Friday, June 6, 2025

Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Released: November 5, 2019 
333 pages

About the Book:

One father was murdered. Another was convicted of his death. All because their children fell in love.

Nate Beckett has spent his life fighting wildfires instead of the lies and rumors that drove him from his Colorado hometown. His mother begs him to come back now that his father has been released from prison, but it isn’t until he’s sidelined by an injury that he’s forced to return and face his past. But that means facing Brenna too.

Fourteen years ago, Nate was in love with the preacher’s daughter. When Pastor Strickland discovered Brenna defied him to sneak out with Nate, the fight between Strickland and Nate’s drunken dad was loud—and very public. Strickland was found murdered later that night, and everyone accused Roy Beckett. When the church burned down not long after, people assumed Nate set the fire to get even for his father’s conviction. He let the rumors fly and left town without looking back.

Brenna is stunned to learn that the man convicted of murdering her father has been pardoned. The events of that night set her life on a bad course, and now she’s fighting a brutal custody battle with her ex and his new wife where he’s using lies and his family’s money to sway the judge. Brenna is barely hanging on, and she’s turned to alcohol to cope. Shame and fear consume her.

As Nate and Brenna deal with the present—including new information about that fateful night and a wildfire that’s threatening their town—the past keeps igniting. Nate is the steady force Brenna has so desperately needed. But she’ll have to learn to trust him again first.


My Rating & Thoughts:    

A tragedy split up Nate and Brenna 14 years ago and they both went different directions. Now they are both back in the same town and reconnect, but their lives are very different from what they once were. Brenna is going through a very trying time, I hurt for her and her children. Her ex and ex-father-in-law were horrible. Brenna's struggles and reactions felt very real. Nate was my favourite character, he fought to do what he felt was right and support Brenna as much as he could. I also loved how humble he was and tried to credit his team for the rescue rather than receiving the praise himself. There were parts that made me laugh, especially when someone tried to understand what was happening it became obvious how ridiculous the others sounded. I was thankful that certain people were cleared of any wrong doing and that the real culprits were eventually brought to justice. Getting there was a trying time for all involved. I found myself quickly caring for the characters, and rooting for certain situations to happen. It does depict the messy side of life as it was full of broken characters and drama. Characters find redemption, seek and give forgiveness and learn to trust God. It is not your typical fast paced romantic suspense, but I found myself fully immersed in the story and the characters.

(I originally received an e-Arc of this book but I then purchased a physical copy and reread it; opinions expressed in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

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