AFTER THE DAWN

Samantha Collins is shocked when her grandfather leaves her his auto turbocharger empire; even worse, he expects her to get Collins Industries back on track with Dillon Montgomery, the man she’s secretly loved since she was 13.

Abe Collins was always a stubborn man, but on his deathbed, he can see a few things clearly: That he’s made some serious mistakes playing it safe; that his company is in trouble because of it; and that there’s no way he can trust his elder son, Evan, to put it right. That leaves Samantha, orphaned daughter of his younger son William, who died in a plane crash with his wife when Sam was a teen. Now she’s a bright young woman, and Abe knows she can turn the company around with help from Dillon Montgomery, a true automobile visionary and son of Abe’s secretary, Marlene. So Abe changes his will the day before he dies, leaving the company to Samantha and Dillon, expecting them to put their heads together and save Collins Industries. Of course, this move does not sit well with Evan and his family, and in fact, it’s uncomfortable for Sam and Dillon, too, since they shared an awkward encounter years ago, soon after Sam lost her parents. When the will is read, everyone is stunned, but Samantha does as he asks to honor him, and Dillon can’t find it in him to abandon Sam. As the two work together to adjust the technologies that will put Collins back on the map, they find that there are other reasons for the company’s decline, and they’ll have to dig deeper to get answers. Using an outside CPA and Dillon’s friend Roman to audit the books sheds light on some financial mysteries while also bringing a new chance at love for Dillon’s mom and possibly creating danger for them all, forcing Sam and Dillon to face their attraction head-on. Conceptually, this plot sounds interesting, and there are some compelling details to the story. However, poor pacing and otherwise lackluster storytelling hinder what could be an engaging book. 

The story moves forward, but the journey is uninspired.