Synopsis

Is It Possible To Only Have One Last Dance?

One Last Dance will keep you guessing until the end of the book. It is a Historical Romance with a mystery to be solved. This story is set in 1835 in the United States. You will learn the art of watercolor, dance the Boston Waltz, and fall in love all over again.

Felicity Brooks is a talented artist but her career is cut short when her father passes away. Realizing the importance of family, she travels home to care for her mother. When Felicity meets their new neighbor, a fine-looking bachelor, she soon discovers that he is hiding his true identity. Nicholas Adams is on a quest. But that is not all. When she finds out that someone is after a valuable heirloom…a precious treasure that her father discovered in his attic, her life takes a new turn.

“One Last Dance is a historical romance with a mystery to add to the tale. Felicity has always been a strong and independent woman. Amongst mystery, loss, paintings, and a career, she is going to have to decide if love has a place in her heart.” –Author Anna Del C Dye

“One thing that always keeps me reading this author’s books is her characters,” wrote Author Katrina Hart. “They are engaging, funny and passionate. I especially liked Mr. Adams’ character as he was both witty and charming with an air of mystery about him. I was impressed by Felicity’s character. She was a strong woman who had seen some of the world, only to end up back home where everything feels different. I liked the quirky bond between Mr. Adams and Felicity. He has her pegged from the start and from the moment they meet you can tell at some point sparks will fly, and they will challenge each other’s perspectives on the problem at hand, which made this book rather gripping. One Last Dance kept me guessing until the end and left me wanting to read this book all over again. If you like Historical Romance with a mysterious touch and well-developed characters, this book is a must-read.”

Review

Historical romance stories can be hit and miss with me but I’m happy to say that this one was a definite hit.  We are treated to a glimpse of the early 1800s in this small town when life was much different than what we know today.  Not only do we find kind and caring characters, but there is also a hint of mystery to round out the story.

Felicity is an independent woman and finds joy in teaching art to other young women at a small school further north.  Her father passes unexpectedly and she comes home to see about her mother and make sure that everything is ok at home.  She doesn’t expect to find herself in the middle of a mystery or enchanted by the neighbor Nicholas.  Because this is the early 1800s, her mother wants to see Felicity married with children.  I think that was the mission of mother’s in that time period – to make sure their children found love and were happily married.

I really enjoyed that there was a mystery in this story and as the story unfolded I found myself wondering who was breaking into Felicity’s home and looking for potentially priceless artifacts.  As the mystery portion is coming to a head I was quite surprised to learn who the thief was and the motives behind their actions.  There is a little bit of a hint that points to this character but you have to be quick on your toes to point your finger that the right person.  I also enjoyed the search for the item her father hid and the clues she had in the last letter he wrote to her.  It was an intriguing way to involve the reader to try and guess what the item was that the thief was after and what the significance is to the family.

I enjoyed how simpler romance was in this time period, or at least how it is portrayed in books.  Nicholas and Felicity click right off the bat and while it is not a romantic entanglement at the beginning, they do fall in love despite the interference of an old school mate of Felicity’s.  This “friend” has her eye on Nicholas and believe he should be hers.  Too bad he already has his sights on Felicity.

If you enjoy historical romance then you will want to read this book.  I especially liked the author’s notes at the end about how she came to write the book and some more details about the Boston Waltz and historical books  We give it 5 paws up.

About the Author

I was raised on a farm surrounded by the rolling hills of southern Idaho and have made my home in southern Utah among the beautiful red mountains and desert heat. I have been happily married for 42 years and am the mother of six daughters and have five wonderful grandchildren.

After my family began to leave the nest, I decided it was time to finish what I had started long ago. I decided to go back to college and get a degree. It had been 30 years since I had been to college and it was one of the most frightening things I had ever done. I had to learn how to study and take tests all over again. The first day of college, I was a nervous wreck and wondered if I could do this, but with the support of my husband and children, I was able to graduate. I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre and Music at Southern Utah University and received the Outstanding Non-Traditional Student Award for the College of Performing Arts in 2002. During the meantime, I cut a CD named “Romantic Love Songs of Sigmund Romberg and Victor Herbert.”

I have enjoyed writing short stories and novels for several years but it took a lot of courage to begin submitting them. After “Melinda and the Wild West” was published, I entered it in the Reader Views Literary Contest and my book was chosen as a Semi-Finalist in the “Reviewers Choice Awards 2007.” It was one of the top ten out of hundreds of other entries.

I have traveled throughout the United States, teaching people to write their family history and autobiography. I have traveled to seventeen states and given over 500 workshops. I am the author of six historical sweet romances, four mystery adventure novels, a children’s book, and a new cozy mystery series. All of my books are family friendly.

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