The Unexpected Waltz
It’s one year after the death of her husband and, despite the substantial wealth left to her, Kelly, 52, is feeling adrift. While out grocery shopping one day, she accidentally stumbles into a dance studio where she impulsively signs up for introductory ballroom-dancing lessons. As Kelly begins to take classes, she quickly becomes enthralled by the practice and is drawn to the studio’s colorful students and instructors. Among them is her strict Russian instructor, Nik. Living in America on a student visa that has long run out, he is carrying on a risky affair with a student. Meanwhile, through her volunteer work at the local hospice, Kelly strikes up a tender friendship with Carolina, a 34-year-old cancer patient who challenges Kelly to embrace her new experiences. As Kelly’s self-assurance grows and relationships old and new prosper, she slowly finds the strength to reexamine her life and finally confront the trauma of a former love. Wright’s second novel, after Love in Mid Air (2010), captures our fear of the unknown and the tender joys of coming into one’s own. --Leah Strauss