Title: Pointe and Shoot
Author: Alison Stone
Publisher: Waterfall Press
Pub Date: October 4, 2016
Format: Kindle eBook
Pages: 304
Source: NetGalley
Genre(s): Adult Fiction (General), Religious
Rating: ★★★
Goodreads || Buy on Amazon

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Jayne Murphy has always put family first. That’s why she abandoned her dream of joining the police force to run her ailing mother’s dance studio.

When one of the studio’s most talented instructors dies in a car crash, Jayne isn’t convinced it was just an accident. Relentlessly pursuing her hunch, she teams up with Officer Danny Nolan, the best friend and partner of her brother Patrick, who died in the line of duty. Haunted by Patrick’s death, Danny has begun to question whether he should still be a cop at all.

As Jayne digs deeper, suspects emerge, including the victim’s clingy ex-boyfriend and a jealous foe from the cutthroat dance world. Her evolving insights into the case rekindle Jayne’s passion for police work. Danny, too, feels a renewed sense of purpose… and a definite attraction to his unofficial partner, which seems to be mutual. Now, if Jayne can only keep herself out of harm’s way, she and Danny both might get a second chance—with their careers and each other.

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My review:

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way alters my opinion of the work.

“I think you’re looking for answers where there might not be any. Sometimes bad things happen. Period.”

First off, this is a very pretty book with a very clever title. The novel focuses on quite a few things other than dancing, like policing, so the book is aptly named.

Let’s get right into it. I came here for the mystery but I stayed for the romance. As soon as a certain character was introduced, I knew they were the reason behind the tragedy that took place on that rainy day. My suspicions were later confirmed (yeah, my gut feeling was totally right) but I was still able to enjoy the mystery, despite having already solved it. If I’m being honest, I really just wanted to see how the romance between Jayne and Danny would play out. It eventually did, but it was soft and tame. Romance wasn’t the only thing carrying the plot… but there were enough forehead kisses and hand grazes to keep you turning the pages.

On another note, faith is mentioned quite a few times throughout this book. It’s an integral part of the protagonist’s life, which is why I’ve categorized this book under Religion, as well as Mystery. This religious aspect helped me to better understand Jayne’s character. I feel like I needed to point that out because some people may be put off by a “religious” book. It is not preaching. It’s just talking about life, specifically Jayne’s life, and the way in which she has coped with loss and made sense of her struggles.

All in all, this was a good book. I just feel like there could have been a little bit more. A bit more drama, a bit more romance, a bit more mystery, maybe? I don’t know. But I would definitely be interested in reading a sequel if Jayne decides to pursue this private investigating business of hers.