Book Review: Wildfire by Hannah Grace

If you’ve been on the hockey romance train since Icebreaker, or even before that, you probably had high hopes for Hannah Grace’s second novel in the series, Wildfire. I know I did. I was excited to see Russ (aka Muffin) finally get his own story. What I got instead wasn’t at all what I thought I signed up for.

Here’s my full breakdown in this Wildfire by Hannah Grace book review:

characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Russ stole the show for me in Icebreaker, so I practically cheered when he strutted into the spotlight in Wildfire. Both main characters came stacked with backstories that shaped how they tackled love, friendship, and, honestly, life itself. They had so much depth, this story could’ve ditched the series label and stood on its own. Actually, if it had, I probably would’ve rated this much higher. Their emotional weight carried the book across the finish line, even when the so-called hockey romance vibes tripped and face-planted.

Spice / Romance ⭐⭐☆☆☆

The spice showed up, but not the kind I ordered. Instead of sizzling hockey-player energy, sharp banter, or even a spark worth fanning, I got Wildfire. A book where the romance slid in like a lukewarm friendship someone dressed up as “love” just for kicks. If you strolled in craving Icebreaker-level heat and witty one-liners, brace yourself—you won’t find them here. Some readers might call that a refreshing twist. I call it a major letdown.

Plot & Pacing ⭐⭐☆☆☆

Plenty of things technically happened, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The pacing dragged, and instead of the high-energy sports-romance vibes I wanted, I got stuck with a snoozy summer-camp-counselors plot. I craved teammates chirping at each other, quirky hockey banter, and the adrenaline of both the game and the romance. In other words, I wanted the exact magic that made me fall for Icebreaker. Instead, I slogged through a half-secret fling at sleepaway camp. My interest flatlined so hard I took an almost monthlong break. When I finally picked it back up just to cross the finish line, I didn’t even need a recap. Why? Because, let’s be real, nothing worth remembering had actually happened.

Vibes ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

The overall vibe screamed summer camp. And honestly? It wasn’t awful. It actually reminded me of my own college summer wrangling kids at YMCA Camp Kern (which I adored). If I’d bought this book expecting a sweet camp romance, I would’ve felt way more prepared for what I got. If you’re into barely-hidden flings, bunk beds, and an “almost” second-chance romance, you’ll probably eat this setting up. But me? I missed the hockey, the team chaos, and the chirping banter, so the whole thing landed a little flat.

sparkle Factor ⭐⭐☆☆☆

Here’s the deal: I bought this book expecting a hockey romance.. I guess I could’ve looked at the cover and avoided a lot of heart break. It straight-up wasn’t that at all. I expected more of the sweaty, chirpy, adrenaline-filled hockey goodness from book one.

What did I get instead? A male lead who’s technically a hockey player but never once touches the ice. No games. No practices. Just vague teammate name-drops, campfire sneaking around, and enough s’mores talk to make me want to raid my pantry. That total bait-and-switch killed my vibe so hard I set the book down for nearly a month. Sure, the writing held up, but disappointment clung to every page. Just like marshmallow goo stuck on my butt after standing up from a campfire chair. Side note… this totally happened to my brand new camp jean shorts 2 days into camp, and it totally sucked. Just as much as this book not living up to what I wanted.

Final Thoughts on Wildfire, by Hannah Grace

Wildfire isn’t a bad book—it just wasn’t the book I was hoping for. If you go in expecting summer camp romance with a bit of light spice, you’ll probably enjoy it. It’s sweet, funny, and well-written. But if you’re craving the hockey team dynamic and sports-romance energy that Icebreaker totally delivered, you may walk away just as frustrated as I did.

Is there a book you’d like me to review next? Let me know in the comments below… I’m a bit bored by my TBR right now!