Night Before Dawn

Dawn Series #1

by Roschelle McKenzie

The darkest part of a night is just before dawn. This was the hardest lesson Sabrina Richards had to learn. At the ripe age of 18, Sabrina is determined to pick up from the only home she's ever known and move from the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia to escape the trauma of living with her dysfunctional family. Her opportunity finally comes when she is awarded a full scholarship to attend Columbia University, a prominent Ivy League school. With high hopes and big dreams, Sabrina relocates to New York City, determined to make a better life for herself. Her seemingly infallible world begins its decline after the untimely death of her twin brother. Soon enough, life continues to dole out one bitter blow after the next, and it's not long before she learns that when she puts her trust wholly in man, the arms of flesh will fail every time. All finally comes crashing down when Sabrina wakes up one day to discover her handsome, successful fiancé Eric and her best friend Niqi in an ongoing affair. With her wedding only a few months away, Sabrina is miserably torn between the right thing and the required thing to do. She is left feeling more hopeless now than ever before. It's not long before she realizes that the same God she continues to reject, is the only One who can help her. But can she forgive and let go of the pain and the past? Will she finally allow God to heal and restore her mentally, emotionally and spiritually? Night Before Dawn is an inspiring novel about a young woman's struggle to find peace in the center of tragedy, new life in the midst of loss, and forgiveness in the heart of betrayal. This story delightfully boasts of God's amazing ability to restore broken relationships that have fallen into the trap of lies, lust and betrayal, in a way that only God can.

Genres: Christian, Christian Fiction

300 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published May 10, 2008

Reviews

[Roschelle McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not only entertaining but encouraging and inpiring. Drama with a message. It is a must read... you will not be able to put it down. Check it out!!! www.roschellemckenzie.com

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a amazing book I highly recommend!!....once you start reading you wont put it down!..truly inspirational...

[Joy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't even come close to viewing this novel as inspirational or any other uplifting words used in other reviews to describe the hell that Sabrina went through in fact I can't help but wonder if I've read the same book.



MY THOUGHTS AND MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

Eric had an on-going affair with Monique his fiance Sabrina's best friend that resulted in a son who was born blind and with cerebral palsy. When Sabrina found out about the affair and Monique's pregnancy she was naturally devastated only to later find herself pregnant with Eric’s twins, clearly the man had never heard of condoms. During her darkest hour Sabrina finds faith as a Christian and a message of forgiveness and second chances that I could never hope to achieve had I been in Sabrina’s shoes. It is patently obvious I wasn't 'getting' the overriding message of faith and the all encompassing power of forgiveness through a higher power that the author has clearly failed to impress on me.

Months later Sabrina feels obliged to return to NY to let Eric know he’s going to be a father again. It’s here that Eric informs her his son, Gavin is a month old and that he’d decided to break off all romantic ties with Monique after Gavin was born claiming his sons condition was he thought, a result of karma and it seemed the right thing to do considering among other things that he could no longer live with someone he didn’t love. At this point I'm like a stranded fish out of water, words positively escaped me at this mans utter selfishness.

Had Sabrina moved on without Eric and left him to Monique as he so richly deserved I would have been the first to pound the table and scream, 'Yes! There is a God!'

My distaste for Eric knew no bounds when he moved out of town away from his special care child and arrived on Sabrina's doorstep with a huge smile on his face ready to pick up where he'd left off because of course after all the shit he put her through Sabrina wants the a-hole back. What? For c'sakes! Would you? Why should Monique have had to care for their special care baby by herself? Wrap this fact up in as much gospel as you like ladies but Monique, as much as I didn't like her either is left carrying the can while Eric the gutless cheating whimp returned to Sabrina. I'm not even going to get into what I thought of Sabrina taking him back - it should be obvious. Had God really been presiding over this story I can only hope he would have chose a more just and deserving ending for all parties which is why I hung it out till the end hoping this one would end differently. In all honesty stick that kind of forgiveness where the sun doesn't shine. That's real.

If this is Christian romance I'll be giving unknown authors a big miss from now on but if you want a Christian story that grinds your insides to dust, that flays you alive while making the most cynical among us begin to believe in a power mightier than ourselves, then you must read Redeemed by Francine Rivers. It's dark and its gut wrenching but I will forevermore hear the word 'Beloved' in my head.

[Dhoopy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Night Before Dawn
For a Christian novel, this book beats the odds and would appeal even to non-Christian readers.
The story of Sabrina depicts the life of different women at different stages in life: a girl who has gone through a life of abuse, devoid of responsible parenting; a lady stabbed in the back by her closest friend, and a woman betrayed in love.
Sabrina wakes up one day to lose her job, her best friend and her fiancé. She discovers that her fiancé, whom she is set to marry in a few months’ time has been having an affair with her closest friend with an expected baby on the way. Eric is confused about what to do between Sabrina who he still loves and Monique who is expecting his child. And when Sabrina discovers she is pregnant also, aborting the baby seems like the best option, except that she can’t afford the medical bill. In the midst of her distress, she is called to visit her dying grandmother, where she discovers the true circumstance of her birth and the death of her twin brother for which she had always held her junkie mother responsible.
The reader goes on to discover tough decisions Sabrina has to make to free herself from the bitterness and pain of betrayal, abuse and denial including whether to have her ‘twins’ out of wedlock or not.
The story is well written and the role of Sabrina has a protagonist is well-defined. It’s a well-paced story and one that is easily immersive. All the characters and events are relatable. It’s a constant reminder that everyone has an issue to deal with irrespective of their status in life and that help is not always as far away as we think, if we are willing to embrace it.
I definitely recommend it.

[OOSA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joy Cometh in the Morning

Sabrina Richards and Eric Morrison were a happy couple planning to get married. The untimely death of Sabrina's twin brother put a damper on her spirit and was the beginning of her losing faith. She slowly began to push people away. On the day she decided to surprise her fiancé and apologize, she was the one who walked away with the surprise. This discovery was too much and her life as she knew it was shattered. Where will she go from here?

I absolutely loved “Night Before Dawn.” Sabrina is a character we all can relate to. When she was down and out with no one to turn to, she finally turned to the ONE who would never forsake her. This is a Christian based novel that isn't ‘preachy.’ You witness a woman who is broken and learns some valuable lessons. Roschelle McKenzie does a phenomenal job of penning a novel that shows spiritual growth and demonstrates how forgiveness can be achieved. I highly recommend this book to everybody.

Reviewed by: Jas

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good spiritual book about forgiveness and learning to accept what God gives you and that He really won't give you more than He knows you can handle.

After suffering several losses of different types in the matter of several days, Sabrina learns about some things from her past that she couldn't believe were true. In her worst moment she discovers there really is a God who loves in spite of what people may think or say.

Once I got into the book I could not put it down...to the point where I stayed up all night to finish it.

[Lynda Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this story!

Sabrina, she was broken and weary, but learned to put her faith in God. What we may think is not possible, God can do. I enjoyed the characters, but Sabrina really touched my heart.

[Alice Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric and Sabrina

This story is truly about forgiveness. Sabrina had so much bitterness in her heart that she couldn't forgive the people that hurt her. She resented God for things that happen in her family.

[Jennee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so inspirational. I would recommend this book to someone who is married or is getting married

[Tasha Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must read. When I start reading this book I could not put it down. It lets you know if your bf is a friend or foe.

[Victoria Leeking · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. ..couldn't put it down!

[Dotlyn Rowechristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a slow reader, but this book was good......I finished it and I loved it