Lovely novel intertwining the dual timeline story - one of the lives of two children running away from the Nazis in both Germany and the UK and the lives of modern people trying to find one of the children for the sake of the other one (both old people now).
I loved the informed take of the subject I have not thought much before - about the Nazi allies in the UK. How not understandable from the nowadays point of view - yet, these betrayers to their own country, culture or even humanity did exist.
The story of the two brave children running away from their comfortable homes and trying to survive in the environment strange to me is both heartbreaking and inspiring. But what has really touched me is Quenby‘s story, because her demons and her pain is so understandable and so present in everything she does and she tries for (or running away from). I am so glad that in solving the wish of old man she was able to get in touch with her own soul.
Lovely, hopeful and inspring read, one of the best by this authoress!

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from NetGalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.

There were both high and low points in this book for me. I liked the WWII thread best, but the contemporary one featured a lovely mystery. The depth of both storylines was wonderful and kept me entertained and interested from beginning to end. Themes of forgiveness and redeeming the lost were beautiful the majority of the time.

Things got a little awkward when some child sexual abuse showed up. That part was tough to read, but I was happy to see some defenders arrive on the scene.

The largest issue I had with this book was the questionable theology in these lines: “I believe in a God who forgives when I ask. I’m not convinced that He forgets… It almost makes the grace cheap if He forgets it all. I like thinking, at least in my limited understanding, that in His great love, He remembers and still forgives.” While that is a charming concept, it is perhaps not a realistic one. According to Jeremiah 31:34, part of God’s new covenant with Israel (which was fulfilled with Jesus’s sinless life, sacrificial death, resurrection, and ascension) was that God “will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” If God does not remember forgiven sins, that means He actually does forget them. This does not cheapen His grace. It’s a clear and beautiful expression of His fathoms-deep love for us. Love chooses to forgive and “keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV). Keeping no record of wrongs is choosing to forget the sins, which just might be one of the greatest forms of love in existence.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. That one dip in theology tripped me up a little, but the rest of the biblical content presented was sound.

The time-slip style worked perfectly for this particular story. The mystery was awesome. This book will most likely have many fans.

Narrator Nancy Peterson was marvelous. Her voice lent itself well to the drama and depth of both eras.

Content: alcohol, tobacco, child abuse (including sexual abuse), marital affairs

Dual timeline books can be hit or miss for me, but I loved the flow of this one. Melanie Dobson had me turning page after page far into the night as I wondered what happened to Brigitte and if she could possibly survive long enough to be reunited with Deitrich/David. The minute I opened the cover and started reading, I began to scold myself for having waited so long to pick it up. It has a lot of pages, but it doesn't feel long at all.

Quenby was an interesting character and I loved how her job of investigative journalist played into her drive and talents of hunting down what happened to Brigitte so many years before. I was shocked right along with her as clues she found along the way began to give her some answers about her own past as well.

I really appreciated how the romance was downplayed in order to let the mystery take front and center, and how the subtler hints made it feel more romantic by imagination. And that Dumbo ride...so wonderfully romantic a thing to do!

Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A positive review was not required.

A beautifully woven tale. Daniel Knight an elderly, very successful man is nearing the end of his life but despite his success in life his heart is not at rest. At the age of 13 he Brigitte ran from Germany to England after their parents were arrested by Gestapo agents. They supported and encouraged each other during the journey and got separated soon after their arrival in England. Ever since that day Daniel Knight has been searching for his best friend. Having run into numerous dead ends and cold leads he hires Quenby, an American journalist given her all the information previous gathered, and whatever resources she needs that he can provide including his young Lawyer, Lucas, assistance. Quenby finds herself drawn into the investigation, her own challenges in life making her connect to the investigation in ways she never could have imagined.
I enjoyed the skillful way that the author narrated past and present events, weaving it all together to create a beautiful tale.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tyndale Publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beautiful book, beautiful story!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and i could go into details and rave about specific moments but honestly i got into this basically blind to what it was about, drawn in by the title and the cover and i would recommend reading this book that way since for me it worked so great.
So if you are interested in this book? Just do it, read it and enjoy it!

