This second installment picks up a little while after the first one, and things are quite tense for our teen lovebirds. Much like the first one, the action kicks off at the beginning and rarely lets up right until the end.
About the Book
She thought they’d never find her. She was wrong.
Kat and Maksim have been hiding in a sleepy Mediterranean town. It’s paradise, heaven on earth… So then why is Maksim eager to send Kat home? And why has he been acting strange since making contact with a certain hacker?
Kat is determined to find out, but when a misstep in her ‘investigation’ infuriates the hacker and her crew, the fallout puts Kat and Maksim on a collision course with the crime syndicate that’s been hunting them down.
With nowhere else to turn, they seek asylum in Paris with an old friend of Maksim’s, hoping for a place to lie low. Things seem calm, hopeful… until a heartwrenching betrayal by Maksim comes to light.
As the evidence piles up, Kat is forced to rely on the kindness of his old friend, a Frenchman who’s there to help pick up the pieces of her broken heart. But not everything is what it seems in the City of Light, and Maksim isn’t the only one keeping secrets. Kat’s intuition, her instinct, and even her vivid, foreboding dreams are no match for this game of cat and mouse.
The chess pieces are in place. The crime syndicate is closing in. Will Kat wake up to the truth before it’s too late?
My Thoughts
If you loved the first book, Awaken the Dawn, you’ll love this sequel. The mystery in this one is a little more nuanced. The focus, to me, felt more on the action and drama/romance of the story, but the mystery was still there. There’s so much going on that, as a mom, I just wanted to wrap poor Kat up in a hug and jump in to help her!
The romance also gets way more complicated in book two, as young love often does. A shocking betrayal lands Kat in the care of someone Maksim trusts, but as always, his rules to trust no one make it hard for even old friends to be above suspicion. Kat’s heart is torn in several directions, and the consequences of her own and Maksim’s actions are creating new problems every day. This book delves deep into relationships and character studies, which is something I love. It does slow the pace, just a hair in some places, but those who love the breakneck action speed of the previous book won’t be disappointed.
This one includes several romance tropes such as miscommunication, a love triangle, accidental pregnancy, secrets, forced proximity, organized crime, and probably others. I really enjoyed some of the new characters in this one, especially Dom.
I’m so grateful to the author and LBT for having me on this tour.
Who’s It For?
If you love action-packed YA romance with organized crime, strong character development, and lots of drama, you’ll enjoy this. It also involves trekking across various parts of Europe, especially France/Paris, so that’s enjoyable as well!
Content Warnings: Kidnapping, Violence, Substance Abuse, Teen Pregnancy, Death, Crime, Corrupt Police/Officials, Organized Crime, Infidelity, Betrayal, Adult Situations, Adult Language. This is not meant to serve as a complete list of subjects that individuals may find potentially bothersome.
Question of the Day
Have you ever been to Paris or anywhere else in France?
Answer of the Day
I went to Paris alone and stayed in a hostel (for the first time) when I was 19. I was on a semester in London, and on fall break, everyone else wanted to go to Ireland. But they were all going to Europe after the semester ended. I couldn’t afford that part, so I wasn’t missing Paris!
About the Author
When Ellis isn’t moonlighting as a coffee aficionada, you might find her adventuring through Transylvania, doing photoshoots in Old Town Bucharest, or otherwise trying to talk her husband into moving to Eastern Europe. She’s a lover of history with a penchant for World War II and the Cold War, and her favorite places in the world are Wallachia in beautiful Romania and the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia.
(She’s also an award-winning writer and budget-minded travel expert.)
Links
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Dusk-Awaken-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B0CVL7SDWP
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dawn-Dusk-Awaken-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B0CVL7SDWP
Bookshop US: https://bookshop.org/a/25511/9781962180177
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208444330-dawn-to-dusk
Author’s Website: https://elliskayecreates.com/
As a Bookshop.org (US) Affiliate, I may earn on qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org purchases support local, independent bookshops. My chosen affiliate bookshop is Tubby & Coo’s Traveling Bookshop, a local, queer-owned bookshop in New Orleans.
Published by Amorina Carlton. Award-winning American author, Amorina Carlton, is currently working on her first novel. You can find more about her published work and works in progress on the home page. She also serves as the PR/Marketing Lead for Ravens and Roses Publishing, and reviews books, mostly by other indie authors, here and on Bookstagram.