This is a compelling and suspenseful story with Christian overtones.

I wasn’t sure what to expect as I have read only one or two books by this author in the past. I found myself glued to the novel, waiting for each step to unfold.

An explosion occurs that kills two of three friends who were attending. The one that survived is filled with remorse about not being able to save her friends. It sends her into darker and darker thoughts and all she can figure out to do is to wreck revenge upon the culprit.

The problem is, there hasn’t been a definitive suspected identified. There is a man, Dustin, who is picked up with explosives in his trunk. He doesn’t know how they got there but knows he better get a lawyer before he is railroaded with the crime.

Luckily for him, an old friend of his that he has’t seen since high school, Jamie, is a up and coming criminal defense lawyer. He gets in touch with her and she takes it on.

There are all types of twists and turns, with Dustin’s partner at his security firm, living through the agony of his wife’s downhill turn while fighting an aggressive form of leukemia. This hit home to me as my late son had a similar form of the disease years ago.

The story moves through the three stories, the survivor, the suspect and the cancer ward at the hospital. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat and provided an ending that I didn’t foresee.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

This novel starts with an explosive bang and then sort of sputters with two story lines that converge near the end. One line is centered on Taylor, a teen who survived an explosion at a political rally. She and two friends had gone to the event to hear the opening band. When she realizes her two friends did not survive, her OCD and other mental issues kick into high gear.

The other line follows Dustin, partner in a security firm arrested when explosives are found in his car trunk. The police had received an anonymous tip and Dustin has no idea who is framing him. Jamie, Dustin's childhood friend and now lawyer, comes to his aid.

We get a little insight into high power attorney firms as Jamie gets some criticism for taking on a childhood friend, someone the public seems to already blame for the deadly explosion. I appreciate Blackstock exploring survivor's guilt and what that might do to someone like Taylor, a fragile person. Finding out who set off the bomb is more amateur effort and luck on the part of Jamie and Dustin. The police do not come off very effective. The mystery aspect of the novel is weak and astute readers will probably know the villain well before revealed in the book.

This novel is for readers who enjoy a novel exploring how characters act and why more than ones containing a good mystery. I have read many of Blackstock's novels and this one is not her best.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an honest and independent review.

A Terri Blackstock book is an automatic read for me. I have enjoyed her books for many years. This is another edgy story that starts off with a bang, literally, when a bomb goes off at a presidential political rally in Atlanta. Many are killed but Taylor Reid, one friend out of three attendees, lives and is able to get out. She is left with severe emotional symptoms afterwards, already on medication for OCD. Taylor helps law enforcement as she remembers events of that day.
Dustin Webb and his business partner Travis Webb own a security installation company. They installed a system at a chemical company that was later broken into and bomb materials stolen. They were questioned and cleared. But the day of the bombing, Dustin is pulled over by ATF based on an anonymous tip. Unbeknownst to Dustin, someone planted material in his trunk. His call after being arrested is to a childhood friend and neighbor, attorney Jamie Powell. Jamie immediately hits the pavement trying to prove his innocence. Someone apparently hated the political candidate but why blame Dustin?
This is an intense and emotional story with suspense, faith, romance that deals with irrational behavior and past hurts. Another great Terri Blackstock story.
I received a complimentary ARC from Thomas Nelson and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

Aftermath is a captivating, enthralling and action-packed addition to Terri Blackstock’s literary canon and this time Jamie is risking everything for a friend. When army veteran Dustin Webb is accused of setting the bombs that killed over twenty people and maimed many more at a local political rally in Atlanta and is arrested soon after while driving nearby, criminal attorney Jamie Powell is willing to accept the consequences for defending her lifelong friend. They haven’t spoken since Dustin left for basic training 15 years ago, but she’s the first one he thinks of when he’s arrested. When the police pulled him over on the highway, they had discovered four boxes of explosives in the boot of the car pilfered from an ammunition plant ten days earlier; it just so happens that it is the same place where Dustin had recently installed a security system giving him easy access day or night. Jamie knows she’s putting her career on the line by defending an accused terrorist, but she’d never abandon him when he had specifically requested her help. As Jamie investigates his case and starts looking into the people in his life, she realises the facts coming to light could be devastating. Someone is clearly setting him up...but proving it might destroy Dustin more than the accusation itself. It's clear this isn't going to be one of Jamie’s easier cases to solve.

Dustin overcame a very difficult childhood, an issue Jamie supported him through, but how can he overcome this? Who or why would someone wish to frame him for such a heinous crime? It also becomes a much more pressing matter to prove Dustin was set up when Taylor Reid, a victim who survived the attack but lost two friends becomes fixated on either gaining justice or getting revenge and begins stalking him when he is released on bail pending further investigation. This is a thoroughly riveting, compulsive and engrossing read from start to finish; I must admit, I really wasn't expecting it to be so damn difficult to put down. Terri Blackstock’s writing is fluid and magnetic and the mix of action, rapid-fire pacing, palpable tension that often becomes nail-biting and the intriguing mystery at its heart, truly gets the blood pumping as Jamie races to uncover what exactly is going on in a case with political, social and societal importance. It’s full of exciting progressions as the narrative moves followed by twist after twist after twist and the complex, beautifully plotted story thankfully had very little romance despite being in the romantic suspense genre, which suited me down to the ground. A high-quality, non-stop, exceptionally entertaining thrill ride so long as you can suspend some disbelief. Highly recommended.

Author Terri Blackstock's Aftermath is a standalone thriller/mystery with Christian overtones that focus on three main characters. Taylor Reid and her friends are at a concert to benefit a Libertarian celebrity who is running for political office by a band they all love. When a bomb explodes, Taylor finds herself struggling to deal with the results and devastation and loss and ends up going after the man who is alleged to have planted the bombs.

Criminal defense lawyer Jamie Powell has just won a career changing case when she gets a phone call from the one person she hasn't heard from since he enlisted in the military; Dustin Taylor. After an anonymous tip, police stop Dustin Webb to search his trunk. Dustin knows there's been a mistake but cooperates fully. He's former military and owns a security firm GreyWebb Securities with his partner Travis. But he's horrified when the officers find explosives, and he can't fathom how they got there.

The explosives are allegedly the same used at the concert/rally that took dozens of lives including Taylor's friends. Jamie knows she's putting her career on the line by defending an accused terrorist, but she'd never abandon him. Someone is framing Dustin to take the fall for shocking acts of violence, but who and why? Taylor's mental instability understandably worsens following the bombing. She survived. Her friends did not and she has survivor's guilt.

She needs to lash out at whomever is responsible even at the expense of an innocent man. The other issue is that Taylor basically has zero support except for her sister. Where were the parents? Dustin's co-owner Travis is holding on tight to his wife who has terminal cancer. He's hoping that his wife's new experimental therapy will work, but hope is a fleeting thing when it comes to beating cancer. Meanwhile, most everyone else believes Dustin is responsible, including Taylor and his own former foster mother.

Jamie is widowed lawyer and mother of a daughter who she adores more than life itself. She literally goes above and beyond the call of duty to help Dustin who she knows couldn't hurt anyone, let alone be called a domestic terrorist. There are many twists and turns in this book as Jamie and Dustin try to uncover who committed the bombing and the motive. I would like to say that this mystery was pretty good, but it wasn't. It was predictable as was the ending and the impending romance that is rekindled between Jamie and Dustin who were childhood friends.

It's hard not to be emotional at Taylor's loss of her friends. It's also damn hard not to cry when Travis's wife Crystal suffers so badly from cancer that takes away almost 600,000 American lives every single year. No, you didn't read that wrong. 600,000 lives are lost every single year due to cancer. ACS researchers estimate that in the US alone in 2021, almost 1.9 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed. This country needs to do more to cure cancer instead of wasting money on unnecessary pork projects.

One thing you can always depend on with a Terri Blackstock book, is complete engagement. Her stories flow so well that before you know it, you've read half the book without stopping. Aftermath is no exception. This story draws you in and keeps you wanting more.

At the beginning of the story, Taylor and her two friends are at a concert for a political rally when a bomb goes off and both of her friends are killed. She's then determined to make the person responsible pay.

Dustin is an Army veteran with bomb making expertise. When bomb components are found in his trunk after the bombing, he calls his childhood friend, Jamie, a lawyer, to help him prove his innocence. I really enjoyed reading about their friendship. It's very tender and the progression is quite organic. Dustin's been through a lot and it's interesting to see how his past affects his present.

