Daybreak: Sorrowsong University Book 2

USA Today and International Bestselling Duology

“Immensely fun and sexy . . . everything I love about dark academia and new adult!”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood

Maxton Hall meets RuNyx in the stunning conclusion to the Nightshade duology, a dark academia romance brimming with snarky banter and sizzling tension, in which Alex and Ophelia must fight through betrayal, heartbreak, and deadly new threats.

Alex’s Corbeau-Green’s world is burning down around him, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t light the fire.

When Ophelia first accepted a scholarship from Sorrowsong, an elite university in the Scottish Highlands, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his family at any cost. But that was before she knew him, before they became each other’s everything. Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, desperate to forget what they had, and salvage the damage done to his family. In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched.

With a new anonymous tormentor threatening to release evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear that they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other, and repair the love that they had? And even if they can—will it be enough this time to keep them alive?

TROPES
Grumpy x Grumpy / Dark Academia / University Setting / He Falls First / Groveling / CEO / Murder Mystery / Angst / Romantic Suspense

Autumn Woods is the Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sorrowsong Series. She loves to write gothic and gloomy settings, and love stories that’ll tear you apart just to put you back together again. Her books have been translated into twenty languages.

Outside of writing, she is a book illustrator and an aerospace engineer. An enthusiast of coffee, pastries, and all things outdoors, you’ll often find her climbing, painting, baking, or walking the British countryside with Mr Woods and their dog.

Instagram : @autumnwoods.author

Tiktok : @autumn.woods.author

“The Sorrowsong University duet is truly in a league of its own! Daybreak is the breathtaking finale readers have been waiting for. From the deep, raw emotions and angsty romance to the found family and twists I didn’t see coming, my heart was aching in the very best way. I’m an Autumn Woods (and Ophelia and Alex) fangirl for life!” —Jillian Meadows, USA Today bestselling author of Give Me Butterflies

“Triumphant, funny, heartfelt, and lovely. Daybreak is full of hope, and so, so much love….I want everyone to read it.” —Kath Richards, author of Fangs with Benefits

“Autumn Woods once again delivers! Daybreak is filled with tension and banter—it was so hard to put down! I’ll be thinking of this book for months to come.” —E. Salvador, USA Today bestselling author of Please Don’t Go

“Daybreak is an emotional, angsty follow-up about two people who feel destined for each other, even as everything seems set against them. It explores grief and depression with tenderness and depth, with so much longing woven through every page. Heartfelt, haunting, and hard to forget. I devoured it in a day!” —Ki Stephens, author of Spring Tide

“Ever since Autumn Woods released Nightshade, the first book in the Sorrowsong University series, we’ve been waiting to see what was going to happen next to Alex and Ophelia, especially after that wild cliffhanger. And now the wait is almost over as the second book of the series is almost ready to be released with all its secrets and turns that made us obsessed with this dark academia romance. With a new semester buzzing, we’re ready to see what will happen next as they are now torn apart.” — Cosmopolitan

Praise for Nightshade

“Immensely fun and sexy—this book combines everything I love about dark academia and new adult! Autumn Woods wrote a winner!” —New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood

“Highly immersive and deliciously addictive. Autumn Woods is visceral with her storytelling. I loved it!” —Rebecca Johnpee, author of The Wicked

Daybreak is the gripping conclusion to Autumn Woods' Sorrowsong University duology, blending dark academia, romantic suspense, mystery, and emotional drama into a story where love is constantly tested by betrayal, guilt, and deadly secrets. Picking up after the dramatic events of Nightshade, the novel follows Alex Corbeau-Green and Ophelia Winters as they struggle to survive the consequences of choices that have forever changed their lives. Set between the haunting Scottish Highlands and the powerful world of New York's elite, the story explores whether two people whose relationship has been shattered by lies can ever rebuild the trust needed to face an even greater danger together.

The novel opens with both protagonists emotionally devastated. Alex Corbeau-Green's carefully controlled life has collapsed. His powerful family's empire is under threat, his father has mysteriously disappeared, and an act of betrayal has left him unable to trust the one person he once believed understood him completely. Convinced that everything around him is falling apart, Alex returns to New York in an attempt to protect his family's legacy while burying the emotional wounds left by Ophelia. Although he throws himself into responsibility and business, it quickly becomes clear that physical distance cannot erase the connection he still feels toward her.

Meanwhile, Ophelia Winters remains at Sorrowsong University in Scotland, isolated and haunted by everything that has happened. She originally came to the prestigious university with a single purpose: to destroy Alex and the Corbeau-Green family for the damage she believed they had inflicted on her own life. Yet during her time at Sorrowsong, hatred gradually transformed into love, forcing her to question everything she once believed. Now, after circumstances have torn them apart, she finds herself alone, heartbroken, and increasingly convinced that someone is watching her every move. She desperately wants to prove that she is not responsible for the destruction surrounding Alex, but every piece of evidence seems to push them further apart.

The central conflict intensifies when an anonymous figure begins threatening both Alex and Ophelia. This mysterious tormentor possesses dangerous knowledge about a murder connected to the university—an incident that binds the former lovers together through a shared secret. The blackmailer promises to expose their involvement unless they comply, forcing Alex and Ophelia back into each other's lives despite the emotional barriers separating them. What once appeared to be a tragic romance now evolves into a tense investigation where every new clue raises more questions than answers.

As they reluctantly reunite, the emotional heart of the novel emerges. Neither Alex nor Ophelia can simply forgive the past, and both carry deep resentment alongside lingering affection. Their conversations are filled with unresolved pain, accusations, and moments of heartbreaking vulnerability. Woods avoids presenting their reconciliation as easy or immediate. Instead, trust must be rebuilt through difficult choices, honest conversations, and repeated demonstrations of loyalty. Every shared investigation, every dangerous encounter, and every sacrifice slowly reminds them why they once fell in love despite beginning as enemies.

The mystery surrounding Alex's missing father adds another compelling layer to the narrative. His disappearance is more than a family crisis—it appears closely connected to the larger conspiracy threatening both protagonists. As Alex uncovers hidden aspects of his family's history, he begins questioning whether the powerful world he inherited has always been built upon deception. Long-buried secrets emerge, revealing that influential people have manipulated events for years while hiding behind wealth, prestige, and carefully maintained reputations. The investigation exposes corruption that stretches far beyond Sorrowsong University's ancient halls.

The university itself continues to serve as more than just a backdrop. Its isolated castle-like campus, secret passages, remote Highland setting, and atmosphere of constant surveillance create a sense of unease throughout the novel. Even familiar locations become threatening as Alex and Ophelia realize they can trust almost no one. Friends become suspects, allies hide important truths, and every revelation forces them to reconsider previous assumptions. The dark academic atmosphere reinforces the story's themes of hidden knowledge, moral ambiguity, and the cost of pursuing the truth.

Alongside the mystery, the romance remains deeply emotional. Alex and Ophelia are no longer simply attracted to one another—they have become people who understand each other's deepest fears and greatest weaknesses. Their relationship evolves from passionate attraction into something built upon mutual sacrifice. Both characters must confront their own pride, guilt, and desire for revenge before they can truly move forward together. Rather than asking whether love alone can heal them, the novel asks whether forgiveness is possible after trust has been completely destroyed.

Throughout the story, Woods explores themes of identity and personal transformation. Ophelia must decide whether her life will continue to be defined by revenge or whether she can build a future based on her own choices. Alex, meanwhile, struggles with balancing family loyalty against his growing awareness that those closest to him may not deserve unquestioning devotion. Both protagonists gradually learn that maturity requires accepting uncomfortable truths instead of clinging to comforting illusions.

The suspense steadily escalates as the anonymous antagonist closes in. Threats become increasingly personal, forcing Alex and Ophelia into dangerous confrontations where both their lives and reputations hang in the balance. Each discovery exposes another layer of manipulation, making it clear that the murder investigation is only one part of a much larger scheme. The novel builds tension through unexpected betrayals, hidden alliances, and revelations that continually reshape the reader's understanding of earlier events.

By the final act, romance, mystery, and suspense converge into an emotionally charged climax. Alex and Ophelia must rely completely on one another if they hope to expose the truth, protect the people they love, and survive the forces working against them. Their greatest challenge is not merely defeating an external enemy but deciding whether they can fully trust each other again despite everything they have endured.

Ultimately, Daybreak delivers a satisfying conclusion that blends emotional healing with high-stakes suspense. Autumn Woods expands the world introduced in Nightshade while giving both protagonists meaningful personal growth. The novel emphasizes that love is not simply about passion but about choosing forgiveness, honesty, and partnership even after devastating betrayal. Rich in gothic atmosphere, romantic tension, and mystery, Daybreak concludes the Sorrowsong University duology with a story that celebrates resilience, redemption, and the courage required to face both the past and an uncertain future together.