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A Rush of Wings #3
The Breath of Dawn
Kristen Heitzmann Delivers Powerful New Romantic Suspense
Morgan Spencer has had just about all he can take of life. Following the tragic death of his wife, Jill, he retreats to his brother's Rocky Mountain ranch to heal and focus on the care of his infant daughter, Olivia. Two years later, Morgan begins to make plans to return to his home in Santa Barbara to pick up the pieces of his life and career.
Quinn Riley has been avoiding her past for four years. Standing up for the truth has forced her into a life of fear and isolation. After a "chance" first meeting and a Thanksgiving snowstorm, Quinn is drawn into the Spencer family's warm and loving world, and she begins to believe she might find freedom in their friendship.
The man Quinn helped put behind bars has recently been released, however, and she fears her past will endanger the entire Spencer family. As the danger heightens, she determines to leave town for the sake of the people who have come to mean so much to her.
Fixing problems is what Morgan Spencer does best, and he is not willing to let Quinn run away, possibly into the clutches of a man bent on revenge. But Morgan's solution sends him and Quinn on an unexpected path, with repercussions neither could have anticipated.
Morgan Spencer has had just about all he can take of life. Following the tragic death of his wife, Jill, he retreats to his brother's Rocky Mountain ranch to heal and focus on the care of his infant daughter, Olivia. Two years later, Morgan begins to make plans to return to his home in Santa Barbara to pick up the pieces of his life and career.
Quinn Riley has been avoiding her past for four years. Standing up for the truth has forced her into a life of fear and isolation. After a "chance" first meeting and a Thanksgiving snowstorm, Quinn is drawn into the Spencer family's warm and loving world, and she begins to believe she might find freedom in their friendship.
The man Quinn helped put behind bars has recently been released, however, and she fears her past will endanger the entire Spencer family. As the danger heightens, she determines to leave town for the sake of the people who have come to mean so much to her.
Fixing problems is what Morgan Spencer does best, and he is not willing to let Quinn run away, possibly into the clutches of a man bent on revenge. But Morgan's solution sends him and Quinn on an unexpected path, with repercussions neither could have anticipated.
416 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2008
132 people are currently reading
1336 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Heitzmann
46 books916 followersKristen Heitzmann is the award winning author of contemporary romantic suspense, psychological suspense, and historical series. An artist and musician, she'll also be found hiking the Rocky Mountain trails.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
July 25, 2020
4.5 stars
Grabbed this on the bargain shelf and took a chance on it, even though I started "Secrets" by this author months ago and never finished it (ebooks being frequent casualties of my crazy reading habits)...but the good deal and the cover got me. I dove right in without looking it up and discovering that it's actually the third of a series. To make matters more complicated, I even have the first waiting on my shelf. Go figure.
So it's a really good thing that this story stands well on its own. It starts pretty quietly and builds to a page turner with a creepy deluded-prophet sort out to get the main lady, Quinn. There were some asylum cellar scenes that I really shouldn't have read at night, but I couldn't put the book aside (coughing too much to sleep) and shivered through them. I definitely will be reading more of her writing, though I think I'll be keeping an eye out for hard copies instead of ebooks!
Grabbed this on the bargain shelf and took a chance on it, even though I started "Secrets" by this author months ago and never finished it (ebooks being frequent casualties of my crazy reading habits)...but the good deal and the cover got me. I dove right in without looking it up and discovering that it's actually the third of a series. To make matters more complicated, I even have the first waiting on my shelf. Go figure.
So it's a really good thing that this story stands well on its own. It starts pretty quietly and builds to a page turner with a creepy deluded-prophet sort out to get the main lady, Quinn. There were some asylum cellar scenes that I really shouldn't have read at night, but I couldn't put the book aside (coughing too much to sleep) and shivered through them. I definitely will be reading more of her writing, though I think I'll be keeping an eye out for hard copies instead of ebooks!
January 18, 2013
I loved the beginning of this book and thought that I would love everything about this book. I fell in love with all of the characters and the plot was great but when I was about half way through the book I just couldn't get into the book anymore. I think the problem for me was the fact that the turn of events seemed so far fetched that I just couldn't see it actually happening. Since I couldn't see it happening in really life I had a hard time finishing the book. The author is a great author and I can't wait to check out her other books but I can't recommend this book simple because it was so far fetched at least to me.
March 29, 2016
Oh! Oh oh oh! I absolutely loved this story! It had been highly recommended to me and I was so happy that it lived up to my high expectations. No, actually it exceeded them! :) I knew I liked Ms. Heitzmann's writing prior to reading this and this book has solidified my love for her stories completely. I am not ashamed to say that I am officially a fan of Kristen Heitzmann! I will wear my fangirl hat for everyone to see! :D But you say you want an actual review and not just a million exclamation points? Well, I'm sorry my friends, but if you're tired of the exclamation points already, you'd better just stop reading right now. Because there's many more to come! See?!! ;)
I'm not really sure I can be coherent enough to make much sense beyond "It's awesome! Go read it right now! You won't be disappointed!". But I'll try. I'll start by saying that it's much more than just a typical love story. There's a little mystery and heartache and suspense too. I have to confess though, the love story is what I was swept up into from the beginning, and by the last page I declare I was swooning! Morgan and Quinn are flawed and human, yes. They make mistakes, yes. They make a decision at one point that seems a little rushed and perhaps they should have thought a little bit more about it, yes. But you know what? They have chemistry like you wouldn't believe! And watching them fall in love? Is a beautiful, beautiful thing. They take care of one another. They acknowledge their mistakes to one another. They support one another. They get snarky and sarcastic with one another. They made me laugh and swoon and sigh and go back to reread all my favorites scenes between them again. They are, simply put, awesome characters!
Now, as I said before, there is much more to this story. There's lots of moments where things happened that I wasn't expecting. There's a villain and his actions bring about much intrigue. Ms. Heitzmann hasn't written just a fluffy little romance, lest my exclaiming above makes you think that. But the romance is where she hooked me and kept me flipping pages as fast as I could. There were moments where I was flipping ahead to find out what happened, but then I'd have to backtrack to finish where I had been, and back and forth I went. You know it's a good story when that happens! :D
So. It's awesome! Go read it right now! You won't be disappointed!
I'm not really sure I can be coherent enough to make much sense beyond "It's awesome! Go read it right now! You won't be disappointed!". But I'll try. I'll start by saying that it's much more than just a typical love story. There's a little mystery and heartache and suspense too. I have to confess though, the love story is what I was swept up into from the beginning, and by the last page I declare I was swooning! Morgan and Quinn are flawed and human, yes. They make mistakes, yes. They make a decision at one point that seems a little rushed and perhaps they should have thought a little bit more about it, yes. But you know what? They have chemistry like you wouldn't believe! And watching them fall in love? Is a beautiful, beautiful thing. They take care of one another. They acknowledge their mistakes to one another. They support one another. They get snarky and sarcastic with one another. They made me laugh and swoon and sigh and go back to reread all my favorites scenes between them again. They are, simply put, awesome characters!
Now, as I said before, there is much more to this story. There's lots of moments where things happened that I wasn't expecting. There's a villain and his actions bring about much intrigue. Ms. Heitzmann hasn't written just a fluffy little romance, lest my exclaiming above makes you think that. But the romance is where she hooked me and kept me flipping pages as fast as I could. There were moments where I was flipping ahead to find out what happened, but then I'd have to backtrack to finish where I had been, and back and forth I went. You know it's a good story when that happens! :D
So. It's awesome! Go read it right now! You won't be disappointed!
January 20, 2014
Morgan Spencer has built a name and a fortune for himself as the "success guru," turning floundering corporations into impressive profit-makers. Solutions are what he lives for--or used to. After the death of his wife Jill, he's now focused only on his two-year-old daughter Livie ... until he meets Quinn Reilly. A man from her past is out of prison, ready to exact revenge on her for putting him there. Drawn to each other despite themselves, Morgan decides to solve Quinn's problem and Quinn decides to let him. But is this the answer God wants for them? With so much grief in Morgan's past and so much betrayal in Quinn's, how can they find a path through the future together?
This is an unusual offering in the romantic suspense genre, more leisurely paced and driven wholly by the characters. But characters are why I read, and I'm an extreme fan of Kristen Heitzmann's. Morgan Spencer is on my Top Two Heitzmann Heroes list. This is the third book featuring him, though it can be read as a standalone.
Heitzmann has created in Morgan a unique and uniquely flawed hero, a man whose ego and self-loathing are barely balanced (or not so balanced at times), who begins this book wealthy and bereft, devoted and withdrawn. And no one creates character quirks better than Kristen Heitzmann. As much as I love Morgan for his nobility and his mistakes, I also love him for his fast driving and his panic attacks, his impeccable taste in fine dining and his refusal to eat whenever he's stressed, his love of a quiet California beach and his German metal music. He's so nuanced I want to go out into the world and meet him, because surely he exists out there.
Not to ignore Quinn. Morgan's layers probably only exceed hers because we've had three books with him. Quinn has her own contradictions and quirks--stubborn in one situation and yielding the next (but both reactions make sense for who she is), self-conscious about her short stature and unruly hair, terrified of horses and excited to go fishing, guarded out of necessity but yearning to be part of Morgan and Livie's lives.
I love this author for creating real, messed up, individual people rather than safe, sanitized types. Quirks and flaws are two ways she accomplishes this. The other is dialogue. Heitzmann's is witty but not too cool, confrontational but not forced, entertaining and poignant and wholly original. I could read 400 pages of "talking heads" from her and not mind in the least. I wouldn't even need tags to know who was speaking, since each of her characters possesses a distinct voice.
The secondary characterizations also deserve praise, most notably those recurring from the two previous books: Rick and Noelle, of course, but also Consuela, Celia, Livie, and others. Another bit of loveliness here is the setting. Colorado and California are both painted with vibrant detail, as are Morgan and Rick's respective homes. You can feel the opulence in the one and the rugged warmth in the other.
I love the tiny bites of truth found here as Quinn and Morgan work through what is either a God-ordained gift or a terrible mistake. There's Morgan's broken confession: "I don't know what God expects," something both he and Quinn must wrestle with in more than one area of their lives. Morgan and Quinn fight and flail through the beginning of their relationship, and when God works something beautiful despite their fallenness, glory is given to Him.
I want to give this book five stars because all of the above demand four-and-a-half. The plot, though, toppled my suspension of disbelief several times. I simply can't fathom that any law-abiding person, even self-sufficient Morgan Spencer, would learn of Quinn's situation and not immediately call the police. This questionable element might be less glaring if the entire plot didn't hinge on it, but it does. With police protection for Quinn, Morgan's solution wouldn't be necessary, and he and Quinn might never end up together.
That said, I love these characters enough to read this book again and again, never mind the wobbly setup. It's in the human moments, not the perilous ones, that this book shines; and in those moments it is a beautiful, bright star. Kristen Heitzmann remains one of my favorite authors, the creator of some of my favorite characters, a dialogue expert and master of character nuance.
This is an unusual offering in the romantic suspense genre, more leisurely paced and driven wholly by the characters. But characters are why I read, and I'm an extreme fan of Kristen Heitzmann's. Morgan Spencer is on my Top Two Heitzmann Heroes list. This is the third book featuring him, though it can be read as a standalone.
Heitzmann has created in Morgan a unique and uniquely flawed hero, a man whose ego and self-loathing are barely balanced (or not so balanced at times), who begins this book wealthy and bereft, devoted and withdrawn. And no one creates character quirks better than Kristen Heitzmann. As much as I love Morgan for his nobility and his mistakes, I also love him for his fast driving and his panic attacks, his impeccable taste in fine dining and his refusal to eat whenever he's stressed, his love of a quiet California beach and his German metal music. He's so nuanced I want to go out into the world and meet him, because surely he exists out there.
Not to ignore Quinn. Morgan's layers probably only exceed hers because we've had three books with him. Quinn has her own contradictions and quirks--stubborn in one situation and yielding the next (but both reactions make sense for who she is), self-conscious about her short stature and unruly hair, terrified of horses and excited to go fishing, guarded out of necessity but yearning to be part of Morgan and Livie's lives.
I love this author for creating real, messed up, individual people rather than safe, sanitized types. Quirks and flaws are two ways she accomplishes this. The other is dialogue. Heitzmann's is witty but not too cool, confrontational but not forced, entertaining and poignant and wholly original. I could read 400 pages of "talking heads" from her and not mind in the least. I wouldn't even need tags to know who was speaking, since each of her characters possesses a distinct voice.
The secondary characterizations also deserve praise, most notably those recurring from the two previous books: Rick and Noelle, of course, but also Consuela, Celia, Livie, and others. Another bit of loveliness here is the setting. Colorado and California are both painted with vibrant detail, as are Morgan and Rick's respective homes. You can feel the opulence in the one and the rugged warmth in the other.
I love the tiny bites of truth found here as Quinn and Morgan work through what is either a God-ordained gift or a terrible mistake. There's Morgan's broken confession: "I don't know what God expects," something both he and Quinn must wrestle with in more than one area of their lives. Morgan and Quinn fight and flail through the beginning of their relationship, and when God works something beautiful despite their fallenness, glory is given to Him.
I want to give this book five stars because all of the above demand four-and-a-half. The plot, though, toppled my suspension of disbelief several times. I simply can't fathom that any law-abiding person, even self-sufficient Morgan Spencer, would learn of Quinn's situation and not immediately call the police. This questionable element might be less glaring if the entire plot didn't hinge on it, but it does. With police protection for Quinn, Morgan's solution wouldn't be necessary, and he and Quinn might never end up together.
That said, I love these characters enough to read this book again and again, never mind the wobbly setup. It's in the human moments, not the perilous ones, that this book shines; and in those moments it is a beautiful, bright star. Kristen Heitzmann remains one of my favorite authors, the creator of some of my favorite characters, a dialogue expert and master of character nuance.
May 15, 2015
Rating: 4.5
There is a delicate narrative as part requirement in every love story. If an author wants to up the romantic tension – crafting a more “adult” romance, there is a fine line in writing something that will stir our senses and emotions in all the right ways or something that may read as if love has been sugarcoated (it’s messy). Branded as a romance, in The Breath of Dawn, Kristen Heitzmann looks beyond that, digging deeper into the meaning of love and life. She doesn’t just stop with the love story – which is exceptionally beautiful, she challenges the characters, placing them in situations that don't fall under the purview of being “safe.” Nothing this book does plays it safe – and it’s the lack of a haven that brings light to the book. Already a familiar character to fans, Morgan Spencer is again at the center of the story, only this time he is a single father whose life soon becomes entangled with that of Quinn Riley. Two strangers who form an unusual bond in one of the most unexpected fictional romances I have read.
I am a sucker for love stories that truly cherish love, growing in the sanctity of marriage. Few authors give that satisfaction since most books end long before the “I Do’s” are vowed which displays a “prettier” frame of love. That’s not to say that the first blush of love isn’t equally compelling and endearing in its getting-to-know stages, rather when fiction imitates life, there is a respect for a story that looks beyond the surface of being “adequate.” Both Morgan and Quinn are fragile after being knocked around by life. One never fully mourned the loss of a person he partnered with more out of a shared past than hope for a new future, the other is running from a cult background that should have controlled the idea they had of God. The vulnerabilities these characters carry around make them more insightful as we wish the best for their benefit, holding onto a hope each will come to a fuller, more satisfying relationship – both with their families and with God.
If all my years reading have taught me anything, it would be this – don’t judge a book by its cover, whether that’s literal (the design) or literary (the synopsis). Reading anything by this author gave me a sense of skepticism as my mother had an on/off feeling about Kristen’s novels and since usually, we share the same (general) opinion, these books never appealed to my literary sensibilities. Now, am I ever delighted to have discovered this author! What a book. Knowing where to begin organizing my thoughts befuddled me because this book is beautiful. It’s not all about fairytale leanings or staged before an opulent setting, rather it’s the skill and consideration that Kristen writes the book, giving us a story that leaves us breathless for what’s around the bend – and contrary to popular belief, it isn’t all because of pulse-pounding danger. The Breath of Dawn lays bare the soul of these characters, whether in the romantic connotations or in the trials they push through, every principle has a purpose – each one is presented to make them better. Not just likable, truly, sincerely better as people.
Cons: There is one minor plot I found to be more “nuisance” than substance involving a woman searching for her father and Quinn befriending her. It ties into the history of Quinn’s home yet still seemed “tacked on” as if the author should have fleshed out a plot already taking up residence in the plot.
Concluding Thoughts: Irrespective of its genre, don’t mistake the branding of this novel – it’s more than a romance! The excitement is present in each thread – it’s either the heart-tugging romance that gets our pulses racing (but never goes “too far”) or the moments Morgan slowly begins to live again, each is represented with care and enough “tease” to leave us wishing for more. A slow start doesn’t (in the end) deter from the book. All praise aside, this isn’t a book for everyone. The presence of a cult (in someone’s past) may be a turn-off to many readers; it only enhanced the experience because the topic is handled surprisingly well for something that’s taboo in Christian fiction.
Heitzmann gripped her reader with this expressive story of love and loss, and the grace that heals all. Both subjects build off of each other, putting together a first-class narrative. It’s a beautiful book that’s got “everything,” and Kristen wove it together masterfully– it’s the sort of story, any reader is sorry to close the last page on.
With thanks to the INSPYs and Bethany House for a complimentary copy of this novel.
© Copyright 2011-2013 Dreaming Under the Same Moon / Scribbles, Scripts and Such
There is a delicate narrative as part requirement in every love story. If an author wants to up the romantic tension – crafting a more “adult” romance, there is a fine line in writing something that will stir our senses and emotions in all the right ways or something that may read as if love has been sugarcoated (it’s messy). Branded as a romance, in The Breath of Dawn, Kristen Heitzmann looks beyond that, digging deeper into the meaning of love and life. She doesn’t just stop with the love story – which is exceptionally beautiful, she challenges the characters, placing them in situations that don't fall under the purview of being “safe.” Nothing this book does plays it safe – and it’s the lack of a haven that brings light to the book. Already a familiar character to fans, Morgan Spencer is again at the center of the story, only this time he is a single father whose life soon becomes entangled with that of Quinn Riley. Two strangers who form an unusual bond in one of the most unexpected fictional romances I have read.
I am a sucker for love stories that truly cherish love, growing in the sanctity of marriage. Few authors give that satisfaction since most books end long before the “I Do’s” are vowed which displays a “prettier” frame of love. That’s not to say that the first blush of love isn’t equally compelling and endearing in its getting-to-know stages, rather when fiction imitates life, there is a respect for a story that looks beyond the surface of being “adequate.” Both Morgan and Quinn are fragile after being knocked around by life. One never fully mourned the loss of a person he partnered with more out of a shared past than hope for a new future, the other is running from a cult background that should have controlled the idea they had of God. The vulnerabilities these characters carry around make them more insightful as we wish the best for their benefit, holding onto a hope each will come to a fuller, more satisfying relationship – both with their families and with God.
If all my years reading have taught me anything, it would be this – don’t judge a book by its cover, whether that’s literal (the design) or literary (the synopsis). Reading anything by this author gave me a sense of skepticism as my mother had an on/off feeling about Kristen’s novels and since usually, we share the same (general) opinion, these books never appealed to my literary sensibilities. Now, am I ever delighted to have discovered this author! What a book. Knowing where to begin organizing my thoughts befuddled me because this book is beautiful. It’s not all about fairytale leanings or staged before an opulent setting, rather it’s the skill and consideration that Kristen writes the book, giving us a story that leaves us breathless for what’s around the bend – and contrary to popular belief, it isn’t all because of pulse-pounding danger. The Breath of Dawn lays bare the soul of these characters, whether in the romantic connotations or in the trials they push through, every principle has a purpose – each one is presented to make them better. Not just likable, truly, sincerely better as people.
Cons: There is one minor plot I found to be more “nuisance” than substance involving a woman searching for her father and Quinn befriending her. It ties into the history of Quinn’s home yet still seemed “tacked on” as if the author should have fleshed out a plot already taking up residence in the plot.
Concluding Thoughts: Irrespective of its genre, don’t mistake the branding of this novel – it’s more than a romance! The excitement is present in each thread – it’s either the heart-tugging romance that gets our pulses racing (but never goes “too far”) or the moments Morgan slowly begins to live again, each is represented with care and enough “tease” to leave us wishing for more. A slow start doesn’t (in the end) deter from the book. All praise aside, this isn’t a book for everyone. The presence of a cult (in someone’s past) may be a turn-off to many readers; it only enhanced the experience because the topic is handled surprisingly well for something that’s taboo in Christian fiction.
Heitzmann gripped her reader with this expressive story of love and loss, and the grace that heals all. Both subjects build off of each other, putting together a first-class narrative. It’s a beautiful book that’s got “everything,” and Kristen wove it together masterfully– it’s the sort of story, any reader is sorry to close the last page on.
With thanks to the INSPYs and Bethany House for a complimentary copy of this novel.
© Copyright 2011-2013 Dreaming Under the Same Moon / Scribbles, Scripts and Such
February 20, 2019
İşte böyle konusu zengin teması çeşitli kitapları seviyorum ...Neden daha önce okumadım ki bu yazarı ...
January 12, 2013
Disappointing "Christian" romance
“The Breath of Dawn” tells the story of Morgan and Quinn. Morgan is a successful businessman who has amassed a fortune and gained ample recognition by assisting companies solve their problems and directing them back into a profitable direction. But he now finds purpose in living only in his 2-year old daughter, after losing his wife and older daughter. Quinn makes a living by buying items from old estates and reselling them on e-bay, and has tried to isolate herself as much as possible, because she fears her past and Markham, the dangerous man she witnessed against years ago. They meet when a house is about to come to the market and both are interested in it – Quinn buys and sells items while Morgan plans to turn it into a home for him and Livie, his daughter.
When Markham is released from jail, the threatening messages start and Quinn sees her worst nightmare come true. At this point, she has become way too close to Morgan and his family and fears for their safety. She finally opens up to Morgan, the ever problem-solver that likes to take things in his own hands and offers an alternative that seems to jeopardize their future instead of securing it.
When I started reading this book, I wasn’t aware that it was the third one in the series; it took me a while to become suspicious about the characters. When the rest of the Spencers are brought in the story, it was good to share their Christmas celebration; their family life has its ups and downs, but it is encouraging to see people believing in God and staying true to godly principles despite difficult circumstances.
Up to this point, “The Breath of Dawn” is another token of Kristen Heitzmann’s wonderful ability to weave plots together, keep the reader interested and depict Godly characters. It all seems to be well, but there are aspects of the book that wander off of the Bible and flirt with a current idea of romance that is not godly at all. I am particularly referring to two aspects that have left me with a “cheap novel” aftertaste; by this I mean a novel that seems to be more interested in tickling the senses and finding a good marketing selling point than in portraying a character or situation from which the readers can learn Biblical principles.
The first one is the supernatural aspect of the basement; I presume that the author wanted to add suspense to the story by writing about ghosts and “a presence,” but it is just distracting, it doesn’t add anything to the story and is left unresolved.
The second one has to do with one aspect of Morgan’s solution – (SPOILER ALERT) please note that the rest of this paragraph contains information that will reveal some details of the story, but I need to include this so that I can explain why I find it so distasteful and out of line with the rest of the story. Always the problem solver, Morgan comes up with an extreme idea that, while providing a quick solution for Quinn and which might come later in time anyway, seems too forced and almost borderline of being a one-night stand. The author “covers her bases,” by having Morgan arrange a quick marriage to Quinn, out of the country and arranging a sort of dream honeymoon that might captivate a lot of readers, as it is the epitome of honeymoons, full of luxuries and money available, ready to quench any whim and craving. This is a side of Morgan completely opposite to the “family side” of Morgan; it does look like the book implies that a mere convenience is a good enough reason to get married.
In this sense, this book is very far from offering a good alternative to clean, Christian entertainment, implying that Biblical principles and ethics and morals are gray and can be blended into the current worldview - the main reason why I advice to read it with caution, or even better, not read it at all.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. This has not biased my opinion on the book or on the author.
“The Breath of Dawn” tells the story of Morgan and Quinn. Morgan is a successful businessman who has amassed a fortune and gained ample recognition by assisting companies solve their problems and directing them back into a profitable direction. But he now finds purpose in living only in his 2-year old daughter, after losing his wife and older daughter. Quinn makes a living by buying items from old estates and reselling them on e-bay, and has tried to isolate herself as much as possible, because she fears her past and Markham, the dangerous man she witnessed against years ago. They meet when a house is about to come to the market and both are interested in it – Quinn buys and sells items while Morgan plans to turn it into a home for him and Livie, his daughter.
When Markham is released from jail, the threatening messages start and Quinn sees her worst nightmare come true. At this point, she has become way too close to Morgan and his family and fears for their safety. She finally opens up to Morgan, the ever problem-solver that likes to take things in his own hands and offers an alternative that seems to jeopardize their future instead of securing it.
When I started reading this book, I wasn’t aware that it was the third one in the series; it took me a while to become suspicious about the characters. When the rest of the Spencers are brought in the story, it was good to share their Christmas celebration; their family life has its ups and downs, but it is encouraging to see people believing in God and staying true to godly principles despite difficult circumstances.
Up to this point, “The Breath of Dawn” is another token of Kristen Heitzmann’s wonderful ability to weave plots together, keep the reader interested and depict Godly characters. It all seems to be well, but there are aspects of the book that wander off of the Bible and flirt with a current idea of romance that is not godly at all. I am particularly referring to two aspects that have left me with a “cheap novel” aftertaste; by this I mean a novel that seems to be more interested in tickling the senses and finding a good marketing selling point than in portraying a character or situation from which the readers can learn Biblical principles.
The first one is the supernatural aspect of the basement; I presume that the author wanted to add suspense to the story by writing about ghosts and “a presence,” but it is just distracting, it doesn’t add anything to the story and is left unresolved.
The second one has to do with one aspect of Morgan’s solution – (SPOILER ALERT) please note that the rest of this paragraph contains information that will reveal some details of the story, but I need to include this so that I can explain why I find it so distasteful and out of line with the rest of the story. Always the problem solver, Morgan comes up with an extreme idea that, while providing a quick solution for Quinn and which might come later in time anyway, seems too forced and almost borderline of being a one-night stand. The author “covers her bases,” by having Morgan arrange a quick marriage to Quinn, out of the country and arranging a sort of dream honeymoon that might captivate a lot of readers, as it is the epitome of honeymoons, full of luxuries and money available, ready to quench any whim and craving. This is a side of Morgan completely opposite to the “family side” of Morgan; it does look like the book implies that a mere convenience is a good enough reason to get married.
In this sense, this book is very far from offering a good alternative to clean, Christian entertainment, implying that Biblical principles and ethics and morals are gray and can be blended into the current worldview - the main reason why I advice to read it with caution, or even better, not read it at all.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. This has not biased my opinion on the book or on the author.
April 11, 2013
I'm feeling extremely guilty right now. You see, I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway, and as usual, I dug into it the minute it came in the mail, but I just can't make myself read it. In the week since I've had it, I've only gotten to page 68. In the same time, I've made a sizable dent in the stack of magazines I've never gotten around to reading, discovered several new online games, and even gotten my dishes done in record time! It finally occurred to me that I would rather do anything else than read this book, and since I have a stack of library books waiting for me, I should just move on to one of them.
The plot, so far, has been pretty interesting. The problem I'm having is with Heitzmann's writing style. Have you ever looked through binoculars the wrong way, so that everything appears very tiny and infinitely far away? That's how I feel about this book. The characters are doing interesting things, but Heitzmann seems hell-bent on trying to keep me as far away from the action as possible. She uses pronouns ambiguously, changes point-of-view within a paragraph, often resorts to using mangled versions of cliches, and just generally phrases things awkwardly. Here's a good example from the beginning of chapter 5: "Given the guilt Rick had spooned on like sugar when it was really cayenne, Morgan took his little girl the next morning for a drive to Vera's house. [...] He jogged through windblown ice flecks from a sullen sky that ached to do worse. The truck was in there (ed: where?), so he fetched Livie and banged on the front door."
Maybe I'm just being a nit-picker. Maybe it's just that I know that if I, as a beginning writer, turned in a manuscript this full of problems, it would never see the light of day. Maybe it's just that I suspect that Heitzmann, like Debbie Macomber before her, has gotten lazier as she's gotten more famous and now just sort of writes automatically while thinking of something else. For whatever reason, I just can't make myself finish this book.
The plot, so far, has been pretty interesting. The problem I'm having is with Heitzmann's writing style. Have you ever looked through binoculars the wrong way, so that everything appears very tiny and infinitely far away? That's how I feel about this book. The characters are doing interesting things, but Heitzmann seems hell-bent on trying to keep me as far away from the action as possible. She uses pronouns ambiguously, changes point-of-view within a paragraph, often resorts to using mangled versions of cliches, and just generally phrases things awkwardly. Here's a good example from the beginning of chapter 5: "Given the guilt Rick had spooned on like sugar when it was really cayenne, Morgan took his little girl the next morning for a drive to Vera's house. [...] He jogged through windblown ice flecks from a sullen sky that ached to do worse. The truck was in there (ed: where?), so he fetched Livie and banged on the front door."
Maybe I'm just being a nit-picker. Maybe it's just that I know that if I, as a beginning writer, turned in a manuscript this full of problems, it would never see the light of day. Maybe it's just that I suspect that Heitzmann, like Debbie Macomber before her, has gotten lazier as she's gotten more famous and now just sort of writes automatically while thinking of something else. For whatever reason, I just can't make myself finish this book.
December 3, 2012
Kristen Heitzmann has delivered a thoroughly enjoyable romantic suspense novel in "The Breath of Dawn". Her novel is equally devoted to both character development and to the unfolding suspense, and so is sure to appeal to readers who love either genre of romance or thrillers. Quinn is a spunky, likable gal who's big heart and past shrouded in secrecy had me immediately hooked into her story-line. The romance that develops between Quinn and Morgan lends itself to moments of humor and deepening love, and I greatly appreciated that this was not one of those books where the romance took eons to develop! The suspense scenes star an antagonist who is truly misguided and delusional, with supernatural elements that make him truly evil, though please be assured that the author does not write in a way that will gross any reader out. The last few chapters had me flying through the pages to see how everything would resolve, and I guarantee that the conclusion will be pleasing to all. New love, a crazed man bent on revenge, adorable children, great characters, all permeated by faith - this book has it all!
I highly recommend this book and award it 5 out of 5 star.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
I highly recommend this book and award it 5 out of 5 star.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
September 25, 2023
The Breath of Dawn is the third book in the Rush of Wings series, and I definitely think it helps to read the previous books. I didn't and struggled in the beginning feeling like I was missing some back story.
The book was an okay read. The villain was creepy and I couldn't handle the way he used God to justify his evil. I felt like a lot of the book wasn't believable, but won't name specifics to avoid spoilers.
All in all, this was an okay read. Not one I see myself rereading. The audiobook was read very well, though, which made this an easier book to get through.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
The book was an okay read. The villain was creepy and I couldn't handle the way he used God to justify his evil. I felt like a lot of the book wasn't believable, but won't name specifics to avoid spoilers.
All in all, this was an okay read. Not one I see myself rereading. The audiobook was read very well, though, which made this an easier book to get through.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
November 28, 2012
I absolutely loved this book! This was the first book that I read by this author. It will not be my last. This book could be a stand alone book or considered book 3 of a prior (old) series. I was unaware of the prior books when I started reading this book. I did not feel left out or lost. The author did a great job explaining prior history. I have ordered the first of the two prior books centering around Rick, the brother of Morgan, this books main character. I doubt I'll order book two as it pertains to Morgan and his first wife, Jill. I'm so in love with Morgan and Erin, that I don't want to read about a prior love (wife). She is discussed in the current book - life, marriage, etc.. That's enough for me. Read the book - alone or part of the series. You will not be disappointed.
November 5, 2012
He always promised that if he ever got out, he would come for her. He would make her pay. Now Quinn Reilly has received a cryptic phone call from Hannah, telling her just that. He's coming for her and now she will pay. As hard as she tries to stay involved in her work dealing with estate sales, Quinn knows that somehow, some way, she can't remain hidden for very long. Markham Wilder will use every resource possible to find her and that's why she has to stay on the move. She has one more house to deal with and find buyers for the items inside before she fears she must run again. Aside from the purchase of a small A-frame house with an oversized barn for the storage of the items she has up for sale, she has remained virtually off the grid. Until now.
Morgan Spencer has only one thing left to live for, his young daughter Olivia, whom he affectionately refers to as Livie. Still grieving over the loss of his wife, Jill who was killed during a freak accident and prior to that losing another daughter to leukemia, Morgan only has Livie left to care for. Spending some time with his brother, Rick and his wife Noelle, Morgan tries to find a way to move forward. Seeing the ranch house next door is for sale, he wonders if just moving far enough away but still close enough to get help if he needs it will help him find a way to get his own personal life back on track. Known for being a well sought after specialist that assists big corporations in these hard economic times turn their companies around, Morgan has made quite a name for himself and the money has been great. He also has turned some of his successes into best sellers sharing his tips for those willing to buy his books, but has remained a bit of a recluse and strives for a private life, after the death of his wife.
Now that Quinn has almost readied the home, she discovers help in the unlikely place, through her next door neighbors Noelle and her brother-in-law, Morgan. When Morgan shows up to investigate the potential sale of the home she's inventorying, it leads them both into an undiscovered secret in the basement beneath the house. What they both discover there, will unite them in a remarkable but unexpected way and Quinn will need Morgan's help to save her own life. If only she can trust the more than handsome but grieving man.
I received The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I have to say, for me, I can't read this one at night. The first time I got about half way through and needed sleep, I had nightmares, not the authors fault, but it does provide a blending of some intense genres, suspense, thriller, and romance. It's truly heart stopping at points and you hope that Quinn and Morgan will find solace in one another through dealing with truly difficult circumstances. I literally had a hard time putting this one down. I love that Kristen isn't in a hurry to move her book along and the details she takes in building the suspense and characters is remarkable. From the secondary characters like Consuela, Morgan's housekeeper in California to the Professor Dr. Jenkins with his old pipe, you can almost imagine them as if they were real but vital to the story. I can easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. Any book that can keep me up at night, with the covers over my head, is truly a winner in my book. I'll be watch listing Kristen Heitzmann for future books!
Morgan Spencer has only one thing left to live for, his young daughter Olivia, whom he affectionately refers to as Livie. Still grieving over the loss of his wife, Jill who was killed during a freak accident and prior to that losing another daughter to leukemia, Morgan only has Livie left to care for. Spending some time with his brother, Rick and his wife Noelle, Morgan tries to find a way to move forward. Seeing the ranch house next door is for sale, he wonders if just moving far enough away but still close enough to get help if he needs it will help him find a way to get his own personal life back on track. Known for being a well sought after specialist that assists big corporations in these hard economic times turn their companies around, Morgan has made quite a name for himself and the money has been great. He also has turned some of his successes into best sellers sharing his tips for those willing to buy his books, but has remained a bit of a recluse and strives for a private life, after the death of his wife.
Now that Quinn has almost readied the home, she discovers help in the unlikely place, through her next door neighbors Noelle and her brother-in-law, Morgan. When Morgan shows up to investigate the potential sale of the home she's inventorying, it leads them both into an undiscovered secret in the basement beneath the house. What they both discover there, will unite them in a remarkable but unexpected way and Quinn will need Morgan's help to save her own life. If only she can trust the more than handsome but grieving man.
I received The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. I have to say, for me, I can't read this one at night. The first time I got about half way through and needed sleep, I had nightmares, not the authors fault, but it does provide a blending of some intense genres, suspense, thriller, and romance. It's truly heart stopping at points and you hope that Quinn and Morgan will find solace in one another through dealing with truly difficult circumstances. I literally had a hard time putting this one down. I love that Kristen isn't in a hurry to move her book along and the details she takes in building the suspense and characters is remarkable. From the secondary characters like Consuela, Morgan's housekeeper in California to the Professor Dr. Jenkins with his old pipe, you can almost imagine them as if they were real but vital to the story. I can easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. Any book that can keep me up at night, with the covers over my head, is truly a winner in my book. I'll be watch listing Kristen Heitzmann for future books!
February 20, 2013
Do not let the size of this book intimidate you! Even though it is 437 pages, you will be done with it before you realize it and wishing it was twice as long! I read at night and found myself staying up way too long to read “just a little more” until I was drooling on my pillow and the book was slipping out of my hand.
This is Ms. Heitzmann’s 3rd book in this series. I have read them all. I feel you can easily read it by itself, but if you do, you will definitely want to read the others! The story was also very fast paced and there are no lulls or dull moments. The author has a talent of describing the settings and the characters so vividly that you just naturally picture them in your mind. Your own personal mental movie!
I loved the surprise element. Every time I thought I had the next twist in the plot figured out, the story would go in a totally different direction.
Morgan Spencer is wealthy, handsome, and after 2 years still deeply grieving the sudden loss of his wife. The only thing to keep him going is his 2 year old daughter Livie. His brother Rick and his wife Noelle have helped him but he feels it is time for him and Livie to create a life of their own. He buys a deceased neighbor’s house to make the transition.
Quinn is hired by the neighbor’s daughter to cull through the home and sell whatever is of value, not knowing Morgan has purchased it as is. Morgan and she are thrown together when he makes a surprise visit to inspect his new home. Meeting her stirs feelings in Morgan he never thought he would have again. Surprisingly his daughter is quite taken with her too. Quinn has lived the last four years in fear and hiding. Her testimony sent a very wicked man to jail. She finds out he is out of prison and looking for her to seek revenge.
When Morgan learns of her need for anonymity and protection, he impulsively proposes marriage, strictly business of course. She will remain safe and he will have someone to take care of his child. No strings attached.
Neither of them are prepared for what is to come. Both must learn to hope and love again, letting go of their pain from the past. As problems arise, Morgan finds his faith in God and biblical truths to come alive as Quinn struggles to trust God and others again.
This is beautiful story of unexpected love, healing, and learning to let go of the past. Add to all this, the romance, suspense and mystery and you have a fantastic book! You will want to read this one!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to
write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
This is Ms. Heitzmann’s 3rd book in this series. I have read them all. I feel you can easily read it by itself, but if you do, you will definitely want to read the others! The story was also very fast paced and there are no lulls or dull moments. The author has a talent of describing the settings and the characters so vividly that you just naturally picture them in your mind. Your own personal mental movie!
I loved the surprise element. Every time I thought I had the next twist in the plot figured out, the story would go in a totally different direction.
Morgan Spencer is wealthy, handsome, and after 2 years still deeply grieving the sudden loss of his wife. The only thing to keep him going is his 2 year old daughter Livie. His brother Rick and his wife Noelle have helped him but he feels it is time for him and Livie to create a life of their own. He buys a deceased neighbor’s house to make the transition.
Quinn is hired by the neighbor’s daughter to cull through the home and sell whatever is of value, not knowing Morgan has purchased it as is. Morgan and she are thrown together when he makes a surprise visit to inspect his new home. Meeting her stirs feelings in Morgan he never thought he would have again. Surprisingly his daughter is quite taken with her too. Quinn has lived the last four years in fear and hiding. Her testimony sent a very wicked man to jail. She finds out he is out of prison and looking for her to seek revenge.
When Morgan learns of her need for anonymity and protection, he impulsively proposes marriage, strictly business of course. She will remain safe and he will have someone to take care of his child. No strings attached.
Neither of them are prepared for what is to come. Both must learn to hope and love again, letting go of their pain from the past. As problems arise, Morgan finds his faith in God and biblical truths to come alive as Quinn struggles to trust God and others again.
This is beautiful story of unexpected love, healing, and learning to let go of the past. Add to all this, the romance, suspense and mystery and you have a fantastic book! You will want to read this one!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to
write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
March 18, 2020
I’m vacillating on this one. As much as I love Ms. Heitzmann's writing, actually in awe at times with her word pictures and clarity of thought, this one was hard to put my all into. Oh, there were some scenes with Morgan and his daughter that were so sweet, you just want to have a group hug with them. And there were interesting interactions with Morgan and Quinn as they seemed to resist getting to know each other. But some of it just didn’t seem realistic.
But when love began to be realized by them both, it was like finally taking in a breath we were holding.
Sweet family acceptance, and joy to see how Quinn had brought Morgan back to life! There is prayer and asking Jesus for help, and trusting that God is with them in their hard moments.
I loved that Morgan set Quinn straight when she felt praying was using God for people's own gain, and she saw too much of that in her farher's church. Morgan used his illustration of the love he has for his sweet baby, and how much he would do for her. Anything. With this was the logic that God is far more loving and willing to hear our petitions than even Morgan is to little Livvie. Quinn needed that visual because her own father was legalistic and unloving.
I want to give this 3 1/2 stars because of some strangeness, but I do love her writing. So 4 stars it is.
But when love began to be realized by them both, it was like finally taking in a breath we were holding.
Sweet family acceptance, and joy to see how Quinn had brought Morgan back to life! There is prayer and asking Jesus for help, and trusting that God is with them in their hard moments.
I loved that Morgan set Quinn straight when she felt praying was using God for people's own gain, and she saw too much of that in her farher's church. Morgan used his illustration of the love he has for his sweet baby, and how much he would do for her. Anything. With this was the logic that God is far more loving and willing to hear our petitions than even Morgan is to little Livvie. Quinn needed that visual because her own father was legalistic and unloving.
I want to give this 3 1/2 stars because of some strangeness, but I do love her writing. So 4 stars it is.
November 26, 2012
The Breath of Dawn is the first book by Heitzmann I have read and I’m glad I got the chance to review it! The story revolves around two conflicted individuals colliding and saving each other in more than one way. Quinn Reilly sent a con man to jail and he promised her that he will “make her pay”. Now – four years later – he was released. Her sister Hannah called to warn her, putting Quinn on the run. Morgan Spencer had lost the love of his life in a car crash, plus a daughter due to leukemia, which leaft him with his youngest infant named Olivia (Livie for short). When his wife died, he moved into his brothers’ guest ranch in the high country of Colorado. Moving forward a few years, Morgan wants to move back to Santa Barbara. One day he sees his neighbor, Quinn, is moving, so he thinks of buying her house instead.
Worlds clash and both Quinn and Morgan help each other emotionally and physically. Quinn feels like she’s a part of a family and Morgan tries to open his heart. It hurts for him; the pain of losing his wife is still an open wound. Even though Quinn wants to stay, she cannot risk the lives of the people she’s come to care about.
This book isn't a very “happy” book. It has conflict, inner struggles, a little bit of humor to take the edge off, and lessons to be learned. I don’t like drama books at ALL… instead I’m more of a happy-go-lucky / instalove type. Looking past all of that I really enjoyed the plotline and characters. Yes, it’s sad and I teared up a little, but it was interesting and kept me engaged. That’s honestly hard to do for me. Heitzmann put so much energy into this book and the reader can tell. This isn't a book that the reader will forget about. When I was finished with the book I kept thinking about it for a few days and letting the messages and ending sink in. It’s not a “cute” book, but something I would recommend for people. I didn't skip any pages, every single one kept me engaged. Even though I don’t like drama books, I would recommend this particular novel to adult readers.
December 14, 2012
This book is a Christian fiction with a little mystery and a little romance under one cover.
The story starts out with Morgan, a father of a small child, learning to adjust to living a life and raising a young child on his own, after his wife dies in an accident. Morgan has family support to help him in this transition. To help ease the transition, and putting his child's needs first, he chooses to live on a ranch near the mountains near his brother and family for help with his child.
Quinn is a single woman who makes her living buying items from estate sales and listing them on ebay. RaeAnne is the daughter of an elderly woman who has passed away, and RaeAnne is left with settling the estate. Quinn offers to work on the estate and get it ready to sell. RaeAnne takes her up on the offer - with the understanding that if/when Quinn finds a locket with a picture of her father (whom RaeAnne has never met) that she will call right away. Quinn spends days going through the items in the house, searching for the locket, and sifting through the estate.
Morgan lives near the estate, and decides to purchase the estate as a transition for him and his daughter to live on their own, but still have his brother and family close by. When he stops by the house to take a look, he meets Quinn. Quinn gets some help from Morgan in clearing out some large unwanted items from the basement. Discovering this house was once an asylum is an interesting twist to the story. In the cellar are items used when the asylum was in use. Quinn is invited by Morgan's brother and wife to Thanksgiving at their house. Morgan, his daughter and a few other close friends enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. A snowstorm causes them all to stay there overnight. Quinn's past comes into the story and Morgan offers her a solution to overcome her past. Quinn takes him up on this offer, and the story only gets better from here. You don't want to miss out on this excellent story by Kristen Heitzmann!
The story starts out with Morgan, a father of a small child, learning to adjust to living a life and raising a young child on his own, after his wife dies in an accident. Morgan has family support to help him in this transition. To help ease the transition, and putting his child's needs first, he chooses to live on a ranch near the mountains near his brother and family for help with his child.
Quinn is a single woman who makes her living buying items from estate sales and listing them on ebay. RaeAnne is the daughter of an elderly woman who has passed away, and RaeAnne is left with settling the estate. Quinn offers to work on the estate and get it ready to sell. RaeAnne takes her up on the offer - with the understanding that if/when Quinn finds a locket with a picture of her father (whom RaeAnne has never met) that she will call right away. Quinn spends days going through the items in the house, searching for the locket, and sifting through the estate.
Morgan lives near the estate, and decides to purchase the estate as a transition for him and his daughter to live on their own, but still have his brother and family close by. When he stops by the house to take a look, he meets Quinn. Quinn gets some help from Morgan in clearing out some large unwanted items from the basement. Discovering this house was once an asylum is an interesting twist to the story. In the cellar are items used when the asylum was in use. Quinn is invited by Morgan's brother and wife to Thanksgiving at their house. Morgan, his daughter and a few other close friends enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. A snowstorm causes them all to stay there overnight. Quinn's past comes into the story and Morgan offers her a solution to overcome her past. Quinn takes him up on this offer, and the story only gets better from here. You don't want to miss out on this excellent story by Kristen Heitzmann!
October 28, 2012
MY REVIEW
I know I do not want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, whether it is still on the tarmac or thousands of feet in the air, and yet I am completely willing to pick up a novel written by Kristen Hietzmann, and run with her as she tells the story.
Pure adrenaline, and do not start it if you can not finish it. I could not keep my greedy hands off of it, after I had selflessly told my mom she could read it first. So every time she was occupied with something else (mostly at night and sleeping, until she had it read) I slipped in and devoured it. The Breath of Dawn deals with relationships of daughters and fathers, sisters, man and women, family secrets and grief, among other issues. With each one of them, Kristen takes the reader and immerses them in the situation. Her pictorial writing has you living on the ranch, or in the A-frame building and playammals with a darling two year old, or fighting pneumonia with a pregnant Noelle or fleeing or fighting a righteous madman.
This novel will take you completely away from your environment and cause you to forget that there are meals to be prepared or that sleep is necessary to function. However, it will also leave you with satisfaction when love over comes evil, and secrets are revealed.
I was pleasantly surprised that Noelle from A Rush of Wings and Morgan Spencer from Still of the Night made prominent appearances in this novel, though you definitely do not need to read those novels to enjoy this one.
Thank you to Kristen and Bethany House Publishing for the opportunity to read and write a review of Breath of Dawn.
I know I do not want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, whether it is still on the tarmac or thousands of feet in the air, and yet I am completely willing to pick up a novel written by Kristen Hietzmann, and run with her as she tells the story.
Pure adrenaline, and do not start it if you can not finish it. I could not keep my greedy hands off of it, after I had selflessly told my mom she could read it first. So every time she was occupied with something else (mostly at night and sleeping, until she had it read) I slipped in and devoured it. The Breath of Dawn deals with relationships of daughters and fathers, sisters, man and women, family secrets and grief, among other issues. With each one of them, Kristen takes the reader and immerses them in the situation. Her pictorial writing has you living on the ranch, or in the A-frame building and playammals with a darling two year old, or fighting pneumonia with a pregnant Noelle or fleeing or fighting a righteous madman.
This novel will take you completely away from your environment and cause you to forget that there are meals to be prepared or that sleep is necessary to function. However, it will also leave you with satisfaction when love over comes evil, and secrets are revealed.
I was pleasantly surprised that Noelle from A Rush of Wings and Morgan Spencer from Still of the Night made prominent appearances in this novel, though you definitely do not need to read those novels to enjoy this one.
Thank you to Kristen and Bethany House Publishing for the opportunity to read and write a review of Breath of Dawn.
November 10, 2012
I absolutely love Kristen Heitzmann's books! Always full of suspense and intrigue, this book is as fast-paced as the others. Quinn Reilly makes a spunky and resourceful lead character as she struggles to do what's right and avoid the trouble she senses ahead. Morgan plays the wounded warrior coming to the rescue of his damsel -in-distress, and nobody does it better. The pain each feels pulls you in and makes you want to cheer them on, and the issues coming at them keep the pages turning.
Heitzmann masterfully mixes human crime and temptation with supernatural evil to keep the suspense level high and your emotions on edge throughout this book. Little else could stop Spencer, whose money and connections could remove most obstacles. The combination of Quinn's determination and pure intentions coupled with Morgan's power create worthy opponents for the evil lying in wait around every turn.
The Breath of Dawn is the third in a series, and while I've read many of Heitzmann's books, I've apparently missed the previous two. Heitzmann describes the turmoil of past stories well and keeps the reader informed of all pertinent information, so I didn't feel as if I was missing anything while reading - except that I can't wait to go back and read the others.
I think I'll go search for them now.
I received a free copy of The Breath of Dawn from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
http://anestintherocks.blogspot.com/2...
Heitzmann masterfully mixes human crime and temptation with supernatural evil to keep the suspense level high and your emotions on edge throughout this book. Little else could stop Spencer, whose money and connections could remove most obstacles. The combination of Quinn's determination and pure intentions coupled with Morgan's power create worthy opponents for the evil lying in wait around every turn.
The Breath of Dawn is the third in a series, and while I've read many of Heitzmann's books, I've apparently missed the previous two. Heitzmann describes the turmoil of past stories well and keeps the reader informed of all pertinent information, so I didn't feel as if I was missing anything while reading - except that I can't wait to go back and read the others.
I think I'll go search for them now.
I received a free copy of The Breath of Dawn from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
http://anestintherocks.blogspot.com/2...
November 17, 2012
Ms. Heitzmann has brought back members of the Spencer family in the third installment of her, "Rush of Wings" series. This romantic thriller also introduces us to Quinn Reilly and her relationship to Morgan and Livie.
Morgan Spencer is grieving. He wants to make things good for his daughter, Livie, but he misses his wife so much. He is called a "fixer," so why can't he fix himself? When he buys a house without even looking at it, he meets Quinn Reilly. There is electricity from the beginning, but Morgan wants to keep his distance.
Quinn is a woman who testified in a trial that put a man in jail. She did the right thing, but now he is getting out of jail and is threatening her. She has to keep herself and everyone around her safe. But she and Morgan are getting close. Can she leave him and Livie? Can she tell Morgan what is going on?
What a ride! Kristin Heitzmann has a fabulous way of grabbing my attention and holding it throughout her stories. The characters are realistic and the story well written. I recommend all of her books to readers who love to be pulled into a book and held there by the magic of the words.
Morgan Spencer is grieving. He wants to make things good for his daughter, Livie, but he misses his wife so much. He is called a "fixer," so why can't he fix himself? When he buys a house without even looking at it, he meets Quinn Reilly. There is electricity from the beginning, but Morgan wants to keep his distance.
Quinn is a woman who testified in a trial that put a man in jail. She did the right thing, but now he is getting out of jail and is threatening her. She has to keep herself and everyone around her safe. But she and Morgan are getting close. Can she leave him and Livie? Can she tell Morgan what is going on?
What a ride! Kristin Heitzmann has a fabulous way of grabbing my attention and holding it throughout her stories. The characters are realistic and the story well written. I recommend all of her books to readers who love to be pulled into a book and held there by the magic of the words.
April 21, 2016
This book had the suspense of the first novel. Bad man after a girl in hiding. Morgan is more likeable in this book than in the first two. He has grown in his Christian faith. Didn't really like him in the first two books. I am disappointed in this book that the author killed off Jill. I read these books back to back so I got really invested in Jill in the second book. This book should have been written as a stand alone novel with a different love interest besides Morgan. Jill deserved her happily every after with Morgan instead of being killed off in a horrible car accident.
This series should be read in order. If you read the third book before the second book you won't enjoy it as much knowing Jill will die.
This series should be read in order. If you read the third book before the second book you won't enjoy it as much knowing Jill will die.
March 30, 2016
Disappointed in book three
The first two books were very believable and so well written but wish I had never bought the third. Did not like the author killing off the daughter but then Jill too that was just plain awful. The third book was so unbelievable it blew my mind why I even read it. My advice is do not buy number three.
The first two books were very believable and so well written but wish I had never bought the third. Did not like the author killing off the daughter but then Jill too that was just plain awful. The third book was so unbelievable it blew my mind why I even read it. My advice is do not buy number three.
August 4, 2020
After reading The Edge of Recall, this book was a huge let-down. Where that story was a fantastic psychological thriller, this one failed to hit even the suspense mark for me until the halfway point. It felt much more like a straight romance until about halfway through. Not what I was expecting at all, especially seeing the fear in the cover model’s eyes.
The psycho bad guy was pure evil. It was horrible reading his POV, because he thought and claimed he was doing God’s will but was clearly possessed by demons if not Satan himself. If I weren’t reading this book for a team game and needed the page points, I would have quit the book after the second of his scenes (because I like to give characters two scenes, at least, to make me want to keep reading). This book was hard for me to read simply because of this bad guy and the supernatural element that he brought to it.
I enjoyed the liquidation of the estate angle. The box of keys that were important to the plot was fun. I liked how those kept coming back into play. Morgan and his little girl, Livie, were adorable together. Little Livie really lit up the scenes she was in.
The narrator was another reason why I kept reading. Barbara McCulloh became one of my favorite narrators when I listened to her version of Karen Witemeyer’s A Worthy Pursuit, and every time I hear her, I’m completely impressed. She does a fantastic job at voices and accents, and it’s clear she puts her heart and soul into every novel she reads for her unknown listeners. If her name’s attached to the audio, I’m more likely to give it a try.
The psycho bad guy was pure evil. It was horrible reading his POV, because he thought and claimed he was doing God’s will but was clearly possessed by demons if not Satan himself. If I weren’t reading this book for a team game and needed the page points, I would have quit the book after the second of his scenes (because I like to give characters two scenes, at least, to make me want to keep reading). This book was hard for me to read simply because of this bad guy and the supernatural element that he brought to it.
I enjoyed the liquidation of the estate angle. The box of keys that were important to the plot was fun. I liked how those kept coming back into play. Morgan and his little girl, Livie, were adorable together. Little Livie really lit up the scenes she was in.
The narrator was another reason why I kept reading. Barbara McCulloh became one of my favorite narrators when I listened to her version of Karen Witemeyer’s A Worthy Pursuit, and every time I hear her, I’m completely impressed. She does a fantastic job at voices and accents, and it’s clear she puts her heart and soul into every novel she reads for her unknown listeners. If her name’s attached to the audio, I’m more likely to give it a try.
January 23, 2020
Romantic suspense.
I enjoy the action being character-driven in this trilogy. TBOD is a stand alone novel , the third of a trilogy. The main characters, Morgan and Quinn, are colourful, enjoyable and just a bit larger than life. I feel KH has successfully brought nearly all the characters in this book to life, even minor ones, and I love that.
Quinn is on the run, hiding to save her life and Morgan is recovering after his wife's sudden death. Both these characters are flawed 'stars' and I willingly suspended any disbelief.
KH has used multiple points of view, usually successfully. I feel in this book that adds to the colour and texture of the story and credibility to the relationship between Quinn and Morgan.
A good read.
I enjoy the action being character-driven in this trilogy. TBOD is a stand alone novel , the third of a trilogy. The main characters, Morgan and Quinn, are colourful, enjoyable and just a bit larger than life. I feel KH has successfully brought nearly all the characters in this book to life, even minor ones, and I love that.
Quinn is on the run, hiding to save her life and Morgan is recovering after his wife's sudden death. Both these characters are flawed 'stars' and I willingly suspended any disbelief.
KH has used multiple points of view, usually successfully. I feel in this book that adds to the colour and texture of the story and credibility to the relationship between Quinn and Morgan.
A good read.
September 18, 2023
3.5 stars. A good book with a mostly predictable plot. Easy read, not a lot of concentration required.
November 13, 2012
Morgan Spencer has had just about all he can take of life. Following the tragic death of his wife, Jill, he retreats to his brother's Rocky Mountain ranch to heal and focus on the care of his infant daughter, Olivia. Two years later, Morgan begins to make plans to return to his home in Santa Barbara to pick up the pieces of his life and career.
Quinn Riley has been avoiding her past for four years. Standing up for the truth has forced her into a life of fear and isolation. After a "chance" first meeting and a Thanksgiving snowstorm, Quinn is drawn into the Spencer family's warm and loving world, and she begins to believe she might find freedom in their friendship. But then the man Quinn put behind bars is released and she's afraid for everyone around her. Can she face her greatest fear or flee to find safety in anonymity?
The Breath of Dawn is the third book in the A Rush Of Wings series ( A Rush Of Wings and The Still Of Night) that features the Spencer family: Morgan, Livie, Rick and Noelle. In this book, the reader reconnects with the Spencer family and is introduced to Quinn Riley, who enters the Spencer family's lives with danger following behind her. Author Kristen Heitzmann weaves a riveting tale that mixes romance with suspense that keeps the reader sitting on the edge of their seat, guessing what will happen next. While this book is part of a series, it can also stand alone as the author brings the reader up to speed on the life stories of the Spencer family while seamlessly interweaving the new storyline. The reader can't help but get drawn into Morgan and Quinn's story, their emotions are palpable as their past collide and their relationship blossoms into a breathtaking love story. The story is full of gripping suspense scenes that keeps the reader turning the pages, while embarking on a wild roller coaster ride full of dramatic twists and turns. Author Kristen Heitzmann does a wonderful job of blending a romantic love story with the thrilling aspects of mystery and suspense.
The cast of characters are realistic, complex and endearing people, who easy draw the reader into their lives. Morgan Spencer is still reeling from the tragic loss of his wife Jill two years ago, his primary concern is raising their two year old daughter Livie. He's the kind of man that you can't help but want to put your arms around and hug. Quinn Reilly is an ebay trader dealing in antiques, whose testimony against a man four years ago helped send him to prison. Quinn's past is coming back to haunt her as the man has been released from prison and is coming after her. Morgan is a person who likes to "fix" things and he can't ignore Quinn's pleas for help. With a great secondary cast of characters; engaging dialogue and interactions; and a captivating storyline that draws the reader into the middle of the action; The Breath of Dawn is a compelling and thoroughly entertaining read that you won't be able to put down!
The Breath Of Dawn is a spellbinding continuation into the saga of the Spencer family. It is an intriguing tale that embodies the very best of a romantic suspense story.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Litfuse Publicity.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Quinn Riley has been avoiding her past for four years. Standing up for the truth has forced her into a life of fear and isolation. After a "chance" first meeting and a Thanksgiving snowstorm, Quinn is drawn into the Spencer family's warm and loving world, and she begins to believe she might find freedom in their friendship. But then the man Quinn put behind bars is released and she's afraid for everyone around her. Can she face her greatest fear or flee to find safety in anonymity?
The Breath of Dawn is the third book in the A Rush Of Wings series ( A Rush Of Wings and The Still Of Night) that features the Spencer family: Morgan, Livie, Rick and Noelle. In this book, the reader reconnects with the Spencer family and is introduced to Quinn Riley, who enters the Spencer family's lives with danger following behind her. Author Kristen Heitzmann weaves a riveting tale that mixes romance with suspense that keeps the reader sitting on the edge of their seat, guessing what will happen next. While this book is part of a series, it can also stand alone as the author brings the reader up to speed on the life stories of the Spencer family while seamlessly interweaving the new storyline. The reader can't help but get drawn into Morgan and Quinn's story, their emotions are palpable as their past collide and their relationship blossoms into a breathtaking love story. The story is full of gripping suspense scenes that keeps the reader turning the pages, while embarking on a wild roller coaster ride full of dramatic twists and turns. Author Kristen Heitzmann does a wonderful job of blending a romantic love story with the thrilling aspects of mystery and suspense.
The cast of characters are realistic, complex and endearing people, who easy draw the reader into their lives. Morgan Spencer is still reeling from the tragic loss of his wife Jill two years ago, his primary concern is raising their two year old daughter Livie. He's the kind of man that you can't help but want to put your arms around and hug. Quinn Reilly is an ebay trader dealing in antiques, whose testimony against a man four years ago helped send him to prison. Quinn's past is coming back to haunt her as the man has been released from prison and is coming after her. Morgan is a person who likes to "fix" things and he can't ignore Quinn's pleas for help. With a great secondary cast of characters; engaging dialogue and interactions; and a captivating storyline that draws the reader into the middle of the action; The Breath of Dawn is a compelling and thoroughly entertaining read that you won't be able to put down!
The Breath Of Dawn is a spellbinding continuation into the saga of the Spencer family. It is an intriguing tale that embodies the very best of a romantic suspense story.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Litfuse Publicity.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
January 13, 2013
The Breath Of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann
-From The Back Cover-
Corporate turnaround specialist Morgan Spencer, dubbed the “success guru,” has a Midas touch in business. But losing his wife sent him to the brink, and his two-year-old daughter, Livie, is all he's living for – until they encounter a woman whose trouble just might draw him out of his own.
Four years ago Quinn Reilly did the right thing. Now the man her testimony put in jail is getting out. Though she has put up barriers to protect herself and those around her, she has come to care for the Spencer family, especially the winsome Livie and her mercurial father. Unwilling to put them at risk when the threats begin, she requests something she hopes the super-successful Morgan might be able to deliver.
Fixing problems is what Morgan does best, but his counter-proposal takes them in a direction neither is equipped to handle. Determined to confront the past, will they survive to build a future?
______________________________________
This book was a lot harder to read than most of Kristen's books, it was darker and more emotional.
The book deals mainly with grief and fear.
Morgan is grieving the loss of the wife he had so little time with and the daughter he feels he killed while trying to save.
Quinn is afraid. She did the right thing several years ago but a wedge was driven between her and her family, all but her Grandpa. How far will the man she helped put in jail go when he is released and who will he destroy with her?
Another theme in this book is the malevolent house that Quinn is cleaning out. What happened to the people and what IS the evil presence in the cellar?
A secretive Mother and a search for an unknown Father. An ancient bottle of LSD. A Sister with a mental problem. An overbearing pastor/father. A man conning an entire church in the name of God.
Not to forget the psychopath bent on revenge. All of this makes for a story well worth reading but will leave you emotionally wrung out by the end. While I didn't need a box of tissues I was left doing a lot of thinking in between chapters and after I had finished.
One bright spot in this book is the cutest little girl that everyone will want to hug and “playammals” with. Plus I think we would all love a Grandpa like Quinn's Pops, loving and willing to spend time with a girl who needs a little attention.
One thing to note, this book could be considered rated PG-13 because of the intense and difficult emotions and scenes. I would not give this book to a young teenage girl. I am in my 20's but I had a hard time with some of the themes since I had no personal experience to base from.
Tell Tale Book Reviews (my blog) gives The Breath Of Dawn a 4 Bark (4 star) Rating.
Note: This book is a standalone but for better understanding of the characters and some back-history you should read A Rush Of Wings and The Still Of Night first.
-From The Back Cover-
Corporate turnaround specialist Morgan Spencer, dubbed the “success guru,” has a Midas touch in business. But losing his wife sent him to the brink, and his two-year-old daughter, Livie, is all he's living for – until they encounter a woman whose trouble just might draw him out of his own.
Four years ago Quinn Reilly did the right thing. Now the man her testimony put in jail is getting out. Though she has put up barriers to protect herself and those around her, she has come to care for the Spencer family, especially the winsome Livie and her mercurial father. Unwilling to put them at risk when the threats begin, she requests something she hopes the super-successful Morgan might be able to deliver.
Fixing problems is what Morgan does best, but his counter-proposal takes them in a direction neither is equipped to handle. Determined to confront the past, will they survive to build a future?
______________________________________
This book was a lot harder to read than most of Kristen's books, it was darker and more emotional.
The book deals mainly with grief and fear.
Morgan is grieving the loss of the wife he had so little time with and the daughter he feels he killed while trying to save.
Quinn is afraid. She did the right thing several years ago but a wedge was driven between her and her family, all but her Grandpa. How far will the man she helped put in jail go when he is released and who will he destroy with her?
Another theme in this book is the malevolent house that Quinn is cleaning out. What happened to the people and what IS the evil presence in the cellar?
A secretive Mother and a search for an unknown Father. An ancient bottle of LSD. A Sister with a mental problem. An overbearing pastor/father. A man conning an entire church in the name of God.
Not to forget the psychopath bent on revenge. All of this makes for a story well worth reading but will leave you emotionally wrung out by the end. While I didn't need a box of tissues I was left doing a lot of thinking in between chapters and after I had finished.
One bright spot in this book is the cutest little girl that everyone will want to hug and “playammals” with. Plus I think we would all love a Grandpa like Quinn's Pops, loving and willing to spend time with a girl who needs a little attention.
One thing to note, this book could be considered rated PG-13 because of the intense and difficult emotions and scenes. I would not give this book to a young teenage girl. I am in my 20's but I had a hard time with some of the themes since I had no personal experience to base from.
Tell Tale Book Reviews (my blog) gives The Breath Of Dawn a 4 Bark (4 star) Rating.
Note: This book is a standalone but for better understanding of the characters and some back-history you should read A Rush Of Wings and The Still Of Night first.
November 15, 2012
Morgan Spencer is one of my favourite fictional characters, but Kristen Heitzmann has been pretty tough on him. In A Rush of Wings, he and his younger brother, Rick, were both after the same girl, and Morgan lost. In The Still of Night he reunited with his high school sweetheart, Jill, as they battled to save the life of their daughter, Kelsey. The Breath of Dawn opens at Jill’s funeral service, with Morgan holding their baby daughter.
Frankly, I thought that after all Morgan had been through in the first two books, he deserved a happy ending with Jill, and I was rather annoyed with Kristen Heitzmann for not allowing him to have that. So, I was a bit hesitant about starting this, but thawed quickly when Jill’s death was described as ‘cruel and excessive’. I like the acknowledgement that we, as readers, aren’t supposed to just forget Jill and move quickly on.
That was one of the underlying themes of the novel: moving on while remaining true to the battles that have gone before. Most of Heitzmann’s contemporary novels are romantic suspense, and this is no exception. Quinn is living under the radar in Juniper Falls, Colorado, not far from Rick Spencer’s ranch. She left home four years ago after her testimony put a man in prison, and has had little contact with her family since.
Quinn is now operating as an eBay seller, cleaning out deceased estates on behalf of the family – her latest project is the house next door to the Spencer ranch, with its piles of clutter, a creepy basement, a history as an insane asylum and a hidden locket. But what is scarier than the basement is the fact that Markham’s sentence is now complete, and he is threatening her. Quinn has befriended the Spencer family, and Morgan, the ‘Success Guru’, offers to help because that’s his style. And perhaps because Quinn is starting to thaw him out from the losses of Kelsey and Jill.
The writing style is quite restrained, in that sometimes there is more in what she leaves out than in what is actually said, particularly when it comes to the romantic tension between the lead characters. She has a dry sense of humour which appeals to me (Morgan’s music playlist “sounded like an orc uprising”), and while the novel is definitely Christian, the faith aspects are understated, consistent with her overall writing style. Although I tend to read suspense rather quickly (impatient to get to the end), I found myself stopping to admire the beautiful writing and use of language. Highly recommended, and one I will certainly reread.
Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
Frankly, I thought that after all Morgan had been through in the first two books, he deserved a happy ending with Jill, and I was rather annoyed with Kristen Heitzmann for not allowing him to have that. So, I was a bit hesitant about starting this, but thawed quickly when Jill’s death was described as ‘cruel and excessive’. I like the acknowledgement that we, as readers, aren’t supposed to just forget Jill and move quickly on.
That was one of the underlying themes of the novel: moving on while remaining true to the battles that have gone before. Most of Heitzmann’s contemporary novels are romantic suspense, and this is no exception. Quinn is living under the radar in Juniper Falls, Colorado, not far from Rick Spencer’s ranch. She left home four years ago after her testimony put a man in prison, and has had little contact with her family since.
Quinn is now operating as an eBay seller, cleaning out deceased estates on behalf of the family – her latest project is the house next door to the Spencer ranch, with its piles of clutter, a creepy basement, a history as an insane asylum and a hidden locket. But what is scarier than the basement is the fact that Markham’s sentence is now complete, and he is threatening her. Quinn has befriended the Spencer family, and Morgan, the ‘Success Guru’, offers to help because that’s his style. And perhaps because Quinn is starting to thaw him out from the losses of Kelsey and Jill.
The writing style is quite restrained, in that sometimes there is more in what she leaves out than in what is actually said, particularly when it comes to the romantic tension between the lead characters. She has a dry sense of humour which appeals to me (Morgan’s music playlist “sounded like an orc uprising”), and while the novel is definitely Christian, the faith aspects are understated, consistent with her overall writing style. Although I tend to read suspense rather quickly (impatient to get to the end), I found myself stopping to admire the beautiful writing and use of language. Highly recommended, and one I will certainly reread.
Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
February 25, 2017
Bir Şafak Vakti.
-- Yeni yazarlarla tanışma hikayeleri ilk başlarda sancılı olabilir. Ancak Kristen Heitzmann kalemi ve kurgusu ile beklentilerimin üstüne fazlasıyla çıktı. Her kesime önerebileceğim, insanın içinde acı-tatlı her anı oluşturan çok sevimli hikayeydi.
Kitabı ilk elime aldığımda açıkçası bir seriye bağlı olduğunu, hele bir de serinin 3. kitabı olduğunu bilmiyordum. Goodreads'te araştırırken keşfettim. O nedenle biraz çekimser kaldım okumak konusunda ya konular iç içeyse diye. Ama iyiki okumuşum dedim.
-- Yeni yazarlarla tanışma hikayeleri ilk başlarda sancılı olabilir. Ancak Kristen Heitzmann kalemi ve kurgusu ile beklentilerimin üstüne fazlasıyla çıktı. Her kesime önerebileceğim, insanın içinde acı-tatlı her anı oluşturan çok sevimli hikayeydi.
Kitabı ilk elime aldığımda açıkçası bir seriye bağlı olduğunu, hele bir de serinin 3. kitabı olduğunu bilmiyordum. Goodreads'te araştırırken keşfettim. O nedenle biraz çekimser kaldım okumak konusunda ya konular iç içeyse diye. Ama iyiki okumuşum dedim.
December 28, 2012
There wasn’t much about this book that I didn’t like. It was a little on the unbelievable side, but that’s what makes for such good fiction. The story takes lots of twists and really stay exciting till the end of the book. There was so much going on I didn’t realize how much had changed in the character’s lives until after I finished it and ended up re-reading the first chapter again.
Quinn seemed to have two different personalities. There was her strong side that she showed the world to keep them from prying into her life. To keep herself hidden and out of harms way. Then there was the side of her that lived inside of her. Always scared that she was going to have to start running at the drop of a hat. When she met Morgan and his little girl Livie she didn’t realize that it was going to change her life in so many ways. Morgan also underestimated what part Quinn would take in his life and his heart. Morgan was one of those people who would give anything to make the people in his life happy. He just happens to have the money to make sure that they are more than happy. He was really endearing. And Livie was such a cute character. Every time she spoke in the book I could hear the cutest little kid voice in my head. Even though Livie wasn’t a main character I think I liked her the best, just because she was such a little cutie when I imagined her in my head.
The writing, as I expected from Heitzmann, was well done. The dialogue was believable and the story was well executed. The only reason I didn’t give this a perfect rating is that given what else I’ve read of Heizmann’s works I was expecting something a little different from this book. It was still really good, and there was some “dark” parts of the story that were true to Heitzmann’s form. I just thought it would be a bit on the darker side I guess. But just because it didn’t stand up to what I was expecting doesn’t mean it wasn’t a really good book.
Quinn seemed to have two different personalities. There was her strong side that she showed the world to keep them from prying into her life. To keep herself hidden and out of harms way. Then there was the side of her that lived inside of her. Always scared that she was going to have to start running at the drop of a hat. When she met Morgan and his little girl Livie she didn’t realize that it was going to change her life in so many ways. Morgan also underestimated what part Quinn would take in his life and his heart. Morgan was one of those people who would give anything to make the people in his life happy. He just happens to have the money to make sure that they are more than happy. He was really endearing. And Livie was such a cute character. Every time she spoke in the book I could hear the cutest little kid voice in my head. Even though Livie wasn’t a main character I think I liked her the best, just because she was such a little cutie when I imagined her in my head.
The writing, as I expected from Heitzmann, was well done. The dialogue was believable and the story was well executed. The only reason I didn’t give this a perfect rating is that given what else I’ve read of Heizmann’s works I was expecting something a little different from this book. It was still really good, and there was some “dark” parts of the story that were true to Heitzmann’s form. I just thought it would be a bit on the darker side I guess. But just because it didn’t stand up to what I was expecting doesn’t mean it wasn’t a really good book.
February 7, 2015
For some reason when I picked this up I didn't realize it was the 3rd book in the series. Though it can be read as a stand alone, I wish I had read the first two books before reading this one.
This was a great story though & I'm glad I read it. Morgan has been through so much, & so has Quinn. It's neat how Morgan is able to help Quinn to see some of the things he's learned over the years. Even though their trials & battles have been different, the knowledge gained from Morgan's experiences help him, as he helps Quinn.
Livie is precious & I loved their interaction with her, especially Morgan's tenderness & care for her. There were several places where I went "Oh no, here comes where they do what they shouldn't. Something stupid they should know better than to do." But I was pleasantly surprised when the characters displayed good common sense, something I find lacking in a lot of novels. There was only one instance when I thought "no, don't do that" & they did anyway. But it was understandable, since as the reader we knew what the character didn't. And them using common sense didn't detract from the story at all :).
I found Quinn's relationship with her family very sad. I'm so glad that Morgan has a great family. I really didn't see the Paris trip coming, it kind of blew me away. But the unexpected is good, when you're reading a book. It amazes me still what you can get done with money & the right connections. Then I figured it was going to be a bumpy road for most of the rest of the book, but again I was pleasantly surprised to find myself wrong.
Toward the end it was kind of tense, a nice climax/showdown with "the prophet". Ms. Heitzmann did a great job though of bringing everything to a nice ending. I wish that things could have ended better for Hannah, & with Quinn's parents...
If you like a little bit of suspense I would highly recommend this book.
This was a great story though & I'm glad I read it. Morgan has been through so much, & so has Quinn. It's neat how Morgan is able to help Quinn to see some of the things he's learned over the years. Even though their trials & battles have been different, the knowledge gained from Morgan's experiences help him, as he helps Quinn.
Livie is precious & I loved their interaction with her, especially Morgan's tenderness & care for her. There were several places where I went "Oh no, here comes where they do what they shouldn't. Something stupid they should know better than to do." But I was pleasantly surprised when the characters displayed good common sense, something I find lacking in a lot of novels. There was only one instance when I thought "no, don't do that" & they did anyway. But it was understandable, since as the reader we knew what the character didn't. And them using common sense didn't detract from the story at all :).
I found Quinn's relationship with her family very sad. I'm so glad that Morgan has a great family. I really didn't see the Paris trip coming, it kind of blew me away. But the unexpected is good, when you're reading a book. It amazes me still what you can get done with money & the right connections. Then I figured it was going to be a bumpy road for most of the rest of the book, but again I was pleasantly surprised to find myself wrong.
Toward the end it was kind of tense, a nice climax/showdown with "the prophet". Ms. Heitzmann did a great job though of bringing everything to a nice ending. I wish that things could have ended better for Hannah, & with Quinn's parents...
If you like a little bit of suspense I would highly recommend this book.
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