I wasn’t sure if this book would be good. It sounded good in description... but I absolutely loved it! Once I started reading this, I couldn’t put it down. The author really knows how to keep you hooked.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this copy.

This is a story about a young love that got disrupted in the worst of ways. Brenna Strickland's father did not like his daughter's boyfriend, Nate Beckett, and a confrontation resulted between the young couples fathers which caused one's death and the others incarceration. Nate's dad, who was a heavy drinker, went to jail for the murder of Brenna's dad, who was a pastor. Nate left town after rumors that he burned the church down where Brenna's dad used to preach. He ended up becoming a firefighter and went back to his hometown after his dad was pardoned and released, where he met up with Brenna again, who was now divorced and the mother of two children. Brenna's ex-husband is fighting for custody of the kids and Brenna is drinking to deal with the stress. Nate and his brother Drew and his dad are looking into who really killed Brenna's dad, because Nate's dad has claimed his innocence all this time. Old feelings are coming back quickly with Nate and Brenna, but can they endure all that's happened in the past? Further investigations lead to new findings that shake up the situation even more. I was not aware this was a Christian story and I see where this author was compared to Karen Kingsbury and I can see why, I mean this as a compliment to Terri Blackstock. This was a good story about lost faith, pain and heartbreak, struggles ordinary people go through and very easy to relate to. I enjoyed it very much and I didn't want to put it down, I easily read it in two nights. I rate this book 4 stars. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Well. It's about time!

I have known about Terri Blackstock for almost 20 years and this is the first one of her books that I have read. According to her fans (and book sales) she is a great writer and I have deprived myself of her talents long enough. And my gratitude goes out to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing who granted me the opportunity to read and review, "Smoke Screen"
And even though I received a complimentary copy of this book, the opinions I've expressed in this review are completely my own." (You lucky people!)

This story revolves around Brenna, the young mother, now single and trying to deal with a broken heart, while juggling her new life of sharing her two children with her ex husband.
Also, we see into the life of fire fighter, Nate. As the captain of his team, he is introduced to us in the thick of things as he and his crew fight a raging forest fire.

This, like Blackstock's previous works, is filled to the brim with action. However, her biggest talent is producing characters that are three dimensional and easily relatable. And that is hugely important in writing a really good action, adventure story. If you don't care about anyone, then their hardships and triumphs won't matter.

I'm so glad for this opportunity and I feel secure in recommending this book for both men and women of all ages because there is something for everyone. But because of some intense circumstances I would use caution for younger children, but even teenagers will get a lot of enjoyment and thrills from this book.

I'm so glad I've finally discovered the joy of reading Terri's book and I am looking forward to diving into the extensive catalogue of her other works.

Sincerely, Laura-Lee

This was a wonderful book! Kept you intrigued every page you turned.
Brenna Strickland Hertzog had a million reasons to be bitter by her ex-husband and his billionaire controlling father.
"In tough times, you rely on what you know, not what you feel." Words Brenna remembered her father who was a preacher had told her.
Will she choose to let Nate Beckett in her life after all these years of being gone and the events surrounding his family?
You won't be sorry you picked this book!
The author has done a great job! I will be reading more from her.

Thank you to author, publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.

Smoke Screen is a smart new mystery from bestselling author, Terri Blackstock.

Brenna Strickland Hertzog is a divorced single mom with a drinking problem she tries to hide. She’s resentful of her narcissistic ex-husband. Brenna has returned to her hometown after a contentious divorce, with no thought that her teenage sweetheart would move in across the street.

Nate Beckett is a smoke jumper injured while saving a family from a fire. He has returned to his hometown to heal while he is on a one month medical leave. His brother tells him that Brenna is back in town and lives across the street.

Any renewed relationship or friendship between Nate and Brenna is going to be difficult, because Nate’s father has just been pardoned for the murder of Brenna’s father fourteen years ago. Further complicating the situation is the accusation that Nate burned down the church where Brenna’s father had been the pastor. Neither family is supportive of a relationship between the two, though Nate and Brenna are developing a friendship that seems to be moving toward a more serious commitment.

Smoke Screen is a well-written mystery. The story is revealed through the alternating viewpoints of the primary characters, Brenna and Nate. This can sometimes be tricky and confusing to the reader but is handled appropriately through chapter headers. The characters are fully-fleshed and relatable, if not likable. The plot twists are well-conceived and executed. The romantic aspects add an element of distraction from the tense plot. The Christian themes were of particular interest to me and revealed the strengths and weaknesses of some of the characters. I enjoyed this novel from start to finish. I give it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to readers who enjoy mysteries with a little romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and thank Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Terri is one of my favorite authors, and I was so excited for this new book. It is a major departure from some of her past books, and I had really mixed feelings about it.

Summary:

Nate Beckett left his hometown fourteen years ago. His father was convicted of murdering the pastor, and Nate was subsequently accused of burning down the church. Since then he’s worked as a smoke jumper, fighting wildfires all over the country.

Brenna Strickland loved Nate, and was heartbroken when her father was murdered. After Nate left town, she married a rich man and had a family. But now her whole world has fallen apart. Her ex-husband is trying to take full custody of her children. His father is a powerful man, and Brenna feels them slipping away from her.

Nate returns to town to recover from injuries received in a fire, and finds Brenna completely changed. Not only has she left her face, she now drinks to numb the pain of losing her children.

When a wildfire breaks out near their town, Nate and Brenna must fight to save lives. They’ll discover truths and God’s grace in the most unlikely ways.


My opinion

Since Terri generally writes action-packed thrillers, I expected Smoke Screen to be a similar style. There were no fast-paced moments, although the plot moved along pretty well. I loved Nate’s character, how strong he was and how he stood up for Brenna.

I felt a lot of emotions as Brenna fought for custody of her children. Her character is written so well that I found myself criticizing and cheering for her by turns. As much as I wanted her to keep her kids, I struggled with her decision to continue to drink alcohol.

The alcohol in this book is the one downfall of an otherwise enjoyable story. I was very disappointed in the author’s viewpoint that alcohol in moderation is acceptable, and her assertion that Jesus turned water into actual fermented wine.

Recommendation

This book wasn’t easy to get into! It took a few chapters to get hooked into the story. Part of the reason was the fact that it was so different from Terri’s previous books, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.

However, as it went on I started to feel more connected. I think every mom can sympathize with Brenna as she watches her kids being taken from her. So many times I felt true pain over what was happening, and wished I could step through the pages and change it.


In the end, that’s one of the marks of a great writer and a well-written story. You feel the emotions. You can really like and dislike a character all at once. Just like life, you can support a person without supporting their actions.

(Does that sound like a soapbox? Yea. I’m off it now.)

I recommend this book, not just to readers who love thrillers, but to moms in general. Even if thriller/romance novels aren’t really your thing, you should try this one.

Author Terri Blackstock has written a contemporary Christian novel unlike her others in Smoke Screen. It is a suspenseful, romantic Christian mystery that had me on the edge of my seat flipping pages to see what would happen next. Blackstock is a talented wordsmith indeed.

I was immediately drawn in to the story and felt the characters’ emotions. It is the tale of a love gone wrong where parents never wanted their children to be together. Smoke Screen deals with gritty real life issues so I would only recommend it to adults.

The characters are well defined and relatable. Some have many flaws and it is hard to read about them but not unimaginable. Conversations were realistic. Even the chats with the children rang true.

This is the tale of Brenna, newly divorced, and Nate, her high school sweetheart. Brenna is going through so extremely difficult trying times. Her struggles make her seek solace in a bottle of alcohol. There are many sides to this character. Nate is a complicated guy, too. I loved that he encouraged Brennan to lean on God and trust Him.

I would recommend this is adult readers that enjoy suspense and mystery. There are many life issues and timely life lessons faced in this book. I rated it a 5 out of 5.

Since the death of her father, Brenna's life had been extremely difficult. To make things worse her husband has replaced her with a woman barely out of college and has decided to run for mayor. He's also trying to take the kids away from her, leaving her with nothing. As if things couldn't get any worse, her father's murderer has been released from prison. Nate, his son and her first love has returned home to heal from his work injuries. Can his reappearance in her life give her the courage she needs to fight and believe God knows her struggles.

I don't usually like romance novels, but Terri Blackstock does a fantastic job of adding a mystery into the mix that draws you in right away. You're so involved you'll start cheering for the budding romance. Even though it's a religious novel, it's not in your face about God. But it does show that even a pastor's child has their own set of problems.

I was really excited to read another book from Terri Blackstock. However, this book didn't have the high-paced tension I was hoping for. There was more romance than suspense and normally I'd be thrilled, but after reading the If I Run series, I was left disappointed.

Wow, what a great story! This was a story about Nate, a smokejumper, and Brenna, a single mother. Nate and Brenna were in love as teens until her pastor father found out and threatened Nate’s drunkard dad to break them up. The pastor ends up dead and Nates dad is accused of murdering him and sent to jail for it. Nate was also accused of arson a couple years later. He left town and never looked back. Years later, Nate returns to his hometown to recover from his burns he acquired thru his job and develops a friendship again with Brenna who is now a single mother who’s fighting for custody of her children from her estranged rich ex-husband. She turns to drinking to cope with her worried of losing her children. Nates dad is out of prison and wants to clear his name.

This story was more drama than murder mystery in my opinion. Despite that, there were some hints leading up to the twist (call it what you like). I felt things wrapped up too quickly. I’m also surprised we didn’t get much interactions with Brenna and her mother and sister. Her and her sister worked together, too. I’m surprised there wasn’t more added conflict between both Nates family and Brenna’s family. We just got that Nate’s dad was pissed at his son for seeing Brenna. Same goes for Brenna’s mom and sister. Brenna also had a best friend but we barely hear from her after Brenna slept over her house in that one scene. Despite all that, I recommend this story.

Terri Blackstock takes hard, difficult, real to life issues and wraps them up in suspense writing that keeps the reader involved and entertained. Her books always deliver on suspense, making the reader wonder what turn will come next and who it will affect.
A divorced mom having trouble keeping herself together when the children aren't at home and an injured smoke jumper have a past they can't ignore. They fell in love as teenagers, but her dad was murdered and his dad was convicted of it. The years have taken them in different directions, but God has brought them back together when they both need it the most. She is fighting an uphill battle for custody, with alcohol the only numbing factor she finds to help when the kids are gone. He is recovering from injuries that put him in the perfect place to help her. And wrapped around it all are secrets the little town can no longer contain. Who really killed her dad? Who set the fire all those years ago at the church? And who is the shadowy man following them, and what does he want?
Terri Blackstock weaves characters that are instantly relate-able and real to readers. I find myself pulling for them to change bad decisions, look over their shoulder to see the danger, and cheering when the right decision is made. I love how they face real issues that may not be pretty but make the characters even more real. I feel I can really learn from the mistakes and growing they do through the story. It was so easy to sink into the story and stay there! This is a great book well worth the read. Terri Blackstock just keeps upping her game with each book I read! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

SMOKE. SCREEN. Teri Blackstock
Her ex husband with a new wife, barely out of her teens, and now he is running for mayor, Wants his eight year daughter and 4 year old son on the platform with him, bribing them with gummies. He is even suing her for custody of them. Brenna wonders if his father has bribed the judge.
A secret of her drinking, until she falls asleep, daughter of a pastor. He’d roll over in his grave if he knew. The man convicted of the murder of this pastor is out. This is a stand alone, and has many twists and plots dealing with a number of issues. The plot flowed with a story and good characters Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion by Net Galley and Thomas Nelson.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. Terri Blackstock is one of my favorite Christian authors. This book did not disappoint. I enjoyed that this book was a stand alone book. The characters were very enjoyable. I got caught up with the main character's struggle with her children's custody battle. This book is a mixture of suspense, mystery, and romance all wrapped into one book. Highly recommend!

This was my first book written by Terri Blackstock. I enjoyed it but honestly, I felt like I knew who was behind it from the beginning. It just didn't have twists and turns. It was good and I would consider reading others by her.

https://asheleadsisjoy.com/smoke-screen-by-terri-blackstock-book-review/

Smoke screen was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was really excited to read this book when I received it a contemporary novel with some suspense and romance with the trope of a second chance love! Yes please!

Smokescreen was such an easy and quick read. It was so enjoyable and although it dealt with some strong topics such as alcoholism, custody battle, murder and fire trauma I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. These topics were dealt with very carefully!

Throughout smoke screen we meet many characters some so sweet and I fell in love with others I despised and wanted to yell at these characters.

A truly wonderful masterpiece of a novel that I enjoyed so much and gave it a well deserved five stars! I am definitely going to enjoy reading more of Terri Blackstock’s wonderful writing!

I love Terri Blackstock's writing and was so happy to be able to read another of her books!
In this one, Nate is a fire jumper and was burned while fighting a fire that involved rescuing a family. After getting the family to safety, and getting burned, Nate went back into the fire to rescue their dog. Later he learns that the family was a senator. Since Nate was unable to work until his burns healed, he headed to his hometown where he had left fourteen years earlier to run from family scandals. His dad was convicted for murdering a town pastor, who also happened to be the father of his then girlfriend, Brenna. His father was an alcoholic and had a horrific temper, so it was easy for Nate to believe his dad was guilty. A church had burned and there were whispers and speculation from some that Nate had done it. It seemed to escape the town was the best thing he could do at the time.
Now, his dad has recently been pardoned and is back in town. Nate isn't sure how he feels about this. He has chosen to stay with his brother, who just so happens to live across the street from his teenage love, Brenna. Nate learns that Brenna is recently divorced and has two young children that she dearly loves. There are other things about Brenna that is surprising to Nate.
Nate would like to be able to help Brenna and finds he still has feelings for her.
Brenna is shocked that the man convicted of murdering her father has been pardoned and is back in town.
Brenna's husband left her for the town, Selfie Queen, a much younger woman and he is now fighting her for custody of their children. His father is wealthy and has a lot of town connections. Brenna is under a great amount of stress and begins using alcohol to cope when the children are with their father on weekends. She is drinking way too much and even videoed in a restaurant after having far too much to drink. How did the preacher's daughter come to this?
Fast paced story that will enthrall you. A must read if you enjoy romantic suspense.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Terri Blackstock never disappoints me! This is another page turner. I thought it was interesting that, even though Nate was accused of something he didn’t do, he had a hard time believing that his father was innocent of the crime he had been accused of. I liked how Nate stood by Brenna, despite her poor lifestyle choices. Great book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In Smoke Screen, author Terri Blackstock transports the reader to Carlisle, Colorado for an intriguing Christian Suspense story that follows two people who must face the traumas of the past, while trying to find a way to overcome present life struggles with hope, faith, and a second chance of finding love and redemption.

Nate Beckett is a member of the elite smokejumper team, the Rocky Mountain Hotshots. While battling a wildfire in Steamboat Springs, Nate rescues a U.S. Senator and his family, and is subsequently sidelined from duty with second degree burns on his body. Nate returns to his hometown of Carlisle to recover from his injuries and deal with the false misconceptions of his past.

Brenna Strickland-Hertzog world has fallen apart after a recent divorce, and she struggles with the possiblity of losing her children to her ex-husband in a brutal child custody case. Brenna's struggles has led her down a self-destructive path of depression and alcoholism that could seriously damage her case, and cause her to lose her children.

Fourteen years ago, Nate and Brenna were high school sweethearts, but a tragic event between their fathers changed their lives forever. Nate's father was convicted of murdering Brenna's pastor father spurred on by the unapproved romance between the teenagers. And if that wasn't bad enough, Nate was wrongfully suspected of arson, when the pastor's church burned down after his father's sentencing. The lies and rumors ran rampant and drove Nate to leave his hometown. Recently, Nate's father has been pardoned for the murder and is released from prison, which causes old wounds to reopen between their families. Can Nate and Brenna face the trauma of their past that had torn them apart, get redemption by finding the real murderer and arsonist, overcome their present life struggles, and get a second chance of love?

Author Terri Blackstock weaves a mulit-layered and suspenseful tale written in the first person alternating narrative that follows Nate and Brenna as they reunite and use their reconnection to lean on each other as they try to overcome the trauma of their past, while struggling to overcome the obstacles of current life issues, hoping for redemption, love, and a new beginning.

I loved reading this complexed multi-layered story. From the first page, I was intrigued as Nate and Brenna's traumatic past unfolded, and how their reconnection drew together two flawed people who were dealing with current life struggles, in addition to the questions surrounding the mystery of the murder and arson. The reader will be easily drawn into this well written story with its richly descriptive plot that will keep them guessing as secrets, deceit, greed, and dysfunctional family drama are uncovered. I loved the intertwining of Nate and Brenna's life struggles with the undeniable attraction between them, as they searched for forgiveness, redemption, and a second chance at love and a new beginning.

Smoke Screen has enough drama, tension, action, danger, secrets, romance, and unexpected twists and turns that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

Terri Blackstock is a staple in Christian suspense, so as someone who absolutely loves this genre it's actually quite shocking that I had only ever read ONE of her suspense novels--- and that had been YEARS ago (back before the genre was a preferred one for me even). For whatever reason, they just never had made it onto my TBR pile... after reading Smoke Screen however, that is certainly going to change! I absolutely, positively LOVED it!

Do you ever have those books that you quite literally could not put down? This was one of those for me. I had my Kindle propped up by the sink as I did dishes, read as I cooked and stayed up late despite my exhaustion just to see how it would all end. To me, that is certainly the sign of a great book... one that keeps you that connected in such a way. And it wasn't due to the nonstop action... in fact, for a suspense novel, there really were not a ton of super intense action moments at all, but I can'y say that I really missed it in this story.

The lead characters Brenna and Nate were imperfect to say the least. Nate was a fire jumper who had run from his past, and Brenna was in a dark place and was oftentimes not even the most likable in that you just wanted to shake some sense into her. But it is through their imperfections that we really root for them to turn things around. The book covers a lot of heavy topics like divorce, custody and alcohol abuse. No sugar coating, just real life issues addressed genuinely. Were some of the bigger twists and turns throughout the story fairly easy to predict? Perhaps, but I still enjoyed the journey to how it would all unfold anyway!

Overall, this was a fantastic read that fans of Christian romantic suspense will surely enjoy. I know I will certainly be looking forward to finally adding more from Terri Blackstock into my TBR after this one!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thought are 100% my own.

Edge of your seat suspense. The whole book kept me on the edge of my seat. I literally could not put it down, and I'll admit I stayed up way later than I should have to finish it, because I just had to find out what happened to Brenna and her kids,to find out if Nate's dad is really innocent who killed Brenna's father? I immediately fell in love with the characters, and my heart went out to Brenna. I was rooting for her from the beginning. I was hoping she'd see the light and deal with her drinking problem. I love how Nate encourages her to look to God and get back into a relationship with Him instead of turning to alcohol. If you love suspense, if you love a good Blackstock novel, you will not want to miss this book. I highly recommend this book!

**I received this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.