Shandi Sturgill

For undisclosed reasons the matriarch of Beaworth, Amelia Midwinter, has banned dancing in the village. Running from a scandal, Alec Valcort moves his mother and sister to this remote town. But, Alec is a dancing and fencing master, and must either find another profession or challenge Lady Midwinter’s rule. However, Alec may find an unexpected ally in Lady Midwinter’s free spirited daughter.

Julia Klassen did a wonderful job of developing the world of the novel; while reading I found myself fully engrossed in Beaworth and its residents. I just wish Walter Allen had been developed beyond being the clumsy comic relief. The Wilcox brothers were solid villains; I think it was a clever choice to make them wrestling champions to show them as physically intimidating. The downside to this point of the storyline is that the conflict between the Wilcox brothers and Alec is resolved too quickly, and seemingly out of nowhere.

The scandals and mysteries were handled well, and I must say I did not see any of the big reveals coming. One of the most defining elements of this novel are the themes of love, grace, and forgiveness. This book illustrates how easy it can be to hold onto the pain others inflict on us. Amelia’s character development in this regard was one of my favorite parts of The Dancing Master. She realizes that to heal herself she must let go of the resentments she harbors due to past events. However, I do wish this had been handled more gradually, instead of happening over the course of a church sermon. Similarly, Julia must let go of her pain to realize the love her parents have for her.

If you enjoy romance novels set in Regency Era England, then I believe you will enjoy The Dancing Master. There are many family scandals that add to the complexity of this novel, and make it an engrossing read. There are also some interesting tidbits of historical information about the roles of Dancing and Fencing Masters.