I Can't Dance Alone

by Maggie Brown

When Sarah Phillips lands on top of Harriett Roberts in an overturned car it’s not an ideal first meeting. The overwhelming confusion she feels threatens her plans for a fresh start as a doctor in the Australian Outback.Veterinarian Harry Roberts doesn’t need some pretty city girl rocking her world. The Outback is no place for lightweights.One touch, one unguarded look. The future could be promising, if neither of them had a past.

Genres: Lesbian, Contemporary, Romance, Medical, Lesbian Romance, Fiction, LGBT

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 2014

About the author

Born and bred in Queensland, Australia, Maggie Brown has always been an advocate for women’s rights. An avid reader, she only discovered lesbian literature ten years ago, which opened a whole new world to her. A long-term artist, she turned her hand to writing for a different challenge. It’s become her passion, and she now has eight books on the shelves, two of which were finalists in the Golden Crown Literary awards. Her novels vary from thrillers to romances. Maggie loves dotting her pages with lots of interesting characters, and writes about relationships with a humorous eye. When she’s not writing, she’s a golf hacker, card sharp and movie buff, and particularly likes to chill out at night with a glass of wine and a good book.

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Pin · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an illustration, two major drawbacks. First, the behavior of the main characters is very childish and irresponsible. Secondly, their skills and knowledge are pure fantasy — unbelievable and impossible. For example — Harry, a country veterinarian is also the world's master violinist without any practice for years. Sarah, a talented surgeon is even more talented psychologist who can solve a hostage situation or serious childhood trauma in five minutes. Anything is no big deal for Super Sarah. Funny, but totally absurd.

[Sarah Byrnes · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was prepared to really like this book. It is set in Australia, and written by an Australian. Instead, I got a book that is full of inconsistencies, is inaccurate about the Australian healthcare system and Emergency Services practices and policies (highly insulting really!) and some things that are just completely unbelievable. Yes, Ms author, there are kangaroos in Melbourne. I was so disappointed in this book that reading the second half was only marginally better than having dental work done.

[Ty · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed about the first 20% of this, and was settling in for what would be an interesting read. It definitely wasn’t. The characters are hard to believe and hard to like. The plot is excessively (VERY excessively) dramatic, especially towards the end. And sexual assault is casually thrown around as a plot device at least three times. I will read at least one more by this author, but I’m a little apprehensive about it.

[~ * K E L L I E * ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the character interaction and the countryside setting. The leading ladies had the right amount of chemistry and the supporting characters were positively charming.

I read this book in one sitting as I just couldn't put it down.

A great debut novel - 4.5 stars

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 🌟

[Celina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was chaotic, like what the fuck... but it was cool.

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie Brown wrires beautifully - real class and this book is definitely up there. Superb. Everything you can want - yea, yea, a little too perfect but as her dedication says: "may this book give you a few hours to escape into another life." Perfect!

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pacing is odd in a chaotic way. The dialogue sounds very unnatural. Everything is bizarre

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have easily been a 4 star novel if not for one thing: the instalove phenomenon. You know what I'm talking about. The main characters speak roughly 3-4 times on a superficial level and WHAMO they're saying things like "you mean everything to me." It just drives me crazy. The rest of the book is good but the loving sentiments come across as inauthentic when the relationship hasn't been developed.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like all stories set in Australia, especially the Outback.

[Line · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book.
Could not put it down so finished it in a day :-)

Great debut! 4.5 stars

[Cara Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the Australian Outback, this story surprised me. The complete misinterpretation of each other's feelings when they met, the misreads of how they felt toward one another until it all came out. Harriett "Harry" Roberts is the town vet. Sarah Phillips is a high flying surgeon from Melbourne.

When the very first thing that happens after Sarah arrives is for their car to dodge a kangaroo and end up tilted in a ditch with Sarah on top of Harry, she first realizes that Harry is someone she wants and then realizes (mistakenly) that Harry appears to hate her.

Once these two start to get together, trying to hide their relationship in a small outback town becomes trying (and unknown to them, they fail spectacularly at it). But when Sarah is injured while rescuing a man in a remote canyon and has to be left behind for a second team to come rescue her, but then the gorge is flooded, Harry forces her way out to the ravine to help with the rescue, fearing Sarah may have drowned.

And when Harry is in a remote helicopter crash, Sarah fears the worst but happily finds that Harry is just a little banged up.

There's a third act breakup that doesn't feel contrived and how they get back together is totally sweet. There's Sarah taking on Harry's abusive and violent father and winning the right for Harry's mother and sister to never be forced to see him again.

All in all, this was a surprising and sweet HEA that kept me up late finishing it in one sitting!

[Tinything · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dont know how to start this to be honest. Both main characters didn’t interact with each other much at all. This book is written in third person POV, in Sarah perspective only, so everything is in Sarah’s head. I think, up to around 30% of the book or was it 40%? They met or saw each other twice or thrice? They only exchanged a small talk and Harry is rarely show up and with not much interaction, i hardly got to know her. I seem to unable to find the chemistry between the two characters. Than they ended up slept with each other and all of the suddent they confessed and fall head over heel each other and blah blah blah urghh... idk. Some of the things, i found them to be a bit exaggerated. What triggered me the most though, was the fight between them I mean they said they love each other and something like “you mean everything to me” or cant live without you. But when Harry found out Sarah did some research on her, she flipped and so very angry and want to move out of town because she broke her trust. I know privacy is important for individual - fighting is okay but why with the thing that ‘cant live here and going to move out’ and what happened to the love confession before then. Sigh i’m tired goodnight guys 😔

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. A veterinarian and a surgeon/doctor without money issues? Yes. Gimme that equal footing people always talk about.
But, formatting issues and wrong words that make the sentences hard to understand/ruin the sentence aside (and I’m very big on those things, because they can be fixed with another read-through or two) - I found it ridiculous in parts. Sarah can apparently do everything. Best doctor, best psychologist, second best at playing the piano, healer of everything and everyone. It’s unrealistic.
The dialogue seemed weird it parts. Like, out of time.
On top of that, there was a lot of dialogue that didn’t go into how things are said. Not even a she said, she asked.
And personally, I need those things. Emotions are what makes a book come to life. Not the description of land or backroads.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well-written and enjoyable!

Set in rural Queensland, this story of doctor/surgeon Sarah Phillips and veterinarian Harry Roberts was so interesting filled with strong, successful women and very enjoyable secondary characters. The ongoing desire they had for one another was utterly palpable. The plot was filled with excitement and the story was well-written about the issues they had faced in the past and were currently facing in the present. The descriptions were wonderful which made me feel like I could be in the outback with them. It's the first book I've read from Maggie Brown but it definitely won't be my last!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Story

I Can’t Dance Alone is a wonderful story of two women being thrown together and finding love. Sarah and Harry are literally thrown on top of each other during an accident. Electric tingles surge through each of them, but they at first feel the cold shoulder of the other. I truly loved the setting of this story. The background of the characters added depth to the storytelling.

[Karro · Rating 1 out of 5]

The beginning was fine, the instant love and the soulmates thing was not realistic. But it was interesting enough. But suddenly the mc became a authorative b* and showed no respect at all for her 'soulmate'. It just got unhinged with the dramatic plot, the major trauma thrown in, seemingly random, wich thz mc just wasged away? And ofcourse the demands, no respect for boundaries,it annoyed me so much I stopped at 89% no thank you.

[Amy Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Australian Outback

The setting is described fabulously, you get a real sense of rural Australia.

But the narrative lacks substance. I really wanted to invest in Harry and Sarah's love story, but it lacked depth and linear consistency.

It needs a good edit. It has great potential, but I'm not sure it's there yet.

[Anne Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story, great romance between two strong-willed women, and exciting Outback adventures, rescues

Loved the interactions between Sarah and Harry, descriptions of surgical successes, and rescues in the Outback. The personal clashes and steamy make-up sessions between Sarah and Harry made the story even better, along with the character development of family and townsfolk.

[Carolyn G. Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful Story of Unlikely Love

Sarah is an extraordinary surgeon who moves to the Australia outback to find herself. She doesn’t like who she has become. Harry, the town vet, meets her at the airport and from the moment their eyes meet their worlds collide. An excellent sapphic romance.

[FSH78 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book as I am an Aussie living in the US so I love any connection to home. I enjoyed the book but was annoyed at some of the inconsistencies with the setting and with the medical aspects.

[Susan Ferrante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this Novel

A veterinarian meets a doctor and sparks fly. This is the first book I have read by Maggie Brown and I hope there are many others. I love both main characters and the supporting cast, and the many twists and turns which kept me on the edge until the last page.

[Elizabeth Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

This is an enjoyable story set to rural Queensland. The secondary characters add to the experience. While there are a large number of events to keep the story going it all turns out right in the end.

[Trippentigger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written

Nice readable story, but not for me. The MC was perfect in every aspect of her life, to the point of unbelievability. Top surgeon, GP, psychologist, dancer, pianist, the list keeps going. Author has talent and some will love this book.

[Diane Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love iy

What a wonderful tale of two intelligent, strong women and the great outback. Life in the bush is hard but this couple is there for each other. Wish I was a wordsmith to better convey how much I enjoyed this book.

[Frank R. Beaudine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Read

Really good story with great characters, Not your typical romance novel but more suspense and believable family issues. Highly recommend!

[Alison A]

DNF, what a mess

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story. Abet unbelievable at time, but the budding romance between characters was fun. Love these “short” stories! Easy read, finish in one afternoon.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

I have enjoyed this wonderful heartfelt romance of two very strong women who when they meet they could not be more perfect for each other.

[Kirian · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I gave up around 50%. It was so action packed that it was more than unreal. It would be better fitted as a comic book with superheros....
I also felt no connection to the MC's.