"Ella Blythe knows all theater romances end in tragedy—but still dares to hope for a love story of her own. As mysterious happenings unfold in her ballet company and past secrets threaten her future, she must discover if she’s dancing toward destruction—or grace."
Tropes: Victorian gothic atmosphere, ballet setting slow-burn romance, unexpected love interest, Faith-centered heroine, no spice, mystery elements, who done it?
Content Warnings (TWs): emotional manipulation, gaslighting, psychological tension, grief and loss, high-pressure artistic enviorment, mentions of benefactors.
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Set in a Victorian ballet world, the story of Ella Bltyhe felt dreamy and atmospheric from the start. There is a strong sense of mystery woven throughout the book and Ella, sometimes reluctantly, has to do a bit of sluething to uncover the truth about her family's past and the implications of that towards her own life. Interwoven between all of this is a story of faith, calling, identity, dedication, and love but in ways you don't expect but left a lasting impression on me. I never wanted to put it down because it always felt like something just out of reach was waiting to be uncovered.
The heroine’s journey was one of my favorite parts. She is trying to figure out her own path while also honoring God through her love of ballet. Watching her wrestle with what it means to use her gift faithfully while still claiming it as her own felt honest and moving. Through Ella's character, there is a strong message about the difference between being a slave of God and a child of God - and how embracing the latter brings us better fruit in our lives and our relationship with the Father.
And the romance took me by surprise in the best way. The hero was not who I expected at all, which made the relationship feel even more meaningful as it slowly unfolded. I'll spoil too much if I reveal more but let's just say that he becomes so integral to this book that it feels just as much his story as it is Ella's! The full circle moment we get at the end will live in my mind permanently.
A Midnight Dance is mysterious, graceful, and quietly emotional. An easy five star read for me.
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