THE DANCING LIFE

FIRST BOOK IN THE DANCING TRILOGY


Book cover of "The Dancing Life" by Mikael Carlson, featuring a couple dancing with the Eiffel Tower in the background, overlaid with pink tones.

If you're going through hell, you might as well dance through it. 

Award-winning author Mikael Carlson mixes a political thriller with a romance in a novel with self-reflection, angst, betrayal, love, travel, and, of course, dancing!

Opposites attract, or so the adage goes. Braden and Lyla couldn't be more different. He's a boring finance guy who plans out every aspect of his life. She's an adventurous drifter who lives every day to its fullest. From different parts of the world and with polar opposite life experiences, they couldn't be more unsuited for each other. Enter the one thing that binds them together - they are both running for their lives.

"This intricate and intriguing page-turner is a story of finding yourself in the least likely of places and learning to trust your instincts. Carlson does a terrific job of creating a story that has something for everyone—deception, greed, betrayal, romance, and suspense."

-- Entrada Publishing

Politics affects our lives, but it defines theirs. Braden is on the run from his employer, an ultrapowerful man running a political action committee who wants him back - or to silence him for good. Lyla has her own demons she must stay a step ahead of. When their worlds collide in an Argentinian tango salon, they set out to run together, each not knowing what haunts the other.

The Dancing Life is a story about finding love while finding yourself as the world tries to get in the way. With likable protagonists and sleezy, despicable antagonists, you will find yourself rooting for Braden and Lyla as they travel across the world. But will the power of their growing love for each other ultimately conquer all, or will their pasts force them to go their separate ways?

The Dancing Life is romance wrapped around a political thriller. It's a thrillmance! 

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PRAISE FOR THE DANCING LIFE

  • If you enjoy dancing, traveling the world, or immersing yourself into a life unchained to routines, then you will want to pick up this book as there is plenty of life lessons intertwined with the suspense, betrayal, greed, and deception.

    Amazon Review

  • The reawakening of Braden as he traveled with Lyla and how his life changed for the better was well portrayed. This is definitely a book worth reading and you won't be disappointed.

    Amazon Review

  • Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting it down. Unfortunately work and life prevented me from finishing it in one sitting but I did finish it the second time. It was worth the time spent. The story has suspense, adventure in foreign lands, villains, and intrigue with the spice of romance. The main characters show some growth and I cannot wait to read the sequel(s).

    Amazon Review

AUDIOBOOK

Book cover for "The Dancing Life" by Mikael Carlson, featuring a couple dancing in front of the Eiffel Tower, with silhouettes of a man holding a gun and background images of money, all in shades of pink.
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COMING SOON!

THE STORY

Braden Fox has it all – an apartment in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a beautiful wife, and a fat bank account from his high-paying job until one betrayal costs him everything. Resigning himself to fate in a self-imposed exile, an inebriated Braden meets a mysterious drifter who sends him on a life-altering journey – if he can stay alive long enough to take it.

For Arden Davenport, the founder of the political action committee American Outreach, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Not only is his star employee missing, but he possesses information that could bring the entire shady enterprise to its knees. His protégé must be found and neutralized before Arden’s life work is destroyed. Fortunately, he has two men capable of finding Braden, even across an ocean.

Everything changes when Braden meets Lyla, a free-spirited drifter who’s hiding from her own demons. Their shared journey will take them across the world as their friendship slowly grows into something more. The emotional consequences of their relationship are undeniable: Both of them have deadly secrets they refuse to share…especially with each other.

The Dancing Life is a romantic thriller filled with self-reflection, angst, betrayal, love, and travel. Can these two very different souls find love before the hunters finally catch their prey? Will their dark secrets about the past cause their undoing, or are they prepared to risk everything to keep living the dancing life?