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Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.
Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and hidden sorrows of her own.
Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village...and to her mother's tattered heart?
Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.
Reviews with the most likes.
This book is a masterpiece, really. Klassen takes a spoiled, pettish miss Julia and shows how she turns into a true woman over the course of a single year. And Lady Amelia learning to face her fears and live again... Alec is the perfect hero, doing his best to be a gentleman and do the right thing toward Julia despite his desires and her flirting. And Desmond! I wanted more Desmond!
It's hard to classify what I liked about this book, other than that. The character growth is simply astounding, building chapter by chapter to the end. It begins slow and gentle, so don't give up on it before the end. About halfway through, the mystery from the past really kicks up, and things get a trifle suspenseful as Julia tries to discover who she really is while at the same time wrestling with the pains of growing up into womanhood.
No, you won't like Julia at first. But by the end you will be rooting for her, too, and wanting to see what she becomes.