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Courting Sparks
Dusting off the ashes of a failed relationship, Daphne Morrow decides she is ready to date again. But when her scorched prom photos are discovered to be the ignition point for a small forest blaze, marking her as the prime suspect for the arson, she finds they're not the only part of her past sparking interest. After a friend's wedding provides a romantic interlude with her longtime friend Noah Banks, Daphne tries to explain away her attraction to the atmosphere of the wedding, his resemblance to her ex, his heroic efforts as a volunteer firefighter. Still, their desire just won't sputter out.
When the arsonist strikes much closer to home, Daphne fears she must risk Noah's friendship to find the culprit and clear her name. She'll know their love is real if his interest isn't put out by her need to uncover the truth.
When the arsonist strikes much closer to home, Daphne fears she must risk Noah's friendship to find the culprit and clear her name. She'll know their love is real if his interest isn't put out by her need to uncover the truth.
185 pages, Hardcover
First published December 13, 2010
2 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Joselyn Vaughn
18 books55 followersI'm a stay at home mom who tries to squeeze writing in between potty training, referring temper tantrums and cleaning up after geriatric dogs.
In my free time, I enjoy reading books longer than 30 pages, running, reconstructing clothing, surfing Pinterest (well, that's more of an addiction.) and shopping at thrift stores.
In my free time, I enjoy reading books longer than 30 pages, running, reconstructing clothing, surfing Pinterest (well, that's more of an addiction.) and shopping at thrift stores.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 28, 2017
I enjoyed this best-friends-to-more story. Daphne was the high school homecoming queen. She dated the star football player, and now she teaches English there. She thought she and the football star would marry and have their happily ever after, but he broke her heart. His cousin Noah, however, is now the high school athletic director, and while he's always loved Daphne, he's been waiting for the perfect time to tell her. Since Noah is also a volunteer fireman, the sparks fly - literally as well as figuratively!
July 13, 2018
Cute summer romance.
In the midst of her never-ending bridesmaid duties Daphne is still reeling from a bad breakup with her ex, Aaron.
Daphne and Noah have been best friends since high school. But after a fire destroys the Willows, for once she’s seeing him differently.
Then her ex, who refuses to take a hint, finds himself back on her doorstep.
The stakes are high. Does she give Aaron a second chance, pursue a relationship with Noah, or risk getting burned?
In the midst of her never-ending bridesmaid duties Daphne is still reeling from a bad breakup with her ex, Aaron.
Daphne and Noah have been best friends since high school. But after a fire destroys the Willows, for once she’s seeing him differently.
Then her ex, who refuses to take a hint, finds himself back on her doorstep.
The stakes are high. Does she give Aaron a second chance, pursue a relationship with Noah, or risk getting burned?
April 20, 2011
Daphne and Noah have been friends since second grade and Daphne has never seen Noah as anything other than friend material until now. Suddenly, everything about him is distracting, attractive, and alluring, and she gets weak in the knees just being around him. What’s changed? Noah has loved Daphne all this time and has been waiting for her to notice. Daphne is now a year out of a relationship with Noah’s cousin, Aaron – the man who broke her heart, but doesn’t seem to want to let her go completely – and Noah is looking for the sign that she’s ready to open her heart again. Set against the backdrop of their friends’ summer weddings and myriad practical jokes, Daphne fights against her attraction claw and tooth – not wanting to destroy the friendship she cherishes – while Noah tries to find any excuse to get in closer.
A somewhat abrupt beginning immediately immerses readers in Daphne’s budding attraction to Noah. Daphne and Noah are relatively well-developed characters with careers that add interest to the narrative and plot. Although Daphne is portrayed as a strong woman, she’s a bit of a pushover as far as Aaron is concerned – making allowances for him over and over again (what she really needs to do is get a restraining order, or deck him). Her strength is one of the things Noah has always been drawn to. The romance is gentle – expressed in lingering looks and longing, and culminating in sweet kisses – but nothing further. If you’re looking for more heat, find another kitchen. Lack of communication, avoidance, and denial fuel the conflict, which is pretty typical for this genre. There would be no story, I guess, if Daphne had come right out and said to Noah, “Hey, I have feelings for you, but I don’t know what to do about them, and I don’t want them to destroy what we have,” instead of avoiding him and getting all neurotic.
A somewhat abrupt beginning immediately immerses readers in Daphne’s budding attraction to Noah. Daphne and Noah are relatively well-developed characters with careers that add interest to the narrative and plot. Although Daphne is portrayed as a strong woman, she’s a bit of a pushover as far as Aaron is concerned – making allowances for him over and over again (what she really needs to do is get a restraining order, or deck him). Her strength is one of the things Noah has always been drawn to. The romance is gentle – expressed in lingering looks and longing, and culminating in sweet kisses – but nothing further. If you’re looking for more heat, find another kitchen. Lack of communication, avoidance, and denial fuel the conflict, which is pretty typical for this genre. There would be no story, I guess, if Daphne had come right out and said to Noah, “Hey, I have feelings for you, but I don’t know what to do about them, and I don’t want them to destroy what we have,” instead of avoiding him and getting all neurotic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2011
Reviewed by Judy Nickles
Take one athletic director and volunteer firefighter (Noah) whose cousin (Aaron) just dumped the English teacher and girls cross-country coach (Daphne), put them all into a summer filled with the weddings of their mutual friends, and sparks fly.
Dusting off the ashes of a failed relationship, Daphne Morrow decides she is ready to date again. But when her scorched prom photos are discovered to be the ignition point for a small forest blaze, marking her as the prime suspect for the arson, she finds they’re not the only part of her past sparking interest.
Daphne is done with Aaron, but she can’t believe she is so attracted to Noah, who has heretofore been only a good friend. She spends the summer (and most of the book) struggling with her attraction to him, determined not to risk their friendship for a romance she seems to feel is doomed before it begins. Noah, also attracted to Daphne, gives her mixed signals at first, so when he moves in with serious intent, he scares her off.
The main characters of this light romance are under thirty. Their repartee and hijinks accurately reflect their age and background and keep the story moving. The back cover blurb is a little misleading when it says that Daphne is the prime suspect. She is definitely a ‘person of interest’ to the police, but the interest seems to be brief. While the arson neatly ties the threads of the story together, romance takes the upper hand over suspense. The story’s resolution, though predictable (boy gets girl), offers a unique twist.
Courting Sparks will ‘spark’ the interest of those readers who enjoy light contemporary romance.
Take one athletic director and volunteer firefighter (Noah) whose cousin (Aaron) just dumped the English teacher and girls cross-country coach (Daphne), put them all into a summer filled with the weddings of their mutual friends, and sparks fly.
Dusting off the ashes of a failed relationship, Daphne Morrow decides she is ready to date again. But when her scorched prom photos are discovered to be the ignition point for a small forest blaze, marking her as the prime suspect for the arson, she finds they’re not the only part of her past sparking interest.
Daphne is done with Aaron, but she can’t believe she is so attracted to Noah, who has heretofore been only a good friend. She spends the summer (and most of the book) struggling with her attraction to him, determined not to risk their friendship for a romance she seems to feel is doomed before it begins. Noah, also attracted to Daphne, gives her mixed signals at first, so when he moves in with serious intent, he scares her off.
The main characters of this light romance are under thirty. Their repartee and hijinks accurately reflect their age and background and keep the story moving. The back cover blurb is a little misleading when it says that Daphne is the prime suspect. She is definitely a ‘person of interest’ to the police, but the interest seems to be brief. While the arson neatly ties the threads of the story together, romance takes the upper hand over suspense. The story’s resolution, though predictable (boy gets girl), offers a unique twist.
Courting Sparks will ‘spark’ the interest of those readers who enjoy light contemporary romance.
December 4, 2013
Courting Sparks is a small town contemporary romance novel. Noah Banks and Daphne Morrow have been friends since childhood. Noah and Daphne work in the same school, he is the athletic director and Daphne is the cross-country team coach. After Daphne breaks up with Noah’s cousin Aaron, she realizes that there’s 'something' between she and Noah. Daphne then struggles against the attraction fearing it’ll ruin their friendship.
