How We Burn: a spicy MMF romance with hot mess energy

Choosing Us #2

by Poppy Minnix

I’ve always been good at leaving.

Each new city and new job is a new beginning. And when I inevitably make a mess out of my life, I don’t have roots holding me from an easy escape.

Well, there’s one root. My falling-down childhood home is as much of a disaster as I am, and my sanctuary when life goes sideways. Like when I find out my boyfriend is married and his mother gets me fired. Yeah. This mess-up was a doozy.

But when I return to Kentucky, I have a new roommate.

Micah is my lifelong, unrequited crush. Retired soccer star. Golden boy. Until now. He might be as much of a wreck as I am.

Then there’s Zephryn, my jackass brother’s best friend. He’s confident, curious, and far too interested in my latest mistake.

It’s none of his business. Until our walls come down and I realize Micah needs Zephryn. Zephryn needs Micah. And somehow they want me.

For once, I don’t want to leave.

***

A high-spice emotional MMF for readers who love brother’s best friend, found family, broken doms who need to heal, and hot mess heroines who have to realize starting over might mean staying put.

Genres: M M F

566 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2026

About the author

Poppy Minnix (she/her) writes spicy romance with heart, heat, and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. A Maryland-based author, she's a proud ally, enthusiastic hugger, and certified hot mess powered by ADHD and caffeine.

As a mood writer, she long ago gave up resisting the voices in her head (aka: characters who demand the spotlight). Whether she’s letting a fae muse hijack her thoughts or adding a dash of chaos, humor, and unexpected love interests to her contemporary plots, she’s all about embracing the messy, magical journey of falling in love.

When she’s not writing, you’ll find her wrapped in a blanket cocoon, plotting with fellow romance nerds, or trying to remember why she walked into a room.
Warning: Her books contain varying degrees of steam, swearing, and relatable characters who fall hard and love even harder.

Catch up with her here or on social media; https://linktr.ee/PoppyMinnix

Reviews

[Poppy Minnix]

HOW WE BURN is now available on ebook and KU!!!
❤️❤️❤️ MMF
❤️ New adult with mature conversations
❤️ High spice with emotion
❤️ Hot mess energy
❤️ Healing emotional wounds
❤️ Found family

[Sheila Burgin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the slow burn between Micah, Hayley and Zephryn. Even knowing they have a HEA ending, it's still fun to read to see all they had to go thru to get there. Micah is a caretaker thru and thru, zephy is the fun one who is so reserved with his feelings and it hurt watching him struggle to accept the inevitable between the 3 of them. And poor Hayley had it rough from the time she was a kid with a brother who needed to pull his head outta his @$$, man up and be a support for her and not act like their drunken father. I really loved how Micah brought his A game in the end with all their family and friends surrounding them 🥰.

I was hoping Rei's story would have been next but I can't wait to see what Cleo has in store for her.

Thank you Poppy and #goodreadsgiveaway

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy! 😮‍💨 As usual I loved this book! I loved the dynamic with Zephryn, Micah and Hayley! You always make me feel all the feels with you FMC's and I love it! This is perfection! Thank you for sharing with me and for writing! 🩷

[sumeyye · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good and love the ending of the story and a very good plot tooo !!!

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, once again such a great book in this series! Such a great storyline, great characters, great chemistry between Micah, Zephyrn and Hayley! Such great raw, real , deep , mature conversations between them all, the emotions, the plot kept me guessing the whole time, couldn’t stop reading it. And the amount of spice was perfect with a balance of sweet romance. SO good!

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

MMF stories are my jam so I was glad to discover How We Burn and through it Poppy’s work.

Zeph, Micah, and Hayley are an interesting triad with some very relatable relationship and personality hangups. It felt like Zeph and Hayley, in particular, maybe took a little too long to work through theirs than Micah but I enjoy all books where characters grow and change for the better and I don’t think it’s realistic that everyone would be on the same timeline in a polyamorous relationship or triad. I do think they are good for each other. Zeph for sure needs people like Micah and Hayley in his life.

I also wish there had been some more background for how Z and M became what they were before adding Hayley. But that’s not an issue if you read “When We Hid” first. I also wish there had been a little less “mine” and more “ours.” It felt at times like the triad was less important. But that too seems like the growing pains that can go into three different people becoming one unit, one family. My last wish, is the one I have for almost every romance I ever read: a longer HEA once they finally do all decide to be together forever so to speak.

All that being said, if you’re looking for steam, and intimacy between two men and a woman, you should more than find it here. Poppy has written an actual story, but it’s also hot when it’s hot. And in between you’ll root for these three to become who they are meant to be, together.

I look forward to reading more of Poppy’s books. I received an advance review copy from Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.