A reformed criminal escorts a young woman on a dangerous, cross-country road trip. Can they reach their destination before a notorious crime boss enacts his ultimate revenge?

Sibiu, Romania. Maksim and Kat survived the showdown with Vladimir's men [Awaken the Dawn]. They're shaken up but safe, and their burgeoning romance -- from strangers to friends to so much more -- is finally starting to heat up.

Or it was heating up until their safe house is discovered by one of Vladimir's operatives. She's the dancer from the club, the same woman dispatched against Kat previously, and she's a bit more than a "former colleague" to Maksim. The development is unsettling, especially for Kat, who begins to question Maksim's past while expressing doubts about their future together. Maksim's plan for a fresh start implodes, and with their cover blown, he and Kat are left with one perilous last resort -- head west to Serbia, using the old smuggling routes, and hope they can escape undetected.

But Vladimir is no longer their only concern. Police, border guards, and CCTV cameras pose new threats, and a dangerous thief lures Maksim and Kat into deadly territory. Can they socially engineer their way out of this situation? Will Kat make it home before Maksim's past catches up with them both?

Set between the first two books in The Awaken Saga, this interlude novel (Book 1.5 in the series) gives Maksim -- the bad boy with a heart of gold -- his very first feature. If you enjoy adventures that aren't afraid of romantic detours, you'll be hooked on this intoxicating story.

Order First Light of Dawn today and prepare for an exciting European road trip.

Worldwide Praise for The Awaken Saga
"Ellis K. Popa (delivers) an amazing story full of mystery, intrigue and romance." - John Benedict, Bestselling Author of Adrenaline (US)

"Popa's prose is smart, arresting, and tightly woven." - The BookLife Prize

"This book is (full) of mystery and chaos... " - Sabrina L, BookTok (Canada)

"I could not put it down, a must-read." - Bob F, Goodreads (UK)

"(An) adrenaline rush, with every twist sharper than the last." - Alexandria W, Bookfluencer (US)

"Kat was amazing and a kick-ass character." - Kriti, This Reader Girl (India)

"This series keeps getting more intense... " - Librosentrelazos, Bookstagram (Chile)

Awards - Awaken the Dawn

Cascade Awards - WINNER
Blue Seal Awards - WINNER
Storytrade Awards:
~ Best YA Adventure - WINNER
~ Best Debut - Finalist
Firebird Awards:
~ Best Debut - WINNER
~ Best Suspense - WINNER
~ Multicultural Fiction - 2nd Place
The Selfie Awards (London Book Fair) - Shortlist
The Wishing Shelf - Finalist
Killer Nashville Readers Choice - Finalist
The Claymores - Finalist
The BookLife Prize - Top 5: YA/Middle Grade
Page Turner Awards:
~ Culture Award - Shortlist
~ Best Book - Finalist
IAN Book of the Year - Finalist: Outstanding New Adult
Clue Awards - Longlist*
Indie BookTok Awards - Finalist
Awards - Dawn to Dusk
American Fiction Awards:
~ Thriller - Finalist
~ Young Adult - Finalist
NYC Big Book Award - Distinguished Favorite: New Adult
San Francisco Book Fest - Runner Up
Silver Falchion - Top Pick
Readers Favorite - Silver Medalist
Firebird Awards:
~ New Adult Fiction - 2nd Place
~ Best Trailer - Honorable Mention
Global Thriller Awards - Longlist*
Indie BookTok Awards - Finalist

• We started tracking this book on October 3, 2025.
• The current price of this book is $0.99 last checked one day ago.
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• Teen & Young AdultLiterature & FictionAction & AdventureTravel
• Teen & Young AdultMysteries & ThrillersRomantic

• Publication Date: September 23, 2025
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 357 Pages
• File Size: 65 KB