Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advanced copy of Take the Lead by Alexis Daria.

I've read other books by Alexis Daria and when I was able to read this one early, I was excited. I realize this is a re-print, but with a new cover and new editing, it was a whole new experience.

Take the Lead follows Gina Morales and Stone Neilson. One is the rising professional on the nationally popular Dance Off and the other is on a survivalist reality show. I'll let you guess who is who. They are paired together for the newest season of Dance Off, and sparks fly. While Gina wants to keep her professional life professional and her personal life secret, their burgeoning showmance cannot be contained to the off-screen moments. When everything explodes on the stage, Gina has to figure out if she can live her life as components of a part or be her whole self for all to see.

This was a very fun read. I always appreciate Alexis Daria's spice level. She's not afraid to throw the doors open multiple times. She had me rooting for Gina and Stone's happy ever after and made the epilogue worth the ride. I recommend this if you're looking for a fun read based in the reality television world.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥🔥🔥

What a fun book! As a fan of Dancing with the Stars (and I may follow the UK version Strictly Come Dancing as well), I was really excited to dive into this read and it did not disappoint.

Gina Morales is ready to win The Dance-Off. Four seasons of persevering through losing in the early rounds, she is more than ready to get the trophy. Her chance might come sooner than she expected when she gets paired up with a gorgeous Alaskan survivalist. That is until she discovers that they want her in a showmance with her hot partner.

Stone Nielson is not thrilled to be in a dancing competition, but he's doing it for his family and getting exposure for their show. What started out as awkward becomes more intriguing as Stone and Gina get closer and learn more about each other. Soon, their showmance blurs the line between real and fake.

Before I dive into reviewing the story, can I just say how much I love the diversity in this read? The FMC is Puerto Rican, and we get so much great representation among the other characters. I particularly enjoy that the diversity is not lip service, either. Alexis Daria dives into Gina's culture and weaves it seamlessly into the story.

Now - Gina and Stone. Their connection was so much fun to read from beginning to end. Their meet-cute sparks a nice sizzle that eventually ignites into a muy caliente flame. The physical chemistry is well supplemented by the emotional connection. I love that Gina and Stone mutually lift each other, especially when it comes to their own personal problems.

If you are a Dancing with the Stars fan or just love a great romance read, this is a fun, engaging book to pick up. I believe it is a new edition of the book published in 2017 and is the first in the series. I cannot wait to dive into the subsequent books.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Alexis Daria, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

The following review was posted on my blog yesterday, on Sunday, February 12th, two days before publication. It was shared on Instagram yesterday and today, and has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.







“It’s just you and me, dancing together.”
“And millions of people watching on live TV.”
“You’re not dancing with those people. You’re only dancing with me.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses racism, sexism, and emotional abuse. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Take The Lead” follows Gina Morales, a latina New Yorker that’s made it in Hollywood as a professional dancer, and Stone Nielson, a TV survivalist who’s made it to the spotlight essentially against his will. Gina is part of the profesional dancer cast of “The Dance Off”, a Dancing-With-The-Stars-esque TV show, and her partner for the season is Stone. They’re are opposite as opposites get, yet their attraction and connection are undeniable. Too bad Gina has sworn off workplace romances… Right?

This book exceeded my expectations in every way. I loved and connected with the characters more than I expected; and I was entertained and captivated by a topic I’m not particularly interested in (dancing and reality TV). I wouldn’t change a single thing about this novel.

I am a fan of Alexis Daria’s writing but I had not read her debut before. Now, with its re-publishing, I am endeared even more. Alexis was my first auto-buy author, and it seems like it’ll be staying that way.

This book is as steamy as they get, in true Daria fashion. I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy close proximity romances and opposites attract situations. Oh, and aren’t afraid of some sexy dancing and dancing, if you know what I mean.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: February 14, 2023

I loved this authors other books so I was so happy to read this backlist book.
I enjoyed the dancing competition and thought it was fun, interesting and really well developed. I could picture the dances, the costumes, and the intensity. Stone and Gina were great opposites and I enjoyed reading about their journey. I did feel that at times this felt a bit like insta-love. With the constant presence of cameras, I didn't totally believe that these two were opening up to each other. A lot of their private moments occurred off the page so you just had to believe that their emotional journey was progressing. Overall, this was a cute and steamy romance that was fun and engaging.

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria is a fun, dance-filled romance! This story is about a partnership in a reality TV dance-off show. Just like you would expect from a reality TV show this book is filled with drama, tension, and chemistry between the two main characters.

Gina is a professional dancer who works for the reality TV show “The Dance Off”. She is paired with reality TV star, Stone, for the newest season of The Dance Off. Stone’s family has their own TV show about living in the wilderness of Alaska. Gina and Stone live very different lives, but they both have something to prove and want to win the competition. As they spend each week together, their chemistry continues to grow.

