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Once Upon a Western #2
Dancing and Doughnuts
Twelve Dancing Princesses… reimagined.Fifty dollars just for asking a few questions? Jedediah Jones figures it must be his lucky day. What dancing and doughnuts have to do with anything, he neither knows nor cares. He’s only interested in earning that money so he can finally eat something other than the apples he's been living off for days. Once his stomach and his pockets are filled again, he plans to move on.But answering the advertisement plunges him into a forest of painted trees, twelve pretty sisters, trouble, and more trouble. And, yes, doughnuts. So many doughnuts. Can Jedediah Jones solve the mystery and earn that fifty dollars when the whole town has failed? Or will the twelve sisters lose their family's business no matter what he does?
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2018
4 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Kovaciny
26 books206 followersBorn only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, Rachel Kovaciny has loved the Old West all her life. She spends her days telling stories to her husband and their three homeschooled children. In her free time, Rachel writes a column on Old West history for the Prairie Times, reads, blogs, watches movies, and daydreams.
Visit www.rachelkovaciny.com to sign up for Rachel Kovaciny’s newsletter and receive a FREE copy of her Sleeping Beauty retelling, the novella The Man on the Buckskin Horse.
Visit www.rachelkovaciny.com to sign up for Rachel Kovaciny’s newsletter and receive a FREE copy of her Sleeping Beauty retelling, the novella The Man on the Buckskin Horse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
August 9, 2024
Another excellent retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," a tale that I don't particularly like but that keeps inspiring authors to write great reworkings in diverse settings, for which it's earned a place in my good graces.
This one is a Western, set in the dusty town of Peabody Crossing in post-Civil War Kansas, to where discharged former Union cavalry sergeant major Jedediah Jones arrives with no intention to stay. But his empty pockets convince him to take up a tempting offer to solve the mystery plaguing a respectable dance hall (that also serves delicious doughnuts) tended by the Algona couple and their twelve daughters. On glance, the mystery seems to be easy to solve, as there's three too-evident suspects from the start, so evident that it's too good to be a right guess. Though the suspects do turn out to be innocent, as was obviously the case, the mystery is also not hard to guess for the reader.
Which doesn't mean the book is predictable and dull, even if it may prove uninteresting for its easiness for regular mystery readers. The characterisation is excellent, Jedediah is a charming and likable character, and the Algona girls are defined enough personality-wise for the little onpage time most of them have. The prose is also very good and immersive; and though the author being a Christian means there's religious beliefs sprinkled throughout, it's not preachy, and it's part of the plot and its resolution, so it's not extraneous to the storyline or the characters.
I've come to like Rachel Kovaciny's style a lot now with this my third read of her works, and appreciate that she retells popular fairy tales stripped of any whiff of magical elements, making them credible (well, maybe six sets of twin girls is a bit hard to believe, but it's possible in real life, weirder genetic oddities have happened), and her Wild West settings are a welcome deviation from the more common fantasy and European-setting ones.
This one is a Western, set in the dusty town of Peabody Crossing in post-Civil War Kansas, to where discharged former Union cavalry sergeant major Jedediah Jones arrives with no intention to stay. But his empty pockets convince him to take up a tempting offer to solve the mystery plaguing a respectable dance hall (that also serves delicious doughnuts) tended by the Algona couple and their twelve daughters. On glance, the mystery seems to be easy to solve, as there's three too-evident suspects from the start, so evident that it's too good to be a right guess. Though the suspects do turn out to be innocent, as was obviously the case, the mystery is also not hard to guess for the reader.
Which doesn't mean the book is predictable and dull, even if it may prove uninteresting for its easiness for regular mystery readers. The characterisation is excellent, Jedediah is a charming and likable character, and the Algona girls are defined enough personality-wise for the little onpage time most of them have. The prose is also very good and immersive; and though the author being a Christian means there's religious beliefs sprinkled throughout, it's not preachy, and it's part of the plot and its resolution, so it's not extraneous to the storyline or the characters.
I've come to like Rachel Kovaciny's style a lot now with this my third read of her works, and appreciate that she retells popular fairy tales stripped of any whiff of magical elements, making them credible (well, maybe six sets of twin girls is a bit hard to believe, but it's possible in real life, weirder genetic oddities have happened), and her Wild West settings are a welcome deviation from the more common fantasy and European-setting ones.
August 21, 2018
THIS BOOK, FAM.
IT'S SO, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD, FAM.
I had a huge silly grin on my face the entire time I was reading. I can't remember the last time a story did that to me. It made me happy. Really, truly happy. I may be smol and cynical and full of several anxiety disorders, but I couldn't resist this story's magic.
Come to think of it, it's hard to see how anyone could resist the goofy, exuberant energy Dancing and Doughnuts serves up. We've got a family of twelve (12) daughters, trying to save their Highly Respectable Dance Hall from the unnamed culprit who's been--oh, the horror!--spiking the apple cider. We also have one (1) enterprising drifter who thinks he's the man to solve the problem . . . and earn that sweet, sweet fifty-dollar reward. And let's not forget the whole swarm of assorted lovers, suitors, business rivals, town gossips, and law enforcement officials hovering around, all ready to pounce at any moment. The romp that follows is every bit as hilarious you're imagining.
I loved the main character, Jedidiah Jones, our drifting Civil War veteran with the slightly oversized ego and the more-than-slightly oversized heart. He talks a big game, sure, but he's capable of backing it up. And my word, is he FUNNY. I couldn't stop giggling at some of the stuff he would say and think. It was a rare treat, being inside his head. A++ first-person POV.
For some reason, too, I loved the fact that Jedediah was so short and had to keep looking up at all the other male characters. You don't often find a male lead who's super short. And in this case, especially, it worked beautifully. It made his overconfidence more understandable, more endearing, even. Not to mention, it furnished me with some Very Amusing mental pictures ;-)
I SHIP HIM AND ALICE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HARD (Sorry, Rachel. ;-) #insidejoke) All the stars for this romance. Definitely not just a cookie-cutter Christian fiction love story--far from it. I loved how unique Alice was, stubborn and secretive, but with a quietly brilliant sense of humor. I loved how Jedediah respected her withdrawn nature and didn't try to push things along too quickly. I loved the lack of unnecessary "angst" in their getting-together process. And just . . . just . . . *spluttering* . . . they're cute, okay??????
And I really enjoyed the dynamic of the twelve sisters. I come from a family of 'only' four girls (heh), but the basic principles are the same--constant chatter, constant giggles, semi-constant bickering, but (above all) constant solidarity & support. And Rachel captured it beautifully. <3
The mystery of the spiked drinks was so much fun! AND, I solved it!!! *high-fives self* Also, lovely Scripture application, there; very humane and kind. It wasn't preachy at all.
I saved the best for the last: the atmosphere. Guys, I honestly don't know if I can do justice to the atmosphere of this story. It was sugar and spice and all things nice, with just enough tartness to keep things hopping. It was a glorious confection of fiddle music, and dancing shoes, and sweet cider, and cinnamon-y doughnuts, and painted ceilings, and swishing skirts, and billowing prairie grass . . . READ IT. JUST READ IT. ALL OF YOU.
I promise, you'll grin just as much as I did by the time you reach the end. <3
[Content: Nothing objectionable whatsoever. I will be handing this off to my baby sister with zero qualms.]
