Great idea and concept for a book. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Highly recommended. .

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Paloma Batton is the granddaughter of Spanish refugees who fled Barcelona after the Civil War. A disciplined student attending the school of the Paris Opera Ballet, Paloma lets little get in the way of her career until she receives a mysterious pair of golden earrings. She begins exploring her Spanish heritage and becomes fascinated by la Rusa, a woman who rose from poverty to become one of the great flamenco dancers of modern times before committing suicide. As Paloma begins to unravel the secrets of the past, she discovers more than one person who had good reason for wanting la Rusa dead—including Paloma’s own grandmother.

This story was far more captivating than I was expecting. I had read a few of Belinda Alexandra's novels but this one was, by far, the most enthralling so far.

Without telling the story, suffice to say that a series of events causes Paloma to explore her Spanish heritage and coming across the story of la Rusa. It is that story that captivated me.

The history lesson was fascinating - as a non-European, I found these stories of Spain's history to be so different from our own here in Australia, that I was drawn to it like a moth to flame. The mystery about la Rusa was also so very well done, I couldn't help but get invested in it.

Overall, a very good novel that should be read by those with an interest in Spanish history, historical mysteries, or just well written books!


Paul
ARH