SHORT & SWEET REVIEW: LUNA TANGO BY ALLI SINCLAIR

Note, the format of my Short and Sweet reviews differs in that they simply comprise the book blurb and a short response (hence, the short and sweet). 

Kudos to the cover designer – it’s gorgeous. It evokes a thrilling sense of passion and mystery, which is really inviting. Here’s the blurb:

Journalist Dani McKenna delves into the world of tango to expose the decades of lies and deception that threaten three generations of her family. She’s desperate to understand the reason her mother abandoned her twenty years ago to become a world-class tango dancer, why her grandma lives in fear of all things tango, and how the brutal murder of a tango music legend in 1950s Buenos Aires now affects her family. Dani meets the enigmatic Carlos Escudero, a revered tango dancer and man of intense passion, who helps her unravel tango’s sordid history. Despite Dani’s lack of rhythm, they create their own dance of the souls until the differences in their cultures causes a deep rift. As she seeks to reconnect with Carlos and rebuild her family, tango – the dance of passion – becomes a complicated dance of betrayal.

Here’s a snippet (you can also read the full first chapter here):

As much as she wanted to be the one to finally discover  what happened on that fateful day, Dani wasn’t so naïve she thought she could succeed where so many seasoned journalists had failed. Besides, his personal life wasn’t why she was here. Her job was to get Carlos Escudero on board with her history of tango articles and nothing else. She lowered her head and shook it. Seriously? She’d taken to lying to herself now?

What an enjoyable read! Two stories weave a complicated tango between the pages, engaging the reader in past and present. As much as this is a story about tango, music and passion, it’s a story of self-discovery, and finding one’s true place and path. Passion really is the driving force for all the characters (I don’t mean in a sexual way, although that is a part of it); rather, I refer to the intense desires for self-fulfilment that comes from deep within and can’t be shaken off, that lead people down paths others may not dare to go. I wouldn’t, because my desire to be there for my family is stronger. But that’s what a good story does – takes the reader down paths they might not go in real life. Well-written with a good blend of mystery and romance, Luna Tango made me want to find some Latin music, cook up a paella and dance. For those looking for a quick, escapist read, give Luna Tango a whirl.

Available from good bookstores (RRP $29.99). My copy was courtesy of Harlequin.

Bookish treat: My mouth tangoed with a Spanish hot chocolate while I read this.