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Gem City #4

When the Time Comes to Light a Fire

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There comes a time in every girl’s life when she is forced to pose a troubling have I done?Sixteen-year old Vanessa Roberts is quickly learning how to deal- with her annoying pretty-boy lab partner, her incredibly ADD best friend, and the seemingly widening gap between her and her mother. Zack Roads should have been everything she deserved. He is more than just a nice distraction; he is also the cause for every envious glance shot Vanessa’s way as she enters her sophomore year at Gem City High. What happens when she finds herself amidst a storm of hope, regret, and the danger of losing herself along the way?Readers have come to love Vanessa as the sharp-tongued best friend in What Comes of Eating Doughnuts With a Boy Who Plays Guitar and How One Attempts to Chase Gravity, and they now have the chance to see her transformation through her own tough choices and mistakes.

272 pages, Paperback

Published March 21, 2016

7 people are currently reading
356 people want to read

About the author

Nicole Campbell

13 books124 followers
I tell stories that make me feel like I'm not the only one who thinks the world is a crazy, scary, beautiful place. I hope that my readers feel it too. I also love doughnuts. Too much, in fact. And 90s music and my husband and my son and my feisty little dog :). Do drop me a line here or on social media- I love to talk books.

@nicolecampbellbooks on IG


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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for T S.
258 reviews5 followers
March 30, 2016
Holy purple sparks and fire!!!

I received this arc on 1st March and of course I dropped everything to read Vanessa's story. This book left me in a rhapsody, which had me wondering about this being some sort of sorcery : how the hell Nicole made me feel so many emotions for a character I couldn't even relate to. V is the opposite of me.

All my worries of wttctlf being a misbegotten offspring of wcoedwabpg dissipated. Vanessa didn't lose her vibrancy, the other characters were true to their personalities, as they were in book one. And oh, look at that cover and title *drooling* you seriously thought I wouldn't mention that? ;)

Teenage life is not glorified in this book. Mistakes chased by consequences made it more raw. Regrets followed by profound lessons made it more real. Just like other Nicole Campbell books, this one had everything in appropriate amount, that made my contemporary heart flutter like crazy through out the reading process. There were scenes so hilarious, I died laughing. Also, the woman can you make you blush.

Ben who? Ethan who? I am truly, madly, and deeply in love with Luke. He is a bona fide lover *swooning* and one of the best fictional love interest ever. He is perfection. I didn't even had to read his perspective to make sure if his feelings for V were genuine or not. I love him so much. LOVELOVELOVE!!!

I really loved Vanessa's style. Specially her "I don't care but I sort of do" outfit. And of course her mermaid necklace with its tears inducing significance (or at least in my case)
I loved this book. I highly recommend it to older yound adult crowd. All sorts of candies will be served, milk duds get a special mention ;)
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,817 reviews634 followers
March 12, 2016
Ah yes, high school, raging hormones, angst and the fear of not fitting in, welcome to Vanessa’s story as we see, feel and follow her life through one of the most difficult times in a person’s life. What, you don’t believe Vanessa of the attitude and forceful personality could have doubts about her life and what is going on in it? Could Vanessa be losing her edge or has she finally discovered that maybe, just maybe, she needs to do some very important changing and re-evaluating of the person she is becoming?

Nicole Campbell’s When the Time Comes to Light a Fire is another revealing journey through those teen years as parents become strangers, friends can get on your nerves and the boy who sets your heart on fire may not be who you want him to be. Vanessa has some difficult times to face, but is she as ready as she once thought? Bad decisions, a sometimes shallow interest pool and the fight to cut loose from the parents’ restrictions are going to try Vanessa to her very limits, but nothing will bring more chaos than Zack.

Zack is a status symbol, hot, older, charming and one of the big men on the high school campus. He is also giving Vanessa shivers, makes her mind fuzzy and her common sense has left the building. Just maybe, Vanessa may see she is out of her league, status be damned or she will continue to make mistakes that can cost her more than she is willing to pay.

Nicole Campbell has put the teen years into clear focus; they are not all beach parties and proms. They are years of painful growth, mistakes and consequences. They are also the time when true friends will still be there, no matter what. A coming of age story that will hit home, regardless of your age, because if you are not living it now, you did and you will remember and maybe cringe at your own teen years.

I received this copy from the author, Nicole Campbell in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Gem City - Book 3
Publication Date: April 1, 2016
Publisher: Nicole Campbell
Genre: YA Coming of Age
Print Length: 285 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com


Profile Image for Ashley Daviau.
2,265 reviews1,063 followers
May 6, 2016
I want to start this review by saying I received an e-reader copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This is no way affects my review.

It's taken me so long to get to reading this and all I can think as I've finished it is why did I wait so long! Like the first two books in the series I absolutely adored this book! Vanessa is such an amazing character and I always wanted to know the beginnings of her and Luke and this book delivered exactly that. I love Vanessa and Luke and their craziness and getting to see it all start was amazing! I really love all the characters and getting a little glimpse of Ethan was a lovely, unexpected treat! This whole trilogy has been amazing and I'm slightly sad that this is the end of it and my journey with these characters.
Profile Image for Nicole Campbell.
Author 13 books124 followers
Read
May 30, 2017
I am so excited to bring to you the fourth novel in my Gem City series. Being inside of Vanessa's head was frustrating, enlightening, and honestly just fun. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.
Profile Image for Innergoddess_Booklover.
596 reviews
March 20, 2016
This book was really good and young girls in high school could learn a few things by reading this book.
Don't melt over the first hottie who gives you attention and anyone who says they are true friends may not have your best interest at heart.
High school will either make you or break you.
Thank you to Nicole Campbell for giving me the chance to read this book.
Profile Image for Kaylin Beach.
161 reviews11 followers
January 5, 2017
Some of us are very familiar with Vanessa, Luke, Courtney and Ethan! For the ones who aren't, I will try my absolute hardest not to give anything away. The Gem City books are super amazing and I would hate to spoil them for anyone.

When The Time Comes to Light a Fire is the third book in the Gem City series. This book goes back to eight grade and gives us a little glimpse of Vanessa, her friends, and this horrible ex- boyfriend of hers we hear a little about in the previous books. This book is Vanessa's story.

For those who have read the first two books in this series, we have all heard a thing or two about Zack, Vanessa's ex. In this book, Nicole shows us how the two met and why their relationship was so horrible. Nicole also shows us Vanessa's and Luke's relationship and how everyone met Ethan! This is all super exciting because we are able to see how all the characters grow and became friends before Courtney comes up for a summer visit. If you are a fan of the Gem City books then this is a MUST READ! This book is like a prequel to the other two books and I absolutely enjoyed it. I loved everything about Luke's and Vanessa's weird, awkward relationship and how he never liked Zack to begin with. By now, I am sure you guys are all wondering what Zack did and how Vanessa went from Zack to Luke? Luke basically saved Vanessa! It was super cute and I see Luke in a total different light now because of it. That is all I am allowing myself to say though. It is so hard trying to write this review without spoilers! I love this book and all the characters so much that I just want to blurt everything out to you guys! 

"Boyfriend, lover, protector, knight in shining armor, whatever. All of it works for me."

This book has everything a good books needs! Friends, relationships, betrayal, backstabbing, love, lust, laughs, tears, and DRAMA! Nicole really delivers awesome books! I am looking forward to other work by Nicole Campbell. I am a forever fan!
Profile Image for Corinne.
21 reviews
March 30, 2016
This is a spoiler-free review and will discuss no specifics or details from the book.

Thank you to the lovely Nicole Campbell for sending me a beta copy of this book!

I loved Vanessa as a character before reading this book, and I love her even more now. This book as a whole causes so many emotions (happiness, heartbreak, anger, etc.), and we owe it all to the fact that Nicole Campbell has yet again written an amazingly unique story with amazingly unique characters.

