Jocelyn Banks has always felt like an outsider in the ballet world. She was raised in rural Louisiana, taught to scrap and hustle for the life she wanted. And ever since Jocelyn found ballet, she has been able to take her life into her own hands. After years of success at the North American Ballet, she is now on a hiatus to enjoy life in London.
But in an instant, Jocelyn’s world is turned upside down and she’s forced to find a way back into the ballet world. But the ballet scene in London is completely different from the one in America. It's not just talent and drive that will move you forward; if you don't secure a sponsor to pay your salary, you will go nowhere. Jocelyn manages to score a donor, which is crucial at the Royal National Ballet—but the hardest part is yet to come.
Jocelyn is unable to break through her emotions, afraid that if she does, she’ll be flooded with feelings she can’t afford to have. But something about her sponsor, the charismatic Alastair Cavendish, sets a fire in her. What she feels when she’s with him is raw and real. If she goes down this precarious path, she knows she’s doomed to fall into an intoxicating spiral of self-sabotage. But the lust and magnetizing lure of power and prestige keep clawing at her, ultimately forcing her to choose between desire and duty. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
This story was so full of secrets, drama, and deceit and I loved it. The Unraveling is the second of Hamrick’s novels that I have read, and it was just as scandalous and juicy as the first one (First Position - reviewed here). I love any story that is based on the world of ballet, and this was no exception. I really liked how the author tied together the childhood trauma that the main character Jocelyn had suffered, and ultimately works through in the book. It felt so relatable and made the character that much more vulnerable and human. As the story progresses, you see Jocelyn begin to connect the dots between her own behaviors and the things she suffered as a child. She starts to own her actions and reactions and really becomes self-aware.
This novel took place in London, so that was a nice change in setting from the previous book and gives the reader new visuals to experience. The ballet company that Jocelyn dances for is not void of the typical dance world drama, which leaves you wondering who will win out in the end. I enjoyed that Hamrick took us into the rehearsal studios with the dancers and let the reader experience the behind-the-scenes world of professional ballet. This is a fast moving, sometimes dark, but thrilling novel about the grit and strength it takes to make it as a dancer, and the forbidden indulgences that can derail a career faster than it started. Add this one to your TBR pile immediately.
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