Aurora has a complicated family that has resulted in some attachment issues on her part. As a result she has a difficult time getting involved with anyone that is anything beyond causal.
When Russ comes along and she catches some kind of feelings after one night together, she’s left reeling because she’s not used to wanting more from anyone. Luckily for her, or so she thinks, she’s heading off to be a camp counselor for the summer and shouldn’t have to worry about seeing him again and dealing with those feelings. Except it turns out he’s a camp counselor there too. Plot twist? There’s a no fraternization rule at camp and these two have to try to stay away from each other. All. Summer.
Tensions are super high when Aurora and Russ realize they are both at the camp for the entire summer. Except they’re super awkward with each other because they both think the other bailed on their night together and turned it into a one night stand. Luckily the miscommunication doesn’t last too long into the start of camp because that’s a trope I quite dislike when a problem can be easily solved by a little conversation so that kept me from getting too frustrated with these characters.
The show stealers of this book? Salmon, Trout, and Fish of course. Momma Fish and her baby puppies were too cute. It was super adorable that the two puppies kept following Russ around and how happy it make him “to be chosen by anyone for once in his life” which broke my heart a little bit for him. Both he and Aurora have difficult family lives and it’s truly affected who they are as people and is so sad to see the effects in the ways they act and the disappointments they feel in their family members. I actually really enjoyed both Russ and Aurora as well. They were such real characters with their personal struggles and both were so pure in their own ways. Russ is the cutest, shy, giant hockey player, and Aurora is this loud, fun loving, wild creature with the sweetest nature that has them getting along so well once they work out their issues. I loved reading from both of their points of view as a result and it was such a cute read because of the both of them.
The camp itself is like its own character and entirely makes the story and even the characters themselves. It’s Aurora’s favourite place in the entire world and I think the part that made it the most special is the fact that it’s the one place she has a real family and is loved for exactly who she is. With a distant and oftentimes hurtful family like her her own, this is the one place she had as a child where she felt cared about and that has extended into adulthood for her and the relationships she has with the owners is so pure and they show her acceptance even when her actions aren’t always in the right. I loved how much the camp felt like a family and continued to provide that sense of home to other children.
Even the side characters in Wildfire were phenomenal. I loved so many of them, from Russ’ friends and roommates to Aurora’s friends and the fellow camp counselors. Xander in particular was a standout for me and there were so many hilarious moments involving him. And considering the puppies all had him wrapped around their paws the entire time, this was the icing on the cake.
Wildfire was an adorable, wholesome little read and Honey Acres was everything that most people could dream of in a location. I really enjoyed this read as the cute, contemporary romance that it is and I am definitely eager to read more by Hannah Grace now. It was a fantastic palate cleanser to get me out of a horrible slump and I’m so glad I picked it up because I loved every page of it.
