Grace and Clementine Harrington are left to their own devices, after their father tragically dies of influenza and their mother takes to her bed. Grace is the eldest and she works at The London Library and Clementine is a talented ballet dancer and she’s been taking lessons at Madame Lebedev’s School of Ballet since she was a young girl.

Both young ladies are tired of just scraping by and the house is getting rather rundown and shabby, their mother has sold off everything of value, Grace sees no other option but for her to find a rich husband and Clementine wants to earn a scholarship to a prestigious ballet school and dreams of touring the world as a ballerina and making her fortune.

August Draper, an American moves into the house next door, he’s single and works as the Assistant Director at the Botanic Gardens and Grace sets her sights on the eligible bachelor. Clementine has always lived in her sister’s shadow, her mother is very nasty to her, a bully and has made her feel an ugly duckling.

The question is will Grace succumb to the pressure her mother is putting on her, or does she love someone else, will she stand up for herself and go against her mother's wishes? Clementine has her own problems, she’s almost eighteen, her mother wants her to get a job, ending her dreams of being a ballerina and if Grace marries she will be tapped.

I received a copy of The Dancer’s Promise by Olivia Horrox from Embla Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The interesting narrative is set in the mid 1930’s in England and it looks at the relationship between the sisters, despite Grace being her mother’s favourite, the sisters are close and Clem wants her sister to be happy and marry for love.

I really how the story focuses on Clementine wanting to be a ballerina, the lessons she takes at the dance school, the chemistry between her and Rudolf Lebedev the son of her teacher, they dance beautifully together, the dedication it takes and how competitive it is, and the hours and hours of practice.

A novel about deciding whether to follow your dreams or running from them, not knowing what path to take in life and don't ignore what you feel in your heart. Four stars from me and I'm keen to read the author's previous book Beautiful Little Fools.netgalley netgalley-reading-challenge-202329 s3 comments Lesley N140 4

"The Dancer's Promise" is the story of two sisters, one obsessed with ballet and the the other with books, supporting each other in pre-war London. Their father is dead and their mother has decided she is an invalid. Money is short and their home is crumbling around them as there are no funds for repairs. Neither sister seems able to understand / admit who they are in love with, so basically, the book takes us through the resolution of this.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.1 Sue1,073

London, 1936. Since the death of their father, sisters Grace and Clementine have been struggling to keep their family together. While their mother confines herself and her perpetual black moods to her bedroom, their state of genteel poverty is becoming unsustainable, despite Grace's best efforts to keep their heads above water through her job at the London Library.

Clementine dreams of becoming a ballet star, and touring the world. She hopes to win a coveted place at the Vic-Wells troupe with her dance partner and close friend, Rudi, who she has been dancing with since she was a child. She has the talent, but her stern mother's disapproval threatens to dash her hopes before they can become reality. Grace's hopes are simpler, but just as dear to her. She yearns for the contentment of marriage and motherhood, with the man she has secretly given her heart to, even though she knows her mother will never approve of her choice.

When a wealthy, charming American, August Draper, becomes their neighbour, he brings turmoil to Grace and Clementine's lives. Their mother is determined that Grace will become his wife and save the family fortunes - a situation that Grace becomes resigned to, even though she loves another. Single-minded Clementine finds herself caught between her hopes and her heart too, forced to make difficult choices she was not expecting. What does the future hold for these sisters?

The Dancer's Promise is a story of love, loss, family, and fighting for your dreams, set in the 1930s. The mainstay of the story is the relationship between sisters Grace and Clementine, and their courage in dealing with the twists of fate that threaten to shatter the dreams each of them hold so dear.

This a slow-burn, coming-of-age story, told from the point of view of younger sister Clementine, who feels the greater burden of her mother's wrath, for reasons which become clear as the story unfurls. This allows Horrox to immerse the reader in the world of the ballet dancer through Clementine's ambitions, which will thrill fans of the classic terpsichorean art. There is so much detail from behind the scenes of dance, and about the glamour of the performances on stage - especially when it comes to the fierce rivalries and the sacrifices which must be made to be a prima ballerina, and the chemistry between dance partners.

In contrast, Grace's story happens mostly off stage (if you will pardon the pun). The knowledge you glean of the emotional twists and turns that befall her, as she is caught between her dreams and her duty, mostly comes through Clementine's eyes . Much of what happens to Grace feeds into Clementine's tale, and yet we never really see into her heart and mind, which I thought was a shame. There were some really interesting social history elements of Grace's storyline that Horrox could have explored to broaden the appeal of the novel for readers less engaged with ballet too.