IT'S SO, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD, FAM.
I had a huge silly grin on my face the entire time I was reading. I can't remember the last time a story did that to me. It made me happy. Really, truly happy. I may be smol and cynical and full of several anxiety disorders, but I couldn't resist this story's magic.
Come to think of it, it's hard to see how anyone could resist the goofy, exuberant energy Dancing and Doughnuts serves up. We've got a family of twelve (12) daughters, trying to save their Highly Respectable Dance Hall from the unnamed culprit who's been--oh, the horror!--spiking the apple cider. We also have one (1) enterprising drifter who thinks he's the man to solve the problem . . . and earn that sweet, sweet fifty-dollar reward. And let's not forget the whole swarm of assorted lovers, suitors, business rivals, town gossips, and law enforcement officials hovering around, all ready to pounce at any moment. The romp that follows is every bit as hilarious you're imagining.
I loved the main character, Jedidiah Jones, our drifting Civil War veteran with the slightly oversized ego and the more-than-slightly oversized heart. He talks a big game, sure, but he's capable of backing it up. And my word, is he FUNNY. I couldn't stop giggling at some of the stuff he would say and think. It was a rare treat, being inside his head. A++ first-person POV.
For some reason, too, I loved the fact that Jedediah was so short and had to keep looking up at all the other male characters. You don't often find a male lead who's super short. And in this case, especially, it worked beautifully. It made his overconfidence more understandable, more endearing, even. Not to mention, it furnished me with some Very Amusing mental pictures ;-)
I SHIP HIM AND ALICE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HARD (Sorry, Rachel. ;-) #insidejoke) All the stars for this romance. Definitely not just a cookie-cutter Christian fiction love story--far from it. I loved how unique Alice was, stubborn and secretive, but with a quietly brilliant sense of humor. I loved how Jedediah respected her withdrawn nature and didn't try to push things along too quickly. I loved the lack of unnecessary "angst" in their getting-together process. And just . . . just . . . *spluttering* . . . they're cute, okay??????
And I really enjoyed the dynamic of the twelve sisters. I come from a family of 'only' four girls (heh), but the basic principles are the same--constant chatter, constant giggles, semi-constant bickering, but (above all) constant solidarity & support. And Rachel captured it beautifully. <3
The mystery of the spiked drinks was so much fun! AND, I solved it!!! *high-fives self* Also, lovely Scripture application, there; very humane and kind. It wasn't preachy at all.
I saved the best for the last: the atmosphere. Guys, I honestly don't know if I can do justice to the atmosphere of this story. It was sugar and spice and all things nice, with just enough tartness to keep things hopping. It was a glorious confection of fiddle music, and dancing shoes, and sweet cider, and cinnamon-y doughnuts, and painted ceilings, and swishing skirts, and billowing prairie grass . . . READ IT. JUST READ IT. ALL OF YOU.
I promise, you'll grin just as much as I did by the time you reach the end. <3
[Content: Nothing objectionable whatsoever. I will be handing this off to my baby sister with zero qualms.]
Read
April 29, 2024{October 2023 Reread}
Alas, alack! I did not like this one as much as I did the first time around, and that makes me feel bad. But such is life: people change from year to year, so their reading tastes naturally change as well.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a fun book, and one that is compulsively readable. Ms. Kovaciny’s pacing is so excellent that, even for those of us who don’t care for literary Westerns, it’s easy to get swept into the flow of the story and follow it right happily to its conclusion.
My more lackluster experience, this time around, was due primarily to changed reader-character chemistry. I just didn’t jive with the protagonist the way I did the first time I read the novel, and I really didn’t jive with the characterization of the Algona girls the way I did the first time I read the novel. Alice is still awesome, but I wearied of the stereotypical depiction of a group of young women as being frenetically energetic and incessantly talkative. For that and for a few other reasons, the narrative attitude toward the Algona daughters and some of the other female characters just read as a touch patronizing. In my personal opinion.
Still, as I said, it’s an entertaining, well-paced, cozy novel. I especially like some of the side romances and the nuance given to some of the “frenemy” characters.
{Original August 2018 Review}
*muffled squeals*
GUUUUUYYYYYYYYYYYSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
Dancing and Doughnuts has pretty much everything. Plot, characters, humor, pacing, detail, and ATMOSPHERE out the whazoo. It's wonderful.
Let's start with characters.
Jedediah Jones is the epitome of a likable protagonist. This guy was witty, responsible, and unflaggingly honest and chill. He doesn't feel the need to put on a 'tough guy' façade -- or any façade at all, for that matter. He is who he is and he knows it and he's cool with it and he's not super interested in protecting himself from other people's judgments or digs or what have you and he's not irritating because he doesn't seem like he's trying to pass himself off as flawless or right all the time and can you say "breath of fresh air"?
Then we have the Algona girls. Geez Louise, what a fun group. I think it's good that Ms. Kovaciny didn't feel the need to develop every single one of the daughters, but instead allowed some of them to remain in general, somewhat anonymous, but always entertaining and contributive background roles. Those Algonas who were developed were equally entertaining. I think I enjoyed Clara, Felicity and Flora the most, because all three of them had the image of Beth Riesgraf surrounding them due to my (incomplete but still enthusiastic) knowledge that the author had cast that actress as one of them. They were also fun characters in their own right. ;) I couldn't say that Alice was what I'd call a favorite, but there's nothing wrong with her character, at all -- it's just that I personally found some of the other daughters more engaging. But Alice was wonderful, too!
Trouble and More Trouble are fabulous supporting characters, too. And I just found out that Ms. Kovaciny would cast Christian Kane as one of them, so any remaining bets are definitely off. ;D
You can kind of see the answer to the mystery coming, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes people get too wrapped up in unpredictability and forget that predictability in and of itself is not at all a sign of poor storytelling. (Then again, I'm a pretty firm believer in that assertion that there are only a few truly distinct stories, and that all other stories draw inspiration from them. So I guess that's all up to you. ;-P)
The atmosphere is A++++++, y'all. I still don't know how the author managed to find that golden medium between too much description and too little. I LOVED the description of the dance hall -- from the first time Jedediah sees it and marvels at the painted wonderland to the opening of the first dance he witnesses, I love how the preparations are described. I love how we can feel the shadows lengthening to plunge the dance hall into a peaceful and enchanting and inviting twilight. Geez, I just love everything! Everything is so well-written.
Dancing and Doughnuts is the second book in Ms. Kovaciny's Once Upon a Western series that I have had the privilege to read for review. And, as you can (hopefully) tell, I was enchanted. I was utterly satisfied. This book is unassuming, well-rounded, jubilant, and just about perfect.
Basically: I enjoyed Cloaked; I loved Dancing and Doughnuts.
Alas, alack! I did not like this one as much as I did the first time around, and that makes me feel bad. But such is life: people change from year to year, so their reading tastes naturally change as well.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a fun book, and one that is compulsively readable. Ms. Kovaciny’s pacing is so excellent that, even for those of us who don’t care for literary Westerns, it’s easy to get swept into the flow of the story and follow it right happily to its conclusion.
My more lackluster experience, this time around, was due primarily to changed reader-character chemistry. I just didn’t jive with the protagonist the way I did the first time I read the novel, and I really didn’t jive with the characterization of the Algona girls the way I did the first time I read the novel. Alice is still awesome, but I wearied of the stereotypical depiction of a group of young women as being frenetically energetic and incessantly talkative. For that and for a few other reasons, the narrative attitude toward the Algona daughters and some of the other female characters just read as a touch patronizing. In my personal opinion.
