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The story is set in Nottingham during the early 20th century. The Edwardian era wasn’t always the kindest for young women who want to make their own choices, as Marietta Stelle soon finds out. All Marietta wants to do is dance but her family have other ideas. It is currently approaching Christmas, but in the new year, she will be obliged to marry and take her place in society. I shall extend an invitation,’ Ida said, scanning the dining room, eager at any excuse to entertain a guest in their fine house. Her gaze took in the emerald and cream striped wallpaper, the large mahogany table and chairs, polished floorboards and huge arrangements of hothouse roses spilling over crystal vases, perfuming the room with the faint odour of decay. ‘I have yet to hear mention of him among my acquaintances; I shall ensure ours will be the first dinner he attends.’ She frowned at a petal that showed signs of spoiling. A glittering rush of sugar-sweet enchantment’ Stephanie Garber, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Curse for True Love In the darkness of night, magic awaits… When the mysterious Dr Drosselmeier moves into a neighboring home Marietta’s family is won over by him. Dr Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate set for Marietta’s final ballet performance which is enchanted with magic and transports Marietta to a snowy forest where Marietta catches the eye of King Gelum who claims her as his own. She could practically taste the curiosity rippling through her mother, deep and insatiable. She sympathised with the man, for Nottingham was rife with rumours of him and it seemed every direction she turned she found herself confronted with talk of him. And, although Marietta would not admit it to anyone, she was becoming intrigued by this mysterious new arrival. Chapter Four
Theodore’s nostrils flared. ‘Might I remind you that Lord Compton is the Marquess of Northampton. The next time you choose to insult a peer of the realm, you ought to recall that I have been more than generous in allowing you to host your upcoming performance in our ballroom. It is high time you demonstrated a little gratitude. I have invited Lord Compton and several other suitors to our Christmas Ball in the hopes that they shall find your dancing an attractive quality in a prospective wife. Perhaps this will even hasten a betrothal.’ AD • Review Copy, I received a free copy of this book from HQ Stories in exchange for a fair and honest review. Marietta Stelle eats, sleeps, and dreams ballet. However, it doesn't matter how skilled a performer she is nor how much she longs for the stage, her days at the dance studio are numbered. Her family desire her to settle down with a husband and you can't be the perfect, doting wife if you are spending hours sweating at the barre or limping around on blistered and bloody toes. The author lives in Nottingham (where the novel is set) and is a huge lover of ballet. Her local knowledge and passion for dance clearly shines through in her writing. There are a lot of technical ballet terms that I wasn’t familiar with but I don’t think you needed to know the exact movements to appreciate Marietta’s love for ballet.
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I enjoy flowery prose and an interesting long word or two that I need to look up in the dictionary, but this book was inundated with abrupt, obvious thesaurus researched words, that in some instances, didn't fit with the sentence. Many of them didn't make any sense, and I felt like I was reading something that needed a decent edit. When you use language you need to know exactly when and where to use it. Another issue was that a number of sentences appeared to be snapped in two, with an incorrectly placed full stop there. Why?
I have finished.’ Marietta swept a hand over her forehead. ‘I wouldn’t wish to intrude on class time.’ She might be The Honourable Marietta Stelle, but in this studio Olga was of higher rank. Provided by HarperCollins. 5. Midnight In Everwood has some of my favourite cosy, Christmassy descriptions. What’s your favourite Christmas-time food or drink treat? Dr Drosselmeier arrives to town and forms a temporary distraction from the family's squabbles. All are intrigued by his mysterious figure and enchanted by his miniature, woodwork creations. Marietta finds in him a sympathetic ear and an individual captivated by her performances. She is magic upon the stage but he might possess a far darker and more literal source that will alter her life forever. When Marietta returned from rehearsal, she was greeted by the tittle-tattle emanating from her mother’s private drawing room during afternoon tea with her closest circle of confidantes and fellow traders in gossip. In the darkness of night, magic awaits and you will never forget what you find here... Your favourite authors have fallen under the magical spell of Midnight in Everwood:
I hear no one has had the good fortune to host him yet, though half of society have already started to plan their weddings,’ Victoria grumbled. ‘He’s the most eligible bachelor we’ve seen in quite some time.’ You must tell all. It has been quite some years since Edgar passed; perhaps Drosselmeier would consider me,’ Vivian said between clinks of the bone china teacups. ‘I hear he’s rather handsome.’ The idea and the beginning of the story were promising but the entire execution of the classic needed extra development, emotional depth. She finds herself in Everwood with bunch of other women who were forced to be dancers of the king, after being fooled by neighbor doctor. Before getting killed, she has to find a way to escape this haunted land!
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