YA Review: Up in Flames (Hailey Alcaraz)

At her sister Elena’s quinceañera, Ruby Ortega has just one goal; to reconnect with Ashton, the neighbor boy she has always had a crush on. She has been waiting for him to return from college so she can use her wiles on him, but is devastated to find out that he has brought home his girlfriend, Millie, to their idyllic hometown on Buena Valley, California. It’s too late to change the college she is going to because of Ashton, so the two are soon both at the University of Arizona, where they see each other from time to time. Ruby is also being pursued by Remy Bustillos, who works for her father’s property management company, which include the bed and breakfast that the family runs. He visits her in Arizona, and when wildfires strike near Buena Valley, Remy is the one Ruby calls to take her home. Ashton has already dropped out of college, and has taken a job fighting the fires, so Millie returns as well. The Ortega property has suffered some damage, but worst of all, Ruby’s mother has died. Her father is gravely injured, so she must take over the running of the business herself. She still holds a torch for Ashton, and suffers Remy’s attention, but also starts dating Frank, whose father runs a construction company that is helping repair the damage in Buena Valley. Remy is arrested for fighting with the police when ICE come to arrest undocumented citizens in the midst of the fire, but Ruby still finds him interesting, even though she is involved with Frank. When Frank turns out to be a horrible racist, and his father’s company is found to be abusing immigrant workers, Ruby dumps him. Will she be able to reconnect with either Ashton or Remy as she labors to keep the family business running?