The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Title: Pretending to Dance
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: October 5, 2015
T H R E E • W O R D S
Multi-layered • Reflective • Compelling
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Molly Arnette is very good at keeping secrets.
She lives in San Diego with a husband she adores, and they are trying to adopt a baby because they can't have a child on their own. But the process of adoption brings to light many questions about Molly's past and her family—the family she left behind in North Carolina twenty years before. The mother she says is dead but who is very much alive. The father she adored and whose death sent her running from the small community of Morrison's Ridge. Her own birth mother whose mysterious presence in her family raised so many issues that came to a head. The summer of twenty years ago changed everything for Molly and as the past weaves together with the present story, Molly discovers that she learned to lie in the very family that taught her about pretending.
If she learns the truth about her beloved father's death, can she find peace in the present to claim the life she really wants?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Pretending to Dance was November's selection for our monthly Diane Chamberlain buddy read. I avoided reading the synopsis before picking it up to keep my mind fresh when I started. Because I have had success tandem reading (physical and audio) some of her other books, I decided to do the same with this one.
This dual timeline (1990 & 2014) story is multi-layered and well-crafted. It's part coming-of-age story and part contemporary fiction. The mystery behind Molly's estrangement from her family held my interest, while the present day timeline offered so much space for reflection. The story's pacing was steady - with details being revealed gradually until everything finally comes together in the end. The complex family dynamics felt realistic, and did the flawed characters.
The focus on the process of open adoption is something I've never really thought a whole lot about. Yet this novel had me pausing to reflect on it time and time again. DC always seems to make me see both sides of the coin, which I absolutely love. And while I was so invested in the story, the ending felt a little rushed. I could have used a little more of Aiden's reaction and involvement towards the end, but instead it felt like DC was simply trying to tie everything up with a nice little bow.
I did figure out where the story was going fairly early on, but despite that it didn't detract from my enjoyment. These monthly buddy reads have solidified the fact the Diane Chamberlain is a sure thing for me. I've currently read 12 of her books and look forward to continuing to explore her backlist, while secretly hoping she announces something new soon too.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Diane Chamberlain completists
• Jodi Picoult fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"It’s hard to move on if you don’t forgive,” he said. “It’s like trying to dance with a lead weight on your shoulders. The anger can weigh you down forever."
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: October 5, 2015
T H R E E • W O R D S
Multi-layered • Reflective • Compelling
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Molly Arnette is very good at keeping secrets.
She lives in San Diego with a husband she adores, and they are trying to adopt a baby because they can't have a child on their own. But the process of adoption brings to light many questions about Molly's past and her family—the family she left behind in North Carolina twenty years before. The mother she says is dead but who is very much alive. The father she adored and whose death sent her running from the small community of Morrison's Ridge. Her own birth mother whose mysterious presence in her family raised so many issues that came to a head. The summer of twenty years ago changed everything for Molly and as the past weaves together with the present story, Molly discovers that she learned to lie in the very family that taught her about pretending.
If she learns the truth about her beloved father's death, can she find peace in the present to claim the life she really wants?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Pretending to Dance was November's selection for our monthly Diane Chamberlain buddy read. I avoided reading the synopsis before picking it up to keep my mind fresh when I started. Because I have had success tandem reading (physical and audio) some of her other books, I decided to do the same with this one.
This dual timeline (1990 & 2014) story is multi-layered and well-crafted. It's part coming-of-age story and part contemporary fiction. The mystery behind Molly's estrangement from her family held my interest, while the present day timeline offered so much space for reflection. The story's pacing was steady - with details being revealed gradually until everything finally comes together in the end. The complex family dynamics felt realistic, and did the flawed characters.
The focus on the process of open adoption is something I've never really thought a whole lot about. Yet this novel had me pausing to reflect on it time and time again. DC always seems to make me see both sides of the coin, which I absolutely love. And while I was so invested in the story, the ending felt a little rushed. I could have used a little more of Aiden's reaction and involvement towards the end, but instead it felt like DC was simply trying to tie everything up with a nice little bow.
I did figure out where the story was going fairly early on, but despite that it didn't detract from my enjoyment. These monthly buddy reads have solidified the fact the Diane Chamberlain is a sure thing for me. I've currently read 12 of her books and look forward to continuing to explore her backlist, while secretly hoping she announces something new soon too.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Diane Chamberlain completists
• Jodi Picoult fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"It’s hard to move on if you don’t forgive,” he said. “It’s like trying to dance with a lead weight on your shoulders. The anger can weigh you down forever."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Medical trauma, Medical content, Chronic illness, and Sexual content
Minor: Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Violence
adoption, euthanasia
More...