Sparked (Independence Falls Superhero Romance)

Lily Cahill calls this a sci-fi romance, but I think that sells this book short.
It was SO much more than that.
Going in I was expecting a simple sci-fi novel with a touch of romance and a plot driven by action sequences. I was thinking X-men meets Stepford Wives.
What I got instead was a romance colored with touches of the paranormal, taboo attraction, humour, angst, chemistry and some gasp-out-loud moments. I got 3-dimensional characters that had me on the verge of tears many times over and after I finished it, I put my Kindle down, looked at it and went: “Well, s***.”
Cora Murphy is from a poor family with a bad reputation and dreams of one day getting out of the stifling small town she grew up in. Clayton Briggs is the rich playboy trying to prove his worth to his father. One night Clayton spots Cora at a fair and he is immediately enamoured by her. There’s only one problem: the Briggs and Murphy families have been feuding for generations.
If their lives and the attraction they feel towards each aren’t complicated enough, they get caught in a mysterious purple fog and wake up with strange new powers.
The relationship between Cora and Clayton as star crossed lovers had the perfect balance between sizzling chemistry and heartfelt emotion. There was some drama here involving choices of their own as well as from their meddling families that only gave their romance more depth and amplified my feelings.
There was great attention to detail in language and descriptions and Lily Cahill did a great job of creating an environment and era that felt realistic and that I could lose myself in.
Nothing was rushed in this book and after watching these characters battle through their emotions, their family dynamics, finding their place in life and coming to terms with their powers, I felt as if I’ve lived a lifetime with them. I was sad to say goodbye to them but I certainly look forward to seeing them again and meeting new characters in the next volumes.
A truly great and surprising read that I would recommend to anyone, not just those who like paranormal or sci-fi romances.

There’s something weird going on in Independence Falls, CO, and that something weird is something WONDERFUL for us readers! A group of women has joined up under the name Lily Cahill to bring us a series set in a quirky 1950s Colorado town. There’s love, there’s weird paranormal things, and there’s a whole town to explore!

There are a lot of things to love about Sparked. It’s a quick read, absolutely perfect for a summer afternoon by the pool. The romance strikes the perfect balance between steamy, flirty, and fun, and I loved the relationship between the two main characters. It wasn’t exactly a shock that the Romeo and Julietesque lovers got together, but who reads a romance book thinking things could go any other way!? The paranormal mystery was a cool set up, and I’m really excited to see how it develops in the rest of the series.

There’s only one book out so far in the Independence Falls Sci-Fi Romance Series, but it was good enough that I’m planning on checking out the others when they hit the e-shelves later this year.

This book would have been perfect for a teen audience if it weren't for the graphic sex scenes. I would think this book was aimed at young people because the language is simple, the plot is simple, the characters are simple and very black and white----if they are bad, they are really bad and the good people are just so virtuous and simple. Also, watch out, if you don't want to get involved with a series, don't start this. This is book one in I don't know how many, about a town that is covered by a purple fog, and everyone under thirty (teens and young adults, of course, no "old" people allowed) is affected by this mysterious cloud. the Heroine and Hero develop special powers, and blah, blah, blah. Set in what seems to be 1950's small town America. I finished the book, but it costs too much for what it is. Ms. Cahill, leave out the unimaginative love scenes and go back to writing for 11, 12, and 13 year olds. I think your style is suited to that age group.

I received​ a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Going into Sparked by Lily Cahill, I wasn’t sure how much I was actually going to like it. The synopsis was interesting, but a little odd. I’d never heard of the author previously, and it’s one of those books that came across my inbox with a deadline date that was still a month or so away. I thought, “Well, I’ll give it a chance.” and half an hour later, I was completely engrossed.

I’ll admit, my first impression wasn’t great. The sentence structures at the beginning of the book were choppy and ill-punctuated. I’m one of those people who can’t stand a misused conjunction, and when the sentences become uniform and bite-size because of a misused conjunction? Forget it. It’s a particular pet peeve of mine. I didn’t give up, however. I am happy to say, that other than two minor typos, the rest of the book was free of any large grammatical or punctuation mistakes. The text was easy to follow and well executed.

I love the main characters, Clayton, and Cora. As a couple, the two were an appealing mix of steamy, romantic, and determined. They had their share of misunderstandings through the book, but they never came across as overly dramatic, whiny, or unreasonably moronic. I loved them together, and I loved them equally as much as characters independent of one another. They were a good combination, and I wanted to cheer them on from the very beginning.

Overall, I really liked the book as a whole—but there were a few things that stood out that made me question a five-star rating.

The secondary characters of the book were pretty 2-D. They were all a little overwhelmingly stereotyped. The abusive dad and equally as abusive and cruel son, the father and mother that were all about social class, and quick to blame their son for not having his head on straight… the ex-girlfriend that tried to tear them apart, even the doctor who chose to keep their secrets despite having no logical reason to do so. It made for a very interesting story—don’t get me wrong—but I wish there had been a little more depth and unpredictability to the secondary characters.

Another thing that I couldn’t quite get a grasp on was the world-building. The story was set in the 1950’s, which though quirky and interesting, didn’t seem to have any impact on the story. There didn’t seem to be a particular reason that the story was set in the decade it was—the plot would have been the same had it been set in a more modern time period. I expected there to be some reason, some identifiable point where I could say “That! That is why this was set in the 50’s! They couldn’t have written this event otherwise.” but it never happened. Maybe it will happen in a subsequent book in the series, but frankly, I have no idea.

It was also never explained where the purple fog—the arbiter of the super-powers that brought the main couple together—came from. Other than a few wild guesses by the characters, we never learn its origins, what it does exactly, or where it went. The book was labeled as “sci-fi” (though I didn’t see any sci-fi elements, just fantasy/paranormal), so I can only assume that in a subsequent book we’ll see the sci-fi origins of the purple fog… but at least for now, the question remains unanswered.

In the end, the problems I found with the narrative weren’t big ones. I can live without knowing the origin of the purple fog, and I can live with the stereotyped side characters. The punctuation and minor typos didn’t break the book for me—but all these things added up did knock it down a star. It wasn’t the greatest book I’ve ever read. That being said, it was still a very good book. I was drawn in by the writing, and I loved the romance aspect of the story. The super powers were fantastic and well-executed. Despite it’s flaws, I really enjoyed it, and I’d be happy to continue on into the series. If you’re looking for a good, steamy New Adult book with a bit of a sci-fi/supernatural mystery to it, I recommend you give this a try. I can’t wait to delve further into this series.

With their families involved in a generations old feud and the deep societal divide between rich and poor, Cora is the last person anyone expected to see with Clayton, but a chance meeting and a mysterious fog bring them together. I loved this story! Cora is working so hard to make an honest, respectable life for herself and her little sister, while trying to distinguish herself from her father’s and brother’s indiscretions. After a wild first year of college, Clayton is fighting to regain his family’s respect, while trying to avoid his mother’s matchmaking. The 1950’s rich/poor backdrop made a great setting for the story. Both characters were so complex and I liked that most of the conflict came from outside forces. Clayton and Cora made such a great team, bringing out the best in each other. Great read and I look forward to reading June’s story in Exposed! Hope to see it out soon! Don't forget to check out the Sparked Bonus Story (a fun Wedding short) available as a free download from the Author's Website!

Note: This book was provided to me by the author for an honest review.

I really, truly loved this book. When I wasn't reading it, I thought about it constantly, wanting to get back to Cora and Clayton and their super steamy romance. It's set in the 1950s in a small mountain town, and the details are charming, spot-on, and really ring true. The character development on both Clayton's part and Cora's is complex and well done, and their romance (both emotional and ESPECIALLY physical :)) makes it really hard to put this book down. Can't wait to read more from the Lily Cahill girls and would highly recommend SPARKED to any fans of romance, star-crossed lovers, sci-fi, superheroes, or small-town charm.

I received a PDF of this book from the author for a honest review. I loved reading this book...it is very well written...with people getting mysterious powers and combine that with a great love story and backwoods family feuds and you have a great read....can not wait for the next book!!

This is a sweet and romantic Romeo and Juliet story. The setting is in the 1950’s in Colorado. The details that define the time period are lovely. I truly appreciated the unexpected twists in this happily-ever-after story.

Clayton, the rich boy from the good family, acquires the power to extract energy from living things and then dispose of the power. He’s good looking, well educated, but also a risk taker that goes for what he wants. It’s heart-warming to read about how he learns to earn the affections of Cora without offending her with money.

Cora, the poor girl from the shunned family, acquires the power to move and control water. But more than that, she is independent and extremely protective of her younger sister.

Their unique skills only serve a commonality for the two lovers to share. Their true connection is on a much more organic level.

This is the first in a series of books, which promises to explore the powers of the characters more in future books.

Sparked is wonderful. Not only were the characters well developed and interesting, but the plot was dynamic. Finished the book in a day and a half because I couldn't put it down. I'm honestly excited for the next book in the series, and that's unusual, considering I've never been a fan of romance or sci-fi. Can't wait to find out what happens next.

SPARKED is a creative, new sci-fi, romantic mystery that is sure to please the 18-30 year old female reader. I, a septuagenarian, found it to be a fast and fun, suspenseful and sensual, action-packed read. I especially like the references to the 1950s, my all-time favorite decade and the pristine Colorado setting. The authors, who write together under the pen name Lily Cahill, are a quintet of young, professional Denver females who have put their heart, hands and heads together to collectively and lovingly produce SPARKED. Watch for EXPOSED and IGNITED, Book 2 and 3 in the Independence Falls series which will be published soon. Visit their website www.lilycahill.com for more info about them, their heroes and their books.