What do you think?
Rate this book
A Rush of Wings #1
Dwaalgeest
Flarden van herinneringen en verwarde beelden uit haar jeugd achtervolgen Noëlle St.Claire. In paniek slaat ze op de vlucht.
Wanhopig op zoek naar veiligheid belandt Noëlle op de afgelegen vakantieboerderij van Rick en Morgan Spencer.
Beide broers proberen, ieder op hun eigen manier, door het schild van het gesloten meisje heen te dringen. Is ze echt in gevaar - of bestaat de dreiging alleen in haar hoofd?
Een aangrijpend boek over de invloed van trauma's op relaties tussen mensen.
Wanhopig op zoek naar veiligheid belandt Noëlle op de afgelegen vakantieboerderij van Rick en Morgan Spencer.
Beide broers proberen, ieder op hun eigen manier, door het schild van het gesloten meisje heen te dringen. Is ze echt in gevaar - of bestaat de dreiging alleen in haar hoofd?
Een aangrijpend boek over de invloed van trauma's op relaties tussen mensen.
458 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2003
594 people are currently reading
2756 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 275 reviews
August 2, 2016
I have to say, this is one of the most amazing books I have ever read. It was just something you...you never forget, as if the pages, the words, so found a place in your heart that long after you finish reading, the characters live on because the world seemed so real. It was as if the writer felt everything she wrote. Behind everything that was happening, every scene, every plot-twist, was such heart. The depth of feeling went beyond the words. It became real. So real, in fact, that you could nearly imagine it wasn't a book, but rather someone's real life. I could see it in my head all so vividly. How could I not? There was such detail. Such incredible realism in every place and every character.
The plot was so deep and unbelievably thought out. The depth of it, again, was stunning to me. Everything fit together in ways I might never have figured out on my own, although it was so simple once you read it. How does she write like that?
I have to say, that I would not recommend this book to anyone younger than a mature fifteen or sixteen year old. The content, although a hard fact of life, is a bit too brutish for a young adolescent.
This was a Christian novel with nothing highly inappropriate, although there were a few things that I strongly did not agree with.
I loved the setting of the novel. I love the ranch. The cowboys. The log cabin. Who wouldn't want to live there?
Beautiful, wonderfully-written book. I can't wait to read more from this author. She is now found her way to one of my favorite authoresses!
The plot was so deep and unbelievably thought out. The depth of it, again, was stunning to me. Everything fit together in ways I might never have figured out on my own, although it was so simple once you read it. How does she write like that?
I have to say, that I would not recommend this book to anyone younger than a mature fifteen or sixteen year old. The content, although a hard fact of life, is a bit too brutish for a young adolescent.
This was a Christian novel with nothing highly inappropriate, although there were a few things that I strongly did not agree with.
I loved the setting of the novel. I love the ranch. The cowboys. The log cabin. Who wouldn't want to live there?
Beautiful, wonderfully-written book. I can't wait to read more from this author. She is now found her way to one of my favorite authoresses!
December 28, 2012
A wonderful testimony of how God's perfect love is the only
thing able to change a person's life and heart, A Rush of
Wings has quickly become one of my favorite novels.
Noelle is confused and running away from something she is
not even sure happened. She has always had someone to take
care of her needs and lived the comfortable life riches can
buy. But she is not safe anymore. In her escape, she ends up
in a ranch in Colorado, where she meets Rich and Morgan, two
brothers whose life is turned upside down because of
Noelle's presence. Both of them sense her need to belong,
her need of purpose, as well as her fragility, and seek to
aid her in their best way.
The ranch proves to be an oasis for Noelle. However, she
finds there much more than just a physical refuge; it is the
place that helps her realize there is more to life than the
comforts money can buy. It is where her eyes are open to a
spiritual reality that can fill her emptiness through the
infinite love and care of Her Creator, even if she does not
really care about anything like that. It is in this stage of
her life that her confusion turns into depression and almost
takes her life, but it is also when her soul begins to mend,
thanks to other people's care.
At one point, she decides to go back to her father,
apparently leaving everything - and everyone - behind. But
little by little, she comes to terms with that Creator she
was able to sense in the Colorado mountains, allowing Him to
show her what true love and forgiveness is. By the end,
Noelle is able to say: "Surrendering to Jesus gave me the
only hope I have," finally giving her a true identity and
sense of belonging.
True to Christian principles, this is a highly recommendable
book, fast to read and sure to entice everyone with the
thrills of the story.
Bethany House Publishers gave me a complimentary copy of the
book for review, but this does not bias my opinion on the
book nor on the author.
thing able to change a person's life and heart, A Rush of
Wings has quickly become one of my favorite novels.
Noelle is confused and running away from something she is
not even sure happened. She has always had someone to take
care of her needs and lived the comfortable life riches can
buy. But she is not safe anymore. In her escape, she ends up
in a ranch in Colorado, where she meets Rich and Morgan, two
brothers whose life is turned upside down because of
Noelle's presence. Both of them sense her need to belong,
her need of purpose, as well as her fragility, and seek to
aid her in their best way.
The ranch proves to be an oasis for Noelle. However, she
finds there much more than just a physical refuge; it is the
place that helps her realize there is more to life than the
comforts money can buy. It is where her eyes are open to a
spiritual reality that can fill her emptiness through the
infinite love and care of Her Creator, even if she does not
really care about anything like that. It is in this stage of
her life that her confusion turns into depression and almost
takes her life, but it is also when her soul begins to mend,
thanks to other people's care.
At one point, she decides to go back to her father,
apparently leaving everything - and everyone - behind. But
little by little, she comes to terms with that Creator she
was able to sense in the Colorado mountains, allowing Him to
show her what true love and forgiveness is. By the end,
Noelle is able to say: "Surrendering to Jesus gave me the
only hope I have," finally giving her a true identity and
sense of belonging.
True to Christian principles, this is a highly recommendable
book, fast to read and sure to entice everyone with the
thrills of the story.
Bethany House Publishers gave me a complimentary copy of the
book for review, but this does not bias my opinion on the
book nor on the author.
February 22, 2024
Ahhhhh!! This is such a classic and the nostalgic feelings I have towards this brings me so much joy. The faith in this really helped set up my faith as a teenager that has never left me even when I stepped away to do my own thing for a while before realizing, as in this book, God has always been with me and brought me back under His wings.
The only thing I would say as I age that I don't like is the love triangle in here. I don't care for them as an adult but even that can't take away my love for this book.
READ IT!! You won't be sorry 😭🙌🏼❤️
The only thing I would say as I age that I don't like is the love triangle in here. I don't care for them as an adult but even that can't take away my love for this book.
READ IT!! You won't be sorry 😭🙌🏼❤️
May 3, 2015
Bir çeviri daha bitti, ben de bittim, öldüm sanırım :) Her aksilik bu kitapta başıma geldi, yumuk yumuk şişmiş bir gözlerle ve suratla bitirdim :)
Konu olarak bugüne kadar okuduklarımdan farklıydı. Kötü bir olay yaşayan zengin, biraz çekingen, babası tarafından sürekli korunan bir kız bir anda her şeyini, evini, arabasını, parasını, babasını, nişanlısını arkasında bırakıp yollara düşüyor. En başından bu kızın bir şey yaşadığını anlıyorsunuz, ama ne yaşadığını kendisi de tam hatırlayamıyor ve aklı bastırdığı anılarla başa çıkarken gittikçe zorlanıyor. Nedenini bilmese de kiliseden de, Tanrı kelimesinden de hiç hoşlanmıyor. Bilinçaltının suçu gibi.
En sonunda birkaç günlük yolculuğu Colorado'da Rocky Dağı'nda sona eriyor. Evden yeterince uzaklaştığına inanınca kendine kalacak bir yer buluyor. Rick Spencer'ın at çiftliği. Rick için arazisi, çiftliği, atları ve yüreğini adadığı Tanrı'sından daha kıymetli bir şeyi yok. Rick'in ondan iki yaş büyük ağabeyi de kafasını dinlemek için orada ve daha serseri ruhlu. Rick sessiz bir biçimde işini gücünü yapıp mesafesini korurken, bu ağabeyinin pek umurunda olmuyor.
Noelle eğitimleri sırasında öğrendikleriyle hayatını sürdürmeye çalışırken, bir yandan da çevresindekilerin inançlarını sorguluyor, anlamaya çalışıyor ve korkuyor. Atlarla ilgileniyor ve başından birçok olay geçiyor.
Okurken insanı rahatlatan tarzda bir kitap. Rick'in inancını savunurken ne kadar benzeştiğimizi görebiliyorsunuz, Noelle'in bunları sorgularken arada sırada içimizden geçen soruları duyabiliyor ve Rick'in cevaplarını içselleştirebiliyorsunuz. Yazar doğayı öyle bir anlatıyor, etrafı öyle bir resmediyor ki dağ kokusunu alabiliyorsunuz. Karakterlerin gerçek insanlar olabileceğini görebiliyorsunuz. Hani, yazmak için yazılmış, para için yazılmış gibi değil de, içindeki bir şeyleri paylaşmak için yazılmış gibi.
Zorlu ama güzel bir kitaptı.
Konu olarak bugüne kadar okuduklarımdan farklıydı. Kötü bir olay yaşayan zengin, biraz çekingen, babası tarafından sürekli korunan bir kız bir anda her şeyini, evini, arabasını, parasını, babasını, nişanlısını arkasında bırakıp yollara düşüyor. En başından bu kızın bir şey yaşadığını anlıyorsunuz, ama ne yaşadığını kendisi de tam hatırlayamıyor ve aklı bastırdığı anılarla başa çıkarken gittikçe zorlanıyor. Nedenini bilmese de kiliseden de, Tanrı kelimesinden de hiç hoşlanmıyor. Bilinçaltının suçu gibi.
En sonunda birkaç günlük yolculuğu Colorado'da Rocky Dağı'nda sona eriyor. Evden yeterince uzaklaştığına inanınca kendine kalacak bir yer buluyor. Rick Spencer'ın at çiftliği. Rick için arazisi, çiftliği, atları ve yüreğini adadığı Tanrı'sından daha kıymetli bir şeyi yok. Rick'in ondan iki yaş büyük ağabeyi de kafasını dinlemek için orada ve daha serseri ruhlu. Rick sessiz bir biçimde işini gücünü yapıp mesafesini korurken, bu ağabeyinin pek umurunda olmuyor.
Noelle eğitimleri sırasında öğrendikleriyle hayatını sürdürmeye çalışırken, bir yandan da çevresindekilerin inançlarını sorguluyor, anlamaya çalışıyor ve korkuyor. Atlarla ilgileniyor ve başından birçok olay geçiyor.
Okurken insanı rahatlatan tarzda bir kitap. Rick'in inancını savunurken ne kadar benzeştiğimizi görebiliyorsunuz, Noelle'in bunları sorgularken arada sırada içimizden geçen soruları duyabiliyor ve Rick'in cevaplarını içselleştirebiliyorsunuz. Yazar doğayı öyle bir anlatıyor, etrafı öyle bir resmediyor ki dağ kokusunu alabiliyorsunuz. Karakterlerin gerçek insanlar olabileceğini görebiliyorsunuz. Hani, yazmak için yazılmış, para için yazılmış gibi değil de, içindeki bir şeyleri paylaşmak için yazılmış gibi.
Zorlu ama güzel bir kitaptı.
October 25, 2012
There are some books that you just don’t want to end… can’t put down long enough to swap the cookie trays in the oven… this is one of those books.
Noelle St. Claire (heroine of Ms. Heitzmann’s wonderful book) shakes it up a bit and adds a breath of fresh air to sometimes stale Christian Fiction. Her stubborn streak is a mile wide and the quiet Rick Spencer knows it… there’s no trivial floundering of faith here, the story line cuts right to the heart without being so heavy you leave the Colorado Rockies feeling burdened.
I had conflicting emotions as I read – wanting to find the resolution and wishing the pages of Rick and Noelle and Morgan and Aldebaran weren’t dwindling.
I found a kindred heart with Noelle – her strong will and hurting heart. Her story is full of struggles and triumphs, darkness and hope.
Kristen Heitzmann has written characters of substance. Noelle’s search for truth, both physically and spiritually unravels a journey that reaches to far places of the heart. And Rick’s strong and gentle spirit silently parallels the character of Christ along the way.
An excellent story - a wonderful read!
Noelle St. Claire (heroine of Ms. Heitzmann’s wonderful book) shakes it up a bit and adds a breath of fresh air to sometimes stale Christian Fiction. Her stubborn streak is a mile wide and the quiet Rick Spencer knows it… there’s no trivial floundering of faith here, the story line cuts right to the heart without being so heavy you leave the Colorado Rockies feeling burdened.
I had conflicting emotions as I read – wanting to find the resolution and wishing the pages of Rick and Noelle and Morgan and Aldebaran weren’t dwindling.
I found a kindred heart with Noelle – her strong will and hurting heart. Her story is full of struggles and triumphs, darkness and hope.
Kristen Heitzmann has written characters of substance. Noelle’s search for truth, both physically and spiritually unravels a journey that reaches to far places of the heart. And Rick’s strong and gentle spirit silently parallels the character of Christ along the way.
An excellent story - a wonderful read!
June 6, 2012
My introduction to Christian fiction was this book and I loved it. So much better than I thought it would be. I would also recommend that you read "The Still of Night" by the same author as a follow up to this book. I liked that one even more.
September 13, 2016
This story gripped me until the end; there were some serious plot twists I was not expecting! Fans of romantic suspense will likely enjoy this.
January 31, 2022
Enjoyed this novel of a girl running from her past not knowing where to go. Fortunately God lead her where He wanted her to go. Very exciting adventure for her.
November 7, 2017
Noelle St. Clair is fleeing her life as a pampered, sheltered ‘rich kid’ and has nowhere to go. Unable to use her credit cards or cell phone (she doesn’t want to be traced), she places two thousand dollars in cash in her backpack with some toiletries and a couple of changes of clothing and gets on the bus, headed out of Long Island and for points West.
Ending up on a ranch in Colorado (the only decent place available to rent in the small town), Noelle’s life is about to change... but it is going to be a long time before it changes for the better.
I liked this book because it doesn’t give quick, happy endings. Life is a struggle and often filled with mistakes and pitfalls and can also be threatening. Memories can overwhelm emotion (we are frail human creatures) and take over reason. Noelle needed to find a place of safety but the two brothers, Morgan and Rick, who offer it to her, are vastly different. With her past, how can she ever come to resolution in her own heart, much less trust anyone else’s?
“Something had made her run away, something gave her a jaded eye, caused the panic attacks, the fractured images. Even if she couldn’t remember what, she recognized the effects. Broken trust was not easily fixed, and the only way she knew to be safe was to trust only herself.”
I read this book quickly on my kindle and it kept me going! There are a couple of chapters I would have left out, (not because they were graphic or upsetting), that I considered unnecessary to move the story along.
I enjoyed experiencing Noelle’s decisions, her mistakes, her slow coming-to-grips with life, and the hesitant approach to belief in a God who would allow evil in a treacherous world (something that seems to be a common stumbling block for many).
Morgan and Rick Spencer are brothers who were raised in the same home and yet one is a fervent Christian, and the other (definitely!) not. The author does not shy away from depicting family conflict or differences but she does portray Christianity in a fresh, believable manner. Rick, who seems so mature, has a faith crisis that is neither shallow nor implausible.
Life is hard, and sometimes almost impossible, and it is so refreshing to read a story that doesn’t try to whitewash the questions with pat answers that gloss over the hard places.
“The sadness was still deep inside her and the knowledge that she might never recover what she’d lost as a five-year-old child. But she no longer faced it alone.”
I got a little impatient with Morgan’s character but it was helpful to realize later that his actions were a front to his own pain. There are so many different facets to how we handle the experiences of life, and the author is able to creatively address how individual we truly are.
Ending up on a ranch in Colorado (the only decent place available to rent in the small town), Noelle’s life is about to change... but it is going to be a long time before it changes for the better.
I liked this book because it doesn’t give quick, happy endings. Life is a struggle and often filled with mistakes and pitfalls and can also be threatening. Memories can overwhelm emotion (we are frail human creatures) and take over reason. Noelle needed to find a place of safety but the two brothers, Morgan and Rick, who offer it to her, are vastly different. With her past, how can she ever come to resolution in her own heart, much less trust anyone else’s?
“Something had made her run away, something gave her a jaded eye, caused the panic attacks, the fractured images. Even if she couldn’t remember what, she recognized the effects. Broken trust was not easily fixed, and the only way she knew to be safe was to trust only herself.”
I read this book quickly on my kindle and it kept me going! There are a couple of chapters I would have left out, (not because they were graphic or upsetting), that I considered unnecessary to move the story along.
I enjoyed experiencing Noelle’s decisions, her mistakes, her slow coming-to-grips with life, and the hesitant approach to belief in a God who would allow evil in a treacherous world (something that seems to be a common stumbling block for many).
Morgan and Rick Spencer are brothers who were raised in the same home and yet one is a fervent Christian, and the other (definitely!) not. The author does not shy away from depicting family conflict or differences but she does portray Christianity in a fresh, believable manner. Rick, who seems so mature, has a faith crisis that is neither shallow nor implausible.
Life is hard, and sometimes almost impossible, and it is so refreshing to read a story that doesn’t try to whitewash the questions with pat answers that gloss over the hard places.
“The sadness was still deep inside her and the knowledge that she might never recover what she’d lost as a five-year-old child. But she no longer faced it alone.”
I got a little impatient with Morgan’s character but it was helpful to realize later that his actions were a front to his own pain. There are so many different facets to how we handle the experiences of life, and the author is able to creatively address how individual we truly are.
August 16, 2018
I can't finish it. I'd rather have a root canal at this point, this story is so painfully awful.
I'm listening to the audiobook for one, and the narrator is fine with female voices, but all of her male characters tend to have a nasal, clipped old-man-from-the-Ozarks voice I can't handle. Sometimes I can even hear a hint of the Surfing Bird in there. Not pretty.
I started listening to Heitzman's books to move towards more Christian fiction than non, but in the same sense as Dee Henderson's obnoxiously sappy, never ending 7-fake-siblings stories, I can see why Christian fiction is struggling. I don't know if there's just not enough good writers in this genre or what, but we need more to fill a terrible void, and Henderson and Heitzman write saccharine tripe where amnesia abounds in every second or third book, the female protagonist is always "drop dead gorgeous" or "fragile as glass" AND "breathtakingly beautiful," and so on. Typical trashy romance-minus-the-trash. And the men are overly sensitive to and even read the minds and "tremblings" of the women they're fawning over (barf) I'll stop before I have a laughing fit.
I enjoyed a couple of her other books, but this one is a true thumbs DOWN. Sorry ladies.
AMENDED: I did go ahead and finish it. I hate leaving loose ends and I felt like I had to know WHY she acted like a nutjob. The ending is actually surprising, and while I still don't like the book, I did like the following book #3 in the series so I caved. Still a thumbs down on this one. But I'm on to Book #2, even tho I know how that one ends, thanks to reading Book #3 first. I'm a rebel like that.
I'm listening to the audiobook for one, and the narrator is fine with female voices, but all of her male characters tend to have a nasal, clipped old-man-from-the-Ozarks voice I can't handle. Sometimes I can even hear a hint of the Surfing Bird in there. Not pretty.
I started listening to Heitzman's books to move towards more Christian fiction than non, but in the same sense as Dee Henderson's obnoxiously sappy, never ending 7-fake-siblings stories, I can see why Christian fiction is struggling. I don't know if there's just not enough good writers in this genre or what, but we need more to fill a terrible void, and Henderson and Heitzman write saccharine tripe where amnesia abounds in every second or third book, the female protagonist is always "drop dead gorgeous" or "fragile as glass" AND "breathtakingly beautiful," and so on. Typical trashy romance-minus-the-trash. And the men are overly sensitive to and even read the minds and "tremblings" of the women they're fawning over (barf) I'll stop before I have a laughing fit.
I enjoyed a couple of her other books, but this one is a true thumbs DOWN. Sorry ladies.
AMENDED: I did go ahead and finish it. I hate leaving loose ends and I felt like I had to know WHY she acted like a nutjob. The ending is actually surprising, and while I still don't like the book, I did like the following book #3 in the series so I caved. Still a thumbs down on this one. But I'm on to Book #2, even tho I know how that one ends, thanks to reading Book #3 first. I'm a rebel like that.
June 8, 2025
3.5 stars
I really liked the story and the characters and I was really invested in the plot, but the writing style annoyed me at times. Definitely one of the better Christian fiction books I've read...but not my top genre lol.
p.s. I don't think characters should be described as "an inverted spark plug". 😂
I really liked the story and the characters and I was really invested in the plot, but the writing style annoyed me at times. Definitely one of the better Christian fiction books I've read...but not my top genre lol.
p.s. I don't think characters should be described as "an inverted spark plug". 😂
July 26, 2020
Noelle was clearly suffering from something in her past that was being triggered by just about everything around her, so she runs. She leaves a message on her father's voice mail, withdraws $2000 from her account and takes herself to Colorado, to a very remote area where she can't be found.
There she gets a room at a ranch/retreat spot and tries not only to escape and forget, but heal. We get the impression that her fiancé did something to make her scared enough to break it off, and doesn't want him to find her.
While there, she comes to know two very different brothers. One (Rick) is a Christian and the owner of the ranch, the other (Morgan) seems to be a free spirited unbeliever who just wants to have a good time. Attracted to Morgan because he seems not to want anything from her but a fun time, she also finds Rick intriguing because of how aloof he is.
Maintaining her control and not letting anyone in, nor sharing anything deep about herself, she lives at the Ranch in seclusion and safety until several things shake her. There’s a fire and a horse accident. That's bad enough, but then Morgan leaves which means getting to know Rick better (all the while rejecting the faith he shares). Eventually she's forced to leave the ranch, take up residence in a dingy shack and run out of money.
Okay...my opinion...
A number of people gave 1-star reviews because they didn't like Noelle. She had too many panic episodes, and snits, and pushing away anyone coming close to her. The reviewers felt the author made her unlikable.
However, I've seen repressed memories coming out of a woman because of people brutally and sexually abusing a her when she was young. I can tell you, it does some awful things to a person. It can transform a seemingly happy person into a scared, unsure person who suffers every time memories surface. It happened almost like what I read from this character. So I can't fault the author for writing it so often in the book...her episodes, her removal from reality, her confusion and remoteness. It's very real, very gripping.
Kudos to the author for not being graphic. What we see are glimpses of foggy scary things, but none of the actual horrible events. That sort of writing can make a person uneasy enough to put a book down forever. No, the author did it with sensitivity, while keeping the reader riveted.
Good book. Great presentation of the gospel and many aspects of faith without being preachy.
Loved it! Recommend it!
There she gets a room at a ranch/retreat spot and tries not only to escape and forget, but heal. We get the impression that her fiancé did something to make her scared enough to break it off, and doesn't want him to find her.
While there, she comes to know two very different brothers. One (Rick) is a Christian and the owner of the ranch, the other (Morgan) seems to be a free spirited unbeliever who just wants to have a good time. Attracted to Morgan because he seems not to want anything from her but a fun time, she also finds Rick intriguing because of how aloof he is.
Maintaining her control and not letting anyone in, nor sharing anything deep about herself, she lives at the Ranch in seclusion and safety until several things shake her. There’s a fire and a horse accident. That's bad enough, but then Morgan leaves which means getting to know Rick better (all the while rejecting the faith he shares). Eventually she's forced to leave the ranch, take up residence in a dingy shack and run out of money.
Okay...my opinion...
A number of people gave 1-star reviews because they didn't like Noelle. She had too many panic episodes, and snits, and pushing away anyone coming close to her. The reviewers felt the author made her unlikable.
However, I've seen repressed memories coming out of a woman because of people brutally and sexually abusing a her when she was young. I can tell you, it does some awful things to a person. It can transform a seemingly happy person into a scared, unsure person who suffers every time memories surface. It happened almost like what I read from this character. So I can't fault the author for writing it so often in the book...her episodes, her removal from reality, her confusion and remoteness. It's very real, very gripping.
Kudos to the author for not being graphic. What we see are glimpses of foggy scary things, but none of the actual horrible events. That sort of writing can make a person uneasy enough to put a book down forever. No, the author did it with sensitivity, while keeping the reader riveted.
Good book. Great presentation of the gospel and many aspects of faith without being preachy.
Loved it! Recommend it!
January 8, 2013
Christian Fiction. Good story Just when you think you have figured out the pieces, something else happens. As always I had to cry at the end!
July 14, 2020
This is my 3rd Heitzman book & what’s unique about each one is that all 3 leading ladies have amnesia or repressed memories that slowly form & give the full picture. Very interesting!
This book is my favorite so far 😊 The main guy, Rick, was such a sweetie. So patient, kind, & creative with his wood working 🤎 I don’t think I would’ve liked Noelle in real life but I did like watching her come to faith in her creator & move forward from her troubled past 💜
This book is my favorite so far 😊 The main guy, Rick, was such a sweetie. So patient, kind, & creative with his wood working 🤎 I don’t think I would’ve liked Noelle in real life but I did like watching her come to faith in her creator & move forward from her troubled past 💜
December 16, 2010
We first meet Noelle at a bus terminal, fleeing from ... something ... she can't quite remember. The images are fragmented and broken, but it appears that her former fiancee Michael, her father's protege', has something to do with it.
Noelle eventually finds her way to a Colorado mountain town that appeals to her. She inquires at a local shop, and is told of two places that may have space to rent to her. The first is a rundown house. The second entails a hike up the mountain to a horse ranch, where she meets two brothers, Rick (the owner) and Morgan. Rick runs a Christian ranch, and his guests arrive by word-of-mouth. Unfortunately, the cottages are booked up for the season, but Morgan talks his brother into letting Noelle rent a room at the main house, which goes against Rick's policy of letting rooms to single female guests; however, for some reason, Rick feels that Noelle is in need of a safe place.
As Morgan attempts to woo Noelle, she welcomes his friendship, but rejects his advances. Afraid to use her credit cards or pull money from the bank for fear of being traced, Noelle finds a way to make her own way by selling her artwork at a local shop.
Michael Fallon, her ex-fiancee', is enraged that Noelle would leave. In his mind, he loves her, and what happened between them was an isolated incident. He sets one of his former clients to work tracking her.
William St. Claire, Noelle's father, is worried, but Noelle HAD left a message for him letting him know she was all right. He can't figure out why she was calling from a small town in Ohio, but she is twenty-three, and old enough to make up her own mind. He keeps this information to himself, as he puzzles over how much Michael had to do with her decision to leave. He has kept Noelle safe and sheltered since a frightening incident when she was five years old, but maybe it's time for her to spread her wings.
For me, this story was a bit saccharine, but that's just my own reading taste. Even understanding that Noelle had something bad happen to her didn't help me feel a lot of sympathy for a fragile personality that could so easily break apart because of one incident. Later on, with the understanding that the incident when she was five made her fragile to begin with, I understood a bit more, but I think I'm much more attracted to strong female characters.
There is some romance and suspense, and we finally gain an understanding of why Noelle is so set against God and religion in general.
QUOTES
Who was the real Noelle? What did Morgan hope to see? The person she had been? The helpless, pleasing, dutiful person others rules? She had left her behind as a snake sheds its skin, leaves it lying useless in the sand.
Now the last of her resistance melted and she surrendered to the incredible love. The sadness was still deep inside her and the knowledge that she might never recover what she'd lost as a five-year-old child. But she no longer faced it alone.
Noelle eventually finds her way to a Colorado mountain town that appeals to her. She inquires at a local shop, and is told of two places that may have space to rent to her. The first is a rundown house. The second entails a hike up the mountain to a horse ranch, where she meets two brothers, Rick (the owner) and Morgan. Rick runs a Christian ranch, and his guests arrive by word-of-mouth. Unfortunately, the cottages are booked up for the season, but Morgan talks his brother into letting Noelle rent a room at the main house, which goes against Rick's policy of letting rooms to single female guests; however, for some reason, Rick feels that Noelle is in need of a safe place.
As Morgan attempts to woo Noelle, she welcomes his friendship, but rejects his advances. Afraid to use her credit cards or pull money from the bank for fear of being traced, Noelle finds a way to make her own way by selling her artwork at a local shop.
Michael Fallon, her ex-fiancee', is enraged that Noelle would leave. In his mind, he loves her, and what happened between them was an isolated incident. He sets one of his former clients to work tracking her.
William St. Claire, Noelle's father, is worried, but Noelle HAD left a message for him letting him know she was all right. He can't figure out why she was calling from a small town in Ohio, but she is twenty-three, and old enough to make up her own mind. He keeps this information to himself, as he puzzles over how much Michael had to do with her decision to leave. He has kept Noelle safe and sheltered since a frightening incident when she was five years old, but maybe it's time for her to spread her wings.
For me, this story was a bit saccharine, but that's just my own reading taste. Even understanding that Noelle had something bad happen to her didn't help me feel a lot of sympathy for a fragile personality that could so easily break apart because of one incident. Later on, with the understanding that the incident when she was five made her fragile to begin with, I understood a bit more, but I think I'm much more attracted to strong female characters.
There is some romance and suspense, and we finally gain an understanding of why Noelle is so set against God and religion in general.
QUOTES
Who was the real Noelle? What did Morgan hope to see? The person she had been? The helpless, pleasing, dutiful person others rules? She had left her behind as a snake sheds its skin, leaves it lying useless in the sand.
Now the last of her resistance melted and she surrendered to the incredible love. The sadness was still deep inside her and the knowledge that she might never recover what she'd lost as a five-year-old child. But she no longer faced it alone.
October 23, 2010
This book had a lot of potential. I read a lot of Christian fiction and I get really tired of reading the same storyline that usually focuses around a miscommunication between the main characters or a dramatic conversion story. This author came up with a unique storyline that kept me guessing. It was more of a mystery/romance that dealt with a serious subject.
That being said, I thought that the authors' writing was more than aggravating. The author constantly used simple, repetitive, and long descriptions in her writing. That's not a good combination! She included many unnecessary details and facts. For instance, do I really need to read about the different steps to making bread? How did that add to the storyline??? The author also spent way too much writing time with the characters' thoughts. After reading about 10% of the book, I fell into an easy pattern of reading the dialog and then skimming through the book until there was more dialog. I followed the storyline just fine this way and was relieved from some of the boredom. Her writing was more than tiresome. The author could have easily shaved off 1/2 of the book and been fine.
Although I liked that the plot was different for Christian fiction, I thought that the author executed it very poorly. I didn't feel like any of the characters were fully developed. Although some were definitely more developed than others. I thought that Morgan was too vague. His character seemed to have a lot of depth but the author always kept him at a distance and seemed to only insert him when the storyline dragged. Also, Noelle was too much the damsel in distress for my taste. I understand that she went through a trauma but I like my heroines to have a little more pluck then she did. She was just screaming "helpless" and "fragile". Spoiler alert: She literally would have starved to death if Rick hadn't saved her! After always needing Rick to come to her rescue, couldn't she have at least come to him at the end of the book? Instead, Rick found the courage to approach her and she weakly said, "okay" to his marriage proposal. Please. The author built up the plot and then rushed the ending. It left me very unsatisfied. I thought that it was an easy-out to have Michael commit suicide.
Overall, the book definitely plunged into different territory for Christian fiction. If you can get over the author's writing or become an expert at skimming, this book could be enjoyable... maybe.
That being said, I thought that the authors' writing was more than aggravating. The author constantly used simple, repetitive, and long descriptions in her writing. That's not a good combination! She included many unnecessary details and facts. For instance, do I really need to read about the different steps to making bread? How did that add to the storyline??? The author also spent way too much writing time with the characters' thoughts. After reading about 10% of the book, I fell into an easy pattern of reading the dialog and then skimming through the book until there was more dialog. I followed the storyline just fine this way and was relieved from some of the boredom. Her writing was more than tiresome. The author could have easily shaved off 1/2 of the book and been fine.
Although I liked that the plot was different for Christian fiction, I thought that the author executed it very poorly. I didn't feel like any of the characters were fully developed. Although some were definitely more developed than others. I thought that Morgan was too vague. His character seemed to have a lot of depth but the author always kept him at a distance and seemed to only insert him when the storyline dragged. Also, Noelle was too much the damsel in distress for my taste. I understand that she went through a trauma but I like my heroines to have a little more pluck then she did. She was just screaming "helpless" and "fragile". Spoiler alert: She literally would have starved to death if Rick hadn't saved her! After always needing Rick to come to her rescue, couldn't she have at least come to him at the end of the book? Instead, Rick found the courage to approach her and she weakly said, "okay" to his marriage proposal. Please. The author built up the plot and then rushed the ending. It left me very unsatisfied. I thought that it was an easy-out to have Michael commit suicide.
Overall, the book definitely plunged into different territory for Christian fiction. If you can get over the author's writing or become an expert at skimming, this book could be enjoyable... maybe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2010
This book is billed a Christian romantic suspense and it lives up to all three parts of that billing. While at first I thought this would be one of those Christian novels where "Christian" meant blessings before meals and a mention that they attended church on Sunday, but the end of the book it was very much one of those where the characters had to make their peace with God before they could live happily ever after. It is romantic, well because there is a girl and three guys who want her. Suspense--why is she running? What happened.
Kristen Heitzmann drops hints about what happened long before the total truth is revealed, and while I guessed a little wrong, in general, the outcome of the book was no surprise. I think Heitzmann did a great job of creating a heavy mood throughout the book.
I enjoyed the book and will look for the next one in the series. Grade: B+
Thanks to Bethany House for providing a complimentary review copy. I was specifically told that negative reviews were acceptable.
Mild Spoiler
By the end of the book the Christian elements become the center of the story. Both the hero and the heroine were baptized Catholic. Her mom died when she was six, and her father wasn't a believer so she never went to church again. She does find her faith through speaking to a Catholic priest. He lives in Colorado in a small town and attended a small chapel there where a visiting priest made the rounds once a month, and "Pastor Tom" held services the other weeks. Once they decided to marry, the priest instrumental in her conversion marries them within hours. The hero always prays before they eat, but he never makes the Sign of the Cross. In short, while this book is by no means critical of Catholicism, it's depiction of Catholicism isn't accurate.
Kristen Heitzmann drops hints about what happened long before the total truth is revealed, and while I guessed a little wrong, in general, the outcome of the book was no surprise. I think Heitzmann did a great job of creating a heavy mood throughout the book.
I enjoyed the book and will look for the next one in the series. Grade: B+
Thanks to Bethany House for providing a complimentary review copy. I was specifically told that negative reviews were acceptable.
Mild Spoiler
By the end of the book the Christian elements become the center of the story. Both the hero and the heroine were baptized Catholic. Her mom died when she was six, and her father wasn't a believer so she never went to church again. She does find her faith through speaking to a Catholic priest. He lives in Colorado in a small town and attended a small chapel there where a visiting priest made the rounds once a month, and "Pastor Tom" held services the other weeks. Once they decided to marry, the priest instrumental in her conversion marries them within hours. The hero always prays before they eat, but he never makes the Sign of the Cross. In short, while this book is by no means critical of Catholicism, it's depiction of Catholicism isn't accurate.
Read
September 22, 2018This is the first book I've ever marked 'DNF' and because of that, I'm not going to officially rate it. But if I was, it would be about 1.5 stars. I feel so bad about this, but I can't take any more.
I got to page 400, so I cannot comment on any content after that.
I had two problems with this book: 1) The stereotypes. Every Christian was super Christian and every nonChristian was super nonChristian. Then the runaway girl was super independent and the good dude was too chill and understanding.
2) The psychology of the MC. The MC had two major instances of trauma in her life and was reacting. BUT, it was awful and very shallow. When you have a trauma, there is always the life before and then the life after. MC was acting as though there was only the time after. Then to make it worse, there was no acknowledgement that this wasn't normal. If you go through a trauma event and start acting like the MC, you 99.5% of the time admit that your actions are not normal.
This could have been fixed, however, if the MC was 21 instead of 23. But alas, it was not meant to be.
I'm just thankful this wasn't the book recommended to me and the actual recommended book is different so I can just skip to it because I'm pretty sure it can't get any worse than this. (And it wasn't that bad, I just get really picky with these kinds of situations.)
Recommended 15+ for legal talk, romance, scary situations, kidnapping of a minor (mentioned in passing detail from what I read and not sure about anything past 400), and
I got to page 400, so I cannot comment on any content after that.
I had two problems with this book: 1) The stereotypes. Every Christian was super Christian and every nonChristian was super nonChristian. Then the runaway girl was super independent and the good dude was too chill and understanding.
2) The psychology of the MC. The MC had two major instances of trauma in her life and was reacting. BUT, it was awful and very shallow. When you have a trauma, there is always the life before and then the life after. MC was acting as though there was only the time after. Then to make it worse, there was no acknowledgement that this wasn't normal. If you go through a trauma event and start acting like the MC, you 99.5% of the time admit that your actions are not normal.
This could have been fixed, however, if the MC was 21 instead of 23. But alas, it was not meant to be.
I'm just thankful this wasn't the book recommended to me and the actual recommended book is different so I can just skip to it because I'm pretty sure it can't get any worse than this. (And it wasn't that bad, I just get really picky with these kinds of situations.)
Recommended 15+ for legal talk, romance, scary situations, kidnapping of a minor (mentioned in passing detail from what I read and not sure about anything past 400), and
June 21, 2017
It took me a little while to get into this book, mostly because I accidentally read the second book in the series first and already knew the basic outcome and some of the key revelations.
I kept going though and soon found myself enveloped by the plot. Heitzmann creates plots that slowly suck you in, make you care deeply about all of the characters and even imagine yourself as these characters. With the exception of the occasional villain (not a problem in this particular book), Heitzmann's characters live and breathe through the pages. She paints the picture so well that these characters are more than three-dimensional; they are real, substantial.
I really enjoyed this book which will remain on my shelf having survived round two of the "purge" of my personal collection.
I kept going though and soon found myself enveloped by the plot. Heitzmann creates plots that slowly suck you in, make you care deeply about all of the characters and even imagine yourself as these characters. With the exception of the occasional villain (not a problem in this particular book), Heitzmann's characters live and breathe through the pages. She paints the picture so well that these characters are more than three-dimensional; they are real, substantial.
I really enjoyed this book which will remain on my shelf having survived round two of the "purge" of my personal collection.
May 11, 2018
This was looooong and boring. I would not have read past the first few chapters if I were reading it instead of listening to it at double speed. I didn’t like what was done with Michael, even though he was a despicable character. I was going to be generous and give the book two stars, but then at the end one of the men told Noelle, That statement earns a downgrade on the rating from me. If the author thinks that statement is realistic, she needs to have a talk with an adult male who will be honest with her and tell her how men really think.
November 7, 2012
I loved this novel. Every image is carefully formed to be crystal clear, where you can smell the dusty horses and see the gold aspen leaves against the clear blue sky. The characters are fully fleshed and compelling. Even Rick and Morgan's extended family. Although the Christmas spent with the Spencer family almost felt too perfect, it was a good contrast for the life Noelle used to lead; showing her just how different life could be with Jesus as your Savior. It made me wish I could celebrate with them this Christmas.
Rush of Wings isn't a Christmas specific story, but what better way to honor the birth of our Savior, than a story of healing, redemption, hope and the ultimate love?
Rush of Wings isn't a Christmas specific story, but what better way to honor the birth of our Savior, than a story of healing, redemption, hope and the ultimate love?
October 18, 2012
Wow! A recent donation to our church library, I picked up this and one other of hers to review for appropriateness for our library. Loved it! These are exactly the kinds of books I love to read. Drama, suspense, a little romance... right up my alley. Leaves me cheering for God as the victor and with new thoughts, ideas and convictions about how I need to keep God in first place in my lift. When done, I went straight to the public library and ordered in several more of her books, intending to read them all. Great fiction, not just fluff, but something all can learn something from.
February 16, 2018
Ugh. I tried. I finally had to give it up. This is dreck. Spoiled rich girl tries to make it on her own, comes across predictable difficulties and what I’m assuming will turn into a love triangle. (I’m giving up at 20% read so I can’t guarantee that it will progress that way)
I can’t handle cringing at her sophomoric internal dialogue any more, or the “magic touch” she has with the horses (Spoiler: if you are a “professional equestrian”, you’re smart enough to know the difference between English and Western)
This is the sort of book that gives Christian fiction a bad name.
I can’t handle cringing at her sophomoric internal dialogue any more, or the “magic touch” she has with the horses (Spoiler: if you are a “professional equestrian”, you’re smart enough to know the difference between English and Western)
This is the sort of book that gives Christian fiction a bad name.
April 21, 2018
3.5 stars. I loved certain parts of this book but I thought other parts were long and drawn out. I agree with the reviewers who said it should be edited and that it was too wordy. That being said, if you aren’t afraid of a long book that is slow, it is a beautiful story of true romance. This is a book of healing and a journey to finding peace and joy through God first. This book is a powerful story of how God can transform our life and give us true joy. I liked this book, I just didn’t love it.
April 2, 2015
Captivating. Riveting. First page grabbed my attention, and I didn't want to put it down. I love the way the back story is fed to the reader in bits and pieces. Just enough to make sense, but never so much to tell the whole situation. Masterfully written. Having experienced a similar situation, I can say the author truly captured the essence of how it feels to live through trauma and only remember emotions and glimpses of reality. Great story well written with a good twist.
October 16, 2010
I am surprised how much I enjoyed this book, as someone who does not ascribe to religion and has been reading quite a few Christian fiction book thanks to Amazon Kindle freebies. The character of Noelle was engaging, and the differences between all the characters was well done. The story was well-paced too. I would definitely be interested in other works by this author.
July 28, 2012
This was another book that was hard to put down. The hurt and terrified girl running from a violent past ends up hiding on a ranch in Colorado where she meets to handsome, but very different brothers, both who fall in love with her. I couldn't wait to see what would happen and was so happy to finish the story of one of the brothers in the sequel!
November 6, 2012
I can only say that once again Kristen has done it again.....after reading the Michelli family series , and loving it so much I was excited to read something else by this same author.....this book was beautiful! It had suspense, romance, drama, healing, forgiveness and the best part was that it showed howGod really moves in mysterious ways for His glory....loved this book!
March 26, 2010
Noelle ends up in a small town in Colorado because she is running from her high provilaged life back home and from an encounter and memories that haunt her. This has a great love story and lots of hope.
July 12, 2010
Pretty decent. Definitely for mature audiences as this deals with child abuse, but more of the recovery process from an adult perspective. Done is such a way to show how much we need HIM (the Lord).
Good love story too, though a bit cheesy.
Good love story too, though a bit cheesy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 275 reviews