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Verdict: A deeply emotional, much-loved romance between a gentle ex-con rebuilding her life and a closeted executive who fears losing her grown children — two women in their forties and fifties who, unusually, actually talk through their problems. Most readers rate it five stars; a few found it syrupy and too easily resolved.
Best for: Readers who want mature leads, redemption and a lot of feeling.
Heat level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.3/5 — a 4.37 Goodreads average across 611 ratings, 4.18 on StoryGraph from 75 reviews, and 4.7 stars across 268 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: One-night stand, rich / poor, closeted love interest, redemption, family reconciliation, mature leads.
Embracing the Dawn is Jeannie Levig’s 2016 contemporary lesbian romance from Bold Strokes Books. Jinx Tanner is an ex-con trying to build a life on the outside and heal her relationship with a half-sister who hasn’t spoken to her in over twenty-five years. E.J. Bastien is a business executive with a successful career, a woman in her bed whenever she wants one and a good relationship with her grown children — as long as they never find out she’s gay.
It holds a 4.37 average across 611 Goodreads ratings, with 87% of them four or five stars, 4.18 on StoryGraph from 75 reviews, and 4.7 stars across 268 Amazon ratings.
What Is Embracing the Dawn About?
The two meet in a bar and wake up after a one-night stand — only to discover their lives are entwined, as both are about to attend the same wedding.
Secrets, family, forgiveness and E.J.’s closet all stand in the way.
What Works in This Book
- Jinx: Readers adore her innocence and her backstory, which moved several to tears.
- Communication: Reviewers love that the leads talk and listen through their differences.
- Mature leads: Many readers welcome a romance with women aged 45 and 52.
- Supporting cast: Friends like Reggie and Sparkle, who helped Jinx survive prison, are favourites.
Book Synopsis
An ex-con and a closeted executive wake up after a one-night stand to find they are headed to the same wedding.
Does love have a chance when no one knows she wants it?
My Review
Levig balances heavy baggage with warmth, witty dialogue and strong psychology; readers who normally avoid angst say it was manageable here. Many call it a favourite and a reread.
The dissent is small but pointed: one reader found it syrupy, with conflicts solved too easily and Jinx too saintly to believe for someone with her past. Another found E.J. exasperating for much of the book. It is full of tropes — rich/poor, closet, breakups and reconciliations, even a wicked stepmother — which some love and some don’t.
My honest note: One of the strongest books on our over-40 list.
| Element | In Embracing the Dawn |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Jinx Tanner (ex-con, about 45) & E.J. Bastien (executive, 52) |
| Core tropes | One-night stand, rich / poor, closeted love interest, redemption |
| Setting | A family wedding and its aftermath |
| Heat level | 🌶️🌶️🌶️ |
| Length | 264 pages (paperback) |
| Series | Embracing #1 — followed by Embracing the Moon |
| Content notes | Past incarceration, family estrangement, closeting |
How Spicy Is Embracing the Dawn?
Open door, with readers describing sexy moments woven through the angst.
Expect themes of prison, estrangement and coming out to adult children.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want an emotional, grown-up romance. It is on our women over 40 list.
You may want to skip it if: you prefer light, low-drama romance.
In short: Angst, redemption and a very happy dawn.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 52% five stars, 35% four, 9% three, 1% two and 1% one. On StoryGraph, readers who answered tagged it emotional, funny and hopeful. Two readers who disliked Levig’s debut say this won them over completely.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Jinx first. Second, the communication. Third, mature leads. Fourth, the supporting cast.
What readers argue about and complain about: Easy resolutions for one reader, above everything. Second, E.J.’s behaviour. Third, heavy angst.
The comparison worth making first: At the Water’s Edge, another emotional romance about women over 40 starting over.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old are Jinx and E.J.?
Readers put Jinx at about 45 and E.J. at 52 — mature leads that many reviewers found refreshing.
Is Embracing the Dawn angsty?
Yes. Readers describe plenty of drama and baggage, balanced with sweetness and humour; a few found it too much or too neatly resolved.
Is there a sequel?
Yes. It is the first Embracing book, followed by Embracing the Moon.
How spicy is Embracing the Dawn?
Open door. Readers mention sexy moments and a blend of sweetness, angst and eroticism.
Is Embracing the Dawn on Kindle Unlimited?
Not when we checked; the Kindle edition was listed at $4.99.
If You Loved Embracing the Dawn, Read These Next
Continue with Embracing the Moon, or try Falling for Love. Browse our women over 40 list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Embracing the Dawn sets out to give two women with heavy pasts a new start, and readers find it deeply moving. What holds it back, for a few, is how neatly it resolves. Highly recommended. Check Embracing the Dawn on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Embracing the Dawn ranks as an excellent mature romance — emotional, generous.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
- ✓ 4.37 average across 611 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 87% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 4.18 on StoryGraph from 75 reviews
- ✓ 4.7 stars across 268 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
- ✓ They communicate
- ✓ Push and pull
- ✓ Mature leads
- ✓ Sweet and sexy
Characters ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
- ✓ Beloved Jinx
- ✓ Flawed E.J.
- ✓ Great friends
- ✓ Saintly for one
Writing ★★★★☆ 4.1/5
- ✓ Crisp prose
- ✓ Witty dialogue
- ✓ Strong psychology
- ✓ Syrupy for one
Emotional Impact ★★★★★ 4.5/5
- ✓ Tears
- ✓ Redemption
- ✓ Family healing
- ✓ Hopeful
Heat Level ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ Open door
- ✓ Sexy moments
- ✓ Erotic touches
- ✓ Balanced
Ending ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
- ✓ Happy
- ✓ Earned for most
- ✓ Neat for one
- ✓ Sequel follows
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
- ✓ $4.99 Kindle price
- ✓ 264 pages
- ✓ Frequent rereads
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
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