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Wilde Hearts #1
The Ballerina's Secret
USA Today-Bestselling Love strikes a chord that makes the heart dance . . . "Like journeying through a dream that I never wanted to end." --Night Owl Reviews
Ballerina Tessa Wilde had a glittering career in front of her--and then the accident happened. She'd gotten used to hiding her deafness from the world. She'd been able to teach children at her mother's dance school, and she had her beloved hearing-assistance dog to help her through the day.
But now, she's managed to land the role of a lifetime. If only Julian Shine, brooding piano accompanist, would leave her alone. Or if she could leave him alone. When he played, she could hear . . . every note. Could it be real? Or was it the music of her heart?
Ballerina Tessa Wilde had a glittering career in front of her--and then the accident happened. She'd gotten used to hiding her deafness from the world. She'd been able to teach children at her mother's dance school, and she had her beloved hearing-assistance dog to help her through the day.
But now, she's managed to land the role of a lifetime. If only Julian Shine, brooding piano accompanist, would leave her alone. Or if she could leave him alone. When he played, she could hear . . . every note. Could it be real? Or was it the music of her heart?
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
43 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Teri Wilson
209 books1,643 followersNew York Times Bestselling Author Teri Wilson writes heartwarming contemporary romance with a touch of whimsy. Four of Teri’s books have been adapted into Hallmark Channel Original Movies, including UNLEASHING MR. DARCY (plus its sequel MARRYING MR. DARCY), ROYAL-ISH, based on her book ONCE UPON A ROYAL SUMMER, THE ART OF US and NORTHERN LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS, based on her book SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS. She is also a recipient of the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction and a 2022 inductee into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame.
When she’s not writing, Teri enjoys volunteering in her community with her Cavalier King Charles spaniel Charm, a registered therapy dog, reading education assistance dog and crisis emergency response canine. Teri is also a three-time volunteer at the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race in Alaska and has been active in conformation dog shows and performance events.
A cupcake enthusiast, Teri also loves Hallmark movies, barre classes, crocheting and taking her dogs out for pup cups. Visit her at www.teriwilson.net or on Instagram @teriwilsonauthor.
When she’s not writing, Teri enjoys volunteering in her community with her Cavalier King Charles spaniel Charm, a registered therapy dog, reading education assistance dog and crisis emergency response canine. Teri is also a three-time volunteer at the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race in Alaska and has been active in conformation dog shows and performance events.
A cupcake enthusiast, Teri also loves Hallmark movies, barre classes, crocheting and taking her dogs out for pup cups. Visit her at www.teriwilson.net or on Instagram @teriwilsonauthor.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 22, 2026
3.5 Stars- This was a very quick read about a deaf ballerina. Tessa lost her hearing after a fall and hasn't been able to hear anything for 18 months. She decides to try out for a ballet when she can suddenly hear the music while she is auditioning. It is tied to the man, Julian, who is playing it. The two of them are drawn to each other. Both have their past demons but things feel magical together. This was a very sweet romance although definitely predictable. If you are looking for a quick romance this would fit the bill.
July 21, 2018
Tessa is a ballet dancer and dancing means everything to her. Tessa’s dancing career was going great until the accident that cost her hearing and therefore her career as well as her boyfriend. Tessa didn’t stop dancing as she teaches ballet classes at Wilde School of Dance. Teaching is better than not dancing at all, but her dream is to be back on the stage and for that reason she decides to go to the audition that is staged by the world’s best choreographers. During the auditions she meets the pianist Julian, who is a talented musician, whose life hasn’t been the same after the accident. That audition brought them together and in time they both have something to learn from one another and see the future in brighter color.
What a great book this was, I really enjoyed it. The characters were very realistic and the writing style was excellent. I was very impressed by the first book and want to continue with the series.
What a great book this was, I really enjoyed it. The characters were very realistic and the writing style was excellent. I was very impressed by the first book and want to continue with the series.
August 21, 2019
Ballet. Dogs. Music. Fall in New York ... this beautiful love story has several of my favorite things! Highly recommended!
July 9, 2018
An enchanting, uplifting and oh so wonderful contemporary romance that I found absolutely irresistible, Teri Wilson’s The Ballerina Secret is a fantastic book that will steal your heart!
Tessa Wilde had once had the world at her feet. She was a fast rising star in the world of ballet, had a gorgeous boyfriend who was also her dance partner and a loving and supportive family who believed in her and cheered her on in each and every single one of her endeavors. The world was Tessa’s oyster – until an accident while performing on stage had cost her both her career and her boyfriend! When her dance partner had dropped her, her hearing had been damaged and Tessa is now unable to hear anything which left her unable to continue to pursue her dream of becoming a ballerina. Having shelved all of her hopes and dreams for a future on the stage, Tessa now teaches ballet at the Wilde School of Dance, but despite telling herself that she will never be a prima ballerina, the yearning and desire to perform has never left her. When she discovers that auditions are being held for a ballet that is being staged by one of the world’s premiere ballet choreographers, Tessa knows that she will never get the part, however, she feels compelled to audition despite knowing full well that she has next to no chance of scoring a role. Yet, little does Tessa realise that stepping out of her comfort zone and chasing after her dream is going to shake the foundations of her safe little world on its axis…and lead her straight into the path of a man with his own demons, musician Julian Shine.
Julian had once been of the music world’s most respected and revered musicians – until a cruel twist of fate had almost destroyed him. A man who is now content to live in the shadows and to keep the world at bay, Julian had been persuaded by his childhood friend Chase to play the piano during the auditions for the latest ballet he is starring in. Julian just wants to hide in the corner, do the job and not engage with anyone, but that all changes when he finds himself enchanted by the beautiful ballerina Tessa Wilde. From the way she moves to the way she dances, Tessa bewitches Julian with every move she makes and despite the initial friction between them, a bond soon develops that quickly gives way to something more…
Much to everybody’s surprise, Tessa scores the lead role for the ballet and ends up spending her days and nights practicing – with Julian accompanying her on the piano. Their initial attraction leads to nights of uncontrollable passion, but when their no-strings fling becomes very serious indeed, will Tessa and Julian find the courage to stop hiding from their feelings and admit the truth about their feelings for one another? Or will they continue to be held hostage by their pasts and their fears?
The Ballerina’s Secret is contemporary romance gold! Emotionally satisfying, wonderfully poignant and a joy from beginning to end, this is a book about courage, taking chances and healing from the past that will pluck at the heartstrings and make you smile. Teri Wilson imbues her story with humor, pathos, magic and heart and has written a book that I simply could not put down.
Her characters jump off the page and straight into your heart. Tessa was a great heroine who, despite all the obstacles standing in her way, was never defeatist or self-pitying and I thought Julian was a gorgeous and brooding hero whom I simply couldn’t help but fall head over heels in love with.
A first-class contemporary romance from a superb writer, Teri Wilson’s The Ballerina’s Secret is heading straight for my keeper shelf!
Tessa Wilde had once had the world at her feet. She was a fast rising star in the world of ballet, had a gorgeous boyfriend who was also her dance partner and a loving and supportive family who believed in her and cheered her on in each and every single one of her endeavors. The world was Tessa’s oyster – until an accident while performing on stage had cost her both her career and her boyfriend! When her dance partner had dropped her, her hearing had been damaged and Tessa is now unable to hear anything which left her unable to continue to pursue her dream of becoming a ballerina. Having shelved all of her hopes and dreams for a future on the stage, Tessa now teaches ballet at the Wilde School of Dance, but despite telling herself that she will never be a prima ballerina, the yearning and desire to perform has never left her. When she discovers that auditions are being held for a ballet that is being staged by one of the world’s premiere ballet choreographers, Tessa knows that she will never get the part, however, she feels compelled to audition despite knowing full well that she has next to no chance of scoring a role. Yet, little does Tessa realise that stepping out of her comfort zone and chasing after her dream is going to shake the foundations of her safe little world on its axis…and lead her straight into the path of a man with his own demons, musician Julian Shine.
Julian had once been of the music world’s most respected and revered musicians – until a cruel twist of fate had almost destroyed him. A man who is now content to live in the shadows and to keep the world at bay, Julian had been persuaded by his childhood friend Chase to play the piano during the auditions for the latest ballet he is starring in. Julian just wants to hide in the corner, do the job and not engage with anyone, but that all changes when he finds himself enchanted by the beautiful ballerina Tessa Wilde. From the way she moves to the way she dances, Tessa bewitches Julian with every move she makes and despite the initial friction between them, a bond soon develops that quickly gives way to something more…
Much to everybody’s surprise, Tessa scores the lead role for the ballet and ends up spending her days and nights practicing – with Julian accompanying her on the piano. Their initial attraction leads to nights of uncontrollable passion, but when their no-strings fling becomes very serious indeed, will Tessa and Julian find the courage to stop hiding from their feelings and admit the truth about their feelings for one another? Or will they continue to be held hostage by their pasts and their fears?
The Ballerina’s Secret is contemporary romance gold! Emotionally satisfying, wonderfully poignant and a joy from beginning to end, this is a book about courage, taking chances and healing from the past that will pluck at the heartstrings and make you smile. Teri Wilson imbues her story with humor, pathos, magic and heart and has written a book that I simply could not put down.
Her characters jump off the page and straight into your heart. Tessa was a great heroine who, despite all the obstacles standing in her way, was never defeatist or self-pitying and I thought Julian was a gorgeous and brooding hero whom I simply couldn’t help but fall head over heels in love with.
A first-class contemporary romance from a superb writer, Teri Wilson’s The Ballerina’s Secret is heading straight for my keeper shelf!
November 14, 2022
I really really wanted to give this more stars. I love that there’s a deaf protagonist. I also know what I’m getting into with a Harlequin and how formulaic the publishing house is, and therefore find it incredibly hard to not feel like the story was pushed weirdly at times to either conform to the word count or the HEA ending with certain requirements.
What I did like is that the trope of “fixing” the thing that makes the character disabled (for lack of a more descriptive word) was avoided. Cause that’s the entire controversy (to my knowledge) between Deaf folks and folks who “fix” their deafness with a cochlear.
What I didn’t like is that the author perpetuates the stereotype (like soooooooo many tv shows and books) that lip reading is in ANY way an adequate replacement for hearing. It isn’t, yo, and I have a number of both Deaf and deaf friends who are perpetually frustrated that this continues to be the way that deaf/Deaf characters navigate the world in an “acceptable” fashion (in terms of “the character doesn’t miss much while lip reading”, which is BS.)
I also didn’t like that what ASL was used was written in English. It’s not English. And translating it as such is, I think a disservice to a lovely language that does not have the same grammatical structure as English.
So am I demanding a lot of a Harlequin romance novel? Yeah. I am. Cause I feel like this story still could’ve fallen within the structure required while also being a much better done story than what it was in terms of doing better by deaf folks.
What I did like is that the trope of “fixing” the thing that makes the character disabled (for lack of a more descriptive word) was avoided. Cause that’s the entire controversy (to my knowledge) between Deaf folks and folks who “fix” their deafness with a cochlear.
What I didn’t like is that the author perpetuates the stereotype (like soooooooo many tv shows and books) that lip reading is in ANY way an adequate replacement for hearing. It isn’t, yo, and I have a number of both Deaf and deaf friends who are perpetually frustrated that this continues to be the way that deaf/Deaf characters navigate the world in an “acceptable” fashion (in terms of “the character doesn’t miss much while lip reading”, which is BS.)
I also didn’t like that what ASL was used was written in English. It’s not English. And translating it as such is, I think a disservice to a lovely language that does not have the same grammatical structure as English.
So am I demanding a lot of a Harlequin romance novel? Yeah. I am. Cause I feel like this story still could’ve fallen within the structure required while also being a much better done story than what it was in terms of doing better by deaf folks.
January 16, 2020
The premise was promising: A ballerina who lost her hearing through an accident is trying out for a role and the troupe's accompanist is a former big name jazz musician who was burned in an accident and as a result has given up the trumpet and is now just going through the motions of life.
People experience grief differently and it would have been really interesting if that was explored more. Yes in categories there isn't a lot of space for depth but in this story, compared to everything the h is willing to do to get her career back on track the H comes off as something of a quitter.
People experience grief differently and it would have been really interesting if that was explored more. Yes in categories there isn't a lot of space for depth but in this story, compared to everything the h is willing to do to get her career back on track the H comes off as something of a quitter.
June 5, 2018
I stumbled across The Ballerina's Secret on the shelves of my bookstore and was intrigued because the main character is deaf. I couldn't stop reading this book and finished this in 2 days. I loved Tessa and Julian and the depths, emotions, love between them. I can't wait to read the next installment in the series.
July 27, 2018
Romantic & Heartwrenching
A wonderfully written heart wrenching and very romantic book. Teri knows how to write a fabulous romantic story and I am fast becoming addicted to her storytelling. Julian and Tessa are beautiful characters and I was totally invested in their lives. Brilliant! A must read. I look forward to reading more in this series.
A wonderfully written heart wrenching and very romantic book. Teri knows how to write a fabulous romantic story and I am fast becoming addicted to her storytelling. Julian and Tessa are beautiful characters and I was totally invested in their lives. Brilliant! A must read. I look forward to reading more in this series.
June 1, 2018
I loved this story. Both of the main characters overcame accidents that permanently altered their lives, and helped one another see they are not broken. Powerful stuff!
I will be reading every book in this series!
I will be reading every book in this series!
July 14, 2018
Need more books with hearing impaired and deaf characters. Could relate to Tessa so much
August 5, 2018
Sweet and sexy romance. I'm looking forward to meeting this author at the Buns and Roses tea.
November 17, 2018
This was a very sweet story of two broken souls trying to find their way. By chance the meet and eventually finding passion and eventually love.
January 19, 2026
The Ballerina’s Secret is an enjoyable start to the Wilde Hearts series, and I genuinely liked the characters and their dynamic. That said, while the romance had its sweet moments, some elements of the bedroom scenes didn’t work for me, which kept this from being a fully Casper and Brian–approved romance. Overall, I liked the reading experience, just would prefer a more closed room romance.
October 25, 2018
If you follow my blog, you'll know I have read a number of Teri's books over the years (she is one of the most prolific authors I know!) and she never fails to deliver a great story and great characters.
The Ballerina's Secret is the first book in the Wilde Hearts trilogy and centres around Tess Wilde who was once flying high with her career as a ballerina until tragedy struck leaving her deaf and floundering with a way forward in her life.
As a strong woman (characters Teri writes so well), Tess isn't prepared to surrender to her fears and disability and decides to audition for a ballet set for the New York stage. It's on the way to this audition that her path first crosses with musician, Julian Shine. As though destined to meet and, of course, fall in love, Tess and Julian's lives become intertwined in ways neither could've predicted. Are they each other's destiny? The only people capable of healing one another?
A fabulous romance that I guarantee you will want to devour in one sitting - I can't wait to get started on book 2, How To Romance A Runaway Bride :)
The Ballerina's Secret is the first book in the Wilde Hearts trilogy and centres around Tess Wilde who was once flying high with her career as a ballerina until tragedy struck leaving her deaf and floundering with a way forward in her life.
As a strong woman (characters Teri writes so well), Tess isn't prepared to surrender to her fears and disability and decides to audition for a ballet set for the New York stage. It's on the way to this audition that her path first crosses with musician, Julian Shine. As though destined to meet and, of course, fall in love, Tess and Julian's lives become intertwined in ways neither could've predicted. Are they each other's destiny? The only people capable of healing one another?
A fabulous romance that I guarantee you will want to devour in one sitting - I can't wait to get started on book 2, How To Romance A Runaway Bride :)
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June 1, 2018Miniseries: Wilde Hearts
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February 23, 2019I picked this up because I was interested in the deaf heroine character, but the whole "music of my heart" shtick was cheesy and put me off continuing with it. So, yeah, this was a DNF for me.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews