Fireworks by Sarina Bowen

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Title: Fireworks
Author: Sarina Bowen
Series: True North #6
Published by: Indie
Release Date: November 13, 2018
Format: eARC
Pages: 343
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Source: Nina Bocci PR
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2018 #LetsReadIndie Challenge, Lenoreo's 2018 Finishing the Series Challenge, Lenoreo's 2018 New Release Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound
My rating:

Blurb:

Skye Copeland is on paid leave from her broadcasting job after accidentally drawing a pecker on the traffic map.

Let that sink in. Like it’s her fault the traffic pattern that day created a perfect schlong?

Skye isn’t laughing. She needs this job. And that’s the only reason she’s agreed to chase down a story in her least favorite place—that hell on earth known as Vermont.

A quick trip. In and out. Much like - never mind. Skye can sneak into the town that once tried to break her, get the story and get back into the good graces of her producer. Easy peasy.

Except things go sideways even as she sets foot over the county line. Her step-sister is on the run from a violent drug dealer. And the cop on the case is none other than Benito Rossi, the man who broke her teenage heart.

His dark brown eyes still tear her apart. And even as she steels herself to finally tell him off after twelve years, the old fireworks are still there.

Things are about to go boom.

My Review:

I received a free copy through Nina Bocci PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4 stars — I enjoyed this one, as I enjoy all of Ms. Bowen’s works…but for some reason that I cannot define, I procrastinated a lot while reading this book.  So I’m not sure if it was my mood, or if I just wasn’t as captured by Benito and Skylar’s story, you know?  It’s so hard to tell.  I think it’s a bit of both in the end.

Characters are my bread and butter, and in the case of Skylar and Benito, I just didn’t fall in love with either of them.  I fell in STRONG like, for sure, but not in love.  All the elements were there for me to love both of them, but it just didn’t happen.

Skylar was hella damaged from her past/childhood, and I felt for what she went through.  The abuse from Gage was really insidious in all the little ways it dug in and stayed in her psyche.  I thought that was explored really well, and I loved Benito’s description of the little sexual room in each person…what a great way to visualize it.  Skylar was sweet, and a mix of sassy and meek that was intriguing.  And can I just say that I LOVED that she was a tall girl?  Represent!  I also loved the way the story with her job/career worked out, even as at the beginning I wasn’t sure I would.  But for some reason I had less patience with her romantic growth.  I felt like while I got her trust issues, I was also mad at the two of them for not airing things out.  I’m not a fan of miscommunication tropes, and this one spanned the entire book (though it remained in the background for most of it).

I thought I would absolutely LOVE Benito from reading previous books in the series.  And he was most certainly his own mix of intriguing characteristics — unbelievably sweet and considerate mixed with dirty talking.  But I just…I liked him, but he didn’t make my book boyfriend list.  And I honestly don’t know why.  I think he just didn’t stand out for me.  There were moments when I totally thought he was going to, because honestly some of the ways he treated Skylar were just STELLAR.  He was perfect at watching her moods and not pressing her.  He was a truly great guy in general (with the occasional misstep here and there).  But again, the miscommunication happened on both sides.

As for their romance, it was another area where I definitely enjoyed it, but just wasn’t blown away.  I think I enjoyed the sweetness more than the steaminess with these two, which is not to say the steaminess wasn’t…well, steamy.  😛  I’m just so articulate today.

I thought the sprinkles of the past were really well done, and it was an interesting decision to write from an almost omniscient 3rd person?  I’m not good at figuring out all those different POVs.  Anyways, it worked for me, it just took me a minute to adjust to it.  While there were many heartbreaking moments, I think I loved these glimpses into the past, because it made me fall in love with Skylar and Benito together.  Their present selves just needed a kick in the pants.

I enjoyed the little bit of action/suspense side plot we got with Benito’s case, and how that tied in with Rayanne.  Though I will admit that I almost wished there was more closure with Rayanne’s bit…maybe it’s been left open ended for a reason??  Things that make you go hmmmm….

So yeah.  Ms. Bowen really can’t go wrong for me in this series…even presenting a miscommunication trope, which is low on my list, I still really enjoyed myself.  And as always it was awesome to get glimpses of other True North characters, and even get some closure on a few little storylines (Zara).  I have no idea if there’s going to be more, but I sincerely hope so.