Going into this book, I, like many other people, had always seen Vanessa Roberts as the picture-perfect best friend who was always there and was always happy. Now we get to see a whole new side of her: the Vanessa that makes mistakes, regrets her actions, and doubts herself. I think that Vanessa's character development throughout this book is quite exceptional.

Not only is Vanessa an amazing character to read about, but I also like the development of all of the events in this book. I can't say too much without spoiling anything, but Vanessa's relationship with her new boyfriend Zack, her two best friends, and her parents make for some eventful scenes that keeps the reader invested in the story.

All of that being said, this book is not perfect. There are a couple of parts that just didn't hook me as much as the rest of the book. Most of the book kept me wanting to know what would happen next, but at some parts I just didn't really care.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone out there (well, if you've read the first book, What Comes of Eating Doughnuts With a Boy Who Plays Guitar, which I also recommend).
Profile Image for Sumaiya Mubeen.
62 reviews
May 22, 2016
Review:This is the third book of the GemCity series and my third Nicole Campbell book.Everytime before starting the book I'm like"Now,it cannot possibly get better than the previous book in the series"but every single time I'm proved wrong.The author has a way with words like no other.
It’s light but also deep… it’s perfectly balanced and It will make you laugh, tear up and smile
And obviously let us not forget the beautiful appearance of the books,especially the spines of the book.They go so well with each other.Small things like these make my bookish heart happy and satisfied.
The best thing about her books are her characters and this book was no exception.Nicole Campbell crafts the characters so well that everyone would be able to relate and see a bit of themselves in the characters.The story did grip me and kept me turning the pages.By nearing the end,you yourself will get so attached to the characters.The writing was simple and excellent.It was easy to read and the pages easily flew by.
This is a series that i feel honestly deserves to be read and loved more.It deserves more appreciation.
I can't believe that we are nearing the end of this series.I've loved and treasured this so much that now it has become a part of my heart.
Expect to be COMPLETELY transported.
Profile Image for Rishita.
218 reviews25 followers
August 6, 2016
Best Contemporary Read of the Year!!!
Profile Image for Bec.
790 reviews17 followers
July 21, 2019
I read the first two books in the Gem City series back in 2016, and have had this one on my to read list ever since. I can't believe I left it so long. Being in my 40s now, this took me right back to high school! I really enjoyed getting into Vanessa's mind and back into the angst of high school. I would have liked a little more interaction with Ethan, but I understand this wasn't his story and it was great to see when he started at the school. Great addition to the series.
Luke's bonus chapters at the end were awesome too!!
Profile Image for Cassandra (Thebookishcrypt).
589 reviews57 followers
April 14, 2016
*Copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
I feel awful for how long it took me to read this book. It wasn't this book's fault at all, I have been dealing with a massive slump where I start books but can't bring myself to finish them because I want to be doing something else besides read. But, at long last, I forced myself to sit still and finish this book. Which turned out to be not so hard to do, as soon as I picked it up again, I was enamored with the events that played out.
This is the third book in the series but it can definitely be read as a standalone due to it being a prequel to previous two stories and focusing on completely different characters.
We follow our main character, Vanessa (V, as she likes to be called), while she's in high school and goes through mostly normal teenage experiences. My heart went out to her a couple times and I actually teared up after a certain confrontation; her pain was raw enough to make my heart ache. I seriously loved her passion for design. It was incredibly believable and it filled my heart with warmth. I don't read many characters with this passion but I could relate to it completely. An interior designer is one of the many things I wish I could be and I enjoyed being in V's head whenever the topic came up. Some of the things she did irritated me to no end but it's to be expected since characters aren't perfect. Those moments didn't impact the growing respect and pride I had for her in the end. V wasn't afraid to speak her mind for the most part and I loved that about her.
Then there is Luke. This book made me see Luke with an entire different appreciation than I used to. Before this book, he was just a good character I knew about but he has become an absolute favorite of mine. He's respectful, loyal, hilarious, flirty, and so many other things that made me wear an almost-permanent smile on my face whenever he appeared. He made me giddy with the things he said and my respect for him kept soaring to new heights. He isn't the type to let others walk all over him, even if he loves them, and he's upfront about what he knows is right or wrong.
I loved how I didn't just relate to the main character, but to both of these two. This rarely happens but I am so glad it did. With Luke, I could relate to simple things, such as his love for chips over candy and to heavy things, like his refusal to be walked all over. I could not love the chemistry between these two any more than I already do. I felt it to my core from the very beginning and it's one of the fictional couples I completely stand behind. I was rooting for them from day one and will be until forever. Their banter was phenomenal and made me cry from laughing so hard. And yes, they do have their flaws, they aren't as perfect as they might sound, but that is why I loved them so much.
After reading this couple's origin story, I swear I can NOT choose who was my favorite out of the two in this series. I loved each one in their own way and they each brought their own unique experiences into the mix. I miss both of these relationships so much already, I just hope Nicole never stops writing about them... I can dream!
This story was an incredible and perfect blend of humor, heaviness, love, betrayal, happiness, and so much more. Nicole succeeded in creating characters that made me completely forget they were fictional and felt as genuine as they come. I will always sport a smile when I look back to these books.
Profile Image for Kendall.
18 reviews
March 15, 2016
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy. And I am so glad that I did!

I loved the first two Gem City books, but this one was probably my favorite. I feel like a lot of girls can relate to Vanessa. How many of us have lusted after a boy who turned out to be less Prince Charming, and more jerk who thinks he's the universe's gift to everyone? I myself have had the misfortune of dating a Zack Roads or two.

Vanessa's story was real and heartbreaking, and beautiful. It was very much like being back in high school and watching a close friend go through the heartbreak of being with a guy who doesn't deserve her. I felt so connected with these characters. I laughed with them, and cried with them. When Vanessa's heart broke, I felt along with her as everything she thought was solid crumbled around her. I wanted to wrap her in my arms and tell her that everything would be okay. As she picked herself back up and found herself again, I literally beamed with pride and may have actually let out a little cheer of "you go girl".

As much as I loved Vanessa, I also loved Luke. It was great to see more of him. He is such a genuinely good person. He is hilarious, and loyal and is there for Vanessa even when she doesn't realize she needs him.

This was just such an amazing story. This whole series is incredible. I recommend them to anyone who wants just a feel good story packed with friendship and love, laughter and tears, and loads of music. I can't wait to see what's next from Nicole Campbell!
1,098 reviews19 followers
April 18, 2016
This is the third book in the Gem City series and I am pleased to have read all three. I am so glad to get a look into V and find out how she ticks and why she does the things that she does. I like her more at the end of this one than I do at the beginning. I don't like her choices or reasons for them. Very appropriate choices for her age and maturity, but I hated Zach. My dislike for him intensified my irritation at her decisions. I love Luke. He is such a good guy. I wish Courtney would've been more in this, but I understand it was during the school year and they weren't visiting each other at the time. I am not a fan of either of her female friends, but I do like Kimmy better. At least Kimmy has redeeming qualities. Fisher is just as awesome as ever, so I smiled at the insertion of him in some of the scenes. Overall, I love this series, but I am really sad to have it be the end. I would love a peek at the adult lives of these characters in the future.

ARC provided in exchange for honest review.
Profile Image for Christina Bowling.
1,600 reviews15 followers
April 6, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading the first two books in the series, I couldn't wait to read Vanessa's story, and I'm happy to say that it was as great as the first two! I loved Vanessa in the other books, and I loved her just as much in her own story. It was great to find out more about her history, and see her falling in with Luke (who I love just as much as Vanessa). I'm looking forward to reading other books by this author in the future.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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