Wildfire

“I promised myself earlier I would talk to someone if I thought they were hot and, technically, I am doing that even if she’s about to politely reject me. I’m trying hard to channel the artificial confidence my beer is giving me and not crumble beneath her inquisitive gaze as she considers my offer.”

Russ often resorts to his friend JJ for pep talks to boost his confidence and roam outside his comfort zone. This passage illustrates how low Russ’s self-confidence really is and points out that while he might seem confident throughout the book, it all starts out as an act, which requires a lot of effort from Russ. Therefore, when he begins to build true confidence at Honey Acres and it comes with more ease, it’s far more noticeable.

“My last-received text message was from my dad asking me to send him money […] he finds a way to snake his way into every situation and spoil it. […] I’ll pay you back. I’ll pay you double back. I know a guy who knows the trainer and the race is a sure thing. […] You have everything because of me. You’ve turned your back on this family. Won’t even help your own flesh and blood, you’re not my son. You think you’re better than us because you go to a fancy school, you’ll just fuck it up anyway.”

These early chapters introduce the main conflicts assailing Aurora and Russ through their phones, which fits with the symbolism of “unplugging” that becomes relevant when they arrive at Honey Acres. Russ’s primary conflict is his father’s destructive gambling addiction, which presents mainly through texts to Russ asking for money and insults when Russ ignores the request.

“The compliment floods my system, melting me, and the vulnerability from ten seconds ago dissipates into nothing as the validation seeps into my system like a drug. It’s not that I’ve never been told I’m hot before, I have, but this guy seems tortured by it. Like he’ll never recover from it. Like I’m the tipping point of his sanity, and that is a feeling I could get addicted to.”

The insecurities that Aurora must overcome throughout the novel are illustrated in this passage. Russ’s verbal affirmation is “like a drug” to Aurora, who melts at any form of validation from a man. However, this passage also illustrates how Russ is different from the flings that Aurora’s melted for before. His compliments are less fueled by lust and emerge out of a genuine appreciation for her.

“My entire life has been a fight for my dad’s time, so to watch him give it away so freely is like a punch to the gut […] I know who he really considers to be important, and, once again, it isn’t me. I hate the type of person it’s turned me into, one desperate for attention and validation, and I hate that I’ve let my life become one shaped by kneejerk reactions to feeling forgotten. For once I want to make a decision because it will make me happy, not because something has triggered me into acting out.”

In this passage, Aurora’s insecurities are directly attributed to the lack of attention and affection she’s received from her father. Her dissatisfaction with who she is also evidences her desire to rediscover herself at Honey Acres. This will present as her character arc over the course of the novel.

“I mean, worst-case scenario, he comes out of the bathroom when I’m half dressed and we have a really great conversation about how my deep-rooted abandonment issues mean I’ll never expect more than the bare minimum from a man, and how my father’s blatant disinterest in my existence has given me a stifling fear of rejection, which has shaped every romantic interaction I have, so I’m not judging him for wanting me to leave.”

Aurora’s habit of leaving men before they have the opportunity to leave her first allows her to retain control over her relationships. Though she is not fulfilled with the flings she has, she knows that she cannot handle someone turning their back and walking away from her as her father has repeatedly done.

“The feeling scaries is what Emilia calls the moment of clarity you get after you’ve left a situation you were wrapped up in. It’s the sinking feeling in your gut when the anxiety sets in and you consider whether you did the right thing. It’s a moment like now, when I’m alone with only my thoughts to keep me company. When I weigh whether what I just did made me feel better or worse. Whether I’d have done that if I’d stayed off my phone and minded my business. And how long that hit of validation and feeling wanted is going to keep me going before I’m looking for the next place to get it. Then finally, whether any of this really matters either way when nobody cares what I do. The feeling scaries isn’t necessarily regret, it’s reflection, and I prefer to be distracted rather than reflective.”

Aurora’s “feeling scaries” after her one-night stand with Russ are a result of committing a reckless act after being upset by seeing Norah’s carefree social media posts about her daughter, Isobel, and Aurora’s father, Chuck. By calling the validation of her hookup with Russ a “hit” and his compliments “a drug” earlier on, the narrative implies that this is a bad habit of Aurora’s that she must overcome.

“It was everything I didn’t know I needed. I had routine, I was able to spend time with kids my age, and I could begin to build the foundations of who I was without constantly being surrounded by adults and a moody older sister. Honey Acres was the first place that ever felt like home. […] I loved how happy the staff was to see me every year, and it’s my first real memory of feeling wanted. I want to get those feelings back, which I’m hoping to do by rebuilding the foundations I’ve broken.”

Summer camps have the reputation of being a home away from home and a place that brings strangers together at an expedited rate. This is what Honey Acres stands for in Aurora’s eyes. Her perception of the camp heightens the sense of setting throughout the novel. In addition to Russ’s positive outlook on the camp, Aurora’s perception of Honey Acres helps establish the protective, bubble-like nature of the camp.

“I’ve always been second choice: to my dad’s addictions, to my mom’s excuses for him, to Ethan’s desire to move away far enough that he can pretend nothing’s wrong. I love my family, but I hate what we’ve become. Tiptoeing around the things that keep us divided, making excuses for Dad, refusing to work toward a solution in favor of pretending there isn’t an issue. I’ve reached the point where it’s easier to ignore them and keep my distance both physically and emotionally.”

Russ’s insecurities are explicitly stated in this passage. He is never prioritized by his family members and does not believe that he’ll ever be put first by anyone else. This foreshadows his later feelings of inadequacy with Aurora, in which he almost ends their relationship because he fears that he is undeserving of her.

“Miscommunication. Russ, we did the miscommunication thing. You made me a miscommunicator […] We could have just had a conversation. This is not the kind of main character moment I’m looking for in my life!”

Author Hannah Grace utilizes the humor characteristic of romantic comedies and pokes fun at the romance genre by making light of the miscommunication trope prevalent within romances. Aurora and Russ swiftly avoid miscommunicating in the novel, just as Nate and Stassie avoid doing in Icebreaker. Grace’s characters prioritize healthy communication rather than ending relationships prematurely without context.

“It took getting drunk and hearing how committed Russ is to keeping this job to make me realize I needed to uphold the commitments I made to myself when I got here.”

Russ serves as a good example for Aurora. When she has the urge to resort back to her self-sabotaging habits, Russ’s adherence to the rules and honorable integrity keeps her in line. Even when they break the no-fraternization rule at camp, Russ remains the person who keeps Aurora in line as she attempts to rediscover herself and find happiness.

“I’m watching you go in so you don’t have to watch me leave.”

Russ is aware of Aurora’s insecurity about others leaving her, and this act of kindness does not go unnoticed by her. Throughout the novel, Russ consistently waits for Aurora to leave first so that she will never see him walk away from her. This also represents Russ’s unspoken promise to commit to a long-term relationship with her.

“As the building comes into view, I consider that I could turn around now, turn my phone off, head back to Honey Acres, and play pretend. I want to run away from this, not have whatever conversation I’m about to have, avoid the people I work so hard not to speak to—but I don’t.”

As Russ is driving to the hospital to confront his father, he almost turns around to return to the protective bubble of Honey Acres where he can continue to avoid his problems. However, Russ’s character growth is evidenced in his decision to continue forward and tell his parents how he’s feeling for the first time. This decision inspires his parents to take the first steps toward positive change.

“Having real friends has shown me I don’t need to quietly blend into the background anymore. Telling my dad exactly how I feel has freed me from whatever has been holding me back this entire time. Don’t get me wrong, nobody changes overnight, but I’m arriving at Honey Acres again feeling like a brand-new guy.”

Facing his problems rather than avoiding them gives Russ a feeling of freedom that he’s never experienced before. This newfound freedom gives Russ the additional confidence needed to fully lean into his feelings for Aurora and risk a relationship with her, regardless of camp rules.

“I’ve been actively avoiding any one-on-one time with Clay since our night shift together because I’m not interested in him at all, not even as a friend. I’m not totally clueless; I know he was just trying to nail me. Normally I’d have been drawn to the attention, but his lingering gazes make me feel uncomfortable. I think spending time with people who want to spend time with me because they like my company is helping. Clay looks at me like he’s undressing me. Russ looks at me like I’m telling him the world’s most interesting story. It’s good to feel like I can offer something more. It feels good to feel like I deserve something more. My era of self-development and personal growth might have had a rocky start, but I’m getting there.”

Clay’s character represents everything that the old Aurora found attractive before Russ and Honey Acres. He’s a basketball player with an interest in no-strings-attached sex, but rather than finding him attractive, Aurora is repulsed by his interest. Instead of accepting Clay’s surface-level attraction, Aurora learns to take notice of and value Russ’s attraction to every part of her, physical and otherwise.

“Mostly I can’t believe there’s a guy who genuinely wants to spend time with me and have a connection with me beyond one that happens when we’re naked. I know that the bar is low for me when it comes to men, which frequently makes me mistrust my own judgment, but I can trust my judgment about Russ.”

For Aurora to be so confident about Russ’s feelings for her is rare and only highlights the ways in which her self-worth has grown and the genuineness of Russ’s intentions in pursuing a relationship with her. Aurora has never been able to trust another man before yet seems to do so easily with Russ.

“I have a friend in my major called Halle. She runs the book club at The Next Chapter bookstore in Maple Hills and she’s super sweet, but she does wholeheartedly believe my indifference to Jane Austen should get me kicked out.”

Aurora’s subtle mention of her bookish friend, Halle, familiarizes readers with the future protagonist of the third installment, Daydream. While it is not required to read Icebreaker or Wildfire prior to Daydream since they’re all standalones, this fact is an easter egg for avid fans of Grace’s works and helps provide readers of the whole series with a more well-rounded knowledge of the characters who will become prominent in Daydream.

“I’ve always known I need validation like I need air and, although I don’t think he’s exactly the same, we are very similar. People have made us feel like we’re less than we are, and those opinions are buried deep in us both, like weeds. Every drop of self-doubt waters the soil, and once they start to grow it feels impossible to stop. But it isn’t impossible, it just takes someone to rip them out by the root, over and over if needed. We’re so different, and yet so similar, and part of me is starting to believe that’s the perfect mix.”

Aurora notes the similarities between her and Russ in this passage. While their family lives aren’t exactly the same, they are very similar and allow them to connect in ways they cannot with anyone else in their lives. Though JJ, Henry, and Emilia provide great support systems, they seem to come from loving families and do not face the same struggles; therefore, they cannot understand the full scope of Aurora’s and Russ’s experiences.

“I feel at peace with myself and my life for the first time, and there’s nothing that can derail that.”

At the two-thirds mark of the book, a grand statement such as the one Russ makes in this passage is a disaster waiting to happen. This early proclamation is ironic, foreshadowing that Russ’s conflicts—both internal and external—are going to return at some point once the protective bubble at Honey Acres falters.

“I can’t do anything to get the outcome I want. The outcome where he changes and I feel like he wants me in his life for more than just media purposes.”

This passage marks the point where Aurora loses all hope in obtaining her father’s affection. Rather than view it as a flaw within his character, Aurora internalizes it as she has done with all his poor treatment in the past. This enforces the insecurities that she’s slowly been whittling away at and forces her into avoidance mode.

“I love Honey Acres, but pretending it’s my home when it’s not is silly. Dad’s right, it’s all make-believe. They’re just people who were paid to look after me and probably took pity on me.”

Aurora’s heightened insecurities following her phone call with her father result in self-beratement. Rather than seek solace in Honey Acres, her home away from home, she now views the camp as tainted through the lens of her unsupportive father. The pervasiveness of her issues with her father is evidenced in this scene, as it illustrates how his role in her life and the constant disappointment he provides will continue to creep in and stain any happiness and contentedness that Aurora attempts to find.

“I’m not going anywhere, but you don’t need me, Aurora. You’re strong and sweet and funny. You’re smart and affectionate and you’re all those things without me. You don’t need anyone but yourself, but you can have me anyway. I worry I’m going to fuck this up, too, but we have to trust ourselves as much as we trust each other.”

Russ has a tendency to be incredibly verbally affectionate. His words of affirmation help ease the insecurities that Aurora faces, which include a lack of self-worth. They also consistently reaffirm his interest in and commitment to her, which provides Aurora with the confidence necessary to continue battling her internal demons.

“You know this part, but we left Elsa with your grandma and took our trip to see the northern lights, finally disconnected from the outside world, and we were happy again. A few weeks later I found out I was pregnant with you and he was so happy.”

Aurora’s conversation with her mother, Sarah, highlights the nature of “unplugging” as an avoidance mechanism. While this is not always the case, Sarah admits to having used it herself in an attempt to salvage her marriage with Chuck. By disconnecting from the outside world, they were able to find happiness, but it was only temporary, much like the happiness Aurora finds in Honey Acres. It isn’t until she faces her issues head-on that she’ll find lasting happiness.

“You’re my first choice, Russ […] Where you go, I go. You don’t have to face this alone.”

In a subtle “grand gesture,” Aurora directly combats Russ’s greatest insecurity—the fact that he’ll always be a second choice—with a statement affirming that he’ll always come first. Russ begins the novel as someone who is always surrounded by many people yet still manages to feel alone. However, through opening up to Aurora in ways that he hasn’t with anyone else, Russ gains worthwhile companionship that eases his feelings of isolation.