When the Smoke Clears by Jewel E Ann-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 25, 2026

Everleigh Reichart and William Landry fell hard—and far too fast. Their weeklong romance ended the moment Will, a twenty-nine-year-old firefighter, learned the truth: Everleigh was seventeen. He walked away to protect them both. Destiny had other plans.

Eleven years later, Will is still running into burning buildings, while Everleigh has become a brilliant psychiatrist. When a house fire strands her on his land, their old feelings ignite like patient embers. But she’s desperate to keep concealing the childhood trauma that has shaped her life, and he’s struggling under the weight of his father’s terminal illness. Too soon, the strain snaps their fragile reunion, flinging them farther apart than ever before.

Now Everleigh must face her past to salvage a future with Will…if he can accept that loving her includes the broken parts too. But first, he needs to come and find her—this time by faith, not fate.

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REVIEW:WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS by Jewel E Ann is a contemporary, adult erotic romance story line set in the author’s WILDFIRE world. This is forty year old, firefighter William Landry, and twenty-eight year old psychiatrist Dr. Everleigh Reichart’ story line. WHEN THE SOMKE CLEARS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Several of the characters cross over for cohesion and back story.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Will and Everleigh ) using present day and memories from the past, WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS follows the second chance romance and relationship between our story line couple, and the fall-out of grief, loss and mental illness. Approximately eleven years earlier, a then seventeen year old, university sophomore Everleigh Reichart, spent one glorious week with William Landry, and one night would destroy their lives forever when William discovered our heroine’s age. Fast forward to present day, Everleigh has set up her practice in the same town where William Landry now calls home, and has been welcomed into the circle of friends close to William’s heart but all is not as it appears to be, eleven years has not tempered their mutual attraction or their memories of one devastating event that pushed William out of their lives, causing emotional turmoil and upheaval, and any chance for a happily ever after.

The world building focuses on family and past history, work place happiness and mental health as William and Everleigh reveal what happened in the aftermath of their night together. Everleigh is a genius, a child prodigy who struggles with everyday interactions, and doesn’t do relationships having lost her heart to our story line hero. William refuses to cross the invisible line where our heroine is concerned, and continues to struggle with the fallout of their last night together. Everleigh is hoping to create a new path in both her personal and professional life, as Will must come to terms with the devastation of his father’s illness, and his mother’s spiral of grief.

The relationship between Will and Everleigh is a second chances romance but a second chance mired in painful memories and perceived betrayal. Everleigh Reichart fell in love with our story line hero but he broke her heart and ran without looking back, never knowing the truth about what happened or why, or the emotional fall-out for our story line hero. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate .

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, protective and enlightened secondary and supporting characters many of whom will become aware of the past events that trigger both our main story line characters. The re is plenty of back and forth banter, often humorous and thought provoking. We are introduced to Everleigh’s eccentric mother Liz, as well as the return of Maren and Ozzy, Fitz and Jaymes (Wildfire 1 & 2), and several local firefighters and business people.

WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS is a slow building story of secrets and lies, heart break and spiral, family and relationships, grief and loss, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise is emotional and edgy; the romance is impassioned but was forced due in part to Everleigh’s determination. The characters are energetic, desperate and determined. Everleigh is resolute in her desire for William Landry, an obsessive need that has shaped a good portion of our heroine’s personality and lifestyle.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor.

With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business.

After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing.

When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels.

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