Review: I LOVE Cole, I love the story, I love the small town girl who wants more in life. MUST READ!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 1, 2013
Up In Flamesby Nicole Williams4 StarsBravo Ms. Williams! You became one of my favorite YA writers after reading such series as Crash and Eternal Eden that have been my favorite reads of 2012. Now Ms. Williams has moved on up with an amazing Adult novel, Up In Flames.Up In Flames is about 18 year Elle Montgomery who has her whole life planned out for her by her father and high school boyfriend Logan. Elle and Logan have been together since Elle was 16 but have been friends since childhood. The two just graduated from High School and Logan plans to propose to Elle over the summer and let their life begin. Elle wants more in her life, she wants to move away from their small Washington state town and go to college. She wants to know what it feels to be wanted... sexually... and go beyond her and Logan's "G" relationship.As summer begins, the Smoke Jumpers come to town to protect & stop the forest fires that threaten Washington each summer. The Smoke Jumpers are men who thrive jumping out of planes to put out the fires with no care in the world or roots to settle down. Cole is one of the Smoke Jumpers in town this summer and has his eyes set for Elle. The two develop a connection that not even Elle can explain but she wants to be the person Cole is and Cole is the only one who supports Elle in her wants/needs to live the life she wants, not the one that has been planned for her by her father and boyfriend. Cole and Elle develop a romantic relationship, Elle experiencing things with Cole that she could never imagine doing with Logan... her boyfriend.  Elle has to decide what and who she wants in her life.Up In Flames was a great surprise for me as I read the novel. I wasn't sure what exactly I was expecting; I knew it would be good because I love Nicole Williams's novels but had no idea Up In Flames would have such an effect on me as I read it. First let me tell you, you will LOVE Cole... he is totally swoon worthy and moving his way up in my top 2013 book boyfriend list. The scenes of Cole and Elle together are extremely hot and sexy, even when they were not having actual "sex" the scenes were steamy. I loved the character of Cole so very much, even Elle was a really likeable character that even with her cheating on Logan, her sweet high school boyfriend I couldn't hate her. I felt sorry for her because of the small town life she was stuck in and couldn't voice her opinion and no one asked for it either.The relationship Cole and Elle developed was beautiful and epic on every level; it was hot, sexy, but tender, and loving. Elle saved Cole from his life as much as he saved her from his. The ending was really nice but I am hoping there will be a book two. It ended with a perfect set up continuing with another book. As of now I have not heard but I would be deeply disappointed if Cole and Elle's journey ends here.I highly recommend Up In Flames to those who loved the Crash series, I found the two books somewhat similar but Up In Flames is definitely more of an Adult book then Crash. Also it had the same cheating on a good-boy with a bad-boy set up as the famous Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens if you enjoyed that storyline you will love Up In Flames.I give Up In Flames 4 giant STARS! It is a must read for 2013!