The Dancing Master

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

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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".

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I have very mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the setting, and could understand the pain that came to quite a few, in this story, on being betrayed. There is a lot of lying and deceit.
Julia, one of the main characters, is a flirt, and very spoiled. She thinks mainly of her self, and doesn't

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seem to care about what happens to others. Another main male character, Alec, is the Dance Master Saber Instructor. I cringed when he was beaten up, I thought surely some of his fast on his feet training, would happen. I did like that he didn't tell what had happened to his father, in order to defend himself.
I also felt rather sorry for Julia, her cold father, and rather distant Mother. Maybe that is the reason she acts so unlikeable. I did like John Desmond, and felt sorry for the burden that he carried, all because of what someone said, and caused so much heartache.
You will be in for some big surprises and will be guessing almost to the end.

I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Book Tours, and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

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It seems to me that there are various kinds of dancing in this story by Julie Klassen. Many of the characters in Beaworthy are “dancing around” issues that need to be revealed, but kept secret. The character displaying the dominant leader in this dance is Lady Amelia Midwinter who due to some

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mysterious reason has banned dancing from the village of Beaworthy. This woman is rich in money, power and property; however quite impoverished from kindness and consideration in her heart. It was no wonder that her daughter, Julie was a mini-Amelia in her own sense. The emotional historical circumstances regarding these women lend credibility to why they lack in faith, love and depth of character.

This writing of Ms.Klassen did not have the usual eloquent luster normally glowing brightly in her previous novels I have read. She is a master writer of the Regency era and seemed to tire of her story in spots before she reached its final conclusion. When I saw the beautiful cover of The Dancing Master, I eagerly began this read with expectation of personally relating to dance, having been trained as a performer in this enchanting art while young – it still fascinates me. However, at my age, the interest hasn’t waned, but the attempt to dance one step is precarious!

Handsome Alec Valcourt, was a true dance and fencing master of the third generation in his family. Family tragedy through scandalous activity caused the disappearance of his father and left the family dancing school in ruins. Alec moved his mother and sister to Beaworthy to live with his uncle and the hope of finding employment in the Devonshire area. We meet other characters in this story that provide personality and wit. The author has provided many entertaining details to keep the mystery and romance alive. However, by the conclusion of the book, I felt unsettled for the lack of completion in some areas. It was difficult to remember who some of the characters were because of long periods of not learning more about them. Of course, I might add that the weaknesses Julie Klassen wrote into her characters are realistic and very human. There are transformations in hearts, and I especially liked Julie’s subtle scenes showing God’s grace and love through salvation in Christ. Of course, some of the characters were church goers, but they didn’t behave in a Christian manner on a daily basis. I did enjoy and was amused with the animals Julie created.

There are some redeeming qualities in Ms. Klassen’s The Dancing Master; however I enjoyed The Apothecary’s Daughter, The Girl in the Gatehouse and The Tutor's Daughter more. This review will not end my admiration or enthusiastic following of Julie Klassen as I will certainly be looking forward to her next novel. God is not finished with what she can create next.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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The Dancing Master is the third novel I have read by Julie Klassen, and while not my all-time favorite (The Girl in The Gatehouse), it is still a good choice for fans of Regency fiction. Filled with entertaining characters, a quaint setting and echoes of Jane Austen and the Brontes, The Dancing

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Master is a good book to spend the cold winter nights with.

A duel, betrayal of affections and the loss of loved ones has caused Lady Amelia Midwinter, the benefactor of many in the small town of Beaworthy, Devon, to ban dancing. Afraid to lose her patronage, local citizens and businesses have followed her lead for twenty years. Alec Valcourt comes to the quiet village to restore his family honor and to reestablish his profession of dancing master. Met with discouragement and sometimes open hostility, Alec pursues his dreams and Lady Amelia’s daughter, Julia.

The Dancing Master deals with a variety of themes — secrets kept, betrayal, grudges and regrets. Many of the characters struggle with duty versus following their dreams. The two main characters are Alec Valcourt and Miss Julia Midwinter, but I was immediately drawn into Lady Amelia’s character. She is a puzzle. Seen as stern and aloof by everyone, including her daughter, Amelia has kept her warm, loving nature well hidden. I think she wants to do what is best for Julia and Beaworthy, but has let a broken heart and broken dreams color all she does. There are also some good minor characters that add flavor to the story — Miss Tinkle the baker, the dissenter/ranter Thorne family and even the despicable wrassling champions Felton and Joe. For Jane Austen fans, there are lots of hints of her books, from the dialogue to the character nuances. I was reminded of Emma, especially, while reading The Dancing Master.

Klassen includes a strong thread of faith in the novel as well. While there is much to regret and some characters struggle with self-worth, God’s redemption and love is shared throughout. So if you want a Regency novel complete with the manners and customs of the day and a story that includes a strong faith message, then check out The Dancing Master.

Recommended.

(Thanks to LitFuse for my review copy. All opinions are mine alone.)

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The Dancing Master opens with a somber scene as Julia Midwinter and her mother remember the death of her brother on May Day. It was a traumatic event for Lady Midwinter and one she will not fully explain to Julia nor why dancing is forbidden in town or why Julia can't leave to experience well,

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anything. Julia feels trapped as the future lady of the house and she doesn't want to be bound to the responsibilities. She wants to LIVE.

Alec Valcourt has just moved to town and hopes to escape the scandal that drove him and his mother and sister from London to the safety of his Uncle's home. He is a Dancing Master but now finds himself in a town that does not dance. However will he support the family?

Julia notices Alec from the start and she is a flirt of the first order. Her mother does NOT want her to get any ideas so she gives Alec a job which solves any number of problems; it keeps Alec from pursuing dancing, it keeps him at a lessor societal level and it keeps him under her nose so she can make sure he and Julia stay apart. So of course he and Julia do not stay apart....

So, how did I feel about this book? Eh. It had its moments. I was slightly annoyed by both main characters but also intrigued - they were both spoiled brats but they were also products of their time. The hidden stories in both families were compelling enough to make the book interesting and the ancillary characters added much needed balance. I've read several of Ms. Klassen's books and will read her again but The Dancing Master will not prove to be a favorite. The inclusion of the dancing instructions from the period and the descriptions of the new - at least to me - Byranite religion added some fascinating history to the tale.

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I love Regency era books, Jane Austen being a major weakness of mine. So when the opportunity arose to review Julie Klassen’s The Dancing Master, I jumped on it.

Lately from London, dancing master Alec Valcourt hopes to help his family begin a new life in the small town of Beaworthy by opening a

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new dancing and fencing academy. Then Alec receives surprising, and devastating, news: there is no dancing in Beaworthy. As he sets out to change the opinions of the townspeople, Alec’s unlikely ally is the daughter of the town’s matriarch, the very woman who banned dancing some twenty years prior. Meanwhile, as young Julia struggles against her mother’s firm control, she sets out in search of who she really is and just what her future might hold.

The Dancing Master is rather long (419 pages), which could either be taken as a positive (lots of story for a $15 book!) or a negative (it takes a long time to get through). I found the plot to be rather drawn out and lagging at times. The characters were likeable but somewhat one-dimensional. The hero, Alec, is rather too good to be true and experiences little growth because he has few flaws. The heroine, however, is full of flaws and young Julie grows immensely throughout the course of the novel. The romantic relationship between them, however, is hard to swallow. Julie is simply too immature and impetuous to warrant a second glance from a mature, wise and hardworking young man. The barrier of their respective classes, while noted in the beginning, in the end seems to vanish without much explanation.

Perhaps most disappointingly, faith, instead of being woven into the fabric of the story and characters, seems to be tacked on in certain scenes as though only important at specific moments. And the exploration of the Bryanite culture is cut short and lacking any real depth. I was sorry to see this as I was interested in learning more about this subculture of Christianity that I knew/know little about.

My favorite part of Klassen’s novel were the rather minor quotes at the start of each chapter often detailing some bit about dancing or culture of the Regency era. Some were by fiction authors of the time, others came from non-fiction, still others were simple advertisements. They gave the book a dose of reality amid the story. And, as I knew little about dancing during the time (other than that it occurred), I enjoyed learning just what the position of a dancing master was, the relationship with fencing, proper dancing etiquette, etc.

Overall, although lacking depth and being somewhat unrealistic, The Dancing Master is also a charming read.

I received a complimentary copy of The Dancing Master from Bethany House Publishers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts, and opinions are solely mine.

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I eagerly await for all of Julie Klassen's new books - she never disappoints, but I must say this was not one of my favorites. There is an entourage of characters, making the plot lengthy, with stretches where not much is happening and unfortunately I lost interest in spots.

That being said - there

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is much to like about this book. There is a richness in the writing with so much historical detail, which I absolutely soaked up. The author certainly has a writing flair for the Regency era, setting an ambience that is somewhat similar to Jane Austen. A bit of romance is included, that is decent and modest, and there are, just ever so slight, religious overtones. It is a story of family secrets, romance, uncertainties, scandal, forgiveness and grace.

Nineteen year old Julia Midwinter was headstrong, manipulative, and very outspoken. She would one day be heiress to Buckleigh Manor. Julia's father never wanted a young girl in his domain and her mother seemed to find her charitable organizations more important than Julia. Julia is filled with restlessness and anger and has no interest in becoming the matriarch of Buckleigh Manor. Alex Vancourt was forbidden, but that only made him more interesting to Julia.

Alec Vancourt is a dancing and fencing master and carrying secrets from the past. He was well spoken and educated from a young age by his grandfather. Alec was forewarned to have little to do, as possible, with Julia. He was told that Julia was not his social equal and Julia was destined for greater things. And the story unfolds ---

The well developed characters are cleverly crafted with genuine personalities. Julia was hard to like, but I found her to be quite interesting with her feistiness and desire for adventure. There were a few hidden secrets and surprises revealed throughout, and secondary characters that certainly added interest. The storyline had a satisfying, but rather predictable and lukewarm conclusion. The book still had many redeeming qualities and I found it to be a light and enjoyable read. 4 stars.

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9/10

When I heard that Ms. Klassen would be releasing a new book soon, I could hardly wait. She didn't disappoint. I so often found myself finding things that I loved about this book that I didn't want to forget to mention due to gushing that I actually took notes, which was a first for me. So! Onto

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my list:

The language- so beautifully and well done! So many novels of this kind try to get the language right and it just comes off unnaturally. The expressions and conversations really set the tone of the book and rather than constantly reminding me that this was a book written in the present day, it was easy to get transported back in time to the fictional but lovely early 19th century Beaworthy.

I loved the nods to Jane Austen. The book wasn't stuffed with them, but the occasional nod and wink had me smiling, from the resemblance of Lady Amelia to Lady Catherine de Bourgh and several lines that I know were taken from Pride and Prejudice directly, it added to the books charm.

The characters, oh the characters! I loved that Julia was flawed. It made her relatable and loveable. Despite some of the things she did that annoyed me, I too hoped for depth and was so happy to slowly get to know her better.

I loved that Julia came to love Alec slowly, naturally, and really because of his integrity and how he treated her with respect. What a wonderful message. In this genre, I've seen authors paint their characters simply without ever testing them and sometimes overlooking minor choices that don't uphold honesty and faithfulness etc. But Alec was always steadfast.

And Lady Amelia Midwinter. Ah. While she reminded me so much of Lady Catherine for the first half of the book, she blossomed in her own right, as a woman with a past, with feelings, with mistakes and with growth.

I also found someone to love in just about every single one of the supporting characters and there were a lot. That hasn't really happened to me since Lawana Blackwell's Gresham series. They are each distinctly their own. The only ones that bothered me were the Wilcox brothers, and not just because they were supposed to be antagonistic, but maybe because it seemed like they were dropped into the story simply for the purpose of being minor villains and they always had me on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But eventually, Ms. Klassen chipped away at my distaste for them as well by flushing out their characters. Resolving some of the antagonistic ways was just the cherry on top.

The mystery that surrounded several new characters as they were introduced and woven into the story was very well done. They were interesting and it all seemed natural. Just as I started to think I had figured something out, the story would twist and change, keeping me invested.

The romance- it was slow and wonderful. I loved that it was not necessarily the focal point of the story. While I normally hate switching back and forth from the two main characters points of view (where is the mystery? the butterflies?) this time it made sense. Alec had a separate story of his own to tell, as did Julia. They were not immediately obsessed with each other and the romance between them flourished in a beautiful way. The Christian themes were well done and I loved the father-daughter messages there as well.

The plot was hardly ever predictable. The letter in the drawer left no easy answers; even knowing more than Julia, I was still confused.

A couple of other smaller things- the authentic period information at the beginning of chapters and occasionally sprinkled throughout helped keep the story flowing and was very interesting to a history-lover like me. I particularly loved the conversation between Patience and Julia starting on pg. 263. It was lively, intelligent, funny, but still honest. So often, women seem to give in to the need to say things that our friends want to hear instead of the truth that they need to hear. I thought Patience and Julia set a good example. Also, the cover art is just perfect- the expression on that girl's face- definitely Julia!


It takes a skilled writer to weave together so many detailed stories and infuse them with life. Ms. Klassen did so brilliantly. She made me fall in love with these people and so, this is a story that I will return to again and again.

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I think this was another good book by Ms. Klassen. It took me awhile longer to read it due to my work schedule, but it was worth it! I have no experience in dancing, so I admit that I'm rather curious to know if I would like it if I ever had the opportunity to take lessons.

Julia sounds like a

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typical teenager of her era--tired of her life as it is because it seems frightfully dull and boring. Her relationship with her overprotective mother sounds hit-and-miss, but you don't fully grasp the reasons behind it until you're further into the book.

Alec sounds like a man who knows what he wants to achieve, but he's in the wrong location to achieve. Not his fault, of course. Circumstances beyond his control forced him and his family to relocate. Meeting a flirt like Julia promises to keep things interesting in his world, but he has to be careful because she is high-class and he is not.

All in all, it's a good book.

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Julia Midwinter's youth and vitality often stand in opposition to her mother's rules. As village matriarch, Julia's mother has prohibited all forms of dancing. This seemingly harsh rule is shrouded in family secrets, including the deaths of Julia's aunt and uncle. By natural curiosity and

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rebellion, Julia is drawn to Alec Valcourt, the newly arrived dancing master from London. However, Alec's past also proves dark and messy and he's certainly not the type of man Julia's mother would approve of. Will Alec and Julia both discover the truths about their pasts so that they can embrace the future with hope? Read more in The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen.

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen is a stand-alone novel set in early nineteenth century England. The mystery of Julia's past hooked my attention and kept me wondering how all the people and events fit together. For me, this is what kept the story flowing as I didn't find the characters as captivating as I expected. By the author's intention, I suspect, Julia's character was hard to like in the beginning. However, even after Julia's internal motivations became more clear and she began to develop as a character, I still found it difficult to like her. Lastly, someone mentioned to me that it sounds like a take-off of Footloose. However, I've never seen the movie, so I can't really speak that. I don't discourage anyone from reading the book, but I do recommend borrowing from the library before purchasing.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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I will admit that, although I have read a lot of Regency romances throughout the years, I have never found one that truly satisfied my hunger for reading in that particular genre. The genre I love reading most is Historical western romances but, I have to say, Julie Klassen has changed my whole

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outlook on Regency romance. The Dancing Master lacks none of the facets that make a story great. I loved the characters so much that the town of Beaworthy is a place I would love to visit over and over. I'm not sure if there will be any follow up books after this one but I truly hope so. There are a few characters that need their own story, I think.

I often like to talk about the characters I loved most in a book as the characters are half of the story itself. My favorite, most endearing character was Julia Midwinter and I can find no better way to describe her than by quoting the leading man himself, Alec Valcourt.-- "Oh..." Alec puffed out his cheeks in thought. "Julia--that is, Miss Midwinter--is all liveliness and changeability. Rapturous one moment and wistful the next. Given to frequent smiles and laughter..." -- Julia is spontaneous, flirtatious, mischievous and, yes, even cunning and conniving. But she was also vulnerable and wore her heart on her sleeve. I loved her spirit and I loved the way Miss Klassen brought her to life within the pages of this book. Alec was much more reserved but he was ambitious and, even though he wanted to give up, he never did. He was a gentleman and a provider for his family who had a deep rooted love for the art of dancing. He was respectability at its best.

I have never really given dancing much thought. It has always been something people do for enjoyment in my opinion but I now have a new found respect for the art and this book has even made me want to do a little research on the dances from that era. All that aside, I completely loved this book. The plot. The setting. The characters. I didn't come away feeling as if something were missing as I have with other Regency romances. While reading The Dancing Master I often thought I had the plot figured out just to be blindsided by a change of direction. I love that. Knowing how a book will end halfway through just kills the enjoyment of reading a book in the first place as far as I'm concerned.

I do want to talk about the spiritual aspects of this book also. It was about forgiveness and discovery. There were a lot of reasons forgiveness was needed in this story and Miss Julie brought this to fruition beautifully along with the discovery that no matter what our earthly fathers are like, we have a Heavenly Father that loves us beyond measure. And I loved the fact that, through this book, Miss Julie tips her hat to Jane Austen in a sublte but evident way.This is my first book by Julie Klassen and I am so glad I read it. I have found a brand new author to love and I intend to devour her books from this point on. I can't stress enough how enjoyable this book was and I MOST HIGHLY recommend it.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are mine alone. If I recommend a book it's because I truly enjoyed it and would recommend it to even the closest of family and friends. I received no monetary compensation for this review as it is simply a way of giving back for the enjoyment it brought me.

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Good but a little forgettable. Literally spent ten minutes trying to remember what book I had just finished reading an hour earlier.