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Falling off the Wind
Clement Scheutz, his schooner smashed on the rocks of Puerto Rico by a hurricane, is accused of killing a local islander. The woman he loves has deserted him and he is without money. While putting the boat back together, he helps rebuild a local restaurant and finds new love with the owner. "Few authors can combine both compelling characters and gripping plot. Meibers does so here - his richly-drawn Clem character is both introspective and swashbuckling, both poet and pirate." -David Brody "A modern version of a Joseph Conrad adventure. Meibers has created an engaging tale of life on a Caribbean island where his challenges reflect our own." -Dwight Harshbarger
364 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 15, 2012
Life, without goals, becomes meaningless
Format:Paperback
At 50, Clement Scheutz has been there, done that. He's raised two now-successful sons, been married and divorced, and spent the last seven years wandering the Caribbean with his luscious, much younger girlfriend, Samantha.
You'd think the carefree life would be everything a man like Clem could want, but after all this time he's having second thoughts. There are storm clouds on the horizon. He and Samantha aren't getting along that well, and he's beginning to question the validity of the life he's chosen. He feels empty, homeless, and all sense of meaning seems to have evaporated from his existence.
Culebra, a small island off the coast of Puerto Rico, is well known as a sheltered "hurricane hole," but that's not why Clem and Samantha have brought "Panacea", their 65 foot wooden schooner there. They've come because they need to nurse their meager supply of cash.
Make them flat broke.
Clement visits "El Tapon," a small restaurant run by Migdala, thirty-something granddaughter of the owner. He's seen her before, even danced with her during a party five years earlier. There's something in her face when she looks at him... Later, she makes him an offer; in return for his help in the kitchen, he can have the leftover food at the end of each day.
Soon after, Samantha announces she's leaving. Just in time, too, because there's a real storm coming. Hurricane Hugo strikes Culebra with 150 knot winds, devastating the village and driving ashore most of the boats hunkered down in the harbor, including "Panacea."
The wind also lifts "El Tapon's" roof and carries it away. The place is all but destroyed. And when Migdala hires Clement to help rebuild he discovers that termites have eaten the wood framework from the inside out. The structure will need to be completely rebuilt.
This, and the drive to restore his broken boat, serve as metaphors for Clement's need to rethink his life, and as the construction proceeds and his feelings for Migdala deepen, he endures, as does the reader, several bouts of deep self-examination.
"Falling off the Wind" is printed on bright white stock and the ink used to produce the text is overly shiny. When reading at night, it was neccesary to continuosly adjust the angle of the page in order to keep the glittering ink from interfering. In addition to this minor annoyance, the formatting is less than professional: rather than Chapter One being on page 1, the dedication is numbered page 4, and the story actually opens on page 7.
As a long-time sailor, I enjoyed the sailing scenes and found them accurate in every respect. More than that, in the denouement, after all the agonizing as Clement over-and-over examines himself, the way he "mans up" to his final decision will reward loyal readers and become a big part of the pleasure that is, "Falling off the Wind."
This is a cerebral read, well crafted and enjoyable. Recommended if you're the kind of reader who can overlook a few gremlins in the text.
Format:Paperback
At 50, Clement Scheutz has been there, done that. He's raised two now-successful sons, been married and divorced, and spent the last seven years wandering the Caribbean with his luscious, much younger girlfriend, Samantha.
You'd think the carefree life would be everything a man like Clem could want, but after all this time he's having second thoughts. There are storm clouds on the horizon. He and Samantha aren't getting along that well, and he's beginning to question the validity of the life he's chosen. He feels empty, homeless, and all sense of meaning seems to have evaporated from his existence.
Culebra, a small island off the coast of Puerto Rico, is well known as a sheltered "hurricane hole," but that's not why Clem and Samantha have brought "Panacea", their 65 foot wooden schooner there. They've come because they need to nurse their meager supply of cash.
Make them flat broke.
Clement visits "El Tapon," a small restaurant run by Migdala, thirty-something granddaughter of the owner. He's seen her before, even danced with her during a party five years earlier. There's something in her face when she looks at him... Later, she makes him an offer; in return for his help in the kitchen, he can have the leftover food at the end of each day.
Soon after, Samantha announces she's leaving. Just in time, too, because there's a real storm coming. Hurricane Hugo strikes Culebra with 150 knot winds, devastating the village and driving ashore most of the boats hunkered down in the harbor, including "Panacea."
The wind also lifts "El Tapon's" roof and carries it away. The place is all but destroyed. And when Migdala hires Clement to help rebuild he discovers that termites have eaten the wood framework from the inside out. The structure will need to be completely rebuilt.
This, and the drive to restore his broken boat, serve as metaphors for Clement's need to rethink his life, and as the construction proceeds and his feelings for Migdala deepen, he endures, as does the reader, several bouts of deep self-examination.
"Falling off the Wind" is printed on bright white stock and the ink used to produce the text is overly shiny. When reading at night, it was neccesary to continuosly adjust the angle of the page in order to keep the glittering ink from interfering. In addition to this minor annoyance, the formatting is less than professional: rather than Chapter One being on page 1, the dedication is numbered page 4, and the story actually opens on page 7.
As a long-time sailor, I enjoyed the sailing scenes and found them accurate in every respect. More than that, in the denouement, after all the agonizing as Clement over-and-over examines himself, the way he "mans up" to his final decision will reward loyal readers and become a big part of the pleasure that is, "Falling off the Wind."
This is a cerebral read, well crafted and enjoyable. Recommended if you're the kind of reader who can overlook a few gremlins in the text.
April 4, 2013
I have read the first two books in this trilogy, Steal Away Home and Tree Rings, and if this is anything like them it will be a fabulous read and well worth your time.
Just finished. Very good with an ending left to your imagination, or Richard could add a fourth book.
Just finished. Very good with an ending left to your imagination, or Richard could add a fourth book.
January 4, 2013
Book review: Falling Off the Wind
Author: Richard Meibers
Ever wish you could cast your fate to the wind, leave your past and present life behind and be free to roam the seven seas? At age 50, Clement Scheultz, with his much younger girlfriend, Samantha, go to do just that. Sounds like a dream come true doesn’t it? That very same wind of fate, named hurricane Hugo, is what causes Clement’s dream to shatter into a million pieces. There is evidence surfacing in the seven years at sea that pointed to a less than perfect lifestyle but it was the hurricane disaster that made it necessary for Scheultz to delve deep into himself and redefine what was important to him and give him a true purpose for living.
His sailing boat, the Panacea, is severely damaged off the coast of Puerto Rico and his less than perfect girlfriend leaves him penniless and stranded as she heads home to take care of some family business. Scheutz has to come to his senses and prioritize his life, (he had no other choice really), he had to find a new direction. To make matters worse he is cast as a prime suspect for a local islander’s murder which adds to his confusion and pain.
Scheultz starts to rebuild his boat and in so doing is able to rebuilt his life. He also encounters Migdala, a beautiful local restaurant owner, who needs help restoring her hurricane-ravaged restaurant. He finds himself very attracted to her and volunteered to be her helpmate in the restoration of her business. They get her restaurant up and running again and find comfort in sorting out their problems.
The book is very vivid and detailed. The characters, settings and plot draw you in and expose you to the island culture and customs. I now would like to explore Meibers’ other novels for my personal reading pleasure.
Author: Richard Meibers
Ever wish you could cast your fate to the wind, leave your past and present life behind and be free to roam the seven seas? At age 50, Clement Scheultz, with his much younger girlfriend, Samantha, go to do just that. Sounds like a dream come true doesn’t it? That very same wind of fate, named hurricane Hugo, is what causes Clement’s dream to shatter into a million pieces. There is evidence surfacing in the seven years at sea that pointed to a less than perfect lifestyle but it was the hurricane disaster that made it necessary for Scheultz to delve deep into himself and redefine what was important to him and give him a true purpose for living.
His sailing boat, the Panacea, is severely damaged off the coast of Puerto Rico and his less than perfect girlfriend leaves him penniless and stranded as she heads home to take care of some family business. Scheutz has to come to his senses and prioritize his life, (he had no other choice really), he had to find a new direction. To make matters worse he is cast as a prime suspect for a local islander’s murder which adds to his confusion and pain.
Scheultz starts to rebuild his boat and in so doing is able to rebuilt his life. He also encounters Migdala, a beautiful local restaurant owner, who needs help restoring her hurricane-ravaged restaurant. He finds himself very attracted to her and volunteered to be her helpmate in the restoration of her business. They get her restaurant up and running again and find comfort in sorting out their problems.
The book is very vivid and detailed. The characters, settings and plot draw you in and expose you to the island culture and customs. I now would like to explore Meibers’ other novels for my personal reading pleasure.
March 10, 2013
Carefree Clement Scheutz and his girlfriend, Samantha love to roam the Caribbean wherever their schooner will take them. But they are out of money and head to Culebra, an island with little tourist and easy living. Clement is offered a shipping job to taking a load of cargo to Cuba. Needing funds, Clement ignores his better judgment and decides to take on the job. But Migdala, owner of a local island restaurant warns Clement not to take the job, that he will be asked to bring something back in return. Still… with his need for money, Clement is soon off on the quest and finds himself dealing with the Cuban coastal Patrol, who in return gives Samantha a packet to return. But things get haywire during the transaction between Scheutz and a man named, Harding, who has a confrontation, which leads to unspoken threats. But making Harding an enemy might prove a problem in the near future. As Samantha leaves Culebra to return home, Scheutz finds himself spending more time with Migdala, working at her restaurant and helping the woman with issues regarding her daughter. But when a hurricane makes its debut, murder is added to the mix and things only get worse.
Falling off the Wind by author Richard Meibers is a mystery with a bit of romance. Life on the sea is explored in beautiful detail along with island life. Clement Scheutz is a great character with a humble edge that makes him likable and easily relatable. I really enjoyed this notable tale. Meibers has a natural gift of storytelling that will surely set him up with a fan base.
Falling off the Wind by author Richard Meibers is a mystery with a bit of romance. Life on the sea is explored in beautiful detail along with island life. Clement Scheutz is a great character with a humble edge that makes him likable and easily relatable. I really enjoyed this notable tale. Meibers has a natural gift of storytelling that will surely set him up with a fan base.
January 22, 2013
Falling Off the Wind is a well written book by author Richard Meibers. He is a new to me author. The book is about a man who has been sailing around the coast of Puerto Rico for 7 years and seems lost. His relationship with his girlfriend is petering out. He has no money and no real home. To me, it seemed like he was in an extended mid-life crisis, with no idea how to get out.
I have to admit, I had a hard time getting into the book. I really know nothing about boats or sailing. Normally, this wouldn't deter me from a story, but the first couple of chapters were so heavy with terminology that the book dragged for me. I did keep reading, and overall liked the story. I felt like Clement learned a lot about himself during his time helping Migdala rebuild her restaurant. I was happy with the decision he makes in the end. However, I wasn't left with a confident feeling that he was ultimately happy with the decision. Right up until the end, he was still plotting his way out should he get restless. I also questioned whether he traded one relationship problem for another in choosing Migdala.
That being said, I would recommend giving this one a shot. I think anyone who is into sailing and likes a bit of mystery will enjoy this book.
I have to admit, I had a hard time getting into the book. I really know nothing about boats or sailing. Normally, this wouldn't deter me from a story, but the first couple of chapters were so heavy with terminology that the book dragged for me. I did keep reading, and overall liked the story. I felt like Clement learned a lot about himself during his time helping Migdala rebuild her restaurant. I was happy with the decision he makes in the end. However, I wasn't left with a confident feeling that he was ultimately happy with the decision. Right up until the end, he was still plotting his way out should he get restless. I also questioned whether he traded one relationship problem for another in choosing Migdala.
That being said, I would recommend giving this one a shot. I think anyone who is into sailing and likes a bit of mystery will enjoy this book.
December 13, 2012
FALLING OFF THE WIND by Richard Meibers is an interesting contemporary romance. With compelling characters,a gripping plot and a seafaring adventure you can not go wrong with this title. If you enjoy a mix of sailing,murder,hurricanes in your romance than "Falling Off The Wind" is the title. Follow Clement Scheutz on a journey with his schooner,which is smashed on rocks in Puerto Rico while he finds healing,and love again. An adventure of life on a Caribbean Island,and its challenges. Received for an honest review from the publisher and The Cadence Group.
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: SWEET
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, My Book Addiction and More/My Book Addiction Reviews
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: SWEET
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, My Book Addiction and More/My Book Addiction Reviews
November 30, 2012
This is a great read. You can read it on its own, but it is richer if you have read the first two in the trilogy, Steal Away Home and Tree Rings.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews