Taxi dance halls take center stage in Taxi Dancer, a historical fiction inspired by true events in San Diego’s Stingaree district. The reader joins a pair of interracial lovers on their journey in pursuit of a life together in Washington State, interweaving unexpected events, places, and circumstances they find themselves in along the way. I recommend this book to those interested in murder mysteries, forbidden romance, and stories on navigating the immigrant experience from different perspectives.

Thank you to Marivi Soliven, NetGalley, and Red Hen Press for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review. As a Filipina-American with personal ties to San Diego and San Francisco, a sincere salamat po to the author for sharing this novel with the world and inspiring me to further expand my knowledge of the history of the resilient Filipino community.

Marivi Soliven has a talent for bringing history to life in the best way possible. I was immediately drawn into the vibrant Stingaree district in San Diego, California in the 1930s--where on weekends dreams really do come to true for the immigrant community who spend belaboring hours in the fields to earn enough money for a shave and a few dance tickets at one of the glamorous dance halls. The story follows Eli, a Filipino immigrant with a flair for fancy footwork and Lucinda, a young American girl who ran away from an abusive home and supports herself as a taxi dancer.

Given the social climate of the time, the modern reader comes into the book knowing that any relationship that develops between these two young dreamers will face any number of challenges--and from the get-go, we know that the biggest of these is a murder allegation. But watching the plot unfold is not only completely gut-wrenching but also somehow laced with hope around every turn.

A memorable and compelling cast of characters kept me turning pages--including a darling orphan who runs to coat-check at the Rizal dance hall, a wily young reporter, and the terrifyingly smooth woman owner/operator of the Velvet Cafe. Not only was this story an informative depiction of a little-known place and time in history, but also a beautiful love story, an intriguing mystery investigation, and a courtroom drama, all tied into one gripping novel. This may be the best book I've read all year. Bravo!