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leahkarge's review
3.0
I enjoyed the first 1/3 of the story, but the last 2/3 of it dragged as the MCs seemed to have the same fights over and over with minimal development, and I ended up skimming the last 1/3.
I did, however, think that the neurodivergent and disabled representation were well done.
I did, however, think that the neurodivergent and disabled representation were well done.
christy82984's review against another edition
5.0
I love a well written ballet book! Can't wait to start book 2!
anabelsbrother's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
oh boy oh boy oh boy
now ladies and gents there are books you devour in one sitting and then there are slow-burn type of books that you just want to savor and this book is the latter for me
did I mention I love second chance love stories?
and did I mention that Katherine Locke writes so beautifully I feel like quoting the entire book?
and did I also mention that I love how much I can relate to both Aly and Zed?
"Sometimes I feel suffocated by all the things I could have done differently in life."
Both Aly and Zed survived a horrific accident that shattered their friendship, and they were both affected by it (Zed turns to alcohol, and Aly just spirals into a mental breakdown), and I just love that their lives, living with their addictions, disabilities and mental illnesses, are portrayed realistically. I love how they take their time to figure out stuff between them, that the romance doesn't feel rushed for the sake of it, and that it wasn't the ~grand solution~.
ON TO BOOK 2 I GO
oh boy oh boy oh boy
now ladies and gents there are books you devour in one sitting and then there are slow-burn type of books that you just want to savor and this book is the latter for me
did I mention I love second chance love stories?
and did I mention that Katherine Locke writes so beautifully I feel like quoting the entire book?
and did I also mention that I love how much I can relate to both Aly and Zed?
"Sometimes I feel suffocated by all the things I could have done differently in life."
Both Aly and Zed survived a horrific accident that shattered their friendship, and they were both affected by it (Zed turns to alcohol, and Aly just spirals into a mental breakdown), and I just love that their lives, living with their addictions, disabilities and mental illnesses, are portrayed realistically. I love how they take their time to figure out stuff between them, that the romance doesn't feel rushed for the sake of it, and that it wasn't the ~grand solution~.
ON TO BOOK 2 I GO
blevisky's review
3.0
as someone who's dealt with some of the same issues as Aly, I wish they'd been a bit more fleshed out. it's a lovely feel-good book that deals with serious topics (i.e. eating disorders, anxiety, alcoholism and loss) nonetheless.
vimesheva's review against another edition
2.0
The writing was decent, but it's a fairly short book where basically nothing happens. The author spends the majority of the time describing Zed and Aly's emotions but while those descriptions are initially evocative, they repeat over and over (while, again, nothing actually happens plot-wise) and therefore lose their magic rather quickly.
While a lot of time is spent in Zed's head and you start to get to know him a bit (but not that much), Aly is two-dimensional and entirely defined by her eating disorder/depression/anxiety/mania/etc. Despite the repeated assertion that ballet defines Aly, I actually did not really feel that come through at all. And at the end of the day, I felt really bad for Zed because no one (not Aly, not his friend Dan, or any other briefly mentioned characters) seem to give a crap about the fact that he (a) lost his career and (b) lost his leg which sort of baffled me--those are some pretty crazy-important things to lose. I got the sense that the trauma was assigned to his character to give him depth, but in reality he was just there to be a doormat for Aly.
Overall, a quick read with good prose but light on the plot and character development.
While a lot of time is spent in Zed's head and you start to get to know him a bit (but not that much), Aly is two-dimensional and entirely defined by her eating disorder/depression/anxiety/mania/etc. Despite the repeated assertion that ballet defines Aly, I actually did not really feel that come through at all. And at the end of the day, I felt really bad for Zed because no one (not Aly, not his friend Dan, or any other briefly mentioned characters) seem to give a crap about the fact that he (a) lost his career and (b) lost his leg which sort of baffled me--those are some pretty crazy-important things to lose. I got the sense that the trauma was assigned to his character to give him depth, but in reality he was just there to be a doormat for Aly.
Overall, a quick read with good prose but light on the plot and character development.
selinamarcille's review against another edition
4.0
The characters in this book were well developed. The side story with the ballet made for some nice conflict apart from their difficulties in getting together.
chelsea_not_chels's review against another edition
4.0
More reviews available at my blog, Beauty and the Bookworm.
I needed to read a book that took place in Washington, DC for the Popsugar Reading Challenge's category, "A book that takes place in your hometown." Really, this seemed to me like a poor choice of category because many, many people live in towns that do not feature as the settings in books. My hometowm of Erie, Pennsylvania happens to be one of them. I did some Googling, but nothing came up and no one I talked to had any ideas, either. So I switched tactics and began looking at my second hometown, Washington. The Seamstress hadn't worked out for this, but one of my friends had added Second Position to her list, and an author I quite like (Sherwood Smith) gave it a favorable review, so I figured it was time to get reading.
Second Position is a beautiful book that tackles an extraordinarily complicated relationship. Aly and Zed danced ballet in Philadelphia, and their close friendship morphed into something more--until they got in a car accident and everything changed. Zed lost his leg. Aly lost their baby. In the wake of the accident, the pair were separated and didn't see each other for years, until Aly walks into Zed's favorite cafe in Washington. She's on leave from the Philadelphia Ballet Company after having a mental breakdown, hitting another dancer, and seeking treatment for an eating disorder. Zed now lives in DC, where he teaches theater. The chance encounter in the cafe sets them on another collision course, this time with each other and a discussion of all the things they could gain or lose.
Because of the characters' backstories, the book takes on a lot of big, complicated issues that most romance authors don't choose to include in their stories. Depression, anxiety, amputations, eating disorders, miscarriages--it's a lot of issues to cram into one book. But Locke handles them well, with finesse and respect. Aly's eating disorder is not disparaged or glorified, but treated with a gentle respect and consideration for how it affects all areas of her life, and how she works to overcome it. Oh, and did I mention that Zed is a recovering alcoholic? His issues aren't touched on as deeply as Aly's, an interesting decision but one I suppose makes sense. Having both parties as messed up as Aly, at the same time, would have been a disaster waiting to happen, and probably an not a salvageable one.
This is not, in any way, a happy book. There is not witty banter, no tete a tetes, no side characters lending a little levity to the situation. There are supporting characters, but they're very minor. It's all Aly and Zed, all the time, and they're so incredible intense that I sometimes needed a break. They were, at times, overwhelming. This definitely isn't a book to read for a light afternoon, but the writing and tragic reality of it, and how healthy Zed and Aly's relationship ultimately is, made it a beautiful story nonetheless. I would have liked to see more of Zed's struggle, at least in hindsight, because how he was so together in comparison to Aly almost made his problems seem less than hers, though they definitely were equal. Hopefully this will be touched on more in the second book, Finding Center, which I will definitely be picking up.
4 stars out of 5.
I needed to read a book that took place in Washington, DC for the Popsugar Reading Challenge's category, "A book that takes place in your hometown." Really, this seemed to me like a poor choice of category because many, many people live in towns that do not feature as the settings in books. My hometowm of Erie, Pennsylvania happens to be one of them. I did some Googling, but nothing came up and no one I talked to had any ideas, either. So I switched tactics and began looking at my second hometown, Washington. The Seamstress hadn't worked out for this, but one of my friends had added Second Position to her list, and an author I quite like (Sherwood Smith) gave it a favorable review, so I figured it was time to get reading.
Second Position is a beautiful book that tackles an extraordinarily complicated relationship. Aly and Zed danced ballet in Philadelphia, and their close friendship morphed into something more--until they got in a car accident and everything changed. Zed lost his leg. Aly lost their baby. In the wake of the accident, the pair were separated and didn't see each other for years, until Aly walks into Zed's favorite cafe in Washington. She's on leave from the Philadelphia Ballet Company after having a mental breakdown, hitting another dancer, and seeking treatment for an eating disorder. Zed now lives in DC, where he teaches theater. The chance encounter in the cafe sets them on another collision course, this time with each other and a discussion of all the things they could gain or lose.
Because of the characters' backstories, the book takes on a lot of big, complicated issues that most romance authors don't choose to include in their stories. Depression, anxiety, amputations, eating disorders, miscarriages--it's a lot of issues to cram into one book. But Locke handles them well, with finesse and respect. Aly's eating disorder is not disparaged or glorified, but treated with a gentle respect and consideration for how it affects all areas of her life, and how she works to overcome it. Oh, and did I mention that Zed is a recovering alcoholic? His issues aren't touched on as deeply as Aly's, an interesting decision but one I suppose makes sense. Having both parties as messed up as Aly, at the same time, would have been a disaster waiting to happen, and probably an not a salvageable one.
This is not, in any way, a happy book. There is not witty banter, no tete a tetes, no side characters lending a little levity to the situation. There are supporting characters, but they're very minor. It's all Aly and Zed, all the time, and they're so incredible intense that I sometimes needed a break. They were, at times, overwhelming. This definitely isn't a book to read for a light afternoon, but the writing and tragic reality of it, and how healthy Zed and Aly's relationship ultimately is, made it a beautiful story nonetheless. I would have liked to see more of Zed's struggle, at least in hindsight, because how he was so together in comparison to Aly almost made his problems seem less than hers, though they definitely were equal. Hopefully this will be touched on more in the second book, Finding Center, which I will definitely be picking up.
4 stars out of 5.
jawolffe's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
andiabcs's review against another edition
I made it 62% and I just can't do it anymore. I can't finish. I'm bored out of my mind and I don't feel the spark between them at all. I almost wish this book was about before the accident and mot after. First ballet book was officially a bust for me.
kittenlebon's review against another edition
5.0
I love books about ballet and this was a deep, real love story that also explored mental health issues in a relatable, honest way.