Smoke Before the Wind — Diana Wallis Taylor

He was every girl's dream... Carrie Dickson can hardly believe her good fortune-engaged to the handsome and rich Andrew Van Zant, she returns home to her beloved mountain community and to her family to make final preparations for her fast-approaching wedding. While there, she renews her friendship with Scott Spencer, a young man she had a secret crush on in high school. Scott's strong Christian commitment causes Carrie to examine her own faith-and her fianc's-and her growing awareness triggers in her troubled feelings and jeopardizes her happiness. But with the wedding only weeks away, Carrie resolves to make the best of the future she willingly chose with the man she has promised to marry. However, when Andrew finally arrives in the mountain town to meet Carrie's parents, things don't go as planned. Her cousin Linda, who has always considered Carrie's boyfriends fair game, exposes Andrew's true motives and Carrie is faced with the reality of the direction she is going. Confused over the pressure from Andrew for a hasty marriage, as well as her burgeoning feelings for Scott, Carrie realizes that only God's strength and wisdom can help her choose the right path. She feels she needs more time. But, before she and Andrew can talk, a raging forest fire erupts and threatens all she holds dear. Carrie has only moments to make the decision that will forever change her life . . . Diana Wallis Taylor is the author of Journey to the Well (Revell, 2009) and Wings of the Wind (Pleasant Word, 2008)-her first book of poetry. Taylor is active in her church's music ministry and Professional Women's Fellowship group. She serves on the board of the San Diego Christian Writer's Guild where she has received awards for fiction, poetry, and songwriting. She lives with her husband in San Diego, California.