"Burning Season" by Kiki Swinson offers a thrilling narrative that seamlessly combines the adrenaline of firefighting with the morally complex world of insurance fraud. The protagonist, Alayna Curry, facing financial struggles and the temptation of quick cash, provides a relatable and engaging journey. The portrayal of Southern life adds depth to the story, and the unpredictable plot twists keep readers guessing until the end. However, the novel occasionally relies on Southern clichés, lacking a nuanced exploration of the cultural backdrop. The moral dilemma confronting Alayna feels somewhat contrived, hindering complete investment in her character. The pacing becomes uneven in the latter part of the book, with abrupt and disconnected twists, and the narrative leans heavily on suspense, occasionally sacrificing depth in character development. Despite these shortcomings, "Burning Season" remains a gripping page-turner that navigates themes of loyalty, betrayal, and life-altering choices.

An interesting plot. However I did not fully invest in the characters, most of whom I didn’t like. I will be interested in book 2 though, if this indeed is a series.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This page turner is about insurance fraud, which eventually leads to murder. Alayna finds herself caught in the middle, as she tries to protect her brother Alonzo, while trying to stay loyal to Tim. In the midst of the investigation, many secrets are revealed, and you don't know shook to trust.

The character development was amazing and the plot twists were exceptional. My favorite character is Alayna, for standing ten toes down for her brother. My least favorite character was Tim, because he was all for self and didn't care who he hurt in the process. This, by far, is one of my favorite books by @allthingskikiswinson and it has earned a spot as one of the best books that I've read this year.

How far would you go to protect your sibling. For Alyana, it's put to the test when her brother, Alonzo is arrested and accused of murder. Alyana is determined to do whatever she can to beat the charges.

Although this book is a little different from the authors norm, it's still packed with all the mess and drama she's known for. The story line had me on an emotional Rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. And of course she brought all the mess. It did end abruptly, but I'm assuming it's going to be resolved in another book.

I haven't read a Kiki book in years but as always she never disappoints and brings the mess. I will say the characters in this book are very hard to like but that didn't stop me from reading.

This was a quick read, all gas and no brakes! The author did not waste a page quickly throwing us into the story. I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but the story line started to go a bit haywire. I wish the author had reeled it in some with the different POV. Based on the ending, I believe there’s going to be a part two. And while it was just an okay read for me, I am interested in seeing how things turn out for thee characters following the mess they left behind in this book.

Kiki Swinson has done it again! Moving away somewhat from her normal genre and venturing out to a more multicultural plot, Swinson captures your attention from the very first page and holds it throughout the story. The characters, though not very well liked in most instances, are still well rounded and believable. Fraud, lies, adultery and murder can be found in this book, along with some loyalty and some backstabbing. Here’s oping for future installments to this story. The pace is good, and the various twists and turns continue to keep you engaged. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Unlikable characters with a less than engaging story plot. Burning Season did not work for me and that is okay. I’ll give the author another go around in the future.

this was a quick read. the suspense could've used a little more work because it was very easy to figure out the plot. The characters were highly unlikeable too.

One word: FIRE! True to style, Kiki Swinson did not miss. This book was good from cover to cover. I will definitely recommend to anyone who will listen.

The description of this book pulled me in immediately. Unfortunately, I feel like there was a huge disconnect between what was promised in the description and what was delivered. The suspense was lacking and made the plot very predictable. The characters were very unlikeable which made it hard to care about the outcome.

Burning Season by Kiki Swanson was a tense and abrupt read. The element of suspense was loose because I could quickly figure out how the plot would pan out. The characters were highly unlikeable, and loyalty and greed dictated their every move. The pacing was good, and the stakes were getting higher, but I couldn't care for the outcome of the three key characters. The multiple POVs assisted to an extent with an unexpected and sudden ending. Honestly, I found a significant mismatch between the blurb and the story. Unfortunately, this is where I depart from this series.

Thank you, NetGalley & Kensington Books, for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

2.5 ⭐️‘s
There was very little I liked about this book. Despicable characters, no suspense and a whole lot of greed, left me pretty cold. The best part was that it was short, but even then the reader was cheated as it ended abruptly as it’s going to be a series🤦‍♀️one I’m not interested in pursuing! Thank you to Kensington Publishing Corp. and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Kensington Publications and Kiki Swinson for the opportunity to read an advance copy of BURNING SEASON, to be published 25 April 2023. This was a multicultural fiction book with an extended family which suffers from a variety of issues, including fraud, murder, lies, adultery and alternative lifestyles. This was one of those books that the situation kept getting worse with no relief until it ended. The finale was a surprise. 5/5 stars. #NetGalley. #KensingtonPublications #KikiSwinson

A totally awful scenario and a lead character in Alayna who I just couldn't get behind, Thanks to netgalley for the ARC, Over to others.

This book was drama filled and fast moving. Although I liked the book, I liked none of the characters. They were all selfish and foolish. One was even a sociopath. It kept me interested. I didn’t like the ending. It just came to the ending abruptly. That could have been written with more details. This is the first of a series and I am interested in reading the next book to see where this goes.
****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

It is refreshing to read a new series with new characters from Kiki. When I started the book I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it, but as I kept reading the story got really interesting. Ayanna irked my nerves but she is loyal. If you enjoy suspense, drama, and betrayal in your reads then this is the book for you. Thank you Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Burning Season is multicultural interest fiction by Kiki Swinson.

Alayna Curry and her brother, Alonzo Riddick, are following in their father’s footsteps by working as firefighters at a Virginia Beach fire station. They’re as close as siblings can be and, in theory, would do anything for each other. How far will they have to go to test the theory?

Kiki Swinson is one of my go-to authors, and she did not disappoint. These characters are well-rounded and completely believable, though not entirely likable. The story is revealed through the alternating viewpoints of the major characters. Swinson smoothly handles this potentially confusing writing technique with appropriate chapter headers. The plot is compelling and features stunning twists. It holds the attention from beginning to end and is appropriately paced. I wanted more from the ending, but it does leave open the option for future installments. I throughly enjoyed Burning Season and rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys good fiction, especially with multicultural interest.

My thanks to Kensington Books, Dafina, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.