The Book Stops Here: When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason

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.

Chock-full of the suspense and romantic tension readers have come to expect from Lynette Eason, When the Smoke Clears is the explosive first book in the Deadly Reunions series.

My thoughts:

I read and loved Lynette Eason's Women of Justice series, so when I was offered the chance to review the first book in her new Deadly Reunions series, I jumped at the chance. And I was not disappointed.

When the Smoke Clears is perhaps the most action-packed romantic suspense I've read in a long time. There is non-stop action, and twists and turns abound. But even in the midst of dodging bullets and escaping car bombs, there is a little time for romance. As with any good romance, conflict is inevitable. And in this story, it is compounded by the fact that two brothers compete for Alexia's affections. Of course, Alexia only has eyes for one of them, and the chemistry between them is undeniable.

There is a lot going on in the storyline, some of which didn't make complete sense to me. However, because the book ends with many loopholes, I suspect that many of the questions I have will be answered in book #2.

Eason is a superb storyteller and I eagerly await the next edition in this series.

I have submitted a full review of When the Smoke Clears to FaithfulReader.com. As soon as it's posted, I will share the link with you. But for now, I'll just say that if you are a fan of romantic suspense, I highly recommend this book.


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

*Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book to review. A positive review was not required and all thoughts are my own.