4 and 1/2 stars! A DANCE IN THE DARK by Karen Ranney is captivating, somewhat sad, yet sweet in its ugly duckling theme. Louisa believes herself to be ugly, not just unattractive, but actually ugly. She hears the snickers when she enters a room, the horrible insults launched at her back as she passes by, and knows that no man truly wants her for anything more than her extensive dowry. When she encounters the dark stranger who lives in a cave, keeps to the shadows but whose soothing voice and demeanor intrigues, and attracts her, she soon learns that there is more to a person than what is reflected in the mirror, or in others' eyes. Douglas fears that trying to live in the world alongside those who are so different from him endangers all who cross his path. Soon he learns that whereas normal is a concept which all humans strive to obtain, no one is truly normal and he may be accepted for his differences more easily than he expects.This dark, sweet novella about love overcoming diversity and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder will keep you enthralled from the beginning moments, when Louisa discovers the cave home of Douglas to the reveal of his dark secret, a lovely dance in the moonlight, and their eventual happily-ever-after. I highly recommend reading A DANCE IN THE DARK by Karen Ranney for any number of reasons listed above, but mostly because it's just that good - in fact, I wish it had been longer.***Copy gifted as part of subscribing to author's newsletter. My review is honest and unscripted, and was not requested by author.
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