Shine Like The Dawn by Carrie Turansky
Multnomah Books, 2017. Trade paperback, 320 pages.
In this standalone novel, Turansky tells a story of heartbreak and overcoming tragedy set in Edwardian England. Maggie Lounsbury works in her grandmother’s millinery shop while also helping to raise her younger sister, Violet. An accident four years prior orphaned both girls. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Harcourt returns home to his family’s estate, Morningside Manor, due to his father’s illness. When both Maggie and Nate were younger, they were friends; now, after years of separation, they meet again.
The years have been hard for both young adults. After the accident, Nate’s parents (Maggie’s father’s employers) sent Maggie and Violet away. Nate was not home when this occurred and when he could not relocate the sisters, he joined the Royal Navy in anger over his parent’s act and served during the Boar Wars. Because of this, when Nate and Maggie cross paths, they must relearn to trust each other. A series of events force them along this path as they must work together to solve a mystery. Additionally, Nate also must navigate his new life while struggling to prevent a strike at the factory he inherited and run his home, often against the wishes of his stepmother. Meanwhile, Maggie must learn to rebuild her life again with her small family’s support.
Shine Like the Dawn is a novel that is not only heartwarming, but also keeps you on your seat in suspense. While fully historical, it is also part romance and part mystery. Because of that, I do think readers of all three genres will enjoy the story. Turansky pays attention to details to help ensure the realism within the story, so one will learn about the era while reading. Introducing the character of Lilly Neatherton helps to show the “downstairs” side of the manor as she is both a servant in the household and Maggie’s best friend. Turansky is also not afraid to address social issues, as the chapters with the unrest at Clifton or about Lilly’s fiance show. The romance elements are wholesome and what would have been expected for the era. In all, a novel worth reading for both a heartwarming yet suspenseful story. And I did enjoy this book much more than her Edwardian Brides series, of which I reviewed the final title in late 2015.
Have you read any of Turansky’s other books? If so, what did you think? If not, so you think you will give this one a try? Do you hae other books of any genre set in/about Edwardian England to recommend?
I received this book for review from Blogging for Books.
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