The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson is a redemptive story as the present Addie tries to help save her father figure from death. The plot does begin in World War II Europe, but then ends up in Oregan with the United States. There is a lot of mystery around what actually occurred in Oregan once Grace returned home with a couple of children that she rescued from war torn Europe. The entire story is trying to uncover the truth and allow a number of the characters to move past the hurt, the terror, and the pain that occurred during the war. With God’s help, grace is given, and the truth is laid on the table for all the characters to realize. The characters are brave. My favorite character was Charlie once I completed his story. He had many demons from his past that he had to overcome. He needed the truth; in order, to completely free himself from the hurts and sorrow from the past. I loved watching him transform throughout the story. On the other hand, Addie, who is the present day hero, romance seemed a little of place by the end of the story. I knew it was coming, but it still seemed like it did not fit the storyline. Overall, The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson is a redemptive story with God’s grace shining on all of the characters. I enjoy reading stories where you can see God’s hand in every movement in the story. The Winter Rose definitely does show that.

I received a complimentary copy of The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson
This historical fiction written with a dual time line. This is the story of Quakers who rescued Jewish children from Nazi territories in World War II. Prior to reading this, I had been unaware of the role of Quakers in this endeavour.

The book tells the story of Grace who helped to lead Jewish children from France across the Pyrenees to Spain. The modern story is Addie, one of the young women whose life was changed.

This is an emotional, heart-wrenching book. There are a lot of characters, all well-written and easy to keep straight.

This book is thought-provoking and sometimes unsettling. It is a great reminder of the events in the not-so-distant past. Well written great story well worth a read
Thank you Netgally for letting me review this book

The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson
4 stars
The author brings out yet again a heart stirring, emotionally packed and faith filled novel with her specialty of time slip.

You're transported back to World War II as
We follow Grace, an American Quaker woman, who works tirelessly to rescue Jewish children from the Nazis. There are many harrowing stories that come from that time period. It's hard to fathom that people, let alone children, had to literally climb mountains to another country to escape the tyranny of the Nazis. And even when they escaped physically, they could never escape the memories.

Fast forward decades as Addie tries to find the lost family of her mentor. Weaving together beautifully past and present. Addie and Grace's story come together about family, faith and forgiveness.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Another fantastic World War Two story by Melanie Dobson.
Grace Tonquin is an American Quaker who travelled overseas to help Spanish children escape into France during an uprising. Not long after she’s caught up in the rescue efforts of Jewish children, leading them from France into Spain. Grace returns to America in hopes of reuniting two children with their uncle, but ends up fostering them as her own.
Fifty years later, another young woman searches for Grace and her family, in hopes that Grace’s children will provide a bone marrow match for a beloved family member.
This is another stunning portrait of life in France during WW2. It’s a gripping tale of extreme devotion, and saving children no matter what. It’s a story of second chances, and extending grace and forgiveness in the most horrific of circumstances. It’s a story of lasting love and loving those you choose to call family.
There are surprises at every turn of the page that will compel readers to continue guessing until the very end. Decades between stories are woven effortlessly, creating a seamless narrative of two women separated by time and country.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Winter Rose is a very well written time-slip. The WWII ad present day plot are woven seamlessly together. If you enjoy reading time-slip stories I recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

A wonderful book! I have never read a book by Melanie Dobson that I didn’t like and this one is no exception. I absolutely love her vivid writing style, you can picture yourself right there. “The cobbles were slippery under her oxfords...”, “A wall of pine trees guarded most of Tonquin Lake,...”, “the smell of wild thyme swept in on the breeze….." She has mastered the art of showing not telling, which makes it a very pleasurable read. I had no idea that the Quakers were involved in rescuing children in WWII, so that in itself is already an interesting bit of history. The way she builds the story, the intrigue, and the unexpected twists makes this a book not easy to put down. Simple events that show what life was like such as the notices fluttering from the sky telling Jewish people to present themselves to the government are sprinkled throughout the story, giving it an authentic flavor. There are sad events, happy events and a strong message of forgiveness, hope and grace. There is so much more to say about this book, but you’ll have to read it for yourself. It will be worth your time!

The Winter Rose is a split-time novel that tells the story of Addie and Grace and the characters who are intertwined in both time periods. Sometimes, the timelines in split-time novels can get confusing but this book flowed well and the characters were sufficiently distinct that you didn't get them confused in your head.

It was interesting to watch the two stories play out until the two timelines merged into one. The Winter Rose will remind readers that sometimes our memories aren't as accurate as we would like them to be. Also, our experiences can change us for good or for evil.

Readers will be reminded that regardless of the circumstances of our lives, God has not left us alone. He is capable of redeeming the broken mess of our lives to create a miracle. There was also a strong theme of being a light and reflecting our Creator.

I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

This is a must read! Just in the last year or so, I’ve had the privilege to read WWII books that add more depth and history to the war. Yes, by far, the Jewish people suffered the highest loss of people. But SO many more groups of people were targeted for death by the Nazis. SO many Russians perished under Stalin’s regime, even though Russian fought against Nazism.
Here you will learn about the efforts of American and British Quakers (pacifist in belief and against violence or killing), who rescued countless Jewish children. This story is set in France, needing to climb mountains to get hunted children into Spain.
The dual time story blends seamlessly together. Each character tugged at my heartstrings. So much loss, trauma, sadness, redemption, and joy are woven into a suspenseful ride.
As a trauma survivor myself, please, please understand and have compassion. The healing from trauma, especially a traumatic childhood is so complicated and more painful than the trauma itself. Yes, the Lord heals, but healing can take years. At the most unpredictable times, you will be triggered by a deeply buried issue. Do not hurry those who have buried their memories. Often it is not as we are told, bitterness, anger, a refusal to move on. It is protection against so much pain and hurt and sometimes regret that it would overwhelm us if we tore the scab off in one quick motion. If you have not suffered great trauma count yourself blessed, but realize, you do not truly understand the process of healing from trauma.

The Winter Rose was a moving tale told in two time periods. One woman is living in 1940's Europe trying to help others to survive the horrors of war. Another woman lives a very different life in modern day America. Both have a desire to save and protect others. The people they care about are the same but at different stages of life.

The characters are well developed and complex. The plot is well thought out and well executed. This was an absorbing read and drew me in immediately. Oh the feels! Women may be more drawn to this book initially but I believe that any human may appreciate it. I will be looking n forward to reading more from this author. Who knew something good could come out of 2020?

I found this story rather hard to follow. We go between the 1940’s in WWII and current times in the state of Oregon. Quite a few characters are introduced in a very quick timeframe, I had to make notes in order to keep track of where and what part they had to play.
I wish this one had grabbed me a bit more, for some reason I just could not fall in love with Addie, the Quakers saving the children had more depth than the Oregon search. Not a bad read, just wasn’t great.
Received an ARC from Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with 4****.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The plot jumped back and forth between the 1940s and 2003, telling the story from the perspective of two different women whose lives were closely entwined even though they had no direct connection to each other. I have such a love-hate relationship with this type of storytelling, because as soon as I get invested in one plot line, the perspective changes, and the resulting suspense causes me to almost always finish the book quickly. I loved how Melanie focused on how World War II impacted children, and how people from all over the world came together to help them. This portion of the story reminded me a bit of The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

My favorite part about this story was the overarching message that family can come in all shapes and sizes. Every character in this book had lost someone they were close to, and yet they still loved others deeply and welcomed them into their family regardless of how unconventional it may be. It really created a beautiful picture of what the Church should look like.

Overall, I have no complaints. The characters felt real and relatable, the plot kept me fully engaged, and the overarching message was beautiful. What more could you ask for?

'The Winter Rose': 3⭐

(Unpaid Review: thank you to Netgalley, Melanie Dobson and the publishers for allowing me to read this eArc copy in exchange for a review.)

Okay, I got say this. I absolutely adore adult historical, because it gives you a new sense into the world, with a much more mature perception into things. However, the balancing between the past and the presente in this one, it just wasn't for me. It felt unconnected somehow.

You really can't go wrong reading a book by Melanie Dobson. Her stories are rich with history and depth and her characters are so easy to connect with and empathize with.

This is a touching dual-time story that is impossible to put down. With themes of forgiveness and restoration, it isn't a story you'll soon forget.

Thank you to NetGalley for my complimentary copy.

The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson tugs at the heartstrings from the first page to the last. The story flips between World War II and present day, but each story needs to be told. If becoming emotionally involved with the characters in a story is something you consider a pleasure, this book is one for you. It is not lighthearted or humorous, but it is compelling. Both the story from the past and the one from the present are compelling and interesting.

Melanie Dobson is quite talented. She has a way of saying things without providing the reader with all of the gruesome details. She takes a story in which characters are exposed to horrific circumstances and writes about it in a way that conveys the horrors without the graphic detail. The book carries readers along with the characters.

The message of hope and never giving up are prominent in this story. The way it is crafted, shows the reader these themes and doesn’t just state them. This book with live on in the thoughts of those who read it for a long time; depending on one’s mood, it might be because of the sad and scary parts or because of the uplifting and inspiring parts. This is another great book by skilled wordsmith.

Addie Hoult wants more than anything to save Charlie, the man who saved her from herself and became a father figure. A much needed bone marrow transplant would give him the gift of healing…a bone marrow transplant from a family member. The problem is, Charlie’s past is elusive. He is tormented by his youth for reasons unbeknownst to Addie or his wife. But…Addie is determined to find anyone from his past that could direct her to a family member and a possible match for Charlie. Her investigation leads her to Oregon and to an abandoned mansion own by the Tonquin family. But who is the Tonquin family and what does it have ti due with Charlie’s past? A dual time line story that takes us to WWII France and post WWII Oregon and 2003 Oregon.

This is a great story that introduced me to the Quakers role in WWII and the determination and bravery that had to save as many Jewish children from the Nazi regime as they could. Not being family with the Quakers and their role in the war, I was grateful for that insight. This is also somewhat of a Christian historical novel and that was a bit much for me at times.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tynedale Housr Publishers and Melanie Dobson for early access to the story.

The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson is historical fiction written with a dual time line. This is the story of Quakers who rescued Jewish children from Nazi territories in World War II. Prior to reading this, I had been unaware of the role of Quakers in this endeavor.

The historical time line tells the story of Grace who helped to lead Jewish children from France across the Pyrenees to Spain. The modern story is Addie, one of the young women whose life was changed.

This is an emotional, heart-wrenching book. There are a lot of characters, all well-written and easy to keep straight.

This book is thought-provoking and sometimes unsettling. It is a great reminder of the events in the not-so-distant past. Well done, Melanie Dobson!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley. The opinions are my own.

It's not a romance.

It's a family saga that spans many decades and locations as Addie tries to locate a sibling to Charlie, for a bone marrow transplant.

Between WWII and present time, it follows an American woman and a French man trying to save several Jewish children.

An interesting read about the effects of war on children and adults, and trying to heal.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Melanie Dobson is one of my favorite authors of Christian historical fiction. Her ability to write a story that completely immerses the reader is a gift and each book I read is a journey all its own.

Grace Tonquin is a Quaker helping children escape the Nazis in France. She leads children across the Pyrenees into Spain with the help of Roland. Two children make the trip back to the United States with her, Marguerite and Elias. This brother and sister become like Grace's own children. Unfortunately, Grace's past is creeping in and it, along with things she saw in France can't quite leave her alone.

Closer to present-day, Addie Hoult arrives at Tonquin Lake, where Grace and her family lived. She is searching for any member of the Tonquin family who could possibly help save Charlie, the person who helped to save Addie and so many like her. Addie herself is still healing from her own hurts and her mission to find someone to help Charlie leads to healing for more than herself.

I did not know that the Quakers helped children escape during WWII, and that is what initially caught my attention about this novel. The healing and redemption in this story is something that is going to stay with me for a long time as I continue to thing about these characters that became so very real to me and all they overcame in the course of this book. Melanie Dobson has a way of alternating the various time periods in her stories to keep the reader interested and reading late into the night. I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you to Tyndale, NetGalley, and Melanie Dobson for the copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are entirely my own.

The Winter Rose is a story of redemption spanning a lifetime. Beginning during World War II, the story begins following Grace and her selfless efforts to save Jewish children by crossing over the mountains into Spain. The book hops back and forth between her story and then to 2003 where Addie is desperately trying to find a sibling donor to help save her mentors life from a rare blood disease. Expertly tying both storylines into one, Dobson creates a heartrending story of love, forgiveness, and trusting God. Romance takes a bit of a sideline in this story, but love abounds throughout.

THE WINTER ROSE by MELANIE DOBSON is a novel that takes place in two time zones, namely 1943 and 2003, held together by Charlie Tonquin’s story, which, at first, he refuses to divulge. Elias, who becomes Charlie when he gets to the Statea, Marguerite and Louis are three of the children who cross the Pyrenees into Spain from Vichy France with the intrepid Quaker, Grace Tonquin. It is Grace and her friend Roland’s aim to rescue as many Jewish children from the Nazis as they can. I like to see how Grace holds onto the promises of God, particularly those in psalm 27, to give her strength to carry on, like a winter rose that blooms even in the snow.
Moving on to 2003, we find Addie Hault at Tonquin Lake looking for Charlie’s relatives in order to find someone to supply him with bone marrow. She finds the willow tree which has become a symbol of perseverence to Charlie, with its ability to bend and not break under pressure. Charlie, or Papa C as Addie calls him, is the only father figure Addie has ever known. Due to her troubled upbringing, she ends up at Sale Creek Home for Girls where Charlie and his wife Emma become her family. I like the way Charlie teaches Addie to throw stones into the river in order to be free from the past.
Marguerite is an artist who, from her early childhood, sees an aura of colour around people showing her their very soul and literally “seeing someone’s emotions in colour.”
It is a story about second chances and new beginnings, as the Lord works in broken people to restore and save. The author shows us how the horrors of war have affected those who have escaped, especially the children, who find themselves in a different country and unfamiliar circumstances where they struggle to fit in. I like to see how Grace and Roland, Charlie and Emma, never stop praying for those they love.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling the read for you.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough for the suspenseful and touching story, the unforgettable characters and the strong redemptive message.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.