Sparks Fly

Happy release day to Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal! Her adult debut, this contemporary romance has been on my radar for months. It starts with Stella, a 27-year-old who’s never had sex and never had a real romantic relationship. She wants to just get the whole thing over with, so she goes to a sex club… but then the guy she hooks up with turns out to be onboarding a new AI tool, Sparky, at the media company where she works. Max and Stella want to keep seeing each other, and agree to keep work separate from their budding romance. But if their careers are at odds, can they have any kind of long-term future together?

What I Liked:

• Stella is a late bloomer. Not everyone is out there having their first relationships and sexual experiences as a teen or even in college. Some of us don’t get that until a bit later. In Stella’s case, she’s 27, a virgin, and hasn’t ever gone on more than two dates with one person. Instead of waiting around forever, she finds herself at a sex club, hoping to finally get her first time out of the way. Bold of her! I loved getting to see her perspective as a person without the kind of relationship and sexual history most at her age would have, dealing with any embarrassment about that, and finally getting to experience it all now. In some ways I could relate, and I enjoyed going on this journey with her.
• Workplace romance, kind of. Stella and Max couldn’t have known that she works at the company (Yellow Sparks) that his new AI program is getting implemented at. Or that he’s her boss’s boss’s big brother. A little awkward, but they make it work. Stella and Max agree to keep everything as separate as possible, but that can’t last forever!
• AI vs. authentic content creation. Max has built up an AI company and designed a tool, called Sparky, to help people. Crucially, he doesn’t view his AI as something to replace actual people; he only means for it to be an aid. Stella’s job is all about writing, from conceptualizing the content to researching it to finalizing the written article. Many at her company are against using Sparky, fearing replacement and layoffs. I enjoyed getting both Max and Stella’s differing opinions on and experiences with AI, as well as seeing the ultimate results at Yellow Sparks. It feels very relevant for our times, and especially among discourse I’ve seen from artists, writers, and other creators.
• Stella’s friend group. Stella has three close friends that she can rely on, get advice from, and share her life with. This is a solid friend group, and I’m hoping the rest of them get their own books! There’s already ample setup for two of them…

Final Thoughts

Sparks Fly is a such a fun and smart romance! It’s fast-paced and steamy, and it offers a fresh perspective that’s not often explored in contemporary romances. I enjoyed getting to know Stella and Max and seeing their romance blossom from casual to something more serious. I’m also hoping this is the start of a series, because I’m seeing HEAs in the future for Effie, Kira, and Chelsea!

Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin Random House, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy Sparks Fly here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal
Audience	Adult
Genre	Contemporary Romance
Setting	New York City
Number of Pages	320
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	December 2, 2025
Publisher	Berkley

Official Summary

A late bloomer thought a visit to a sex club might jump start her love life, but instead makes an instant connection that turns her whole world upside down, in this adult debut from author Zakiya N. Jamal.

When Stella Renee Johnson’s roommate invites her to a sex club party but bails at the last minute, Stella decides to use the opportunity to finally cash in her V-card. But just when things are heating up between Stella and a sexy stranger, they realize they don’t have protection and Stella, taking it as a sign this wasn’t meant to be, flees.

Frustrated in more ways than one, Stella is shocked to learn that the digital media website where she works is partnering with an AI company. She’s even more shocked when the alluring man from the previous night walks in. Max Williams is the CEO’s brother and the creator of the AI program now threatening her job. 

Despite the conflict of interest, Stella and Max can’t resist their magnetic attraction toward each other, and agree to keep their personal lives separate from what’s happening at work. But the more similarities they discover at home—both Black, book smart, and bisexual—the more they butt heads at work. Stella and Max must decide whether to think with their heads and walk away from their budding relationship, or follow their hearts and take a chance on love, no matter the cost.