Sparks & Recreation

by Ellie Hall

The smuggest and grouchiest firefighter in Huckleberry Hill hates exactly one person. Me.

Our offices face each other across the hall, which means I get a front-row seat to Patton Cross pretending I don’t exist.
He scowls. I sparkle. We’re a disaster waiting to happen—and now we’re stuck planning the Fireman’s Ball together.

Suddenly, he’s remembering my coffee order. Saying please. Getting close enough that I can smell woodsmoke—and trouble.

Then a blizzard hits and we’re snowed in. The tension we’ve been fighting ignites into something that could melt ice.

But we both have a secret and when the truth comes out, I’m left wondering if the man who finally made me feel seen was fighting the flames … or just playing with fire.

A clean, closed-door romcom full of banter, butterflies, and the smuggest and grumpiest firefighter you’ll ever fall for by USA Today bestselling author Ellie Hall. Read your next small-town obsession for a swoon-worthy happily ever after.

Tropes you'll ♥
•Enemies to Lovers
•Sweetheart who's starting over
•Smug grouch
•Small Town Romance
•Firefighters who bake
•Workplace
•Slow Burn
•Just Kisses
•Found family
•Station Dalmatian
•Band of brothers
•Hockey
•Forced Proximity
•Flirty eye tag!

364 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 15, 2026

About the author

Ellie Hall is a USA Today bestselling author. If only that meant she could wear a tiara and get away with it. ;) She loves puppies, books, and the ocean. Writing sweet romance with lots of firsts and fizzy feels gives her joy. Oh, and chocolate chip cookies are her fave. Ellie believes in dreaming big, working hard, and lazy Sunday afternoons spent with her family and dog in gratitude for God’s grace.

♥

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/EllieHallNL
Website: http://www.elliehallauthor.com
Facebook: http://www/facebook.com/elliehallauthor
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/elliehallauthor

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Series and suggested reading order:

The Only Us Sweet Billionaire Series
•these billionaires have everything, but will they find love...?•

1. Only a Date with a Billionaire
2. Only a Kiss with a Billionaire
3. Only a Night with a Billionaire
4. Only Forever with a Billionaire
5. Only Love with a Billionaire
6. Only Christmas with the Billionaire
7. Only New Year with the Billionaire

♥

The Hawkins Family Clean Romance Series

•five brothers, torn apart and the women who help put them back together...•

1. Second Chance in Hawk Ridge Hollow

2. Finding Forever in Hawk Ridge Hollow

3. Resort Getaway with a Bodyguard

4. Going Home to Hawk Ridge Hollow

5. Christmas in Hawk Ridge Hollow

♥

The Blue Bay Beach Reads Romance Series

•a small-town restaurant, a dating dare, and happily ever afters...•

1. Summer with the Marine

2. Summer with the Rock Star

3. Summer with the Billionaire

4. Summer with the Cowboy

5. Summer with the Carpenter

6. Summer with the Doctor

♥

Ritchie Ranch Clean Cowboy Romance Series

•Cowboy hats & kisses with small-town charm•

1. Rustling the Cowboy’s Heart

2. Lassoing the Cowboy’s Heart

3. Trusting the Cowboy’s Heart

4. Kissing the Christmas Cowboy

5. Loving the Cowboy’s Heart

6. Charming the Cowboy’s Heart

7. Saving the Cowboy’s Heart

8. Wrangling the Cowboy’s Heart

♥

Falling into Happily Ever After Rom Com

• Sweet, heartwarming & uplifting romantic comedy

1. An Unwanted Love Story

2. An Unexpected Love Story

3. An Unlikely Love Story

4. An Accidental Love Story

5. An Impossible Love Story

6. An Unconventional Christmas Love Story

♥

Forever Marriage Match

• Five friends have to find true love or else...romcom

1. Dare to Love My Grumpy Boss

2. Dare to Love the Guy Next Door

3. Dare to Love My Fake Husband

4. Dare to Love the Guy I Hate

5. Dare to Love My Best Friend

♥

Home Sweet Home Small Town Romantic Comedy Series

Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love

Designing Happily Ever After

The DIY Kissing Project

The True Romance Renovation

Extreme Heart Makeover

Building What's Meant to Be

♥

The Costa Brothers Cozy Christmas Comfort Romance Series

Tommy & Merry and the 12 Days of Christmas

Bruno & Gloria and the 5 Golden Rings

Luca & Ivy and the 4 Calling Birds

Gio & Joy and the 3 French Hens

Paulo & Noella and the 2 Turtle Doves

Nico & Hope and the Partridge in the Pear Tree

♥

The Love List Series

The Swoon List

The Not Love List

The Crush List

The Kiss List

The Naughty or Nice List

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Love, Laughs, and Mystery in Coco Key

The Romance Situation

The Romance Fiasco

The Romance Game

The Romance Gambit

The Christmas Romance Wish

♥

On the Hunt for Love

The Grump and the Girl Next Door

The Bitter Heir and the Beauty

The Secret Son and the Sweetheart

The Ex Best Friend and the Fake Fiancé

The Best Friend’s Brother and the Brain

Select titles are available in audiobook, paperback, hardcover, and large print formats. Happy reading!♥

Reviews

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This light romance has so much packed into its pages with a cast of characters that I immediately fell in love with. The main characters and all of the side characters complement each other, in one way or another, especially the camaraderie of the firefighters. This is one of the best enemies to lovers/grumpy vs. sunshine romances that I have ever read. The two main characters were spot on in every way that matter, and more alike then they first realized.

If you looked up the definition of grump or grouch, you would probably find a picture of firefighter Patton Cross. I kept expecting him to growl or gnash his teeth. I knew there had to be some underlying reason for his grouchiness, especially with the woman he calls the Parks and Recreation Princess - Winnie Sorrentino. She is all sunshine and roses. She is always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone, including a grumpy firefighter. Both of them have their own stories, and I enjoyed getting to know what made them tick, as well as how their past has shaped their present.

This slow burn romance hooked me into its story so much that I felt as if I lived in Huckleberry Hill for the time I was reading. This author is an excellent storyteller and knows how to create characters that come to life off of the page, so much so that I found myself cheering them on.

There is plenty of humor, a lot of sweet scenes that will melt your heart and plenty of swoon. Finally, the best part was firefighters who bake. That's enough to make you swoon even more. I will never forget crush cakes. If you need a light read, with a little depth to the story as well, this one is perfect. This is the first book in a new series.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Fire Lieutenant Patton Cross faces the danger of a fire he leads into the blaze confident and competent. When a former Miss Nevada and 1st runner up to Miss America takes a job in the office across from his, and walls are glass, he is gruff and rude to her.
Winnie (Vincenza Sorrentino) is tenacious and gracious as she is rebuffed time after time when she tries to break down the barrier. But nothing is forever, and eventually they reach a sort of working truce.
I loved this book! The characters throughout the book are realistic and often give profound advice.
Winnie is a people pleaser of highest level, stepping in to send money to her brother in order to try and save their family restaurant. When the person who is the town mascot is sick, she steps into the costume and takes his place. The fact that she's too small to even see properly in the costume doesn't slow her down. She is hilarious, dedicated, and 100% terrific.
Patton is gruff, downright rude, and terrified because he is falling for Winnie.
There's so much more in this book that I can't begin to decide what to share... So I won't tell you anything but this: the author is a terrific storyteller. You will love all the details, the characters, and the story she has created. You will laugh. You very possibly might cry, get stressed out, or be frustrated. You might be inspired to try and make your own crush cakes or brownies. But when you finish the book, you will be wondering how long until the next book is ready in this terrific series!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

MMC/MFC: Patton and Vincenza “Winnie”

Tropes:
* Enemies to lovers
* Grouch x sweetheart
* Small town
* Firefighter
* Workplace
* Found family
* Forced proximity
* Slow burn

Safety:
Bullying by MMC

“I’m living a happy-for-now life, but I’d really like a happily ever after.”

Winnie, a ray of sunshine to everyone, yet is grasping onto everything by the tips of her fingers.
Patton, the grumpy firefighter who made a snap judgment, and Winnie has been paying for it for years.

It took me a while to warm up to him. He was horrible in the beginning, and I was wondering why I was reading a bully romance - admittedly, it wasn’t dark, but he was… not nice…

A series of events force them to spend time together, and feelings start to change, and lines start to be crossed. It was a slow unfolding, very sweet and he slowly started to win me over.

The overall storyline was cute, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow. They went from immature snark to some serious emotional depth.
But… some to the side characters really annoyed me, and threw my enjoyment of the book. They were a little overboard, and I’m hoping that if they get their own stories, I see a more decent side to them.

On that note…Mindy and Austin…. Ugh…. They were meant to be cutesy, but they frustrate me - especially with the bet reveal… really!? In public, and they thought that there would be no problems….

My final verdict, a sweet small town story, full of meddling mums, grandmas, and friends. A fun story, and it looks to be the beginning of a decent series.

[Michelle Dodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clean romance.

Winnie lives in Huckleberry Hill and is the Parks & Recs director. She works hard in her job and is also sending money to try and save her families restaurant. With her window she can see across to Fire Lieutenant Cross's office. He always smirks at her when he notices her looking. He is grumpy while she is sunshine. they don't get along. He is trying to open a bakery, but not all the paperwork is filled out. She tries to explain what needs to be done, but he brushes her off. Then there are a couple bets. His coworkers have a bet that he has to be friendly towards her and not have any arguments or he ends up working all the holidays. Her coworkers bet that she has to make him smile during the Fire & Ice dance event or she has to attend a conference and dress in costume. Can they get along and win their bets? Is that tension more than disliking each other?

