Firestarter: A Dark and Spicy Paranormal Romance

by Jen Drapp

Welcome back to Freyshire!
Calina Strovsky has spent her life teetering between identities. On one hand, she’s just another college freshman trying to pass bio. On the other? She’s just your typical half-vampire, innocently watching a cute guy from her bedroom window from behind the veil.
But a lot can change in six months. Because, now, that guy is hers.
Oliver used to be normal with everyday worries like college, music, and getting a part-time job. But then he fell head over heels for Calina, a vampire, who introduced him to an entire hidden world right in his backyard. Now he attends a university for creatures he doesn’t understand and learning to wield powers he still can’t control.

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 12, 2026

About the author

Jen Drapp, who writes under this and also under the name of J.D. Corbett, was raised in Charleston, South Carolina. As a girl, she was obsessed with learning and reading about historical and fictional characters; one of her favorites being Scarlett O'Hara. Jen has always loved writing, whether it was short stories about made-up worlds or even essays for school. She has five contemporary romances published and continues to learn and grow as an author. Jen currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and a 4 year-old Cattle Dog.

Follow Jen on socials!

www.jencdrapp.com
www.facebook.com/JDCorbettBooks
www.instagram.com/jencdrapp

"Enjoy the read!"--JD

Reviews

[Freja Holmstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐/ 5

Thank you so much to the author Jen for the ARC!

To start, I’ll say that I love Jen as an author; this is the second series of hers I’ve read!

Okay this was cute, chaotic, and very easy to binge

vibes: paranormal academy + established couple + magic mishaps

What worked:

established relationship!! no endless will-they-won’t-they

fun, chatty writing style; super quick read

cozy paranormal energy with just enough chaos

lovable disaster love interest (you’ll see)

My main drawback was that I didn’t feel tense with any twists or turns, almost like the book wasn’t quite able to 100% draw me in / keep me on the edge of my seat

✨ overall:

this is very much a paranormal rom-com at magic school - not super deep, but fun and low effort in a good way

would I continue?
…yeah, I probably would 😌

[Jenny Ganley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 of the Welcome to Freyshire series Firestarter which delves more into Oliver’s background in the sense of family history and how it is currently impacting his life and potential impacts on his future. This is being released May 12th :)

This is a YA series, easy to read but the themes are a bit darker in this book compared to book one which is more introductory for characters and setting. Even though this is a YA series with minimal to no spice, I really like this series and the characters!

Blood donations accepted in St. Anne’s Dorms (inside joke), make sure you drink juice after donating blood 😜.

When returning from the hunt, be sure to dismount your horse the correct way (another inside joke).

[Amber Althoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firestarter by Jen Drapp
Book 2 of Welcome to Derbyshire series
Everything Jen writes is a 5 star read for me. This is the 2nd book in tbe series and jen does an amazing job of reintroducing us to the 1st books characters in a way that doesn't feel excessive. The focus is mostly on Oliver as he transitions into his new life at St Anne's Academy. There are dark forces at play as Oliver's learns to control his magic and learns who might want to control his rare Elemental powers. Can Calina keep him safe from his dark father or will the darkness inside rip them apart and break Oliver in the process?

[E H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oliver and Cali navigate college, secrets, compulsions, and shitty adult figures, all while trying to maintain their love for one another. It seems nobody wants them together and they will stop at nothing to break the bond Oliver and Calina have built. This book follows two young college students, as they uncover secrets, deal with compulsion, learn their magic, and navigate love and loss!

[Beth Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m truly enjoying this series. It seems to be moving in a slightly darker direction, which is raising the intrigue. Can’t wait for more!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced copy read. Could not put this down! I should have waited because I NEED to know what happens next! Great continuation of the story with Cali and Oliver.

[Amerdeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was quickly drawn into the story of book 2 and the characters. I found myself rooting for them throughout and wanting to know how everything would play out.

There were some twists I genuinely didn’t see coming that kept me wanting to read on. I was especially invested in the love story and really wanted things to work out for them.

Overall, such a fun and gripping read, and looking forward to Book 3 to see what happens next.