No Story to Tell: Novel Review

K.J. Steel is a new author on the scene and I am honored to be a part of her tour with Pump Up Your Books. I think you will find K.J. delightful and engaging, and you simply must check out her novel No Story to Tell. My review and a guest post are forthcoming tomorrow and Wednesday.

About the Author:

KJ Steele is an emerging writer who has learned that the process is not so much about choosing what to write as it is about having the courage to write what chooses to be written. Having spent the first half of her life creating an amazing family with her husband, Victor, she intends to spend the rest of it creating equally amazing fiction.

About the Novel:

Victoria Lackey, a once extraordinarily promising dancer, now finds herself mired down in a joyless marriage, tending to a heart full of secrets, her dream of being a dancer buried deep within her.

Buried within her, that is, until Elliot, a newcomer to the small, gritty town of Hinckly and a sensual artist, recognizes the dancer’s spirit within her. Believing in her abilities, he encourages her to open a dance studio, something previously forbidden by Victoria’s boorish husband, Bobby.

With Elliot’s attentions sparking the flame of desire within her, Victoria suddenly begins to receive softly seductive anonymous telephone calls. Encouraged by her best friend, Rose, Victoria slowly allows herself to start enjoying the calls, eventually creating a perfect fantasy lover in her mind. Eventually, she slips from listener to speaker and begins to divulge the intimate and profound secrets that haunt her soul.

Inevitable tensions begin to arise between Victoria and Bobby as he attempts to keep her new-found freedom from taking root. Desperate to resuscitate the woman she was truly meant to be, Victoria is in for the struggle of her life. With a burden of secrets collapsing around her and a life hanging in jeopardy if she embraces her own, Fate devilishly delivers her to an impossible fork in the road. 

My Thoughts:

I really did like the cover although that was surprising to me because I usually like covers that are more vibrant and eye-catching.  The seriousness of this cover goes hand-in-hand with the novel which is a good thing.

I really enjoyed this book although it was outside of my typical reads.  I was concerned in the beginning that it was a book that I would struggle with but it wasn't at all.  I like the interesting concept of living in a world where you feel like you have no story to tell, no one is listening, and you are just going through the motions.  This novel does a great job illustrating that.

My one main issue with this novel was the characters, I had a hard time connecting with them overall but I am not sure this impacted the story for me - I still wanted to finish the book.  I was interested in finding out what story would unfold for Victoria and how she would find her own path.

Parts of the novel were heavy, and the ending is not one of roses and champagne but this is a story worth reading...and it does make you ponder things along the way about either your own life or those around you.
I enjoyed this one...and recommend it!