My favourite parts of this story are those which delve into the bond between the sisters; and into the historical setting, which Horrox does a nice job to brings alive with her evocative writing. This was a time of great change for women, and I enjoyed how she touches on shifting attitudes through her female characters, although this is essentially a historical romance rather than a feminist story. In many ways, the feel of this book reminds me of a grown-up version of Noel Streatfeild's ballet stories, which I found quite nostalgic - definitely worth your time if you grew up reading that series, and enjoy a well- woven, gentle historical romance.
Karen280 7

Set in 1936, this story follows the fortunes of Clementine Harrington, who at 17 is close to her dream of joining the Vic-Sadler ballet company. She longs to star on stage – but there are obstacles in her way. Her mother, a reclusive widow, disapproves of her dancing and refuses to countenance funding it.
Could Clementine find salvation in the shape of August Draper, their new neighbour, who is in search of a wife? She does not love him but together they could travel the world, following her dreams. Sadly, August is more interested in Clementine’s older sister, Grace.
Can either sister really marry for money, not love? Is there any other way to escape their mother’s malign influence?
As the narrative progresses, tensions rise, and Clementine’s dreams remain tantalisingly out of reach …
I do love a ballet story – I grew up on a diet of Noel Streatfeild’s books, following the fortunes of girls Posy Fossil, poor girls with unlimited dreams. The Dancer’s Promise is Ballet Shoes for grown-ups and is equally enthralling as you enter into the world of block shoes, endless exercise bars, dancers’ rivalries and leading roles.
Along with Clem, a very attractive character who is headstrong, focussed and passionate about her art, there is a handsome hero in Rudi, her dance partner, who supports her dreams, and probably knows her better than she knows herself.
Along with themes of ambition, and tales of romance, this story also perfectly explores the strong bonds of sisterhood, with Clem and Grace sparking off each other and uniting against their mother. She’s an interesting character, too, just on the right side of monstrous.
Given this is set in 1936, and one of the supporting characters, Jacob, is a Jew, I expected this story to go in to the political turmoil that was brewing for the world. But though the author acknowledges the gathering clouds of war, she stays strongly focussed on Clementine’s story, keeping it personal at all times as she steps her way through the many, often heart-breaking obstacles strewn in her path.
I d the way the title The Dancer’s Promise worked. Clementine has promise but she has also made a promise, to herself and her teachers and her late father, and she stays true to it throughout the story.
Heartbreak, sacrifice, ambition and romance – what more could a reader ask for in a book?
Julie2,316 35

Olivia Horrox’s The Dancer’s Promise is a dramatic, passionate and engrossing tale of forbidden passion, family ties and dangerous desires perfect for Santa Montefiore fans.

The bottom falls out of Grace and Clementine’s world when their father loses the family fortune and their mother locks herself away. Left to their own devices in their London home that is falling down around their ears, the two sisters vow to one another to do everything they can to restore their family’s reputation and recoup their fortune. However, little do the sisters realise that this promise could end up severing the bond that has always meant the world to them.

Clementine is adamant to make her own way in the world and not to rely on any man for financial or emotional support. Determined to become a sensation on the boards, Clementine sets her sights on becoming a famous dancer where she will be able to tour the world and make her own fortune. Clementine refuses to be any man’s possession and hardens her heart determined not to make her mother’s mistakes – until she falls in love with the one person she shouldn’t.

Grace, on the other, has her eyes set on making the best possible match she can. Their eligible new American neighbour is the man she has set her heart on and with his good looks, effortless charm and wealth, he seems the absolute perfect man. But could Grace finding happiness with him? Or is she pinning all her hopes on a man who will end up breaking her heart?

When the sisters’ lives are thrown into turmoil, they find themselves forced to choose between the promise they had made to one another and the chance at true love.

With its echoes of Sense and Sensibility and I Capture the Castle, Olivia Horrox’s The Dancer’s Promise is an emotional, heart-wrenching and enthralling historical novel that is wonderfully romantic, immensely readable and so captivating it is a genuine struggle to put down.

A superb page-turner guaranteed to get under every reader’s skin, Olivia Horrox’s The Dancer’s Promise belongs on every reader’s must-read list in 2024.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.1 loopyloulaura996 20

Clem was born to dance and she desperately needs to get a scholarship at a prestigious ballet company to escape her bitter and cruel mother. But what sacrifices will she need to make in order to realise her dream?
The Dancer's Promise is an historical family drama and love story set in 1936. There are few references to historical details and the characters and plot felt more modern.
Clem and Grace are sisters in London. Their mother has barely left her bed since her husband's death but the arrival of a new neighbour spurs her on to matchmake for her beloved Grace to save the family from poverty. Clem knows that her sister isn't suited to August and wants to claim him for herself to protect her sister from an unhappy marriage.
The book is written from Clem's first person perspective. I really felt her frustration and hope as she dreams of freeing herself and her sister from their miserable home. Their mother is awful, emotionally abusive to her younger daughter which is quite unpleasant to witness.
I didn't agree with all of Clem's choices but I understood her desperation to escape her circumstances. The plot is engaging but it is perfectly clear from the beginning which couples should end up together. I d the easy to read style of writing and Clem's voice brings her story to life.
The Dancer's Promise is an entertaining book about following your dream, finding love and acceptance. Lily362 2

In this charming historical fiction novel, readers travel to early twentieth century England where ballerina Clementine is working day and night, despite her mother’s anger about her choice of profession, to become a dancer for the Vic-Wells Ballet. However, her mother is much more invested in Clementine’s older sister Grace’s future and her marriage to the new and handsome American next door, Augustus Draper. Clementine, trying to get out from her mother’s influence, thinks herself in love with Draper, but this only strains her relationship with her sister Grace, her best friend and dance partner Rudi, and her ballet teacher. As the novel progresses and Clementine gets closer to her freedom and to living her dream, she has to choose between dance and love. Horrox’s characters are the heart of the story, and Clementine is a realistic, flawed, likable narrator. The competitive world of dance is a great backdrop for the story and for Clementine’s character arc, and Horrox has really brought the world of early twentieth century ballet to life. The character development is also phenomenally handled, and the platonic and romantic relationships between the characters are complex and realistic, extending beyond the scope of this excellent romantic historical fiction novel. Janilyn Kocher4,164 92

The cover on Dancer’s Promise is gorgeous.
I felt sorry for both Grace and Clementine for the first part of the book. Clementine was the unwanted child and the mother was just ghastly to her.
I loved the gumption of both girls as they spread their wings and followed their own life paths.
One of the best scenes was when Clem confronted her mother about all the pent up feelings.
Clem realized she was dancing for all the wrong reasons and was dancing toward someone special.
Set against the backdrop of the 1930s, it’s a rich tale of family, determination, and dance.
Thanks to Embla and NetGalley for the early read. Chrissie733 4

This story is about two sisters living in 1940's London ,one who loves ballet and one who loves books .I found this book really difficult as it is just about the sisters trying to realise who they are actually in love with .This took the whole book ,I thought it would be exciting but it was not .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC. Carol34

A brilliant story. I loved the characters Grace and Clementine a true story of sisterly love and support in such difficult times. The differences between the two sisters view of their futures was wonderful to read about. This was a truly memorable read and the courage of these two women to fulfill their dreams was touching and inspiring.
Ethel192 4

1940's England two sisters, one a ballet dancer who wants to perform on stage, the other only wants a good marriage. That was the focus of the entire book. Not as interesting as it could have been. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Bluereadergal - Sarah48 8

I read the E-Arc of this book. This review is up on my blog also.

Oh my gosh! What a beautifully written story! Love, life, choices, sisters, dreams and dancing! I totally loved it. The way it was written and how the flow of the story moved so gracefully along with a few surprises. I am so not giving it away. I literally could not stop reading. I tried to read as fast as I could but a thing called sleep came to me and life things comes at you to do…you know?

If you historical fiction, this book is for you! I really, really, really enjoyed it. I hope others read this beautiful gem…you should! You really should. Also I am loving the cover! So pretty.

I love how Grace and Clementine are great sisters to each other and yet they have their own dreams. Grace works in the library (loved this because libraries rule). as Clementine is on a mission to head to the stage as ballet dancer (dancing is amazing and I love dancing). The sisters just click as sisters do! I just loved their relationship with each other. I assumed that the story was going to focus on both sisters, but it’s mostly on Clementine.

I will say I was not a fan of their mother. She was just heartless and cruel to Clementine which broke my heart. Aren’t mothers supposed to be so kind? Luckily Grace did not fall into world of meanness from her mother. Just ugh to the mother. I do wonder if the mother was that when the Grace and Clementine was little? I hoped not.

So these questions were lingering about while I was read: Who gets to get married? Who gets to follow their dreams? Who has to make the hard choices? What will happen to the new handsome neighbor? Will the two sisters remain sisters?

Reading one page after another, the questions kept coming to me and I kept looking for the answers…well boy, I did find some answers. Whoo whee! I can say that I was feeling all the feels! One moment I was gasping, the next I was yelling no, another time I was happy and yet I was also putting on my thinking hat trying to predict the story which I did not predict right but it it was soooo good! It is such a great story as I had a smile on my face. To me the story seemed more about choices and dreams, which I adored reading. I will say there was no spicy bits in it but that did not stop me from loving the adventures. Okay okay, there was one or two kisses that happened.

This is a must if you historical fiction!! You must get this book!

Go get it when it comes out January 2024. It’s out now! 1 Simone152 6

Autor del comentario:
=================================