Revell blog tour stop for When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason (with bonus review)

About the book:

As a member of the North Cascades Smokejumpers, Alexia Allen always takes care of the equipment that keeps her safe. So when she nearly dies in a fire due to equipment failure, she knows something is up. Ordered to take time off while the investigation continues, Alexia makes a last-minute decision to recuperate at her mother's home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving home she's involved with murder, arson--and a handsome detective. But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared to the ghosts of her past. As she strives to remember and forgive her family history, she must also decide if the secret she's been guarding for the last ten years must finally come to light.

My review:

What a fantastic Romantic Suspense novel! Not only was it packed with romantic tension, but there were twists and turns all through the book. The hero was yummy and the way he related to Alexia was endearing. Gotta love a man who wants to keep his woman safe, right? One thing I loved most about this story was that I didn't know who was behind the killings, and at the same time I love that there will be another book in the series that ties with this one. Talk about leaving a trail of red herrings and leading the reader on a bit of a goose chase! Great job there. And the fact that Alexia even looked guilty herself on a number of occasions was sheer brilliance. The ending left me a bit speechless, but I like that, too.

There were many characters in the story I could relate to because the author made them feel so human. I understood Alexia's disillusionment with life based on her childhood pain, and Chad's issues regarding rejection based on his divorce. I loved how God put so many people in her path to reach out to her until her heart softened on a spiritual level. That aspect of the story was very well done and felt natural. I can't understand the extreme hatred her father had toward her, but maybe that will be revealed a bit more later. There is certainly potential to explore that more in future installments.

The romantic elements in this story were particularly yummy. I loved that there were several kissing scenes and various romantic situations. The best part was it didn't all happen at the end. Hunter played a big role in Alexia's healing, and that part of their relationship certainly helped her learn to trust a man, and one man in particular. I was feeling the love and the heat between them, but it never scorched me in a negative way. It was a warm experience for me as a reader. (Just using a bit of firefighter lingo to fit with the theme.) Anyway, I really enjoyed this story!

When the Smoke Clears was published by Revell and released in Feb 2012.

“Available February 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”