I honestly could tell by the writing of the first 2 chapters that it wouldn't be a good fit for our box and had to put it down. I may read it again in the future!

Catching the Wind is a dual time period novel. Melanie Dobson writes with such clarity, and tugs on your emotions that you savor the novel and can't forget it. Ms. Dobson has the ability to weave the two time period's seamlessly together that you don't realize you've gone back in time.

At the beginning of Daniel and Brigitte's journey your feelings range from scared, hopeful, longing for goodness and wanting to nurture them, never letting them be exposed to the realities of their time. As they make their way from Germany to England, at times fraught with danger, you begin to wonder what their future holds. It is what happens next that changes their future, separated on their arrival, becoming old before Quenby and Lucas embark on their own journey as they delve into the past as they follow the story of Daniel and Brigitte and the sacrifice that came from WWII and all that it entailed.

Much like all books of this time our hearts become entwined with the story as we become one with the characters. This story of courage will see you finding it hard to put the book down but unsure that you want to read further into the realities of the story. This is a beautiful read and that will affect each person in a different way that reads it. I recommend this read.

Catching the Wind is the most intriguing novel I’ve read in recent years. An intricate and interesting parallel storyline gracefully danced between WWII and today. The characters are deep and memorable. The plot is complicated and intriguing. The storytelling is compelling and the historical details and surprising plot twists kept me up way past my bedtime. But most of all, the messages of love, friendship, and forgiveness rang true and left my spirit full. Well done! Can’t wait to read your next story.

What a wonderful story! Self-discovery, healing, redemption, danger, love, mystery and romance all crammed into just over 400 pages (or nearly 11 hours in the audiobook I listened to). I’ve not read a lot of time slip stories before, and nothing by this author, but I would certainly consider reading more by Melanie Dobson.
The characters were good, the plot and descriptions detailed. It did seem like the author had really visited many of the places written about (the description of the National Archives in the suburbs of London stood out for me- I thought that’s exactly what it does look like as you approach from the nearest rail station).
I did notice a few Americanisms, which sort of come with the territory, but they did not detract from the story for the most part.

"I shall make a wish on this tree, . . . . . . I want you to capture the wind." . . . . . .says the princess to her knight.

Childhood friends, Dietmore Roth and Brigitte Berthold, saw their lives torn apart before their very eyes, when Gestapo agents violently raided their homes and disposed of their parents . Outside playing in Dietmore's tree house, the two frightened children literally ran for their lives, crossing borders and nearly starving, before Dietmore made a painful decision that haunted him the rest of his life.

Journalist Quenby Vaughn has been researching the possibility that the prominent wife of a British Lord consorted with German officials during WWII, using her vast estate as a safe house. Frustrated that Lady Ricker's descendants refuse to talk to her, Quenby is nominally curious when she is approached by a prominent young London solicitor, Lucas Hough, on behalf of his client, who is diligently search for a woman that he lost contact with nearly seventy five years earlier; convinced that Quenby can find his "Princess Adler".

A feeble man's request takes Quenby and Lucas down a path riddled with multi-layers of hidden secrets that will ultimately either break hearts of mend them, for "I tried and tried" he said, "but I never caught the wind". . . . . . "I caught it, (she said) . . . and it blew me back to you".

Melanie Dobson has written an absolutely beautiful story. I am grateful to the author and publisher for a copy; the opinions stated above are entirely my own.

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 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.

I read this book in one day, so no need to say, I loved it! It was well written, captivating characters and an engaging story. I just couldn't stop reading and I had to know how it ended. I enjoyed how the story switched narratives between the 1940's story of Daniel and Brigitte escaping and modern day Quenby working. While it was perhaps a bit too predictable and neat and tidy ending, I really wouldn't have wanted to end any other way, so I didn't mind too much. I also like how there was a bit of romance between Quenby and Lucas, but that wasn't the overall focus of the plot. I highly recommend this book. You won't be able to to put it down.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers.

This is such a lovely story. It is a mystery, crime, suspense, drama, history, and love story all in one. The language in which the author writes flows beautifully. She paints beautiful word pictures. I can see the characters. I can imagine their surroundings. The book was fast paced but slow going from present day to the 1940s and back again. There were so many layers. I read it in one day I just couldn't put it down. Love how it worked out and how all the pieces were pulled together to form a beautiful mosaic of a story. Wonderful. I rank it right up there with All The Light We Cannot See and The nightingale.

I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson is a story of one man’s determination to find his childhood friend and fulfill a promise. The story opens in Germany July 1940 where Dietmar Roth, 13, is playing with his friend, Brigitte, when men come to take him away. At his mother’s urging, Dietmar and Brigitte run. Fast forward to 2017, Quenby Vaughn is a reporter for the World News Syndicate where she is on the story of Lady Ricker and the rumor that she help spy on the Britain for the Nazis. She gets a call from Lucas Hough, a lawyer for wealthy businessman, Daniel Knight. They have a job proposition for her. Mr. Knight is Dietmar who changed his name when he arrived in England in October 1940. He and Brigitte were separated after their arrival in England and he has been searching for her ever since. As Quenby begins her search, she learns about their dangerous journey from Germany to England. She also learns that Brigitte’s story may be tied to Lady Ricker’s activities during the war. As she gets closer to find Brigitte, Quenby gets the sense that something or someone is trying to stop her. Will she be able to find Brigitte and reunite the two friends? Will she discover the secrets hidden for 70 years?
Catching the Wind is a beautiful story of a lifelong search, of promises kept intertwined with the dark days of World War II. It is a story of redemption and the truth about a family’s past. It was filled with twists and turns, surprise after surprise. I read this book over the course of two days. I could not put it down. I sat on the edge of my seat as I turned the pages eager to see if Quenby would find Brigitte and renuite her with Daniel. I highly, highly recommend Catching the Wind!

Catching the Wind
is available all major booksellers
in paperback and eBook

I love this book cover! Wow—nothing like gorgeous cover art to pull you in to a book. The first line (below) is just as captivating. I’m in book love. Ms. Dobson’s writing voice, descriptions and storytelling are superb.

Catching the Wind is a captivating, difficult-to-put-down historical fiction book! It’s a fabulous mix of mystery, heartbreak, and redemption. I love dual time-period stories. The transitions between the two eras (WWII and modern-day) flow nicely, and the multi-POVs add so much to the overall discovery of events.

This is brilliantly crafted, contains outstanding characters, and a satisfying ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network and NetGalley.

Catching the Wind, by Melanie Dobson, is a fascinating story that will keep the reader so engrossed errands and tasks will be delayed! After their parents have been arrested, best friends Dietrich and Brigitte flee the Gestapo they fear are fast behind them. Despite a promise Dietrich made to Brigitte’s father, the two are separated when they make it to England. This sets up the alternating story, which challenges modern-day Quenby, hired by Daniel Knight (Dietrich), to find Brigitte. Time is growing short with Dietrich’s rapidly failing health.

Finding sufficient faith to trust the people in their lives is a common agony for Daniel, Brigitte, and Quenby. Brigitte and Quenby, though separated by 60 years, have life-altering circumstances they must confront and overcome in order to deal with the demands of their times. Though she soon feels an attraction, poor Quenby cannot begin to trust the handsome lawyer Daniel has charged to help in the search.

As the stories progress, the author provides scriptural reminders for both characters and reader that God is in control of even the minutiae of our lives. Nothing is coincidence, and the reader will enjoy seeing how the Lord turns evil into good, and how he protects his children through the storms of life.

Daniel Knight is on a quest to find Brigette Berthold whom he last saw when she was 10 and he was 13.  They were separated in a reassignment in England after they fled Germany.  Can you imagine the terror of these two youths as they clung to each other for weeks when their parents willed them to run and hide and escape from the Third Reich.
Daniel promised Brigette that he would return for her.  Moves and circumstances drove them farther apart, making it very complicated to find one another.  Residing on the Pacific coast of America, Daniel was two oceans away from where he left Brigette, and he was in failing health.  Having exhausted a string of investigators, Daniel needs to hire someone with a heart for the project.
Quenby Vaughn, reporter/journalist and Attorney Lucas Hough are Daniel’s choices for the quest.  What will they find?  Can they work together?  What secrets need to be revealed and mended?
This was an amazing story with much depth.  Set in WWII and also modern day, it also compelled the reader to consider modern day refugees and the uncertainly they face.  There’s a challenge to readers at the end of the book to lend a hand and give a heart to someone else’s story.

I really enjoyed reading Catching the Wind and had a hard time putting it down. Although some parts of the book were difficult to read (as any book about the consequences of war is), the author did not sensationalize or overly dwell on the murky, unsavory parts of the story. This is a story about remarkably deep devotion and sacrificial love during times of great danger and in the face of shocking selfishness. It’s also a story about trusting God to redeem the extremely difficult parts of one’s life. It brought me to tears more than once. The story alternated chapters between modern day and 75-ish year flashbacks between two of the three main characters. Although a couple of the threads were a bit difficult to trace, I loved the way the story came to a mostly-satisfying conclusion. Truly, a picture of how God can redeem pain for His glory and for the betterment of others.

I gratefully received this book as an eARC from the author, publisher, and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

“But the stories kept them both pressing forward.”

I always begin a Melanie Dobson novel with a sense of eager anticipation. While I haven’t read all of her novels, I have read her more recent ones, which includes a couple of dual-time novels In Catching the Wind, past and present meet in a most compelling, beautiful way. I’ve read my fair share of dual-time novels, but Dobson brings a freshness to it that kept me equally invested in both times.

Typically, in a novel that has both contemporary and historical components, I find the contemporary lacking in some way. Whether it’s the lack of high stakes in the present day in comparison to the past, or the fact that I just like find the past more interesting than the present, it’s not every book that I like both sets of characters and both storylines equally. Though the stakes were more life-and-death in the historical narrative, they were just as poignant and intriguing in the present day, albeit in a much different way.

In the present-day, Quenby is an easy character to like. She finds her purpose in her career, but despite her success as an investigative journalist, she always feels like that big break story is just out of reach. When Daniel Knight requests her help specifically to look for a person he lost contact with years ago during World War II, she accepts the challenge, though she doesn’t fully believe that she will be successful. Adding to her insecurity is the instant clash with Lucas Hough, Mr. Knight’s prickly lawyer, as well as her own emotional baggage as the search for Brigitte Berthold becomes more and more personal and precious to her.

In the past, Dietmar and his friend Brigitte are literally running for their lives. In order to do the right thing, Dietmar purposely separates himself from Brigitte, hoping that separated she will be safe, but not expecting that she would disappear from his reach for good. I didn’t expect to follow the story from both Dietmar and Brigitte’s perspective, but I was pleasantly surprised to follow both of them for a short time. While part of that was a device in order to promote the mystery, it also works to propel the plot, each piece overlapping one another in both past and present to keep readers intrigued from one time period to the next. With the past being filled with harrowing and tragic circumstances, the present day sections provide the reader with a moment to catch their breath, but they are no less compelling.

The themes touched on in this novel include dealing with feelings of abandonment, letting go of bitterness and forgiving yourself for past choices. Quenby, Daniel, and even Brigitte, all must deal with the consequences of choices they made, as well as choices made by others that affected them profoundly. I was moved by the forgiveness and reconciliation that these characters experienced throughout the story. Though it’s not the primary focus at all, there is a sweet romantic thread, and I was glad that it stayed more in the periphery, rather than central to the plot.

With powerful emotion and lyrical writing, this story satisfied me completely. While some instances may have felt a bit spectacular, strange things do happen in life, especially during dangerous and tumultuous times, to those who matter the least to those around them, like a little German girl at the mercy of pro-Nazi conspirators in England. Catching the Wind is now my favorite Dobson novel to date and one of my favorite novels of 2017.

Another winner by Ms Dobson....I always look forward to her work...loved this story.