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?

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.

Another Marion Kummerow masterpiece. It tugged on my heart strings and made me despise some of humanity. A tough and touching story.

Loved this series and this book just continued the adventure, tying up some loose ends for me. Marions books are a one click for me as you always end up with a great story and fantastic read.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Marion Kummerow continues her heart-wrenching series, Margarete’s Journey, with the fourth emotional and unforgettable installment, Daughter of the Dawn.

Margarete Rosenbaum has spent most of the war hiding in plain sight. A bombing had led to a case of mistaken identity that has enabled her to live disguised as a Nazi in order to liberate Jewish workers set to work the land she’s inherited and sabotage the factory she is meant to be in charge of. Having fallen head over heels in love with Stefan, who helps her in her quest, Margarete is well aware of the dangers should she be discovered, but she refuses to surrender. However, when the unthinkable happens, Margarete is going to need to be stronger than she’s ever been before as she finds herself tested beyond her limits.

Margarete has no choice but to accept her fate. Taken to Auschwitz, the place she has dreaded ever setting foot in, Margarete knows that the chances of getting out alive are slim, yet she refuses to give up hope. Will she ever be a free woman again? And is she foolish to dream of a future with Stefan? Or is she about to lose everything at the hands of her vicious captors?

Marion Kummerow’s Daughter of the Dawn is an outstanding tale of love, courage and sacrifice that aims straight for the heart and will keep readers glued to its pages. Margarete is a heroine whose fortitude, bravery, tenacity and hope is inspirational and she is a character readers will still be thinking about long after the last page is turned.

Evocative, entrancing and mesmerizing, historical fiction fans will be blown away by Marion Kummerow’s latest novel, Daughter of the Dawn.

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!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The last book in a wonderful, enticing series, I enjoyed this very very much. I have eaderly and avidly followed Margarete's journey of survival during WWII and is truly one of my favorite series! The author has written many novels, but I believe this one might be her best yet! This book is a excellently researched, and it is clear, as always, that Marion Kummerow is a scrupulous historian alongside her authorship. Wonderful, captivating writing and original plot gives this novel the depth and ability to pull in any reader. I highly recommend this author and all of her other books I have read have been nothing less than fantastic. She is definitely an auto-buy author for me, and I can't wait to own this novel in print.

Do not miss this book. It is sooo well written, completely gripping so make sure you set aside many hours so that you can greedily devour it in one swoop. With an eye for precise detail balanced by a sweeping imagination, this beautifully constructed book is built on deep foundations. Read it at least twice….

Daughter of the Dawn is the 4th and final book in the Margarete's Journey series. I have enjoyed getting to know Margarete/Annegret and those that lived and worked with her at the Huber estate. This story brings us full circle in Margarete's life. Hiding in plain sight, she has been able to save many Jewish prisoners just by treating them humanely. We have seen her grow and develop as a woman and resistance worker while hiding her true identity. With a marriage between two of her workers, falling in love with Stefan, a fisherman and hater of the Nazis, she is constantly in danger and eventually, her luck runs out. Will she survive her capture and transport to Auschwitz?

I have followed this series from the beginning and couldn't wait to read this final book in the series. You never know what you would do to survive and save your loved ones until you are in a position to have to do so. Margarete is an extremely strong, intelligent, loyal and caring person. Her initial decision to pretend to be Annegret Huber was to save herself, but as her story continued, it was to save so many others. Talk about an actress, the role she played must have been extremely difficult. I loved watching her mature and grow in her role as well as finally becoming herself once again. This is an emotional story and series. The hardships many suffered in the camps was not as bad at the munitions factory on the estate, but the hardships and denigrating treatment had to still be there in some degree so the SS was not more suspicious. I enjoyed seeing Stefan and Margaret (Gretchen) develop feelings toward one another and finally fall in love. Even though this book is about a horrendous time in history with terrible things happening, there is hope, love and faith in its story. I loved how Marion Kummerow ended this series and brought Margarete full circle. If you enjoy historical fiction, I definitely recommend you pick up this series and read the full story of Margarete's Journey.

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 of 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.

Daughter of the Dawn is the fourth and final instalment in the Margarete’s Journey series by Marion Kummerow and what an absolutely fitting end it was to what has been an incredible series from start to finish. Yes, this book is written in such a way that it can be read as a standalone as there are paragraphs which provide just enough background information for readers familiar with the story so far and said information does bring new readers right up to date. But, in my opinion, to truly appreciate what a brilliant series this has been I suggest going back to book one and get to know Margarete and what motivates her. Where has she come from and wat has brought her to this point in what has been a long and difficult adventure.

The journey she has been on is remarkable and she will do anything to keep her Jewish heritage a secret and to protect the Jews in her care who work in her factory. The road she has travelled has been perilous and fraught with danger and the tension, unease and suspicion ramp up significantly in this new book. Things start to occur that I thought would never happen to her, given at some points she seemed almost untouchable and everything was more or less going to plan despite some of the hurdles and bumps that had appeared in the road. With the end of the war within touching distance, but yet the threat of the what the Russians will do once they arrive ever present, you almost think that Margarete is home and dry and that everything she has been through was worth it. But still the author had plenty of twists, turns and surprises to throw in. Some wanted but plenty that weren’t that leaves the reader with their heart in their mouth and wishing desperately that there would be a positive outcome.

The development of the overall story from the first moment we meet Margarete Rosenbaum as she emerges from the rubble of her employers home to where she is now posing as Annegret Huber, the daughter of her former employers who had great wealth, has been fascinating and all aspects of the story have been executed and thought out so well from start to finish. Each book has moved the plot forward without it feeling rushed or far-fetched and always the reader is left with a cliff hanger but now as we reach the finale it’s time for loose ends to be wrapped up and to see what fate has in store for Margarete. Have all her efforts been in vain? Is the game finally up and the worst fate will befall her?

Margarete has been on a brave, tense and emotional journey and the façade she has had to portray for so long is surely starting to wear on her but she is no longer the meek little maid subservient to the whims of a German family. If only the authorities knew that the woman they believe to be Annegret is Jewish and that she is doing everything within her power to keep her identity a secret and at the same time trying to ensure the Jews made to work in the munitions factory on her estate are kept safe from deportation. Most importantly one of those being her Uncle Ernst whom she has discovered working at the factory. Romance is also on the cards for Annegret but to be honest it’s not the main focus of the story and nor should it be but it was nice to see her having some happiness and love in her life even if it too needed to be kept secret.

Within the first few chapters an even more dangerous web is spun and the threat of discovery is even more present. Margarete must avoid becoming stuck in the centre of said web for if this were to occur so many lives would be in great peril and there would be nothing she could do to stop more senseless killing occurring. Katze is the new district leader and he knows an awful lot more than he first lets on. But he is different from other Nazi’s as he has his own personal gain and wish for power at the centre of everything he does. He’s not really interested in the bigger picture. More so he wants to further his own individual aspirations, wants and desires. He wields a metaphorical knife over Margarete’s head and bribery and threats become even more common place in her day to day life. She knows that the conclusion of the war can not be far off so she agrees to Katze’s proposals/bribes but complying with them is not easy and this leads her into an even more treacherous situation than ever before. When worst comes to worst and more money is needed Margarete has no other choice but to travel to Berlin accompanied by Stefan, the man she has fallen deeply in love with. What happened there was traumatic to read and I couldn’t believe what was unfolding before my eyes. I had secretly hoped that the fate for millions of Jews which had already taken place would not occur for Margarete but a betrayal sees her venture down a path she had tried to evade for so long.

Given the blurb mentions Margarete travels to a very dark place where hardly anyone emerges alive from, I expected this part of the story to occur much earlier than it did and also I thought it would be explored in much more depth. The circumstances leading up to such dishonesty and deception were well plotted but I found once said event occurred and this was only at around the 80% mark in the book. Well then everything happened very quickly and it became quite formulaic with significant events being what I thought came across as listed rather than developed in any greater detail. This I felt would have added even more even more depth and allowed the reader a greater understanding of what Margarete was going through and those who were left behind on the estate at Plau am See such as Stefan and Dora. This was the only problem I found with what was a fascinating, excellent story which showed such solidarity amongst those who were persecuted and how so many did so much with so many limited resources.

More often than not I may find issues with a book are never resolved or addressed but it was like Marion Kummerow had read my mind and in her end notes there was ample justification for the lack of detail in the later parts of the book as we reached the climax of the whole series. She felt she couldn’t go there in any great depth as to what could have happened in the place which was hell on earth for so many innocent victims. I can totally understand this and perhaps in future books she may set a story in said camp. I also found it really intriguing that she is planning a future series where some of the characters I have come to know and love will feature. Little tantalising titbits were provided as to what direction this new series will take and all I can say is that I am really excited for what is to come and it’s brilliant that the characters and all the major and minor plots that have run their course here with Margarete’s story will be continued, expanded and developed in a different way. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us next. But for now, Margarete’s story has reached its end and I have loved every minute of it despite the tough and at times harrowing subject matter. This last book provided the reader with a fitting ending and having being gripped from the first word of book one the last of book four I am sad to leave the characters behind knowing that there no longer be that anticipation and buzz of a new book. But definitely this was a series that kept you on the edge of your seat as the noose tightens around Margarete and the eventual outcome you are just not sure what that will be. This is historical fiction at its very best and it’s well worth a read.

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 carry out 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 book. 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.

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.

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!

★★★★ 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 highly recommend this series.
I have enjoyed reading the journey of Margarete,, a young Jewish women caught up in WWII.
There were patriots in every level of service during the war. They risked their lives to save those that Germany sought to eradicate.
One of the hardest thing for those in the Resistance movements was to know who they could trust.
This book is set towards the end of the war when Germany was desperate to keep fighting.
I appreciate how this book brings out the uncertainty and fears of the Soviet Union liberating and ruling parts of Europe. Honestly, Stalin killed more people than Hitler.

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.

Daughter of the Dawn is a great way to finish this series. I have loved following Margarete's journey of survival. Daughter of the Dawn has built on her story of courage, love and betrayal. A great read.
Thank you, Net Gallery and the publisher, for the ARC

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.

If you read one book this year make it this one! Margarete is still living as Annegret Huber in her mansion, constantly living in fear of being uncovered by the Nazi soldiers. At the same time Margarete is helping the prisoners working at the local factory by giving them extra rations and trying to stop them from being sent to Auschwitz when the unthinkable happens!
Stefan is heartbroken when he learns about his beloved grandfather, who will share his grief.
The depth of feeling in this book together with the strength of Margarete. Wow!

Right from the very start this series had me hooked, it broke my heart, made me cry , as well as pulled my heartstrings and me feel all of the emotions. It showed the strength of the characters, as well as their fears ,brought to life the struggles they went through, Friendships made and lost either because of death, or betrayal. As well as the horror that happened doing that time period. This is a series that I think everyone should read because it not only tells the story of the people, but also what 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 ,because their also part of the history, and they deserve to be remembered as well.