I love that this is the start of a series and cannot wait to continue! I loved the style of writing and how the story played out. This book was a delight to read from the first chapter and the pace kept the pages turning. If you are in the mood for a fun and sexy read this book is perfect for you!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Alexis Daria for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Alexis Daria for the ARC! I realize this is not a new release, but a re-release with a great new cover! And for this being a debut novel, Alexis really hit it out of the park!

I’m a big fan of Dancing with the Stars so the setting drew me in right away. I loved the chemistry of the 2 MCs and the spice that came along with it!

I feel like the characters were well developed and we got to see a lot of what makes them who they are.

I did get a little annoyed with the “conflict” between Gina and Stone at the end and Gina’s character really bugged me. Just love the hunky man already!!

I have read books From Alexis in the past and I will continue to do so!

You can never go wrong when you pick up an Alexis Daria book. Take the Lead follows Gina and Stone through their hot and steamy relationship on and off the dance floor. You’ll find your self rooting for them to win both the competition and in the love game.

Dancing with the Stars meets Alaskan Bush People with a dose of Puerto Rican sazón is the perfect description for Daría’s debut.

I totally got swept away by this story. I enjoyed the characters in this story so much. I loved Stone. He was such a fish out of water, but I loved how he rolled with everything thrown his way. Gina is such a strong female lead. I loved how she sticks to her convictions. The chemistry between Stone and Gina was hot and steamy. Everything in the book worked for me. Once I started, I really couldn't put it down. This is the first book by this author that I have read, but I would definitely read more. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book was sexy and exciting!

The story is Dancing with the Stars inspired—and simply put, it’s such a fun read!

Latina dancer X Alaska mountain man.

I love how Alexis Daria created multi-dimensional characters. They were not stuck in stereotypes or tropes which made them believable characters and like real people. I also loved the careful attention to the main characters’ development throughout the book, both individually and as a couple.

Completely recommend!

A fun contemporary romance and another win from Alexis Daria. I know this is her debut, getting re-released, so it's not a new story to everyone, but it is to me. I really enjoyed the dance competition - as someone who was obsessed with SYTYCD in middle and high school, it brought back a lot of fond memories. Plus it was a great way to get some sexual tension early between Gina and Stone. The story read really quick, but I still felt like I got to see the relationship develop.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I wasn’t able to finish this book as it was removed from my NetGalley shelf. As such, I cannot provide a review and appropriate rating.

This book is a must read for anyone who loves dancing, reality shows like Dancing With the Stars, and great banter. It was spicy and had sweet moments.

Daria is quickly becoming a must-buy author for me!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Okay, imagine Alaska: The Last Frontier meets Dancing with the Stars and you get this book.

Gina is a dance pro on the hit show The Dance Off, and she’s partnered with wilderness and survival expert Stone, from a cable reality television show, Living Wild. The two end up spending a lot of time together dancing and with production pushing for a showmance, threatening Gina‘s career, and Stone’s family depending on him for income, these two face more than just challenges on the dance floor.

Gina was bubbly, fun, and ambitious, but she also struggled with anxiety and was resistant to her attraction to Stone. Stone was also resistant to pursuing a relationship due to the fact that he’s keeping a lot of secrets for the sake of his family and their show, and he doesn’t actually like the attention being on a reality show provides. I never really felt the chemistry between Gina and Stone, but at the same time, I found myself frustrated when they wouldn’t just give in to their attraction earlier in the book. When they do finally start to give in, the chemistry became more noticeable, but it still fell a bit flat for me.

One of the things I didn’t like was Stone’s family, specifically, his parents. I found myself so frustrated on his behalf anytime they came up. It was obvious the toll they had taken on him, but they seemed oblivious and mostly ungrateful.

As for Gina, I hated the fact that a female producer basically threatened her to sleep with Stone in order to keep her job. I wish that storyline hadn’t come up, but it did add some depth to the story and Gina’s character and showed the ugly side of her job that she’s had to deal with for years. It made it more real why she hesitated when it came to Stone and their relationship.

Considering every week was the same flow, a new dance, rehearsals, and the final taping, repetition is expected. The author did a decent job of making things seem different and adding more elements to the story each week, but it still felt repetitive when it came down to it.

While this wasn’t my favorite book ever, I enjoyed it. It was a cute romance and delved into some deeper content I wasn’t expecting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

A book set in a reality dance competition is always going to bring on the drama! Pair up a dance veteran with a newbie and watch the sparks fly even higher. LOL. I enjoyed seeing Gina and Stone’s relationship progress. I really enjoyed the tension between them but I felt it tapered off in the 2nd half.
I like how both characters were written. Gina’s issue about protecting herself as a woman especially a WoC is true and heartfelt. I also liked Stone’s character.
My main quibbles involve the romance and also the third act breakup. I know at this point it is an ‘industry romcom’ requirement, but gosh, making characters acting atypical to how they have been written for most of the book needs to just stop.
Overall, take the lead was a fun romcom.
A huge thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 STARS, rounded up.

I actually really enjoyed the whole Reality TV-Dancing with the Stars vibe this book had. It was very fun to visualize all the dances, off my little youtube searches to get a better idea. Stone and Gina were really cute together. Both did get on my nerves at times with the way they handled situations and how they reacted towards each out. They definitely to work on respecting boundaries and communicating just a little better. But I overall enjoyed this read and I'm so happy for Alexis Dara that it is getting re-printed and that new cover fits the book perfectly.

Be on the lookout Feb 14th.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4/5

Gina is a professional dancer on the hit reality show, The Dance Off (think Dancing with the Stars). She has worked her butt off for four years and hopes that this will be the year she makes it to the finals. When she lays eyes on her new partner Stone, a survivalist from Alaska, the dream seems to become more of a reality. The only catch is that she thinks the two have been partnered for a dreaded on-screen showmance…

I absolutely loved this one! The chemistry between Gina and Stone is electric and I was so proud of him throughout the competition. This story showed dancing as an art that can help bring someone out of their shell. I know from experience as we took ballroom lessons before our wedding and seeing my husband gain confidence through dancing was really something to behold! The same went for Stone.

I loved the drama that flowed throughout this story, but I also hated it for its effect on Gina and her reputation. I appreciated the struggles the two went through to try and keep their romance a secret. It all felt so real and I applaud the author for it. There is so much more to this story that I want to keep to myself and therefore encourage you to give this one a shot!

This is the first book by Alexis Daria that I have read and I would be lying if I said I didn’t go and immediately purchase both books in her Primas of Power series. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

I love a good Alexis Daria book, and it seems like she’s been a great author from the start! I’ve only read three of hers before (You Had Me At Hola, A Lot Like Adios, and her novella What the Hex), as each was released, but hadn’t gone further back. Finding out she was updating and re-releasing her debut novel was exciting and I was very keen to read it. She did not disappoint with her gorgeous writing and brilliant storytelling, chemistry and incredible characters. I really loved it! 4.5-stars, for sure.

Gina and Stone’s Dance Off (a show very much like Dancing With the Stars) experience is unlike anything either of them expected… it’s so much more! Gina is in her fifth season and production has told her she needs her team to win in order to continue with the cast… Stone is from a large Alaskan family with a reality show that he hates filming, and doesn’t want to do the dancing but needs the prize money to help with a little family issue and to try to get out of his part of the family contract. Working together, they might be able to help each other get what they need. They just have to avoid the showmance that production is also keen to see happen… or create.

I enjoyed this one so much and can’t wait to read the second in the Dance Off series (hoping to read about an update coming for Dance With Me, Natasha’s book)! I definitely recommend this to everyone, fan of Alexis Daria already or not - she’s amazing and newbie readers of her will become fast fans, like I was a few years ago! Everyone needs more Latinx authors in their lives!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and this is my honest feedback.

TAKE THE LEAD - ALEXIS DARIA
4⭐
PLOT - Gina. Morales has never made it to the finals of The Dance Off, a reality dance show featuring celebrities. In the latest edition she is partnered with Stone Nielson a sexy Alaskan wilderness survivalist.
Gina wants to win in order to be there the next season and stone needs the money for his mom's operation but he has some secrets which cannot be revealed.
With cameras following them and the growing attraction between them ..will this spotlight affect their chances of winning or will Love take the lead?
MY THOUGHTS -
I enjoyed this book the setting was refreshing, characters esp Ginas was well fleshed out but Stones could have more insight. Also the ending and the epilogue fell a little flat for me otherwise a good entertaining read.
Check this out if you enjoy-
Celebrity Romance
Reality TV
Forced proximity
Steam 🔥🔥
Grumpy vs sunshine.
Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the ARC.

This book is a completely serviceable rom-com set in a Dancing with the Stars-esque show. The characters we're pretty one note, but not terrible to read about, and the focus on the show felt a bit heavy handed. However, it still served its purpose.

One thing I did appreciate was the portrayal of women in the media. Gina was right to keep things private, because the industry can be brutal and cruel to women who step outside of whatever space they're supposed to fill. I just wish there was a bit more communication between the characters, and so much of the tension could have been avoided.

Decent story for people who like dancing shows.

Ahhhh I read the original version back when it first came out, and the revised version still has the magic of Daria's debut. So happy that more readers have the opportunity to discover Daria's talent. Her commitment to showcasing Latinx culture and swoony couple moments remain unparalleled.