All Fired Up

by M.K. England

Nicole Wells left Seattle two years ago for graduate school to study fire dynamics…and to get away from her best friend and unrequited love, Skylar Clark. Now she’s back home with a new job, ready to hit reset on her life and reconnect with her friends.

And maybe finally get together with Skylar.

Nic’s plans go up in flames when Skylar announces she’s moving to Fiji for a new business venture, in what will likely be another catastrophe for the ambitious but seldom successful BFF. That, and there’s a newcomer to Nic’s group of friends: Kira McKinney, a firefighter Nicole can’t keep her eyes off.

Worried about their friend making a huge mistake, Nicole and Kira work together to stop Skylar from leaving. When talking to her doesn’t work, there’s only one option left—shenanigans. But as all their efforts go up in smoke, one thing becomes wildly clear.

Sparks are starting to fly between Nic and Kira…

In this sapphic rom-com, a fire starter (a chemist who studies fire) and a firefighter team up to save their best friend from making an epic mistake, sparks fly (literally) and shenanigans ensue; a celebration of queer joy for fans of Casey McQuiston and Ashley Herring Blake.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, Queer, LGBT, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 29, 2025

About the author

M. K. England grew up on the Space Coast of Florida watching shuttle launches from the backyard. These days, they live on a micro-farm in rural Virginia packed with video and board games, plants, D&D books, Star Wars memorabilia, and their preschooler's giant personality. They're probably covered in dirt right now. MK is the author of ten novels for kids, teens, and adults and a forthcoming interactive novel with Choice of Games. You can find them at mkengland.com.

For the latest news, you can subscribe to my irregular newsletter updates at mkengland.substack.com. I'm also on instagram (rarely, @mk_england) and on tumblr more informally (mkengland.tumblr.com)

(Just FYI, I don't accept friend requests because Amazon is weird about reviews but follow me on social media above and we can hang out there!)

Reviews

[lexie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

literally what do i even say. my feelings are SO neutral like why did i even read this? i don’t give one singular fuck about any part of it in a neither positive nor negative way…it’s just redundant and lacking chemistry, but i finished it one sitting so what does that say about it?? 😭

thank you to netgalley and canary street press for the arc

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fire chemist and a fire-fighter team up to convince their best friend not to move to Fiji, in this messy, adorable, opposites-attract steamy sapphic romance.

What’s to love…
- a firefighter and a fire chemist 💞
- complicated friend dynamics
- found family
- well done spice and plenty of tension
- dual POV (and dual narrated)
- bisexual/lesbian
- only one bed

What’s not to love…
- Overall this was a really good time. The first half was VERY good but it fell off a little towards the end. I wanted messy, and I definitely got that but the second half felt too neat and tidy - everything came together too quickly.

🌶️- Ch 11, 17, 18 Steamy, plenty of tension, and very well placed.

Audio Narration: 4.5/5
I loved the narrator choices for this one and think they did a spectacular job. The inflection, tone, speed, & pausing were all 5/5. However, there were a handful of times where you could tell a section had been re-recorded and edited in — it almost sounded like it was recorded in a different studio with slightly different acoustics. Not a huge issue but definitely noticeable. Ah - once last thing… The voice for Skylar was grating — I feel like it was quite intentional and did match the character well, but I will just say I am SO glad we only had minimal dialogue from this side character.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |

[currentlyreadingbynat · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Fired Up is a fun, sweet, and surprisingly emotional queer romance that balances light-hearted banter with deeper emotional themes. Nic and Kira are total opposites—one a fire scientist, the other a firefighter—and yet their chemistry is undeniable. Brought together by their mutual best friend Skylar (who may or may not be fleeing to Fiji), the two team up to try to make her stay… and end up finding something real in each other along the way.

What I appreciated most was how organically their relationship developed. While there’s some miscommunication and emotional baggage—Nic in particular is still working through abandonment issues—none of it felt overdone or manufactured just to create conflict. Their romance is messy, awkward, and very human. And although the book opens on a slightly melodramatic note, it settles into a comfortable, engaging rhythm that’s hard to put down.

I think the side characters could’ve been more fully developed, especially given how often they were referenced. There are some unanswered questions there and I'm wondering if it's been set up for a second book? Skylar’s character arc also felt a little uneven, especially considering how central she is to the plot. Still, All Fired Up is both heartfelt and hilarious, and while it didn’t totally hit every emotional beat for me, I ended up really enjoying the ride. Would definitely pick up more from this author and recommend it if you like your romance with a side of realism.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[thevinedbookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such a fiery 🔥 good time reading this book. I had to get some fire puns into this post since the story stars a firefighter and a scientist who studies fire for a living. 😁 I read it in 24 hours and had zero regrets.

Nicole left her hometown to fall out of love with her best friend, Skylar. Two years later, she returns and discovers her bestie has a new best friend…Kira and that Skylar is about to leave the country with no return date in sight. Concerned, Nicole decides to team up with Kira to convince her to stay.

This book has so much heart and found-family vibes. I loved how supportive and loving Nicole’s found family was, and how they embraced Kira immediately. Nicole and Skylar’s dynamic felt so real. I know so many people who have either had a messy experience with a best friend or know someone who has. I really enjoyed the friends-to-lovers aspect and how both characters had to make difficult decisions in order to grow as individuals. I also adored the ending and the little life updates we got on the whole group.

While I enjoyed this story overall, I did struggle a bit with the resolution of Nicole and Skylar’s dynamic, especially considering how long Nicole held onto her unrequited feelings. That plot point wrapped up very suddenly and felt a bit too tidy. I would have loved a bit more time spent on that part of the story.

I’m really hoping we get more stories from this author about this friend group. There’s so much potential for this little found family, and I’d love to read more about all of them. Overall, a solid four-star read.

You should read this book if you love:
🔥Spicy Sapphic Romantic Comedies
👩‍🔬Friends to Lovers
🔥Firefighter and Fire Scientist
👩‍🔬Forced Proximity
🔥Found Family

Thank you HTP Books and The Hive for allowing me to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I absolutely ate this up!!!!! This needs to be in everyone’s cart for summer reads!

I love when I find a book where I love the entire cast of characters. Adding this to my list of books where I desperately want to grab lunch with all the characters! All Fired Up is a story that is deeply heartfelt & incredibly refreshing. I really enjoyed the authors subtle commentary on global warming.

Another aspect I really enjoyed was the whole opposites attract. Firefighter x fire scientist !!

This is a quick and joyful read filled with sooo much queerness oh and DELICIOUS SPICE.
Also the narrators, KILL IT!!!!!!

I have been smiling ear to ear since listening to this.

Thank you so much to Harlequin Audio & Canary Street Press, the author, & to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

[amarachireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute read i liked the fire aspect and how opposites both fmc were. One of the fmc works to put out fires and the other one makes fires for a living. This book seemed to be a new adult romance with lots of friendship drama and a bit of a love triangle in which one of the fmc was trying to figure out what she wanted. Both characters are real and complex and their actions show that lol. This was a slow burn with so cute moments and good banter, I liked both characters together. There are a couple of steamy scenes and overall this is a fun contemporary romance that celebrates queer joy and characters. Thanks to HTP for this arc!

3.5/5

[Sterling Sapphic Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Fired Up is a bright, bold spark of a sapphic romance that burns hot with chemistry, emotional growth, and the kind of found family dynamic that makes your heart feel held. If you’ve ever rooted for the grumpy-sunshine pairing, had a complicated best friend relationship, or tried to steer a loved one away from a questionable life decision, this book will hit all your emotional pressure points—in the best possible way.

The story follows Nic, a fire scientist (yes, that’s a real and fascinating thing!), who returns to Seattle with more than a little baggage and one goal: reconnect with Skylar, her best friend and long-time unrequited crush. But Skylar throws a curveball—she’s ditching everything to move to Fiji, and Nic is instantly on high alert. Enter Kira, the bi firefighter and Skylar’s other bestie, who’s been holding things down in Nic’s absence. Kira and Nic team up to stage an intervention of the hilarious and heartfelt variety, but what neither of them expected? The spark that flares between them. And wow, does it sizzle.

This audiobook ignites through its dual narration—Angel Pean and Kristen DiMercurio bring so much life to Nic and Kira, capturing the vulnerability, the fire (pun intended), and the deep, sometimes messy emotions with incredible authenticity. The chemistry between the characters is intense and satisfying, with steam that absolutely earns its stripes, but what lingers is the emotional resonance. Themes of letting go, growing into your full self, and learning when to stop fighting the inevitable are woven beautifully throughout.

M.K. England has created a friend group that feels lived-in, layered, and refreshingly queer in its joy and imperfection. What truly lights All Fired Up beyond a standard rom-com is its emotional depth. This is a story about forging healthy boundaries, allowing friendships to evolve, and daring to dream beyond the limitations of your past.

While the pacing occasionally slows in the middle—particularly around some of the Skylar-centered drama—the payoff is worth it. The heart of the story is Nic and Kira, and their journey from reluctant allies to something much deeper is handled with tenderness, passion, and so much care.

A heartfelt and sultry sapphic romance that goes beyond love and dives straight into healing, All Fired Up is a radiant listen full of fire, feels, and fierce queer joy. Keep this one queued up for days when you need a reminder that sometimes the best plans are the ones you never imagined.

[Nerlie౨ৎ🎧📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

⋆˚࿔ review𝜗𝜚˚⋆

3⭐️

This was a cute read—not amazing, but definitely not bad either. It had its moments, and overall, I enjoyed it.

Both main characters had their flaws, but that actually made them kind of relatable. They felt like real people trying to figure things out, even if they made questionable choices along the way.

The chemistry between them was great—you could really feel the tension and connection. But the constant circling around the same issues got frustrating. It felt like they kept going back and forth without actually making progress.

And their communication? Terrible. So many of their problems could’ve been avoided with one honest conversation. That held the story back a bit for me.

Still, it was a decent read with some sweet moments—I just wish they’d gotten out of their own way a little sooner.

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚

I’m not sure what I did, but I must’ve done something right!

[Denise Ruttan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All Fired Up" is an absolutely adorable sapphic romcom featuring opposites attract, a close-knit group of queer friends, a butch/femme bi/lesbian pairing, and a sizzling romance between a scientist who studies fire and a firefighter. I couldn't help but request this book immediately.

Nic, the fire scientist and a disaster lesbian who moves back home to Seattle for a temporary research gig, has been in love with her best friend Skylar since freshman year of college, when the radiant woman pulled the reserved Nic into her orbit and never let go. Coming back, Nic learns she's sharing her best friend with a new person in their friend group, a hot firefighter named Kira.

Skylar, known for impetuous recklessness and a series of wild schemes, is a social media influencer who has built her brand as a psychologist. She announces a move to Fiji, intends to delete her accounts and start a farm, and in true Skylar fashion plans to throw an elaborate goodbye party in the same style as a wedding.

Concerned, Nic and Kira plot together to thwart her plans, but soon can't deny their mutual attraction and they start a situationship. But feelings make things muddy, and Nic begins to question everything she thought she knew about her life as she falls for the one person she didn't expect.

I thought the best friend crush situation could have gone badly in the annoying love triangle sort of way but I loved how it was handled as Nic learns to navigate romantic vs platonic love.

This was billed as a rom com but I didn't find it funny, just heartwarming and sweet, like a cozy hug of queer wholesome joy, and it made me smile. It had plenty of spice as well and I found the sex scenes hot. That dressing room scene... dang! And when Nic and Kira have to share a bed when Nic rooms with her, it was sexy and not cheesy like most "just one bed" stories.

I only wish the friend group had stronger character development, I felt like I never really knew their friends all that well and I am still wondering what Willow's big secret was. Nic and Kira's scheming was also very half-hearted and rather quickly fell to the wayside.

Overall a cute, sexy, lighthearted romance that could easily have turned Hallmark-cheesy or boring but kept me smiling instead the whole time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[thosemeddlingkids · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bummed about this one - had promise: firefighter MC x scientist MC end up teaming up to try and prevent their mutual friend from leaving town.

Ways this fell flat to me:

- chemistry was not there. they went from friend of a friend to working together once or twice to fucking to in love.
- the 'mystery' for why the mutual friend was leaving ended up being blown out of proportion, she was a social media therapist and livestreaming everything to her followers was not fun or interesting to read about
- for the pivotal big moments between the MCs, there was always some magical knowledgable person there to literally explain everything to them and as the reader, we were just talked at for all the plot movement (thinking of the tarot card cafe reading thing and the brunch scene that turned into an impromptu therapy session)
- the token nonbinary side character showed up at the beginning and the end to keep that plot moving
- there was not much of a plotline with their lives besides sexism at firefighter's work and money for grant at science job.


However, the narration was good and both Angel Pean & Kristen DiMercurio were working their butts off to keep this going. All stars go to the both of them lol.


Audio ARC provided from Netgalley.

[Annine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this! The third act break-up was actually valid and not annoying

[Eshen · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Fired Up was a quick and joyful read about a fire fighter (Kira) and fire starting scientist (Nic) who share a best friend and grow close as they try to prevent that friend from making a big mistake.

This book was a 10/10 rom com. It was romantic and predictable (as rom com books should be), but there were also some elements of mystery thrown in that kept me intrigued to the end. While the romance was perfect, what really stood out to me were the friendships between Kira and Nic and their best friend, Skylar. The way their friendships grew and strengthened over the course of the book was beautiful, and I appreciated the emphasis on preserving long distance friendships.

If you are looking for a beautiful queer love story that will keep you smiling for days then this book certainly delivers! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

[Lala · Rating 4 out of 5]

How I would honestly rate this

3 stars for the cover. 1 star for the story content.

[๑ seungchaccomin ๑ · Rating 3 out of 5]

audiobook rating: •••
book rating: ••

‘have compassion for yourself and for others who are nothing like you.’

both narrators are good. but i like the one who voiced as nic more. kira's too, but everytime i heard a word that ends with -ing, it hears clearly (for me)

the book however, it's entertaining, yes. but sometimes i'm pissed off for both mc's. yes, their best friend is leaving, but planning to stay her longer in seattle is just a dumb idea. like, can they accept that she really IS leaving?

anyways, skylar ate this book 🤭

───────────────────────

pre-listen:

so... ashley poston blurb this book so i guess let's give it a try 😁

also, firefighter x scientist? love that! 🤭

thank you to netgalley & harlequin audio for providing me with an alc of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the tag line in the blurb about how one fights fires and one makes them. It was what made me excited about this book. Unfortunately, there really wasn't a whole lot about this in the book. I think I expected to see a little more behind both jobs but it was all rather vague with small sprinkles of plot added in.

Also, there were so many characters in this book but there wasn't much depth to anyone, at least that's how I felt. The dialogue also was super stiff and could use a little fixing.

But, I did like the idea of this story and there were some cute moments. Lots of potential.

I listened to the audiobook and while I liked both narrators, I didn't feel like either one matched the characters presented to us on the books.

[Debby Tiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sapphic love story by one of my favorite queer authors! All the queer representation in this book is amazing!

The premise of a firefighter and a scientist whose role is to SET things on fire. I honestly wish England had gone more into depth about both professions, as I found it very interesting. I also heavily related to Kira’s desire to be a night owl and not have people disturb her in the morning.

I also really loved the whole cast of characters. I feel like it is so rare to see characters with such a large friend group— and with such a strong bond as well, despite the ups and downs. Speaking of which, the challenges the characters face felt very realistic for our modern era. I was choked up about a number of places in this book.

I also think it’s rare to see this age of characters: Nic has just completed her masters and is working on grant funding, toying with the idea of a Ph. D. This is not only unique but particularly of interest to me in this portion of my life.

Parts of this book were predictable, but I didn’t really mind.

There were several parts of the story that were left open-ended, but I suppose that’s very life-like.

Favorite character: Skylar and her mom. Such big personalities.

Favorite excerpts:

As much as I'd love Willow's expertise here, I'm sure between me, Kira, and our creepy overlord Google, we can figure this out.

"Hey, we were supposed to be going out to cheer our- selves up, and look what I did instead. I made bubble tea sad. That's just wrong."

Most days, I'm sure that at any second, someone will find out I'm actually three toddlers in a lab coat with a baking soda and vinegar volcano instead of a master's graduate with a real science job who knows what the hell she's doing.

And hey, I'm becoming a not- so-bad baker. I can give her a steady supply of mediocre pies for as long as she wants them.

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

eARC

In their first adult romance, England delivers a scorcher.

One fights fires. The other sets them (for scientific reasons). They share a best friend. That best friend is impulsive and flaky, and now she wants to move to Fiji–and give up her 800k+ social media following.

What better way to get acquainted with the bestie your bestie made while you were out of state for grad school than to team up and try to stop her from making a huge mistake? Especially when you're in love with shared bestie and always have been, but have thus far been too afraid to admit your feelings?

But oh wait, new bestie is super hot, and things are getting complicated...

The pros:
-England has that way of writing a breezy, compulsively-readable romance that I can only compare to Courtney Milan–the problems aren't always light, but that sense of moving through the story is.
-While the characters on paper are very "opposites attract," in reality they work together very well.
-🔥 sex scenes.
-not equating "found family" with having a friend group.

The cons:
-use of the word "clean" for sexual health status, although I acknowledge the absolutely lack of replacement we have that works so succinctly.
-...that's really it. I do think the friends might've been given a little more page time as individuals, but everyone's doing SOMETHING mysterious, so hopefully we'll get another book or three about them.

Disclaimer: I know the author casually from our time in librarianship.

[Mary Gael · Rating 5 out of 5]

finally a sapphic romance with two leads that I loved despite their flaws and whose romance felt very real <3 all of the choices nic made had me wanting to scream but I did understand her and she just needed to grow!! anyway the end of this made me wanna cry!

[Lindsey Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you HT publishing for the ARC!

I’m not usually into contemporary romance books but this was too cute! A firefighter and a fire scientist?!? I will say it was a “typical” lesbian pipeline haha but honestly it just makes it more realistic to me.

[Gigi Ropp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a FF love story and, while it was new, the spice was SPICY! I loved the chemistry and the way the characters bantered. I also really enjoyed the woman-in-male-dominated-field plot!

[Franki Jace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Canary Street Press, and Harlequin Audio for giving me access to both the e-ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review. I both read and listened to this book at the same time.
This book honestly hit me in the feels. As someone who is a licensed therapist (and struggles with mental health as well), it was nice seeing how the author worked through the different obstacles the characters faced, and showing that even the most "presentable" people have insecurities and flaws. I can relate both to Nic and Kira in different ways, and it was amazing watching their story unfold and bring them together. And the found family was really hitting me in the feels, with their compassion and hard but honest advice. And I thought the ending wrapped everything up perfectly - though I wouldn't mind seeing some of the other characters have their own story (iykyk). Overall, I highly recommend this heated (pun intended) sapphic romance.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

this was cute and I did like it. I liked the job descriptions and the concept a lot. One of the main characters is a firefighter and the other is a scientist who studies fire and like starts fires scientifically of course.

I feel like this book is missing a chunk and a genuinely feel like there was meant to be a few chapters that got cut or just didn't make the final round of editing. I'm missing that middle section of their relationship. The one where they decide that they are a falling for each other and actually like connecting and the intimacy. I don't mean the sex scenes because those are there but the emotional intimacy. for me I didn't get any of that from either character about their respective love interest during their chapters.

My other struggle with this was how large the friend group was. it kind of comes together at the end but this really feels like a companion novel. to my knowledge it's not but it feels like you should already know this whole big group of friends and I don't think that there needed to be so many of them because a lot of them just got muddled for me.

My last little critique is that the end is too much. I feel like they go from 0 to 60 just like that within a span of a couple months and I don't think that was necessary.

is it a fun cute sapphic rom-com? Yes. is it an easy unproblematic read? also yes. so if that is what you're looking for then this is the book for you. I definitely see why people have really enjoyed this and I understand the critique.

[Marya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @canarystreetpress for providing me an early copy of this ebook. All opinions are my own.

I had such a great time with this one!

Nic is just back in town after 2 years away at grad school, hoping to finally admit her feelings to her best friend Skylar, when Skylar announces that she will be leaving the country in a few months! While she’s been away, Skylar and Nic’s other friends have added a new member to their friend group, Kira, whom Nic immediately befriends as they make a plan to stop Skylar from leaving.

First of all, I loved that these two were a fire scientist and a firefighter. What could be better?! 😆

Secondly, I loved the scheming, that kind of got flirty, and had them spending so much time together…(“definitely” not *dates*. 👀)

The tension was so good, and I was just holding my breath waiting for the dam to break whenever they were alone together.

There were some mysteries that kept me guessing, especially when it came to the side characters. Each side character definitely brought their own personality, and I wouldn’t be mad about seeing them featured in some theoretical future books?! 😍

Overall a really fun sapphic romcom that I think would make for a perfect summer read!

What this book is giving:
✅ Sapphic Romcom
✅ Dual POV
✅ Firefighter
✅ Fire Scientist
✅ Unrequited Love…for another character
✅ Forced Proximity
✅ *NOT* 😘 Dates

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nic and Kira don’t know each other, but they are friends with Skylar, and anyone who is friends with Skylar must be great. In fact, Skylar practically pushes them together, as they both learn that Skylar is planning to leave Seattle for Fiji, if not forever, for at least the foreseeable future.

Nic had planned to get together with Skylar, romantically, because she is her anchor. Neither Nic or Kira wants to lose her, so they try to find ways to make her stay, coming up with things that might make hr change her mind, and growing closer as they do. Nic sets things on fire and Kira puts fires out. How could they be compatible, and yet, they are.

This is such a cute romance. Of course, as with all romances, there are misunderstandings, and times you want to take the main characters and shake them until they see the light.

I liked that the reasons for Nic feeling the way she did made sense. And I also liked the Skylar, whom everyone thought of as cookey, was far less than that, and actually was thinking things through.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 29th of April 2025.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you HTP Books and HTP Hive for my free ARC.

All Fired Up is a sweet, funny and cute sapphic romance between a fire chemist Nicole and a firefighter, Kira. The two of them team up to convince their best friend, Skylar, from moving away.

Although I did find some parts enjoyable, overall I didn’t feel like their relationship had much chemistry? It felt a bit short and rushed. I would have loved to see more of the side characters and Skylar considering she’s the whole reason for them being connected in the first place.

I did really like the vast cast of characters and friends but again, wish we saw more of the friendship and not *only* the scheming.

I also did the ALC via netgalley and I loved the dual narration! Both narrators did a fantastic job and it was a fun time and a quick read/listen.

Tropes/Themes:

- found family
- Spice
- bisexual/lesbian rep
- Dual POV and narration

[Kali Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐ 3 🌶️ 5 🎧

This was so sweet, I absolutely loved it. Kira and Nic were smart and strong FMCs with an interesting co-conspirators to lovers trope as they attempt to get their best friend to change her wild plans. Nic has an unrequited crush on said best friend, and Kira has a crush on Nic. From friends with bennies to a happily ever after, I loved watching these two fall in love.

Found Family is one of my favorite tropes and MK put an interesting twist on this one as well. It's a huge plot point, not with the FMCs family, but with their best friend's family and for both of them. Kira and Nic have been through a lot and are slightly broken girls... Skylar's mom is an amazing force though and I loved her part in this story.

The audio was great. Angel Pean and Kristen DiMercurio were both wonderful and I loved this listen.

[Jane (whatjanereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one! Such a fun idea to have a fire fighter falling for a woman who’s a fire starter!
I love a kind of oblivious accidentally falling into a relationship situation and woman getting what they deserve in every part of their lives.
I liked these two together and the steamy parts were few but excellent!
A strong fire fighter with short hair wearing flimsy dresses and skirts in her free time and a researcher in dress pants yessss, loved that they weren’t made to be cliches. I also really liked their friend group and am kinda hoping for a sequel with one of them.
For me it took a little too long for the one MC to realise she’s not actually in love with her best friend and the end was a little too over the top for me, I wouldn’t have needed for them to rush into things so quickly.

[Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was such a cute read!! I liked both the characters a lot. I felt that both Nic and Kira were fully fleshed out and had unique traits as well as problems they were working through. I had to suspend my disbelief just a bit on how quickly they became such close friends, but that does occasionally happen where you just click!

The plot overall was a fun and engaging. Skylar 'randomly going off to Fiji for secret reasons' felt enough to carry the story through.

The only issues I had was that the rest of the friend group didn't feel as fleshed out. Almost a bit confusing as to why they were there, other than being able to say 'there was a large friend group!'. I also wished there was one more spicy scene written out fully toward the end. And that the last chapter definitely didn’t need to happen ( I really disliked the choice here, especially with the time frame), and it should have just been an epilogue many years after.

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read that I finished in one sitting (I couldn't put it down)! Light, witty, and sexy in all the best ways. I loved getting to know not only the main characters and the depth to their characters, but also the extensive group of supporting characters in the friend group. I want to be in a group like that, and while I think this is a standalone, it made me wish for several sequels featuring others in the friend group! So supportive, loving, and FUN as hell. The emotional depth of the characters and the way their trauma impacted them and their relationships felt very realistic and I found myself with tears at several points in the book.

I did find myself rooting for both Kira and Skylar as the love interests for Nic, which was a bit challenging knowing this is not a why-choose and that the HEA is for Kira and Nic, but I loved the way things wrapped up and the little reveals at the end of what happens next for the friend group. I wish more time was given for Kira and Nic to explore their relationship more, though, as Nic's unrequited feelings for Skylar were not resolved until quite a bit into the book.

I think when an author leaves a reader yearning for more of not only the current book and its main characters, but also additional stories about the same universe and supporting characters, they've gotten something right!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sophie Guillas · Rating 3 out of 5]

All Fired Up follows Nic and Kira as they try to convince their mutual friend Skylar to not move away, and fall in love in the process. This breezy book had some fun scheming, romantic moments, and grounded grownup struggles. Third act blow ups in romance novels always stress me out, and I appreciated how their fight felt justified, and it made sense when they processed their feelings and came together again.

I think some of the emotional processing moments were really clunky. There's two moments (tarot reading/Skylar's mom) where the book turns into a therapy session.

It also bummed me out that the book sets up this great friend group just to split them up at the end of the book. I like romcoms that balance idealized romantic and platonic relationships.