Steven Richards is driving home late from work only to be
struck and killed by a drunk teenage driver. His widow Meg
Richards can't understand why God would take her husband
from her at a time she needs him most. She had suspected
that she might be pregnant and it is confirmed just hours
after Steven's death. To add to her grief, the drunk driver
might slip through the justice system because of his
influential family and his age. Angry and bitter towards
God and a faulty justice system, Meg spirals out of control
as she seeks retribution for Steven's death. Can her lost
faith in God be found before Meg destroys herself?
DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN by Ace Collins is a story about the
nature of grief and anger, and the danger of losing
yourself to these overwhelming emotions. This Inspirational
Fiction novel explores the darkness of feeling betrayed by
God and how turning from faith is a self-destructive path.
Each character expresses a different level of grief. Some
are easier to connect with while some are not. I didn't
connect with Meg at the beginning, and that's largely due
to her and Steven's 'perfect' life. She's the perfect
nurse. He's the perfect husband, man, and Christian. Any
time anyone is described as perfect I automatically start
looking for flaws. Perfect people are not real. Meg's grief
is real and her reaction is real, but because she was so
perfect before the accident, I found it hard to believe her
complete reversal.
The connection with Meg strengthened though as she
struggled with deciding what to do about the baby. Ace
Collins did a wonderful job of handling the explosive topic
of abortion. The fact that Meg even thinks about having an
abortion is good characterization. There's no judgmental
tone, but stark emotion as Meg's world collapses. This
particular decision made Meg seem real for me.
DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN is slow to start but the pace
increases towards the end. This is mostly because I didn't
connect with Meg until midway through. I also feel that the
writing toward the end was reflecting a deeper level of
internalization than that of the beginning. The start of
the story means lots of introduction of both characters and
setting. Ace Collins often steps out of deep
internalization to describe a character's physical
appearance. This isn't my favorite way to get description
because I really like being inside the protagonist's mind
throughout the story.
DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN by Ace Collins is an inspirational
story about hope, forgiveness, and God's love even in times
of tragedy.
On the same night she discovers she is pregnant, twenty-
eight-year-old nurse Meg Richards’ husband is killed in an
auto accident caused by a drunken teen. James Thomas, the
teen, comes from one of the most influential families in the
community. He’s a star athlete and glamour boy at the local
high school. Angered by her senseless loss, Meg blames God
for what has happened and considers a decision that could
change her life even further—until the D.A. intervenes.
The results of the brutal trial enrage Meg, leading her down
a frightening path of retribution. When the opportunity for
revenge comes unexpectedly, will Meg follow through? Or will
the remnants of her faith lead her in a different direction?
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