Twenty years after Jessalyn's parents tragically die in a fire, fires are happening to places to which Jessalyn has a connection. Certain that these fires are related to her parents' deaths, Jessalyn is determined to find the arsonist and killer. But can she get them before they get her? How many others have to die before the criminals are caught?

Anyone who loves high action, suspense, Christian fiction needs to grab of copy of this intense story!

I received an ARC from the author but my review is my own opinion and is done of my own volition.

Another great addition to the Lake City Heroes series by Lynette Eason. A captivating story of grief and guilt, secrets revealed, a budding romance, and a solid blending of faith throughout. The author does a great job concealing the culprit to the end of the book, which always adds suspense and keeps the reader guessing. Readers who enjoy mystery and suspense stories will not want to miss Serial Burn. I read a complementary book from NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

Jesslyn McCormick's family was killed in a house fire when she was a little girl. She knows an arsonist set the fire and has made it her life goal to find the killer.

Now it seems as if the killer has found her and wants nothing more than to see Jesslyn dead. Will the killer succeed or will Jesslyn survive?

I enjoyed the first two books in the Lake City Heroes series, and as the daughter of a retired first-responder (firefighter), this book resonated more with me than the other two.

Things I liked:

*fire-fighting theme
*the plot twist at the end
*Jesslyn's commitment to honor her family
*sense of community that the two main characters had in their friendships
*faith aspect

What I didn't love:

*some parts of the plot felt so far-fetched to me, like how could some of these things actually happen?
*lack of chemistry between the main female character and the main male character; the duo just didn't jive with me

That being said, the plot still kept me engaged, and I kept looking for chores to do or opportunities that afforded me the chance to listen as much as I could. The pieces of the mystery kept me guessing as to who the antagonist was, and I've gotta say that I didn't see this one coming! I am also so grateful for clean romantic mysteries from authors I've come to trust.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

Serial Burn is the third book in the Lost City Heroes series. In this one, someone is causing fires in buildings that seem to be connected to Fire Chief Jesslyn. She is convinced it has to do with the mysterious fire that killed her family when she was younger. FBI agent Nathan Carlisle has his own history with fire and is determined to help Jesslyn solve the case. I have been enjoying this series so far as well as this installment. The msytery definitely kept me guessing and I enjoyed solving it along with the couple. I also thought the romance was sweet and subtle. One of my favorite parts was the reconciliation with Nathan and his brother. It was heartbreaking yet hopeful. I highly recommend this one.

I have enjoyed each book in this series, but felt that Kenzie and Cole's story wasn't quite as...I don't know, I just didn't enjoy it quite at much as I did the first book. It's been fun seeing this series unfold, and I was excited about this one after seeing Nathan and Jesslyn together with the read of the friends. Both clearly had interesting stories and troubled backgrounds, and I liked what we could see about their personalities. She's a bit stubborn and hard-headed at times, but that makes it all the more fun to see how she will handle the issues and if/when she will soften up a little. (It's part of the excitement with this character type!)

I enjoyed learning their story, and while I yet again figured it out a little before the reveal, it did take me longer to figure out how some of the pieces fit. The reveal was a little...chaotic and I think that might be a trend with this series, or maybe just an Eason thing? (It's been too long since I've read any of her other books for me to remember for sure), and so I can't say that this was my absolute favorite Romantic Suspense, but as a Christian Fiction romantic suspense I loved the faith and balance of friendship, romance, and action that kept the story moving along. The slow-burn was sweet and adorable, and I loved seeing both characters learn and grow along the way. They both have some powerful (and painful) lessons to learn in this one, but Eason handles it so beautifully in the story! I loved seeing these characters growing closer together as a family, and stronger in their faith along the way.

20 years ago Jesslyn lost her family to a house fire that was determined to be arson but the person responsible was never caught. Jesslyn is has made it her goal to get answers. Now as a fire marshal as she begins investigating recent fires it appears that an arsonist is targeting her. Is her family's arsonist back? A friend FBI Agent Nathan, gets assigned to the case after one of the fires is labeled a hate crime. There is an attraction between the two of them but Jesslyn doesn't want to think about that until she has answers about her family. Nathan also has a childhood trauma involving fire and his response to it has been much different than Jesslyn's. I enjoyed the friend group and how they stepped in to help as much as they could. Even though Jesslyn is an independent woman she did not refuse help from others. I appreciated that she didn't fight her friends on this. I really enjoyed the interactions between Jesslyn and Nathan and felt they were pretty honest with each other about thoughts and feelings. I liked that we knew that they were already friends before the story begins. There were certain characters I was suspicious of and was surprised when only a few of my suspicious were true, turned out some of those I suspected had no negative impact. There is a lot to digest in this story, from the childhood traumas, being targeted, secrets been kept, and mental health struggles. The one struggle I had was reminding myself of who was who in the friend group, this probably wouldn't have been an issue if I had read the prior books in the series closer together with this one.

Another excellent book by Lynette. This book kept me guessing. I enjoyed the journey between Jesslyn and Nathan. And it’s always great to connect with other characters I already love!

For years, Lake City Fire Marshall Jessalyn McCormick has had one purpose—to bring the arsonist who ruined her life to justice. When Jessalyn decides to honor her parents by building a youth center, a string of arson fires and threats on her life make her wonder if the killer has returned. This time, to finish the job he started decades ago.

FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle uses his considerable resources to assist Jessalyn in investigating a fire started in a Lake City church. When he realizes the arsonist wants Jessalyn dead, he and the others in their circle of friends rally around to protect her. The more time he spends with Jessalyn, the more he worries she won’t be the one in need of protection. Although he’s protected his heart for years, his friendship with Jessalyn might break down the barriers.

Will Jessalyn and Nathan discover the identity of the killer before time runs out? Each new fire brings new clues, but the arsonist holds all the cards.

What I Loved About This Book

Eason masterfully weaves together a suspenseful page-turner you won’t want to put down. At the same time, her characters struggle with real-world problems such as holding on to faith in the midst of tragedy, blaming God, and recovering from trauma. Readers who question the goodness of God will relate to Jessalyn and Nathan’s struggles.

Christian romantic suspense novel. Serial Burn is the third installment in the Lake City Heroes series. It's an interconnected standalone, but features characters from earlier books, so you can enjoy it without having read the others.

Jesslyn lost her family in an arson fire two decades ago, and she’s made it her mission to uncover the truth behind their deaths. As a fire marshal, she’s committed to seeking justice for those affected by arson.

This genre can be hit or miss, and for me, it was a letdown. While the book was fast-paced and filled with suspense, I struggled to stay engaged. The chemistry between the main characters didn’t click for me, and their conversations felt overly sentimental and unrealistic. Plus, the plot was pretty predictable, leaving me feeling unsatisfied by the end.

Sadly, this one just didn’t do it for me.

2⭐

Thank you to Netgalley and Revell Publishing for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

(2.5 stars rounded down)

Having read and enjoyed the first two books in the Lake City Heroes series, I had great anticipation for book three and learning more about Jesslyn and her story. However, I found it challenging to remain engaged.

The romantic relationship between Jesslyn and Nathan did not resonate with me, and I found some of their dialogue to be overly sentimental and unrealistic. Also, I found the plot to be rather predictable, as it included elements and scenes that were reminiscent of those in the first two books. And then at 54%, I was confident about the culprit and skipped to the end to see if I was right.

Sadly, this was a miss for me but as my friends, Blessing & Laura @naptimereaders, say…

LET ME PERSUADE YOU: I have seen many great reviews on this book. And so, if you like Eason’s writing and this series, you might enjoy this book more than I did and therefore I say, give it a try!

Thank you, @netgalley and @revellfiction, for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It has been burning for a while now. Serial Burn is the third book in the Lake City Heroes series from Lynette Eason, and friends of the heroes have hoped for a bit of accelerant on the sparks flying between Jesslyn and Nathan. They both know a thing or two about fire; one claimed the lives of her family when she was a child, leading her to pursue a career that would allow her to someday find the person who killed her parents and sisters. He holds his fire related secret close, along with the guilt and shame burned on his soul. Their personal tragedies and perceptions are a wall of flames between them and should stay that way. But when fires start popping off around Lake City and someone starts targeting Jesslyn, things heat up in a way neither of them expects.

Jesslyn is not the only one well versed in fire, as Lynette Eason pens a well researched novel that engulfs the reader. Her knowledge allows the story to flow in a way that keeps the reader from tripping over technicalities and allows maximum enjoyment of the fast paced action paired with the slow burn romance. And of course, relatable characters are a keystone of an Eason novel, especially since we have been friends of the heroes for two books already and are fired up for the next. So, if those things are your jam, I recommend getting into Serial Burn. But if you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen!

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Solidly plotted suspense from Eason. Her books tend to run slightly more suspenseful than others in the genre, making them for-sure page turners.

Lynette Eason has done it again! I have loved all her books, and this one didn’t fail to disappoint! It kept my attention from the very beginning onto the end. And the characters feel like old friends! I highly recommend this book and all of Lynette Eason’s books.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

The third book on the Lake City Heroes series is a great addition. We see previous characters and follow Jesslyn McCormick which we met in the previous book. She is the Deputy State Fire Marshall and is trying to solve the murder of her parents when she was younger. In doing so she discovers things about her family's past she did not know. We also meet FBI Agent Nathan Carlisle who has also been affected by an accident in which a friend has passed due to a fire.

The story although slow in some parts has great amounts of action and suspense. The relationship between Jesslyn and Nathan is a very slow burn so be prepared for that but it was well worth it. The story does have a faith thread throughout but it is not overly preachy.

If you enjoy twist and turns in your suspense stories then you may enjoy this one! Although this is a series you will be able to read this as a stand alone.

I received a copy of this book for review. All views expressed are my own opinions.

Serial Burn is the third book in Lynette Eason’s Lake City Heroes series, and I absolutely loved it. Honestly, I was a little intimidated to write this review because I wasn’t sure I could do the book justice!
Eason is known for her romantic suspense novels, and I think this is one of her best yet. The mystery, the romance, and the deep friendships she weaves into the story make it truly compelling.
Jesslyn, a dedicated Fire Marshal, has spent her life haunted by the fire that took her entire family when she was a child. Two decades later, as the anniversary approaches, she is more determined than ever to uncover the truth about their killer. When a series of new fires break out, she finds herself working alongside FBI Special Agent Nathan—who has his own painful history with fire.
The mysteries in this book are expertly crafted, keeping me on the edge of my seat. One of the things I love most about Eason’s writing is that I never know where she’s going to take the story next.
While Serial Burn can absolutely be read as a standalone, why stop there? Each book in the Lake City Heroes series is fantastic, and reading them all lets you revisit beloved characters and friendships throughout.

Action/Adventure: If you’re looking for suspense, Target Acquired picks up from the first chapter. We follow Kenzie King as she works hard to earn her spot on the SWAT team, all while fighting an enemy that seems to cause division. You don’t need to have read Double Take to follow Kenzie’s story, and you’ll see a whole new side of Lake City history, and how the past ripples out to affect the present.
And I was surprised by an additional time-slip POV, which adds room to breath from the tight-paced plot as well as another thread of mystery. But don’t worry, all the questions you’ll have swirling in your head will come to be answered by the end!

Romance: Kenzie and Cole’s romance was very well done. They have disagreements, some of them valid and some of them from the heat of emotions, but they’re all handled well. The author really surprised me by having them have mature conversations instead of playing up the drama. There’s more than enough intrigue and suspense to have to racing to the end of this book!

Religion/Worldview: The characters are Christian, and they pray to Jesus both for guidance and help in the midst of danger. Since this is a series, there are recurring characters, mainly Kenzie’s friend group. This friend group is very close and they make a point of praying for each other, which is awesome to see how it impacts Kenzie. There is also mention of the characters going to church.

Content:
A character is in a mental asylum and treated poorly (given electro-therapy against her will). There are mentions of an attempt of suicide, attempted homicide, and a few suspenseful scenes with criminals taking hostages. A few characters are also shot (not fatally and not descriptive).

Final thoughts:
On top of the tight-paced plot and stellar worldview, the themes don’t disappoint. Kenzie, being the only girl with three brothers, is competitive and closed-off. In trying to prove herself, she’s pushed people away. She struggles with navigating her family relationships, but she learns how to let people in while also keeping her boundaries.
I loved the way the author handled Kenzie being the only female on the team, coming from a more mature perspective of, “I know I’m qualified for this position. I’ll keep working until they see it, too.” It impressed me, since I was almost expecting Kenzie to pout about the way the other guys treated her. She didn’t take it personally, but was honorable and did her best to serve her team.
With the historical element of the novel, there were themes of inherited attitudes from generation to generation (like bitterness). Some characters break free from the way their parents raised them to be, while others only fell deeper into the hole of resentment and anger.
All in all, this is a great book for readers 16+. I personally look forward to picking up another book with this cast of characters!

Whenever I pick up a new book by Lynette Eason, I know I will be fully absorbed from word one and riveted to the pages until I’ve reached the end. She is just such a master when it comes to creating thrilling plots, and she’s done so again in Serial Burn.

Lake City fire marshal Jesslyn McCormick was the sole member of her family to survive the house fire that upended her life at the age of seven – only because she was at a friend’s for a sleepover. All these years later, she’s still trying to figure out who set the fire and why. But her renewed resolve to bring the murderer to justice ignites a rash of connected arsons and puts Jesslyn in someone’s crosshairs. Because one of the fires was set at Jesslyn’s church – and church fires are considered a hate crime – she’s working closely with swoony FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle whose own emotionally-complicated history with fire bleeds into the margins of their investigation. These are such great characters, and the plot takes such heart-in-your-throat turns that I wanted to hurry up and see what happened next while also not wanting it to end.

The layers that Eason gives Nathan and Jesslyn elevated this book beyond a sweet romance or even a stellar suspense novel, even though it’s both of those things too, and allowed her to explore the exquisite complexities of forgiveness, humanity, and faith. So much good & profound truth to unpack here, all done without overpowering the fiction that we’re all here to read. No stopping the story for a sermon because it’s all seamlessly integrated as a natural extension of what’s going on for the characters. And speaking of the story, I loved the unique elements surrounding how the fires are started as well as the calling card (so to speak) left behind at each scene. The former was so intriguing and the latter left my mind whirring with possibilities. As they pieced everything together – and tried to stay alive – I couldn’t wait to see how it all played out. I was right about some things and super off track about others, satisfying both the armchair investigator and story appreciator in me. And of course I loved watching Nathan and Jesslyn inch ever closer to acting on their mutual – and ever deepening – feelings for each other!

Bottom Line: Serial Burn by Lynette Eason kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, forgetting to breathe and disregarding necessities such as sleep and work. But really, how could anyone expect me to put the book down when whoever wants to silence Jesslyn might either succeed or be caught on the next page? Or maybe Nathan will finally swoop in for a toe-curling kiss? I didn’t want to miss a single moment so I read it in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed myself the whole time. High-stakes suspense, sweet romance, rubber-meets-the-road faith… all of it, plus Eason’s steady pacing and engaging writing voice, makes Serial Burn a must read in every way! Already looking forward to book 4 (and super happy that I don’t have to say goodbye to the Lake City Heroes just yet).

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Jesslyn McCormick sees her past rising up like the smoke off a series of arsons that seem to be tied to the fire that killed her family when she was a child. Now she and FBI Agent Nathan Carlisle must get to the bottom of the fires before its too late.

An action packed read with elements from the past and the present that add to the suspense. I loved that Jesslyn had a great group of friends around her, and it was fun to see her growing friendship with Nathan. There was great interaction, plenty of mystery, with compelling main characters.

A compelling and intriguing story of faith and forgiveness, interwoven with suspense and finding love. Entertaining and well written, I'm hoping this isn't the last that we see of some of the characters!


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of Serial Burn by Lynette Eason. If you’re looking for a suspenseful story, get ready for this new romantic mystery! This heart-pounding novel follows a female fire marshal as she seeks justice for her murdered family and soon realizes someone is trying to take her down.

Lynette Eason certainly knows what she is doing when it comes to a creepy, page-turning suspense! I definitely found myself a little spooked and I was certainly interested to see what happened next. The entire mystery was very intriguing, especially the FMC’s tie to it.

Next, I also really liked the strong theme of forgiveness in this story. There were some very challenging and heartbreaking moments in the book, but I think readers will treasure how Lynette weaves forgiveness throughout the trials of Serial Burn.

Finally, I really appreciate stories like this one that shine a light on the work of our local first responders, specifically firefighters and police officers in Serial Burn. The book gives me an even greater appreciation for what our first responders do as everyday heroes!

Please DM me if you want trigger warnings!


Happy reading,

Bethany the Bookworm Girl

[Thank you @netgalley for my gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.]

While it could be read as a stand-alone, Serial Burn is the third book in the Lake City Heroes series. I’ve loved this series and already can’t wait for the next one, though I’m sad it will be the last of this series!

I flew through this book and didn’t want to put it down. This story had all of the danger, mystery, and suspense you’re looking for in this genre, with a really sweet slow-burn romance. I really loved and appreciated the themes of redemption and forgiveness in this story too, as well as identity.

Highly recommend!