A sexy contemporary romance. Kate is definitely not a professional dancer, but she's nervously excited to show off her abilities as a contestant on a new dance competition show. And her chemistry with her new dance partner is off the charts. Do they have a shot at winning? And can a showmance evolve into something real?

The competition aspect was fun, and I did enjoy the fake to real romance between Kate and Aleksis. The romance is very steamy. More explicit sex scenes than I prefer. I hated Merle from the start and just wished Kate could have put up better boundaries. She honestly didn't have much of a character though. It was a fun little read, but I'm not sure I'd pick it up again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Kate Wareing's life takes an unexpected turn when she secures a spot in a televised dance competition, paired first with the charming Merle, then with the brooding Aleksis. As she navigates a web of romance, competition, and scandal, Kate must decide between her feelings for her fake boyfriend and her real partner, knowing her choices could alter her future.

Get ready to tango with laughter and swoon with passion in Becky Ward's "The Dance Deception"! This rom-com is hotter than a salsa on a summer night and more entertaining than a reality TV dance competition.

From the get-go, you're thrown into the whirlwind world of reality TV, where Kate Wareing finds herself thrust into the spotlight as a contestant on a televised dance competition. Paired with the dreamy French dancer, Merle, Kate's journey takes unexpected twists and turns as scandals and sparks fly faster than a cha-cha.

But fear not, dear reader, for this isn't just any run-of-the-mill romance. Oh no, this book has more drama than a soap opera and more twists than a pirouette. With enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes at play, you'll be on the edge of your seat, rooting for Kate and her new partner, Aleksis, to sizzle both on and off the dance floor.

And speaking of sizzle, let's talk about the spice! From page five onwards, prepare for steamy scenes that'll make you blush brighter than a tango dress. The chemistry between Kate and her dance partners is off the charts, and you'll be fanning yourself as you turn the pages.

But it's not all heat and passion. Becky Ward weaves in moments of jaw-dropping drama and unexpected twists that'll leave you gasping for breath. Just when you think you know where the story is headed, Ward throws in a curveball that'll keep you guessing until the very end.

And let's not forget about the characters! Kate may start off as a self-absorbed mess, but her journey of growth and self-discovery is both relatable and heartwarming. And her dance partners, Merle and Aleksis, add layers of complexity and intrigue to the story, making you question who she'll end up with until the final page.

In short, "The Dance Deception" is a must-read for anyone looking for a hilarious, steamy, and utterly entertaining romp through the world of reality TV romance. So grab your dancing shoes, crank up the music, and get ready to waltz into a world of love, laughter, and plenty of drama!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 | Avon for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Dance Deception" had the potential to be an entertaining and romantic dance-themed novel, but it ultimately falls flat due to a contrived plot, one-dimensional characters, and a lack of genuine emotional depth.

The premise of a woman participating in a televised dance competition and becoming entangled in a love triangle with her professional partners is intriguing. However, the execution fails to deliver a compelling story. The characters lack depth and development, making it difficult to invest in their relationships or motivations.

Kate, the protagonist, comes across as naive and indecisive, constantly torn between the two love interests, Merle and Aleksis, who are little more than caricatures of the charming Frenchman and the brooding bad boy. Their interactions feel forced and lack the natural chemistry and banter that could have made their romantic entanglements more engaging.

The plot itself is riddled with clichés and predictable twists, offering little in the way of surprises or fresh storytelling. The dance competition aspect, which could have been a highlight, feels underutilized and serves more as a backdrop for the contrived romantic drama.

Ward's writing style is serviceable but fails to elevate the material, often relying on tired tropes and superficial descriptions. The dialogue, in particular, feels stilted and unconvincing, further undermining the already weak character development.

While "The Dance Deception" might appeal to readers seeking a light and undemanding romance novel, it falls short of delivering a truly engaging or memorable reading experience. With its lack of depth, predictable plot, and underdeveloped characters, this book struggles to rise above a mediocre 2-star rating.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I had the pleasure of diving into the intricate world crafted by Becky Ward in her novel, "The Dance Deception," and I'm immensely grateful to NetGalley for granting me access to an advance reader copy (ARC) of this captivating book. Ward's narrative skill shines brightly in this gripping tale of intrigue, betrayal, and the power of redemption.

"The Dance Deception" unfolds with a perfect blend of suspense and mystery, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Ward's characters are expertly developed, each with their own secrets and motivations that add layers of complexity to the story. As the plot twists and turns, we're drawn deeper into a web of deception and danger, unable to tear ourselves away until the truth is revealed.

Ward's writing is both immersive and evocative, painting vivid scenes that leap off the page and into the imagination. With its compelling storyline and well-crafted suspense, "The Dance Deception" is a must-read for fans of thrillers and mystery novels. I highly recommend this book to anyone in search of a captivating read that will keep them guessing until the very end. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with the opportunity to experience this gripping tale before its official release.

I loved how delightfully spicy this was. Out of the gate it was hot hot hot, then WHOA! Back to start we go with the slow build. Delicious!

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I don’t know what it was about this but I really tried to read it and enjoy it but I never really cared about the characters at all… they just didn’t have much for personality. I didn’t finish. I’m sorry. I like the idea but just couldn’t get into it

DNF at like 4 chapters

Thank you to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for a review

I couldn't get into this book, it was slow, it was boring, and the sex scene in like the fourth chapter was bland.

Kate's Dance Dilemma had the potential to be a compelling read, it seems that inconsistencies and problematic elements detracted from the overall enjoyment. There were parts I like, but I sadly would not recommend this book to my friends.

Don’t let this cute little cover fool you, this book is full of 🌶️🌶️!

The Dance Deception follows Kate a contestant on a celebrity reality show dancing competition. She is paired with Merle, a professional dancer, and very quickly discovers the chemistry. Eventually Kate is forced to take on a new partner, Aleksis, and so begins a fake dating showmance. The chemistry starts out as fake but could it be more??

I am a sucker for a dancing competition and this book was filled with all the drama of a reality show. I was there for it and couldn’t get enough. Also the spice was insane! I definitely wasn’t expecting it.

I definitely look forward to more from this author.

Another 2023 read that I loved, that started off super hot (sorry but I won't sugar coat this one). Loved the dedication of the main character, the chemistry from both of her dance partners, the way the story made me think of behind the scenes of Dancing with the Stars, and I'm pretty sure I screamed out loud in multiple parts when reading. And let's not forget the ex-wife! Without spoiling it, I LOVED her involvement in the entire scheme. It was a perfect twist I wouldn't have expected when I first started reading and she was "Karma" personified. Without her, I don't think it would have done it for me. Enemies to lovers? Fake dating? Having to deal with paparazzi and reporters and all that jazz? I was eating it all up.

A big thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this and to the author for this story.

I had a hard time getting on board with this book. The characters were so messy, and not in a fun way. I found most of the spicy scenes seemed to happen out of nowhere and were really abrupt and just not realistic.

I had a really hard time liking the characters. The ending was the best way to wrap up this kind of story, and I felt satisfied after, but the only thing really keeping me interested was Lucy.

I received this ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Please take my review with a grain of salt, as this normally isn't the kind of book I'd pick up.

I really wanted to like this more!

The overall reading experience was easy as the writing was accessible but some parts I felt were a little unnecessary (toward the middle mostly).

So we follow Kate as she enters this reality show dance competition. She is paired with Merle a professional dancer, but if you ask me he is not professional at all. They end up heating things up extremely quickly. That along with a few terrible decisions made by Kate really annoyed me.

It finished up nicely though and isnt too bad. Overall I enjoyed some parts but was really frustrated in others.

This book fell a little flat for me. I liked the concept, but hated the characters. Okay, hate is a strong word, but I wasn't connected to any of them (even the protagonist) and deeply disliked some of the other characters. The plot felt like it was missing. I think there was too many sex scenes that didn't lead to character development of further the missing plot.

While I typically love a fake dating, love triangle book, this one honestly fell flat for me. I wanted to love the characters, but it didn't feel like there was really any substance to them. I still barely feel like I know them.

I’m not really sure what I think about this book. I know I don’t like Kate’s first partner. And I love Sofiya and Aleksis. But I feel like it all went too fast and was a bit too caught up on the sex rather than emotional connection until way later in the book. That said, the last third was far better than the rest, so I’m glad I didn’t give up on it.

When I requested this ARC, I was really excited about the prospect of a romance set on a dance reality tv show. However, I had begun to read the other arc reviews and saw that the general consensus was that this book wasn’t great, so I had put off reading it until now. As much as I wish it were otherwise, the other reviews were right.

The Dance Deception follows Kate, an out of her luck woman who is stuck at a crappy job. After her friend pushes her to join a dance reality tv show, she quits and starts training with her dance partner Merle. After a scandal, Kate is forced to dance with, and later fake date, a new partner, Aleksis.

First of all, it is very clear that Kate has had bad experiences dating in the past. It blows my mind that all of Merle’s red flags would have gone unnoticed. Generally, a lot of the things that happened in the books seemed super implausible: the person that took the picture, the return of a couple in the final, and the end result.

On top of that, I was 35% through the book when I realized that I didn’t really understand Kate. With other books, I can imagine the main characters in other scenarios and can predict how they would act. I can’t do that with Kate. She just felt like a surface level character. Furthermore, a lot of the character interactions felt super shallow especially amongst the contestants that were friends. Other characters also felt really surface level, like they had no personality beyond moving the plot forward, like Sofiya and Liam.

I will say, there was some redemption a little later in the book when Kate and Aleksis went from fake dating to actually dating. That part was pretty good, but I don’t think it was worth reading the entire book for.

PS. Thank you Harper 360 for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.