What a BEAUTIFUL story! I absolutely cherished every page of this book and couldn’t grasp how well the story came together. I loved the main characters and their honesty.

This is a compelling second-chance romance that follows former sweethearts Zoe and Jase who are forced back together as dance partners at an elite ballet academy. Savas creates authentic characters with genuine emotional complexity. Both Zoe's guilt over her hidden secret and Jase's lingering hurt feel real rather than manufactured, while their forced partnership as dancers provides natural opportunities for both conflict and reconnection. The author clearly understands the competitive ballet world, using the physical and psychological demands effectively to heighten the romantic tension.
The slow reveal of what drove them apart maintains engagement while allowing for gradual character development. Savas handles the emotional stakes with sensitivity, showing how past trauma affects present relationships without rushing to easy resolutions. The dance setting serves as both metaphor and catalyst for their emotional journey. The authentic ballet details and genuine teenage voices create a compelling read that balances romance with personal growth.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I really liked this book! The only things that I didn't really love about it was the pacing. I feel like more than 50% of the book was Zoe telling us that she had gone through some kind of trauma but we don't find out what it is until about 60% in when everything is getting wrapped up. The same goes for Jase but at least with him, we know that he feels the way he does due to being abandoned. That being said, I think the author did a good job in hinting at what had happened to Zoe (which is a good and bad thing). I feel like because it was so obvious, she didn't have to wait so long to actually say what happened. I feel like because the same plot kept happening over and over again, once the two actually communicated, the book was almost done and the author had to try and wrap everything up. The last 30% of the book was just back to back other issues that were talked about being all tied up. It just all seemed too convenient. I also didn't love Charlotte as a character, if you are going to hint that she has something awful in store for Zoe then commit, but that whole subplot was lackluster at best (and i'm not talking about the trauma incident, i'm talking about when she first gets to the school). Overall, I think it was a solid first book and I can't wait for it to release in stores here in the states. I know this is part of a series so I am curious about the other books as well.

this was a strong opening chapter to the New England School of Ballet series, it had that ballet elements that I was hoping for and enjoyed from this type of book. It was a unique concept and worked with the world that was going on. The characters had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. Anna Savas wrote this well and left me wanting more.

I was a little worried at first that since I don't know much about dance, I might not be completely engaged but I was definitely wrong- I loved this!

I really liked how the book shifted between two timelines to preserve the mystery of what happened for as long as possible. We can see that there's all sorts of tension and hurt feelings and anger between the main characters in the current timeframe, but it's only as we get small glimpses of what happens in the past that we can finally get the full picture of what happened to define them as they are now. It was also clear that both the FMC and the MMC had their own demons to deal with and as they deal with the past, they are able to be the support that the other needs to heal.

The spice level is around 2 chili peppers but the depth of the plot and characters makes that a natural amount and nothing seems gratuitous or inappropriate. It was a compelling and heart wrenching second chance story that was very well done.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — I’m in love. In love. In love.
I didn’t expect Hold Me to stir up this much emotion in me. Second-chance romances can be tough — the feelings often predate the story itself — but this book handles it beautifully.

Zoe and Jase felt so real. The flashbacks were perfectly placed, and the chapter openers, where they exchange personal truths, gave their story an extra layer of depth and intimacy. I was completely hooked on their journey.

The side dynamics — family, siblings, friendships — were just as moving and gave the story a lot of emotional weight. The dance academy setting was warm and atmospheric; I would’ve loved a bit more focus on the dance element, but with three more books coming, I’m not worried!

This book delivered everything I look for in New Adult romance: emotional intensity, relatable characters, and slow-burn chemistry. Absolutely recommended!

Really enjoyed this second chance ballet themed romance. I love the new England setting and the cut throat ballet aspect. Plus, the cover is gorgeous!

This book delivers on every level: angst, passion, tenderness, and a slow burn that pays off in the best way. If you love stories with high emotional stakes and the intensity of forced proximity, this one is for you.

3.5 ⭐️

Tropes you’ll find:
🩰 Forced proximity / dance partners
💔 Second chance romance
🔥 Unresolved tension
💖 Emotional healing

Perfect for fans of: emotional, character-driven romances and anyone who loves the drama and beauty of a ballet backdrop.

📚 Huge thanks to Anna Savas and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

#HoldMe #AnnaSavas #RomanceReaders #BalletRomance #BookReview #NetGalley

Wow wow wow. I didn’t expect to love this romance book. But give me a sequel immediately. The cover is deceptively cute, but this story was deep and had heart

Charlotte is the worst human being in the entire world I want her to PERISH!!!

But sidenote I LOVED this book I am so HEAVILY invested. The writing?? Superb? The storyline? Beautiful. The love story? YEARNING ALL DAY!!

Jase and Pixie (IYKYK) have such deep seated problems and obstacles yet they found each other in the worst of times and reconciled in the even worser of times. Their love really touched my heart and getting to be on the journey of their second chance was beautiful.

This story is moving and filled with how love can bring out the best in you and impacts so much more than you and that other person, it lifts you up and provides you a space to grow into the best version of yourself.


I literally teared up and cried and can’t wait for this book to come out.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, LYX, and Anna Savas for an advanced reader copy of the English-translated version of Hold Me in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a 5-star read for me!
This was the first book I’ve ever read set in the world of ballet dancing, and although I’m new to everything, I really enjoyed it!
This is the first book in the New England School of Ballet series, and I really enjoyed experiencing this cut-throat and elite version of education and society that I’m unfamiliar with. This is set in one of the richest neighborhoods of Boston, and the characters are top young athletes in the world of ballet dancing.
I know virtually nothing about ballet, and it was neat to learn so much more about the ballet culture and the strenuous training the dancers go through.

This wasn’t a light and fluffy read— there are a lot of heavier topics, such as sexual assault, the aftermath of that act, mental health issues, loss of family members, bullies, and really disappointing family dynamics. But I really feel that the author paid a lot of respect to each of these topics, and she made them come to light in really authentic and relatable ways. She helps us to understand traumas and difficulties that we have hopefully never experienced, and it’s oddly refreshing to experience everything these main characters go through and then to experience their journeys toward growth and healing.
Hold Me was definitely stressful at times, but it was real and made me feel difficult emotions that pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I’m always grateful for an author that can do that.

The two main characters are Zoe and Jase, and their love story begins very briefly in a really sweet way, but then they’re pulled apart (for reasons we eventually learn), and Jase is left feeling confused, angry, and abandoned. This leads to a lot of anger and tension when Zoe and Jase are eventually reunited a year after they last saw each other, and their journey back to each other is really beautiful.
Zoe and Jase are both ballet dancers, and admittedly, I had trouble wrapping my head around a ballet dancer as the main male lead. I read a lot of hockey romances, so this was VERY different, but I found myself really enjoying it and really enjoying their chemistry.

I loved Hold Me a lot, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
I will absolutely be recommending Hold Me to any of my fellow romance girlies. ❤️

I adored this book. It delivered way more emotion than I expected, and the second-chance romance felt genuinely lived-in. The blend of flashbacks and honest exchanges between Zoe and Jase made their connection believable and sweet.
The character dynamics, family, friends, siblings, added real depth, and the gentle writing style made the dance-academy setting feel warm and atmospheric. I would've loved a little more actual dancing, but I’m excited we get more books in the series.
A soft, emotional New Adult romance I easily recommend. 🩰💗

Thank you, NetGalley, for a chance to read this amazing book.

I seriously loved this book, and I can't wait to get my hands on the beautiful sprayed edged English preorder when it comes out in March.

"Tell me your secrets and I will tell you mine."

"Why are you telling me all your secrets?" Because you're real. And somehow, you're able to make me feel something.

Zoe's and Jase's relationship was such a beautiful and moving second chance romance that I quickly ate it up in one sitting. Building up their relationship through the use of letters (that started in high school), where they revealed a secret that they never shared with anyone made me truly believe their friendship and that they were each other's lifeline even when they weren't together.

A secret or thought was revealed every chapter head; it was so meaningful and made their relationship feel so special throughout the whole story (I loved reading them so much). This is a second chance romance so get ready for all the pain, hurt they caused, and frustration but seeing them pick up each other's pieces time and time again through some serious life and emotional trauma was so inspiring and healing.

"Because you're you, and I'm me. And I believe that together we can be everything."

Jase was so down bad for Zoe, and I loved every moment. Even when he was mad and felt betrayed, he couldn't stay away and needed her to find some peace in his tumultuous life. Uhhh the mirror scenes between them were everything....so emotional and sensual (I will be thinking about them for a while.)

I adored this story and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves heartbreaking and second chances; I'm dying to read the other stories when they are translated. I can't wait to go read Anna's backlog of books. I can really tell the amount of love and research she put into learning ballet and its techniques. Thank you for an amazing story.