SUMMARY: Ana Brassfield has her path to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House all figured out until her first love, renowned German dancer Claus Gert, returns to Georgia to win her back. Despite a promising start towards her ballet career and pending marriage to landscape architect, Peter Engberg, Ana wonders if her dreams of dancing at the Met are as impossible as her previous romantic relationship with Claus.
Then, an on-stage kiss between Ana and Claus changes every thing.
Convinced the kiss is more than a one-time mistake, Peter breaks off their engagement. With an old dog crippled by arthritis and dreams deferred but not left behind, Ana moves to Germany to be with Claus. But the ghost of his late wife, Ana's own feelings for Peter, and the pressure of earning a spot in a large ballet company are a high price for a shot at success. Ana seems on the verge of having everything she ever dreamed of, but will it be enough?
REVIEW: I'll be honest. There were many times while reading this book that I thought about putting it down and not reading any more. It was not the story line. I found it engaging and captivating. The problem I had was the actions of Ana. This is not your typical clean Christian fiction. While it doesn't go into details, Ana makes some bad decisions, which in turn leads to more bad decisions, and on and on. But, as I continued to read, I realized this novel is a story of Ana's faith journey. It is not neat, clean or quick. It is messy, complicated and takes a long time for her to realize her need for a personal savior, Jesus. God doesn't forget Ana while she is in the midst of her mess but sends people, events, and "coincidences" to let her know she is not far from His thoughts. Even when life is looking its bleakest, God reminds her that He is right there with her.
This is a book that should be read by anyone who wants to see how Jesus loves us even when we don't deserve it and those who just want to experience God's grace again.
This book was provided by the author for review without any compensation.
Patricia Beal has danced ballet since her childhood and has performed with pre-professional companies in South America, Europe, and the United States. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in English literature and worked as a public affairs officer for the U.S.Army for seven years. Her feature story on a day in the life of "Bad Luck Squad" in Iraq won a Keith L. Ware award in print journalism. She's an army wife for life, an army editor, and forever a ballerina. Patricia writes from El Paso, Texas, where she lives with her husband and two children. A Season to Dance is her first novel. Visit her website at www.patriciabeal.com.
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