Georgia Beers is always one of my go-to authors, but this book was a huge disappointment. The characters were flat - even though the family dynamic between Scottie and her parents was touched on periodically, it really had little importance in the overall storyline and felt like the author was trying to come up with a dramatic background for this character. Scottie's friends were names on pages without any real dimensionality as well. Overall, I'm surprised at how little I felt for the characters or their relationship - I rushed through the final third of the book just to finish it.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I enjoyed the plot and characters. Georgia did an amazing job crafting this story. Well Done.


Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The first impression of the protagonist, Scottie, may have been a bit childish. The composition of the character and her usual environment have not helped her in that regard. Her best friend has an ice cream shop in which Scottie spends a lot of time trying the new flavors that her friend is creating, Scottie also lives with her grandmother, in her grandmother's house, after having suffered a breakup in which she was quite emotionally affected. Nor does it help that your job is in a beauty salon and your co-workers and friends have had a rather superficial and frivolous behavior.

But deep down she is a fundamental part of this environment, while it provides her with the strength she needs to cope with her hardships.

So, in a work of support and friendship she agrees to accompany her co-worker Bash to take some dance classes so that he can surprise his fiancée but things are not going to be as they planned. Bash suffers a mishap and Scottie decides to continue with the classes alone, which will pair her with the teacher, who is also not the initial teacher but her niece, Marisa. Marisa and Scottie, who shared the same girlfriend, who cheated on them both. Marisa does not have a simple life either, with a child and some trust problems, particularly with Scottie.

But the two of them are going to have to share such a close activity physically that it will also influence their attitude towards each other.

I don't know, but the story, within its simplicity, I found interesting, and I really enjoyed it. Thanks to the author.

Georgia Beers will always be one of my favorite romance authors. She’s been steadily producing books for 23 years and she never fails to capture the magic of love and romance between women. I may not remember the who, what and where of all her books, but I can usually recall the way they made me feel. She knows how to stir feelings and tap into relatable—and sometimes raw—emotions. Each book leaves an impression and that’s huge when it comes to the business of penning romance books.

When I picked up Dance With Me, Beer’s latest book, I was immediately drawn to its plot. It’s a spin on the old ‘we’re both forced to be here; I guess we better grit our teeth and make the best of it’ trope. Of course, somewhere along the line the gritting stops and the stolen glances start, followed by the fluttering of hearts and the desire to kiss. Readers know they will hook up; it’s only a matter of time. But, until the women do, those angsty moments sure have readers pealing through the pages!

This romance is a bit different though; there’s nothing textbook about it. Beers plays with the trope and gets pretty creative. It’s a sapphic twist that any respectable, card carrying wlw romance reader would find hard to resist. Lord knows I couldn’t! Two exs of an ex dancing their way into a relationship—let me pull up a seat!

Silliness aside, Beers toys with this trope in all the right ways. It’s smart and fresh, adding a complexity that deepens the storytelling. The choice is clever, but it’s not the only thing that makes the romance work. Beers chooses to tell this romance from Scottie’s perspective in first person. It’s equally as effective and suits the narrative well. Scottie’s inner dialogue sheds a light on some of the deep-seated hurts and frustrations she has with her family. Because Scottie is trying to recover from a low point in her life, it’s interesting to see how she processes the exchanges with her family. Her vulnerability feels real, making her a sympathetically relatable character. Overall, she’s genuinely appealing and readers want her to get the happily ever after she deserves.

As compelling of a character as Scottie is, there’s no denying the appeal of Marisa, the other ex of the ex. She’s a gorgeous character; it’s easy to see why Scottie is drawn to her. She displays a magnetism that’s hard to resist. Plus, she’s easy to like; her soft kindness and sense of responsibility are especially attractive. Readers connect to her. Furthermore, they like who she is when she’s with Scottie.

Final remarks…

Beers works hard to make this romance interesting. Besides giving it well-crafted leading ladies, she infuses it with healthy doses of subplot and subtext, ensuring space for the romance to expand and breathe properly. She also fortifies this tale with nicely rounded supporting characters. They work to enrich the storytelling in their own ways, making the narrative more dynamic and engaging. Overall, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this romance. It’s a fun romance and completely entertaining.

Strengths…

Original story concept
Likable characters
Interesting secondary characters
Sweet romance

Scottie Tempelton is a beautician and is just getting over a breakup. She gets talked into dancing classes by her beauty shop friend. The friend breaks his ankle and Scottie takes the classes by herself. I found the plot good and the characters also good. Scot6tie and Marisa have to get over their personal issues and also deal with maria's son Jaden. I recommend this book for all romance readers.

The premise about the characters being exes of the same person was interesting and unique (although probably very common in real life!) and the author had done a great job of depicting the characters’ feelings of unease and suspicion changing into friendship and romance. The two characters had great chemistry, although some insight into Marisa’s mind would have improved the narrative - the story was told entirely from Scottie’s point of view and while she was a very relatable character, we didn’t know much about Marisa and her background and thoughts.

