I've been loving Susan Elizabeth Phillips books for many, many years - While they may be spaced out a little farther apart than I'd like them to be - I devour each one because her of her smooth writing style.

(Thanks to the publisher for the free ARC.) Dance Away With Me is a romantic novel about creative identity and how to be vulnerable again after loss. Tess is hiding away from the world in the Appalachian mountains when new neighbors pull her into their own stormy lives. From the very beginning, I immediately sensed the overall arc of the story (which sometimes makes me feel complacent about finishing the book). I'm not a huge romance reader, so I was quite annoyed that I couldn't seem to put the book down (take it as a compliment!). Both Tess and her love interest have a LOT of flaws and hang ups they have to work through that threaten their relationship. Sometimes I struggled to accept the decisions Tess made. But another beautiful part of the book for me was Ian's artistic challenges. His journey from being blocked to once again opening the flow of his art really resonated with me, as a fellow creative person. I recommend it for readers who love flawed characters who prove that love can triumph over all obstacles. 

Trigger warnings: BIG warnings for maternal death during childbirth.

Tess Hartsong, a certified midwife,  has been grieving ever since her husband died of pneumonia a few years ago. She decided to leave their life behind and move to the hills of Tennessee. The peace and solitude give her the healing that she needs. Until her neighbor shows up. Ian North is an artist of the highest caliber. People all over the world know his work and his name. But the night he catches Tess dancing away her grief is the night that everything changes. He introduces Tess to his very pregnant friend, Bianca, and it doesn't take long for the chatty Bianca to declare them close friends. Everything changes the night that Bianco goes into labor. Even with all of her experience, there is nothing Tess can do. And soon she and the enigmatic artist are left to care for a newborn baby. Will they be able to ignore the sparks that are flying between them in order to care for baby Wren?

I have been reading Susan Elizabeth Phillips romance novels for more than twenty years. I remember the feelings that Nobody's Baby But Mine evoked in me all these years later.  Dance Away with Me has the same kind of elements that can be found in all previous SEP novels. Strong, fierce women determined to achieve their goals, no matter what. Tess and Ian clashed from the very beginning, but of course, it didn't take long for the sparks to fly. I also really loved the secondary plot, the way Tess was doing her best to educate the youth of her community about safe sex. Being in the heart of the Bible belt, it certainly caused a lot of upset people, but that didn't stop Tess. By their very nature, there are rarely shocking reveals in romance novels, but there was one revelation that shocked me. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS. 


Bottom Line - I adore Susan Elizabeth Phillips and I promise that I will read anything she writes, including social media posts! 

Details:
Dance Away With Me by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
On Facebook
Pages: 400
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 6.9.2020
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips isn't usually an auto read for me but I was drawn in my the description of a wounded heroine/hero and how they develop a relationship and help each other. Babies, midwives, small town life make for a very enjoyable read that tugs at the heart strings. While I loved this novel, it may be a bit more intense than many of SEP's readers are used to. I recommend this one often and it has been one of my favorite reads of 2020.

Read it just for the witty dialog, which is some of SEP's best.  She pushes the envelope by adding social justice and women's health issues, which might turn away some traditional SEP fans, but who cares, the book is fun. 

Loved that the characters were a little older, a bit damaged.  They had depth and I actually cared about them, which is not something I get from SEP's other works.

Recommended for: readers looking for humor, romance, or both. 

4.5/5 stars

I love Susan Elizabeth Philips but I couldn't get past the prologue of this book - it made me feel a little nervous about where it was going  and I ended up putting it down.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips always makes her characters charming and witty in a beautiful human dysfunctional way.

Dance Away With Me was such an unexpected story for me, but I enjoyed it all the same!

I thought it would be a lighthearted romance but found that it centered around grief and hit me in the heartstrings.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the free book. All opinions are my own

This was my first Phillips’ novel and I immediately went looking for more.  Very enjoyable storyline and character development. I love the mountain get-a-way romances that slowly develop from the stranger next door — and this one has a few curves that I didn’t see coming.  Loved it!

Very nice story! I found myself having to keep reading once I started. I thought it was a different type of story for this author but still enjoyable!

At their first meeting a man and woman hate each other. Then they run hot and cold, lust after each other, and eventually express their love. Stop me if you've read this story before...

This was a bit different from other Phillips books I’ve read. I didn’t laugh once, but I was saddened by events in the story. I didn’t love either of the main characters, but I couldn’t stop reading to find out what would happen next. I didn’t really like the town the was set up to be one of those quirky places like you see on tv, but I was involved with the people of that community. 

I liked the book and read without ceasing  to the final page. It’s unlike every other Phillips book that I like, but read it. You’ll be hooked, and it is reading time well spent.

This book was such a Great Feelgood book!! I loved it! This is now one of my favorite Women Fiction books. A must read.

Another winner by Ms. Phillips. Definitely a different type of story than what fans are used to but no less good. Beuatiful with some heartbreaking moments.

Stand alone novel that is thought provoking & sensitive! At times will make you laugh & others will make you cry.  Some of the characters in the book will have you wishing to be able to grab them by shoulders & shake them, others. You just want to hug  & tell them all will be well.

I adored this book.  It reminded me of Susan Elizabeth Phillip's "Call Me Irresistible" in how it explores small town America, and the labels we put on people through social means and otherwise.  Also, it is similar in that you aren't quite sure of how the main characters are going to end up with one another, and the mystery and adventure of that discovery is a truly wonderful thing. I appreciated how the book explores trauma through the death of loved ones and the actions we take in recovering not only ourselves, but also in finding our homes and our families.  This isn't an easy read, but- for me- it is a realistic one; and I enjoyed the setting, the characters, and the overall plot.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips returns with a novel of longings, healing, acceptance and a little bit of humor!

Tess Hartsong is a midwife and young widow who is grieving and looking for balance again.  So she takes off to Runaway Mountain in a small town in Tennessee.  

But instead of peace and quiet, she encounters a grumpy artist with a craving for solitude, a fairy-tale sprite with a host of secrets, a helpless infant, curious teenagers, and a town not too welcoming of outsiders. Ian North will prove to be a challenge to Tess and all of her headstrong ideas.

I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips.  As with all of her books, this one follows the relationship between two people and the romance that develops.  Overall I enjoyed it.  I liked the characters, that they were flawed and human.  I did not feel like there was a lot of passion between the main characters though....the relationship developed pretty naturally I guess, but I missed the passion when comparing it with some of her other books.  I guess that is how it is in the real world though....people like each other and get together, and there it is.  One of the reasons I read her books is for the escapism of a love so strong and passionate, the characters can't live without eachother. 

There was a lot going on in the story.  Again, I suppose that is how it is in real life.  There are interruptions and complications.  Most of the time nothing is seamless and completely easy.  Despite that, the author focused on the main characters and their journeys throughout the book.  

I loved the descriptions of the scenery and the town, and could see it as I read.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.  The opinions are my own.

It’s complicated. SEP usually writes light warm hearted stories and this book was not that. This book was complex, emotional and beautiful. Tess has escaped her busy life and settled in a small town where she spends her days working in a coffee shop and her nights dancing in the rain. When her path first crosses with Ian an unfriendly arrogant Artis Tess has no idea how much he will change her life. This story is a romance but more than that it is a story of these 2 characters finding their way out of grief. Tess was a smart strong female Who stood up for what she believed. Ian was a good guy, with a big heart, wrapped up in a lot of emotional armor. I loved watching the relationship between these two develop. There’s so much more to the story that I am not going to mention because I don’t want to spoil it for you. This was a compelling emotional read that hit me right in the heart. Nicole Poole narrates the audio and does a remarkable job of bringing the perfect voice to this stunning story.

This book in emojis  🌿 ⛈ 🤰🏻 ☕️ 🎨 

*** Big thank you to William Morrow and Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

A mark of a good book in my opinion is my inability to put the book down. With Dance Away with Me, I couldn't put the book down. I had to know what was going to happen in this wild and romantic story. I've been patiently waiting for a new Susan Elizabeth Phillips story and it finally happened. Dance Away with Me was a touching story of two lost souls uniting. 

I highly recommend this book!