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A review by erin_j
Before the Dawn by Emma Pass
5.0
It’s 1943 and war is raging. Ruby Mottram keeps herself busy in her small English village of Bartonford. With her job at the local newspaper, volunteering as an ARP warden, and taking care of her ailing father there’s no time for a social life. Sam Archer is living a hellish life in the American south with an abusive stepfather. A chance to join the army and receive enough money to free his mother and little sister from their abusive situation is too good to pass up. When the Americans come to Bartonford, Ruby and Sam meet and strike up a relationship that they never expected. But it’s a time of war and Ruby’s family is the first to complain about “those Americans.” With their plans thwarted at every turn the future is looking very questionable for this couple.
This was a lovely, raw WWII romance. The pacing is good and the story engaging. The author balances history, wartime hardships, and romance very well. This book has dual POV and it was nice to get both characters’ stories and emotions throughout. Ruby and Sam both have some pretty heavy family issues/complexities that are quite heartbreaking. But they also get to have a sweet, hopeful romance. But the journey of their relationship is definitely a rocky and emotional one. The author brings in the hardship of loving a soldier that could be shipped out whenever and the realities of war where not all your friends make it back. My one quibble with this book is that I would’ve loved an epilogue. It ended well but I wanted to see more of Ruby and Sam settled and some more closure to a few situations with friends and family. But overall a really great WWII historical romance.
If you enjoy WWII historical fiction with a good dose of romance, then you should read this book when it releases March 3rd.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.
This was a lovely, raw WWII romance. The pacing is good and the story engaging. The author balances history, wartime hardships, and romance very well. This book has dual POV and it was nice to get both characters’ stories and emotions throughout. Ruby and Sam both have some pretty heavy family issues/complexities that are quite heartbreaking. But they also get to have a sweet, hopeful romance. But the journey of their relationship is definitely a rocky and emotional one. The author brings in the hardship of loving a soldier that could be shipped out whenever and the realities of war where not all your friends make it back. My one quibble with this book is that I would’ve loved an epilogue. It ended well but I wanted to see more of Ruby and Sam settled and some more closure to a few situations with friends and family. But overall a really great WWII historical romance.
If you enjoy WWII historical fiction with a good dose of romance, then you should read this book when it releases March 3rd.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.