Dance of the Butterfly (The Dance Series, Book 2) [Paperback]

Cris Anson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2005

Dance - Dance of the Butterfly By Cris Anson Book 2 in the Dance series. Magnus Thorvald, as strong and stubborn as the oak he carves, steers clear of loose women since his ex-wife's betrayal. Kat Donaldson, thirty-something free spirit, suburban Philadelphia art gallery owner, enthusiastic sex-club devotee, meets the first man who won't say yes. When Kat hears about an obscure artist's uncommon talent, she tracks him down to a rural corner of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he lives in a stone barn like a monk. Overwhelmed by the power of his carvings, she offers to represent him. Her blatantly sexy attire warns Magnus away from the tall, willowy redhead even as she ignites unwanted feelings of lust. Despising his body's instant reaction, he turns her down flat. This only makes Kat more determined—she has a reputation for launching new talent. Plus, the sight of this magnificent Viking, six-five with blond hair and glacier-blue eyes, kicks her libido into instant lust. When Magnus' irrepressible younger brother agrees to pose nude for Kat's art class, all hell breaks loose as he tries to make Magnus jealous enough to go after what he wants. Note: Although this book can be read as a stand-alone, some references are made to characters and situations from Book 1 in the series, Dance of the Seven Veils.

Product Details

• Paperback: 225 pages
• Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc. (October 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419952889
• ISBN-13: 978-1419952883
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,076,709 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After the death of my husband of 22 years, it took me three years to come out of my grief and feel alive and open to new experiences. Now I consider myself a senior citizen and "cougar" --- hey, one is never too old to dream about, or experience, or write about romance. I've been writing since the '90s and read voraciously across all genres, especially erotic romance. ADDING HEAT is part of the Cougar Challenge series and each of those books have terrific older-woman/younger-man stories. My DANCE series with Ellora's Cave consistently received 5-star (or 5-angel, 5-cup, etc.) reviews. You can read them at my Web site, www.crisanson.com along with excerpts from all my books.

I enjoy gardening during warm days, especially in the spring when the peonies and poppies explode into color and fragrance. I've just discovered Zumba for fun exercising but am happy just to walk along the edge of a quiet river or lake. My wish list includes sleeping on the floor of the Grand Canyon and dancing a tango or two with Maksim Chmerkowsky from Dancing with the Stars.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kat's days of being as flighty as a butterfly are over!, January 27, 2007

By 

C. Dionne "Chrissy Dionne" (Cloverdale, OREGON USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dance of the Butterfly (The Dance Series, Book 2) (Paperback)

Kat Donaldson is the proud owner of A Discerning Eye Fine Arts. She thrives on discovering new artists and being the first to display their work in her gallery. She wears a silver bracelet that marks her as a member of the Platinum Society, a sex club with very strict entry requirements. Her current companion, Jules, is very submissive. Kat longs to be dominated, so when Jules proposes she turns him down. She wants a man that can dominate her, and Jules definitely isn't that man.

Magnus Thorvald is a talented woodworker. He had learned to use the chisel from his grandfather. He tends to see his woodworking as more of a hobby. His real job is as a bouncer at his brother, Soren's, establishment. Magnus had divorced his promiscuous ex-wife three years ago, but he's still hurting from her betrayal. He's promised himself that if he ever gets involved in another relationship than he would dominate her, or there would be no relationship.

Kat hears about Magnus' woodworking skills while at a reception she's hosting for her friend Lyssa Markham's paintings. Even though Kat doesn't normally handle furniture, she finds herself curious about the reclusive artist and tracks him down living in a converted barn. Upon entering the barn, Kat soon realizes that while Magnus' woodwork is definitely first-class artwork, but so is the man himself. Too bad, he's so stubbornly pig-headed. Magnus is not thrilled with Kat. She may have arrived at his home just to see his woodwork but her appearance is messing with his mind. Kat oozes sensuality and Magnus has been celibate for three years. He desperately misses sex but he isn't about to trust a woman. He's been burned twice in the past. He's not about to allow another woman the opportunity to burn him again.

Having previously read DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS, I had to read this continuation of the story. I loved having the opportunity to revisit characters from the first book. Magnus and Kat's story is endearingly well written and emotionally charged. They are both confident, self-supporting, lonely people. Emotionally they need each other but neither are willing to give in. I could feel the heat of both characters' anger after one of their verbal battles, as well as their frustration when they weren't able to communicate properly. DANCE OF THE BUTTERFLY is the second book in Cris Anson's DANCE series. This book is definitely a keeper, and one I'll read many times in the future.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Control the long and short of it, April 30, 2009

By 

Stori Diva "Stori Gurl" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dance of the Butterfly (The Dance Series, Book 2) (Paperback)

When a high powered woman who has to "do it all" longs for release, she needs it from a man who is not only at least as strong-natured as she is, but can hopefully exceed the domination process as well. Kat Donaldson is the owner of an upscale Art gallery where she has been successful in discovering new talent.

Unbeknownst to all, except those who are within her tight knit group of friends, she is a member of a secret and exclusive sex club called the Platinum Society.
Her current companion, Jules is a submissive who has always desired Kat and in fact asks her to marry him, but she declines. Kat knows that while Jules is an amiable diversion, he lacks the strength she requires in a man who can, and will subdue her.

When she hears about some exceptional artistic work done by a local, talented but reclusive woodworker, she is determined to find out who he is and try and conscript his work for her gallery. Kat soon finds out where he lives and goes to see him.

The man's work is exceptional and as much as she would rather not let on, so is he.
Tall and brooding, she can see that he exudes the kind of power she is looking for in a man who just might equal her own dominate superiority and later learns that he is beyond anything she could ever expect.

Magnus Thorvald doesn't say much, he doesn't have to, everything about him, his size, face, and demeanor speaks for him. Beneath his hard exterior he is a wounded man. He is divorced from a woman he loved and trusted only to be betrayed by her unfaithfulness. His hardened heart does not allow him to love another woman, but it doesn't stop them from being wildly attracted to him. While he could use that to his advantage, if by nothing else but to obtain the sexual release every man needs he has in fact been celibate for several years following the betrayal.

He's settled into his life and is not happy when a confident and beautiful Kat Donaldson comes along and ignites a spark that he would much rather leave dead as old ashes. Mistrustful of women, he's sworn that if he allowed another in his life, he would never allow her the leeway of his confidence as he had with his ex-wife. Any woman who came to him now had better understand that he is going to be the dominate force in her life--no questions.

Kat allows her desires to be known, and in her own self-assured and controlling manner begins her own seduction process only to be thwarted by his annoying stubbornness.
She will come to realize that he will be more than willing to accommodate her, but only on his own superior dominate terms.
The battle of seduction begins, culminating in an ultimate fulfillment of love and trust they desire.

Not only does this author possess the best POV skills in the business, she knows how to write the art of Domination with the skill and passion that is missed by other writers. With her characterizations she allows the reader to understand the genre whether they are into it or not. Make no mistake; this is a hard ride because Magnus is a hard man, but the love that unfolds and the trust that is gained ends in as a plausible, sexy romance.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT!, January 9, 2007

By 

Canadian Girl (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dance of the Butterfly (The Dance Series, Book 2) (Paperback)

I READ DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS FIRST - LOVED IT SO BOUGHT THIS ONE - LOVED IT TOO! REALLY GREAT READ - LOTS OF SEX, SEX, SEX! LOTS OF SEXUAL TENSION AND I ENJOYED THE STRONG FEMALE LEAD! I RECOMMEND IT.