UNDER A DANCING STAR

Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing gets a face-lift.

In 1930s England, Beatrice feels like a woman trapped within her own time. Bea is tired of constantly bucking against her stodgy parents’ clumsy attempts to marry her off to the richest suitor available, preferring instead to study the world around her and dream of a life away from the gray grounds of Langton Hall. Bea’s wish is granted when she’s allowed to spend the summer in Italy with her Uncle Leo, who would like her to keep her cousin, Hero, company. In fair Italy she meets Ben, a frustratingly handsome English artist who quickly sweeps Bea off her feet with his witty repartee. The pair agree to a summer fling that will absolutely not end with them falling in love—but any reader familiar with the rhythms of romance can see where this relationship is going. The romance is well drawn, and while some credit must of course be given to the Bard for supplying a timeless structure for the author to twist, shuffle, and build upon, Wood effectively fleshes out the characterization and narrative for contemporary audiences. Bea and Ben are engaging romantic foils, and interwar Europe is an ideal backdrop for their tale. The novel will work for Shakespeare experts and novices alike. Characters follow a White default.

A charming romance.