Sparks Like Ours by Melissa Brayden is an enemies to lovers romance set in the pro surfing world. It’s the third book in the Seven Shores series, and while you can absolutely pick this up without reading the other two books, I think you’d be doing yourself a disservice because they’re all so good!
Gia Malone has her sights set on becoming the top-ranked female surfer in the world, and she’s only one spot away from her goal. All she has to do is work hard, keep her eye on the prize, and—oh yeah—topple Elle Britton, current reigning champ and media darling. Gia can’t stand how bubbly Elle is and is sure it’s all an act, but when they’re thrown together for an advertising campaign, Gia starts to see that there’s more than meets the eye where Elle is concerned.
Elle has worked damn hard to get to the top and she’s not going to let that go for anything. All the work and energy it takes to stay number one is draining, though, and Elle’s ready for a break that isn’t coming anytime soon. When she starts to get to know Gia, Elle is surprised to learn how warm Gia is, especially given how standoffish she’s been in all of their previous encounters. Elle is even more surprised when she finds herself thinking of Gia all the time, since she’s never considered that she could be anything but straight.
With both women driven by the same thing, can a relationship ever work between them?
The Characters
I was already a fan of Gia after the last two books and now I love her even more! She’s dreamy and broody, plus a giant geek who gives life advice based on Ms. Pac-Man. What’s not to love?! After seeing her with the other three friends, I’d kind of hoped that she would end up with Hadley, but now I’m very happy with how things turned out for her, because Elle is a gigantic sweetheart and they’re totally perfect for each other. And, bonus! That means there’s one more book left in the series!
Although Gia and Elle are very different from each other, it worked really well that they had similar struggles. (I mean, of course, with the exception of Elle figuring out her sexuality, which was handled deftly.) That meant that the crisis point made total sense and worked well for me even as I was sad about it, leading to an absolutely perfect ending.
Friends from the previous books in the series feature prominently as always, as well as some of the people from Elle’s life. The supporting characters do a great job of rounding out the story, while offering opportunities for the snappy dialogue that Brayden is known for. She also brings back characters from a couple of other books that aren’t tied to the Seven Shores series, so die-hard fans are sure to be happy with that!
The Writing Style
It’s a contemporary romance by Melissa Brayden. Of course it’s written well! It’s funny and flirty, with enough angst to keep things interesting. Everything I’ve come to love and expect from this author!
The Narration
Melissa Sternenberg was a totally fab choice to narrate Sparks Like Ours. She differentiated the characters well, which especially helped when a bunch of them were in the same conversation. I’m so glad that Bold Strokes Books has been having Sternenberg narrate stories with characters in their 20s and early 30s—especially for sexy, flirty romances—because she’s the perfect fit for them.
The Pros
Fabulous characters that have palpable chemistry, perfect pacing, and a great story. This book has it all!
The Cons
There’s only one book left in this series! And it’s not on my Kindle right now!
The Conclusion
I totally recommend this book. It’s sexy and fun and everything I want in a romance. I will definitely be reading Sparks Like Ours again, along with the whole rest of this series.
Excerpt from Sparks Like Ours by Melissa Brayden
[Theo] stepped forward, energized. “I see commercials, magazine ads, billboards, all cleverly put together and all showcasing Trainers. Listen, the chips are about a healthier snack option, and what sport showcases athleticism and the human physique the way surfing does?”
Gwendolyn would kill her if she balked. “I guess I’m with Elle. Sounds cool, but maybe we can get a few more details to fully understand where you’re headed?”
He nodded. “I’ll draw up a formal proposal and send it over to your people.” He pointed at each of them. “This could be a really fantastic partnership.”
“I, for one, hope so,” Elle said.
“Me, too,” Gia lied.
“I’ll leave you to your bickering, then,” he said, eyes dancing, as if he’d just located his own personal pot of gold. “And please, whatever you do, keep it up.”
Once they were alone, Elle turned to her. “If we do this, we have to pinkie promise each other that we’ll keep it classy.”
Gia turned her face and regarded Elle out of the side of her eye. “Did you just say the words pinkie promise?”
“Is that too pedestrian for you?”
“It’s too sixth grade for me.”
Elle sighed. “Fine. Blood oath at midnight it is. Whatever works for you. The point here is that this campaign could be a really good thing for both of us, if it’s done right.”
“Agreed. I want it to be just as tasteful as you do.”
“As tasteful as you dropping in on that wave?”
Gia smiled. It was a good barb. Points for Elle. “Something like that.”
Elle pushed a fist into Gia’s shoulder as she walked away. “Train hard. Just know I’m training harder.”
“Bet on it.” Wait. That came out wrong. “Bet that you’re wrong!” she called lamely to Elle’s retreating form. Instead of turning back, she offered Gia a wave of her fingers over her shoulder. Damn that woman.
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Series
Sparks Like Ours
Bits and Bobs
- ISBN number: 9781635550160
- Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
- Audiobook Publisher: Bold Strokes Books Inc
- Narrator: Melissa Sternenberg
Melissa Brayden Online
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