Review: Not nearly as good as Footprints.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 06 11, 2014
“Taking Flight” by Nicky Jayne2 out of 5 starsCan a person be so broken that they are beyond repair?  Can someone be so lost that they can’t be found?  Those are just some of the questions Jayne attempts to answer in “Taking Flight”.We are back in the world of Riley and Tanner, three years after their book ended.  They are now in Texas (although the book is never really clear on how they ended up there) and life has been good to them.  It’s great to catch back up with them and see that their happiness is solid.In this installment of the series the focus shifts to Parker, Tanner’s best friend, and a young woman named Willow.  Parker has experienced tragedy and feels beyond damaged.  I wanted to feel his pain but I just couldn’t.  There isn’t enough character development and back story for me to fully understand where he is coming from.  Instead, he comes off sullen and very much an ass.  He has obviously been defined by his past but the build up and explanation just aren’t there to justify is surly actions.Willow is nave and I had a hard time rooting for her.  She has allowed others to direct her life and struggles to find her independence.  It’s quite obvious that her fiancé is a selfish loser and yet she continues to mourn a relationship that she is much better off without.  I wanted to like her but she is lacking the inner core of strength and backbone that Riley possesses.  As a character, I just felt like she never really found her footing.Together, Parker and Willow spark physically for a brief moment and then they fizzle out.  There wasn’t enough of a connection there for me to really sink my teeth into and invest in.  I wanted a lot more interaction between the two of them.There is a side story with Willow’s ex, Duncan, which makes no sense.  I think it is supposed to be mysterious but it seems out of place and confusing.  Perhaps this will be fleshed out more in subsequent books but here it just doesn’t work.Overall, I wasn’t as impressed with the main characters in this book.  They didn’t seem as developed as Riley and Tanner.  I had a hard time staying focused on the book and it was a struggle to finish it.  Add to that a very shocking twist at the end that feels completely unnecessary and does nothing to further the story and I’m not sure I can recommend it.  If you liked “Footprints” you might be better off to stop with that one and pass this one by.*I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*Shannon, My Secret Book Spot