🔥 This one hit everything that I want from a fake dating story: lots of tension, people fooling themselves they won't catch feelings, awkward hijinks with the friends who know they're faking it, bets they're involved in or that rely on the outcome of their faking it- all golden stuff.
🔥 I found both Dylan and Lexi's backstories really well flushed out and compelling. We really dove into some of the issues that kept them both from diving into a new relationship; I really appreciated the thoughtfulness given to their characters' development.
🔥 There was just something about the writing style and the pacing for this one that didn't jive for me. Like I said, it had all the elements I love in a fake dating story, but I didn't fly through it like I expected to.
🔥 I disagreed with the advice Lexi's roommate gave her after the crisis moment; I thought she acted in a way that was in keeping with the self-work she was doing all throughout the book. BUT I did love the grand gesture- I thought it was funny and sweet.

Just because a book wasn't my favorite doesn't mean you wont love it- it you love a good fake-dating plot with some excellent steamy moments, put this one on your list!

Fun, fake dating, family and friendship are all at the heart of this story and it’s fully engaging (see what I did there? Alliteration and a fire pun all in one lol:)
Lexi is a hardworking, selfless woman who runs a center for kids to keep them busy and off the streets. Dyson is a fireman who’s been burned by love ;) The day before her birthday, Dyson comes to the center to do an inspection and Lexi mistakes him for a strip-o-gram because he’s so hot. (I know, enough with the fire stuff lol) Once they sort out what’s really going on, they learn that they can be of help to each other-Dyson can help get the center up to code and Lexi can pretend to be his girlfriend to get his sisters off his back about dating. It starts out mutually beneficial and turns into so much more than they both ever anticipated.
I really enjoyed how they didn’t just dive right into things despite their obvious attraction for one another and the fact that they both had background noise that they needed to overcome helped add depth to the story. This will be a perfect beach read this summer, but in the meantime you can grab it to warm you on a cold day!
Publication date: January 24, 2022
Thanks to Entangled, wildfire marketing and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review.

Dyson is a firefighter doing an inspection at the youth center where Lexi works. Upon his arrival, Lexi believes that he is there as a birthday present - a strip-o-gram. After a few embarrassing conversations, the two agree to fake date each other. He needs help with a bet and she needs his help with repairs at the youth center.

This story is told in dual PPOV, which I always love. I really enjoyed this fake dating to real relationship story! The element of friends and family helps with the story line. I thoroughly enjoyed this laugh out loud and happily ever after, rom-com.

This is the second book in the Mile High Firefighters series and it can be read as a standalone. I would recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mile High Firefighters #2

Lexi Martin is the assistant director of the Denver Youth Center and always seems to have way too much on her plate. When it's time for the Center to have it's annual inspection Dyson O'Neil from Station 42 firehouse is the one sent out to do the inspection. Unfortunately the center doesn't pass inspection and in talking to Lexi and hearing of the issues facing the center Dyson offers to fix up some of the failing codes.
Lexi has a habit of saying what she is thinking out loud and embarrassing herself but it doesn't seem to bother Dyson. Both have had failed relationships. Lexi is taking a break from dating while Dyson doesn't do relationships. Dyson has his sisters on him about dating again and is always trying to fix him up. Dyson and Lexi agree to a fake relationship to help him out. They are both attracted to each other so what could possibly go wrong?

A cute story that has some funny parts as well as some heat.
4 stars

The Dating Dilemma was my first book by author Mariah Ankenman and will not be my last.

The story focuses on Lexi and Dyson, who begin fake dating and is written in dual POV. Things start off pretty awkward between them since Lexi thinks Dyson is a stripper sent for her bday... he's not.
Lexi runs a youth center Dyson is a yummy fireman who both have fears from past relationships to deal with.

Overall this book was funny, a little bit of spicy, light and quick read. Sometimes that all you need in a book!

Thank you Mariah and NetGalley for the ARC of The Dating Dilemma and giving me an opportunity to review!

I thought this book sounded like a fun, funny romance, but unfortunately the writing was not good. I could not get through it, honestly.

This was spicy and I loved every second of it! It is a very quick read, but that's not a bad thing because it was very entertaining.

This book is funny. Loved every page of it.
From the meddling family to meddling friends.
Lexi is hilarious. Dyson is funny too.
Wonderful story.

What a charming romcom!
The characters are witty and heartwarming. The shenanigans the author has them go through are adorkable. My favorite being the mistaken strip-o-gram the very beginning.
I really liked the emphasis about communication between partners, especially about not being afraid to ask for what you want. It’s a great message and the story didn’t feel preachy.
Her writing is super cute, funny and easy to read. I always enjoy a Mariah Ankenman book.
If you enjoy: romcom, funny shenanigans, fake dating, mild spice, insta-lust and heartwarming HEAs give this a try.

If you are looking for a fun, fake-dating romance that has a wonderful element of friendship and family, then look no further. This novel is an absolute delight, Mariah Ankenman has written such a charming and delightful romance between a fireman and a woman who runs an center for kids. Ankenman's story is low on angst, full of humor and charmed with strong familial and friend relationships. The story is well paced, with fun situations and wonderful moments of sweetness that it keeps the reader engaged with a smile on their face as they root for this romance.

Lexi mistakes Dyson for a birthday strip-o-gram present from her best friend and roommate, but soon comes to realize he is a real firefighter here to do a fire code inspection of the Kid's Center. This charming start to their relationship is taken in stride and humor as these two learn that they can be of help to the other. Dyson can do pro-bono work in order to bring the center up to code and Lexi can help Dyson by being his fake girlfriend to get his sister's off his back. What turns out as a mutual relationship of help blossoms into friendship that might just tip over into love.

This story is just really delightful, sweet and charming. Lexi is such a hard worker who puts others before her. Her heart is so big that she just wants the best for her kids and her friends even at the cost of her own comfort. Dyson is sweet and smart, his heart is also big and he loves his sisters so much. I love the softness of the way Lexi and Dyson begin to develop their relationship, they are both attracted to each other, but they have both had poor romantic relationships in the past that they spend a lot of time tip toeing around each other. I really love that these two see the worth in the other, they both are able to understand each other. Lexi and Dyson are able to build a foundation of friendship which is really lovely before they decide to explore a more physical side of their relationship. Once they move into a friends with benefits situation, the steam level rises to a nice level and we see how the opening up of their relationship to this level really helps to motivate them in understanding the importance of the other.

Definitely pick this book up if you are looking for a fun and delightful read! Not only does it have such an endearing romance but it has wonderful friendships and strengths of family that help to guide our hero and heroine in the development of their relationship. It is the perfect way to spend and evening and I am definitely looking forward to exploring more of Mariah Ankenman's works.

A laugh out loud novel full of sugary sweetness and enough spice to make it nice and savory!

I really liked the book and legit laughed at some parts, which I don’t do that often. I thought Lexi and Dyson were fleshed out and had some good chemistry. It was totally believable. I liked the side characters and thought they added a lot to the story, though Dyson’s sisters were a little childish at times—it wasn’t an over abundance of it.

There were a few things I struggled with. It might just be personal preference so take it however you want. While I really liked the book and at no point wanted to DNF it, I felt it was pretty slow taking off. It’s like it struggled to get where it needed to go. It wasn’t until about 50-60% in that things started moving at a better pace and I found it was much easier to get through quickly. I also felt there was a lot of repetition throughout. Dyson constantly dipping his chin was a big one. I started to worry that something was up with him that caused it. And both of them (but mainly Lexi) constantly saying fake relationship or fake boyfriend/girlfriend. It didn’t need to be in there as much as it was. The last thing that irked me the most was Lexi’s constant speaking out loud without realizing it. It was funny at first but it happened a little too much for my taste. On top of that, it was hard to tell when and what she was saying out loud. The majority of the time it was in the exposition instead of in italics so we would know exactly what she said. We were left trying to decipher her wording.

All of that aside, the book was good and I would definitely read another one by this author!

ARC provided via NetGalley by the publisher for an honest review.

The Dating Dilemma is a heart warming fake dating rom com with plenty of steam and a hilarious meet cute! I was laughing in the first couple of pages so I knew I was in a for a really fun read with this one.

Dyson can do no wrong in my opinion, he is really that amazing with how he loves his sisters and takes care of everyone. Sure, he’s a bit uptight and follows all the rules, but that’s part of his charm and also where the awkwardly funny Lexi comes in to help him loosen up a bit, armed with an aptly named cat, Lucifer.

This is a standalone with a HEA but if you read The Wedding Dilemma, you will be happy to be back at the bar for trivia night catching up with your favorite firefighters! I really loved that the overall message of this book was facing your fears, whether it’s phobias (which I can definitely relate to) or fear of trusting your heart. Fingers crossed it’s not too long to what I’m hoping will be a “working dilemma” book!

Sweet and sexy romance!

Lexi is a very endearing character. She's got a special way about her, and I adored getting to know her as she opened up and found her true self. Dyson is every woman's firefighter dream, but he's also a decent guy who isn't afraid to be himself, though he's a bit gun-shy about relationships. I loved the way they fake-dated their way into real feelings.

There's plenty of humor throughout, mixed with all the steam you'd expect, and culminating in a wonderful HEA. The inclusion of his fellow firefighters gave the whole story a unique community setting and I couldn't have loved it more. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing LLC and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book. This is technically the second one in a series that can be read as standalones. Lexi is a headstrong woman who gives too much of herself to others and Dyson is man who had to grow up too fast and is afraid to open himself back up to love and emotion. This book has fake dating and it was such a delight. Dyson recruits Lexi to be his fake girlfriend to convince his sisters he doesn't need dating apps and it was so fun and enjoyable. The two of them developed so well throughout the story and I really enjoyed watching their relationship progress. I thought the banter with the side characters was awesome and pretty funny. The Dating Dilemma was sexy, fun and I loved it. I'm excited to read the first and third one in this series!

A fake relationship for Lexi and Dyson, but will it turn in to more for them?

He has been hurt in the past, so is not interested in relationships, and she is on a dating break as she always ends up the one getting hurt. A fake relationship seems the answer, but what when they start to fall for real?

Can't wait for the next book in this series!

Sound the alarm, Mile High Firefighters, Book #2 - The Dating Dilemma is smoldering! And, who doesn't pick a book by its cover - just look at this cover GULP. In this fake-dating story, two of the most loving and caring people burn-up the pages in this romance. Their chemistry is smoking HOT.

This second book can be read as a stand alone in the series. Lexi and Dyson are fun characters along with the crew at the station, and their family and friends. I enjoyed this read, and look forward to continuing the series.

Thank you Entangled Publishing for the advance reader copy.

Lexi Martin runs a kids youth center and us surprised when her friend sends a Fireman stripogram to her work! How fun is that?

Well Dyson O'Neill is just trying to make a routine inspection of the center but you can see where this might go.

Lexi who has a bet with her roommate to not date since she never puts herself first in relationships. Dyson has a strict no dating rule due to a horrible break up.

When Dyson's sisters try to get him to date again he panics and mentions he's already dating Lexi.

I forgot to mention the center failed the inspection and he had been visiting to help fix the issues on his time off so them starting to date isn't out of the realm of possibility. Also, Lexi is one of those that accidentally says what she is thinking which is good for him but embarrassing for her lol.

Definitely enjoyed this cute story of two people that had been unlucky with love finding eachother.

Read if you like:
🔸 Fake dating
🔸 One bed
🔸 Hot Firemen

This is part of The Mile High Fire Fighters series which I need to read more of!

Thank you entangled_publishing and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I just… I don’t know. This one wasn’t for me. The dialogue felt forced and was really awkward at times? Lexi was cringy in the worst ways and I think that accidentally using your outside voice once is reasonable and happens. Three times in the span of one conversation? It took me right out of the story. Also the use of holy cow.

The reason for fake dating didn’t do it for me and I got really, really annoyed at the majority of the side characters. I get meddling but they were just intrusive.

I also got weirdly hung up on the fact that the MMCs name is Dyson - which is either a vacuum or dog. Not a human. I don’t make the rules, okay?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-galley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman is the first book I have read by this author. I would consider this a fun, almost Rom Com read. Overall this started out as a 3 star for me. I didn’t feel super connected to the characters and I just couldn’t get past the name Dyson (all I thought was the dyson vacuum)... But I continued on and because of the character development and some of my favorite tropes were in this, I would place this between a 3.5 - 4 star. (depending on who I was recommending this book to).

We start off with Lexi hard at work. Lexi is our 27 (turning 28) year old, dedicated to working, cat loving, female main character. Since Lexi's birthday is coming up, her childhood best friend sends her a gift at work. So when this hot firefighter shows up, she thinks he is a strip-o-gram - thoroughly embarrassing herself. Dyson is enamored with Lexi’s sudden outburst (she has an issue with saying her inner monolog out loud), but does not poke fun at her because of this. Dyson is a real firefighter sent to her place of work to do an annual fire code inspection. This immediately worries Lexi. Because The Denver Youth Center is run strictly by donations and they do not have the means of fixing and repairing issues. However, the center is critical for the local kids who do not have anywhere else to go. Dyson completes the inspection and states that the center did not pass. But to Lexi’s surprise, Dyson volunteers his time to help repair the issues. Leaving Dyson and Lexi to become closer.However, Dyson has a strict no dating rule and Lexi has a bet to be single for 6 months.

Lexi has an issue with trying to fix people, leaving her to always put herself last and everything and everyone else first.

Dyson has developed a lot of fears from his past. He suffers from anxiety and has major trust issues. Because of his anxiety, he is always early. Because of this, he has picked up on reading. (We love a male book lover). In addition to his anxiety, his ex fiance cheated on him with his best friend, he now has major trust issues and vowed to never date again.


This book includes tropes like: fake dating, forced proximity, and sinlge bed.
TW for cheating and death.


Thank you Entangled Publishing, LLC and Netgalley for the eARC of this book.

I’m already a huge fan of Mariah Ankenman so I was stoked for this book! It took me a little bit to get into (even though mistaking an actual firefighter for a strip-o-gram is one heck of a hook) but I did get really invested in Lexi and Dyson’s “fake” relationship!

This is a great book if you want a light and fluffy read! You can always count on Mariah for a super sweet cinnamon roll hero!


I thought the way Mariah Ankenman executed the third act breakup was truly inspired! I knew I still had too much of the book to read for things to be working out so well but I could not figure out what was going to happen to cause a problem! I won’t give any spoilers but it was a nice change of pace from the miscommunication trope that the romance genre has a death grip on.