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Dance of the Firefly
Emma thought escaping her abusive ex meant freedom. She didn't expect his suicide to become her prison.
Two years later, Emma still can't sleep through the night. The panic attacks. The nightmares. The suffocating
Was I responsible for his death? When her best friend signs her up for a five-hundred-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail, Emma agrees because maybe physical pain will be easier to carry than emotional wreckage.
Then she meets Noah.
He's patient where Scott was volatile, kind where Scott was cruel. As the miles stretch on and Emma's defenses crack, she finds herself wanting something she swore she'd never risk trust. But Emma knows how this story ends. It always starts with kindness.
When Emma finally tells Noah the truth about her past, she expects him to see her as broken. Instead, he asks if he can kiss her.
But when Emma slips on an exposed ridge and finds herself dangling above the ground with only Noah's rope keeping her alive, she faces an impossible trust him to pull her back up, or let fear win forever.
Find out if Emma can climb back from the edge in this powerful story about trauma, resilience, and choosing love after loss.
Two years later, Emma still can't sleep through the night. The panic attacks. The nightmares. The suffocating
Was I responsible for his death? When her best friend signs her up for a five-hundred-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail, Emma agrees because maybe physical pain will be easier to carry than emotional wreckage.
Then she meets Noah.
He's patient where Scott was volatile, kind where Scott was cruel. As the miles stretch on and Emma's defenses crack, she finds herself wanting something she swore she'd never risk trust. But Emma knows how this story ends. It always starts with kindness.
When Emma finally tells Noah the truth about her past, she expects him to see her as broken. Instead, he asks if he can kiss her.
But when Emma slips on an exposed ridge and finds herself dangling above the ground with only Noah's rope keeping her alive, she faces an impossible trust him to pull her back up, or let fear win forever.
Find out if Emma can climb back from the edge in this powerful story about trauma, resilience, and choosing love after loss.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 6, 2026
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 7, 2026
For Anyone Who Needs to Believe Healing Is Possible
Dance of the Firefly is a beautifully tender story that settles into your heart and stays there long after the final page. Melissa Ann Palmer writes with a quiet emotional honesty that feels deeply personal, as if she’s gently guiding the reader through moments of pain, healing, and hope.
While reading, I felt every emotion—sadness, grief, fear, comfort, and joy—sometimes all at once. This book captures what it feels like to be broken and still searching for light. The characters are raw and real, carrying their hurt in ways that feel achingly familiar. Palmer doesn’t rush their healing—she lets it unfold slowly, truthfully, honoring the fact that growth is rarely neat or easy. Instead, it honors how messy and nonlinear growth can be, while still offering soft, luminous moments of light. Like fireflies in the dark, those moments are subtle yet powerful, providing comfort when it’s needed most. Each page feels infused with empathy, reminding us that it’s okay to grieve what we’ve lost while still believing in what’s possible.
What makes this story especially moving is its focus on the small, luminous moments—the quiet connections, the subtle shifts, the flickers of hope that appear when you least expect them. Like fireflies in the dark, those moments are gentle but powerful, offering comfort without pretending that pain disappears overnight. Not only that, this book is a reminder that healing is possible—and that we are worthy of it. Even when Emma feels broken or unsure, her journey reflects a truth many readers need to hear: you don’t have to be whole to deserve healing.
Emma is a deeply human character, and I found myself emotionally invested in her future. The way Melissa writes made me feel like I have known Emma for years, and even at times, I felt like I was Emma. I’m genuinely excited to see what adventures Melissa Ann Palmer writes next for Emma and where her story leads.
Dance of the Firefly is more than a story—it’s an emotional experience. It’s a book for anyone who has loved, lost, struggled, or needed reassurance that healing is real and light can return. Soft, heartfelt, and deeply moving, this novel is a reminder that even in our darkest seasons, we are never truly without hope.
Dance of the Firefly is a beautifully tender story that settles into your heart and stays there long after the final page. Melissa Ann Palmer writes with a quiet emotional honesty that feels deeply personal, as if she’s gently guiding the reader through moments of pain, healing, and hope.
While reading, I felt every emotion—sadness, grief, fear, comfort, and joy—sometimes all at once. This book captures what it feels like to be broken and still searching for light. The characters are raw and real, carrying their hurt in ways that feel achingly familiar. Palmer doesn’t rush their healing—she lets it unfold slowly, truthfully, honoring the fact that growth is rarely neat or easy. Instead, it honors how messy and nonlinear growth can be, while still offering soft, luminous moments of light. Like fireflies in the dark, those moments are subtle yet powerful, providing comfort when it’s needed most. Each page feels infused with empathy, reminding us that it’s okay to grieve what we’ve lost while still believing in what’s possible.
What makes this story especially moving is its focus on the small, luminous moments—the quiet connections, the subtle shifts, the flickers of hope that appear when you least expect them. Like fireflies in the dark, those moments are gentle but powerful, offering comfort without pretending that pain disappears overnight. Not only that, this book is a reminder that healing is possible—and that we are worthy of it. Even when Emma feels broken or unsure, her journey reflects a truth many readers need to hear: you don’t have to be whole to deserve healing.
Emma is a deeply human character, and I found myself emotionally invested in her future. The way Melissa writes made me feel like I have known Emma for years, and even at times, I felt like I was Emma. I’m genuinely excited to see what adventures Melissa Ann Palmer writes next for Emma and where her story leads.
Dance of the Firefly is more than a story—it’s an emotional experience. It’s a book for anyone who has loved, lost, struggled, or needed reassurance that healing is real and light can return. Soft, heartfelt, and deeply moving, this novel is a reminder that even in our darkest seasons, we are never truly without hope.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It’s rare to find a story that establishes such a compelling pace right out of the gate, but Dance of the Firefly managed to keep me glued to the pages until the very end.
What really stayed with me, though, was the character development. I found myself becoming deeply invested in Emma’s journey and the others. Watching them navigate their pain through the hike felt incredibly authentic and rewarding. By the final chapter, they felt like real people I had grown to love.
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a story that balances a gripping plot with genuine heart. It will leave you wanting more.
What really stayed with me, though, was the character development. I found myself becoming deeply invested in Emma’s journey and the others. Watching them navigate their pain through the hike felt incredibly authentic and rewarding. By the final chapter, they felt like real people I had grown to love.
I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a story that balances a gripping plot with genuine heart. It will leave you wanting more.
January 23, 2026
Eagerly devouring the last page, I'm now perched on the edge of literary anticipation, desperately wondering when the sequel will swoop in and rescue me from this unbearable cliffhanger of a book hangover!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews