What do you think?
Rate this book
Sparks Fly
A late bloomer thought a visit to a sex club might jump start her love life, but instead makes an instant connection that turns her whole world upside down, in this adult debut from author Zakiya N. Jamal.
When Stella Renee Johnson’s roommate invites her to a sex club party but bails at the last minute, Stella decides to use the opportunity to finally cash in her V-card. But just when things are heating up between Stella and a sexy stranger, they realize they don’t have protection and Stella, taking it as a sign this wasn’t meant to be, flees.
Frustrated in more ways than one, Stella is shocked to learn that the digital media website where she works is partnering with an AI company. She’s even more shocked when the alluring man from the previous night walks in. Max Williams is the CEO’s brother and the creator of the AI program now threatening her job.
Despite the conflict of interest, Stella and Max can’t resist their magnetic attraction toward each other, and agree to keep their personal lives separate from what’s happening at work. But the more similarities they discover at home—both Black, book smart, and bisexual—the more they butt heads at work. Stella and Max must decide whether to think with their heads and walk away from their budding relationship, or follow their hearts and take a chance on love, no matter the cost.
When Stella Renee Johnson’s roommate invites her to a sex club party but bails at the last minute, Stella decides to use the opportunity to finally cash in her V-card. But just when things are heating up between Stella and a sexy stranger, they realize they don’t have protection and Stella, taking it as a sign this wasn’t meant to be, flees.
Frustrated in more ways than one, Stella is shocked to learn that the digital media website where she works is partnering with an AI company. She’s even more shocked when the alluring man from the previous night walks in. Max Williams is the CEO’s brother and the creator of the AI program now threatening her job.
Despite the conflict of interest, Stella and Max can’t resist their magnetic attraction toward each other, and agree to keep their personal lives separate from what’s happening at work. But the more similarities they discover at home—both Black, book smart, and bisexual—the more they butt heads at work. Stella and Max must decide whether to think with their heads and walk away from their budding relationship, or follow their hearts and take a chance on love, no matter the cost.
320 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2025
41 people are currently reading
12648 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
December 23, 2025
4.5/5
I NEEEED more books from this author because this book was so perfect! Literally felt like I was watching a movie while reading it because it touched on so many topics like friendship, careers, and navigating love for the first time. Still can’t believe that this is the first adult book this author has ever written!
I NEEEED more books from this author because this book was so perfect! Literally felt like I was watching a movie while reading it because it touched on so many topics like friendship, careers, and navigating love for the first time. Still can’t believe that this is the first adult book this author has ever written!
November 25, 2025
Sparks Fly is a swoony and steamy romance following Stella, a writer and late bloomer, so ready to lose her virginity that she goes to a sex club hoping to meet someone, and Max, the stranger she hooks up with at said club. When Stella returns to work the following week, she is shocked to come face to face with Max again, as his company partners up with her workplace to introduce an AI program that may wipe out her job entirely.
This was such a fun and bingeable read! Max and Stella had incredible chemistry, and I loved that they took their time getting to know each other while also diving into their attraction in the bedroom. The writing and workplace plot added just enough drama to balance out the otherwise low-stakes vibes, and I loved how everything came together in the end. Max was a complete gentleman, and I adored how obsessed he was with Stella and how willing he was to make things work despite the complications. The man was seriously so smitten and desperate for any attention Stella tossed his way, and it was adorable. If you enjoy sweet and simple romances with a hint of drama, all the steam, and relatable characters, this is the book for you!
Read if you like:
✨Bi4Bi✨
✨Virgin x Serial Monogamist✨
✨NYC Setting✨
✨Afro-Latine MCs✨
✨Healthy Communication✨
~Thank you so much Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
This was such a fun and bingeable read! Max and Stella had incredible chemistry, and I loved that they took their time getting to know each other while also diving into their attraction in the bedroom. The writing and workplace plot added just enough drama to balance out the otherwise low-stakes vibes, and I loved how everything came together in the end. Max was a complete gentleman, and I adored how obsessed he was with Stella and how willing he was to make things work despite the complications. The man was seriously so smitten and desperate for any attention Stella tossed his way, and it was adorable. If you enjoy sweet and simple romances with a hint of drama, all the steam, and relatable characters, this is the book for you!
Read if you like:
✨Bi4Bi✨
✨Virgin x Serial Monogamist✨
✨NYC Setting✨
✨Afro-Latine MCs✨
✨Healthy Communication✨
~Thank you so much Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
November 9, 2025
4.25 / 5 Stars
This was a great, quick read with low angst romance! In “Sparks Fly,” Stella is a late bloomer. She is 27 years old and still a virgin and she is ready to lose her V-card. Naturally that leads her to a night at a sex club with her roommate to get the deed over with. There she meets a hot stranger and while they have some fun, there are some snags, they don’t go all the way (PiV sex at least), and Stella skedaddles. Much to her surprise, she sees Max, the sexy stranger, at work the next day because he is the CEO’s brother and he is introducing a new AI product to help her company be more productive. Despite the complications, Max and Stella are still very attracted to each other, which only makes the tangled web they wove even more tangled.
You will probably like this book if you like:
💖 Virgin FMC x Serial Monogamist MMC
💖 Bi4Bi (and other LGBTQ+ representation)
💖 Exploration of being a late bloomer in life
💖 Afro-Latine main characters
💖 Adopted child representation
💖 Discussions of grief
💖 Discussion of use of AI in artistic process
I think the author did a great job of capturing what it feels like to be a later in life virgin. As one, I think she captured the weird juxtaposition of having life experience, skills, and self-confidence in many areas of life, but also feeling inexperienced and insecure in another area. Stella was not fumbling around all the time but she did feel nervous with Max. And then there is the other weird balance of not wanting to make it a big deal but sometimes it does feel like a big deal. It’s complicated and not necessarily straightforward and I really appreciated the portrayal. My only wish was for there to be less of a focus on connecting virginity and penetrative sex. I feel like it just perpetuates a heteronormative connection and that kind of surprised me because there were so many queer characters in this book. I totally understand Stella wanted to experience all aspects of sex but I wish she didn’t feel like she was a virgin until she had PiV sex.
Also if you have ever gotten ahead of yourself in relationships (who amongst us hasn’t) or if you have ever felt like no one that you like likes you back, you will relate heavily to Stella. And there was a lot of queer representation in this book (there is an aromantic side character which was really great to see since it feels rare).
Max and Stella had a pretty low angst relationship which was a nice change of pace. They met in a sex club but after that, they had a pretty standard dating journey. They went on dates. They got to know each other. They hooked up. It was not a slow burn but didn’t feel insta-lusty either which was pretty refreshing too. I felt like sometimes Max felt too perfect. We love an emotionally intelligent and regulated man, but I wanted to see some more emotion out of him especially at the end. And it was hard to tell if Max was being sarcastic or cocky with some of his jokes. I think the former, but it wasn’t always clear.
Because their relationship was low angst, the drama came from other relationships and the work conflict. I feel like we did gloss over some AI related questions (for example, one of Stella’s coworkers asked Max about the environmental impact of AI and that is just ignored), which felt like a missed opportunity to have a deeper discussion.
All of that being said, Max and Stella had fun chemistry and I felt myself rooting for them the whole book.
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: December 2, 2025
_______________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: You know when you're in a life slump and then everything you pick up to read just doesn't feel right and then your book slump makes your life slump worse (and rinse and repeat)? Yeah, that's me right now. So I am picking up a book that I am super excited to read and just crossing my fingers. Otherwise, we are going to have to hire one of those Etsy witches to give me some good juju. 😆😆😆
This was a great, quick read with low angst romance! In “Sparks Fly,” Stella is a late bloomer. She is 27 years old and still a virgin and she is ready to lose her V-card. Naturally that leads her to a night at a sex club with her roommate to get the deed over with. There she meets a hot stranger and while they have some fun, there are some snags, they don’t go all the way (PiV sex at least), and Stella skedaddles. Much to her surprise, she sees Max, the sexy stranger, at work the next day because he is the CEO’s brother and he is introducing a new AI product to help her company be more productive. Despite the complications, Max and Stella are still very attracted to each other, which only makes the tangled web they wove even more tangled.
You will probably like this book if you like:
💖 Virgin FMC x Serial Monogamist MMC
💖 Bi4Bi (and other LGBTQ+ representation)
💖 Exploration of being a late bloomer in life
💖 Afro-Latine main characters
💖 Adopted child representation
💖 Discussions of grief
💖 Discussion of use of AI in artistic process
I think the author did a great job of capturing what it feels like to be a later in life virgin. As one, I think she captured the weird juxtaposition of having life experience, skills, and self-confidence in many areas of life, but also feeling inexperienced and insecure in another area. Stella was not fumbling around all the time but she did feel nervous with Max. And then there is the other weird balance of not wanting to make it a big deal but sometimes it does feel like a big deal. It’s complicated and not necessarily straightforward and I really appreciated the portrayal. My only wish was for there to be less of a focus on connecting virginity and penetrative sex. I feel like it just perpetuates a heteronormative connection and that kind of surprised me because there were so many queer characters in this book. I totally understand Stella wanted to experience all aspects of sex but I wish she didn’t feel like she was a virgin until she had PiV sex.
Also if you have ever gotten ahead of yourself in relationships (who amongst us hasn’t) or if you have ever felt like no one that you like likes you back, you will relate heavily to Stella. And there was a lot of queer representation in this book (there is an aromantic side character which was really great to see since it feels rare).
Max and Stella had a pretty low angst relationship which was a nice change of pace. They met in a sex club but after that, they had a pretty standard dating journey. They went on dates. They got to know each other. They hooked up. It was not a slow burn but didn’t feel insta-lusty either which was pretty refreshing too. I felt like sometimes Max felt too perfect. We love an emotionally intelligent and regulated man, but I wanted to see some more emotion out of him especially at the end. And it was hard to tell if Max was being sarcastic or cocky with some of his jokes. I think the former, but it wasn’t always clear.
Because their relationship was low angst, the drama came from other relationships and the work conflict. I feel like we did gloss over some AI related questions (for example, one of Stella’s coworkers asked Max about the environmental impact of AI and that is just ignored), which felt like a missed opportunity to have a deeper discussion.
All of that being said, Max and Stella had fun chemistry and I felt myself rooting for them the whole book.
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: December 2, 2025
_______________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: You know when you're in a life slump and then everything you pick up to read just doesn't feel right and then your book slump makes your life slump worse (and rinse and repeat)? Yeah, that's me right now. So I am picking up a book that I am super excited to read and just crossing my fingers. Otherwise, we are going to have to hire one of those Etsy witches to give me some good juju. 😆😆😆
May 30, 2025
This one gripped me from page 1 and I zoomed through - deliciously steamy (I mean, what a meet cute!), soft and tender, and VERY topical (I bet when you pick this up you don’t think you’re going to get a takedown of AI alongside your romance - AND YET!) Loved the writing, loved the conversations on identity and sexuality and complicated friendships and the growing pains of being a late bloomer. Stella completely has my heart. She’s funny, endlessly relatable, and courageous - and truly meets her match in Max.
October 28, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! As a debut adult romance from a YA writer, it still felt innocent while touching more adult topics. Stella and Max were very enjoyable and relatable. This is a super cozy romance that’d I’d recommend to anyone, especially during during the holidays!
November 13, 2025
3.5 ✨ thank you Berkley Romance for the e-arc! This was a very solid adult debut! I thought the story was cute with the minimal drama. A good palette cleanser.
I thought the relationship between Max and Stella was sweet and the progression of their relationship felt natural. I was nervous about the AI subplot in this story but I think Jamal makes her stance pretty clear on how she feels about it which was definitely appreciated it. Overall really cute story
I thought the relationship between Max and Stella was sweet and the progression of their relationship felt natural. I was nervous about the AI subplot in this story but I think Jamal makes her stance pretty clear on how she feels about it which was definitely appreciated it. Overall really cute story
December 4, 2025
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the arc!
4.75 stars
This was a great adult romance debut! It was compulsively readable, and I literally couldn't put it down (though unfortunately I did have to sleep at some point). I really loved Stella as the FMC; she was a very fun and relatable main character! I loved getting a story about a late-bloomer in the dating scene, and I really enjoyed watching her grow in her relationship with Max. Max was a wonderful MMC; he was literally the perfect man. He was so supportive of everything Stella did, and I really liked him. The side characters were also super fun!
I really liked how the author wrote about relationships in this book. Not only the romantic relationships, but also Stella's friendship with Chelsea. I thought this was such a great plot line, and I really enjoyed it. I also liked the slightly complicated relationship between Max and Miles, and I thought it was very well written as well. This book was incredibly well written; I adore Zakiya's writing style and characterization, and I will 100% by picking up any other books she writes! I would completely recommend this book! :)
4.75 stars
This was a great adult romance debut! It was compulsively readable, and I literally couldn't put it down (though unfortunately I did have to sleep at some point). I really loved Stella as the FMC; she was a very fun and relatable main character! I loved getting a story about a late-bloomer in the dating scene, and I really enjoyed watching her grow in her relationship with Max. Max was a wonderful MMC; he was literally the perfect man. He was so supportive of everything Stella did, and I really liked him. The side characters were also super fun!
I really liked how the author wrote about relationships in this book. Not only the romantic relationships, but also Stella's friendship with Chelsea. I thought this was such a great plot line, and I really enjoyed it. I also liked the slightly complicated relationship between Max and Miles, and I thought it was very well written as well. This book was incredibly well written; I adore Zakiya's writing style and characterization, and I will 100% by picking up any other books she writes! I would completely recommend this book! :)
November 25, 2025
Sparks Fly, follows FMC Stella who is a virgin and a writer at a digital company. After being ditched by her best friend, she decides to still visit a sex club in hopes of finding someone to take her virginity. What she doesn’t anticipate is finding more than just that, but a connection that turns into so much more than she ever imagined! Unfortunately things don’t go as planned that day, and she runs away assuming she’ll never see him again. But, fortunately for her, she does! He happens to be the CEO of the AI company partnering with the company she works for- he’s her CEO’s brother!
This was an enjoyable read! It was quick and flowed easily. The writing was easy to follow and well paced. I loved Max as the MMC. He and Stella had a binge worthy connection from their very first meeting. Although Stella was the “late bloomer” in this relationship they both came off as very “green” which I found adorable! This is insta-love, though I tend to be more of. Slow burn, I didn’t mind it here at all. There is some third act conflict of some sort, but it was very realistic and not drawn out . I also thought the AI aspect was an interesting addition to the storyline, given current times we are in! I recommend this read and would read more from this author.
Note- this book was unexpectedly spicy 🥵🥵 I’d give it
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 most of the spice was the first 50% of the book then slowed down on the later half. I gave this 4 stars just due to wishing there was a little more depth to the relationship between Stella and Max.
This was an enjoyable read! It was quick and flowed easily. The writing was easy to follow and well paced. I loved Max as the MMC. He and Stella had a binge worthy connection from their very first meeting. Although Stella was the “late bloomer” in this relationship they both came off as very “green” which I found adorable! This is insta-love, though I tend to be more of. Slow burn, I didn’t mind it here at all. There is some third act conflict of some sort, but it was very realistic and not drawn out . I also thought the AI aspect was an interesting addition to the storyline, given current times we are in! I recommend this read and would read more from this author.
Note- this book was unexpectedly spicy 🥵🥵 I’d give it
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 most of the spice was the first 50% of the book then slowed down on the later half. I gave this 4 stars just due to wishing there was a little more depth to the relationship between Stella and Max.
December 4, 2025
After reading If We Were a Movie and being completely blown away by that book, I needed to read this story this second it became available and so once my library had it, I snatched that up.
The hook is absolutely amazing and I accidentally read this book faster than I meant to if you’re trying to save her this one and get it to last a month. Good luck to you. It’s too good.
Quick Tropes:
-Workplace setting
-Bi male main character
-Healthy relationship/comms (misscommunicstion was not a theme i picked up on)
-Mature main characters
What I really enjoyed about this book was seeing the male main character be bisexual instead of the female
This is not something I typically see in romance books, and this was really cool representation to be able to experience
I loved the fact that this book is so fresh with the workplace environment details we’ve got literally an artificial intelligence company, and there are two brothers working together, and there’s some internal conflict there as far as family and business and mixing those together and the ethics of artificial intelligence because the brothers company is an AI company.
I also usually get super picky when text messages are displayed in books as it needs to be formatted well or else it gets distracting and it needs to be kept to a minimum or I end up putting the book down. When I tell you I was reading these texts like they were sent to my own phone - that is how well this book is formatted. I read this on my Ipad so you never know. Its a small thing to many but a weirdly big thing for me.
This book starts out in a literal sex party of sorts and I could not stop giggling because it was unexpected and hilarious.
I love workplace romances, and this one hit the spot really well and I really think about it covered really relevant topics in a really profound way that not only made an impact, but made me feel validated and also weirdly comforted.
There is so much conversation around artificial intelligence and to see these directly mentioned in a romance book and handled the way it was something I don’t see often because it’s such a new thing (yet everyone knows about it).
From the interesting workplace dynamics to the characters that come to life on the page to the giggles you’ll experience and the good spice 🥵🌶️🌶️🌶️this book contains if you’re looking for a good romance book, I heavily recommend picking this one up.
I could probably talk about this book for a solid hour if given the chance because it’s really hard to find good romance books and I genuinely feel like I spent 20 minutes daily trying to find a good one in this fed my soul so well when I say I’m picky about romances, I am picky and this one was so good. It was like literally eating candy.
Thank you for this treat Libby and Zakiya N. Jamal and I am so excited to see what books come from this wonderful and talented author next.
I want to leave an Amazon review so bad but for some reason, Libby is not recognizing that I totally read this book and it’s not connected to Amazon. Amazon: Please let me leave book reviews my goodness.
The hook is absolutely amazing and I accidentally read this book faster than I meant to if you’re trying to save her this one and get it to last a month. Good luck to you. It’s too good.
Quick Tropes:
-Workplace setting
-Bi male main character
-Healthy relationship/comms (misscommunicstion was not a theme i picked up on)
-Mature main characters
What I really enjoyed about this book was seeing the male main character be bisexual instead of the female
This is not something I typically see in romance books, and this was really cool representation to be able to experience
I loved the fact that this book is so fresh with the workplace environment details we’ve got literally an artificial intelligence company, and there are two brothers working together, and there’s some internal conflict there as far as family and business and mixing those together and the ethics of artificial intelligence because the brothers company is an AI company.
I also usually get super picky when text messages are displayed in books as it needs to be formatted well or else it gets distracting and it needs to be kept to a minimum or I end up putting the book down. When I tell you I was reading these texts like they were sent to my own phone - that is how well this book is formatted. I read this on my Ipad so you never know. Its a small thing to many but a weirdly big thing for me.
This book starts out in a literal sex party of sorts and I could not stop giggling because it was unexpected and hilarious.
I love workplace romances, and this one hit the spot really well and I really think about it covered really relevant topics in a really profound way that not only made an impact, but made me feel validated and also weirdly comforted.
There is so much conversation around artificial intelligence and to see these directly mentioned in a romance book and handled the way it was something I don’t see often because it’s such a new thing (yet everyone knows about it).
From the interesting workplace dynamics to the characters that come to life on the page to the giggles you’ll experience and the good spice 🥵🌶️🌶️🌶️this book contains if you’re looking for a good romance book, I heavily recommend picking this one up.
I could probably talk about this book for a solid hour if given the chance because it’s really hard to find good romance books and I genuinely feel like I spent 20 minutes daily trying to find a good one in this fed my soul so well when I say I’m picky about romances, I am picky and this one was so good. It was like literally eating candy.
Thank you for this treat Libby and Zakiya N. Jamal and I am so excited to see what books come from this wonderful and talented author next.
I want to leave an Amazon review so bad but for some reason, Libby is not recognizing that I totally read this book and it’s not connected to Amazon. Amazon: Please let me leave book reviews my goodness.
November 29, 2025
Sparks Fly is a sweet and spicy delight!
Our lead heroine Stella is feeling like a late bloomer, and in one regards to this she is determined to lose her virginity. She is encouraged by her roommate and best friend to attend a very special sex club to achieve just that. Enter our lead hero Max, and thus begins a sizzling good night…well, until newfound plans fall apart. An impactful meet cute ends a bit disastrously…until our leads' paths cross again.
To quote a certain song, our leads Stella and Max have some really good bed chem, and I loved its exploration! It’s so sensual and positively explored. But one of my favorite moments between them comes outside of the bedroom, when they slow things down for a moment to open up to one another about their fluid sexuality (bi/pan). I always appreciate when a romance deepens through emotional connection, that emotional chord strengthens all that follows. Another exploration I loved was the exploration of the Latine culture. Both leads are Afro-Latine and as someone with a hispanic background it’s always so nice when its explored, even in small ways, like heading to a restaurant called Plantain Chips and eating deliciously familiar food like rope vieja. Loved it!
A subplot featured highlights the danger of A.I. in creative spaces. Stella is a content writer and when a competition comes along to use a newly incorporated “writing aid” (aka A.I.) to write content and win monetary prizes, Stella refuses. Which makes what happens next fantastically ironic. Stella proves there is no replacing human ingenuity and creativity! This subplot was one I was nervous about, but turns out I did not need to fret. The novel positively enforces the need to safeguard human creativity against A.I. Maybe A.I. can be served well in other areas, but it serves no purpose in replacing human, in creating words only humans can truly create. Machines don't have the souls we do, and I love how this is reinforced in the novel.
I will say, I did find the final act rather rushed. I wanted certain things to marinate more, and I wish we could have spent more time to do that. Like further resolution to the strained friendship between Stella and Chelsea; and given Miles is Max's brother, I expected a bit more there. But then again, maybe Milo will have his own book?! I'd be open to it!
Overall, this was a grand time!
Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
Our lead heroine Stella is feeling like a late bloomer, and in one regards to this she is determined to lose her virginity. She is encouraged by her roommate and best friend to attend a very special sex club to achieve just that. Enter our lead hero Max, and thus begins a sizzling good night…well, until newfound plans fall apart. An impactful meet cute ends a bit disastrously…until our leads' paths cross again.
To quote a certain song, our leads Stella and Max have some really good bed chem, and I loved its exploration! It’s so sensual and positively explored. But one of my favorite moments between them comes outside of the bedroom, when they slow things down for a moment to open up to one another about their fluid sexuality (bi/pan). I always appreciate when a romance deepens through emotional connection, that emotional chord strengthens all that follows. Another exploration I loved was the exploration of the Latine culture. Both leads are Afro-Latine and as someone with a hispanic background it’s always so nice when its explored, even in small ways, like heading to a restaurant called Plantain Chips and eating deliciously familiar food like rope vieja. Loved it!
A subplot featured highlights the danger of A.I. in creative spaces. Stella is a content writer and when a competition comes along to use a newly incorporated “writing aid” (aka A.I.) to write content and win monetary prizes, Stella refuses. Which makes what happens next fantastically ironic. Stella proves there is no replacing human ingenuity and creativity! This subplot was one I was nervous about, but turns out I did not need to fret. The novel positively enforces the need to safeguard human creativity against A.I. Maybe A.I. can be served well in other areas, but it serves no purpose in replacing human, in creating words only humans can truly create. Machines don't have the souls we do, and I love how this is reinforced in the novel.
I will say, I did find the final act rather rushed. I wanted certain things to marinate more, and I wish we could have spent more time to do that. Like further resolution to the strained friendship between Stella and Chelsea; and given Miles is Max's brother, I expected a bit more there. But then again, maybe Milo will have his own book?! I'd be open to it!
Overall, this was a grand time!
Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
November 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC.
This was difficult to get through. The premise and beginning are excellent- a virgin FMC who goes to a sex club on Valentine's Day to lose her virginity with the first man she can? Sign me up. Where this lost me was the AI aspect of it and the personal relationships between the MCs. The MMC owns an AI company and HAS NO IDEA what his brother is going to use his AI writing tool to do? C'mon. He could not be that clueless.
The dialogue was at times, awkward and juvenile. I could not get into it. The MCs were both childlike and immature. The FMC's friends were THE WORST!!!!! Honestly, how could she be friends with them and never have an honest conversation? This was painful to read and see her struggle to bring up the most basic conversations with her roommate. The insta love and virginity aspect of this plot did not do much for me, other than turn me off. I could not connect with the characters and did not honestly care if they ended up together. This read like a YA romance that was trying to be an adult romance, but fell very short.
I give some grace since this was the author's adult debut, but this was just not for me. This was a quick and easy read, and although it did have some issues.
This was difficult to get through. The premise and beginning are excellent- a virgin FMC who goes to a sex club on Valentine's Day to lose her virginity with the first man she can? Sign me up. Where this lost me was the AI aspect of it and the personal relationships between the MCs. The MMC owns an AI company and HAS NO IDEA what his brother is going to use his AI writing tool to do? C'mon. He could not be that clueless.
The dialogue was at times, awkward and juvenile. I could not get into it. The MCs were both childlike and immature. The FMC's friends were THE WORST!!!!! Honestly, how could she be friends with them and never have an honest conversation? This was painful to read and see her struggle to bring up the most basic conversations with her roommate. The insta love and virginity aspect of this plot did not do much for me, other than turn me off. I could not connect with the characters and did not honestly care if they ended up together. This read like a YA romance that was trying to be an adult romance, but fell very short.
I give some grace since this was the author's adult debut, but this was just not for me. This was a quick and easy read, and although it did have some issues.
November 16, 2025
Read This Book If…you love a sexy meet-cute!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal
Genre: romance
Setting: NYC
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Spice Level: 4/5🌶, 3-4 explicit scenes
Tropes: millionaire, virgin, phone sex
My Thoughts:
I was hooked from the first line and it did not let up! I binged this in less than 24 hours, so you know it’s good.
I particularly enjoyed how these two accidentally fell into a relationship. They were so sweet and understanding from the jump. I loved how they were both bi, but with vastly different amounts of experience.
With the meet-cute happening in a sex club, I was expecting the spice to more of a focus. While there are plenty of scenes, I didn’t find them to be particularly long or explicit.
I laughed, I pondered, I thought about AI in new ways. I can highly recomend!
Memorable Quote: “Stella Renee Johnson was going to lose her virginity in a sex club.”
Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy! This book will be available December 2!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal
Genre: romance
Setting: NYC
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Spice Level: 4/5🌶, 3-4 explicit scenes
Tropes: millionaire, virgin, phone sex
My Thoughts:
I was hooked from the first line and it did not let up! I binged this in less than 24 hours, so you know it’s good.
I particularly enjoyed how these two accidentally fell into a relationship. They were so sweet and understanding from the jump. I loved how they were both bi, but with vastly different amounts of experience.
With the meet-cute happening in a sex club, I was expecting the spice to more of a focus. While there are plenty of scenes, I didn’t find them to be particularly long or explicit.
I laughed, I pondered, I thought about AI in new ways. I can highly recomend!
Memorable Quote: “Stella Renee Johnson was going to lose her virginity in a sex club.”
Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy! This book will be available December 2!
March 16, 2025
Delightful. This was the bi4bi romance of my dreams. Such a delight! I hope we get more books in this world!!
December 7, 2025
This was a fun book that was both cute and had important workplace conversations. I liked how the book started by both mcs meeting at a sx club and instantly hitting off. After meeting in the club the main characters find themselves in the same workplace which complicates the relationship. I liked how the main characters hit off instantly with so much chemistry and sexual tension. I liked that even though the fmc was a virgin it was handled well and wasnt the focus even when she wasn’t any more. I thought the workplace plot on integrating AI into the work was interesting as we have one of the main characters was using AI in his multi millionaire company and the other was against it. I liked how it was addressed it in the book because it felt realistic and is relevant to society now. The romance was hot and heartfelt and i can’t wait to read more of this author’s adult books. Thanks to Berkley romance for this arc for an honest review.
Read for:
- Workplace romance
- Banter and chemistry
- Diverse Characters
- Black fmc and afro Latino mmc
Read for:
- Workplace romance
- Banter and chemistry
- Diverse Characters
- Black fmc and afro Latino mmc
October 15, 2025
SYNOPSIS
Stella Johnson, a “late bloomer” thought a visit to a sex club might jump start her love life, but instead makes an instant connection that turns her whole world upside down.
OVERALL
one of the spiciest meet cutes i’ve read that left me speechless - i knew i couldn’t NOT binge this book!
Quick chapters with an approachable writing style and main characters that aren’t big or loud but grounded, relatable, and detailed
Great plot that brought the MCs together in a fun way but also offered compelling takes on AI, journalism today, being a “late bloomer”, virginity, sexuality, and friendship
Love this sexy queer, black romance and you will too!
read for
- falling in love in NYC
- Bi4Bi Representation
- BIPOC MCs
- workplace romance
thank you to the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review
Stella Johnson, a “late bloomer” thought a visit to a sex club might jump start her love life, but instead makes an instant connection that turns her whole world upside down.
OVERALL
one of the spiciest meet cutes i’ve read that left me speechless - i knew i couldn’t NOT binge this book!
Quick chapters with an approachable writing style and main characters that aren’t big or loud but grounded, relatable, and detailed
Great plot that brought the MCs together in a fun way but also offered compelling takes on AI, journalism today, being a “late bloomer”, virginity, sexuality, and friendship
Love this sexy queer, black romance and you will too!
read for
- falling in love in NYC
- Bi4Bi Representation
- BIPOC MCs
- workplace romance
thank you to the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review
November 26, 2025
I couldn't resist the premise of this one as it's not every day the virgin FMC walks into a sex club as the opener to the book.
I really liked Stella. She's smart and stands up for herself and knows what she wants. Max is charming and driven and these two fall into a good amount of chemistry. There are a few friends on each side, but Effie and Kira stole the scenes they were in.
Plot wise, it's good. The story moves pretty quickly and has a few moving parts. The build up to the conflict wasn't directly relationship related and so there wasn't a third act breakup. I will say that the ending and epilogue felt rushed and if that had been fleshed out just a bit more, I probably would have given this 4 stars.
Overall, it was easy to root for these characters and I look forward to whatever Zakiya writes next.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I really liked Stella. She's smart and stands up for herself and knows what she wants. Max is charming and driven and these two fall into a good amount of chemistry. There are a few friends on each side, but Effie and Kira stole the scenes they were in.
Plot wise, it's good. The story moves pretty quickly and has a few moving parts. The build up to the conflict wasn't directly relationship related and so there wasn't a third act breakup. I will say that the ending and epilogue felt rushed and if that had been fleshed out just a bit more, I probably would have given this 4 stars.
Overall, it was easy to root for these characters and I look forward to whatever Zakiya writes next.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
December 2, 2025
3.75 rounded up! This was so cute and from the premise I knew it’d be a spicy moment but found myself grinning watching Stella and Max’s relationship develop. I liked the plot points of the AI tech and as someone who used to work in a digital newsroom in the age of listicles this hit very close to home 😂. And also loved seeing the bi m/f rep! Working in a romance bookstore I get requests for this all the time so I’m happy I’ll be able to rec this one. This is my 3rd book from an author this year who is making the shift from YA to adult and you can somehow tell in the dialogue. I just wish the ending wasn’t rushed- I actually had an eyebrow raise when “epilogue” popped up on my kindle haha. But I’m excited to see what she does next!!
Thank you so much to the author and publisher for the ARC. Sparks Fly is out now!
Thank you so much to the author and publisher for the ARC. Sparks Fly is out now!
November 3, 2025
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy of Sparks Fly. This was a quick and cute read centered around Stella, a late bloomer when it comes to love and relationships. She finds a connection with Max who is the ultimate green flag. The subplot seeks to highlight the threat of AI to creativity and writing when Max’s AI company partners with the digital media firm Stella works at. The story is gender inclusive and highlights sexual fluidity. A good palette cleanser read.
December 12, 2025
This was an enjoyable read, It was fast paced, steamy and it flowed smoothly. It’s an insta-love story, cute and not overly drawn out.
Stella was the "late bloomer" in this relationship and I liked how Max handled it. Although, I wish Stella and Max characters had more depths.
I also thought the Al aspect was an interesting addition to the storyline and I liked what the author did with it.
If you are looking for a fast-paced steamy romance read then this book is for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkely Publishing for my arc
Stella was the "late bloomer" in this relationship and I liked how Max handled it. Although, I wish Stella and Max characters had more depths.
I also thought the Al aspect was an interesting addition to the storyline and I liked what the author did with it.
If you are looking for a fast-paced steamy romance read then this book is for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkely Publishing for my arc
October 27, 2025
An adult contemporary romance that completely surprised me in the best way. The concept hooked me right away — a 27-year-old virgin who’s tired of being a late bloomer decides to go to a sex club. It was such a fun setup that turned into a really heartfelt and super sex-positive story.
I loved the way Stella was written. Her struggle with feeling like a late bloomer felt so real and relatable. The book also had amazing representation — both main characters are people of color and part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and the MMC was adopted and shared what it was like growing up with white parents. It added so much depth to his character.
I also really enjoyed the AI storyline. So often AI is written as something scary and futuristic, but this book showed both the positives and negatives in a way that actually feels current and believable.
Based on the synopsis, I thought more of the story would take place in the sex club, but that ended up being a much smaller part of the book than I expected. Still, it was an amazing and super strong debut. I’m so excited to see what Zakiya Jamal writes next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc.
I loved the way Stella was written. Her struggle with feeling like a late bloomer felt so real and relatable. The book also had amazing representation — both main characters are people of color and part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and the MMC was adopted and shared what it was like growing up with white parents. It added so much depth to his character.
I also really enjoyed the AI storyline. So often AI is written as something scary and futuristic, but this book showed both the positives and negatives in a way that actually feels current and believable.
Based on the synopsis, I thought more of the story would take place in the sex club, but that ended up being a much smaller part of the book than I expected. Still, it was an amazing and super strong debut. I’m so excited to see what Zakiya Jamal writes next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc.
December 3, 2025
"Im happy i could be your first but all I care about is being your last." ~ Max
Sparks Fly was absolutely perfect!
10/10
No notes!
Sparks Fly was absolutely perfect!
10/10
No notes!
June 15, 2025
COMPLETELY ADDICTED!! Stayed up til 5am finishing this book! I needddddd 486 books in this universe pronto💕 This is unequivocally my TOP favorite book of the year! I read it feverishly (as soon as I downloaded the copy on to my kindle) and I haven’t stopped thinking about ALL the characters since finishing the last page. Genius 10/10 NO NOTES! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS AUTHOR’S VOICE AND WILL READ ANY AND EVERYTHING TO COME!
November 21, 2025
Thank you to Berkley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Stella and Max are two drawing magnets that just keep coming perfectly together, I was so excited to have recieved the e-arc for this book! As a Bisexual Latine, I knew this book was gonna represent from the get go and it truly did!
Bi4Bi romances are my jam, this book is chaotically bisexual in the best way. I loved how Stella's character was not defined by her virginity and rather viewed it as an experience that she would take when ready.
There are a fairshare of romances in which an FMC is defined by her lack of sexuality or by her virginity status, but Stella makes herself clear, she IS confident and hot. Stella is truly such a star, she is always open to the opportunity to grow, and that is a trait I really admire.
I loved all the characters in this book because of how realistic they were portrayed. They're great characters but they're also humans who have relatable struggles with career decisions and complicated friendships.
Max is adopted, he grew up in the Dominican Republic and moved to the U.S. with his white parents who didn't speak Spanish. I really admired his commitment to making multilingual tech to help with language barriers. I will always root for a down bad Latine MMC and Max falling hard for Stella was soooo fine!
I do have to say, Max's use of AI is a bit questionable. I am someone who firmly believes that AI is an evil that we shouldn't have but I acknowledge that there is a lot of nuanced conversations with the advancement of technology, AI, and it's usages within different fields, including the medical and educational field.
This is a romance book at the end of the day so it's not as if these conversations are deeply embedded into the book but I appreciated the acknowledgement of some of the harms and benefits that can come with AI. This is something that I think is necessary to be aware of when picking up this novel because there is a lot of opinions about AI and if you are someone who is passionate about all debates of AI you should be made aware of its contents in this book.
Overall, I think readers are really going to be in for a treat with this book and I am excited to see more romances from Zakiya N. Jamal (I am off to read her whole backlist because this was so fun)!
Stella and Max are two drawing magnets that just keep coming perfectly together, I was so excited to have recieved the e-arc for this book! As a Bisexual Latine, I knew this book was gonna represent from the get go and it truly did!
Bi4Bi romances are my jam, this book is chaotically bisexual in the best way. I loved how Stella's character was not defined by her virginity and rather viewed it as an experience that she would take when ready.
There are a fairshare of romances in which an FMC is defined by her lack of sexuality or by her virginity status, but Stella makes herself clear, she IS confident and hot. Stella is truly such a star, she is always open to the opportunity to grow, and that is a trait I really admire.
I loved all the characters in this book because of how realistic they were portrayed. They're great characters but they're also humans who have relatable struggles with career decisions and complicated friendships.
Max is adopted, he grew up in the Dominican Republic and moved to the U.S. with his white parents who didn't speak Spanish. I really admired his commitment to making multilingual tech to help with language barriers. I will always root for a down bad Latine MMC and Max falling hard for Stella was soooo fine!
I do have to say, Max's use of AI is a bit questionable. I am someone who firmly believes that AI is an evil that we shouldn't have but I acknowledge that there is a lot of nuanced conversations with the advancement of technology, AI, and it's usages within different fields, including the medical and educational field.
This is a romance book at the end of the day so it's not as if these conversations are deeply embedded into the book but I appreciated the acknowledgement of some of the harms and benefits that can come with AI. This is something that I think is necessary to be aware of when picking up this novel because there is a lot of opinions about AI and if you are someone who is passionate about all debates of AI you should be made aware of its contents in this book.
Overall, I think readers are really going to be in for a treat with this book and I am excited to see more romances from Zakiya N. Jamal (I am off to read her whole backlist because this was so fun)!
November 10, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC!
Ok so, there were a lot of things I really liked about this book! First, I liked how even though our main character was a virgin, she defied a lot of the boxes or stereotypes that these type of fmcs tend to fall into. I really appreciated how sex positive she was and how she knew what she wanted. Stella really was just a late bloomer who wasn't intentionally waiting as long as she did for her first time, but maybe just needed the right person. Max was definitely the right person for her.
I also really appreciated the conversations on bisexuality and just being queer in general and I loved that both Stella and Max could relate to each other in that way. This book had a ton of diversity, including race, gender, and sexuality and I loveddd reading about such a diverse cast of characters. Everyone felt so real and like my own friends, which is always fun.
The discourse of AI in creative spaces is so hot right now and at first I wasn't sure which side the author was on with the main plot, but it eventually became clear and it felt victorious to watch that whole story line play out the way it did. I admired Stella's conviction to stick to her moral compass and do what was right, but I'm also glad Max was as supportive as he was, especially considering his complex involvement with all of it. It was refreshing to see a rich CEO stand up for what was right.
I loved Stella and Max as individuals but I had trouble buying their chemistry. Not sure if it was the third person POV or what, but I just didn't see a real connection between them beyond the physical. Their romance fell a little flat for me and I think I just needed a little bit more. I kinda felt myself working to finish this rather than looking forward to it and that's very telling for me on how I feel about it.
That being said, it could just be a me thing and I'd definitely still recommend this. There was a lot in here that I did really like and I think would resonate with a lot of people.
Ok so, there were a lot of things I really liked about this book! First, I liked how even though our main character was a virgin, she defied a lot of the boxes or stereotypes that these type of fmcs tend to fall into. I really appreciated how sex positive she was and how she knew what she wanted. Stella really was just a late bloomer who wasn't intentionally waiting as long as she did for her first time, but maybe just needed the right person. Max was definitely the right person for her.
I also really appreciated the conversations on bisexuality and just being queer in general and I loved that both Stella and Max could relate to each other in that way. This book had a ton of diversity, including race, gender, and sexuality and I loveddd reading about such a diverse cast of characters. Everyone felt so real and like my own friends, which is always fun.
The discourse of AI in creative spaces is so hot right now and at first I wasn't sure which side the author was on with the main plot, but it eventually became clear and it felt victorious to watch that whole story line play out the way it did. I admired Stella's conviction to stick to her moral compass and do what was right, but I'm also glad Max was as supportive as he was, especially considering his complex involvement with all of it. It was refreshing to see a rich CEO stand up for what was right.
I loved Stella and Max as individuals but I had trouble buying their chemistry. Not sure if it was the third person POV or what, but I just didn't see a real connection between them beyond the physical. Their romance fell a little flat for me and I think I just needed a little bit more. I kinda felt myself working to finish this rather than looking forward to it and that's very telling for me on how I feel about it.
That being said, it could just be a me thing and I'd definitely still recommend this. There was a lot in here that I did really like and I think would resonate with a lot of people.
November 15, 2025
4/5⭐️
3/5🌶️
This book was such a delight and super cute. I knew I was going to love our premise… I mean, we start right off the bat in a seggs club? YES. It was always going to go well after we start off with that sort of bang! 🤭 I quickly fell for our two MCs, both of who are so into each other so quickly, have matching nerdy tendencies and were just so endearing. I found the conflict of AI in writing a fascinating plot point in this story, since it is such a hot topic of conversation in the book universe. An AI developer has his product brought into the world of a journalist, which is a direct threat to her livelihood? Plus they’re super obsessed with each other? Such delicious conflict. The relationship build was great, the spice was hot… I was all about it. This was a great time and I hope to read more Zakiya N. Jamal in the future!
What I Loved About This Story:
✨Spicy, right-off-the-bat meet cute
✨Workplace romance
✨Down-bad, adorable and dorky MMC
✨Great representation of queer love
Thank you Berkley for the free copy of this book. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of your 2025 Berkley Romance Influencer Program!
3/5🌶️
This book was such a delight and super cute. I knew I was going to love our premise… I mean, we start right off the bat in a seggs club? YES. It was always going to go well after we start off with that sort of bang! 🤭 I quickly fell for our two MCs, both of who are so into each other so quickly, have matching nerdy tendencies and were just so endearing. I found the conflict of AI in writing a fascinating plot point in this story, since it is such a hot topic of conversation in the book universe. An AI developer has his product brought into the world of a journalist, which is a direct threat to her livelihood? Plus they’re super obsessed with each other? Such delicious conflict. The relationship build was great, the spice was hot… I was all about it. This was a great time and I hope to read more Zakiya N. Jamal in the future!
What I Loved About This Story:
✨Spicy, right-off-the-bat meet cute
✨Workplace romance
✨Down-bad, adorable and dorky MMC
✨Great representation of queer love
Thank you Berkley for the free copy of this book. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of your 2025 Berkley Romance Influencer Program!
November 6, 2025
guys!!! i absolutely ate this up. this was SO fun. i adored max and stella. stella was such a fun fmc to read about! she was truly such a bad ass and i loved seeing her stick up for herself towards the end of this story. i thought max was an absolute sweetheart, literal golden retriever. this was a really unique story & one unlike anything else i have ever read! i was skeptical about them meeting at a sex club, but this was done really well and their chemistry was undeniable. i do wish this was slightly longer, there were some moments i wish were expanded on or we got to see more realistic moments of them together rather than primarily spice. i don’t mind spice at all, but think this is a case where the book would benefit from cutting back on it some, and yes i know a major plot point is her being a virgin so it is a big deal, but i wish we had more deep conversations or scenes of them just going on dates. all in all, i highly recommend this book. this is a phenomenal debut and i cannot wait to see what zakiya writes next.
November 25, 2025
Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for the free Ebook. All opinions are my own
✨Afro-latine MC’s
✨Tech CEO x media content creator
✨Bi4Bi rep
Sometimes you need a break from the dark and tension-filled books and Sparks Fly is a great breather 💞 it’s a quick read that’s sweet, and low-angst . A welcome palette cleanser
Stella is a “late bloomer” and as the virgin in her friend group she decides it’s finally time to have the sex 🤭. Cue Max, who happens to be her boss’s brother and CEO of an AI tech company they are partnering with
I liked the AI conversations and opinions but definitely stand by Stella’s decisions. My girl said I love you but I ain’t using that mess 😂 also can I just say Max is the greenest of flags 🫶🏾. I guess not ALL tech CEO’s are evil 😶
Sparks Fly focuses more on story rather than spice and while Miles and Stella do get down it’s about a 2 or 3 spicy rating 🌶️
And to Chelsea 🥾💥
If you’re looking for a fast-paced book that you can read in one sitting add this to your tbr
✨Afro-latine MC’s
✨Tech CEO x media content creator
✨Bi4Bi rep
Sometimes you need a break from the dark and tension-filled books and Sparks Fly is a great breather 💞 it’s a quick read that’s sweet, and low-angst . A welcome palette cleanser
Stella is a “late bloomer” and as the virgin in her friend group she decides it’s finally time to have the sex 🤭. Cue Max, who happens to be her boss’s brother and CEO of an AI tech company they are partnering with
I liked the AI conversations and opinions but definitely stand by Stella’s decisions. My girl said I love you but I ain’t using that mess 😂 also can I just say Max is the greenest of flags 🫶🏾. I guess not ALL tech CEO’s are evil 😶
Sparks Fly focuses more on story rather than spice and while Miles and Stella do get down it’s about a 2 or 3 spicy rating 🌶️
And to Chelsea 🥾💥
If you’re looking for a fast-paced book that you can read in one sitting add this to your tbr
December 1, 2025
We follow Stella, who not only is a late bloomer (a virgin) but also works at an Internet blog that now partners with an AI company. While being worries about her position, she quickly realizes that the CEO of said company is Max, the handsome stranger she met at a sex club and almost let him take her V-Card.
So what is, when work and private life collide and she has to find a way to manage it all?
This was quite good.
I LOVED the diversity in here. Not only do we have POC, but almost every sexuality and gender identity in here. We have all sorts of relationships and family dynamics and I was positively impressed.
The relationship between them felt authentic. They were obsessed with each other, full of mutual respect and their communication was almost perfect.
The whole AI thing was actually very interesting and I loved that it didn’t really affected their relationship.
Her friends however sucked and I found it a bit frustrating sometimes how many times Stella just tried to ignore a problem.
Over all, I think this is a very well done romance!
Thank you NetGalley and Berkely Publishing Group for giving me this ARC.
So what is, when work and private life collide and she has to find a way to manage it all?
This was quite good.
I LOVED the diversity in here. Not only do we have POC, but almost every sexuality and gender identity in here. We have all sorts of relationships and family dynamics and I was positively impressed.
The relationship between them felt authentic. They were obsessed with each other, full of mutual respect and their communication was almost perfect.
The whole AI thing was actually very interesting and I loved that it didn’t really affected their relationship.
Her friends however sucked and I found it a bit frustrating sometimes how many times Stella just tried to ignore a problem.
Over all, I think this is a very well done romance!
Thank you NetGalley and Berkely Publishing Group for giving me this ARC.
November 22, 2025
A really cute quick read! Stella wants to get over being a 26 year old virgin and the guy, Max, she meets is actually her bosses brother and created the AI tech she’s been refusing to work at work!
I thought this was a really cool exploration of what it means to be a late bloomer and societal expectations. It also was a whirlwind romance and looked at what that really means and if it’s okay. There were great friendships in this too! I really loved the dynamic with Stella’s roommate Chelsea.
I also liked Max and how he contextualized what was happening in the book!
This book had some fun tropes:
Sex positive
Queer rep
NYC setting
Workplace ish romance
Good communication
Relatable storyline
Thank you Berkley for the ARC!
I thought this was a really cool exploration of what it means to be a late bloomer and societal expectations. It also was a whirlwind romance and looked at what that really means and if it’s okay. There were great friendships in this too! I really loved the dynamic with Stella’s roommate Chelsea.
I also liked Max and how he contextualized what was happening in the book!
This book had some fun tropes:
Sex positive
Queer rep
NYC setting
Workplace ish romance
Good communication
Relatable storyline
Thank you Berkley for the ARC!
December 20, 2025
Sparks Fly starts off with Stella, a late bloomer, who goes to a sex club to try and lose her virginity. She bumps into a stranger, Max, and hooks up with him, and maybe starts to like him?
I enjoyed this book a lot! I loved the progression of Stella and Max's relationship. Actually, all of the friendships and relationships were written very well. The internal conflicts between Max and Miles, and Stella and Chelsea, made the story fresh and distinct from typical romance stories. Were Stella's friends the best? Absolutely not - but Jamal wrote them in a way that was real and relatable.
I wish there had been a more definitive resolution (between Max and Miles) and wrap-up during the final act/epilogue, but I still enjoyed the story. Not bad for an adult debut.
Thank you, Zakiya N. Jamal, Berkley Romance, and NetGalley for this arc!
I enjoyed this book a lot! I loved the progression of Stella and Max's relationship. Actually, all of the friendships and relationships were written very well. The internal conflicts between Max and Miles, and Stella and Chelsea, made the story fresh and distinct from typical romance stories. Were Stella's friends the best? Absolutely not - but Jamal wrote them in a way that was real and relatable.
I wish there had been a more definitive resolution (between Max and Miles) and wrap-up during the final act/epilogue, but I still enjoyed the story. Not bad for an adult debut.
Thank you, Zakiya N. Jamal, Berkley Romance, and NetGalley for this arc!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews