December 23, 2002
In this contemporary evangelical Christian romance, competent writing mostly overcomes some plot clichés, yielding an enjoyable novel. Spoiled rich girl Noelle St. Claire flees her wealthy daddy's estate in New York after breaking off her engagement to his protégé and junior partner, Michael Fallon, whose impetuous actions have pushed Noelle over the edge. She lands in Juniper Falls, Colo., at a ranch owned by Rick Spencer, a man dedicated to his horses and to God. Noelle is immediately pursued by Rick's charming rogue brother, Morgan—but something is haunting her, and she pushes him away. As the pampered Noelle wrestles the demons of her past and crafts a new identity for herself through her art, she finds that her fear of God is rooted in something traumatic that her mind refuses to remember. She doesn't find healing and resolution until the end of the tale, when she revisits the Catholic cathedral of her childhood. The novel offers some humorous moments in the interactions between the characters, and lovely nature details about the Rocky Mountains. Portions of the plot will seem familiar to regular romance readers (city girl flees home to encounter rugged cowboy in the mountains; damsel in distress is rescued by same), yet a few plot twists keep things interesting. Both Protestant and Catholic readers who like their romance with a large helping of faith will find much to enjoy in Heitzmann's light novel.