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stuck123's review against another edition
5.0
A feel-good sapphic romance. I am always on the hunt for more sapphic romance reads and this one did not disappoint!
We have Anna who is one of the FMCs, she just got a spot in a prestigious ballet company. The artistic director, Victoria, is immediately drawn to Anna. She sees a lot of her past dancing skills in her. Victoria quickly realizes Anna is the key to saving her teaching career. She moves her from the corp to a principal position right away.
Victoria is nothing but hardcore on Anna but she persists and dawns a smile the entire time. This was an ultra-slow burn, we see Victoria's affection slip a couple of times after 50% but up until about 75% nothing happens between Anna and Victoria. It's pretty clear that Victoria has never had feelings for anyone before like she does Anna.
The two things I was bothered by were the fact that it didn't seem to me to bother Victoria that much when she got offered the job in Paris. Like I think she was nervous to tell Anna but she chose Paris right away which I think she should have been slightly more torn about which one to choose. Also, the book was a slow burn to the max and so the fact that the ending was pretty rushed bothered me. Victoria goes to Paris and Anna stays in NYC and then a year or so later they just pick up where they left off and HEA, the end. Like what?
Overall, this was a good read, not high in angst which I am thankful for and I really enjoyed their chemistry.
We have Anna who is one of the FMCs, she just got a spot in a prestigious ballet company. The artistic director, Victoria, is immediately drawn to Anna. She sees a lot of her past dancing skills in her. Victoria quickly realizes Anna is the key to saving her teaching career. She moves her from the corp to a principal position right away.
Victoria is nothing but hardcore on Anna but she persists and dawns a smile the entire time. This was an ultra-slow burn, we see Victoria's affection slip a couple of times after 50% but up until about 75% nothing happens between Anna and Victoria. It's pretty clear that Victoria has never had feelings for anyone before like she does Anna.
The two things I was bothered by were the fact that it didn't seem to me to bother Victoria that much when she got offered the job in Paris. Like I think she was nervous to tell Anna but she chose Paris right away which I think she should have been slightly more torn about which one to choose. Also, the book was a slow burn to the max and so the fact that the ending was pretty rushed bothered me. Victoria goes to Paris and Anna stays in NYC and then a year or so later they just pick up where they left off and HEA, the end. Like what?
Overall, this was a good read, not high in angst which I am thankful for and I really enjoyed their chemistry.
alexis_t's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
mijntjeguus's review against another edition
3.0
I still felt like the main characters didn’t really know eachother that well at the end of the book so the romance just didn’t feel believable
jackiehorne's review against another edition
4.0
Even if the #metoo and #TimesUp movements have made workplace romances less common (a February 2018 CareerBuilders' survey cites the figure at 36%, down from 41% in 2017 and 40% in 2008), a sizable number of Americans still meet romantic partners at the office. Can romance novels depict such romances, but in a way that takes into account the concerns raised by #metoo and #TimesUp?
See the rest of this review at ROMANCE NOVELS FOR FEMINISTS:
http://romancenovelsforfeminists.blogspot.com/2018/09/working-romance-talia-hibberts.html
See the rest of this review at ROMANCE NOVELS FOR FEMINISTS:
http://romancenovelsforfeminists.blogspot.com/2018/09/working-romance-talia-hibberts.html
lesburrata's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I live a slow burn, ice queen and this book does not disappoint. I would have rated higher but the ending seemed to fizzle out and outdoor have been better.
eggsandwich's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed the story a ton. Sometimes romance books do not add enough tension to keep the pages flowing, but this book absolutely had tension. I only rated four stars because I felt that the ending was a bit clunky.
sulphuric's review
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
direwolf_whisperer's review
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
marua's review
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
women_using_words's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Music and the Mirror by Lola Keeley is a captivating sapphic romance shaped around the talented and imposing world of ballet. The story follows Anna Gale, a young and gifted dancer who joins the Metropolitan Ballet in New York, and Victoria Ford, a former prima ballerina and current company artistic director. Though their start is rocky, their chemistry can’t be denied. The road from mentor-mentee to lovers is complex, but it is something neither is willing to walk away from. Their journey is riddled with all the pressure and politics one would expect to find inside the Metropolitan Ballet, but it is their passion that truly makes the book exciting.
Keeley does a remarkable job of creating realistic and engaging characters. Anna is a dynamic and relatable woman who must overcome many challenges to earn a spot on the stage, and this makes her quite sympathetic to readers. Cultivated with real depth and dimension, Keeley’s portrayal of Anna is quite impressive. She is a fearless but kind-hearted woman, determined to succeed. Her display of courage and perseverance makes her a very likable character. Readers not only cheer for her, they fall in love with her.
Victoria, too, is well developed. She is a study in contrasts and Anna’s opposite in every way. Stern, demanding and secretive on one hand and caring, generous, and vulnerable on the other, she is an ice queen like no other. Yet, Anna seems to stir something in her, melting the ice bits at a time, exposing vulnerabilities that not only captivate Anna, but readers too.
This is the quintessential opposites attract romance, and readers feed off of it. Their romance is as steamy as it is heartwarming, provoking one to stay up late into the night flipping pages. The chemistry between Victoria and Anna is palpable and intense, stirring a tension that nearly arcs. However, beneath it all simmers a passion and tenderness that hooks readers. And when the end comes, there’s a satisfaction felt that only a truly fantastic romance can deliver.
Final thoughts…
Keeley has designed a well-paced, well-structured narrative in her telling of The Music and the Mirror. She uses vivid and descriptive language to portray the beauty and brutality of ballet. Her scenes capture the emotions of the characters nicely and her setting is quite immersive, pulling one in from the beginning. Anyone who enjoys a slow-burn sapphic romance with sweet and steamy elements will not be able to put this tale down.
Strengths…
- Well-written narrative
- Immersive story world
- Likable, well-developed characters
- Engrossing romance
- Rereadable