Virtual Book Tour: Ignite- Lily Paradis

Title:  Ignite

Author:  Lily Paradis

Publisher/Year:  Empire/2014

Genre:  Young Adult, Romance,

Format: ePub given for free from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Other Books By Author:   Debut Novel

The Juicy Stuff:

After her father’s untimely demise in a mining accident and her mother’s abandonment, Lauren Lindsay is no stranger to loss. She’s used to living life for one person: herself. That is, until another family tragedy thrusts three children into her care and uproots her life in ways she could never imagine.

Lauren's first instinct is to run, until she meets their striking, mysterious neighbor Dean Powell. Their immediate chemistry and his connection with her late father just might be enough to keep her in town long enough to uncover pieces of her past that she never had answers to. Dean’s shady past and her reluctance to trust him could cost her the life she's always been searching for, but will she run back to her old life?

Or will she choose to stay and live the life her father always imagined for her?

How It Made Me Feel:

The book starts off with Lauren needing to run home in Colorado to take the guardianship of her 2 step-siblings and quickly turns into the journey Lauren takes, along with the children and Dean, to learn more about her father, fall in love, and ultimately, learn more about herself.  To be completely honest, I couldn't get enough of this book.  I loved it from the very beginning with Lauren's awkward DMV dance with the tall, attractive young man to the moment where she unwittingly set off an enormous avalanche.  Lauren is the kind of person  I find myself wishing was my friend, though she wasn't the best in the friend department.  Lily Paradis did a fabulous job of introducing Lauren's character to us in small parts, showing us bits and pieces of her background, personality, and argumentative side until we couldn't help but love Lauren as we might our own sister or best friend.  The book was very easy to get into and fast paced, but was so well written, that at times, it didn't even feel like I was reading a book, instead, being in Colorado with the snow and the pines.    Lauren's misfortunes and blessings laid heavy in my mind and I found myself slowly wishing I could help Lauren with her issues.  But I am more than aware that Lily Paradis did a fantastic job of reeling us in with her characters quick wit and sometimes sarcastic temperament. I couldn't have even thought to have done a better job myself. 

What I Thought Worked:

I loved the flow, speed, and plot of the storyline.  It was well though out and paced so the reader was able to follow along and understand everything that was happening in a positive and entertaining way.  I also loved Dean's character.  Who didn't? :3  I know I wish he was real so I could steal him off to a deserted desert island and not have to share him.  His uplifting and sometimes moody character was easy to like and even easier to love.  He was a character that I latched onto from the very beginning and was his biggest cheerleader to the end. 

What I Thought Didn't Work:

I have absolutely no complaints about this book and I loved it precisely the way it was written.  Even the cover is amazingly beautiful and the texture is to die for. 

Rating

Why It Got That Rating:

How much more can I say to praise this book?  Ignite will always have a special place on my bookshelf and I know I will be rereading it more than once.  Lauren was a character that I could relate to, so being able to go back to her world everyone in a while would be grand.

Who Would I Recommend To:

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a great love story that takes a bit of time to build up.  Lauren and Dean's relationship is rocky at best, from the beginning, but through out the book, changes.   It's a beautiful story about learning who you are and learning to love.

Last Impressions/Remarks:

I was definitely impressed with this book and will not be able to stop singing it's praises anywhere I go.  I will be putting it on my "Go-To" List for recommendations.