The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

About the book: 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.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/s7Yl1

About the author: Julie Klassen loves all things Jane---Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She is a three-time Christy Award winner and a 2010 Midwest Book Award winner for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Learn more about Julie at: http://julieklassen.com

Margie's Comments: I know when I pick up a new Julie Klassen novel, I'm in for a great read. The Dancing Master doesn't disappoint. The characters, especially Alec and Julia, are so real, I had a hard time letting go at the end of the book. I wanted to read more, to see how they fared later in life. The story is full of historical detail, but it isn't boring. The author truly brings the world as it was 200 years ago alive. I especially loved reading about Alec's vocation in life, as it seems so much of the grace and elegance of the Regency period in England is lost in today's society. For an excellent read, I highly recommend The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen.