Monday, December 7, 2015

Reviewer's Bookshelf: Until the Dawn by Elizabeth Camden


Book summary (Goodreads): A volunteer for the newly established Weather Bureau, Sophie van Riijn needs access to the highest spot in her village to report the most accurate readings. Fascinated by Dierenpark, an abandoned mansion high atop a windswept cliff in the Hudson River Valley, Sophie knows no better option despite a lack of permission from the absent owners.

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 a local woman has been trespassing on his land.

Instantly at odds, Quentin and Sophie 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 and the Vandermark family history are no longer content to stay in the past, will tragedy triumph or can their tenuous hope prevail?

My thoughts...Before I read Until the Dawn, I read the prequel novella, Toward the Sunrise, that is actually a free ebook.  I typically don't love novellas, but I LOVE Elizabeth Camden so I read it.  It really helped lead into Until the Dawn and helped me understand Sophie's story a little better, as well as the story of the Vandermarks.  

I have to confess a little bias towards Elizabeth Camden.  I love her ability to tell a story.  There are often elements of mystery, her characters have a great backstory that adds a lot to the plot, and history is woven throughout her novels.  These elements and more are present in Until the Dawn.  

While Sophie isn't my favorite of Camden's leading ladies, I can appreciate that not all of her heroines are serious and intense.  Sophie represents life and light in this story, even though she struggles with hardships she's had in the past.  I loved how her ability to cook was part of the story as well.  The descriptions of her food were mouth-watering. The mysterious aspect of this story centers around the history of the Vandermarks, the generational sins that have affected them over many years, and the beauty of redemption. The clash of light and life vs darkness and death were a big theme throughout the novel.  

For me, this is another beautifully written novel by Elizabeth Camden.  I would definitely recommend it!

**I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

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