Author: Jules Wake
Publication Date: 11 December 2020
Publisher: One More Chapter
Page Count: 368
Reading Method: Digital ARC
Synopsis:
Jess is falling for Sam.
Sam is falling for Jess.
But it seems life will do whatever it takes to make them fall apart.
When Jess and Sam lock eyes at a party, a spark ignites. The spark. But love at first sight isn’t like the movies, especially when Sam’s ex, Victoria, is determined to make their honeymoon period a living hell.
Is love at first sight enough?
Review:
If you love the instant-love trope, have a got the book recommendation for you! With a name like “The Spark” I should have known going into this that there would be some element of instant love, but Sam and Jess fall hard and fast. Like immediately.
After meeting at Jess’ family BBQ, they can’t stop thinking about each other. The only problem is – Sam has a girlfriend. Yikes! While they don’t *technically* do anything wrong, they still manage to be just on the border of making an inappropriate move towards each other. When Sam decides that he cannot be with his girlfriend any longer because he’s just so in love Jess, Victoria becomes a messy, dramatic problem. This book is full of swoony romance, beautiful people (aren’t they always?), and drama – both from Victoria and from Jess’ family history.
Sam and Jess are both likeable characters. It’s fun to watch their attraction and relationship grow. There are plenty of swoon-worthy moments between the two of them, but for me, they weren’t the main event of this story. I was heavily invested in finding out about Jess’ family history. Her dad abandoned her when she was little and her mother always made it seem as though he had no interest in being a part of her life. But when Jess goes to find her dad, nothing is as it seems. I wish there had been even more of this story line to grab on to.
And let’s not forget about Victoria – the psycho ex. I mean honestly, I kind of get where she’s coming from. The love of her life dumps her for a girl he fell instantly head over heels with and she’s left to figure out how to proceed. She’s already so heavily engrained in his family’s lives, so it makes sense that it’s not an easy split. I definitely don’t condone her actions, and she seemingly gets worse as the story progresses. None of the things she does are okay, but I do understand feeling hurt and broken.
Overall, this was a fun and quick read – perfect for picking up as a beach read!
