Fire, Water, and Rock

Overall, I enjoyed this story very much...The atmosphere was enchanting, nature is such an underutilized environment in romance, in my opinion! That was the strongest aspect of the writing. Overall, the writing style is very vivid and pulls the reader in. I also really enjoyed the romance element. The characters each had their own quirks, but Clare and Jess fit together so well. I would love to read more from this author!

Kelly Gorman via NetGalley

It was great to read a new author and I am looking forward to new books hopefully soon.

This is an excellent debut. The characters are good together and have chemistry. The supporting characters are also very well described and they all bring something to the story. The story arc is carried across very well along the book and when it peaks it keeps the reader interested until the end.

Finally this is also a book where the reader can learn about geology, wildfire and camping. I really enjoyed it.

Melina Bickard via NetGalley

When I read a book with themes that I know next to nothing about and the narrative makes me want to go investigate…Well, credit must go to that writer. Fire, Water and Rock gives brilliant explanations of rocks and geological formations. Erdell explains the basics in a way that captures one’s interest. For someone like me who likes to learn new things, I found it all very interesting. Because Erdell makes it sound so majestic, I often stopped my reading to do a little Googling.

This is Erdell’s first published novel and one can easily see the passion she has for storytelling. Using colorful language and vivid detail, she immerses her readers in an impressive story world. The setting really comes alive on the page and readers can easily envision Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park (another place I Googled). The descriptive writing captures the imagination and initiates the senses, making the reading experience quite fun.

As splendid as the story world is, readers find the characters equally compelling. Erdell gives Fire, Water and Rock two captivating women to drive the storytelling forward. Jessica and Clare are well-developed and likable individuals. There’s a bit of an age gap between the women and Erdell portrays it nicely. We see Jess’s inexperience and poor decision-making play out well within the story arc. On the flip side, readers see Clare’s maturity. Her life experience enables her to communicate her emotions honestly and fairly. It all works to facilitate tension within the relationship and give it a sense of believability. Ultimately though the dynamics work to promote change, as this is a character driven story.

As fascinating as all the themes of geology and nature are in the storyline, Fire, Water and Rock still remains a romance at its core. Erdell captures a tenderness in Jess and Clare’s journey that’s heartfelt and sweet. She’s a patient writer though; she moves her readers through Jess and Clare’s story in a measured and intentional way. She doesn’t rush the romance between them. Instead, she chooses to build the chemistry slowly, brick by brick. When their HEA does finally come, readers are more than ready for it.

Final remarks…

Erdell’s debut is a compelling and read-worthy tale; it’s definitely a sign of exciting things to come. Though the storytelling isn’t perfect, readers can see the promise in the writing. Her style and tone are very engaging and I’m excited to see what her next book (Off the Menu—March 2023) brings.

Strengths…

*Tenderly told
*Heartfelt
*Likable main characters
*Vivid descriptions of nature
*Interesting geology tidbits pleasantly worked into the storytelling

Reviewed by Deb M

Jessica Sterling is working to finish her Master's degree in the field of geology and will be camping in a state park for the summer. She certainly didn't intend to meet the strong, sexy park ranger Claire DeVere while she was there but that's what happened.
The attraction was instant for both of them but Claire hasn't dated since last girlfriend also a park ranger, died during a fire.
Jessica isn't being forthcoming with her own relationship which of course is going to cause their path to be rocky (pun intended).
This is an interesting story and I found the geology parts, fossils, layers, natural disruptions to life to be fascinating and easy to understand.
Great read!

Reviewed by Sloan Stryker

Fire, Water, and Rock is a well written, heart-warming debut novel by Alaina Erdell centred on a State Park, where Clare is one of the park rangers whilst Jess is staying within the park for an extended period to complete her geology thesis.

Both Clare and Jess have believable back stories with differing past demons/insecurities to contend with. Despite their different walks of life, there is an instant chemistry between the pair that draws you into their world, which is further enhanced by their common interest in the State Park and its hidden secrets.

The storyline is interesting, and their adventures captivated me. The plot progression and pace of the book are good. Throughout the book, there is an injection of humour which I enjoyed especially around newly forming friendships. I felt invested in the future for Clare and Jess and did not want the story to end.

Reviewed by Jayne Hellier