A regency romance with many interesting twists and turns as family secrets are revealed after many years of being hidden. Alex Valcourt comes to town with his mother and sister to resume his career as a Dancing Master. Little does he know that the matriarch of the town has forbidden any dancing. Julia Midwinter is the young adult daughter of the matriarch, and she is adventurous, daring, flirtatious, and in love with any man who could replace the love she never had from her father. John Desmond also returns to town after a long absence due to an accusation and murder. Julia\\\\\\\'s mother, Amelia, knows the town secrets and seeks to control and protect her daughter from making the same mistakes of others from the past. Lady Anne is Lady Amelia\\\\\\\'s sister and she has a sordid past, which is also a secret. The story describes the Regency period well, which is a great environment for all these secrets, with all the \\\\\\\'proper\\\\\\\' and \\\\\\\'expected\\\\\\\' behavior and values. I liked this book because I learned much about the Regency Period, I enjoy historical fiction, and I was intrigued with each new \\\\\\\'secret\\\\\\\' as it was revealed. We read this book for our Book Club.

Simple, predictable, it moved alone and wasn't boring but it wasn't riveting either. Nothing much to talk about in book club.

Enjoyable light read for the Regency era. I learned things about Dancing Masters. The society rules were so different, yet the human hearts longed for similar things.

Attempt to write like Jane Austin not very successful. Characters rather one dimensional. A light romance to read at the beach.

While the book provided some insight on how restricted life was in those days, It was tedious reading, and the end was anticlimactic for me. I wonder if a sequel is in store.