An excellent novel filled with romance, heartache, betrayal, loyalty, danger, secrets, suspense, adventures and a cast of unforgettable characters. As you begin reading this book, prepare to be swept away...The scenes are so vividly painted. I felt as though I was walking the streets of London right along with the characters who were deeply developed and very well connected. Easily, I became immersed into their lives. I rejoiced at their good news and felt their sadness at other times. As secret...

Update 23/08/2019: After reading some other one and two star reviews, I skimmed through the rest of the book. A few readers said the second half was an improvement on the first, especially with regard to Gillian's story line. I don't agree, and I stand by everything I wrote below.22/08/2019This may be one of the worst reading experiences I've had in a long time. It was either a Kindle First Read or bonus of some kind; fortunately I paid nothing for it. I had hopes for it since WW II, anti-Nazi r...

If you like historical fiction, mystery, suspense and family drama, you will want to read "A Fire Sparkling"!This novel put me in the throes of World War II with Vivian, a young woman with many secrets. I could not stop reading until her skeletons were out of the closet. It kept me in suspense all the way until the very end of this book.Told in the present and then back to 1939, this is one amazing journey. It is like nothing I have read. The transition from timelines is so smooth, and the sto...

Audiobook... narrated by Rosalyn Landor, and Sarah Zimmerman: ....the best $1.99 Audible blind faith choice. This was my first Julianne MacLean novel.... a Canadian author...I liked it all.....the story... the writing... the voice narrator. In the past...Vivian Hughes was a young woman during WWII....in London during the Blitz. She was married to a British official when German bombs started dropping. Present day....Gillian Gibbons, Vivian’s granddaughter, discovered heartbreaking news by the ma...

In 2011, Gillian catches her boyfriend cheating, she's very upset, and she's goes to visit her dear dad Edward. She has no idea that he's just found a mysterious box filled with old photographs of his mother Vivian and she's standing next to a man who's dressed as a Nazi officer? Edward is very confused, he's been told his dad Theodore died during WW II during the blitz in London, and why is his mum standing next to a German soldier and he's now worried this mysterious man might really be his fa...

Overall: A dual time period, character-driven story set with the backdrop of WWII. A story of conflict, family, love, betrayal, acceptance, and love. The book had potential to be more but is still enjoyable. I would recommend to fans of historical fiction especially WWII but note that this is much easier reading than many similar books within this genre. 6.5/10 or 3.5/5Summary: This book has three main character and is told from third person (Vivian), and dual first person (Gillian and April) us...

A Fire Sparkling will leave you breathless...it is that good! I am not going to rehash the synopsis because I don’t want to inadvertently give any spoilers. Julianne MacLean has written a story that spans WWII years with lessons that carry into the present for the families of those who lived, those who died and those who loved. She paints a poignant picture of life as Britain is drawn into war with Germany. She writes about the bond between sisters and the bond between friends. She writes about

This book grabbed me from page one.Alternating between 2011 America and 1939 England’s WWII years I am pleased to say that it is the 1939 chapters that are the heart of the story.While it is not a murder mystery or a thriller it certainly is a page turner with enough character twists and turns to engage the reader.As much historical fiction as I read I found April’s story line quite original. Vivian was ok but only up to a point. I disliked Gillian, she did come across as a bit silly for someone...

"Sometimes you think you know someone, but maybe it's imposible to really know everything about a person, even someone you love. Maybe good people - the very best people - are just better at keeping secrets."Gillian Gibbons returns to her childhood home after discovering something quite troubling about her boyfriend. Seeking a respite, she is shocked when her father delivers some troubling news of his own. He reveals to Gillian that he found photos of his mother (Gill's grandmother) with a Nazi

DNF made it until 250 pages in but couldn’t take the characters anymore and the old fashioned language was insufferable

This book right here is why my favorite genre to read is historical romance. Especially ww2 era. This was beautifully written. Such a beautiful story. It had me on the edge of my seat. Tears in my eyes. I had the biggest smile on my face at the ending. Well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher and author for A free ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean is not what I expected and yet so so much more than I expected!! Twists and turns that dropped my jaw! I couldn't put the darn book down it was so good! Gillian's story begins with her long time boyfriend breaking her heart, which leads her to head home to her father and grandmother to lick her wounds. A shocking find by her father adds to her confu...

This book covered every event in WWII. You name it, it was mentioned. Like the author had a check list she was using to make sure she hit all the popular stories. The blitz: check. Secret agents: check. Spies: check. The resistance: check. D-day: check. Singing to the troops: check. Jumping out of planes: check. Concentration camp: check. Jewish soldier in German army: check. Nazi soldier with the heart of gold: check. Assumed identity: check. Downed planes: check. Hiding in the forest check. It...

A Fire Sparkling is a beautifully-written, moving novel that seamlessly interweaves the story of a family over three generations. The core of the story belongs to Vivian Hughes and her experiences as a young woman during WWII in Great Britain. MacLean gives just enough detail to provide an authentic sense of time and place. Reading this book was a completely immersive, emotional experience for me, with twists and turns that left me reeling. In my opinion, this novel is a literary masterpiece, on...

5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Amazing!======================The story of the book alternates between the present and the past. At present we have our heroine, who returns home after being cheated by her two-year-old boyfriend.In the past we have the story of her grandmother and facts that occurred during World War II and that were unknown to the family.The story is very well crafted and captures the reader's attention from start to finish.Prepare the tissue paper to wipe away the tears that will surely occur during...