Second Position by Katherine Locke (The District Ballet Book 1)

This is a review of Second Position by Katherine Locke. It needs to be read after Turning Pointe and before Finding Center. We revisit Aly and Zed from Turning Pointe. Fast forward 4 years after their accident. Aly and Zed went their separate ways after the accident and 4 years later they meet by random chance in a coffee shop. The coffee shop is one that Zed apparently owns. He also lives above the shop. Zed has retired from dancing because in the accident where Aly lost the baby, his injuries were severe enough that he had to have part of his leg amputated. He is now also teaching high school theater arts and music. Aly has had a nervous breakdown and is also suffering from an eating disorder. She requests a leave of absence from the ballet company and spends three months in a treatment facility before going to live with her mother to continue to recover. While she is recovering is when she meets Zed again.

As the two begin talking again they learn that his parents were part of the reason they were kept apart after the accident. Aly and Zed slowly begin a romantic relationship once again and soon they seem to be right back on track. However, they are both struggling with their own demons from their past.  Aly soon wants to return to ballet and Zed doesn’t want her to because he feels it is either him or ballet. They end up in a massive fight when he accidentally finds a new contract for the District Ballet Company in Aly’s bag. They break up over this and Zed asks Aly to move all of her things out of his apartment. She does. Aly can’t handle the breakup and starts cutting again and her mom catches her and consoles her over the breakup.  Zed handles the breakup almost as badly as Aly does. Aly finally comes to Zed and the two of them talk things out and get back together. Aly starts dancing again and Aly moves into Zed’s apartment where they start settling in to their new life together.

My recommendation: Read Turning Pointe first before picking up this one and then follow this one up with Finding Center. Definitely worth reading this one.