Customer Reviews

A Rush of Wings (A Rush of Wings Series #1)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I feel like I have to appologize for my following statement: I am so sick and tired of reading Christian Romance/Suspence who's hero/heroin is devoid of any substance or struggle in their lives. They always seem to have control of themselves and their emotions and the other party in the book is always easily swayed into the arms of God. Having said that, I can not tell you what a breath of fresh air "A Rush of Wings" was. The characters are so real it is not hard at all to be able to relate to them on some level. They have real emotions and real struggles and they turn to God just the way you would expect them to-but my favorite part is they don't get an answer right away like some Christian books would like you to believe. No, one of the main characters in this book, Rick Spencer, depicts a normal man who has to spend time in prayer and the Word but who also has to take chances just like everybody else. And I absolutely love Noelle, the main character. She is so jaded from the world and the author, Kristen Heitzmann, makes no effort to hide Noelle's completely rational thoughts as so why Christianity is not for her, thus making her acceptance of the Lord that much more real and beautiful. I can honestly say I have never read a book that captivated me from the very first sentence until now. The only complaint I have is the back cover did this book absolutely no justice. If you are looking for a good book to read that is packed with romance, suspence and spiritual soundness minus the shoddy attempt to exclude any real romantic or desparate human emotion, then "A Rush of Wings" is a perfect book for you.

I normally read strait romance, but picked this one up on a whim. I loved the setting, in-depth character development, and especially, both male leads! Frankly, I've been getting a little tired of standard romance novels that are cluttered down with serial killers or suspense plots; or chick-lit that lacks any depth or emotional pull. This was a very refreshing change of pace. I loved watching the story unfold, and thought Rick was a great, great hero. He was gentle, but no push-over. That can be hard to write, but the author did a super job with it.

Here is why I didn't give it 5 stars: I didn't really see why both men were so bonkers over Noelle. Sure, she was pretty, and had this Victim-in-Need-of-a-Hero thing going for her. But I wanted her to be more worthy somehow.... I just didn't feel she was all that compelling. Now Morgan was VERY compelling, and I've just placed an order for the book about him....that is going to be one interesting read, I think!

A five star story about a Colorado Dude ranch, the man who owns it, his corporate jet setting brother, and a mysterious young lady visitor. I choose books to enjoy and get to know the characters in a story - this book has two of the most interesting men I have ever read in Christian fiction and by the time I was done they had become my friends. Rick Spencer, the owner of the ranch, is my all time favorite Christian male character that I have seen portrayed. His love of God runs deep, his love of his brother is tested and a new love arrives that is God inspired and tested. Morgan Spencer, the fast lane business guru,a currently faithless Christian has me completely spinning to why he behaves the way he does and what he will attempt next. Heitzmann portrays the humanity of characters, the influence of past events and wraps it into a setting that is as breathtakingly spellbinding as are the twists in the plot which are masterfully written. Heitzmann's writing also always points to our Heavenly Father in a beutiful gentle way that mirrors His care, His grace and His sovereignty. I can't wait for The Still of Night (fall 2003) the sequel containing Morgans story so that I can see the work of God in his life and who he meets along the way.

I rarely read contemporary fiction, but this author made me curious-- along with some recommendations from other readers. I was not disappointed.

This book is set in the foothills of Colorado's majestic Rocky Mountains and features a young woman running from an abusive past. It's a whole other lifestyle, and she meets many meaningful people, two of whom affect the rest of her life. The contrast between her rich past and current penny pinching, her need for God, and her fear with love are done very well by this author.

I have already purchased book 2, which features Morgan.

I absolutely loved this book! There were so many twists and turns and depth to the characters. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and wished the book would go on. I sincerely hope there will be a sequel.

This was the first book I ever read by Kristen Heitzmann, & I followed it up with a couple more shortly thereafter. I felt as though I were gobbling down a feast I never wanted to end. When it was over I felt so joyous & serene, eagerly anticipating the sequel (which I just ordered).

I found so much of myself in Noelle & was deeply impacted by the way Heitzmann gently yet realistically dealt with such issues as child & sexual abuse. It was impossible to dislike any character, even Michael, Noelle's former fiance & the focus of much of her initial angst. Each character was so well & gradually developed, & the window provided into each one's soul created an understanding of need, fear, & desire that made them all so real. Each character had different demons with which to deal; some overcame, others were lost, & a few...well, there's a sequel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book & am glad it was my introduction to Heitzmann's work. Definitely a book in which one could get lost for hours. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors.

This emotionally charged novel has exceeded my expectations. Its predictability didn't take anything away--I wanted to see how the characters would get to where they were supposed to be.

This is the third series I've read of Kristen Heitzmann's (Diamond of the Rockies, Michelli Family) and I enjoyed them so much (especially Diamond) that I was expecting this book to be just as wonderful. Sadly, it wasn't. I found the pace moved far too slowly to fully capture my imagination and I didn't enjoy the characters as well as in her past novels. There were also some areas which I found unrealistic or annoying.

SPOILERS

First of all, I couldn't figure out for the life of me why the Spencer brothers (or Michael or anyone else, for that matter) went gaga upon sight over Noelle. I mean, despite the fact that she was beautiful (which the book tells us repeatedly) and vulnerable, I couldn't figure out what she had that they wanted. Even Michael recalled other men wanting Noelle and he felt the need to stand guard and save her for himself. I just felt she didn't possess anything other than good looks to warrant their adoration. I especially couldn't figure out why Morgan was so bummed when Noelle didn't return his affections. In the first place, she never gave anything back. She just took. Actually, she did that pretty much with Rick too. ;-) I felt her character was almost as blank as her canvases with no fire or spirit or dimension -- flat.

Another area that frustrated me was the subject of Noelle's childhood kidnapping trauma which she had buried deeply within her subconscious. The books says her father had often wondered if she had been violated but never knew for sure. How could he not have known? She was five years old -- not 10, not 13. I would think there would have been some physical proof of such trauma. Something that would have been discovered during a pediatrician's exam after she was recovered. I just found it difficult to believe that her parents never knew anything.

I thought the reason for Noelle's rejection of God (kidnapped in a church by a man she thought was God) was clumsily done and too simplistic.

It bugged me when Rick told Noelle that God would restore her completely but he would be willing to accept a marriage to her without "physical love" if necessary. Now while I believe in Godly healing and restoration, counseling is important too. I realize the author wanted to stress God's faithfulness here but I wish that part would have been a little more realistic and less naive (especially the part about going into a potentially sexless marriage).

END SPOILERS

I'd have to say the most compelling part of this novel for me was Michael Fallon. The author wrote him and his mother and sister in such a way that I fully understood why he was the way he was and what motivated him. Even though he was not a sympathetic or even likable character, he was the most memorable. Heitzmann did an excellent job here. I didn't like the way his story ended, though. Usually, I prefer growth and resolution in a character. Moving on, I thought the author did a very good job of illustrating how Michael and then Rick/the ranch symbolized safety to Noelle until Michael betrayed her and Rick couldn't protect her which caused her to flee in both instances.

Finally, Morgan was interesting enough to make me want to read the next book in this series. Unfortunately, the leads in this one, Rick and Noelle, didn't really move me in any way but I won't give up on the author. She has the ability to inspire and move deeply. Based on some of the reviews here, I plan to read "Halos" after the second one in this series.

Kristen Heitzmann,s novel, "A Rush of Wings," is a compelling story that is hard to put down. This author writes such wonderful books, and her characters are so realistic. I enjoy the fact that each character has faults and problems that they must work through in order to move into the relationship that God has for them. This book has a wonderful romance, but each character has issues that they need to work through too. I took this novel to the beach and sat in the sand and read for hours! I can't wait to read the sequel!

This book had a lot of potential. I read a lot of Christian fiction and I get really tired of reading the same storyline that usually focuses around a miscommunication between the main characters or a dramatic conversion story. This author came up with a unique storyline that kept me guessing. It was more of a mystery/romance that dealt with a serious subject.

That being said, I thought that the authors' writing was more than aggravating. The author constantly used simple, repetitive, and long descriptions in her writing. That's not a good combination! She included many unnecessary details and facts. For instance, do I really need to read about the different steps to making bread? How did that add to the storyline??? The author also spent way too much writing time with the characters' thoughts. After reading about 10% of the book, I fell into an easy pattern of reading the dialog and then skimming through the book until there was more dialog. I followed the storyline just fine this way and was relieved from some of the boredom. Her writing was more than tiresome. The author could have easily shaved off 1/2 of the book and been fine.

Although I liked that the plot was different for Christian fiction, I thought that the author executed it very poorly. I didn't feel like any of the characters were fully developed. Although some were definitely more developed than others. I thought that Morgan was too vague. His character seemed to have a lot of depth but the author always kept him at a distance and seemed to only insert him when the storyline dragged. Also, Noelle was too much the damsel in distress for my taste. I understand that she went through a trauma but I like my heroines to have a little more pluck then she did. She was just screaming "helpless" and "fragile". Spoiler alert: She literally would have starved to death if Rick hadn't saved her! After always needing Rick to come to her rescue, couldn't she have at least come to him at the end of the book? Instead, Rick found the courage to approach her and she weakly said, "okay" to his marriage proposal. Please. The author built up the plot and then rushed the ending. It left me very unsatisfied. I thought that it was an easy-out to have Michael commit suicide.

Overall, the book definitely plunged into different territory for Christian fiction. If you can get over the author's writing or become an expert at skimming, this book could be enjoyable... maybe.