Alright guys, this book...in a word...is H-O-T hot!
Why? Oh, I'll tell you why...and despite your first inclination, it's not just about THOSE scenes. Nope. Yes, they happen, and yes they are rather memorable (especially when you consider location!), but it's not the whole story!

We've got a leading lady and leading man that have worked together for years. They are close as close can be, but they both harbor feelings for the other they will not simply act upon. He's respecting her wishes, while she is warding off hurt, heartache, and professional disruption thanks to her experience with an a-hole in the past. Is Ward anything like the one before? N to the O...but, the heart remembers, and the mind wants to help it forget, so walls are built, and rules are put in place...but rules are sometimes meant to be broken...given the right circumstances, and, in this case, the right person.

Watching these two battle through the obstacles set before them...like ACTUAL obstacles because of the reality show bit...was amazing. Seeing their determination, drive, and skills on display, seriously gives you a new respect for the roles they fill...but, watching them get closer to giving themselves a chance...now that was TRULY spectacular. If you don't combust from the sexy times as they occur, you will from the flood of emotions. I know, I know...you want your read one way, or the other...but quite frankly, I LOVE the mix of BOTH! It gives it balance. It brings it to life. It shows that there are some things in life worth fighting for, some PEOPLE worth the extra effort.

It was a great addition to the Mile High Firefighters series, and a fun, heart-filled, rom com to boot! Grant it, I would rather have shared a name with a character not heck bent on simply getting ratings, but it was a stellar read just the same! 😉

This is the first book of Mariah's that I read, I've been stalking her adorable Instagram videos, and pining after her books. So when a chance to do a release tour came up, I jumped on it!!! And I was not disappointed! Such a fun, steamy read, hot like the fires these firefighters put out! Definitely going to be reading the rest of this series!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
SPICE: 🔥🔥🔥

This was a fun, sexy read about two rival colleagues who are forced to work together and find that there was more to their adversarial relationship.

Stephanie Diaz and Eli Ward always loved a good competition, especially if the other firefighter was involved. When their chief assigned them to an online competition for first responders, it was no question that they would be in. It helps that the competition was essentially an audition for a job promotion.

What they did not account for by being part of this competition as a team is the close proximity and the opportunity to learn more about each other. This puts our main characters in a tough spot: Their feelings conflict with Stephanie's ambition and Eli's intent to protect his family's legacy.

Rivals-to-lovers is my jam, and this read is spot-on. I have loved Eli and Stephanie's banter since The Dating Dilemma so I was looking forward to this read. It did not disappoint. Their chemistry was red-hot. I especially love their flirty exchanges masquerading as ribbing.

For Amazing Race fans, this read is also a fun treat. Mariah Ankenman did a great job of creating a playful suspense with each competition. She layers each contest with wonderful tension between our main characters.

The spicy moments? Well worth the slow-burn wait. Eli and Stephanie brings similar electric energy to the bedroom that left a grin on my face.

This is the third book in the Mile High Firefighters series, but it can be read as a standalone.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Mariah Ankenman, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

The chemistry between these two has been building over the first two books in this series. So I was patiently (And impatiently) waiting for this book to come out. And learning who Diaz was inspired by was great and helped me better understand her. (I still would have loved her either way.)

Stephanie Diaz has plenty of goals she'd like to achieve in her firefighter career. It's one of the reasons she works just as hard if not harder than her male counterparts. When she and Ward are chosen for the Battle of the First Responders, she's sure her performance in the competition will help her get a step closer to the available lieutenant position.

She's hoping Ward will take this as seriously as she does. Eli also wants that promotion, he's a legacy fireman and he could really use the prize money to help his mother pay for a procedure her insurance won't cover.

He's had a crush on her since they first met and Stephanie finds herself more aware of Eli. Their chemistry is becoming apparent to the showrunners and the audience at home watching. When they finally give in to their attraction they both agree to keep things casual but that proves difficult when they end up wanting more.

Thank you so much to the author, Entangled and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

First of all, I loved that the heroine was a female firefighter! This book was so fun! I loved the set up. This story delivered in a very good way. I loved the competition. It kept me engaged and interested in the story. I liked Stephanie and Eli and a couple and enjoyed reading their journey. The book had good character development, writing and steam. Perfect weekend read! Huge thanks to Entangled publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

A cute, quick romance featuring two fire fighters competing for top honors in a local reality show. This romance covers a lot of tropes - friends to lovers, co-workers, opposites attract and forced proximity.

