Tour de Force

by Elizabeth White

Gillian Kincade is a soloist with Ballet New York, a sought-after guest artist, and a committed Christian. Though she may be an anomaly in the world of dance, Gilly believes her devotion to God isn’t compromised by following her dreams. Then she meets Jacob Ferrar.Jacob is the brilliant young artistic director of the Birmingham Ballet Theatre and a born-again Christian. When he offers Gillian the lead in his latest ballet she accepts, knowing it won’t necessarily further her career, but it will touch her soul. On the chaotic road to opening night, Gilly and Jacob develop a deep professional respect for each other and begin to fall in love. Then their brilliant first performance is destroyed by a terrible accident, and suddenly both must face an uncertain future. Together, they dance the fine line between personal vision and God’s will, listening for the guidance of the Father’s heart.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Christian, Contemporary, Adult, Christian Romance

336 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Also publishes under the name Beth White

Reviews

[Bailey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can Christian fiction become any more cliche? From the ultra conservative interests of Gilly and Jacob to their life situations, Tour de Force reeks of complacency.
Gillian is a twenty-one year old ballet dancer who always manages to stay positive and focused in addition to her brilliant career. She is (of course) a wonderful influence to her past roommate and (of course) is semi-dating an equally beautiful and successful Christian. Jared is a former ballet dancer who gave up the stardom to follow Christ, right into his role as head of a ballet company. He is a stand-in father for his nephew and loves every minute of it.
Both Jacob and Gillian claim to have no interest in dating or the opposite sex. And why should they? They're model Christians just like everyone else!
While Tour de Force might have been written to encourage Christians to take a stand for their beliefs and take a step back to see how God works, it was written in a very unconvincing manner that made me realize why I no longer find Christian fiction enjoyable.

[Jill Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by Gretchen Hoffman

I love ballet. Although I never got past intermediate ballet class as a kid, I love going to see dance performances, and if there’s a book about dancers, you bet it’ll pique my interest.

Gillian Kincade is an upcoming ballet star in the New York dance scene. Jacob Ferrar left the glitz of performing to become an artistic director, focusing on dance that glorifies God. When Jacob offers Gilly the lead in his play, she has to decide where she’s supposed to be. But after an accident, the dancing future for both becomes uncertain, and they must learn to trust where God leads.

This book was just as fantastic as I expected it to be. (The cover alone made me want to read this! Especially since I love ballet.) The main characters were so fun, and the secondary characters were just as intriguing and well written as the main ones. I especially liked how real everyone was. Gillian and Jacob were not perfect by any means—they struggled with how to express their Christianity in everyday life and where the line is between tolerance of others’ lifestyles and still sticking up for morality and truth. Sometimes it seems like the characters in books have it all figured out, but Gilly and Jacob didn’t, and the book didn’t end with them suddenly being able to perfectly balance their ideals with non-Christians around them. Life doesn’t always have simple answers, and this book showed that. Plus, Ms. White did an excellent job of showing God’s miracles. Although miracles seem rare nowadays, God is always faithful, and miracles today are just as real as they ever were. An excellent read. I will be getting more of Elizabeth White’s books for sure.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been discovering that I have a bit of a weakness for ballet books like this, since every time I read one I can't help falling in love just a little. I also enjoy Christian fiction when it's well-written as I appreciate their "cleanliness" and the lovely insights some of the authors demonstrate. Therefore, I expected to love this book, and theoretically really should have... but unfortunately I kind of didn't.

Obviously I didn't hate the book, considering I gave it three stars, and admittedly the ballet thing probably did affect that a bit. I also was fascinated by White's exploration of the whole Christian arts issue, and generally liked how she handled that. You could also tell she'd done at least some research into ballet and [spoiler-related things] which is always a nice plus.

I think my main problem with the book was the main character Gilly. To some degree she was likeable, but I really couldn't get past how inconsistently judgmental she was at times, and even by the end I don't think she ever quite got it. To be fair, she did realize she'd been too harsh on Victoria, but I was still left a bit uncomfortable by how she seemed to be overstepping at times, and for the first half of the book, was feeling rather confused why Victoria was so willing to stay friends with Gilly considering how every single one of their encounters went. I appreciated how she treated Dmitri given that she disagreed with certain choices of his (never once brought up the subject with him and didn't even wince at him whenever it did come up), so I seriously don't get why she couldn't extend even the tiniest bit of that grace toward Victoria. I mean sheesh, I get that she's closer to Victoria, but when she's even reacting to Victoria being the one to pay for a date of all things...

Overall I did manage to like the book, partially like I said because of the whole ballet thing, though at the end of the day I'm glad to have gotten it free and can only hope the next book I read has a more likeable protagonist.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have waiting for Elizabeth White’s new book for months. First because I love her writing, and secondly because it involves ballet! I have long been a fan of the ballet, the dancing, the music, and how it all comes together, beautiful.

Tour De Force features a character we have met before if you have read Elizabeth’s book Off the Record. Laurel’s sister Gilly is the main character. She is a fun spitfire character with a heart for the Lord. We also get to meet Jacob, who is a handsome, Godly man who loves his family and the ballet. We also get to meet some great characters such as Victoria and Dimitri. The driving force behind this book is the characters. We get to know each of the characters, where they are in life and where they are in their relationship, or lack thereof, with the Lord. One of my favorite things about Elizabeth’s books is her development of her characters. You get to know Gilly and Jacob, their struggles, their triumphs, and their growth.

Tour De Force takes place in Alabama and New York. It was fun to see the differences in the culture between the two places, it is very distinctively different and Elizabeth does a fabulous job of showing the differences but keeping it realistic. It was also fun to get to know Gilly and Jacob’s families and how they were important to them.

If you like character driven books full of romance, emotions, stumbles, and triumphs you will love Tour De Force!

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Tour de Force” is a magnificent glimpse into a world of tutus and frills and pointe shoes. It’s always a wide-eyed view of the human condition and how far someone will go to get what they want.

If ever someone, who has no coordination and can’t be graceful if she tried, wanted to experiment in the world of ballet, this book would be the ticket. Detail, research and understanding of that world really brought it to life. I thought I might be in New York looking through the window of the high rise dance studio (though that sounds uncomfortable…)

I will say in that great research, I got a bit lost in all the characters were trying to do to save their careers and dance studios. I think a better personal understanding of how the dance world works would have been helpful on my end.

The love story is sweet, but I would have liked it to take a greater precedent. I felt it slipped into the background through the middle to two-thirds of the book.

I would have liked to get to know Gilly better. I found her a bit closed off to the reader and I wanted to really dig into what made her tick as a character. I could say the same for Jacob too.

But overall, it’s a good book and one I’m glad I tried on for size.

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.

[Jane]

What a book. It kept my interest from beginning to end. It was encouraging and uplifting as you realize couples face a lot in a relationship even in secular world jobs. Also it showed the struggles Gilly and Jacob faced in their positions being a Christian. I could so relate to Gilly's back injury as I was having back procedures myself at the time of reading this. Also Jacob's struggles overcoming his past before he became a Christian and making amends for problems he faced before knowing Christ. You do not have to understand ballet to enjoy this book. It is so uplifting and encouraging.

[Carrie Webber · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a former ballet dancer myself (okay I quit when I was seven) but this book made me wish I had continue. I loved how real all the characters felt. The love story was perfect and their battle with Christianity is something I really understood. It was a quick read but a good read.

[Jennifer Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that these Christians aren't perfect and don't live in a sanitized world of just other perfect people. Having a daughter that danced ballet for 15 years, I really enjoyed the setting. Good writing.

[Joanna Bair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guys I found a book about a ballerina that I didn’t know about! A ballerina who loves Jesus. The book was written in 2009 the year I opened my dance studio and was in the thick of commuting on this train back and forth from CT to NYC to take dance classes.
Reading this book was like reliving so many memories of dancing in NYC. The author did a fantastic job capturing the world, the emotions, and what it was like to be a Christian in the dance world in the 2000s.
I loved reading about White’s writing process, visiting Ballet Magnificat and a ballet company in Alabama to be more accurate. She did a fabulous job capturing ALL the aspects of the ballet world. The jealousy, the being the only female with morals, the one straight ballet guy who loves Jesus (rare but they do exist), the players, the gay roommate, the injuries, abortion, eating disorders and prescription drug use is also touched on. I mean she covered the entire gamut. It’s life in general in the world we live in, but when you put dancers in it it’s a little different.
My only complaint is I wanted the actual choreography and that’s my only complaint with every dance novel I read. It would basically skip over the dance part. I get that non dancers won’t follow all the terminology, but there should be an appendix with choreo in dance books for those of us who want to picture the dance.
Anyhow anyone who’s danced in a ballet company or in NYC and has a faith in God will find this interesting.

[Grace Tolman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at how Christians and followers of Christ handle the world of dance and the Arts. In one aspect, the Arts can be a beautiful way to use the talents that God gave us. But it can also be a place where values can be thrown out the door through various temptations.
Gilly is a prima ballerina that found herself in love with the art of Ballet dancing but was able to successfully maintain her Christian values. Jacob on the other hand made some bad decisions during his dancing career but was led to Christ by a staff in the dance company he worked for. They met when Jacob discovered her talent and wanted her to play in his Nutcracker production. They each had their flaws and both had to overcome their respective challenges. At the end, their testimonies of Christ are strengthened and they found love.
I gave this a 3 because although the plot was interesting, the heavy handed preaching moments did not do it for me. There were times when I felt that Gilly was so unreal. She was so steadfast in her faith that it seemed too good to be true. Where are her flaws? All the other characters weren't that super interesting as well.
All in all, the premise of the story was good, the execution not so much.

[Lambhail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I would definitely say it's a new favorite! The author did an amazing job writing this book! She did a fabulous job including just the right amount of love and drama. Not only that, but I love that the author makes it a christian book; including the characters struggles with their faith and temptation but staying strong in their faith and relationship with God. Overall this book was so great and encouraging. It was inspiring and I definitely recommend it!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me some time to get into and read. At times I found the story dragged and the wording was awkward. I gave the story four stars because I loved the authors passion for the gospel. I also love a good romance.

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

[Kim Spradlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending was a little rushed.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love all things dance. A book full of graceful ballerinas looked intriguing. I like my books clean and this mostly delivered. While there weren’t any bedroom scenes, the word “sex” was used too often for me. There was also a gay character and mention of other adult topics. I appreciate that the language was clean. If you love ballet and can handle some mature content, this book would be enjoyable for you. The story line was pleasant, the characters were believable, and the ballet theme was well researched and executed. This would make a cute movie.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of Elizabeth White's books I have read. I have found a new author to love!

[Amydeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every little girls dream is to be a ballerina, isn’t it? I remember dancing for many years imagining what it would be like to be one. Unfortunately I have elephant feet and didn’t get far (only took me 11 years to figure that out hehe)

So when Gillian (Gilly as her friends call her) get the opportunity to dance as a soloist there is no looking back – a whole new world opens up. But even more important to Gillian is her faith in Christ and how she displays it to her dance friends and family. To complicate her world she finds there may be more to life than dancing…

Tour de Force by Elizabeth White is definitely modern and thought provoking work of fiction. I was surprised by some of the topics and characters in her book (ie. her dance partner is gay, and her friend has an abortion) but in all honestly I do think it is a realistic look at the dance world and the characteristics of our fallen world.

I enjoyed White’s heroine and her strong characteristics, yet innocence still in tact. I like that she presented the struggles right out and didn’t side-step them but dealt with them.

A possible stumble for some people maybe that there are a lot of ballet terms in it. I like that White gives you the list of terms if your unfamiliar with them (it shows she knows her stuff), but it is easier if you actually know what they are or you’ll be flipping a lot.

The only thing that bothered me was the minor detail of a minor character Graham the six year old nephew of the leading man Jacob(his sister died and he was the guardian). He reminded me more of my three year old instead of an actual six year old. He could have been cast as a three year old with the same effect. Anyhow, like I said minor detail lol

If you like raw emotion, a bit of romance, and some definite “issues” to be dealt with you’ll enjoy this coming of age book a lot!

[Annie Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed so many things about this novel that I'm not entirely certain about where to begin my review. Characters, plot, settings, themes... Which one do I talk about first? Perhaps that list will help. So then, first is the characters.

Gilly was so fun to read. Her POV on things was refreshing, and I really appreciated her strength. She had such a kindred spirit mixed in with all that spunk. Her determination to glorify God in all she did was inspiring to me, and so was her love for others. As for Jacob, I thought the author did a good job of being in his head while still keeping his secrets. Definitely learned something there that I will apply to my own writing.

The plot was good. The romance was a bit predictable, but then, most of them are nowadays. I did like how the author moved things along and kept it interesting. Part of that was the varying settings. Alabama and New York are so vastly different, and I think that brought more depth to the story.

What blessed me most was how Gilly reached out to those around her and lifted them up to God in prayer. I cried through the scene when she leads a friend to Christ. And then also when God heals that injury. I felt so uplifted and encouraged!

I think the last thing I wanted to talk about was the backdrop of ballet. I love ballet--have since I was four years old and took years of classes. The world of professional ballet is something I dreamed of as a child but never pursued, though it has always drawn me. Reading about it from a Christian perspective was so very captivating that I didn't want the book to end. Or if it did, I wanted a sequel. Still do. I felt so at home reading of those familiar terms and exercises, remembering those exciting times of watching the older pointe dancers from backstage during recitals... The author wrote it well.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tour de Force A Love Story
Elizabeth White
2009
Zondervan
Fiction/Romance
www.elizabethwhite.net

Reviewed by Cindy Loven

Gilly Kincaide, is an up and coming ballet dancer, with a bright future in New York. A small town girl from Alabama, she is a devout Christian, who lives her life out loud, with a positive witness to her fellow ballet troupe. An accident to another dancer places her in a lead role, which in turn thrusts her into two prominent ballets with lead dance positions.

I at first struggled getting into this book, becoming bogged down with the ballet terms, but I persevered and found a wonderful story. My personal tastes would have been fine, with subtle references to the ballet terms, instead of the in depth terms used.

The story unfolds with a former dancer Jacob Ferrar, now an artistic director of a ballet company, “discovering” Gilly for a part in the Nutcracker and even more important, wanting her to dance a original ballet he was developing for her in particular. However an accident, during a presentation to the board, threatens to end Gilly's career, and thrusts her into a whirlwind of confusion and faith testing situations.

This story will totally hold your interest as you follow along to see what develops between Gilly and Jacob. Your faith will grow as your see God work in each of their lives. This book is definitely worth reading. 326 pages $12.99 US

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this quite by accident. After I figured out what I had done, it had processed. . .so I was surprised. Then I read this, thinking: 'Dancing and I do not mingle. It will probably be boring.' But that was not the state of the case. Another surprise. . . This was truly a delightful book. The characters are tangible and realistic—and remain faithful to God and once faith tested, remained true to their beliefs. A wonderful romance, only I would not recommend for very young readers, but intriguing and engaging read!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gillian Kincaid dances to the brink of a brilliant career in ballet; grasping the New York limelight after years of working her way to the pinnacle of recognition in her field. Upon returning to her Alabama roots to perform in a local exhibition, her path crosses that of artistic director Jacob Ferrar; a renowned dancer in his own right, who left the very notoriety that Gillian is quietly embracing.

Gillian's beautiful movements on stage are extremely impressive and Jacob approaches her with the possibility of performing the lead role in a religious ballet that he is developing around the story of Jesus's friend Mary. The two form a friendship, both personally and professionally, leading them to a crossroads that neither is anxious to travel.

Following a terrible accident that takes Gillian off the stage, she and Jacob are forced to peer deep within their souls to discover how people of faith respond to life's difficulties; especially in a world of secularism where greed, temptations and competition abound. This story is much like the ballet world depicted within its pages; full of glorious climax, amidst phases of deep emotion. "Tour de Force" is well worth the "dance"!

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tour de Force is the story of a rising ballet NYC ballet star, Gillian Kincade, who meets the artistic director of her hometown ballet center. They discover they not only share a passion for ballet but also for Christianity. Together they learn to navigate both of those waters to make their love work.

I gave this book four stars, not because it's destined to be a classic because I'm not sure it is, but because it's a real page-turner and because the layers of the plot are more complex than they at first appear. While the Christian storyline is not subtle, neither is it overbearing or didactic. I especially appreciated how all of the characters were respectfully and realistically portrayed, and while both of the main protagonists' issues were resolved satisfactorily, other characters' issues were works in progress without distracting from or disrupting the story line. Very nicely done.

[Michele Minor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gillian Kincade is a soloist with a New York ballet company who is originally from Alabama and is returning to dance the lead in the Nutcracker for Jacob Ferrar’s regional ballet company. Both Gillian and Jacob are Christians who had dealt with the New York ballet scene in different ways, since Jacob was a former dancer in New York until he became a Christian. This book offers a realistic view of the ballet world in New York where Gillian doesn’t live in a Christian bubble but instead has a dance partner who is gay and a former roommate who is promiscuous. She does give us an honest look at what Christians deal with every day and the temptations that they face.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! As with Elizabeth White's other books, there is the heroine, Gilly, and the hero, Jacob. One of the two main characters always has a "past" to overcome and ultimately the two fall in love. This book brought up a lot of interesting issues that Christians in today's society often face and I think Ms. White addressed then appropriately and has a nack of always bringing everything back to God.

This is the 3rd book that I've read by this author and I'm planning to continue reading more. Loved it!

[Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love dance, so I picked this book up because of the cover. It's a sweet love story that made those warm and fuzzy feelings come up. There are many layers to this book, and I got so attached to each one of the characters. I was able to relate to them really well. I would definitely recommend this book. I feel like it's a very realistic plot where the main character, Gilly doesn't live in a perfect world. She struggles with personal problems and also the problems of others. This book is inspiring and I would love to read more like it.

[Karen Barnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in order to see if it was appropriate for my 12-year-old ballet-obsessed girl. It might be a bit too adult for her, what with Gillie runs into in her New York ballet world. But with that said, it's a fantastic story. I appreciated the author delving into how Christians can choose to be a light in the entertainment industry. Also, after spending five years watching my daughter's classes, I was impressed with the author's use of ballet term and culture. She's either a dancer herself, or an excellent researcher. Great characters, message, and story!

[Eddie Snipes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed. I cried. It moved me.

Another Christian novel that did a wonderful job of building believable characters around a believable story line. I didn't have high hopes when I started this. I only read it because I wanted to see how the author dealt with a subject I had also written on. It captured my attention from the begining.

[Dina Sleiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dancers and dance lovers need to read this book!

[Jessie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Elizabeth White. Loved the ballet focus...

[Janet Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read,Christian romance, by a really nice Alabama author I met at the Flowood library.