Reeling from a broken relationship, Brenner McLemore says goodbye to men and dreams of a family to focus on her other loves—art and dance. That is until Garrett Davenport, her former college instructor and nemesis, arrives in Azalea Valley to step into the director’s position in the dance studio where she teaches—exactly the job Brenner wants.Garrett finds life in the small town a challenge while … challenge while he works with the beautiful and talented Brenner. When they match passions in a sensual dance before an audience, Garrett realizes their budding relationship threatens to derail his chance for a coveted position at his former university.
Brenner, struggling to regain her footing, begins to choreograph a new future, but will it be enough?
Will their love take flight or will the curtain fall?
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After discovering her fiancée in the arms of another, Brenner swears off men and vows to never let a man hurt her again. Her outlook sours when her college professor and nemesis, Garrett, walks back into her life in the most unexpected way. Forced to work with him once again tests her nerves but it’s his desire for her that has her rethinking her outlook on men. Just when they get on the same page and explore their feelings for one another, family drama and relationship tension pull them apart. Can they work through the past to carve out a future or is this the end for this dancing couple?
Rhythm in Blue is an emotional story with engaging characters, an enemies-to-lovers romance and a plot seeped in rich descriptive narration. As the story unfolds, it obvious the author is a music lover because the character arcs crescendo like a classical symphony. Lyrical narration on everything from the setting to what the characters are wearing distract from the main plot. The pull and shove between Brenner and Garrett I found tiresome after awhile. When the romance and passion exploded between them, I raised an eyebrow. Seemed too quick to go from hating each other to tearing each other’s clothes off. The ending, though, more than made up for it. I loved the characterization as each character had their own voice and were fully developed. Well done!
If you love enemies-to-lovers romance with plenty of tension and rifts, you’ll adore Rhythm in Blue. Even though this is book two, it is a standalone and can be read on its own.
My Rating: 4 stars
4.5 stars
Author Hope Malory gives readers more of the McLemore family in her second installment of the Azalea Valley series, Rhythm in Blue. This is Brenner McLemore’s story, and readers also get a little more of Beasley and Will.
The McLemore family mystery continues from book one, Wildfire & Roses. I love this secondary plot line! The siblings find family documents and photos that send them in search of answers about their mother’s former life.
Meanwhile, Brenner McLemore is struggling to get her life back on track. A past trauma has shattered her self-esteem, and while she loves her hometown and teaching dance to children, she cannot hide from life forever. Her interest in reestablishing her career as an artist is helped along by the reappearance of Garrett Davenport, who was the dance teacher who pushed her the hardest in college.
It was easy to see how Brenner and Garrett’s relationship became toxic since the story is told in dual POV. I enjoyed the professional and personal tension between Brenner and Garrett. I loved the vivid imagery of the two dancing together. Ms. Malory created a rich and realistic town filled with charming characters, petty jealousies and gossip; I felt like I was visiting their small town. I loved the strong sense of family and community. Rhythm in Blue is a sweet escape in the form of a small town romance and family drama.
Rhythm in Blue continues the McLemore family Azalea Valley Series. The characters I loved in Hope Malory’s Wildfire & Roses are back in this beautiful, small town nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, with the story focusing on Beasley’s sister Brenner.
When the man she thought she loved betrays her, Brenner decides happy endings are for other people, like her sister and Will, but definitely not for her. She’s not sure she can allow herself to get close to a man after an encounter in her past turned ugly.
When Garrett Davenport arrives in Azalea Valley to manage the dance studio where Brenner works, he sees she’s determined to maintain a professional relationship with him, but dancing together is as effortless and natural as breathing, and sparks fly as they practice for a fundraising event to raise money for the local hospital. Everyone can tell they belong together, but how can he convince Brenner?
With a family mystery to unravel and rich descriptions of delicious food, caring friends and family, and peaceful, natural beauty, Rhythm in Blue is a delight to escape into. Look for the third book in the series, Blue Skies of Summer, coming soon!
This novel is an emotional romance that would touch most hearts as Brenner struggles to deal with the repeated assaults being dished up to her by the universe. As if it were not enough to discover her fiancé is cheating on her, she finds that her new boss is her hated dance instructor from college. I found that there were too many themes running in the book and some of them detracted from the main story of Brenner and Garrett. Nevertheless, the overall picture is one of a small-town community that looks after one another and a large and loving family that stands together. I loved the description of the dance between Brenner and Garrett as well as the resolution of their conflict. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
The characters were believable, warm. The backstory was good, the progression was good. I wanted to skip some of the prose describing places and buildings, I didn’t think they added much to the story. The descriptions were good, I just didn’t think they were needed. I would like to read the book again after it is in it’s finished state. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
3.5 rating. Easy read; pleasant story. Likable characters of Brenner and Garrett. From being antagonistic towards each other to their budding romance seemed swift. Too abrupt ending for me; would have liked an epilogue to finish things off neater. First book i’ve read by this author but second in the series. Would like to go back to read the story of Beasley (Brenner’s sister) and Will. I received this book from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
The Charming World of Azalea Valley
The thing I love best about Hope Malory’s Azalea Valley series is the wonderful world she has created for her readers. I don’t know if a place like it exists anywhere in Tennessee, but if it does, I want to live there. Just as in Wildfire and Roses, it doesn’t matter if it’s a visit with Mia at the Yellow Butterfly Cafe or Miss Mary at her bakery, the occupants of the town are warm, friendly people. It’s wonderful to follow Brenner McLemore and her sister Beasley through the community where everybody seems to know just about everyone else and truly cares what happens to them. The hero of the novel, Garrett Davenport, wonders upon arrival if the residents are friendly or just nosy. Brenner acknowledges that, “Gossip is Azalea Valley’s favorite pastime,” but that “Mia has the true story, and she’ll straighten everything out.” And she does. Mia provides a clearinghouse for gossip while folks scarf her delicious southern biscuits and other down-home delights. Then she gives each one a hug and sends them on their way. What a comfortable world to spend some time in as you follow Brenner and Garrett on their romantic journey. Smell the popcorn in the dance studio lounge, twirl through seductive dance routines, and experience that spark of first attraction as you follow this engaging pair on their way to an exciting happily-ever-after in the charming world of Azalea Valley. You’ll be glad you did!