We Drank the Dawn

Meadowbrook Ranch #3

by Ashley Dill

“No matter how dark it gets, there’s always a new day.”

Peter and Sarah Thompson believed their marriage was invincible. But a single moment turned their fairytale into a nightmare.

In the wake of tragedy that leaves him disabled, Peter emotionally disappears as Sarah flounders to maintain a semblance of normal and keep living the life they created together. But resentment simmers within him as Sarah charges toward a future he isn’t sure he wants anymore. Suffocated by his new existence, Peter wonders: is she better off without me?

After advocating for her husband for almost two years, Sarah’s exhaustion is bone-deep. The iron-like grip she’s held on Peter’s heart loosens as his rejections stack between them. In a last ditch effort to revive the spark and save her marriage, Sarah whisks Peter away to Meadowbrook Ranch.

But a tipsy confession in a Texas bar reveals the truth. Peter is done trying.

With a shattered heart, Sarah grapples with cruel reality—the man who breathed life into her dreams is trapped in the dark and there is nothing she can do.

Will Peter claw his way out of the darkness and pursue the woman he adores? Or has the sun set on their love—once and for all?

We Drank the Dawn, is a contemporary second chance romance set in Central Texas and the third installment of Meadowbrook Ranch—an emotional series about trauma, healing, and love amid crisis.

Genres: Romance

476 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 22, 2026

Reviews

[Bethany Meadows]

I genuinely struggle to find the words to write this review. How do you do a book like this justice? How do I adequately put into words how Ashley’s books make me feel? It’s like going home after years away and suddenly the world makes sense again, life gentles out, the mellow sunshine warms your soul. It’s beauty that wraps around you like a tender hug or a gentle smile.

You know that feeling you used to get when you mom threw a pile of freshly dried laundry on the couch, warm and crisp, fresh and clean— and you would fall into the pile and it felt like all was right for a few minutes??

That’s Ashley’s books. But be warned—they will take you through the wringer on the way to that HEA.

I genuinely think this is her best yet. A heartbreaking but beautiful marriage in crisis story with disability rep.

Peter and Sarah have been THROUGH it during their years together. Just when it seemed like things were leveling out, suddenly they are hit with another tragedy. Over the next two years of simply surviving, their marriage is dissolving. Peter is broken. Sarah is weary. Will a trip to Meadowbrook ranch save their marriage?

What I loved:

☀️Cooper and Peter’s friendship—absolutely beautiful.
☀️That third POV 🔥
☀️Mature characters
☀️Peter and Sarah’s romance
☀️Meadowbrook Ranch (of course)
☀️Cooper. Cooper. Cooper.
☀️The emotional depth
☀️The conversation between Peter and his Dad

Ashley hit so many elements with this. The characters work through HARD things. We see their innermost fears. We see them face dark days together—come out, only to spiral again. They pull apart. They come together. They learn to process their trauma, mature emotionally, unlearn selfish behaviors, start to put each other first—it’s a whole messy but beautiful process. I loved getting to see every single second of it.

The mental health rep is so good.
All the side characters giving Peter the kick in the pants he needs. The friendship that develops between Peter and Cooper is a HIGHLIGHT of the book. It’s probably my favorite fictional friendship ever. So precious. So beautiful. So healing.

Meadowbrook Ranch is absolutely my favorite fictional place. It’s like a little Eden on earth. A place to go heal, find yourself, and experience the love of Jesus.

This is a 6 star read. I think it’s currently my all-time favorite book. I HIGHLY recommend this whole series—read them in order though.

CW: fade to black, blindness, alcohol abuse, difficult parent/child relationships, cancer, car accident, drinking, moderate language throughout, not gratuitous. 3-4 uses of F word— by a very broken character and his abuser ( it makes sense), mentions of childhood abuse, including sexual, panic attacks, ptsd, nightmares, mental health struggles.

I received an ARC to read and give my honest review. All thoughts are my own.





6 massive stars. I have to gather my words. I have a new all time favorite book. Ashley writes like no one else .

[Amanda (The Little Book Spot)]

“While we breathe, we hope.”

As soon as I heard this was going to be a marriage-in-crisis story, I flipped! That is probably my most favorite trope, and it feels like a treat each and every time I get to read it because I RARELY do! Authors need to please step up their game and take advantage of this lonely trope, I’m telling you…

Peter and Sarah have so much history between them. And then life brings one more trial neither of them saw coming…

“Sarah deserves to have a companion in life she can count on. And I want that for her. I want it so bad. Enough to let her go.”

😮‍💨

Part of the reason I was so giddy when I saw this ARC sitting in my inbox was because I knew it meant returning to Meadowbrook Ranch. This is the place of healing, tears, laughter, and family both by blood and by choice. This is a coming home of sorts, a place where broken hearts are put back together, bonds are forged, and love is freely given.

As with a continuing series, previous characters are brought back and their stories continued. Ashley surprised readers with a THIRD POV from Tag’s brother, Cooper. I really enjoyed his portrayal in the last book (Danced), so I was giddy to see him share his thoughts again. I’m already looking forward to his full story, although I KNOW it’s probably going to be the toughest one yet.

With her words, Ashley sheds light into dark places. She slowly unravels the layers of emotion surrounding trauma and other difficult issues with so much loving care and compassion. She *always* paves a way to redemption and a rewarding ending, which I love and appreciate.

“Loving someone through every mountain and valley is the greatest adventure you will ever embark on.”

Thank you, @ashleydill_author for a gifted early copy in exchange for my honest review.

We Drank the Dawn releases September 22, 2026! ✨

Content: Medium to strong scattered language, including 3 F-words, fade-to-black intimacy, innuendo, cancer, addiction, car accident, blindness, traumatic childhood and abuse flashbacks, panic attacks.

[Brianna]

I’ve loved every single story that Ashley has so graciously and lovingly shared with us. This one hits a bit different since we’re not just experiencing the emergence of new love, but the absolutely heart wrenching, shattering story of its decline. I know we’re supposed to kind of hate Peter, but it’s just as hard to be “team Sarah” at times. We see their pain and loss equally and the way they hurt one another trying to navigate the tragedies. It’s so raw and real, I found myself sobbing several times throughout this book. Thank you, Ashley, for yet again giving us such a beautiful love story, with the reality that sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to get there.

**and that third POV?? The STAR of the show 🤩😭



I received this book as an ARC from the author, all opinions expressed are my own.

[Kara Adams]

This has got to be one of the best romance series I’ve ever read. Each book has touched my heart in a different way. Ashley’s writing has a way of making things feel so real. I felt real anger, sadness, happiness, and love.

I loved that this book was about a married couple; we need more of those! The two main characters had such an intricate backstory, full of everything that comes with finding your person and being in love. And then things got hard, and they had to dig deep within themselves and decide if it was worth it.

I was so happy to be back in Meadowbrook! I was excited to see all the characters I love, and I loved what Ashley did with the POVs (that’s all I can say, sorry 😂).

If you are looking for real, raw, and achingly beautiful love stories, you need to read this series (and all of her books).

“That might be true, but if we went around giving people what they deserve all the time, the world would be a lot uglier than it already is. Mercy goes a long way.”

“If we don’t sit with each other until morning, who will? It’s our job to hold each other through the hard seasons of life.”

☀️Contemporary Romance
☀️Book 3 In Series
☀️Fade to Black
☀️Moderate Swearing (3ish F Words)
☀️CW: Marriage in Crisis, Addiction, Mental Health, Talk of Suicide.

[BookishVibesClub]

Oh my. Ashley has done it again. This book put me in the depths of heartbreak right with the characters. I cried with them. I was angry with them. That was a HARD earned HEA and I needed that closure 😅

I love the characters and getting their super sweet backstory of how they met and fell in love.

Cooper is the side character that keeps stealing the show and I am so ready for him to get his story. He’s probably my favorite character in the series.

[Mag]

This book has been one of my more highly anticipated reads for the year and it absolutely did not disappoint. Ashley is an auto-buy author for me and this series, specifically, is so deeply meaningful.

I am consistently in awe of how Ashley crafts a story. With beautiful themes woven together, realistic dialogue, incredibly relatable inner monologuing that isn’t ever too much or too little and incredibly real, human characters grappling with raw emotions - beginning one of her books never requires me to work at stepping into the world she’s created, it’s like the world and the characters reveal themselves effortlessly - as if I’m right there walking through the struggle alongside real friends.

While all of her books have made me think and have provided some level of healing for me, this one really got me thinking deeply. We are introduced to our main characters, Peter and Sarah, in books 1 and 2 of the series to a certain extent. We understand who they have been as a couple, which is rock solid. High school sweethearts. Best friends from the beginning who have walked through some really tough stuff together but are soul mates through and through. But suddenly we realize that what was once a seemingly unbreakable bond has suffered another life-altering blow and that bond begins to be tested. We walk with them through a very dark time and can see how each one is managing to the best of their ability, but how that ability falls short of meeting the needs of the other as they are both lost in their grief and loss of the dreams for their future. It made me wonder: when our life suddenly doesn’t look like what we imagined, how do we keep tragedy from pulling apart our marriage? What is the difference between loyalty and codependence? How much do we push someone to do better and be better when they are barely hanging on, and at what point do we stop pushing? How can we stop fear from ruling our view of the future when we’ve continued to experience blow after blow? What does marriage look like when it suddenly looks like something you never prepared for?

And when you hit a breaking point - what brings us to a place of healing and forgiveness? How do you win back your spouse when you’ve hurt one another so deeply?

Be prepared to feel a LOT of things. They are both experiencing great loss and deep pain. I wanted to weep for them many times. The road that they have to walk down is one that would test the limits of any marriage. I thought that their journey to reconciliation was beautiful, and absolutely worth the pain you first feel as you watch them break. They had to be in the darkest, lowest place possible and have everything stripped away in order to begin to truly see and know each other again as people.

Ashley nailed it in every way, as she always does. Nothing ever feels trite or glossed over. Nothing ever feels diminished or dismissive to the pain the characters have felt. You are brought along on a journey of forgiveness, healing, and so much joy.

If you’ve fallen in love with Meadowbrook like I have, you’ll be so excited to be back on the ranch, see glimpses of Tag and Bea and celebrate some successes with them, experience a bit of life on the ranch, see a little more of Jesse and Hollie and their kids, and gain more insight into the struggle and the growth happening in Cooper’s life. Note that this is not written as a true standalone and that it’s highly recommended that you read books 1 and 2 first. And trust me, you will be all the better for it.

This book was a journey I enjoyed every minute of - even the more painful parts - and I cannot recommend this book or Ashley’s writing more.

Intimacy: Fade to black intimacy between a married couple

[Lindsay Smith]

We Drank the Dawn is the 3rd book in Ashley Dill's Meadowbrook Ranch series, and another gem I adored. This hard fought marriage-in-crisis book reminded me of What Happened to the McCrays by Tracey Lange, books by Sarah Damoff, and if you like character-driven love stories with heavy themes, this series is worth reading.

I definitely recommend reading the books in order, as all the characters' relationships begin in book 1 and you will miss the richness of the story if you don't read the first two books before this one.

Quick Plot Summary: Peter and Sarah have best friends since childhood, and fell in love as teenagers. Their relationship has weathered many storms: two rounds of leukemia, epilepsy, and now a traumatic brain injury that left Peter permanently blind. Grappling with the new-normal has left both Peter and Sarah in a state of depression and desperation for hope. Can their relationship withstand the pressure of this change, or will it crumble under the weight of their trials?

My Impressions: It's rare I like an entire series or rate all the books in a series as 5 stars. I don't toss 5 stars at many books I review. This book, any each book individually in the series, earned every one of the stars I assigned it. I don't like cheesy romance books, and I flee from books that are lust-driven. I appreciate that this series is neither, but truly allows the characters to develop and grow in deep ways.

From the way Ashley wrote Peter's experience with blindness, I really developed empathy for his struggle. Instead of feeling heavy from all the tough topics in this series, I find myself rooting for the characters and feeling satisfied at the end with their progress.

I loved how Ashley incorporated a third POV (Cooper) into the story to give a perspective that wasn't Peter and Sarah. Cooper was a such a helpful friend, I found myself rooting for him in addition to Peter and Sarah's marriage. I look forward to his book next (hint hint, Ashley!)

The pacing was great, and I was flying though pages quicker that I anticipated because the plot sucked me in. I could go on, but I don't want to spoil the book.

Bottom Line: Highly recommend, no notes.

Content Considerations: Infrequency use of profanity (some strong), fade to black intimacy between married couple with vague foreplay, epilepsy, heavy issues related to cancer (past), blindness, dysfunctional extended family relationships, side characters who are abuse survivors, and marriage in crisis.

Thank you to the author for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review is my honest opinion and is in not way influenced by the author or publisher.

[Laura K]

The word I would use to describe Ashley’s stories is PROFOUND. Completely and irrevocably profound. She writes of the human experience in the most raw, honest, and beautiful of ways. She does not shy away from the hard parts of life, and I love her for it. Her stories are stunningly poignant works of ART. You will not leave an Ashley Dill story unchanged. They will pierce your heart in the best way. Truly soul-searing stories that are unforgettable and remarkable.

Her stories are emotionally complex and heartrending—often dealing with themes of forgiveness, healing, and redemption. They are as close to perfect as it can get, in my mind—and We Drank the Dawn is no exception! But be fair warned, this story will put your heart through the wringer. This is a marriage in crisis story, after all—with a heavy dose of pain and heartache.

This may be Ashley’s most challenging book yet—I mean, Peter and Sarah truly walk through the FIRE in this one. As the story begins, you watch them slowly falling apart after a tragic accident, but then you suddenly flash back to watch these best friends falling in love as young teens. Ugh, the emotional wreckage. I LOVE IT.

Sarah and Peter are everythingggg. The moment he calls her “sunshine girl” I was a goner. An absolute GONER. The puddle of Laura needed to be mopped up off the floor. I felt the pitter patter in my chest as they fell hopelessly in love in the past timeline, while I simultaneously felt my heart fissuring knowing the battle they were facing in the present.

But the biggest—and best—surprise of the story was Cooper. Dear Cooper. Though he is rather rough around the edges, he is an utterly endearing character with the most tender soul. He—along with Tag and Jesse—played a vital role in Peter finally crawling out of the pit. Cooper’s TOUGH love and brutal honesty were exactly the kick in the rear Peter needed to work towards healing. Cooper becoming Peter’s advocate and “one of the greatest friends he’d ever had” warmed my heart to its core!

This is an AMAZING story of overcoming, healing, and growth. While things between Sarah and Peter get rocky—like reeeeally rocky—before they get better, that beautiful ending makes the hard fought battles SO WORTH IT. I know I’ve given you very little as to the plot of We Drank the Dawn, but trust me, you need to read this story!

[Randi Sampson]

Once again, Ashley Dill has left me completely at a loss for words to adequately describe how much I loved this book. Truly, she has such a gift for telling stories that will break your heart before putting it back together in a way that I cannot explain. Each book of hers I read becomes an instant favorite and this one was certainly no exception. From the very start, I was invested in Peter and Sarah's story as we're drawn in as everything is falling apart and left to wonder how they got there. Throughout the book, we go back to those moments where they first meet, we see them falling in love and ultimately come back to that point of crisis. It truly was done so beautifully... their history made me want to see them fight for their marriage that much more. Seriously, I just loved these two so much. But perhaps even more than that, I loved seeing the unexpected friendship that played such a big role and led to so many big emotions... I won't give anything away, but it made me love a certain side character (who was already a favorite anyway) even more. While I was admittedly slightly disappointed that this character's story wasn't going to be the focus of the third book, I have absolutely no doubts that it is going to be so worth the wait when we get it! If you love emotional romance, marriage in crisis/second chance and stories that truly make you work for that hard fought happily ever after, this is an absolute must read.

We Drank the Dawn is a fade to black romance with some steamier moments between a married couple that some closed-door readers may not be comfortable with... clothes start to come off and we know what is happening, but we are not given any explicit details. (While I personally still considered this to be fade to black, there is at least one scene that some may also consider very vague open door, as we technically don't leave the room, but again aren't given any details at all.) There is also moderate to strong language throughout to include three uses of the f-word. It is the third book in the Meadowbrook Ranch series, and while you may be able to enjoy it as a standalone, I do think it's much better when read in order.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Bree]

•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•

{𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡: Book 3}

“𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚞𝚖 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜. 𝙽𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚒𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎’𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚍𝚊𝚢. 𝙰𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚐𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎. 𝙳𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎 𝚒𝚝.”

🌅 Release Date: September 22, 2026 🌅
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That was one wild rollercoaster ride if I’ve ever been on one! The way this book wreaked havoc with my emotions was truly something else—but in a good way, mind you. I want my emotions played with because that exemplifies a very well-written story. Ashley Dill did not take it easy with this book, and it shows in every single word she wrote. It’s stories like this that keep bringing me back for MORE!

The tears this book had me in were no joke! I could barely keep reading because they kept obscuring my vision 🙈 Everything about the way Ashley pulled this story together was so intrinsically beautiful! The beginning had me questioning whether or not I was gonna end up liking this story, but, oh my goodness, the Dawn was well worth the Dusk and Midnight!

I thought I needed Cooper’s story after Book 2, but it’s official—I DESPERATELY need the man’s story ASAP! Every little snippet we’re given into Cooper’s life just makes me ache all the more for him. I am dying for him to finally get his own beautiful HEA!

Meadowbrook Ranch and its people have my heart 🫶🏻 Ashley is very talented at writing incredibly realistic characters with real life struggles. Her stories aren’t just a sweet treat—they’re a full five-course meal. They’re the type of deep stories that show what reading is truly all about.

Y’all, I highlighted SO MANY beautiful quotes in this phenomenal story 🤭 I can’t share them all but here are a few of my favorites:

“𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚙𝚞𝚜𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚋𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢.”

“𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚍𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚘𝚗.”

“𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎—𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝.”

Content Notes:
• Moderate Language
• Passionate Scenes
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Thank you, Ashley, for allowing me to read an ARC of your beautiful story 🤎

[Tia Between The Pages]

“No matter how dark it gets, there’s always a new day.”

This story takes us on a journey through Sarah and Peter’s marriage in the midst of life’s challenges. I loved the cancer and disability representation because not only does it help the reader explore other lived experiences, it also teaches us about the experiences of marginalised groups of people. In a world where divorce rates are at an all time high, Peter and Sarah’s story goes against the grain. It’s counter cultural!

There will be so many points where you’ll just pause and think (and maybe be a bit angry - I definitely was 🫣). It takes a lot to make me cry in books and this book brought out a few tears at various points! Even though there were times when I was team Sarah, there were also points where I was team Peter! The marriage in crisis element was tough to read and your heart just breaks for this couple. However, that’s the beauty of Ashley’s writing, she takes your emotions through the story and the character development. Whilst allowing you to reconsider your opinions through the lens of unconditional love! I especially loved that this story points us towards the seriousness of marriage vows. They aren’t just words, they are promises to be together through any challenges that may come along the way.❤️

I just loved this book so much! I love the found family element and wish Meadowbrook Ranch was real because some real healing always takes place on that land! It was great to catch up with some of our beloved characters from book 1 & 2. A certain persons growth just warmed my heart. If you haven’t read Ashely’s books, I implore you to (you won’t fully understand or appreciate this book without reading Book 1 & 2)! They are stories that will bring hope to the broken and give grace to the one who thinks their story is too much for light and love to dwell within.

Please pay attention to the content warnings and look after yourself. All opinions are my own, thank you Ashley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book as an ARC reader 🥰

[Bethany Giinthir]

wow Wow WOW!!! This was soooo good! Heart breakingly GOOD! Ashley is the queen of breaking your heart a thousand different ways and then putting it back together in a nice bow and HEA!

Im usually not a marriage in crisis book kind of gal but I am 1000% committed to this series and the people of Meadowbrook Ranch.

So Peter and Sarah have been together since middle school, BFFs forever. And have walked through hell a few times together but when the most recent accident leaves Peter in a state he cant come from, It literally leaves their marriage on the brink. Reading Peter's journey was HARD, like you want to slap him and cheer Sarah on but also like the DUDE is also struggling and reasonably so.

Sarah is so strong and just loves and wants the best for her hubby. Honestly dont know if i would of done anything different if I was in her shoes! Shes resilient, tough and steadfast.

Also the bromance between Cooper and Peter was hands down my favorite part of this story! I love thay Cooper could care less about Peter's issues and pushed him to accomplish things and do the impossible. I just kept cheering Cooper on Like YES COOPER! SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE KIDS IN THE BACK!

I wouldn't recommend this book for YA or teenagers, it does have some passionate embraces, swearing, and hard topics. Its definitely not a sweet romance but a hard fought love story.

As a Blue collar wifey I felt like the swearing was done tastefully, and pretty realistic. Like put a bunch of cowboys in a room theres definitely going to be some swearing going on. I honestly prefer my books without swearing but wasnt put off by this amount or context.

Now I'm patiently waiting for Cooper's story! 🥰🤣

[A.Onstad]

4.5 Stars
Thank you, Ashley Dill, for the ARC of We Drank the Dawn. Release date: September 22nd
This is the third book in the Meadowbrook Ranch series, so be sure to go back and read book one first! (We Redeemed the Rain)

This is Peter and Sarah’s second-chance love story, and honestly, I usually am not a fan of this type of story because the reason for the separation doesn’t usually make sense. However, Ashley Dill’s storytelling made their story so heart-breakingly beautiful that I was pulled in instantly–as all readers will be.
I also loved seeing everyone on the ranch again–especially Cooper. He has been my favorite for a long time.

Like all her books, she will have you reflecting on so many things, but I don’t want to say exactly what because I don’t want to include spoilers. Know this though…the best part was that while Peter and Sarah’s story was the main focus, I would argue that she snuck in another ‘love’ story arc as well, and it was AMAZING!! Probably the most emotional part of the story for me. I do wish there had been just a little more at the end of the book, but I kind of think she is dropping breadcrumbs for the next book. At least that is my hope!

Not only do I recommend this book but ALL of her books. They are so well-developed and emotional, and if you are not a fan of spice, you will like that she doesn’t include much of that. However, she knows how to write a hug scene–wow!

Thank you again, Ashley Dill, for the ARC!

[Ashley]

This book...this series!! Incredible doesn't even begin to describe Ashley's writing.

The story of Peter and Sarah isn't your typical love story and I fell head over heels for the way Ashley wrote their journey. It's a story of first loves, fear, heartache (oh the heartache, grab the tissues), and ultimately redemption--but not just for a relationship, but for a personal tragedy. You watch Peter live life in fear, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and when it does his hopes for his future and the future he has to offer Sarah crumble. At the same time, Sarah finds herself clinging to the only love she has ever known, but they way she shows up to fight for that love and her future ultimately crushes her reality. Can Meadowbrook bring them to place of healing??

The way Ashley handles the hard stuff--the real life--and puts the broken pieces back together is my favorite thing about her books. Every one of the Meadowbrook characters gripped my heart...but Cooper (who plays a significant role in this book) stole it! Cannot wait for the next in the series!

I received this book as an ARC from the author and all of my opinions are my own.

[Alayna (the.bookstrovert)]

Favorite Quote:
“Life is a continuum of chances. No matter how dark it gets, there’s always a new day. As long as there is breath in your lungs, you have the opportunity to change. Don’t waste it.”

With every Ashley Dill book I read, I fall more and more in love with her characters and their stories! I also cry more and more tears too! 😭💔
Peter and Sarah’s story was heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. I loved what Ashley did with the POV’s (iykyk)
The friendships that were formed, and the tough love that was given! 🥹
This book was everything I had hoped it be and more, now if I could just get my hands on Meadowbrooke book 4!! 😩

Thank you to the author for that advance copy. All thoughts are my own.
🚨-readers can expect to read moderate language, passionate scenes, and characters wrestling through their morality and healing. Readers will also find a wide range of mental health challenges, traumatized characters, grief and loss, suicidal ideation, and deeply honest narrative about the darkness in our hearts.

[Ang Guzman]

First of all, it was an honor to be able to read this book early. Thank you to Ashley for choosing me to be one of the people to receive this book before it becomes published.

Now to the good stuff: ASHLEY THINKS SHE HAS THE AUDACITY YALL.
This book was 1000% my favorite book out of this entire series. Between the heartbreak, the healing, the anger I felt (peter will piss you off) & the tears I cried. This book was everything I could've ever wanted out of this series. This will never be just a 5 star rating to me, this book IS a infinity+ some book. This will always go down as my favorite cowboy romance.

I truly hope that the next book is Cooper and we also get to witness more of Sarah & Peter. I cannot explain how much I adore these two so very much. Also the fact that Wren is such a big girl in this book is INSANE to me.

Ugh I could go on about this book all day but I cannot WAIT for you guys to read this book when it becomes published to the world on Sept 22nd!

[Sarah]

🌄ARC REVIEW🌄


“No matter how dark it gets, there’s always a new day.”

My GOODNESS—this book😭 Every time I read an Ashley book I think there’s no way she could make me cry more than the last one & every time she proves me wrong

Reading the past two Meadowbrook books you think you get a glimpse of what Peter & Sarah’s story would be like—well let me tell you nothing will prepare you for it😭

I have loved every scene with Peter in the past two books. In this one you see him hit his very lowest point, he makes mistakes, he hurts the people that love him, and he stumbles.. so very much. But even though it was painful reading all of those scenes.. even though I just wanted to look away, Ashley always highlights the hope, or the rays of sun peeking through the darkness🥹

Sarah is no different, she struggles just like Peter in this book. My heart just broke for her (and Peter). Sarah constantly wanting to find the silver lining in such a dark spell was so relatable—don’t we all want to just focus on the light rather than confront our own personal darkness/demons?

Their story was beautifully woven together & the third pov we get in this book was just the icing on the cake🥹

Cooper stole the show. Seeing where he was in We Redeemed the Rain to where he is now made me want to sob😭 He still has a very long way to go but in this book you truly do see shine his heart, especially in his friendship with Peter.

Thank you Ashley for giving me an ARC!! I have loved every bit of your writing that I’ve read & I cannot WAIT for the next installment🧡

[BrittNeedsBooks]

⭐ 5/5 - (I had the time of my life)
🌶 2/5 - (Behind closed doors)

All I can say is wow. Wow wow wow. Ashley has once again knocked it out of the park. I am absolutely in love with this book. When this book was first teased, I thought it was gonna be Cooper’s story and I was like wait why are we getting Peter and Sarah’s? Oh my gosh, I didn’t know how much I needed it. I love it so much. This story will make you cry and it will make you laugh, but mainly cry. It is so heartfelt and so intentional and you can tell how much care and love went into writing this. The character arcs healed something in me I didn’t know I needed. It was just a fantastic story. I cannot wait for the next book.

[Emma Mae Kosmicki]

Ashley Dill really can't write a bad book. I was a little skeptical when I read that it would be about Peter and Sarah, but still had such high expectations for it because I've loved every single one of Ashley's books so far. It did. not. disappoint. Ashley's writing and story telling are so captivating and have you sucked into the story immediately. I was so excited when I saw that there was a 3rd point of view and I'm dying for book #4!! Definitely recommend reading the first 2 books in the Meadowbrook Ranch series before reading this one. All 3 are must reads!

I received an ARC of this book directly from the author.

[Hannah Stob]

ALL THE STARS for this one!!

Just when I thought I couldn't love Ashley's writing more, she gives us this! I absolutely LOVED the characters and the story line, the second chance marriage was so well done. At first I thought I would be annoyed with the Cooper chapters (I wasn't expecting them) but they were perfect and fit SO well, I loved how she weaved all the stories together.

The fact that this is cowboy romance AND has no spice is even better. There are some moments between characters that may be a little more than people want but honestly, it was well done and fade to black so it didn't bother me.

I can't wait to get a shelf trophy for this one because I will read it again!

[Becca Conner]

This book gripped me from the get go and I couldn’t put it down. Ashley Dill has a way of getting you wrapped up in the characters world and feeling what they feel. We Drank the Dawn took it to a whole new level. I can’t say why without spoiling it, but IYKYK.

All of Dills books are different and unexpected, which is crazy because all the characters are connected. But this one is a whole new level of different. Never read a book like this before and it was really fun.

Don’t sit around waiting to read this one. Just do it. It’s a good one.

I have received an advanced copy of We Drank the Dawn.

[Emilee Gardner]

ARC Review:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Where to begin?! This book broke my heart, healed it, broke it again, and healed me all over. Sarah and Peter and Cooper- love, discovery, friendship, trust, communication, passions, and trust. Sarah and Peter, struggling with each other and Cooper struggling with himself. Love comes in all different forms and each is needed in different seasons.
Learning more about Cooper made me so happy. His growth and determination for a better version of himself over the series is incredible to watch.
Sarah and Peter. Life has not been gentle or always kind but love is persistent. These two are made for each other and their love is inspiring.
I cannot wait for book 4!!!!!

[Melmo2610]

I cannot get over how Ashley’s books literally destroy me and then put me back together by the end of the story. Her writing is so gritty and raw and it gives ALL the feels. Simply put, I adored this story. The characters, the fact we are back at Meadowbook Ranch, the messiness of hitting rock bottom and trying to find the strength and figuring out how to get back up. I loved every second of it. I also loved how Ashley used the point of view of a third character, and I cannot wait for that character to get their story. i need it! This book is a masterpiece.

I received a arc of this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my honest opinion.

[Tatum - nuggetybooks]

Literally the most bias person ever but its a 10/10 from me

[Valerie Martin]

(Received advance copy from author)

Another beautiful addition to the Meadowbrook family! Can’t say much, but you are all in for a beautiful treat. Wonderful job, Ashley! 💞

[Tala Anderson]

Excuse me while I dry enough of my tears to be able to type. A million stars. But of course an Ashley Dill book is going to change my life. Nothing new 🥹🙌🏼

[Sharlee]

Every time I read one of Ashely's books I am put through the ringer. But I can't stop myself. There is something beautiful about experience the full depth of your feelings. The human experience is a beautiful one. And Peter and Sarah's story is a sunrise mosaic.

Read if you like:
-Marriage in crisis
-Cancer Rep
-Sunshin Girl
-Healing friendships
-Ranch life
-Cookies under the table
-COPPER
-Horses make everything better
-Crying. Be prepared to cry

Dear Ashley, this was beautiful.

Thank you.
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Closed door romance. Mild swearing.

[Amanda Morrill]

Ashley has a way of taking heartbreaking and trauma filled stories and bringing the best hope and healing among all the emotions. This is a very raw story of a marriage in crisis and getting through some really dark moments together. I related a little with Peter and Sarah as my family went through my husband being in a serious car accident last year and our daily lives shifted. I felt all the emotions from them and the whole healing journey was written beautifully. You will be fully invested from the first chapter.
Content: heavy themes, cancer, car accident, some language including 2 or 3 F words, fade to black, shower scene (not explicit)