Waltzing at Midnight

by Robbi McCoy

Book Overview

Trying to fill the empty places left by children going to college, Jean Davis decides to get out of the house and volunteer in the local mayoral compaign. It soon becomes obvious - though not to Jean... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594931534
• ISBN13: 9781594931536
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Bella Books
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Couldn't put it down.

I haven't found much time to read lately, but when my cousin told me about "Waltzing at Midnight", author Robbi McCoy and how much she enjoyed it I couldn't resist ordering it. I can honestly say, I thoroughly enjoyed every page of Waltzing at Midnight. The characters were interesting and the story line held my attention thru out. I enjoyed Rosie's strong personality and her wisdom to let Jean grow at her own pace, guiding her with wisdom, tenderness and love, when needed. Jean, a married woman with two grown children, realizes that the great respect she feels for Rosie, candidate for mayor, is much more, eventually leading to the realization she is in love with Rosie. There is love, humor, treachery and a few tears as you read of Jean's journey, and her growth and discoveries about herself. Robbi McCoy has a "easy read" style that keeps your attention making it hard to put the book down. I enjoyed it so much I ordered a earlier book McCoy wrote called "Late Bloomers" a collection of short stories about women over 40 discovering or accepting their Lesbianism at a later time in their lives.

What a great debut novel

I bought this book the day it came out. I'm always anxious to read new authors and Robbi McCoy didn't disappoint. This is a poignant "coming out" story for Jean, a married woman in her 40s, who realizes she's in love for the first time--and it's not with her husband. Told in the first person, we see everything from Jean's point of view and experience all of her raw emotions. However, the author still manages to give us well-rounded characters in Rosie, the woman Jean is in love with, Jean's husband, and Jean's daughter. The totally refreshing thing in all of this is that the husband isn't a stereotype. He's hurt and angry and you can understand why. So often, I read books where the ex-husband is a Neanderthal. Bravo that the author avoided that caricature. Robbi McCoy now is officially on my "watch-for-the-next-book" list. :-)

A most enjoyable debut novel!

Falling in love with someone's debut novel is always a special treat for me, because in addition to enjoying the story at hand I find myself filled with optimism about what I may have to look forward to from that author in the future. This is definitely the case with Waltzing at Midnight, the story of a woman whose life takes an unexpected turn rather late in life. Although I knew I was a lesbian at a younger age than Jean, I was still something of a later bloomer and Jean's voyage of self-discovery was one I could relate to, all of her reactions ringing very true to memory. I'd anticipated a story closely centered around a political campaign, but unexpected events quickly transformed this into a real page-turner for me. While this is undoubtedly a "lesbian romance" and a satisfying one at that, it is a very solid novel with well-developed characters whose individual responses to the situations they find themselves in are unique and realistic. I found the author's style to be highly visual, the characters and scenes remaining with me long after I put it down. Ms. McCoy's first novel displays a talent to be reckoned with, and I can't wait to see what she brings to us in the future!

Robbi's Riveting Romance

Robbi's riveting story flowed and I was unable to put it down. I started reading it as soon as I received it and finished it in less than two days! It fascinated me on many levels -- the love story -- the breakup of a long, tired marriage -- extremely familiar venues -- the writing style. I was trapped in an unsatisfying marriage for 25 years and could relate to the guilt Jean felt as her husband was not a bad man. She had the joy of a son and daughter, as did I. When I finally got the courage to leave and start anew, I was reborn. The central valley and San Francisco are my homes. I was delighted to read about them as they were easy to visualize as I read along. I am older than Rosie but I remember well falling in lust in the beautiful city by the bay -- San Francisco. It brought back such beautiful memories. Truly, I was one who did play that special Twister! Finally, as a wannabe writer and English major, I appreciate excellent writing. Robbi is talented beyond comprehension. We lived Jean's life with her and could not wait to see what decisions she would make. Her situation was truly life changing and she had a lot to lose. Weberstown is no San Francisco. The valley has a long way to go even in a liberal state like California. I loved Jean and Rosie and I "recognized" many of the closet haters in Jean's midst. Yes, they do exist -- they just conceal it more. Congratulations, Robbi McCoy I can't wait for the next literary adventure you have in store for us.

Romance and Realism

I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing. It didn't indulge in elements of fantasy or undue sentimentality. It didn't trivialize the real world. It is solidly set in the present where people have to resolve problems with realistic, difficult solutions. It is set in modern California where the issue of gay marriage is still stinging and still unresolved. Even so, the story is a love story. It is upbeat and hopeful. The epilogue enforces that idea, that even though the world we live in isn't perfect, individuals can find happiness for themselves and make positive contributions for the good of everyone. Although this is Robbi McCoy's first published novel, she comes off as an experienced writer. Her control of the essential elements of fiction--point of view, character development and plot pacing--are all sophisticated and satisfying. The characters are multi-faceted, flawed, and engaging, like real people. They aren't stereotypes. The worldly older woman, Rosie, though she is charismatic and accomplished and I could certainly identify with Jean's attraction to her, has her own failings, like her fear of commitment and her tendency to live partly in the closet. Though she isn't the point of view character, her story is revealed too as she is changed for the better by true love. This is a character novel more than anything, the story of a woman's journey of self-discovery. I could really identify with Jean. She's an ordinary person in a complicated world who grows over the course of the novel into someone you're really rooting for, someone whose triumphs you are celebrating. As far as plot goes, I really enjoyed the backdrop of the political campaign. It was interesting and exciting. You could see how being involved in something like that would really shake up a woman like Jean, throw her out of her comfort zone and make her aware of possibilities she never thought of, not just romantically, but in all kinds of ways. I enjoyed the rounded-out situation of Jean and her family members, her kids and her parents. Each person had his or her own particular response to what was happening. I liked too how the author drew her husband, Jerry. He seems like a nice guy who deserves the reader's sympathy because his life is torn apart through no fault of his own. It's always easier, I think, for a writer to make the person who is left behind into some kind of bad guy (or gal). You guarantee that way that the main character retains the sympathy of the reader. But, somehow, we can like Jerry and still be sympathetic with Jean because she isn't a bad guy either. And that's how most real life situations are anyway. I guess that's what I want to say more than anything about this story. I liked it mainly because it captivated me and made me think and feel in a way that a lot of romances don't. It has the feel of authenticity to it. And, you know, although it's fiction, it does parallel the story of so many of us. It struck a chord with me,