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One Little Spark: A Gripping Domestic Suspense Novel About the Dark Side of an Idyllic Community
Before the fire, it was the perfect place to raise a family.
An idyllic community where neighbors knew one another…
or so they thought.
Jenna Abbott’s life went up in flames even before the fire started in Tenmile, Oregon. She was still coping with her husband's affair—and the revelation that he got a much younger woman pregnant—when the fire finally died down, and Ryan was among the missing.
Chelsea Goddard still can’t explain how her estranged husband got back to Tenmile from out of the country the day of the fire, and she also can’t shake the nagging feeling that the secrets they’ve kept between them for the last twenty years might just be the tinder that made it all burn.
Morgan White knew getting involved with a married man was wrong, even before she got pregnant. She might be the only one who knows the truth about some of Tenmile's leading citizens…but people would have to stop treating her like a pariah to hear it.
Alex Coleman doesn’t remember anything from that fateful day, why she was found wandering on a rural road or why she has dreams of standing on scorched earth, holding a book of matches.
For four women, when the flames finally burn out, what’s left behind will be even more devastating than the fire itself…
An idyllic community where neighbors knew one another…
or so they thought.
Jenna Abbott’s life went up in flames even before the fire started in Tenmile, Oregon. She was still coping with her husband's affair—and the revelation that he got a much younger woman pregnant—when the fire finally died down, and Ryan was among the missing.
Chelsea Goddard still can’t explain how her estranged husband got back to Tenmile from out of the country the day of the fire, and she also can’t shake the nagging feeling that the secrets they’ve kept between them for the last twenty years might just be the tinder that made it all burn.
Morgan White knew getting involved with a married man was wrong, even before she got pregnant. She might be the only one who knows the truth about some of Tenmile's leading citizens…but people would have to stop treating her like a pariah to hear it.
Alex Coleman doesn’t remember anything from that fateful day, why she was found wandering on a rural road or why she has dreams of standing on scorched earth, holding a book of matches.
For four women, when the flames finally burn out, what’s left behind will be even more devastating than the fire itself…
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2023
64 people are currently reading
4884 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Banks
1 book33 followersEllie Banks is the pseudonym for New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates, who has written over one hundred novels. Whether she's writing domestic suspense, romantic westerns or multigenerational family sagas, she loves getting lost in fictional worlds. She likes to spend a rainy day knitting and watching true crime documentaries. She lives with her husband and three kids in the Pacific Northwest. You can find more information about Ellie Banks’s stories at elliebanksbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 62 reviews
May 23, 2023
From the Publisher’s Synopsis: Before the fire, it was the perfect place to raise a family. An idyllic community where neighbors knew one another… or so they thought…
My sister lives outside of Portland, Or. and was a mere mile from the mandatory evacuation zone in 2020. She sent ominous photos of the ashy skies, with their orange glow. So, when I saw this book, I could picture Tenmile Oregon and imagined another JUICY neighborhood story.
But, that isn’t how this one reads- it’s actually a more quiet story of four women who pick up the pieces of what is left after tragedy sparks the revelation of secrets which had remained hidden until the fires.
The four women who live there, discover that nothing is what it seems, and nothing will be the same.
Jenna Abbot decided to give $5 to a homeless woman, across the road from a gas station where she had stopped for gas. That decision took her just far enough away from the gas pumps that ignited when the Emergency Alert System failed, and the fire reached the gas station. Her husband is missing.
Chelsea Goddard, would have been at her home which was destroyed if there hadn’t been a water leak at her in store in Old Town Tenmile, a strip of historic buildings built in 1880 that were somehow spared. Her brother is missing.
Morgan White, 19, was awoken by labor pains, and left for the hospital before the fire took her home. The father of her baby is missing.
Alexandra Coleman, stuck in traffic abandoned her car and unknowingly ran into the path of the flames. Her husband is one of the missing residents as well.
An estimated 2600 homes and 30 businesses were lost.
When the book opens, it jumps back and forth in time, from THE DAY of the fire, to a year LATER and then to a year BEFORE the fire, and back again, and I was struggling to get my bearings and keep track of how the women were connected to one another.
Here’s a cheat sheet:
Ryan was Jenna’s husband, who left her when his mistress, Brooke became pregnant. He is also Chelsea’s brother. So that’s one missing guy.
Alex, is Jenna’s best friend, who is married to Paul-the other missing husband-
So, it’s two guys missing-not four.
The confusing beginning and a lot of telling instead of showing, didn’t initially hook me.
But, once I had the connections straight, and the mystery of WHO set the fire kicked in-the pace picked up. The second half was far more engaging and the revelations were realistic.
The four women were well developed, and I enjoyed reading about the personal growth each experienced after the fire, despite what they learned about their relationships with the missing men.
I am rounding down because three time jumps to start the story was one too many, creating confusion and uneven pacing. I think the third could’ve been introduced once the story was developed a bit, with more success. But, ultimately I ended up enjoying the story despite my reservations in the beginning.
Ellie Banks is the pseudonym for New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates, who has written over one hundred novels, including those in the genres of domestic suspense, romantic westerns and multigenerational family sagas. She resides in the Pacific Northwest.
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Canary Street Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
My sister lives outside of Portland, Or. and was a mere mile from the mandatory evacuation zone in 2020. She sent ominous photos of the ashy skies, with their orange glow. So, when I saw this book, I could picture Tenmile Oregon and imagined another JUICY neighborhood story.
But, that isn’t how this one reads- it’s actually a more quiet story of four women who pick up the pieces of what is left after tragedy sparks the revelation of secrets which had remained hidden until the fires.
The four women who live there, discover that nothing is what it seems, and nothing will be the same.
Jenna Abbot decided to give $5 to a homeless woman, across the road from a gas station where she had stopped for gas. That decision took her just far enough away from the gas pumps that ignited when the Emergency Alert System failed, and the fire reached the gas station. Her husband is missing.
Chelsea Goddard, would have been at her home which was destroyed if there hadn’t been a water leak at her in store in Old Town Tenmile, a strip of historic buildings built in 1880 that were somehow spared. Her brother is missing.
Morgan White, 19, was awoken by labor pains, and left for the hospital before the fire took her home. The father of her baby is missing.
Alexandra Coleman, stuck in traffic abandoned her car and unknowingly ran into the path of the flames. Her husband is one of the missing residents as well.
An estimated 2600 homes and 30 businesses were lost.
When the book opens, it jumps back and forth in time, from THE DAY of the fire, to a year LATER and then to a year BEFORE the fire, and back again, and I was struggling to get my bearings and keep track of how the women were connected to one another.
Here’s a cheat sheet:
Ryan was Jenna’s husband, who left her when his mistress, Brooke became pregnant. He is also Chelsea’s brother. So that’s one missing guy.
Alex, is Jenna’s best friend, who is married to Paul-the other missing husband-
So, it’s two guys missing-not four.
The confusing beginning and a lot of telling instead of showing, didn’t initially hook me.
But, once I had the connections straight, and the mystery of WHO set the fire kicked in-the pace picked up. The second half was far more engaging and the revelations were realistic.
The four women were well developed, and I enjoyed reading about the personal growth each experienced after the fire, despite what they learned about their relationships with the missing men.
I am rounding down because three time jumps to start the story was one too many, creating confusion and uneven pacing. I think the third could’ve been introduced once the story was developed a bit, with more success. But, ultimately I ended up enjoying the story despite my reservations in the beginning.
Ellie Banks is the pseudonym for New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates, who has written over one hundred novels, including those in the genres of domestic suspense, romantic westerns and multigenerational family sagas. She resides in the Pacific Northwest.
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Canary Street Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
May 25, 2023
This book wasn't what I was expecting, but it turned out to be a worthwhile read overall once I figured out who was who and how they were all connected. There are a large number of characters, and it does take a while to keep them straight.
