Member Reviews
Readers who like suspenseful stories will enjoy this latest installment of the Lake City Heroes series. Deputy Fire Marshal Jesslyn McCormick and FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle are featured in this fast paced search for the person setting fires and trying to kill Jesslyn. The past comes to light in both of these characters’ lives and the need for forgiveness and healing is emphasized. This can be read as a standalone but I would encourage readers to read the first two. Looking forward to the next book. Highly recommended!
Classic Lynette Eason. Well written, engaging, quick-paced, and faith-filled. The idea of someone working their entire life to avenge their family’s death played well with this story and there was a lot both the main characters had to work through. I enjoyed how everything was not hunky dory and there was a lot of ugly and hurt that came out while searching for the truth. That’s real life. Good story!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
4 Stars
Amazing! Another well-written book by this author, and the third in it's series.
Here is one of my favorite quotes:
“In the meantime, I’m going to go back to the hospital and let Jesslyn know this latest. She’ll want to see the picture of the jewelry.”
“You could just call her, you know. And text her the picture.” “I could.”
“So why don’t you?”Because I want to see her. “Because she may want to talk out strategy, thoughts on capturing this guy.”
“Oh, that’s why. Riiight.”“Shut up.”
“See you later, partner.”
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Negative Content
An unknown version of the bible is referenced.
A mention that somebody said they swore that they had made something clear to someone
A mention of someone having been sworn to secrecy.
After having been caught in the rain during a shooting and chase, a man drops a woman off at her house.
Later it mentions the man stayed the night to keep an eye out for her when she passed out in case the shooter came back.(While nothing happened, it still was not wise for him to have stayed the night alone with her even though he was a policeman, a female cop could have stayed the night in his place.)
It later mentions he watched her house over night from outside in his car, and that she felt bad for him having had stayed outside all night and that she thought she should have known he would do that and offered her couch. She tells him to tell her next time if he is watching the house, and that he could have the comfortable couch or not-so-comfortable guest room bed.”
A mention that a person thought to themselves that they wanted to hate someone, but couldn't.
A man mentions that when he was a young boy, he decided he hated God and stopped believing in him because another young boy died in the same situation that he managed to survived.(He says that he no longer hates God, and now once again believes in God.) He was also upset at his brother for trying to talk it out for a fair hunk of the book.
A woman thinks that when she sees all the trouble a hurt man in the hospital was having moving, she had almost offered to help him get dressed but figured that might take things way past awkward. If he needed help, the hospital had workers for that.
A mention that a woman wore jeans that were tore at the knee.
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Trigger Warnings
A person is considering committing suicide, but a person talks them back from the edge and says, “We’ll get through this, but you have to swear you’ll talk to me if you feel like picking up a gun again —or any other weapon.”
A few mentions of people in the past having been alcoholic.
A mention that a person from before the book committed suicide
(Not the same person).
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I am so glad to have been able to read this book, and I can't wait to read the fourth and final book in the series!
I received a complimentary e-book to review from Revell through Netgalley as part of the author's launch team. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are my own.
Another nail-biting suspense-filled book in this series that has me anxiously awaiting the next book. Jesslyn had her parents and siblings perish in a house fire when she was little,and she is determined to find out who started the fire. With the 2oth anniversary of their deaths coming up, she makes an announcement that she will not stop until the culprit is caught. She also has plans to open up a youth center in honor of her father. Then a church burns down and Jesslyn feels like someone is watching her. The non-stop action will have you wondering if the new fires have anything do with her past or are they totally unrelated. Who is following and shooting at Jesslyn? With Nathan trying to help with the investigation and battling his own past, will he be able to save Jesslyn? Grab your copy as soon as it hits the shelves and be prepared to read it from the first page until the last one in one sitting. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book. I will be buying my own copy to go with the previous books in the series.
Just wow, what can I say but WOW!!! 😍 Lynette Eason does it again and again! This is book 3 in the Lake City Heroes series and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading. I was telling my mother also, this needs to be turned into a movie with how well it was written and thought out. The MMC/FMC Nathan & Jesslyn were such great characters feeling like I was in the book with them to solve the mysteries. I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this book by Lynette.
I received an advanced copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Great romantic suspense, wonderful characters, I could not put it down and was immediately drawn into the story! Someone is out to get Fire Marshal Jesslyn McCormick after her impassioned speech on the 20th anniversary of their deaths to honor her parents and find the arsonist who killed her family in a house fire twenty years ago. She went into this career to find the man who did this and to help others. FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle is called in to work with local law enforcement. There is chemistry and depth to this story as they both work to overcome tragic fire related trauma from the past. Themes of long-lived-with-guilt, purpose, forgiveness, healing, and redemption are beautifully written into this compelling action-packed story . I highly recommend Serial Burn and the whole series! The Lake City Heroes series can be read as standalones, but I love reading them in order and I can't wait for the next one!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.
Lynette Eason's latest novel Serial Burn has steamy characters and even hotter action! I love how fast-paced this story is - it doesn't let up for a minute.
That's my favorite kind of book, and I love to see the main characters deal with a never-ending flood of changing circumstances, and that fits the bill for Nathan and Jessalyn. It's fascinating to watch them learn and grow, and with the personal histories that these two have - as well as their high-danger careers - they have much to process.
Even though I'd hope that most of us don't have this kind of trauma in our pasts, these lessons of forgiveness, redemption, and identity are still important. We all need these, and I love when my fun entertainment goes a bit deeper and and gives me valuable nuggets of wisdom to ponder even after I turn the last page.
And I did, far too soon, because I couldn't put this one down. Between the fires, murder attempts, and mystery, I couldn't wait to find out what happened - and I didn't quite guess it, either. That's always fun.
So if you're in the mood for some high-octane action with loveable characters and strong life lessons, give Serial Burn a try. You'll be glad you did.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Good read. Enjoyed the characters and story line. Highly recommend reading.
I received an advance ebook and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
"I believe he is who he says he is—which is a loving, forgiving God who has a plan for my life—...I chose to grab on to that and hold it tight. Some days it’s more tangible than others. But I feel it. I feel his forgiveness. And even when I don’t feel it, I still know it because I know him. That’s why I know you can too.”
This book was one wild ride! Jesslyn McCormick was an intriguing character that we met in the previous book, Target Acquired, and Serial Burn is her story.
Jesslyn has a lot of questions about the past and not many answers, so when an arsonist starts targeting random parts of Lake City, she is determined to uncover the culprit before the whole town goes up in smoke.
I really enjoyed this book, and I liked how the plot flowed. The characters were great, and we see the beginnings of a sweet and clean slow-burn romance. This was a good read, and now I can't wait to read it sequel, Final Approach which releases in August of 2025.
Thank you to Revell for the complimentary e-book I received to review through Interviews and Reviews and Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are my own.
Get ready to catch your breath at the end of each chapter! This story brings together two people who were forever affected by fire. Jesslyn, who became a fire marshal to bring arsonists to justice and Nathan who seeks justice as an FBI agent but stays as far away as possible from fires. When these two join forces to discover who is setting fires that seem to be connected to Jesslyn, the danger gets closer and closer to both of them. Action, suspense, and a touch of romance makes this a must read. Plus, there are enough twists and turns that you may not know "whodunit" until the exciting climax!! I received an ARC from the author and Netgalley but all opinions are my own.
This book was very interesting! I was so excited to read it and hated when I was to busy to read. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. At one point I thought I had it all figured out. In my head, I was like, "this character did this and related to this character this way" then I kept reading and what I thought I had figured out was totally incorrect. I loved the characters and how each developed and the love story that became! It was really neat to see different family members roles in the story and how it developed.
If you’re looking for a suspense book that draws you in on page one, has fabulous character development, a twisted criminal, a sweet romance, and a plot that you can’t walk away from… Serial Burn is for you! This can be read on its own but it’s also part of a fantastic series. Eason has a real talent for page turning suspense. I neglected all of my regular duties on the day I started Serial Burn because it was just too good to put down.
This book is what you expect from a romantic suspense book. Two main characters that work together to solve the mystery, constantly being put into harms way, all the while trying to navigate growing feelings for each other and their own personal struggles.
What I love about the book is the friendships, faith, and the concept of forgiveness. The book had me guessing along the way, trying to solve the mystery with the main characters. Even though I had somewhat of a guess to who the culprit was, I wasn't completely sure and I definitely didn't know the specifics. So it was fun putting on my crime solving hat.
There were certain places where I would have loved to read more details or know more about what happened to certain characters. The ending seemed to be wrapped up a little too quickly.
Overall, the book was an enjoyable read. I will eagerly be waiting for the 4th book in the series.
I received a free complimentary copy. I was not required to leave a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Serial Burn kept me hooked from the beginning. Jesslyn and Nathan's personal histories collide with the future in twists and turns. I was surprised by the ending and now can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Another great addition to the Lake City Heroes series by Lynette Eason.
Jesslyn McCormick’s story takes a few twists and turns that readers may not see coming. She’s determined to find out who murdered her family in a fire when she was a child. Nathan makes it his concern to protect Jesslyn as they both try to figure out who is setting fires seemingly connected to Jesslyn.
There are several new characters introduced throwing a lot of red herrings toward readers. It’s difficult to deduce the real culprit.
As Jesslyn’s family history unfolds, there are some uncomfortable topics that are introduced, as well as a sub-plot with Nathan’s brother. These backstories work for this particular novel, but may be difficult for some readers to handle (extramarital affairs, suicide, and a little bit of pyromania on the villain’s part). But there is a thread of faith-filled hope.
Readers will have fun catching up with Jesslyn’s friends from the first two novels.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
3 stars. I believe this is the 3rd book in the series. It's a solid offering. I was able to read this as an arc from NetGalley. I appreciate the opportunity. There are a couple of twists and turns that I didn't see coming which is always a fun surprise. I'm not sure Jessalyn is a favorite character of the series. I think I related to her the least, so far. Nathan, on the other hand, was more likeable. If you like Christian romantic suspense, you will like Eason's Serial Burn.
I definitely enjoyed this story and appreciated how Eason talked about God throughout without the awkward character suddenly bringing it up out of nowhere that often happens in Christian books (*coughKarenKingsburycough*); it all felt very organic. The story was intriguing and interesting. I was hooked and enjoyed the twists. This is the third book in a series and, while I haven't read the other books in the series, I found that I was able to pick up enough throughout Serial Burn to not feel like I was missing something by not reading the others. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more if I had but it wasn't necessary by any means. If you like suspense/mysteries, you'll enjoy this one!
**Thank you to NetGalley and LibraryThing for the advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own and how I got a copy of the book does not affect that opinion.**
Serial Burn by Lynette Eason is the third book in the Lake City Heroes series. Jesslyn McCormick lost her family to an arson when she was seven years old. Now the fire marshal of Lake City she is determined to find the person responsible, you might even say she’s obsessed.
FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle is assigned to a case of a string of fires in Lake City believed to be a hate crime. Nathan has is own baggage concerning fires and hopes to avoid the memories as he works with Jess to catch the arson.
I love Lynette’s books, and I’m sure you will also. Her characters are well developed, the suspense will have you holding your breath but not so intense you can’t catch it.
I received this book from the publisher and was not required to leave a review. The opinion is my own.
Lynette Eason did it again--another gripping page turner! A story of forgiveness. A reminder that we don't always have all the facts/information when making decisions. A must read (but be prepared, once you pick it up, you may not be able to put it down)
This is the third book in the series and could be read as a stand alone. Jesslyn lost her whole family in a fire when she was seven. Now she is the Fire Marshall and determined to find out who set the fire. A little bit of mystery, romance and friendship.