Ok, I have a confession to make. I kind of made a mistake reading this book. I knew that Hannah Grace had written "Icebreaker", but I didn't r…
Ok, I have a confession to make. I kind of made a mistake reading this book. I knew that Hannah Grace had written "Icebreaker", but I didn't realise that "Icebreaker" was the first in the Maple Hills series, followed by “Wildfire". Oops! If I had known that, I'd have definitely read "Icebreaker" before reading "Wildfire". But anyway, I've read "Wildfire" and here are my thoughts on it!
Let's set the scene:
Maple Hills students Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts cross each other's paths at a college party. One thing leads to another and they end up having a passionate one-night stand. Aurora slips away the next morning before Russ has the chance to ask her for her full name.
A short time afterwards, they end up unexpectedly bumping into each other at a Summer camp they'll be working at for the next few weeks. Both have their reasons for deciding to work at the Honey Acres camp. Russ is dealing with his father and his gambling addiction and wants to get as far away from it as possible. Aurora (also referred to as Rory) wants to go back to this Summer camp she attended a lot of Summers growing up where it feels like home.
Camp rules state that there is a "no fraternising rule" at the camp. Russ knows that breaking this rule will mean no job for him for the Summer. However, Aurora is not one to care about sticking to the rules. Will the two of them learn to work together harmoniously or will they give into temptation once more?
What are my thoughts on Wildfire?
This is such a lovely read. It just has a nice flow to it, there's no on-off kind of relationship between Russ and Aurora, it's just plain and simple and quite romantic.
This contemporary romance will really melt your heart and there are even some funny moments during the book. I like that Russ has that sensibleness going on and that Aurora is more of the rulebreaker, it does create that lovely balance between the two. It's good to see the journey between these two characters. As we alternate between Russ's and Aurora's POV for each chapter, we see how Russ finds it difficult to open up, particularly about his das's problems. Aurora is patient with him though and allows him to open up when he's ready to. Aurora feels very unwanted by her father and has a very strained relationship with him. Something I know all too well. Russ is there to pick up the pieces for her, which is lovely to read.
The family aspect between all of their friends not just at the college, but at Honey Acres is heartwarming. I have friends who are like family to me and it was lovely to see friends getting along so well and not arguing over petty things. I loved the other characters in this book, including Russ's friends at college, camp leader Jenna (who has practically seen Aurora grow up over the years) and fellow campmates and friends Xander and Emilia.
The only slight issue I have with the book is the front cover. Russ and Aurora look oddly 'too' alike in looks. But I always imagine what the characters look like in my imagination anyway rather than what they look like on the front cover!
Overall, this book is a book I'd recommend if you want a nice rom-com to settle down with before bed!
*Trigger Warning* - this book is spicy, so it's for over 18's only. It also deals with parental abandonment, alcoholism and gambling addiction.
Let me know your thoughts on Wildfire by Hannah Grace!
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*There are PR items from Hello Klean in this post. See the end of the post for more details.
Ever notice this - when you wash your hair in different places, your hair feels different to what it would feel if you washed it at home? I get you. Whenever I've been away to a hotel, if I wash my hair there, my hair feels more luxurious afterwards than it would when I wash it in my bathroom. This could be because of 'hard water'. The type of water that runs through our taps is defined by whether it's hard or soft water. Hard water means when water has a high mineral content. Meanwhile, soft water has a lower content of minerals present. I looked at a map of this and I live in an area where we have moderately hard water. This means that it can be harder to properly clean hair and skin. However, Hello Klean has come up with a solution to this problem.
Who are Hello Klean?
Hello Klean is a company that aims to wash away all of your hard water woes with their shower care products. They use FDA-approved filtration ingredients to help with ridding hard water from our taps and shower heads. Hello Klean is also a cruelty-free brand who uses vegan and clinically proven formulas in its products.
How do I know if I have hard water coming through my taps?
A surefire way to find out this is by looking at your taps - do they have a crusty-like deposit on them? Does your kettle have limescale? If so, you live in an area which has high hard water.
What products does Hello Klean sell?
Hello Klean is predominantly well-known for making shower heads and shower filters to alleviate the effects of hard water. Also, they sell shampoos and conditioners as well as these two products I'm reviewing today - their Clarifying Scalp Soak and Exfoliating Scalp Brush.
What is the Clarifying Scalp Soak and how do you use it?
Hello Klean's Clarifying Scalp Soak aims to soak off scalp build-up and tackle hard water with a blend of apple cider vinegar and Phytic acid. It also helps to restore the scalp's natural acidic balance. To use the scalp soak, apply it onto the wet scalp, covering all sections of the head and leaving it on for a minimum of five minutes. You can then rinse it out and follow it with conditioner if desired.
The Scalp Soak is ok for use on coloured hair (a thumbs up from me) and is also ok to use if you have sensitive skin or scalp. The Scalp Soak is great to use if you suffer from an itchy and/or flakey scalp.
What is the Exfoliating Scalp Brush and what does it do?
Hello Klean's Exfoliating Scalp Brush is a scalp massager that exfoliates and helps to boost blood flow. When using it, use light to medium pressure and slowly massage all areas of the head. You can use this with the Scalp Soak to get the best results.
The brush is suitable for all hair types.
My overall thoughts on Hello Klean and these two products
I have noticed a good difference in when I've used the Scalp Soak. My scalp does look a little healthier than it did previously. I wouldn't use it for every hair wash, but it's good to have it when my scalp needs a little TLC.
The star of the show for me has to be the Scalp Brush. Since I've been using it when I shampoo my hair, I've noticed the difference in terms of how soft my hair feels afterwards! I've even used it when my hair is dry (washing the brush in between uses) so my scalp gets a little pick-me-up in between hair washes.
I would recommend Hello Klean if you're someone who lives in an area notoriously known for having hard water. If I had a working shower, I would have loved to try the Purifying Shower Head to see if that made a difference to my hair.
What I also love about this brand is that their products and packaging have a lovely minimalistic look and also their sustainability practice. Most of Hello Klean's products are recyclable (except their filter mixes).
Overall, I really like Hello Klean and I love what the brand is doing and what they stand for!
I'd love to know your thoughts on this!
*These items from Hello Klean were sent to me in exchange for a review. All views are my own. For more information, please read my disclaimer. Thank you for your support!
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