I love Alexis Daria's books so much and really enjoyed her last two books. But, this book was different than the others that I have read. I felt like the connection between the two main characters didn't spark for me and it didn't really build, The connection just wasn't strong enough for me to completely buy into it and root for them in the end. That being said, I will always pick up and read any book by Alexia Daria.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book.

Yes. I can’t even formulate a review because I loved every aspect of this book so much.

A great romance for DWTS fans, I would definitely recommend trying this book!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

This book was a mix of great things and not-so-great things, so I ultimately landed on a 3-star rating. Here are more details.
1. I liked Gina. She was a spicy and wonderful character, showing real growth in her understanding of herself, what she wants, her career, everything.
2. Stone. Hm. Not sure why the huge large man thing is popular in rom-com books right now, but here we are with yet another uber-man. The Alaska angle was an interesting one, and having lived there I can say it wasn't incorrect info like some authors have done. I would have liked more about it, actually.
3. Back to Stone. The issue I have with him is not just his size or the "strong silent solid" man he is. I found him annoying overall.
4. Open door love scenes (plural). Too much of that and too repetitive, so much so that I skipped the last two because they were just like the previous several others. Too much for this reader.
5. "F...ing Donna" seemed over the top to me. And awful. I would not ever want to be on reality tv.
6. The Dance Off show information seemed consistent with what we have seen for years on "Dancing With the Stars," and consistent with information gleaned from Candace Cameron Bure's book "Dancing Through Life" that she wrote about her own experience on the show. Yes, dancing is harder than it looks. I have daughters who are dancers, and I struggled with the mom dance classes.

Overall, if you like romcoms with spicy scenes, this would be a good choice to consider.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC to read for a review. All opinions are mine.

Unfortunately I was not able to finish this one. The writing left a great deal to be desired and I couldn't see the plot offering much more

Thanks to St. Martins Press for the free copy.
What I loved about this book was the dancing reality show aspect. I think books with this kind of backdrop are always so fun to read about. The behind the scenes portrayal was what kept me engaged.
The romance wasn’t my favorite. I am picky about insta-love tropes and this didn’t work for me. I wanted more emotional chemistry from the characters. I’m also not a fan of this much steam in a book - but if you love steam - read this!
I think I wanted a bit more from Stone when it came to his family and being honest too.
But it read quickly and I was invested in the dancing aspect. Wishing the best for this author and this series along with her other books.

I found Take the Lead an easy read, as it followed most rom-dram paths. The tv dance contest aspect combined with a survival reality seemed a bit less common, plot wise, which I liked. Though there were the usual miscommunications that led to misunderstandings and we learn more about each character’s past and present motivations, it felt like there were gaps. The characters needed a little more depth to provide the reader with a little more substance. All that stated, I did like the book and easily recommend for a lighter read.

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley and have written an objective review.

Super steamy and romantic, I loved both of these characters. You can feel the tension rising off the page as these two make their way to each other with the reality shenanigans in the back drop. It's such a compelling read, and a page-turner from start to finish! So much fun, I can't wait to see more from this author!

I loved this book, truly. I loved Stone and Gina’s romance because of how palpable the sexual tension and the pull between the two of them was. I loved Dancing With the Stars when I was a kid, so I loved the dance competition aspect of this book. I also really loved the own voices rep in this book. I am surrounded by Latinas at my job, so immersing myself in that culture was a great joy for me in this book.

In my opinion, one thing Alexis Daria does best is her romance between the characters, so I think that’s what I loved best about this book. Now I want to watch Dancing with the Stars.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!

Take the Lead was cute and funny but for a book about dancing there wasn’t a lot of that going on. The book is about a dancing tv show where Gina and Stone get paired together. The characters build on themselves as you learn they are not who you think they are. A misunderstanding towards the end of the book seems to create unneeded conflict.

Tropes
Spicy romance
Stories about dancing
Stories about TV shows
Enemies to lovers trope

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Really fun to read one of Daria's backlist titles, absolutely love the packaging for this book. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to more books from this author.

Gina is a dancer on a celebrity dance competition show and she is looking to finally win and the opportunities that come with that. When she is a paired with a survivalist reality star, she decides to really dig in and make it work. While is a steadfast against breaking her romance-for- TV that her producer is pushing toward her, but when sparks start to fly, keeping that promise to herself and her career harder by the day.

This ended up being surprisingly good. I was a little annoyed about the whole premise at the beginning, but then I got totally hooked and had to know what was going on! I ended up really liking the the dance partners premise, the writing, and the spice! I think the author did a good job highlighting challenges that Latinx women face in media. It would have been nice to get a little deeper with Stone and his backstory. I think the dance competition drama was a great backdrop for a developing relationship and would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted e-copy!

This was a wonderful read, I'm always a fan of books that give you behind the scenes things we don't usually see in real life e.g. life if a music group, reality shows, tv competition shows. All of the characters were so fun to read about and I loved the relationship between Stone and Gina. I loved getting to learn more about the characters as other characters were learning these new things at the same time. The romance was well done, I like how it played out and the outcome of the relationship in the end. The whole book was well written and well thought out.

Omg, this book was amazing, just perfect.
Once I started, I couldn't put it down, it was so interesting and compelling how the author described the dancing contest. And the characters were sooo good!
I loved Stone's journey from being the quiet, lonely boy to Gina's ideal dance and life partner.
Ughhh I can't praise this book enough, I absolutely loved it.

Gina was a great MC! She's kind, affectionate, funny and logical. I just wish I'd seen a more vulnerable side to her, because although she goes through a lot, honestly can't say that I know her even after finishing the whole book. Maybe that’s because she’s always with someone or the other was and never shown spending time just by herself?

Stone was a really sweet love interest! I always end up loving Alexis Daria’s love interest cause they’re always super likable and Stone was no different! We also see him open up a bit more, and his inner turmoil is one that's easy to empathise with.

My problem was that both the characters were okay on their own but I felt like they barely had any chemistry? Their romance kind of felt mechanical and very on surface so I didn’t connect to them as much.

I love Alexis Daria so I really wanted to love this book too and it’s definitely not a bad book but I think it wasn’t for me.
Though I’m pretty sure people who’re looking for short, quick romance will love it.

This is a cute, adorable romance. Now, it is a bit long but I enjoyed it. The main characters are fabulous on the pages and I just love their interactions. Need a good romance for the beach…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I looooooved the “Dancing with the stars” vibe and really enjoyed Stone and Gina’s romance. You could feel the sexual tension/chemistry between the two of them from the beginning. My only gripe is that the third act break up was a bit annoying and drawn out.

**thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

Take the Lead is a perfect romance novel for fans of Dancing with the Stars and reality TV in general. Its a very enjoyable book with likable characters, fun dancing and plenty of chemistry and heat between everyone. I would take a reality show with these two any day and I would totally watch a weird Alaska series if Stone was the lead. Highly recommend and look forward to reading more.

I enjoyed reading Take the Lead by Alexis Daria. The characters are wonderful! Enjoy!
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

Quick Summary: A fire and ice romance

My Review: Take the Lead by Alexis Daria was a scorching hot romance. It's book one in the new Dance Off series.

About Stone Nielson: Living in the wilds of Alaska is a way of life for Stone and his family. Unfortunately, it's become a slow death for him. He's sacrificed his own happiness out of a sense of obligation to his family. When he suddenly finds himself on a dance show competition, partnered with a sexy firestarter, he begins to realize that wanting more doesn't have to come at a loss.

About Gina Morales: Gina wanted more for her life and her career. She had given her all and she would succeed based on her talent, her drive, and her intellect...all without compromising her integrity. When she'd agreed to partner with an Alaskan hunk for a dance show competition, she had no idea that he would melt her heart with his sweet words and actions. Is she fooling herself into thinking that she can have it all?

About the Story: When Stone and Gina come together for Dance Off, they are immediately attracted to each other. Although both try a hands off approach to their relationship, it is soon clear that their explosive chemistry is a powder keg that will detonate if given the chance to do so. What will the Alaskan survivalist and the Latina dancer do with all that heat?

My Final Say: 💣💣💣💥 Need I say more?

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: R

Thank you to the author, to St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin, and to NetGalley who provided access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are voluntarily offered.