Review: A Rush of Wings by Kristen Heitzmann

ISBN #: 978-0-7642-0845-4 (se)
Page Count: 382
Copyright: 2003 (Original); 2010 (This version)

About the Author:

(Taken from back cover)

Kristen Heitzmann is the bestselling author of seventeen novels, including Freefall, The Edge of Recall, and the Christy Award winner Secrets.  Kristen and her family live in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies.

Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

Though her panic is real, Noelle St. Claire is uncertain what danger she is fleeing.  Fragmented images and slivers of memory have driven her to abandon her wealthy, sheltered life in New York for the hope of a haven - remote and safe.

Noelle's arrival at the Rocky Mountain horse ranch owned by Rick Spencer and his brother Morgan causes more than a little stir.  Beautiful, vulnerable, yet strangely secretive, Noelle is an enigma the two contrasting brothers seek to unlock.  But as their attentions breach the wall she hides behind, the past becomes a menacing threat from which Noelle can no longer hide.

My Review:

I received a paperback copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.  If you would like to review books for Bethany House Publishers, you can click here to sign up.

I really enjoyed reading this novel.  The characters were well thought out, the storyline kept me guessing until almost the very end and there was just enough romantic elements to make it believable without being sappy.

One of the main characters, Noelle, was a New York socialite.  Because of her sheltered life, she can come across as being slightly uppity, but not overly so.  She is incredibly naive when it comes to the real world.  Then, due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, she ends up in Colorado where her eyes are opened, she opens herself up to her past and finds true love.

I really enjoyed the contrast of the two brothers, Morgan and Rick.  Morgan, with his devil-may-care attitude, is fun-loving and tends not to take anything too seriously.  He has money, but is so down-to-earth you would never even know it.  Rick, who is the serious one of the two, takes his responsibilities seriously.  He likes to have fun, but not by bar-hopping as Morgan is want to do.

Both brothers are drawn to Noelle, but for entirely different reasons.  For awhile, I thought I knew who Noelle was going to choose, but then the author flipped it up a little and had me guessing.  The way the love triangle plays out, though, is feasible and believable.  It was nice to see Rick lose some of his pious nature as well.

Overall, this book was a thoroughly enjoyable read.  It is not mainly a love story, but there is love in it.  I would say that this book is mainly about a young woman who has had traumatic experiences and ends up finding herself in a place that is in complete contrast with everything she knows.  She matures emotionally and mentally and is finally able to create her own persona.  By doing that, she has finally come to accept who she is, can now begin to work through what has happened to her and is stronger because of it.