This had me feeling like I was actually watching a dancing with the stars season. The imagery was so well described. I loved the whole behind the scenes reality tv aspect of it! As a Latina myself I loved the Latina fmc representation!

Ooh boy I have to laugh at how long it took me to read this book. I swear I enjoyed and even looked forward to picking it up again, but I got so busy for a while and just could not focus on physically reading a book.

But as I said, I really did enjoy it. I love Dancing with the Stars and it was sweet to read a romance with a reality dancing show as the setting show. Was it groundbreaking? Of course not. But I don't read romances to be introduced to something new. I read romances to escape with a little happiness that will have me grinning by the end. This did the job. And I know if it was made into a movie, I'd be curled up with my hot chocolate and a blanket at home ready to watch.

I had to come back to this book because this it wasn’t working at the moment, I’m glad I came back to this. It was fun to listen to, because it reminds me of watching Dancing With the Stars, but with behind the scenes.

I loved seeing the characterization of Stone as he finds himself through dance and standing up to his family’s ever going TV show and the lies he has to keep up with. On the other hand, Gina has been on The Dance Off for 4 seasons and never won and this is the last season especially since Stone is her ticket to winning it all. And it doesn’t help that her producer makes it clear they want it to be a showmance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook of this novel in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this read! The chemistry between Gina and Stone was palpable, and the angst/tension was well done.

I liked the setting of the novel being a reality TV show, and found that quite interesting. For someone that doesn't watch a lot of reality TV, it was interesting to see what could and probably does go on behind the scenes. You learn in this novel how toxic this kind of show would/could be in real life. It made me so mad the types of things that would happen to our main characters just for the sake of 'good' TV.

The conflict in the story I feel was well written between the two main characters, and didn't last overly long. I will most definitely be picking up more from this author in the future!

A Dancing with the Stars/Strictly Come Dancing fan fic. Essentially. It's what we all think goes on backstage and behind the scenes of dancing competition reality shows!! This is an update and republication of an older book and I'm hoping they do the same for the sequel!

This was a fun little romance. I haven't read anything by Alexis Daria before, and this one was cute. It was a pretty standard romance, but I enjoyed the dance aspect of it.

All-in-all, Take the Lead makes for a cute, quick romance if that is what you're looking for, with a guaranteed HEA!

I feel like there was too much sex in this book and not enough development. I do like the concept, it was quite fresh but too much smut can ruin a book for me.

Thank you SMP Romance and NetGalley for the eARC of Take the Lead! All opinions in this review are my own.

I haven't read You Had Me At Hola but I have heard amazing things about it so I was excited to read Take the Lead! I love romances with a reality TV set up so I knew I would enjoy it. In this opposites attract romance, there was just enough tension to be sure how Gina and Stone would make it work in the end!

I didn't realize this was a re-release when I one-clicked - the cover looks fresh and inviting, and I hadn't heard of this story though I'm familiar with the author. It's a strong debut that shows the promise of this writer, and I loved some of the tropes at play. It's not a standout read for me, but was a solid way to spend the day.

I loved this book so much. I loved the chemistry and the romance! I’m a sucker for a reality show competition so this book was right up my alley. It was so spicy and I couldn’t get enough!

Let's add this to the list of books I should not have been reading at work...

You want spice? I'll give you spice. Add this to your list.

While I hate the idea of reality TV, the dance competition translated itself very well to book format. Gina is a very strong character that is well aware of the overplayed Sexy Latina stereotype. Her producers want her to play into it when she meets her new dance partner, Alaskan reality TV star Stone. Yes, his name is Stone. His siblings have some woodsy names, too. I suppose this doesn't matter.

So the producers want fake dating. Gina doesn't want to play. But she does play. But then the two get caught. And that's not the only thing catching. What? They got feelings? Shut up. IYKYK

I needed a rom-com right now. This was it. I very much enjoyed myself.

I received this book when it was being republished in a mass market format, and I am so glad for this new opportunity to read it! The storyline was super cute and the characters were lovable! I will definitely be sharing this one with friends.

I liked this book, I didn't realize it had been published before, this is just a republish.

It's very Dancing with the Stars-ish, dance competition with celebrities and drama!

Gina is paired up with Stone. This is the last thing that Stone wants but he needs this to help his family out. They start out faking a romance but their chemistry is off the charts and that fake turns real!

I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the others in the series.

This was a fun fun read. I was a dancer so I loved all the dance stuff and I kind of loved the celebrity romance aspect of it.

I really enjoyed Gina and Stone’s instant chemistry and the spice between them was really good. The whole reality TV thing for both of them and the parts they had to play made things interesting for sure.

I received an eARC from Netgalley of this book but also got a copy on audio and was able to listen to most of it and really enjoyed the narration. The side characters were really fun, the family dynamics on both sides played in well, and of course there’s an HEA so that makes me happy.

I don’t know why I didn’t feel super emotionally connected to the characters and wanted a little more there. But overall it was a fun and easy read (listen) with great chemistry and fun characters.

3.5 stars rounded up for goodreads

Take the Lead was originally published in 2017, but with a new publisher, updated cover, and new text, it was republished this year. I had fun reading this one, and am thinking about starting to watch "Dancing With the Stars." Gina Morales has appeared on The Dance Off for four years and never made it to the finals. This could be her last year, if she doesn't make it big. She is paired with the sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, someone who has never danced before. He is the strong, silent type, one who can chop wood, and chase off bears, but can Stone Nielson help her make it to the top. As the story progresses, she is informed that the producers want their partnership to be a showmance, and neither she nor Stone are eager to participate. As they get to know one another, work together and dance the sexy dances, maybe the showmance the producers want will be a real romance.

I enjoyed this story and the main characters. Both Gina and Stone are honest people, who don't want to lie to the public, although there are some things in Stone's past that would be dishonesty by omission. The chemistry they have and the sizzle, show right from the start, so you know they will get together. The side characters were likable, except for the producer and interviewer, and they all rooted for one another. This was a quick read, and I liked how the plot moved forward. For those of you that prefer closed door romance, this is not for you, as there are some pretty steamy scenes. I was able to skip over them and still enjoy the story. I recommend this one to those who enjoy a steamy romance, even one that is a bit predictable.

This was such a fun and Steamy read! Perfectly hit all the important notes for a Dancing with the Stars knockoff, and I really enjoyed spending time with these characters!

I know Alexis Daria has a very enthusiastic and dedicated fan base, but I’m just not among those. I’ve tried a couple of novels at this point and I just don’t get it. As a latina, I want to, but her work just doesn’t do it for me. This was no different.

I’ve never watched Dancing with the Stars, but I’ll read anything that Alexis Daria writes. I found myself pulled in by her writing and so invested in the behind the scenes of reality TV in this fictional world. I’m really hoping that we get rereleases of the rest of the series with these adorable cartoon covers (and audiobooks!)

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my copy to review.

This is a super cute re-publish of Alexis Daria's debut novel. Set in the world of Dancing with the Stars, Gina and Stone are the professional dancer / celebrity (respectively) couple who are vying to be the champions of the competition.

Overall, this was a cute read. Slow at some parts, but there was a great lead up to Gina and Stone getting together. It definitely felt like Daria's debut, certain pieces aren't as tight as her other novels. However, it's still worth the read, especially if you like a celebrity romance!

It was cute and I liked the leads well enough; however, there just wasn't a spark or special interest that made me super invested in the story. 3.5 stars because the writing and plot was solid, just not amazing.