Gina and Stone hit the dance floor in this spicy and cute romantic novel! I really liked how similar it was to dancing with the stars, a reality guilt pleasure of mine. I was on my toes and liked some of the twists in the plot. This one had plenty of spice as well. Everything wrapped up in the end too.


Thank you to Net Galley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Take the Lead by @alexisdaria
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Please note: this was an ARC provided to me by @stmartinspress on @netgalley with a publication date of February 14.
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Genre: romance
Series: Dance Off # 1
Setting: Los Angeles / Alaska / NYC
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: opposites attract, forced proximity, secret workplace relationship 
Spice Level: 4/5🌶, 3+ explicit scenes
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What I Liked: Pretty much everything! There was so much pining and chemistry and cuteness. I thought both MCs had great motivation and communication, which is so rare. The Latinx representation was wonderful and I loved our gentle giant of a MMC. I thought the balance between smut and plot was excellent - they only made the other better!
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What I Disliked: There were a few “ick” moments for me during the spicy scenes, but not enough to detract a star from my rating.
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Overall Thoughts: I finally found my first five star rom-com in forever! If you’re craving a spicy yet meaningful read, definitely check this out. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series.
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Memorable Quote: “They were in the city of angels and she was heaven on earth.”

4.25 stars

Alexis Daria's debut novel Take the Lead is perfect for fans of Dancing with the Stars. Gina, a Puerto Rican professional dancer, has to lead Stone, a wilderness reality TV star with the build of a viking, through a season of Dance Off. Immediately they are both attracted to each other, but they each have their own reasons for trying to ignore those feelings. You can guess how well that turns out.

This debut novel was fantastic!! I loved that we got both Stone & Gina's POVs. They had great chemistry and I loved how their relationship progressed both on and off the stage. I love dancing competition shows, so that also made this book really fun to read. I wish there was a *tad* bit more tension in the novel, but overall it was great. I'm so excited to read more by Daria!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Just want to mention that the book is available now, but it is releasing with a new (gorgeous!) cover in February!

I was in the mood for a good romance and Take the Lead was exactly what my soul needed. I've always enjoyed stories that feature dancers and dancing (despite never being a dancer myself) and I really liked that this one combined elements of a Dancing with the Stars style reality tv competition. I adored Gina and Stone's characters and really enjoyed not only seeing their relationship grow as a dancing pair but also their off-screen relationship.

Be prepared for lots of steam. This was my first book by Alexis Daria, and I'd always heard they were pretty steamy, and now I know why.

This was a lot of fun and a very quick read. Definitely recommend this one.
Thank you, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

I'm pretty sure I was aware that this book was a republishing of Daria's debut from 2017 and just didn't think of it when I requested the ARC..I think I personally just didn't mesh with this book; it read very 2017 romance, which isn't a bad thing!! I think I would've loved this, had I read it a few years ago.

Personally, I'm not too into romances where it's like. instant physical attraction without much emotional connection. I just get bored when so much of the narrative focuses on the physical attraction. Of course, Gina and Stone do get to know each other throughout the book so that made me feel a little better, but this still was a sticking point for me. Again, a personal opinion! I do think many others would enjoy this book; I read it in a couple of hours, so if you're looking for a hot read to speed through, give Take the Lead a try.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I missed out on Take the Lead when it first released, but having more or less enjoyed Alexis Daria’s more recent work, I was excited her debut would be getting a print release with a new cover. Having heard good things about it from friends back in its first run, I am pleased to concur with them in that this is largely an enjoyable read.
Gina is an interesting character, and I like how it focuses on the complexities of being a professional dancer on a dance show, a la Dancing with the Stars. She faces immense pressure to make the finals, after not seeing much success with previous celebrity partners. She also has greater aspirations to get into acting, and her fears about the PR machinations the producers are pushing, and its impact on her career potential, feel very real.
I had mixed feelings about Stone at first. He’s kind of your standard massively tall (6’7”) man, and super broody to boot. The latter has been done to death, although the former is somewhat more forgivable as this is an older title and I don’t think men were as big back then (I could be wrong, I didn’t read much contemporary in 2017)? But I do like how that translates into his overall persona, being more at home in the wilderness and his own reality-tv environment chopping wood, as opposed to Gina’s more sparkling ballroom-dance environment. However, he has his own family to worry about, including his mother’s medical bills.
Gina and Stone play off each other very well, with great on- and off-stage chemistry. And while there are some misunderstandings between them, they are executed in a way that isn’t annoying or casts doubt on the potential of their relationship.
This is a solid debut book from a well-loved author, and I am glad it’s getting a second life and a wider release. If you enjoy diverse contemporary romance, I recommend checking this out if you didn’t read it the first time around!

What a fun story! We get a behind the scenes glimpse of 2 reality shows. We have 2 fun main characters that have chemistry. Okay he isn't remotely a dancer so why is he on a Dance With the Stars wannabe. But he is a hunk and Gina is a determined to win as a choreographer. He needs money and she craves fame. Together can they win? There is plenty of the back biting you would expect but not just from the competition. I liked the book. I liked the light hearted relationships and the ones with a bit of sizzle.

Take the lead is being re released on Valentine's Day this year. It was originally published in 2017 as an ebook but now it's getting a paperback release as well. Alexis Daria apparently did some editing and made a few changes to this version so it would be interesting to compare it to the original (I did not). Unfortunately this book wasn't really for me. I think if you're a big fan of dance you would probably enjoy this more, for me I found the parts that focused on the technicalities of the dances and stuff pretty boring and in general I found myself skimming quite a bit while reading this book. The concept of a romance that takes place on a dance show (essentially Dancing with the Stars) is super fun, and I think a lot of people will enjoy this so don't let my opinion dissuade you from giving it a try if you think it sounds interesting. The part I enjoyed most was reading about Stones struggles with his own reality show. I will say the book got more engaging in the second half after the characters actually admit their feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for an ARC in exchange for na honest review

CW: blackmail, house fire (past), parental abandonment, family tensions

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-dance competition
-insta attraction
-amazing sexual chemistry
-forced proximity
-this is just a hookup
-Latinx rep

I enjoyed this book so much. This was a great dive into the behind scenes looks of a celebrity dancing show, seamlessly integrated into the romance. I loved how the dances, and Gina teaching Stone about dance also heightened the sexual tension between the two.

Stone and Gina were two sides of the same coin. Both dedicated, both looking to get something out of the show, and definitely not looking for love. Except they were smacked in the face with their attraction for each other. This was a lot of fun, with so much sexual tension as these two accidentally fell in love with the other. I love how they saw themselves as a team and despite some human failings, both wanted to ultimately work together to meet their goals.

Steam: 3.25

Take the Lead is the story of Gina and Stone- one a professional dancer by trade and one an Alaskan survivalist. They couldn’t be more different- at least on the surface. When both are cast in a celebrity dance competition, they must team up to make it to the finals. While Stone wants the money for his family medical bills, Gina’s career and professional reputation is on the line. As they grow closer, they find it harder to stay apart. But the competition is cutthroat and they must decide how far they will go to make it to the finals.

I loved Take the Lead!! This is my new favorite from Alexis Daria. This book combined a steamy, emotional romance with the energy of a dance competition where you can’t look away. I loved both Stone and Gina, who are incredible characters with strong convictions. I really appreciated how Gina was so determined to have a career and stellar reputation that she was proud of. Meanwhile, Stone has a strong dedication to his family and also must learn when a sacrifice is too much. They had some amazing chemistry, which flourished when combined with vivid dance scenes. I felt like the tension was always well-maintained and it was difficult to put this book down. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! Looking forward to whatever Alexis Daria writes next.

Take the Lead releases February 14, 2023. Thank you to Alexis Daria, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Thank you so much SMP Romance for my gifted copy arc in exchange for a honest review!!

This is my third Alexis Daria book, and this definitely won’t be my last! I love her books so much, and this one was so much fun! I used to watch DWTS, so I really enjoyed this one.

Read this is you enjoy:
👫Dual POV
📺Reality TV
🕺🏼Annoying tv producers
💃🏻Dancing
Lots of 🔥 🔥 🔥

Alexis Daria is at it again! This book is just in time for Valentine's Day! The update and release of this book was genius! The love story of Gina and Stone. A dancer that wants nothing but to be best and him a tv personality that's ready for more. I loooved this book! A must read. Thank you St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for this sending me this amazing read.

I enjoyed this much for than I expected! Their chemistry was fire and enjoyed the behind the scenes and world of dance off ala Dancing with the stars! Also unique pairing of a Puerto Rican dancer from the Bronx and an Alaskan mountain man lol but they worked so well

Gina and Stone are paired up as dance partners on The Dance Off. Gina is a professional dancer and Stone is a realty tv star with his family showing how they live off the grid in Alaska. Unfortunately, secrets and manipulation start to get in the partners way and might be their doom.

I really enjoyed the book which sounds a whole lot like Dancing with the Stars! It was a fun, witty read with the main couple having lots of chemistry. I loved that Gina was Puerto Rican and was a successful dancer with lots of ambition! Stone as a male lead was just alright in my opinion. He seemed kind of bland to me, but I liked him with Gina.

I was fortunate enough to receive and read an eARC of what was Alexis Daria' very first book, which has been heavily revised and is being republished as a trade paperback. In this story we meet professional dancer Gina, who is entering her fifth season of a Dancing With the Stars-style show. When they pair her with hunky outdoorsman and reality survival show star Stone, she is quick to suspect they are setting her up for a showmance. But Gina refuses to let the show force her into the sexy and promiscuous Latina bubble, as she is a professional with bigger aspirations. But Stone proves too tempting to resist... can they keep their romance a secret? And what happens when the show is over?

I am obsessed with this book. With two strong leads that are even better together, there's a great integration of reality television and competition drama, the steamiest of steam, culture, and professional ambition. I love pretty much all aspects of the book. I'm not sure how this version differs from its original form, but this current iteration is a 10/10 for me--even better than the stellar You Had Me at Hola. It's entertaining and sexy, packed with loads of fun dance descriptions and a diverse cast. I'm really hoping we get a book two!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

This my first time reading anything by Alexis Daria and I loved this book! I loved the characters, Stone and Gina. These two are partners on the competition dance show called The Dance Off. Stone knows nothing about dancing and Gina is a pro who teaches him. Slowly their relationship shifts and new feelings start to bloom. It was so fun reading this. The story really felt like I was watching this competition and I was on the edge of my seat every time they competed. It was so easy to visualize the story and the dancing and just feel it come to life. Now that I've read this I want to dive into some of the author's other books!

If you are a fan of reality TV, then there is double the joy for you

But more than that, this is a city mouse/country mouse, opposites attract tale.

Gina and Stone have sexual attraction out the wazoo, but it took a while for me to really warm up to them. It takes more than physical attraction for a real relationship, and I didn't feel that for a while.

But once they move to more than just lust, things picked up for me.

Easy read for an easy afternoon on the couch.

As a fan of Dancing With the Stars, and reality TV in general, this was a highly entertaining read for me! I felt like I was getting a personal scoop on all the things happening "behind the scenes" 😂 I really felt the sizzling chemistry between Stone and Gina. Talk about sexual tension 🥵 Again, so fun. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series!

Thank you for the ARC!

3.0 stars

i’m kind of in the middle with this book. i felt like some of the scenes were so cheesy and i didn’t really connect with any of the characters much. i’m not a big fan of buff men with long blonde hair so i think that really threw me off. but i did love the reality show and dancing aspect. it’s very unique!

i’d probably still recommend! it wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t good either.

The first half of the book seemed more plot driven and the second half was more character driven. The start of the book gave me the guilty pleasure feeling of getting a "behind the scenes" look at a popular TV show. While I have only watched a few minutes of the TV show here and there (hello @codyrigsby), it was fun to read about the things viewers don't see or necessarily know about. The transition from the TV show to Gina and Stone felt a little abrupt but overall it was a nice change to the storyline. Fans of behind the scene reads, and those that enjoyed One To Watch, Fake It Till You Bake It and How to Love Your Neighbor should pick up a copy of Take the Lead when it comes out February 14, 2023.
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Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
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Posted review on Instagram on January 18, 2023.