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I hadn’t read any of the other books before it but you don’t really need to, it works well so that you don’t have to have read the other books. Wow! This is my first book by Anton. There is such an atmosphere of what it must have been like in that period, from the tension of pre-war, to racism. misogyny and general life being so very different from today. Benton said: “It is a delight to be welcoming Anton Du Beke to Orion. There is so much potential in his writing and the whole team have such a clear and ambitious vision to take his fiction to new heights and they cannot wait to get started." Can this troupe of old-time crooners, dancing girls and magicians possibly pull this off? Especially when they must compete with the 1960's rebellious new bands and revolutionary music? Abandoned by her brother, Evie has no idea if she'll ever be able to wrestle the troupe into a show fit for a queen.
I can see how how his books might become a bit of a secret pleasure for me, and that they can bring joy and pleasure to those who read them. The Ballroom Blitz, Du Beke’s first novel for Orion in the series, will be published in autumn 2022 as one of its super leads. He previously publishednovels withZaffre including One Enchanted Evening. Having been on "Strictly Come Dancing" since its inception as a dancer, his profile rose further after he joined the judging panel this autumn. Keen to rehearse, the company heads to the Seagate Theatre under the tutelage of the company's owner, Ed Forsyth. This is Ed's last hoorah before retiring and he's keen to leave on a high. But his son, Cal, has absconded, leaving his twin sister, Evie, to help manage the company after their mother's death. Hoping to display her best trapeze performance ever, she's also desperate that the entire troupe should succeed. If only her father hadn't brought in another old-timer... Billy Rich has come all the way from Hollywood, invited to be their main star. Billy is full of bluster and ego and his much younger wife, the mysterious Magdalene, doesn't help.I loved the cover of A Christmas to Remember and I was curious about whether or not Anton du Beke could write, so I took a punt, not knowing what to expect but needing escapism in these horrid Coronavirus times and also unaware this book was the third book in a series set in the 1930s based around a hotel, it's guests, it's staff and resident dancers. I loved the way he brings his love of dancing in as the main focus to start with and then with the beginning of WWII how it then becomes jeopardized as the staff and dancers go off to war but still runs right through the book. This was exceptionally well written and being a dancer myself, I could imagine myself in the ballroom with my flouncy dresses on and gliding around the ballroom. Outfits then were nowhere as daring as they are today. I did enjoy the story, there were cliches and parts that I was able to predict the outcome but that didnt detract from the storyline. It's not just about them working, and dancing in the evening though, as this story is set in 1938, a year before WW2 began, and the author bids some very big nods to the coming of the war, in a way which is sympathetic. The addition of some Austrian and German characters brings alive the fear felt by a lot of people during those times.
Throw in a couple of love stories, some espionage, a spy (or 2) and this story has a little something for everyone. Easy to read, easy to follow and a most enjoyable tale to read. His love for dancing really shines through and you can tell he knows his stuff. I didn’t know until about two thirds of the way through the author’s history in dancing and I love how he weaves it into the story through the use of one of the main characters. Of course that is unrealistic so We'll Meet Again is a heartfelt story of love, tough decisions, rousing declarations of patriotic pride and ordinary people coming together in dark times as well as those lit by the sparkle and glamour of a dance floor's chandeliers. The Forsyth Variety Company has been given the opportunity of a lifetime - to entertain Her Majesty at 1962's Royal Variety Performance.
I felt so many emotions throughout: joy, heartache, fear, anger. I loved the way some loose ends were tied up by the end of the novel, leaving just enough for me to long desperately for the next installment. We need more of this series please!! I didnt dislike the book, or that characters I just didnt feel that I gelled with any of them or was particularly bothered about the outcomes. To say I blooming loved my time spent reading this book - to say that I consider some of the characters to be friends - to say that I felt bereft leaving them at the end - would all be an understatement. In fact, the only bad thing I can say about the whole experience is that I am now hanging for book four. A year is a long time to wait. I will however be pouncing on the Audiobook as soon as it is released so I can revisit with that extra dimension that the narrator brings.
The war affected so many people in different ways. It at times caused problems among the staff, because they did not know how to deal with loved ones being away. Like most families, and they were a family, when it came down to it, they would be there for each other always. A beautifully written story of characters that I have grown to know and love.
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As it was set during World War II and was partly featured within the book, I did find some parts really emotional. The book concentrated heavily on how the war had affected everyone in different ways. I loved the characters, Nancy and Raymond who find themselves torn apart because of the war, like so many other families. Apparently this is the fourth book in a series and of course I have not read books 1-3! I read We'll Meet Again courtesy of the publisher, author and Pigeonhole, interested to find out what an Anton du Beke novel was like as I am an avid Strictly viewer (and it is only one of two programmes I watch on the television in an entire year!) Did I enjoy it? Well, I kept reading until the end. I felt it had more breadth than depth to be honest, and a few too many story lines and characters. But what I would say, is that something of Mr. Du Beke's warmth and personality bubbled through and you can feel his love of dance and also something of the joy and openness of the man himself in the characters and personalities he writes about. I
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