Dawnchaser

Summertide Chronicles, Book 2

By: Sam Burns

Narrated by: Darcy Stark, Zachary Johnson

I came here to kill Huxley Dawnchaser.

I expected the ridiculous extravagance of his estate, his home, and his life. What I didn't expect was the trail of broken people he left in his wake long before he murdered Oberon Gloombringer. I certainly didn't expect to be put in the position of helping Huxley's children pick up the pieces of their own shattered lives.

There must be some way I can kill him twice.

Dawnchaser is the second in a series of four books, starring one exhausted family lord, one terrified bunny who needs to discover his inner predator, and one princess who just wants everyone but her friends to go away so she can have her tea party. It contains Cove and Florian's HFN and continues the overall story arc of the series.

©2024 Sam Burns (P)2025 Podium Audio

Interesting Series

I’m liking this author collaboration enough to continue buying the next books coming in this series. The world where four kingdoms are ruled by a family where the head of the family is paired with a stone of power. First book, called GloomBringer, introduced the reader to the politics within the GloomBringer family, the politics between families jostling for greater power and property, and a threat to the future of everyone on the planet. DawnChaser continues the tale in a similar vein but not so similar that the second story is boring. There are challenges to gathering all the family heads and their stone of power to work magic upon the threat of planetary destruction. A process that can only work with all 4 stones and kings together in accord.
I’ll be buying the 3rd book in the series as soon as it’s available.

Dawnchaser

Dawnchaser pulls the Summertide Chronicles deeper into darkness and family trauma, giving Cove and Florian layers of pain and hope, though the age gap in their otherwise very sweet romance can feel strange at times. The presence of Florian’s sister, Fawn, thoughtfully portrayed as a neurodiverse character, brings a grounded, powerful nuance to the narrative. Some revelations move fast and the plot occasionally leans on heavy exposition, but the emotional resonance and worldbuilding shine. It’s a fiercely human, magic-laced installment that proves this series is building toward something memorable.

Just as good on Audio

I really liked Cove and Florian, and while I’m not a huge fan of large age gaps, I felt they were well matched with their past traumas. I loved seeing them both grow as people.

I loved that the stones were their own characters and how treatment of them was addressed.

On the whole, while I wouldn’t consider it a happy book, it was full of wonderful characters, growth, healing, justice, and a solid HEA. I can’t wait to see where the next story goes as the four kingdoms come together to save their lands.

Loved it

Florian is the Dawnchaser heir, his father is an evil man that murdered The Gloombringer. Cove is the family Lord of the Moonstrikers. They meet when Cove goes to the Dawnchaser estate. They get to know each other and fall in love.

I loved this book and look forward to the next book.

The narrators did a wonderful job. They’re new to me.