March 7, 2005
Kingsbury, a CBA bestselling author, delivers her signature mix of melodrama, formula and genuine emotional punch in this novel about two young rodeo stars and their experiences with Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis. The young leads inhabit Christian romance fiction clichés: Cody Gunner is the ruggedly handsome outdoorsman with a painful past (his backstory, as it happens, is identical to that of the male lead in Susan May Warren's Happily Ever After
) and Ali Daniels is the daintily beautiful yet doggedly determined young cowgirl who wins his heart. Both characters are driven to succeed by a need to overcome hidden pain. Cody has suffered from besetting anger at both of his parents since the day his father left the family because he was unable to handle Cody's brother's Down syndrome. Ali, on the other hand, secretly has cystic fibrosis, and she rides in horse races despite the dust, hay and allergens associated with her sport, which will shorten her already brief life expectancy. When these two predictably fall in love, they provide each other with some measure of healing before the novel reaches its telegraphed conclusion. Despite the plot's limitations, Kingsbury fans will undoubtedly be pleased by more of the inspirational fiction for which this author has become beloved.
April 1, 2005
Determined not to be like his football player dad, who abandoned his family, Cody Gunner throws himself into bull riding until he becomes a national champion. All he cares about is his sport and his handicapped brother until he meets Ali Daniels, a beautiful champion horse rider with a mysterious personal life. What Cody doesn't know is that Ali won't get involved with any man because of the cystic fibrosis that she has been fighting all her life and that killed her little sister. When Ali does allow Cody to get close to her, both will have to trust God and each other to face the uncertain future. Kingsbury has earned many fans with her "Redemption," "Forever Faithful," and "Red Gloves" series, and they will enjoy this romantic title, which may have crossover appeal for readers of Nicholas Sparks's "A Walk To Remember" and "Message in a Bottle." Kingsbury lives in Washington State.
Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.