The Winter Rose (Paperback)

This read will constantly tug at your heart, there are so many emotions, and shinning brightly is Love. There is foremost a love of God, and then of their fellowman. This is a story that spans decades, and then back again. Showing the part the Quaker's played in rescuing the children that were slated to die at the hands of the evil regime. The author has gifted us with some characters, you will fall in love with, that give it all for others. Then there are those that seem to have to hit rock bottom, or further and we are there through the words of the author to savor this read. This quickly became a page turner for me, and when it was finished, I didn't want to leave. I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale, and was not required to give a positive review.

“None of us deserve the good that comes to us. But this life is a gift.” And this book is such a gift. I've always loved Melanie Dobson's beautiful writing and her captivating time slip plots and this newest book again showcases what a masterful storyteller she is. Seamlessly weaving between 1943 and 2003, the tangled, complicated, and heart-breaking Tonquin family history comes to life in all the brokenness, sorrow, grief, hope, and grace. There is also a bit of mystery as past and present collide to provide answers to questions that all the characters are asking. Above all the horrors during WWII and after, above all the wrongs committed during the present time, there is perseverance, forgiveness, grace, and mercy that prevail and become the guiding light for those floundering in guilt and shame. I loved Addie and Caleb as well as Grace and Roland. They're real, down-to-earth characters who will stay with me for a long time. Be prepared with a box of tissues - this book will make you cry tears for injustice, suffering, and heartbreak but will also bring tears of joy and wonder. I received the book via Edelweiss/Above the Tree Line and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

'She could endure, with God's help, for twenty-four hours.' How do I begin a review for this book? Melanie Dobson's books always take me away to a different time and place, places filled with danger, great pain and heartache, populated with wonderful and heroic characters whose hearts shine through the dread darkness in which they live. 'How did one explain the importance of truth to a child who'd had to deceive in order to survive? To lie in order to live?' Dobson's split time novels have brought me many hours of reading entertainment, great sadness, but redeemed with great joy as I watch her bring her characters through some of the darkest times imaginable. This time was no different. When I see a new book by Melanie Dobson, it's an automatic read. I don't even need to read the synopsis. I can without reservation highly recommend this author. Her stories are based on actual history that brings them so alive and she brings incredibly deep emotion for them that will remain with the reader a very long time after the book is finished. Well done! My thanks to Tyndale House for a copy of this book. The opinion in this review is expressly my own.