Olivia James and Zach Ryder were high school sweethearts, but at age eighteen, she left small-town Georgia for the bright lights and satin pointe shoes of Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. Seventeen years later, Olivia’s come home for her mother’s funeral, nursing an injury that could likely end her meteoric dance career. Being back home stirs up old heartache, and seeing Zach again is not on her to-do … to-do list. Her best bet is get in, get out—a week at most. Then she’ll return to Chicago to rehabilitate her injury and salvage her career. But best laid plans often go astray . . .
Zach has never really recovered from Olivia’s departure, even though he always knew she was destined for fame, while he was destined for small-town life. Now Olivia’s back and he’s determined to protect his heart. But when he learns she’s staying in town longer than originally planned, Zach knows they are going to have to face the past to move on. He’s just not prepared for the beautiful woman she’s become or the effect she still has on his heart.
Small towns being what they are, Zach and Olivia are constantly thrown into one another’s paths, and it soon becomes apparent they still love each other. Will they give in to their rekindled desire and seize a second chance at happiness?
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Beautifully written and heart-warming, this romance touched me deeply and I was reluctant to close the book when I had finished reading. I’m sure most people have unfinished business in their lives and the effect on one’s decisions can have long-lasting effects, as Olivia found out. Her heart is broken on two fronts: her dance career may be over and her mother has gone without giving her a chance to say goodbye. Seeing Zach again in extremely embarrassing circumstances adds to her pressure. Olivia is strong and determined which is why she has been so successful. Being a ballerina defines who she is and facing a future without dance forces her to reevaluate her life and consider a change of season. Zach is a beautiful person, one who cannot help himself when it comes to Olivia. His nature is to serve and protect, but where the girl who won his teenage heart is concerned, he tries hard and fails to protect himself from heartache once again. Small town living exposes both Olivia and Zach to meddling by the town folk, and some of them aren’t as friendly as others, forcing Zach to lay aside his reluctance to keep Olivia safe. A delightful, standalone novel with so many facets that one is entranced to the end. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
Olivia is back In Northridge for her mother’s funeral. She left seventeen years ago to pursue her dream and become a famous ballerina. But now she’s is recovering from a severe I jury and probably won’t dance again. She left behind Zach, the love of her life and the secret of her father’s name. Can she find love, happiness, her father and a reason to stay for good in town? I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily reviewed it. This is my honest review
I won an advanced copy of this book, and I was really impressed. Ballet dancer, Olivia, comes home to small town Georgia to bury her mom and settle her affairs including deciding what to do with the building that houses her mom’s dance studio and her stepmother’s weaving shop. To add to the chaos, she has a torn Achilles, an ex she is still in love with, and a vandal trying to sabotage the summer dance recital. Good thing her ex is the local police chief right? Olivia and Zach, along with a town full of interesting local charm, kept me entertained! If you like dancing, second chance romance, and/or family drama, this is a winner!
As a former dancer , I was intrigued with the title of this book.
The author truly capture the essence and life of a dancer with all the euphoria but also the pain , injuries, and sacrifices in the life of a dancer.
The story of Olivia James and Zach Ryder is at times heartbreaking but also heartwarming. These two were HS sweethearts but as graduation came close the future was one that though it was opening the window for Olivia to excel, Zach is left behind.
Fast forward seventeen years , and Olivia is back for her mother’s funeral and also due to an injury that might end her career. Zach, is no longer the kid she left behind. He is the Police Chief, handsome as sin and still in love with Olivia.
Though at times a little slow, the plot is engaging, filled with vandalism, whodunit, a dance recital, family secrets, romance but also an unknown future for these two individuals.
At the end, will Olivia leave Northridge and Zach behind, or will she embrace her new life filled with promises and a full heart?
Looking forward to what else the author has in store for us in her next book of this series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
I enjoyed this first book in The Seasons of Northridge series. It is a second chance romance story between Olivia and Zach, two high school sweethearts who lost each other a long time ago. Olivia, a prima ballerina who has come back home after 17 years to bury her mother and Zach who has stayed in their hometown and become the Chief of Police.
The characters are well developed and I was quickly drawn into their story. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys second chance romances in a small town setting. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
“I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.”
A SEASON TO DANCE by Rebecca Heflin is a small town contemporary second chance romance with characters that evoke all of your emotions from high to low and vivid writing that makes you believe you are dancing right along with the heroine. This story is a standalone, but I hope the author will follow the secondary characters in the future.
Olivia James has the work ethic, talent and natural abilities that few dancers are blessed with. She left small town Georgia for a meteoric career in the Joffrey Ballet. After six years as a prima ballerina she has a possible career ending Achilles injury. As she rehabs, her mother dies and she has to return home for her funeral and possibly run into the one boy she has never been able to get over even seventeen years after leaving.
Zach Ryder has risen to Chief of Police in his hometown over the past seventeen years. Even as it broke his heart, he knew Olivia was destined for greatness and would not stop her from leaving all those years ago. Now with Olivia back in town, he does not know if this beautiful woman leaves again if his heart will survive a second departure.
Living in a small town Olivia and Zach cannot help but run into each other. The sparks have never been there with anyone else over all these years. It is apparent to everyone that they still love each other, but will the past repeat itself? Will Olivia stay or go?
Olivia and Zach are wonderful main characters. Zach is mature, supportive, kind and sexy. His father and the whole town are important to him. Olivia has had an amazing career and fame, but now she has to face some life-changing decisions. The secondary plotline of Olivia’s difficulties with her mother’s decisions throughout her life and death adds to the emotional punch. I felt the author wrote this complicated mother-daughter relationship realistically and wove it seamlessly into Olivia’s decisions in regards to her future. The sex scenes are hot, but not drawn out or overly explicit.
I can highly recommend this romance. Olivia’s love of dance shines through and the dance scenes are written with a true knowledge and love of ballet by this author. I found this story very difficult to put down.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
I absolutely loved A Season to Dance by Rebecca Heflin! From the very first page, you will be hooked by a witty, well-written story that grabs you and doesn’t let go.
Olivia James is recuperating from an injury, which has derailed her career as a principal dancer with The Joffrey Ballet, when she must return to her hometown for her mother’s funeral. She had left town and her high school sweetheart, Zach Ryder, 17 years earlier to pursue her dream.
Zach has never truly gotten over Olivia, and she has never met anyone who lived up to him. Will they get a second chance to realize their joint dream of a HEA?
Heflin skillfully builds a romantic, sexy, renewed relationship between Olivia and Zach and also introduces wonderful secondary characters, especially Kristen and Tyler. I hope they will have their own story. I would highly recommend A Season to Dance and look forward to other books in the series.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
What an absolutely glorious story. I was captivated by the end of the first chapter and didn’t put the book down til I was done. Beautiful writing, a great story, lots of laughs and tears and touching moments. A fine piece of contemporary writing, and I am so glad to have found this author’s work!