Friday, November 22, 2019

About the Book

Book: Smoke Screen

Author: Terri Blackstock

Genre: Christian Suspense

Release Date: November 5, 2019

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.

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series. Visit her website at www.terriblackstock.com; Facebook: tblackstock; Twitter: @terriblackstock

Excerpt from Smoke Screen

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.

What an adventure this story is. It has all the element for a movie of the week with intrigue, secrets, deceit and high volume action. The story is not just about forgiveness but about learning to trust God. It was easy to like Brenna because even though she had flaws, she still tried to overcome her weaknesses. For years she has had to live with the death of her father who was murdered. I understood how hard it was to be a preacher's kid and knew her dating Nate went against everything her father believed in.

Nate is a wonderful character with a dangerous job as a smoke jumper. Can you imagine jumping from a plane into a blaze that was out of control? I enjoyed the turmoil between him and his father. We have often heard of people in prison who are innocent but cant prove it. Nate struggled with his dad being locked away for years knowing that he still doubted his dad's innocence. The author does an excellent job of writing scenes where Nate and his dad have to find a way to communicate again. What I liked was Nate's bravery in rescuing a family in danger of being in the line of a fire overtaking their home. Most people would have not gone back into the fire, but Nate wouldn't be able to live with himself he he didn't try to save them.

The relationship between Nate and Brenna is not welcomed by some and it took the story in a direction where we see how God works. Brenna is at a breaking point with fighting for custody of her children, coping with the release of her father's killer and maintaining a semblance of control in her life. There is much to learn in the story from how to treat an asthma attack, discovering secrets about a murder and learning to forgive. It is a fast paced story that will have you on the edge of your seat as secrets are revealed. I liked how Nate's father never gave up hope and drew closer to God during his time in prison. Nate and Brenna are dynamic characters each searching for truth and healing. Don't miss this story from a gifted author that delivers intriguing stories surrounded by faith.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.