Book Review: "Freefall" by Kristen Heitzmann

More than meets the eye

First I want to say that I think that this book has one of the most beautiful covers I've seen in a while. I just love the waterfall and all the shades of blue in the scenery. And you notice how everyone always looks better when their hair is blowing in the breeze?

A mysterious girl who can't remember anything about herself is found on the island of Kauai. Mysterious circumstances surround her and those who try to help her including Cameron, a lawyer who takes it into his hands to protect the girl. Bits and pieces of her memory begin to come back, and it is found that the girl is a famous award wining actress Gentry Fox. Gentry, had left her Hollywood life due to scandal, soon finds herself facing someone who is threatening her life and those around her.

I always think that Hawaii is always a great place to have a book setting. It's exotic yet familiar at the same time. The descriptions of the places in the book are lovely and make you feel like you are really there. I liked the book and the suspense storyline, although I felt that the book summary played too much on the Jade/amnesia thing too much, as Gentry gets her memory back pretty quickly in the story. Cameron was a good male lead, even though I felt that his and Gentry's relationship felt a little rushed. His ex-wife was annoying and actually reminded me of Addison from Grey's Anatomy. This book gave an interesting look into the movie industry and what an actress really has to go through. It's not all smiling for cameras and signing autographs. People will do anything to move up in the industry and they will pay any price to reach their goals. I thought it was interesting about how the young boy allowed himself to go along with the story about his "affair" with Gentry, never really thinking about how it really affected the both of them. I also liked the struggle with the kissing scenes that Gentry has while she is acting. They're not "real kisses" but it's very hard to not be involved when you are being intimate with someone. Maybe that's why so many Hollywood couples break up. Very interesting when you think about how the lives of movie stars may not be everything that you see on TV or in magazines.

The story gets a little long near the end, but I still enjoyed it. Kristen Heitzmann has put out another great book.

Freefall by Kristen Heitzmann is published by Bethany House (2006)