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A gripping new novel from New York Times bestselling suspense author Terri Blackstock. 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. Praise for Smoke Screen: “Full of secrets, lies, and with a visceral impact that grabs from the first sentence, Smoke Screen is Terri Blackstock at her finest.” —Colleen Coble, USA TODAY bestselling author “Terri never fails to deliver a plot that moves, well-developed characters who are real, flawed, and relatable . . . Just a word of warning if you decide to pick up this book—don’t plan to do anything else until you finish it.” —Lynette Eason, bestselling, award-winning author
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A copy of this book was received for review via . In no way has this influenced the review. The opinions expressed in this review are of the reviewer only. 

Sara Hinrichs - Owner at Anchor Bookery | Coast and Anchor
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While many of Terri Blackstock’s books have a redemptive story in them, Smoke Screen really drives it home. From the start I was intrigued by the main characters – Brenna and Nate. It is written from both points of view, which is done well. Nate Beckett and his career path of being a Fire Jumper are well written and descriptive. You will quickly understand what the demands and challenges of the job entail. He has a strained family relationship due to his father being accused of murdering the town’s pastor. After being injured in a fire and heading back to his hometown, the story begins to unfold. Brenna is the daughter of the pastor who was murdered. She’s a single mom with an ex-husband that will most certainly make you angry. And to make matters worse, she abuses alcohol as a coping mechanism. As the layers of the story unfold and you get to know the characters, you realize just how flawed and relatable they are and how twisted their struggles get. Even through the layers, the storyline is easy to follow and isn’t confusing. The conflict is deep and keeps you guessing. I won’t go into detail because nobody likes a spoiler! It is less of a suspenseful read and more of a drama in my opinion. There is a wide range of topics hit on and packed neatly into one book. If you are looking for a book club read, this would be a great book for discussions regarding forgiveness, blame, grace, alcohol abuse and the Christian faith. Buy Now: Amazon Audible Kindle

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