The story was very interesting in the beginning. There were certainly enough moments in the story to keep me attached to the story and the two main characters Ash and Regina. Lord Arthur is one of the many good characters for Ash to have a close confident friend or brother. Regina is a woman whom none of the women want to cross. I loved how her character was written as a young girl who could take care of herself. As I said the story was entertaining in the beginning, but as I continued further I. The book. I read more narrative than dialogue. Not to say that the dialogue and narrative is bad, but I would like to have more of connection with characters through the dialogue.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Young Elijah Ashby was misused and mistreated by his stepfather and stepbrothers. When he had a chance to escape, he took it with both hands and left. He always kept in contact with Regina Kingsley and her husband by sending information and snippets of his travels. When he came back, he found that Regina was a wealthy widow who was now ready to find another husband. Elijah found out that his one stepbrother was very vested in trying to get Regina to marry him to use her fortune to save his family. Elijah was devastated and tried to protect Regina from this. Kidnapping, lies and murder results in a very exciting book to read. I really recommend this book. Jude Knight is a brilliant author with many other books behind her name.

Elijah Ashby was mistreated by his stepfather and his step brothrs. As soon as he could he left to travel around the world as the secretary of a gentlemen of the ton. Over the years, he wrote about his travels and became a famous travel writer.
Regina Paddimore was Elijah's childhood friend and wrote him letters while he is away. Elijah sends notes and gifts to her family. Elijah's stepbrothers want to marry Regina when she became a widow as she was wealthy.
The story has secrets, an evil villain or two, with plenty of twists and turns in the story.
I have recently discovered author Jude Knight, and have enjoyed reading several other books of hers.

A Regency Twisted Fairy Tale

Elijah has a cruel stepfather and stepbrothers. He is the Cinderella of this twisted fairy tale. Regina is his princess. One of his stepbrothers compromises her, so she is forced to marry a man to save her from the cruel fate of spending her life with a man she loathes. In the meantime, Elijah leaves England and travels the world. He escapes his evil stepfamily that wants to continue to use him as a servant. When Regina is widowed sixteen years later, he returns to England. The evil stepbrothers are not done with Regina and Elijah. Murder, kidnapping, and other mayhem ensues.

I enjoyed this entertaining fairy tale retelling. It had suspense and romance to keep you turning the pages. The villains were infuriating, but did they get the end they deserved? You would have to read this enjoyable story to find the answer.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.

I am really enjoying this series by Jude Knight and the twist that she is giving fairy tales. This is quite a twist on the Cinderella story and a touching second chance at love story too, and I was quite taken by the background story as well.

This story is told in stages, over years, starting with Elijah Ashby and the horrid childhood he had, after his mother married his stepfather and he went to live with them and his two horrid stepbrothers. After she died, he was cruelly used and abused by his step-family, including one of the stepbrothers breaking his leg when he was a child. The only bright spot was his friendship with Regina Paddlemore, the daughter of the local aristocratic family, who befriended other local children, including Elijah. They grew up together, until her more socially discerning mother decided she was becoming too familiar with those not of her status.

But Regina never forgot her friends, especially Elijah and when it was time for her coming out, she made sure to include Elijah in her ball invitation, especially as they shared a birthday. Elijah had not plans on missing this ball, despite being treated as an unpaid servant and valet by his steps. In fact, he had been planning, as their birthday was also his reaching his majority and being able to escape his situation. With help, he had managed to find a better situation, working as a companion and secretary to the son of a Duke, while he goes on his grand tour.

Elijah and Regina have their time together at her ball, and because of his previously broken leg, they are unable to waltz, but spend time together instead. They obviously share a close connection, but are separated because of their differing circumstances, as she is the daughter of a peer, and he is an orphaned and penniless commoner. Their lives, after the ball diverge even further, as Elijah goes off on his adventures with the Duke's son, and Regina has a great fall in her circumstances after her father falls ill and dies, and she is nearly forced into a horrendous marriage. Instead, she marries a close friend of her fathers, to avoid a worse situation. The story follows Elijah and Regina's separate lives, but they are still connected through their letters to each other, which continues their friendship and connection. I am a sucker for this type of connection.

The years flow by and Regina and Elijah continue to share their worlds together. As time goes by, Regina learns a great deal from her husband; he gives her respect, knowledge, and a great deal of freedom, if not the loving marriage she was hoping for. Because of circumstances, he was injured early in their marriage and Regina learned to manage their estate and family, and when he died, left her a wealthy widow - making her a target for fortune hunters when she comes out of mourning.

Elijah also learns and grows in his travels, forging a loyal friendship with his travel companion, as they both find fortune and fame as they write and share their stories and insights of their travels. But after years away from Britain, and despite his own experiences, Elijah has never forgotten Regina, wishes to return to England to find her again. Now that she is widowed, he is hoping to finally have to chance to court and try to win her heart as he has always loved her.

Unfortunately, there are barriers in their way to finally finding love with each other, including a conspiracy to steal Regina and her fortune that has been years in the making, and throwing her, Elijah, and her family in danger. But neither Elijah or Regina are helpless children anymore and they fight their way to finally have their waltz, and begin the rest of their lives, together.

I am deep down inside a romantic and lover of fairy tales and love this version as told by Jude Knight. It felt very epic with what felt like a lifetime of hardship and change experienced by both the characters, but they never lost their connection and despite vast distances, as well as the passage of time, they finally found their way back to each other and had their happily ever after.

4.75 stars out of 5

This second installment of the series A Twist Upon a Regency Tale, brings a very interesting and creative twist on the classic Cinderella fairytale. In this captivating story, Elijah and Regina had been good friends in their childhood. Then Elijah's mother remarried and the next ten years for him were nothing short of miserable. He put up with his stepfather's torture until he came of age and he carefully planned the details of his escape. He goes back to London and meets Regina again. Regina had married her father's friend years ago to avoid marriage to an undesirable suitor, and now she is widowed. When her and Elijah meet again, the attraction is strong and the sparks fly between them. But their path to happiness is challenged with danger, lies, and even kidnapping, and they must face these obstacles before reaching their HEA. Both are very strong-willed and intelligent characters and there was no denying the chemistry and passion between them. The story was filled with action, drama, and romance and the plot twists kept me intrigued and turning the pages, anxious to find out what happens next. The story was well-written and entertaining and had a nice, smooth flow and the characters were well-developed and interesting and I became invested in their story.
This was a brilliant addition to the series and I can't wait to read the next one!
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

4 1/2*STARS*
A reverse Cinderella story.
Elijah Ashby has been abused by his step-father and step-brothers since his father's death. Once he reaches his majority, he is free to pursue his dream, to travel. Hired as a companion to the youngest son of the Duke of Dellborough, Rex, he is living his dream. His only regret is leaving Regina Kingsley behind. Sixteen years later he returns successful with Rex, of writing travel logs. His return escalates the hatred of his step-brothers and step-nephew against him and Regina, now a widow, for her wealth. Lies, murder, kidnapping and attempts to physically harm Ash and Regina doesn't stop, until they can find proof. It is so nice to read a romance involving an older couple. Sometimes immaturity can be a turnoff depending on how the author writes the story. Not so with this one.
A warning of some violation and violence. I recommend reading the series in order, since characters in the first book show up in this one.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I found this story heartwarming and quite enjoyable! Elijah (Ash) had a very difficult youth, orphaned and left to an awful stepfather and two stepbrothers that were totally evil! His ray of sunshine was his Ginny Regina) whom he loved his entire life. Ash escapes his life in England however, and travels the world for sixteen years, but sends gifts and letters to Ginny even though she married another. He finally returns home when she is widowed, and the two star crossed lovers are reunited. But the evil doers are out in full force, and the pathway is horrendous getting them to a HEA.

I loved this Cinderella tale that Jude Knight writes with a Regency twist! Ms. Knight's talent shines through each page as she lays out the struggles of our hero and heroine as they find their way back to each other. A wonderful addition to A Twist Upon a Regency Tale and I can't wait to see which tale we get next.

One perfect dance refers to the dance they have when she is 17. Then he leaves his Cinderella existence.
This book is not exactly what I was expecting. It was a good surprise. It was interesting enough to keep me intrigued and reading. Then after the letter exchanges the actual love story starts. Excellent read!!
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

First, I have to say I have read other books by Jude and loved them. Book one of this series was one of them. This story I just couldn’t get into. I tried but stopped at half way through and will never finish it am sure. This story spreads over like sixteen years or more. There are like three stories going at once. Regina and Elijah were friends as children then he leaves for sixteen years and they write letters to each other. She is forced to marry her father’s best friend, Mr. Paddimore to stop a scandal caused by none other than Elijah’s wicked step brother. There is a lot of the story about Elijah travels with Lord Arthur the youngest son of The Duke of Delborough. Where they go, what they see and who Arthur meets. Their actions with women and so on. At the same time Regina and Paddimore and his son’s story and what happen to them. His step brothers are still around causing problems too. Way too much going on with too many characters and no one really be the main ones. The third part is when Regina and Elijah meet again. By then I just could not keep reading. I read for the enjoyment and to escape into someplace else for a little bit. This story was too much work to keep everything straight. I did not read much of a romance or fairy tale here. I don’t know if I will try the third books in this series or not. I don’t like giving bad reviews, but felt others need to know due to the number of great reviews, made me wonder if we read the same book. I did receive and ARC for this book. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it.

One Perfect Dance by Jude Knight
A Twisted Upon a Regency Tale #2

Cinderella with a male dealing with evil stepbrothers and stepfather, working hard, and dealing with soot and askes is what this story is about.

What I liked:
* The idea of switching the genders of the main characters
* The way the shoe was incorporated into the story
* The letter writing between Ash and Regina
* Ash: survivor, resilient, intelligent, self-made man, good friend, protective, caring, kind, only had one true love – Regina
* Regina: intelligent, made the best of her situation, kind, married to a good man though not a love-match, always had a fondness for Ash
* The friendships both main characters forged: Ash with Rex and then Rex’s story plus Regina’s friendship with Ariel from book one and some of the other women she became friends with
* That the evil people were, for the most part, thwarted
* The idea of the travel journals written by Ash and Rex and they way they came about – though I would have liked to have experienced a few of the events that made it into the book…as part of the story

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* At times I found my mind wandering and realized that I wanted more action and less telling of what was happening – especially in regard to what was happening during the sixteen years Ash and Regina were apart

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

One Perfect Dance by Jude Knight was the retelling of the Cinderella story, sort of. Regina (Ginny) and Elijah were childhood friends, until Ginny’s mother noticed and Elijah’s mother remarried and ten years of hell began for him. His stepfather said being the valet for his two sons would be good for him, would teach him how to work. Instead it taught him how to put up with torture. But now he was 21 and he had been planning. He had new clothes, a position, and was leaving. He left everything in the their home except what he had arrived with and went to the vicar who had been helping him. His most exciting possession was an invitation to a ball to be given in honor of Ginny’s 17th birthday. It was also his 21st birthday. He planned to skip it but his new employer, Lord Arthur, fourth son of a duke, convinced him to attend and joined him. She had managed a dance for them but he was not able to dance: during his time in his stepfather’s home he had broken his leg and it had not mended properly so he had a limp. But they sat and talked and he loved her. The next day Arthur and Elijah set off on a tour of the world which would take nearly 20 years, see Lord Arthur married to a princess, and developed them both into world renowned authors, as they wrote of their travels.

Elijah matured and educated himself and was ready when they returned home. Lord Arthur was dyslexic and had dictated much of the words they had used, but Elijah had written them. Arthur’s father had died and so he was welcomed back home by his brothers and sisters. Ginny, Arthur, and Elijah had been corresponding for years and so when he visited her home, he was warmly welcomed. One of the persons in the room was David Deffew, his stepbrother, who hadn’t improved with age. It is a complicated plot, but Knight did it justice. Secrets were uncovered and people were saved from harm. And Ginny and Elijah fell in love. The characters, most of them, were sympathetic and well-written. Even the bad guys were well-written, but villains are always more fun. The plot was complicated but woven together so well that it all made sense and the wrongs were righted. It was an excellent read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of One Perfect Dance by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #JudeKnight #OnePerfectDance

This sweet romance could have gone horribly wrong if Elijah Ashby's evil step-family had had their way. Desperate for Regina Paddimore's wealth, they have left no stone unturned in their endeavors to win at any cost. Fortunately, Elijah had grown a tough hide over the years of abuse he suffered at their hands, and Regina has a good head on her shoulders, giving her wisdom beyond her years. However, as the battle between the Deffews and Elijah escalates, secrets rise to the surface, putting Regina at risk in more ways than one. I enjoyed the letters Elijah wrote to Regina, especially his travel log and his search for the perfect gifts he sent her. However, I found the drawing room scenes back in London a little confusing, given the number of characters involved. The plot is a standalone and comes to a happy and successful conclusion, and justice is served, despite the incompetence of the law. I received a copy of this well-written and exciting romance as a gift from Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

5 stars

I think Jude's stories are very rich in detail which for me takes some time to get used to but now I love. This series is a rift on fairy tales. The first one was beauty and the beast, this one Cinderella. Except Elijah is Ash Boy, abused by his step brothers and step father, helped by the local Vicar and then off on a 16 year odyssey with an neuro divergent employer/friend. Our heroine is Elijah's childhood friend who is an heiress. She ends up married to her fathers close friend vicariously travelling through letters sent by Ash. The perfect dance is not quite you think but we only realise that in the last few pages ;)

Looking forward to Snow White and the seven Doves.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another delightful and clever story, a retelling of Cinderella with inverted characters. Ashby is a young man living with his two stepbrothers and step-father, serving essentially as their servant. Regina is a young lady from a wealthy family They were childhood friends that shared their birthday. When she turns 10 her mother decides to separate them due to his low background. On the day of his 21st birthday, he wins his freedom from his tutor and a kindly vicar helps him to get a job as a secretary to a Duke's son that is leaving for prolonged travels.
On his last day in England, it's Regina's debutante ball and Ashby can attend with the new clothes that his vicar "godfather" provided. The two friends can say goodbye but they will stay in their thoughts while Regina navigates the troubled waters of the ton and its petty vengeance and Ashby gets to experience the world and its wonders in the company of his wealthy friend. Many years later they are reunited in London and a second chance at love is at hand. But there are always obstacles to overcome.
A great story with rich details that make you feel like you are right in the middle of the action. I really enjoy the author's books and I will read everything she may write.

Another clever twist on a classic fairy tale - I have especially been enjoying the role reversals. At first I thought the build-up to the romance was going to be too drawn out, but I ended up really loving the early chapters that cover the decade Regina and Elijah were separated. There was a lot of good character development during those chapters which you don't always get in stories with big time jumps. There is actually a lot going on in this story but it all blends together seamlessly and it never feels like there is too much going on. Regina and Elijah's romance is also well-developed and moves at just the right pace. I thought Regina's mother got off the hook a little too easily for having tried to force her to marry Dilly - it was nice to see them reconcile but she was still ready to see her daughter married off to a vile man just to save face. The villains of the story were certainly persistent as they could not handle the fact that they didn't get their way from the beginning - Dilly really couldn't take a hint either. The side plot involving Rex was also really well done - his romance was also very sweet. I loved getting to see the characters from book 1 too.

Regina and Elijah were childhood friends until her parents severed their friendship. When he reached his majority, he leaves the home of his vile stepfather and evil stepbrothers. After a horrid suitor attempts to compromise her, she marries her father’s friend, a kind and honorable man. Sixteen years later, Regina is a widow, and Elijah returns to England a successful travel writer. Both hope this is their second chance. There is a hitch in their plan. The same suitor from years ago is back and determined to have Regina and her fortune. This is an entertaining retelling of the Cinderella story with a few twists. Regina and Elijah, and their friends, are wonderful characters. The story has danger, lies, betrayal, a kidnapping, and, at last, a happy ending. This series is proving to be interesting and entertaining. I look forward to the next story.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Elijah took a job overseas after coming of age to escape his abusive step family. He has been gone for sixteen years all the while writing letters to his childhood friend Regina. Herself now a widow. As soon as they see each other there is a spark, but Elijah's step brothers have other plans for Regina. Good solid historical drama.

Dreams, Lies, Charismatic Characters
A little on the slow to start out with, but it does pick up and becomes more involved with the family situations.
A large cast of characters Mostly interesting but a few not to like but you need the bad guys.
Lots of turmoil and a number of twists that kept the story moving at a decent pace.
Yes, there is the fairytale similarity of Cinderella. 
All in all, an intriguing story that kept my interest to the Happy Ever after ending.