About this book:

“She's out for justice. But the arsonist she's tracking is out for retribution.
Now the fire marshal of Lake City, Jesslyn McCormick is determined to find the person who started the fire that robbed her of her family when she was just seven years old. As the twentieth anniversary of the tragedy approaches, a string of fires--including at Jesslyn's church--brings up all those old feelings and offers new evidence.
Because church fires are considered a hate crime, FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle is called in to work with local law enforcement. Nathan has his own past--one he'd prefer not to revisit. And focusing on helping Jesslyn track down the arsonist is a great distraction.
As both the case and the chemistry between Jesslyn and Nathan heat up, memories will come flooding in from the past to bump up against hopes for the future. And when Jesslyn comes face-to-face with her worst nightmare, she'll have to confront her fears and rely on Nathan and her community of friends in order to survive.”


Series: Book #3 in the “Lake City Heroes” series. Review of Book #1 Here! and Book #2 Here! (Also connected to the novella “In The Dark” by this author.)


Spiritual Content- Isaiah 55:8 at the dedication; Scriptures are quoted & mentioned; Prayers & Thanking God; Talks about God, Him not stopping bad things from happening, believing in Him even if bad things happen, & accepting the forgiveness God offers; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Nathan tells Jesslyn about when he was young and after a traumatic event, he decided he hated God and stopped believing in Him because God didn’t stop the awful thing from happening; Nathan also shares that he did start believing in God again, but when things go bad, he falls into old patterns again and believing the old lies, which Jesslyn knows that feeling and reminds herself that nothing is “going to be perfect until he [Jesus] comes back”; Jesslyn says that something wasn’t luck, but God; A woman tells about a wife that “never got the green light from God” about leaving her cheating husband; Many mentions of churches, churches going, & pastors (mostly because of the fires); Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, praising/thanking God, & blessings over food; A few mentions of having peace from God answering prayers; A few mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of those & events in the Bible; A mention of God’s plan; A mention of God “allowing evil” to take Jesslyn’s family, but giving her friends to love and love her; A mention of a sermon at a funeral; A mention of a blessing; A mention of a Christian Fiction author (Elizabeth Goddard);
*Note: A few mentions of evil people (including someone deliberately burning a church nursery and someone leaving another to die in a fire); A couple mentions of superstitions & not tempting fate; A mention of Pandora’s box.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, an ‘ever-lovin’’, a ‘for the love of—‘, an ‘oh my word’, a ‘shucks’, a ‘stuff it’, a ‘what in the world’, three ‘rats’, seven ‘idiot’s, eight ‘shut up’s, nine ‘dumb’s, and twelve forms of ‘stupid’; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Shooting & Killing someone in self-defense (and some grief over having to do it, barely-above-not-detailed); A car accident, Gasoline-filled bombs, An explosion, Fighting/Self-defense, Being kidnapped, Being tied-up, Being injected with a sedative, Being shot at, Being held at gun-point, Being threatened, Having a stalker, Chasing criminals, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Almost passing out and passing out, & Throwing up (up to semi-detailed); Setting a fire, Going through fires, smoke, fire damaged buildings, & seeing how the fires started (semi-detailed); Going to a funeral and seeing a grieving family (up to semi-detailed); Nightmares (up to semi-detailed); *Major Spoilers about Jesslyn’s family* It’s said that Jesslyn’s father had a “lot of issues” stemming from his childhood and it made “living with him hard sometimes”; Later, it’s added that he grew up with alcoholic parents who neglected him and he was in and out of the foster care system; Because of her father’s affairs, Jesslyn’s mother said she would leave him and did but not permanently; When she tried to get a job, he figured out she was planning a future without him and gaslit her into not taking a job (she decided that their marriage was her priority and they did work it out and were better with counseling before their deaths); The fire that killed Jesslyn’s parents and sisters was set by the other women when her father wouldn’t go back to her and then she committed suicide *End of Spoilers*; *Spoilers about Nathan’s childhood trauma* When he was eleven, Nathan and his best friend started a fire in a storage building in his backyard and were trapped in there, leading to his best friend’s death which Nathan feels to major guilt and blame for happening; *Major Spoilers* It’s revealed later in the book that Nathan’s older brother was supposed to be watching them and trapped them in there as payback for not listening to him, he didn’t hear their screams until it was too late; After telling Nathan about his part in it, Nathan later finds his brother thinking about committing suicide while holding a gun; Nathan arranges his brother to stay with him after that and others to always be around him because he can’t be alone for a while after the close-call; Nathan’s brother says that he know that suicide wasn’t the right answer, doesn’t want to die, and wasn’t thinking clearly *End of Spoilers*; All about & many mentions of fires, arsonists, arson, how the fires started, damages, & crimes (semi-detailed); Many mentions of Jesslyn’s family (parents and younger sisters) dying in a fire & her grief and anger over it (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a suicide, a supposed suicide, many not believing the person would kill himself, how it happened (gunshot & jumping off a roof), & grief (*Spoiler* One was murder as the person was pushed *End of Spoiler*, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of suicidal thoughts, possible attempts, & someone holding a gun while thinking about it; Mentions of abusive parents, alcoholic parents, & a sibling becoming physically abusive (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kidnappings, an attempted kidnapping, being held at gun-point, being threatened, gunshots, & guns/weapons; Mentions of a sibling’s plan for their sibling to be killed (genders are written vaguely due to spoilers); Mentions of bombs & possible explosions; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of blackmail; Mentions of threats, hate crimes, & hatred; Mentions of injuries, blood/bleeding, burns, a medically induced coma, pain, & the concern over someone dying due to smoke inhalation (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of kids and teens coming from violent and broken homes with abusive and alcoholic parents; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, alcoholics/drunks, & liquor stores; Mentions of drugs (medications); Mentions of a father leaving his family (Jesslyn calls him a “loser”); Mentions of parents fighting; A few mentions of a sister responsible for the death of her brother (due to a trick gone wrong) and her turning to drugs and alcohol; A few mentions of prisons & jail time; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of deaths in a car wreck; A couple mentions of an eighteen-wheeler accident crashing into a tour bus & pile-up involving many cars; A couple mentions of someone being majorly injured in a car accident; A mention of a husband leaving his wife and kids (the reason is not said); A mention of a possible overdose; A mention of rehab; A mention of jealousy;
*Note: *Spoiler* Jesslyn learns about her father’s “mental health issues”, which are later said to be “PTSD, fear of abandonment, and so on” *End of Spoiler*; Nathan’s partner asks if a suicide victim was seeing a doctor for mental health issues; Jesslyn had years and years of therapy after the deaths of her family members; Nathan comments on each person having to decide for themselves about going to therapy; Nathan and his older brother have a strained relationship due to childhood trauma and his brother pushes for them to go to counseling together; Nathan thinks of his older brother as selfish and only cares about himself; Mentions of physiatrists, therapy, & counseling; Mentions of car brands; Mentions of brand names & items (Band-Aids, Keurig, Motrin, iPad, & Post-it notes); Mentions of a fictional character (Superman); A couple mentions of Airbnb; A couple mentions of Uber; A mention of a movie (Casablanca).


Sexual Content- Three not-detailed kisses and a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Wanting to kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes & Racing hearts; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); *Major Spoilers about Jesslyn’s family* About half-way, Jesslyn finds out from her aunt that her father was having affairs and seeing multiple different women, which started shortly after her parents were married; Jesslyn’s father bought her mother a new piece of jewelry every time to buy her forgiveness and while she never wore them, she kept them as an escape plan, but never felt the “green light from God to leave him”; Jesslyn is told that her mother always loved him and forgave him before they died and he broke it off with the other woman (they also went to counseling together and he wasn’t sneaking out at night); The night of the fire, the other woman begged him to come back to her *Major Spoilers* and when he wouldn’t, she came back and set his house on fire with him and his family in it and then committed suicide *End of Spoilers*; Nathan stays the night at Jesslyn’s house for her safety; A form of ‘hot’; Many mentions of affairs, infidelity, cheating, & a wife being prepared and planning on leaving her husband; Mentions of dates, dating, asking someone out, & boyfriends/girlfriends; A few mentions of kisses & kissing; A few mentions of acting like a lovesick teenager & crushes; A few mentions of blushes; A mention of a guy kissing his fiancée on her hand; A mention of Nathan pushing away woman “quite frequently” when they want something more than just a date; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: When he is injured, Jesslyn almost asks Nathan if he needs help getting dressed, but doesn’t as she figures“that might take things way past awkward”.

-Jesslyn McCormick, age 27
-Nathan Carlisle
P.O.V. switches between them & then someone else in the Prologue
320 pages
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)

After meeting Jesslyn in the prior books of this series, I’ve been looking forward to reading her story as soon as it released. Unfortunately, this book had some elements that kept me from really enjoying it.

Let’s first note that I would say that this series would be better to binge read because of the friend group and how they all meet and know each other happens in the first book. Which is nice because it’s not a classic “we’ve only known each other for three weeks and someone was shooting at us during that time but we’re in love anyway” plotline, but it also can feel lacking in “sparks” between the main couple’s first meeting or soon-after events. Because of this and the large friend group, I was lost at times and trying to remember what happened in the prior books to the prior couples. Binge reading this series back-to-back would probably cause better enjoyment of the series, I would imagine.

This book is actually connected to the author’s recently released novella “In the Dark” and that couple is mentioned in this book. I don’t think they were mentioned in the prior books of the series, but it’s been a while since I’ve read them, so I’m not sure.

“Serial Burn” struggled to keep my attention, unfortunately. It felt a little off at times to me? I think it was because the characters are talking in a very modern, around-my-age kind of way and it was throwing me. It almost felt unprofessional at times, but that sounds odd to say. I’m not sure if the author was trying to make these characters “hip with the times” (which I’m aware is *not* a current phrase) but that’s what it felt like to me, and a little heavy handed too.

I was bummed that I figured out the culprit pretty quick, around 50% in and even made a note then of my suspicions, which turned out to be broadly correct. It was messy, to say the least, and I didn’t really like it. It brought my rating down.

I could understand where Jesslyn was coming from in the way she was determined (some might say obsessed) with finding out who her family’s killer was. Which made some of the romance elements feel poorly timed (a complaint I often have with Romantic Suspense books) and then some sappy comments and conversations between her and Nathan had me rolling my eyes at times. By the end of the book, I still didn’t feel like I knew either of them outside of their childhood traumas.

Overall, I’m disappointed in this third book, but I still plan to read the fourth (and final?) book in the series when it releases.



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.

This book deals with unanswered questions about the past. Sometimes when we ask those questions, we get answers we really don't want to hear. But if you continue to investigate, the answers you find don't necessarily tell the whole story. Only when you now the whole story can you move forward with your life. That theme is delt with for both of the main characters. I thought I had it figured out who started the fires at the 50% mark. But I was wrong. I was in the neighborhood of being right. The story has a satisfying ending that ties up all the loose ends.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy for an honest review..

This was another great book in the series! The story was fast-paced (only "interrupted" by the MCs romantic endeavors, which I didn't care too much about), and the writing was fantastic again. The book fits perfectly into the series. However, it can certainly be read as a standalone. You don't miss out on any character-building or lack of information from previous books.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher, for a copy of this book! The opinions in this review are entirely my own and unbiased.

Jessilyn who is the fire marshal of Lake City is determined to find the arsonist who killed her family. After appearing on TV at the 20th year anniversary of her family‘s death, she pleads with someone to come forward with information about the arsonist, promising that person will be brought to justice. That interview then begins a chain of events like multiple fires being started all around town and Jessilyn being targeted and running for her life-which leaves her with even more questions. FBI special agent Nathan is called in to help the local fire department and to get to the bottom of who is targeting the town and Jessilyn. As they both dig deeper into files and follow leads; Jessilyn quickly learns that sometimes digging into the past has a way of changing the future.

This was an on-the-edge of your seat, lots of drama and twists, Christian fiction book with some light romance. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend this series!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

Serial Burn by Lynette Eason is a fantastic blend of suspense and romance. I loved the depth of the characters, especially Jesslyn and Nathan, who both have compelling personal struggles that make their journey together all the more engaging. The slow-burn romance between them felt authentic and well-developed. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat with its twists and high stakes, while the emotional weight of Jesslyn’s past added so much depth to the story. Eason does a great job balancing intense action with heartfelt moments, making this a thrilling and satisfying read.

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.