{Review} of With Every Heartbeat by Melody Grace

With Every Heartbeat by Melody Grace
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: New Adult
THEME: Contemporary Romance, Dance
RECEIVED: Author

BLURB:

Rome. The city of young lovers, dark secrets, and intoxicating new desire…

I thought I knew what I wanted in life. I thought my destiny was set. Then I met him, and everything changed.

Raphael is bold, passionate, and seductive. He sees something in me I never dreamed possible, and now he's determined to show me a world beyond rules -- a dance without limits. I want to trust him, but I'm scared. Because I know once I fall, there'll be no going back.

An innocent dancer. A mysterious stranger. As Annalise is drawn deeper into the sensual delights of Rome, she'll question everything she believed about her future. But with opening night looming, can she find the strength to risk it all? And will she be forced to choose between her one true love, ballet, and the new passion in her heart?

REVIEW:

I’m a fan of dancing and the dedication and sacrifices dancer do it unbelievable, especially when it comes to ballet. I even watch the show Breaking Pointe that follows young and mature ballet dancers through the pain and competition that they live through each day. This story is about the passion of dance, the sacrifices that people make to be at the top, and the love that some miss out on because of it. I adored this story; it really makes you think about what’s really important in life and love.

With Every Heartbeat follows a passionate dancer Annalise, who has followed in her mother’s footsteps to be a professional ballet dancer. But with all the dedication she has put in, she just hasn’t gotten the to the point she needs and wants, to be a solo dancer. Her mother has always put on the pressure but even more so now, she is sent to Rome for one last chance to stay with the ballet company and become someone. Annalise will do anything to please her mother, which is until she meets Raphael, a dancer in Rome who shows her how to dance without fear and limits. But will their passion come between their desires to dance? Or will Annalise make the biggest sacrifice, giving away her heart?

Annalise is a young and innocent dancer, all her life she has only wanted one thing, to be like her mother and dance ballet. But now she has reached the terrifying point of disappointing her mother, she must dance her heart out to make a part in the company or she knows she’ll be out. I loved Annalise’s love for dance, her dedication and admiration was sweet and brave. She is such a strong person but doesn’t realize she wasn’t dancing for herself; she was dancing for her mother. When she meet Raphael she see’s that dance can be something of passion and enjoyment, not pain and sacrifice and it changes her mind in many ways. It was interesting to get the perspective of a dancer and see how tough it really is out there. Annalise was a great character to connect too, her innocents, hopes and dreams make her someone to care and root for.

Raphael is a man full of passion and freedom; it scares Annalise but also excites her. I adored is instant draw to her; how he knew that she was someone special, someone who could understand his love for dance. The chemistry between Annalise and Raphael is off the charts; each page was full of intense moments. For the romances lovers out there this will defiantly have you fanning yourself after a scene with these two.

Overall this was a fun read, the romance is the highlight of course but the dance is what brings these two characters together. The side characters are great as well; Annalises’ friends Rosalie and Karla have her back, as she is challenge between her love for dance and Raphael. What I also enjoyed was Annalises’ mother, her character is extremely important because of her dream as a dancer is pushed into her daughter. I look forward to more work from Melody Grace, the way she brings her characters together with such fire and romance was defiantly what kept me reading. What is even more exciting is that the next book follows Rosalie, who had it tough having to be Mademoiselle’s errand runner. She is going to Paris and I can’t wait for her story!

RECOMMENDATION:

This is a new adult book with some sexual content meant for readers 18 and older. Fans of Jennifer Echols Such a Rush and J Lynns Frigid will love Melody Graces’ With Every Heartbeat.

View all my reviews