When Everything Changed

by Kim Heneke Groen

Catarina is an observer, an appeaser, and a solution seeker but when parachutes fall from the sky, everything changes. In her seaside village, Catarina can no longer find solace on the long stretches of sandy beaches and on the meandering protected paths through the Dutch dunes. When Marco, the love of her life, asks her to play a minor role as a courier, she is thrust into a position of danger. No longer able to remain on the margins, Catarina is drawn into the war by her fiancé’s participation in the resistance and her brother’s failed attempts to join the allies.
In a world turned upside down, Catarina must draw on past events and people who have shaped her to steer through the grey mist of choices. The journey is about more than just surviving, it's about navigating a complex moral landscape and finding strength in herself that she didn’t know she had.

393 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2025

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written novel that follows the life of teenaged Caterina as she navigates love , family and survival in the midst of German occupied Holland. Through her eyes the reader sees the joy, danger and pain of life during WW II. It’s a well crafted debut novel by a gifted author.

[Y. Kort · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Poetic Journey Through War and Memory

I just finished this beautifully written book, and I’m deeply moved. Just wow. What a beautiful, powerful tribute to Catarina and what a gift to her memory.
I was struck by the depth of the research. Set against the backdrop of wartime Netherlands, the narrative follows Catarina’s life with vivid sensitivity, honoring not just her strength but also the rich, complex world she lived in. The history, the places, the people, even the language (although in English). The way the towns are described made me feel like I was walking alongside Catarina: over cobblestones, through the dunes, across the bridges. I could almost smell the air and hear the echoes of that time.
I love the storytelling; tender, graceful and poetic. Short sentences and beautiful phrases. The writer managed to weave history, personal memory and fiction into something truly timeless.
The book held many surprises and revealed depths I hadn’t expected. The ending was especially surprising to me. It’s clear that the writer has poured her heart into this labor of love, honoring Catarina’s memory in a way that is both intimate and universally resonant.
This book is a powerful reminder of how personal history can illuminate the past in a way no textbook ever could. It lingers in the mind long after the final page.

[E. Winston · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immersive experience into the authentic world of a small player, Catarina, a young woman, who faces the immensity of the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands with surprising courage and honesty. The author seamlessly weaves the beauty of the seaside, a story of young love, and a passion for music throughout the narrative. What makes it stand out from other stories of World War Two is how a certain humanity remains while still depicting the brutality of war. A slow burn story that takes hold of the reader as they grow attached to the protagonist and wanting to know how it all turns out. An important read to better understand the stories of the everyday people caught in the problems of the bigger world.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

With just the right combination of description and dialogue, this work of historical fiction during World War II in Holland captures your attention with its measured unwinding of how a girl named Catarina lives her life before and after everything changed. I was enthralled with the fine detail and gentle tone of this novel, the freedom that Catarina enjoyed in her youth before the war landed on her life and her survival and resilience despite the hard truths that war brought. This was a well-written book that I would highly recommend.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Everything Changed was a compelling and interesting read that left me curious about what Catarina would have to overcome next. This book was written to easily allow readers to navigate the time in relation to the events of world war 2. I loved following Catarina along on her journey, while she grew up in more ways than one. heartbreak, resilience, and independence set the stage for a journey. One that doesn't just tell a story, but immerses the reader into the reality of a nation that was never meant to choose sides.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting story and a perspective I could really connect with of a young woman trying to make sense of war. I love how you used real historical items you found and breathed life into them with a story, it made me want to pry into the meaning behind all the strange and forgotten belongings people carry with them. The details you added made me wish I could have met the real Catarina and to ask her even more questions about her life. It also made me want to go to the Netherlands and see the region with dunes, ocean and colourful fields. Excellent book.

[Penny Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of unexpected surprises and details that transport you into the era of World War Two, this book offers a personal depiction of Catarina and her family who live in a seaside village in the Netherlands. This is so much more than just another war story. There is family drama, sibling rivalry, romance and we witness the resilience of Catarina as she comes of age. The author has an easy flowing style that offers a most enchanting read and holds your attention throughout.

[Sean Madden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kim's done a brilliant job of crafting a story based on the real Catarina after finding 3 unrelated items after her death. What an engaging and beautiful story about a young Dutch girl who is drawn into the Resistance unwittingly and who struggles with her own morals and what she is asked to do by her fiance. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a heart warming story with many unexpected twists and turns.

[Josie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written coming of age story that holds your attention throughout and makes you want to read more when you are finished. We first meet Catarina as she transports a message for her fiancé in nazi-occupied Netherlands and gradually are introduced to her family and life in a seaside town before and during World War II. A remarkable debut novel that speaks to the resilience of ordinary people who do extraordinary things when circumstances require.

[Pia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written, thought-provoking novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of both survival and love. It’s compelling narrative and strong female protagonist make it a worthwhile read.
This novel had me reading way into the night as I simply had to know what happened next.
Well done to this author on her debut novel.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this story captivating! From the start, the writer pulls you in, transporting you back in time to World War II, and offers a personal depiction of Catarina and her family, who live in a seaside village in the Netherlands. An ordinary family's journey in an extraordinary time - you won't want to put this book down.

[JMO · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very touching story by a talented author. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel that centres on a young Dutch girl’s struggle to understand and navigate the world during World War II when Germany began the war with its occupation of Holland. It is a very well written novel and I would highly recommend.

[Liz P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this well written book. What an amazing story!