Review: Before Sunrise, by Elle Germain

Title: Before Sunrise

Author: Elle Germain

Series: The Before Series - Book 0.5

Publisher: Self-published

Genre: Romance

Date of Publication: April 6th, 2026

Number of Pages: 53

See it on Goodreads: Before Sunrise

*Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book via Book Siren. Thank you to the writer!

Summary

Patrick followed his late mother’s journal all the way to Bali.

He was looking for adventure, but he found Sar instead.

An island girl, so stunning and sassy,

he thinks she might be a figment of his imagination.

Sari likes to dip her toe into the wild waters,

but ultimately accepts that her future has already been decided.

In her world, love isn’t a choice—it’s a duty

decided long before a woman’s heart has any say.

But one stolen night beneath the island’s ancient trees changes everything.

The connection between Patrick and Sari is instant, and unforgettable.

But as the sky begins to lighten over the jungle, reality comes crashing back.

Before sunrise, Sari must choose:

The life she’s always known…

or risk it all for the man who makes her believe she could have something more.

Review - Fly Away with Me

There is the right time for every book, and this was definitely the one for Before Sunrise for me. This short story was a great choice to satisfy my current mood that makes me constantly think of travelling. Summer has got me, and a romance set in Bali sounded like the way to go! 

First things first, Before Sunrise is Patrick and Sari's story, at least its beginning as the author teases us for more in the following installements. As I've mentioned before, it's set in Bali and the descriptions of the place were vivid, something I really appreciated. When it comes to the story, I was pleasantly surprised that it managed to be romantic and heartfelt.

However, the short story takes place in just one evening. This isn't necessarily bad, but it felt like everything happened too quickly. There was no yearning, no slow burn, not anything. Patrick just knows that Sari is the woman of his life. In a full-length novel, we would have the necessary time to build their connection in a more natural way. 

All in all, Before Sunrise was a quick but fun read. If you want something light and summery, then you will enjoy this contemporary romance. And if you are interested for me, the author will be releasing the following book in the series later this year (according to Goodreads).

Read more of my reviews here.