Before The Dawn by Candace Camp

Before the DawnBarbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone
Publication Date: August 19, 2019
Number of Pages: 340

What a phenomenal read! I was absolutely gobsmacked. This book focuses on the lead-up to World War II as well as events during the war. We have three couples – four if you count the one who lost her husband and remarried. The main couple is American stage actress Alyssa Lambert and French underground operative Philippe Michaude and their tale is a heartbreaking and intense one. The secondary focus is on Jessica Townsend and her husband Alan – and then after Alan is killed, she falls in love with Stephen Marek. The tertiary and less featured couple is Claire Stanton and her Polish love Casimir Andrzej Dubrowski – also known as Ky.

Just as a note, this book was originally published in 1988, but the story is timeless and I believe there have been some edits and re-writes in this new release. This story is set in a period that is much later than I normally read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. As an American, I don’t often think of what our dragging our feet before entering WWII cost our friends in England and other European nations. This story definitely brings that home – perhaps that wasn’t the author’s intent, but it was certainly an outcome of the story.

Alyssa Lambert has arrived in London for a visit with her best friend Jessica before another friends, Claire, wedding. It is her plan to visit with her friends in England and then head over to Paris to visit with her father who is a political advisor to President Roosevelt. Upon her arrival, she is amazed that England doesn’t seem to be taking the German threat seriously. It seems to be business as usual even though there are many who are trying to convince the powers-that-be that Germany fully turning on England is just a matter of a short time.

In Paris, Alyssa discovers a complacent French population as well. They pride themselves on having the worlds best military and don’t fear the Germans getting through their defensive lines. On Alyssa’s first night in Paris, she meets Philippe Michaud who is very rich and owns a factory that makes trucks, tanks and other equipment that can easily be used in war. Philippe is one of the few in Paris who can see what is coming. He’s made a commitment and plans to defend his country even when the Germans have invaded. What he didn’t count on was meeting and falling hopelessly in love with Alyssa.

This story is filled with so very much intense heartache, intrigue, suffering, and great love. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll cheer. You’ll hold your breath. You’ll jeer. Your emotions will run the gamut.

I definitely recommend this read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Duchess In His Bed by Lorraine Heath

The Duchess in His Bed (Sins for All Seasons, #4)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Sins For All Seasons #4
Publication Date: 8/20/19
Number of Pages: 320

I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the Sins for All Seasons series. Of the six Trewlove children, I was most interested in reading Aiden’s story and Beast’s story. Aiden has intrigued me from the beginning, so I was happy to see his story. Next up is Fancy’s and maybe finally I’ll get to read Beast’s story.

Aiden is everything I thought he’d be – hard on the outside and soft in the center. He protects what is his and assures that there is no way he ever produces a bastard like himself. He’d never cause any child to have that sort of fate. I had a harder time warming up to Selena ‘Lena’ Sheffield, Duchess of Lushing. The reason I’m giving a 4-star review rather than a 5-star review is because of my problems with the duchess. Yes, I understood her dilemma, but rather than telling her brother to man up and telling her sisters the true status of their finances, she chose to ask a man like Aiden to do the unthinkable. She wanted it even after she learned his story and his strong objections. She even intended to trick him, and just the fact that she fully intended to do that said a lot about her whether she carried through or not.

Selena’s father wasn’t a very good manager of his earldom nor of his funds. So, when both of her parents were killed and her brother Winslow inherited the earldom, their financial circumstances were dire. For the good of her brother and her three sisters, she married the Duke of Lushing. She loved him but wasn’t in love with him. Their marriage was a passionless one and his only reason for the marriage was to produce an heir since he was the last of his line anywhere and his titles and estates would forfeit to the crown when he died. After seven years and no children, the duke died. Without him, there would be no dowry for her sisters and no way to financially help her brother. So, Winslow came up with a solution – Selena would quickly get pregnant and pass the child off as the dukes. ** Just as an additional comment — I REALLY disliked Winslow. **

Aiden Trewlove is one of six bastard children raised by Hettie Trewlove. Hettie was a remarkable woman who raised six remarkable children – five of whom weren’t even hers. She taught them respect, love, caring for others and how to be successful. Aiden owns two very successful clubs – The Cerberus Club, a gaming hell for men and the Elysium Club, recently given to him by his brother Finn, which caters to women. I saw one reviewer refer to it as a brothel for women, but I didn’t get that. Yes, there were a few of the men who worked there who would provide that service if the women wanted it, but the focus of the club was more pampering and caring for the women, giving them a place where they can feel beautiful, respected, and cared about.

Aiden was immediately drawn to the woman who entered his Elysium club. He couldn’t even see her face, but he felt the invisible thread pulling him in. After showing her around the club, she told him she wanted to be bedded and he told here that the servers with the red dots on their uniforms would accommodate her. Then, she told him that she wanted him only.

All it required of him was a few nights of being lost in mad, passionate lovemaking – not a hardship at all – And then walking away, never, ever, to look back.

I absolutely LOVED that the villain got his just desserts! It was the absolute perfect punishment for him. I also loved the Countess of Elverton – although you see little of her until toward the end of the book. I think she might be one of my favorite people in the entire series just for her one small role.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.