The Dancing Master

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.