Book Review: Up in Flames by Nicole Williams

Title: Up In Flames by Nicole Williams
Series: Stand-Alone
Released: December 19, 2012
Source: Nook Book
Genre: Contemporary/ Mature YA
Rating: 3/5

Summary from Goodreads:

One small town girl with a bright future. 
One smokejumper with a dark past. 
One summer that will forever change them both. 
They’re going . . .

Up In Flames. 


Elle’s life couldn’t possibly get any more small town than it already is. She was raised in the same home as the two generations before her were, her family owns the iconic downtown cafe, and she’s been dating the pastor’s son since she was allowed to go on her first date at sixteen. 

Cole’s life couldn’t possibly get any larger. He’s tried. Roaming from town to town for the past three summers as a smokejumper, Cole dreads the thought of putting down roots. The only thing he avoids more than that is settling down with one woman, especially when there are as many willing women as there are trees in the forest he jumps out of planes to save.

Elle Montgomery’s life is going one way. And Cole Carson’s is going the opposite. There’s no reason their paths should ever intersect, even in a small town in central Washington. 

But summer in the Methow Valley has other plans for Elle and Cole. After an awkward run-in at the local swimming hole, Elle tries to keep away from the guy who looks at her like she’s already lying beneath him in bed. She fails. Cole is about as successful at staying away from the girl who seems immune to his charms.

As the summer heats up, and tensions between Elle and Cole run high, he begins to realize there’s more he’s attracted to than Elle’s body, and she discovers there’s a lot more to the man that jumps out of planes into raging forest fires than meets the eye.

UP IN FLAMES is a New Adult Romance intended for mature readers due to steamy content and saucy language.

I am a huge fan of Nicole William's Crash series, but this one didn't impress me quite as much. It was a really entertaining and quick read, it was just missing that something to really make it stand out.

Basically, this is the story of Elle, whose life isn't really her own. She lives day after day doing whatever her father and boyfriend, Logan, ask of her. They pretty much make all her decisions and plans for her and she never questions them; she never really even thinks of questioning them. It's the summer after high school and Elle's future promises a marriage and settling down into family life with Logan... even though Elle secretly sent out a bunch of college applications. And then she meets Cole.

Cole is a sexy smoke-jumper and the complete opposite of Logan. He comes to town, shakes up Elle's world and makes her questions everything about her life.

Lots of angst and drama ensues.

I liked this book, and like I said before, it flowed nicely and was very entertaining, it just lacked a certain depth. Elle and Cole seemed much more lusty to me then crazily in-love and they had only known each other a very short time anyway. I had no issues believing their lust for each other, but I did have issues believing their love.

If you're usually a fan of the new adult genre I'd recommend Up in Flames. All the elements are there; girl figuring out who she is in the world, abnormally hot guy, and lots of steamy scenes.

3 STARS

Enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away.