What happened to Brigitte Berthold? That question has haunted Daniel Knight since he was thirteen, when he and ten-year-old Brigitte escaped the Gestapo agents who arrested both their parents. They survived a harrowing journey from Germany to England, only to be separated upon their arrival. Daniel vowed to find Brigitte after the war, a promise he has fought to fulfill for more than seventy … fulfill for more than seventy years.
Now a wealthy old man, Daniel’s final hope in finding Brigitte rests with Quenby Vaughn, an American journalist working in London. He believes Quenby’s tenacity to find missing people and her personal investment in a related WWII espionage story will help her succeed where previous investigators have failed. Though Quenby is wrestling her own demons–and wary at the idea of teaming up with Daniel’s lawyer, Lucas Hough–the lure of Brigitte’s story is too much to resist. Together, Quenby and Lucas delve deep into the past, following a trail of deception, sacrifice, and healing that could change all of their futures.
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This was an engaging time-slip novel. My heart broke for Dietmar and Brigette because of the war and passage of time that separated them. There are quite a few viewpoint characters in the book, something I love when done well, which this was.
There were memorable lines within the novel, but this one spoke to me as a writer: “There is power in story . . . We may be powerless at times in life, but on paper, we can chase our demons away.”
I listened to the audiobook and can see why it won an Audie Award. Excellent job by the narrator.
You are in for an amazing ride as you fly through the pages of this emotionally moving story. A dual-time adventure in WWII and the present, you will experience many emotions. Your heart aches for Brigitte and hold your breath waiting to see how her story will end.
The characters are well developed and you will become invested in their lives. I kept wondering if a certain relationship would be discovered. But while it didn’t come to fruition, another one was revealed and I had several moments of the end when I gasped out loud.
The author has done an amazing job of weaving a tale of love, loss, war, healing, forgiveness, and grace. I am hooked on this author and will be reading more of her books!
Author Melanie Dobson did a fantastic job in this split-time story between today and World War II England. The way she wove the two stories together was genius, drawing me, the reader, into both ongoing stories with several different points of view. Until I read the author’s bio, I thought she was English with the English details and customs in the book. In addition to the suspenseful story, there was a surprise twist and connection at the end. Romance, forgiveness, and regret are struggles the characters must deal with in this engaging drama.
This stunning novel manages to be both sweeping and personal. Brigitte’s WWII disappearance is the mystery that fuels the story. Her flight with Dietmar from Hitler’s Germany is a page-turner that drew me in at once and pulled me from chapter to chapter. The facts are elusive, but by exposing them Quenby is able to come to terms with the mysteries of her own past. I love the way we see a full range of human experience: people at their best–self-sacrificing, protecting the weak, committed to truth–pitted against men and women at their most ruthless and self-seeking. Scenes are lush and believable. Characters are memorable, even secondary ones. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
This was my first Melanie Dobson novel and I was not only enchanted with her beautiful prose, but I became instantly immersed in the dramatic lives of Daniel and Brigitte, two German children who during WWII are abandoned when the Gestapo seize their parents. While the children succeed in a dangerous escape from Germany, their journey ends with a heart-wrenching separation in England that for decades will haunt them both. Because this is a time slip novel, I also enjoyed the modern day quest of British lawyer, Lucas Hough, and American investigative journalist, Quenby Vaughn, who work together to try and reunite Daniel and Brigitte decades later, but discover more dark secrets than either of them expected. Catching the Wind is a compelling story full of history, mystery, and romance, and I look forward to reading more of Dobson’s novels!
This is a well-crafted book with wonderful heart-wrenching layers of good story telling. I loved the characters’ stories weaving together through time with just the right amount of mystery, intrigue, and twists before a very satisfying ending. Even the audiobook’s narration is excellent. Well done all around. I’d read and listen again. I highly recommend.
I enjoyed listening to Nancy Peterson narrate this moving story. She did a good job with character voices, as well as, the pacing of the story. Dobson’s story line is captivating. I especially enjoyed how the dual time frame pieces were beautifully woven together. The characters demonstrated courage along very difficult roads and their stories were inspiring. A great listen! I was given a copy of this audio book by the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.
This is an excellent read!
5 Stars
This is the first Melanie Dobson novel that I’ve read and I’m pretty sure I’m now hooked on this author. I listened to this book on audio and could hardly wait to listen each time. It begins with two young children running to escape the Nazis after becoming aware that their parents were already taken. Their story of escape, love, and separation intertwine with Quenby’s present day story when she’s hired by the elderly man to search for his childhood friend, Brigitte. Quenby’s search uncovers more than she could begin to imagine. It leads her onto a path that causes her own mysterious past to emerge from the darkness. Melanie penned both likeable and despicable characters with adept insight. I could easily imagine each scene’s settings which included Germany, England, Florida and Puget Sound. And, the mystery and surprises are captivating. Love this book!
Fantastic story of intertwining timelines
This story carried me away from page one to the epilogue on a heartbreaking yet inspiring journey in this beautiful novel of restoration and forgiveness despite the passing of time. I absolutely adore every time-slip novel Melanie Dobson writes! She’s an incredible author.
“Catching the Wind” is a memorably poignant tale of unimaginable loss and ultimate, uplifting faith. Author Melanie Dobson crafts her story with exquisite care and detail, spanning the decades from the WWII Era to present day. Two young German children, Dietmar and Brigitte, escape Germany and the Gestapo who captured their parents only to be separated when they arrive in England. Dietmar spends the rest of his life searching for Brigitte, and eventually he enlists the help of an American journalist working in London. The journalist, Quenby, has her own answers to seek, but she joins Dietmar’s lawyer, Lucas, in a quest which will uncover long buried secrets and hidden, never-suspected truths. Lives are forever changed as more and more facts are revealed. “Catching the Wind” is a remarkable work, a riveting blend of fact and fiction, which once again reminds us of both the depth of human depravity and the amazing resilience of the human spirit. Highly recommended.
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I do enjoy stories about WWII and lately it seems more and more authors are weaving together stories of two different time periods. The way these two come together is a bit of a stretch, but I really enjoyed the book. I’ll be going to the library today to check out any other books by Melanie Dobson!
Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson is a well-written time-slip novel. Unlike other time-slips I have read, I had no confusion as to the time period or how much time had passed. The time was clearly noted as needed and the narrative explained event progression in both time periods. The novel captured my attention from the beginning. A natural coupling of mystery, mild suspense, and a few plot twists carried my interest until the end.
I loved the theme of redemption that is woven into this story. Without giving any spoilers, I will say that Quenby must dig up the past (in more than one aspect), search for and learn the truth, decide to make healthy choices, and step boldly into God-given opportunities. Quenby, Daniel, Brigette, and Hannah all experience a degree of redemption of their personal pasts. As Quenby says on page 370: “It’s not about exhuming [the past]. It’s about redeeming what has been lost.” I also appreciated the subtle messages about the power of friendship and the necessity of forgiveness, both of which support the magnificent theme of redemption.
Catching the Wind is the first novel I’ve read by Melanie Dobson. I probably would not have chosen to read it on my own, but the local book club I attend picked it for our March reading. It made an excellent selection as we discussed it’s themes, the character’s perspectives, and modern-day heroes. I liked it much more than I expected and I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with an engaging mystery, modest suspense, and gentle romance. Five stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy through the My Reader Rewards Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Such a good book. Loved it!
I like this book. Referred to a period of history that interests me. Intriguing story line. It held my attention and was a satisfying read.
A beautifully written novel that left this reader in stunned silence, Catching the Wind holds within its pages a captivating story of an enduring love that lasted a lifetime. Brimming with intrigue, mystery, and drama, along with poignant moments of hope, this will be a story that lives on in my heart for a long time.
I particularly found a few passages stood out to me, probably because of the deep grief I still feel as the fifth anniversary of my daughter’s passing approaches this weekend.
He’d thought he built a castle big enough for space to breathe, but on days like this, when the memories returned, even the windowed walls up here, with their sweeping views of the sea, seemed to close in on him. On these days, it felt as if he were being attacked from the inside.
The tower of the castle—the keep—was the final refuge in an attack from the enemy, but no fortress of stone could protect from the enemy who crept up from memories, moving stealthily through the entire body, raiding the refuge of one’s mind.
He needed to clear the adversary from his head before it took hold.
(Daniel Knight, pg 94, 95)
All I could think of when I read that passage was Yes! This is how I feel. And then I read this…
He breathed in rain as he hobbled toward the front gate, the moisture coating his lungs. Rain clung to the cold wind and splashed his face. He loved the thrust of power to stir the sea. Shake trees. Carry the voice of a child crying for help.
Here in the storm, tears could fall freely down his cheeks, mixing with the torrent of God’s grief falling from the sky. (Daniel Knight, pg 95/96)
Oh boy, did the tears fall then?! I have stood at the edge of the ocean many times since my daughter’s step into Heaven, imagining I could hear her cry, and my tears overflow like a wave crashing to the shore.
And even though not a direct correlation to my particular grief, this passage gripped my heart too.
If she truly forgave her mother, would God take away her pain even if her memories remained? Perhaps that was the superpower she needed most. The power to let go. The power to love again. (Quenby Vaughn, pg 334)
I highly recommend Catching the Wind to everyone! Seriously. This story has it all. It encompasses complicated relationships, crafty and cunning characters, and a gentle and beloved faith in God that will lead to forgiveness and reconciliation. And the mystery. Oh, the mystery is the best!
Grab a cup of coffee, like I did, and sit down to savor this delightful and moving story!
Dobson has once again shown incredible ability to weave past and present fluidly while creating an exciting plot and memorable characters that stirred my emotions. By the second chapter, I was fully invested in their lives and didn’t want to put the book down. By far, this is the best yet in Melanie’s repertoire of historical-contemporary hybrid novels.
I was gifted an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher and author for promotional purposes only, with no expectation of a review. No compensation has been received.
Good little mystery wrapped into two stories with historical fiction to boot.
Award winning author Melanie Dobson’s time slip novel “Catching the Wind” tells the story of American journalist Quenby Vaughn and her search to uncover mystery of what happened to ten year old Brigitte during World War II. Dobson takes us back to the 1940s and tells the story of Brigitte and thirteen year old Daniel as they fled from Germany to England. The readers find out clues to the missing pieces of the puzzle right along with Quenby. This is such a beautiful story, and Dobson did an incredible job piecing the past together with the present day timeline. I can often predict the ending of stories, but I was pleasantly surprised at the ending and how the historical and contemporary stories came together. It was a very rewarding conclusion for the readers. Melanie Dobson does not disappoint! 5 stars!!!!
I loved this book!! A fascinating story.