Told You series

Author Kristen Heitzmann has penned another compelling story of redemption with elements of romance, suspense, and her signature subtle humor with her latest indie release, Told You Twice (“Told You” series #2). She again tackles gritty subjects with class and a refreshing straightforwardness. I think she has found a niche in addressing plot elements not commonly found in the mainstream Christian fiction market in a way that serves as an outreach to mainstream readers (Bravo, Kristen!).

Read my review of Told You So by clicking here!

From the lights of Broadway to the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, winning her heart might cost him everything

Alexis Murphy is done messing with the wrong kinds of men. She could not be happier planning a personalized Grace Evangeline wedding with her fiancé, Jeffrey, who is so…right for her. Or is he?

Stage star and spokesmodel, Bo Corrigan, could be the ultimate disruption. Alexis—Exi—is caught by his talent and sexual magnetism. Yet under the glow, she senses trouble, not only danger from Bo’s past mistakes, but something inside tearing him apart.

From the moment Bo sees Exi, he knows she’s special, but not only that—she’s real. Unlike the theater scene he’s been immersed in, she sees the man he is and won’t stop until she’s reached inside and brought that person from despair to life … if only they have time. With violent forces against them, can they get beyond the damage to love that heals and restores?

Find this book on Amazon | Goodreads | Kristen’s Website

Once more, Kristen has penned a story that goes beyond its classification as a contemporary romance/suspense and instead delves deep into the heart of its characters in a realistic way. With brilliant dialogue and subtle humor, this layered story exposes

My favorite quote from the book! Bo really needed to hear this bit of wisdom at the time.

everyone’s desperate needs of acceptance and forgiveness.

Exi, for instance, has such a genuine soul. She initially lacks a certain confidence and really needs someone to believe in her, though. While Bo undergoes the most dynamic transformation (and what a journey of healing it is!!!), Exi’s quiet and subtle growth over the course of the story stood out to me as a testament to her character.

It’s hard to talk about Bo’s character with no spoilers! So I’ll be careful. 🙂 I’ll just say that he has long believed a lie about himself and his perspective on life needed a major overhaul. It is neat to see how Exi’s personality draws out the real person inside Bo, the one hurting over loss and trying to hide behind his celebrity. Through the combined influence of Exi, Grace, and a few other unexpected characters, he gradually begins to see life through a lens of forgiveness. His eyes are opened in the most unlikely way when the people around him start to break through his walls.

The message of healing this story tells is at times heartbreaking and beautiful. The simplicity of redemption found in its pages is communicated best with this quote:

“…love, trust, forgiveness, and faith can fill the shadows with light and hope.” –Told You Twice, chapter 20, by Kristen Heitzmann

On another note, huge fans of book 1 (ahem, like me), will be happy to see Grace and Devin back and still the same! They are still sparring, flirting, and complimenting each other’s personalities. I was so happy to “spend time” with them as secondary characters and to see that they are important to Bo and Exi in different ways. And that they are still growing, still in love, and still learning lessons on what it means to live out their faith in this crazy world.

Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Today I’m excited to share my review of Kristen Heitzmann‘s latest independent release, Told You So, the first in a new series. Having been a fan of Kristen for a while, I was super excited to read something new from her. To describe this story as unexpected hardly begins to communicate what Kristen has penned between the pages. While it’s classified as a rom-com/drama, it’s really so much more and much deeper than that.

Book summary: From the minute Grace Evangeline throws her sweet tea in Devin Bressard’s face, their battle of wits and cross-purposes overtakes their lives. Sassy “angelic” Grace Evangeline will stop at nothing to see her romance novel produced for Broadway. Devin Bressard knows all about the commercial success of Ms. Evangeline’s “novels”—as far from his literary, nerve-striking plays as anything could be. Grace intends to pull his head out of the rarefied air long enough to make her point, even if it involves stalking him and infiltrating his friends and colleagues. It’s research, after all. Devin knows she’s trouble, but who would guess the spokesperson for strength and virtue would be a calamity vortex? He mounts a fierce resistance, but when he’s forced to work with Grace, his profession and sanity aren’t the only things at risk. Collapsing walls on both sides bring a detente that could shatter their bond—or resound through more lives than their own.

My thoughts: This book is like nothing I’ve ever come across. Granted, every story is unique in some way, even those taking cliche plots and tweaking them to suit…. but this is something else. Maybe it’s the premise, the characters, the dramatic and out-of-left-field plot twist, or just Kristen Heitzmann in every way. It’s the perfect combination of drama and humor, with vivid characters and a hint of suspense.

The witty and layered dialogue alone is worth note. While never mediocre, the conversations between characters can go from funny to personally revealing to reminiscent in a paragraph.

The story follows realistic characters and deals with raw — sometimes painful — honesty. It explores failings and mistakes with the beauty of forgiveness.

Both Grace and Devin escape into their own worlds of writing. When thrown together, their personalities and opposite approaches tear down emotional walls each has built. They are both reluctant to reveal hurts from the past because they are scared of vulnerability (and mistakenly rely on assumptions about each other). Grace and Devin really get under your skin and into your heart.

To comment any further on how the plot moves and delves into unexpected territory for all of the characters would spoil it further! I’m going to end simply by stating it explores the idea of sacrifice and the importance of mercy. It is a beautiful example of God’s plan and purpose prevailing even amidst chaos and imperfection.

I do want to note the content of this novel is just outside of what you might expect in the CBA market. (Think maybe PG13). It does contain a few very mild slang terms, and some suggestive content is implied. Like Rissi explained, it always remains classy! I say bravo to Kristen for choosing to release it independently, because this story carries a message that needs to be heard as-is.