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Springside #1
When It Burns
When I agreed to take the job as fire chief in the small town of Springside, Alabama, I don’t know what I expected, but Caroline Tyler walking into my life was not on the list. I hadn’t been in Springside for more than twenty-four hours before I managed to become enemy number one in town. Now I have to find a way to fix my image and convince the townspeople that I deserve to be their chief. Between juggling my new job, a rundown farm property, and my new title as a volunteer football coach for the Springside Saints, I have more on my plate than I can handle. Despite all that, I can’t seem to keep my mind off a certain local teacher. There’s no doubt Caroline Tyler is way too good for a man like me, but that’s not going to stop me. But can I keep my past from catching up with me?
308 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2023
157 people are currently reading
2865 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 359 reviews
November 21, 2023
a cute debut! loved the small town vibes, the female friendships!!! the hot fire chief!! the characters were so fun and it had all the cheesy small town shenanigans that i love in a book like this. theo and caroline were so sweet, sunshine and cowboy!!
the pacing felt a little off at times, and sometimes there were a lot of details where they weren’t needed, and other things were rushed when we could’ve used more detail. but it was a debut so i definitely see the potential and it didn’t bother me too much. ultimately a very cute and fun read, i’ll for sure continue the series when the next book is out
the pacing felt a little off at times, and sometimes there were a lot of details where they weren’t needed, and other things were rushed when we could’ve used more detail. but it was a debut so i definitely see the potential and it didn’t bother me too much. ultimately a very cute and fun read, i’ll for sure continue the series when the next book is out
October 25, 2023
This book was not good. Goodnight
October 23, 2023
“𝐈’𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐦𝐞, 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬.”
Theo Johnson, the fire chief, and Caroline Tyler, an English teacher, are the main characters of Hollie Luckie's small-town romance novel When It Burns.
Theo was such a dick from the start, especially to Caroline. But it was clear that he had been misunderstood, and in the end he became less of a grump.
I did, however, adore the close bonds and the found family in this small town. Despite not having any family ties, everyone was always there for one another and protected each other.
But despite my best efforts, I did not feel any romantic connection or any chemistry between Theo and Caroline. Everything about them was rushed, even the smut scenes felt awkward. I also thought that there was a lot that was left unsaid, like Theo's PTSD.
Overall, this book had some of the best tropes, but I had a hard time getting into it, or at least up until 55%.
*Thank you to the author, Hollie Luckie, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*
Theo Johnson, the fire chief, and Caroline Tyler, an English teacher, are the main characters of Hollie Luckie's small-town romance novel When It Burns.
Theo was such a dick from the start, especially to Caroline. But it was clear that he had been misunderstood, and in the end he became less of a grump.
I did, however, adore the close bonds and the found family in this small town. Despite not having any family ties, everyone was always there for one another and protected each other.
But despite my best efforts, I did not feel any romantic connection or any chemistry between Theo and Caroline. Everything about them was rushed, even the smut scenes felt awkward. I also thought that there was a lot that was left unsaid, like Theo's PTSD.
Overall, this book had some of the best tropes, but I had a hard time getting into it, or at least up until 55%.
*Thank you to the author, Hollie Luckie, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*
October 30, 2023
When It Burns by Hollie Luckie was a cover buy for me. The second I saw the cover I knew I was going to buy it and I’m glad I did because it’s a really cute book! Small town romances are my jam and this one takes place in the fictional town of Springside. If this was a real town, I’d want to live there! Especially if there was a handsome and single fire chief with a tortured past that needs rescuing 😉 All around, this is just a fun book. I loved the characters, I loved the friendships, the romance, the town- everything! My only hangup is the insta love trope which isn’t my favorite especially when the characters are strangers from the beginning. Otherwise, this is a solid read, and I can’t wait for the next one!
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Small Town Romances
❥ Found Family
❥ Friendships
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Small Town Romances
❥ Found Family
❥ Friendships
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 12, 2023
A fab debut novel if you ask me! Super cute and fun and sets up these characters so well. My small town people will eat this up i know that for sure. I smiled so much and couldn’t stop swooning. Theo & Caroline forever ✌🏻💕 can’t wait to see what Hollie does next.
February 20, 2025
“You’re wearing his hat. We’ve all read Elsie Silver, so we know what that means”
This book was so cute! It was really relatable to me (spicy books, margs, football, cowboys, HS teacher) and I loved how compassionate Caroline was. Theo started out rough but he definitely made up for it throughout the book.
