Previously published as a part of the Burn Me Anthology The minute she rolled back into town, I knew I had to have her. It doesn’t matter to me that she’s my captain’s daughter or that she continues to turn me down. I know what I want, and it’s her. I won’t stop until she’s mine. I’m trying to resist him, but my efforts are fruitless. It’s those big calloused hands and their gentle touch. It’s the way he looks at me, and the way he’s adamant that I’m who he wants. It’s the way he can see right through me and knows he’s all I want. The sparks are flying, and it’s only a matter of time before they collide. This is a novella. Approximately 26k words
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kaylee Ryan has earned the affectionate title of “Queen of Swoon” from her devoted readers. With over sixty romance novels to her name, Kaylee has built a beloved catalog of heartfelt stories that celebrate love in all its tender, emotional, and undeniably swoony forms. Her signature blend of charm, chemistry, and genuine happily-ever-afters has captivated readers around the world.
When she’s not crafting new love stories or dreaming up her next unforgettable couple, Kaylee can usually be found with a book in hand, fueling her creativity as a lifelong reader. She cherishes the time spent with her family and friends, embracing the moments that inspire the heart of her stories.
While this was a decent short read, the whole premise was the heroine constantly pushing the hero away. That, for me, gets old real fast. Brantley was a likable hero. In fact, he was awesome. He was a trooper for putting up with Kinsley. - no cheating - no ow/om drama - excessive pushing away - with others after meeting each other (prior to this story) - ZERO EPILOGUE- which brought the rating down as well. An epilogue is a must.
If not because of her pushing him away and the lack of epilogue, this will be a lot better.
The story is about Brantley and Kinsley.
She moved back home from college and he's determined to take her out and have her. The problem, she keeps pushing him away. She vowed to never date a firefighter and I understand her. I really do but there were times I wanted to shake her and to tell her to stop fighting it and give it a chance.
I still enjoyed it. It's a good story and I felt their connection even at those times she's pushing him away.
There's no epilogue though and I really need one. I so want to know more about their future.
I didn’t find this book romantic at all. A woman has the right to be attracted to someone AND push them away. One is NOT obliged to act on their feelings. She had valid reasons, she didn’t want a firefighter husband, she has her priorities sorted and made it very clear as to what her requirements are. A woman is allowed to say no. Irrelevant of her physical attraction to the man. And it wasn’t like the hero would do anything to have her in his life like change jobs. No, because HE wants her, SHE will have to suck it up, sacrifice her principles and compromise with his career. So for a guy claiming to love the heroine SO much, she was second best to his career. And her best friend is a useless POS. I don’t care if what she did was for heroine’s own good or not, it was NOT her place. Heroine is an adult woman. She can decide what she wants in life and it’s NOT the firefighter hero. If the hero thinks he won at the end, no he didn’t. He took away every options from the heroine so the heroine resigned and SETTLED for him. Losing doesn’t come in any finer form. This book is promoting emotional abuse and internal misogyny very openly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
When Sparks Collide by Kaylee Ryan was previously published in the Burn Me Anthology and has now been released on its own and I loved it! This was a quick and sexy read.
Brantley Price has known Kinsley Spears was meant to be his for a while now, but now he has to convince her. He knows it is not one-sided, he just needs to figure out why she keeps pushing him away. Kinsley is attracted to Brantley but having a father who was a firefighter showed her what it means to love someone in that profession and she is sure that is not the kind of life she wants.
But when a very sexy, charming and determined Brantley sets his sights on Kinsley, she has no chance. He is determined to show her he can be a firefighter and a good and loving partner. As he pushes her to spend more time with him, he begins to bring down the walls she built around her heart. But when danger comes calling, will it be too late for them?
When Sparks Collide was a quick and very charming read with all the feels. I loved Brantley and Kinsley and loved seeing them go from friends to lovers.
Oh all the feels! I loved this story between Brantley and Kinsley and all the feels (and heat) it contained. Brantley is truly the perfect man and I love his persistence. I can easily relate to where Kinsley comes from and her internal struggles. This book had everything and while I love short reads I want so much more!!!
Very rapey vibes and I don't like the message that she's selfish for not wanting to be with someone who's on call 24/7, even if it is for something 'noble'
Super cute, quick read! I loved the *ahem* sparks between these two! Kinsley has grown up w/ a firefighter father, and is still kind of looking at things through the glasses of a selfish, hurt little girl. Brant is a firefighter who is determined to make Kinsley see they're perfect for each other. I really love the way he goes about showing her his heart & getting her to open hers as well. I also imagine this will help w/ her relationship w/ her father going forward. Thumbs up!!
And I'm not sure if Anna & Shane have a book, but if not, they need one! ; )
I absolutely loved everything about this book. When Sparks Collide is a quick enjoyable read, and I found myself needing more of Brantley and Kinsley.
Brantley has no qualms about making his desire for Kinsley known and being the hottie alpha male that he is, he goes after what he wants. Kinsley is nervous about having a relationship with Brantley due to his profession, but their chemistry was off the charts. Brantley was so swoon worthy I found myself wishing he could be cloned and wishing and hoping Kinsley would give in. I also enjoyed Shane and Anna and hope that maybe we can see more from them one day.
Kaylee Ryan knows how to write some very likeable, easy to relate to characters, and stories that evoke some serious emotion. She is a definite go to author for me and I highly recommend this story.
Brantley has been in love with Kinsley forever, but she will not give him the time of day because he is a fire-fighter like her dad. With bad memories of all the times her father was not there for her growing up, she has decided she would never put her heart on the line. After a girl's night and too many drinks, Brantley becomes her designated driver to make sure she gets home safely. This only opens the door for him to prove just how much he loves her. But will a fire that threatens the life of her best friend be the thing that pushes her away from Brantley for good? Or will it be the spark that brings them together forever? Explosive chemistry and a bad boy that shows his softer side this was a great addition to a fabulous anthology.
I hate the names. Brantley & Kinsley, gtfo 🙄 But the biggest issues I have is Brantley doesn’t ask K anything, he demands. She doesn’t want to date him because he’s a firefighter & she grew up with her Dad being absent because he’s a firefighter. He completely disregards her concerns. I don’t like that shit at all. It made every interaction feel gross. Like he doesn’t care about her consent for anything because he knows what’s best. It felt like the zillions of years for women being told what to do because of course the little lady doesn’t know what she wants & the man knows best shut up & comply. Excusing that behavior, romanticizing it, & not calling it out because he’s good looking… it made me very uncomfortable.
This is a quick short read about Brantley and Kinsley. The premise was Kinsley maintaining a distance from Brantley despite their obvious attraction.
Brantley has had Kingsley in his crosshairs and relentlessly pursues her. From the onset, declaring his feelings to her father, his captain.
Kinsley is adamant about not becoming involved with a firefighter. To her, life with a firefighter is about reliving her childhood with her father — the absences and worry about his safety.
Brantley never gave up, he was relentless in his quest to win her over.
I understand that this is a novella, so it's short, but the instantaneous "you're mine" attitude Brantley gave off regarding Kinsley did not work for me. It felt way too insta-love, and I didn't find it believable the way it was written. Kinsley makes it clear on numerous occasions that she isn't willing to explore a relationship with him, even if there is an intense attraction between them. He didn't take her concerns seriously enough. Again, while the alpha type possessive Hero can be sexy in some novels, it didn't come across as hot from Brantley. It felt pushy, like he was just ignoring her wishes because he wanted what he wanted, and that was for them to be together. What sealed it for me was when they were finally together, Kinsley actually called herself selfish for initially not wanting to commit to Brantley for her very valid reasons. Girl, no. So, I suppose my whole problem with this novella was the lack of build-up and growth of the relationship and characters, as well as the over-bearing Hero. It didn't read as romantic or sexy. There was also no epilogue, which I felt was needed. The ending seemed rushed and unfinished. Perhaps this was a story that would have been more well-suited as a full-length novel.
His Heart Always Knew its Owner - Brant knew the moment he laid eyes on Kinsley, that she was his soulmate and even though she continuously rejected his advances, it didn’t faze him. Even though Kinsley was intensely attracted to Brant, she had a hangup about dating firefighter because of her father. However, Brant wasn’t prepared to accept her decision and continued to pursue her, which ultimately resulted in him spending more time with her.
Fortunately, Brant was able to convince Kinsley to give them a chance, especially after an incident that shook her to the core and forced her to finally acknowledge her true feelings. Luckily, Brant and Kinsley were able to get the chance at a forever together that they both craved. This was an interesting love at first romance story with wonderful characters, minimal drama, a lots of steamy moments and an emotionally challenging encounter, that ultimately leads to a happy ending.
I received a copy of this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Kinsley's dad is a firefighter and all she can focus on is the ways he wasn't there for her when she was growing up. She knows it's a noble career but she has still sworn she'll never date a firefighter because she wants something more stable, someone who won't miss holidays or family dinners.
Brantley is a firefighter, works with Kinsley's dad - and he has wanted to date Kinsley since she came back to town (from college? not sure, this was a little vague). He basically just steamrolls over her every objection, especially once he finds out that she's attracted to him but is trying to keep him at arm's length to prevent putting herself in the position of being in a relationship with someone who isn't always going to be home when you want.
He manages to break down her defenses, but it's not until they find themselves in a critical situation that she finally realizes how important his career is and decides to give him her heart.
When Sparks Collide is a beautifully written, feel-good romance that immediately pulled me in. Kaylee Ryan crafts characters that feel so genuine and relatable that it's impossible not to root for them. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable — the kind of spark that feels real and electric without ever being over-the-top.
The story perfectly balances sweet and steamy moments, with plenty of emotional depth as the characters navigate their feelings, fears, and hopes. I loved the way their relationship developed naturally, with meaningful conversations and small, heartfelt moments that made everything feel authentic.
This is the kind of book you curl up with when you want a comforting, heartwarming escape — Kaylee Ryan never disappoints. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for a sweet romance that leaves you smiling long after the last page!
Good short story. I believed the heat, attraction between the main characters.
Took a star off for: 1) the repeated ‘my girl’ from the MMC (repetition like that annoys me) 2) MFC constant I want him but I don’t want his career bec my dad was a firefighter and I don’t want that for a life. Granted the author did a GREAT job of resolving that internal conflict for the MFC who comes to realize she was being a little bit of a tool … but the annoyance was there for me.
No humorous dialogue (not a requirement just a note) No OW/OM drama- in fact no drama accept for the internal conflict of the MFC mentioned above
If you are interested in a short but sweet story this is for you I enjoyed the characters Kinsley wants Brantley but has always said she will never date a firefighter. Upset from her childhood memories. Brantley is determined to wear her down and make her his. After turning him down countless times he never gave up. He knew they belonged together he just needed her to catch up. I liked the chemistry between characters. I wish there was more it went by pretty fast
Even though this book is a quick read, it is packed full of wonderful feels! Kaylee Ryan never disappoints me. I love how persistent Brantley is and his determination to get what he wants. What woman doesn’t want that? I love how much spunk Kinsley has, mind you, she is stuck in her ways. I love a girl who knows what she wants and doesn’t want and is able to admit when she was wrong. I really would love more of Brantley & Kinsley.
I liked their story after they got together, and Brantley was very sweet with how he treated Kinsley (plus him calling her Kins was cute). But I’m not a fan of the whole “pursue even when she has said no multiple times because she didn’t give him a reason”. If anyone says no, take that as a cue and back off with the flirty advances, even if it looks like they’re actually interested. Maybe it’s just me, but it’s hard for me to root for a couple that starts out with non-mutual advances.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I love a good short story almost as much as I love a good fire fighter story. This book is both! I first read it when it was released in the anthology and enjoyed it then. It was great to read Bentley and Kinsley 's story again. I recommend this one to anyone looking for a good little firefighter read!
Like all Kaylee Ryan's books, When Sparks Collide is full of all the feels. With it being a novella it's fast paced and burns quick but I loved it.
Brantley is everything. He's so charming with a little dirty mixed in. I so wish we could have got more of him. And Kinsley is so sweet. They were perfect for each other. It was over too soon for me.
When sparks collide you can't help but react to them. Kins however just needed to get on board. When she finally did .....well it out a fire that will never be put out. This book is a fast read and it has everything you need for a great story. I love this book and definitely think you should buy it. Kaylee did great writing this novella.
There's fire. This book has both. Brant is dead set on perusing Kins. Kings has childhood fears related to Brant's career. This book is just a brief glimpse into their courtship. They do get together but unlike most Kaylee books you don't see the wedding, the babies, or the HEA.
Wow this book ugh it had me turning the pages fast I couldn't out it down Bentley he's a sweetheart I think I might love him lol. Kins she gets to stop her feeling but When Sparks Collide love wins..
Gahhh! Kaylee you have done it again! Brantley and Kinsley were perfect together! I myself have a fire fighter husband so I know what she was feeling! Thank you for another amazing book!
I liked this book. And this author is my go-to Happy read. I'm glad this was a novella, because I'm not sure I could've handled Kinsley for entire book. It's the heroine that always has doubts that get to me sometimes. But this book was short enough to be tolerable.
Love everything that Kaylee writes. I love the story, she comes up with really great books. If you haven't read this book or any other ones of hers. U must read them now