Review Detail

Molly is settled and ready to adopt a baby with her loving husband in San Diego. When the adoption process starts gaining speed, however, she begins to doubt that she can’t truly leave her past behind. She’s kept secrets about her childhood in North Carolina for years, but as she gets closer to having a child of her own, past and present will collide.

What I Loved:

Pretending to Dance by Diane Chamberlain does a wonderful job of paralleling past and present events. The voice of Molly as a young girl and the voice of her as a mature adult contrasts beautifully, adjusting to the age difference but keeping the same thread of character. On both sides, Chamberlain shows the nuances of nontraditional families, never shying from the complex issues but always highlighting love that does not need blood connection. The descriptions of the North Carolina region, especially the land Molly’s family lives on when she is a child, are also a wonderful addition to the story.

What Left Me Wanting More:

The story centers around a big mystery about what truly happened to Molly’s father. The reader knows he is dead in Molly’s present, but the circumstances around his death are what Molly has kept hidden. The mystery was a bit predictable from the beginning, so the reveal is not shocking. However, the build up is nice, and I still found myself turning the pages, eager to have conformation.

Final Verdict:

Though I wanted a little more from the plot, Pretending to Dance is a moving novel of families, love, and the relationships that form us.