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Margarete's Journey #4
Daughter of the Dawn
1944, Germany: The war is still raging, as a young woman named Margarete hides from the Nazis in plain sight. With each day that passes, she takes more risks. But will one of those risks ultimately take her to the most evil place on earth?
After a bombing led to her identity being mistaken, Margarete Rosenbaum has been living disguised as one of the Nazis themselves, for almost the entire war.
But secretly—aided by Stefan, a resistance fighter she’s becoming impossibly drawn to—she is trying to liberate the Jewish workers sent to work on the land she’s inherited, and to sabotage the work of the factory she’s meant to be in charge of.
She knows that every day she is risking her life. But she also knows what she has to do. Because it could be her on the other side of the barbed wire fence. And for every person she saves from the Nazis, it’s worth it.
Until she is discovered. And to protect the people she had been helping, she knows she must accept her fate. Even when they send her to the very place she’s hoped to save her prisoners from: Auschwitz… Where no one comes out alive. As the war moves towards its brutal end, will she survive to see Stefan again?
A totally heartbreaking story about courage, love and betrayal, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Beneath a Scarlet Sky and All the Light We Cannot See.
After a bombing led to her identity being mistaken, Margarete Rosenbaum has been living disguised as one of the Nazis themselves, for almost the entire war.
But secretly—aided by Stefan, a resistance fighter she’s becoming impossibly drawn to—she is trying to liberate the Jewish workers sent to work on the land she’s inherited, and to sabotage the work of the factory she’s meant to be in charge of.
She knows that every day she is risking her life. But she also knows what she has to do. Because it could be her on the other side of the barbed wire fence. And for every person she saves from the Nazis, it’s worth it.
Until she is discovered. And to protect the people she had been helping, she knows she must accept her fate. Even when they send her to the very place she’s hoped to save her prisoners from: Auschwitz… Where no one comes out alive. As the war moves towards its brutal end, will she survive to see Stefan again?
A totally heartbreaking story about courage, love and betrayal, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Beneath a Scarlet Sky and All the Light We Cannot See.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2022
1903 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Marion Kummerow
122 books430 followersMarion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to "discover the world" and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she's now living with her family.
After dipping her toes with non-fiction books, she finally tackled the project dear to her heart. UNRELENTING is the story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime.
It's a book about resilience, love and the courage to stand up and do the right thing.
After dipping her toes with non-fiction books, she finally tackled the project dear to her heart. UNRELENTING is the story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime.
It's a book about resilience, love and the courage to stand up and do the right thing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
January 28, 2024
Daughter of the Dawn is the final book in the Margarete's Journey series.
Margarete has come a long way from her humble beginnings as a Jewish maid who took over the identity of Annegret Huber, the rich German daughter of an important SS man after their death. Having inherited a mansion, factory and riding stables she's been hiding in plain sight for years but is her luck about to run out? When she is betrayed by an important Nazi man who had a love interest in her, but he then finds out she is Jewish and not the German woman she betrays herself to be. We spend a lot of time with Margarete's uncle as well as there is a lot of brutal behavior towards many of the characters including him. It's heartbreaking thinking of how these people were treated. Margarete and her boyfriend Stefan, a resistance fighter go on the run but become separated believing they will never see each other again. It was wonderful reading this four-part series and I'm glad I have. I learned a lot and the author has done a lot of research on this. Full of heartache but we see light at the of the tunnel with strong and courageous characters. I will be reading more by this author in the future.
Pub Date 13 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Margarete has come a long way from her humble beginnings as a Jewish maid who took over the identity of Annegret Huber, the rich German daughter of an important SS man after their death. Having inherited a mansion, factory and riding stables she's been hiding in plain sight for years but is her luck about to run out? When she is betrayed by an important Nazi man who had a love interest in her, but he then finds out she is Jewish and not the German woman she betrays herself to be. We spend a lot of time with Margarete's uncle as well as there is a lot of brutal behavior towards many of the characters including him. It's heartbreaking thinking of how these people were treated. Margarete and her boyfriend Stefan, a resistance fighter go on the run but become separated believing they will never see each other again. It was wonderful reading this four-part series and I'm glad I have. I learned a lot and the author has done a lot of research on this. Full of heartache but we see light at the of the tunnel with strong and courageous characters. I will be reading more by this author in the future.
Pub Date 13 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
November 2, 2024
The book I’m reading is called “Daughter of the Dawn” by Marion Kummerow. This is the best and last trilogy series saga. I must say, Marion is a master storyteller, not only that she is also a brilliant researcher and an incredible writer. She will make you laugh, cry, angry, holding your breath praying, and hoping that the persecuted did survive. I did enjoy this book a lot because there were all great characters even I grew to like Margarete, Stefan, Oliver, Dora and Frau Musten. The best story plot will take you breathtaking, the twist, the depth, the miracle, the joy, and heartbreak that you will experience to feel and what’s like when these real people who actually lived through this tragedy experience at this horrible time in history. The story unfolds the war still raging, as Margarete hides from the Nazis in plain sight. She takes more risk each day that passes. Secretly, she becomes emotionally attached to Stefan, a resistance fighter, who she asked him for help to sabotage the work of the factory. But as a result, will one of those risks ultimately take her to the most dangerous place on the earth? Did the rest of the characters have survived or not? You can decide.
October 7, 2022
★★★★ 4.5 stars
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Marion Kummerow's page-turning finale DAUGHTER OF THE DAWN.
What a wonderfully triumphant finale to Margarete's journey and a most fitting end to this often heartbreaking series. I have read all four books beginning with the poignant "A Light in the Window" which began Margarete's journey in subterfuge. This entire series details a most unusual story of Nazi resistance beginning in Berlin through Paris and ending in northern Germany. Having read the previous three books, I had wondered where the story would take us come the end of the war. And I am so glad to have been a part of this wonderful journey.
Margarete Rosenbaum lives in subterfuge and secrecy as wealthy heiress Annegret Huber, daughter of a Nazi officer killed alongside his wife and daughter in a raid in Berlin. The same in which Margarete survived. It was at this time she saw the opportunity to replace Annegret's papers with her own, thus being the demise of the Jewish servant girl. Margarete has lived as Annegret for a number of years, her true identity known to only a few trusted confidantes.
Now she lives on the Huber estate Gut Plaun overseeing a munitions factory where she employees hundreds of Jewish prisoners and the training of horses for the Wehrmacht. But it's 1944 and the German army is feeling the pinch of the Allies that have pushed them back since the Normandy landings and now they scrambling to throw anything at the Allies in the hope of making it out alive. Because one thing is for sure - Germany won't be winning this war.
Margarete, as Fraulein Annegret, has established herself as a respected employer amongst the prisoners but finds herself in hot water when an SS officer Katze summons her to his offices quicksmart. The end result is bribery for his acquiescence and silence. But is the price too high for her to pay? She confides in her estate manager and trusted friend Oliver and Stefan, a fisherman and holder of her heart. To ignore Katze's offer would mean collapse of their well-tuned operation.
But then when the money dries up, Margarete must acquire more with the sale of some jewels to keep them alive. But a chance meeting with an old friend sees her betrayed, even despite Stefan's warnings. Having survived the war this far only to find herself in a concentration camp just as the war is coming to an end? How could she be so stupid as to let her guard down? What about all those back at Gut Plaun whose survival is dependent on her? Can Margarete still make it through and survive the war? As she marches towards Auschwitz, the one place she has done everything to avoid, it becomes clear that no one is safe.
DAUGHTER OF THE DAWN is the fourth and final installment bringing Margarete's journey to an end. But will it be a happy one? While life was uncertain during the Nazi regime, many sacrificed so much in their quest to do what they feel is right. Some got their happy ending, others did not.
This book is a fitting end to a wonderful and unique series that I have enjoyed being a part of. It was well-researched, well plotted and wonderfully written. I cannot say much more for fear of giving too much away, but this riveting tale highlights the characters' strengths, fears, joys and sorrows throughout the acts of betrayal they have faced with courage and resilience.
Overall, a triumphant finale to Margarete's journey bringing with it a happy ending for some, if not others.
I would like to thank #MarionKummerow, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #DaughterOfTheDawn in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Marion Kummerow's page-turning finale DAUGHTER OF THE DAWN.
What a wonderfully triumphant finale to Margarete's journey and a most fitting end to this often heartbreaking series. I have read all four books beginning with the poignant "A Light in the Window" which began Margarete's journey in subterfuge. This entire series details a most unusual story of Nazi resistance beginning in Berlin through Paris and ending in northern Germany. Having read the previous three books, I had wondered where the story would take us come the end of the war. And I am so glad to have been a part of this wonderful journey.
Margarete Rosenbaum lives in subterfuge and secrecy as wealthy heiress Annegret Huber, daughter of a Nazi officer killed alongside his wife and daughter in a raid in Berlin. The same in which Margarete survived. It was at this time she saw the opportunity to replace Annegret's papers with her own, thus being the demise of the Jewish servant girl. Margarete has lived as Annegret for a number of years, her true identity known to only a few trusted confidantes.
Now she lives on the Huber estate Gut Plaun overseeing a munitions factory where she employees hundreds of Jewish prisoners and the training of horses for the Wehrmacht. But it's 1944 and the German army is feeling the pinch of the Allies that have pushed them back since the Normandy landings and now they scrambling to throw anything at the Allies in the hope of making it out alive. Because one thing is for sure - Germany won't be winning this war.
Margarete, as Fraulein Annegret, has established herself as a respected employer amongst the prisoners but finds herself in hot water when an SS officer Katze summons her to his offices quicksmart. The end result is bribery for his acquiescence and silence. But is the price too high for her to pay? She confides in her estate manager and trusted friend Oliver and Stefan, a fisherman and holder of her heart. To ignore Katze's offer would mean collapse of their well-tuned operation.
But then when the money dries up, Margarete must acquire more with the sale of some jewels to keep them alive. But a chance meeting with an old friend sees her betrayed, even despite Stefan's warnings. Having survived the war this far only to find herself in a concentration camp just as the war is coming to an end? How could she be so stupid as to let her guard down? What about all those back at Gut Plaun whose survival is dependent on her? Can Margarete still make it through and survive the war? As she marches towards Auschwitz, the one place she has done everything to avoid, it becomes clear that no one is safe.
DAUGHTER OF THE DAWN is the fourth and final installment bringing Margarete's journey to an end. But will it be a happy one? While life was uncertain during the Nazi regime, many sacrificed so much in their quest to do what they feel is right. Some got their happy ending, others did not.
This book is a fitting end to a wonderful and unique series that I have enjoyed being a part of. It was well-researched, well plotted and wonderfully written. I cannot say much more for fear of giving too much away, but this riveting tale highlights the characters' strengths, fears, joys and sorrows throughout the acts of betrayal they have faced with courage and resilience.
Overall, a triumphant finale to Margarete's journey bringing with it a happy ending for some, if not others.
I would like to thank #MarionKummerow, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #DaughterOfTheDawn in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 28, 2024
I read all 4 books in this series and enjoyed each one. Couldn’t stop reading them. If you like fictional WWII stories, you will enjoy these books. Very realistic with a romantic twist
September 5, 2022
What a page turner! I finished my Netgalley copy in only four evenings. Marian Kummerow has crafted an unusual story of Nazi resistance set in northern Germany in the small town of Plau am See.
Wealthy Nazi land and factory owner Annegret Huber is actually Margarete Rosenbaum, a Jew from Berlin. Margarete stole Huber’s identity when the Huber Berlin mansion was bombed and collapsed.
With her horse training operation and her factory making bombs and incendiary devices, she is able to hire and somewhat protect Jewish prisoners under the nose of the local Nazi officials. She only reveals her secret to her farm manager and a young fisherman she is attracted to.
Unfortunately, her cover is exposed and she is blackmailed by the local Gestapo who demands huge payments to not report her.
The story is riveting and the main characters Margarete and Stefan, her boyfriend are beautifully developed. Their strengths, happiness, fear, and sadnesses are palpable.
In addition to the many suspenseful twists and turns of the story, the themes of courage, love and betrayal make this wonderful book a definite keeper!
Wealthy Nazi land and factory owner Annegret Huber is actually Margarete Rosenbaum, a Jew from Berlin. Margarete stole Huber’s identity when the Huber Berlin mansion was bombed and collapsed.
With her horse training operation and her factory making bombs and incendiary devices, she is able to hire and somewhat protect Jewish prisoners under the nose of the local Nazi officials. She only reveals her secret to her farm manager and a young fisherman she is attracted to.
Unfortunately, her cover is exposed and she is blackmailed by the local Gestapo who demands huge payments to not report her.
The story is riveting and the main characters Margarete and Stefan, her boyfriend are beautifully developed. Their strengths, happiness, fear, and sadnesses are palpable.
In addition to the many suspenseful twists and turns of the story, the themes of courage, love and betrayal make this wonderful book a definite keeper!
September 11, 2022
An absolutely triumphant finale! I’m sorry Margarete suffered, but at least she triumphed over Hubers in the end!
September 6, 2022
A fitting end to the series
Having read the previous 3 books in the series I couldn’t wait to start this one. Again, Marion Kummerow kept us glued to the pages to see how this drama was going to end. Feeling the pain when Margarete is betrayed by a Jewish friend. Having survived so far is she going to die in a concentration camp as the war is coming to an end? What about all the people whose survival is depending on her? I’m sure your heart will skip a couple of beats as the story keeps unravel itself.
Having read the previous 3 books in the series I couldn’t wait to start this one. Again, Marion Kummerow kept us glued to the pages to see how this drama was going to end. Feeling the pain when Margarete is betrayed by a Jewish friend. Having survived so far is she going to die in a concentration camp as the war is coming to an end? What about all the people whose survival is depending on her? I’m sure your heart will skip a couple of beats as the story keeps unravel itself.
August 7, 2022
Margarete, who has now been Annegret for several years, is trying to help the war effort- by sabotaging her factory's manufacture of arms. She is secretly a resistance fighter desperate to try and end the war and look after the jewish workers she has taken on and hiding. She has fallen in love but even this has to be hidden as how could someone so grand fall for a fisherman? When she has to take a trip to Berlin to raise money to pay someone who is keeping a secret for her, things take a different turn from her life in the country. Can Margaret, a jew, escape and make it through the war?
This is the last in the series and needs to be read in order as it follows the story throughout the war era. I really enjoy these books. There is something more than endearing about Margarete and her tenacity and determination. She is selfless and focussed to protect those around her and more besides. Some parts are based on reality and it's very easy to imagine people like Margerete and those around her in that era, whose lives have been completely upended through no fault of their own. A wonderful, well researched read- a perfect end to a very enjoyable, informative series.
For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
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May 4, 2024
War is all everyone knows in 1944 and Margarete has still been successfully hiding out in plain site. She has also been able to help many Jewish women hide and changed how the prisoners in her factory are treated. However, she continues to try and do more and more to help the prisoners everywhere. Working with Stefan, a fellow resistance fighter, they start working on sabotaging the factory on her property. As Russia and the Allied Forces draw near, hope begins to arise, but they can’t stop fighting. Everything, including, her life, is at jeopardy when she is discovered and hauled away. Now she must use every ounce of courage that remains to survive until the end.
I had thoroughly enjoyed all of the other books in this series, but this one felt a bit much to end on. We all know most everything didn’t have a happy ending in WWII, but in the middle of this one, it just seemed that everything happened and there was just a bit extra. I’m glad I was able to see this series through. It’s been a captivating journey with Margarete.
On the Cat Scale:
😺😺😺😺
I had thoroughly enjoyed all of the other books in this series, but this one felt a bit much to end on. We all know most everything didn’t have a happy ending in WWII, but in the middle of this one, it just seemed that everything happened and there was just a bit extra. I’m glad I was able to see this series through. It’s been a captivating journey with Margarete.
On the Cat Scale:
😺😺😺😺
November 11, 2022
Not bad but it felt like the author tried to hard to create drama and wrap up the book. Happy to have finished the series but I seriously considered skipping to the end to get the gist of what happened.
October 17, 2022
Daughter of the Dawn is by Marion Kummerow. This is book 4 in the Margarete’s Journey series. Margarete is a Jewess who in a stroke of luck was not killed when the house she was working in was hit by a bomb and the owners and their daughter were killed. Margarete took the daughter’s papers, leaving her own, and left as Annegrete Huber. Annegrete’s brother helped her pass as Annegrete until his death. Before he could denounce her, Annegrete’s other brother was killed as well. So, Margarete retired to one of the family homes to survive as a German.
In this small village where Annegrete had rarely visited, Margarete is able to pass as Annegrete although she must socialize and work with Germans and Nazis. She runs a small ammunition factory and has a small camp of prisoners there as labor. She uses them in the factory as well as on the farm. However, she improved their conditions considerably and managed to keep them exempted from being moved to a different camp. She set up a path to save their lives. They would have the inmates die and have them transported to a special part of the farm for disposal of the bodies. In reality, the inmates were placed in a cave initially until the resistance and underground could spirit them away.
Then, the Nazi in charge of the area was transferred and a more lethal one took his place. He knew that Annegrete was in reality a Jewess; but blackmailing her was his solution. He set a steep price for his silence and with the help of her overseer and her friend Jack, she managed to get enough cash to pay him his blackmail monthly. When money began running out, she and Jack set off for Berlin to sell some of the Huber family jewels. Her luck ran out when a school friend of hers turned her into the Gestapo. When tortured to give names of those who helped her, she turned it around and gave them German and Nazi names of those who were guilt of race defilement or so she claimed. Then, she was put on the train to Auschwitz. The only good thing about the train was she was reunited with her only surviving uncle for a short period of time.
In this small village where Annegrete had rarely visited, Margarete is able to pass as Annegrete although she must socialize and work with Germans and Nazis. She runs a small ammunition factory and has a small camp of prisoners there as labor. She uses them in the factory as well as on the farm. However, she improved their conditions considerably and managed to keep them exempted from being moved to a different camp. She set up a path to save their lives. They would have the inmates die and have them transported to a special part of the farm for disposal of the bodies. In reality, the inmates were placed in a cave initially until the resistance and underground could spirit them away.
Then, the Nazi in charge of the area was transferred and a more lethal one took his place. He knew that Annegrete was in reality a Jewess; but blackmailing her was his solution. He set a steep price for his silence and with the help of her overseer and her friend Jack, she managed to get enough cash to pay him his blackmail monthly. When money began running out, she and Jack set off for Berlin to sell some of the Huber family jewels. Her luck ran out when a school friend of hers turned her into the Gestapo. When tortured to give names of those who helped her, she turned it around and gave them German and Nazi names of those who were guilt of race defilement or so she claimed. Then, she was put on the train to Auschwitz. The only good thing about the train was she was reunited with her only surviving uncle for a short period of time.
April 23, 2024
This is the last book in the series about Margarete Rosenbaum, the Jewish maid to the Nazi Huber family, who took on the identity of spoiled Anagrete Huber when she was the sole survivor of the Allied bombing that destrooyed the house and the older Hubers and Anagrete.
Along the way, she ended up being sheltered by Anagrete's younger brother Wilhelm. When the French resistance killed him and his older brother, he had told her to take the family money and do as much good as she could.
And so, she took on the identity of Anagrete Huber, and soon discovered her own nature was so far different from Anagrete's that some refused to believe she could "change" because she lost her family.
Soon, Margarete, as Anagret, ends up making sure prisoners are well fed and well treated, and parricipates in getting people out of the reach of the Nazis. Her identity is discovered and she is blackmailed, and in Berlin, she is seen by a Jew catcher, someone who works with the Nazis to betray their own people to the camps in exchange for a false promise to be made into honorary Aryans. Her uncle Ernst, whose wife Heidi helped Margarete learn to survive as Anagrete, ends up at her factory. A
She does her best to prorect him until they are separated at the camps. The Russians are
close by on the east and the Americans, British, and French are pulverizing their way through from the West, but will the camps Margarete and Ernst are in be liberated soon enough? Hitler starts drafting WWI veterans, those injured and supposedly unable to fight, boys from age 12 up, and men 60 and up. Most have no uniforms, guns, knives, or other weapons and run at the first sign of the Allied armies. Will Stefan make it through, and can he stop the bribery now that the Nazis all know Margarete is Jewish and in a camp somewhere? Will Oliver survive his new assignment with the Wehrmacht? Will Dora's new baby, born early, survive? A tense and suspenseful read as we see into the past and the last desperate days of the 3rd Reich.
Along the way, she ended up being sheltered by Anagrete's younger brother Wilhelm. When the French resistance killed him and his older brother, he had told her to take the family money and do as much good as she could.
And so, she took on the identity of Anagrete Huber, and soon discovered her own nature was so far different from Anagrete's that some refused to believe she could "change" because she lost her family.
Soon, Margarete, as Anagret, ends up making sure prisoners are well fed and well treated, and parricipates in getting people out of the reach of the Nazis. Her identity is discovered and she is blackmailed, and in Berlin, she is seen by a Jew catcher, someone who works with the Nazis to betray their own people to the camps in exchange for a false promise to be made into honorary Aryans. Her uncle Ernst, whose wife Heidi helped Margarete learn to survive as Anagrete, ends up at her factory. A
She does her best to prorect him until they are separated at the camps. The Russians are
close by on the east and the Americans, British, and French are pulverizing their way through from the West, but will the camps Margarete and Ernst are in be liberated soon enough? Hitler starts drafting WWI veterans, those injured and supposedly unable to fight, boys from age 12 up, and men 60 and up. Most have no uniforms, guns, knives, or other weapons and run at the first sign of the Allied armies. Will Stefan make it through, and can he stop the bribery now that the Nazis all know Margarete is Jewish and in a camp somewhere? Will Oliver survive his new assignment with the Wehrmacht? Will Dora's new baby, born early, survive? A tense and suspenseful read as we see into the past and the last desperate days of the 3rd Reich.
October 13, 2022
DAUGHTER OF THE DAWN is the fourth and final novel in the Margarete’s Journey series by Marion Kummerow. It is a well written and thrilling read as we follow Margarete, who is posing as heiress Annegret Huber, and other characters that we have come to know in the first three books, who live in and around the beautiful manor house Gut Plaun in Plau am See. What courage and selflessness is shown by those who risk everything to save people who are being treated worse than animals by the Nazi regime! We see the sacrificial love shown by men and women who treat the Jews and other “undesirables” like human beings and do all they can to undermine Hitler’s war machine. At the other end of the scale we see the betrayal and blackmail used by unscrupulous people in order to profit from others’ horrific circumstances.
One of my favourite characters is fisherman Stefan Stober, who is actually a German chemical engineer who uses his skills to make the ammunition in Annegret’s factory ineffective, and who stands by the woman he loves, even running her estate when she is captured.
We are given insight into what actually happened in Germany during the final years of WW11, the fate of those who were sent to Auschwitz and the Russian liberation of the camp.
I found this series most inspiring and eye opening and highly recommend that you read the books in sequence, although they can easily stand alone. I am looking forward to the next series by this author, who has obviously done a great deal of research, and who bases some of her characters on real people who lived during this horrific time in history.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.
One of my favourite characters is fisherman Stefan Stober, who is actually a German chemical engineer who uses his skills to make the ammunition in Annegret’s factory ineffective, and who stands by the woman he loves, even running her estate when she is captured.
We are given insight into what actually happened in Germany during the final years of WW11, the fate of those who were sent to Auschwitz and the Russian liberation of the camp.
I found this series most inspiring and eye opening and highly recommend that you read the books in sequence, although they can easily stand alone. I am looking forward to the next series by this author, who has obviously done a great deal of research, and who bases some of her characters on real people who lived during this horrific time in history.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.
October 16, 2022
Germany 1944, the war rages on across Europe and Margarete Rosenbaum is still hiding from the Nazis. She continues to risk her life for what she knows is right. Stefan is a resistance fighter that helps Margarete and her missions. Margarete inherited land and she is trying to free the Jewish people that have been sent to work on her land. She risks her life every day to accomplish her mission and she knows that she can’t succeed without the help of Stefan. But when she is compromised, she is sent to Auschwitz. Her entire life is turned upside down when she is held on the other side of the wired fence. Will she ever be free and will she ever see Stefan again?
This is such a touching story of love, hope and courage. As Margarete and Stefan do everything they possibly can to help the Jewish people, they know that they have to risk everything for the people that can’t help themselves. This story is one with great emotion, and will have you reaching for the tissues. This is a heartbreaking, gripping and rapid page turning story. The well developed characters are ones that you will surely find yourself cheering them on. I have enjoyed this series so much. Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel, but is so wonderful as a complete series. I highly recommend it.
Thank you Marion Kummerow for such a phenomenal story. I really enjoyed this series and am sad that it has come to an end. This is one that I will remember for a while.
This is such a touching story of love, hope and courage. As Margarete and Stefan do everything they possibly can to help the Jewish people, they know that they have to risk everything for the people that can’t help themselves. This story is one with great emotion, and will have you reaching for the tissues. This is a heartbreaking, gripping and rapid page turning story. The well developed characters are ones that you will surely find yourself cheering them on. I have enjoyed this series so much. Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel, but is so wonderful as a complete series. I highly recommend it.
Thank you Marion Kummerow for such a phenomenal story. I really enjoyed this series and am sad that it has come to an end. This is one that I will remember for a while.
August 24, 2022
Margarete Rosenbaum who is disguised as Annegret Huber left the mansion in Berlin where she lived and asked her handyman Nils to take her with him into the the nearby town of Plau am See. She has been living for more than two years under this false identity in order to survive and to have fellow Jewish workers under her protection. Margaret, aka fräulein Annegret has fallen in love with a lowly fisherman, while the political elite would be even more scandalised to find out that staunch Nazi Annegret was attracted to a man accused of sabotage and deemed politically unreliable.
The story is gripping me from the beginning til the end. Although I haven’t read the previous series, the author has done her best to catch up with the situation so I, and fellow Netgalley reviewers who haven’t read the previous series could follow the story just fine. I have watched a documentation about a Jewish woman who posed as a German and married a SS officer. I can’t imagine how hard it should be if I had to wear a mask and lie all the time; The same feeling happened when I was reading this novel. She must do almost everything in secret: including her love affair. The plots are easy to follow, it “summoned” me into the situation. I really like the story as whole. I’m looking forward to read her other works! Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the e-ARC!
The story is gripping me from the beginning til the end. Although I haven’t read the previous series, the author has done her best to catch up with the situation so I, and fellow Netgalley reviewers who haven’t read the previous series could follow the story just fine. I have watched a documentation about a Jewish woman who posed as a German and married a SS officer. I can’t imagine how hard it should be if I had to wear a mask and lie all the time; The same feeling happened when I was reading this novel. She must do almost everything in secret: including her love affair. The plots are easy to follow, it “summoned” me into the situation. I really like the story as whole. I’m looking forward to read her other works! Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the e-ARC!
July 23, 2025
1944, the Second World War continues and Jewish Margarete is still pretending to be Annegret Gruber, an Aryan German. But her true identity is threatened to be revealed by a high ranking Nazi and danger finally catches up with her...
Daughter of the Dawn is the fourth book to feature the story of Margarete, a Jewish woman living under an assumed identity in Nazi Germany. We are quickly caught up on the plotline from previous books in the opening chapter so it would work as a stand alone novel if necessary,
The tension which has been explicit through the previous books continues as Margarete attempts to protect others from their fate in the extermination camps. Her own position is precarious as she struggles to maintain her secret identity yet she constantly puts herself at risk for the sake of others.
I genuinely cared about Margarete's character and wanted to beg her to stay safe for a few more months until the end of the war. She has finally found some happiness and love which offers a glimmer of hope during the dark times described in the book. The emotional side of the characters balances against the fear and tension that Margarete and her friends experience as a result of the brutal Nazi ideology.
Daughter of the Dawn is a fine ending to this historical saga and I enjoyed following Margarete's journey.
Daughter of the Dawn is the fourth book to feature the story of Margarete, a Jewish woman living under an assumed identity in Nazi Germany. We are quickly caught up on the plotline from previous books in the opening chapter so it would work as a stand alone novel if necessary,
The tension which has been explicit through the previous books continues as Margarete attempts to protect others from their fate in the extermination camps. Her own position is precarious as she struggles to maintain her secret identity yet she constantly puts herself at risk for the sake of others.
I genuinely cared about Margarete's character and wanted to beg her to stay safe for a few more months until the end of the war. She has finally found some happiness and love which offers a glimmer of hope during the dark times described in the book. The emotional side of the characters balances against the fear and tension that Margarete and her friends experience as a result of the brutal Nazi ideology.
Daughter of the Dawn is a fine ending to this historical saga and I enjoyed following Margarete's journey.
September 25, 2022
This is the final instalment in the Margarete Rosenbaum series, and it has certainly been quite the journey for her as she worked hard to keep her true identity a secret, never knowing who she could truly trust. She is still living her life as Annegret Huber, but it is a life now truly in danger as she is being blackmailed by a high-ranking German officer who is aware of who she truly is. As long as she keeps paying him, her identity will remain a secret and her uncle will stay alive. Left with no other choice she has to do as he asks but as the money runs out she has to return to Berlin to sell jewellery and this is when her life unravels as she is betrayed by a face from her past.
Margarete has managed to make the lives of so many prisoners bearable during her time pretending to be Annegret, but it has come at a cost to both her and those around her. All the secrecy is taking its toll on her so I can kind of understand why she went against all advice to connect with someone who knew who she really was even though you just knew that it would not be a good idea. As she finally finds herself in the one place she has been doing everything to avoid then it becomes clear that no one is now safe.
Daughter of the Dawn charts the final stages of the war and includes events that took place alongside the story of the lives of Margarete, Oliver, Dora, and Stefan, each of them sacrificing so much in the quest to do what is right. Whilst not all of them will have the happy ending you would hope for it is the seamless blending of fact and fiction that has the reader turning page after page to follow their story to the end.
I have really enjoyed following Margarete as she navigated her way through the war and her secret identity. It is clear that Marion Kummerow has a real passion, and it shows in her writing. This period in history is often written about and the reader has been given it a different twist, as the author managed to convey the horrors of the time whilst giving the reader a story of hope.
Margarete has managed to make the lives of so many prisoners bearable during her time pretending to be Annegret, but it has come at a cost to both her and those around her. All the secrecy is taking its toll on her so I can kind of understand why she went against all advice to connect with someone who knew who she really was even though you just knew that it would not be a good idea. As she finally finds herself in the one place she has been doing everything to avoid then it becomes clear that no one is now safe.
Daughter of the Dawn charts the final stages of the war and includes events that took place alongside the story of the lives of Margarete, Oliver, Dora, and Stefan, each of them sacrificing so much in the quest to do what is right. Whilst not all of them will have the happy ending you would hope for it is the seamless blending of fact and fiction that has the reader turning page after page to follow their story to the end.
I have really enjoyed following Margarete as she navigated her way through the war and her secret identity. It is clear that Marion Kummerow has a real passion, and it shows in her writing. This period in history is often written about and the reader has been given it a different twist, as the author managed to convey the horrors of the time whilst giving the reader a story of hope.
August 6, 2022
I received an e-ARC version of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.
“Daughter of the Dawn” is the final book in the historical fiction series “Margarete’s Journey” by Marion Kummerow. This book can be read as a stand-alone, as Ms. Kummerow does a good job catching the reader up on what happened previously, but I appreciated having read the previous books for a more robust background. A lot happens in this book, but the unfolding stories are easy to follow. I did find one scene a lot difficult to believe, though as Ms. Kummerow explained in the Author’s Note, it was necessary (though I was disappointed in Margarete’s cluelessness, even with another character warning her). I do recommend reading Ms. Kummerow’s Author’s Note for more information about the characters and situations. Ms. Kummerow also gives hints toward future directions she’d like to take these characters - not as another series, but to have them appear in future books. As always, Ms. Kummerow’s writing is clear and easy to follow and the story is engaging and interesting. If you’ve read the previous books in this series, this final book wraps everything up.
“Daughter of the Dawn” is the final book in the historical fiction series “Margarete’s Journey” by Marion Kummerow. This book can be read as a stand-alone, as Ms. Kummerow does a good job catching the reader up on what happened previously, but I appreciated having read the previous books for a more robust background. A lot happens in this book, but the unfolding stories are easy to follow. I did find one scene a lot difficult to believe, though as Ms. Kummerow explained in the Author’s Note, it was necessary (though I was disappointed in Margarete’s cluelessness, even with another character warning her). I do recommend reading Ms. Kummerow’s Author’s Note for more information about the characters and situations. Ms. Kummerow also gives hints toward future directions she’d like to take these characters - not as another series, but to have them appear in future books. As always, Ms. Kummerow’s writing is clear and easy to follow and the story is engaging and interesting. If you’ve read the previous books in this series, this final book wraps everything up.
October 25, 2022
The Daughter of the Dawn
Marion Kummerow
Once more, Ms. Kummerow makes the reader hold her breath as Margarete-Annagret embarks on a new project, this time to sabotage her own factory in this last book of the series. Don't start reading in the evening as you will be up all night to finish it.
The principal character of the series, Margarete, because of the adversity she has faced and still faces, has now evolved into a strong woman. Yet she has also become more vulnerable as the war builds to a desperate climax in Plau am See. It is this vulnerability, the stress of impersonating someone else’s life, that will lead her to make the biggest mistake of her life with tragic consequences.
The characters come alive on the page. You cannot help but loving them all, crying with them and laughing with them, while buffeted by the endless cruelty of war.
Marion’s series ranks alongside All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque as an anti-war novel. And at a time when yet another war is tearing Europe apart, we ask, like the character in the book, “Why do people do the things they do?”
Marion Kummerow
Once more, Ms. Kummerow makes the reader hold her breath as Margarete-Annagret embarks on a new project, this time to sabotage her own factory in this last book of the series. Don't start reading in the evening as you will be up all night to finish it.
The principal character of the series, Margarete, because of the adversity she has faced and still faces, has now evolved into a strong woman. Yet she has also become more vulnerable as the war builds to a desperate climax in Plau am See. It is this vulnerability, the stress of impersonating someone else’s life, that will lead her to make the biggest mistake of her life with tragic consequences.
The characters come alive on the page. You cannot help but loving them all, crying with them and laughing with them, while buffeted by the endless cruelty of war.
Marion’s series ranks alongside All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque as an anti-war novel. And at a time when yet another war is tearing Europe apart, we ask, like the character in the book, “Why do people do the things they do?”
October 17, 2022
Margarete Rosenbaum is living life as Annegret Huber, to hide her Jewish identity and continue to shelter the Jewish workers in her care.
When a high-ranking German officer, discovers her identity and starts to blackmail her for money, Margarete must do all her can to keep things as they are. When money starts to run out, she returns to Berlin to sell her jewelry and that’s when things start to go really wrong and the worst happens.
While her life is in terrible danger, she worries about the lives of the others in her care including Stefan, the man she is in love with. Will he come through and take care of the estate and workers?
This is a such a moving story told goodness, love and sacrifice in the face of grave danger, personal risk and loss. The theme of this emotional story is that the human spirit can indeed prevail and triumph over evil.
Great writing makes this an absolute page-turner.
When a high-ranking German officer, discovers her identity and starts to blackmail her for money, Margarete must do all her can to keep things as they are. When money starts to run out, she returns to Berlin to sell her jewelry and that’s when things start to go really wrong and the worst happens.
While her life is in terrible danger, she worries about the lives of the others in her care including Stefan, the man she is in love with. Will he come through and take care of the estate and workers?
This is a such a moving story told goodness, love and sacrifice in the face of grave danger, personal risk and loss. The theme of this emotional story is that the human spirit can indeed prevail and triumph over evil.
Great writing makes this an absolute page-turner.
May 17, 2023
Daughter of the Dawn
This book did bring the story to an end, however, it felt a bit rushed, especially the last chapters. It felt to me as if one more book just for all the loose ends to be tied up would have been good!! I'd also have enjoyed a peek into what the Nazis went through at the end! A bit of Karma, ya know? To be a fly on the wall! Anyway, this continued the story of Margarete/Annegret, Dora & Oliver, & the increasing importance of Stefan, as the war is coming to an end. The twists & turns have not eased at all, & the Rollercoaster dives are even steeper & deeper! The story is full of tragedy & miracles...heartbreak & joy. And the war DOES finally end! Just as it blessedly did in real life. This story is fiction, but I would think that everything that happens in it, happened in reality for thousands of people in some shape, form, or fashion. May we never forget, in hopes & prayers that it is never repeated.
This book did bring the story to an end, however, it felt a bit rushed, especially the last chapters. It felt to me as if one more book just for all the loose ends to be tied up would have been good!! I'd also have enjoyed a peek into what the Nazis went through at the end! A bit of Karma, ya know? To be a fly on the wall! Anyway, this continued the story of Margarete/Annegret, Dora & Oliver, & the increasing importance of Stefan, as the war is coming to an end. The twists & turns have not eased at all, & the Rollercoaster dives are even steeper & deeper! The story is full of tragedy & miracles...heartbreak & joy. And the war DOES finally end! Just as it blessedly did in real life. This story is fiction, but I would think that everything that happens in it, happened in reality for thousands of people in some shape, form, or fashion. May we never forget, in hopes & prayers that it is never repeated.
February 4, 2025
Ok this book disappointed me only because I’m so used to books where men fight tooth and nail for the loves and Stephan did not! I know, I know, he probably couldn’t but the fact that he just up and left and dropped off her clothes to a stranger did not sit right with me. And don’t get me started with Gretchen because whaaaaaat just threw your fake identity away in hopes the war ending was gonna happen any day. Crazy! But again I understand because it was a super rushed ending, should have made the book longer but what do I know. Overall, I still really really enjoyed it and recommend to readers who love historical fiction. Just a fantastic read, graphic, raw, and sad! Definitely pulled at the heart strings. Grateful for the happy ending but angry that Oliver did not make it. He deserved his happy ending. Ugh!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2022
Daughter of the Dawn is a hold your breath, nail biting, keep the lights on to the last page read.
The final book in the series is a triumphant and satisfying ending to a great series that had me hooked from the first to last book as I followed Margarete's journey through harrowing times.
This is a series not to be missed and you wont regret one single moment of reading Daughter of the Dawn.
I wont comment much on the finale other than to say get your copy, preorder it and settle in for a great read.
I was sad to finish the book , I will miss Margarete and the people in her life
Take time to read the authors notes as Marion Kummerow does a satisfying job of tying everything up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a series I wont soon forget.
The final book in the series is a triumphant and satisfying ending to a great series that had me hooked from the first to last book as I followed Margarete's journey through harrowing times.
This is a series not to be missed and you wont regret one single moment of reading Daughter of the Dawn.
I wont comment much on the finale other than to say get your copy, preorder it and settle in for a great read.
I was sad to finish the book , I will miss Margarete and the people in her life
Take time to read the authors notes as Marion Kummerow does a satisfying job of tying everything up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a series I wont soon forget.
December 20, 2022
Another great instalment of the Margarete’s Journey series from Marion Kummerow! I can’t believe it’s the last one in the series! It’s just as brilliant as the other ones, if not more so bringing the story to an end. Margarete, who is pretending to be heiress Annegret Huber has seen so much throughout these books. She is a character who will stay with me for a long time.
You feel the strength and courage of the characters deeply set into the heartbreaking story about love and betrayal. The writing is sublime, it draws you in, and you are right in the book with them.
I do recommend you read all 4 books in sequence, to give you the complete story and one that you will treasure. I know next year I will read the books over again!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
You feel the strength and courage of the characters deeply set into the heartbreaking story about love and betrayal. The writing is sublime, it draws you in, and you are right in the book with them.
I do recommend you read all 4 books in sequence, to give you the complete story and one that you will treasure. I know next year I will read the books over again!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
October 19, 2022
The last book in this series from Marion Kummerow and our final journey with Margarete and Stefan. Once again we are enveloped within the resistance world of the Second World War, as Margarete, disguised as a young German woman, Annegret Huber tries to help save as many Jews as she can from being transported to the Prisoner of War camps.
The author takes us along with Margarete and Stefan as their relationship grows despite the hardships they are forced to overcome. As Margarete is betrayed by an old schoolfriend, Stefan steps up to help manage the estate in her absence. We discover how the Poles, Jews and Germans worked alongside each other when necessary and that actually, some wanted the same outcome.
These books could be read as stand-alone. Indeed, I have only read the final two in the series, but for the full experience of Margarete’s journey I would suggest starting at the beginning with A Light in the Window. If you enjoy historical fiction and books about the resistance during the Second World War, then check out Marion Kummerow’s books.
I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this book, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Daughter of the Dawn by Marion Kummerow.
The author takes us along with Margarete and Stefan as their relationship grows despite the hardships they are forced to overcome. As Margarete is betrayed by an old schoolfriend, Stefan steps up to help manage the estate in her absence. We discover how the Poles, Jews and Germans worked alongside each other when necessary and that actually, some wanted the same outcome.
These books could be read as stand-alone. Indeed, I have only read the final two in the series, but for the full experience of Margarete’s journey I would suggest starting at the beginning with A Light in the Window. If you enjoy historical fiction and books about the resistance during the Second World War, then check out Marion Kummerow’s books.
I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this book, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Daughter of the Dawn by Marion Kummerow.
October 12, 2022
What a remarkable series this has been. Daughter of the Dawn wraps up the story first began several books ago about a young woman impersonating a German aristocrat while really being a Jew.
I chewed my lip the entire time while reading because I knew the inevitable would happen to Margarete and I was unsure how Kummerow Would handle things.
I was relieved at the ending and I appreciated her explanations at the end and her giving hints at future stories she intends to tell.
I’ll be waiting on those!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the early read.
I chewed my lip the entire time while reading because I knew the inevitable would happen to Margarete and I was unsure how Kummerow Would handle things.
I was relieved at the ending and I appreciated her explanations at the end and her giving hints at future stories she intends to tell.
I’ll be waiting on those!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the early read.
October 18, 2022
Great book/Series
This girl had the luck of the Irish and the blessings of God. She continued to rise above so much and yes there was a very happy ending. I have been honored to read all of Marion's books she is a master storytellers and researcher. She manages to throw in a element of mystery in her books as well. Start with the series of 3 books she wrote about her grandparents then you will want to read them all. Looking forward to her next books which she seems to have tons of ideas. Kuddos to her this series like the others will be a success.
This girl had the luck of the Irish and the blessings of God. She continued to rise above so much and yes there was a very happy ending. I have been honored to read all of Marion's books she is a master storytellers and researcher. She manages to throw in a element of mystery in her books as well. Start with the series of 3 books she wrote about her grandparents then you will want to read them all. Looking forward to her next books which she seems to have tons of ideas. Kuddos to her this series like the others will be a success.
November 2, 2022
Good ending to great series but with unwholesome parts
It was a great book with an amazing storyline. Tied up all the loose ends at the end. But there was explicit sexulal content put in a few scenes in the middle - completely unnecessary. Skipped over that part best I could
Also the author seemed to use more cuss words than I remember in previous books.
But the actual story, plot twists, and engaging characters were amazing! Worth the read to finish the series if you can skip the few disappointingly unwholesome parts.
It was a great book with an amazing storyline. Tied up all the loose ends at the end. But there was explicit sexulal content put in a few scenes in the middle - completely unnecessary. Skipped over that part best I could
Also the author seemed to use more cuss words than I remember in previous books.
But the actual story, plot twists, and engaging characters were amazing! Worth the read to finish the series if you can skip the few disappointingly unwholesome parts.
March 27, 2023
Margarete's Journey, Bk 4 of 4, EBK-M, Kindle, @ 2022, Read 3/25/2023, Historical Fiction, WWII, Holocaust. In deparation, Margaret and Stephan make their way to Berlin to sell some of the Huber jewelry to better the living condition of the Jewish prisoners working in her munitions factory. Margaret is found out and arrested by the Nazis, and Stephan can do nothing to save her. The final page-turning book of this 4 part series, I devoured them all! 4☆'s = Very Good. Will look up more books by this author.
May 8, 2023
Answers Were Given
I enjoyed this series a lot. I liked Margaret. Loved Stefan. Oliver and Dora were such amazing characters. I think there could be more to their story. I'm glad Dora got what she got in the story.
This series opened my eyes to several things that I didn't know happened. It was Interesting learning about becoming a German citizen. It was interesting learning about some of the ideologies presented by the Nazi's.
There seems like there are some editing issues. But they didn't stop me from enjoying the story.
I enjoyed this series a lot. I liked Margaret. Loved Stefan. Oliver and Dora were such amazing characters. I think there could be more to their story. I'm glad Dora got what she got in the story.
This series opened my eyes to several things that I didn't know happened. It was Interesting learning about becoming a German citizen. It was interesting learning about some of the ideologies presented by the Nazi's.
There seems like there are some editing issues. But they didn't stop me from enjoying the story.
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