Up In Flames by Nicole Williams - Review

Now at this point, I’m sick of reading New Adult books that follow the track of Fifty Shades of Grey and the like. It’s depressing reading romances about college age students who are falling in love, all the while battling their pasts full of sexual abuse. That seems to be a theme in romantic fiction as of late and I’m starting to need something a little bit more upbeat and less depressing. That’s when I read Up In Flames by Nicole Williams. It was my saving grace for the NA genre because I was about ready to throw in the towel for a while!

Elle is your typical small town girl. She’s practically engaged to the town’s sports hero, she’s working at her dad’s restaurant and after graduating high school her life’s been laid out for her. She doesn’t need to worry about a thing... and she’s sick of it. She’s tired of never letting loose. She’s frustrated at dating a guy who barely touches her and most of all, she’s had enough of being told what to do and how her life will be. That’s when she meets Cole. Cole is a smoke jumper in town for the summer to work during wildfire season and he’s the exact opposite of who Elle should want. With his fiery demeanor and his smoldering looks, Elle knows she’s in for trouble, but she dives in anyway.

I really, really needed this book. I wanted a standalone that was romantic, steamy, fun and that’s what I got in Williams’s Up In Flames.

Elle was a character that I could very easily relate to. She grew up in a very tight knit family and community and while they only wanted what was best for her, they planned her life. She was left with no decisions and she felt lost. Of course when you’re a kid, your parents tell you that you can be whoever you want to be, but they also have a plan for you. A plan to help you succeed. In that way, I really felt for Elle. She’s at a critical point in her life where she has to either follow along with the plans laid out for her, or she can break free and forge her own way.

Annnnd then there is Cole. I mean this guy is smoking. He’s the bad boy with a sweet heart that fights forest fires... YES PLEASE. I loved Cole and his role in helping Elle grow to be the woman she wants to be.

This book was quick, light hearted and fun and I really enjoyed it. Beware (or take note!), there are some pretty steamy scenes in this one!

8 out of 10

Happy Reading :)