Up in flames review

Up in flames

By: Nicole Williams

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Australia

 

Elle Montgomery is a good girl. She’s always done what everyone expects of her, including dating the pastors son, who seems desperate to put a ring on her finger and get married as soon possible. But now Elle is growing tired of living a life mapped out for her by everyone else.

Cole Carson’s life couldn’t be more different. An adrenaline junkie, Cole lived his life day to day and isn’t looking to put down roots or tie himself to just one girl.

But when they meet, a spark ignites between them that neither of them saw coming and as summer heats up, their attraction grows. One way or another, they’re going up in flames…

My review

Thoughts on the book: CONATINS SPOILERS

I read the Crash series by Nicole Williams last year and really got into it and liked it but Up in Flames was so much better than all three of those books combined. There just seemed to never be a dull moment throughout the book and I was constantly turning the pages to find out if Elle would stay with her childhood sweetheart Logan or go and be spontaneous and move on with Cole. Up in flames also reminded me a lot of The Vincent Boys series by Abbi Glines where the good girl is with the good guy and they are going to finish school and get married and then along comes the bad boy and sweeps her off her feet.

Cole is the kind of boy that everyone dreams about, the spontaneous sexy as boy that would surprise you at every turn. I found myself drawn to him straight away, what with his sarcasm and how we are introduced to him, I don’t know who wouldn’t be.

‘I’m thanking God for something else right now.’ The look on his face was one I’m sure God wouldn’t approve of and, if it wasn’t for the way it was making me breathe a little shorter, I wouldn’t have approved either.

‘What are you thanking Him for?’ I said, ready to get out of the water and leave this stranger, who was both infuriating and appealing at the same time thanks to his own life-saving, God-thanking ways.

That was when I remembered I was swimsuit impaired in waist deep water. A fact that wouldn’t have escaped my mind if it hadn’t been oxygen deprived.

I love how their relationship progresses throughout the book and that when she is in her most difficult and dangerous situation that she has ever been in that it is Cole that is there beside her and that was doing everything he could for her. Don’t get me wrong I feel terrible for how everything turns out for Logan, but in the end she picked the better person, the one that wasn’t going to hold her back and was going to let her be the person that she is meant to be, let her make mistakes and not look down on her and love her before everything else.

I found the whole smoke jumping job to be really interesting. Personally I had never heard of it before and found that it would be really exciting for people who would love that kind of thing, which I wouldn’t. 

Favourite character: Elle, without a doubt, would have to be my favourite character. At the start of the book she has her whole life sorted out, marry her childhood boyfriend and stay in the town she has always lived in being a good housewife. But when she meets smoke jumper Cole her whole world changes and she is introduced to a whole new way of living. With Cole she gets to be who she has always wanted to be, but with Logan she is just the girl that everyone expects her to be. I am glad that by the end of the book she finally decided that she needs to be with the person that makes her, her and not with someone who is holding her back.

Favourite part/quote:

“Your mom is right here with us, Elle. Her spirit’s here giving my exhausted arm strength to keep hanging on. She’s keeping the current from whipping us all to hell. She’s keeping the tree shrapnel from getting anywhere near us.” A small smile formed. “She’s keeping us alive.” 

Rating: 4/5