3.5 ✨

A fun, quick sapphic read. Bonus points for the STEM Queen feature. Really enjoyed how well rounded the characters were and how realistic it all felt. I do wish the friend group was slightly smaller as it felt like a lot of side characters.

Thank you so much to Net Galley, the publishing company and this author for this arc!

Every cast of friends are so precious together in each book M. K. England has written. The messages being promoted fill my heart with joy. I love this story.

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.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This started out strong, I was enjoying the story and it avoided a lot of the usual sapphic romance cringe. But then it went there. The word “center” in spicy scenes? Instant ick for me.

Nic was exhausting to be in the head of, deeply in need of therapy, though at least she finally got some. The epilogue was full-on U-Haul and way too much too fast.

Kira was great, and the tarot café scene was a highlight. Do these exist in real life? Because I want to visit one.
But honestly, Skylar stole the show for me.

Mixed feelings overall, but some enjoyable moments.

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.

Flames are more than metaphorical in ALL FIRED UP (Canary St. Press, 304 pp., paperback, $18.99). This Sapphic contemporary between a professional firefighter and a fire science researcher had me reliving my own misspent youth amid the secondhand couches and karaoke bars in the heart of Seattle.

Nicole, a freshly minted Ph.D. moving back to her hometown, is trying to get over her feelings for her overdramatic best friend Skylar, with no success. Now she finds that not only has Skylar found a replacement best friend: She’s moving to Fiji at the end of the summer, in one of her trademark disaster decisions.

Desperate to convince Skylar to stay in town, Nic makes a secret pact with the replacement friend, Kira — an ambitious, type-A firefighter who’s hot both in and out of her gear. Conspiracy planning has them whispering in one another’s ear … and then casually, not-so-accidentally making out. But while Nic might be ready to let go of her dreams of winning Skylar’s heart, Kira is holding onto her own past too tightly.

What a messy, drunken, ill-advised joy of a book. Everyone’s putting on a cool, with-it surface while paddling like mad underneath. It reminds me of Casey McQuiston’s best party scenes, with the on-point Seattle flavor of Alexandria Bellefleur — effervescent and deeply sincere.

Heat Factor: It takes them a while to realize that they are attracted to each other, but once they do they go pretty hard

Character Chemistry: Complementary strengths

Plot: Nic and Kira team up to convince their mutual best friend that moving to Fiji is a bad idea

Overall: This book made me feel so old

Yes, this book is a love story. But more centrally, this book is about a messy, codependent friend group learning that it’s ok for them to all spread their wings and move in different directions. That they can still care about each other and not messily and codependently live in each others’ pockets at all times. (But not date people outside the friend circle. That would be too much.) And look, I get it. For my first two years post college, I still lived with friends from college and we continued to party with the same people we’d always partied with and had the same drama we’d always had. And it was weird and scary to move by myself to a new city to start graduate school and now that almost twenty years have passed that friend group is no longer a single cohesive lump. And I loved that this book showed the beginning steps of this process for these late-twenties folks with care and consideration.

But damn, did it make me feel old. Especially the first half, where Nic and Kira and the rest of the group are constantly out drinking too much and having platonic couch snuggling sessions and spending entire paychecks on plants that they expect to die as a prank. And not getting renters’ insurance, because that’s for grown ass adults, and we are not yet grown ass adults.

Around the midpoint of the book, Skylar—the mutual friend that Nic and Kira are trying to convince not to move away—has a conversation with Nic that really shifts the narrative. Up until this point, Skylar is presented as pretty feckless. This makes sense narratively, as Nic and Kira are both focused on the irresponsible side of her big move. However, in this conversation Skylar reveals more information about her upcoming move and asks Nic to back off on the sabotage and also gives Nic some free therapy. (This scene also helped me believe in Skylar as the glue of the friend group and not just as a partying glitter demon.) This moment really shifts the narrative away from Nic and Kira focusing on Skylar to them focusing on themselves. Nic and Kira are both stuck in old habits and thought patterns, which is why they’ve been holding on so tightly to Skylar and their need for her to stay where she is, so the moment of them letting go of her as the central lodestar in their respective lives is a big shift, and pushes them both to work on themselves. And allows them to see each other as potential partners, though I want to be very clear that a central explicit focus of the text is on Nic and Kira working on themselves as individuals.

Despite most of the journey here being singular personal growth, especially for Nic, the romance is pretty sweet (with some solid sexy bits in the second half of the book). Nic and Kira are clearly attracted to each other and have a decent rapport when casually spending time together. I thought it was fun that they both had fire-related careers. But. There was a little part of the back of my mind that wouldn’t stay quiet, one that was saying that they were both replacing Skylar as their focus point with someone new.

Given that so much of the book was focused on Nic learning to be her own person and Kira desperately wanting a family connection, I wish that the story had ended with an open-ended happy for now (ie, at the end of the penultimate chapter, when Skylar says goodbye and Nic and Kira go home together and Kira thinks: “When you have a big emotional ending in life, it helps to have a new beginning to look forward to. I think back to…the tarot reading, and to that Ace of Cups at the end of my spread—new love, a cup overflowing.”). Instead, we end with a marriage proposal just four months later and…these guys are not ready for that level of commitment. (Erin and Ingrid and I talked about epilogues, and the work they do, on the podcast back in 2023.) Now I’m convinced they’re going to get divorced within two years.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

This book was exactly what I expect from a light-hearted rom-com: cozy, queer, and a little cheesy. It's a playful gay romance that moves quickly and doesn't get too stuck in the details. The fire theme is cute and camp, and I mean... curly-haired female firefighters? Yes please.

Overall, this book was so much fun for me: clueless lesbian content, yearning, Seattle, firefighters, drag queens, nerdy references, found family, science, therapy, and more. It had all the ingredients, but I just felt like I never quite connected to the characters. I was interested in the story, but I found that I didn't care about the outcome most of the time. That didn't stop me from finishing this in two sittings, though!

Some of the side characters' subplots felt unfinished, so I'm (not so secretly) hoping M.K. England has some future same-universe books in mind. I'd definitely read about what Ian is up to next.

I really enjoyed the storyline of this book. I wasn't a fan of the redundancy of the love triangle. I expect that more from a YA book, not an adult book. The miscommunication between the two main characters was also very frustrating and made me wonder how different the storyline and ending could have been if some of this repetitive storyline was replaced with more substance.

All Fired Up by M. K. England was such a fantastic romance story.
A fun, sweet sapphic romance.
I found myself fully immersed, almost living through the book, and dreading the moment it would end. But, of course, it did.

This was really enjoyable! I really like M.K. England's writing style and they don't disappoint here.

Kira and Nick were great characters, as were the rest of their friend group. I really enjoyed the way Nick and Kira fell for each other while trying to make their mutual friend Skylar see that she shouldn't leave them. They each had a lot of emotional stuff to work through - really enjoyed all the talk of therapy and how important it is - before they could be together.

I loved the found family aspect and was really convinced of how great this friend group is and invested in it. I definitely need more books exploring the others and how they're growing and chasing their dreams.

I love reading queer books because they really celebrate queer joy and it just feels so good to read. And I haven't read as many books about sapphic relationships which made this extra good.

The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life and really selling me on the relationship. I enjoyed their voices and would happily listen to more.

Highly recommend.

*Thanks to Canary Street Press and Harlequin Audio for providing an early copy for review.

I really wish that I had connected with this story more. I thought that there were too many characters and I did not care really about any of them. The love story was okay though. It was just not a new favorite for me.

This book was an amazing read the cast of characters was so fun and felt so real. I loved seeing the main characters grow and learn through out this story while also getting to see the same for all the other characters. This was a true found family story and I hope to be able to read more by this amazing author!

M.K. England’s All Fired Up is a heartfelt and empowering sapphic romance that blends vulnerability, humor, and emotional growth into a compelling story. What begins as an attempt to help their best friend stay in the U.S. quickly transforms into a deeper, more personal journey for the two central characters—one that explores identity, love, and the courage to choose happiness.

England excels at portraying emotionally authentic characters who struggle with real-life issues, from family expectations to self-doubt and fear of change. The story never shies away from tough moments, but it handles them with grace and relatability. At its core, All Fired Up is a story about finding your voice, embracing vulnerability, and allowing yourself the freedom to pursue joy—no matter how uncertain the path.

With rich character development and a romance that feels both organic and inspiring, All Fired Up is a standout in queer contemporary fiction. It’s a beautifully written reminder that sometimes, love is the spark we need to ignite real personal transformation.

Cuuuute! One of my favorite things to read is characters with jobs I 1)know nothing about, and 2) don't see in books often. (I can definitely say this is my first fire scientist MC!) I'm a sucker for found family and this book excels at that! Also, sad that Skylar moved to Fiji (I know, I know, that's the whole premise of the story) but hoping maybe she falls in love with one of her Fiji buddies and we get a book about them??? I just know I'm not ready to leave this friend group behind!

Nicole left Seattle to earn her master’s degree and much needed space. Now she’s back and ready to reconnect with her friends.. and to shoot her last shot on her unrequited crush. These plans crash when the unrequited crush in question, Skylar, announces a move to Fiji.

Kira McKinney, who had joined Skylar’s friend group while Nic is away, is as devastated by Skylar’s announcement as Nic. She isn’t ready to lose her best friend while dealing with her own issues. Kira teams up with Nic in order to convince Skylar to stay.
This is a fun summer sapphic romance featuring two flawed individuals. There were so many points where I was apprehensive as to how certain plot points were going to carry out but the author got us through each issue smoothly.

I only have two complaints. One is that, in tone, both characters sounded so similar that there were times where I had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to see whose POV I was reading.

The second is that I, personally, did not like Nic as much. Nic, on the whole, tended to make me cringe. She was awkward in a way that gave me visceral secondhand embarrassment while reading. I think others would find her endearing or silly.

This book is fun, heart warming, and full of little therapy moments. From Nic addressing unrequited love to learning how to chase what she wants in life to Kira learning to accept defeat and pivot to chase her professional dreams. This is the perfect read for someone who looking for a summer romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nic’s job is to make fires, while Kira’s job is to put them out. They both have a mutual friend that wants to move far away, neither of them want that so they conspire together to change their friend’s mind. They become friends and then get REAL friendly. Read and follow them navigate their new friendship that is budding into a relationship.

This was so cute! Sapphic rom com with some
GREAT spice. Loved the friend group, the found family aspects. Would definitely read books about the other characters in the friend group. Especially Skylar, I would love to read more about her.

I really wanted to read this so I requested both the ebook and audio book, only to get both. So I did an immersive read and had a great time! The audio book has two separate narrators, loved them both. Especially the one who narrated Kira. Their voices together made it very enjoyable to finish in one day. Felt like they really fit the characters.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This is a review of the audiobook.

4.5/5 ⭐️s
🌶️🌶️ - medium spice

LOVES:
- Okay, I thought I saw where this was going after the first chapter and it was fun to be surprised 👀
- Also, I was immediately endeared to this entire friend group. I would read more books about these characters, no question.
- I appreciated how everything worked out with Skylar. She was direct and honest, low drama. I’ll reiterate, this was a great cast of characters.
- I find Tarot reading to be fun, but I’ve never been super into it. The tarot scene in this book was written really effectively and felt like a great turning point for Nic and Kira.
- There was a lot of self-examination and processing of feelings/trauma throughout. It felt really realistic. These were real people stumbling through life, making mistakes, and working through big feelings.

I throughly enjoyed this in such a low-key way. It was easy to read, but still thought-provoking and quite cute 🥰

Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Harper Collins, and Canary Street Press 💝

this was an easy and fun read!

we have our two leads nic (a scientist who starts fires) and kira (a firefighter) who become aquatinted with one another when they work together to try and keep their mutual friend skylar from moving away. oh, and the added twist that nic is in love with skylar and has been for quite some time… yet, nic still finds herself having feelings for kira!

i enjoyed the dynamics of this friend group in the book and how easily it was for kira and nic to connect to one another after meeting. while the romance was sweet (and steamy) i found myself wanting a bit more from our to leads as characters. i enjoyed how they openly communicated with one another in a healthy way, yet for some reason i felt like i was being kept at an arms length from them as characters; it felt like there was depth underneath the surface but i wasn’t quite there with them.

overall i did enjoy this one and i’m glad i picked it up!

i will be posting this review to goodreads as soon as i’m posting this (4/28/25) and have linked the review below!

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for the free copy of this book.

When mutual friend Skylar announces she’s moving to Fiji, Nic and Kira team up to convince her to stay. Hatching a plan of serious shenanigans to make Skylar rethink her decision, all their time together leads Nic and Kira to realize there might be something more between them.

I have mixed feelings about All Fired Up. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Nic and Kira - they had great tension and chemistry, excellent banter, and the combo of a chemist and a firefighter was amazing. I also enjoyed the group friendship and the side characters I hope to see in future books. Plus the queer and mental health representation was what motivated me to read this book.

However, I struggled with the initial way their plan come about and started to unfold. I didn’t like that they were so critical of their friend’s choices and it felt like they were bad mouthing her too much behind her back. That part really frustrated me, and I’m glad it was resolved in an open and communicative manner. Once the story moved past that original plan, I enjoyed it more and ultimately thought it was a cute story!