What do you think?
Rate this book
HUI
**For Mature Audiences ** book contains erotic romance scenes and adult language
African American ballerina falls for Korean ballet prodigy
Sensual. Soaring. Breathtaking. From ballet lifts that require strength and control, to heart stopping jumps that defy gravity, the novel HUI (pronounced Hway) follows the love affair of two performers who not only push their bodies to the limit, but each other's talent.
In the world of ballet, Le Jong Hui is a dancer famous for his passion and precision. Known worldwide simply as "Hui" he's been called the heir apparent to the legendary Carlos Acosta.
As Imani's star begins to rise, she becomes a sought after guest soloist. But there's resistance from an influential few who still expect ballerinas to match the look and physique of past greats. Hui also experiences the highs and lows of fame, even as he desperately searches for the mother he hasn't seen since escaping North Korea.
When injury sidelines Hui, both dancers must face the realization that the profession they've chosen can be beautiful but also all too brief. As their love is tested, Hui and Imani learn an achingly harsh truth; that no matter what, the show must go on.
African American ballerina falls for Korean ballet prodigy
Sensual. Soaring. Breathtaking. From ballet lifts that require strength and control, to heart stopping jumps that defy gravity, the novel HUI (pronounced Hway) follows the love affair of two performers who not only push their bodies to the limit, but each other's talent.
In the world of ballet, Le Jong Hui is a dancer famous for his passion and precision. Known worldwide simply as "Hui" he's been called the heir apparent to the legendary Carlos Acosta.
As Imani's star begins to rise, she becomes a sought after guest soloist. But there's resistance from an influential few who still expect ballerinas to match the look and physique of past greats. Hui also experiences the highs and lows of fame, even as he desperately searches for the mother he hasn't seen since escaping North Korea.
When injury sidelines Hui, both dancers must face the realization that the profession they've chosen can be beautiful but also all too brief. As their love is tested, Hui and Imani learn an achingly harsh truth; that no matter what, the show must go on.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2015
7 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Camille Leone
25 books14 followersRecently started a multicultural ebook site with a relative.
WSC books creates Multicultural New Adult Fiction, Interracial Paranormal, Historical, Fantasy, Scifi and Contemporary fiction in both the Adult and YA genres.
WSC books creates Multicultural New Adult Fiction, Interracial Paranormal, Historical, Fantasy, Scifi and Contemporary fiction in both the Adult and YA genres.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 2, 2017
Phenomenal Read!
I waited forever for this book to be released after the sneak peak.
Love the ballet profession and learning more about the industry.
AMBW leads were super.
I waited forever for this book to be released after the sneak peak.
Love the ballet profession and learning more about the industry.
AMBW leads were super.
December 20, 2019
3.00 Stars. ( BW/AM). A kindle unlimited e-book. Imani Fairchild is a 26-year-old Black ballet dancer and LeJong Hui is Korean/ Chinese ballet dancer around Imani’s age. The dance company employing Imani has presented endless excuses for not featuring her and other Black dancers in the troop; on the other hand, Hui is the male star of the South Korean troop despite ostracizing him and other North Korean transplants in social or societal settings. Imani and Hui meet and start a slow burn romance when Hui and the South Korean Ballet Company team up with the America Ballet Company employing Imani, the two groups practice and perform together. The Imani and Hui romance is complicated or threatened by their cultural difference and by the interpersonal issues with certain members of his troop and by demons from his childhood. The story is well written but deals more with Hui’s internal suffering over missing his mother and over the strange relationship between Hui and his two best friends and the racism inherent in ballet. Hui and Imani separate for some unstated about of time while he faces and settles issues with his friends and mother as Imani garners prestige in the world of European Ballet. They eventually reunited and Hui recommits himself to Imani and dancing.
July 12, 2018
This is a well-written AM/BW romance. I haven't found many in this genre, but this one is pretty good. I really enjoyed it and I know zero about ballet, but the author really goes into detail about ballet and politics behind it being the two main characters are really underrepresented as principal dancers, especially Imani, our protagonist. The love affair that blossoms between her and Korean/Chinese visiting prinicipal dancer, Hui, is really lovely. The author takes great care in building up their attraction to one another and how dance really connects their souls. It is believable that two people that seemingly are so different could fall in love with each other and I really liked how the author went into cultural details of Hui's background being from North Korea. This is a great read and I look forward to Ms. Leone continuing this series and reading her other books. Recommend this one!
January 2, 2016
This book has a lot to offer to readers like me who, if they were given a million dollars, would spend an embarrassing amount of it on tickets to see "Don Quixote." It's my favorite of all the ballets I love (and I love a lot of ballets), and seeing it featured in what is essentially a romance novel was very exciting, and so of course I snapped up the book immediately.
The premise of the novel--African-American ballerina Imani, struggling to make it big despite her talent, falls in love with North Korean-turned South Korean ballet star Hui--is intriguing and unique. Both the characters are very sympathetic, and a major part of the story is Imani's fight to overcome both the racism of the ballet world and her own insecurities, alternating with Hui's backstory, gradually revealed, of his flight from North Korea and his intention to try to return to his homeland and rescue his mother. At the same time, both characters have to deal as well with the more typical stresses of being a dancer: the punishing training, the constant fear of physical and/or mental breakdown, the competition for the precious chance to be a soloist.
The ballet aspect of the novel is definitely the strongest, and what makes it worth reading. Leone writes with knowledge and passion about the world of ballet and the day-to-day training of the dancers. The descriptions of the classes and rehearsals, as the characters struggle to impress the director and each other while worrying about tripping up on their jumps or falling from their lifts are compelling and well-developed. The actual relationship between the two main characters, while touching, is less developed than either their dancing or their backstories, however, and sometimes left me feeling like it could have been fleshed out more to make the book more engaging and satisfying.
The editing, unfortunately, leaves something to be desired, as scenes sometimes break off where they shouldn't, or paragraphs don't break where they should, and there are occasional typos, as well as a few errors in the Russian aspect of the story (why is Tsarskoye neuter? What is it referring to?). However, despite these quibbles, I found the book quite readable and had no trouble finishing it.
Overall verdict: Some flaws, but ballet lovers will get a major hit for their addiction, and it's great to see a romance novel with such an unusual premise and such unique and appealing characters.
The premise of the novel--African-American ballerina Imani, struggling to make it big despite her talent, falls in love with North Korean-turned South Korean ballet star Hui--is intriguing and unique. Both the characters are very sympathetic, and a major part of the story is Imani's fight to overcome both the racism of the ballet world and her own insecurities, alternating with Hui's backstory, gradually revealed, of his flight from North Korea and his intention to try to return to his homeland and rescue his mother. At the same time, both characters have to deal as well with the more typical stresses of being a dancer: the punishing training, the constant fear of physical and/or mental breakdown, the competition for the precious chance to be a soloist.
The ballet aspect of the novel is definitely the strongest, and what makes it worth reading. Leone writes with knowledge and passion about the world of ballet and the day-to-day training of the dancers. The descriptions of the classes and rehearsals, as the characters struggle to impress the director and each other while worrying about tripping up on their jumps or falling from their lifts are compelling and well-developed. The actual relationship between the two main characters, while touching, is less developed than either their dancing or their backstories, however, and sometimes left me feeling like it could have been fleshed out more to make the book more engaging and satisfying.
The editing, unfortunately, leaves something to be desired, as scenes sometimes break off where they shouldn't, or paragraphs don't break where they should, and there are occasional typos, as well as a few errors in the Russian aspect of the story (why is Tsarskoye neuter? What is it referring to?). However, despite these quibbles, I found the book quite readable and had no trouble finishing it.
Overall verdict: Some flaws, but ballet lovers will get a major hit for their addiction, and it's great to see a romance novel with such an unusual premise and such unique and appealing characters.
May 4, 2016
This was a sweet read!
I enjoyed it. I found the interactions with main characters to be good and it wasn't too heavy to make me miss my lover too much....hehehehe
I will be looking out for more from Camille Leone.
I enjoyed it. I found the interactions with main characters to be good and it wasn't too heavy to make me miss my lover too much....hehehehe
I will be looking out for more from Camille Leone.
September 3, 2016
Ballet and Love
Great book. This is the 1st time reading book from this author. But it will not be my last. I loved Hui and Imani story.
Great book. This is the 1st time reading book from this author. But it will not be my last. I loved Hui and Imani story.
April 28, 2017
I waited for an entire year for this book to come out, after reading the preview. And it didn't disappoint. I love AMBW romance and had never read a ballet themed novel. I learned alot about the world if dancers while reading this book and loved the couple together.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews