One Dance In Paris

By Julia Holden

If there's one dress that could make Linda Stone envision the exciting life of her dreams, it's her mother's vintage 1950s Parisian showgirl gown. This dress and the life it bespeaks will take Linda beyond Hartford, Connecticut, and onto the first risky steps of her own scandalous, tantalizing, and oh-so-provocative journey-in Paris, France.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451220803
• ISBN13: 9780451220806
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: NAL
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Beautiful & Self-Enlightening...the Classic Tale of Self-Discovery -- with a Twist

This novel has a casual and very easy flow to it, which only serves to enwrap the reader even further into its depths. I didn't want it to end; the ending was intense and dramatic -- perfect. Both romantic and bitter-sweet. You feel as if you're in Lindy Stone's shoes and begin to contemplate your own being. This is one novel that I'll be rereading a number of times!

Didn't Want it To End........

Okay, so yes, I'm a confirmed Francophile and yes, I'm originally from the Boston area (the main character is from Somerville, Mass.)....so it could be said that might be two reasons why I ABSOLUTELY loved this book! But it was much more than that. The story grabbed me from the first page and never let go. When I got to the end, I just hated that it was over. Written with excellent prose and lots of humor, the character development was superb. I felt like I was right there behind Lindy's shoulder during her entire journey to Vegas and then on to Paris. But the plot....I thought it was excellent. Very clever and it moved along at a great pace. The characters and plot both were extremely believable. I really would have given this book a TEN. It's been ages since I enjoyed a story so much, so therefore, I've just ordered Holden's debut novel, A Dangerous Dress. If you're a Francophile or not....I highly recommend this one!

Enjoyable

If you read and enjoyed Holden's other novel, A Dangerous Dress, then you'll probably enjoy this book as well. There are remarkable similarities to A Dangerous Dress - both of the female characters find out more about themselves and their past through the discovery/search for a dress. In this story, Linda Stone is painted as a bit of a loser - she's an upper 20s female who lives at home with her aging father, and works as a waitress. She sleeps in every day until about noon, and doesn't seem to have much ambition to do anything with her life. She hasn't travelled anywhere outside of Somerville, MA and that doesn't look to be changing anytime soon. Until... she receives a package in the mail that is directly tired to her mother. Linda's mother died when she was a young girl so, in an effort to find out more about her, Linda traces the package to Las Vegas and, eventually, Paris. The journey for answers about her mother puts Linda in some pretty funny circumstances and especially interesting are the personalities she meets along the way. For me, that was the most enjoyable part - meeting all the different people in the story who have information about Linda's past. The book is definitely worthwhile to read, although it would be great if the author would diversify a bit with her next novel. The concept of a dress from your past having answers is pretty unique, but this is the second such book now...

A wonderful, touching book!

I loved "A Dangerous Dress", last summer, so I had high expectations for "One Dance in Paris". Julia Holden has not only met those expectations, but surpassed them. "One Dance in Paris" is fun, engaging, an exciting read. It is also thoughtful, poingant, immanently satisfying. I was happy to pass this book along to my mother, and to recommend it to all my friends.

adult version of the Ugly Duckling

Her self esteem has always been low because she always towered over her classmates, who assumed she played basketball. At thirteen she was exiled from ballet class for being too tall. Now an adult Linda Stone still has problems with being a six foot plus skinny female with men's size 11 shoes as her reticence has left her friendless. Adding to her feelings of towering inadequacy is she barely remembers anything about her mother having been raised by a loving caring father Jack. However, everything changes when the package arrives with information about her mother, Mimi Archer. Linda learns who her mother is, an internationally famous Paris showgirl; as the star of Follies Bergere, she wore high heels and a gigantic headdress to further accentuate her height that in bare feet made her taller than most men. Linda wonders if her mother can flaunt her six foot body with a sexual teasing come on, why not she too, starting with her mother's showgirl gown as a first giant step. She figures ONE DANCE IN PARIS will give her a lifetime of memories although it is Eddie Atkinson the artist who makes her feel like a lovely swan. This adult version of the Ugly Duckling is a fabulous character study of a young woman who has always felt like a misfit until she learns about her maternal heritage and decides to take a plunge into her mom's lifestyle. Linda is a terrific protagonist as all her life she has struggled with towering over men let alone every female she met. Her dad is a nice person, which adds to the evolution of Linda as she decides whether following the steps of mom will hurt her dad. Readers will appreciate this entertaining transformation of a clumsy shy giantess into a lovely gazelle. Harriet Klausner