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Wonders Never Cease
This propulsive, gorgeously-written fantasy romance will pull you into a dazzling world of dancing and danger, fae and fairytales, and a love that endures against all odds.
Musical and immersive, this stunning debut is perfect for fans of The Night Circus and The Moonlight Market.
London, 1986. Trix, a young dancer in the British Classical Ballet Company, has been striving for years to make a name for herself in the competitive and unforgiving world of elite ballet. Aleksander 'Sander' Sylvan is the company's mysterious, meteoric rising star, whose talents are like nothing anyone has seen before.
An eleventh-hour illness among the cast of The Sleeping Beauty changes everything; Trix and Sander are thrown together in the lead roles, surprising everyone with their chemistry. Soon the pair become the company's star attraction, their sizzling on-stage partnership fuelling speculation about their private lives. Trix knows she's falling for Sander, but relationships have always been difficult for her, and as they grow closer, she cannot help but wonder about his past. Who is Sander really? Why won't he talk about his family, or where he comes from?
On the opening night of Romeo & Juliet at the very height of their fame, Sander vanishes without trace. With only a cryptic note to go on, Trix begins to wonder if the magic of the ballets they danced together has invited something truly strange and wondrous into the mortal world.
Musical and immersive, this stunning debut is perfect for fans of The Night Circus and The Moonlight Market.
London, 1986. Trix, a young dancer in the British Classical Ballet Company, has been striving for years to make a name for herself in the competitive and unforgiving world of elite ballet. Aleksander 'Sander' Sylvan is the company's mysterious, meteoric rising star, whose talents are like nothing anyone has seen before.
An eleventh-hour illness among the cast of The Sleeping Beauty changes everything; Trix and Sander are thrown together in the lead roles, surprising everyone with their chemistry. Soon the pair become the company's star attraction, their sizzling on-stage partnership fuelling speculation about their private lives. Trix knows she's falling for Sander, but relationships have always been difficult for her, and as they grow closer, she cannot help but wonder about his past. Who is Sander really? Why won't he talk about his family, or where he comes from?
On the opening night of Romeo & Juliet at the very height of their fame, Sander vanishes without trace. With only a cryptic note to go on, Trix begins to wonder if the magic of the ballets they danced together has invited something truly strange and wondrous into the mortal world.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 29, 2026
“Dance is a language, music is a key”. Just one of the beautiful quotes the author uses in this stunning read. The book is primarily focussed on ballet with a fantasy twist and features fae, glamour magic and other worlds. It’s full of so much beautiful prose, sometimes it feels like you’re actually in a dream especially when she describes the silver realm. I also thought that it read a little like a historical fiction but it is actually set in the past fourty years. You could tell just how much the author knew about ballet, she had thoroughly done her research. From the way they danced to the productions, she seemed like she had everything correct down to a tee and describes it all brilliantly and sometimes in exquisite detail. As someone who read a story about ballet once when I was young and was enticed by it, this one definitely sparked my enticement for it again.
Trix, the main character and her relationship with Sander play a huge part in this story too. Their slow burning romance was absolutely sizzling. There’s a moment between her and Sander that’s really dreamy and so, so lovely.
Sometimes I did forget I was reading a fantasy novel so if you like your books with just a dash of it then you’ll love this. I did, however find that it felt way more fantasy focussed towards the end. And I found myself surprised about where it went. But all of this was in a good way.
This is one of those books that will have you sucked in from the first page.
Trix, the main character and her relationship with Sander play a huge part in this story too. Their slow burning romance was absolutely sizzling. There’s a moment between her and Sander that’s really dreamy and so, so lovely.
Sometimes I did forget I was reading a fantasy novel so if you like your books with just a dash of it then you’ll love this. I did, however find that it felt way more fantasy focussed towards the end. And I found myself surprised about where it went. But all of this was in a good way.
This is one of those books that will have you sucked in from the first page.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5★
‘𝑌𝑜𝑢’𝑙𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑒? 𝐿𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑡𝒉𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑙?’
‘𝒀𝒆𝒔. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒍,
𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.’
.
Leer libros que te hagan sumergirte en un mundo que amas es algo tan bonito que nunca quiero llegar a la última página.
Wonders Never Cease se siente como -para los que disfrutamos del teatro y el ballet- ser transportado desde donde sea que estés leyendo, a una función donde el escenario vibra con historias convertidas en baile, en gestos, en orquesta. Es simplemente espectacular.
Es un acercamiento a la experiencia desde la bailarina, antes y después de que suba el telón. Es el origen de este arte entretejido con magia de modo que, leer una historia de ballet, también se vuelve presenciar una obra digna de ser convertida en ballet.
En más maneras de las que puedo contar me enamoré de este libro. Disfruté de cada escena, cada detalle, cada descripción. Quedé conmovida y fascinada con Trix y Sander, con la química que emanan al bailar juntos -capaz incluso de vencer a la imaginación-, de la complejidad que puede ser la vida a simple vista mundana, más allá de las puntas y lo roles imposibles.
Siento que este fue un libro especialmente escrito en amor a esta disciplina, a los sacrificios que conlleva y lo mucho que significa para aquellos que dedican su vida a ella. Empatizas con los personajes tanto como te deslumbras con su pasión. Los conoces en cada pieza, en cada acto, en cada pirueta. Lo pensé en cada párrafo, porque escribir así de lindo, solo puede provenir de un lugar, gracias al amor y la dedicación.
Y por Dios, el libro podría haber sido 1000 páginas de puro Giselle, La Bayadere, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Firebird, La Sílfide...y yo habría sido feliz igual.
No soy bailarina, pero desde la página 1 de este libro, me pude imaginar que sí.
Volví a estar sentada en la sala del teatro viendo el escenario llenarse con la magia del ballet y sus historias y la música.
No hay mayor alegría que esa para mí.
Fue todo mucho más de lo que estaba esperando que fuera: la lectura perfecta para cualquiera que quiera sentirse igual
‘𝑌𝑜𝑢’𝑙𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑒? 𝐿𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑡𝒉𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑙?’
‘𝒀𝒆𝒔. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒍,
𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.’
.
Leer libros que te hagan sumergirte en un mundo que amas es algo tan bonito que nunca quiero llegar a la última página.
Wonders Never Cease se siente como -para los que disfrutamos del teatro y el ballet- ser transportado desde donde sea que estés leyendo, a una función donde el escenario vibra con historias convertidas en baile, en gestos, en orquesta. Es simplemente espectacular.
Es un acercamiento a la experiencia desde la bailarina, antes y después de que suba el telón. Es el origen de este arte entretejido con magia de modo que, leer una historia de ballet, también se vuelve presenciar una obra digna de ser convertida en ballet.
En más maneras de las que puedo contar me enamoré de este libro. Disfruté de cada escena, cada detalle, cada descripción. Quedé conmovida y fascinada con Trix y Sander, con la química que emanan al bailar juntos -capaz incluso de vencer a la imaginación-, de la complejidad que puede ser la vida a simple vista mundana, más allá de las puntas y lo roles imposibles.
Siento que este fue un libro especialmente escrito en amor a esta disciplina, a los sacrificios que conlleva y lo mucho que significa para aquellos que dedican su vida a ella. Empatizas con los personajes tanto como te deslumbras con su pasión. Los conoces en cada pieza, en cada acto, en cada pirueta. Lo pensé en cada párrafo, porque escribir así de lindo, solo puede provenir de un lugar, gracias al amor y la dedicación.
Y por Dios, el libro podría haber sido 1000 páginas de puro Giselle, La Bayadere, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Firebird, La Sílfide...y yo habría sido feliz igual.
No soy bailarina, pero desde la página 1 de este libro, me pude imaginar que sí.
Volví a estar sentada en la sala del teatro viendo el escenario llenarse con la magia del ballet y sus historias y la música.
No hay mayor alegría que esa para mí.
Fue todo mucho más de lo que estaba esperando que fuera: la lectura perfecta para cualquiera que quiera sentirse igual
May 16, 2026
A cruel fae realm where mortals dance to the death and an ambitious human ballet company collide when two kind, passionate artists fall in love and dance something original into being.
There’s so much to adore about this novel. There’s the protagonist, Trix, who has such obvious awe and respect for her art form that you want to see her succeed from the very first chapters. And there’s Sander, the kind-hearted fae prince, who is so dedicated to both the human ballet and Trix that he becomes brave enough to follow his dreams, just like the starcrossed lovers he portrays.
Their tale is set in London in the 1980s. The time period is brought to life by the news and issues of the time, and the way the sexuality of different members of the company is revealed, explored and viewed by society. Everything is sensitively handled, and the central journey of many characters is from a place of self-doubt and secrecy to one of courageous, vulnerable self-expression among friends.
The fantasy elements are brief but intriguing, leaning towards a darker fae realm full of beings who wipe memories and steal children. They are a crucial part of the narrative, but take up much less space than the ballet scenes, which form the lion’s share of the plot. My reading experience was heightened, not dampened, by the wealth of technical ballet terms and heavy descriptions of each performance, but I know this can be offputting to some readers. Therefore, I would advise you not to approach this novel with the idea that it will be full of fae lore and magical plot points, but rather to find the magic in the way dance brings all kinds of people together.
When I found out this book is a debut, I was floored. It’s lyrical, brimming with love and longing, incredibly well-researched and atmospheric. As someone who has only ever seen one ballet and never so much as attempted to dance the style, I finished the book desperate to see a show immediately, and nostalgic for a dancing career I never had. That’s the power of words in action, and why I think this book deserves attention.
Thank you to @titanbooks and @aceofwords for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
There’s so much to adore about this novel. There’s the protagonist, Trix, who has such obvious awe and respect for her art form that you want to see her succeed from the very first chapters. And there’s Sander, the kind-hearted fae prince, who is so dedicated to both the human ballet and Trix that he becomes brave enough to follow his dreams, just like the starcrossed lovers he portrays.
Their tale is set in London in the 1980s. The time period is brought to life by the news and issues of the time, and the way the sexuality of different members of the company is revealed, explored and viewed by society. Everything is sensitively handled, and the central journey of many characters is from a place of self-doubt and secrecy to one of courageous, vulnerable self-expression among friends.
The fantasy elements are brief but intriguing, leaning towards a darker fae realm full of beings who wipe memories and steal children. They are a crucial part of the narrative, but take up much less space than the ballet scenes, which form the lion’s share of the plot. My reading experience was heightened, not dampened, by the wealth of technical ballet terms and heavy descriptions of each performance, but I know this can be offputting to some readers. Therefore, I would advise you not to approach this novel with the idea that it will be full of fae lore and magical plot points, but rather to find the magic in the way dance brings all kinds of people together.
When I found out this book is a debut, I was floored. It’s lyrical, brimming with love and longing, incredibly well-researched and atmospheric. As someone who has only ever seen one ballet and never so much as attempted to dance the style, I finished the book desperate to see a show immediately, and nostalgic for a dancing career I never had. That’s the power of words in action, and why I think this book deserves attention.
Thank you to @titanbooks and @aceofwords for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2026
A book inspired by ballet is just mesmerising. Bringing together the elegance and discipline of dance and music seamlessly through the years. Our realm, in contrast to the ethereal, dangerous fairy realm, brings a magical element to the story and feels enchanted. In the heart of the story, a slow-burning romance is beautifully blooming between Trix and Sander. The story doesn’t rush their connection, and the emotions are genuine as they build between the two of them.
Beyond the main characters, they are the friends of Trix who are second-guessing Sander, but eventually they come to terms with him. Glen is Sander’s best friend, loyal and devoted to him. While Sander is fighting with his origins and trying to stand against his parents, who are obnoxious and have never felt love. Their behaviour is the highlight of a tragic truth that Trix discovers and gets punished for. They are bound to never understand love, which is a powerful reminder that human emotion is the most ancient and potent magic in existence.
The ending beautifully brings justice by offering a deeply satisfying sense of closure to a wonderful journey.
Beyond the main characters, they are the friends of Trix who are second-guessing Sander, but eventually they come to terms with him. Glen is Sander’s best friend, loyal and devoted to him. While Sander is fighting with his origins and trying to stand against his parents, who are obnoxious and have never felt love. Their behaviour is the highlight of a tragic truth that Trix discovers and gets punished for. They are bound to never understand love, which is a powerful reminder that human emotion is the most ancient and potent magic in existence.
The ending beautifully brings justice by offering a deeply satisfying sense of closure to a wonderful journey.
April 22, 2026
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
I love ballet, so I’m always drawn to books about ballet. However they’re rarely particularly good. This one was wonderful. The author managed to blend ballet into this story so beautifully. They show such love, respect and affection for the art form, showing technical and subject knowledge but never sacrificing the plot. I was so impressed.
Not only is this novel about a talented dancer’s career over a span of years, but it also seamlessly blends the fae into the story and it works brilliantly. This feels like a historical, literary novel but we always have this undercurrent of the fae and a feeling of a ticking clock for the mysterious male lead Sander. It’s just a marvellous blend. I think this leans closer to magical realism than fantasy.
This is a very character focused novel as we explore the dreams, challenges and relationships of the two main characters in the historical context of the novel.
I thought this was a brilliant read, highly recommend.
