Hope at Dawn by Stacy Henrie

About the Book
IN A TIME OF WAR, LOVE IS THE INSPIRATION.
With her brothers away fighting the Great War overseas, Livy Campbell desperately wants to help her family. Her chance comes when she meets a handsome stranger who lands her a job as a teacher in a place far from her parents' farm. But the war casts a long shadow over the German-American town that Livy now calls home-and the darkness will test everything she thought she knew about family and love . . .

More than anything, Friedrick Wagner wants to be part of his adopted country's struggle for peace. But when the bitter animosity between Germans and Americans soon turns citizens against newcomers, friend against friend, he will do whatever it takes to protect Livy from the hysteria that grips their town. As tragedy-and dark secrets from the past-threaten their future, Friedrick and Livy have one chance to stand up for what's right . . . and one chance to fight for their love.

My Thoughts
I loved this book! WWI stories seem to be few and far between so I'm always ecstatic when they are as good as I had hoped! I loved that the story was set in a German-American town, giving us a great glimpse all the prejudice and other things they had to live with. It makes me so mad when people judge based on heritage rather than on who they are as individuals. I think the author did an fantastic job of portraying the hatred and distrust that people felt for the German-Americans, sad as it was!
Friedrick and Livy were amazing characters! I greatly admired how Friedrick cared so much for his family, filtering practically all of his actions through the mindset of how it would affect them. Even taking the farm deferment so he could care for them rather than fighting for his country like he wanted. And I loved how Livy didn't let the fact that her students and Friedrick were German American stop her from opening her heart to them. She treated them as equals like she should despite the fact that it wasn't a popular thing to do.
Their romance was very sweet. It wasn't that fast and passionate kind of falling in love but more of a slow and meaningful relationship that grew from friendship to love, it it was beautiful!

I loved every minute of this book and I hated having to put it down for trivial things like sleep and work! I was already excited for the second book in this series but after reading who and what it's about I absolutely cannot wait! This author is definitely one to watch!

Meet the Author
Stacy Henrie has always had an avid appetite for history, fiction and chocolate. While she had a goal to write and publish a book one day, she turned her attentions first to graduating with a bachelor's degree in public relations. Not long after, she switched from writing press releases and newsletters to writing inspirational historical romances as a stay-at-home mom. Stacy loves reading, interior decorating, romantic movies, and most of all, laughing with her husband and three kids. She appreciates the chance to live out history through her characters, while enjoying all the modern conveniences of life in the 21st century.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.