Review: Until the Dawn by Elizabeth Camden

January 18, 2016

Title: Until the Dawn
Author: Elizabeth Camden
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0-7642-1720-3
Publication Date: December 1st, 2015

Synopsis:
Fascinated by Dierenpark, an abandoned mansion high atop a windswept cliff in the Hudson River Valley, Sophie van Riijn sees no harm in setting up a rooftop weather station for her work with the newly established Weather Bureau. While the villagers are suspicious of the mysterious estate and its tragic history, Sophie has come to see it as her own enchanted piece of paradise.

The first Vandermark to return to the area in sixty years, Quentin intends to put an end to the shadowy rumors about the property that has brought nothing but trouble upon his family. Ready to tear down the mansion, he is furious to discover Sophie trespassing on his land.

Instantly at odds, Quentin and Sophie yet find common ground when she is the only one who can reach his troubled son. There's a light within Sophie that Quentin has never known, and a small spark of the hope that left him years ago begins to grow. But when the secrets of Dierenpark can no longer be kept in the past, will tragedy triumph or can their tenuous hope prevail?
Review:
Elizabeth Camden is a phenomenal storyteller. She has the ability to to bring together so many aspects seamlessly.  You can have mystery, history, a bit of suspense, and romance all together, but neither over power each other. But the main thing I love about her stories is her ability to bring to attention smaller back grounds or little known facts of history. In Until the Dawn, it is the start of the Weather Bureau. You hear about how when records were first started, but who started them?

Until the Dawn is another fantastic story. I really enjoyed Sophie, she was a smart girl and caring, but I also understand Quentin. They each have backgrounds that aren't fun in this area and they are both trying to work through them. Quentin comes off a bit cold at first, but he is a single father trying to do the best for his son. Sophie is a girl just trying to make a living. And in all honestly, with the way that Quentin and Sophie meet, I was surprised to how calm Quentin was in their meeting with the circumstance. It did give them good grounds to build from.

Pieter was a sweet kid to read about, however, the poor kid has had to deal with a lot and then thrust into a creepy introduction to his new home. That is a hard thing to deal with, but it played out well with the story. Pieter and Sophie were great together.

The settings for this story were great. They enhanced and pushed the story forward. But really hooked me was the history. The research that Elizabeth Camden did for this book just shone. It flowed effortlessly and just made the story pop!

Too Read
4.5 out of 5

About the Author:
Elizabeth Camden is the author of eight historical novels and has been honored with a RITA Award, Christy Award, and Daphne du Maurier Award. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. She lives with her husband in Florida.
Learn more at www.elizabethcamden.com.







Thank you to Bethany House, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

1 comment

  1. Given that Elizabeth Camden is one of my go-to historical romance authors AND I've heard amazing things about this novel, I simply must get my hands on a copy. Soon. Hopefully. :D

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