I've seen some pretty negative reviews of this book, and I think they are totally unjustified. I was initially attracted to the book because of my long-term love for Strictly. The idea of a dance competition on a par with it, but for non-celebrities thrilled me, and I wasn't disappointed.
There's some lovely friendships explored, and I loved the family dynamics of Sofiya and Aleksis and also Kate's great support network of friends and family.
It started off with lots of fire and spice, which I thought was just the right level. Then it all got a little mellow in the middle before picking the heat right back up to scorching!
I loved learning the dances with Kate, I totally felt like I was there with her in the training room.
I'd have liked an epilogue, either a couple of months later or a full year. It would have been good to see if Merle got his comeuppance and that things worked out for the other characters we had become fond of. I particularly would have liked to know how Liam got on in his next venture.
How it wrapped up, though, was perfectly satisfactory with a happy ending for all concerned.

WOW!! I am shocked as to how low the total score of this book is at the time of this writing (currently sitting at 2.8). I almost felt discouraged to read it, because of that score, but I"m so glad I put reservations aside and went for it anyway! Yes, it started off very raunchy (like say the first five or six chapters) and I can get how that's sort of off-putting, but I promise if you like a good scandalous, sizzling romance and keep reading, it's worth it!
This book is like something that was ripped straight out of the gossip tabloids, with all the salacious scandal and juicy detail anyone can ever ask for, sending me on a whirlwind roller coaster of emotions. Our story starts off with our girl, FMC Kate having a hot and heavy love affair with her professional dance partner Merle. She is an average, everyday kind of gal, who went on this dance competition show to get another job and boost her self-esteem after her long-term relationship ended--and horribly might I add. One of her coworkers was having an affair with her boyfriend and eventually told her about it, letting poor Kate's self-esteem free-fall.
So...here comes this chance not only to bolster her self-esteem, but to possibly win 25,000 pounds (book takes place in London--which I LOVE because I have also been there and recognize some of the landmarks mentioned here. Anywhoo...). So when she starts having a steamy love affair with Merle, her sense of self-worth is gradually starting to bolster up. She's finding herself. Until...she finds out Merle's married, and all heck breaks loose. Kate is plastered all over the gossip rags and she's more or less branded a slut. Meanwhile, Merle is refusing to answer her calls. The world is crashing down on her before she knows it.
But...there's salvation in store for her. Apparently, the scandal got the attention for Fire on the Dance Floor that it needed to raise up the viewership, and the public's interest, so they were willing to keep Kate. But only on the caveat that she's placed with another partner. Aleksis, who acts like he completely hates her, but for good reason. However, in a bizarre twist of fate, they end up creating a fake relationship to bring down Merle. This is where the drama REALLY takes off, and there's never a dull moment here.
From here, we have many twists and turns in the story, many of which I did see coming and left me gripping the edge of my seat as I read on. As an added treat, there were moments when I thought the story was going to continue one way, but then it takes an unpredictable direction. Merle is absolutely despicable and I despise him for what he had done to Kate and very satisfied with how things ended with him. It many have not been in exact ending I would have wanted, but it was good enough because of humiliation in the end.
Aleksis and Kate were such an adorable couple, and throughout the book I was cheering them on. I did have one moment when I wanted to slap her for a moment of weakness for Merle, even though it is kind of understandable. Luckily, she redeems herself shortly after.
So, there are some technical issues with writing that did not really sit well to me. This is a story about a dance competition. The author relied heavily on the tell not show method and summed up their actions, making the reading experience more passive than active. I wanted to feel the fire of the dancing and be seduced, but was left in a fog and guessing. For this, the rating was almost lowered. HOWEVER, the relationship between the characters, the romance, the shocking twists the story takes, and the emotions that this book put me through along with the very satisfying ending MORE THAN carried the book to the five star score. This is certainly a book that deserves more of a chance!

Holy steamy sensation! I adored this little hot number. I truly wasn't sure what to expect, reality TV isn't generally my thing - but I loved this. The drama was delightful, and the steam was top notch. I loved the friendship between the contestants and Kate's family was just THE cutest. Definitely a fast-paced insta-love sort of story, but I was here for it.

Huge thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooksUK for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

Kate's paired with Merle for a televised dance competition until.....things go sideways and he's replaced by Aleksis. Know that this is as much about the steam as it is about the dance, which was a bit disappointing, I would have liked a more thoughtful look at the competition but so be it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, This is a popcorn book that might fill the bill if that's what you need,

This is a brilliant story following Kate Wareing who enters a dance competition full of in fighting and highly volatile scenes especially when she has to change partners. Loved the dance scenes described so well you feel as if tou are in the dance studio and the competition.
Really upbeat and modern kept me wanting more well done Becky Ward can't wait for more.
Thanks to NetGalley & General Fiction for a ARC for a honest review.

The premise of this book was good, but that’s really all I can say about it. I thought it started way too fast and by the first spicy scene I could tell how forced and cheesy it was. Sadly, the rest of the book didn’t really improve from there. I liked a lot of the ideas and the plot was fine, but there was no chemistry. All the romance and the spice was so poorly written, and I just wanted to book to be over. The concept of being similar to Strictly Come Dancing mixed with the “normal” people of The Great British Baking Show was good but it was too all over the place and left me wishing I would’ve spent my time doing something else. 2⭐️, 3.5🌶

Kate is in a dance competition and it's based like strictly but full of romance. A slow start but an ok read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Kate is the central character in this story. When she is talked into applying for a new television show with a prize fund of £25,000, her deliberation does not take too long. Kate is recently unemployed after quitting her job due to her ex-boyfriend Ed cheating on her with Kate’s colleague.
The show is called Fire on the Dance Floor and is based on the real life Strictly Come dancing show but with non-celebrities as contestants and a much shorter run. We follow Kate week on week with her dance partners, firstly Merle who I really did not like and then with Aleksis. There is plenty of content for strictly fans as well of lots of sexy scenes.
My thanks to Net Galley and Avon for the digital advanced copy.

I really enjoyed the premise of this story. I liked the character development for Kate as she found her confidence throughout the dance competition. I feel like some things weren’t necessary and others felt rushed. It was an easy read but not necessarily something I would pick up again. I would still recommend it because everyone has a different opinion.


Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

If you are a fan of strictly this is the book for you. Personally I have a huge obsession with dancers and always wonder if they could make my two left feet do something amazing on the dance floor so the romance and intrigue along with the backstabbing and competition of this book just made my day. This is the perfect beach read.

3.5 stars

It started off slow but picked up the pace. It was a fun sexy read about a dance competition. Kate signs up and finds her dance partner irresistible and oh so hot. The chemistry between these two - wowza! A little bit too much spice for me but all in all a good romance read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really like the premise of this book, the behind the scenes of a dance show storyline got me intrigued. I felt like the romance with Merle was a bit quick, so I never fully understood why Kate liked him so much, and thought about him afterwards.

But when Aleksis was introduced I thought their romance developed a lot more in depth. I enjoyed the character development of Kate, and felt like she was relatable.

I would have loved to have seen Merle get what he deserved at the end, but overall it was a happy ending for Kate and Aleksis anyway so that made it worth it.

Overall this was a cute rom com with some great characters, and a great storyline.

Such a unique book, I loved the plot, and oh my god the characters were so amazing!! I definitely will be recommending it!!

While the concept of this book was interesting to me, it fell a little flat. Between the instalust and lack of character development, the storyline was lacking and the only character I really felt like we got to connect with was Aleksis. I would have loved to see some karma for Merle and more growth from Kate considering what she had gone through to be on the show.

Too many sex scenes and not enough character development for me I’m afraid. I did finish it as I was waiting for karma to catch up with Merle; I was disappointed. I this felt like a waste of a really good premis.

This book would be perfect for anyone who is a major fan of Strictly Ballroom or Dancing with the Stars. Set in a competition pairing a pro dancer and a non-dancer, this fictional show mirrors a lot of what we see on reality TV contests. There's scandal, pairings, and sex, sex, sex.

Kate starts off being in Instalove with Merle - her partner who is so hot and a great dancer. When she finds out Merle is married, she's devastated. After intimate photos of the two of them are published online, Kate finds herself embarrassed and alone. She's paired up with Aleksis whose sister is Merle's wife.

Aleksis has a grudge against Kate, while his sister - does not. She recognizes Merle is to blame and he's such a scandalous cad. Aleksis has to work through his feelings of anger towards Kate and, well, you can guess the rest.

I think my problem with THE DANCE DECEPTION was there was too much s.e.x. It's a romance, and I'm all for intimacy in romance, but Merle's felt rushed with not enough real scenes between him and Kate. While the intimacy with Aleksis grew, and that was better, these two could not keep their hands off each other and it became boring after a while.

The pacing was slow and once Aleksis and Kate got together, the pizazz and anticipation of them hooking up was lost.

I think overall, THE DANCE DECEPTION has a great premise, particularly for those who enjoy dance competitions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an e-copy of THE DANCE DECEPTION to review.

I rate THE DANCE DECEPTION three out of five stars.

Very cute “Dancing with the Stars” vibes but without the celebrities.

Not gonna lie — I almost DNf’d this one because the beginning took a bit to really take off. But I’m happy I pushed through and kept going.

I think the author did a great job of building the relationships between the competing dance couples and made you feel the exhaustion the competitors felt trying to perfect their moves.

The characters came across as relatable but in the end I wish Merle had gotten a taste of his own medicine instead of just what Emilia did at the end.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I got into this book with so much anticipation but unfortunately it didn't make the cut for me.
I wasn't immersed in the characters nor was I pulled by the events even though the story line was very promising it felt flat for me. I ended up taking a 2 days off thinking I might clear my head and get back to it with new eyes but nope NOTHING 🥲
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher @avonbooksuk for granting me an ARC of #TheDanceDeception in exchange for my honest review.

This was so cute! Such a fun and charming read. I loved the relationships and the friendships that grew in this. A really delightful easy read with sizzling chemistry and a dash of spice.

Fun chic lit. Kate enters a dance competition and gets more than she bargained for with her dance partners. A light-hearted read, good for the beach.