Chloe is adrift after the death of her beloved grandparents. When her parents were not able to take care of her, she was left in the loving care of her grandparents. They brought her up in the family business, living on the family island and she fears all will be lost when she settles the estate.
One evening during a terrible thunderstorm, a young girl of about 10 years old ends up on Chloe's island. The girl is insistent that she needs to stay there.

There's also the tale of a long-lost Pendleton child, during the Gilded Age, from the same island. That child, Poppy (a/k/a Penelope), was never seen again and mystery surrounds the story as she disappeared the same night as a large party on the island and the night her father died there.

An investigative journalist comes to town to get to the bottom of the story about Poppy. He needs help from Chloe and he becomes involved in both the history story and the arrival of the young girl into Chloe's life.

I need to organize my thoughts on this, but wow did I love the mystery and suspense. This goes up in probably my favorite mystery/timeslip novel. I loved that Dobson let us figure it out and never told the reader anything that the reader didn't already figure out a few chapters earlier. I love feeling like a detective :)

Story: 5/5
Worldview: 4/5

The mystery blew me away, seriously. I loved every second if finding out what happened to Poppy Pendleton and what was happening with Emma present-day. That aside, the romance wasn't in-your-face or over the top or anything, which I liked, since it wouldn't have made sense to make it even with the mystery plot.

God is woven throughout every difficulty, and I loved that, hence the 4 in worldview. I did have some qualms about certain things: one character openly argues (in one line) that women should be allowed to be preachers, 2 characters have a child out of wedlock (it's romanticized and one of the characters was a professed Christian without an ounce of conviction), a nonbeliever (?) married man makes eyes at beautiful women and complains about his marriage (without any repercussions or his best friend telling him to stop). These things were, together, maybe like 5% of the plot, but I was just not a fan.

In any case, I loved the mystery and the suspense. I do have to give warnings about drugs, murder, and trafficking (both in people and drugs). This story does show the gritty, and I think it also shows redemption and hope at the end too, which I enjoyed.

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson is a well written, dual timeline, mystery with historic and Christian fictional elements. I enjoyed this story, it was slower paced but still held my attention. I was curious as to the mystery behind what happened to Poppy Pendleton in the historical timeline, and intrigued by mystery that unfolded in the present day timeline with Chloe and Emma. I thought the characters were well drawn and enjoyed learning the connections between them as the story played out. Gods theme for redemption and grace for past mistakes is prevalent in the characters’ journeys and the ending came together nicely in a satisfying way.

Many thanks to Tyndall House Publishing for granting my wish and providing me a DRC of this title through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

This time travel story gripped me until the end. I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Well done!

Thank you to the author Melanie Dobson, Tyndale House Publishers, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE WINGS OF POPPY PENDELTON. All views are mine.

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. I really love the opening scene, it drew me right into the world and the story and characters!

2. I really enjoy fantasy stories that still have one foot in the real world. In this case, the main character, Poppy, is inheriting her grandparents' estate in New York. But clearly, based on other passages, some clearly magical stuff has gone down here!

3. The castle is sort of the fulcrum at the center of all this story's moving parts. Once you get used to it, it makes for a pretty cool shape for the narrative. Also, if you accept the castle as the story's main character, or at least main point of interest, it solves one of the story's most glaring problems, which is a bit of an identity crisis.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. This book takes too long to get going. It's a story about Poppy, but it's really about all the people mourning Poppy's vanishing, or trying to solve the mystery of it.

2. Transitions can be rough, thus I never have a good sense of scene.

3. In the end, the book turns out to be a bit of a historical adventure, but mostly a family mystery involving this island and the castle it sits upon. I do feel the plot wanders and it's easy to lose sense for the story. In general, I still think it's a fun and bingable book!

Rating: 🪽🪽🪽.5 / 5 winged girls
Recommend? Yes
Finished: Oct 21 23
Format: Hardback, TLC, Digital arc, Kindle, NG
Read this book if you like:
⏳️ dual timelines
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family stories, family drama
🏰 castles
💇‍♀️ women's coming of age
🔍 mystery

What a beautifully written story! Multiple timelines and POVs layer upon one another in a haunting and lovely story of secrets, mystery, and healing.

The historical timeline centers around the disappearance of young heiress, Poppy Pendleton. Seemingly disappearing into thin air, no one ever discovered the truth behind what happened to Poppy. How does a child escape a castle on an island? Why has there never been any answer to all the questions surrounding that night?

Nearly a century later, Chloe is the sole occupant of the mysterious Koster Island. The castle lies empty for decades and Chloe is struggling with the questions of her past. Upon returning to “her island” Chloe finds a young girl on her doorstep. Who is this young girl? From where did this child come?

How do these timelines weave together? What happened to Poppy? Will the secrets of the past ruin the present or forge a path to a new a future?

Thank you Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another captivating dual timeline novel by the acclaimed Melanie Dobson! 1907, Poppy Pendleton is about to turn five. Her father is throwing a lavish party supposedly in her honor, but really to help promote his political ambitions and also Poppy’s Tip Top Tonic (laced with high amounts of opium). By morning, Poppy is gone, and her father is dead. No one is able to find her or solve the murder of her father. In 1992, Chloe Riddell, lives within sight of the ruins of the Thousand Islands castle that has kept tourists and locals captivated for almost a century. She is not interested in the local lore of the castle but when Emma shows up on her doorstep, she must delve into the mysteries surrounding the people that lived there and the events that took place. As she unearths secrets best kept buried, she learns horrifying details that will change her life forever. She meets Logan, a reporter that has come to the castle to solve the mystery of the kidnapped Poppy Pendleton. They must work together to save Emma’s life before it’s too late. Both timelines come crashing together in a finale that will leave the reader breathless. This book contains hard to read topics such as kidnapping, human trafficking, and overdose. However, Ms. Dobson writes these themes into the book with grace and humility. The characters had depth and the history surrounding the Thousand Islands area was written with great detail and knowledge. I thank NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for the ARC of this book. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions with this review are my own.

This was one of my top ten books of 2023. One of the best time dual time books I've ever read! It kept me guessing till the end. I was invested in both timelines which usually doesn't happen for me because I rarely enjoy contemporary. I highly recommend for Melanie Dobson or dual time line fans.
5 stars. I received a complimentary copy of this novel and all opinions are my own.

This is a slow burn historical fiction book. The plot jumps back and forth between two time periods, but not as in a dual timeline. I felt it was more of two distinct time lines that had threads connecting to each other. The story starts out in 1907, with the Pendleton family living in their castle on the Koster Isle. They are entertaining high society guests from NY supposedly for their child's 5th birthday. Amelia Pendleton, the mother of the child, has no idea that this is the last night that she will safely tuck her child into bed. Hours later not only is her child missing, but there are other tragic mysterious things happening in the castle.
Bop ahead to 1992, Chloe is living on the same isle, but not in the castle which is now in ruins and said to be haunted. Her full focus in on trying to preserve her grandparents old cottage, and the candy shop across the island. As she's despairing of nothing ever going right for her, a child shows up at her door, Emma. Also in this same time frame, Logan a reporter shows up begging for information on the Pendleton Caste, the suspicious disappearance of Penelope the daughter as well as a death in the castle. Chloe has always wanted to stay away from the Castle and it's stories but now she's forced to dig deeper. The voices in her mind which she says are ghosts from the past but her Grandmother always told her were' whispers from God,' those voices are telling her there's more to the story that she needs to know.
There are so many characters that sometimes I got lost in the fray of who was doing what. There are also dark themes twisted into the story such as spouse abuse, child abuse, murder, abduction/kidnapping, loss of an infant.
All in all I'm giving this book 4*. Once I connected with the characters, I had to know what happened next. I will go back for more of Ms. Dobson's books.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me this e-arc version in exchange for my opinion, to Melanie Dobson and Tyndale House Publishing.

This book starts out really dark. Within the first chapter, the author introduces us to a troubled marriage, drug abuse, and a potential affair. I did not like Poppy's mother and found it difficult to have sympathy for her. She was selfish throughout most of the book.

I also did not care much for Chloe, the more modern heroine, either. She was closed-off to both the other characters in the book and the reader. I also found it a bit weird for her grandfather to be an adult character in the 1907 events. The author eventually explains a bit of the age gap eventually, but it still made the story a bit too unrealistic.

I do not know if I would have finished this book if I did not feel obligated to write a review for NetGalley. I did appreciate Dobson avoiding making the romantic relationships of the characters the main focus of the book. However, I found it difficult to enjoy this book. I would give it 3/5 stars and the following spoiler trigger warnings: drug abuse, child abuse, affair, child slavery, and smuggling.

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson

Poppy Pendleton, child of Amelia and Leslie Pendleton, goes missing on the eve of her fifth birthday. She has disappeared from her parents’ castle on Koster Island. No one has ever solved the mystery of her disappearance.
Chloe has inherited the castle and island, along with a candy store from her grandparents. As a child she was never allowed entrance to the castle. But now the appearance of a little girl, Emma, demands that she find the truth to the secrets the castle holds.

This time slip novel takes the reader between the present day and the past. Readers learn more of Poppy’s history and family while the author skillfully weaves in the present-day story of Emma, Chloe and Logan.
This book has a complex plot with many surprises but a satisfying conclusion. Despite dealing with some of the seamier sides of life in the past and present, the author handles it gracefully. The characters are well drawn and very relatable. The writing pulls the reader into the story.

I enjoyed this book and am grateful to the publisher for a copy in exchange for this, my honest review.

I've read quite a few of Melanie Dobson's novels and this is, hands down, my absolute favorite.

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton is a masterful blend of history, healing, and mystery that had me gushing about the plot to my spouse who made the mistake of sitting next to me right after I finished a chapter. The way she pulls individual story lines across decades and weaves them together into the story of Poppy Pendleton is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. This is the type of book you want to suggest for your next book club just so you can have a friend (or four or five) to talk to about it and is one of the few books out there that would be a welcome physical addition to my home library instead of sitting on an e-reader.

If you are a fast reader and breeze through books, this is a perfect one to hone your abilities of restraint. I had to force myself to put it down a few times to not finish the book too quickly, it was so good. And believe me, it was worth it. If you're looking for the next book to put to the top of your TBR pile, it's this one, right here!

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton is an engrossing dual-timeline story featuring three women whose lives intersect over the course of several decades.

It is 1907, and the world is in the grip of the opulence and glamour of the Gilded Age. At least as far as the Pendleton family is concerned. The patriarch, Leslie, has political ambitions he hopes to launch with a lavish party allegedly celebrating the birthday of his heir, five-year-old Penelope (Poppy) Pendleton. No children have been invited to the event, but the rich and powerful who surge over the private island where Leslie, his wife Amelia, and their young daughter spend their summers are the adult crème de la crème of the nation. Amelia finds the entire event tiresome. Her husband is philandering with her lady’s maid, his excessive drinking is causing him to risk his political ambitions, and his wealth is in a precarious position as his money maker Poppy’s Tip Top Tonic is a children’s medicine made with opium, and the new Food and Drug Act has labelled that substance dangerous. It is vital that the night be a success, so a frustrated Amelia has a maid watch her daughter while she does damage control with the guests and sends her husband to his study.

The morning dawns with Leslie dead and Poppy missing. Amelia, grief-stricken, insists the island be searched repeatedly for her daughter. The mainland police are called, and endless hours are spent combing the small isle, but no sign of the child is found.

In 1992, Chloe Riddell gets God Whispers. Quiet gut instincts which urge her to take actions that common sense will often say are unnecessary, foolish, or hazardous. This is why, when we meet her, she is battling a storm on the St. Lawrence to get to Koster Island. The whisper urged her to head to the isolated land mass whose only claim to fame is the ruins of Pendleton mansion. The only other house on the island, once her grandparents’, now belongs to her. When she arrives, she finds her dogs on the porch, curled around the form of a young girl taking shelter from the rain. Chloe is flabbergasted to discover a stranger there, but she brings the child in and warms her up with a shower and hot chocolate. The girl says her name is Emma but refuses to provide any more information

Chloe contacts the authorities and agrees to keep Emma until a more permanent solution can be found. She knows the solution won’t be her. Financially, she’s facing ruin. Her grandparents’ candy shop is popular but not profitable, their island cabin is in need of repair, and the island property has taxes that need to be paid and which she can’t afford. She has no idea how to remedy these situations, much less take care of a child. She also has to deal with the relentless pursuit of reporter Logan Danford, who is researching the Pendleton disappearance and has determined that Chloe knows more than she is telling. This seems impossible to Chloe since what she knows is a big fat nothing. She may have grown up in the shadow of the manse, but she has never been inside, nor does she have any information beyond the local lore regarding its inhabitants.

In the early 1900s, young Birdie is a river rat, living on a boat with her Mama and struggling to avoid the men who visit and seem increasingly more interested in her than her mother. She loves birds and listening to their music; she loves books, and she loves her capricious, troubled parent. What she loves most, though, are the stories her mother tells of young Poppy, who lives in a castle and plays in fields of red flowers. The tales resonate with her for some reason, though she can’t fathom why.

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton deals with child trafficking and pedophilia. It should be clear to the reader what is happening, but almost no details are given until near the end, and even then, it is from an investigative angle, telling rather than showing what is happening. Drug use and prostitution are both present, as is alcohol abuse. Although this is an inspirational novel, extra-marital sex is referenced, though it is alluded to rather than shown on the page. During the early time period, this action is classified as sin, and repentance and redemption are part of the aftermath, which is very appropriate, given the era and nature of the text. The narrative also has religious themes running throughout, mainly emphasizing the mercy of God and the importance of faith.

Each of our heroines is in a mess (mostly) not of their own making, and the novel details their struggles to rise above the ruins of their lives. Amelia needed to “marry well”, which she did if one looks at money as the only criterion, but her marriage was happy, and she is hiding a terrible secret that may well prove to be her demise. Her husband’s death and daughter’s disappearance move her from one gilded cage filled with misery to another filled with grief. I enjoyed watching her slowly come to the realization that her life is hers to live and to start taking agency over it. Some of her decisions are questionable, but I liked her in spite of her foibles.

Birdie’s mother is a horrible person who has isolated her young daughter and forced her to live under horrific conditions. It is only when tragedy frees Birdie from that prison that she is truly able to take flight and soar. Birdie displays the resilience and strength of youth, but she also showcases how meeting the right people can make all the difference in a child’s life. This theme is echoed in both Chloe and Emma, who also have rough starts. Chloe’s parents were drug addicts who died in a car accident on the way to Woodstock and she was raised by her grandparents, whom she idolized, which is why she is so desperate to keep their legacy alive. In Emma, Chloe sees an echo of her former self. However, young Emma seems to have no one but Chloe in her corner. Unraveling the mystery of who Emma is and how she wound up on Koster Island will not only resolve that young lady’s issues in the present but will clarify things from Chloe’s own past, bring Chloe a new love, and help her solve a decades-old riddle.

No story is perfect, and this one has some minor flaws. Several secondary characters pivotal to the plot aren’t drawn with depth, leaving us baffled as to what happened to them and why. One male character can be best described as a cad, but neither he nor his wife gets the comeuppance they so richly deserve. The mystery surrounding some necessary funds also seems rather absurd. But those are quibbles.

Otherwise, the author does a fantastic job of weaving multiple threads into a beautiful tapestry, rich with history and mesmerizing in its ability to make you emotionally invested in the characters. The Wings of Poppy Pendleton is a lovely read, and one I would recommend to those who enjoy inspirational women’s fiction.

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton is an engrossing dual-timeline story featuring three women whose lives intersect over the course of several decades.

It is 1907, and the world is in the grip of the opulence and glamour of the Gilded Age. At least as far as the Pendleton family is concerned. The patriarch, Leslie, has political ambitions he hopes to launch with a lavish party allegedly celebrating the birthday of his heir, five-year-old Penelope (Poppy) Pendleton. No children have been invited to the event, but the rich and powerful who surge over the private island where Leslie, his wife Amelia, and their young daughter spend their summers are the adult crème de la crème of the nation. Amelia finds the entire event tiresome. Her husband is philandering with her lady’s maid, his excessive drinking is causing him to risk his political ambitions, and his wealth is in a precarious position as his money maker Poppy’s Tip Top Tonic is a children’s medicine made with opium, and the new Food and Drug Act has labelled that substance dangerous. It is vital that the night be a success, so a frustrated Amelia has a maid watch her daughter while she does damage control with the guests and sends her husband to his study.

The morning dawns with Leslie dead and Poppy missing. Amelia, grief-stricken, insists the island be searched repeatedly for her daughter. The mainland police are called, and endless hours are spent combing the small isle, but no sign of the child is found.

In 1992, Chloe Riddell gets God Whispers. Quiet gut instincts which urge her to take actions that common sense will often say are unnecessary, foolish, or hazardous. This is why, when we meet her, she is battling a storm on the St. Lawrence to get to Koster Island. The whisper urged her to head to the isolated land mass whose only claim to fame is the ruins of Pendleton mansion. The only other house on the island, once her grandparents’, now belongs to her. When she arrives, she finds her dogs on the porch, curled around the form of a young girl taking shelter from the rain. Chloe is flabbergasted to discover a stranger there, but she brings the child in and warms her up with a shower and hot chocolate. The girl says her name is Emma but refuses to provide any more information

Chloe contacts the authorities and agrees to keep Emma until a more permanent solution can be found. She knows the solution won’t be her. Financially, she’s facing ruin. Her grandparents’ candy shop is popular but not profitable, their island cabin is in need of repair, and the island property has taxes that need to be paid and which she can’t afford. She has no idea how to remedy these situations, much less take care of a child. She also has to deal with the relentless pursuit of reporter Logan Danford, who is researching the Pendleton disappearance and has determined that Chloe knows more than she is telling. This seems impossible to Chloe since what she knows is a big fat nothing. She may have grown up in the shadow of the manse, but she has never been inside, nor does she have any information beyond the local lore regarding its inhabitants.

In the early 1900s, young Birdie is a river rat, living on a boat with her Mama and struggling to avoid the men who visit and seem increasingly more interested in her than her mother. She loves birds and listening to their music; she loves books, and she loves her capricious, troubled parent. What she loves most, though, are the stories her mother tells of young Poppy, who lives in a castle and plays in fields of red flowers. The tales resonate with her for some reason, though she can’t fathom why.

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton deals with child trafficking and pedophilia. It should be clear to the reader what is happening, but almost no details are given until near the end, and even then, it is from an investigative angle, telling rather than showing what is happening. Drug use and prostitution are both present, as is alcohol abuse. Although this is an inspirational novel, extra-marital sex is referenced, though it is alluded to rather than shown on the page. During the early time period, this action is classified as sin, and repentance and redemption are part of the aftermath, which is very appropriate, given the era and nature of the text. The narrative also has religious themes running throughout, mainly emphasizing the mercy of God and the importance of faith.

Each of our heroines is in a mess (mostly) not of their own making, and the novel details their struggles to rise above the ruins of their lives. Amelia needed to “marry well”, which she did if one looks at money as the only criterion, but her marriage was happy, and she is hiding a terrible secret that may well prove to be her demise. Her husband’s death and daughter’s disappearance move her from one gilded cage filled with misery to another filled with grief. I enjoyed watching her slowly come to the realization that her life is hers to live and to start taking agency over it. Some of her decisions are questionable, but I liked her in spite of her foibles.

Birdie’s mother is a horrible person who has isolated her young daughter and forced her to live under horrific conditions. It is only when tragedy frees Birdie from that prison that she is truly able to take flight and soar. Birdie displays the resilience and strength of youth, but she also showcases how meeting the right people can make all the difference in a child’s life. This theme is echoed in both Chloe and Emma, who also have rough starts. Chloe’s parents were drug addicts who died in a car accident on the way to Woodstock and she was raised by her grandparents, whom she idolized, which is why she is so desperate to keep their legacy alive. In Emma, Chloe sees an echo of her former self. However, young Emma seems to have no one but Chloe in her corner. Unraveling the mystery of who Emma is and how she wound up on Koster Island will not only resolve that young lady’s issues in the present but will clarify things from Chloe’s own past, bring Chloe a new love, and help her solve a decades-old riddle.

No story is perfect, and this one has some minor flaws. Several secondary characters pivotal to the plot aren’t drawn with depth, leaving us baffled as to what happened to them and why. One male character can be best described as a cad, but neither he nor his wife gets the comeuppance they so richly deserve. The mystery surrounding some necessary funds also seems rather absurd. But those are quibbles.

Otherwise, the author does a fantastic job of weaving multiple threads into a beautiful tapestry, rich with history and mesmerizing in its ability to make you emotionally invested in the characters. The Wings of Poppy Pendleton is a lovely read, and one I would recommend to those who enjoy inspirational women’s fiction.

Interesting book, but very long, and kind of sad. Its always tough to read about missing children, human trafficking, and evil people, but to be fair, the author handled that part very well. Its always interesting to me to learn more about a certain area of the country or the world, and I did enjoy learning about a place I didn't know a lot about.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This book easily claimed a place on my top ten reads of 2023. I was completely intrigued by the premise, characters, setting, timelines, and writing. The Christian themes throughout the book are an important part of the story without being too over the top or in your face, which sometimes happens with Christian fiction. While there were plenty of extremely hard topics (human trafficking, kidnapping, mistaken identities, shipwrecks, drug trade and overdose, among others), they were handled tastefully and in such a way that I feel like a more knowledgable and empathetic person for having read The Wings of Poppy Pendleton.

I was given an advanced copy to review by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Another great dual time novel from Melanie Dobson. Can't wait for her next book.

I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I didn't realize until after I read the book that it was from Tyndale Press. That explains the heavy Christian overtones which was a little much for my taste. I did enjoy the story and trying to figure out what happened to Poppy and, even, Emma. "

1907 to 1992 Woven back and forth, gradually revealing a family story as a savvy reporter digs into the facts. Very intricate, details hard to unweave to figure it all out, making it very intriguing - and you have to know what happened to these very real seeming people that are fictional derived from historical facts. I live not far from the Thousand Islands area. It's beautiful and has fascinating history. This story reveals hope in some of the hardest of times for the people on every side. Very well written!

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheWingsOfPoppyPendleton #NetGalley #MelanieDobson #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #TyndaleHousePublishers #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarHistorical #ChildTrafficking

This was an interesting read.

The search for what happened to Poppy was definitely intriguing and the Time Slip aspect made it even more so. This book does deal with sensitive topics.

I don’t believe I’ve read a Melanie Dobson book before. I will search out past books and keep an eye out for future books.

Audiobook:
Narrated by Nancy Peterson
I enjoyed listening to this book. Nancy Peterson read it. It made my cleaning chores go by quickly.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.