Aftermath is a very well written book that lovers of Romantic Suspense will definitely enjoy!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I've been a fan of Terri Blackstocks writing since my early 20's. It's been a long time since I've read one of her books and I was excited to receive the ARC of her newest book, Aftermath.

Aftermath follows the story of Dustin, Jamie, Travis, and Taylor and what happens to them after the bombing at a political rally. One of them is a survivor, one is accused, one is a lawyer, and one is the business partner of the accused. How will they deal with the aftermath?

Maybe it was because it's been a while since I've read a book by Terri Blackstock but this one felt different from her other books. I felt the story lagged in the beginning and just offered the basics of the story with no real character development. Even with the love connection, it felt rushed and then left me wanting more from the rest of the story. The last 50 or so pages were action packed though and I enjoyed those much more than the first 3/4 of the book.

This is a book you don't want to miss! It is a Christian Romance that is full of suspense and drama. Once you start reading it you can't put it down. If you are looking for an edge of your read, grab this book! Loved it.
Thank you Thomas Nelson--FICTION via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Shortly after an explosion rocks a presidential rally, Dustin is taken into custody. He knows he didn't do it and can't figure out who would want to frame him. He's also dealing with his partner's wife's health crisis.

I appreciated that this book looked at the complexities of being a survivor in a horrific event and of watching a loved one get sick or die. It did a good job of showing how hard it could be, of the misplaced guilt and shame and of some of the ways someone might deal with that.

It was a poignant, heart-breaking book. Some things were a bit predictable but I enjoyed it. Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Jamie risks her legal career to defend her childhood friend Dustin after he is accused of a terrorist bombing. The childhood friend couldn’t be guilty of such a heinous act, but what of the man he has grown into.? Terri Blackstock has written another fine thriller. Her Christian fiction is suspenseful and is not preachy.

Aftermath is the latest standalone novel by one of my favourite Christian romantic suspense authors, Terri Blackstock. Blackstock's novels are always incredibly well-written and never fail to keep me on the edge of my seat right from the very first page. Aftermath was no exception. This book starts off with a (literal) bang, and kept me guessing right up til the end.

Taylor doesn't expect her entire life to change in an instant when she and her close friends attend a presidential rally featuring one of her favourite bands. When tragedy strikes, it leaves Taylor reeling with grief and survivor's guilt, which sends her into an OCD spiral. Criminal defence attorney, Jamie Powell hasn't heard from her childhood best friend in years. When reformed bad-boy Dustin is arrested for a crime he knows nothing about, he can only think of one person to call. Defending him puts Jamie's job on the line, but she can't imagine saying no to the one she's always loved.

I loved seeing the relationship between Jamie and Dustin grow, as well as hearing the story of their long-ago friendship. I really appreciated seeing mental health addressed while following Taylor's side of the story. The faith aspect was strong, and the storyline was believable and full of action. True to Blackstock's style, this story was full of twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I loved every second of it.

If you love romantic suspense, or are a fan of Terri Blackstock's previous novels, you won't want to miss Aftermath!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

Fans of Ms. Blackstock will be delighted in this new offering. Told from the perspective of the accused and the victim, Aftermath has readers burning through the pages. The characters are believable and relatable. The reader will empathize with both the victim and the accused as they walk through the aftermath of the bombing.
The plot centers around the bombing and how one event can affect many people whether an accused suspect or victims or innocent bystanders. Who planted the bomb is the question that weaves through the story and does not become apparent until the last few chapters. Highly recommended for fans of fact-paced thrillers. For readers who enjoy character driven books, give Aftermath a try.
I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas Nelson, in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of Terri Blackstock's writing, so I was excited to read her newest novel, Aftermath, which is scheduled to be published on May 11, 2021. I was not disappointed. Aftermath is the story of a man accused of bombing a political event and the lawyer who knows him from childhood and believes he is innocent. Blackstock has a talent for plot-driven stories with a lot of suspense, as well as clean storylines; something this reader appreciates. I really enjoyed Aftermath and will definitely be reading more of this author's books in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Aftermath #TerriBlackstock #NetGalley

Aftermath by Terri Blackstock is an exciting Christian contemporary crime suspense that will have you glued from the start.
The action surrounds a terrorist attack. The reader ‘sees’ the events through the eyes of a victim, a man who has been set up, and his long-term friend and lawyer. The reader has varying emotional responses as the chapters alternate.
There is the theme of survivor’s guilt which then exacerbates a pre-existing condition of OCD. The world seems to be closing in and crushing a life under a series of ‘what-if’s’ and ‘why didn’t I?’
Another life has been floundering since the loss of parents when he was just six years old. No one believed in him until he met the nine year old girl living next door to his aunt when he was thirteen years old. A deep friendship began but still he felt unworthy.
And the third main character is still recovering from a disastrous marriage and the loss of her drug-addicted husband. Everyone is fighting a battle no one else knows about.
Faith in God helps us get through life. We need to have our own faith and not lean on the faith of others. “His faith was owned instead of borrowed.”
Prayer is important. God hears and He answers. He wants our big prayers and our little ones. If it bothers us, it bothers Him. “It was time to pray – not just drive-by prayers, but a real, in-your-face talk with God.”
A character is convinced her friend is innocent. A victim is convinced he is guilty. Both need to uncover the truth.
Aftermath was a thrilling read that consumed my every moment.
I received a free copy of the book from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Terri Blackstock has achieved the perfect blend of suspense, romance, faith, and mystery in Aftermath. She mixed all of those elements in with terrorism, revenge, mental illness, betrayal, forgiveness, and reconciliation in a book that kept me up late into the night, or more accurately, early into the morning.. The plot has twists and turns and flows smoothly; the dialogue is natural; and the pacing is perfection. I highly recommend this book and this author. I definitely plan on reading more of Terri Blackstock's work.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and have given my opinion of this well-written book.

A devastating explosion.

Three best friends are at the venue to hear their favorite band. Only one makes it out alive.

A trunk full of evidence.

When police stop Dustin Webb with a warrant to search his trunk, he knows there’s been a mistake. He’s former military and owns a security firm. But he’s horrified when the officers find explosives, and he can’t fathom how they got there.

An attorney who will risk it all for an old friend.

Criminal attorney Jamie Powell was Dustin’s best friend growing up. They haven’t spoken since he left for basic training, but she’s the first person he thinks of when he’s arrested. Jamie knows she’s putting her career on the line by defending an accused terrorist, but she’d never abandon him. Someone is framing Dustin to take the fall for shocking acts of violence . . . but why?

This is non stop action all the way through. It starts with an explosion where lots of people are hurt and killed. Dustin is accused of setting the bomb. But he has an alibi which nobody wants to believe. Jamie is an attorney who he grew up with. He hasn't talked to her in years. But he doesn't know who else to call when he gets arrested. The closer they get to solving the case, the violence keeps escalating. If you life action books, you will like this one.

I was given this book by Thomas Nelson Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 Stars!!!
I have read 24 Terri Blackstock novels. When I read the first novel I thought ~”Hmmm ~this seem predictable”
However, I have read enough of her novels and know Ms. Blackstock is a ‘Great Story Teller’. I also look forward to a twist as she usually comes up with surprises.

This story starts at a Music Concert which is the opening for the Presidential Rally of Ed Loran a third party candidate hopeful. The concert performers are a popular group with young voters. Three friends Taylor, Desiree and Maria are super excited about the concert and are having fun and busy taking selfies. However, a terrible explosion occurs just as the candidate enters. The friends run for their lives. Only Taylor leaves the building. Taylor is OCD and goes frantic looking for her friends. The search and rescue teams are doing their job and she cannot go back in the building. Her sister Harper comes to take her home. Harper is aware of Taylor’s emotional state and tries to calm her.

Next we have the police pulling over Dustin Webb. They told him they got an anonymous tip and they need to search his car. The search Warrant is on its way. Dustin is confused but sees no problem in allowing the search. They quickly find evidence of bombing materials. Dustin is arrested as a prime suspect for the recent bombing.
Dustin knows he needs a lawyer and calls his childhood friend Jamie Powell who is now a criminal attorney. Jamie hasn’t seen Dustin in years but knows him well enough to know this is a ‘set up’.
Taylor is in and out of this story as she is not giving up on who did this to her friends and once she finds out there is a suspect she goes off the rails. At one point she is having an allergy reaction to her medication. Yikes I have serious allergies and I almost went into anaphylactic
shock as it was too realistic and brought back my memories of 911 calls and rushes to the ER.

Another thread in this story is with Dustin’s business partner Travis. Dustin is very close with Travis and his young family. Dustin is actually at the hospital with Travis as his wife; Crystal is dying of leukemia; when his car in broken in and the evidence is planted. The hospital’s security camera shows this but the too dark to make any identification.
Additional characters are Jamie’s adorable young daughter Avery and Dustin’s equally adorable dog Dude.

My fear is we know who set up Dustin. I was hoping Ms. Blackstock would throw in one of her surprises and I can give my typical reaction of ~ “Oh! I didn’t see that coming!”

Ms. Blackwell never disappoints!! She is one of my favorite authors and I look forward to her next story.


Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson-Fiction for this eGalley in early form. I received this complimentary eGalley before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.\
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 11, 2021

Aftermath by Terri Blackstock is a highly recommended novel of suspense.

Three friends are attending a concert and political rally in Atlanta when a bomb explodes at the venue. Only one young woman, Taylor Reid, makes it out alive. A short time later Army veteran Dustin Webb is pulled over by the police on a nearby highway. They had a tip and a warrant on the way to search his trunk. Dustin allows them to search it, knowing there is nothing incriminating inside. He is shocked when they discover four boxes of explosives. Someone planted the boxes and is setting Dustin up. To make matters more incriminating, Dustin had installed the security system at an ammunition plant where explosives were recently stolen.

Dustin contacts criminal attorney Jamie Powell. They were neighbors and friends as children but haven't spoken for years. Jamie always wondered what happen to Dustin. Knowing him, she takes on his case and sets out to try and figure out who is framing Dustin and why. Meanwhile, Taylor is struggling with her OCD and trying to make sense of why her friends died. She wants revenge for her friends. She learns from the news that Dustin is a suspect and begins stalking him.

While the writing is very good and the suspense is kept high as far as the action and details are concerned, the actual plot and perpetrator is predictable. This doesn't mean the journey arriving at the denouement isn't worth the time, it is very entertaining and suspenseful following all the revelations getting to the ending. The real plus is that Blackstock writes novels of suspense featuring faith-based characters. They struggle with life in a realistic way, facing emotional turmoil and grim situations without resorting to expletives. The character development helps make this novel worth the time as Blackstock delves into the background of Dustin and Jamie with flashbacks to how they met and their relationship growing up. Both the characters of Dustin and Jamie are interesting and you will wish the best for them. The only real unpredictable actions are from Taylor.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions in this review are completely my own.
The review will be submitted for publication on Amazon, Google Books, and Barnes & Noble.

Blackstock has the ability to set hearts racing and break them all at once!

I called the suspect even before it was suggested yet hoped it wouldn't end as I expected to, it did and it didn't in the end.

I loved the take on a veteran being falsely accused and set up, it isn't something I liked but I was glad that Blackstock took it on as she did. With twists, turns, and unexpected plot lines Aftermath had me intrigued from page one. The second chance at romance that came for the hero and heroine were well done and the sweet way they had been friends was a trope I love and done in a way that didn't make me roll my eyes at the stiffness.

Btw, the reconciliation that takes place was a final tie that sold me on this being one of my new favorite romantic suspense. I only wish I hadn't been right.

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The story begins with a literal bang when an explosion happens at a political rally. Soon after, a tip leads police to arrest Dustin and explosives are found in his trunk. He reaches out to Jamie, a childhood friend he has not talked to in years, who is also an attorney. Dustin and Jamie's story was my favorite part of the book. I love books that include characters who have a past connection and I really enjoyed watching their story unfold in the midst of her trying to help Dustin find out what really happened and prove his innocence.

I feel like readers should be prepared that this story is told from three point of views (Dustin, Jamie, and Taylor who is a survivor of the bombing). I honestly did not find it hard to keep up with because there are not a ton of characters in this story and all three characters were very different and easy to keep straight.

I have been a Terri Blackstock fan for years and I feel like her writing style has changed with her last few books. I say that for long time fans like me that this book is not like her older series. I felt like it had suspenseful parts to it because I was unsure how some things would play out so I wanted to keep reading. However, there was not a lot of suspense behind who was responsible for framing Dustin.

Overall, I would recommend the book. I just wasn't blown away by it. It was an interesting plot, I loved the main characters, and I felt like some pretty serious issues (character with mental health struggles, cancer, loss, grief, forgiveness, reconciliation, etc) were handled in a way that was very well done.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for an advanced copy of this story. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.