This was such a cute story. I felt for both of them trying to figure things out. It was great to see why they act like they do and to try and figure out if it could be more. You'll definitely find yourself laughing out loud in places. Such a good read!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firefighters who bake (and are opening up a bakery)? Say less! This is the first book in a new series about a group of firefighters who do just that and already I find myself looking forward to more time with these guys. That sense of brotherhood is already apparent, and I can't wait to see more of it. But of course, I was mostly here for the romance... and Patton and Winnie certainly delivered well on that front too. I loved the enemies to love tension between these two... and there is more to that tension than they want to believe, that's for sure! Theirs was certainly a slow burn with secrets that have the potential to ruin it all... but you'll have to read for yourself to find those out! With animal shenanigans, small town charm and all the meddling, there was truly so much to enjoy in this story, and I was here for it all. If you love firefighter romance and enemies to love, this is one you'll want to add to your TBR.

Sparks and Recreation is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Shauna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance in a small town. What fun.
She was the parks princess and he was the city’s grump and Fire Lieutenant. Unfortunately, his grumpiness was directly across the hall from her sparkle and the walls were glass. He was irritated by her eternal cheerfulness and innumerable post it notes. She is determined to keep smiling and waving at him. When Winnie, the princess, and Patton, the grump, are assigned to work together on town activities, the town begins placing bets. Will Patton lose his temper with Winnie? Will she be able to make Patton really smile? As they work together, they begin to see the other person as someone with troubles, desires, goals, and even talents. Mix in an old firehouse, some feuding grannies, a locking first aid room, and a blizzard and you have a fun, endearing story of growth, acceptance, and a very different romance where the whole town is involved. I received an early copy and this is my honest review.

[HeadCanonHeadCase · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4

Patton is a firefighter by trade but wants to open a bakery as well. He needs the Parks and Recreation department to sign off on the plans to renovate the old firehouse, but Winnie seems determined to make him jump through hoops even though she's just doing her job. Will planning the annual fireman's ball help them understand the other?

Read if you like:
-Office Rivals to Lovers
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Forced Proximity
-Workplace Romance
-Found Family
-Slow Burn
-Small Town

Sparks & Recreation was really cute. I really enjoyed how the flawed first impression trope was used for Patton and Winnie. Grumpy, serious firefighter meets sunshine former pageant queen. They may have been butting heads at first, but they were really very similar. Each one cared deeply for their family (both biological and found). And the slow burn was delicious.

[Lisa Benison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clean, Well-Written, Grumpy / Sunshine With Humor, Heart, Found Family and Firemen Baking!

This book was so enjoyable I could not put it down. Not only did I like Patton and Winnie as characters, but their attraction and the angst it produced was so much fun. Add in all of the "well meaning" friends, family and townspeople pushing them together, and the laughs did not stop. But they also both have baggage, and I liked that they were able to talk to each other to work through it and actually help each other reach their individual goals while working together. And the bakery just made me hungry for smash cakes and to see the firemen baking them! I can't wait for more in this series - Enjoy!

I was sent an ARC by the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Dawn aka wolfinbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
“…spending my life safe and alone because I’m too scared to choose her is worse than any fire I’ve ever faced.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A fun, small town, grumpy sunshine, clean romance. Patton, is a firefighter/hockey player/baker who is denying his attraction to the Parks & Recreation Princess, Winnie. They’re bamboozled into planning the Fireman’s Ball together. Will they tear each other apart or can they accomplish this task? Both have secrets they’re withholding from each other. Will the smoking attraction fizzle or spark? Find out February 15,2026! Warning this book contains laugh out loud moments, swoony romance, and will tickle your sweet tooth for something sugary!

Thank you Ellie Hall for the complimentary ARC. Review is based on my thoughts and opinions.

[Reann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Sparks and Recreation! It’s a 4-star read for me. The 'enemies-to-lovers' tension between Patton and the FMC was great, but what really sold me was the character development. Watching Patton go from a smug, grouchy firefighter to someone who actually pays attention to the little things (like a coffee order!) felt earned and authentic. The forced proximity during the blizzard was the perfect catalyst for them to finally stop bickering and start connecting. If you love clean, small-town romances with a lot of heart and a side of 'firefighters who bake,' definitely pick this one up!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet storyline, I love the enemies to lovers trope and this was even better than I expected. Nothing like having to look at your “enemy” everyday at work, lol. A grouch and a princess, Oreo, and meddling coworkers gets you a HEA. I highly recommend you go read this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet read. I enjoyed both the main characters and the overall storyline. The crew of firefighters was really my favorite part of this book! There were a few misunderstandings that made me frustrated, but overall it's a good story that I'll read again!

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the right mix of sweetness, banter, and small town charm. You’ve got to love a team of firefighter who bake cupcakes between calls! Read when you want a clean romance with a small town full of nosy neighbors who like “helping” the romance along.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished Sparks and Recreation by Ellie Hall, in almost one sitting. This was a super cute, small town romance.

Release Date: February 15, 2026

Thank you Booksprout for this ARC copy!

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these super cute firefighter/bakers, and their hijinks! Sweet, funny, and heartwarming.. Totally adorable!

[Lissa Ruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Patton & Winnie's fiery, caring, sweet, falling hard, uncertain, loving, hopeful, swoony happily ever after!!

[jennie.and.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute story! Enemies who see each other from their desks, grumpy and sunshine, and two bets...

These characters were so fun and I love the slow burn!