My first Rebecca yarros book with no dragons and even though there was no magic, I’m not surprised I loved it! The ending was a little rushed but I had a great time along the way.

So good. It kept me reading from the first page and I didn't want to stop. So many twists and turns and questions. Rebecca Yarros is excellent at writing deep emotions. I loved it!

Overall Grade: A-/B+

Rebecca Yarros's Variation is masterful storytelling. Allie and Hudson's second chance, fated love story is one for the ages: eternal, devastatingly beautiful, and beautifully written. If you love an MMC who falls hard and fast and forever, an emotionally wounded FMC with high emotional walls that the MMC must destroy, and gorgeous prose that pulls at your heart, GRAB Variation TODAY

Variation by Rebecca Yarros takes readers deep into the intense, high-stakes underbelly of the ballet world, where the Rousseau sisters reign as the rock stars of the stage. Together with their mother, they've taken the ballet world by storm, but behind the elegance and grace lies a tangled web of secrets, lies, and heartbreak. Much like the pointe shoes they wear, these secrets are bound tightly, threatening to unravel at the seams.

At the center of it all is Allie Rousseau, who has grown cold and closed off after having her heart shattered by Hudson Ellis many summers ago. A twist of fate brings them back into each other's orbit, setting the stage for a beautifully dysfunctional tale of love, lies, and healing. Rebecca Yarros expertly weaves a story that is as emotionally raw as captivating.

Hudson is filled with regret for his past choices, and the tension between him and Allie is palpable. Variation is a second-chance romance that delivers the perfect balance of drama, unexpected twists, and a touch of spice. Rebecca paints a vivid picture of love, loss, and redemption, proving that even in a world filled with blood, sweat, and tears, second chances can lead to something truly beautiful. One-click worthy!

When I got the arc of this in my inbox I screamed☺️ It took me a while to process the perfection of this book and how @rebeccayarros manages every single time to stole my heart with her contemporary books.

Hudson and Allie stole my heart.
I mean second chance forward 11 years later and they are still deep into each other even if they haven’t seen in 11 years.

She is a ballerina. But not just any ballerina the best in her generation.
He is a guard rescue swimmer. And after two summer when they were kids they fell in love but something really bad happened. And he disappeared she never found out why until they meet again as adults. And they have to navigate a different kind of relationship. Because of his niece, who she wants to dance but her mum is against it…. But he knows a ballerina and he doesn’t hate her he was actually in love with one for. Avery long time.
Let’s give 5 stars to Juniper the smartest kid ever 😌

They are supposed to pretend they are in a relationship. But they are not even sure what’s pretend and what’s real😁also we can pretend it’s just us for five minutes right? And that what we are doing in that moment is real 😁

He had an alert on his phone for when she would get her dream role in ballet and she had a seat saved for him no matter what in every contract. Cause that was his seat.

I loved how she re discover herself because of him and seeing past and present.

Also they kinda adopt a dog and he remembers everything

I will keep saying this no matter what her contemporary are perfection. And way superior to Fourth Wing 😬 Don’t hate me on this I love Fourth Wing 💓

Rebecca Yarros is one of my go-to authors. She could write an encyclopedia, and I’d buy it and set aside an entire day (or more) to devote all of my time to reading it. I love her writing that much. I finished this book almost a week ago and had to take some time to process it before I could find the words to convey how much I loved it. While I love how her Empyrean series continues to take the world by storm, I’ve been one of her number-one contemporary fans since the beginning, so I’m incredibly excited to see how much love this book is already seeing.

OK…on to the review…

Variation, like all of her contemporary romances, is intensely emotional, and as usual, Rebecca made me experience everything Allie and Hudson went through in a nearly tangible way. Her writing never fails to grab you from the outset and won’t let you go until she’s managed to throw you for a loop with a twist you didn’t anticipate at the end of the story, wringing every bit of emotion out of you. The ups and downs these characters experienced were more than dramatic, but even without those moments that took my breath away (for differing reasons), I would have enjoyed it simply because of Rebecca’s extraordinary talent for weaving emotional tales.

NICUnurse’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rebecca Yarros's books are always an auto-read for me! "Variation" was unlike Rebecca's recent books, but I still loved it! Full of ballet, a long lost remance and family I couldn't put this novel down!

“You’re my air.”

Author Rebecca Yarros has penned another heart-melting hit! Variation is a poignant and powerful journey of first and forever love, family, and the fight to save it all. I fell so hard for Allie, Hudson, and their hard-fought romance. This tale claimed me … consumed me … enthralled me … owned me. It is all the strength wrapped around smolder and soul.

Variation chronicles the strong and stunning ballerina, Allie, whose family was struck by tragedy, and the heart-stopping Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hudson, who’s hero perfection. I adored how sweet and patient Hudson was with Allie, helping her heal both her outer and inner pain. Allie helps Hudson see his worth, revealing a big heart that beats just for her. Drawn together like a moth to a flame, this hero and heroine are the balm to each other’s hearts and souls … so meant to be … so magical together.

Yarros writes with such an authentic voice that I was dropped straight into this story, right into these characters’ heads, where I lived and breathed their journey while feeling everything. Variation hits straight to the heart with its powerful message of rising after falling … of overcoming pain and persevering. This broken yet beautiful romance spoke so much to my soul. I loved this love story.

💋💋💋💋💋 forever kisses

Reviewed on behalf of Bookalicious Babes Blog

"A friend would call me Allie."
Hell yes.
"Allie it is." I slipped the rope free of the ladder as Gavin started the engine.
By the end of the at summer, she was my best friend. By the end of the next, she hated me.
And I didn't blame her.

This story of Hudson and Allie has twists, turns and in-depth background stories.

I fell in love with Hudson from the word go, of course. His dedication to his future was apparent from the start. A great family support system was wonderful - but he felt obligations to that family that led him to be where he wouldn't have really chosen to be.

Allie had her path already planned for her, and had convinced herself that was all she wanted as well. A domineering mother demanded excellence from Allier and her sisters, and nothing less than perfect was acceptable. No matter the personal sacrifices.

The story bounces from past to present with wonderful insight on how Hudson became Allie's enemy, yet neither ever fell out of love.

I’ve been a fan of Rebecca Yarros since I picked up a copy of The Last Letter and ugly sobbed from page 3 all the way to the end. When she came out with Fourth Wing, I was slow to read it since I didn’t read much fantasy. But let me tell you, it didn’t take long for me to get lost in the story once I opened the book. That’s what Rebecca Yarros does… she can take pretty much any genre and give us readers an amazing tale to lose ourselves in.

Variation is the story of Alessandra “Allie” Rousseau and Hudson Ellis. They met as teenagers in the waters of Cape Cod, when Allie’s small boat capsized and Hudson rescued her and her little sister, Eva. The Rousseau sisters (Lina, Anne, Allie and Eva) only spent time on the Cape during their summers but continued their intensive dance training under the ever-watchful eye of their mother. One night during the second summer after Allie and Hudson met, their lives changed. A horrible car accident left Allie in the hospital and Lina dead. Hudson disappeared from Allie’s life without a word.

Ten years later, Allie is a principal dancer with the most prestigious ballet company in New York City, dancing Giselle. This is the role she has worked for her entire life. The role her sister, Lina, was meant to dance. The night her mother was in the audience, Allie’s ACL gave way and she collapsed onstage. But not before she thought she saw Hudson in the audience, which had to be her eyes playing tricks on her, since she hadn’t seen him in all these years. Now injured, Allie retreats to the Cape Cod house to recuperate, now under the watchful eye of her sister, Anne.

Huson is now a Coast Guard Rescue swimmer, which was what he was training for when he and his brother, Gavin, rescued the Rousseau sisters all those years ago. He’s stationed on the Cape, so he can give his sister, Caroline, a hand with her 10-year-old daughter, Juniper, since Caroline’s husband died. It’s because of Juniper that he finds out Allie is back on the Cape. Juniper thinks that Allie is the perfect person to talk her mother into letting her try dance, although Caroline is not a fan of the Rousseau sisters or any of the dancers that invade their town during the competition their mother started years ago.

Against his better judgement, Hudson brings Juniper to the Rousseau house. When the door opens, it’s when Allie’s and Hudson’s past meets their present. Allie is none too happy to see Hudson, but then Juniper shares the real reason they have come, both of their minds are blown. How can it be that Juniper is really a Rousseau? That Lina had a baby and had her adopted by someone in the same Cape Cod town where they spent their summers. Who was Juniper’s father? Does he even know about her?

Allie agrees to work with Juniper, even though she wants to keep her distance from Hudson. She doesn’t want her heart broken again. But as they spend more and more time together, helping Juniper, keeping this huge secret from Caroline, their hearts start finding their way back to one another. Neither one ever really got over the other. I’m going to stop here, because so much happens and I don’t want to spoil any of it. You need to read it for yourself.

This is a beautiful story about second chance love, forgiving and opening oneself up to the life that is deserved, secrets that can break apart families and make them stronger together. This is the book that you can lose yourself in. Another example of Rebecca Yarros at her finest.

I love this author’s contemporary romance! Each story is full of heart.

This book is a second-chance romance. Hudson and Allie have a complicated past and when they reconnect, secrets are revealed.

Their niece in the story was perfect. She brought fun and love for both of them.

