Daybreak (Dark Age Dawning, #3)

Daybreak
Ellen Connor
Dark Age Dawning, book three
Paperback, 312 pages
Published December 6th 2011 by Berkley Sensation

The Change Is Forever.

Their mission was to save the world.
Their destiny was to fall in love.

It's been twelve years since the Change, and Penelope Sheehan is one of the few still practicing magic for the good of humanity in this dark, dangerous world. Determined to infiltrate the notorious O'Malley organization, she poses as an abducted girl—until a furious lion thwarts her mission. When the beast turns into a devastatingly handsome man, she recognizes in him the troubled boy she once knew.

Since becoming a skinwalker, Tru Daugherty has allowed his animal nature to take over. Aloof and cynical, he takes no interest in making the world a better place. He's a creature of instinct and impulse, living only to satisfy his senses—ignoring his scarred heart. He's also the best man to help her bring down the O'Malley crime ring.

Fighting alongside the last holdouts of humanity, they unleash a passion that tempts them to risk everything for love. But if they succeed, Tru and Pen hold the power to brighten the Dark Age for all time.

It's not very often that a reader gets to know the protagonists of a series while they're still children. A very special insight it is. And since I've forgotten most of the details of the many different series I'm begun a journey through due to my maternity hiatus, I figured I'd pick back up with book three of Dark Age Dawning since I was planning to skip book two anyway. So now, the feeling of being a tad lost is justifiable.

Tru is the same cynical bastard he was as a child, presently seeking either death or a good fuck. Whichever, whatever, whenever. He has, however, managed to hold on to his humanity, a feat very few Skinwalkers have managed to achieve after the Change. Tru is a lion shifter and while I'm not big on the feline corner of the shifter world. Tru's isn't half bad. He's found himself a "pride" to protect. Now, we just have to wait for the man in Tru to come around to the idea.

Penelope is just as disappointing to Tru as he is to her. Now known to countless rebels as the Orchid, Pen is basically out to save the world. With her healing and semi-mind reading powers she grasps each and every opportunity to put some good back in the tattered world, with the ultimate goal of taking out the dictator O'Malley if ever she can locate his hidden fortress. For that, and to protect the orphaned Adrian, she bargains for Tru's aid. With sex as payment once the destination is met.

The plan is first, for the child's sake, to get to Georgia. Why the hell does anyone seek refuge in Georgia?! Along the way, it's a kiss for each day. One on day one. Two on day two. And so on. Tru's idea, as Pen needs familiarity before she can go to bed with a man. Meanwhile, Tru finds himself battling between the instinct to connect and the urge to break away. They've both been hurt, lost, and abandoned. Jenna and Mason, from book one, could only heal just so much.

There were things I didn't expect in this book. Tru being the advocate of love being one. His past after leaving Mason and Jenna, another. In all honesty, it soured him for me. I get it, and saw the necessity of it. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Kudos to Pen for setting a strong first ground rule. LOLs to Tru for that rather unique admission of love. And sighs of satisfaction for them both. Yays. She chose him. 4 out of 5 stars.

Previously in the series: