The Pas de Deux

I had not previously read this author and I am glad I discovered here because this book was excellent. I grew up in the 80's reading lots of books about ballet and this book felt truly accurate to that era. It had just enough ballet mixed in with the story to be interesting without bogging the pace down. I loved how real the age difference issue felt even though at times I was quite frustrated by Peri. I am reviewing this book based on an ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Erin Bomboy has used her experience in ballet and dance to write this novel. It is written in the style of the Pas de Deux.
There are several different "taboo" thoughts brought to light in this book. One is that women give their life to ballet. Everything they do or think is dance. They are also under the leadership of usually a Male director. They are obedient in every command. They know they can be replaced. Another is, age difference. It is okay to be an older man with a very young woman. Not so much if you are an older woman with a younger man.
This is a love story. A love that lasts and conquers all the trials thrown in their path. A love both pure, sweet, and true. I enjoyed this book. I love ballet so I learned a lot there. Also the storyline in exceptional, the characters are true to themselves. I absolutely recommend this book.

This reverse May/December romance was a different type of story from most others. As a former ballerina, I loved the nod to ballet itself, and not just as a setting for the story. All of the chapter titles are ballet terms, and are cleverly chosen to convey the tone of the chapter. I especially enjoyed the arc of the story, as Ms. Bomboy follows the five part structure of a grand pas de deux. There is an entrée (introduction), an adagio (in this case a slow movement for two), the two variations (one for a man, one for a woman), and a coda (conclusion). This is an extremely clever way to structure a story and kept me in a ballet frame of mind. I also liked her casual references to 80’s events, because they were small teases to figure out who or what she was referring to within the context of the story. In addition, I was dancing and started doing musical theatre in the 80s and early 90s, so the references to the AIDS epidemic and the devastation it caused really hit home. I actually had to stop reading for awhile as I reflected on all of the people who I knew and lost during that time. Which leads me to the one thing about this book that bothered me. The dual concern that Peri has about her career, which every dancer worries about, magnified by AIDS ravaging the community felt accurate. However, the author very often gave over to long paragraphs of the inner turmoil of both Peri and Mark, which slowed down the action. I understand why the author felt this was necessary, but it got to be a little much. In a novel, a little bit of inner dialogue can go a long way. All in all, an interesting twist in the romance genre, and at times it felt extremely personal. This would have been a 3 star romance, but the cleverness of the structure and focus on ballet gives it an extra "grand battement" (kick) to a 4 star. Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The Pas de Deux” by Erin Bomboy is an engrossing novel that takes place within the ballet world in the ‘80s, influenced by the author’s own experiences. At the core is a reverse May/December romance between aging ballerina Peri and her much younger lover, dance partner Mark. The challenges to their relationship by artistic director Mr. D, the attempt to revive the dying dance company and the deadly AIDS epidemic all play a role in this poetic and sweeping novel drawn through the structure of a classical ballet grand pas de deux. Highly recommended!

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The Publisher’s Note includes the following Author Interview:

What draws you to this genre?
Romance embodies the Hegelian dialectic, which is a super fancy way of saying the genre presents two contradictory worldviews (the hero and heroine’s) and then unifies them. This is why some of my favorite novels (from Pride and Prejudice to A Knight in Shining Armor) are romances.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?
Accurately portraying the ‘80s. While the decade isn’t that far away, it took tons of research to ensure everything from clothing to a Guns N’ Roses show that occurs at a climactic moment was period appropriate.

Why do you write?
Fiction offers access to another person’s headspace, which can broaden our understanding of what makes somebody tick. I consider dance to be my genre, and that allows me enormous leeway in tone, content, and style in all my books.
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Pub Date 11 Feb 2018

Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#ThePasDeDeux #NetGalley

5* Love Has No Boundaries Stars

I came across this wonderful book on NetGalley and the cover caught my attention immediately.

This was a beautifully written classical ballet romance, which takes place in the 1980’s. The story centers around two lonely dancers who come together when life around them is bleak and challenging. Peri is 29 years old and coming to the end of her dancing career and Mark is just starting his at the age of 17. Their attraction to each other was palpable from the beginning despite their age gap and the obstacles that faced them. The author managed to capture the history of the 80’s perfectly touching on the AIDS epidemic and the perception people had to male ballet dancers. (It was great to relive the 80’s when mobile phones were not present, social media not invented and newspapers were read and notes taken in journals).


You don’t have to be a dancer to enjoy this moving love story, which was very realistic and thought provoking. I loved it!

Many thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book.

"The Pas de.Deux" Is not just any ordinary novel! It is more....... "A Classical Ballet Romance. The author, Erin Bombay, has done a remarkable job in weaving a beautiful and timeless love story between an older ballerina, Peridot "Peri" Jones and a much younger and aspiring dancer, Mark Maroulis, Jr. She 29; and' he her partner, 17 years old. But, this also is not only about romantic love; but the love and passion. of ballet. The Artistic Director was of Armenian heritage and this author has given the reader a documented history of the horror of the Armenian Genocide. She has combined the "time" ..... the time of the early 80's and Aides...Aides then and Aides, now. This novel follows the classical Russian structure of "grand pas de deux".

I gave this book a 5 out of 5 star review. It was an enjoyable and I would recommend. to others. Generously provided to me through NetGalley

Beautifully written. Interesting characters and a very solid story line. Excellent read that I highly recommend!