"Heartfelt, emotional . . . powerful!"

Kristen Heitzmann is known as a best selling author of numerous Christian titles. Halos is one of her latest releases. In a general sense, it is a modern day rendition of Eleanor H. Porter's Pollyanna (originally published in 1913). But that is only in a general sense. Heitzmann's novel, Halos, offers richer flavor and more modern circumstances, as well as a splash of suspense that keeps readers wanting to continue reading at a fast pace.

Orphaned as a teen, Alessi Moore is reluctantly accepted into the home of her aunt and uncle in Florida. Once of age, her uncle buys his niece a red, Ford Mustang—as a going away gift. In other words, pack your bags Alessi, you have overstayed your welcome.

Free, out on the open road, with no particular destination in mind, Alessi is forced to stop for gas in Colorado. The nearest town? Charity. A devout Christian, she considers the odds of such a named place as a sign from God. Convinced only good things can happen, she takes pleasure in pumping gas while trying to catch falling snowflakes on her tongue—the first real snowfall she has ever witnessed.

All good things must come to an end. Alessi's car is stolen. Except for the gas station attendant, no one else saw the Mustang. The crime is reported to the police. The sheriff is convinced Alessi is lying, that she was stranded, perhaps by an estranged boyfriend. Everything she owned was in that car, including her purse, and identification.

Ben and Dave, who work at the gas station, befriend Alessi in this time of need. Their third roommate, Steve, is not as hospitable—and is leery and suspicious of Alessi and her supposed stranded situation. However, he agrees to let Alessi stay with them, making a mock apartment out of a storeroom in his father's bookstore.

Despite the challenges and hardship facing Alessi, she manages to remain humble and gracious. Though frustrated at the town's lack of law enforcement commitment to take her claim seriously, she does her best to fit in with the people of Charity. What she finds is that the town's name is extremely misleading. What she learns as that she will never be accepted in this backwoods town. The town has buried a terrible secret, a pact, that will, perhaps, forever force her to remain a stranger.

Things only get worse as the car thief begins to torment Alessi. Her car is still in town. Someone has it. She knows it. But no one, not even the town's pastor, will believe her. From worse to pure evil, the car thief has it in for Alessi and will not stop tormenting her until he has rid the town, and perhaps, the world of her.

Exciting characters and an intense plot filled with frustration and faith fill the pages of Halos. From the aggravating beginning—when her car is stolen and Alessi's integrity is called into question, right up until the climatic ending—when faith, hope and love come boldly into play, Halos is that kind of feel-good novel you wish you could get everyone to read. The last sixty or so pages continually moved me to tears, chapter after chapter. Heartfelt, emotional and powerful. Heitzmann is a talented author who knows how to effectively tell a story. This may be the first book I ever read by Heitzmann, but I can promise you, it will not be my last.

Reviewed by Phillip Tomasso
Posted May 2, 2004

Summary

It was the halo that caught her heart between beats and made her pause to take notice. When Alessi Moore drives her red Mustang convertible into town, she wonders if this could be the place she was meant to find, a place to settle down. But when her convertible and all she owns is stolen, she is filled with doubt.