Smoke Screen
by Terri Blackstock
on Tour October 28 - November 30, 2019
Synopsis:
Book Details:
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Genre: Suspense (Christian)Published by: HarperCollins-Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: November 5th 2019
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 0310332591 (ISBN13: 9780310332596)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Thomas Nelson
One father was murdered, and another 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 home town. His mother begs him to come to Carlisle 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 had 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, people assumed it was Nate getting even for his father’s conviction. He let the rumors fly and left Carlisle without looking back.
Now, 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 she’s dealing with 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. She’s barely hanging on, and she’s turned to alcohol to cope. Shame and fear consume her.
As they deal with the present—including new information about that fateful night and a wildfire that’s threatening their town—their 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 thoughts:
The above synopsis is a bit misleading. When I started this book, I thought I was going to be reading a book leaning more on suspense. Yes, it was there, especially when it came to Nate Beckett. He is a fire jumper who has taken time off to recover from serious burns due to a major forest fire. He returns to his hometown to heal. He does not walk into open arms, however. When Nate left, it was under a shroud of doubt and suspicion. Fourteen years previously, Nate's father was accused, sentenced and imprisoned for killing the local preacher, who happened to be the father of Nate's girlfriend's at the time.
Now, Nate's father has been freed from prison. However, shortly before Nate left home, the preacher's church was burned down, and everyone thought he did it, although he was never charged. Nate makes it his aim to clear his own name, and to find out once and for all whether or not his father actually killed the preacher.
The story shifts from here. The preacher's daughter, Brenna, who is the other principal protagonist in the story, is full of angst. She is none too pleased that the man accused of murdering her father is now a free man. Also, Nate is back in town and she must face her past feelings for him when they were teenagers. Is there a chance for them to begin again? Can shame, fear, doubt and suspicion all be removed? This story becomes very dramatic at this point. Feelings and family drama are paramount. Nate's family is angry and healing. Brenna is dealing with alcohol abuse.
The one thing that made this book a bit difficult to read is that fact that it is written in dual first person point of view. This is definitely not my favorite way of reading. I kept reading and thinking that one character is still speaking to another character. I had to go back several times to see if there were quotation marks. Only when I realized there were no quotation marks, did I realize that it was the character's thoughts. But as to which which character, whether speaking or thinking, I had to question more than once.
Terri Blackstock is a new name to me. So many books. So little time. Nonetheless, I will put her on my list of authors to check out because I do love romantic suspense.
Many thanks to Harper Collins and to Partners in Crime Tours for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Now, Nate's father has been freed from prison. However, shortly before Nate left home, the preacher's church was burned down, and everyone thought he did it, although he was never charged. Nate makes it his aim to clear his own name, and to find out once and for all whether or not his father actually killed the preacher.
The story shifts from here. The preacher's daughter, Brenna, who is the other principal protagonist in the story, is full of angst. She is none too pleased that the man accused of murdering her father is now a free man. Also, Nate is back in town and she must face her past feelings for him when they were teenagers. Is there a chance for them to begin again? Can shame, fear, doubt and suspicion all be removed? This story becomes very dramatic at this point. Feelings and family drama are paramount. Nate's family is angry and healing. Brenna is dealing with alcohol abuse.
The one thing that made this book a bit difficult to read is that fact that it is written in dual first person point of view. This is definitely not my favorite way of reading. I kept reading and thinking that one character is still speaking to another character. I had to go back several times to see if there were quotation marks. Only when I realized there were no quotation marks, did I realize that it was the character's thoughts. But as to which which character, whether speaking or thinking, I had to question more than once.
Terri Blackstock is a new name to me. So many books. So little time. Nonetheless, I will put her on my list of authors to check out because I do love romantic suspense.
Many thanks to Harper Collins and to Partners in Crime Tours for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Read an excerpt:
I woke up in a blinding bright room, my clothes off and something clamped to my face. I tried to reach it, but I couldn’t bend my right arm, and my hand stung. An IV was taped to my other hand, but I moved carefully and touched the thing over my face.
An oxygen mask. I tried to sit up. “What happened?”
T-bird came to my bedside, a sheen of smoky sweat still soiling his face. “Nate, lie back, man.”
“The fire,” I said. “Need to get back. My men.”
“They’re still there. Making progress. But you’re not going anywhere near a fire for a month or so.”
I took the mask off and coughed a little, but managed to catch my breath. “A month?”
“Yep. Second degree burns on 20 percent of your body. Some of the burns are deep.”
It came back to me, the event that had gotten me here.
“The family. Were they injured?”
“Not a scratch or burn. Turns out it was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. He says you’re a hero.”
“You know I had no choice. They were in the path—”
“Take the praise where you can get it, man. We don’t get that much.”
I looked at my right side. My right arm was bandaged, and so was my side and down my right leg to the point where my boots had stopped the flames. Second degree wasn’t so bad, I told myself. Third degree would have been brutal. I’d be able to leave the hospital soon. I’d heal.
“I won’t need a month,” I said.
“Yes, you will. They can’t let you go back. Doctor’s orders. You’re grounded until he releases you.”
I managed to sit up, but it was a bad idea. The burns pulling on my skin reminded me why I shouldn’t. “I can’t be grounded during fire season. Are you crazy? I need to be there. You don’t have enough men as it is.”
“Sorry, Nate. It is what it is. Why don’t you go home to Carlisle for a while? Take it easy.”
Go home? Pop had just been pardoned, and he and my mom were trying to navigate the reunion. Though she would love to have me home, I didn’t know if I was up to it. My father could be challenging, and fourteen years of prison hadn’t done him any favors.
***
Excerpt taken from Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock. Copyright 2019 by Terri Blackstock. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/. All rights reserved.
An oxygen mask. I tried to sit up. “What happened?”
T-bird came to my bedside, a sheen of smoky sweat still soiling his face. “Nate, lie back, man.”
“The fire,” I said. “Need to get back. My men.”
“They’re still there. Making progress. But you’re not going anywhere near a fire for a month or so.”
I took the mask off and coughed a little, but managed to catch my breath. “A month?”
“Yep. Second degree burns on 20 percent of your body. Some of the burns are deep.”
It came back to me, the event that had gotten me here.
“The family. Were they injured?”
“Not a scratch or burn. Turns out it was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. He says you’re a hero.”
“You know I had no choice. They were in the path—”
“Take the praise where you can get it, man. We don’t get that much.”
I looked at my right side. My right arm was bandaged, and so was my side and down my right leg to the point where my boots had stopped the flames. Second degree wasn’t so bad, I told myself. Third degree would have been brutal. I’d be able to leave the hospital soon. I’d heal.
“I won’t need a month,” I said.
“Yes, you will. They can’t let you go back. Doctor’s orders. You’re grounded until he releases you.”
I managed to sit up, but it was a bad idea. The burns pulling on my skin reminded me why I shouldn’t. “I can’t be grounded during fire season. Are you crazy? I need to be there. You don’t have enough men as it is.”
“Sorry, Nate. It is what it is. Why don’t you go home to Carlisle for a while? Take it easy.”
Go home? Pop had just been pardoned, and he and my mom were trying to navigate the reunion. Though she would love to have me home, I didn’t know if I was up to it. My father could be challenging, and fourteen years of prison hadn’t done him any favors.
***
Excerpt taken from Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock. Copyright 2019 by Terri Blackstock. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Catch Up With Terri Blackstock:
Tour Participants:
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I have this book in my pile, but as you say, so many books so little time!!
ReplyDeleteReviews for this one are all over the place
ReplyDeleteI had not heard of this one before. Great review.
ReplyDeleteNot one for me I don't think. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteGemma @ Gemma's Book Nook
Great review, wouldn't be for me as I'm not a dual POV lover.
ReplyDeleteWow! This one sounds like it has quite a bit going on. I don't usually pick up Suspense books but I need to make an exception on this one. Great review!
ReplyDeleteGreat honest review Robin, I am sorry this book didn't work out for you I hope you next read is a much better one. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.
ReplyDeleteI love myself a good fireman read.
ReplyDelete