Tropes:
🩷Small town romance
🩷grumpy x sunshine
🩷dual POV
🩷found familiar
This book was so cute! It was really relatable to me (spicy books, margs, football, cowboys, HS teacher) and I loved how compassionate Caroline was. Theo started out rough but he definitely made up for it throughout the book.
Tropes:
🩷Small town romance
🩷grumpy x sunshine
🩷dual POV
🩷found familiar
October 7, 2023
When it burns is Hollie’s debut book and dang did she knock it out of the park. I spent 3 days in Springside with Caroline and Theo and it was so sweet.
Theo gets off on the wrong foot during a fire drill where he yells at Caroline leaving the whole town to hate him. He quickly realizes his mistakes and works to make it right. Slowly something starts to form between them if Theo can figure out how to live with his demons.
Such a sweet story. Theo is struggling with heavy stuff but it was refreshing to see the main male character aware of his struggles the whole time and knowing he needs help even if he’s not 100% ready at first. He sees the goodness in Caroline and wants to work to be the man she needs and deserves instead of just denying himself love.
Next, I loved the vulnerability between characters again no one was hiding their crap and letting it fester. Honest healthy conversations we’re had between the main characters and I could feel their support each step of the way.
Last. The spice. Hot damn. (At the time of writing this, half the spicy scene weren’t in as I read the beta copy.) but the stuff that was in was *chefs kiss*.
Want a good sweet sexy real romance? Start reading!
Update! After reading the book as a whole with all the added scenes I missed during beta. Everything above still stands. The spice is spicy. It’s more than your average stuff. I love it. Theo may have put his on her neck and his belt may have been used on her wrists. For me that’s “edgy stuff”, it’s outside the norm. It’s also rare to find that in small town books I feel!
Anyway Hollie’s amazing, I love her, so hope you enjoy springside!
Theo gets off on the wrong foot during a fire drill where he yells at Caroline leaving the whole town to hate him. He quickly realizes his mistakes and works to make it right. Slowly something starts to form between them if Theo can figure out how to live with his demons.
Such a sweet story. Theo is struggling with heavy stuff but it was refreshing to see the main male character aware of his struggles the whole time and knowing he needs help even if he’s not 100% ready at first. He sees the goodness in Caroline and wants to work to be the man she needs and deserves instead of just denying himself love.
Next, I loved the vulnerability between characters again no one was hiding their crap and letting it fester. Honest healthy conversations we’re had between the main characters and I could feel their support each step of the way.
Last. The spice. Hot damn. (At the time of writing this, half the spicy scene weren’t in as I read the beta copy.) but the stuff that was in was *chefs kiss*.
Want a good sweet sexy real romance? Start reading!
Update! After reading the book as a whole with all the added scenes I missed during beta. Everything above still stands. The spice is spicy. It’s more than your average stuff. I love it. Theo may have put his on her neck and his belt may have been used on her wrists. For me that’s “edgy stuff”, it’s outside the norm. It’s also rare to find that in small town books I feel!
Anyway Hollie’s amazing, I love her, so hope you enjoy springside!
October 28, 2023
No creo que sea un mal libro, pero estuve extremadamente aburrida todo el tiempo y no podía esperar a que terminara. No encontré el libro nada divertido y las vibras no fueron como esperaba. ¿Dónde está la angustia? Todo sucedió tan fácilmente entre Theo y Caroline. Sus interacciones me parecieron extrañas, forzadas y apresuradas. No tenían química ni conexión.
Todo fue tan desordenado. Parece que la autora quiso incluir tantos detalles que el libro no fluyó correctamente. El final fue demasiado abrupto, lo adiviné desde las primeras páginas. El concepto tenía potencial, pero había demasiadas partes que parecían innecesarias para la trama y no hacían avanzar la historia de ninguna manera.
La autora puso mucho trauma en Theo, ni siquiera entiendo porqué lo agregó a la historia. Su TEPT apenas se trató. Por lo menos, al final reconoció que podía tratarse y tomó medidas para recuperarse.
Todo fue tan desordenado. Parece que la autora quiso incluir tantos detalles que el libro no fluyó correctamente. El final fue demasiado abrupto, lo adiviné desde las primeras páginas. El concepto tenía potencial, pero había demasiadas partes que parecían innecesarias para la trama y no hacían avanzar la historia de ninguna manera.
La autora puso mucho trauma en Theo, ni siquiera entiendo porqué lo agregó a la historia. Su TEPT apenas se trató. Por lo menos, al final reconoció que podía tratarse y tomó medidas para recuperarse.
December 27, 2023
(4.5 stars) Thank you to @authorhollieluckie for providing me with a #gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
On his first day on the job, new fire chief Theo Johnson makes the epic mistake of yelling at beloved high school English teacher Caroline Tyler in the small Alabama town of Springside. He sets about righting his wrong, and in the process, realizes that Caroline may just be the perfect person to help him discover how to be less of a grump and to confront the demons of his past.
Hollie, I have just one question for you: when can I meet you and Caroline for Margarita Monday in Springside?! I don’t want to say too much about When It Burns, but I will say this: small-town romance lovers, get this one ordered or on your kindle right now! As a teacher, I found Caroline’s POV highly relatable. I was crying and laughing multiple times throughout this one — and there were definitely fun spicy scenes too! This was a completely feel-good and heartfelt story.
When It Burns features…
💕 Grumpy x sunshine
🩵 Small-town romance
💕 Female teacher MC + Male fire chief MC
🩵 Dual POVs
💕 Dirty-talking cowboy
🩵 Angsty broken boy emotions
💕 Found family
The RECOMMENDATION: If you’re a fan of the above tropes, break out the margs and queso because When It Burns is right for you!
On his first day on the job, new fire chief Theo Johnson makes the epic mistake of yelling at beloved high school English teacher Caroline Tyler in the small Alabama town of Springside. He sets about righting his wrong, and in the process, realizes that Caroline may just be the perfect person to help him discover how to be less of a grump and to confront the demons of his past.
Hollie, I have just one question for you: when can I meet you and Caroline for Margarita Monday in Springside?! I don’t want to say too much about When It Burns, but I will say this: small-town romance lovers, get this one ordered or on your kindle right now! As a teacher, I found Caroline’s POV highly relatable. I was crying and laughing multiple times throughout this one — and there were definitely fun spicy scenes too! This was a completely feel-good and heartfelt story.
When It Burns features…
💕 Grumpy x sunshine
🩵 Small-town romance
💕 Female teacher MC + Male fire chief MC
🩵 Dual POVs
💕 Dirty-talking cowboy
🩵 Angsty broken boy emotions
💕 Found family
The RECOMMENDATION: If you’re a fan of the above tropes, break out the margs and queso because When It Burns is right for you!
October 15, 2023
arc review 🤠🧚🏼♀️🫧
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
tropes:
— cowboy romance
— grumpy x sunshine
— small town romance
there's no third act break up, which i love (bonus stars yey).
i feel like this was such a cute read. i wasn’t expecting this. i loved every character, every chapter, every word.
theo deserves everything and i know caroline will take good care of him.
i didn’t feel like i was dragging my reading, it got me hooked from the very first page.
this book was so beautifully written. i’m really looking forward to read more from hollie.
search for trigger warnings.
thank you hollie for this arc copy! 🤍
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
tropes:
— cowboy romance
— grumpy x sunshine
— small town romance
there's no third act break up, which i love (bonus stars yey).
i feel like this was such a cute read. i wasn’t expecting this. i loved every character, every chapter, every word.
theo deserves everything and i know caroline will take good care of him.
i didn’t feel like i was dragging my reading, it got me hooked from the very first page.
this book was so beautifully written. i’m really looking forward to read more from hollie.
search for trigger warnings.
thank you hollie for this arc copy! 🤍
October 19, 2023
This was a DNF for me at 41%, I just didn't feel the relationship between Theo and Caroline, they fell in love too fast for me, they never hung out and were obsessed. I think it's a me problem though. I just couldn't get into it. I really wanted to love it. I hope you do!!
March 13, 2025
meet hate x found family x grumpy/sunshine
This was way too easy to read! Exactly what you want from a small town romance with the town gossip and meddling, found family friend group, ranches and mischief at local bars. A great option when you need a palate cleanser in the middle of romantasy books or need that guaranteed HEA.
Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- grumpy/sunshine
- insta love
- nightmares/comfort
- found family friend group
- cowboys
- no 3rd act break up
Theo and Caroline are so sweet in their obsession for each other and how they constantly second guess everything they do bc they are so nervous. It’s spicy, sweet and can definitely read in one sitting. You can see the foundations for the next books in the series and I’m excited to read those as well!
Here are a few of my favorite things…
- the mention of the volcano candle because that’s also my favorite lol
- every reaction Theo has when he sees Caroline
- margarita Monday’s! I need to add this in my life
Overall it was so sweet and I would recommend!
This was way too easy to read! Exactly what you want from a small town romance with the town gossip and meddling, found family friend group, ranches and mischief at local bars. A great option when you need a palate cleanser in the middle of romantasy books or need that guaranteed HEA.
Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- grumpy/sunshine
- insta love
- nightmares/comfort
- found family friend group
- cowboys
- no 3rd act break up
Theo and Caroline are so sweet in their obsession for each other and how they constantly second guess everything they do bc they are so nervous. It’s spicy, sweet and can definitely read in one sitting. You can see the foundations for the next books in the series and I’m excited to read those as well!
Here are a few of my favorite things…
- the mention of the volcano candle because that’s also my favorite lol
- every reaction Theo has when he sees Caroline
- margarita Monday’s! I need to add this in my life
Overall it was so sweet and I would recommend!
March 6, 2025
anybody that disliked this book either can’t read Chick-Lit properly, or doesn’t appreciate teachers 💅🏾 this book made me FEEL 🥰☀️☀️✨💍
October 19, 2023
Anyone want to move to Springside? I do for sure! Hollie Luckie wrote a book that made me feel like I was in this wonderful southern small town.
I grew up in a southern small town and I live in one now. I love the fall nights when football starts and you just feel like all is right in the world. You don’t even have to be a football fan to enjoy those nights. It’s the feeling of the whole town having fun together. There’s truly nothing like it. She took that feeling and turned it into a book about a broken boy and a girl that helped him live again.
Theo and his brokenness was no match for Caroline’s heart. It was beautiful watching their love evolve.
The girls group was absolutely perfect. Hannah and Caroline had been friends forever, but that accepted newcomer, Margaret with open arms. The way the friends all came to help each other even when they weren’t asked was so sweet. Leroy and petunia! I cracked up at these crazy animals.
💕Quotes
-"Cheers ladies. To Leroy, romance novels, and new friends."
-There is nothing better than the energy in a small town right before the first kick-off of the year.
-Sometimes the perfect life you envisioned for yourself is just an illusion. Sometimes our life really is pretty close to perfect but fires come and we can’t stop them. When it all burns down, all that matters are the ones standing beside us helping us rebuild.
🏈Small town
🏈Found family
🏈Fire Chief/Volunteer football coach/Cowboy
🏈Teacher/cheer coach
🏈Broken boy
🏈Emotional
🏈Spice-open door (I really wanted to say "open barn door" because they like outdoors 😉😅)
🏈No 3rd act breakup
I grew up in a southern small town and I live in one now. I love the fall nights when football starts and you just feel like all is right in the world. You don’t even have to be a football fan to enjoy those nights. It’s the feeling of the whole town having fun together. There’s truly nothing like it. She took that feeling and turned it into a book about a broken boy and a girl that helped him live again.
Theo and his brokenness was no match for Caroline’s heart. It was beautiful watching their love evolve.
The girls group was absolutely perfect. Hannah and Caroline had been friends forever, but that accepted newcomer, Margaret with open arms. The way the friends all came to help each other even when they weren’t asked was so sweet. Leroy and petunia! I cracked up at these crazy animals.
💕Quotes
-"Cheers ladies. To Leroy, romance novels, and new friends."
-There is nothing better than the energy in a small town right before the first kick-off of the year.
-Sometimes the perfect life you envisioned for yourself is just an illusion. Sometimes our life really is pretty close to perfect but fires come and we can’t stop them. When it all burns down, all that matters are the ones standing beside us helping us rebuild.
🏈Small town
🏈Found family
🏈Fire Chief/Volunteer football coach/Cowboy
🏈Teacher/cheer coach
🏈Broken boy
🏈Emotional
🏈Spice-open door (I really wanted to say "open barn door" because they like outdoors 😉😅)
🏈No 3rd act breakup
October 20, 2023
What a start to a writing career! Hollie absolutely nailed her debut novel! It was such a joy to read, honestly it felt like being wrapped in a great big cuddle!
‘When it burns’ is set in Springside, which sounds like a small town I want to be part of! The new fire chief and the local high school teacher come to blows on their first meeting and entirely get off on the wrong foot! He does his best to put things right between them, all the while dealing with some pretty intense trauma but he 100% is aware of himself and the work he needs to do. Caroline is so pure! She is enthusiastic about her job and her students, she’s a cheer coach, drinks wine 🍷 and reads smutty books! A gal after my own heart, for sure!
I loved the pop culture references, and the whole vibe of this world that Hollie has created. It makes me wish that I could be back at high school, pep rallies and all! The attention to detail was immaculate, and you can tell that Hollie has really spent time on making sure everything is perfect.
The only thing I wished for a little more was some more padding out of the spicy scenes. Theo had a damn mouth on him, and I don’t think the detail of the spice equated to what was coming from his mouth.
If you’re after an easy, fast paced read with a group of crazy best friends (who are always willing to lend a hand), a pig who eats pizza and thinks he’s a dog, and that gives you the warm fuzzies, definitely check out this book!
What you can expect:
🩷 small town romance
🩷 grumpy x sunshine
🩷 fire chief x high school teacher
🩷 found family
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🌶️🌶️
‘When it burns’ is set in Springside, which sounds like a small town I want to be part of! The new fire chief and the local high school teacher come to blows on their first meeting and entirely get off on the wrong foot! He does his best to put things right between them, all the while dealing with some pretty intense trauma but he 100% is aware of himself and the work he needs to do. Caroline is so pure! She is enthusiastic about her job and her students, she’s a cheer coach, drinks wine 🍷 and reads smutty books! A gal after my own heart, for sure!
I loved the pop culture references, and the whole vibe of this world that Hollie has created. It makes me wish that I could be back at high school, pep rallies and all! The attention to detail was immaculate, and you can tell that Hollie has really spent time on making sure everything is perfect.
The only thing I wished for a little more was some more padding out of the spicy scenes. Theo had a damn mouth on him, and I don’t think the detail of the spice equated to what was coming from his mouth.
If you’re after an easy, fast paced read with a group of crazy best friends (who are always willing to lend a hand), a pig who eats pizza and thinks he’s a dog, and that gives you the warm fuzzies, definitely check out this book!
What you can expect:
🩷 small town romance
🩷 grumpy x sunshine
🩷 fire chief x high school teacher
🩷 found family
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🌶️🌶️
October 19, 2023
When It Burns is Hollie’s debut novel and I ATE. IT. UP.
Theo is the new Fire Chief in Springside. Caroline is a high school teacher and cheer coach. They had a rocky start when they first met during a fire drill at the school where Theo yelled at Caroline. With the small town gossip mill, most of the town heard about it and hated Theo by lunch.
Theo struggles with PTSD and has past trauma he needs to work through. I loved following Theo through his healing journey and while he realizes that he deserves love.
Caroline is so freaking sweet. She is so adorable and I just want to be her friend. Caroline has a heart of gold and you can feel the warmth coming right off the pages as you read!
“I have big plans to watch Love Island wrapped up in my fuzzy pink blanket with a large glass of Moscato and my favorite snack–melted M&Ms.”
It was so refreshing to read a book without the constant miscommunication. I loved how Theo and Hollie communicated and had honest conversations.
I also loved how Hollie tied in so many relatable references. Gilmore Girls, gas station chicken, love for smutty books, etc. I felt like I was there and it helped imagine the story even more!
Oh, and the spice 🤤 🥵 🔥 iykyk
“Swear to God, Sunshine, if I ever get you alone, we’re not stopping until you’re begging for it and screaming my name.”
I HIGHLY recommend this book! I can’t wait to be back in Springside soon 😍
Read this if you love:
🤠 Cowboy
🔥 Firefighter
🤠 Grumpy + Sunshine
🏈 Cheer/Football
🤠 Found Family
Theo is the new Fire Chief in Springside. Caroline is a high school teacher and cheer coach. They had a rocky start when they first met during a fire drill at the school where Theo yelled at Caroline. With the small town gossip mill, most of the town heard about it and hated Theo by lunch.
Theo struggles with PTSD and has past trauma he needs to work through. I loved following Theo through his healing journey and while he realizes that he deserves love.
Caroline is so freaking sweet. She is so adorable and I just want to be her friend. Caroline has a heart of gold and you can feel the warmth coming right off the pages as you read!
“I have big plans to watch Love Island wrapped up in my fuzzy pink blanket with a large glass of Moscato and my favorite snack–melted M&Ms.”
It was so refreshing to read a book without the constant miscommunication. I loved how Theo and Hollie communicated and had honest conversations.
I also loved how Hollie tied in so many relatable references. Gilmore Girls, gas station chicken, love for smutty books, etc. I felt like I was there and it helped imagine the story even more!
Oh, and the spice 🤤 🥵 🔥 iykyk
“Swear to God, Sunshine, if I ever get you alone, we’re not stopping until you’re begging for it and screaming my name.”
I HIGHLY recommend this book! I can’t wait to be back in Springside soon 😍
Read this if you love:
🤠 Cowboy
🔥 Firefighter
🤠 Grumpy + Sunshine
🏈 Cheer/Football
🤠 Found Family
November 5, 2023
“Damn, Cowboy. Is that all you got?” Well the answer is yes, that is all he’s got and it’s not much.
Theo is the new chief firefighter and is an asshole to Caroline (for semi-valid reasons) the first time he meets her. He’s not even done yelling that she’s forgiven him and they’re in love. The end.
It’s a good premise, but just a meh book for me. A lot of all talk no action, excruciating dialogues and severely beige smut. I didn’t hate it, but I mostly felt nothing reading it.
I really tried to like it more, but I couldn’t get past the dialogues. It felt like a first draft and I was itching to edit it instead of enjoying the story. It’s like I was reading bullet point conversations where one person say a bunch of stuff and the other one then answers everything in one breath.
Please, for the love of god, read your dialogues out loud, make your friends act them out for you, do something, anything, but stop writing as if you’ve never talked to another human in your life.
Theo is the new chief firefighter and is an asshole to Caroline (for semi-valid reasons) the first time he meets her. He’s not even done yelling that she’s forgiven him and they’re in love. The end.
It’s a good premise, but just a meh book for me. A lot of all talk no action, excruciating dialogues and severely beige smut. I didn’t hate it, but I mostly felt nothing reading it.
I really tried to like it more, but I couldn’t get past the dialogues. It felt like a first draft and I was itching to edit it instead of enjoying the story. It’s like I was reading bullet point conversations where one person say a bunch of stuff and the other one then answers everything in one breath.
Please, for the love of god, read your dialogues out loud, make your friends act them out for you, do something, anything, but stop writing as if you’ve never talked to another human in your life.
October 7, 2023
What a wonderful debut!! Thank you Hollie for sending me this ARC!
Caroline is the local teacher and when a new grumpy fire chief gives her a rough time, the small town has a lot to say! Theo is new in town and can be a little extra when it comes to fire safety. After his run in with Caroline, he has to make things right. But he’s also fighting some demons and his attraction to the pretty teacher!
I really enjoyed escaping to this new small town! Theo and Caroline had such a swoony and steamy romance 🥰 Caroline was the Sunshine to Theo and never gave up on them!
Pick this up if you like:
Firefighters
Cowboys
Small towns
No third act break ups
Margarita nights 🍹
Caroline is the local teacher and when a new grumpy fire chief gives her a rough time, the small town has a lot to say! Theo is new in town and can be a little extra when it comes to fire safety. After his run in with Caroline, he has to make things right. But he’s also fighting some demons and his attraction to the pretty teacher!
I really enjoyed escaping to this new small town! Theo and Caroline had such a swoony and steamy romance 🥰 Caroline was the Sunshine to Theo and never gave up on them!
Pick this up if you like:
Firefighters
Cowboys
Small towns
No third act break ups
Margarita nights 🍹
February 22, 2024
1/5
¿es broma, no?
empecé con muchas ganas pero pronto se vio claro que era una copia mal hecha de chestnut springs, y ni si quiera ha intentado que no se notase...
no voy a meterme en profundidad pero todo es vacío y muy infantil, le llama 71 veces cowboy (según kindle), o sea no podía más
no quería cebarme pero es que me parece heavy
¿es broma, no?
empecé con muchas ganas pero pronto se vio claro que era una copia mal hecha de chestnut springs, y ni si quiera ha intentado que no se notase...
no voy a meterme en profundidad pero todo es vacío y muy infantil, le llama 71 veces cowboy (según kindle), o sea no podía más
no quería cebarme pero es que me parece heavy
November 5, 2023
This book tried very hard to be something but it just isn’t
May 29, 2024
DNF @ chapter 2
The writing was fucking abysmal
The writing was fucking abysmal
October 13, 2023
🤠BOOK REVIEW🤠
When it Burns by @authorhollieluckie 🎉
Release date: October 19th!!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
Holy moly what a debut Hollie! 🥹
This was such a cute, fun read! 💗
Theo, the new fire chief in town, makes the mistake of yelling at Caroline during a fire drill at school. You know what they say about small towns- news travels fast. His outburst left everyone in town disliking and being wary of Theo. However, he realizes his mistake and quickly tries to make it right with Caroline.
I loved the growth of Theo. He is dealing with a lot of trauma from his past that he hasn’t quite learned how to work through. I loved getting to see him be more open about what happened to him and his sister, Margaret, and seeing the two of them find their place in Springside. I also loved that he stepped into his role as a coach for the football team without argument even though it was hard for him. I think his growth in that position was great and that knowing he was making his brother proud helped him.
Caroline was adorable as well. I loved that she was a teacher and cheerleader coach and that you could tell she loves her job despite the things she deals with on a daily basis (I love when the characters jobs are relatable that way!) I absolutely LOVED the girl gang Caroline had beside her. Marg Mondays sound fabulous 😅 and the friendship that was more like family, the best!! Memorable scene (there were a bunch but one of my favorites) chasing Leroy around and the mud fight! It was so funny and I could just see the scene playing out in my head! 🤣
I will say it was more instalove than I would have liked, with a slow burn, but the spice was definitely worth it! Cowboys definitely have the best words and dirtiest mouths 🤠 I already have guesses on the next couples and can’t wait to read about them!
When it Burns by @authorhollieluckie 🎉
Release date: October 19th!!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
Holy moly what a debut Hollie! 🥹
This was such a cute, fun read! 💗
Theo, the new fire chief in town, makes the mistake of yelling at Caroline during a fire drill at school. You know what they say about small towns- news travels fast. His outburst left everyone in town disliking and being wary of Theo. However, he realizes his mistake and quickly tries to make it right with Caroline.
I loved the growth of Theo. He is dealing with a lot of trauma from his past that he hasn’t quite learned how to work through. I loved getting to see him be more open about what happened to him and his sister, Margaret, and seeing the two of them find their place in Springside. I also loved that he stepped into his role as a coach for the football team without argument even though it was hard for him. I think his growth in that position was great and that knowing he was making his brother proud helped him.
Caroline was adorable as well. I loved that she was a teacher and cheerleader coach and that you could tell she loves her job despite the things she deals with on a daily basis (I love when the characters jobs are relatable that way!) I absolutely LOVED the girl gang Caroline had beside her. Marg Mondays sound fabulous 😅 and the friendship that was more like family, the best!! Memorable scene (there were a bunch but one of my favorites) chasing Leroy around and the mud fight! It was so funny and I could just see the scene playing out in my head! 🤣
I will say it was more instalove than I would have liked, with a slow burn, but the spice was definitely worth it! Cowboys definitely have the best words and dirtiest mouths 🤠 I already have guesses on the next couples and can’t wait to read about them!
October 14, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 🌶️🌶️.5
The first book in the Springside series as well as Hollie’s debut book, and let me tell you, you’re going to want to read this! 🤩
We meet Theo, a smokin’ hot yet grumpy and broken guy who’s recently moved to the small town of Springside and taken on the roll as fire chief, in hopes to start over.
His first day on the job doesn’t go so well as he rips through Caroline during a fire drill, the beloved teacher at Springside High who’s admired by not only her students, but the residents in the small town too.
News travels fast in a small town and it isn’t long before Theo’s having to prove himself to the people of Springside, who despise him, as well as apologize and gain back respect from Caroline.
What I loved most about this was how Theo acknowledged his trauma and the demons from that one fateful night fourteen years ago that followed him around everyday.
While trying to better himself and work through his issues, Theo and Caroline form a friendship which at first is based purely off an unbridled attraction towards one another despite their little issue on day one.
The more time they spend together the more they realize they don’t want to stay apart.
I loved how at different times throughout the book, both Theo and Caroline would randomly imagine themselves playing out dirty scenes, then get interrupted 😆
The scenes were hot as heck and I couldn’t wait for them to play out for real!
And gawd dayum the farm scene in the barn 😮💨
“Good, because darlin’, I haven’t been able to think about anything other than your perfect pussy since last weekend. I can’t wait to taste you again,”
If you want something low drama with no third act breakup, this is it!
Each of the characters, including our side characters which I fell just as hard for, all communicated what they were feeling. The group had an easy-going nature and I’d love nothing more than to be part of their group if they were real, especially Hannah and her crazy and loud shenanigans 😆
I’m so intrigued by the side characters and hoping we get a book on each of them, especially Seth and his piercing 👀 which I low key hope Margaret is the one who gets to explore it more 😏
The first book in the Springside series as well as Hollie’s debut book, and let me tell you, you’re going to want to read this! 🤩
We meet Theo, a smokin’ hot yet grumpy and broken guy who’s recently moved to the small town of Springside and taken on the roll as fire chief, in hopes to start over.
His first day on the job doesn’t go so well as he rips through Caroline during a fire drill, the beloved teacher at Springside High who’s admired by not only her students, but the residents in the small town too.
News travels fast in a small town and it isn’t long before Theo’s having to prove himself to the people of Springside, who despise him, as well as apologize and gain back respect from Caroline.
What I loved most about this was how Theo acknowledged his trauma and the demons from that one fateful night fourteen years ago that followed him around everyday.
While trying to better himself and work through his issues, Theo and Caroline form a friendship which at first is based purely off an unbridled attraction towards one another despite their little issue on day one.
The more time they spend together the more they realize they don’t want to stay apart.
I loved how at different times throughout the book, both Theo and Caroline would randomly imagine themselves playing out dirty scenes, then get interrupted 😆
The scenes were hot as heck and I couldn’t wait for them to play out for real!
And gawd dayum the farm scene in the barn 😮💨
“Good, because darlin’, I haven’t been able to think about anything other than your perfect pussy since last weekend. I can’t wait to taste you again,”
If you want something low drama with no third act breakup, this is it!
Each of the characters, including our side characters which I fell just as hard for, all communicated what they were feeling. The group had an easy-going nature and I’d love nothing more than to be part of their group if they were real, especially Hannah and her crazy and loud shenanigans 😆
I’m so intrigued by the side characters and hoping we get a book on each of them, especially Seth and his piercing 👀 which I low key hope Margaret is the one who gets to explore it more 😏
August 4, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ so damn cute!! A fantastic debut novel
I loved the small town vibes, the hot fire chief, the crazy animals but most importantly the friendship between Caroline, Hannah and Margaret!! I adored them so much. I want to be their friend sippin’ on a margarita talking about smutty books!
Caroline and Theo were sweet. I do wish this was a true grumpy/sunshine with more banter. Theo was grumpy for a single chapter. Their chemistry was decent but overall felt too rushed
I hope this series continues because I’m curious about the other characters!
I loved the small town vibes, the hot fire chief, the crazy animals but most importantly the friendship between Caroline, Hannah and Margaret!! I adored them so much. I want to be their friend sippin’ on a margarita talking about smutty books!
Caroline and Theo were sweet. I do wish this was a true grumpy/sunshine with more banter. Theo was grumpy for a single chapter. Their chemistry was decent but overall felt too rushed
I hope this series continues because I’m curious about the other characters!
May 8, 2024
3.25 stars
June 17, 2024
3.5/5
Insta love is not for me.
Insta love is not for me.
June 1, 2025
It is so bad, I want to give you a zero, but that’s not possible, so I give you a one
October 19, 2023
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🌶️🌶️
Hollie…what a freaking debut!!! Once I started this book I could not stop!
Grumpy fire chief Theo and Caroline get off to quite the fiery start {iykyk} but once they got to know each other, their chemistry was off. the. charts!!! 🔥
I loved getting to watch sweet baby Theo heal from his past trauma & he was just so perfect for Caroline. 🫶🏻 also, the relationships Caroline had with her students had me in a puddle!
“…when it all burns down, there’s no one else in the world I want beside me.”
I absolutely adored this book & can’t wait to get back to Springside for book 2!
What to expect:
• grumpy fire chief x football coach
• high school teacher
• margarita mondays 🍹
• small town romance
• incredible side characters
• high school classroom shenanigans 🦝
🌶️🌶️
Hollie…what a freaking debut!!! Once I started this book I could not stop!
Grumpy fire chief Theo and Caroline get off to quite the fiery start {iykyk} but once they got to know each other, their chemistry was off. the. charts!!! 🔥
I loved getting to watch sweet baby Theo heal from his past trauma & he was just so perfect for Caroline. 🫶🏻 also, the relationships Caroline had with her students had me in a puddle!
“…when it all burns down, there’s no one else in the world I want beside me.”
I absolutely adored this book & can’t wait to get back to Springside for book 2!
What to expect:
• grumpy fire chief x football coach
• high school teacher
• margarita mondays 🍹
• small town romance
• incredible side characters
• high school classroom shenanigans 🦝
October 13, 2023
I can't wait to read more from this author. I am not the girl who loves cowboys but damn did she make me hot for one lol
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