Sometimes novellas are fully realized, and you get a whole story packed into a short amount of time. Others skate over points of the story to get to the end. Heat Stroke by Skye Turner started as the former but unfortunately ended up more like the latter.
I was intrigued at the beginning. I mean, how can you not get behind a gal who works at a lumber mill and isn’t afraid to jump in to get dirty work done? That was one of my favorite aspects of the entire plot. It was a unique setting, and Wren was comfortable in it. It seemed as if the lumber mill gave Wren a lot of confidence and strength.
She needs that strength when the bane of her high school existence, Blaze Carrington, shows up in the mill and the two get thrown together to work on a project. And herein lies the main issue I had with the book.
The fact that Blaze and his friends made Wren’s life a living hell in high school is a significant point, and both characters refer to this several times. However, there is never a lot of detail given as to what exactly they did (except make her feel bad). I would have liked some more specific examples to provide the animosity with some depth.
As it was, Wren mentions it quite a few times but says in chapter four that she is over it. She sure mentions it a lot of times if she is actually over it.
I also made notes that there seemed to be a bizarre obsession with Wren’s hair – she refers to the weight and thickness of it often. It was weird. All that aside, the chemistry between Blaze and Wren is palpable, and their HEA is enjoyable. I do just wish that there had been a more in-depth backstory to give their reconciliation a boost. But if you know that it’s a quick read, you should like this book.
