Between the music and the dance, theirs is a love to find. But what if that space is too wide to cross? A career as a professional ballet dancer at the Metropolis Ballet Theater, Lidiya’s days are a whirl of music, performance, rehearsal, and teaching students at the theater’s conservatory. All those things are what she’s worked for. All those things make her days chaotic and wonderful. Except … wonderful.
Except even in the world of professional dance, where everything moves at the speed of the music, everything can turn upside-down. When the company’s opening of Le Corsaire is threatened, Lidiya’s only thoughts are how the show can be salvaged.
Not of falling in love.
Patrick’s life had been ballet until nine months after a one-night stand left him a father. With his daughter needing special care, he exited the professional world without looking back. But dance is a community and a phone call from Metropolis Ballet Theater’s director, desperate to save the run of Le Corsaire, is like a siren song he can’t ignore.
And Lidiya is the woman he can’t take his eyes away from.
But people have limits. Ballet demands perfection. You don’t fall in love with your partner.
Sweet. Steamy. Swoon-worthy. Author Bree M. Lewandowski is back with another contemporary romance novella, set in the heat of a Chicago summer!
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I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Adagio is a piece of music that is played at a leisurely or slow pace with little dynamic change. While that may be the pace at which the characters lives were running, I will say this is the opposite of the changes that brings our two protagonists together. Lidiya is part of a dance company on the cusp of performing a show that will hopefully extend its tenure. Patrick is helping his brother with the family’s construction business, having left dancing behind to care for his child.
These two come together slowly throughout the story. I liked how each approached the other and how gradually the relationship grows.
I enjoyed the rhythm of the story, though at times was the opposite of adagio. It played to the rhythm of life with all its surprises and daily ordinary steps.
Lidiya and Patrick’s journey will be one you’ll be happy to take a part in.
4 out of 5 stars
This is a sweet story with wonderful characters . Lidiya is a wonderful woman who ‘s whole life has been ballet. She loves her job and loves to dance . Patrick is a hard working man who loves ballet but he was thrown for a loop when he becomes a dad . They are a sweet couple that are friends and you watch them fall in love . Its so much fun to see them come together and feel their way around each other . They both have insecurities and fears that bring them together and sometimes push them apart . They are well written and complex and they will tear at your heart strings .
This is a sweet novella , I am not usually a sweet romance reader but this book sucked me in and had me reading well into the night . The author has a style of writing that will have you caring for the characters in a way like they are family . The story is well written and have you tearing up a time or two and also cheering for the main characters . This would be a great little story for your winter nights so check it out.
Lidiya and Patrick are so sensual in dance and life. Pure attraction and raw emotions while dancing together and offstage. Family is the most important in their lifes.
Brava! This short story immerses us completely in the world of dance from costume designs, rehearsals, social media publicity,teaching classes and the tension of opening night the reader gets a unique perspective-stressing the dedication and sacrifices “elite dancers” make in their personal lives, especially the desires the two principal dancers have for each other. Lidiya and Patrick attraction for each other is undeniable-their relationship playing out like a beautiful , hot (but clean), slow performance. Patrick’s story and his love for his special daughter, Aoife, tugged at my heartstrings. There is so much packed in this beautifully written novel. There is so much packed into this beautifully written novel that I highly recommend getting lost in.
Lidiya’s life revolves around her career as a professional ballet dancer.
Her days are filled with performances, rehearsal, and teaching.
However, things are thrown for a loop when the lead for the company’s Le Corsaire quits with only 2 weeks till opening night.
Patrick had lived for ballet. Now he lives for his daughter.
Single-parent status to a daughter who needs more attention and patience than other children, isn’t the kind of life Patrick can lead, not with the chaotic hours dancing requires.
Falling for your partner wasn’t in anyone’s cards. But will everything Patrick has going on in life be too much for Lidiya?
Cute and short story.
What I will say I didn’t care for was all the constant comparisons to characters who I can only assume are from ballets. For those of us that aren’t familiar it makes it hard to understand the comparison the characters are trying to make. We don’t know these people the characters are being compared to so it’s hard to imagine.
Great storyline and character development made this book a hot and enjoyable read!
Extremely entertaining, captivating and interesting sexy read. I could not put it down. Wonderfully written with strong, intriguing characters. I want to read more from this author.
I don’t remember how I was introduced to this author I mean I am not a big fan of dance reads (well I wasn’t). She quickly blew my reservations out the window and continues to do so with each read. I am constantly left feeling I want more and this time was no different. The play between her two characters is epic. The push and pull of desire, flirtation, infatuation, confusion and fear. Yeah this author plays with it just like the actual rendition of the music. Her characters become real and the real life touches just bleed right into your heart. It’s can’t even be described as a slow burn because the attraction isn’t a slow burn but the way they come to terms is. It’s the little things that count and this author uses those little things beautifully. She shows us the people and the feelings and the challenges and makes it a story you can’t put down because you can’t wait to see how it all plays out. It’s a clean read and that in itself shows the strength of the story, the characters, the message and the skill she has to make it work. Absolutely brilliant. It’s so much more than a story of dancers, it’s a story about life and all it encompasses.
A well written short story that held my interest until the end. I enjoyed reading Lidiya and single father Patrick’s story, they meet when they dance in the ballet Le Corsaire as partners. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.