**Spoilers, sorry**
Right off the bat, I’ll say that I was unable to finish the book. I stopped reading at page 112 several minutes after Daphne’s water-filled bra burst while on the dance floor at Beth and Jake’s wedding.
What I didn't like:
In the first three pages of Courting Sparks the reader learns of Daphne’s overwhelming attraction to Noah immediately, there’s no build up, it’s just there, abrupt. There’s loads of telling throughout the book and at times too much narrative. There was little if no emotional connection with the main characters. Also, the shenanigans are ‘over the top’ and distracting and a little annoying.
The more I read Courting Sparks the more I thought this book should have been half as long if some of the unnecessary scenes were remove or twice as long if more character development was weaved into the story. This book has no 'steam' and the romantic element is light at best; Courting Sparks reads more like chick-lit than romance.
What I liked:
I believe Ms. Vaughn has a knack for writing light-hearted stories and I think she’s a fresh voice. Courting Sparks was written in 2010, so I’d definitely consider reading more of Ms. Vaughn’s newer novels.
**Spoilers, sorry**
Right off the bat, I’ll say that I was unable to finish the book. I stopped reading at page 112 several minutes after Daphne’s water-filled bra burst while on the dance floor at Beth and Jake’s wedding.
What I didn't like:
In the first three pages of Courting Sparks the reader learns of Daphne’s overwhelming attraction to Noah immediately, there’s no build up, it’s just there, abrupt. There’s loads of telling throughout the book and at times too much narrative. There was little if no emotional connection with the main characters. Also, the shenanigans are ‘over the top’ and distracting and a little annoying.
The more I read Courting Sparks the more I thought this book should have been half as long if some of the unnecessary scenes were remove or twice as long if more character development was weaved into the story. This book has no 'steam' and the romantic element is light at best; Courting Sparks reads more like chick-lit than romance.
What I liked:
I believe Ms. Vaughn has a knack for writing light-hearted stories and I think she’s a fresh voice. Courting Sparks was written in 2010, so I’d definitely consider reading more of Ms. Vaughn’s newer novels.
February 19, 2011
http://breesabookworm.blogspot.com/
I won this book through Goodreads...and am very happy about that! :)
Yay! I really thought this book was cute. It's a quick read and very well written.
Courting Sparks is a book about Noah and Daphne, life-long friends. Daphne dated Noah's cousin, Aaron, for ages until their messy break-up. Noah was always there for Daphne, but he always wanted something more from her too. Daphne wasn't having any of that and fought him, or rather herself on it. The book is a journey of how they find their way from best friends to possibly something more.
Along the way there are weddings, bachelorette and bachelor parties, and an arson on the loose that needs to be caught. Of course, Daphne seems to be always a bridesmaid never a bride. :)
It's a fun read, pretty simple and straight forward. Just like I like, nothing was drawn out and it never got boring. I liked that it was clean, that it showed both character's point of view, and that their emotions/thoughts were pretty realistic. It was also funny, the conversations amongst the girls in this book, the situations (which were well thought out), and the wedding mishaps. The outside characters were fun as well!
Of course Noah was very likable...or shall I say YUMMY?! :)
I'm really happy to have gotten this book, and I thank the author. I'm going to have to check out her other book!
I won this book through Goodreads...and am very happy about that! :)
Yay! I really thought this book was cute. It's a quick read and very well written.
Courting Sparks is a book about Noah and Daphne, life-long friends. Daphne dated Noah's cousin, Aaron, for ages until their messy break-up. Noah was always there for Daphne, but he always wanted something more from her too. Daphne wasn't having any of that and fought him, or rather herself on it. The book is a journey of how they find their way from best friends to possibly something more.
Along the way there are weddings, bachelorette and bachelor parties, and an arson on the loose that needs to be caught. Of course, Daphne seems to be always a bridesmaid never a bride. :)
It's a fun read, pretty simple and straight forward. Just like I like, nothing was drawn out and it never got boring. I liked that it was clean, that it showed both character's point of view, and that their emotions/thoughts were pretty realistic. It was also funny, the conversations amongst the girls in this book, the situations (which were well thought out), and the wedding mishaps. The outside characters were fun as well!