A wildfire occurs in Tenmile, Oregon and many of the residents are killed. Some are missing and presumed dead. The novel follows four women in both the aftermath and the lead up to the fire.
Jenna, married to Ryan for 26 years, they met as kids and have always been together. Chelsea, Ryan's sister, is married but separated. Alex, Jenna's best friend, is married to Paul. Morgan, who is 19 and new to town has an affair with Ryan and gets pregnant. At the time of the fire, Jenna and Ryan are getting a divorce and he is living with Morgan.
After the fire, both Ryan and Paul are missing and presumed dead. Alex was found wandering on the road near her burned out car and has no memories. Morgan had gone into labor and was at the hospital.
Yes, there is a mystery of what started the fire as it was deemed intentional. Yes, we want to know what happened to Ryan and Paul. But there are SO many other things this book is about, it is more of a domestic drama and an examination of relationships than it is a mystery/thriller.
If you've ever read one of my reviews, you know that infidelity is something I heavily dislike in a book. It's particularly unpalatable in this one as Morgan is just a couple of years older than Jenna and Ryan's kids. However, what this book has going for it is a thoughtful examination of the subject from all sides, not giving any one of the people involved a pass from responsibility and poor choices. It places the blame squarely where it belongs, on the parties involved, but dives a bit deeper into some of the reasons, justifications, and the dismantling of both of those things.
Overall, this is a decent read, but I gave it 3 stars because it took a long time for me to figure who everyone was and how they fit into the story and with each other. Readers with less patience for puzzling it all out will likely give up before getting to far into the story because it takes some work.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book all opinions are my own.
A wildfire occurs in Tenmile, Oregon and many of the residents are killed. Some are missing and presumed dead. The novel follows four women in both the aftermath and the lead up to the fire.
Jenna, married to Ryan for 26 years, they met as kids and have always been together. Chelsea, Ryan's sister, is married but separated. Alex, Jenna's best friend, is married to Paul. Morgan, who is 19 and new to town has an affair with Ryan and gets pregnant. At the time of the fire, Jenna and Ryan are getting a divorce and he is living with Morgan.
After the fire, both Ryan and Paul are missing and presumed dead. Alex was found wandering on the road near her burned out car and has no memories. Morgan had gone into labor and was at the hospital.
Yes, there is a mystery of what started the fire as it was deemed intentional. Yes, we want to know what happened to Ryan and Paul. But there are SO many other things this book is about, it is more of a domestic drama and an examination of relationships than it is a mystery/thriller.
If you've ever read one of my reviews, you know that infidelity is something I heavily dislike in a book. It's particularly unpalatable in this one as Morgan is just a couple of years older than Jenna and Ryan's kids. However, what this book has going for it is a thoughtful examination of the subject from all sides, not giving any one of the people involved a pass from responsibility and poor choices. It places the blame squarely where it belongs, on the parties involved, but dives a bit deeper into some of the reasons, justifications, and the dismantling of both of those things.
Overall, this is a decent read, but I gave it 3 stars because it took a long time for me to figure who everyone was and how they fit into the story and with each other. Readers with less patience for puzzling it all out will likely give up before getting to far into the story because it takes some work.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book all opinions are my own.
March 7, 2023
1.5*
Sadly this book did not work for me at all. I know a good few people have enjoyed this so please read for yourself!
I found the characters did not pull me in or have me excited about the story. I didnt connect with any within this and each part melted into the next. I found that it could have been a lot shorter as it was dragged out in parts. This was so nearly a DNF.
The writting style came across for a younger audience but had adult context regarding their sexual conquests so it couldnt be. I held on expecting a huge exciting ending of who done it but it sadly fell very flat for me
Many thanks regardless to the Author, Edelweiss+ and Canary Street Press for the DRC in exchange for my honest review.
Sadly this book did not work for me at all. I know a good few people have enjoyed this so please read for yourself!
I found the characters did not pull me in or have me excited about the story. I didnt connect with any within this and each part melted into the next. I found that it could have been a lot shorter as it was dragged out in parts. This was so nearly a DNF.
The writting style came across for a younger audience but had adult context regarding their sexual conquests so it couldnt be. I held on expecting a huge exciting ending of who done it but it sadly fell very flat for me
Many thanks regardless to the Author, Edelweiss+ and Canary Street Press for the DRC in exchange for my honest review.
February 16, 2023
If everyone can please proceed to stand up and clap.....
This book deserves a standing ovation and I am SO here for it.
One Little Spark is going to blow up the internet on May 23, 2023. There is no way you will be able to contain the buzz that is about to surround this sure to be bestseller.
I cant even tell you what I thought I was going to read compared to what I actually did read but I can tell you, this book is one that I will never be able to stop talking about and it deserves every bit of the hype it is about to get..
Here we go...
One Little Spark had me addicted to each turn of the page. I was squealing in delight as each secret was revealed . I was completely consumed and transported straight into the book. The characters came alive before my eyes and I felt every emotion they felt. The narration was executed with perfection and the plot twist was not only incredible but believable to! When everything came together I was left in sheer disbelief with my jaw on the floor.
How the heck is this a debut?
Ellie Banks, you clearly know what you are doing when it comes to delivering a bestseller!
5 stars 5 stars 5 stars!
Teaser :
Before the fire, it was the perfect place to raise a family.
An idyllic community where neighbors knew one another…
or so they thought.
Jenna Abbott’s life went up in flames even before the fire started in Tenmile, Oregon. She was still coping with her husband's affair—and the revelation that he got a much younger woman pregnant—when the fire finally died down, and Ryan was among the missing.
Chelsea Goddard still can’t explain how her estranged husband got back to Tenmile from out of the country the day of the fire, and she also can’t shake the nagging feeling that the secrets they’ve kept between them for the last twenty years might just be the tinder that made it all burn.
Morgan White knew getting involved with a married man was wrong, even before she got pregnant. She might be the only one who knows the truth about some of Tenmile's leading citizens…but people would have to stop treating her like a pariah to hear it.
Alex Coleman doesn’t remember anything from that fateful day, why she was found wandering on a rural road or why she has dreams of standing on scorched earth, holding a book of matches.
For four women, when the flames finally burn out, what’s left behind will be even more devastating than the fire itself…
Big Thank you to Ellie Banks, Canary Street Press and Netgalley for trusting me to read this incredible debut in exchange for an honest review.
This book deserves a standing ovation and I am SO here for it.
One Little Spark is going to blow up the internet on May 23, 2023. There is no way you will be able to contain the buzz that is about to surround this sure to be bestseller.
I cant even tell you what I thought I was going to read compared to what I actually did read but I can tell you, this book is one that I will never be able to stop talking about and it deserves every bit of the hype it is about to get..
Here we go...
One Little Spark had me addicted to each turn of the page. I was squealing in delight as each secret was revealed . I was completely consumed and transported straight into the book. The characters came alive before my eyes and I felt every emotion they felt. The narration was executed with perfection and the plot twist was not only incredible but believable to! When everything came together I was left in sheer disbelief with my jaw on the floor.
How the heck is this a debut?
Ellie Banks, you clearly know what you are doing when it comes to delivering a bestseller!
5 stars 5 stars 5 stars!
Teaser :
Before the fire, it was the perfect place to raise a family.
An idyllic community where neighbors knew one another…
or so they thought.
Jenna Abbott’s life went up in flames even before the fire started in Tenmile, Oregon. She was still coping with her husband's affair—and the revelation that he got a much younger woman pregnant—when the fire finally died down, and Ryan was among the missing.
Chelsea Goddard still can’t explain how her estranged husband got back to Tenmile from out of the country the day of the fire, and she also can’t shake the nagging feeling that the secrets they’ve kept between them for the last twenty years might just be the tinder that made it all burn.
Morgan White knew getting involved with a married man was wrong, even before she got pregnant. She might be the only one who knows the truth about some of Tenmile's leading citizens…but people would have to stop treating her like a pariah to hear it.
Alex Coleman doesn’t remember anything from that fateful day, why she was found wandering on a rural road or why she has dreams of standing on scorched earth, holding a book of matches.
For four women, when the flames finally burn out, what’s left behind will be even more devastating than the fire itself…
Big Thank you to Ellie Banks, Canary Street Press and Netgalley for trusting me to read this incredible debut in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2024
1.5 stars ….. confusing structure and underdeveloped characters.
April 8, 2023
2.5/5 stars! The premise of this story set the stage for an edgy and dark thriller, but the story didn't read this way. It felt like a confusing mishmash of a few different stories that didn't come together cohesively. I think individually the characters were well-developed but it took me half the story to figure out who was connected to who and there were too many time jumps. Just left me bored and not invested in the story.
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
December 29, 2025
Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me at all. Perhaps because I listened as audiobook? I should have created a flowchart to link which characters were related to who and why. The chapter titles were confusing. I get that kindling, tinder and afterburn are all fire terminology but I didn't get the correlation. For a good part of my read, I didn't understand we were jumping back and forth thru time. I like a "from start to finish" style instead . Because I like the author's other books, I felt compelled to keep reading but ugh so many chapters and it just wouldn't end and I still don't know what I read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2023
I didn’t enjoy this book at all, almost quit reading it several but I hate doing that. I had so little interest that until more than half way through I couldn’t keep the couples straight. I thought it was supposed to be a mystery but felt more like a romance which I usually don’t read. I don’t understand how so many of there people were in their forties and still hadn’t moved past high school. They had lives beyond high school but mentally were stuck there.
August 26, 2023
3.5
I was so excited to read this book. It’s not what I expected. The build up was good. Had me guessing, trying to piece it all together. The ending was not what I expected but overall pretty meh. The ending felt like a rush to tie up all the loose ends. It’s a shame because it had good potential.
I was so excited to read this book. It’s not what I expected. The build up was good. Had me guessing, trying to piece it all together. The ending was not what I expected but overall pretty meh. The ending felt like a rush to tie up all the loose ends. It’s a shame because it had good potential.
February 23, 2023
The title really explains what the entire book stands for and what goes on with each of the women featured in the story. I predict that this will be on many people's TBR lists! Well written and mysterious - giving it four stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
February 24, 2023
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.
This was so good! So many secrets. So many twists. I fell in love with the characters and they were multi dimensional and felt raw and real. Perfect atmosphere and mystery elements, and that plot twist? Wow. It was done so well. I can't believe this is a debut because this was that good.
This was so good! So many secrets. So many twists. I fell in love with the characters and they were multi dimensional and felt raw and real. Perfect atmosphere and mystery elements, and that plot twist? Wow. It was done so well. I can't believe this is a debut because this was that good.
July 12, 2023
2.5⭐ When a fire destroys a small town, what is left when the survivors begin to pick up the pieces?
I went into this expecting a thriller but got more of a domestic drama that unfortunately didn't quite work for me. I did not feel invested in any of the characters (except maybeee Morgan) and the stakes didn't feel very high given that half of the characters were presumed dead already. I also didn't care for the writing style, which contained a lot of repetitive, short sentences, and a ton of trail-off stream-of-consciousness sentences ("I just....*totally new non-sequitur sentence*"). These types of sentences were realistic to how many people do speak, I suppose, but in book format it was very stuttering and distracting to read. There were some good reflections on female relationships, but they were mostly delivered through cheesy dialogue. The "twist" at the end was rushed and a little unsatisfying. Overall, I don't think this is one that will stick with me.
CW: fire death and injury, sexual assault, infidelity
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy of this book.
I went into this expecting a thriller but got more of a domestic drama that unfortunately didn't quite work for me. I did not feel invested in any of the characters (except maybeee Morgan) and the stakes didn't feel very high given that half of the characters were presumed dead already. I also didn't care for the writing style, which contained a lot of repetitive, short sentences, and a ton of trail-off stream-of-consciousness sentences ("I just....*totally new non-sequitur sentence*"). These types of sentences were realistic to how many people do speak, I suppose, but in book format it was very stuttering and distracting to read. There were some good reflections on female relationships, but they were mostly delivered through cheesy dialogue. The "twist" at the end was rushed and a little unsatisfying. Overall, I don't think this is one that will stick with me.
CW: fire death and injury, sexual assault, infidelity
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy of this book.
January 21, 2024
One Little Spark started off promising with a gripping first chapter literally ending with the gas station blowing up, but unfortunately it immediately dropped off after this.
The story flips between before and after the fire which I found confusing & hard to get my head around. I feel like because of this, it was hard to understand who each character was and how they were linked to each other.
The first half of the story was slow, it did pick up in the second half, but I would say I wasn’t fully invested until the last quarter.
Although the big reveals at the end were good- I can’t help but feel it wasn’t worth the slow start at the beginning for me.
The story flips between before and after the fire which I found confusing & hard to get my head around. I feel like because of this, it was hard to understand who each character was and how they were linked to each other.
The first half of the story was slow, it did pick up in the second half, but I would say I wasn’t fully invested until the last quarter.
Although the big reveals at the end were good- I can’t help but feel it wasn’t worth the slow start at the beginning for me.
June 18, 2023
This book was ruined by the ending. Up until the last 30pages or so, I was enjoying this read then it went to sh*t. So much devastating tragedy and the ending neatly erases it into a small knitted cushion.
November 1, 2023
This was a hard book to get into. There are multiple POV's and different timelines. This added to a lot of confusion in the beginning. After the halfway point I got into the story but I felt it was to late by then.
August 12, 2023
didnt finish, hard to follow and too many other good books on my list
February 4, 2024
This book was okay, but it lack subtlety and cohesion.
July 24, 2023
The title DOES speak for itself when it’s all done & said . It basically is about a town that’s recovering from a horrific fire . It’s set & paced at several time intervals such as Ignition Day, Timber , Kindling & the Afterburn. My take was it fell into a domestic thriller on all accounts along with naturally suspense regarding WHO’S responsible for this massive destruction of the town & all four of the ladies that the story is based upon!
This is a BIG story with several time intervals occurring intermittently to basically set up & explain the characters circumstances & life situations. As the title cover clearly states ONE LITTLE SPARK pertains to The Incident regarding the fire itself & exactly what the fall out shall be for ALL characters in this story ! My overall advice is study the back cover & familiarize yourself well with these ladies & track which man is associated with each of them as you encounter them throughout because it’s a lot to take in AND if you can manage this , then I’m sure this book is for you to enjoy over time because these ladies are all some pretty well developed characters with a truckload of secrets that will have anyone guessing exactly WHAT HAPPENED TO get to our beloved tell tale ending !! I found this to be a well rounded & set story overall considering the amount characters involved over all & their deep rooted history together . Definitely recommend as these characters couldn’t be any more different making this a very intriguing book!
This is a BIG story with several time intervals occurring intermittently to basically set up & explain the characters circumstances & life situations. As the title cover clearly states ONE LITTLE SPARK pertains to The Incident regarding the fire itself & exactly what the fall out shall be for ALL characters in this story ! My overall advice is study the back cover & familiarize yourself well with these ladies & track which man is associated with each of them as you encounter them throughout because it’s a lot to take in AND if you can manage this , then I’m sure this book is for you to enjoy over time because these ladies are all some pretty well developed characters with a truckload of secrets that will have anyone guessing exactly WHAT HAPPENED TO get to our beloved tell tale ending !! I found this to be a well rounded & set story overall considering the amount characters involved over all & their deep rooted history together . Definitely recommend as these characters couldn’t be any more different making this a very intriguing book!
June 11, 2023
*Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
I love the premise of this story. Domestic suspense is a sub-genre that I often gravitate towards. And I think that overall this was done really well!
The beginning of story was a bit confusing.. We are immediately thrown into the story right as the fire started. There are a lot of characters with a lot happening. I found it a little difficult a certain points to figure out where everyone fit. But I once I reached the 50% mark it all fell into place. The second half of the book was so thrilling and I couldn't wait to see what happened next!
I like that even through this very tragic and life changing event, all of these women were able to find growth and come out better on the other side. For example, Jenna . She finally realized that in the end, Morgan was also a victim in the situation. While sure, they were never going to be best friends, she didn't have to waste her energy blaming Morgan for the downfall of her marriage. Jenna was empowered to see her own worth and realize her husband was just a not a great husband.
Overall I really liked this story, a perfect summer read for fans of Big Little Lies and Cruel Summer!
I love the premise of this story. Domestic suspense is a sub-genre that I often gravitate towards. And I think that overall this was done really well!
The beginning of story was a bit confusing.. We are immediately thrown into the story right as the fire started. There are a lot of characters with a lot happening. I found it a little difficult a certain points to figure out where everyone fit. But I once I reached the 50% mark it all fell into place. The second half of the book was so thrilling and I couldn't wait to see what happened next!
I like that even through this very tragic and life changing event, all of these women were able to find growth and come out better on the other side. For example, Jenna . She finally realized that in the end, Morgan was also a victim in the situation. While sure, they were never going to be best friends, she didn't have to waste her energy blaming Morgan for the downfall of her marriage. Jenna was empowered to see her own worth and realize her husband was just a not a great husband.
Overall I really liked this story, a perfect summer read for fans of Big Little Lies and Cruel Summer!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2023
One Little Spark by Ellie Banks is a recommended domestic drama.
A fire destroys a small town and the lives of four women are thrown into turmoil. The story is about these four survivors who are left to pick up the pieces. They also must confront and deal with the many secrets that are now exposed. Do you ever really know the people living around you?
The narrative jumps back and forth in three time periods: the day of the fire, a year before the fire, and a year after the fire. The time jumps make it a struggle to get a handle on the characteristics of each individual, who they are, and how they fit into the plot. Additionally, once I got the characters all sorted out, I discovered that I really didn't like any of them. At a certain point, I was wondering if I really cared about decoding everything that much. The second half of the novel is more compelling and stronger than the first half, which does make up for some of the struggles and confusion at the beginning.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Harlequin via Edelweiss.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/0...
A fire destroys a small town and the lives of four women are thrown into turmoil. The story is about these four survivors who are left to pick up the pieces. They also must confront and deal with the many secrets that are now exposed. Do you ever really know the people living around you?
The narrative jumps back and forth in three time periods: the day of the fire, a year before the fire, and a year after the fire. The time jumps make it a struggle to get a handle on the characteristics of each individual, who they are, and how they fit into the plot. Additionally, once I got the characters all sorted out, I discovered that I really didn't like any of them. At a certain point, I was wondering if I really cared about decoding everything that much. The second half of the novel is more compelling and stronger than the first half, which does make up for some of the struggles and confusion at the beginning.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Harlequin via Edelweiss.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/0...
May 3, 2023
I went into this hoping for a dark thriller-type storyline. This plays out more like a domestic suspense mystery. It was good, just a lot going on. A terrible fire tears through a small town and 4 women's lives are torn apart. There are a lot of characters. Now, the characters are well drawn, just difficult to keep up with who was doing what to whom. There are time jumps as we learn how this is all playing out. It did turn out pretty interesting once I started making the connections. 5 stars for the atmosphere! I swear I could smell smoke! The second half is really good! I think this would play out very well as a limited series or something like that.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Ellie Banks and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram and various other retail and social media sites upon publication.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Ellie Banks and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram and various other retail and social media sites upon publication.
March 27, 2023
After a devastating fire tears through their quaint little neighborhood four women find their quiet little lives completely up turned. Secrets that were meant to never see the light of day suddenly make an appearance, along with other mysterious happenings and things take a turn these women never planned or saw coming. It leaves them wondering if they ever really knew the people they were living next to at all...
