I Love Story Time : THE DANCE by Alison G. Bailey

Monday, May 16, 2016

THE DANCE by Alison G. Bailey

Photographer: Abigail Marie, Non Pa'Reil Photography

Cover Design: Murphy Hopkins, Indie Solutions

The Dance is the story of what happens after the happily ever.

Bryson Walker stumbled heart first into the steady rhythm of her life, never questioning whether other possibilities existed. She had been Will’s girl since their junior year in high school, followed him to college, and married him soon after graduation.

In every respect, they were a loving and successful couple, until a series of missteps shattered all of Bryson’s truths. Maybe their life was nothing more than smoke and mirrors. A performance that was never based in reality.

Hart was barely an acquaintance. He and Bryson shared one brief moment during senior prom, full of friction and heat that ignited a spark. But that night Bryson walked away and Hart let her go.

Years later, twisted fate brings Bryson and Hart together again, causing her to wonder if this is her second chance at once in a lifetime.

The Dance

Prologue

I stood in front of the glass wall, mesmerized. The fake sunlight shimmered down through the water, bouncing off the yellow, green, and pink coral. The blue glow of the tank gave the dimly lit nook a mystical dreamy feel.

The prom committee had pulled off an epic feat this year. Instead of having the dance in our gross school gym it was being held at the new state-of-the-art aquarium downtown. Once the student committee agreed, Megan Sims, head cheerleader and overly developed youth, was given the task of presenting the new location idea to the faculty advisor, Mr. Hall. During the meeting, as Megan waxed poetic about riding the waves of hope out into the ocean of the future, she hoisted her massive boobs up to meet Mr. Hall’s sightline. Three seconds into Megan’s spiel the dude was so titnotized that he would have offered up his first born in order to pay the rental fee.

At first, I had my doubts about spending my final prom at the aquarium. The fishy décor didn’t exactly scream romance, but I had to admit, it was pretty cool. The dance was in Ballroom A, which opened up onto a huge deck facing the Charleston harbor. Inside three giant purple octopus chandeliers hung down from the ceiling, casting cool shadows on the walls covered in varying shades of blue. Big white coral sculptures were at the four corners of the room. Tables draped in white linen with candles and seashell centerpieces outlined the room, leaving a huge space in the middle for dancing.

If there is an author that can write about a sensitive subject matter and make it as beautiful as it is heartbreaking, it is Alison G. Bailey. The Dance is definitely an emotional read filled with all the feels we have come to expect from this amazing author. There was so much I loved about this story. I think this may be the only book where I actually fell in love with the heroine. Although Hart was amazing, Bryson was the true hero in this story. Her strength and her tenacity was inspiring, but her heart moved me. The way she was able to not allow the hurt and betrayal to change who she was, was remarkable. Her kind soul is what made her such a beautiful character. For me, The Dance is not just a love story between soul-mates, but also a story between two people who were lost to themselves, but with forgiveness and love, were able to find an everlasting friendship.

♥ Review by Lys