in her own right, reminds me a lot of Elle Kennedy, which is probably why I love her writing so much. While “Icebreaker” reminded me of “The Deal” – focusing more on the world of hockey and that perspective – “Wildfire” followed the “Briar U” approach, focusing more on the world outside of hockey. We had an incredible introduction to Russ in “Icebreaker,” but nothing prepared me for the swoon-worthy factor of him in “Wildfire.” His lack of confidence, his brotherhood with JJ and Henry, and his overall vulnerability made you fall head over heels in love with him. With everything he suffered with his family, his father, the scandal at school – you were so happy when he found someone who could understand navigating the insanity we call life.

I don’t think anyone could have been written more perfectly than Aurora. They were opposites in delivery but so similar in negative experience – from perspectives, to the desire to be a priority, to just wanting to be wanted. Aurora was a trip, and I just loved her. She was such a conundrum in terms of her personality, and while that was often fueled by the wrong reasons, you saw how she was with the people she really cared about. While she came off as larger than life, she just wanted to be a part of someone’s life.

The supporting characters were my favorite – I loved Xander! He reminded me a lot of JJ from “Icebreaker.” He cracked me up, and while I know he went to Stanford and probably won’t appear again, I would definitely read a book about him if she ever does a spin-off.

Having never been to summer camp, I absolutely loved the premise, and it never felt drawn out or boring. I did notice she pulled back significantly on the heat in this book compared to “Icebreaker.” It was still hot and heavy, but the emotional connection between Russ and Aurora was more important, and I think Hannah wanted that to be understood.

I liked that we were able to spend time with the gang again, especially Henry. To be honest, what I loved the most was the epilogue! I am so grateful for the time jump she does because you can’t get a better HEA than that. Tessa Bailey did the same thing in “Hook, Line, and Sinker,” and I realized those types of epilogues give me the ultimate closure on the characters. I have already bought “Daydream” and can’t wait to keep enjoying Maple Hill and the hockey players we have grown to know and love.