When Sparks Fly: An absolutely addictive lesbian romance novel

An amazing story line and filled with amazing characters.. .enjoyed a lot

This book was such a great read and really was on the level of Kristen's previous book, The Gravity Between Us. There were moments of tense drama and moments of uplifting joy; this book really gave me everything.The main character, Britton, is very mature for a high-schooler. She had a very traumatic upbringing, and the book is very careful to acknowledge the role that trauma has to play in her life now, but it also doesn't make it the centre of the story - it's a very delicate and well-written balance. Meanwhile, Avery is carrying around some trauma of her own and deals with it in a very different way. The book explores both of their pasts very gently and respectfully, always honouring that both characters respond in their own way and that's okay.The undeniable romance is explored slowly at first, with some pretty sweet tropes such as one character boosting the self-esteem of another - the kind of plot devices I love to see because they encourage self-love. Through these characters you get to experience mutual respect and care. Equally, you see their fiery personalities coming out - Kristen's writing really lends itself to relatable, spunky characters with a lot of depth. They're not perfect, but that's why you love them. She really has a talent for that.Overall this book is absolutely a 5-star read, with some hilarious moments, heart-warming family ties, and a real sensitivity to mental health. It's a wonderful read and I really recommend it to any romance-novel lovers (no, not just the queer ones - LGBT+ inclusive writing is there to be enjoyed by all!).

Kristen Zimmer made us wait (following ‘The Gravity Between Us’) but eventually returned with this little gem. It’s rare where every character in a book is appealing and that is perhaps the only drawback, as I doubt that real life is like that. I loved Tom and Cate, Spence and Avery but our first person narrator Britton stood out as a truly good person with a heart of gold, in spite of her difficult start in life. How could anyone not want her to get her HEA?!!As a middle aged white Englishwoman, I confess that some of the street lingo between the various friends passed me by, but the ‘feels’ were there in abundance. I did find myself tearing-up a couple of times, as a few scenes were completely heartbreaking. My overall impression was this gets an A for adorable!N.B Kudos to the author for making the distinction between turtles and tortoises (my experience is that most Americans call them all turtles!) and Britton’s description of her love of birds has a phrase that could almost have been lifted from the lyrics of ABBA’s ‘Eagle’ - “the ability to soar high above the earth on the winds and go anywhere I please” - have a listen and you’ll see what I mean!

I'm not sure if I went into it with too high expectations as all of the reviews I saw were positive but I just did not enjoy it that much.The general plot is fine, the characters were good but I didn't like the writing style, particularly that it has a lot of colloquial teenager speak. These things are often hyper regional but teenagers I know do not speak like this so it was jarring. I've read other stories with similar plots that I enjoyed a lot more.

Just wow! Absolutely breathtaking yet again from Kristen Zimmer! I couldnt put it down as soon as I started, read it in a day and was and still am in awe of the way she captures growing up in the foster system. The relationship between britton and avery is incredible, definitely one that is completely inspirational, filled with so much love, but the relationship she has with cate and Tom is what really had my heart pounding! Then On top of that, Capturing where britton came from to the person she has become is heartwarming. Absolutely cannot wait to see more from Kristen.

I felt happier after this book. 🙄 Fantastic, beautiful, touched all the feels.Fewer tears spilt than gravity between usEven knowing that her history wasn't pleasant. Don't want to dis the book as I really enjoyed the read. I gave 5 stars for the author