Christian Historical Fiction Book Review: Shine Like the Dawn

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Publisher's Description

"In a quiet corner of northern Edwardian England, Margaret Lounsbury diligently works in her grandmother’s millinery shop, making hats and caring for her young sister. Several years earlier, a terrible event shattered  their idyllic family life and their future prospects. Maggie is resilient and will do what she must to protect her sister Violet. Still, the loss of her parents weighs heavily on her heart as she begins to wonder if what happened that day on the lake…might not have been an accident.

When wealthy inventor and industrialist William Harcourt dies, his son and Maggie’s estranged childhood friend, Nathaniel, returns from his time in the Royal Navy and inherits his father’s vast estate, Morningside Manor. He also assumes partial control of his father’s engineering company and the duty of repaying an old debt to the Lounsbury family. But years of separation between Nate and Maggie have taken a toll, and Maggie struggles to trust her old friend.

Can Maggie let go of the resentment that keeps her from forgiving Nate—and reconciling with God? Will the search for the truth about her parents’ death draw the two friends closer or leave them both with broken hearts?"

My Book Review

The hours I devoted to reading Shine Like the Dawn, by Carrie Turansky, were definitely hours invested in something truly special. As a fan of historical fiction, this book had everything I was looking for, including vivid descriptions of the clothing, manners, customs, and culture of a time long since passed. The characters were not only relatable and well-crafted, but I found myself sincerely caring about them and their stories, eagerly turning the pages to find out more about them and their fears, their struggles, their dreams, and their faith. The sweet romance in this novel was endearing and heart-warming, and the mystery within this story, though not something I was expecting, quickly became one of my favorite components of the overall plot.  

 Like all great stories, Shine Like the Dawn incorporates a fine balance of heartache and hope, loss and restoration, and justice and mercy.  With its satisfying blend of history, romance, faith, and mystery, Shine Like the Dawn is a well-written, thoroughly entertaining novel that I can wholeheartedly recommend to friends and family. 

Click here to order a copy of this novel for yourself. 

*I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

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