Fiction Friday | Oslo Overtures by Marion Ueckermann

As many of you know, South African Christian author Marion Ueckermann is now with Jesus. This is a repost of my review of Oslo Overtures, my favourite Marion Ueckermann romance … not least because it’s got a Kiwi main character.

Sheppard meets Angel

Anjelica Joergensen—Angel—is one of the few females in the male-dominated world of professional wingsuit flyers. Not only is it a dangerous occupation, it’s one which attracts daredevils with too little thought for safety. She’s lost her heart to a fellow wingsuiter once before, and isn’t going to make the same mistake twice.

Kyle Sheppard has travelled all the way from New Zealand to Norway with his wingsuit team to participate in a record-setting jump as part of Norway’s National Day celebrations. He immediately gets off on the wrong foot with the pretty wingsuiter, which is unfortunate as he is attracted to her. But he’s not interested in anyone who doesn’t share his Christian faith, and she doesn’t seem to be interested in him, either …

It’s great to see a Kiwi character in a Christian novel, especially one who is recognisably Kiwi without being cliché.

Some might see the team performing the haka as cliché, but who’s going to argue with men performing a war dance, especially when the translation—it is death, it is life—is so apt for those participating in such a dangerous sport. For those of you who have never seen a haka performed, here you go:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiKFYTFJ_kw]

It’s also great to see fictional women in unusual surroundings and occupations. It’s also great to see two characters living the Christian faith as a lifestyle, not something to be mentioned once or twice to qualify them for the Christian bookstore.

The main characters were likeable, and I wanted them to get together right from the start.

There were also some good minor characters, especially Eric and Luke, and I’d like to see more of them … (hint, hint). The writing is strong, and the novella was an enjoyable if brief break from daily life.

There are a couple of characters in Olso Overtures who were in Marian Ueckermann’s previous novella, Helsinki Sunrise, but the two novellas are standalone stories.

I’m always a sucker for a good romance, especially one with an out-of-the-ordinary setting, and Oslo Overtures ticks all the boxes for what I think a Christian romance should be. Recommended for those who like extreme sports and exotic locations (whether participating and visiting in real life or vicariously through fiction!).

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Oslo Overtures

If women were meant to fly, the skies would be pink.

Those were the first words Anjelica Joergensen heard from renowned wingsuiter, Kyle Sheppard, when they joined an international team in Oslo to break the formation flying Guinness World Record. This wouldn’t be the last blunder Kyle would make around the beautiful Norwegian.

The more Anjelica tries to avoid Kyle, the more the universe pushes them together. Despite their awkward start, she finds herself reluctantly attracted to the handsome New Zealander. But beneath his saintly exterior, is Kyle just a daredevil looking for the next big thrill?

Falling for another wingsuiter would only be another love doomed.

When a childhood sweetheart comes between them, Kyle makes a foolish agreement which jeopardizes the event and endangers his life, forcing Angelica to make a hard choice.

Is she the one who’ll clip his wings?

Can he be the wind beneath hers?