Capture the Wind for Me (The Bradleyville Series #3) [Paperback]

Brandilyn Collins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2003

One thing I have learned. The bonfires of change start with the merest spark. Sometimes we see that flicker. Sometimes we blink in surprise at the flame only after it has marched hot legs upward to fully ignite. Either way, flicker or flame, we'd better do some serious praying. When God's on the move in our lives, he tends to burn up things we'd just as soon keep. After her mama's death, sixteen-year-old Jackie Delham is left to run the household for her daddy and two younger siblings. When Katherine King breezes into town and tries to steal her daddy's heart, Jackie knows she must put a stop to it. Katherine can't be trusted. Besides, one romance in the family is enough, and Jackie is about to fall headlong into her own. As love whirls through both generations, the Delhams are buffeted by hope, elation and loss. Jackie is devastated to learn of old secrets in her parents' relationship. Will those past mistakes cost Jackie her own love? And how will her family ever survive if Katherine jilts her daddy and leaves them in mourning once more?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Strong writing is tempered by a plot line pitched too young in this third and final installment of Collins's evangelical Christian Bradleyville Series. Shattered by her mother's death, 14-year-old Jackie Delham is left to bring up her two younger siblings and run the household for her grief-stricken father. When Jackie's dad finds love two years later with Bradleyville's prodigal daughter-the svelte, dressed-to-the-nines Katherine May King-Jackie rather predictably opposes their romance. But love is waiting in the wings for her, as well. Teen idol Greg Kostakis, lead singer of the boy band "LuvRush," is distantly related to Katherine, and not too many pages elapse before Jackie and Greg are infatuated with each other, despite his busy concert schedule. As Jackie explores the complications of romance, she cultivates empathy for her father and Katherine as they come to grips with demons from their pasts. The slangy eastern Kentucky dialect spoken by the characters is uneven (characters sometimes drop their "g"s at the end of words and sometimes don't), but the characterizations are interesting, and Collins pens some worthy descriptions. Readers of the first two books in the series will recognize various characters, but the novel succeeds well as a stand-alone. Although the book is ostensibly aimed at adult fiction readers, the novel's contemporary setting, teen protagonist and happily-ever-after ending should cinch its success with the YA crowd.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Strong writing is tempered by a plot line pitched too young in this third and final installment of Collins's evangelical Christian Bradleyville Series. Shattered by her mother's death, 14-year-old Jackie Delham is left to bring up her two younger siblings and run the household for her grief-stricken father. When Jackie's dad finds love two years later with Bradleyville's prodigal daughter---the svelte, dressed-to-the-nines Katherine May King---Jackie rather predictably opposes their romance. But love is waiting in the wings for her, as well. Teen idol Greg Kostakis, lead singer of the boy band 'LuvRush,' is distantly related to Katherine, and not too many pages elapse before Jackie and Greg are infatuated with each other, despite his busy concert schedule. As Jackie explores the complications of romance, she cultivates empathy for her father and Katherine as they come to grips with demons from their pasts. The slangy eastern Kentucky dialect spoken by the characters is uneven (characters sometimes drop their 'g's at the end of words and sometimes don't), but the characterizations are interesting, and Collins pens some worthy descriptions. Readers of the first two books in the series will recognize various characters, but the novel succeeds well as a stand-alone. Although the book is ostensibly aimed at adult fiction readers, the novel's contemporary setting, teen protagonist and happily-ever-after ending should cinch its success with the YA crowd. (Mar.) -- Publisher's Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 345 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310242436
• ISBN-13: 978-0310242437
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,028,183 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brandilyn Collins is an award-winning and best-selling novelist, writing her trademarked Seatbelt Suspense®--fast-paced, character-driven suspense with myriad twists and an interwoven thread of faith. She also has written the distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons).

You can read excerpts from all her books at her Web site: www.brandilyncollins.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An easy enough read...that proves meaningful as well., April 25, 2003

By 

SLM "sarahbookworm" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Capture the Wind for Me (The Bradleyville Series #3) (Paperback)

I couldn't put this book down! It entangles you in its web of family ties, small-town life, hidden secrets, newfound love, grief and loss.... It's just a delicious book.

The basic gist of the plot is that teen Jackie's mother died a few years ago, and her father has found someone new. While dealing with her feelings of anger and hurt over this knowledge, Jackie meets a famous foreign singer who wins her heart. But she constantly worries that her dad's new love---and for that matter, her own new love---will break promises and leave them. Then a sudden twist in the plot causes all the characters to second-guess themselves and those they formerly trusted.

Granted, some parts seem melodramatic...and even though I'm a sixteen-year-old myself, this book's sixteen-year-old narrator can seem juvenile at times. (Who still calls their dad "daddy" and refers to their mom as "mama"? Maybe it's just the town she grew up in or something.)

The book stresses good morals and keeping God in control of your life---a phenomenal concept in this day and age. I would recommend it to any female (regardless of whether they're a Christian or not) ages 14 and up.

Oh, and F.Y.I.: the author has a talent for employing impressive vocabulary (among her talent as an exquisite story-teller). I'd have a dictionary neraby just in case.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent 'Change of Pace' for Brandilyn Collins, July 7, 2007

By 

Toby Martin II (aka R. Howe) "rchowe" (Erskine, Minnesota United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Capture the Wind for Me (The Bradleyville Series #3) (Paperback)

Brandilyn Collins, perhaps best known for her suspenseful thrillers
(all with an underlying Christian foundation), in this series, ending with "Capture the Wind for Me," turned her talents to life in Bradleyville, a small Kentucky town; with a strong emphasis on characterizations. As was true in the first two installments--"Cast a Road Before Me" and "Color the Sidewalk for Me"--Ms. Collins' truly fine writing style breathes life into the people of this small southern town...people whose everyday lives generate interest and empathy. I've not read a Brandilyn Collins' book--including those in this series--which are undeserving of a five-star rating. This three-volume series is a welcome slice of Americana. Highly recommended!
--R.C. Howe (aka Toby Martin II)/ Erskine, Minnesota

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed this book, January 2, 2004

By 

lor369 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Capture the Wind for Me (The Bradleyville Series #3) (Paperback)

This book was very enjoyable to read. This book was about a teenage girl who struggles with feelings from her mother's death and helping out with her family, when both she and her father fall in love. Then Jackie struggles with feelings of distrust for Katherine (her father's new love) and the long distance relationship with a rock star, Greg.

This book was very interesting to read. Character development was great. I liked how Collins brought in the past relationship between Celia, Danny, and Bobby, and how that still had an effect on everyone today. I liked the theme "Keep your eyes on God", like in the "Color the Sidewalk" book. There was also some humor in the book, like with the fight between Clarissa and Alma Sue. I was also amused at the idea of half the town traveling 4 hours to Lexington to get Katherine to come back to Bradleyville when she ran away.

I know that Jackie struggled with Celia and Celia's relationship with her father. But I would have also liked to see some dialog developed between Celia and Jackie on that time period, especially since there was some resentfulness on Jackie's part toward Celia. Also, I thought that the ending and getting Katherine to come back to Bradleyville happened a little quickly. I would have liked to see how Katherine and Bobby ended up compromising on some of their issues. Do Bobby and Katherine travel to Lexington from time to time, to account for Katherine's desire of big city life? Do they agree to stay in Bradleyville and allow Katherine to work in Lex once a month? Plus, I thought that at times, Bobby and Jackie seemed a little too judgmental, and that drove me nuts at times.

Again, I enjoyed this book as I did the whole series. I did like the "Color the Sidewalk" book the best, but this was a very enjoyable book as well.