In Kate Breslin's novel, As Dawn Breaks, Rosalind Graham works in a Chilwell munitions factory in England in 1918. Her parents had passed away long ago, and her uncle took Rosalind and her two brothers in. But the arrangement was far from cozy. Rosalind's uncle is forcing her to marry a ruthless man she doesn't love.
Shortly before the wedding, Rose's best friend from the factory, Tilly, sends her to her apartment to get ready for a bridal shower. But while Rose is away, the factory blows up, killing hundreds, including Tilly.
Stunned and devastated, Rose eventually realizes the explosion offers her a way out of her dilemma. She can take on Tilly's identity and leave, and everyone will think Rose died in the explosion. Though she hates to make her brothers think she's dead, it's the only way she can see to help herself and them. She plans to find a job in another town and then retrieve her brothers when she has saved enough money.
Rose/Tilly ends up in another munitions factory in Gretna, Scotland. She's put in charge of a group, and one of the young women says her family will let her rent a room. She revels in a warm, caring, normal family life.
RAF Captain Alex Baird heads for home in Gretna on an undercover mission. Sources indicate the Gretna factory might be next for the saboteur. Alex is charged with working in the factory to find clues as to what might happen and who might be involved.
Alex is stunned to find a woman, Rose, who he knows as Tilly, renting his bedroom. He didn't know his father was unable to work and needed to make money by renting out his room. Rose and Alex don't get on well at first, but eventually they form a bond over their love for his family.
Then Alex receives word to surveil Tilly, who is suspected of having some connection in the Chilwell bombing. Rose knows nothing of Tilly's involvement and wonders at Alex's sudden interest in everything she does.
Meanwhile, Alex has secrets of his own that not even his parents know.
I didn't know, when I read Kate Breslin's Far Side of the Sea a couple of months ago, that it was the third of a five-part series. As Dawn Breaks is the fourth and has been in my Kindle app for a couple of years now. Each of the books is understandable alone, but it's fun to follow some of the characters through the series.
I enjoyed the characters, and there was plenty of suspense in wondering what Tilly had been involved in, whether Rose would be blamed, whether the saboteur would be found in time, and other plot lines. I thought one of the threads was wrapped up a little too easily, but overall I enjoyed the book very much.
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