The Perfect Waltz (Merridew Series)
by Anne Gracie
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Book Summary Information
Author: Anne GracieEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-11-01
ISBN: 0425206807
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Berkley
Book Reviews of The Perfect Waltz (Merridew Series)
Book Review: For Once Perfection Can Be Found and Is A Grand Thing...
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first book by Anne Gracie that I bought and read. I wasn't sure how she would be as an author as I didn't see many references to her or her works by other reviewers or in romance lists. Fortunately...much like me, other readers and reviewers who found her seem to be very pleased. This story could have been very boring - a simple plot, shallow, beautiful people, dull and tedious developments over people you didn't care about and more. But...that never happened. "The Perfect Waltz" was a shining, radiant and splendid love story. A book that will keep you involved from start to finish.
Our heroine Hope is close to perfection in a woman - she is lovely beyond belief, warm, soft, nurturing, kind and outgoing. Her outside beauty is fortunately mirrored by an equally wonderful heart and soul. She fears next to nothing and lives life to the fullest. She is surrounded by a brood of equally appealing sisters (Prudence, Charity, her twin Faith and Grace - The Virtue Sisters) and great uncle Oswald and his lady love. She is the belle of the ton - well liked as a person, as well as revered for her special beauty. Her life is going along well - enjoying another season of balls, dances, music recitals, riding in the park and drinking in a deep dose of the good life. Even she didn't know her own depths of loving and caring until she met a magnificent man called Sebastian.
Our hero Sebastian is not even remotely close to perfect - he is brooding, standoffish, remote, cool, distant and a bit of a recluse. He fears nothing because he meets everything head on but, his old insecurities prevent him from living life to the fullest. He has one or two close friends but, few others. His father, mother and oldest brother all died and he only had left his two young sisters with whom he lost contact, recently found them again and was trying to win back their affections and security after years of being alone. The beauty to Sebastian is that he has a heart of gold simply covered by years of being on his own and fighting to survive. Even he didn't know the depths of his own loving and caring until he met a magnificent girl called Hope.
For all of their differences....they finally meet up at a ball and find the attraction is strong, intense and mutual. Unfortunately...Sebastian is there to woo and win another woman's hand, Lady Elinore, as his future wife and new mother to his two younger sisters. He is sound in his decision that love and attraction do not have to enter into the marriage equation - partners simply need to be mature, responsible and dedicated to the cause. So...Elinore will do just fine.
As all good laid plans, something must go array. The story takes many twists and turns: Sebastian trying to find out what happened over the years to his two younger sisters when he lost contact with them, trying to get his sisters Cassie & Dorie to feel secure, re-accept and love him again and start a new life together, Sebastian trying not to fall in love with Hope and stay committed to Elinore, Hope trying not to love Sebastian when is committed to another but, having no success staying away, everyone trying to help Lady Elinore's charity for indigent girls to survive and thrive and Sebastian's best friend Giles and Lady Elinore sparing and fighting and arguing which is all a prelude to their secret attraction for one another and what happens with it. You'll have to buy this book to find out the answers to all these questions but, be prepared for lots of developments along the way and a super satisfying ending to the book.
The story itself is really quite simple - man meets girl, falls for her, has to stay away due to commitments elsewhere, girl meets boy, falls for him, has to stay away due to his commitments elsewhere and as fate would have it, they must be together in order to share their discovery of love that is meant to be. This author wove a beautiful tale of thoughts, wishes, emotions and feelings. She is eloquent in her writing - both the plot development as well as the character descriptions and dialogue. I was hard pressed to find any part of the book slowing down, getting dull or dragging on. To the contrary...she made everyone have so much depth - that the story wove together beautifully from beginning to end.
Intimate scenes were limited in this book - just a few passages here and there of deep intimacy. Most of the book revolved around light touching, looks, glances and the ability we have to truly get in touch with our senses when we find "the right one". There is only one scene when they come together completely - it came closer to the end of the story and was placed perfectly. The wording was tasteful and touching and memorable. Some stories are rich in lust or sex - this one was not. It was so much more.
I found the title charming to the story itself - "The Perfect Waltz". This had to do with Hope dreaming as a young girl that her prince charming would show himself one day dancing with her at a ball in the perfect society waltz. She always made sure never to dance the final dance - the waltz- with any man more than once. The ton knew this and everyone vied for this coveted spot on her card. It wasn't until Sebastian - a man who didn't dance well - was at odds with himself and the world - to gain that coveted dance spot again and again and again.
There were only two small things that seemed a little off to me.
1) Hope had this ability to ride a horse fast and lean far enough over to practically touch the ground. She trained over time to do this - why? Can't say as it comes in handy later in this story when she has to save someone. I found this a little much for a society bred girl to do something so dangerous but, an author can push the boundaries as much as they want. 2) Sebastian was married before and we found out in bits and pieces throughout the story about his previous wife and their short life together. I just found it odd that it was not a conversation Hope and Sebastian ever really had together. Perhaps it was implied that they talked about this as he had been married, they lost children during this relationship etc. I imagine a man being with another woman this way would be important to a woman like Hope. I guess the author just ran out of room in the story and placed some answers here and there to answer things.
I was disappointed to see the ending come but, the author set everything up so, that the final chapters to the book tied together all the loose strings and the story completed itself in fine fashion as you always hope a great love story will do. I think anyone that truly appreciates a historical romance will find many things to adore about this book. It had everything we readers look for in a book that is to take us away to a finer and better place. Happy dreaming...
Summary of The Perfect Waltz (Merridew Series)
Society rogue Sebastian Reyne's search for a practical wife comes to a crashing halt when he dances with the effervescent Hope Merridew--and is seduced into a delicious intrigue of sensuality and desire.
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