When Sparks Fly

by Monica Murphy

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy comes a sweltering summer romance you won’t be able to put down.

Twenty-two-year-old heiress Rachel Henderson has one goal this summer: hide out at her family’s lake house and recover from the most mortifying breakup Manhattan society has ever witnessed. Sun, swimming, and zero paparazzi—what could go wrong?

But her quiet summer by the lake goes up in literal flames when a spa-day candle mishap sets her mother’s designer curtains on fire. When the local fire department shows up—specifically the ridiculously hot fire captain—the house is saved, but the captain scorches her pride with a lecture about fire safety.

Determined to prove she can handle life on her own without her family’s help, Rachel finds a new roommate and a new job—too bad she’s terrible at it. Oh, and she keeps running into Captain Tall-Dark-and-Infuriating (which definitely isn’t a hardship). The more time they spend together, the more their conversations start o get real, and Rachel finds herself falling for Wyatt. She thinks he might even feel the same way.

The only problem? Wyatt is all about roots and permanence, while Rachel is the very definition of flighty. But this summer, she just might be tempted to stay …

Genres: Romance, Firefighters, Contemporary, Small Town Romance, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Summer

336 pages, Hardcover

Published May 26, 2026

About the author

New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author. A believer in kissing. A believer of love.

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Reviews

[Yimmie♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

(ˊᵒ̴̶̷̤ ꇴ ᵒ̴̶̷̤ˋ) happy release day to @monica murphy
🚒💜 ‘when sparks fly’ is out now!!

rating: ★★★★★

➳ who doesn’t love a good small town, summer romance?!
the first thing that drew me to this arc was the cover art(i’m one of those people that definitely loves to judge a book by its cover).
i’m also a sucker for a good single dad, grumpy x sunshine trope🤭

⌞👱🏻‍♀️⌝ ┊rich city girl, 𝓡𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓵 𝓗𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷
Rachel gave me major clueless vibes(definitely Alicia coded). she’s young, sweet, kind and really likeable, but also has to learn how to stand on her own outside of her privileged upbringing.
she’s a work in progress and i love her self-awareness about it.

⌞👨🏻‍🚒⌝ ┊ firefighter captain, 𝓦𝔂𝓪𝓽𝓽 𝓜𝓬𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓮𝔂
Wyatt is a grumpy but deeply caring mmc, constantly trying not to disappoint his 6 year old daughter, dottie. because of his past, he keeps things casual and sticks to one-night stands, until rachel walks into his life and completely changes everything.

‪‪❤︎‬ ‬ ‬the chemistry between them is certainly powerful and it had me blushing and giggling the entire time. i loved watching them slowly navigate their feelings, especially with the age gap and the different phases of life they’re in.
they take things at a natural pace and there are so many tender moments between them that really show how deeply they care for each other.

overall, i didn’t expect to love this as much as i did, but it completely won me over.
also, i’m fully rooting for paige and nate to get their story next 💘

thank you so much @monicamurphy & @valentinePR for the eARC


⊹₊🔥⋆｡°✩ 𝙥𝙧𝙚-𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙: the blurb really caught my attention, so i’m hoping this is a good one💜


⋮ ⌗ ┆ 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙:13th May, 2026

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC copy - releasing in May 2026.

This is an opposites attract - rich naive spoiled big city girl and the gruff single dad small town fireman.

Rachel is hiding out at her family’s vacation home, running away from her problems and her very public break up. Having never worked and relied on her parents for money, she’s not coping well. In an effort to cheer herself up - she sets up a little home spa day - and sets the house on fire. Who shows up to put out the fire, but the captain himself, Wyatt. It is not love at first sight - more like attitude and attraction. As Rachel gets cut off by father and left to figure out her life in this small town, she makes new friends and explores her chemistry with grumpy Wyatt. But Rachel doesn’t know what her plans are, where she belongs and if she wants to settle down - whereas Wyatt needs stability. Even as they grow closer, the cracks in their relationship grow, new insecurities develop and Rachel needs to decide if she’s staying or going.

I think the cover is beautiful, love the retro vibe of it and the artistry. I did not like Rachel as an FMC, I found her to be too much of a “damsel”. And even with her showing some growth, I just didn’t connect to her character. I found the relationship between her and Wyatt to be very superficial, and I also didn’t connect to their connection. I think this book has promise, just missed on some execution and character development - for my preference of reading.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sooo addicting!!!
BOOK REVIEW✨

Vale… este libro NO reinventó la rueda, pero ¿me sacó del reading slump? ABSOLUTAMENTE SÍ 😮‍💨🔥

“When Sparks Fly” es de esas historias que se leen en un suspiro: rápida, adictiva, sexy y con suficiente tensión para hacerme patear las piernas en la cama a las 2am. Monica Murphy sabe perfectamente cómo escribir química explosiva y personajes que te desesperan… pero de la forma divertida 👀

¿La trama? Engancha.
¿El romance? Muy hot.
¿Las miradas cargadas de tensión? Criminales.
¿Yo? Entre gritando, sonriendo y necesitando un ventilador.

No fue un cinco estrellas para mí porque quería un poquito MÁS emocionalmente, pero honestamente… este libro apareció en el momento perfecto y me devolvió las ganas de leer devorando capítulos como si no tuviera responsabilidades.

En conclusión: divertido, spicy, caótico y peligrosamente fácil de obsesionarse 🏠🔥📖

Ya tenéis planes para el 26 de mayo 📆
————————————————————————————-

Okay listen… did this book reinvent romance? No.
Did it DRAG me out of my reading slump by the hair? Absolutely 😮‍💨🔥

“When Sparks Fly” is the kind of romance you inhale in one sitting: fast-paced, addictive, steamy and packed with enough tension to have me kicking my feet at 2am like a maniac.

Monica Murphy really knows how to write explosive chemistry and characters that make you want to scream… respectfully 👀

The plot? Fun.
The romance? HOT.
The tension-filled stares? Illegal.
Me? Sweating, giggling and emotionally unstable.

It wasn’t a full five stars because I wanted a little more emotional depth, BUT this book came at the perfect time and reminded me why I love binge-reading romance in the first place.

Final verdict: messy, spicy, entertaining chaos and dangerously easy to devour 🏠🔥📚

Releasing May 26th 📆
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

"When Sparks Fly" by Monica Murphy is a decent read with an increeeeeeeeeedible cover. It's not my favorite book, but it has its moments of intensely hot spice and humor. It's a small-town romance between a privileged, spoiled FMC who is licking her wounds at her family's vacation home post-very-public-break-up, has recently been cut off by her rich father, and has to learn to fend for herself after she burned part of her family's home down, and a single dad fire captain who isn't looking for anything serious. Rachel (FMC) and Wyatt (MMC) meet when he comes to rescue her when the upstairs portion of her family's home burns down because of her carelessness with a candle during a self-care night. From there, Rachel finds herself stranded in his small town when her father cuts her off monetarily. She is forced to get a job scooping ice cream and to rely on the kindness of strangers/her very quickly formed new friend group to try to reinvent herself. I am sure I am not alone in saying this, but Rachel is annoying as hell for most of the book. Her absolute obtuseness about the world around her is giving Kim Kardashian "I don't even know what a carton of milk costs," and boy howdy, if it's not the time for that!!!!!!!!!! Sure, she comes around, but god, it's hard to listen to her whine about the plight of the poor because daddy cancelled her credit cards and made her return her rental car. Pardon me if *this* poor doesn't feel the slightest bit sorry for her. Wyatt is a fine MMC and has his moments of sweetness, but I never felt a strong connection towards him or between him and his daughter, despite him being portrayed as a devoted father. He has his charms, but he was just sort of....there? They just sort of.... have s3x with each other??? Very insta-love-y, in my opinion. I think that's my main issue with this book: it all feels very surface-level. None of it feels deep or full of yearning or earned in the slightest. It all feels very easy. Even Rachel's instant connections to the small town and its residents happen way too quickly; she never really has to struggle, she just doesn't have enough money. I got a distinct "happy for now" feeling from them as a couple, which sucks for Wyatt's young daughter, because he purposefully made it known that he doesn't let just anyone into her/his life. They *definitely* *do not* feel like a HEA-type of couple. I did like Paige and Nate and their "will they, won't they" vibe, so if they get a book, I will definitely read it.

Thank you to Monica Murphy and VPR Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

i'm so disappointed. rtc

─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🔥💜 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

me 🤝🏼 firefighter romance

[whatmarissareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️‍🔥"When I caught my house on fire this morning, I certainly didn't envision this."

4⭐ 2.5🌶️

I finally read my first Monica Murphy book!!!!!
She has been on my TBR FOREVER! so when I saw her newest release, I gravitated towards it firstly because of the cover... like it is SO CUTE and I love the graphics on it. Second, I just love me a good first responder romance and this met all the criteria for that!
I totally get all the hype around Monica Murphy! I am kicking myself for not reading her books sooner

So Rachel is a rich girl socialite and just experienced this humiliating public breakup....
She is looking to run away and get away from it all and decides to go to her family's lake house
But unfortunately she sets part of the house on fire :(
There's a lot of chaos but it inevitably leads her to meeting the grumpy firefighter captain named Wyatt

Now Wyatt is a single dad, more independent, more settled down in life than Rachel is but he can't help but be captivated by this woman he is instantly attracted to!! She's not his usual type but he is soooo drawn to her and only wants to know more about her.

I really really enjoyed watching their chemistry play back and forth between each other
Wyatt is a man who YEARNS and I ate that up so much
"Let me look at you for just a minute."

I was giggling and kicking my feet for these two to make it happen
Yes, they are polar opposites but I feel like that's what made this work so well
Rachel was looking for a wholesome family dynamic and kept trying to find that in her parents/rich upbringing but ultimately she's so unhappy and here comes Wyatt to show her a completely different way of living and it's almost like a culture shock for Rachel but she is hooked!

I love the teasers we got for the next book between Wyatt's brother (Nate) and Rachel's new bestie (Paige) I am really looking forward to reading their story! They made the perfect side characters for this one <3

If you are looking for a summer romance to add to your TBR, I think this is a great choice!

💕You will enjoy this if you are into:
+ single dad
+ age gap
+ firefighter x rich heiress
+ found family
+ 1st book in the series
+ grumpy x sunshine
+ lakehouse vibes

[Noi (in & out)]

is this the Fireman book I've been dreaming of??

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

When Sparks Fly was such a low-stakes, easy little firefighter romcom. Rachel is a wealthy heiress hiding out at her family’s lake house after a very public breakup, and within the first few chapters she accidentally almost burns the place down. Enter Wyatt: grumpy firefighter captain, single dad, and very much over Rachel’s chaotic rich-girl energy. Naturally, they end up hate-hooking-up the same night they meet.

Despite sounding dramatic, this book honestly stays pretty light and fun the entire time. Rachel has never really had responsibilities before, so watching her attempt to work an actual job and function independently was entertaining, while Wyatt was the steady, grounded contrast to all her mess. The opposites-attract chemistry worked for me, even if the overall story felt a little predictable.

This was my first Monica Murphy book, and overall I thought it was cute. Nothing super deep or life-changing, but definitely the kind of audiobook you throw on when you want something fun and uncomplicated.

Narration-wise, Kelsey Navarro Foster was easily the highlight for me. I love her in pretty much everything she narrates, and she made Rachel really likable. Tor Thom, unfortunately, was more hit-or-miss here. Wyatt came across flatter than I wanted, and I honestly think a different narrator could’ve elevated the romance quite a bit for me.

Still, if you like grumpy/sunshine vibes, single dads, rich-girl-meets-small-town energy, and low-angst romance, this one is worth picking up.

Thanks to Monica, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for the ALC.

[Britnee Weir]

I was provided this book as an ARC copy from NetGalley.

I DNF’d this at 30%. I’’m so sad because I was so excited for this book… the cover and the synopsis sounded so good. I found the writing a little immature for me and I absolutely hated the FMC. Please tell me why the woman runs into a burning house to save a bag…. I’m sure that she comes into her own as the book goes on but unfortunately, this is the year of DNFing books I don’t love after a certain amount of time.

[EmJustReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This was a quick and light read. It starts when our FMC is dumped by a loser and realizes she’s a loser too, in a sense.

She’s young, out of touch, and truthfully at the beginning of the story I couldn’t have listed any positive qualities. She really laid it on thick that she (her family) have wealth. I understand that the characterization is set up to show her development through the book - but man it was hard to relate to her.

She sets her parents’ vacation house on fire, and when the fire department rolls up we meet our MMC. He is the fire chief who is a single parent to a young daughter. He has some abandonment issues because the baby momma ran out when Dottie was really young, but he prioritizes his daughter and that was nice to see.

The story is set in a town that’s a popular tourist destination because of the lake. After the fire, our FMC (Rachel) gets cut off by her Dad and finds a place to stay by making friends with the town’s sweetest resident. Rachel’s friend gets her a job at a local ice cream shop, which is her first job EVER. I rolled my eyes when she said now she respects people who do hard manual labor — comparing scooping ice cream to manual labor.

The side characters really helped complete the story, and I liked that we got a bit more plot than the main relationship. We see our main characters grow a bit, but honestly it wasn’t a tremendous change. There are some fun tropes though: firefighter romance, grumpy x sunshine, single dad, and there is some spice.

I received an ALC of When Sparks Fly, and the narrators did a good job embodying the story and the characters. Overall it was worth the read!

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75🌟, 3🌶️

This felt like the kind of romance you curl up with when you want something sweet, entertaining, and low stress.

While Rachel took me a little while to warm up to because she starts off pretty immature and sheltered, I ended up having a lot of fun with this book. It has that easy, addictive small-town rom-com energy that makes you want to keep turning the pages.

Wyatt was easily my favorite part of the story. He is a grumpy firefighter, devoted single dad, and the perfect balance to Rachel’s chaotic sunshine personality. Their chemistry was undeniable, and I especially loved watching Rachel slowly step outside of the privileged world she had always known and figure out who she wanted to be. The found family vibes, lovable side characters, and lake town setting made the story feel warm and comforting.

I do wish there had been a little more emotional depth in places, but overall this was such a fun, entertaining read. It felt like the perfect summer romance: light, flirty, and full of heart.

Fun, charming, and easy to read, this was a great romance to get lost in for a few hours.

~~~~

Huge thank you to Monica Murphy & Valentine PR for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨

[⌜Linaraxx⌟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAPPY RELEASE DAY! 🥳

Thank you so much to Valentine PR and Monica Murphy for the ARC 🤍

This was such a fun and easy read that I finished really quickly. It gave me those low angst, small-town romcom vibes and felt like the perfect book when you just want something light and entertaining. Rachel & Wyatt had such a fun grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and I really liked how opposite they were. Rachel’s chaotic energy mixed with Wyatt being more grounded worked really well, and Wyatt was honestly one of my favorite parts of the book. Add in the single dad trope and I was already sold. The whole story kind of had reality TV energy in the best way, messy, entertaining, and hard not to keep reading. Also, I feel like this book finally kind of pulled me out of my reading slump, so bonus points for that 😭

The only thing stopping this from being a full 5 stars for me was that I really wish there had been a bit more depth. Some chapters felt a little too fast-paced & I wanted more time with the characters and their relationship because I felt like there was still so much more to explore emotionally. I needed more moments that made me feel even more connected to them. Still, I had so much fun reading this and now I’m honestly SO excited for Nate and Paige’s story because I need that book immediately 😭 I’m already hyped and can’t wait to see how their story plays out!

[Jen M · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a lot of fire fighter romances, the MMC is a fire fighter but that’s the end of the story. The author doesn’t talk about the long shifts away from home and the dangers of the job. They don’t talk about the effect the job has on the people in love with these men who risk everything, but this author did. Yes, it was a cute opposites attract love story but the fact that the author knew first hand what it’s actually like to love a fire fighter and wrote that truth into her story was what really made me love this story. People see the sexy fire fighter calendar and think “I want that” but they don’t get the worry and anxiety that comes from actually loving one.

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

SOOOO,

I am back pour une nouvelle review. Bon, de base quand je suis rentrée chez Smith and Son c'était juste pour regarder, mais bien sûr je suis ressortie avec un livre. Je dois dire que c'est la couverture avec le pompier qui m'a attirée. Oui je suis faible. Et je connaissais déjà Monica Murphy et je savais que j'allais aimer plus ou moins.

BREF.

L'histoire est très chou, cœur sur Wyatt et Rachel tout comme Dottie, Page et Nate (j'ai hâte de lire leur histoire) mais j'ai trouvé qu'elle était un peu courte et pas super développée. I don't know. AUSSI, je suis quasi sûre que Rachel est enceinte à la fin, mais on nous confirme rien. Maybe dans le spin off ? D'où ma question, POURQUOI LES FMC DOIVENT TOUJOURS TOMBER ENCEINTE HEIN ?? Laissez-les un peu vivre.

Peut-être le truc qui m'a cringe est le fait qu'ils ne se connaissent que depuis un mois et que le mec il est en mode je la lov, je veux qu'elle vive avec moi et qu'elle porte mes enfants. Nan mais on se calme Wyatt, tout va bien se passer si tu attends un peu. En plus la meuf elle a 22 ans et lui 29. U GOT TIME.

Comme vous l'aurez bien compris ce livre ne m'a pas transcendé mais bon c'était tout de même une bonne lecture !!

Plein de lov,

Cippy

[Robin Primo · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

This book started as a 3-star, but it got (a little) better. The insta-lust/love and the single-dad thing (especially combined) didn’t do it for me. Halfway through, the storyline got more interesting, which made the book a little better.

Wyatt was this grumpy firefighter captain. Rachel (FMC) even called him Mr. Grumpy Pants, but he was grumpy for like 2 pages… He also kept saying that he didn’t need a girl in his life, but at the same time he wanted to be with Rachel every minute of the day (as soon as they met).

I did really like Rachel. Disowned rich girl, needing to make a living for herself. I liked her, she was determined, hardworking, and so sweet. I also really liked her friendship with Paige.

The storyline seemed to be, up until 50% of the book, not only about Wyatt and Rachel, but also about Paige and Nate… And then suddenly, you didn’t read a thing about them anymore. Am I getting a second book? Or did I read enough about them in this book? I’m confused.

I usually LOVE Monica Murphy’s books, but this one was not the one for me.

[Savannah Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

i had such high hopes for this one! i’ve been dying for a firefighter romance lately, but this was just okay for me. rachel, an heiress running away to her childhood summer home after a public break up, accidentally sets her house on fire. wyatt is the hot single dad firefighter who responds to the call. i don’t mind a rich fmc who has inherited money, but i do not like an fmc who is infantilized and treated as incapable of working a part time job that most 14 year olds excel at. rachel was just VERY out of touch and it was really challenging not only in this economy but in this job market & her growth was not what i would have hoped for. i will say, i loved wyatt! i thought he was such a fun, grumpy single dad to read about. he was super sweet to his daughter and an amazing dad. i did also LOVE paige & nate!!! paige was SO sweet and i was obsessed with her and how immediately caring she was towards rachel. i genuinely kept reading for paige. all in all, this is a quick read that you can turn your brain off and just escape in. anyone looking for a fast-paced laugh out loud romance would probably enjoy this one!

[QuinnReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Grumpy Pants

I initially disliked Rachel Henderson immensely. She's very much a poor little rich girl and rubbed me the wrong way. It was enough that I considered stepping away from the book.

Why didn’t I DNF? I own several of Monica's books. I look at the spines almost daily. While I've been meaning to read them, it hasn't happened yet, so I've really been looking forward to this. Anyway, my personal collection of other books was a big part of why I continued. I'm glad I did.

Wyatt (Captain Grumpy Pants) McKinney lives up to his nickname on numerous occasions. I like how he thaws, and she matures as time passes.

Not only does their chemistry amp up, but she slowly melds into his world, forging relationships with his daughter and family. It's not a stretch to expect his reaction to certain events, regardless of how far they've come as individuals and as a couple. Despite the difficulty, I do like how she handles it.

It feels like this is the second book in a series, or a spinoff, with all the references to the struggles Scarlett and Tate conquered. I did some sleuthing and found their book, 'Lonely for You Only'. It's now on the TBR. 😉

In that same vein, the added drama between Nate and Paige is interesting. I expect their second chance is next for this series, universe, or whatever it is.

I listened to the audio book. The narrators are Kelsey Navarro Foster and Tor Thom. I enjoy both of them a lot. Unsurprisingly, I do wish they were in duet. Maybe next time. 😉 🎧💜🎧

Story: 4 stars
Narration: 3.5 stars
Listening Speed: 1.75x

H = 29; h = 22

TROPES & TRIGGERS:
💜 Single dad
🔥 Interesting tan lines 😄
🚗 Car rides 🌶
❤️ Poor little rich girl 👸 vs. grumpy fireman 👨‍🚒
💉 References to addiction
🌶 Steamy scenes
🍦 Ice cream outings w his favorite girl (daddy / daughter dates)

[anovelaccount (Kayla) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Monica Murphy book and I’d be lying if I said that adorable cover didn’t just suck me all the way in! And who doesn’t love a little firefighter romance? The tropes made this sound right up my alley!

Right off the bat, the FMC, Rachel, drove me crazy—but it seemed like this was supposed to the readers’ initial reaction, so I was fine with it. I assumed there would be ample room for growth throughout the course of the story. Unfortunately, by the end I didn’t really see a huge change in her—not like I was REALLY hoping to see. She really didn’t appear to learn a ton even through her experiences. I struggled to see how the MMC (especially a single dad!) would envision a serious relationship with this woman, outside of a lust-based fling.

That said and out of the way, I loved Wyatt! He was just the right amount of gruff while still being a cinnamon roll underneath his tough exterior. I loved his interactions with Rachel and his daughter in the ice cream shop. 🤭 He had a good backstory and, of course, I will always love a single dad trope!

I also loved the summery, small town vibes. I’m actually very much interested in the will they/won’t they vibes going on with Nate and Paige and would absolutely read a book about them!

While it wasn’t my favorite, it was an easy and quick summer read. I just wish Rachel’s character had been fleshed out more, ultimately.

[Kamryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! It was easy to turn your brain off and just read it. However, if you’re looking for in-depth and a heartfelt story this isn’t it… unfortunately. I had very high hopes for this one but I was let down.

I love Monica’s writing because it is so fun! However I had a hard time with the FMC (Rachel), I mean she ran back into her BURNING HOUSE to grab her bag… (this happened chapter two btw) but hey it was fun and easy and I had a good laugh. I thought her character would develop over time but uh it really didn’t…

I mean the MMC (Wyatt) he was amazing LOVED him! He even had a daughter which I kinda thought would make him and Rachel’s relationship deeper? Alas that wasn’t the case.

Kinda felt like reality TV in a good way though! It was fun, and super easy to fly through

[ReadingTilTheBreakOfDawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, let's start from the top.
Lovely cover. I'm in love with illustrated cover and the beautiful colors. Super cute and fire!
Story within? Cute. Enjoyable. Predictable with little dramatics. The ending? Too abrupt, but suffice. Narration? Ok. Liked Kelsey Navarro Foster for the spoiled rich FMC, but Tor Thom was a little too one dimensional for the MMC.

Now, let's get into story....
When Sparks Fly is the opposites attract, fish out of water, summer romance story that felt a little too easy, but was cute. Rachel, a rich young woman comes to her family's lake house after experiencing a heartbreak. But while she is bathing, she accidentally catches her house on fire. Wyatt, the local fire Captain (and single dad) is one of the first on the scene and rescues the short-robe -wearing Rachel after she decides to reenter her home to save her Birkin. These two obviously have different priorities, but what happens when they bump into each other again at the local bar?

This story was cute, but I felt like it was so light and never really dug into the characters too deeply. I mean, Rachel is a rich girl that has never worked a day in her life and lives off of her parents' credit cards, but once she is cut off from any money and support, she falls easily into a place to stay and a job. A job that ends up being easy for her to deal with. No real complaining about it, she just does it. Which is apparently all she's ever needed. She may have been a "fish out of the water", but one that could very easily adapt to its new surroundings.

Meanwhile, once she meets Wyatt, obviously he is hot and a fireman, but that is as much as they know about each other once when they decide to have a one night stand. But obviously that lasts only so long, as Wyatt and his daughter end up running into his one night stand when they go to get his daughter some ice cream. And these two just can't deny their chemistry and decide to give the one night stand some more attention.

Like I said, the story is cute and has no real strong drama or friction between the MCs, but is still enjoyable. Rachel is a little too easy and one-dimensional, but likes small town living after being a rich city dweller her whole life. Not realistic and could've had more fun with her trying to adapt to a whole new life. Wyatt had a few more years and responsibilities under his belt, but still took a chance on the girl that was a wild card. I didn't really feel their connection and chemistry and thought it was more surface level, until we get some more emotional stuff towards the very end. Ultimately, I liked the full cast of characters as a whole. From Rachel's roommate, to Wyatt's brother and daughter, they all played a significant role in the overall story and I liked the parts of the story where they were all included.

Lastly, the audiobook. This is the aspect I may have liked best. Kelsey Navarro Foster was not only able to capture the spoiled rich girl, but also the caring young woman that was learning how to survive on her own. I felt like her portrayal made the character and her growth that much more believable. Tor Thom, meanwhile proved to be a little more flat, but also that felt fitting for Wyatt's grumpy exterior. I think mixed with Foster's performance, it made the romantic connection a little too unlikely, but also worked for "opposites attract".

Overall, When Sparks Fly was a low to no angst, easy to read summer romance.

If you like:
Opposites Attract
Small Town MMC/Big City FMC
Age Gap
Single Dad
Failed One Night Stand
Summer Romance
With little to no drama, then this story could be for you.

[Amber (Ambee & Ink) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review and more can be found on my Bookstagram & Booktok @ Ambeeandink!

Thank you so much to Valentine PR, Blackstone & Monica Murphy for the review copy and exchange for an honest review!

TROPES:
🧯Small Town
🔥Grumpy x Sunshine
🧯Single Dad
🔥Age Gap
🧯Firefighter
🔥Found Family


When Sparks Fly was such a fun summer romcom and I absolutely flew through it in a couple sittings. This was my first Monica Murphy book and now I totally get the hype because I already need to read more from her. The second I saw firefighter romance, I was locked in. I come from a family of first responders so give me a man in uniform with emotional baggage and I’m seated every single time.

Rachel and Wyatt come from completely different worlds and you can feel it immediately. Wyatt is small town, born and raised, captain at the firehouse, single dad vibes. Rachel is a rich heiress hiding out at her family’s lake house after a very public breakup that honestly sounds like my personal nightmare. Then she accidentally sets her curtains on fire during a self care day and Wyatt shows up with his crew and it’s chaos from there, for the rest of the summer.

I thought the premise was honestly so cute. Failed one night stand, figuring out who you are outside of everyone else’s expectations, learning how to stand on your own, all wrapped up in a fun summery romance? Inject it directly into my veins. Were these the deepest characters I’ve ever read? No. But did I have a ridiculously good time reading this book? Absolutely.

The spice is definitely on the lighter side though. I’d give it like a 1.5 out of 5. It’s there, but if you skipped over it you honestly wouldn’t miss anything important plot wise.

The side characters were honestly one of my favorite parts. I loved Rachel and Paige’s friendship and how naturally they clicked because it really highlighted how fake and surface level most of Rachel’s other friendships were. And Nate’s brother??? That man was down astronomically for Paige and nobody can convince me otherwise. I needed that storyline immediately.

Overall, When Sparks Fly is the perfect throw-it-in-your-beach-bag summer read. If you love slutty mustaches, firefighters, grumpy/sunshine energy, and small town romance chaos, this book is absolutely for you!

[Amity Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narration by Tor Thom & Kelsey Navarro Foster these who brought the fun & made this one such a good time! I really enjoyed their performance and the audio!!

This was a fun summer fling romance. Rich sunshiny FMC, hot firefighter single dad MMC

Rachel has never had to fend for herself, but after life throws her some curveballs she faces changes & grows to love the little small-town she was visiting. Wyatt is the grumpy man who swoops in and becomes the hottest summer fling. But their relationship brings so much heat & chemistry & I loved watching these characters grow.

Definitely a cute & fun little read with some emotion and lovable characters! Thank you NetGalley & Valentine PR for this early audio!

[Catie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute summer fling romance book that turned into a cozy fling and add in a hot firefighter, yes please!

You meet Rachel, a rich girl who has never had to do anything for herself. When she realizes her boyfriend is a lying cheat and dumps him, she flees to her parent’s cabin across the country.

Where we meet Wyatt, a single dad with a hot ass job to serve and protect hehe.

When Rachel has to fend for herself, she grows close to this small town life and even closer to Wyatt.

Super quick read and my first of Monica’s!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars ~

Plot - yes

FMC - meh

MMC - yes

Writing - meh

[Chelsea Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the arc VPR!
Absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I love the growth from both MCs throughout the story, and whewwww Wyatt. Enough said!

[Mamawattto4 Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC

⭐️⭐️⭐️ – When Sparks Fly by Monica Murphy

This was my first Monica Murphy book, and I went in SO excited because firefighter romance?? Yes please. That’s one of those tropes that usually has me hooked immediately.

But honestly…this one was a bit of a struggle for me.

The biggest issue was Rachel. I really tried, but I just could not get past how immature and honestly kind of annoying she felt through a lot of the story. Instead of connecting with her, I found myself getting frustrated over and over again. It made it hard to fully enjoy the romance when I wasn’t rooting for her the way I wanted to be.

Wyatt, on the other hand? He deserved better 🤷🏼‍♀️ He felt more grounded and easy to like, and I kept wishing he had a love interest that matched his energy a little more.

The writing itself was fine, and I still love the idea of a firefighter romance, but the character dynamic just didn’t work for me the way I hoped it would. Not a bad read, just not the right fit for me.

[Anca A · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Review: *When Sparks Fly* - Monica Murphy - ARC [18+]
4.6/5✨
3/5🌶️

Finding out from gossip news that your own boyfriend was caught with another woman was the most embarrassing and hurtful thing ever. Unfortunately, that's what Rachel Henderson was experiencing and that made her wanting to take a break from all the chaos her life was in that moment, to be alone for a while at her parents house in California. But the bad luck will still hunt Rachel, because one of her mistakes caused a fire in the house she was staying in, something which infuriated her father, to the point where he cut her from everything, leaving her homeless without any resources. How will Rachel figure things out, when she was all by herself in a place where she didn't know anyone?

It was clear from the start that Rachel had a life free of stress, knowing that her parents were there to support her and to cover for anything she was doing. It was a bit scary for her when she had to be on her own, not knowing exactly what to do to survive in that town without any help. But she met some incredible people there, who impressed Rachel with their kindness, something which her friends definitely never showed. She for sure didn't expect to fall for the grumpy fireman who rescued her from the fire she started. It was sweet to see how things started to change between them once they got to know each other better, but the fact that Rachel was still planning on leaving from that place was looming over their relationship. I didn't quite liked the way Rachel saw things in the beginning, being a quite spoiled girl, but it was nice to see her joy when she succeed in doing things on her own, being like a kid who got his reward.

This was a cute, relaxing and fun story, filled with so many things to learn from it. Determination, persistence and an open mind can make all the difference in certain situations, and our FMC had definitely possessed these characteristics, which helped her in the unfortunate situation she found herself in.

Thank you Valentine Pr and Monica Murphy for accepting me and for sending me this e-ARC💗🤗.

✨Tropes
▫️Single Dad
▫️Small Town
▫️Age Gap (22/29)
▫️Opposites Attract
▫️City Girl / Small Town Man
▫️Grumpy / Sunshine
▫️Summer Romance
▫️Close Proximity

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love When Sparks Fly by Monica Murphy because it started off so strong. The setup was fun, summery, and super engaging. Rachel is a spoiled New York heiress who escapes to her family’s lake house after a very public break-up, only to accidentally set part of the house on fire and meet Wyatt, the local fire chief. Cue the grumpy sunshine vibes, small town summer setting, and a steamy one night stand.

The first half genuinely hooked me. I loved the lake town atmosphere, Rachel having to actually fend for herself for once, and her working at the ice cream parlour while flirting with the grumpy fire chief. It had all the ingredients for the perfect summer romance.

Unfortunately, it started to lose me in the second half because I just didn’t buy the romance at all. Rachel and Wyatt felt very insta lust rather than an actual emotional connection. They were clearly attracted to each other, but I never really felt the chemistry deepen beyond that, so the relationship moved far too quickly for me to fully invest in.

A lot of the side plots also felt underdeveloped because the book focused so heavily on the romance, which was the weakest part for me. Wyatt being a single dad especially didn’t work the way I hoped it would. Normally I love single dad romances, but here I never got those swoony, protective dad vibes. There were multiple moments where he was supposedly stressed about childcare, yet he had no issue leaving his daughter to go off with Rachel, which just felt inconsistent and took me out of the story.

Overall, this had such a fun premise and strong summer vibes, but the romance never fully convinced me. A decent beach read if you’re looking for something quick and steamy, but I wanted a lot more emotional depth from the relationship.

[Gianmccall •(Kaz Brekker's Version)• · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ★

As always, thank you to Valentine Pr and the author for the e-arc copy ♥️

𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬: 🔥💐🍨🌊💋👠🚒

I was SO EXCITED when I received it! This book was giving me all the It Happened One Summer vibes (my absolute favourite rom-com) and I just couldn't stop reading!

You only need to give me grumpy and sunshine in any way, and you'll definitely have my attention!

Just reading the first chapters and I was LAUGHING SO MUCH! (the fire scene absolutely sent me 🤣)

I liked Rachel a lot! She's an icon with a golden heart, trying to find her independence after being cut off from her rich family and dumped by her boyfriend (honestly, he was an I.D.I.O.T, so the winner is her!)

So, now she's trying to start again in this really nice small town, where this even nicer grumpy, single daddy firefighter lives in 😏

And let's say things will get reaaaally interesting!

Not gonna lie, I admire Rachel a lot, cuz she's my age and even if she doesn't have everything figured out, definitely never stop trying! And that's amazing 🥹

The romance was kinda fast to me tho, and I wouldn't say I especially loved Wyatt. I liked him, but I just think that, since he has a kid and it's been just the two of them for the longest time, and he was falling in love with Rachel just after one month -which is fine-, I had this feeling he was somehow rushing things between them because he really wanted a mommy for his child. And I was like "okay, you need to calm down a little, she has a life somewhere else, a family, she's still working on her own life so if she doesn't want this, I expect you to accept that). Sometimes his own insecurities would speak for him, but fortunately he also found a way to start making things right.

Beyond that, I had so much fun reading this book! 🤩

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝑭𝒍𝒚 is a very funny, light-hearted story, perfect for this summer season!

Some tropes you'll find here!

💐Found Family
♥️ Age Gap (22/29)
☀️Summer romance
🛤️ Small Town
✨ Single Dad

[Honeybadgerreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️
1st person dual POV

I went into this one expecting a fun firefighter romance, and that’s pretty much exactly what I got. When Sparks Fly had such a cute setup!

Rachel (FMC), is a rich city girl who retreats to her family’s lake house after an embarrassing public breakup, accidentally starts a fire during a self-care spa day at home, and ends up meeting Wyatt (MMC), the grumpy small-town firefighter captain who comes to save the day.

The small-town summer vibe was honestly my favorite part of the book. I loved the found family moments and the single dad energy.

I did struggle a bit with the emotional connection. Rachel’s character growth was there, but I never fully connected with her, and at times the romance felt a little surface level for me. I wanted more emotional depth between Rachel and Wyatt, especially considering how much potential their opposites attract dynamic had.

Tropes + atmosphere:
Grumpy x sunshine
Age gap
Firefighter
Single dad
Alpha hero
Found family
Small-town romance

Overall, this was still a fun and entertaining romance with grumpy/sunshine vibes, small-town charm, and just enough drama to keep things interesting. If you’re looking for a light, easy romcom with a firefighter MMC, then this one is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to the author and VPR for gifting me this eARC!