One Little Spark is an exciting little page-turner that is bound to keep your eyes glued to the pages from start to finish! With secrets, lies, suspense and drama on every page it's hard not to get wrapped up in this one, once I started it I couldn't put it down! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley request, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
One Little Spark is an exciting little page-turner that is bound to keep your eyes glued to the pages from start to finish! With secrets, lies, suspense and drama on every page it's hard not to get wrapped up in this one, once I started it I couldn't put it down! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley request, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
June 6, 2023
This was strange. I liked the women. They were all relatable. I did not at have any sympathy or compassion for Ryan, however. Like he just stumbled into a teenage girl. I think the author handled it well, I just really did not like him at all.
Anyway, I loved Jenna. She reminds me a bit of my friend Angel, who I do think can fix and do everything.
Also I love that all our gals were getting it. Good for them.
The people in this story had a lot of growth and it was nice to read about
I guess this one didn't fully work for me because it is a lot of dialogue. I think 90% of the book is dialogue. And I admire the ability to write it but I kept getting distracted and not finishing the book.
It would probably make the best movie ever.
I love the ending.
Anyway, I loved Jenna. She reminds me a bit of my friend Angel, who I do think can fix and do everything.
Also I love that all our gals were getting it. Good for them.
The people in this story had a lot of growth and it was nice to read about
I guess this one didn't fully work for me because it is a lot of dialogue. I think 90% of the book is dialogue. And I admire the ability to write it but I kept getting distracted and not finishing the book.
It would probably make the best movie ever.
I love the ending.
May 15, 2023
This moves back and forth in time and between four women to tell the story of what happens when a town goes up in flames. Jenny, Chelsea, Morgan, and Alexandra are all at different places in their lives when tragedy strikes. There are secrets, lies, and problems with men (lots of problems with men). The plot doesn't strike any new notes but the women are interesting and you'll find yourself rooting for them. Know that the writing is not smooth but it's designed to be a page turner. Thanks to Netgalley for the ArC. A good beach or travel book.
December 3, 2023
I really liked the narrative and concept of this book, however the writing style felt very amateurish due to the heaving dialogue and limited insight into how the characters actually thought and felt during the story. None of the characters had any real personality, save for Jenna who was a total cliche. I frequently confused the storyline’s of Ryan and Paul who were essentially the same character until the final chapter. I would have enjoyed it more if the author did not gloss over important character development and story arcs
August 23, 2023
Did you ever start reading a book, continue on a couple of paragraphs, skip ahead a couple of chapters, then jump to the end and wonder what the book was supposed to be about? That's what happened with this book for me. One thing that didn't help matters is it's a paperback and typed in small, light gray print.
But it was also the writing style, I didn't understand it, it didn't flow, was jumpy amongst different characters and I decided this is just not for me. Since it was a DNF, no rating.
But it was also the writing style, I didn't understand it, it didn't flow, was jumpy amongst different characters and I decided this is just not for me. Since it was a DNF, no rating.
September 5, 2023
Ellie Banks is the pen name for Maisie Yates and, honestly, I wish she wrote in this genre all of the time. I loved this book from start to finish. The characters were real, flawed and very familiar, especially Jenna for whom I championed throughout. I felt so much commonality with her as she spoke the truth that no one ever wanted to hear, stood up for causes no one else cared for. I loved her. Great story, great quotes, great messages.
February 26, 2024
Centred around three women in their 40s, this book explores the journey of a town in recovery from a wildfire which took lives and homes. The second half of this book was much more interesting than the first; I think it took me a little while to relate to the leading characters, who are all deeply flawed, but as the story progresses, so too does the emotion and understanding. The ending was quite unexpected - in a good way!
April 10, 2025
Ok, so I listened to this one, it was good as an audiobook, but a physical or digital book might have been helpful with keeping characters/timelines/partners straight. Even as I came closer to the end I was still having to remember who belonged to whose storyline. Other than that, the story had a lot to offer and I really had no idea what all went down until the loose ends tied perfectly together at the end!
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