Book Review: Until The Dawn

Author: Elizabeth Camden

Publication Date: December 1, 2015

Publisher: Bethany House

Series: Until The Dawn # 1

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?

“That’s where the body was found, floating facedown in the river,” an ominous voice intoned. “He was stone cold dead.”

She’d never asked permission to install the weather station, but the roof of Dierenpark was now one of the three thousand monitoring stations manned by volunteers who gathered climate data in hopes of creating accurate weather predictions that would make the world a safer place for everyone. And she prayed Quentin Vandermark would not interfere with that.

He wished he could teach Pieter that all it would take was integrity and faith to guide them into a safe and blessed world, but Quentin had long since given up believing in fairy tales.

She could not let Dierenpark be destroyed.

Elizabeth Camden is one of my favorite authors when it comes to writing solid historical fiction. Every new book I read by her leaves me fascinated and excited for the next. I am especially excited when, like with this book, she starts a brand new series. Her books always bring something new to the table; as an author, she is not afraid to try new things and step outside of her comfort zone. This story followed a remarkable plot that was unlike anything she has written before. Main characters, Quentin and Sophie were at odds from the start, but readers can easily see each character’s point of view. Sophie has been one of my absolute favorite heroines that Camden has written. She had so many interesting abilities and attributes that just allowed her to shine in this story!

Quentin, on the other hand, was a bit gloomy and in need of light and hope in his life. His background is understandable and made it all the more enjoyable to see him and Sophie starting to connect and appreciate one another despite their differences. Their banter and dialogue was witty, humorous, and a little harsh towards one another at times, but this only helped to make their relationship more relatable. The house that is the setting contains a breathtaking mystery that unfolds in layers, making the story all the more gratifying; so many things were unfolding and before I knew it I had finished the book and was sitting down to write this review!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the author in exchange for my honest review***