Desperation led to a daring switch and leads to intrigue during the dark times of WWI. One glimpse of the blurb as well as a fancy for the gorgeous cover led me to give As Dawn Breaks a try.


Rose desperately wants to avoid a horrid arranged marriage that her detestable guardian is pushing on her. No one will ever know that during a spectacular explosion at the munitions' factory where she works that it is Tilly Lockhart who perishes and not Rose who miraculously survives when she was supposed to be at her wedding party. Rose as Tilly goes to Gretna to take a supervisory role at that munitions factory and stays with the Baird family. That should have been the end of it save getting the workers to listen to her, but then a disturbing letter for Tilly arrives and Alex Baird comes home and is suspicious of her even while they share a connection. Her secrets and his secret mission lies between them.

Injured, Royal Air Force Captain Alex Baird is burdened by his brother's death and is sent home to recover. Alex is fearful for his family living in the shadow of the munitions' factory so he grimly accepts the mission to surveil one Tilly Lockhart who worked at the Chilwell Factory before it was sabotaged and exploded. He had already been making a connection with the lady and struggles with her on his suspect list. Dare he trust her so they can work together against the certainty of another sabotage attack and dare he trust her with his heart?


I have seen so few romances let alone romantic suspenses set during the WWI era that I all but pounced on this one. The author is new to me, but I had a feeling it was not a huge gamble to dive in. Turned out superbly because the historical backdrop, the characters, and plot all wove together nicely and pulled me in. What hard times those were and especially for women like Rose. Those factories were not exactly healthy and the gals were covered in the yellow powder by the end of shift and earned the nickname Canary Girls and then there was the explosive nature of their product. But, I also speak of a woman's lot when it came to unscrupulous legal guardians like her uncle that was forcing her to marry an abusive man so that she felt she had to pretend die just to escape. The flip side, Alex's situation was grim too, but I was somewhat more familiar with a military character though having him in an espionage role was pretty cool.


Their romance was complicated with the lies and secrets and not at the forefront much of the time, but I enjoyed how it didn't turn into high drama and they worked as a team to investigate the sabotage. I liked the tension the suspense side of the plot added, but thought the romance was developed well in its own right. They were friends and partners and had to take their time. Then they had to get past the reveals and to their true selves. Rose was in bad straights, but Alex had his struggles, too. His family was great support and Rose finds a real home with the delightful, sometimes mischievous Bairds in gorgeous Scotland.


I should point out that this is inspirational romance and it is a theme in the story, but there isn't soapboxing at the expense of the story.


All in all, this was enchanting from the first page as it pulled me into Rose's WWI era world and drew me in deeper as she was caught up in a traitor's web, espionage, and playing her role while her real self found home, happiness and love in Scotland. I definitely want to read more of the author's books and can recommend this one highly to those who enjoy sweet historical or inspirational romance.

I rec'd an eARC through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.

I'd known of the women who worked in munitions factories for the war effort in WWII, but I hadn't realized how many women had in WWI as well, or what dangerous jobs they held--where the atmosphere was so physically explosive that one couldn't even have metal bra hooks or silk stockings, lest a spark from the static electricity blow the factory. And I can't imagine that so much exposure to TNT that one turned yellow was good for long term health. It was a fascinating bit of history!

As with any time one is lying about one's identity, there's the expectation that it will blow up worse than a munitions factory when one's secrets are revealed, and such is the case for Rose. I loved how she grew through the story, but I can see why Alex takes such great affront at her lies--she does look highly suspicious regarding the Chilwell explosion, and when there's a threat of sabotage where she's currently employed . . . it would be all too easy to come to the wrong conclusions. I greatly enjoyed some Mission Impossible-esque elements, though as is the case with any master of disguise plot, my head was left spinning trying to figure out who and what I has missed throughout the story. It was a pleasure to catch some cameos of characters from a previous book (High as the Heavens).

Thank you Bethany House and NeGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Such a beautiful story. I feel like these characters are my friends and I hated to say goodbye. I loved learning about the Canary Girls and I am sad that I had never heard of these brave women and children before that supported the war effort sacrificing their health and their lives. It made me dig in for more information. I laughed and cried, It was suspenseful and charming. I loved this book and would recommend it highly.

With a setting in England and Scotland during 1918, Kate Breslin’s novel, As Dawn Breaks, is sure to capture the interest of historical fiction lovers. Breslin’s impeccable research and brilliant story telling make this a compelling and enjoyable read. The main characters, Rose Graham and Alex Baird are colorful, engaging, and easy to like, and the stellar cast of supporting characters add dimension and intrigue. Rose is courageous and hard-working, and when she gets a chance to escape a forced marriage with an abusive man, she’s determined to take it and make her own way in the world, even though it involves pretending to be someone else. Alex is charged with discovering who is behind the explosions at ammunition plants and stopping them before another one takes place. I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Rose and Alex and seeing it grow and change.

With plenty of history, suspense, intrigue, and a dash of romance, this story has something for everyone. The addition of lots of twists and turns will keep you guessing. Inspirational elements of faith, forgiveness of self and others, and the value of honesty and integrity are woven seamlessly into the story and give it additional depth and meaning.
“His faith had taught him God forgives all; yet until he could forgive himself, he’d never see the dawn break upon his soul.”

I would recommend this to those readers who enjoy clean and inspirational historical fiction that is well-written and absorbing. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishing. All opinions are my own.

This is my first book by Kate Breslin, and I am quite favorably impressed! One thing that I love in historical fiction is learning something new about real history, and this book has plenty of that. Keeps your attention,and keeps you guessing until the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance e-book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

As Dawn Breaks is another fabulous book by Kate Breslin. It is giving me yet another reason why she is among my favorite authors. I always eagerly await for her new releases and this one worth definitely worth the wait. I enjoyed going back in time to the United Kingdom during the first world war. I adored Rose / Tilly right from the start. There is a little suspense and mystery involved that kept me even more intrigued and wanted to keep reading until I read the last page.
As Dawn Breaks is getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean historical romance. As always, I will be looking for more Kate Breslin’s releases in the future. I loved this one.

I received a paperback copy of As Dawn Breaks from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Rose Graham desperately needs to escape the life she has been thrown into so when she gets the chance, she takes it. With brothers to protect and a future to work out, she flees to Gretna, Scotland where she begins work as a munitions supervisor for a pack of “canary girls” that test her strength and character. Providence dictates that she meet the Baird family and falls in love with their sweet family after renting their vacant room.

Alex Baird has been asked by his best friend to sniff out the possible saboteur that has been bombing munitions plants. In fact, the next suspected target is where his sister works and near his family home so he can not fail to protect them especially since he has failed his family in the past.

Written with a sprinkling of Scots dialect, including words like “dinna”, “ken” and “braw”, Breslin brings the reader into the WW1 era and sits you down into the intrigue of misplaced power, secrets, disguise, and veiled identities. She weaves an intricate plot of cat and mouse that will keep you wondering who can be trusted and how Rose could possibly fulfill her dream of breaking out of the life she was forced into. All the while, Breslin gives you a background filled with a sense of true family, community and what is still right with the world.

This book is appropriate for teens and older. There are no overly descriptive intimate scenes and no bad language.

I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge with no expectation of a positive review.

I've only read one other story by Kate Breslin and what impressed me the most was how much historical details she includes. I'm not a huge fan of WW1 or WW2 fiction, but Breslin brings this era to life for me in very interesting ways. And I learn some things in the process! For instance, the munitions workers were called “canary girls”, aptly named because the TNT they work with every day turns their skin yellow. Along with other devastating health conditions these women were facing because of all the toxic chemicals they work closely with. It saddened me that there were no safety measures taken to protect them and many died as a result. Not to mention, the constant threat of explosion if one wrong move was made. I'm glad I didn't live then or be forced to work in the factories while our boys went to war! All that to say, this story taught me lessons I probably learned in school many years ago.

As Dawn Breaks was a fascinating look at history in the making. It was also full of intrigue, spies, undercover work, secret identities, danger and a bit of suspense. The story really picked up around the half-way point for me when tensions ramped up. Rose & Alex must trust each other enough to try to ferret out the person responsible for the factory explosion back in Chilwell & prevent it from happening in Gretna where they currently work. Oh, did I forget to mention that Scotland Yard is involved too? All this culminated in a page-turning, can't-wait-to-see-what-happens-next, riveting tale. There's also a romance brewing that helped tame the breathtaking conclusion to this stunning historical written by one of the best authors. She also includes generous sprinkles of faith, and strong family and friendship bonds.

I especially recommend this to historical fiction lovers who enjoy the WW1 era and fans of Sarah Sundin.

*I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House on behalf of the author and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone. *

A page-turner! I held my breath every time Rose almost gets caught either for hiding her identity or for being a suspect for an explosion that the real Tilly was tied into. Very intense with some light humor. I enjoyed the banter between her and Alex and was left swooning with their sparks whenever I wasn't on edge with all the secrecy going on!

I felt truly transported back in time to WWI, with Rose, as she worked in a munitions factory in Scotland. The author did a great job of creating characters that I cared about. The way Rose fit into the Baird family, who she was boarding with, was so sweet. It made the fact that she was hiding her true identity difficult for her.

I liked the way Rose and Alex started out a bit at odds and then began to respect each other and grow into a friendship and then more. However, both had secrets and those secrets were bubbling right under the surface.

The espionage angle in As Dawn Breaks was so well written. The author did a great job of creating a setting where it was hard to know how and when the saboteur would strike. That added a lot of good tension. There were some great twists and turns in this story! I really enjoyed this book.

(4.5 stars)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Magnificent story!
The book is like an intricate embroidery: the heartbreak and suffering during the war, past regrets and a burden of guilt, a desire of freedom, forgiveness, hope and love! A must read!
I received an ARC of this book for review. I was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions in this review are my own.

When one reads a book by Kate Breslin, one can rest assured that it will be a book that is full of historical detail, compelling characters, inspirational themes, and a sweet romance. As Dawn Breaks did not disappoint. Stories set during WWI pique my interest. There is so much I don't know about the era and reading about the munitions factories and the women, often called the Canary girls, who worked in such dangerous conditions there was so interesting. Rose is an enchanting character, courageous to take a chance on a new life, despite the danger and the sorrow of losing her family. Alex, too, is a strong character, a man bent on a mission to find a traitor, and yet, how he loves his family. I enjoyed watching the relationship between Rose and Alex change and grow throughout the story despite the secrets and sorrows they each had. Breslin is a talented author who seemingly effortlessly threads intrigue, suspense, and romance together to bring readers a captivating historical fiction story, a story of family, friends, and forgiveness in her newest release, As Dawn Breaks.
I read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

Life is growing increasingly unbearable for Rose. When tragedy strikes and she is presumed dead, she sees her chance to start over in a new place. I admired Rose's gumption. She was willing to sacrifice everything to care for her loved ones but she wasn't afraid to try to find a better path when the opportunity arose. She stood up for herself and others under her and was a winsome character.
I also liked Alex. Even though he was disconcerted by Rose's presence in his family home, he grows to appreciate her.

Breslin is a master at historical fiction. It was fascinating learning about the canary girls and what was involved in making munitions during WWI. It was informative without ever dragging. It was full of intrigue and a couple big twists. I enjoyed it alot.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

If you were given the chance to change the outcome of your life by assuming someone else’s identity, would you take that chance?

That is the choice Rose Graham must make when her best friend, Tilly Lockhart, dies in an explosion at the Chilwell munitions factory. By taking her friend’s identity she would be leaving behind a merciless uncle and an arranged marriage to a cruel man. However, life is not always what it seems when you step into someone else’s shoes, a web of lies, espionage and munition dealers. This story takes place during the Great War in 1918 England and Scotland. The author expertly weaves history and fiction. It was a time when women accepted the government’s cry for help by joining the war effort at home, many times at the cost of their own health, safety, and lives.

Breslin masterfully brings WWI to life in this new release. I've read my fair share of WWI books this year (semi-unintentionally, haha, as I've been on a contemporary kick of late), and "As Dawn Breaks" really brings it to new life for me. I learned so much about munitions, factory life during that era, and some of the more local challenges the Scots experienced during the Great War. Breslin is quickly becoming my go-to author for the time period, much like Sarah Sundin is for WWII.

I particularly loved the "new identity" and "secret mission" components and how the two quickly became interwoven. I wasn't entirely sure how it all would pan out, and Breslin did a great job at resolving each bit. Fantastic!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

As Dawn Breaks is another beautifully written historical love story set during the Great War.  

Rosalind Graham is being forced to marry a man she doesn’t love, by an uncle who doesn’t seem to love her.  When the Chilwell factory explodes, Rose is believed to be among those counted dead.  She sees this as her chance of escaping a life she doesn’t want and forging ahead under the assumed identity of her friend, Tilly Lockhart.  Through unforeseen circumstances Rose finds herself renting a room from the Baird family in Gretna.  The closer she grows to this family, the harder it is to keep up her deception, but she can’t afford to reveal the truth. 

RAF Captain Alex Baird is on a secret mission back at his boyhood home in Gretna, Scotland.  Alex feels like he has failed his family once before and he can’t let that happen again.  As he spends time with “Tilly” his affections for her grow, but then he’s called to keep surveillance on her.  His affections and his new assignment are warring against each other.

I love that the setting takes place in Scotland.  While a large part of the story takes place at the munitions factory, there are lots of details that bring the beautiful landscape of Scotland to light, and just the right amount of the Scottish burr is added to make it feel truly authentic, yet remaining understandable.  Who doesn’t love a leading male with an accent? 

Alex and Rose are so similar in how they guard themselves and how they are both secretly longing for ore.  That first kiss….sigh.   As Dawn Breaks is rich with fascinating historical facts, intrigue, suspense, romance, and the perfect amount of faith woven throughout….everything I’ve come to love and expect from a Kate Breslin book.  BUT it also had some major surprises that I was not expecting.  You are going to want to read this one and see what I’m talking about!

Kate Breslin became a favorite author several years ago, when I got my hands on Not by Sight. Once I saw As Drawn Breaks, I knew this was a must read and can boldly state that it did not disappoint. I was engrossed in this novel from beginning to end. In standard Kate Breslin fashion, the quality of writing was excellent. Readers will be transported to WWI era, not in battle scenes, but in a munitions factory located in Scotland. The storyline was unique as I knew pretty much nothing about such facilities at that time, beyond the fact that many women joined the workforce to support their country in its efforts. I even took some time researching "canary girls" and learned quite a bit. The characters in this plot will not leave readers disappointed, as each was complex and unique. The plot, in my opinion, is most deserving of rave reviews. I thought it developed so, so well. Readers should note that this book is not fast paced. It was never meant to be. This is a slow-burn (and beautiful) romance with an intricate, unpredictable mystery to solve. And the mystery was exceptional. While I thought I had figured out who the villain was about 2/3 of the way in, this story ended up being so much more complex than anticipated. I challenge readers to do the same and see how much you can solve by the end of this book! Truly, I cannot recommend this novel enough. It was an excellent read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.

As with all of Ms. Breslin's work, this book is rich in historical detail with realistic characters struggling with not only the effects of WWI but some self-imposed difficulties.

I absolutely loved Rose. I felt her struggles. I was not fond of Alex at all at the beginning. His treatment of Rose had me at times want to go through the book and smack him.

The beauty of this book is how Ms. Breslin weaves together horrible circumstances brought about by war with themes of second chances and forgiveness throughout this multilayered story.

This story is a must-read for all historical romantic suspense readers. I highly recommend it!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"As Dawn Breaks" is a romance set in 1918 in England and Scotland. Unfortunately, I felt like this story had so many twists that it became too confusing and unbelievable. Some things were never explained, probably because there was no believable explanation. Others were explained by Tilly's brother being such a master of disguises that even the people who knew the impersonated person didn't realize the switch. Even after reading the explanation of who did what, why, and when at the end, some explanations still made no sense and seemed forced in order to prolong the suspense. (If you want someone to stop killing people, do you wait until he's set the bombs or stop things as soon as you can?)

I also didn't feel like the romance worked. Sure, Alex was wonderful compared to the cruel bully that Rose was supposed to marry, and she loved his family. But each repeatedly assumed the worst about the other, sometimes even after the evidence indicated otherwise. Alex wouldn't even consider the truth when Rose finally told him, so she stopped talking to him. Their future marriage will have great conflict resolution skills. Not.

Finally, very little of the story was about trying to uncover and capture the bad guy. Rose was busy being afraid and being bullied by the girls that she supervised until she suddenly found her courage. The whole time, Rose knew some valuable information but didn't trust anyone enough to tell them. Alex didn't suspect the bad guys that were right in front of him and did little to uncover them. Oddly, it was the bad guys that finally clued them in to who they were and where the bombs were hidden. Go figure.

The Christian themes were that God had a good plan for Rose's life and Alex needed to forgive himself for his brother's death. There was no sex or bad language.

Breslin is a brilliant storyteller being able to juggle all the intricacies of historical detail as she drafts a beautiful story of the hardship of a small Scottish town that supports the war effort with a significant munitions factory. She takes us into the Baird family home who have suffered much with the loss of one of their sons in the war and a father who is incapacitated from a work injury. Their teenage daughter, Hannah, is employed at the local Gretna munitions factory doing dangerous work. This is what needs to be done to make ends meet during WWI.

But it is Rose Graham whose story it is. She's terrified of an impending arranged marriage and when an opportunity comes up to turn her life upside down and escape this predicament she grabs it. And heads north to Scotland and the small town of Gretna. On gaining employment at the local munitions factory, Rose takes up an offer to board with the Baird family. But Rose is full of secrets and is continually torn between her deception and staying sufficiently anonymous that her uncle doesn't discover her to haul her back to the arranged marriage.

Enter Alex Baird. The strapping eldest son of the family Rose is boarding with. He unexpectedly returns home from the war as he's in pursuit of a killer who has targeted the Gretna munitions factory for his next dastardly act. And Alex, undercover and working with Scotland Yard, needs to bring this mystery killer to justice before he can commit the act.

Breslin keeps the reader on their toes. I was surprised how many twists and turns there were that I wasn't expecting. Her level of detail and precision in keeping everything organised is brilliant especially with all the deception going on amongst the major combatants in the story.

And of course there's a romance that takes a long time to get going which I appreciated as it was had more substance and meaning when it finally was revealed.

One detail that troubled me for much of the first half of the story was Rose's belief she was being led by God while living a life of deceit. Yes, circumstances conspired to assist her to believe such but that doesn't necessarily mean God has orchestrated it for the purposes intended. How does one live a life consistent with one's faith when presented with a future of unwanted hardship of which one has little control? It's challenging to reflect on and it reminded me of Rehab who misled the leaders of Jericho so the spies she housed could make an escape.

Overall, this is a thoroughly absorbing story that I enjoyed immensely.

I was fortunate to receive an early ebook copy from the publisher via NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review.