Take the Lead by Alexis Daria is the story of Gina and Stone. Stone is a reality television star who lives in Alaska and known for his family survivalist show "Living Wilder". Gina is a rising star who is currently one of the professional dancers on "The Dance Off", a show very much like "Dancing with the Stars". Gina and Stone are pair up as partner and they begin their journey to try and win the whole competition.

The character development was very well written in this novel. In a lot of Rom-Com stories the character lack a certain depth, one that really makes you understand why the characters struggle, what makes them happy and what makes their actions reasonable or unreasonable. Ms. Daria did an excellent job with her characters. Gina and Stone came to life in this book. It was very well thought out character-wise.

I would give the spice level in this book a 3/5. There are moments that the character are involved in that make you pull at your collar a bit, but it was not as graphic as some Rom-Coms or Contemporary Romances are becoming. With that said, the romance is there...the romantic moments in this novels are well written and truly feel heart-felt (Hello character development!).

Over-all I would 100% recommend this book to other readers. Out of the hundreds of Rom-Coms/Contemporary Romances I have read this is one of the more thought out and well executed ones. Any fan of dancing will absolutely love this book as well. Well Done Ms. Daria, I think you deserve a mirror-ballish trophy for this one!!

Final rating: 4.5 stars

I absolutely loved this! In this remastered version of Alexis Daria's debut novel, we follow Gina Morales, a professional dancer that is determined to make it to the finals of her dance competition show, and Stone Nielson, a reality TV show star that is her celebrity partner. I really enjoyed the emotional build-up between the couple as they learn to trust each other both on the stage and off it.

Alexis Daria's writing style is very fluid and it immediately immerses you into the "Dance Off!" world. This is the perfect sizzling read for Valentine's Day!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this author! This was a fantastic debut and I’m so glad it’s getting the recognition it deserves. The writing, as always, was phenomenal. Daria made sure that both Stone and Gina were characters you wanted to see grow, to see succeed, and to see happy. I loved the rep, how real the story felt even thought it was based off of a “showmance” and reality tv. The reason this wasn’t a perfect 5 star read was because of the giant miscommunication that happened. While everything worked out and it redeemed itself, I think the book would have benefited from not having that in there at all. That aside, I will absolutely read everything that Alexis Daria puts out!

Gina Morales is a professional dancer on 'The Dance Off'. She is from the Bronx and has always dreamed of making it big, ultimately performing on Broadway. Stone Neilson is part of a reality tv show, where he and his family live out in the Australian wilderness.

Stone is set to be Gina's dance partner but, as they got to know each other through dance, they began to feel something for one another. They were from two different worlds, but nothing could stop them from falling in love through romantic and sexy dance numbers.

I really loved Gina and Stone's relationship. They both respected and cared for each other and wanted the best for one another, even if it meant not being together. I really felt the chemistry between the two main characters . It made me think of the telenovelas I grew up watching! Alexis Daria did an amazing job creating this stellar romance that had me smiling and crying along with the characters.


Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Griffin and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

https://www.goodreads.com/notes/57426932-gothikana/125020877-gabriella-lindsey/a709af8f-128a-49a4-9e3c-fc5ca7c6b828?ref=notif_crn

Cute cute cute. If you've ever wondered what the behind the scenes of DWTS was, it's this! My rom-com girlies will like this. A tad bit predictable for my tastes, but a solid book if you're looking for something fluffy!

An absolute smash hit, which is totally unsurprising. I LOVE Alexis Daria. Her characters are so fun to get to know, I find her voice so easy to sink into, and I love the Latinx representation. I didn’t know that I was missing this, growing up mixed. I find Daria writes in an authentic way that illuminates the diverse experiences we have. I love the chemistry of the romance. I loved the dance element. Yes to everything, always by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a solid romance from Alexis Daria, perfect for fans of Dancing with the Stars. Gina and Stone have chemistry from the start that both try to avoid but that can only be denied for so long with forced proximity as dance partners on a reality show. I enjoyed the fun behind the scenes aspects of the show. As a dancer myself I appreciated that the difficulty and skills required were highlighted in this story. This book did leave me wanting more of an emotional connection to be shown on the pages not just the characters sexual chemistry. I would recommend this book for a light fun read!

A book that is basically like Dancing with the Stars?! SIGN ME UP

When Gina Morales went to see who her new dance partner for the season was, she was expecting an Olympian skier or something similar, considering they were flying her up to Alaska. She didn't expect to get an extremely handsome viking as her dance partner. The minute she laid her eyes on the sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, she knew the producers were trying to set them up as the season's showmance.

The only issue is that Gina wasn't interested in that and wanted to win the competition based on their talent rather than some fictitious love story they were starving for. Gina cannot deny that Stone Nielson is extremely handsome, even though she is confident they will not participate in this showmance.

Since their first meeting, they had an immediate connection. Those sentiments keep intensifying while they dance together, which can be a very intimate activity. In addition to witnessing the chemistry and intimacy between Gina and Stone, you can watch how each of them slowly develops into a unique person.

Stone never intended to start enjoying dancing, having fun, and being one with his emotions; he went on the show to make his family happy and, perhaps, get the money at the end so that he could help pay off hospital bills for his mom. Gina never imagined allowing herself to give in to these impulses and do the things she had promised herself she would never do. Gina was determined to win the competition and avoid connections with her partner because her past relationships had shown it to be a horrible idea.

Gina can't and won't accept what would happen to her profession if their relationship is revealed; thus, they are keeping everything about them a secret for the time being. But what will happen between Stone and Gina once it is revealed?

DNF at 20%
This story is ok, but after not really connecting with the characters at this point, I’m setting this e-ARC aside for now.

I’d recommend this one for those who like opposites attract romance, dance, and reality TV show settings.

I don't even know, this was so good. Its almost 3 am and here I am, ruining my sleep schedule again for a book. I damn near ruined my husband's sleep schedule over this book 😉😉.
A fully realized and diverse cast of characters is the highlight of any reading experience for me and this book delivers. How can you throw so many characters into a book and it not be confusing? I have no idea, ask Alexis Daria because she frikken did it! Flawlessly and effortlessly. That's not even mentioning the main characters!
Holy moly! Stone and Gina are end game, couple goals, everything we all want to have in a relationship. Do they have ups and downs? Yeah, but I'd gladly take those downs to have the ups with them and I did and it was Soo good. With everyone being so fully realized, the setting being so fully realized, it's an extremely immersive story.
There was a little blurb at the beginning of the book about the author not knowing everything about dance but she had me fooled! I don't know anything about dance so maybe that's why I was fooled but quite a few dance scenes were also glossed over. Skipping dance scenes didn't even detract from the story. The relationship between Gina and Stone was so real and intimate and vulnerable. A constant struggle of will they, won't they and how will they ever make it work and your heart aches and flutters. The story drags and twirls you around as if their relationship is a dance and you're the one performing it!
Plus the spice is spicy. Oh god is it spicy. The tension builds up so well that the moment they come together in physical intimacy that it's basically orgasmic for the reader.
This frikken book!!!!!!!!! I'm on my way to get every frikken Alexis Daria book now. I can't believe I've let this author be recommended to me so many times and I only took the plunge once net galley sent me a review copy of this book. Shame on me. I'm on my way to rectify this mistake.
Read this book immediately for yourself. You deserve to have this kind of happiness in your life.

Dance pro Gina needs to win The Dance Off in order to keep her job on the show. Reality TV star Stone needs to win The Dance Off to pay off his mother’s medical bills. They are paired up with each other and there is an instant attraction. Gina doesn’t want a “showmance,” but before she knows it, she and Stone are a secret couple. There are bumps along the way as Gina fights her attraction to Stone and he deals with having to lie on his family’s reality show Living Wild. Having never watched (or been interested) in Dancing with the Stars, I found a lot of the dance parts boring. I also didn’t really like them as a couple. Stone came across as a wimp. His family controlled him and then he turned himself over to Gina. This book was okay, but not anything special for me.

This was my first Alexis Daria book, and boy what a great start! The story was captivating, the characters were intriguing, and the spicy parts were extra spicy.

The story centers on Gina Morales, a professional dancer on the hit show The Dance Off, and her new partner, Stone Nielson. Stone is part of a reality show involving his entire family, but it's not what he wants to be doing with his life. He takes part in The Dance Off to help raise money for his mother's surgery, but through Gina's careful tutelage he ends up getting so much more.

This was a fun book to read, and I look forward to more from Alexis Daria.

This book was honestly just made for me to love. I'm a hobbyist dancer and am an avid Dancing with the Stars fan. And I even enjoy falling for the on air showmances of the show. So the set up of this book was picture perfect for me. I loved following the characters through the show itself and find myself rooting equally for their relationship and their tenure on the show. Building their chemistry through their dance routines initially was genius and worked incredibly well. I liked how Stone was also coming from his own reality show and seeing how even though the two shows are wildly different shows, the behind the scenes are weirdly similar. Even the conflict in this book I thought was really well done. I understood both why one character did what they did, and equally understood why it backfired and the other character was upset and it felt realistic to both of the characters.

I will say, despite my love of this, if you are not into reading celebrity romances or reality shows then this book likely will not work for you as that is, understandably, a huge part of the book. But if you do like celebrity romances this book should absolutely hit your TBR list!

Take the Lead is a fun, sexy story of a reality tv survivalist and a dancer trying to win a DWTS tv competition. Both competing for their own futures and with their own secrets, Daria fills the page with fun and heat and drama. As a former DWTS, fan, it felt a little nostalgic and a whole lot of a good time. I love the friends. I loved the competition. I loved the tension and the romance. Secrets always stress me out a little. But it’s totally a me thing.

Wow! The introductory chapter sucks you in. I just want to keep reading. If you love dancing shows and competitions, you will love this.

This reminds me so much of Strictly Come Dancing and all of the gossip that follows the stars and pros.

I love that a lot of research has gone into this. The author knows her stuff and this has come to play in various aspects of the book.

I enjoyed the way the way the relationship blossomed between Stone and Gina over the course of the competition.

Stone’s vulnerability and Gina’s competitiveness come to fore throughout the book. We are taken on their journey from their pasts to the present and how they navigate life .

As much as the book creates fun and entertainment, there is an underlying important truth that comes to fore- celebrities are people too. Behind all of the glamour and beauty, there lies vulnerable humans too.

I did not like how sometimes Gina is portrayed but I do understand where she is coming from-as a woman and a Latina, she has to work extra hard to prove herself.

The setting was superbly described and all of the locations were accurate and well detailed. All of the supporting characters delivered the assignments given to them.

If you love Hollywood, Broadway and dance shows and romance then you will love this book.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving my review.

This was a super fun and sexy story.

I really loved watching the progression of Gina and Stone. Not just as a romantic couple but also as dance partners. It was fun to see them progress through the competition and tackle the different dances.

I really liked that the thing that kept Stone and Gina from each other wasn’t a completely easy fix. It requires a bit of work, compromise, and other people helping them process certain ideas.

I am glad this book got a rerelease as I might not have picked it up without having known about this author from her more recent titles (You Had Me at Hola and A Lot Like Adios). Would definitely recommend if you want a steamy romance with a strong Latina female lead.

Gina Morales, a professional dancer on a DWTS type show wants to win it big and get her big break. Stone Nielson, is apart of an off the grid / survivalist reality show who comes on The Dance Off to bring publicity to his show and bring in some money to help pay his moms medical bills. Gina thinks Stone 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 but he can't deny his growing attraction to his partner and soon he is wanting to win not just for the money but to make her a champ too. Neither wants to fake a romance for the cameras, but the explosive chemistry that flares between them is undeniable and soon their feelings aren't fake anymore. Both have secrets to hide, outside of their secret relationship, but if its one thing reality TV hasn't been known to do, its keep your secrets in the dark. The Dance Off. 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?

Screw bachelor/bachelorette dating competition romances I want more Dancing Reality TV romance! It had all the fun drama of a dating show but it was unpredictable and more exciting. This story just made me so happy! I could picture everything so well. It was steamy in all the right places but still had ton of substance. Both characters were non-stereotypical considering they're pushed towards them on tv. Gina was just such a wonderful character. I love how Alexis Daria writes these fierce latinx female main characters. Not to mention all the secrets and twists towards the end. Ahh I loved it!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 2/14

As I have said before, I love romances where there’s a reality tv show plot line! Take the Lead features two of them so even better! Our male main character Stone, stars in a family off the grid/wilderness “reality” tv show, and joins Gina our female main character on Dance Off. I loved this premise when I saw it! Growing up I would sit and watch Dancing With The Stars each week with my mom & Grandma and I remember certain duos I thought would be perfect together outside of the show.

The tension and connection between Gina and Stone was aahhhmazing! I didn’t want to put the book down because I kept wanting to see what would happen next. I loved the growth in Stone, and how confident and comfortable Gina got throughout the book.

Take the Lead was fantastic, and I highly suggest checking it out!

If Dancing With The Stars was a spicy and sweet Rom-Com... Alexis Daria has remastered and is rereleasing her debut novel Take The Lead and it's everything I wanted Gina 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 star of an Alaskan wilderness show, could be her chance. Who knew the strong, silent, survivalist-type had moves like that? She thinks Stone is her ticket to win it all—until her producer makes it clear they’re being set up for a showmance.

I was definitely invested in Gina and Stone's relationship - the way that Stone supported Gina in all that she did and the way she brought him out of his shell and let him be unabashedly himself. Not to mention the chemistry was on fire - both on and off the dance floor They do have their slight miscommunications and fears without talking to each other which had its moments. I do wish we had a little more of the “post show” timeline before the reconciliation and epilogue. 
I will definitely be reading more Alexis Daria books now! 
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc!

I absolutely love Alexis's series Primas of Power, so I was incredibly excited for this one. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. That said, Take the Lead isn't bad, it just wasn't as good as I'd hoped.

I really loved the setting and the relationship dynamics, I think my concern was more in the MMC's backstory. I didn't love his family/reality TV show background and didn't think it worked well in the overall story. I think it may have been different if he actually enjoyed being on a reality show, but he really didn't which made it hard for me to suspend disbelief and get into the story.

All that said, I will absolutely continue the story. I'm hopeful that I'll enjoy other set ups a little more!

------3.25/5

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.