1. The Dancing Master
    Julie Klassen
    Bethany House / 2013 / Trade Paperback
    Our Price$18.00 Retail Price$20.00 Save 10% ($2.00)
    4.2 out of 5 stars for The Dancing Master. View reviews of this product. 64 Reviews
4.2 Stars Out Of 5
4.2 out of 5
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89%
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  1. debwilson
    Summerfield, FL
    Age: 18-24
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    January 10, 2014
    debwilson
    Summerfield, FL
    Age: 18-24
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

    Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and hidden sorrows of her own.

    Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village...and to her mother's tattered heart?

    Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

    My Review:

    Regency England is my second favorite time period in history to read about. Klassen's novel is a masterpiece that literally took me back in time and transported me right into the story. The characters in this book are second only to Jane Austen. Big as life, and so true to the time period, the people contained within these pages became alive, breathing remnants of the past. Klassen weaves each one to life; carefully crafting them one by one, piece by piece, layer by layer, and created this masterpiece.

    What got me about this novel was the Austen "feel". It was unique with Klassen's mysteries elements and in-depth character sketches, yet had a very classic vibe. I felt as if I was reading a book from someone who lived in that time period and was writing from a first-hand perspective. An amazing novel that I can't say enough about, it's a recommended read for any Austen and Klassen fans.

    This e-book was provided by the publisher through Litfuse Nest for free in exchange for an honest review.
  2. debwilson
    Summerfield, FL
    Age: 18-24
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    January 10, 2014
    debwilson
    Summerfield, FL
    Age: 18-24
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for The Dancing Master -eBook.
    Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

    Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and hidden sorrows of her own.

    Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village...and to her mother's tattered heart?

    Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

    My Review:

    Regency England is my second favorite time period in history to read about. Klassen's novel is a masterpiece that literally took me back in time and transported me right into the story. The characters in this book are second only to Jane Austen. Big as life, and so true to the time period, the people contained within these pages became alive, breathing remnants of the past. Klassen weaves each one to life; carefully crafting them one by one, piece by piece, layer by layer, and created this masterpiece.

    What got me about this novel was the Austen "feel". It was unique with Klassen's mysteries elements and in-depth character sketches, yet had a very classic vibe. I felt as if I was reading a book from someone who lived in that time period and was writing from a first-hand perspective. An amazing novel that I can't say enough about, it's a recommended read for any Austen and Klassen fans.

    This e-book was provided by the publisher through Litfuse Nest for free in exchange for an honest review.
  3. Marianne
    Wanham, Alberta
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Julie enthralled me in this historical fiction.
    January 9, 2014
    Marianne
    Wanham, Alberta
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Once again Julie enthralled me in this historical fiction...the Dancing Master. Right from the prologue, where we meet Julie Midwinter in the midst of a scene that brought a lot of questions to my mind, to the end she was able with her vivid imagery, realistic and reliable characters to transport me to the year 1815 and keep me captivated. Not only do her story entertain, which they do admirably, but I learn about the history of the country, its cultures among the classes and the geography of the region.

    Traditions. There are sure to be well grounded reasons for any customs that we follow, but do the reasons stand up to reality? Are there reasons why these might be broken? I love it when an author is able to write one story, and I then find it can be related to my own circumstances, even though my life is nothing like the story and my situations are far removed. Very seldom does any author of merit have a character that I can not relate to. If I find one, I probably will not buy another novel she has written.

    Julie Klassen does a wonderful job of bringing her subjects to life through mere words.

    "Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

    Available at your favorite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group". 
  4. bookwomanjoan
    Oak Harbor, WA
    Age: Over 65
    Gender: Female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Well written historical novel
    January 8, 2014
    bookwomanjoan
    Oak Harbor, WA
    Age: Over 65
    Gender: Female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    I've read Jane Eyre and I've seen the movies. I saw the intricate dances that were part of the social setting of the day, but I never thought about how the people learned to do all those dances!

    Julie has brought to life those who taught that essential social grace to the ladies and gentlemen making their way in Regency England. The dancing master of this novel is Alec Valcourt. Due to a scandal in their family, Alec has had to move his mother and sister to Devonshire and his uncle's home. He hopes to start over but is stunned to find out dancing has been banned in the village.

    The unwritten law had been laid down by Lady Amelia Midwinter, the lady of the estate upon which the village depended for its livelihood. Julia Midwinter, Lady Amelia's daughter and heir to the estate, is a flirtatious woman who has eyes for Alec. It seems impossible that a romance could ever blossom between the two.

    I really liked this historical novel. I learned a great deal about the role of dancing in that era. I really enjoyed the romance aspect of the novel too. There were so many secrets from the past — hidden because of the social attitudes of the time. But as the novel progresses, the truth is revealed and there is wonderful forgiveness, healing and restoration. I was happy to see that a vicar's sermon was the catalyst.

    This is an excellent novel. I was impressed with how the customs of the day were explained, such as the social levels of the time and how that impacted relationships. I enjoyed the writing style, the characters (especially feisty Julia) and the overall plot. If you like historical novels of the early nineteenth century, you'll like this one. It is one to savor.

    I received a complimentary egalley of this book through the Litfuse Publicity Group for the purpose of this review.
  5. Maria
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    January 2, 2014
    Maria
    The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen is another well researched Regency novel. I couldn't wait to read her latest book, but I was surprised to find that the main character was actually Alec Valcourt, the dancing master, and not the girl who falls in love with him. I have to say, I really liked reading from the guy's perspective! It was so well-written, and I think this has become my favorite by the author. I didn't really like Julia Midwinter much, but I couldn't help but feel for her and sympathize with her because of Klassen's skill at character development. Even Lady Amelia grew on me the more I read of and about her, and it was refreshing to read Mr. Desmond's thoughts on her. It reminded me how it is in real life - we don't know what everybody else is struggling with so we shouldn't be quick to assume we know and understand why they do the things they do.

    Alec Valcourt, a third generation dancing master, has found himself in a predictment. He has arrived in a town that doesn't allow dancing! Finding himself without a means to support his mother and sister, he accepts a job as clerk to Lady Amelia, the very lady who stopped all the dancing in Beaworthy. Lady Amelia has one request for Mr. Valcourt... Don't talk to her daughter, Julia.

    Alec and Julia both wonder what made Lady Amelia stop all the dancing twenty years ago. The mystery slowly unravels when Alec meets John Desmond and becomes closer to Julia.

    There are a lot of interesting back stories in this book - Alec, Julia, Lady Amelia, John Desmond. It made the book very interesting, and my husband can attest to the fact that I couldn't put this story down. haha If you love Regency novels or Jane Austen, you will love this book. It wasn't just a simple story. It had so much dimension and was filled with historical tidbits that I had never heard of before. I found the rough game outlined in the story and the history of the Bryanites fascinating.

    I was given this book free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying items 21-25 of 64
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