The Gates of Dawn

Richard Trenchard was a man used to having his way, so when he wants his sister to pass over her secretary Melanie Brooks as a companion to his young niece, she has to succumb to his will. When Melanie turns up late to their first meeting, he is not happy. Yet things slowly begin to kindle between the two, and she has to acknowledge the romantic surroundings that Richard keeps placing them in – the English countryside and the Australian Alps – are the perfect setting for a budding love affair.

A must-read for fans of literary romance and surprising twists of fate.



Susan Barrie is a pseudonym of Ida Pollock (1908 – 2013), a highly successful British writer of over 125 romance novels translated into numerous languages and published across the world. Ida Pollock has sold millions of copies over her 90-year career.

Pollock began writing when she was 10 years old. Ida has travelled widely, living in several different countries. She continues to be popular amongst both her devoted fan base and new readers alike. Pollock has been referred to as the "world's oldest novelist" who was still active at 105 and continued writing until her death.

On the occasion of her 105th birthday, Pollock was appointed honorary vice-president of the Romantic Novelists' Association, having been one of its founding members.

Ida Pollock wrote in a wide variety of pseudonyms: Joan M. Allen, Susan Barrie, Pamela Kent, Averil Ives, Anita Charles, Barbara Rowan, Jane Beaufort, Rose Burghley, Mary Whistler and Marguerite Bell.