Gina and Stone both had great personalities. She was determined to succeed at Dance Off with no ties to her celebrity. Stone loves Alaska and only is doing this for his family while struggling to keep his own secrets. When he found out that if Gina didn’t make it to the finals, she would be let go, he really stepped up to the plate to try his best to make that happen. To succeed they had to get really close, and he needed to take the lead but, it became harder to keep their hands to themselves until….drama, but know that they settle their differences and end up with a HEA. A very enjoyable story.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a complimentary copy.

Take the Lead is a re=release of Alexis Daria's first book! While it's not as good as some of her others, I can see why it's a well loved debut. It's set in a world like real=life Dancing With the Stars and I absolutely loved that! It was a really fun setting and a great spin on reality TV romances.

In Take the Lead we have the professional dancer, Gina, who is paired with the star of an Alaskan wilderness show, Stone. The book pulled me in right away and they had excellent chemistry from their first time meeting on his family's homestead. I really enjoyed the dancing aspect of the book, as it set up great ways for the main characters to connect.

I struggled at times with Gina's ambition and Stone's self=sacrificing nature. Their third act conflict felt very out of character for Stone and left me feeling a bit disappointed in the book by the end. It definitely felt cheesy at times and fell into some typical romance novel traps.

Overall I DID enjoy the book and will continue to read more from Alexis Daria. This is a quick, fun read that I do recommend!

True confessions… I absolutely love dancing reality shows. I never missed Dancing with the Stars when it first aired. So, in short, this book is right up my alley!

Take the Lead follows newly paired dancing couple Gina and Stone. Gina is the professional dancer who is sent to the Alaskan wilderness to meet her hunky new partner, Stone. Stone is also on a wilderness reality show with his family in Alaska. Their meet cute is funny and sets the scene for this entertaining and fun romance.

My favorite parts of this book were the interactions between this very likable couple. A close second was getting a behind the scenes peek at what a reality dancing show might be like.

I really felt for this couple because they had many obstacles to overcome before reaching their HEA. Stone has a complicated family situation and the show producers on both shows are just horrible.

If you enjoy steamy romance books filled with humor and fun situations, this is the book for you. I can’t wait to see what else is coming up for the series.

Loved the chemistry between the main characters. All the behind the scenes stuff was cool too, the author did well with that. Over all a cute fun read.

Gina Morales has spent her life as a ballroom dancer. Now she is in her fourth season of a television show called The Dance Off and she is determined to win. Her career depends on it. When she is paired with the star of a reality show in Alaska, she is wondering if this will be the end of her career or maybe being partnered with Stone Nielson is her ticket to the finals. When the producers want Gina and Stone to have a fake romance for ratings, Gina has always sworn she would never stoop this low for a chance at the finals, but will she change her mind or will the tabloids force her to make a choice.

My daughter was a ballroom dancer, so I was excited to read this novel by Alexis Daria. Although the storyline had a good plot line and I enjoyed reading about the antics of the dance world, I felt the story fell short for me. I am not sure what it was, but I did not feel connected to the characters. I do want to thank St. Martin’s Press though for an advanced copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily. I loved to try new genres of books, but this one sadly did not hit the mark for me.

What a heartwarming love story!!!!

Take The Lead is my very first book from this author, and I'm sure it's won't be the last one. I really enjoyed this story, and how author lead it thru the pages. It was also my first romance circling so much around the dance and everything what's involved with dancing industry. It was really refreshing, to read romance about dancers but not only about ballerina(s).

From the beginning Gina and Stone made me feel, like I needed exactly their story, written in this exactly way. It was steamy, and very real, showing that behind the scenes not everything is perfect. Being in the spotlight is not easy, especially for young women.

Gina and Stone are destined for each other from the first moment. I love to see how their relationship evolved into something deeper. It was really captivating.

I highly recommend this book for every reader, even this ones, who doesn't read romances daily. When You'll read the book.... just will feel good. Grab it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I think my favorite part of this story was its setting since it was unique, at least in my reading history. Gina is a professional Dancer on The Dance Off. This job is just one step in her professional career but she’s dying to make it to the Finals and win. She’s paired with Stone, a reality TV star know for living with his parents and many siblings in the Alaskan wilderness. I thought it was so fun to see how Gina developed storylines in her choreography and I enjoyed reading descriptions of both the rehearsals and performance nights.

As far as the romance, I felt like it was too based on physical attraction for my own taste. We were pretty far along in the book before I felt like there were any intimate moments between them that gave any reason for either of them to have actual feelings for one another beyond lust. However, once those moments did start happening, they were very sweet. But Gina was dead set against dating a costar and Stone wanted nothing more than to return to Alaska when the show was over so they had major life decisions in their way as well.

I really enjoyed their progression through the dance competition’s season and the drama that went along with a reality tv show and that’s what kept me hooked in the story. And while I did love the grand gesture at the end, I did feel like things wrapped up very easily (maybe too easily?) for my taste. That being said, I still think this is a must-read for any fans of Dancing With the Stars or even So You Think You Can Dance!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy to review.

Take the Lead is a peek behind the scenes of a dance completion show, complete with cast drama, a producer pushing a showmance, and chemistry on and off the dance floor.

Gina is ready to begin her fifth season on Take the Lead, and she knows she needs to make it to the finals to have a shot at keeping her contract. She is paired with Stone, who hates LA and the fabrication that comes with being a celebrity.

Paired together for the competition, they agree to put their best foot forward so Stone can get money his family needs for medical bills and Gina can keep doing something that she loves. But as their chemistry becomes undeniable and their relationship heats up, Gina has to decide whether she can keep fighting it or if there’s a chance for a happily ever after.

I really loved the characters in this book! Alexis has such a knack for writing realistic and fun characters, and the dance competition aspect was so well done. I love watching dance competition shows and dance movies, and this had so many of the things I love seeing on the screen!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read and had the drama, romance, and engaging side characters that I love to see in a contemporary romance. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series!

Take the Lead: A Dance Off Novel by Alexis Daria is a really fun and fast-paced read. I'm a huge fan of Dancing with the Stars, so knew this was a book I had to read. Gina Morales is one of the dance professionals on The Dance Off who is partnered with Stone Nielson for the season, Stone is on a wilderness reality show. Gina is a no-nonsense kind of dancer looking for a win to keep her job, Stone's mother has recently had some expensive medical issues and he's hoping to win to pay off the bills. The two of them have some amazing chemistry that will play well for increased votes, but neither of them is looking to fake a relationship to win The Dance Off. This book is an entertaining read that held my interest. Fair warning, it's also pretty hot and steamy.

I first discovered Alexis Daria when I snagged a copy of You Had Me At Hola. I loved the premise of the book and the representation of so many Latinx characters and the whole Spanish soap opera angle really hooked me. I thought the stories were good and I loved the romances that bloomed off the pages. So naturally when I saw this new series come up for review, I was all about it! I also liked that this book featured a biracial romance. Overall it wasn’t a hard sell for me to pick this one up! And since today is Valentines Day I think this is an appropriate time to put out my review!

There was only one thing I was a little hesitant with this one. While I liked the idea of an on screen romance in You Had Me At Hola, I was less convinced about the on screen romance of a reality show. I think that is such a hard sell and for me it was a gamble. Daria does write solid romances so I decided not to over think it too much and just see how it played out but I did have some reservations about that part.

Alexis Daria RITA award for her debut novel (You Had Me At Hola) and since then she has written additional installments to that series as well as starting this new one, all of which have rapidly gained a devoted fan following. If you are looking for a hot and upcoming romance writer, then you came to the right place! Alexis Daria has crafted some great reads, that includes this book. The more books I read by Daria, the more excited I am for her to put out the next one! I am so happy to see this is part of a new series, while I was for the next Primas of Power book!

Summary

From Alexis Daria, author of the critically acclaimed, international bestseller You Had Me at Hola, comes a fun, sexy romance set against a reality dance show.

Gina Morales wants to make it big. In her four seasons on The Dance Off, she’s never even made it to the finals. But her latest partner, the sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, could be her chance. Who knew the strong, silent, survivalist-type had moves like that? She thinks Stone Nielson is her ticket to win it all—until her producer makes it clear they’re being set up for a showmance.

Joining a celebrity dance competition is the last thing Stone wants. However, he’ll endure anything to help his family, even as he fears revealing their secrets. While the fast pace of Los Angeles makes him long for the peace and privacy of home, he can’t hide his growing attraction for his dance partner. Neither wants to fake a romance for the cameras, but the explosive chemistry that flares between them is undeniable.

As Stone and Gina heat up the dance floor, the tabloids catch on to their developing romance. With the spotlight threatening to ruin everything, will they choose fame and fortune, or let love take the lead? (summary from Goodreads)

Review

Reality tv really isn’t my thing. Now don’t come at me about this. I watch trash mindless tv too. I have also watched my fair share of reality tv over the years but I find that it’s become so scripted and just redundant that I simply have a hard time watching. I also have zero interest in things like Dancing with the Stars, Cooking with the Stars, Hells Kitchen, anything like that. However, this book still appealed to me based on what I know of the author. Even if I wasn’t excited that there would be a romance with reality tv as a backdrop, I was open to letting Daria change my mind on the subject of reality tv romances. I am glad I didn’t let my own prejudices against reality tv star me away from this one. Daria did a very very very good job at highlighting how problematic reality tv is and how the characters are often manipulated to conform to a certain plot or narrative they want to portray. She certainly offered a balanced view of reality tv and it made the romance that much more believable for me.

I also loved seeing how Daria’s writing has evolved though each book. You Had Me At Hola was good, but the next book in the series was better. With this book, I honestly expected it to be a little more evolved than it was but it wasn’t by any means poorly written etc.. I looked it on up Goodreads and found that this book was originally released in 2017, so a debut for Daria at the time. Now it’s being re-released with a spiffy new cover and what I am guessing is a revamping of some content to match Daria’s more experienced writing style. I don’t know how much was changed or polished for this new release but I am guessing at least some. Once I saw it was a re-release, it made a bit more sense why some parts fit better than others or flowed better etc.

A lot of people tend to write off the romance genre claiming it’s flippant and predictable, but for me Daria picks topics and issues that have some teeth to them. This isn’t just a fluffy piece, the characters deal with real issues and as a reader I felt a connection to the characters even if I had little investment in reality tv, I felt like the character were real people who had real issues. Sure there are some cliches in the book and some times it might be a little over the top but what fun is fiction without a little bit of that? I don’t mind cliches in the romance genre personally, I know when I pick up a romance I am 99% guaranteed a HEA and I am all for things being a bit extra in this genre!

In this book, Stone and Gina had solid chemistry. There is something about dancing that lends itself to sensualism and I thought that came across nicely in this book. Overall this was a great book to read for the romance season! I love how diverse it was and I love love love the new cover that this book was released with. If you are looking for a hot new romance this Valentines Day, then you are not going to want to miss this one!

Book Info and Rating

Format 368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication

February 14, 2023 by St. Martin’s Griffin

ISBN 9781250817969 (ISBN10: 125081796X)

Free review copies provided by publisher, St Martin’s Griffin, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: romance , contempo romance

4 Stars!!

"You make things...easier.
"What do vou mean?"
"It's easier to talk with you. Easier to think. Easier to… feel."

Puerto Rican professional dancer + Mountain man reality
star + dance competition = one happy reader!

If you're a Dancing With the Stars fan, then this book needs to be on your radar! It was a slow build, friends-to-lovers that was so fun. We get a very behind the scenes look at these two dancers - a professional Puerto Rican dancer needing to make the finals or be cut from the show and her partner, an Alaskan lumberjack who'd rather be anywhere than on the stage.

I recommend this book if you like:

• m/f contemporary romance
• Dance competition
• Insta attraction
• Hella sexual chemistry
• Forced proximity
• "This is just a hookup"
• Latin heroine rep

This book was heartwarming and sexy as hell. I loved watching Gina and Stone's journey both in the competition and as a couple. The pacing seemed a little uneven at times, but in general, I enjoyed the heck out of this one!

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria is an excellent reality show romance.

Gina is a dance pro on the long-running The Dance Off celebrity dancing show, and this season her partner is the 6'7" hunk Stone, member of a wilderness Alaskan reality show family.

While Gina and Stone have immediate sparks, neither of them wants a relationship. Gina is avoiding the reputation of a Latina temptress, and Stone knows there's no future in Alaska for a woman who's heart is in New York.

Gina and Stone need to get comfortable to win the competition but have to avoiding being spun as this season's romance.

I loved everyone in this book! Gina is a driven professional who's gone to the top of her field through her hard work. Stone put his life and profession on hold for his family and is starting to wonder if the price has been too high. They have amazing chemistry. The tv crew and producers are, of course, bastards. While the book is dual-POV, I had more of an attachment to Gina, and it feels like her book.

The dance show is a great set-up since the couple have to work together to accomplish their goal, and everyone else is against them.

A great contemporary romance for lovers of dancing and reality tv!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for access to an early e-arc of this book.

Thanks again St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

"Take the Lead" was a fun, sexy, and captivating opposites attract romance. The story had all the right steps, twists, holds, and lifts to be an instant win for me.

Gina has big dreams of stardom and sees winning The Dance Off as the jumpstart to that. She’s driven to make it through hard work and talent, not through gimmicks or playing into stereotypes.

Stone has always put family first even if it meant being on another reality show completely out of his comfort zone. More at home outdoors in the Alaskan wilderness, he hopes he won’t make any missteps (or divulge any secrets) before he can collect the much needed paycheck.

Although they may have started the competition for differing reasons, Gina and Stone immediately clicked and soon found renewed purpose towards winning. Their easygoing partnership paved the way for a romance that they didn’t want but was inescapable to flourish. The tantalizing heat between them helped make their dance numbers be effervescent, passionate, competitive, and believable. Despite setbacks and attempts at sabotage, Stone and Gina’s fire never dimmed, allowing them to communicate all they felt and wanted to say in every move they made.

Gina is such a bright character and very likable. Her passion for dance is truly inspiring. I also loved how patient she was while helping Stone to be himself through dance.

Stone’s selflessness is his greatest strength and weakness. As the second son and eldest of seven, Stone has done all he can to help his family through tough times, but he’s also neglected his own wellbeing. As the competition progresses and his feelings for Gina deepen, Stone shows extraordinary growth as a dancer and person.

"Take the Lead" is a lyrical dance that expresses Gina and Stone’s desire to be the lead (the hero) of their own respective stories by living a life by their own design. Throughout exhilarating highs and conflicting emotional lows, these two endearing characters begin to realize what they want most if they’re brave enough to go after it. That they can still dream big and love just as fiercely.

I loved "Take the Lead." Gina and Stone had wonderful chemistry as friends, dance partners, and romantic interests. I liked that they both came from a reality TV background because having this shared experience helped break down some of the walls between them.

I loved how diverse the cast was and that there were several pairs who could have potentially won. And I also liked the clash of perceptions versus reality and how the author used that to heighten underlying tensions and stakes. This was overall a highly enjoyable story.

This was a fun read. Great for fans of dancing with the stars.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

4/5⭐️

the premise of the book instantly drew me in!
gina morales is professional dancer on the show ‘the dance off.’ she gets partnered up with stone nielson, a star from an alaskan wilderness show.
in her past four seasons, she hasn’t been able to make it to the finals and this time might be her chance.

the connection and chemistry between gina and stone was apparent right from the start! but, they didn’t want to just be the showmance of the season, so they try to keep it a secret; but as they continue to dance with each other, how long can they keep their feelings under wraps?


thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press for an eARC, in exchange for an honest review <3
all thoughts & opinions are mine!

Is this how it really works?
If you’ve read the other reviews, you’ll know this is the author’s version of a TV reality show like Dancing with the Stars. Stone Nielson has been in his family’s realty show set in the Alaskan wilderness (not too wild) for years and plays his part in it as a strong, quiet, survivalist. He’s roped into another realty show called The Dance Off and partnered with a 4-year veteran of the show who’s never won named Gina Morales who is Puerto Rican via New York City. The show’s producers want them to fake a budding romance during the series. The writing of the book follows the course of the show with good descriptions of what goes into making a realty series. I’m not a fan of most reality-based shows, so I can’t say how accurate the book is, but the author knows how to make this read like it is how everything works. At 362 pages, it dragged for me, but I did enjoy the mechanics of both The Dance Off and Living Wild. Alexis Daria does a great job of giving both characters interesting personalities, who do grow as the story progresses. If you’re a fan of any reality show you will enjoy the story. I was given an ARC of the book by NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria has "Dancing with the Stars" all over it but in a better readable form with steam! Gina has spent her life as a ballroom dancer. Now she is in her fourth season of a television show called The Dance Off. She needs to win this season as her career is in desperate need of it. She ends up getting paired with a reality star Stone and thinks he can help her win. However, the producers have another idea in mind. They need to fake date for the ratings. This book is so good and you are cheering for their romance to be real and to win the season! A great read over all and I'm looking forward to more from this author!

Do you love Dancing with the Stars? Then you will love this contemporary romance by Alexis Daria! It’s a fun read!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Griffin and NetGalley for The opportunity to read and review this book.

Professional dancer Gina Morales is determined to make it to the finals of The Dance Off, a celebrity Dance Competition that pairs professional dancers with popular celebrity stars. When she is paired with popular wilderness show star Stone Nielson, she realizes the network has set the pair of them up to be this season's "showmance", and even though they do feel the chemistry pulling between them, they fight to fall into that role, so they have a shot at actually winning the season.
What I didn't realize about this novel was that it was Alexis Daria's debut novel being republished by St. Martin's Press.I was thoroughly impressed by the story and having read several of her titles before, even more impressed that this was her debut novel.
This story hooked me right in the feels and I was immediately invested in Gina and Stone, connecting with both of their characters. I loved how sensational and visual the writing was and how it hooked you in as the story progressed. All in all, it was a terrific novel, and I am excited to read more from this author in this series!

I’ve read two other of Alexis Daria’s books in the Primas of Power series and loved them. Based on that, I was excited to read Take the Lead, a romance that happens on a reality show, similar to Dancing with the Stars.

It’s Gina’s fifth season on Dance Off! This season she is paired with Stone, who is also on a reality show Living Wild with his family. Their first meeting is when Gina goes to Alaska to meet him before the show starts. And of course, everything is filmed. They have great chemistry and are set to become the ”showmance” for the season.

Gina is in it to win this season. Stone is in it for the prize money to help his family. As the season progress, Gina and Stone grow closer and try to hide their growing attraction but when there are cameras everywhere all the time…

I loved Gina and Stone together. They had such great chemistry! I read this one over the course of two days. I recommend this if you enjoy:

🪩 reality show settings
🪩 forced proximity
🪩 open door romance

Take the Lead is out today…just in time for Valentine’s Day! Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advance readers copy. All thoughts are my own.