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The dance of life is never danced alone...
Years after fleeing to America—from an arranged marriage—Marie Du Gard returned to Paris a different woman. Slimmer and carefree, Marie vowed to protect her freedom at all costs—regardless of what her family or Parisian society thought.
But one man made it impossible for Marie to put her past behind her: Sébastien, the sophisticated older brother of her former fiancé.
Their history together—one illicit moment of it in particular—and circumstances conspire to pull them into an intricate dance of denial and attraction. Each step drawing them closer to the ultimate sacrifice of love...
Years after fleeing to America—from an arranged marriage—Marie Du Gard returned to Paris a different woman. Slimmer and carefree, Marie vowed to protect her freedom at all costs—regardless of what her family or Parisian society thought.
But one man made it impossible for Marie to put her past behind her: Sébastien, the sophisticated older brother of her former fiancé.
Their history together—one illicit moment of it in particular—and circumstances conspire to pull them into an intricate dance of denial and attraction. Each step drawing them closer to the ultimate sacrifice of love...
372 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1996
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Judy Cuevas
6 books31 followersSee profile for Judith Ivory.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 19, 2021
I loved the setting (seriously loved) and the characters were well drawn and interesting. There were parts that dragged some. I also was hoping for resolution or more info on how Sebastian moved forward with his kids with his first wife. They seemed too forgotten.
However, lots too love here, very compelling writing. Just not as good as Bliss, which raised the bar very high.
However, lots too love here, very compelling writing. Just not as good as Bliss, which raised the bar very high.
April 13, 2019
Spoilering for sake of Buddy Read--and probably anyone who hasn't read it.
October 30, 2023
2nd read. I spent a lot more time thinking about Marie's relationship with her father. It feels very queer in the sense that his acceptance of her is conditional and that they are both pained by it. It's not cut and dry, it's a relationship that exists in the liminal space between being disowned and being tolerated. It's uncomfortable and unfortunately I relate.
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I feel a bit winded. A little lost maybe? I finished this early yesterday evening and then tried to pick up three different books afterwards, but my mind kept wandering back to this book. To Sébastien and Marie.
Marie is the ex-fiancée of Sébastien's brother Bernard, a dissolute sculptor and the main character of Bliss. (Dance is the sequel to Bliss, a book I have not yet read.) After fleeing her doomed wedding three years earlier, sleeping with Sébastien once in a fevered state, and then moving away to America, Marie returns home to Paris. She's come back to get funding for the film she is directing from her father, who is also Sébastien's business partner.
Sébastien is caught off guard by the changes in Marie. She's confident, bohemian, and she has developed a bit of an unsavory reputation that she doesn't seem to care about one whit. On the other hand, he's just as much the aristocrat as ever: a bit too correct, a bit to unyielding, a bit out of fashion, now that France is a democracy.
Amusingly, they both remember the fateful day they slept together quite differently. To both it was feverish, even animal, but Sébastien is embarrassed that he lost control. He wonders if Marie fled to America because she was traumatized by their sexual encounter, which is such strong misinterpretation of both what occurred and also of Marie, who is not one to be prudish.
In present day, Sébastien wants to have Marie again. He doesn't seem to understand the why of it, but that's just one in a long list of things he doesn't understand. He doesn't understand Marie's fraught relationship with her father, her fiercely guarded independence, or why Marie flirts with him then leaves him "hanging by his fingernails."
Marie likes herself now, loves her work, and is terrified that tying herself to Sébastien for life will cause a backslide into the boring but genteel life her father envisioned for her. Sébastien is a man who is not used to compromise, so it's enthralling to watch him bend himself into new shapes to accommodate and entice Marie.
Like Black Silk, Dance feels really special. Judy Cuevas writes lived in characters that almost defy categorization because of their idiosyncrasies. I don't just want to see them fall in love, I want to know everything about them.
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I feel a bit winded. A little lost maybe? I finished this early yesterday evening and then tried to pick up three different books afterwards, but my mind kept wandering back to this book. To Sébastien and Marie.
Marie is the ex-fiancée of Sébastien's brother Bernard, a dissolute sculptor and the main character of Bliss. (Dance is the sequel to Bliss, a book I have not yet read.) After fleeing her doomed wedding three years earlier, sleeping with Sébastien once in a fevered state, and then moving away to America, Marie returns home to Paris. She's come back to get funding for the film she is directing from her father, who is also Sébastien's business partner.
Sébastien is caught off guard by the changes in Marie. She's confident, bohemian, and she has developed a bit of an unsavory reputation that she doesn't seem to care about one whit. On the other hand, he's just as much the aristocrat as ever: a bit too correct, a bit to unyielding, a bit out of fashion, now that France is a democracy.
Amusingly, they both remember the fateful day they slept together quite differently. To both it was feverish, even animal, but Sébastien is embarrassed that he lost control. He wonders if Marie fled to America because she was traumatized by their sexual encounter, which is such strong misinterpretation of both what occurred and also of Marie, who is not one to be prudish.
In present day, Sébastien wants to have Marie again. He doesn't seem to understand the why of it, but that's just one in a long list of things he doesn't understand. He doesn't understand Marie's fraught relationship with her father, her fiercely guarded independence, or why Marie flirts with him then leaves him "hanging by his fingernails."
Marie likes herself now, loves her work, and is terrified that tying herself to Sébastien for life will cause a backslide into the boring but genteel life her father envisioned for her. Sébastien is a man who is not used to compromise, so it's enthralling to watch him bend himself into new shapes to accommodate and entice Marie.
Like Black Silk, Dance feels really special. Judy Cuevas writes lived in characters that almost defy categorization because of their idiosyncrasies. I don't just want to see them fall in love, I want to know everything about them.
July 12, 2020
Wow 🤩 Dance is a historical romance but also a philosophical essay on control, freedom, art, sex but mostly LOVE.
Finishing it, I am left elevated and inspired to create and to love. When book can do that to you, that’s the highest accomplishment and it can be called art.
“I want a love song, a spontaneous melody sung by a spring.” Sebastien de Saint Vallier.
Sebastien de Saint Vallier is a man who has lived his whole life to society standards. His life is about work, discipline, duty and also prestige. There is no space left for feelings, indulgence, mistakes and forget about love. Yes, he has been married, has children but these relationships have been cold and detached.
What a special treat to see Sebastien burn with force for Marie du Gard. And she is not easy on him. Granted, if you have a tough nut, you need a strong cracker to open it. Marie challenges him at every turn while having her own issues to work out.
Dance pushes the boundaries of what romance can be. It also pushes the boundaries of what love can be. There are few references to subconscious mind and decisions we make from there. In this sense we get a peak into Sebastien mind. Marie, on the other hand, stays a little bit of a mystery to us and that might be reason why some readers were not as sympathetic to her. It’s harder to understand her. It’s as if the whole book was mostly written from Sebastien’s point of view.
I would highly recommend this book, find it in print because as of right now it doesn’t exist in ebook. It’s a thrilling, sensual, atmospheric quality read.
I believe that love is the only balance to death and the only antidote to ego. I believe that kissing a woman with your tongue, as good as it is, is better when you are also making love to her with your penis. I believe that sex and love, when they come together, become the strongest human force on the face of the earth. Directly flouted, they become violence, wars; sublimated, they become art; acknowledged and lived, they become happiness.” Sebastien de Saint Vallier
Finishing it, I am left elevated and inspired to create and to love. When book can do that to you, that’s the highest accomplishment and it can be called art.
“I want a love song, a spontaneous melody sung by a spring.” Sebastien de Saint Vallier.
Sebastien de Saint Vallier is a man who has lived his whole life to society standards. His life is about work, discipline, duty and also prestige. There is no space left for feelings, indulgence, mistakes and forget about love. Yes, he has been married, has children but these relationships have been cold and detached.
What a special treat to see Sebastien burn with force for Marie du Gard. And she is not easy on him. Granted, if you have a tough nut, you need a strong cracker to open it. Marie challenges him at every turn while having her own issues to work out.
Dance pushes the boundaries of what romance can be. It also pushes the boundaries of what love can be. There are few references to subconscious mind and decisions we make from there. In this sense we get a peak into Sebastien mind. Marie, on the other hand, stays a little bit of a mystery to us and that might be reason why some readers were not as sympathetic to her. It’s harder to understand her. It’s as if the whole book was mostly written from Sebastien’s point of view.
I would highly recommend this book, find it in print because as of right now it doesn’t exist in ebook. It’s a thrilling, sensual, atmospheric quality read.
I believe that love is the only balance to death and the only antidote to ego. I believe that kissing a woman with your tongue, as good as it is, is better when you are also making love to her with your penis. I believe that sex and love, when they come together, become the strongest human force on the face of the earth. Directly flouted, they become violence, wars; sublimated, they become art; acknowledged and lived, they become happiness.” Sebastien de Saint Vallier
September 7, 2019
Three stars? Four? *shrugs*
This is a beautiful novel - in both word and action. A slow ascension from confused lust to rich love - taking two strong-minded people by surprise. The book is divided into parts - and those quite accurately delineate the steps our wayward lovers take - stumblingly - on the rocky road to forever.
I particularly enjoyed the imagery - the descriptions of the countryside and woods and flora tied so prettily to the characters and their development. Earthiness in both scenery and ardor.
There’s also something nearly poetic about the prose. Lush and vibrant. Bucolic and shimmery. It is the backbone of the book.
My lack of enthusiasm springs from the heroine’s struggle. Even when reading her reasons and intellectually understanding and respecting them a little voice whispered “she’s ridiculous. I think she’s creating this.” And as the story progressed her strength - her fierce independence - became a sort of lodestone around her neck. She seemed nearly paranoid - fighting a battle that didn’t exist.
This is a beautiful novel - in both word and action. A slow ascension from confused lust to rich love - taking two strong-minded people by surprise. The book is divided into parts - and those quite accurately delineate the steps our wayward lovers take - stumblingly - on the rocky road to forever.
I particularly enjoyed the imagery - the descriptions of the countryside and woods and flora tied so prettily to the characters and their development. Earthiness in both scenery and ardor.
There’s also something nearly poetic about the prose. Lush and vibrant. Bucolic and shimmery. It is the backbone of the book.
My lack of enthusiasm springs from the heroine’s struggle. Even when reading her reasons and intellectually understanding and respecting them a little voice whispered “she’s ridiculous. I think she’s creating this.” And as the story progressed her strength - her fierce independence - became a sort of lodestone around her neck. She seemed nearly paranoid - fighting a battle that didn’t exist.
June 5, 2025
April 2024 group read: reading Judy with friends is the best. Also, I’m always crying.
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.
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December 2023: I am weak in the knees about this book and Judy Cuevas.
.
.
.
April 2023: “Art is going where others say you cannot go, where others can’t even imagine existing. Art is following your pinpoint of vision until it lights up in a burst to reveal a place others have never seen, not even in their imaginations, yet a place that, once revealed, is so universal and so luminously associated with Truth that this place can never be darkened from the mind of man again.”
— Sebastian de Saint Vallier in a letter to his brother Bernard “Nardi” de Saint Vallier
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.
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December 2023: I am weak in the knees about this book and Judy Cuevas.
.
.
.
April 2023: “Art is going where others say you cannot go, where others can’t even imagine existing. Art is following your pinpoint of vision until it lights up in a burst to reveal a place others have never seen, not even in their imaginations, yet a place that, once revealed, is so universal and so luminously associated with Truth that this place can never be darkened from the mind of man again.”
— Sebastian de Saint Vallier in a letter to his brother Bernard “Nardi” de Saint Vallier
April 14, 2019
I did not enjoy this book as much as Bliss. But I read it right after the first book. It might be the same phenomenon as eating two pints of delicious ice cream in a row and saying that the second one was not as tasty as the first. Same ice cream though.
March 12, 2024
My first Cuevas/Ivory but definitely not the last. Marie was a force of nature! She is the reason to track down a copy of this OOP historical romance. (Many thanks to my friend Aarya who spotted at a copy at McKay’s and sent it to me!) Set in 1906 France, Marie is freshly back home from America to ask her father to help fund the movie she’s directing. In addition to being a director, she plans on opening a theater in Paris. We love the ingenuity! Her father, however, is the worst and does not appreciate his daughter or her interests.
Sébastien, on the other hand, has no idea what to make of her. I love a befuddled yet entranced love interest! He is the definition of a buttoned up rule follower, in direct contrast to Marie’s vivacity and desire to innovate. Whenever Sébastien thinks he might help Marie, she shows him how she’s already got the situation in hand or that she doesn’t want whatever strictures he advises. She will not be contained by him, regardless of their attraction to each other.
This is the push-pull of their relationship. The very reasons they’re drawn to each other are the things they cannot make sense of. Marie has no interest in marriage or a conventional life, whereas Sébastien is all about respectability and wants to keep Marie by his side at all times. She compares him to an octopus for understandable reasons. It was difficult to know whether they could find a happy compromise or if they should just leave it at a fling. Having reached the abrupt ending, I’m still not entirely sure.
I loved learning about early filming techniques and seeing Marie lead her cast and crew. It was fascinating to see how her silent film came together and how she positioned it within a nascent industry. Cuevas blended these details seamlessly into Marie’s characterization and the plot. It was such a refreshing, enjoyable read and I look forward to tracking down the first book about Sébastien’s brother, who is also the fiancé Marie jilted.
Published in 1996, this holds up pretty well. There’s the gender essentialism and anti-fat bias you might expect (although it’s less than some of the fiction published today) but on the whole, there’s only one aspect that bears a closer look. Marie’s father is disabled and he’s also a terrible father to her. This doesn’t quite fall into the Disabled Villain Trope, since he has a fantastic relationship with Sébastien. But there aren’t any other disabled characters to speak of either. The story mostly forgets that Sébastien has five children in boarding school; we only ever hear the name of his eldest daughter and he doesn’t spend any time thinking about them, not even when . That would likely change were it written today.
Characters: Marie is a 31 year old white movie director and former piano teacher. Sébastien is a 41 year old white lawyer, businessman, and son of a duke with a mustache and mouche. He uses a monocle. He has five children who are in boarding school. This is set in 1906 Paris.
Content notes: , intimate partner violence (FMC hits and shoves MMC; this is not treated as partner violence), FMC tied to bed without consent by cast and crew members (they tell MMC to go find her and it works out fine but yikes), alcoholic secondary character, emotionally abusive father, past infidelity (MMC was married when he had sex with FMC three years ago; they lived separate lives so this is not treated as infidelity by anyone), vandalism by MMC (squirts paint on artist’s painting), broken leg, FMC’s father is paralyzed and missing one eye (past house fire), sexism, classism, ageism, unplanned pregnancy (toward end of book), recent weight loss, fatphobia (FMC used to be fat and her weight loss is idealized), past and present fatshaming, MMC’s brother was an alcoholic but is now sober, MMC is estranged from brother, past death of MMC’s wife (embolism from injecting morphine; she had filed for divorce and their marriage was not a love match), past death of FMC’s mother (hit by a wagon), vomit, on page sex, bondage, erotic drawings, alcohol, inebriation (secondary characters), cigarettes, cigar (secondary character), gendered euphemism for genitalia, gender essentialism, ableist language, use of “Chinaman” to describe a straw hat, mention of past death of secondary character’s wife in childbirth
Sébastien, on the other hand, has no idea what to make of her. I love a befuddled yet entranced love interest! He is the definition of a buttoned up rule follower, in direct contrast to Marie’s vivacity and desire to innovate. Whenever Sébastien thinks he might help Marie, she shows him how she’s already got the situation in hand or that she doesn’t want whatever strictures he advises. She will not be contained by him, regardless of their attraction to each other.
This is the push-pull of their relationship. The very reasons they’re drawn to each other are the things they cannot make sense of. Marie has no interest in marriage or a conventional life, whereas Sébastien is all about respectability and wants to keep Marie by his side at all times. She compares him to an octopus for understandable reasons. It was difficult to know whether they could find a happy compromise or if they should just leave it at a fling. Having reached the abrupt ending, I’m still not entirely sure.
I loved learning about early filming techniques and seeing Marie lead her cast and crew. It was fascinating to see how her silent film came together and how she positioned it within a nascent industry. Cuevas blended these details seamlessly into Marie’s characterization and the plot. It was such a refreshing, enjoyable read and I look forward to tracking down the first book about Sébastien’s brother, who is also the fiancé Marie jilted.
Published in 1996, this holds up pretty well. There’s the gender essentialism and anti-fat bias you might expect (although it’s less than some of the fiction published today) but on the whole, there’s only one aspect that bears a closer look. Marie’s father is disabled and he’s also a terrible father to her. This doesn’t quite fall into the Disabled Villain Trope, since he has a fantastic relationship with Sébastien. But there aren’t any other disabled characters to speak of either. The story mostly forgets that Sébastien has five children in boarding school; we only ever hear the name of his eldest daughter and he doesn’t spend any time thinking about them, not even when . That would likely change were it written today.
Characters: Marie is a 31 year old white movie director and former piano teacher. Sébastien is a 41 year old white lawyer, businessman, and son of a duke with a mustache and mouche. He uses a monocle. He has five children who are in boarding school. This is set in 1906 Paris.
Content notes: , intimate partner violence (FMC hits and shoves MMC; this is not treated as partner violence), FMC tied to bed without consent by cast and crew members (they tell MMC to go find her and it works out fine but yikes), alcoholic secondary character, emotionally abusive father, past infidelity (MMC was married when he had sex with FMC three years ago; they lived separate lives so this is not treated as infidelity by anyone), vandalism by MMC (squirts paint on artist’s painting), broken leg, FMC’s father is paralyzed and missing one eye (past house fire), sexism, classism, ageism, unplanned pregnancy (toward end of book), recent weight loss, fatphobia (FMC used to be fat and her weight loss is idealized), past and present fatshaming, MMC’s brother was an alcoholic but is now sober, MMC is estranged from brother, past death of MMC’s wife (embolism from injecting morphine; she had filed for divorce and their marriage was not a love match), past death of FMC’s mother (hit by a wagon), vomit, on page sex, bondage, erotic drawings, alcohol, inebriation (secondary characters), cigarettes, cigar (secondary character), gendered euphemism for genitalia, gender essentialism, ableist language, use of “Chinaman” to describe a straw hat, mention of past death of secondary character’s wife in childbirth
December 31, 2021
2.75 Stars
I’ve read two books by Cuevas, one I absolutely loved (Bliss - book 1 in this duet) and one that was simply awkward. With Dance being my third, I’m rather conflicted. There were moments of complete beauty that had me in thrall but then they were interspersed with the awkward writing I had felt in that second book. It interrupted the story flow for me. It’s less about the prose than it was the author's story direction and character exploits. Cuevas has delivered some of the most amazing lines and gorgeous prose, but I found sometimes she overwrote her scenes and dialogue to the point where they began to feel like folly. Cuevas wrote with a clear understanding of who her characters were, but I sometimes found their choice of expressions oddly executed and on one specific occasion, highly contrived. It's not to say I didn’t enjoy the overall story and outcome, it was simply a bit of a letdown after the joy of book one.
What I liked in this story was the consistency of Sebastian's characterization from his prominent appearances in bliss to his main role in Dance. There was definitely character growth as he pursued Marie, but the core of him remained consistent.
We only had a little to go by with Marie from the first book, but her character evolution was believable. Especially considering the growth of the Suffragist movement during her three years in America. What I struggled to grasp was her work in the film industry. I believed in her creativity and competence, but I had a hard time accepting all that she had accomplished within the industry and then in the course of the book.
While the romantic ending was nice and delivered a couple of my favorite lines, I was disappointed that there were no more mentions of Sebastian's children from his first marriage other than they were away at boarding schools. While Sebastian was redeemed at the end in regards to his issues with Marie, it fell a little flat when considering he had older children who had yet to meet her. It was hard for me to overlook that.
April 26, 2024
First things first: You MUST read Bliss, the first book in this duology, before you read Dance, even if that means you have to beg, borrow or steal to get your hands on it. Dance will still be an amazing book if you haven’t read Bliss first, but it will be quadruply amazing, and ten-timesly more emotionally powerful, if you have.
Second, it is a crime—a CRIME, I tell you—that Penguin Random House, which owns the rights to this Jove book, has not at least released it as an ebook. Everyone should be able to read it without spending $100 on it, although I would pay that much, in a heartbeat.
Third, I pretty much knew this already, but Dance has cemented for me the fact that Judy Cuevas/Judith Ivory is the greatest romance author who ever put pen to paper. And possibly the greatest fiction writer ever. The magic she makes with character development, and tension, and storyline, and symbolism, and sensuality, and philosophy, and, just, WORDS is astounding.
Dance picks up with Sébastian de St Vallier—brother of Nardi, the MMC of Bliss—and Marie du Gard, Nardi’s former fiancée. The story is set in 1906 France, which gives Cuevas leeway to play with relatively recent inventions such as cinema and automobiles. It’s a voyage of discovery for both Séb and Marie as they shed their old skins and figure out who they are now, who they have always been, and whether all their individual complexities are compatible with the other’s.
In true Cuevas style, it’s cinematic but never just aesthetic; emotional without being overwrought. There is such subtlety to her writing and plotting; every loose thread is tied up and every planted seed has germinated. (I feel I should apologize for all the semicolons; apparently Judy just brings them out in me.) And the epilogue. The epilogue! Perfect.
Second, it is a crime—a CRIME, I tell you—that Penguin Random House, which owns the rights to this Jove book, has not at least released it as an ebook. Everyone should be able to read it without spending $100 on it, although I would pay that much, in a heartbeat.
Third, I pretty much knew this already, but Dance has cemented for me the fact that Judy Cuevas/Judith Ivory is the greatest romance author who ever put pen to paper. And possibly the greatest fiction writer ever. The magic she makes with character development, and tension, and storyline, and symbolism, and sensuality, and philosophy, and, just, WORDS is astounding.
Dance picks up with Sébastian de St Vallier—brother of Nardi, the MMC of Bliss—and Marie du Gard, Nardi’s former fiancée. The story is set in 1906 France, which gives Cuevas leeway to play with relatively recent inventions such as cinema and automobiles. It’s a voyage of discovery for both Séb and Marie as they shed their old skins and figure out who they are now, who they have always been, and whether all their individual complexities are compatible with the other’s.
In true Cuevas style, it’s cinematic but never just aesthetic; emotional without being overwrought. There is such subtlety to her writing and plotting; every loose thread is tied up and every planted seed has germinated. (I feel I should apologize for all the semicolons; apparently Judy just brings them out in me.) And the epilogue. The epilogue! Perfect.
January 19, 2010
book: Dance] is, as far as I'm concerned, the single best historical romance title, ever. And it has some tough competition for that spot.
Cuevas writes beautifully, but more than that, she tells a compelling, engaging and still subtle story. This one is about a young woman returning home to Paris to make moving pictures, a new field. She is at odds with her father but no longer so intimidated by him as she had been. The brother of the man she left at the altar is there, recently widowed. He is earnest, correct in all things, and unable to put aside his interest in her.
The clash of personalities -- she's determined to live as she wants to, despite society's disapproval; he has never questioned the way of things directly -- sets up a battle of wills in which they both must learn to bend.
It's very hard to find this novel, but well worth the search. It follows on from Bliss (also excellent) but stands alone.
Cuevas writes beautifully, but more than that, she tells a compelling, engaging and still subtle story. This one is about a young woman returning home to Paris to make moving pictures, a new field. She is at odds with her father but no longer so intimidated by him as she had been. The brother of the man she left at the altar is there, recently widowed. He is earnest, correct in all things, and unable to put aside his interest in her.
The clash of personalities -- she's determined to live as she wants to, despite society's disapproval; he has never questioned the way of things directly -- sets up a battle of wills in which they both must learn to bend.
It's very hard to find this novel, but well worth the search. It follows on from Bliss (also excellent) but stands alone.
August 1, 2017
The trouble with reading such a perfect romance novel is that you then have take a break from the genre for a bit because in the wake of such a well written romance all else, even good stuff, will pale. Ms. Cuevas has a written a story of two adults who know their minds but are nonetheless caught in the tug and pull of an attraction the goes beyond the physical and how they learn to unbend from firmly established preconceptions in able to truly see the & accept the other person. Besides this we have in Sebastien a real hero in all the ways that matter. A man who lives by a code of conduct ingrained in his genes yet generous enough to question and revise these views for the love a woman who is no damsel in distress but rather a modern one full of ambitions & contradictions for which she needn't apologize.
I'd recommend reading "Bliss" first if only because it's a great book itself and there we meet Marie & Sebastien for the first time and can then truly grasp who they were & why and what a long achingly sweet road they've travelled by the end of "Dance".
I'd recommend reading "Bliss" first if only because it's a great book itself and there we meet Marie & Sebastien for the first time and can then truly grasp who they were & why and what a long achingly sweet road they've travelled by the end of "Dance".
January 1, 2024
I finished this book right around midnight ushering in 2024. And I cannot think of a more perfect farewell to the old and hello to the new.
I’m still taking deep breaths from bawling my eyes out after reading the epilogue. My fucking god this book… I will have more to write after I do a bit of this:
“Sébastien didn't try to stop the feeling as he might have once done. He met it, let it swim over him, savoring its intensity, the tension it produced, till the strength of it abated slightly.”
Right now 2024 feels bleak with no more new Judy to read for me 😭
I’m still taking deep breaths from bawling my eyes out after reading the epilogue. My fucking god this book… I will have more to write after I do a bit of this:
“Sébastien didn't try to stop the feeling as he might have once done. He met it, let it swim over him, savoring its intensity, the tension it produced, till the strength of it abated slightly.”
Right now 2024 feels bleak with no more new Judy to read for me 😭
February 23, 2016
Not the quality of follow-up to Bliss I was expecting.
May 3, 2026
I loved Bliss more, but Dance is wonderful in its own right. Cuevas is a brilliant writer, one head and shoulders above almost anyone else in the historical romance genre.
March 21, 2024
When I try to identify the golden standard for romantic historical fiction, my mind automatically conjures up Dance’s pink seashell cover.
There are quite a few historical romances that I consider the very best of the genre, but none has left the same enduring impression as this one.
I relate to the heroine’s journey in a very personal way, but that’s only part of the reason why I’ve been so enamoured with this book for years.
While I found ‘Bliss’ a more readily enjoyable romance as well as a masterpiece, in its sequel Judy Cuevas seemed determined to spoil the fun and turn well-established romantic tropes inside out with cynical urbanity.
What do you mean the hero and heroine slept together years before and parted ways without so much as a second glance? At a time when he was still married to his first wife? He doesn’t fall in love with the heroine until halfway through the book, once every tenet of his aristocratic life is put into question? Is he motivated by genuine feelings for her, or is he seeking distraction from his mid life crisis? Will the heroine’s hard fought independence crumble in the face of marriage?
The craven part of my brain recoiled from confronting many of this genre’s uncomfortable truths about gender and power imbalances. After all one generally reads historical romance in the attempt to momentarily forget about those very (relevant) issues.
I think that witnessing the unkempt and unfair side of love through this particular romance has given me a more refined taste in the genre.
Just like the novel’s heroine, Marie du Garde, pioneers the art of filmmaking, Dance is a manifesto of love in times of modernity. They just don’t make ‘em like this anymore.
There are quite a few historical romances that I consider the very best of the genre, but none has left the same enduring impression as this one.
I relate to the heroine’s journey in a very personal way, but that’s only part of the reason why I’ve been so enamoured with this book for years.
While I found ‘Bliss’ a more readily enjoyable romance as well as a masterpiece, in its sequel Judy Cuevas seemed determined to spoil the fun and turn well-established romantic tropes inside out with cynical urbanity.
What do you mean the hero and heroine slept together years before and parted ways without so much as a second glance? At a time when he was still married to his first wife? He doesn’t fall in love with the heroine until halfway through the book, once every tenet of his aristocratic life is put into question? Is he motivated by genuine feelings for her, or is he seeking distraction from his mid life crisis? Will the heroine’s hard fought independence crumble in the face of marriage?
The craven part of my brain recoiled from confronting many of this genre’s uncomfortable truths about gender and power imbalances. After all one generally reads historical romance in the attempt to momentarily forget about those very (relevant) issues.
I think that witnessing the unkempt and unfair side of love through this particular romance has given me a more refined taste in the genre.
Just like the novel’s heroine, Marie du Garde, pioneers the art of filmmaking, Dance is a manifesto of love in times of modernity. They just don’t make ‘em like this anymore.
April 26, 2024
Judy Cuevas is, in my humble opinion, one of the best writers of our time. She gifts readers with layers upon layers of emotion and meaning for readers willing to dig. For best results (and if you are able to get your hands on both, not an easy feat), read this duology in order. Both Marie’s and Sébastien’s journeys begin in Bliss and only get richer from there.
April 24, 2024
Finished the epilogue and burst into tears, so that’s how I felt about THAT.
April 18, 2022
I feel like it says a lot that I still enjoyed this book despite not liking the hero at all. He was a manipulative, selfish, entitled jerk in the first book and I don’t feel like he ever really redeemed himself for any of his prior behaviour. All he did in this book was take the stick out of his butt and luck out by finding a woman he didn’t deserve.
(I will admit that the main reason I read this book was because I wanted more Hannah and Nardi. I was also hoping for some sort of healing/reconciliation between Sébastien and Nardi… I was disappointed in both regards.)
However…
The book itself was clever and beautifully written. The heroine jumped off the page with her passion, determination, and zest for life. It was also really neat to read about early “moving pictures” and I ended up getting pretty invested in how the heroine’s career would pan out. I’m glad she got her HEA even if I think she could have done way better.
(I will admit that the main reason I read this book was because I wanted more Hannah and Nardi. I was also hoping for some sort of healing/reconciliation between Sébastien and Nardi… I was disappointed in both regards.)
However…
The book itself was clever and beautifully written. The heroine jumped off the page with her passion, determination, and zest for life. It was also really neat to read about early “moving pictures” and I ended up getting pretty invested in how the heroine’s career would pan out. I’m glad she got her HEA even if I think she could have done way better.
July 8, 2011
For some reason, I didn't expect this to be a sequel to Bliss. I liked this book so much better than that one. Two of the characters who were never far from the action in Bliss come center stage in Dance - Sebastian (Nardi's brother in Bliss) and Marie (Nardi's betrothed in Bliss) share a moment of passion that galvanizes both of them into self-discovery. I liked this one especially because it has the rich scenery of Bliss, without the cruelty. Marie can be frustrating at times with her absolute need for independence (to the point of dismissing the chance of romance), but understandable given her past, and she comes around in the end.
You can find this and Bliss online as PDF or HTML downloads if you search for them. I wouldn't normally support such a thing, but I know how hard it can be to find copies of these two books.
You can find this and Bliss online as PDF or HTML downloads if you search for them. I wouldn't normally support such a thing, but I know how hard it can be to find copies of these two books.
April 8, 2020
Reviewed (old) here
December 13, 2021
THIS WAS SO CLASSIC, IT REMINDED ME OF AN AUDREY HEPBURN FILM WHICH I THINK IS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE THIS STORY WAS SET IN THE EARLY 1900s. I did enjoy the setting because while there are plenty of historical romances featuring horse carriages, there aren't much that show the revolutionary times or when motorcars were already invented! Love that time period! Okay, now this was a struggle for me. I liked the plot but perhaps it's the writing style that didn't quite appealed to me? I liked the monologues but, I couldn't say it was a very passionate kind of writing. The idea of it was passionate, and it's probably the reason that kept me till the end but, if you're looking for something out of a Julie Anne Long or Lisa Kleypas, then this isn't your cup of tea.
Now, I'm puzzled why this book is called DANCE, because it literally had nothing to do with DANCE and even though the two characters WERE CIRCLING around each other, I would hardly call it intense enough to be a dance.
That being said...
Sébastien is what you can imagine every pedigreed man of his time would be - handsome, rich and gentlemanly. In other words, he's rigid, a pomp by nature and he doesn't tolerate scandal. He's also 41 years, having lost his wife three years ago whom they already have several children, one being married soon. I'm appalled by how long he lived without love until he reached his forties, and having done his duty to the family line....boy his life was extremely monotonous. Until the day he met the woman his brother was supposed to marry - Marie. It occurs to me that the author's biased because she kept emphasizing Sébastien's godly physique while Marie used to be a fat pudge. 3 years later after the day she ran off from her wedding, and they ending up shagging...SPUR OF THE MOMENT which his guilty mind conveniently forgets, he meets her again after her return from America, a changed woman.
I can totally related with MARIE who left home and after venturing to a new country, and then returning, it always makes you feel sophisticated and above everyone else. Marie used to be under her father's thumb and the expectations just suffocated her, that she broke off daddy's leash and ranaway to America and ran a little wild. She's back now, less fat, less boring and a little more something. Marie's interest in being a film director portrayed an interesting side of historical romance. We aren't talking about balls, gossip and such, but REAL LIFE situations, which is what makes this story authentic for us 21st century goofballs. Unfortunately, while I can relate to that part of Marie, I couldn't relate to her wild child ways. She's basically embracing everything that flips the finger at society's rule - shorter skirts, unconventional thinking, drinking and smoking!
3 years ago, something about Marie intrigued Sébastien and 3 years later, this new woman has him enthralled and he's learning that even he's not above feeling jealous and love for the first time in his regimented 41 years.
OVERALL this was exhilarating because it's DIFFERENT. But why did I not rate it higher? This was more of a personal preference. While I love LOVED the plot, I preferred it to be more along the lines of an AVON type romance? The way it was written didn't quite appeal to me, and yes, there were sex scenes...but I was still...unmoved...like a block of ice. I felt more of a stranger looking in than being one with the characters, IF YOU GET MY MEANING. Nevertheless, it's an interesting book, although I'd rather pick up a bodice ripper anytime...I guess I'm made more for drama.
Now, I'm puzzled why this book is called DANCE, because it literally had nothing to do with DANCE and even though the two characters WERE CIRCLING around each other, I would hardly call it intense enough to be a dance.
That being said...
Sébastien is what you can imagine every pedigreed man of his time would be - handsome, rich and gentlemanly. In other words, he's rigid, a pomp by nature and he doesn't tolerate scandal. He's also 41 years, having lost his wife three years ago whom they already have several children, one being married soon. I'm appalled by how long he lived without love until he reached his forties, and having done his duty to the family line....boy his life was extremely monotonous. Until the day he met the woman his brother was supposed to marry - Marie. It occurs to me that the author's biased because she kept emphasizing Sébastien's godly physique while Marie used to be a fat pudge. 3 years later after the day she ran off from her wedding, and they ending up shagging...SPUR OF THE MOMENT which his guilty mind conveniently forgets, he meets her again after her return from America, a changed woman.
I can totally related with MARIE who left home and after venturing to a new country, and then returning, it always makes you feel sophisticated and above everyone else. Marie used to be under her father's thumb and the expectations just suffocated her, that she broke off daddy's leash and ranaway to America and ran a little wild. She's back now, less fat, less boring and a little more something. Marie's interest in being a film director portrayed an interesting side of historical romance. We aren't talking about balls, gossip and such, but REAL LIFE situations, which is what makes this story authentic for us 21st century goofballs. Unfortunately, while I can relate to that part of Marie, I couldn't relate to her wild child ways. She's basically embracing everything that flips the finger at society's rule - shorter skirts, unconventional thinking, drinking and smoking!
3 years ago, something about Marie intrigued Sébastien and 3 years later, this new woman has him enthralled and he's learning that even he's not above feeling jealous and love for the first time in his regimented 41 years.
OVERALL this was exhilarating because it's DIFFERENT. But why did I not rate it higher? This was more of a personal preference. While I love LOVED the plot, I preferred it to be more along the lines of an AVON type romance? The way it was written didn't quite appeal to me, and yes, there were sex scenes...but I was still...unmoved...like a block of ice. I felt more of a stranger looking in than being one with the characters, IF YOU GET MY MEANING. Nevertheless, it's an interesting book, although I'd rather pick up a bodice ripper anytime...I guess I'm made more for drama.
April 3, 2026
Whoa!!! This I did not expect at all. I have read Beast and Bliss and I thought well, I don't know what I thought....but not this.
What we have here is a novel. Barely a historical romance in the traditional sense. A very mature story about two people, let's see if I can describe them in a sentence or two: Sebastien is a man raised to be exactly what he is, a charming, educated aristo doing his duty in life. He is a widow, has children, but this is a man who doesn't really know how to love anything or anyone, not even his own children or his late wife. He just never learned. But he did his best. The heroine is I think ten years younger, a woman whose mother died and whose father only semi-endured or tolerated her , BUT only if she did exactly what he thought she should do. Now this is a generalization. These two characters are awesome characters and very nuanced. Like real life people. Marie has went off and made herself a new life, she depends on herself, she wants freedom, she wants to make art, she comes home because she needs money, and that means facing her father and Sebastien is there, realizing that she is a modern woman, one he is interested in.
As they say, love is always about proximity and these two are thrown together for various reasons. Mostly due to their relationship to Marie's father and because they had sex long ago for the sake of sex. Now they want each other and it's a different kind of want, one that is fraught with anxieties, one they do not not fully comprehend. They have grown over the years, they have changed, but they are still locked into some mental habits, as all people are.
I don't know what it is about Judy Cuevas/Judith Ivory, but she has remarkable ways with prose and descriptions and even certain words, (I mean a single word placed in a sentence) which makes me breathless at times. She is as idiosyncratic as her characters are. Eccentric even. But the way she creates character is just mesmerizing. I mean I am studying her. None of her characters are what you call traditional romance novel characters. Laughing. They are beyond that so-called label. I hate labels. But anyway, the reader begins to understand that there are issues going on, deep psychological ones and in this book, even philosophical ones. It is important for Sebastien to learn how to love, even if loving a woman like Marie means compromise and yes, some change. He has never been one to compromise. He learns. And Marie feels like love might be a chain and ball, one that could drag her down from all she wants in life. I love this intense struggle between them and with themselves. It's messy. Very messy and this messiness is how life is, how love is. THIS IS A TRUE LOVE STORY. Yes it is about sex. Because sex is important, but so is art, so is freedom, so is self-acceptance. This is a powerful historical romance novel.
Did I love it as much as Beast. No. Did I love it as much as Bliss no. Perhaps it is wrong to compare it to those two books because they are so very different. But I did love it. Very much. In some ways, it is a much more complex novel than either Beast or Bliss. Dance is about the dance of life and how we choose to dance through it. How we hope we can make happiness, because you understand here, clearly that happiness is not something you find, you MAKE it. Marie is after that. Now Sebastien is after her so he can touch that feeling, too. We need a sequel. Smiling
What we have here is a novel. Barely a historical romance in the traditional sense. A very mature story about two people, let's see if I can describe them in a sentence or two: Sebastien is a man raised to be exactly what he is, a charming, educated aristo doing his duty in life. He is a widow, has children, but this is a man who doesn't really know how to love anything or anyone, not even his own children or his late wife. He just never learned. But he did his best. The heroine is I think ten years younger, a woman whose mother died and whose father only semi-endured or tolerated her , BUT only if she did exactly what he thought she should do. Now this is a generalization. These two characters are awesome characters and very nuanced. Like real life people. Marie has went off and made herself a new life, she depends on herself, she wants freedom, she wants to make art, she comes home because she needs money, and that means facing her father and Sebastien is there, realizing that she is a modern woman, one he is interested in.
As they say, love is always about proximity and these two are thrown together for various reasons. Mostly due to their relationship to Marie's father and because they had sex long ago for the sake of sex. Now they want each other and it's a different kind of want, one that is fraught with anxieties, one they do not not fully comprehend. They have grown over the years, they have changed, but they are still locked into some mental habits, as all people are.
I don't know what it is about Judy Cuevas/Judith Ivory, but she has remarkable ways with prose and descriptions and even certain words, (I mean a single word placed in a sentence) which makes me breathless at times. She is as idiosyncratic as her characters are. Eccentric even. But the way she creates character is just mesmerizing. I mean I am studying her. None of her characters are what you call traditional romance novel characters. Laughing. They are beyond that so-called label. I hate labels. But anyway, the reader begins to understand that there are issues going on, deep psychological ones and in this book, even philosophical ones. It is important for Sebastien to learn how to love, even if loving a woman like Marie means compromise and yes, some change. He has never been one to compromise. He learns. And Marie feels like love might be a chain and ball, one that could drag her down from all she wants in life. I love this intense struggle between them and with themselves. It's messy. Very messy and this messiness is how life is, how love is. THIS IS A TRUE LOVE STORY. Yes it is about sex. Because sex is important, but so is art, so is freedom, so is self-acceptance. This is a powerful historical romance novel.
Did I love it as much as Beast. No. Did I love it as much as Bliss no. Perhaps it is wrong to compare it to those two books because they are so very different. But I did love it. Very much. In some ways, it is a much more complex novel than either Beast or Bliss. Dance is about the dance of life and how we choose to dance through it. How we hope we can make happiness, because you understand here, clearly that happiness is not something you find, you MAKE it. Marie is after that. Now Sebastien is after her so he can touch that feeling, too. We need a sequel. Smiling
July 31, 2011
Flabbergastingly good.
This book avoids the errors of fact that marred some of her earlier work but brings alive two more complex people in a fascinating setting featuring an a disreputable but fashionable painter, silent movie making, and an idyll in the French countryside.
If only people were still writing books this wonderful!
This book avoids the errors of fact that marred some of her earlier work but brings alive two more complex people in a fascinating setting featuring an a disreputable but fashionable painter, silent movie making, and an idyll in the French countryside.
If only people were still writing books this wonderful!
March 10, 2026
God. the push and pull. "So nice of you to let me lead." almost too frustrating, but oh, the rewards. Judy!!!!!!!
[judy/judith, the romance reader, June 26, 1998]
[judy/judith, crescent blues, vol. 2, issue 6, 1998]
These two books, together, are perfection to the point of insanity
I think Sebastién is full of Must's and Ought's. I think sometimes I focus on all I ought to be, and must be, and forget to be myself. That is what I've drawn on for him. Sebastién's story to me was the story of a man discovering who he is – what he really wants in life – what truly gives him pleasure as a particular individual, what makes his life richer, and what is really just distractions, trivia: the story of a man becoming himself. In a sense, all my stories are about this. Usually the hero/heroine represent some piece of difficult growth in the other, a painful/pleasurable step into maturity. Or maturity as I see it and am trying to claim it for myself.
[judy/judith, the romance reader, June 26, 1998]
In fact, I also used it [a plot with drugs/addiction] in Dance -- Sebastién's wife dies of an overdose of what is most likely heroin, another Victorian horror that claimed women in particular. The book that did rock a few boats, though, was Bliss, but I always take exception to implications of an addiction theme in the book.
Bliss was, for me, a story of reclaiming oneself, of taking full possession of one's life -- for both protagonists -- i.e., becoming an adult. The ether -- because I remember the strong, sweet smell from when I was six and had my tonsils out -- seemed a good metaphor for the sweet, destructive ease of dependence: of being a child forever. It was never a story about drugs for me.
In fact, ether isn't physically addictive, which was another reason I chose it. Moreover, it was historical fact -- Guy de Maupassant and his ballerina girl friend used to throw parties where they served strawberries soaked in ether. Whole villages in England drank it to get around alcohol taxes. It was just an interesting historical quirk to me.
Anyway, I've said all this a thousand times. I made a point in the book that ether wasn't physically addictive -- talked about it, showed, I thought, how physically easy it was for Nardi simply to stop it. But obviously no one hears me. Either my viewpoint doesn't hold water [grins], or else my voice just can't out-shout our culture's preoccupation with drugs.
Nardi was dependent on his family, a family who lived off him, smothered him -- anesthetized him -- with their love. It's the story, for me at least, of healthy love vs. controlling, unhealthy attachment, which Nardi, I thought, overcame heroically.
[judy/judith, crescent blues, vol. 2, issue 6, 1998]
These two books, together, are perfection to the point of insanity
February 19, 2023
There's this idiom, "to summer and to winter" someone. It exists on a spectrum of metaphor in its exact meaning--to test someone, to stand by them for a whole year, to treat pleasantly and harshly in turn, to adhere and be faithful to, to consider or discuss a matter at great length, often with the implication that the discussion is tedious.
The idea is if this thing, idea or person is considered in these different circumstances, some veracity or constancy will be achieved.
Neither Dance nor Bliss take place in winter. They are both spring and summer books, three years apart. But I think the seasons metaphor works for Sebastian and Marie here. Marie du Gard has returned to France after dramatically and publicly leaving her fiance, Nardi de Villier, at the alter. The aspect of her absconding that is not public is her encounter with Sebastian de Villier, her jilted fiance's brother, immediately after the ceremony.
But the Marie that returns to France is older, more experienced, and on the edge of artistic greatness (she has committed to producing new fangled movies). Though she enjoys flirting with and poking Sebastian, he now represents a regression that she is unsure she is willing to take on.
Similarly, Sebastian has transformed. When he and Marie first slept together, he was married. He was fixated in equal parts on returning his family's ancestral home to their possession (this is why Marie and Nardi were engaged) and his political career. Now his wife has passed away and his friendship with Marie's father has endeared him so much that he is now the heir to du Gard's will, so future owner of the chateau, and has enriched himself so much based on his partnerships in enterprise with du Gard that his lawyering has taken a backseat. Now he has the thing he was so fixated on wanting, he is at a loss of what to demand next.
This is a book about two people summering and wintering each other.
The idea is if this thing, idea or person is considered in these different circumstances, some veracity or constancy will be achieved.
Neither Dance nor Bliss take place in winter. They are both spring and summer books, three years apart. But I think the seasons metaphor works for Sebastian and Marie here. Marie du Gard has returned to France after dramatically and publicly leaving her fiance, Nardi de Villier, at the alter. The aspect of her absconding that is not public is her encounter with Sebastian de Villier, her jilted fiance's brother, immediately after the ceremony.
But the Marie that returns to France is older, more experienced, and on the edge of artistic greatness (she has committed to producing new fangled movies). Though she enjoys flirting with and poking Sebastian, he now represents a regression that she is unsure she is willing to take on.
Similarly, Sebastian has transformed. When he and Marie first slept together, he was married. He was fixated in equal parts on returning his family's ancestral home to their possession (this is why Marie and Nardi were engaged) and his political career. Now his wife has passed away and his friendship with Marie's father has endeared him so much that he is now the heir to du Gard's will, so future owner of the chateau, and has enriched himself so much based on his partnerships in enterprise with du Gard that his lawyering has taken a backseat. Now he has the thing he was so fixated on wanting, he is at a loss of what to demand next.
This is a book about two people summering and wintering each other.
April 6, 2021
A little spoiler ahead:
I would like to give 1 starts because the hero.. but i love the writer so much I can’t do that. Sebastian, was an unfeeling robot, a control freak, he did many questionable things in the first book regarding her brother’s “best interest” and he cheated on his wife with the heroine in this book before she died, the cheating explained in this book, it was completely animalistic and out of nowhere. But that one time heat was the base of this book and their relationships. He was so cold towards his wife; we understand that through his thoughts, not like the writer gave her any scene, he blames his wife because she didn’t let her distaste known by her husband’s absence. And he did nothing for his wife and his five children other than providing them and try to be perfect husband before the society. I was very very mad at him. So what if he found love after many years? What if he didn’t love his wife? Did he ever tried to love her? He did absolutely nothing, and now he acts like s school boy, singing love songs rolling on the grass with his younger, lively lover. Careless about the kids he sent to boarding school...
I would like to give 1 starts because the hero.. but i love the writer so much I can’t do that. Sebastian, was an unfeeling robot, a control freak, he did many questionable things in the first book regarding her brother’s “best interest” and he cheated on his wife with the heroine in this book before she died, the cheating explained in this book, it was completely animalistic and out of nowhere. But that one time heat was the base of this book and their relationships. He was so cold towards his wife; we understand that through his thoughts, not like the writer gave her any scene, he blames his wife because she didn’t let her distaste known by her husband’s absence. And he did nothing for his wife and his five children other than providing them and try to be perfect husband before the society. I was very very mad at him. So what if he found love after many years? What if he didn’t love his wife? Did he ever tried to love her? He did absolutely nothing, and now he acts like s school boy, singing love songs rolling on the grass with his younger, lively lover. Careless about the kids he sent to boarding school...
December 23, 2019
Around 3.5-3.75 maybe but I'm rounding up because I liked the last scene a lot. To be very honest, I didn't like this as much as the first book mainly because Ms. Judy Cuevas did such a good job at making me dislike Sebastien in Bliss....
March 24, 2021
I absolutely loved this book.
I took a time from historical romance. But this is Gold.
Loved the heroine, loved the hero.
Stuffy proper H & spunky heroine.
I took a time from historical romance. But this is Gold.
Loved the heroine, loved the hero.
Stuffy proper H & spunky heroine.
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