I absolutely loved reading this book! Georgia Beers never disappoints. The story is engaging, and the characters are relatable. The author does an excellent job of creating a fun and romantic atmosphere that keeps you hooked until the very end. The main characters are charming, and their chemistry is electric. If you’re looking for a great romance novel, this is definitely one to check out.

Penelope definitely overstayed her welcome, I found myself upset that she was still around until the end when I felt she could have been wrapped up fairly in the beginning of the book so we could focus more on Marisa and Scottie who were so adorable! I almost felt robbed by the end of the book because we didn't get alot of family moments between Marisa, Scottie, and Jared. Do not get me wrong I loved the moments we got but had the focus not been on how they bonded over their Penelope trauma and how weird they felt about; but instead of on communicating how they really felt about one another the quick hipcup Penelope caused wouldn't have been as effective as it was.

Although Georgia Beers has written scores of books, this is the first one I’ve read. It’s the story of Scottie who has been recently dumped by her partner, Pen. She starts taking dance lessons to please a workmate and meets Mariso. Just to complicate things, Mariso is the woman Pen dumped to start her relationship with Scottie… it’s a decent premise but I wasn’t sold on Scottie as a character. The dynamic with Mariso didn’t really work for me and the way they overcame their obstacle seemed a bit too contrived.

In saying that, I loved Scottie’s gran, and also Jaden, and I wanted to visit the ice cream shop. Ms Beers is a very accomplished writer and the awkward dance sessions and the ‘will I go, won’t I go’ dichotomy was well captured.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley

George Beers just keeps getting better. Where do all these ideas keep coming from? I loved Dance with Me. I love movies and books about dancing. Scottie is a hairdresser and her best guy friend Bash is getting married and he wants to impress his new wife with his dance moves. Scotties goes to the classes until he breaks his leg. Anyone who doesn’t have a partner dance with the teacher. They get a new teacher Marisa, who happens to be the woman her ex broke up with to be with Scottie. And they both know who each other are. The friendship comes slowly but the attraction is there even though they are fighting it hard. They finally give in and the chemistry is off the charts, until Pen, both their ex’s wants Scottie back. Oh what a tangled web we weave.

In Dance with Me, I found my favourite couple among Georgia Beer’s books. While the premise suggested an unconventional pairing, the author made it easy to get wrapped up in how their relationship developed and needless to say, root for them to have a triumphant end.

The book was slow burn-y but fitting due to the characters developing affections under such precarious circumstances. For Scottie Templeton who struggled with identity and insecurity issues stemming from her parents’ neglect and a non-committal ex who chose to wed someone else, Marisa Reyes was an impossible dream. The book gave me all sorts of feels and there was a particular scene where Scottie’s questioning of her place in her family deeply resonated with me. The extremely likeable side characters were another plus and I was sorry to see the book end.

I just reviewed Dance with Me by Georgia Beers. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

3.75⭐️
"Dance With Me" brought back many memories of nine years of regularly dancing with my wife. I could relate to a lot of it and often smiled at the little awkwardnesses we also experienced, but also at the many wonderful hours we spent floating - or rocking - across the dance floor.

The book is in the usual Beers style, low-angst, low drama but very entertaining, however, in my humble opinion it is not her best.

Scottie (34) and Marisa (36), the two MCs, are likable, down-to-earth women both still suffering from the injuries of the last breakup. Through unexpected circumstances, the two women become dance partners, which normally wouldn't be a problem, but the fact that Marisa is her ex's ex makes the whole thing totally weird - and amusing for the reader. Those who dance themselves know how almost intimate dancing can be, especially Salsa, ohlala, hot. It doesn't take long until the sparks fly, and not only on the dance floor. An amusing and entertaining romance takes its course. There are a few small obstacles to overcome, but they don't prove to be very difficult.

The story is told from Scottie's point of view, which works quite well, but I would have liked to know a bit more from and about Marisa, which is not possible with this narration. The secondary characters were consequently also mainly from Scottie's side, but they were a great bunch of friends. I loved the scenes in the hair salon and the chatter with her best friends Bash and Demi. And a friend like Adley with her Ice cream store is all anyone can ask for (even without Ice cream).

What bothered me a bit was that Scottie and Marisa kept mentioning that the situation was weird in the first few weeks, but they never really talked about it. That was a little too repetitive for me.

Overall an enjoyable light read, right for a lazy weekend.
Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for receiving an ARC for an honest review.

📚review 📚. Dance with me -Georgia Beers hot dance teacher ? ✅ grandma who is sassy and sweet ? ✅ fabulous friends who try not to say m I told you so ‘ ? ✅ Ex who just NEEDS TO GO ✅. lovable but frustrating character who I would protect over everything? ✅. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First of all, is there anything hotter than a good dancer 🥵 for me, this book had ‘starting from scratch’ vibes and I am here for it. The story was fantastic, and absolutely made me crave ice cream and have a brief consideration about abandons teacher training and becoming a dance teacher , however I absolutely cannot get over how amazing Scotties Grandmother is. This is what I find with Beers’ books, the characters are so vivid, so human and so right, it’s what makes her different ( in my opinion. At least in this books the grandma didn’t die - still not over that btw. A really important part of the book was Scotties relationship with her parents. As someone from a split family , that absolutely struck a chord with me and her words ( no spoilers ) to them later in the book, oh my god, my heart felt that. I absolutely loved this book, as I do with all of them, but I feel that this will have a hugely special place in my heart ( it’s on par with my favourite ever ‘ Starting from Scratch’ )
Also posted : https://www.instagram.com/p/CqtiLDCI-Lm/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

This book was pure romance, I loved every second of it.
I fell in love with both main characters, loved how they knew they were “it” for each other and made me feel warm and fuzzy.
Also loved the secondary characters, will absolutely read Adley’s story.
The whole Penelope thing was just enough drama, and I absolutely loved Scottie’s grandmother.
This is a total win for Georgia Beers.

2.5 stars
This is a one note story. Very little happens. Scottie, after her break up, lives with her grandmother. She takes dancing lessons. Falls for the instructor. End of story. Pretty much that's it. There is a minor angst with the ex but easily resolved.
This really didn't feel like a Georgia Beers story. We live in Scotties head and we hear EVERYTHING she thinks. I felt uncomfortable with the dialog. A lot of repetition and rambling. In fact I skimmed most of the interplay with her 2 best friends Bash and Demi. A lot of chatter that didnt advance the story.
Beers is one of my favorite authors. So I'm sad this one missed the mark for me.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars!

Scottie is a hairdresser, who starts dance lessons to help out a best friend but ends up needing to be partnered and taught by new teacher, Marisa, someone Scottie knows of from her past which makes things very interesting.

Marisa seems like a great person I would've loved to get to know and see more of. I feel we only get a glimpse of her character as it's in Scottie's first person POV. Noted as a reader, I definitely prefer both sides of the story, but if you like first person POV, you’ll enjoy it more.

I found it difficult to connect with Scottie, with her thoughts and actions coming across as a little immature in certain situations for her age.

The story itself was nice and made for a quick weekend read, although this was one of the more predictable books I've read of late. While Georgia Beers is one of my favourite authors, I didn’t enjoy it as much as her others.

Scottie, the protagonist, was not a very likeable or intriguing character. Unfortunately, the story is told in first person so we only get her perspective. I didn't understand what Marisa saw in her and there was just no reason for me to root for them as a couple. There was no real character development, any issues just magically resolve themselves and the lack of depth throughout the whole book is mind-numbing.

Scottie Templeton is a people pleaser. She is 34, a hair dresser, and lives with her grandmother after her last girlfriend cheated and made her move out. She agrees when her friend asks her to take dance lessons with him to surprise his fiancee at their wedding. Marissa Reyes is 36, beautiful and covers for the dance instructor when she goes out of town. Attraction flairs between the two but they share an unexpectedly weird, commonality.

Beers writes great, low angst, feel good romances and I am a fan. Her latest books feature common people with regular jobs and are based in the fictional town of Northwood. There isn’t overlap between characters but I love that these two visit Martini’s, a bar they is featured in the author’s Swizzle Stick series.

The entire story is from Scottie’s POV, which works and she suffers from some mommy and daddy insecurity issues. I have a soft spot for characters who want to be seen or heard by their family and this one got to me on that level. I may have wanted a few extra scenes in the book. Like Marissa using her financial planning skills to help Scottie open her own salon. Or see Scottie get some spoken resolution with her parents. But maybe if, fingers-crossed, Adley Purcell gets her own story, I can get updates on Scott and Marissa’s future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Great start. I’ve only met one main but it’s been a blast. The style of writing is conversational. I don’t mean by that it’s all speech but the voice of the narrator, one main, is like catching up with your funny friend who is bringing you hilariously up to date.
Oh my! 18% in and a plot turn I did not expect. I was already loving this book but I’ve just sat up a little straighter and smiled a little brighter. If I had popcorn I’d be breaking it out, like a meme.
The book continues in the same wonderful way. The only blot on the horizon is that there will have to be a break up in order to make up. I also think the ex is going to be involved in the bumps….. oh and one main has made the idiotic decision to not tell the other that the ex has been in touch. Does she not read romance novels? This never goes well. Also this is the second book this happened in recently. Both that and this were funny, brilliant books…. Despite the stupidity of one main!
Not telling goes as well as can be expected, but then there is another plot development!
This book was amusing throughout and I was glued to it, amazing considering how little angst really there was.

Ice creams and hot sexy dancing what’s not to like? I enjoyed this book very much, it is told from Scottie’s POV and I think that works very well, I liked the love story with the premise about the ex, the interactions at the salon, the dance classes and all the secondary characters, especially grandma and Jaden.

I would give this book 5 stars but the end of the book felt rushed, I would have liked to know that Demi, Bash and Scottie opened their own salon and what name was eventually chosen, also the story about Scottie’s friend Adley seems unfinished, why she was worried? what was wrong with the ice cream place which was always busy? And lastly, there were too many references to their relationship being weird for my liking, I think both main characters could have explored more why it was weird to date the same person instead of saying that it was weird so many times. I don’t want to sound too negative because I really liked the book but if those things would have been resolved probably would have been one of my favourites by Georgia Beers.