Brighter Dawn (Amish Memories)

A Brighter Dawn by Leslie Gould is dual-timeline Amish novel. I thought the story was well-written. The characters are realistic and developed. The story is engaging. It captures your attention and holds it until the end. I enjoyed getting to know Clare and Ivy. Clare's story is intriguing. I like that we get to see Germany just before war breaks out from Clare's point-of-view. There are some interesting twists along the way and a surprise. I can tell that the author did a thorough job researching historical events. I like how she incorporated the history into the story. It is disturbing to read what happened in Germany in the time leading up to World War II. I amazed at how many people fell for Hitler's rhetoric. There is romance, but it is not at the forefront. I enjoyed the mystery as well. Ivy does not accept that her parents were killed in an accident. The facts do not add up for her. She is determined to uncover the truth. I admired her tenacity. The author takes readers from Oregon to Pennsylvania on to Germany, back to Oregon, and a return to Pennsylvania. I like that she included descriptions of the scenery as the group drove across the country from Oregon to Pennsylvania. The story has a good flow. The switch between scenes and time periods was smooth. A Brighter Dawn shows us the importance it is to be open to the truth. It can be hard to hear, but it is better than living with lies. The author gave us rich, developed characters and a complex plot. This is a story that invokes discussion. I suggest reading the author's notes at the end. I enjoyed the first installment in the Amish Memories series. A Brighter Dawn is a thoughtful tale with an atrocious accident, gracious grandparents, romantic predicaments, a lengthy journey, a verbal narrative, and unearthing answers.