Still, as I said, it’s an entertaining, well-paced, cozy novel. I especially like some of the side romances and the nuance given to some of the “frenemy” characters.
{Original August 2018 Review}
*muffled squeals*
GUUUUUYYYYYYYYYYYSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
Dancing and Doughnuts has pretty much everything. Plot, characters, humor, pacing, detail, and ATMOSPHERE out the whazoo. It's wonderful.
Let's start with characters.
Jedediah Jones is the epitome of a likable protagonist. This guy was witty, responsible, and unflaggingly honest and chill. He doesn't feel the need to put on a 'tough guy' façade -- or any façade at all, for that matter. He is who he is and he knows it and he's cool with it and he's not super interested in protecting himself from other people's judgments or digs or what have you and he's not irritating because he doesn't seem like he's trying to pass himself off as flawless or right all the time and can you say "breath of fresh air"?
Then we have the Algona girls. Geez Louise, what a fun group. I think it's good that Ms. Kovaciny didn't feel the need to develop every single one of the daughters, but instead allowed some of them to remain in general, somewhat anonymous, but always entertaining and contributive background roles. Those Algonas who were developed were equally entertaining. I think I enjoyed Clara, Felicity and Flora the most, because all three of them had the image of Beth Riesgraf surrounding them due to my (incomplete but still enthusiastic) knowledge that the author had cast that actress as one of them. They were also fun characters in their own right. ;) I couldn't say that Alice was what I'd call a favorite, but there's nothing wrong with her character, at all -- it's just that I personally found some of the other daughters more engaging. But Alice was wonderful, too!
Trouble and More Trouble are fabulous supporting characters, too. And I just found out that Ms. Kovaciny would cast Christian Kane as one of them, so any remaining bets are definitely off. ;D
You can kind of see the answer to the mystery coming, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes people get too wrapped up in unpredictability and forget that predictability in and of itself is not at all a sign of poor storytelling. (Then again, I'm a pretty firm believer in that assertion that there are only a few truly distinct stories, and that all other stories draw inspiration from them. So I guess that's all up to you. ;-P)
The atmosphere is A++++++, y'all. I still don't know how the author managed to find that golden medium between too much description and too little. I LOVED the description of the dance hall -- from the first time Jedediah sees it and marvels at the painted wonderland to the opening of the first dance he witnesses, I love how the preparations are described. I love how we can feel the shadows lengthening to plunge the dance hall into a peaceful and enchanting and inviting twilight. Geez, I just love everything! Everything is so well-written.
Dancing and Doughnuts is the second book in Ms. Kovaciny's Once Upon a Western series that I have had the privilege to read for review. And, as you can (hopefully) tell, I was enchanted. I was utterly satisfied. This book is unassuming, well-rounded, jubilant, and just about perfect.
Basically: I enjoyed Cloaked; I loved Dancing and Doughnuts.
October 5, 2021
Dancing and Doughnuts was the first Rachel Kovaciny book that I tried. I had been seeing her around social media for years, and I had been following her on Instagram for half of that time. Somehow, it took me that long to read her novellas. But once I began, I never looked back!
Dancing and Doughnuts turned me into a loyal fan of the Once Upon a Western series. I loved it.
I enjoyed seeing a fairy tale retelling that was not fantasy but historical fiction. I love historical fiction, especially when it’s as vivid and accurate as Ms. Kovaciny’s well-researched, well-written books. The Once Upon a Western novellas are straight historical fiction, with no magic or fantasy elements.
And of course, they’re Westerns! I love Westerns. I only discovered my love for Westerns in the last couple of years. But I’ve continued to seek them out--including a few classic Westerns, but especially several excellent indie authors who are currently publishing. And Rachel Kovaciny is one of those.
Ms. Kovaciny brings a small Western town to life with a lively flavor. The narrator of Dancing and Doughnuts is a young man who rides into town as a stranger determined to find work, since he’s sick of eating apples. He stubbornly sticks his nose into the town’s business in order to get to the bottom of a mystery that no one has been able to solve.
Jedediah Jones endeared himself to me from the very first page. I love his lively, wryly witty narration. He made me laugh or smile at every turn, with his humorous commentary on the interesting people and crazy events he witnessed. There were so many lines that delighted me or made me laugh out loud. It was so much fun to see Jed’s world through his eyes and to hear his perspective. Ms. Kovaciny has a skilled writing style to begin with, and she excels at giving each new character a unique voice. It sounds as if the protagonist is telling me their story as it happens, in their own words.
Several of the other male characters earned my respect and affection as well. I loved the wide range of different men--some mature and wise, some quiet and strong, some struggling and foolish, some scheming or less than admirable. About half of the male supporting characters were ones I came to love dearly--sometimes immediately, as with Jed and the wonderful town sheriff, and others with time and acquaintance. With one character, I didn’t expect to love him because I couldn’t respect him, but he won me over by the end of the book--or perhaps it was the discussion with friends who appreciated him more than I did!
I appreciate Rachel Kovaciny’s ability to write realistic, manly men of many different types. She doesn’t write an unrealistic ideal of what women want men to be. Instead, she writes good, solid men, masculine and strong--or weak, but complex and easy to understand. It’s rare for me to see men in fiction that feel real to me, like the good men I know in real life. It shouldn’t be so rare for male characters to be masculine--but I appreciate the few authors I’ve found who do write excellent, complex, imperfect, and admirable male characters. Ms. Kovaciny has taken her place in my favorites as one of the best writers of male characters that I know.
I found the female characters to be less developed. I liked them, but they didn’t earn my loyalty and affection the way the male characters did. This is a common pitfall in all retellings of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” I’ve rarely seen it done well, so I didn’t mind it here. I eventually did like Alice and her sisters, and by the end of the book, I wanted them to end up with their respective love interests--but I took a little more convincing with the women than with the men.
I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book. It was well-plotted and just difficult enough to make it a conundrum for both the townspeople and the reader, without being so impossible that the clever main character couldn’t figure it out. It all made sense in the end, and I loved how it was resolved--and how the main character was stumped but eventually figured out an intelligent plan to ferret out the guilty party. It was so fun to see Jed as an amateur detective, determined not to lose in the race to solve the mystery.
Though I am not familiar with most fairy tales, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” is one that I do know well. I’ve read the original tale and at least one good retelling. That meant I enjoyed noticing how Ms. Kovaciny wove in elements from the original tale. I was delighted by the cleverness of the inclusion of things from the fairy tale version. I would never have expected things like a silver and gold forest, but Ms. Kovaciny slipped them in subtly in a way that fit the Western historical fiction genre. Nothing seemed out of place, and noticing the nods to the fairy tale added extra enjoyment for me.
From the tone of the first page and the rest of the book, I enjoyed Dancing and Doughnuts as a fun romp--more humorous than serious, realistic but a little crazy.
So the deep themes took me by surprise!! Ms. Kovaciny included thoughtful, compassionate truths--all of which related directly to the main plot and character arcs--woven seamlessly and subtly into an excellent and well-written story. I didn’t even notice the themes until the end of the book--but they were there from the beginning, gentle and never heavy-handed. When Jed, the protagonist, reveals his solution to the mystery at the end, I was amazed to see the heart of the author and the main character. Jed compassionately understands each of the other characters, though each has a varied viewpoint that clashes with other members of the cast. He stands for truth with quiet strength, and he carefully mediates the serious conflict between the other characters. He’s a peacemaker, and I was so proud of him. He has a wisdom and maturity that is rare for a man his age--but there are young men like him, and it was realistic and believable.
Not only that . . . I was deeply moved by one aspect of Jed’s stand for truth. He defends several young women who have been backed into a tight spot of desperation, by the misunderstanding of another character, an authority figure in their lives. No one else stood up for them--until Jed did. It is a beautiful thing to see him fighting for the women, so that they no longer need to fight for themselves. And he does it in a quiet, wise way that understands and respects both the women and their authority figure. I wanted to applaud. He excelled, navigating a tricky situation with mercy and insight--and all in a way that seemed real, like it could happen in real life.
When Jed shared truth from the ultimate source of truth, to help these young women in their situation . . . it moved me so much that I suddenly began sobbing. I saw myself in this struggle. I had been in the position of these young women for most of my life. And no one stood up for me when I was young and needed defense. No one stepped in to gently share truth with me and other people in my life, and the misunderstanding and conflict continued. As I read that page with Jed as a quiet peacemaker, the truth Jed shared healed a wound deep in my heart. I had never heard anyone use that truth in the way it should be used, to defend someone like me instead of to bind and hurt. This beautiful truth and act of care from Jed touched me deeply. It was a beautiful thing to see on the page, and it became real to me in my life and heart. And I was able to go on with life a little more whole, and a lot more equipped with truth to overcome a lifelong hurt.
I was not expecting that from this kind of book. But after reading more of Rachel Kovaciny’s books, I know that each of her books is deep and thoughtful under the surface of a good story. But Dancing and Doughnuts touched me most deeply, and it’s special to me because of that.
I usually think of this book as an excellent story, nothing more--as I did when reading it. But it was much more than that for me, and I treasure it as such.
Dancing and Doughnuts turned me into a loyal fan of the Once Upon a Western series. I loved it.
I enjoyed seeing a fairy tale retelling that was not fantasy but historical fiction. I love historical fiction, especially when it’s as vivid and accurate as Ms. Kovaciny’s well-researched, well-written books. The Once Upon a Western novellas are straight historical fiction, with no magic or fantasy elements.
And of course, they’re Westerns! I love Westerns. I only discovered my love for Westerns in the last couple of years. But I’ve continued to seek them out--including a few classic Westerns, but especially several excellent indie authors who are currently publishing. And Rachel Kovaciny is one of those.
Ms. Kovaciny brings a small Western town to life with a lively flavor. The narrator of Dancing and Doughnuts is a young man who rides into town as a stranger determined to find work, since he’s sick of eating apples. He stubbornly sticks his nose into the town’s business in order to get to the bottom of a mystery that no one has been able to solve.
Jedediah Jones endeared himself to me from the very first page. I love his lively, wryly witty narration. He made me laugh or smile at every turn, with his humorous commentary on the interesting people and crazy events he witnessed. There were so many lines that delighted me or made me laugh out loud. It was so much fun to see Jed’s world through his eyes and to hear his perspective. Ms. Kovaciny has a skilled writing style to begin with, and she excels at giving each new character a unique voice. It sounds as if the protagonist is telling me their story as it happens, in their own words.
Several of the other male characters earned my respect and affection as well. I loved the wide range of different men--some mature and wise, some quiet and strong, some struggling and foolish, some scheming or less than admirable. About half of the male supporting characters were ones I came to love dearly--sometimes immediately, as with Jed and the wonderful town sheriff, and others with time and acquaintance. With one character, I didn’t expect to love him because I couldn’t respect him, but he won me over by the end of the book--or perhaps it was the discussion with friends who appreciated him more than I did!
I appreciate Rachel Kovaciny’s ability to write realistic, manly men of many different types. She doesn’t write an unrealistic ideal of what women want men to be. Instead, she writes good, solid men, masculine and strong--or weak, but complex and easy to understand. It’s rare for me to see men in fiction that feel real to me, like the good men I know in real life. It shouldn’t be so rare for male characters to be masculine--but I appreciate the few authors I’ve found who do write excellent, complex, imperfect, and admirable male characters. Ms. Kovaciny has taken her place in my favorites as one of the best writers of male characters that I know.
I found the female characters to be less developed. I liked them, but they didn’t earn my loyalty and affection the way the male characters did. This is a common pitfall in all retellings of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” I’ve rarely seen it done well, so I didn’t mind it here. I eventually did like Alice and her sisters, and by the end of the book, I wanted them to end up with their respective love interests--but I took a little more convincing with the women than with the men.
I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book. It was well-plotted and just difficult enough to make it a conundrum for both the townspeople and the reader, without being so impossible that the clever main character couldn’t figure it out. It all made sense in the end, and I loved how it was resolved--and how the main character was stumped but eventually figured out an intelligent plan to ferret out the guilty party. It was so fun to see Jed as an amateur detective, determined not to lose in the race to solve the mystery.
Though I am not familiar with most fairy tales, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” is one that I do know well. I’ve read the original tale and at least one good retelling. That meant I enjoyed noticing how Ms. Kovaciny wove in elements from the original tale. I was delighted by the cleverness of the inclusion of things from the fairy tale version. I would never have expected things like a silver and gold forest, but Ms. Kovaciny slipped them in subtly in a way that fit the Western historical fiction genre. Nothing seemed out of place, and noticing the nods to the fairy tale added extra enjoyment for me.
From the tone of the first page and the rest of the book, I enjoyed Dancing and Doughnuts as a fun romp--more humorous than serious, realistic but a little crazy.
So the deep themes took me by surprise!! Ms. Kovaciny included thoughtful, compassionate truths--all of which related directly to the main plot and character arcs--woven seamlessly and subtly into an excellent and well-written story. I didn’t even notice the themes until the end of the book--but they were there from the beginning, gentle and never heavy-handed. When Jed, the protagonist, reveals his solution to the mystery at the end, I was amazed to see the heart of the author and the main character. Jed compassionately understands each of the other characters, though each has a varied viewpoint that clashes with other members of the cast. He stands for truth with quiet strength, and he carefully mediates the serious conflict between the other characters. He’s a peacemaker, and I was so proud of him. He has a wisdom and maturity that is rare for a man his age--but there are young men like him, and it was realistic and believable.
Not only that . . . I was deeply moved by one aspect of Jed’s stand for truth. He defends several young women who have been backed into a tight spot of desperation, by the misunderstanding of another character, an authority figure in their lives. No one else stood up for them--until Jed did. It is a beautiful thing to see him fighting for the women, so that they no longer need to fight for themselves. And he does it in a quiet, wise way that understands and respects both the women and their authority figure. I wanted to applaud. He excelled, navigating a tricky situation with mercy and insight--and all in a way that seemed real, like it could happen in real life.
When Jed shared truth from the ultimate source of truth, to help these young women in their situation . . . it moved me so much that I suddenly began sobbing. I saw myself in this struggle. I had been in the position of these young women for most of my life. And no one stood up for me when I was young and needed defense. No one stepped in to gently share truth with me and other people in my life, and the misunderstanding and conflict continued. As I read that page with Jed as a quiet peacemaker, the truth Jed shared healed a wound deep in my heart. I had never heard anyone use that truth in the way it should be used, to defend someone like me instead of to bind and hurt. This beautiful truth and act of care from Jed touched me deeply. It was a beautiful thing to see on the page, and it became real to me in my life and heart. And I was able to go on with life a little more whole, and a lot more equipped with truth to overcome a lifelong hurt.
I was not expecting that from this kind of book. But after reading more of Rachel Kovaciny’s books, I know that each of her books is deep and thoughtful under the surface of a good story. But Dancing and Doughnuts touched me most deeply, and it’s special to me because of that.
I usually think of this book as an excellent story, nothing more--as I did when reading it. But it was much more than that for me, and I treasure it as such.
February 23, 2021
Rachel Kovaciny has made me a believer in Westerns. This was an absolutely delightful read!
February 20, 2025
I think this is my new favorite book from Rachel Kovaciny! Before this, I’d read three fiction books in a row that had somewhat heavier themes, so I was ready for something light and fun, and this was exactly what my heart was craving. Jedediah was a wonderful narrator and I loved following him through this delightful Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling set in the Old West. He was a straightforward kind of guy and very clever. He’s hired to find out what’s going on when it seems like someone is trying to sabotage a respectable small town dance hall by slipping alcohol into the cider and making the owner’s twelve daughters tipsy.
I had fun following the mystery and could only figure it out just a little bit before Jedediah did. No spoilers, but my favorite thing about the story was that Jedediah stood up for people who felt that they’d been backed into a corner and couldn’t directly stand up for themselves. The theme that came up here isn’t one that gets addressed a lot, but it’s realistic. Rachel wove faith and scripture into the story so naturally, too. It was never preachy, it just came naturally from the faith of Jedediah and the family.
I enjoyed this story so thoroughly and will definitely be reading it again in years to come!
I had fun following the mystery and could only figure it out just a little bit before Jedediah did. No spoilers, but my favorite thing about the story was that Jedediah stood up for people who felt that they’d been backed into a corner and couldn’t directly stand up for themselves. The theme that came up here isn’t one that gets addressed a lot, but it’s realistic. Rachel wove faith and scripture into the story so naturally, too. It was never preachy, it just came naturally from the faith of Jedediah and the family.
I enjoyed this story so thoroughly and will definitely be reading it again in years to come!
August 20, 2018
This book is even better than Cloaked, and that's the opinion of someone who usually doesn't care for mysteries. Love the writing, love the characters, love the plot. Highly recommended to fans of westerns, mysteries, fairytale retellings, or just a good story in general.
September 12, 2018
What a fun read! If you've been reading my reviews, you already know how greatly I admire Ms. Kovaciny's writing voice and style. She somehow manages to turn fairy tales into charming and believable Westerns! No fairy godmothers or magic of any kind, just fun plots including elements from the original tales and featuring charming characters in a very well-drawn Western setting.
Jedediah Jones, Civil War vet and drifter, tries his hand at solving a mystery for the prize of $50. But someone is highly motivated to prevent his success. First-person POV is this author's forte--her narrators always steal the show! I fell in love with Jedediah Jones within a few pages, he is that likable. The mystery is handled very well, and the side characters are all distinct characters who serve to progress the story.
Clever, fun reading, with some sweet, light romance. Highly recommended!
Jedediah Jones, Civil War vet and drifter, tries his hand at solving a mystery for the prize of $50. But someone is highly motivated to prevent his success. First-person POV is this author's forte--her narrators always steal the show! I fell in love with Jedediah Jones within a few pages, he is that likable. The mystery is handled very well, and the side characters are all distinct characters who serve to progress the story.
Clever, fun reading, with some sweet, light romance. Highly recommended!
January 21, 2022
Perfectly lovely tale, in the setting, voice, and retelling. I'm happy to have this little mystery on my family's shelves.
August 31, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I very much enjoyed this story. It was a light and easy read, amusing, and even a bit thought provoking. I love westerns and fairytales so I am always delighted when someone mixes them together.
I liked how Ms. Kovaciny wove in the themes from the original Twelve Dancing Princesses tale. Mixing fairytale aspects into a non-magical world isn't always an easy thing to achieve, but she did a very good job. My favorite element was the silver and gold forest.
I felt the characters could have been more well rounded.
Sheriff Walbridge, Mr. Kitteridge, Clara and Felicity were my favorite characters and I wish we would have gotten more of Trouble and More Trouble.
Though not my favorite character, the mental processes of the hero (the book is portrayed through his first person POV) brought me the most laughter. Especially when he is facing down twelve pretty girls.
I also wish we could have gotten to know the girls a little more. But maybe they will appear in later books.
It is a clean read and a good book that I will definitely recommend and will gladly turn over to my younger siblings when it is released.
I give it 3 of 5 stars because there were a few times when it seemed needlessly wordy and a bit rambling.
I very much enjoyed this story. It was a light and easy read, amusing, and even a bit thought provoking. I love westerns and fairytales so I am always delighted when someone mixes them together.
I liked how Ms. Kovaciny wove in the themes from the original Twelve Dancing Princesses tale. Mixing fairytale aspects into a non-magical world isn't always an easy thing to achieve, but she did a very good job. My favorite element was the silver and gold forest.
I felt the characters could have been more well rounded.
Sheriff Walbridge, Mr. Kitteridge, Clara and Felicity were my favorite characters and I wish we would have gotten more of Trouble and More Trouble.
Though not my favorite character, the mental processes of the hero (the book is portrayed through his first person POV) brought me the most laughter. Especially when he is facing down twelve pretty girls.
I also wish we could have gotten to know the girls a little more. But maybe they will appear in later books.
It is a clean read and a good book that I will definitely recommend and will gladly turn over to my younger siblings when it is released.
I give it 3 of 5 stars because there were a few times when it seemed needlessly wordy and a bit rambling.
August 22, 2025
This was such a cute story! I don't know that I've ever read a story where the main characters is talking to you, telling you their story. Having never read Twelve Dancing Princesses I had no idea what to expect with the story.
Jedidiah has to figure out who is spiking the punch at the dance hall or the mayor is going to shut down his competition! It was so funny to me that Jedidiah only wanted to pass through the town, but the appeal of earning a bit of cash is rather tempting. The people in the town seem to really like him as well. He's a straight shooter.
As he tries to find out who the culprit is, we learn more about he Algona family and all of the sisters! It becomes clear that Alice is a favorite, but Jedidiah is just passing through...
I ended up liking the side characters of the town, too. The Sheriff was a likable guy, while the mayor left a lot to be desired. Trouble and More Trouble reminded me of Daryl and the other brother Daryl. IYKYK
Since this is a novella, the story moves pretty quickly. I liked the pacing of it and the story overall!
Jedidiah has to figure out who is spiking the punch at the dance hall or the mayor is going to shut down his competition! It was so funny to me that Jedidiah only wanted to pass through the town, but the appeal of earning a bit of cash is rather tempting. The people in the town seem to really like him as well. He's a straight shooter.
As he tries to find out who the culprit is, we learn more about he Algona family and all of the sisters! It becomes clear that Alice is a favorite, but Jedidiah is just passing through...
I ended up liking the side characters of the town, too. The Sheriff was a likable guy, while the mayor left a lot to be desired. Trouble and More Trouble reminded me of Daryl and the other brother Daryl. IYKYK
Since this is a novella, the story moves pretty quickly. I liked the pacing of it and the story overall!
July 14, 2024
very cozy, quite straightforward, and a fun twist on the fairy tale. I love Rachel's books and this is no exception.
September 9, 2018
3.5 stars
I was ecstatic when Rachel first announced Dancing & Doughnuts as her 2018 release. Having been a fan of Cloaked (as well as a more recent reader of Five Magic Spindles: the Man on the Buckskin Horse and No Match for a Good Story), I long ago decided that Rachel Kovaciny made her mark on my list of favorite authors. And, although I didn't enjoy Dancing & Doughnuts quite as much as her other tales, it still made for an enjoyable read. :)
Jedediah Jones is a drifter. Haunted by memories of his time in the Civil War, he spends his days wandering from town to town, seeking work at one job or another. But when he stumbles into Peabody Crossing with barely a penny to his name, a girl steals his heart -- though not before a mystery that threatens her family with ruin claims her, first.
Maybe Jedediah should stop drifting... or maybe he should flee as far as his mare can carry him.
I very much expected this to be similar to Rachel's other stories, with an unforgettable cast, a clear yet thrilling plot, and a climax to rival all others. Although Dancing & Doughnuts pursued a more relaxed course than that of its predecessors, it certainly -- like Rachel's other works -- placed a new spin on westerns, with a fun little mystery to boot.
Jedediah made for a fascinating narrator, and I was intrigued by the realness of the large cast, but none of them truly stuck with me. And, although I love a good mystery, I felt as if the stakes were too small to retain my interest.
However, I still very much enjoyed this book! The pace and narrator made for a happily laid-back story, (and all the descriptions of the cider and doughnuts the characters consume made my mouth water *winks*). Without a doubt, I can't wait to read Rachel's next book! And if you're searching for a fun little mystery, I highly recommend Dancing & Doughnuts!
You may want to know: There are some references to drinking and drunkenness.
NOTE: A received a free ebook copy of Dancing & Doughnuts from the author, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. See my original review and tour stop at: https://the-book-sprite.blogspot.com/....
I was ecstatic when Rachel first announced Dancing & Doughnuts as her 2018 release. Having been a fan of Cloaked (as well as a more recent reader of Five Magic Spindles: the Man on the Buckskin Horse and No Match for a Good Story), I long ago decided that Rachel Kovaciny made her mark on my list of favorite authors. And, although I didn't enjoy Dancing & Doughnuts quite as much as her other tales, it still made for an enjoyable read. :)
Jedediah Jones is a drifter. Haunted by memories of his time in the Civil War, he spends his days wandering from town to town, seeking work at one job or another. But when he stumbles into Peabody Crossing with barely a penny to his name, a girl steals his heart -- though not before a mystery that threatens her family with ruin claims her, first.
Maybe Jedediah should stop drifting... or maybe he should flee as far as his mare can carry him.
I very much expected this to be similar to Rachel's other stories, with an unforgettable cast, a clear yet thrilling plot, and a climax to rival all others. Although Dancing & Doughnuts pursued a more relaxed course than that of its predecessors, it certainly -- like Rachel's other works -- placed a new spin on westerns, with a fun little mystery to boot.
Jedediah made for a fascinating narrator, and I was intrigued by the realness of the large cast, but none of them truly stuck with me. And, although I love a good mystery, I felt as if the stakes were too small to retain my interest.
However, I still very much enjoyed this book! The pace and narrator made for a happily laid-back story, (and all the descriptions of the cider and doughnuts the characters consume made my mouth water *winks*). Without a doubt, I can't wait to read Rachel's next book! And if you're searching for a fun little mystery, I highly recommend Dancing & Doughnuts!
You may want to know: There are some references to drinking and drunkenness.
NOTE: A received a free ebook copy of Dancing & Doughnuts from the author, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. See my original review and tour stop at: https://the-book-sprite.blogspot.com/....
August 8, 2020
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/5heqqJsvo3o
This was such a great story! Being that it was my first western book and Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling I've read, I went in very open-minded and excited.
It was so much better than anything my brain might have thought or imagined!
Jedediah was a great hero to cheer for and had me smiling on more than one occasion with his thinking. I also loved his sense of honor and respect. Plus, he's a great detective! ;)
The mystery part of this story was a surprise and an exciting one. I think that might have been my favorite part because I loved how Jedediah interacted with the townspeople.
Overall, a wonderful novella that left me satisfied, but also wanting to learn more about the author's other works. Recommend to readers who are looking for a clean fairytale retelling with a dash of romance, intriguing mystery, and of course, dancing and doughnuts.
*(Many thanks to the author for providing me an ARC. I was not required to write a review or positive one. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
This was such a great story! Being that it was my first western book and Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling I've read, I went in very open-minded and excited.
It was so much better than anything my brain might have thought or imagined!
Jedediah was a great hero to cheer for and had me smiling on more than one occasion with his thinking. I also loved his sense of honor and respect. Plus, he's a great detective! ;)
The mystery part of this story was a surprise and an exciting one. I think that might have been my favorite part because I loved how Jedediah interacted with the townspeople.
Overall, a wonderful novella that left me satisfied, but also wanting to learn more about the author's other works. Recommend to readers who are looking for a clean fairytale retelling with a dash of romance, intriguing mystery, and of course, dancing and doughnuts.
*(Many thanks to the author for providing me an ARC. I was not required to write a review or positive one. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
February 28, 2019
I really appreciate how this author holds her own in both full-length novels and short stories. I also think it's great that she collaborates with other authors in fun book-length collections! But now to the book at hand.
I really enjoyed the main character and voicing of the story. I chuckled out loud by how the male protagonist was outnumbers and nearly outmanned by that lady-laden town! The other men were well-written, too. I appreciated the twists and turns and evidences of character development.
To be honest, I'm not especially familiar with the German fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. What I do know is that Dancing and Doughnuts is a success as a stand alone novel, even if there are things I might especially appreciate if I knew more than 12 beautiful daughters who unsettled their father with a mystery!
In this book there were charming details, like the mending and fashions of shoes, and the tending and keeping of cider, that helped to keep this squarely in the genre of respectable historical fiction, as well as being a family-friendly Christian western.
I've liked all that I've read by this author and so far this is my favorite. And, I haven't even tried the doughnut recipe at the end yet. :)
Wholesome fun and puzzle solving: a great combination. Family friendly book, although kids might like it best who have at least experienced a crush or two and so recognize possible nuances between lads and ladies. (There's also conversation about alcohol but nothing I'd consider risqué.)
Keep up the great work, Rachel!
I really enjoyed the main character and voicing of the story. I chuckled out loud by how the male protagonist was outnumbers and nearly outmanned by that lady-laden town! The other men were well-written, too. I appreciated the twists and turns and evidences of character development.
To be honest, I'm not especially familiar with the German fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. What I do know is that Dancing and Doughnuts is a success as a stand alone novel, even if there are things I might especially appreciate if I knew more than 12 beautiful daughters who unsettled their father with a mystery!
In this book there were charming details, like the mending and fashions of shoes, and the tending and keeping of cider, that helped to keep this squarely in the genre of respectable historical fiction, as well as being a family-friendly Christian western.
I've liked all that I've read by this author and so far this is my favorite. And, I haven't even tried the doughnut recipe at the end yet. :)
Wholesome fun and puzzle solving: a great combination. Family friendly book, although kids might like it best who have at least experienced a crush or two and so recognize possible nuances between lads and ladies. (There's also conversation about alcohol but nothing I'd consider risqué.)
Keep up the great work, Rachel!
May 11, 2025
Short and sweet. Nothing special 🤷🏻 Liked it more than the first book
September 1, 2018
The drifter Jedediah Jones can’t believe his eyes: $50 just for asking a few questions? Must be his lucky day!
Short on cash and long on ideas, Jedediah crosses the street to ask what the reward’s about. Turns out, some low-life has been dumpin’ whiskey or some such thing into the punch bowl at the local Dance Hall, where the twelve daughters of a musician serve up dances and doughnuts for a dollar an evening.
Now, any feller worth his salt can’t have that, so Jedediah gladly takes on the case, with his eye on that $50 reward for catching the villain… but along the way a dark-haired beauty starts to flutter her lashes at him (when she ain’t tellin’ him off), which is a real problem, because Jedediah likes ‘em blonde. Can he solve the head-scratcher, snatch up the reward, and get back to roamin’… or is there something fishy going on in this small town to keep him here?
Dancing & Doughnuts is the second volume in Rachel Kovaciny’s Western Re-Imaginings of popular Fairy Tales, this one inspired by the ‘Twelve Dancing Princesses.’ There’s worn-out slippers aplenty, a sour tavern owner, a suspicious mayor, a sheriff desperate to hand out badges, and a proud fiddler who doesn’t want his girls marryin’ just any old sort.
Jedediah has a fun literary voice that harkens back to the westerns of yesteryear. The dance hall (an actual place where there was dancing, and not “loose women”) is a fun hangout, and there’s a lot of charm in the western details thrown in. Rachel’s enjoyment of the wild west, its tropes and characters, shines in her prose and the light-hearted tone of the tale. Best of all, anyone can read it, from the youngin’s to those with a good layer of grime on their white hats, coz there ain’t so much as a bad word in sight. The worse villainy here’s a bit of drinkin’.
So saddle up and order yourself a copy—and while you’re at it, buy Cloaked too, her re-imagining of ‘Little Red Riding Hood.’ In that novel, a feisty girl uncovers a diabolical plot against her grandmother—fortunately, she has the smarts (and a handsome cowboy hero) to save the day!
Short on cash and long on ideas, Jedediah crosses the street to ask what the reward’s about. Turns out, some low-life has been dumpin’ whiskey or some such thing into the punch bowl at the local Dance Hall, where the twelve daughters of a musician serve up dances and doughnuts for a dollar an evening.
Now, any feller worth his salt can’t have that, so Jedediah gladly takes on the case, with his eye on that $50 reward for catching the villain… but along the way a dark-haired beauty starts to flutter her lashes at him (when she ain’t tellin’ him off), which is a real problem, because Jedediah likes ‘em blonde. Can he solve the head-scratcher, snatch up the reward, and get back to roamin’… or is there something fishy going on in this small town to keep him here?
Dancing & Doughnuts is the second volume in Rachel Kovaciny’s Western Re-Imaginings of popular Fairy Tales, this one inspired by the ‘Twelve Dancing Princesses.’ There’s worn-out slippers aplenty, a sour tavern owner, a suspicious mayor, a sheriff desperate to hand out badges, and a proud fiddler who doesn’t want his girls marryin’ just any old sort.
Jedediah has a fun literary voice that harkens back to the westerns of yesteryear. The dance hall (an actual place where there was dancing, and not “loose women”) is a fun hangout, and there’s a lot of charm in the western details thrown in. Rachel’s enjoyment of the wild west, its tropes and characters, shines in her prose and the light-hearted tone of the tale. Best of all, anyone can read it, from the youngin’s to those with a good layer of grime on their white hats, coz there ain’t so much as a bad word in sight. The worse villainy here’s a bit of drinkin’.
So saddle up and order yourself a copy—and while you’re at it, buy Cloaked too, her re-imagining of ‘Little Red Riding Hood.’ In that novel, a feisty girl uncovers a diabolical plot against her grandmother—fortunately, she has the smarts (and a handsome cowboy hero) to save the day!
June 30, 2020
This was a rollicking good time! I enjoyed every minute! I'm so glad that I read it, even though it took me a while to get around to starting it. I had been in a little reading ditch (do you like that term? I just came up with it) and this was so refreshing!
Read my full review here:
https://moviesmeetmatch.blogspot.com/...
Read my full review here:
https://moviesmeetmatch.blogspot.com/...
October 5, 2018
What a wonderful little story told by a wonderful author!
Dancing & Doughnuts is just plain fun. I love the main character, Jedidiah Jones, and Ms. Kovaciny does a great job fleshing out the cast of supporting characters. Though I’m not familiar with the original fairytale, I caught a few references. The mystery was interesting and the ending was sweet. This is the kind of book I want my little sister to read and the kind of story I want to write—five stars!
Dancing & Doughnuts is just plain fun. I love the main character, Jedidiah Jones, and Ms. Kovaciny does a great job fleshing out the cast of supporting characters. Though I’m not familiar with the original fairytale, I caught a few references. The mystery was interesting and the ending was sweet. This is the kind of book I want my little sister to read and the kind of story I want to write—five stars!
January 28, 2020
I don't know the original fairytale for this one, but I definitely enjoyed this version of it! I liked the wholesome atmosphere of the dance hall in contrast to the usual old-West saloon. The whole flock of girls was a whole lot of fun, especially Jedediah's confusion in trying to tell them apart. :D I loved Jedediah's personality, too--his insight into personalities, the way all his different experiences and background played into his perspective, and the way we could see his thoughts changing on *ahem* certain things, even before he realized it. :)
The mystery was quite involved, and I wasn't sure what the solution was going to be for the longest time. I appreciated Jedediah's persistence, especially after it became less about the reward and more about the principle. Also, all the complex motivations and characters (even if we just got glimpses of them) were very intriguing and not always what they seemed at first glance...
Overall, I'm definitely enjoying this series and would love to see more!
4 stars
Content--mentions of drinking and drunkenness; untrue rumors about girls; slight violence; mentions of war;
The mystery was quite involved, and I wasn't sure what the solution was going to be for the longest time. I appreciated Jedediah's persistence, especially after it became less about the reward and more about the principle. Also, all the complex motivations and characters (even if we just got glimpses of them) were very intriguing and not always what they seemed at first glance...
Overall, I'm definitely enjoying this series and would love to see more!
4 stars
Content--mentions of drinking and drunkenness; untrue rumors about girls; slight violence; mentions of war;
January 7, 2026
I liked Cloaked but didn't love it. This, however--this I loved.
It's Jedediah's voice, or how endearingly overconfident he is, or how funny he is, or how he's a drifting Civil War veteran who meets a girl with a deep voice and a challenging look in her eye and bare feet under her dress that only he is vouchsafed a glimpse of and suddenly he doesn't need to see the Rocky Mountains so much...or it's that it's Twelve Dancing Princesses, one of my favorite fairytales, and the plot ends up nodding to the original in so many unexpected ways. Or maybe it's just that it's set in Kansas. Anyway, I loved it. A Western-mystery-fairytale retelling with one of the most endearing narrators and quietly refreshing romances I've read in ages.
It's Jedediah's voice, or how endearingly overconfident he is, or how funny he is, or how he's a drifting Civil War veteran who meets a girl with a deep voice and a challenging look in her eye and bare feet under her dress that only he is vouchsafed a glimpse of and suddenly he doesn't need to see the Rocky Mountains so much...or it's that it's Twelve Dancing Princesses, one of my favorite fairytales, and the plot ends up nodding to the original in so many unexpected ways. Or maybe it's just that it's set in Kansas. Anyway, I loved it. A Western-mystery-fairytale retelling with one of the most endearing narrators and quietly refreshing romances I've read in ages.
August 22, 2018
That was super fun! Review to come with blog tour. But for now, just know that it'll make you grin! :)
August 30, 2020
A fun little old west spin on The Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale.
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I loved this story and the attention to details from the original that were included in this western tale.
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I definitely want to try the doughnut recipe she included at the end!
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I loved this story and the attention to details from the original that were included in this western tale.
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I definitely want to try the doughnut recipe she included at the end!
February 17, 2021
3.5 stars!
June 7, 2023
My preteen and I enjoyed this together! Retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses, set in the Old West. Cleverly done, no magic. Very light romance and a fun non-scary mystery to solve.
June 22, 2025
This was a lovely, fun little read! Jedediah Jones was such a quirky and sincere narrator, and I loved how his backstory slowly unfolded across the course of the book—and the gentle but realistic handling of his Civil War flashbacks. I don’t know the original fairy tale super well (Twelve Dancing Princesses) but the tie ins that I did pick up were fun and well done. Looking forward to the next in the series!
July 15, 2023
Loveable characters and an engaging storyline!!!
September 1, 2018
This is a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling, which I think the world needs more of. I would recommend having some snacks on hand as you read this. Doughnuts, if you can get them. It will make you incredibly hungry. Rachel has a way of describing food that makes your mouth water, especially the doughnuts.
The descriptions in this story are top notch and paint such vivid pictures. I love the Dance Hall most of all and the unique way she brought in the silver and gold trees, from the original story. The way she incorporated all the elements of the story was brilliant, actually. It was a thrill to read.
The main highlight for me was the characters.
Jedediah Jones is one of those honest and witty characters, with a heart of gold. I love how blunt he is and the way he views the world, he doesn't waste words and it makes him admirable character. He was a fun protagonist and made me laugh a lot. I loved his humorous take on all the shenanigans that ensue.
I love all the girls too! It's hard to utilize such a large cast in a short story, but it worked out fine.
They all were so different and even if I couldn't remember all their names. (Neither could Jed, so I don't feel bad) I did enjoy their differing personalities. Alice stands out the most of course, because of Jedediah interest in her. I enjoyed their banter. She's not a damsel in distress, but she's not one of those overly pushy girls either.
The mystery was well done too. Usually I can sort things out quickly, but this one evaded me. It was a great twist.
I also liked how well rounded all the characters were, even Mayor Gatz who play's more of a villainous role, wasn't a cliched, mustache twisting baddie. I always enjoy character's who don't seem like caricatures, they seem like people you've met or could meet. Which is what made all of the ones in this story so enjoyable.
All in all, a delightful take on a classic story!
I tried to think of one negative thing and I have nothing. If you like doughnuts, the old west, a good story, and shenanigans. I recommend this book!
May 13, 2020
Jedediah Jones has the chance to earn fifty dollars if he can figure out who spiked the cider at the town's dance hall, making the twelve sisters who work there tipsy in Dancing and Doughnuts by author Rachel Kovaciny.
Confession: I don't think I've ever heard the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. So any correlations to that fairy tale in the plot of this retelling were surely lost on me.
Another confession: I didn't read the blurb for this book beforehand, so I didn't know I was in for a mystery. Because I liked some short stories in the Once Upon a Western series, and I love this novel's cover, I jumped into the book blindly and just enjoyed the story for what it is.
Granted, its laid-back rhythm felt slow and unexciting to me here and there. I'm rather sure I would have preferred the tale as a shorter read with more pep to the pace. Also, it may be that the ebook I bought was originally formatted for print with hyphenations to keep the paragraphs aligned on paper, as I came across quite a few random, needlessly hyphenated words in the middle of sentences.
Nevertheless, I get a kick out of finding murderless mysteries, and this wholesome Western has some likable characters, a poignant lesson for Jedediah, a nice little romance, a great climax, a satisfying ending—and delicious doughnuts! I could almost taste 'em.
I hear tell there will be another book coming in this series, so I'm keeping my eyes open.
Confession: I don't think I've ever heard the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. So any correlations to that fairy tale in the plot of this retelling were surely lost on me.
Another confession: I didn't read the blurb for this book beforehand, so I didn't know I was in for a mystery. Because I liked some short stories in the Once Upon a Western series, and I love this novel's cover, I jumped into the book blindly and just enjoyed the story for what it is.
Granted, its laid-back rhythm felt slow and unexciting to me here and there. I'm rather sure I would have preferred the tale as a shorter read with more pep to the pace. Also, it may be that the ebook I bought was originally formatted for print with hyphenations to keep the paragraphs aligned on paper, as I came across quite a few random, needlessly hyphenated words in the middle of sentences.
Nevertheless, I get a kick out of finding murderless mysteries, and this wholesome Western has some likable characters, a poignant lesson for Jedediah, a nice little romance, a great climax, a satisfying ending—and delicious doughnuts! I could almost taste 'em.
I hear tell there will be another book coming in this series, so I'm keeping my eyes open.
August 10, 2023
Charming and delightful! From the first line to the last, this story pulled me into the world of the Wild West, but with a charming twist reminiscent of a fairy tale. And that’s precisely what it is!
The writing is exquisite. The author has found a country western voice that is neither twangy nor irreverent. She’s captured the time period and evokes all the old west movies we’ve grown up with, yet with a quaintness and wit more reminiscent of Maverick instead of Appaloosa.
So many seamless references to the original story intertwined, like the descriptions of the ceiling of the dance hall and the girls wearing through a pair of dancing shoes every week. Genius incorporation of history regarding doughnuts, too!
If you’re in need of a light, encouraging read, I’d highly recommend this one! And it’s only one in a series! I look forward to reading another soon!
I have such a hankering for doughnuts now! Gotta try making them! (Thanks for the recipe, Rachel Kovaciny!)
**Watch my live interview with the author on my YouTube channel @pmeredithauthor!
The writing is exquisite. The author has found a country western voice that is neither twangy nor irreverent. She’s captured the time period and evokes all the old west movies we’ve grown up with, yet with a quaintness and wit more reminiscent of Maverick instead of Appaloosa.
So many seamless references to the original story intertwined, like the descriptions of the ceiling of the dance hall and the girls wearing through a pair of dancing shoes every week. Genius incorporation of history regarding doughnuts, too!
If you’re in need of a light, encouraging read, I’d highly recommend this one! And it’s only one in a series! I look forward to reading another soon!
I have such a hankering for doughnuts now! Gotta try making them! (Thanks for the recipe, Rachel Kovaciny!)
**Watch my live interview with the author on my YouTube channel @pmeredithauthor!
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