Customer Reviews

Dawn Of Change

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you liked Gulf Breeze and the "banter" between the characters, you'll love Dawn of Change. Once again, this author puts you in the same room as her characters, making you feel as if you're eavesdropping, wondering if you should make a quick exit before they catch you! The ease at which Hill moves the story from friendship to romance is so subtle, you, like the characters, will be surprised when it smacks you in the face! There is also a delicious character to hate, Aunt Ruth! She'll have you gritting your teeth, (a la Alexis Carrington from the old Dynasty series), and wishing someone would smack her already! The setting for this story is the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, which adds to the simple, relaxed format. It wasn't until I read it for the second time that I realized the entire book takes place on weekends over one summer. Added bonus: Alex the dog is too cute for words!

I'm new to reading lesbian romances, so I've been trying to catch up on lost time by reading lots of them. I bought this story because it seems like the author is very popular. Perhaps she has written better books. I found this one very predictable and rather trite.
I think the story had plenty of potential, with Susan discovering herself after a long marriage, and Shawn trying not to get involved with a straight woman who might break her heart. But the characters seemed superficial to me and I found their romance didn't hold my interest.
The writing is pleasant and well polished but it feels stale and unoriginal. Overall, I thought this book was a nice romance but it's only mediocre compared to some that I've read recently.

Gerri Hill has delivered a heart pounding, tension-filled romance that will leave you breathless through the last page. Dawn of Change is a story of discovery- a different kind of coming out story where damaged hearts take a chance again and first loves are realized.

Susan, the "perfect" wife and mother, escapes to the mountains after she finds her husband of 20 years in bed with a much younger woman. There she literally runs into Shawn while hiking. Susan invites Shawn to dinner on the spur of the moment because she is lonely. They strike up a friendship that includes regular dinners with conversations, sharing their pasts. Every weekend that Shawn camps in the mountains, she spends time with Susan. By the end of the summer, they have become best friends. But without telling each other, they both begin to have more than friendly feelings towards the other. Shawn does not want to become involved with a straight woman on the rebound. Susan is questioning whether her feelings are real.

While I find most lesbian/straight romances in novels suspect, Dawn of Change is believable. Hill develops their friendship throughout most of the book. Through the characters' visits with each other and their family encounters at Susan's cabin, Hill illustrates beautifully their individual emotional struggles with their current situations and their pasts. As Susan and Shawn get to know one another so does the reader. This process occurs over several months, not just a week or two.

Hill builds her characters gradually, making their relationship realistic and natural. Susan and Shawn as friends support each other's choices, and that gives each woman more confidence to make independent decisions. Hill creates believable histories that flow well with the storyline.

With Dawn of Change the secrets are shed, the souls are bared, and the hearts slowly open. The reader will find it difficult to stop reading until the very last word.

Gerri Hill certainly doesn't disappoint with this one, her fourth book. Watching the friendship form between Shawn and Susan is very refreshing. It just seems so easy and comfortable. The relationship grows and the passion is wonderful. However, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way to romance. Susan's family is full of surprises, but Shawn has a few surprises of her own. When you finish this book, you will find yourself sighing with contentment. Yes, it's that good. Dawn Of Change is an excellent read. If you have not yet read a a book by Gerri Hill, I'm sorry. You're really missing out. I've always been extremely satisfied with Gerri's books, and I'm really looking forward to Hunter's Way in May.

I've read three other books by this author and now that I've read this one as well, I get that she can really only write one story and a couple of characters. Her romances all seem the same. It's obvious that she's emulated the lightly humorous style of Karin Kallmaker, so her writing is pleasant and entertaining even though it's not original. All her books have well written and interesting settings, although not in the same league as a Jennifer Fulton, Marianne K. Martin or Sarah Waters setting. But Dawn of Change lets down these good features of its authors writing in every other way. I got the feeling that this book was popped out in too big of a hurry. Susan and Shawn seem like they came off a production line and their romance doesn't have enough emotional depth to be satisfying. Because this book is slightly better written than the typical dyke romance I guess plenty of readers will be satisfied with it. But compared with the genuine 5 star lesbian romances out there, it's fast food that's been sitting under the heat lamps way too long.

This is the 1st book I have read by Gerri Hill and I sat down down with it and read it straight through. Then I read it again. Now I am rereading the parts that I really like :-)
I absolutely love when an author can grab your attention and leave you wanting. The writing and characters are phenomenal!!!!
Thank you.

Susan has walked out of her marriage after catching her husband in their bed with a 20-something woman. She escapes to the couple's cabin in the King's Canyon National Park. One day, while walking one of the trails, a dog bounds across the river to shake muddy cold water all over her. The dog's owner, Shawn, apologizes, and that seems to be the end of their encounter. But you have to know that with a Gerri Hill book, that is only the beginning.

In this outing, Hill takes a very married, but basically unhappy, woman and shows how she deals with the end of a 20-year marriage, with her family, and with new friends. There are many sub-plots in this book, but the one you love to hate is the sub-plot involving Susan's sister and mother who are insistent that she return to her husband and their life in society. The sub-plot you love to love is Susan's daughter's coming out.

This is one of Hill's stronger outings. She doesn't rush Susan's angst over ending her marriage nor does she rush the obvious attraction Susan begins to feel toward Shawn. Once again, Hill develops characters that you'd like to know better.

Gerri captures her audiance rather quickly. Yes we have all heard the stories about a woman who is leaving a marriage and finds her self attracted to a lesbian. However, Hill focuses on the positive side of a healthy relationship. She incorporated communication, clarification, assertiveness and loving someone unconditionally. The book included a well written erotic love scene! Not many lesbian writers risk writing a scene like this. Hill took the erotic love scene and slowed it way down. Each explicit detail could be visualized and felt by the reader! It is a romantic, caring love story. One not to be forgotten...(especially the love scene).
If I could change something about the book it would be how the beer in the back of Shawn's truck seemed to have a character all it's own. Enough already.

What more is there to say? Gerri Hill again came out with a fabulous story. My only complaint is that it ended too quickly!

Being an enthusiastic fan of Gerri Hill, I started reading `Dawn of Change' the afternoon it arrived in my mailbox. Hill delivers a quality story that competes with the best authors in the genre and certainly didn't disappoint this reader.

On the surface, the story is reminiscent of something from Jackie Calhoun. The protagonists are an attractive married woman (Susan) -- who is currently going through a divorce - and an irresistible lesbian (Shawn). Of course Susan leaves her husband for Shawn, but this wouldn't be a lesbian romance otherwise. This is all true on the surface. However, Hill incorporates Susan's worst nightmare --her family-- into the mix.

There is Ruth, Susan's older sister, who appears very prudish and shallow at first blush. But there is actually much more to Ruth and this reader felt sorry for her by the end. Susan's mother pokes her nose in as well, but she's less intrusive than Ruth. Then there is Susan's supportive daughter who reveals something new about herself as well. Contrast that with Shawn's dysfunctional, non-existent family and her rocky past. Shawn has secrets of her own that she feels compelled to share with Susan.

As the two women alternately console each other through emotional times, their budding friendship becomes much more complicated. It is this emotional journey that truly keeps the reader engaged and makes this book a must read. Highly recommended as a permanent addition to your personal collection.