Savannah's an FBI agent, investigating a string of church arsons with her partner and best friend, Paul. They're both nearing retirement, but with the sudden death of Savannah's son, the three grandchildren she's left to raise pose a whole new challenge in Trial By Fire by author DiAnn Mills.

I've read a little, just a little, of romantic suspense in my time, but what instantly got me interested in this book was a glimpse of the man and woman on the cover. Clearly not a pair of twenty or thirty-somethings, a fact that I was sure would bring a different and welcome flavor of romantic suspense than I had yet to try. I was right.

This novella is smart, emotionally stirring, and engaging, with no lag or "yawn" time in the middle. There's believable dimension to the family dynamics as well as the chemistry between Savannah and Paul. Now, I felt that a particular scene was a pretty obvious setup for danger, and I'll admit the race factor included in the plot had me on edge, especially considering the current social and racial climate in the US. But a declaration of Savannah's to a pastor eventually put me at ease, whether or not her declaration was directly related to my cause for edginess.

I found this to be a quick and satisfying story that many readers of ChristFic suspense should enjoy. ( )