And A Time To Dance by Chris Paynter

Corey Banner has been with Judy for six years. They are madly in love and their future is rosy. Unfortunately, fate intervenes and Judy is cruelly snatched from Corey when a fatal car accident takes her life.

Two years have passed and Corey is still in deep mourning and unable to move on. She’s tried dating, but she can’t let go of Judy and the love they had together. She knows she has to take some drastic steps to try to heal her broken heart.

Corey decides she has to move from her home in Lansing, Michigan to Grand Lake, Colorado. An area Judy and herself had been meaning to visit for sometime. Maybe a new place without memories of their life together will help her turn her life around.

Corey arrives at Rainbow Lodge, Grand Lake, owned by Erin Flannery and her Aunt Tess. When Tess finds that Corey is in need of a construction job, Tess hires her right away as Head of Maintenance. Erin doesn’t seem too keen at first, but it takes a lot to gain Erin’s trust.

There is an attraction between Corey and Erin. Erin is afraid to love again after her partner betrayed her. Erin’s life consists of endless different women and one night stands. Corey is afraid of betraying Judy and is eaten up with guilt. Both Corey and Erin come to the conclusion they can only be friends and spend the summer getting to know one another. Will Corey’s heart heal enough to allow her to love again? Will Erin open her mind to the possibility of being able to trust Corey and open her heart to let Corey in? It’s a hard decision they must both make. They can either let fear rule or find their way to dance another dance with love together.

I’ve been eagerly waiting for another book by Chris Paynter. The wait has been well worthwhile. And A Time To Dance is a beautiful, well written, heartfelt, tender romance, between two amazing women who are both broken and defeated. The story is set amongst a breath taking vista of glorious scenery, so well described, I was totally lost in the story.

Both Corey and Erin are fully formed, multidimensional characters. They are backed up by a cast of equally well developed characters to enhance and progress the story right through to the end.

The story develops at a nice pace, enticing the reader to read ‘just one more chapter,’ before turning out the light.

Both Corey and Erin’s stories are sad, but although they are different, as Chris Paynter states, both stories have resulted in death. The death of a loved one and the death of a relationship. Both are painful beyond words. Chris has written this book with a sympathy and understanding of both the characters and how the reader will also feel reading her book. There is a nice touch of humor throughout too, just in the right places, resulting in some laugh out loud moments.

Whether Corey and Erin manage to overcome their fear, remains to be seen. You’ll have to read the book to find out.

This is another winner for Chris Paynter and is in my re-read folder as a comfort read.