Smoke Screen: Riveting Suspense with a Second-Chance Romance, (Paperback)

Terri Blackstock has long been one of my favorite suspense writers. Her new release "Smoke Screen" takes you through the lives of Brenna and Nate. Each dealing with their own pasts and present troubles. Brenna struggles with one of the heart-breaking scenarios for a mom, fighting to keep custody of her kids. All while watching her ex's father calling the shots. Nate returns after being away from the town he grew up in to face his own haunts from the past. Did his father really kill Brenna's father? Is Nate a arsonist? What does Brenna fill her time with when her children are with their dad? This story is so full of who's guilty of what, restoring relationships if possible, encouragement and of course, sleuthing. You'll not want to miss this book! Blessings, Karen Hadley Rating: 5* I received this book as a gift and all opinions are my own.

It's another well-written novel from Terri Blackstock that is reminiscent of her Moonlighters series. It has intrigue regarding what may be considered "cold cases" from the past but the emphasis is more on the family drama and relationships as Brenna struggles through an ugly divorce and its aftermath and her old high school sweetheart returns to their hometown. There is a lot of backstory involved in Brenna and Nate's tumultuous high school relationship and the outcome of that past relationship collides with the present day happenings to bring some twists and turns to the plot. The heart-wrenching realities of divorce, alcoholism, wild fires, and desire for revenge are starkly real and the author digs deep into the emotion well to bring us close to the characters' hearts and motivations. These darker realities are balanced out by the growing affection between Brenna and Nate and lessons of faith and trust. It's definitely not like the author's previous If I Run series in the intensity of suspense, but leans more toward her last book Catching Christmas in the intensity of emotion and shared human experience. If you enjoy contemporary fiction with a strong theme of overcoming adversity, you will enjoy this book. I received a copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.