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Love Waltzes In by Alana Albertson ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: Reading Addiction Blog Tours
Book Review
Love Waltzes In by Alana Albertson
Book 1: Dancing Under The Stars Series
Publisher: Bolero Books
Publication Date: July 14, 2013
Format: e-Book - 286 pages / Kindle - 389 KB / Nook - 762 KB
ISBN: 0989624315
ASIN: B00DY1TKRQ
Genre: Contemporary Romance
BUY THE BOOK: Love Waltzes In
BUY THE SERIES: Dancing Under The Stars Series
Book 1: Love Waltzes In
Book 2: Waltz On The Wild Side
Book 3: Waltz Like A Man
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Reading Addiction Blog Tours.
Book Description:
To her millions of fans, ballroom champion Selena Marcil seems to have the perfect life: a great dance partner, a hit reality show, and celebrity perks. But underneath the glamorous ball gowns, Selena longs to find someone to share her life with when the stage lights dim.
Selena’s childhood sweetheart, Bret Lord, hung up his dance shoes after winning two national titles with her as a teenager, and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He never saw his former fiancée again, except on television and on the cover of men’s magazines. Ten years and three deployments later, Bret gets an offer to audition for Selena’s dance show. When the Marine Corps gives him temporary leave to appear on the series, Bret can’t refuse the quick cash that will enable him to provide financially for the widow of his buddy, even if it does mean coming face to face with his past.
When Bret shows up at her national championship, Selena is shocked. For years she searched for him to no avail. After spending time with Bret, Selena realizes despite their past romance, they have no future. He has no desire to live under a spotlight and she has no desire to leave it. Can Selena and Bret recognize when Love Waltzes In?
Book Excerpt:
Staff Sergeant Bret Lord sat on the dirty floor of his tent, going through the day’s mail: the latest Men’s Fitness magazine from his sister, a care package from his mom. He ripped open the package—socks, lip balm, sunflower seeds, and a thin letter that contained an old magazine clipping.
Dear Bret,
I miss you very much. Benny asked me to send you this article. I really wish you would consider his offer. Please stay safe.
Love, Mom
He swallowed hard. A neon sticky pressed on the wrinkled page had a note scrawled on it from his former master dance coach.
Bret, m’boy,
We’ll make it worth your time.
Cheers, Benny.
Thumbing the edge of the article, Bret stared at the sixteen-year-old boy in the picture and could barely recognize himself. His shoulder length, wavy blond hair was slicked back, not shorn in a “high and tight” like his current haircut. No signs of the tattoos or muscles that currently defined his body. Golden skin stained from a bottle, not the harsh sun of Iraq. His arms were wrapped around a gorgeous, curvy young girl with long jet-black hair. The jade Latin gown she wore matched the color of her almond-shaped eyes.
Bret tossed the article aside and removed his nine-mil pistol from his holster to clean it.
Lance Corporal Hernandez walked by Bret and snatched the article off his cot. After staring at it, Hernandez’s face brightened.
“Hey, Staff Sergeant, this you?”
“No, it’s my clone who’s also named Bret Lord.” Bret slid the rail back on his weapon and began disassembling it.
“Staff Sergeant, you know Selena Marcil? Did you hit that?”
“Shut up, Hernandez, or the one getting hit will be you—with the butt stock of my rifle.” Bret grabbed the paper out of Hernandez’s hands, and smacked him on the side of the head. The kid didn’t flinch.
“Staff Sergeant Twinkle Toes. Hey—can you hook me up with Selena? I’ll be her boy toy. I love her. Man, she’s smoking. Has the nicest ass. Not like all those skinny, Russian chicks on that show.” He nodded to himself with an eyebrow dancing. “Selena’s on my list. She’s Latina, too. We’d be perfect together. What was she doing with a gringo like you?”
“Hernandez, you’re way out of line.” Bret reassembled his pistol.
“My bad, Staff Sergeant.”
Bret grabbed the article, his pack, and his rifle. It was impossible to get some privacy in the tent. His only option was to sit outside in a sandstorm but even that sounded like a welcome retreat from his immature men. He walked about five hundred feet, then plopped down in the hot sand.
The red sky hung above him, thick from smoke from the nearby town. Bret struggled to catch a glimpse of the distant mountains. Sand seemed to pelt down from the heavens, blinding him and settling into every crevice in his body. He closed his eyes against the sting of the sand, and turned his thoughts to Selena. Was she the diva the tabloids made her out to be? Even after ten years, he could almost smell her buttery-coconut scent. A welcome change from the overflowing shitters, toxic diesel, and stench of his fellow Marines who hadn’t bathed in three weeks.
Dear Bret,
I miss you very much. Benny asked me to send you this article. I really wish you would consider his offer. Please stay safe.
Love, Mom
He swallowed hard. A neon sticky pressed on the wrinkled page had a note scrawled on it from his former master dance coach.
Bret, m’boy,
We’ll make it worth your time.
Cheers, Benny.
Thumbing the edge of the article, Bret stared at the sixteen-year-old boy in the picture and could barely recognize himself. His shoulder length, wavy blond hair was slicked back, not shorn in a “high and tight” like his current haircut. No signs of the tattoos or muscles that currently defined his body. Golden skin stained from a bottle, not the harsh sun of Iraq. His arms were wrapped around a gorgeous, curvy young girl with long jet-black hair. The jade Latin gown she wore matched the color of her almond-shaped eyes.
Bret tossed the article aside and removed his nine-mil pistol from his holster to clean it.
Lance Corporal Hernandez walked by Bret and snatched the article off his cot. After staring at it, Hernandez’s face brightened.
“Hey, Staff Sergeant, this you?”
“No, it’s my clone who’s also named Bret Lord.” Bret slid the rail back on his weapon and began disassembling it.
“Staff Sergeant, you know Selena Marcil? Did you hit that?”
“Shut up, Hernandez, or the one getting hit will be you—with the butt stock of my rifle.” Bret grabbed the paper out of Hernandez’s hands, and smacked him on the side of the head. The kid didn’t flinch.
“Staff Sergeant Twinkle Toes. Hey—can you hook me up with Selena? I’ll be her boy toy. I love her. Man, she’s smoking. Has the nicest ass. Not like all those skinny, Russian chicks on that show.” He nodded to himself with an eyebrow dancing. “Selena’s on my list. She’s Latina, too. We’d be perfect together. What was she doing with a gringo like you?”
“Hernandez, you’re way out of line.” Bret reassembled his pistol.
“My bad, Staff Sergeant.”
Bret grabbed the article, his pack, and his rifle. It was impossible to get some privacy in the tent. His only option was to sit outside in a sandstorm but even that sounded like a welcome retreat from his immature men. He walked about five hundred feet, then plopped down in the hot sand.
The red sky hung above him, thick from smoke from the nearby town. Bret struggled to catch a glimpse of the distant mountains. Sand seemed to pelt down from the heavens, blinding him and settling into every crevice in his body. He closed his eyes against the sting of the sand, and turned his thoughts to Selena. Was she the diva the tabloids made her out to be? Even after ten years, he could almost smell her buttery-coconut scent. A welcome change from the overflowing shitters, toxic diesel, and stench of his fellow Marines who hadn’t bathed in three weeks.
My Book Review:
Welcome to the world of competitive ballroom dancing!
Selena Marcil and Bret Lord were former two-time US National Youth Amateur Latin Ballroom Champions and childhood sweethearts. But when Bret hung up his dancing shoes and enlisted in the US Marine Corps, Selena broke off their engagement to chase her dream of competitive ballroom dancing and winning Blackpool, the most prestigious dance competition in the world.
Fast forward ten years later, Selena is one of the star professional dancers on the hit dancing reality TV show, Dancing Under the Stars; while Bret is a decorated Staff Sergeant in the USMC deployed in Iraq. Bret receives an invitation from Benny, his former master dance coach, to join the reality dance show, Bret is approved for a special leave from the USMC, and agrees to join the show in order to provide for a fallen comrade's family. When Selena and Bret come face-to-face on the set of the dance show, old feelings resurface as does old conflicts over living in the dancing spotlight ... will Selena and Bret get a second chance when Love Waltzes In?
Love Waltzes In is the first book of the Dancing Under The Stars series by author Alana Albertson. The author uses her professional ballroom dancing experience to weave an entertaining and romantic story that takes the reader behind the scenes of the world of professional competitive ballroom dancing. The storyline interweaves a wonderful mixture of ballroom dancing and a passionate love story that captivates the reader's imagination as a beautiful dancer and military hero reunite after ten years apart.
Fans of the hit TV reality show Dancing With The Stars will love this story, the author provides the reader with a vivid description of the behind the curtain look into the world of professional ballroom dancing and its reality show counterpart: the drama, training, exhibitions, competitions, glamorous costumes, passionate dances, and the professional/personal relationships. I have always been fascinated with the passion and grace of competitive dancing, and while reading this story I felt like I was transported into Selena and Bret's world, the mixture of passion and romance was palpable and very sigh worthy.
I am a sucker for second chance romances and this one hit the mark. There is just something special when two people work through past issues and rediscover the love that they once shared. And if that isn't enough to draw you in, how about a sexy Marine who can dance his butt off? Hmmm ... I'm sold! I am so looking forward to reading the next two books in the series!
Love Waltzes In is a wonderful romance story that has a little bit everything: dancing, romance and hot military men ... what more could you ask for?
RATING: 4 STARS ****
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