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Dawn #1
A Kiss Before Dawn
Country girl Chris Martel has struggled all her life to form strong, lasting relationships. For Chris, love, compassion, and trust are critical. In their absence, Chris has turned to her dog and her horse for the emotional fulfillment she craves. Then along comes Mary Jo Cavanaugh.
Fresh out of veterinary school, Mary Jo inadvertently antagonizes Chris with her overconfident assumptions about how to care for animals. She comes to learn that Chris's practical experience provides both a wealth of knowledge and a friendship unlike any she's ever known.
The carefully built walls around Chris's heart begin to crumble as she acknowledges the unfamiliar feelings evoked by being with Mary Jo. Just as she believes she's found the happiness that had always eluded her, someone from Chris's past comes back into her life, intent on winning Chris's affections, no matter what the cost.
Can the love between Chris and Mary Jo survive so that they can share A Kiss Before Dawn?
Fresh out of veterinary school, Mary Jo inadvertently antagonizes Chris with her overconfident assumptions about how to care for animals. She comes to learn that Chris's practical experience provides both a wealth of knowledge and a friendship unlike any she's ever known.
The carefully built walls around Chris's heart begin to crumble as she acknowledges the unfamiliar feelings evoked by being with Mary Jo. Just as she believes she's found the happiness that had always eluded her, someone from Chris's past comes back into her life, intent on winning Chris's affections, no matter what the cost.
Can the love between Chris and Mary Jo survive so that they can share A Kiss Before Dawn?
258 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2012
14 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Laurie Salzler
10 books74 followersLaurie Salzler holds a degree in Natural Resources Conservation and Outdoor Recreation. She has worked with animals (wild and domesticated) her entire life, including several years spent in the veterinary field and equine industry at training and breeding facilities in New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast, whose activities include horseback riding, hiking, snowshoeing, bird-watching, and photography. One of her favorite past times is walking with her pack of canines.
A particular passion of hers is training dogs, which developed largely from raising numerous seeing-eye pups. The success of those dogs in becoming reliable Leader Dogs for the blind gave her the confidence to branch out into starting an in-home dog training hobby in which she travels to client homes to help them develop into effective pack leaders with their dog(s).
A Kiss Before Dawn and Right Out of Nowhere were published by Blue Feather Books in 2012 and 2013 respectively. She is currently hard at work on several more stories, including a sequel to her debut novel, A Kiss Before Dawn. In the Stillness of Dawn will be released in 2015.
A particular passion of hers is training dogs, which developed largely from raising numerous seeing-eye pups. The success of those dogs in becoming reliable Leader Dogs for the blind gave her the confidence to branch out into starting an in-home dog training hobby in which she travels to client homes to help them develop into effective pack leaders with their dog(s).
A Kiss Before Dawn and Right Out of Nowhere were published by Blue Feather Books in 2012 and 2013 respectively. She is currently hard at work on several more stories, including a sequel to her debut novel, A Kiss Before Dawn. In the Stillness of Dawn will be released in 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 1, 2018
I've mixed feelings about this book. I loved the story, and you can feel how well the 2 main characters bond together...
....but... did we need all that violence at the end? holy shit balls! Don't get me wrong, I love a good psychopath/ lunatic read as much as the next person.. but it didn't mix well with this story. The book could have easily worked without that chapter near the end... I've given it a 4 star ( decided to ignore that that particular chapter , but if I had to rate completely it would be a 2 star)
not gonna stop me reading next one tho!
😀😝
....but... did we need all that violence at the end? holy shit balls! Don't get me wrong, I love a good psychopath/ lunatic read as much as the next person.. but it didn't mix well with this story. The book could have easily worked without that chapter near the end... I've given it a 4 star ( decided to ignore that that particular chapter , but if I had to rate completely it would be a 2 star)
not gonna stop me reading next one tho!
😀😝
September 1, 2016
A nice romance with two well-defined and likable main characters, some very good secondary characters (especially Frances), lots of interesting information about horses and dogs with a few well-developed animal characters. I really liked this debut novel which doesn't feel like a debut, so I will definitely check out the next book from Laurie Salzler.
September 6, 2021
4,5 stars
I really liked this.
Both Chris and Mary Jo were very nice MCs with great chemistry and the story itself was great too. I'd only like to know if Chris ever confronted her family and how did the whole thing with Sky end. Hopefully in jail.
I really liked this.
Both Chris and Mary Jo were very nice MCs with great chemistry and the story itself was great too. I'd only like to know if Chris ever confronted her family and how did the whole thing with Sky end. Hopefully in jail.
August 27, 2016
I received a copy of this book free from the author
This is the third book that I’ve read by this author, all of the books falling within a series called ‘Dawn’.
I read this series kind of weirdly – I read the middle one first – the one that followed a different set of main characters than those that populate the first and third books in the series. Hmms, that was confusing. The main characters in the first book pop up in the second, but aren’t the main focus of that book, and then take back the lead spot for the third book.
Then, while attempting to read the first book in the series, I – and I still am unsure how this happened, acquired and read the third book in the series. And now, finally, I’ve read the first and final book. Heh. First and final. Well, it’s the first book in the series, and the final book I needed to read to have read them all.
So, with this experience I say this – the middle book is connected to the other two books but can very easily be read as a stand-alone. Sure, you learn in it that Mary Jo and Chris are a couple, and that there was some incident that they don’t like to talk about (I actually forget how forthcoming they were about ‘the incident’ and have a vague recollection, this long time later, that they just mentioned that something had happened). But there wasn’t really any secret, I can now say having read the first book, that Chris and Mary Jo were potentially going to be a couple or really good friends.
I kind of messed this up, sorry. All I had been attempting to note was 1) I accidentally read the books out of order, reading the second book 1st, the third book 2nd, and the first book last; 2) after reading the books in that order, I’d say that there is no inherent problem with reading the second book first; or second. On the other hand, beyond that I don’t know what to say. 3) I know I got a lot more out of the third book, reading it second, that I might have if I had read it third.
I like the concept of actually seeing a couple be a couple, instead of yet another book wherein two people meet, circle, and potentially ‘hook up’ and then book ends. So if you read the series 1, 2, 3, then you would see Chris and Mary Jo come together, be a couple in 2, then . . . do the thing they do in the third book that I can’t actually mention without going into spoiler territory. Though I can say that I now understand why people might have been disappointed or rated that book lower than I did. Since I read that third book in the series with those two, Chris and Mary Jo, after having only read them as being a ‘presence’ in the book I had read; when they took center stage in the third book in the series. So I had nothing specifically invested in them. As such, the events that unfolded in that book didn’t impact me the way I know they would if I read the series in order.
Right, so, that was a lot of me basically saying that I can’t recommend which direction to read this series. Though reading the second book first seems safe enough.
This specific book here involves Chris Martel and Mary Jo Cavanaugh. Before I move too far, let me briefly note that I kept thinking, in my mind, ‘Charlemagne’ when I saw Chris’ name pop up. And that’s all I’ll mention about that (eta: actually, I see I noted that specific issue in at least one other review; I see that I repeat myself).
Okay then – Mary Jo Cavanaugh is the new vet in the area, and Chris Martel owns a horse farm – one specifically designed to be a breeding farm (people keep their mares there). They first meet when Mary Jo’s partner/mentor/friend introduces Mary Jo around (partner as in veterinary office partner). They kind of meet badly, what with Mary Jo doing something stupid, and Chris yelling at her.
They attempt to move past this bad start, and something of a friendship/romance proceeds to unfold. Slowly.
I am not certain how I might have felt about this book if I had read it first, but know two things – I had some vague idea how things would unfold since I had read the other books first, and … I don’t remember the second thing. Right, so – I knew that certain things would unfold, but I didn’t specifically know everything that would occur.
The characterization of Chris, Mary Jo, and Frances (the elderly neighbor lady) was good. The story unfolded naturally. The sex was fade to black (unless I missed something), oh except . . well, it depends on how much information constitutes fade to black, and how much leads to the word graphic being used. I mean, there was this scene in a bar that was kind of detailed. Mostly, though, events would start to unfold, and then the next morning would arrive – suddenly. The violence, though, was graphic.
I liked the book. I enjoyed having the chance to read the book. I’d recommend the individual books in this series, though am unsure how to recommend them – as in what order to read them. On the one hand, things obviously enough flow more naturally when you read them chronologically; on the other hand I believe I personally was able to ‘get more’ out of the third book than I might have if I had read things in order (as in, I’m fairly certain I’d have been really annoyed by the stuff going on in that book if I had been more invested in the characters when I read that book; annoyed to the point I’m not sure I’d even been able to actually finish the book; and yet I did finish the book, and enjoyed the book).
March 23 2016
This is the third book that I’ve read by this author, all of the books falling within a series called ‘Dawn’.
I read this series kind of weirdly – I read the middle one first – the one that followed a different set of main characters than those that populate the first and third books in the series. Hmms, that was confusing. The main characters in the first book pop up in the second, but aren’t the main focus of that book, and then take back the lead spot for the third book.
Then, while attempting to read the first book in the series, I – and I still am unsure how this happened, acquired and read the third book in the series. And now, finally, I’ve read the first and final book. Heh. First and final. Well, it’s the first book in the series, and the final book I needed to read to have read them all.
So, with this experience I say this – the middle book is connected to the other two books but can very easily be read as a stand-alone. Sure, you learn in it that Mary Jo and Chris are a couple, and that there was some incident that they don’t like to talk about (I actually forget how forthcoming they were about ‘the incident’ and have a vague recollection, this long time later, that they just mentioned that something had happened). But there wasn’t really any secret, I can now say having read the first book, that Chris and Mary Jo were potentially going to be a couple or really good friends.
I kind of messed this up, sorry. All I had been attempting to note was 1) I accidentally read the books out of order, reading the second book 1st, the third book 2nd, and the first book last; 2) after reading the books in that order, I’d say that there is no inherent problem with reading the second book first; or second. On the other hand, beyond that I don’t know what to say. 3) I know I got a lot more out of the third book, reading it second, that I might have if I had read it third.
I like the concept of actually seeing a couple be a couple, instead of yet another book wherein two people meet, circle, and potentially ‘hook up’ and then book ends. So if you read the series 1, 2, 3, then you would see Chris and Mary Jo come together, be a couple in 2, then . . . do the thing they do in the third book that I can’t actually mention without going into spoiler territory. Though I can say that I now understand why people might have been disappointed or rated that book lower than I did. Since I read that third book in the series with those two, Chris and Mary Jo, after having only read them as being a ‘presence’ in the book I had read; when they took center stage in the third book in the series. So I had nothing specifically invested in them. As such, the events that unfolded in that book didn’t impact me the way I know they would if I read the series in order.
Right, so, that was a lot of me basically saying that I can’t recommend which direction to read this series. Though reading the second book first seems safe enough.
This specific book here involves Chris Martel and Mary Jo Cavanaugh. Before I move too far, let me briefly note that I kept thinking, in my mind, ‘Charlemagne’ when I saw Chris’ name pop up. And that’s all I’ll mention about that (eta: actually, I see I noted that specific issue in at least one other review; I see that I repeat myself).
Okay then – Mary Jo Cavanaugh is the new vet in the area, and Chris Martel owns a horse farm – one specifically designed to be a breeding farm (people keep their mares there). They first meet when Mary Jo’s partner/mentor/friend introduces Mary Jo around (partner as in veterinary office partner). They kind of meet badly, what with Mary Jo doing something stupid, and Chris yelling at her.
They attempt to move past this bad start, and something of a friendship/romance proceeds to unfold. Slowly.
I am not certain how I might have felt about this book if I had read it first, but know two things – I had some vague idea how things would unfold since I had read the other books first, and … I don’t remember the second thing. Right, so – I knew that certain things would unfold, but I didn’t specifically know everything that would occur.
The characterization of Chris, Mary Jo, and Frances (the elderly neighbor lady) was good. The story unfolded naturally. The sex was fade to black (unless I missed something), oh except . . well, it depends on how much information constitutes fade to black, and how much leads to the word graphic being used. I mean, there was this scene in a bar that was kind of detailed. Mostly, though, events would start to unfold, and then the next morning would arrive – suddenly. The violence, though, was graphic.
I liked the book. I enjoyed having the chance to read the book. I’d recommend the individual books in this series, though am unsure how to recommend them – as in what order to read them. On the one hand, things obviously enough flow more naturally when you read them chronologically; on the other hand I believe I personally was able to ‘get more’ out of the third book than I might have if I had read things in order (as in, I’m fairly certain I’d have been really annoyed by the stuff going on in that book if I had been more invested in the characters when I read that book; annoyed to the point I’m not sure I’d even been able to actually finish the book; and yet I did finish the book, and enjoyed the book).
March 23 2016
October 23, 2012
This book took me by surprise...When you read a lesbian novel, you except certain ups and downs and certain endings.....I learned more from this book...about horses...about relationships...about life....than I ever expected...I only want to learn more...to experience more...I look forward to Laurie's next book....I have also had the pleasure of meeting Laurie and her wife, Linda....They both are so true and honest and so in love....If you have to read one book in your life, please read this one....It is worth it..
January 9, 2015
Enjoyed this story very much. Mary Jo and Chris have very different personalities but what they do have in common is a love of animals. Really liked how they stood by each other in very different ways.
March 14, 2012
"On your Wordpress page you describe yourself as a “novelist, outdoor enthusiast, animal lover, dog trainer”. I know your Acknowledgement indicates the humans are fiction but for those of us who follow your musings and FB, Chris Martel has those same wonderful attributes for nature and animals. A Kiss Before Dawn was an excellent debut novel. I really enjoyed the interactions between Mary Jo and Chris as they dealt with past issues plus developed a relationship strongly encouraged by great supporting characters (well, not supported by the bar b*tch). I learned a lot about dogs and horses in this book which has to be representative of the skills/talent you possess with training. Bravo. Looking forward to your next one - Right Out of Nowhere. I hear it's supposed to be a good one also. So keep your butt in the chair and please keep writing. Thanks.
July 20, 2017
Enjoyable read for the most part. And what lesbian doesn't love reading about horses and dogs? FYI: There is scene in this book that's difficult to read about and it could be a trigger for someone who's been assaulted sexually or otherwise.
February 27, 2012
Chris Martel is a loner. She is more comfortable with her horses and dogs than she is with people. She has one friend, an eighty one year old widow, Frances Cook. When Chris requires a woman’s company, she heads out to the lesbian bar in Rochester. Chris has never had a real relationship. She has too many issues from her past and has a problem trusting people. For Chris to be able to love, she has to learn to trust, which isn’t an easy thing for her to do.
Newly qualified vet, Mary Jo Cavanaugh DVM, meets Chris when she goes with her boss, Doc Hall, to Chris’s farm. She doesn’t make a good first impression when she upsets one of Chris’s precious horses, nearly killing herself in the process.
Once both women get over their initial meeting, they find they have a lot in common. Including a growing mutual attraction for each other.
Gradually Chris begins to let go of her inhibitions and Mary Jo and Chris manage to move their relationship on to the next level. Unfortunately, someone from Chris’s past makes an unwelcome appearance, which could well end the budding relationship between Chris and Mary Jo forever.
Will Chris and Mary Jo’s love survive this intrusion, allowing them to share a kiss before dawn?
This is a lovely well written debut novel, which goes far beyond a lesbian romance. During the course of each year, if I’m lucky, a debut book will be written that exceeds all my expectations. This book is one of those.
It is obvious from the very beginning that Laurie Salzler has a talent for writing, is an animal lover and researches her subjects well. If you love animals you will adore this book, as the animals play a large part in progressing this story along.
Even if you are not a particular animal lover, I feel you would like this book. Both main characters are extremely loveable and there is a good story-line. It’s also hot in parts too as an added bonus. I would defy anyone not to tear up when they read the story of Chris’s earlier life. The life she had with her family before her arrival in Bristol. The life Chris led is a big part of the person she is today.
Mary Jo’s work as a vet also plays a big part in the book. It’s was also very interesting to read of her life as a vet and the day to day work she does, the problems she faces and how she deals with them.
All the characters are well formed and each interacts well with the others to enhance the story. The scenic descriptions are fabulous. From the descriptive writing I could ‘smell’ the stables, and the outdoors. A true sign I was totally lost in the story. This book is a page turner that kept me up way beyond my usual bedtime. A book that I will definitely re-read.
It would be nice to see more of Chris and Mary Jo, even if they are part of another book and not main characters.
I’m not sure how Laurie Salzler is going to top this book with her next one. But it will be on my ‘to buy’ list as a must read.
Newly qualified vet, Mary Jo Cavanaugh DVM, meets Chris when she goes with her boss, Doc Hall, to Chris’s farm. She doesn’t make a good first impression when she upsets one of Chris’s precious horses, nearly killing herself in the process.
Once both women get over their initial meeting, they find they have a lot in common. Including a growing mutual attraction for each other.
Gradually Chris begins to let go of her inhibitions and Mary Jo and Chris manage to move their relationship on to the next level. Unfortunately, someone from Chris’s past makes an unwelcome appearance, which could well end the budding relationship between Chris and Mary Jo forever.
Will Chris and Mary Jo’s love survive this intrusion, allowing them to share a kiss before dawn?
This is a lovely well written debut novel, which goes far beyond a lesbian romance. During the course of each year, if I’m lucky, a debut book will be written that exceeds all my expectations. This book is one of those.
It is obvious from the very beginning that Laurie Salzler has a talent for writing, is an animal lover and researches her subjects well. If you love animals you will adore this book, as the animals play a large part in progressing this story along.
Even if you are not a particular animal lover, I feel you would like this book. Both main characters are extremely loveable and there is a good story-line. It’s also hot in parts too as an added bonus. I would defy anyone not to tear up when they read the story of Chris’s earlier life. The life she had with her family before her arrival in Bristol. The life Chris led is a big part of the person she is today.
Mary Jo’s work as a vet also plays a big part in the book. It’s was also very interesting to read of her life as a vet and the day to day work she does, the problems she faces and how she deals with them.
All the characters are well formed and each interacts well with the others to enhance the story. The scenic descriptions are fabulous. From the descriptive writing I could ‘smell’ the stables, and the outdoors. A true sign I was totally lost in the story. This book is a page turner that kept me up way beyond my usual bedtime. A book that I will definitely re-read.
It would be nice to see more of Chris and Mary Jo, even if they are part of another book and not main characters.
I’m not sure how Laurie Salzler is going to top this book with her next one. But it will be on my ‘to buy’ list as a must read.
March 13, 2012
Seem like I had to wait forever to get this book. I was not disapionted when I finally got it. Lauries love of horses and the beauty of nature truly is brought out in this book. I could close my eyes and feel the energy and beauty. This book went far beyond the tipical woman meets woman falls in lust and live happily ever after. Becomming friends and learning to trust is a big part of this romance, making it fun getting to the lusty parts. looking forward to the next book by Laurie Salzler
December 5, 2017
This is a good 'discovering' love kind of novel. I have to confess though that I skipped some pages along the way especially the part were they discovered and started confessing their love for one another...I found it sappy to say the least. The part where Sky goes berserk well that does seem scary... but a nice addition I guess to the book.
May 20, 2012
i loved it. the vet scenes are cool and i learned a lot. i liked the nature descriptions and the characters were well-developed. great job!
June 29, 2012
A well-crafted debut novel, visually descriptive and enjoyable. Well done.
May 24, 2012
Chris Martel runs a horse farm in Bristol, New York State. On the farm she has horses sent to her breeding and her own horses, Hattie, a Black Thoroughbred, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorough..., Ruby, a Paint Mare and Stetson, a bay and white Paint stallion, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American... . There is also Sierra, a quarter horse mare, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American... . Helping her are Cedar and Vagney the Labradors and Sadie, the Jack Russell.
Mary Jo Cavanaugh is a newly graduated Vet who starts working with Richard Hall, the local Vet.
When Richard takes Mary Jo on his rounds to introduce his clients to his new assistant she makes a mistake on Chris’s farm and is nearly inured by Hattie. After this inauspicious start their friendship slowly grows with the help of Chris’s neighbour, the elderly Francis.
This is a story about the daily rhythms, challenges and pleasures of running a horse farm. The slow burn of Chris’s relationship with Mary Jo provides the dramatic arc of the story. Chris has a past, which Mary Jo helps her to overcome and in so doing learns that there is more to looking after animals and humans than just a college degree.
A beautiful book, which I enjoyed as much second time round as the first and which I highly recommend for both animal lovers and people lovers.
Mary Jo Cavanaugh is a newly graduated Vet who starts working with Richard Hall, the local Vet.
When Richard takes Mary Jo on his rounds to introduce his clients to his new assistant she makes a mistake on Chris’s farm and is nearly inured by Hattie. After this inauspicious start their friendship slowly grows with the help of Chris’s neighbour, the elderly Francis.
This is a story about the daily rhythms, challenges and pleasures of running a horse farm. The slow burn of Chris’s relationship with Mary Jo provides the dramatic arc of the story. Chris has a past, which Mary Jo helps her to overcome and in so doing learns that there is more to looking after animals and humans than just a college degree.
A beautiful book, which I enjoyed as much second time round as the first and which I highly recommend for both animal lovers and people lovers.
June 19, 2017
Technically it was all there. The drama, "unexpected love", but for me a lot of things just didn't click. The plot was very predictable and I could already say what would happen, maybe it was the point but it would be probably better for me if the things actually happened unexpectably rather getting the hints that something's about to happen.
The other thing that didn't sit with me was the lack of nights. Don't get me wrong, I don't need that from books that much, but I kind of expected that at this book because the hints about that were strong and when the writer actually skipped through those parts I was very confused. Am I reading a book for grown ups? Sure I am, the writer mentioned fast sex at the bar no matter how that sounded so when I didn't get anything from the "romantic perspective" I was kind of let down. For me it was like this for example: Like somebody built me a big beautiful house, told me to go ahead, it's mine but I'd circle the house and wouldn't find the doors into the house. Outside it looks really nice, you can see awesome furniture from the outside and basically a peak into it but what am I supposed to do if the house doesn't have a door? How am I supposed to go in or I can only look from the outside?
I guess the writer didn't let me in and that let me down.
The other thing that didn't sit with me was the lack of nights. Don't get me wrong, I don't need that from books that much, but I kind of expected that at this book because the hints about that were strong and when the writer actually skipped through those parts I was very confused. Am I reading a book for grown ups? Sure I am, the writer mentioned fast sex at the bar no matter how that sounded so when I didn't get anything from the "romantic perspective" I was kind of let down. For me it was like this for example: Like somebody built me a big beautiful house, told me to go ahead, it's mine but I'd circle the house and wouldn't find the doors into the house. Outside it looks really nice, you can see awesome furniture from the outside and basically a peak into it but what am I supposed to do if the house doesn't have a door? How am I supposed to go in or I can only look from the outside?
I guess the writer didn't let me in and that let me down.
October 17, 2012
A Kiss Before Dawn is a beautifully told story by debut author Laurie Salzer. The plot is well developed, the characters are likable and easy to relate to and the pacing is good. One of the things that I liked best about this book was the manner in which Ms. Salzer allowed the readers to get to know more about the characters as the story developed. A Kiss Before Dawn offered a glimpse into the characters past, revealing that which had shaped the characters lives and did so in a way that it blended well into the present day story line. Laurie Salzer obviously knows a great deal about animals and uses that knowledge to add authenticity and flavor to the book. The descriptive nature of her writing makes the story come alive and adds to the overall enjoyment of the book. Suspenseful elements add additional depth to an already solidly told story. A Kiss Before Dawn is an excellent debut offering and is much more than simply a book about two women who meet and fall in love. It is a wonderfully balanced story about trust and letting go, friendship and yes, love. I highly recommend this book; Ms. Salzer has a strong voice and is a wonderful addition to this genre.
July 23, 2018
This book was good but disappointing. There was a lot of build up in the beginning for the relationship and attraction between the characters in the beginning but then when it came to them actually being together their love scenes were skipped all together yet referenced through out the book. Also once they were together the author just skipped all time and substance of their bond. She just kept forwarding time. It was very strange to me because she would be descriptive and detailed about meaningless sex between the mains and sub-characters but completely lacking when it came to them two being together. The ending was also pretty off the wall and out of nowhere. The ending also left more to be desired. Overall it was interesting learning about horse caretaking, breeding, and a vet specializing with horses. I won't be reading another book by this author but it was an interesting read nonetheless and I don't regret reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2015
I have greatly enjoyed this book. I knew next to nothing about horses but Laurie has described it all so well and I'm glad I've gotten the chance to get acquainted with this world. The interaction between women and animals, the love for all the animals, it was so palpable and recognizable. As befits a good story, it was not only love but also much pain, sorrow and violence. Wow, what a beautifully written story and I look forward to the sequel.
April 21, 2014
Exceptional debut novel this author has a wonderful understanding of horses, dogs and humanity. Her husbandry is reliably knowledgeable which for me made this book extremely readable.
The love story builds gradually and Laurie Salzler manages to blend in some wonderful characters to bring this story together with some shocks and surprises along the way.
The love story builds gradually and Laurie Salzler manages to blend in some wonderful characters to bring this story together with some shocks and surprises along the way.
March 26, 2012
A loner learns to trust and love. Horses, dogs, and the great outdoors predominate in this wonderfully descriptive novel set in Upstate NY. It's not all sunshine and blue skies, however. Suspenseful ending leaves you on the edge of your seat.
August 15, 2013
I do think that the characters were solid and well developed. Chris has a wall up and doesn't trust easily. I think the transition from that to trusting Cav was too smooth; would have liked a bit more angst. Scenery was beautiful and well described. Overall enjoyable.
June 13, 2014
I just came across this author and must say I will definitely look into reading her other book as well. Love all the characters and how Chris and Mary Jo related to one another plus I got a glimpse into horse breeding.
October 8, 2016
2016 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: A Kiss Before Dawn by Laurie Salzler
This re-release is really a new book—tighter, better pacing, the same great storyline and enhanced chracters. Loved it the first time, love it now.
This re-release is really a new book—tighter, better pacing, the same great storyline and enhanced chracters. Loved it the first time, love it now.
April 23, 2012
Laurie writes a good love story that keeps you interested. Her descriptions of nature and the horses are so well-written that you can almost hear the birds and smell the fresh hay.
August 12, 2021
This book seems like a lost opportunity for depth. Most of the book is run-of-the-mill romance with the addition of the horse theme. As an animal lover, I did enjoy that, but not enough to get past the dialogue full of clichés. Worst of all, there’s an intense situation which, instead of resolving and dealing with real emotion in any realistic way, they gloss over it and immediately go back to the soap opera like clichés. I’d love to give a lesbian author a good review here, but… No can do on this one.
October 15, 2019
Really enjoyed this book - as I did No 2, but, by golly don't touch no 3 with a barge pole. I don't understand how an author can build up two superb characters and then try and destroy them in the 3rd book.
March 16, 2018
A delicious debut novel, characters a little distant, detached. Cute book, unpretentious, to read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews