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thathappyreader 's review for:
Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams
by Sue Watson
I really enjoyed this book. Laura is a highly likeable and relatable middle-aged woman whose life is stuck in a rut. She has a job which she is tired of, a daughter who has left home to discover the world, and a hard-of-hearing mother who recently moved into a retirement community.
When a friend invites her to a Zumba class, a calamity of incidents occurs. She also meets dance teacher Tony who invites her to take one of his dance classes. Laura has always enjoyed dance and remembers fondly when her parents entered dance competitions. But that was before the accident that changed everything. Nevertheless, Laura wants to make a change in her life and so takes Tony’s class.
Laura not only enjoys Tony’s class but really does well in it. He invites her to be his partner, and soon the two are entering local competitions. As her dancing prowess increases, Laura gains confidence in all areas of her life. A trip to Spain to learn flamenco has Laura (and her alter-ego Lola) has finding romance, and an even stronger passion for dance. The reader is treated to a vacation in Spain with a discussion of the culture, food and wine of the country. I loved it.
I love a story where the protagonist has such strong personal growth. As many of us reach middle age, we start to reflect upon our lives thus far and what we want to change to make us more fulfilled. Laura takes that leap of faith and creates a life outside of what she had always known.
Tony’s character also experiences change throughout the book. Laura and Tony bring out the best in one another – signs of a true friendship. There is a discussion of homophobia in this book and Tony is physically hurt at one point in the story. The author writes this with respect and empathy which I appreciated.
I listened to the audiobook version of Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams which was narrated by Mary Woodvine. Her performance was easy to listen to and full of enthusiasm and age-appropriate for Laura’s character. I have no hesitation in recommending the audiobook to those that enjoy this format.
I received an ARC of the audiobook from the publisher in exchange for the honest review provided here.
When a friend invites her to a Zumba class, a calamity of incidents occurs. She also meets dance teacher Tony who invites her to take one of his dance classes. Laura has always enjoyed dance and remembers fondly when her parents entered dance competitions. But that was before the accident that changed everything. Nevertheless, Laura wants to make a change in her life and so takes Tony’s class.
Laura not only enjoys Tony’s class but really does well in it. He invites her to be his partner, and soon the two are entering local competitions. As her dancing prowess increases, Laura gains confidence in all areas of her life. A trip to Spain to learn flamenco has Laura (and her alter-ego Lola) has finding romance, and an even stronger passion for dance. The reader is treated to a vacation in Spain with a discussion of the culture, food and wine of the country. I loved it.
I love a story where the protagonist has such strong personal growth. As many of us reach middle age, we start to reflect upon our lives thus far and what we want to change to make us more fulfilled. Laura takes that leap of faith and creates a life outside of what she had always known.
Tony’s character also experiences change throughout the book. Laura and Tony bring out the best in one another – signs of a true friendship. There is a discussion of homophobia in this book and Tony is physically hurt at one point in the story. The author writes this with respect and empathy which I appreciated.
I listened to the audiobook version of Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams which was narrated by Mary Woodvine. Her performance was easy to listen to and full of enthusiasm and age-appropriate for Laura’s character. I have no hesitation in recommending the audiobook to those that enjoy this format.
I received an ARC of the audiobook from the publisher in exchange for the honest review provided here.