Review: A Waltz at Midnight

Reviewed by Jen
 

This short story takes place shortly after the American Civil War and features a Southern girl forced into work at an aunt's boarding house, in order to have money to care for herself and her injured brother. The boarding house is filled with wealthy young Yankee women attending college. When one of them begins to get letters from an unwelcome suitor, she pays Susanna to write back and discourage the man.

The letters begin as terse and sharp, but slowly Susanna and Teddy begin to look forward to the letters from one another. And each realizes that they have come to care for the other. Unfortunately, Teddy thinks he is talking to Charlotte, the young debutante that his father wants him to marry. He has no idea Susanna even exists.

It's a sweet little story... emphasis on "little." (It's barely more than 60 pages.) The bulk of the relationship building is sustained by the letters exchanged between Susanna and Teddy. I did enjoy the story, but it was over very quickly and we didn't get to see much of our couple together in the flesh. 3 1/2 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

A Waltz at Midnight

by Crista McHugh

Release Date: February 27, 2012

Publisher: Carina Press