I enjoyed the drama throughout this book. It kept me on my toes.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️

I’m just gonna come in hot and say this is probably the best book I have read this year and I have read a lot of books. Variation will have you emotional in the very best way and will pull at your heart for the entire plot. I will say right now that I truly think Rebecca is a mastermind and I am always astounded at the beautiful way she weaves a story together!

Hudson and Allie get a second shot at love after being apart for ten years. Allie, now a principal ballerina in New York, heads back to Cape Cod to recover from an injury. Meanwhile, Hudson—who’s in the Coast Guard—finds himself crossing paths with her again when his niece, Juniper, needs ballet lessons…and maybe a little extra guidance too. You’ll have to read to find out what happens next! 💓

Allie was such a beautifully written character. I truly felt for her with all the pressure in her life to be perfect. She was flighty and scared to open up to anyone, especially Hudson. I loved how he slowly knocked down her walls and helped her accept freedom in her life. She was so sweet to Juniper and I loved how she accepted her and helped her. 🩰

Hudson was in love with Allie after all this time apart. He was willing to accept anything Allie would give him. He lives with some secrets but I loved how he always showed up for Allie! He was such a protector and willing to do anything for his family. 🌊

I don’t really have the perfect words to end this review other than to say this book is one that will stay with you. You need to read it immediately. Another stunner by Rebecca Yarros.

In true Rebecca Yarros fashion…Variation is a roller coaster of emotions and WTF moments!

“You don’t owe Lina anything,” she said quietly. “Not when it comes to Juniper, or your mother, your sisters, or your career.”
Except I did.
“I’m the one who got out,” I whispered.
“You living for her isn’t going to bring her back.”

Give me a second chance, small-town, twisted romance to read…and you better believe I won’t put that down. Variation was…WOW! TWISTED doesn’t begin to describe it. HAHA.

When Allie and Hudson’s eyes first met, while he saved her from the cold waters, there was a pull that wouldn’t go away. Not after years of being apart. Not after the family drama. Not after a near death experience. However, the pull wouldn’t necessarily be strong enough to keep them together.

I LOVED this book, but there were a couple of storyline twists that had me rereading sections to try to understand what was going on… HOWEVER…this was a minor star deduction in my rating…giving this Ballerina/Coast Guard romance a 4.6 star rating from me! (Rounding up to 5 because it was closer to 5 star than 4 IMO!)

Ever finish a book and feel so lost because it was just that amazing? That's exactly how I felt last night after finishing "Variation" by Rebecca Yarros!

I was hooked and felt connected to these characters from the first chapter - I read the first half so fast and then intentionally slowed down because I didn't want it to end! I highlighted SO much and wish I could share all my favorite quotes on here!

This book had so much depth to it! It was an amazing love story but was honestly so much more than that! Grief, healing, found family, and second chance romance (with amazing chemistry and tension) it had it all! I loved every minute of reading this book!

Hudson and Allie's love story was the perfect example of a love that can overcome anything and anyone that tries to get in the way (even when that thing is a toxic family member). Their chemistry was amazing!!

I loved Juniper's (Hudson's niece) sass and determination - even at a young age she played a huge role in bringing her family together (read to find out more)!

Do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR!!

Thank you @amazonpublishing and
@rebeccayarros for this ARC!!! I loved it so much!!

Rebecca’s signature world building is found through elite ballerinas with catty fake relationships in NY and high stakes coast guard rescue swimmers off the east coast in this book. There are camping scenes that made me laugh and a found family aspect that made my heart so full. With flashbacks to the past we can see bits and pieces of how this duo was together. There is a mystery at the center of Allie and Husdon's love story. With only one of them knowing the whole story.

Hudson would do almost anything to make his niece smile. Even fake date his only love if it would give her some insight into the family she believes to be hers. His niece has ascertained that she is related to Allie and with a closed adoption can’t learn anything more till she turns 18. That means Allie and Hudson try to carefully tread a line so she can meet her family without her adoptive mom finding out. Everyone is trying to do what is best for her while not really doing the right thing. Best of intentions and all.

From the outside looking in Allie looks like she has everything she’s ever wanted including a loving supportive family that is the royal family of US ballet. However that couldn’t be farthest from the truth. We experience life through Allie’s eyes, never being good enough, family rejections and betrayal. It was an incredible experience to see her heal and explore being vulnerable for the only man that she’s ever loved.

The paragraph headers were snippets of social media accounts gossiping about the characters. It felt like an odd addition, but it reinforced how icky strangers can be. Feels very appropriate to those who feel some sort of ownership over what their favorite people do or say. It certainly raised my hackles and made me feel even more protective of Allie as the book went on.

Hudson is incredible. He’s the best uncle and a selfless man who goes out of his way to take care of his family. He does it all while risking his life every time he goes to work as a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. I couldn’t get enough of him.

Read this book if you like fake dating, second chance relationships, found family, mystery and people who work to prove themselves.

With gratitude to Montlake and Rebecca’s team for the advanced reader copy. These are my honest thoughts on Variation.

CW: death of a sibling, cancer death (off page) & dementia

C'est toujours un plaisir de retrouver la plume de Rebecca Yarros surtout en romance contemporaine où elle nous concocte des histoires addictives touchantes et bien souvent imprévisibles. Coup de coeur pour cette nouvelle romance !
En effet, quand on mêle le monde épineux des danseurs classiques et celui bien plus humide et héroïque des sauveteurs en mer, forcément je craque !
Madame Rebecca Yarros nous réserve ici une superbe histoire qui prend aux tripes et touche directement le coeur du lecteur.
On fait la connaissance d'Hudson jeune sauveteur en mer , intrépide et loyal envers sa famille . J'ai adoré ce personnage droit, fort et sûr de ses sentiments . Son attachement à Allie depuis l'adolescence a été gaché par un drame mais on n'en apprend que au fur et à mesure de la lecture.
Allie cette jeune danseuse étoile est fourbu de pression de par son rôle , une mauvaise blessure et la relation toxique qu'elle entretient avec sa mère... J'ai aimé de nombreuses facettes de personnages mais parfois j'avoue qu'elle m'a fait lever les yeux au ciel , surtout pour un entêtement que je n'ai parfois pas compris...
Leur relation à tous les 2 met de suite des papillons dans le ventre d'autant que tout se lie pour les séparer ... Il faut dire que l'autrice aime nous faire souffrir :P
Le dénouement est juste comme je les aime mais le chemins a été périlleux...

En bref : Une belle romance qui offre une seconde chance au duo Hudson - Allie . Un mélange réussi entre l'âpre délicatesse du monde du ballet et les dangers du sauvetage en mer. Mon petit coeur de lectrice avisée a frémi tout au long de ma découverte, j'en termine le sourire aux lèvres ;)

Rebecca Yarros's contemporary romances always have a way of captivating you and Variation was no exception to this rule. It is a beautiful second chance story that is filled with secrets, heartache, and healing. The tension and banter was "chef's kiss". This has been on our radar as an anticipated top release and I am pleased that it has lived up to that. Definite add to the TBR if you want a steamy second chance romance where he falls first and told in dual POV.

Variation by Rebecca Yarros takes us back to where she started, contemporary romance and I loved every minute of it. This was a second chance romance that was emotional and touching and captivating from start to finish. Allie’s life has revolved around her becoming a ballerina and all she sacrificed to get there. Now she is injured and recovering. Hudson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, loves his family and will always be there for them. Their journey was not an easy one as they maneuvered through so many obstacles from their past and present.

From the start you could feel the connection Allie and Hudon felt towards each other. Hudson was carrying so much and I just loved him so much. Allie grew so much during the story and I loved that for her. They had so much to overcome. They shared history that included love, heartbreak, hope and so much more. Their journey was not always easy and kept me at the edge of my seat at times, but it was beautiful and gripping.

Happy reading!

Variation is a complex, engaging story that pulled me in right from the start.
I loved these characters and their journey that is years in the making.
Hudson Ellis and Allie Rousseau come from completely different worlds but their worlds become smaller during the summers of their youth when Allie spends time in Hudson’s hometown. Now, Allie is back after being away for years, but picking up where they left off is harder than it should be. They have both reached their goals, Hudson being a Rescue Swimmer and Allie a successful ballerina, but life is complicated and neither of them expected the life changing secrets that rock their world and bind their families. Once all the secrets are revealed and the obstacles thrown at them have been put to rest they not only find strength but emotional healing. I love a second chance romance and what these to have been through makes their happily ever after all the sweeter.

5 Coming to Terms with Their Past Stars!!

I’m a long-time fan of Ms. Yarros’ writing and this book is a wonderful reminder of how much I love her contemporary stories. This book is a journey of Allie and Hudson’s love story. I was immediately captivated when we first meet them as Hudson is rescuing Allie and her sister in a raging storm. I love that we get flashbacks through the years of what brought these two together in this elite seaside town and a longer family history that comes to crashing point as secrets are revealed.

Along the way, Allie and Hudson remember what it felt like to be best friends, which leads to a fake relationship for a multitude of reasons that leads to a love that was always meant to be. Their road though is filled with twists and turns and a cavalcade of emotions. Coming to terms with their past, and what’s meant to be in their future.

This is a definite must read if you love stories that make you think about what could’ve been and what’s supposed to be.