On Christmas Eve, Dylan, the man of James Pell-Charnley’s dreams, is on the point of walking out. Then they hear the faint strains of a waltz in the library of the empty abbey. The music is said to be heard only by those truly in love, and it gives James the courage to tell Dylan the story.In December 1841, Lord Hugo Pell-Charnley is in a terrible mess. The youngest son of the late Marquis, … Marquis, youngest brother of the incumbent, never felt to fit. When his life comes crashing down, and his life and his family are threatened, he is forced to face his elder brother and confess his deepest secret. When he arrives at Winsford Abbey he finds he must also confront the shame from his past in the form of Lyndon Cross. The boy he’d loved but betrayed in school.
As they clear the ghosts from the past, they dance in each other’s arms in the library to the soft strains of the waltz, but long buried secrets threaten to destroy their happiness.
Two hundred years later, can those dances long forgotten give James and Dylan the courage to hold on to love?
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Phenomenal!! I read these out of order, I read People Like Us first and fell in love with it. The historical romance was beautiful and swoon worthy! The story begins in the present and then moves into the past. Hugo and Lyndon’s story was heartbreaking at times. But it ends with both Hugo and Lyndon and James and Dylan getting their HEA. Overall, a phenomenal read. The story flowed nicely, highly recommend. I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
I love the use of the historical romance and bit of magic music and dancing to save James’ and Dylan’s current relationship. The historical romance is well handled and acknowledges the reality of those times.
Independent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I devoured this book, I really did. I will be honest, I didn’t know what I was expecting from this book, it wasn’t this!
James’ man, Dylan says he wants to leave him. James can’t even imagine a life without Dylan, but hasn’t actually told him how he feels. Then both Dylan and James here the music, and James recalls a long standing family legend. He just hope Dylan will believe it. But he heard the music so James has hope.
James retells the tale of Hugo and Lyndon, from 1841.
Hugo is the youngest brother of the Marquis and has got himself into a bit of bother. Lyndon is an old school friend, staying at the house for Christmas. As they renew their friendship and that friendship blooms into something more, something not allowed, they find they have some powerful allies. And when it all comes out, those secrets from before and from now, those allies become much more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, I really did. I read it in one sitting and it took me but an hour, and a very pleasant hour it was too.
Because of the time the majority of this book is set, 1841, its full of all the pomp and ceremony and words and language of the time. It’s also full of all the fears these men have at getting caught with another man. And it pained me, deeply, that some places are still like that.
It’s not overly explicit, but it is steamy! Hugo and Lyndon get their smexy on, once they admit what they really feel. There was talk of love very early on, but more in the way of it’s not for us, rather than I love you, you know? Oh don’t get me wrong, they DO get there, it just takes a bit of time, and some pretty hefty secret revealing!
James and Dylan get their happy ever after too, in the library, where it all began. And I loved that!
All in all, a thoroughly, delightful read! I have already read book 2, People Like Us and am midway through book 2, The Schoolmaster’s Spy and have book 4, A Christmas Miracle still to read. Rather enjoying myself, I have to say!
4 stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere*
In this present time, 2014, we have James and Dylan’s story. James is a distant relation of Hugo and infatuated with his assistant Dylan. But Dylan is also about to quit his employment because he has always been attracted to James but believed there wasn’t any chance James felt the same. James finds Dylan in the library of the ancestral Winsford Abbey. Dylan comments that he hears the music of a waltz. Thus, James relates the hidden tradition that if a couple both hears the waltz a magic is set in motion. James tells the history of Hugo and Lyndon back in the year 1814. This is an emotionally packed story and perfect for the Christmas season. I thoroughly enjoyed ARC that I received and look forward to the next books in the Winsford Green series.
A wonderful, sweet romance that gave me all the feels…
Oh, be still my swooning heart! This was romantic, amazingly written and had me totally hooked.
The book started in the present, with the current lord of Winsford utterly in love with his best friend, to then take the reader in the past, with Hugo and Lyndon’s romance. It wasn’t an easy read, because both Hugo and Lyndon shared horrific stories of bullying. Together, though, they were so completely tender and loving, that they filled my heart with wormth and joy.
There were a few surprises throughout the story, fear and uncertainty, heartbreak and happiness. But, most importantly, two happy endings, for James/Dylan in present day and Hugo/Lyndon in the past. I loved this book and I can’t recommend it enough.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story; it had everything – romance, intrigue, history, and even the supernatural.
Set in two different time frames, it starts with the present-day couple, James and the love of his life, Dylan, who is about to leave him. Hearing spectral music, which legend says can only be heard by those truly in love, prompts James to tell Dylan the story of his Regency ancestor, in an attempt to persuade him to stay. So we learn the story of Hugo, who loved Lyndon at a time when it was dangerous to be gay.
This was a charming and uplifting story, stressing the importance of family ties, love, and loyalty. Well-written and packed with historical detail – a reflection of the author’s considerable knowledge of the period – I enjoyed all aspects of the story.
By bookending the main Regency plot with the contemporary story, the author ensured a very satisfactory conclusion to a most enjoyable tale.
What a beautiful love story!
I’ve been a fan of historical MM romance for several years and this one is a real gem. While this story is set at Christmastime, I think it would be a wonderful one to read at any time of the year. It’s one of the best love stories I’ve read in a while.
It begins in 2014 with James telling Dylan a story about his family from long ago. It’s a wonderfully complex story, with a few twists and surprises that I definitely didn’t see coming. While this is a novella length book, it has all the richness and feels of a much longer one. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down.
Dances Long Forgotten broke my heart in places and then put it back together again in the best way. I really don’t know what else to say about it other than it got all of my emotions involved and brought me to tears more than once – some sad, but then ultimately happy tears.
The book cover says it’s a Winsford Green Story; I hope that means this is the start of a series and that there will be more to come.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***