Heartland by Davis Bunn Published by: WestBow Press (2006) 391 pages Rating: 10/10 Buy it Now:    Also by Davis Bunn: The Great Divide Riders of the Pale Horse Winner Take All Elixir

"Heartland" is a TV show, one of those rare programs that actually promotes moral values. Thus, it gets steady but not immensely impressive ratings. Still, it's loved by a large and vocal fanbase. Then the star of the show, the actor who plays the hero, JayJay Parsons, becomes everything that his alter ego is NOT, slowly destroying himself and fan interest in the show. Looming on the edge of cancellation, the show's writer and his church pray for a miracle.

And they get it in the form of a new leading man who shows up out of nowhere and seems confused about how he even got there. Most astounding of all, though no one realizes it, the new man IS JayJay Parsons, complete with memories of his life... the life he's lived on "Heartland." Can JayJay continue to survive as a paragon of virtue in Hollywood? Does he even have a choice?

All of that is just the setup for this wonderful new novel from Davis Bunn. A fictional character come to life, JayJay is a walking cliche, part action hero and part philosopher, but he's an endearing cliche. The reactions of other characters, those looking for a hero and those jaded beyond redemption, are priceless.

Davis Bunn does an outstanding job of writing all the other characters as NOT being cliches, so that their interactions with JayJay work so well. There's a wide range of characters involved here, as well as a fairly in-depth look at Hollywood workings. Some scheming by a desperate producer is almost over-the-top, but it works in the context.

This is my absolute favorite Davis Bunn novel so far, and that's saying a lot, considering how prolific he's been. It's pure enjoyment and makes you long for the true Hero even more. Highly Recommended.