I thought this book would have a great storyline, but I was sorely disappointed. Hamilton is newly divorced even though it was not what he wanted in spite of his ex-wife's cheating on him for years. The way that Judy Kelly has written Hamilton's character makes him one of the most unsympathetic protagonists I've ever encountered in a book. His ex-wife's complaints about his controlling nature are not unfounded and it amazed me that his youngest son would let him get away with being called "Buddy Boy" even though he was upper middle school going into high school.
After the divorce, Hamilton's health required him to take a sabbatical from his job for a few months. He took an unexpected trip to Hawaii where he met Anita, a woman who lost her fiance' within a week before the wedding. They challenged each other to step out and do something out of their own comfort zones. For Hamilton, this meant taking dancing classes. The dance teacher needed someone to help organize her office, so Ham took the job and ended up being the dance teacher when she sprained her ankle.
Much of the first half of the book involved Hamilton and Franny, the dance teacher, working and giving instruction to the dance students. Most of the instruction consisted of using videos with Ham demonstrating after the video. Through the class, he met Emma and fell in love with her. To say more about Ham's and Emma's relationship would be to spoil the ending. I felt that more of the book dealt with Ham's and Franny's relationship than it did with Ham's and Emma's.
Much of my dislike of this book is probably a matter of taste. I felt the plot moved slothfully slow and there just wasn't enough to hold my interest. Someone else will like this book immensely. It can be read at a leisurely pace. Two and a half stars, rounded up to three.
Black Rose Writing and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own, and they are just that--opinions.
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