Review: Ignite - Rebecca Yarros

Review: Ignite - Book 0.7 Legacy Series - Rebecca Yarros - July 2016

Sometimes you just know what your reading soul needs. After powering through a week of dense literary fiction and pulse-pounding thrillers that left my brain feeling like scrambled eggs, I found myself standing before my bookshelf on a Friday evening, craving something entirely different. My fingers landed on Ignite, a slim novella that had been sitting patiently since a fellow bookstagrammer gifted it to me months ago.

Rebecca Yarros wrote this Legacy series entry back in 2016, and while I shamefully admit to still having her wildly popular romantasy novels gathering dust on my shelf (despite buying them on release day like the devoted reader I pretend to be), I've devoured nearly all of her contemporary romances. There's something about Rebecca Yarros's writing that feels like slipping into a warm bath after a long day—comforting, rejuvenating, with just enough edge to keep things interesting.

Ignite introduces us to River, a hotshot firefighter who's been battling blazes in Alaska alongside his older brother Bishop. When their father's old firehouse in Colorado extends an offer to form a Legacy team, the brothers don't hesitate. But River faces a personal fire he's been too afraid to fight: his overwhelming love for his best friend Avery.

The central conflict hits close to home for anyone who's ever felt trapped by family obligations. Avery desperately wants to follow River to Colorado, but the weight of caring for her father—who previously overdosed on pain medication during her last attempt to leave—anchors her in place. Rebecca Yarros doesn't shy away from the messy reality of loving someone with addiction issues, painting Avery's dilemma with authentic, heart-wrenching strokes.

At just under 150 pages, Ignite burns fast and bright. Rebecca Yarros masterfully balances the romance with deeper themes of family loyalty, personal sacrifice, and the courage required to choose your own happiness. River's determination to convince Avery she deserves support rather than carrying everything alone feels genuine rather than pushy.

This novella accomplished exactly what I needed it to—it reignited my love for straightforward, emotionally satisfying romance while delivering enough substance to feel worthwhile. Sometimes the perfect book isn't the most complex or critically acclaimed; it's simply the one that meets you exactly where you are.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/45ncZUf