The Swan and the Sentinel: A Novel
Jun 2026 · Sold by Simon and Schuster
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About this ebook
“I've spent most of my life in the wings at Lincoln Center, and fiction rarely gets dancers right. This book does.”
—Glenn Green, repertory director and former New York City Ballet dancer
When the lives of a disheartened prima ballerina and an injured hockey star collide, can their pas de deux end in an encore?
What happens when the one thing that defines you is ripped away, and you’re forced to rebuild from the ground up?
When NHL forward Liam LeClerc’s career-threatening injury refuses to heal, desperation drives him to an unlikely solution: ballet lessons from Petra Montgomery, a talented soloist overlooked due to her company’s politics.
In secret, after-hours studio sessions, Petra teaches Liam that strength comes in unexpected forms while he reminds her why she fell in love with dance, before ambition complicated everything. But when their unconventional partnership threatens both their careers, they must decide if the connection they’ve found is worth risking everything they’ve worked for.
The Swan and the Sentinel is a story that reminds us sometimes the best comebacks require learning an entirely new discipline, even if it’s performed in fifth position.
—Glenn Green, repertory director and former New York City Ballet dancer
When the lives of a disheartened prima ballerina and an injured hockey star collide, can their pas de deux end in an encore?
What happens when the one thing that defines you is ripped away, and you’re forced to rebuild from the ground up?
When NHL forward Liam LeClerc’s career-threatening injury refuses to heal, desperation drives him to an unlikely solution: ballet lessons from Petra Montgomery, a talented soloist overlooked due to her company’s politics.
In secret, after-hours studio sessions, Petra teaches Liam that strength comes in unexpected forms while he reminds her why she fell in love with dance, before ambition complicated everything. But when their unconventional partnership threatens both their careers, they must decide if the connection they’ve found is worth risking everything they’ve worked for.
The Swan and the Sentinel is a story that reminds us sometimes the best comebacks require learning an entirely new discipline, even if it’s performed in fifth position.
“I've spent most of my life in the wings at Lincoln Center, and fiction rarely gets dancers right. This book does.”
—Glenn Green, repertory director and former New York City Ballet dancer
When the lives of a disheartened prima ballerina and an injured hockey star collide, can their pas de deux e...
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1 review
Jackie Wright
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June 16, 2026
The Swan and the Sentinel is injured NHL player Liam LeClerc and ballerina Petra’s sweet, witty and entertaining story. This is the first book I have read by this author but it won’t be the last because this is a beautifully written journey that drew me in and didn’t let me go. Petra lives to dance, she is talented and passionate and when she is not performing she teaches six year olds. Liam takes his young niece to one of her performances and after the show hangs around to meet the dancer
About the author
Bill Keenan is the author of memoirs Odd Man Rush: A Harvard Kid’s Odyssey from Central Park to Somewhere in Sweden—with Stops Along the Way and Discussion Materials: Tales of a Rookie Investment Banker, both of which have been adapted into the feature films Odd Man Rush (2020) and Bull Run (2025). His first play, Spin Cycle, premiered off-Broadway in August 2025. He currently serves as COO of Air Mail, a digital magazine launched by Graydon Carter. Before joining Air Mail, he was a professional hockey player in Europe. He holds a BA from Harvard University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Bill Keenan is the author of memoirs Odd Man Rush: A Harvard Kid’s Odyssey from Central Park to Somewhere in Sweden—with Stops Along the Way and Discussion Materials: Tales of a Rookie Investment Banker, both of which have been adapted into the feature films Odd Man Rush (2020) and Bull Run (2025...
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