I love ballet, so I’m always drawn to books about ballet. However they’re rarely particularly good. This one was wonderful. The author managed to blend ballet into this story so beautifully. They show such love, respect and affection for the art form, showing technical and subject knowledge but never sacrificing the plot. I was so impressed.
Not only is this novel about a talented dancer’s career over a span of years, but it also seamlessly blends the fae into the story and it works brilliantly. This feels like a historical, literary novel but we always have this undercurrent of the fae and a feeling of a ticking clock for the mysterious male lead Sander. It’s just a marvellous blend. I think this leans closer to magical realism than fantasy.
This is a very character focused novel as we explore the dreams, challenges and relationships of the two main characters in the historical context of the novel.
I thought this was a brilliant read, highly recommend.
May 29, 2026
Wonders Never Cease was such a magical adventure, full of ballet, fae and elegance. The premise was so unique and nothing like I’ve read before- especially the 1980s London setting! It truly felt like I was watching a ballet performance in itself, not just reading about the different shows Trix performs in.
Also, I loved seeing the programmes and newspaper prints throughout the book! It felt so interactive and made me feel like part of the book 🤩
I was pleasantly surprised by the dual POVs, where Sander’s chapters provided a glimpse into his secrets. I didn’t realise it was his POV at first, but I noticed how the chapter titles had two beautiful different designs to represent Trix and Sanders’ chapters!
Not only was the book all ballet and dance, but it beautifully captured the emotional and personal side of their lives. I honestly teared up at the note Sander left for Trix- the representation behind each line melted my heart 🥹
Also, I loved seeing the programmes and newspaper prints throughout the book! It felt so interactive and made me feel like part of the book 🤩
I was pleasantly surprised by the dual POVs, where Sander’s chapters provided a glimpse into his secrets. I didn’t realise it was his POV at first, but I noticed how the chapter titles had two beautiful different designs to represent Trix and Sanders’ chapters!
Not only was the book all ballet and dance, but it beautifully captured the emotional and personal side of their lives. I honestly teared up at the note Sander left for Trix- the representation behind each line melted my heart 🥹
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wonders never cease was a delightful read. The writing was very lush and filled with beautiful imagery, and the story swept me away with it. I wouldn’t necessarily call this book fantasy, rather magical realism, but the fantastical elements were regardless well placed. As a casual enjoyer of ballet, the performances were very well described, and I didn’t feel lost or confused by them, though I imagine it’s an even better experience for those who know much about the art form. Lastly, the representation was beautifully done: the characters were refreshing real original, and I saw both myself in them and believed them as independent, real individuals. Would highly recommend reading this stunning story!
Thank you to NetGalley for the EARC, all opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley for the EARC, all opinions are my own.
Did Not Finish
May 26, 2026I sadly had to DNF this book at around the 50% mark, even though it wasn’t a bad book at all.
The writing was beautiful and I loved the vivid and emotional descriptions of the different ballet performances, their characters and their stories. It kindled a passion for the art of ballet in me and even inspired me to look into tickets to watch a performance. I‘m really excited about that!
Sadly the actual plot and characters of the book felt underwhelming and overall there was not much happening. A lot was hinted at, but by the halfway point there had been no real progress in the story and I eventually lost interest.
Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
The writing was beautiful and I loved the vivid and emotional descriptions of the different ballet performances, their characters and their stories. It kindled a passion for the art of ballet in me and even inspired me to look into tickets to watch a performance. I‘m really excited about that!
Sadly the actual plot and characters of the book felt underwhelming and overall there was not much happening. A lot was hinted at, but by the halfway point there had been no real progress in the story and I eventually lost interest.
Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 2, 2026
Ballet fantasy with a smidgeon of faerie
—
This novel lays its heart on its sleeve from the word go and never really moves from there: full of meticulous detail on the ballet world, the world of Faerie is briefly sketched in comparison, so the choice between one or the other is never really a choice. Fully invested in the narrative voice of Trix, with a few detours into Sander's perspective, I wanted to be seduced by this book but it never quite got beyond the technical dazzle of ballet, into the strangeness of the fairy courts and what they might mean in relation to the mortal world.
Three and a half stars: good effort.
—
This novel lays its heart on its sleeve from the word go and never really moves from there: full of meticulous detail on the ballet world, the world of Faerie is briefly sketched in comparison, so the choice between one or the other is never really a choice. Fully invested in the narrative voice of Trix, with a few detours into Sander's perspective, I wanted to be seduced by this book but it never quite got beyond the technical dazzle of ballet, into the strangeness of the fairy courts and what they might mean in relation to the mortal world.
Three and a half stars: good effort.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Title: Wonders Never Cease
Authors: Lexy Hudson
Pages: 384
UK publish date: available now
(happy publication day for yesterday)
Published by: Titan Books
⚠️ Protect yourself. Check any trigger warnings before reading.
This was such a beautiful read. The magical elegance of ballet danced through the pages and had me entranced.
The book is set in 1980s London and tackles some hard hitting truths during that time. The politics, the devastating effects of aids, eating disorders, expectations of women. It was eye opening. Another thing that made it so refreshing was the representation of an asexual main character.
Not only did this book pack a punch, we also have the unforgiving Fae twinkling their frosty bites of cruelty throughout.
This was just beautifully devastating.
Will Trix and Sander be another tragedy like their characters Romeo and Juliet? You'll have to read the book and find out!
You'll like this if you enjoy books that include;
🩰 Ballet
🔮 Realism fantasy
🔥 Slow burn romance
🌏 1980s culture
🌈 LGBTQIA+ representation
💖 Asexual MCs
👑 Falling in love with the fae
Authors: Lexy Hudson
Pages: 384
UK publish date: available now
(happy publication day for yesterday)
Published by: Titan Books
⚠️ Protect yourself. Check any trigger warnings before reading.
This was such a beautiful read. The magical elegance of ballet danced through the pages and had me entranced.
The book is set in 1980s London and tackles some hard hitting truths during that time. The politics, the devastating effects of aids, eating disorders, expectations of women. It was eye opening. Another thing that made it so refreshing was the representation of an asexual main character.
Not only did this book pack a punch, we also have the unforgiving Fae twinkling their frosty bites of cruelty throughout.
This was just beautifully devastating.
Will Trix and Sander be another tragedy like their characters Romeo and Juliet? You'll have to read the book and find out!
You'll like this if you enjoy books that include;
🩰 Ballet
🔮 Realism fantasy
🔥 Slow burn romance
🌏 1980s culture
🌈 LGBTQIA+ representation
💖 Asexual MCs
👑 Falling in love with the fae
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a love letter to ballet and I want everyone to read it, but I know that only ballerinas will truly understand how wonderful this is.
This is a slow burn fantasy love story set in the world of an elite London ballet company. Emphasis on the slow burn, tantalising romance which is as much about identity as it is understanding.
As an ex-ballerina, someone who struggled with feeling alienated by a sense of lacking lust, hormones, and chemistry; I related deeply with Trix, our heroine.
I too felt tentatively accepted by the asexual identity - a label that isn’t named in the book (set between 1980s-2000s)
‘I get to step out on that stage and call him my prince in a dozen different ways. What more could I possibly want?’
This book highlights the high price of being elite dancers, the passion and dedication and pain that come hand in hand.
The writing touched me deeply: beautiful and filled with longing and musicality.
However, and this is its biggest downfall, this book is very technical. Pages of performance interpretation. An abundance of French ballet terms. An overwhelming focus on the desire to dance, to perfect, to perform.
The fantastical element is quite light,. The plot seems to be packed into the last 30 pages making for some slow pacing and an uneven structure.
If you go in expecting a slow burn, minimal romance, light fantasy, little plot ballet fantasy - you will love it.
Physical arc gifted by Titan.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
This is a slow burn fantasy love story set in the world of an elite London ballet company. Emphasis on the slow burn, tantalising romance which is as much about identity as it is understanding.
As an ex-ballerina, someone who struggled with feeling alienated by a sense of lacking lust, hormones, and chemistry; I related deeply with Trix, our heroine.
I too felt tentatively accepted by the asexual identity - a label that isn’t named in the book (set between 1980s-2000s)
‘I get to step out on that stage and call him my prince in a dozen different ways. What more could I possibly want?’
This book highlights the high price of being elite dancers, the passion and dedication and pain that come hand in hand.
The writing touched me deeply: beautiful and filled with longing and musicality.
However, and this is its biggest downfall, this book is very technical. Pages of performance interpretation. An abundance of French ballet terms. An overwhelming focus on the desire to dance, to perfect, to perform.
The fantastical element is quite light,. The plot seems to be packed into the last 30 pages making for some slow pacing and an uneven structure.
If you go in expecting a slow burn, minimal romance, light fantasy, little plot ballet fantasy - you will love it.
Physical arc gifted by Titan.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews