SEQUINS AND STARLIGHT

In London, a talented dancer at a professional crossroads takes a romantic risk in Porter’s sequel to A Change of Location (2024).

Ellie Lowery is 29 years old, but she feels as if she’s already lived several lives. She’s made the decision to hang up her corset as the successful burlesque dancer Stella Nue and try acting. While waiting to meet her Aunt Camille at the Ritz’s Rivoli Bar, an overenthusiastic fan of her burlesque act tries to accost her, and handsome financier Dan Wheeler steps in, pretending to be there to meet her. Ellie is searching for a place to live in London and Dan helps her to get settled in the city. However, she’s still haunted by the death of her husband, actor Harry Colman, nine years ago, and she’s reluctant to start a new relationship. Meanwhile, Gil Cooke, Ellie’s old friend from Julliard, is desperate to have her star in a play he’s written, and Rafe Lawrence, her dance partner when she was trying to make it as a ballerina years ago, wants her to join his ballet company. In this fictional exploration of a young woman trying to find success, Porter writes in a clear and appealing manner that makes the complicated world of dance accessible and attractive. One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is how it recognizes the demands that dancing places on a professional’s body and mind; Ellie’s own personal journey leads her to a good place: “She was no longer defined by critics, whose expectations of a dancer were rigid and specific.” Some plot points seem a bit too convenient at times; Dan’s father happens to be a donor to Rafe’s ballet company, for instance. However, the complex relationships are engaging throughout, always keeping the reader hooked.

A page-turning romance for those who adore the worlds of theater and dance.