Overall this is a fun, steamy read with great love interests trying to the so the right thing for themselves and family. I have enjoyed the books in this series, and look forward to future reads in the Mile High Firefighters.

Rating 3.5

Thank you Entangled Publishing for the complimentary copy.

I was so excited for the third book in the Mile High Firefighters series and I think it may be my favorite so far. This one follows Eli Ward and Stephanie Diaz both firefighters in the same station, both gunning for the role of chief. It just so happens that the two rivals get voluntold into a web series competition for first responders as a duo. So you get this combination of sunny and grumpy, friends to lovers, secret romance, and/or rivals to lovers in a reality tv setting. I adore all of the characters and it could be the Diaz (and I guess Stephanie to be fair) but I pictured Stephanie Beatrice the entire time. The angst/chemistry was on fire (**wink**) and I can't wait to read more of Mariah's books. This one is not one you have to necessarily read in order.

Firefighter Stephanie Díaz is one badass woman, who likes control everywhere. When she has to team up with her fellow firefighter Eli Ward for a special competition she definitely wants to win cash and the promotion she always wanted, no matter what.
But... spending so much time with Ward on contests can be totally tempting... and what's going to happen when she loses control?

OMG!
This absolutely hot, funny and sexy romantic comedy was WONDERFUL!
The Firefighter's Dilemma was my first Mariah Ankenman book and the good thing is that she has more books I can read! Hehehe. 😊
I loved the chemistry of Diaz and Ward! They were definitely like cat and dog, but later there was FIRE! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Stephanie Diaz - the woman in control. Always focused and a real fighter.
And Eli Ward - the cuuuute and handsome guy. Sexy firefighter with a heart of gold!
OMG he totally stole my heart and I never want it back! 😄
I loved this love story about firefighters and this special competition they had to deal with.
Besides their feelings both had different things to deal with in their lives.
I really enjoyed the development of their relationship! From firefighter colleagues to... hmmmm... more?! I won't tell you to spoil you, but c'mon! It's a rom-com! LOL

Thank you so much to Mariah Ankenman and Entangled Publishing for this ARC via NetGalley.
This is my honest review in my own words.

I really enjoyed this! I loved the thrill of a reality competition along with the slow burn, friends to lovers romance. I loved how personal sacrifice played a big role in their relationship as so much is done in real relationships for the sake of love.

I love this author. Mariah has a way with creating genuine characters. This story revolves around Stephanie Diaz who wants to become the youngest Fire Chief in Denver. She gets assigned with fellow firefighter Eli Ward in a Battle of the First Responders. If they do good in it, it could lead to a promotion for one of them.

I really enjoyed the friendship aspect of these two. They had a sold friendship that leads to romance.

This is a fun read yet there are a few heavy topics thrown in.

Definitely recommend! Although this is book 3 in a series, it can be read as a standalone.

The Firefighter's Dilemma is the third book in the Mile High Firefighters series but it can be read as a standalone. I do recommend you read the first 2 books though, it is a fun series and you get to meet these characters earlier on in the series so it gives a little bigger picture in terms of their relationship. I love Eli and Stephanie together. I really liked the reality show competition aspect in this book, it was a unique way to force these coworkers even closer together than usual. This book was funny, spicy and an overall good time.

I thought this book was cute. Stephanie and Eli were chosen to go onto a First Responder's online competition show. They are a great team and are determined to win. While they have been best friends for the last four years, these two also have feelings for one another that they cannot act on because they are both up for promotion. Will the competition change everything? Will the act on their feelings? I really liked the basis of the story between these characters but I didn't really care for the producer of the online show. I am really not a fan of the paparazzi and it felt like she was just pushing for more drama. A cute book and I recommend it.

4.5 Stars
This is the third book in the series. I really enjoy this series so much. It has such great characters and I love the sense of humor. Stephanie and Eli work together at the firehouse. Stephanie always has the drive to prove herself in a mans world, but she needs to realize her new crew is nothing like her previous one. Station 42 is full awesome men and women who truly have one another's backs. Eli and Stephanie are going to need that when the compete on the Frist Responders reality show with a promotion between the two on the line as well. This is such a great friends to lovers romance. I just loved the banter between Eli and Stephanie. They had me laughing quite a lot. Stephanie doesn't date co-workers she went down that path before and it ended badly. It's going to be tough to resist the charms of Eli when they are forced together during the competition. This book had me gobbling up the pages. Eli and Stephanie had me hooked. This book does show me why I'm not a huge fan of reality tv though with the need for juicy drama. I did like the friendship Stephanie made during the competition. It just made me happy. Hoping that character gets a book now. A good read you do not want to miss. I can say this book did let all my worries go while I devoured the pages.

The Firefighter's Dilemma was such a fun read! It is a shorter book, but both the relationship development and story were well paced and neither felt rushed.

Stephanie and Eli are both going for the same promotion, but it was easy to see the chemistry between them from the very beginning. I liked the dual POV and getting to see what their motivations were and how important being a firefighter was to both of them.

Mariah Ankenman's books always have great banter, humor, and plenty of sweetness and steam. I have been reading her books for awhile now and she always delivers. I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to seeing what she writes next.

3.75 stars

This was super cute.
I love the reality show stuff and how that was the catalyst for Stephanie and Ward's romance to spark.
I love how sweet and caring Ward was and how thoughtful he was of Diaz's feelings.
The conclusion was nice although I wanted to see a bit more of their relationship afterward.
Overall a solid third book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very fun read. Stephanie and Eli were easy to like and had great chemistry. The sparks & the steam really blaze between these two. This is a delightful read that put a big smile on my face.

The Firefighter's Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman, book three in her Mile High Firefighters series, had me laughing-out loud, tears rolling down your face, while reading Stephanie and Eli’s workmates, friends to lovers, somewhat opposites attract, forced proximity romance story. There are some heavy topics that drives each of them to succeed: family, and a parental death; but do not overpower a story that is about the fun, the relationship, the attraction, and the spark.

Stephanie Diaz and Eli Ward have been coworkers as firefighters for four years. They know they can’t have feelings for each other and continue working at the same Fire Station. Then their chief decides to send them on a reality show, the Rocky Mountain “First Responders” reality competition, together with a warning that he will decide who gets the promotion they both are vying for. Eli and Stephanie were the perfect partners. They both had terrific reasons for wanting to win as a team and additionally to be singled out as the star performer; and I loved how neither sacrificed the other to gain for themselves.
They were both at the top of their game and definitely brought their best to the competition; working so closely together made ignoring their attraction so much more difficult. I was so glad when they gave into their feelings, but hated that they felt they had to keep it hidden. I loved how it wrapped up and the epilogue was terrific. Steli Forever!!

Ms. Ankenman wrote a laugh-out-loud, wonderful and endearing great friends/coworker to more romance that I could not put down and should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with emotions, attraction, chemistry, clever banter, humor, and a cast of secondary characters assisting Eli and Stephanie get the love and future they deserve. I highly recommend The Firefighter’s Dilemma to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy prior to purchase of this book.

Diaz and Eli are such fun characters. And I thoroughly enjoyed their story. It's funny and will keep you turning the pages. I enjoyed the web show aspect of the story. It was fun to watch them compete with each other while trying to deny their chemistry. But, well, we all know that's always a losing battle. The romance between them felt a little rushed but with their history as co-workers that's ignorable. Other than that, it's a perfect romance for those who love quirky books with lots of laugh-out-loud moments and some drama.

Read this if you like: Dual POV, coworkers, Firefighters, reality shows, short reads, Latine representation, spicy 🔥

I loved this one. The reality show that Stephanie and Eli were thrown into is so creative. I loved the forced proximity of them being in the same house. The chemistry between these two is off the charts. Mariah writes attraction and spice perfectly. This was a funny, sweet, and sexy read. This came out today and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Entangled Publishing for the gifted e-book ❤️

Workplace romance with a reality show twist! When firefighters and friends Stephanie and Eli are sent to represent their station in a reality show between Denver first responders, competition isn’t the only thing that heats up.
The Firefighters Dilemma was a super sweet and spicy read. I really enjoyed Stephanie‘s spirit and tenacity and Eli’s dedication to his family. They had great chemistry from page one!
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the advanced reading copy via Netgalley, receipt of which did not impact my review.