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Under Winter Lights: Part One
Ballet is Martina’s world. Always has been. But underneath the stage lights, behind the curtain and choreography is loneliness.
On late nights, after rehearsals, in her small apartment, Martina wishes hers wasn’t the only shadow on the wall.
But Chicago winter winds are swirling and Martina’s music box world is tipped upside down when she is cast as the lead in the company’s next production. And if that isn’t enough...
He’s the “wolf of the Mariinsky Ballet.” A rebel with gray eyes. Maraav Levondovska is a brilliant dancer and Martina can barely admit to herself how watching him take the stage sets her imagination spinning.
But company director Alan Jung, the man crippled by the art he loved, seems to find new life in his star ballerina...
Three hearts in a dance made for two. A world made of music and motion. Come step Under Winter Part One!
On late nights, after rehearsals, in her small apartment, Martina wishes hers wasn’t the only shadow on the wall.
But Chicago winter winds are swirling and Martina’s music box world is tipped upside down when she is cast as the lead in the company’s next production. And if that isn’t enough...
He’s the “wolf of the Mariinsky Ballet.” A rebel with gray eyes. Maraav Levondovska is a brilliant dancer and Martina can barely admit to herself how watching him take the stage sets her imagination spinning.
But company director Alan Jung, the man crippled by the art he loved, seems to find new life in his star ballerina...
Three hearts in a dance made for two. A world made of music and motion. Come step Under Winter Part One!
- GenresRomance
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 9, 2016
6 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Bree M. Lewandowski
27 books910 followersHaving lived all her life in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, author Bree M. Lewandowski incorporates all aspects of her life in her writing. A ballet dancer at a young age, continuing to teach ballet through her career as an author, she often turns to the tumultuous world of dance to find threads of a story. In love with classical literature, her writing not only pays homage to the style of writers like Dumas and Hugo, she also believes in creating main characters who are larger than life. Yet, struggles with body image, mental and emotional health, and the strained relationships so many have also play in and out of Lewandowski's writing. In the end, all these attributes combined, she loves to tell a love story.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 6, 2017
I loved this book! And that's saying something for me because this is a romance, and I rarely read romance. But this book is so much more. Yes, it's the story of Martina and Maraav. How they meet. The initial attraction. The gradual realization that there's something more there. But this book is also about ballet. It's about a young dancer who struggles with self confidence in the beautiful but sometimes frightening world of professional dance.
The details of this book are so rich I felt like I was right there with the characters as they went to rehearsals and performances. It rekindled my love for dance and made me want to be more diligent about attending my own ballet classes. The world it showed me was so lovely I never wanted to put the book down. I just wanted to keep reading so I could remain immersed in that world.
Romance fans will enjoy this book for the chemistry between Martina and Maraav, but for me that storyline took a backseat to the ballet. All I wanted to do was soak up juicy details about the professional dance world. It's a world I'll likely never be a part of, but I still have those little girl dreams of being a ballerina. This book allowed me to live those dreams through the characters.
I will definitely be reading the next installment in this series. I can't wait to find out what the future holds for these characters.
The details of this book are so rich I felt like I was right there with the characters as they went to rehearsals and performances. It rekindled my love for dance and made me want to be more diligent about attending my own ballet classes. The world it showed me was so lovely I never wanted to put the book down. I just wanted to keep reading so I could remain immersed in that world.
Romance fans will enjoy this book for the chemistry between Martina and Maraav, but for me that storyline took a backseat to the ballet. All I wanted to do was soak up juicy details about the professional dance world. It's a world I'll likely never be a part of, but I still have those little girl dreams of being a ballerina. This book allowed me to live those dreams through the characters.
I will definitely be reading the next installment in this series. I can't wait to find out what the future holds for these characters.
January 8, 2019
2.5 stars
February 7, 2017
Lewandowski has done an excellent job in her debut novel. Under Winter Lights: Part One, is a slow burn but definitely kept my attention. The insight to life as a ballet dancer is intriguing, if on occasion a bit too descriptive. Her characters are believable and people with whom I could relate.
The author does not fill the pages with sex but with sexual tension. The anticipation is a wonderful aphrodisiac. A long awaited kiss is as titillating as the forbidden consummation.
Martina is a young ballet dancer living in Chicago. She lives alone in a dismal apartment to afford her the opportunity to live her dream. Attending Bellus is an honor that Martina appreciates and strives to do her best. Minimal funds mean struggling for simple things in life, to include food, but she pushes on because of her love of dance.
Mr. Jung, the instructor at Bellus, is a hard nosed relentless perfectionist. He does try and take care of the health of his dancers with good physical therapist and a free meal a day. He takes an interest in Martina. Her insecurities at even being good enough to be there play in his favor of intimidating her.
Maraav, a Russian dancer that came to Bellus under a cloud of mystery from the Russian ballet scene. He is sweet and charming in contradiction to his reputation. He befriends Martina when they are paired together. Maraav is a prodigy in the dance world but rumored to have an attitude problem. He calls her "Mooshka" and that does funny things to my heart.
Ups, downs and struggles of Martina's world was an emotionally fueled experience. Anxious to get the next book to see what happens next. Part One ends on a cliffhanger that has me waiting on tenterhooks.
I was gifted a copy for an honest review.
Reviewed by Becky for Jo&IsaLoveBoooks.
The author does not fill the pages with sex but with sexual tension. The anticipation is a wonderful aphrodisiac. A long awaited kiss is as titillating as the forbidden consummation.
Martina is a young ballet dancer living in Chicago. She lives alone in a dismal apartment to afford her the opportunity to live her dream. Attending Bellus is an honor that Martina appreciates and strives to do her best. Minimal funds mean struggling for simple things in life, to include food, but she pushes on because of her love of dance.
Mr. Jung, the instructor at Bellus, is a hard nosed relentless perfectionist. He does try and take care of the health of his dancers with good physical therapist and a free meal a day. He takes an interest in Martina. Her insecurities at even being good enough to be there play in his favor of intimidating her.
Maraav, a Russian dancer that came to Bellus under a cloud of mystery from the Russian ballet scene. He is sweet and charming in contradiction to his reputation. He befriends Martina when they are paired together. Maraav is a prodigy in the dance world but rumored to have an attitude problem. He calls her "Mooshka" and that does funny things to my heart.
Ups, downs and struggles of Martina's world was an emotionally fueled experience. Anxious to get the next book to see what happens next. Part One ends on a cliffhanger that has me waiting on tenterhooks.
I was gifted a copy for an honest review.
Reviewed by Becky for Jo&IsaLoveBoooks.
June 30, 2017
An immersive experience into the world of ballet with characters that leave you aching to know more about. This first book leaves you yearning to know what happens next.
December 15, 2016
Anyone who knows me or follows my reading habits will know that I don't really do love stories, but I decided to give Under Winter Lights a chance as the story revolves around a ballet school; and ballet is something that has always fascinated me.
Martina is a quiet girl from a small town with a big heart and a huge talent, and there is no reader that could resist falling for her... but I must admit, I fell for Maraav so much too - he's everything I'd want in a man; talented, respectful, hardworking, dedicated, selfless, reliable and must have the most gorgeous arms. Martina and Maraav are an unlikely couple on the face of it but their feelings are so believable because Bree has managed to write them, especially Martina's, in such a real way that it bought me to tears. I even had to take a few days reading break because Bree's writing made me drown in my own feelings. Bree has also managed to include many layers to the two main characters that you start to realise the two are very much made for each other - these aren't just two characters that are just dancers, they are also two individuals that have lived lives previous to when this story is set and who have been shaped by those lives. Bree seems to have put a lot of thought into the two main character's backgrounds and how these backgrounds might affect who they are and how they react to certain situations... and I love it.
I really want to focus on Bree's writing because I think she deserves recognition for how wonderfully she's written this story. Despite Bree using ballet terms that not all people understand, including myself, there were never times when I was annoyed or confused by the terminology - there wasn't too much of it that I was overwhelmed with descriptions of seemingly impossible dance moves, but also enough that I always knew that this book isn't just about lust and romance, but also the beauty of ballet too. It is hugely obvious that Bree knows what she's talking about when she describes the dancing and how it affects the body, and this increased my enjoyment massively (there's nothing worse than a writer thinking they know what they're talking about when they really don't)... I've always admired the hard work and dedication put into ballet and it's always seemed incredibly romantic and erotic to me, and this book has just boosted these opinions for me. My only issue is one more of editing than the actual writing, and it's that I think sometimes chapters were too long and should have been split when certain scenes or interactions ended.
As I am not usually a romance book lover I think it's super important that I mention that none of the 'romantic' scenes in the book were overwhelmingly cheesy or lame and so I was able to enjoy those parts of the book as well (actually a lot more than I anticipated I would). This book took me a few more days than it should have done to finish and this is down to the fact that Bree's writing was just too real for me to cope with after a recent break-up, leading me to take a few days off of reading. Everything that was written about Martina's emotions hit me in my heart so hard because I really related to her, and this made it obvious to me how much work Bree has put into making her book as honest as possible. [Spoiler:] Bree was also able to create incredibly sexy, erotic scenes without the main characters even kissing and that takes so much skill.
One more thing I must mention is that I think Bree has included a couple of issues that I think are probably fairly common within the ballet world; how tired Martina becomes, how she manages to end up neglecting her health a little and how taxing the dancing really is on her body... but also the issues surrounding Martina's relationship with Mr. Jung - [spoiler:] the scenes that were meant to make my skin crawl did, but there were also times I wanted to scream and cry for Martina. I really want to know where this part of the story ends up going, because I'm scared for Martina but also rooting on Maraav to deal with the situation.
[Spoiler:]I hate that I have to wait to find out what's going to happen, I am beyond excited for when Martina and Maraav finally do the dirty and I really hope Bree writes this scene as well as I think she can. I also want to know what decisions Martina is going to make about being at The Bellus after The Nutcracker is over because of how Mr. Jung has been treating her and what career move Maraav is going to make once the show is over. I'm such an impatient person, I want part two now!!!
Martina is a quiet girl from a small town with a big heart and a huge talent, and there is no reader that could resist falling for her... but I must admit, I fell for Maraav so much too - he's everything I'd want in a man; talented, respectful, hardworking, dedicated, selfless, reliable and must have the most gorgeous arms. Martina and Maraav are an unlikely couple on the face of it but their feelings are so believable because Bree has managed to write them, especially Martina's, in such a real way that it bought me to tears. I even had to take a few days reading break because Bree's writing made me drown in my own feelings. Bree has also managed to include many layers to the two main characters that you start to realise the two are very much made for each other - these aren't just two characters that are just dancers, they are also two individuals that have lived lives previous to when this story is set and who have been shaped by those lives. Bree seems to have put a lot of thought into the two main character's backgrounds and how these backgrounds might affect who they are and how they react to certain situations... and I love it.
I really want to focus on Bree's writing because I think she deserves recognition for how wonderfully she's written this story. Despite Bree using ballet terms that not all people understand, including myself, there were never times when I was annoyed or confused by the terminology - there wasn't too much of it that I was overwhelmed with descriptions of seemingly impossible dance moves, but also enough that I always knew that this book isn't just about lust and romance, but also the beauty of ballet too. It is hugely obvious that Bree knows what she's talking about when she describes the dancing and how it affects the body, and this increased my enjoyment massively (there's nothing worse than a writer thinking they know what they're talking about when they really don't)... I've always admired the hard work and dedication put into ballet and it's always seemed incredibly romantic and erotic to me, and this book has just boosted these opinions for me. My only issue is one more of editing than the actual writing, and it's that I think sometimes chapters were too long and should have been split when certain scenes or interactions ended.
As I am not usually a romance book lover I think it's super important that I mention that none of the 'romantic' scenes in the book were overwhelmingly cheesy or lame and so I was able to enjoy those parts of the book as well (actually a lot more than I anticipated I would). This book took me a few more days than it should have done to finish and this is down to the fact that Bree's writing was just too real for me to cope with after a recent break-up, leading me to take a few days off of reading. Everything that was written about Martina's emotions hit me in my heart so hard because I really related to her, and this made it obvious to me how much work Bree has put into making her book as honest as possible. [Spoiler:] Bree was also able to create incredibly sexy, erotic scenes without the main characters even kissing and that takes so much skill.
One more thing I must mention is that I think Bree has included a couple of issues that I think are probably fairly common within the ballet world; how tired Martina becomes, how she manages to end up neglecting her health a little and how taxing the dancing really is on her body... but also the issues surrounding Martina's relationship with Mr. Jung - [spoiler:] the scenes that were meant to make my skin crawl did, but there were also times I wanted to scream and cry for Martina. I really want to know where this part of the story ends up going, because I'm scared for Martina but also rooting on Maraav to deal with the situation.
[Spoiler:]I hate that I have to wait to find out what's going to happen, I am beyond excited for when Martina and Maraav finally do the dirty and I really hope Bree writes this scene as well as I think she can. I also want to know what decisions Martina is going to make about being at The Bellus after The Nutcracker is over because of how Mr. Jung has been treating her and what career move Maraav is going to make once the show is over. I'm such an impatient person, I want part two now!!!
December 15, 2016
Enjoyable Xscape
As a native Chicagoan I felt like I was standing in the cold waiting for the bus. I thought the author perfectly illustrated, how the wind would whip around corners and sting your face..it was like I was walking with Martina. I'm looking forward to continuing this journey. Will she becomes a strong confident female lead, or will the big bad city eat her up?
As a native Chicagoan I felt like I was standing in the cold waiting for the bus. I thought the author perfectly illustrated, how the wind would whip around corners and sting your face..it was like I was walking with Martina. I'm looking forward to continuing this journey. Will she becomes a strong confident female lead, or will the big bad city eat her up?
November 30, 2017
3.75 Stars
As most of my readers know, I typically don't read in the romance genre. So I was a little caught off-guard when author Bree Lewandowski asked me if I would review her book. After reading through its summary, my interest was piqued because it is set in the world of a fictional ballet company, The Bellus Ballet, which seems somewhat loosely based on The Joffrey Ballet. My mother was a ballet dancer who trained with a Russian ballet master before she married. I was raised attending performances and watching Russian films of the Bolshoi and Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet. In my childhood, all our kitties were named after Russian ballerinas- Maya, Galina, Natalia, and Ekaterina. Ballet feels warm and familiar. So I accepted the review request.
First things first, let's get it out of the way, since the book is titled Under Winter Lights, Part 1: let me assure the readers that hate them that there isn't a cliffhanger here. Think of this as a ballet in two acts. This book is Act 1.
Set in Chicago, Under Winter Lights details a sometimes frustratingly tentative and unsure of herself protagonist, Martina Mariposa (the surname being the Spanish word for 'butterfly' but we have no idea about this redhead's Latin origins), age nineteen. Martina was brave enough to move away from home and join The Bellus Ballet but is so timid about so many things that at times it was hard to envision how she got to where she is. I tried to make peace with that thought by thinking that Martina isn't sure, either. The other main character is her dashing dance partner, Maraav Levondovska (whose first name is the Hebrew for West and whose last name is mostly Ukrainian or Polish and appears to be a feminine rather than masculine form of a surname, and whose parents are Laine and Bruce Levondovska and yeah, Bruce is clearly not a Russian name either so like Elsa in Frozen, let's let it go about names already) who is about twenty-four or twenty-five. Young Martina has been elevated from a young and relatively inexperienced corps de ballet dancer to principal dancer in a production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker because of the desire on the part of unpleasant Bellus Ballet director Alan Jung to cast an innocent and childlike dancer in the role of Clara Silberhaus (Clara Stahlbaum in the original ballet). When questioned about Martina's ability to rise to this challenge, Jung seems to relish the idea of his formative role in developing her as a principal dancer. Or, as Jung so pleasantly puts it at one point during a media event, "It's as if, before her entrance into The Bellus, she did not exist." Jung has to be every reader's least favorite character, and in a dark backstory about a prior dancer he elevated, the ill-fated Daisy, we learn that he is without scruples or empathy. I was quite put off by this believably egotistical and Svengali-like character. For a brief moment I was worried that there would be a love triangle here, with this predatory director, but thus far that's not been fully realized. (And thank goodness. In the Harvey Weinstein era, this creepy man is all too real.)
Although we see a lush amount of detail about the ballet world from Martina's perspective, the novel's focus remains tightly bound to Martina and Maraav. The evolving relationship between Martina and Maraav is built out nicely by Lewandowski. Maraav, whose moniker "The Wolf of the Mariinsky" has provided him with the handy insulation of not true in reality bad-boy reputation, is actually a charming character. Maraav also has a fair amount of insight into self-worth and how to get some. Lewandowski spends more time building out Maraav's history than she does building out a backstory for Martina. While I'm sure she means to contrast the simple origins of Martina with the complex ones of Maraav, I was sometimes left feeling she lavished more writing love on Maraav than on her heroine. Lewandowski is also a little too prone to the telling us, instead of showing us, style of writing. But the story she builds is interesting enough to keep the reader reading.
I found much to like in this book. Lewandowski's love of the city of Chicago, and of ballet, is woven through this book wonderfully. Her depiction of Martina's loneliness, especially over a bitterly cold Thanksgiving day, is genuine and poignant. Lewandowski has given me enough enjoyment so that I'm planning to follow up with Part 2 over the holidays.
As most of my readers know, I typically don't read in the romance genre. So I was a little caught off-guard when author Bree Lewandowski asked me if I would review her book. After reading through its summary, my interest was piqued because it is set in the world of a fictional ballet company, The Bellus Ballet, which seems somewhat loosely based on The Joffrey Ballet. My mother was a ballet dancer who trained with a Russian ballet master before she married. I was raised attending performances and watching Russian films of the Bolshoi and Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet. In my childhood, all our kitties were named after Russian ballerinas- Maya, Galina, Natalia, and Ekaterina. Ballet feels warm and familiar. So I accepted the review request.
First things first, let's get it out of the way, since the book is titled Under Winter Lights, Part 1: let me assure the readers that hate them that there isn't a cliffhanger here. Think of this as a ballet in two acts. This book is Act 1.
Set in Chicago, Under Winter Lights details a sometimes frustratingly tentative and unsure of herself protagonist, Martina Mariposa (the surname being the Spanish word for 'butterfly' but we have no idea about this redhead's Latin origins), age nineteen. Martina was brave enough to move away from home and join The Bellus Ballet but is so timid about so many things that at times it was hard to envision how she got to where she is. I tried to make peace with that thought by thinking that Martina isn't sure, either. The other main character is her dashing dance partner, Maraav Levondovska (whose first name is the Hebrew for West and whose last name is mostly Ukrainian or Polish and appears to be a feminine rather than masculine form of a surname, and whose parents are Laine and Bruce Levondovska and yeah, Bruce is clearly not a Russian name either so like Elsa in Frozen, let's let it go about names already) who is about twenty-four or twenty-five. Young Martina has been elevated from a young and relatively inexperienced corps de ballet dancer to principal dancer in a production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker because of the desire on the part of unpleasant Bellus Ballet director Alan Jung to cast an innocent and childlike dancer in the role of Clara Silberhaus (Clara Stahlbaum in the original ballet). When questioned about Martina's ability to rise to this challenge, Jung seems to relish the idea of his formative role in developing her as a principal dancer. Or, as Jung so pleasantly puts it at one point during a media event, "It's as if, before her entrance into The Bellus, she did not exist." Jung has to be every reader's least favorite character, and in a dark backstory about a prior dancer he elevated, the ill-fated Daisy, we learn that he is without scruples or empathy. I was quite put off by this believably egotistical and Svengali-like character. For a brief moment I was worried that there would be a love triangle here, with this predatory director, but thus far that's not been fully realized. (And thank goodness. In the Harvey Weinstein era, this creepy man is all too real.)
Although we see a lush amount of detail about the ballet world from Martina's perspective, the novel's focus remains tightly bound to Martina and Maraav. The evolving relationship between Martina and Maraav is built out nicely by Lewandowski. Maraav, whose moniker "The Wolf of the Mariinsky" has provided him with the handy insulation of not true in reality bad-boy reputation, is actually a charming character. Maraav also has a fair amount of insight into self-worth and how to get some. Lewandowski spends more time building out Maraav's history than she does building out a backstory for Martina. While I'm sure she means to contrast the simple origins of Martina with the complex ones of Maraav, I was sometimes left feeling she lavished more writing love on Maraav than on her heroine. Lewandowski is also a little too prone to the telling us, instead of showing us, style of writing. But the story she builds is interesting enough to keep the reader reading.
I found much to like in this book. Lewandowski's love of the city of Chicago, and of ballet, is woven through this book wonderfully. Her depiction of Martina's loneliness, especially over a bitterly cold Thanksgiving day, is genuine and poignant. Lewandowski has given me enough enjoyment so that I'm planning to follow up with Part 2 over the holidays.
June 23, 2017
Under Winter Lights is the first part of a very promising ballet romance novel. It tells the story of Martina. She is a very talented ballerina who puts her soul into every performance, even though the loneliness consumes her behind the curtains. The harassment of the company director Alan Jung doesn’t make things easier as our heroine deals with a world filled with confidence problems, unwanted advances, rumors, eating disorders and so many more things. Frankly, Martina is quite a likable character and easy to relate to. I have tried so hard to be accepted, felt lonely when others rejected me for being different, draw limits to my actions and so. I know how lonely she must have felt and how she tried so hard to do what she loves while trying to move forward, even when everything and everyone seems to want to hold you back. Now, Maraav, our hero. Well, he is any girl’s come true: mysterious, handsome, a hard-worker and a charmer in his very unique way. Honestly, I spent quite a while imagining this two dance in the elegant, graceful and, perhaps even seductive, way that the book describes.
I am not that much into dancing. Therefore, I was a little confused at some of the ballet terminology. Nonetheless, the plot had an easy and friendly flow. I admire how the author managed to do so with the level of description needed to portray the dances. Sincerely, I can’t wait for the next part of the story. It was quite a mix of romance, drama, ballet and all the problems revolving around such a world.
4 ❤
I am not that much into dancing. Therefore, I was a little confused at some of the ballet terminology. Nonetheless, the plot had an easy and friendly flow. I admire how the author managed to do so with the level of description needed to portray the dances. Sincerely, I can’t wait for the next part of the story. It was quite a mix of romance, drama, ballet and all the problems revolving around such a world.
4 ❤
November 6, 2017
*•.¸(`*•.¸(`*•.¸★¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´ *•.¸(`*•.¸(`*•.¸★¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´
If you're looking for an escape from all the madness in the world and love romance and the fine arts, then look no further and delve into the stunning world of the Ballet in "Under Winter Lights (Part 1), and Under Midnight Lights (Part 2) by author, Bree M. Lewandowski.
*•.¸(`*•.¸(`*•.¸★¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´ *•.¸(`*•.¸(`*•.¸★¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´
This story takes you inside the life of Martina, a beautiful, shy ballerina and the physical and emotional struggles that go with being a dancer. Including the good (the beauty of the ballet), the bad (rigorous demands of being a ballerina) and the ugly (Alan Jung, a dastardly, possessive company director with an agenda) all while falling in love with her dance partner, world renown, Maraav Levondovska. Once Mr. Jung catches on to their relationship, their lives take a twisted and dark turn when obsession takes hold. Will it be the final curtain for Martina? I’m not telling. You’ll have to buys the books to find out.
This love story is beautifully written, and the exquisite detail written on the pages of these books made me feel as though I was right there.
Click on the links below to grab your copies of Under Winter Lights and Under Midnight Lights and take the journey with Martina & Maarav as they dance their way into each other’s heart.
If you're looking for an escape from all the madness in the world and love romance and the fine arts, then look no further and delve into the stunning world of the Ballet in "Under Winter Lights (Part 1), and Under Midnight Lights (Part 2) by author, Bree M. Lewandowski.
*•.¸(`*•.¸(`*•.¸★¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´ *•.¸(`*•.¸(`*•.¸★¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´
This story takes you inside the life of Martina, a beautiful, shy ballerina and the physical and emotional struggles that go with being a dancer. Including the good (the beauty of the ballet), the bad (rigorous demands of being a ballerina) and the ugly (Alan Jung, a dastardly, possessive company director with an agenda) all while falling in love with her dance partner, world renown, Maraav Levondovska. Once Mr. Jung catches on to their relationship, their lives take a twisted and dark turn when obsession takes hold. Will it be the final curtain for Martina? I’m not telling. You’ll have to buys the books to find out.
This love story is beautifully written, and the exquisite detail written on the pages of these books made me feel as though I was right there.
Click on the links below to grab your copies of Under Winter Lights and Under Midnight Lights and take the journey with Martina & Maarav as they dance their way into each other’s heart.
August 29, 2017
I really didnt think I'd like this. Turns out I was wrong. I'm not into the dancing kind of stuff and contemporary isn't one of my favorite genre's but I do read it once in awhile. This does end on a little cliffhanger but not so that it is a huge one.
Martina is a ballerina and has worked really hard for it. Its all she does and she gets lonely because she has no time for anything else. The next production she's the star and along with Maraav "The Wolf". He's a dancer and a very good one. Martina is flummoxed in a way watching him. Things dont develop between them quickly. This really was a beautiful story and I know it doesnt end for them. They have a job to do and need that focus but its not easy. Maraav is a really good guy and not just talented. The director Alan? I dont even know. He's creepy in my opinion and makes my skin crawl. He's a horrible person and the things he does to poor Martina. He needs to be dealt with. There is a lot of ballet in the story its not just the characters like it can sometimes be. It didnt bother me like I thought it would. I enjoyed the story and would like to read the 2nd.
Martina is a ballerina and has worked really hard for it. Its all she does and she gets lonely because she has no time for anything else. The next production she's the star and along with Maraav "The Wolf". He's a dancer and a very good one. Martina is flummoxed in a way watching him. Things dont develop between them quickly. This really was a beautiful story and I know it doesnt end for them. They have a job to do and need that focus but its not easy. Maraav is a really good guy and not just talented. The director Alan? I dont even know. He's creepy in my opinion and makes my skin crawl. He's a horrible person and the things he does to poor Martina. He needs to be dealt with. There is a lot of ballet in the story its not just the characters like it can sometimes be. It didnt bother me like I thought it would. I enjoyed the story and would like to read the 2nd.
July 31, 2017
If you are seeking a story to read and nestle under the cover and lay upon a fire…forget ‘Under Winter Lights.’
I mean if you had plans to kick back and escape life as you know it, head to Chicago to face the cold breeze upon your face while soaking into the world revolving around a ballet dancer, totally digress from the thought of reading this book by Bree Lewandowski.
The inauguration of this story begins with a young lady determined to be a dancer. Her entire life centers on her career that she has worked tremendously hard to attain as a ballet dancer. The imagery of this book is classic. The author captured the scenery and movement of the characters in a whimsical manner.
Walking with the character as the wind whisked around her face, made me brisk in the intense cold air along the journey of Martina. In my imagination of course...It's August in Georgia for me, there is nothing cold around these parts at this time. To see my extended thoughts follow the link http://jblissauthor.blogspot.com/2017...
I mean if you had plans to kick back and escape life as you know it, head to Chicago to face the cold breeze upon your face while soaking into the world revolving around a ballet dancer, totally digress from the thought of reading this book by Bree Lewandowski.
The inauguration of this story begins with a young lady determined to be a dancer. Her entire life centers on her career that she has worked tremendously hard to attain as a ballet dancer. The imagery of this book is classic. The author captured the scenery and movement of the characters in a whimsical manner.
Walking with the character as the wind whisked around her face, made me brisk in the intense cold air along the journey of Martina. In my imagination of course...It's August in Georgia for me, there is nothing cold around these parts at this time. To see my extended thoughts follow the link http://jblissauthor.blogspot.com/2017...
December 31, 2018
I felt like I was waiting on the edge of my seat throughout this entire story. Just waiting for something to happen, some huge development that would turn out to be the climactic event where the story turns around and I finally know it's all about. But that never happened....not yet anyway. The story is good. I really like the book, the characters are interesting and I can totally relate to Martina and her lack of self confidence. Alan Jung is a complete mystery and I am dying to know what his deal is. Maraav is a true prince charming, a hero waiting in the shadows to save Martina from whatever threat she's facing and to help her learn to stand up for herself when necessary. But there has to be some truth to the rumors surrounding him, something not perfect about him and I want to know what that is. I have so many questions that are unanswered!! I am eager to read the conclusion to this story in the next book!
August 8, 2017
The world of ballet is explored in the beautiful riveting love story of Martina and Maraav. Martina is a ballerina who gets the opportunity of a lifetime placed in her hands. It's just better because she gets to dance with "The Wolf" Maraav. The beauty of their developing relationship and the tenderness he treats her with is touching and makes the story. While the man behind the scenes who seems to have his own agenda in giving her the part, Alan Jun comes off a little shady like maybe just maybe he has other plans. This is my first read by this author and while I love her style and this beautiful story which I will definitely follow into book 2, gives us an in depth look into the world of ballet. While I love the story I find the details take away from the story and could have done with less but like I said it didn't stop me from enjoying her style and the book over all.
March 8, 2018
Martina is a girl in love with ballet—living and breathing her passion. She lacks confidence in her own abilities and looks, and does not realise the effect she has on two men, Alan Jung, the ballet’s director, and her dance partner, Maraav Levondovska, a newly arrived Russian dancer. The story, centred around a Chicago ballet company, is essentially a story of love, passion and obsession.
This writer was unknown to me until recently, but I have been utterly captivated by her love and knowledge of ballet, and her way of pulling the reader into the story, which is romantic, charming and utterly absorbing. The book is extremely well written with well-researched detail, and rounded, likeable characters. I look forward to reading the second part of this story, as well as other books by this talented writer.
This writer was unknown to me until recently, but I have been utterly captivated by her love and knowledge of ballet, and her way of pulling the reader into the story, which is romantic, charming and utterly absorbing. The book is extremely well written with well-researched detail, and rounded, likeable characters. I look forward to reading the second part of this story, as well as other books by this talented writer.
January 5, 2019
Slow burn of all slow burns.
First I will say that the writing is amazing. I was thrust into the world of ballet very easily. The author knew how to describe this world so it can be experienced as if one was there. Which is admirable but can also hinder a story.
I was able to picture this world so vividly but I couldnt feel it. I know that ballerinas tend to somewhat be portrayed as cool, calm, and collected but I would of loved to have felt more from Martina. I never got a sense of who she was as a person. Only her routines and her stiffness.
Having no emotion from the male leads as well made this book drag on. It was slow burn but without an emotional investment it wasn't an enjoyable slow burn.
I'm not sure if I'll continue to the next book. I am curious as who she ends up with and would be super disappointed if she ended up with the director.
First I will say that the writing is amazing. I was thrust into the world of ballet very easily. The author knew how to describe this world so it can be experienced as if one was there. Which is admirable but can also hinder a story.
I was able to picture this world so vividly but I couldnt feel it. I know that ballerinas tend to somewhat be portrayed as cool, calm, and collected but I would of loved to have felt more from Martina. I never got a sense of who she was as a person. Only her routines and her stiffness.
Having no emotion from the male leads as well made this book drag on. It was slow burn but without an emotional investment it wasn't an enjoyable slow burn.
I'm not sure if I'll continue to the next book. I am curious as who she ends up with and would be super disappointed if she ended up with the director.
December 22, 2017
This book will draw you in with its truly beautiful and innocent storyline. Martina is the talented ballet dancer at the Bellus ballet school and Maraav is the rebel Russian ballet dancer who arrives at the school mysteriously. The relationship is a slow burn that will keep your attention within the pages of this book. However, with a little bit of suspense thrown in by the unwanted personal attention by Mr Jung towards Martina the storyline unfolds. The descriptive writing in this book will give you a true insight into the world of ballet. Absolutely fantastic intriguing truly romantic five star must read. I cannot wait to read book two. I voluntarily read this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2022
Hey Gus , goodnight. My name is Charles , i am 16 years old and i am from venezuela. I still live in My country and sadly , because of the económical crisis wey are living , i can't afford to Buy books ( they are stupid expensive, and, this author is hard to find the free books sites i know), i can barely help My parents with the house expenses. Can anyone do me a small favour , if You can by send me a digital copy of this book and it's sequel ( under midnight lights) to My email: munoz.carlosalberto08@gmail.com. i am a humble Reader and a huge fan of romance fiction books ( especially the dance - ballet ) types. I Will be very happy if You could help me. Without furder ado , have a good day and good bless you
July 25, 2017
Under Winter Lights is part one in this series. Bree is a new author to me. This was a good read. If you love ballet then this is def. the book for you. I am not that familiar with ballet terms. But Bree makes it easy for you to understand the terms easily enough. Martha who only at nineteen and in her first year at the ballet school. Get's to play in this version of Nutcracker. Maraav who has the bad boy reputation is to play her prince in this play. Yet Maraav is not who he seems to be. The creative director Alan is one person who pushes them to their limits... I need to Under Midnight Lights part two to see what happens with these three.
November 27, 2017
Bree has this ability to completely bring you into her world. I know absolutely nothing about ballet (or about Chicago for that matter) but Bree has brought me into this world that is so descriptively written about. Martina is perhaps a bit naive and has been thrust into a position that she is not emotionally ready to deal with. She can dance...that much we know but...she has two wolves at her feet and she is young and not ready to deal with all the attention that is being thrust on her. This story does end in a cliffhanger that has me waiting to see what happens next in this love story - triangle, not triangle.
December 20, 2017
Despite my not knowing anything whatsoever about ballet before reading this book, it kept me informed in a clear, easy-to follow fashion that fit well with the plot. The romance in the novel was a slow burn, but it kept me entranced with different goings-on within the ballet studio and with Martina's personal life. The novel included small details within dialogue and nonverbal communication that made everything seem lifelike, as if they were real events. The entire novel was enchanting to read, especially with how beautifully it was written, how much I learned, and how entrancing the romance was.
January 22, 2017
Martina has always been all about Ballet. She also meets Maraav who has everything she can need. Martina has a self confidence issue but in the ballet world she needs to be strong and show no fear. She is a quiet girl who came from a small town to try to succeed. Maraav is smart, good looking, reliable, and respectful and just as talented.
The book is well written and the story flows well. The romance between Martina & Maraav is rich, vivid, and well detailed. It would be a good read if you love Ballet and love stories.
The book is well written and the story flows well. The romance between Martina & Maraav is rich, vivid, and well detailed. It would be a good read if you love Ballet and love stories.
June 7, 2017
This is a story about two flawed and fantastic characters in a world that doesn't give them any space to breath. Lewandowski touches on (though does not linger) on eating disorders, self image issues, rumors, obsession, and the fanatic and frankly mad love that some people have that drives them to dance. There are some issues, especially in the first chapter or two, with sentence fragments but it sorts itself out quickly. I finished this book in a day, and I am absolutely bouncing in my seat for the next one.
November 13, 2017
I really loved this book. The relationship between Martina and Maraav started out slowly but with enough tension that it kept me wondering what would happen next with these two. The heroine is very young and new to the life of a professional dancer and it's fun to watch the bad boy hero go from notorious rake to protector as their romance develops. All of the author's descriptions really pulled me into the world of a big city ballet company and were stunning! Very fun read for fans of dance and romance alike.
August 30, 2017
I enjoyed the fact that the author paid such close attention to all the details when writting this story. It feels real and very relateable. The characters are extremely easy to connect with while the storyline really draws you in and refuses to release you. It's as though you're right there walking alongside the characters as the events unfold. I can't wait to get my hands on book two so that I can continue this magical journey. A must read for sure!
November 12, 2017
Bree Lewandowski all I can say is wow!!! Bree covers areas of eating disorders and self esteem issues. Then book shows the struggles and pain of achieving your dream. Looking into the life of Martina showing the insecurities and struggles and have to deal with the director Alan Jung and then falling in love with your dance partner Maraav. You must get this book to see what happens to these three and to see if Martina comes out on top.
August 4, 2017
Wonderful perspective!
Like many girls I was in a ballet class for a short time. I have known a few girls with dreams. A couple that went to the city to try. Yet until now my understanding was missing something. I really appreciate the humble strength shown in this character. So trepidatious yet determined. I am excited to move on to book two!
Like many girls I was in a ballet class for a short time. I have known a few girls with dreams. A couple that went to the city to try. Yet until now my understanding was missing something. I really appreciate the humble strength shown in this character. So trepidatious yet determined. I am excited to move on to book two!
December 8, 2017
Bree Lewandowski is a new writer to me and what a stunning piece she has put together. The world of ballet is not something I understand but the strain and struggle in Martina’s life and being a lead dancer is something we can all relate to wether we are dancers or not. I adored the way she has built the story and can not wait to read part 2.
May 15, 2018
Wow. Just wow. I felt as if I was inside the dance studio myself, a member of the company watching this play out in front of my instead of reading it in a book.
Can only be described as a slow hot burn, crawling under your skin, making you wonder, assuming you know what’s coming your way only for it to pirouette and dance to a different beat. Loved it!
Can only be described as a slow hot burn, crawling under your skin, making you wonder, assuming you know what’s coming your way only for it to pirouette and dance to a different beat. Loved it!
June 26, 2018
If you're looking for a book to cozy up to this fall, then this one might be for you. Set in Chicago, the author takes you there and hooks you into the story. Unique setting for a story in the world of ballet. A fresh read.
December 31, 2018
Although the storyline had great potential and the characters were interesting enough I felt that it lacked a little drama, pizzazz and excitement. I found that I got a little bogged down as each chapter seemed to blend with the next
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