Tess, a widowed midwife, escapes to Runaway Mountain and is caught dancing in the rain by Ian, a broody (and grumpy) artist.

It's been a while since I read anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, so I forgot how tough Phillips is on her characters, literally to the point of insanity. But I also forgot how seamlessly Phillips tailors a story, allowing her characters to transfigure in ways that are so natural--when I loved Tess and felt her redemption, I forgot there was a time when I thought she had completely lost her marbles. This story really is like a fairy tale, evident in the way Tess transforms from a grieving widow into a fierce mother and how Ian's grouchy and beast-like demeanor melts away to reveal a man tortured by past abandonment and abuse. Even the community which treats Tess like a pariah drastically changes from Tess' impact alone--her attitude, her femininity, and combination of her own morals and sense of duty with regards to her philosophies as a medical professional. A gorgeous, gorgeous story that had me gasping, sighing, and laughing throughout.

A story of grief, and loss, and finding a way to go on. Tess fled to the middle of know where Tennessee to survive the loss of her husband. When her pregnant neighbor Bianca enters her life Tess never expects the outcome. Bianca is a former model from New York City and with Ian, an artist, has come to the Tennessee mountains to find peace. An early, complicated labor and delivery puts Tess, a midwife, in the middle of a tragic situation. Tess and Ian find themselves struggling to care for a premature baby while trying to keep emotions out of it. Throw in small town gossip and opinions and life is not peaceful, Can they keep their hearts out of it?

This was lovely!

It was just what I needed to read right now. From start to finish it was just a delight. Smooth and easy to read, relaxing. I loved Tess' journey back to herself and the career that she loves. I think one of the things that made this work so well right now, is that there's not really any bad guy, people had different motivations, but no one was bad. (There was one adult acting like a spoiled tween, but even that was minor.)

I haven't read everything by SEP, but I've read most of her books. If you've enjoyed her writing before, I think you'll like this one, it's pretty high on the list.

Years go by before we get another book from Susan Elizabeth Phillips, but it’s worth the wait. Her voice remains fresh and youthful and the supporting cast adds flavor and balance.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips does it again. Great characters, wonderful banter between characters and an emotional roller coaster from start to finish.

Contemporary romance can be hit or miss. I always feel you can trust SEP to write a good one and this book did not disappoint. True, this isn’t the over the top fun novel that she has written in the past. It’s a gritty novel of two people falling in love under difficult circumstances with a bit of comic relief thrown into it.
I’m really quick to put a romance novel down. If it doesn’t grab me right away, I’m on to the next book. This grabbed me. It’s a bit of a throwback to her earlier works.

As a longtime Susan Elizabeth Phillips fan, I was initially put off by Dance Away With Me. While well-written (and I wasn’t tempted to put it down!), it wasn’t the kind of lighthearted, fun romance I’d come to expect from her. Expectations aside, this is an excellent story and romance. The slow burn leading to steamy was just right. The cast of more minor characters were well-developed and often hilarious. Tess, the protagonist, was strong and witty while also perceptive and compassionate. I loved her strength in the face of adversity and community distrust. I highly recommend this for romance readers who want good writing, good character development and a community that sucks you in along with a satisfying love story. Susan Elizabeth Phillips has once again upped her game!

Like able quirky characters make this book interesting. It make you laugh, feel sad and truly want to find out what next with all the characters . One of my new favorite SEP books!

I loved this book and I love this author. I loved the characters including the people in the town where the book is set. Of course the love story is wonderful. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy this read!

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review***

As with all of Susan Elizabeth Phillips books, you really become attached with the characters, especially the secondary ones. The banter is spot on and the romance is sizzling!

I want to start by saying Susan Elizabeth Phillips is my favorite author! Does this make me more critical or an automatic like? I think more critical and I really loved this book.

In a cabin, in a remote mountain town, Tess is grieving and it is so overwhelming, you can feel it. Then Bianca breezes into her life and is a certain distraction to Tess’s solitude. Bianca is living with famous artist, Ian North. He is artistically blocked and it’s making him surly, but there is a lot more to Ian than what meets the eye. A tragic event and what transpires diverts Tess’s focus from her grief.

This small town and its residents are a great backdrop to the story. There are so many wonderful characters in this book, including the secondary ones, and so many interesting relationships. Character development, feeling a range of emotions, smart and witty heroines, great relationships, and I can’t leave out the banter are some of the things that I like best about Susan Elizabeth Phillip’s books and this one does not disappoint. My only issue is that I am so excited to read a new one, I can’t put it down and then I am done way too fast. Her books are some of the few I will reread or listen to after having been read.

As a long-time SEP fan, I was so excited to read this new book! In the end, it was gratifying to see that she continues to write delightful, binge-able storylines, but has evolved to bring even more emotion to her storytelling. She doesn't shy away from difficult issues for her characters to face, and the love story is still the thing that gets them through.

This is not your normal SEP story filled with romance and humor. This is more of a darker women’s fiction. Ian was hard to relate too and there were times I did not like his attitude

Imagine two of the most random folks meet in rural Tennessee and immediately clash. I mean oil and water, can't stand each other. He's a jerk, and she's so tied up in her grief that she's barely able to take care of her basic needs. Well, it turns out these two are soulmates. Stop right there....this isn't the plot of the latest rom-com with the cutesy comic book cover. These are fully developed characters dealing with a lifetime of hurts.
This is the magic of Susan Elizabeth Phillips. She somehow weaves realistic, flawed characters and tough situations with a good dose of humor to create a love that leaves you cheering in the end.

Wow, all I can say is wow. SEP does a 180 with Dance Away With Me. The characters are complicated. The story is a combination of a widow, a famous tortured soul, small southern town, families off the grid, plus a myriad of other types and social issues. Seems totally wacky, but Tess and Ian work better than the reader can anticipate. It has been a long time since I have read a book by SEP. Now, all I want is for her to write faster so I can escape to her next batch of crazy.

Not at all what I was expecting. Phillips has gone the way of some other authors who’ve veered from romance into women’s fiction, and her themes in this book are darker and richer. This was a heart wrenching, emotional, ultimately uplifting story.

Ian is a famous but blocked artist and Tess is a grieving widow and midwife who are reluctant neighbors on a remote Tennessee mountain, where they’ve both gone to hide out and be alone. But circumstances push them together, and maybe, just maybe, they can help each other move forward in their lives.

Phillips has created a flawed, real set of characters who populate the small town. And she focuses on some real social issues. A compelling read.

This novel just didn't work for me. I went into it hoping for that typical SEP lightness with sassy heroines and jerk heroes who just don't know how good they've got it in the heroine until she makes them see it. But unfortunately Dance Away With Me ended up just making me feel depressed and upset. The heroine preached the importance of therapy and taking care of yourself, yet never seemed to seek any of that for herself. The hero turned me off from the first moment he refused to hold that baby and honestly never redeemed himself (and damn, did he need some serious therapy). I felt that the book played into the dangerous stereotype that love fixes all problems (even serious emotional trauma) and I think that's entirely unrealistic and perpetuating that stereotype into today's romance novels is unnecessary. I would have much loved to see them seek professional help for their problems than have two unhappy, depressed, and traumatized people try to raise a child together, especially after what they went through in their short time knowing each other.

It's been a long time since I read a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book, but within the first couple of chapters, I remembered how much I love her complex characters, her writing style, and her fairly odd plots which all shine in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed Tess and Ian's development during the story, both as individuals and as they come together.

This is not a light, frivolous read. The circumstances that bring Tess and Ian together are serious and yet this is a highly entertaining and often funny read with engaging characters and witty dialogue. Beautiful!

Very quirky story that took awhile to get going for me but when it did, Wow.
It was a hundred pieces that wove together into a beautiful work of art.
Abuse, mourning, depression, love and meaning all represented well. I enjoyed this stand alone novel.