How To Fan The Flames by Dani Elias

How To Fan The Flames by Dani Elias
Hearts of the Press Book 3
Contemporary Romance
July 31, 2026

🚒 A firefighter FMC
📰 A journalist who accidentally puts his foot in it
❤️ Bad first impressions
🔥 Forced proximity
💕 He falls first
📖 Characters in their 40s
😂 Banter, found family and plenty of heart

BREAKING: ONE FIRE. ONE CARELESS ARTICLE. AND A SPARK NEITHER OF THEM IS QUALIFIED TO HANDLE.

Carlisle prides itself on being quietly respectable. Unfortunately, a breaking news reporter and a fire brigade watch manager have just made that considerably more combustible.

Pippa
I have spent twenty years earning my place in the fire service. Same assessments. Same risks. Same decisions under pressure. So when a newspaper article about a farm fire leaves readers questioning whether I took charge quickly enough, I am not exactly delighted. Especially when the article also points out that I am the first female watch manager in the county.

I know how these things go. One careless line, one loaded quote, one little implication, and suddenly I am not just a professional doing her job. I am a debate. So when the Carlisle Gazette agrees to send the journalist responsible to shadow the station, I am not exactly thrilled. AJ Hodgson is tall, tired, annoyingly attractive, and far too good at looking sorry while still asking questions. He is here to learn what the job really involves. I am here to make sure he stays out of the way.

AJ
I thought I had written a fair article. Sharp, balanced, carefully phrased. Then I realised careful and harmless are not the same thing. Now I am spending two weeks at Fellside Fire Station, trading my newsroom desk for night shifts, hose drills, turnout gear, and a watch manager who can cut through my best excuses with one look.

Pippa Hart is sharp, capable, and absolutely not interested in being part of my redemption story. Which is fair. Unfortunately, she is also funny when she forgets not to be, terrifyingly competent under pressure, and increasingly difficult to keep out of my head. This assignment was supposed to teach me about firefighting. It was not supposed to make me want the woman whose trust I have not yet earned.

But between long shifts, dangerous call-outs, and the quiet moments after the alarms stop, lines start to blur. Because wanting each other is already complicated. Trusting each other might be harder. And in a job where everyone is watching, getting it wrong could burn more than either of them is ready to lose.

Fair warning: there’s a cheeky dose of adult content inside. Set in England and written in British English.

Grab your copy today: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FMJKNDXH

How To Fan The Flames by Dani Elias
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

AJ and Pippa’s story starts on shaky ground. They’re thrown together after AJ is sent to her station to do a story on her fire station. Pippa might be one of my favorite characters written by Dani. She’s a woman who knows her worth and wants to prove everyone who ever doubted her that they were wrong.

AJ knows he messed up and is willing to learn from his mistakes. Watching him listen and learn while falling for Pippa was really sweet. Their banter was funny and seeing them fighting the attraction was the best part of the book.

Overall this was another enjoyable read perfect for hot summer nights.

***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***

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