MELANIE DOBSON--an author who crafts her work with exquisite care and meticulous detail--blends fiction with facts and combines them with hope and faith--compelling inspirational romance (see my reviews)

Hidden Among the Stars

From the award-winning author of Catching the Wind, which Publishers Weekly called “unforgettable” and a “must-read,” comes another gripping time-slip novel about hidden treasure, a castle, and ordinary people who resisted evil in their own extraordinary way.

The year is 1938, and as Hitler’s troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family’s summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker’s daughter, who is eager to help the man she’s loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika’s feelings and puts their entire plan―even their very lives―in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone.

Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quiet life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambi that connects her to Annika’s story . . . and maybe to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she’s built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love.

MY REVIEW:  An author who crafts her work with exquisite care and meticulous detail, Melanie Dobson blends fiction with facts and combines them with hope and faith. With "Hidden Among the Stars", she takes her readers and her characters on an 80-year journey, back and forth from Vienna, Austria of the WWII Era and the Holocaust to a small bookstore in Ohio in our present-day world. Callie Randall owns and runs Magic Balloon Shop with her sister, Brianna. The discovery of mysterious notes in an old children's book will lead Callie on a search through history to discover a long-silenced truth which which may affect someone she holds dear. As Callie turns the pages of the past, we get to know Max Dornbach of Hallstatt, Austria, a young man who, along with his childhood friend, Annika Knopf, covertly aids his Jewish friends by hiding their belongings on his family's estate to prevent the Nazis from confiscating the valuables. When Max also hides a young Jewish woman, Luzia Weiss, at the castle, the danger of discovery threatens them all. "Hidden Among the Stars" is a wonderfully poignant and involving tale of heartache, hope, and history--an important reminder of the majesty of the human spirit and the beauty of abiding faith in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

Book Copy Gratis Tyndale House Publishers 


 

Enchanted Isle

In the spring of 1958, Jenny Winter embarks on a two-month adventure to one of the most enchanting places on earth, a quaint village in England’s magical Lake District. With a new camera and an eye for capturing the beauty others miss, she can’t wait to explore the heathery fells and mystical waters. Adrian Kemp, a handsome and enigmatic local, makes the sightseeing even more beguiling—and he’s about to invite Jenny into one of the area’s most enduring legends.

When Adrian shows Jenny his late father’s abandoned dream, a deserted island amusement park, she glimpses a kindred spirit in this reckless, haunted young man. Yet as she opens her heart to Adrian, the two stumble into a labyrinth of mystery leading back a generation to an unforgettable romance and an unsolved murder that still casts a shadow over the lakes. As long-held secrets come to light, it’s left to Jenny and Adrian to put the past to rest and restore a lost dream.

MY REVIEW:  Set in the Lake-District of England in the late 1950's, "Enchanted Isle" is an involving inspirational romance with an added touch of magic and mystery from author Melanie Dobson. Jenny Winters escape to the lake country of England brings much more than a reprieve from troubling issues. An imaginative young woman with an eye for capturing beautiful photographs, Jenny is drawn into the area's culture and atmosphere. Adrian Kemp, a local man, becomes her companion and guide. Handsome and enigmatic, Adrian reveals to Jenny the abandoned amusement park that was his late father's life's dream. As the two grow closer, secrets begin to unfold, and an unsolved murder from long ago once again rears its head. Truths can bring to the forefront many dark issues before the light breaks through. Will Jenny and Adrian find that love and faith can carry them forward to a future bright with hope and happiness? "Enchanted Isle" will take readers to a different place and time--one where magic, mystery, romance, and faith all blend for a captivating story.

Book Copy Gratis Author


  

Catching the Wind

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.

MY REVIEW:  "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.

Book Copy Gratis Tyndale Blog Network 


 

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor

When Heather Toulson returns to her parents cottage in the English countryside, she uncovers long-hidden secrets about her family history and stumbles onto the truth about a sixty-year-old murder.

Libby, a free spirit who can't be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver's death.

Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family's cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions. She's mourning her father's passing but can't let go of the anger and resentment over their strained relationship. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family's belongings left behind in the cottage. As Heather digs, she finds a mysterious journal that belonged to a woman she never knew and it contains clues that lead to the truth about a mysterious drowning decades ago. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family's history.

Award-winning author Melanie Dobson seamlessly weaves the past and present together, fluidly unraveling the decades-old mystery and reveals how the characters are connected in shocking ways. Set in a charming world of thatched cottages, lush gardens, and lovely summer evenings, this romantic and historical mystery brings to light the secrets and heartaches that have divided a family for generations. 

Reviews

 

“Masterful… mysteries are solved, truths revealed, and loves rekindled in a book sure to draw new fans.”, Publishers Weekly

"A splendid combination of the past and the present, skillfully woven together with an interesting mystery. The fascinating British setting, exploration of family secrets and hopeful ending create an engaging reading experience.", RT (Romantic Times)

"[A] past-meets-present page-turner, and Anglophiles will find the manor, cottage, and butterfly garden settings irresistible. Perfect with a pot of English tea!", Christian Book Distributor

"Meticulously researched and beautifully written. Dobson paints two British families, shadowed by lies and betrayals, whose stories intertwine across generations, each desperate for forgiveness and the hope of new life. Riveting and thought provoking, Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor was impossible to put down."-- Cathy Gohlke, Christy Award-winning author of Secrets She Kept and Saving Amelie

"Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor by Melanie Dobson is a beautiful and touching novel filled with family drama, mystery, and romance. You'll be swept away to the English countryside as you follow the interwoven stories of three women in one family who discover the healing power of love and forgiveness. Engaging from beginning to end!" -- Carrie Turansky, award-winning author of The Daughter of Highland Hall and A Refuge at Highland Hall

An old, cherished house is like the human heart, we keep treasures safely tucked within: some conquests we proudly display, some treasures we put behind glass, some secrets we hide from sight, our own and others'. In Shadows of Ladenbrook Manor, Ms. Dobson skillfully plaits the complex strands of life: golden and dark, truth and deception, love and loss into an engaging, multi-generational story of heartache and ultimate, unexpected redemption. Any reader might both lose and find herself between the covers of this compelling novel. -- Sandra Byrd, author of Mist of Midnight

"Melanie Dobson's new book skillfully weaves together past and present as she takes the reader on a fascinating journey to a shocking secret held for generations. A book about choices, consequences, and ultimately redemption, this beautiful story highlights the love of family, and the sacrifices we make and secrets we keep for better or for worse." -- Jennifer Shaw, Telly Award winning speaker, author, songwriter, and five time Top 40 Billboard artist 

 

Chateau of Secrets

A courageous young noblewoman risks her life to hide French resistance fighters; seventy years later, her granddaughter visits the family’s abandoned chateau and uncovers shocking secrets from the past. Gisèle Duchant guards a secret that could cost her life. Tunnels snake through the hill under her family’s medieval chateau in Normandy. Now, with Hitler’s army bearing down, her brother and several friends are hiding in the tunnels, resisting the German occupation of France.

But when German soldiers take over the family’s château, Gisèle is forced to host them as well—while harboring the resistance fighters right below their feet. Taking in a Jewish friend’s baby, she convinces the Nazis that it is her child, ultimately risking everything for the future of the child. When the German officers begin to suspect her deception, an unlikely hero rescues both her and the child.

A present day story weaves through the past one as Chloe Sauver, Gisèle’s granddaughter, arrives in Normandy. After calling off her engagement with a political candidate, Chloe pays a visit to the chateau to escape publicity and work with a documentary filmmaker, Riley, who has uncovered a fascinating story about Jews serving in Hitler’s army. Riley wants to research Chloe’s family history and the lives that were saved in the tunnels under their house in Normandy. Chloe is floored—her family isn’t Jewish, for one thing, and she doesn’t know anything about tunnels or the history of the house. But as she begins to explore the dark and winding passageways beneath the chateau, nothing can prepare her for the shock of what she and Riley discover… 

 

Reviews

 

“Amazing characters, deep family secrets, and an authentic French chateau make Dobson’s story a delight.”, RT Book Review

“Intriguing and suspenseful, rich in secrets, hidden tunnels and heroic deeds—Melanie Dobson’s Chateau of Secrets weaves a compelling tale of a family’s sacrifice for those in need, and their determination to resist Nazi domination in the France they remember and love. A compelling and beautiful story not to be missed.” -- Cathy Gohlke, Christy Award winning author of Saving Amelie  

“Seldom do I read an entire book in one day, but I did with Château of Secrets. I was entranced by the beautifully researched setting and the complex web of characters. Melanie Dobson has written a masterful novel!” (Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of On Distant Shores )

“Chateau of Secrets is the heart-wrenching tale of two women who must uncover the truth of their past in order to find peace and—in one case—true love in their future. The secrets the characters have kept and the lies they have told drive a story that is filled with suspense and romance.” (Anna Schmidt, author of All God's Children, Simple Faith, and Safe Haven, The Peacemaker Series)


 

The Courier of Caswell Hall

An unlikely spy discovers freedom and love in the midst of the American Revolution.

As the British and Continental armies wage war in 1781, the daughter of a wealthy Virginia plantation owner feels conflict raging in her own heart. Lydia Caswell comes from a family of staunch Loyalists, but she wavers in her allegiance to the Crown.

On the night the British sail up the James River on a mission to destroy the new capital, Lydia discovers a wounded man on the riverbank near Caswell Hall. Fearing his identity but unwilling to leave him for dead, she secretly nurses him back to health. The man identifies himself as Nathan, a Patriot—and an enemy. But Lydia’s American sympathies grow, and when British officers return to the plantation, Lydia must help Nathan escape.

Privy to conversation among the officers at Caswell Hall, Lydia begins delivering secret messages to the Patriots in Williamsburg. When she overhears a plot to assassinate General Washington, she must risk her life to alert Nathan before it’s too late.

Reviews

 

"Melanie Dobson has again offered up a wonderfully written novel in her latest release. I found the book to be heart-stirring and fast-paced, with interesting historical details woven into the pages. I've never read an American Revolution-themed story that intrigued me so much as this one did!"--Christian Fiction Addiction 

 "This is the best historical fiction I've read since the last time I've read a Melanie Dobson novel. There's just something about this author who is able to transport me completely to whatever time and place she chooses. Her unique perspective helps to set her books apart from others; The Courier of Caswell Hall focuses on the many roles women played in the Revolutionary War - and I don't mean from inside their kitchens, either."--A Nest in the Rocks

"I have to say that when I read the prologue it was so beautifully written (I read it with tears streaming down my face) that I just knew the rest of the book couldn't measure up to the high standards I had already set. I was so very wrong and so thoroughly pleased. This was a beautiful story of love and loss, hope and strength, devastation and yet, beauty. I felt like I was IN the story fighting along side of Nathan, Seth and Grayson. Delivering messages with Lydia and Sarah. The Revolutionary War was brought to life within the pages of this book. When there was death I cried with those left behind. When there was even a small victory I rejoiced along with them. I don't think I have ever read a story that has evoked such emotion in me. The Courier of Caswell Hall is a book that you will want to read again and again. It will take you on an emotional journey that you will never forget. I VERY highly recommend reading this book!"--A Book Lover's Retreat

MELANIE DOBSON

 

Writing fiction is a fun excuse for Melanie to explore ghost towns and old houses, travel to unusual places, and spend hours reading dusty books and journals. She writes both contemporary and historical fiction with threads of romance and suspense.

Melanie is the award-winning author of almost twenty time-slip, historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels including Catching the Wind, Beneath a Golden Veil, and The Silent Order. Three of her novels including Chateau of Secrets have won Carol Awards, Catching the Wind won the Audie 2018 Inspirational Fiction award, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, have two daughters. After moving numerous times with Jon's work, the Dobsons have finally settled near Portland, Oregon, and they love to travel and hike in both the mountains and the cliffs above the Pacific. When Melanie isn't writing or researching, she enjoys line dancing, biking, and making up stories with her kids.

More information about her and her books is available on her website at www.melaniedobson.com. You can also connect with Melanie at www.facebook.com/melaniedobsonfiction.