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One father was murdered. Another was convicted of his death. And 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 had defied him to sneak out with Nate, the fight between the Pastor and Nate’s drunken dad was loud—and very public. The Pastor was found murdered later that night, and everyone accused Nate’s father, Roy, of the murder. 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. 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. Full-length, stand-alone suspense novel Also by New York Times bestselling author Terri Blackstock: If I Run, Intervention, Cape Refuge, Aftermath Includes discussion questions for book clubs
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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.