Smoke Screen

When I picked up Smoke Screen and started reading I had high expectations and as usual Terri Blackstock met them!  From the very first chapter I was hooked.  There was not as much suspense as I thought there would be, but the characters are so well developed I was completely enthralled in their story.

Fourteen years ago Nate was in love with the preacher's daughter.  When Brenna sneaked out to be with Nate the preacher confronts Nate's drunk dad, a fight ensues and later that night the preacher is found murdered.  Everyone blames Nate's dad and he is convicted and sent to prison.  Not long after his conviction a church burns to the ground and everyone thinks Nate did it.  Nate decides to let rumors fly and leaves town.

Nate is now working as a fireman and after being injured he heads back to his home town.  His dad has just been pardoned and his mom insists that he has changed, but Nate and his dad are still not getting along.  Nate decides to give him the benefit of the doubt and begins looking into what really happened the night the preacher was killed.

Brenna is going through an ugly divorce and her life is in shambles.  She turns to alcohol to help her cope, but it's just making things worse.  Nate walking back into her life was the last thing she expected, but she needs him now more than ever.  No one is happy that they are seeing each other again and Brenna is not sure she's ready to let him back into her life.  As secrets begin to be revealed will time heal all wounds, or are some scars just too deep?

As I read this my heart just broke for Brenna.  Her helplessness over what is going on with her children is just heart wrenching.  She wants to be a good mom, but her situation is so out of control she begins to make bad decisions.  Nate's love for her is so pure and noble.  He truly wants to help her, but she has to want to help herself too.  There is a lot of family fractures that need to be healed in this story and perseverance and love always wins!