The characters are entertaining although the story is fairly predictable
This is overall a light enjoyable romance.

Very predictable plot, not very well written. I enjoy ballet based stories, but this didn't explore that very much. I wouldn't recommend this title.

A second chance romance for Olivia and Zach. Olivia is back in town following her mum's death, but will she stay or leave Zach again?
Emotional read.

Great series starter by Rebecca Heflin. When Olivia returns home after 17 years for her mother’s funeral, she’s confronted with a past she left behind, which will lead to important choices. The dance descriptions in this book are solid and make it engaging.

This was a great start to a new series! The characters were interesting enough to want to read another book with them and the plot could be continued in future books.

This was my first read by this author and I was pleasantly surprised! I thought this was a very good read and I would recommend it!

This was such a heartwarming, sweet story, about a professional dancer who returns home for her mother's funeral and has to deal with coming back to a small town and everything that comes along with that, including Zach, the man she left 17 years ago to pursue her dancing career.

I loved the dancing aspect of this book, and the town of Northridge reminded me of Stars Hollow in its quaintness.

There were a couple of sub plots which, while I wouldn't say were unnecessary, they made the ending a little clunky. There was a mystery with someone trying to vandalize the studio and harm Olivia, but it was pretty obvious from the beginning who it was that was doing that. There was also a sub plot with Olivia searching for the identity of her father and that ending was a little anticlimactic.

Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book for review.

Olivia was in the shower when she heard “ step out of the shower with your hands up.” She saw two police officers and one had a gun pointed at her . She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself and stepped out. Than she looked into a pair of navy blue eyes lit with amusement and something else maybe shock. It was Zach Ryder. Zach had seen all of her up close and personal several years ago Olivia’s mother had told her Zach had come home and joined the Northridge PD and was now the Police Chief. Than she noticed the cop with the gun. It was Cole Lewis who had been three grades behind her. But Cole still wanted to see her ID , Cole told her that her security alarm had went off. Olivia told them she didn’t know she had a security alarm. She told them she had been in the shower and that is why she didn’t answer her phone when the security company called. Zach handed Olivia her robe and when their fingers touched she felt the same tingle she had as a teenager when she and Zach were a couple. It had been seventeen years since she had last touched Zach. Kissed him. Olivia and Zach had been so in love as teens at seventeen Olivia gave her virginity to Zach in the ramshackle house he now owns and lives in. Zach was the only man Olivia had ever loved Olivia had walked away from Zach to follow her dreams of being a famous dancer. She became the internationally famous sweetheart and principal dancer of The Joffery ballet. Had danced for the queen and Middle East prince. Then Olivia said she wanted to go finish her shower as she had a funeral to go to. Zach sobered as he remembered Olivia’s mother Carly had passed away from cancer and was to be buried today. Zach thought how Olivia had grown into a stunning woman. The magazines and tabloids hadn’t done her justice over the years. Zach had seen the pink scar running up the back of her right ankle from the surgery to repair her Achilles tendon rupture six months ago. Zach had kept up on her even after all these years he couldn’t help himself. Zach said he was sorry about Carly and he would have attended the funeral but he was on duty. She said it was quite a shock and than Zach said to let him know if she needed anything while she was there. Olivia thanked Zach and said she would only be there a couple of days , a week at the most. She had to get the estate in order. Zach thought it might be for the best, the better chance he has of protecting his heart. That Zach became a police chief was no surprise, he had always been the hero, standing up to bullies, protecting the hapless, saving stray kittens. Or defending the less fortunate. He never hesitated to stand up for what he thought was right, it was one of the things Olivia had loved about him and always would. It had taken Zach a couple of years to move on from Olivia, to even consider dating anyone else. He had tried a couple of relationships but they never worked out. The sad truth was no other woman ever compared to Olivia. He’d never been closer to another person, not his father, not his best friend Tyler . Olivia knew every dark corner of Zach’s soul and resided there still. Carly was to have a recital three months from now and Amy talked Olivia into taking over the recital. She would have to stay for three months. It was to be Cinderella. When Olivia did not give the lead to the mayor’s daughter , his wife became very angry and said she would regret doing that.
I loved this book. It was a great second chance romance of two people who had never stopped loving each other. I loved how protecting Zach was of Olivia even though she had broken his heart. I loved how Olivia found family she didn’t know she had. This was an easy but so romantic romance with just the right amount of angst, drama, and mystery. I could find nothing to criticize happily in this book. I loved the plot and pace. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

I absolutely loved A Season to Dance by Rebecca Heflin! From the very first page, you will be hooked by a witty, well-written story that grabs you and doesn't let go.

Olivia James is recuperating from an injury, which has derailed her career as a principal dancer with The Joffrey Ballet, when she must return to her hometown for her mother's funeral. She had left town and her high school sweetheart, Zach Ryder, 17 years earlier to pursue her dream.

Zach has never truly gotten over Olivia, and she has never met anyone who lived up to him. Will they get a second chance to realize their joint dream of a HEA?

Heflin skillfully builds a romantic, sexy, renewed relationship between Olivia and Zach and also introduces wonderful secondary characters, especially Kristen and Tyler. I hope they will have their own story. I would highly recommend A Season to Dance and look forward to other books in the series.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Title: A Season to Dance
Author: Rebecca Heflin
Publisher: Rebecca Heflin Books, LLC
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

"A Season to Dance" by Rebecca Heflin

My Thoughts....

Olivia has returned home after seventeen years due to the death of her mother. However, it wasn't no time before she sees her HS sweetheart [Zac] she had broken up with due to her move to Chicago. This story will bring these two back together again as Olivia is trying to figure out her life after her injury of her leg which placed her career as as a Ballerina into jeopardy. Olivia will have to make some important decisions but will one of them being getting back with Zac again? As the story moves there will be come mystery as to who was messing with Olivia well as when she decides to look for her father. This author did a wonderful job with the explanations when it came to the ballet events that went on. Overall, I thought this read was a good romance read that will keep you turning the pages to see what was happening next. By the end will Olivia and Zac get their HEA? Well, you will have to pick up "A Season to Dance" to see how this will all come out.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After Olivia's mom dies, Olivia must return to her hometown. The prima ballerina is recovering from a torn Achilles heel, and might never dance again, which is ironic because her mother leaves Olivia her dance studio. Olivia decides to stay on through the annual recital, and then plans to sell the studio after.

Zach returned home to keep an eye on his father. After years on the Atlanta PD, he's become the chief of police in his hometown. When Olivia returns to deal with her mother's estate, it's like a knife to his heart.

Olivia and Zach were in love in high school, but Olivia left to pursue her dream of becoming a professional ballerina, which broke Zach's heart. He's still in love with her. And she has never gotten over him.

Watching the two of them long for each other, but pulling apart so that they can guard their hearts is a great read. You root for them from the beginning, and when they finally come together, it's very satisfying.

There is a subplot about vandalism, and Olivia is targeted. Unfortunately, for the reader it's beyond obvious who is behind the attacks on Olivia's dance school.

The sex is well done.

I recommend this book if you like the tropes of rekindling love with an ex or hometown romance.

This is a very well written book with fleshed out characters albeit a familiar story. Olivia is a famous ballerina who goes home after 17 years when her mother passes away. After being there for a few days she runs into Zach, her high school sweetheart who she broke up with when she moved away. The rest of the story is pretty predictable although very believable.

Second chance romance + dancer heroine. Two of my favourite things.

Zach and Olivia haven't seen each other for 17 year and they meet again and it's obvious that both of them are still in love with one another. I loved that they acted like adults, neither of them is angry or resentful. Even if both of them were hurt, they understand that when they were young they wanted different things from life and their relationship couldn't work.

Zach it's amazing, such a mature man, he's so supportive, caring, gentle and kind.

I think the author did a great job at portraying Olivia's love for dance. When she dances you can feel it, you feel the passion that she has for dancing. It was mesmerizing.

I also liked the secondary character's Kristen and Tyler (I hope they get their book) and Derek and Emily (they were really cute.

Unfortunately there's a mystery sub plot (someone wanted to hurt Olivia) that I think was unnecessary and it was clear since the beginning who was the the person behind those acts. And I didn't like how the "father thing" was handled, I didn't know that Olivia's desire to meet her father was going to be so important and it kind of ruined things for me.

Overall, I loved the first half, the rest no so much.

This was a very heartwarming book. As a dancer myself I’ve found a lot of authors make it all Hearts & flowers when it’s not really. Rebecca Heflin did justice to this story by showing the true life of a dancer, on top one minute & down the next, the hard decisions that have to be made & everything that is given up for that dream. With Olivia & Zach she makes it even more real as decisions made at a young age affected both still years later. A second chance at love & a second chance at a career in dance is basically the gist of the book but the emotional journey traveled is what makes this story so good. The characters chemistry & heart ache in this story are so real you actually feel the emotions in the pages. I also loved the humour that was in the added in with the characters of Tyler & Kristen, I’m hoping we will find out what happened between them possibly in the next book........ I loved this book & will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Olivia returned hoe for her other's dancer, nursing an injured leg which put her career as the star ballerina on pause. While at home she started taking over her mother's dance studio, although i reality she wanted to return to the stage and her chosen profession, Along the way she reunites with an old boyfriend from high school and things begin to happen. Although this is the first book in a series, the other characters weren't developed enough to interest me in reading about them, As a stand alone book, this book succeeds quite nicely.

This was a light read of a woman's ability to reclaim her life in the midst d several tragic events. I have always enjoyed ballet and it's beauty and this gave a glimpse into that !ifestyle.

As a former dancer , I was intrigued with the title of this book.
The author truly capture the essence and life of a dancer with all the euphoria but also the pain , injuries, and sacrifices in the life of a dancer.
The story of Olivia James and Zach Ryder is at times heartbreaking but also heartwarming. These two were HS sweethearts but as graduation came close the future was one that though it was opening the window for Olivia to excel, Zach is left behind.
Fast forward seventeen years , and Olivia is back for her mother’s funeral and also due to an injury that might end her career. Zach, is no longer the kid she left behind. He is the Police Chief, handsome as sin and still in love with Olivia.
Though at times a little slow, the plot is engaging, filled with vandalism, whodunit, a dance recital, family secrets, romance but also an unknown future for these two individuals.
At the end, will Olivia leave Northridge and Zach behind, or will she embrace her new life filled with promises and a full heart?
Looking forward to what else the author has in store for us in her next book of this series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.