Aurora Roberts and Russ Callaghan thought they would never see each other again after last night. They both were headed off to somewhere new later that week and didn’t exchange information to stay in touch. But, little did they know, the pair of them would end up going to the same place.
Wildfire by Hannah Grace is a story about two college students, Aurora and Russ, who meet at a party. They eventually end up having a one-night stand; afterward, she disappears without saying anything to him. So, they both left it at that: a meaningless one-night stand.
A few days later, they both arrive at Honey Acres Summer Camp, where they will be staying for the rest of the summer. Together. Unaware that the other was working there, it made for a very awkward interaction.
At the camp, there is a “no staff fraternizing” rule, that regardless of how their feelings towards each other might change, they have to abide by that.
On the spiciness scale for this book—yes, there is some spice in this novel—I would give it a “zesty ranch” to “hot” on the scale from “mild” to “Diablo.” There was just enough that it wasn’t painful to keep reading, and the book wasn’t just spice.
Throughout the novel, each chapter is either from the perspective of Aurora or Russ, which adds a nice glimpse into what they are thinking about, and as the reader, I can compare and contrast them to what the other might have thought. Seeing the different points of view adds to the complexity of the characters.
Aurora and Russ have complicated and complex family relationships, and throughout the book, we can see how those events unfolded and what the characters are doing about them now. By switching perspectives, we can see how both of them have gone through their struggles and how they can relate to each other.
I loved seeing how those two, along with the other counselors at the camp, interacted with the kids as well. I have gone to summer camp for over half of my life at this point, and reading this book was a way I could be transported back to the feeling of going to the warm, joyous place.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was how the romance didn’t feel forced; I could see it evolve throughout the novel and it was enjoyable to be immersed in the story that wasn’t just about the two main characters. I was also able to get a view, while small, into the lives of the other characters. Aurora’s best friend, Emilia, was one of my favorite characters; she was supportive and funny throughout the whole book.
Additionally, Aurora’s counselor whom she had years ago when she was kid, Jenna, is now one of the leaders of the camp. The relationship between Jenna and Aurora is something I can relate to in my own life. A counselor I had five years ago is one of my closest friends and I feel the same way about her as Aurora does for Jenna.
Wildfire was a carefree, immersive read that I never wanted to put down whenever I had the time to read. For someone looking for a book to bring them back to the comfort and warmth of a summer camp, I highly recommend Wildfire to everyone.