Of course Noah was very likable...or shall I say YUMMY?! :)
I'm really happy to have gotten this book, and I thank the author. I'm going to have to check out her other book!
May 20, 2011
Daphne was burned by her former HS sweetheart and finally gives him the boot--but he keeps coming around. Aaron's cousin, Noah, has been secretly in love with Daphne for years--but they've never been more than life-long friends. Now Daphne is starting to feel more for Noah, but she's fighting it. She decides to avoid Noah, but they have so many mutual friends getting married over the summer--it's hard to do.
I definitely felt an "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" vibe. I also didn't get why Daphne came across as such a strong, independent woman, yet always caved in where Aaron was concerned. Maybe the bravado was all an act? Or she had a little soft spot for her ex, as much as she hated him? I also didn't get why she fought Noah so hard. Who would run from a decent, respectful, nice, handsome man who is obviously in love with you?! The story also seemed a little abrupt--the ending could have been developed a little more.
CONTENT:
A few mild swear words, some drunken scenes, and nothing more than looks and kisses.
I definitely felt an "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" vibe. I also didn't get why Daphne came across as such a strong, independent woman, yet always caved in where Aaron was concerned. Maybe the bravado was all an act? Or she had a little soft spot for her ex, as much as she hated him? I also didn't get why she fought Noah so hard. Who would run from a decent, respectful, nice, handsome man who is obviously in love with you?! The story also seemed a little abrupt--the ending could have been developed a little more.
CONTENT:
A few mild swear words, some drunken scenes, and nothing more than looks and kisses.
April 29, 2011
This book was a lot of fun. I love weddings, so all the weddings were so much fun for me. I did get a little bit of a eternal bridesmaid vibe - which I think was part of the point. Daphne is a great character, though a little dense when it comes to love. She is a great friend though and shows how you can lose confidence after choosing to date a scumbag for a long time. Noah was a really good character who is adorable though sometimes you want to yell at him to take a chance. It's a cute story and though a little predictable overall, there are some scenes that you really don't expect that add to the excitement. Besides, don't we usually know how a romance book is generally going to go? Really good read.
http://cleanromancereviews.blogspot.com
http://cleanromancereviews.blogspot.com
February 25, 2011
Courting Sparks is a solid story with an amazing cast of characters. Ms. Vaughn works the element of surprise with an astute grasp of a readers needs. I found the relationships among the characters heartwarming. The voice of Ms. Vaughn is a little ironic, a little comical, and a whole lot of mystery which makes Courting Sparks an engrossing and entertaining read.
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review:http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review:http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...
February 28, 2011
There was nothing extraordinary about this book. It was a quick, light romance. I like picking up these Avalon Romance books because I know there won't be anything explicit in them. And since I'm a girl that loves a good easy love story, I snag them once in awhile in my library. There were some instances of light swearing for those of you interested in knowing that.
July 21, 2017
Another delightful and entertaining story from Joselyn Vaughn. She writes warm, wonderful characters who readers really care about. Many readers will be able to identify themselves in this contemporary love story with a touch of mystery. I'd recommend this for an easy-to-read fun beach read this summer.
January 15, 2013
The idea behind the story is a good one, fire fighter's one true love is a suspect in an arson. Except there's a bunch of drama and the heroine just can't seem to get over a jerk of an extra. It was okay but not as great as it could have been. All those friend get married in the same summer? What are the chances?
July 22, 2014
I found myself laughing constantly through this book. The bridesmaid dress... WAY too funny! The story is told in a wonderful, well-written fashion I found incredibly enjoyable. No sexual content, but no lack of sparks. Limited coarse language, and none of the doozies. If it's a good example of other work by this author, I'm sure I'll enjoy other books by her just as much as I did this one.
September 27, 2021
Cute and adorable affection between longtime friends 😁😍
December 13, 2011
cute. loved all the wedding ideas and pranks.
February 29, 2016
A quick read with the expected happy ending.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews