Lainie Jackson is living in a waking nightmare. The ex-fiancé who tried to kill her seems to have returned from the dead. When she seeks help solving the mystery, her friend’s older brother, detective James Cross, unexpectedly steps in. Tension builds as the suspense deepens in this first book in a new series by a masterful storyteller. Will Lainie and James be able to solve the puzzle before it’s too late? Find out in this gripping page-turner about finding the truth against all odds.

Double Take
by Lynette Eason
Publisher: Revell
Series: Lake City Heros, Book 1
Rated: 4
Obtain: Borrow or buy
Back of the Book: “Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Now with the Lake City Police Department, he's rooming with this good buddy and partner, Cole, while he figures out his family dynamics.
Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it's not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.
Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.”
Impressions: I liked this suspenseful novel. I was kept on my toes as I questioned who the killer could be. The mind games played on Laine were as frustrating to me as I tried to imagine what really happened and who was behind it all. The romance of this story was ok. I feel like if the characters would not have known each other before the events that brought them back together their relationship would have felt too much like a savior complex. The author weaves the characters' past together throughout the story making their romance feel natural. This was a great suspenseful, clean romance.

I received an ARC of this book via the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

A quote from Double Take that I love
“We’re quite the pair, aren’t we? With our crazy parents?” “They’re not really crazy. With your mom, I don’t know. Maybe it’s a mental illness. In the beginning, I believe my dad was just acting from a place of hurt, but now, I think it’s pride, and I have to believe God is still working even if I can't see it."
I love that God and prayer is mentioned because in most books He's pretty much left out. So this is amazing in my book.
A very fast paced novel with lots of deep discussions about different things that are going on in their lives.
I love the many twists and turns that will make you want to keep reading until you find out who it really is.
5 stars for an awesome adventure! I loved every minute of it! I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book
I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Oh my goodness! Lynette Eason, Double Take, is amazing. The first few pages drew me in and did not let go until I finished the book. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a fast-paced suspenseful romance,

Readers who enjoy fast-paced suspense will love this first book in the new series, Lake City Heroes. Lainey, a PA in the local hospital killed her fiance in self defense or did she? When someone forces her off the road, down the mountain, Lainey gets a glance of her fiance's face and then things become weird. Detective James Cross, recently out of the army and Lainey work together to track down the truth. Is her fiance dead or not? Lots of twists and turns that will keep readers engaged to the end. Loved it! Highly recommended!

This book follows a PA and a detective that are both struggling with ptsd for different reasons. The story idea is good, the characters and execution…not so much. The dialogue was extremely cringey and not believable. Adult siblings do not call each other ‘lil sister’. If someone were to read the exchanges out loud it would sound like a bad play. The was also too wordy and there were certain descriptive areas- especially Lainie’s thinking that could be left out. Lastly, I really liked James and Cole’s character but Lainie’s was annoying and hard to like.

Overall the idea and story itself was fine. I really love Christian fiction, no cussing or smut but this book fell short.

I was given this book by NetGalley to read and review.

Double Take starts off with a bank (a click, really), and the action never lets up! I couldn't put the book down from the first line to the surprise ending. The characters are realistic and enjoyable. This is a great start to what promises to be an enjoyable series! I received an ARC from the publisher, and these are my opinions.

I finished this book in one day, and have absolutely no regrets. Ah, there’s so much about it that’s so good! The suspense, the romance, the protective MMC and tenacious FMC—I’m tempted to go re-read it right now!

Lainie captured my heart from the first page, her determination to not only survive, but thrive, in the face of so much adversity. Her struggles are ones that hit close to my heart, and her growth and development are inspiring and challenging to me. I can’t wait to see her in future books in the series!

James is so protective, in a non-smothering way, and does such a good job of caring for Lainie I can’t help but swoon. He faces his problems head-on, and is willing to take his own advice when it comes to family issues. The way he builds up those around him, thanking them for what they do, takes him from book-boyfriend material to goals for real life.

Double Take has become an instant favorite for me of Eason’s, and will definitely be one of those books I re-read multiple times.

Terrific romantic suspense. It kept me turning the pages and guessing to the end. I am happy to see that it is the first of a series. I am eager to read the next one. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Summary: Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it's not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.

My thoughts: I have loved every Lynette Eason book I’ve read, and this is certainly no exception! Double Take had my heart pounding and my jaw literally dropping within the first few pages. The Prologue and first chapter were incredibly hooking, and I finished the book in 2 days.

The characters were really well-developed. Of course, Lainie and James were really compelling, with each of them having both mental and physical health issues throughout the book. It was a great testament to how God works miraculously in and through broken people. The side characters also had great development and interesting backstories, which made the book even better. The romance between Lainie and James was also really well done.

Double Take explores many mental health issues, which I think is amazing. Lynette Eason did a great job tying in a biblical perspective to real-world struggles. She also explored how to help and support family members through their struggles without enabling unChristlike actions.

Double Take is a bit predictable, and there were some convenient plot devices, but I did not see the ending coming at all. There was also a small mistake in the summary of the book on Goodreads and other platforms, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the series being completed! I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Colleen Coble, Nancy Mehl, Dani Pettrey, Irene Hannon, or Terri Blackstock (among other similar authors).

**Thank you so much to NetGalley and Revell Publishing for giving me an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are entirely my own.**

Double Take by Lynette Eason is a great Christian Romantic Suspense novel. Lainie is a Physician's Assistant who is still trying to get over the attempt on her life by her ex-boyfriend who she subsequently had to shoot and kill in self-defense. James is Lainie's best friend's brother who she has had a crush on since they were kids who is now a police officer with the local force. They are thrown back together when a strange accident happens to Lainie and she believes she is seeing her dead ex-boyfriend.

The suspense is great and I had no idea what the conclusion was going to be. This is something that I'm always looking for in suspense novels. The chemistry and build in the relationship between the two main characters is great and seems natural. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened next while reading.

Double Take
by Lynette Eason
Pub Date: January 9, 2024
Revell
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The first book, in a new series, by one of my favorite authors was very exciting for me. There were plenty of twists and turns and I was hooked from the beginning.
Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Now with the Lake City Police Department, he's rooming with this good buddy and partner, Cole, while he figures out his family dynamics.

Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it's not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.

Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.
5 stars
Highly recommend

The first book in a new series by one of my favorite authors is always exciting for me, and this new book by Lynette Eason exceeded all of my expectations. With a fast pace and heart-stopping action, this book held me captive from beginning to end. The story of Lainie Jackson and her doubts about whether she is hallucinating or not made me really want to know what was going on her life. Although she is certain that Adam died, why does she keep seeing him at various places around the hospital? And if Adam is not stalking her, then who is determined to harm her? Lainie enlists the help of an old friend James Cross, currently a police detective who is ready to do whatever he needs to do to keep Lainie safe. The pace of this book is like a bullet train rocketing out of the station and it never lets up. The plot is compellingly realistic and terrifying at times. I enjoyed getting to know the people in Lake City and how they were so willing to help and support each other. All of the characters were dynamic, original and believable. This is an intriguing and intense book, with a clever edginess that kept me glued to the pages. The multi-layered story that includes PTSD and some other well-researched topics was complex, crackling with tension and so well crafted tht I had no idea how long past my bedtime I was reading every night. The chemistry between the characters gave the book emotional depth and the suspense along with the red herrings made this book unforgettable and unputdownable.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this bok from Revell via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army and is now working as a police detective. He meets Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson after he is shot while rescuing a child. Lainie is recovering from having to kill her ex fiancé when he was trying to kill her. The problem is that she keeps seeing him and he wants her dead. Both James and Lainie suffer from PTSD from their past experiences. As James and Lainie work to discover if Adam is really alive and who wants her dead, they discover that they have feelings for each other.

This is a great read and I recommend this book.

I received this book from Revell Publishing via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

The first pages of this book lured me right in and had me hooked. It was intense right from the start and that intensity didn't let up until the end of the book. I could not put it down until I had read the entire thing. Lainie and James were both such incredible characters and I was completely invested in both of them along with their stories, character arcs and development.

Second chance romances are always a favorite of mine because I love when characters have met before the start of the book. It helps make the romance seem less rushed and more of a natural progression. Which was the exact case for Lainie and James. Their chemistry was sizzling right off the pages and I loved the relationship they had along with their strong foundation of friendship and the way they genuinely cared about one another. The development of their relationship was beautiful perfection.

There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the book and I never had things completely figured out until the end. Or I was proven wrong. There was also plenty of deep emotional times when I was entirely wrapped up in my emotions because of Lynette Eason's writing style. I have always been a major Lynette Eason fan and this book was a perfect example of why. I strongly recommend her as an author and I absolutely recommend this book!

This one started with a bang (literally) and had me hooked from that opening scene! Holy Moly! Talk about fast-paced and intense throughout the whole book. I didn't want to set it down when life called to me but I did and was happy and eager to pick it up again when I had reading time.

Lainie and James were great main characters. Both of them have some baggage from their past. Lainie's is definitely more apparent because the story revolves around her and her dead ex-fiance. Yikes! Get ready for some craziness to have you guessing and re-guessing all the things in this book. I thought I had it figured out and then there was another twist. A friend of mine introduced me to Lynette's books the end of last year and I have been hooked ever since! I'm excited to start this new series and can't wait to see who else will be featured in the following books.

James and Lainie make a great team. I loved seeing how they were brought back together. And how they knew each other previously. Definitely wove more storyline into this great read. I loved the chemistry between them and was happy to watch their friendship build and grow into something more. The family aspects were well written. Sometimes a little emotional but added great depth to the story.

Grab your copy and clear your schedule because you won't want to stop once you start (now I'm sounding like an Pringles ad but you'll understand once you pick it up)!

Content: Clean. Christian fiction suspense. Some intense moments of peril, fighting, guns, gunshot wounds, death, etc, talked about. With all of that it wasn't overly graphic and I thought written very well. I'd let my older teens read this.

I received a copy from the publisher, Revell, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

A romantic suspense novel

Lake City Heroes book #1

This is the story of Lainie Jackson who ended shooting her ex after he attempted to kill her. But when it appeared he had survived and is now set to finish the job, Detective James Cross sprang into action and together, he and Lainie must find out whom is after her and why he wants her dead.

This story is packed with action and the suspense is skillfully maintained throughout. The emotional depth is touching: James and Lainie not only needed to face the external threats but also their personal struggles. I came to sympathized and understand the challenges they both faced. To add a layer of complexity James is Lainie’s best friend’s brother and since childhood has a crush on him. They play this little attraction game from the get-go and witnessing how this develops is heartwarming. The game of cat and mouse is well played out, not knowing who the villain actually is for a great part of the novel leaves us in suspense till drop by drop the clues are revealed and we know the motives and identity of the antagonist. The narrative is very active and definitely has kept my attention till I flipped the last page. Well said and well played out.

Nicely done

PA Lainie Johnson is still recovering from an attempted murder of her by her deranged ex fiancée when she finds herself in a car accident which does not really seem like an accident. Still dealing with PTSD from the attempt on her life, she finds herself reeling again when the man she believes ran her off the road resembled her dead ex fiancée.
Enter Det Jame Cross, suffering from PTSD from his war experience, and the brother of Lainie's best friend and all of a sudden everything is complicated.
Together they go forward trying to find out who is after Lainie.
Okay but too predictable in too many story spots to make it a real thriller.
Characters are well defined, and the plot is interesting but doesn't follow through on the suspense.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a fast paced, suspenseful romance with twists and turns throughout the whole story. Will keep you on the edge of your seat! I love the Faith filled journey of Lainie and James and how they related to their loved ones.

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

Double Take by Lynette Eason

Summary:
Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Now with the Lake City Police Department, he's rooming with this good buddy and partner, Cole, while he figures out his family dynamics.

Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it's not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.

Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.

Review: 5=Star
Wow, just Wow… I read this story in one sitting I couldn’t put the book down didn’t want to miss a thing. My Kindle powered down and I looked at the clock it was way past the time for me to be able to go get more feed for my horses and I had to feed horses in the dark, but I put my Kindle on the charger and came back inside to finish the book about 1 am. I’ve struggled to find faith-based thrillers. Most are missing that spark that keeps you reading, but this one from the very first page to the last page kept me reading. The flow was perfect and the character development was spot on. They felt so real and the writer put me right there I could picture everything in my head. I look forward to reading more from this author just found myself another author to follow.

I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review