Today’s technology of DNA, what a remarkable tool, not that long ago one we couldn’t even conceive, now lost family members are being found and secrets are being reveal. Loved how the author used this tool to bring three sisters together, and then they decide to live together for a year.
This is a series that I have read previous books in, and this is the start of a new one, but you will not be lost to read this one, it really can stand alone.
What a joy these sisters are, and so different, and love their personalities, and compassion.
We are given a bit of romance, a few new friends, and one new one whose life is being threatened, as we follow this family finding one another.
I really enjoyed this story, and it felt like something that really happened!

I received this book through Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.25 Hearts This is the first time reading this author. But it is the first in a new series so I decided to give it a try.

I might have picked it up because of the coincidences. First one of the names (Kimber) is one of the coincidences but also, oddly, I just found I have a sister I didn’t know about… year, really!

This story is very much women’s lit. There is romance but with a “hero” I never really fell for. And there was a bunch in the story that didn’t flow. Somethings done off page that didn’t make sense. Which is why I say it is more women’s lit than romance.

Still on the fence.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a terrific start of a new series. Three sisters separated as toddlers and growing up in different states move into an apartment that Shannon has found in a small Ohio town. Shannon is disappointed that her first private dance student is only there because he lost a bet. The handsome police officer Dylan may have started lessons for that reason, but he enjoys the lessons and is charmed by his instructor. Dylan's sister Jen is still getting over the trauma of being attacked two years ago. Jen is started to venture back into life, but it might put her life at peril. I received a free copy of this eBook from the publisher. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I really enjoyed reading this charming book. I would love to live in a small town like Bridgeport and visit Camille's bookstore and enjoy Jen's cooking. I found the main characters very believable. I love this sweet romance with a touch of suspense and I look forward to the next book in this series.

It was fun to read about how three adopted sisters find each other. Lost family members are being found with tools we’ve never had before such the internet and DNA matching. It’s a sweet beginning to a new series that has readers get to know these sisters as each learns about the other. They’ve decided to live together for a year in order for relationships to grow.

The author has readers along with the characters get settled into a quaint small town in Bridgeport, Ohio, with a great bookstore and a dance studio. This is a story about family, friends, making a home and facing deep hurts in unexpected ways. I’ve read other books by this author and have enjoyed them as much as this one. The only thing different in this book was the fact it had a few cuss words in it. I look forward to getting to know each sister as well as we got to know twenty-seven-year-old Shannon Murphy in this first book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. Shall We Dance? debuts January 28th.

Shall We Dance? started with a cute premise; a woman getting to know her two birth sisters purchases a dance studio and moves in with them above the studio. As she’s getting to know them, she’s simultaneously falling in love with her hot cop student.

Unfortunately, the plot spiraled off into a side plot that took away most of the attention from the main romance: the hot cop’s sister is hard at work overcoming her PTSD from a gang rape when she realizes she’s being stalked by one of her previous attackers. Normally I’m a big fan of strong subplots in romance, but this was such a large part of the book that it often felt like the romance plot between the MC and the cop had been entirely abandoned. Wooden dialogue did not help, nor a host of missed opportunities for good scenes. One of my romance pet peeves is when the author skips over important life events, and this book missed several, namely the proposal and the wedding. Surely I am not the only one out there who thinks it is absolutely senseless to gloss over a wedding when the entire point of the book is supposed to be the romance? Anyone with me on this? Because I see it allllll the time.

Anyway, Shall We Dance? remains very surface-level from start to finish; it never got past lukewarm for me, whether in the character relationships, the chemistry, or the plot. There will of course be sequels to this book–romance authors adore their big families!–but I won’t be picking up the next in the series.

2.5 Stars

Sometimes it’s nice to read a story that is exactly that...nice.

Shelley Shepherd Gray’s new Dance With Me series takes place in Bridgeport, Ohio - the same location as her Bridgeport Social Club series, and several of those characters made an appearance in Shall We Dance. Whereas the Bridgeport Social Club series was focused on several men who meet to play poker in a garage, I’m guessing this new series will be about three women - Shannon, Traci, and Kimber - who just recently learned they were sisters.

Shannon Murphy has recently moved to the idyllic town of Bridgeport, Ohio to open a dance studio. She’ll be living in an apartment above the studio with her two sisters, who have all just met for the first time. They’ve each committed to living together for one year so they can get to know each other.

Dylan Lange is a police officer with the Bridgeport PD. When he comes in last place in his fantasy football league, his “punishment” is to take ballroom dance lessons. While he’s not initially very happy about losing, Dylan comes to enjoy his lessons as well as the time he gets to spend with Shannon.

In addition to Dylan and Shannon, we also have a side-story involving Dylan’s sister, Jennifer, who is learning how to live again - without fear - after a brutal assault. Dylan is understandably overprotective, Jennifer is taking baby steps to have a normal life. She meets a really nice young man...

As much as I appreciate that this book (as well as three others by Ms. Gray that I’ve read) have been low drama, and low angst, they leave me wanting more. These are a good, solid stories - but they could be great with just a little bit more. This book has two major stories that intersect, but I don’t feel either of them was given justice.

With the hero and heroine, we never get a full relationship development. We get slightly more insight into how Shannon is feeling and what she’s thinking, but very little of Dylan’s. They spend very little time together outside of their lessons - which are frequently wrought with combative exchanges.

Then, the hero behaves like an ass, doesn't apologize the next time he sees the heroine, and she makes excuses for why he was so rude to her. It made me not like the hero. (On the flip side, while I would have liked to see Shannon lay into Dylan for being a jerk, I can appreciate that she was willing to look at the situation he was dealing with, have sympathy, and offer grace to the hero.) Several chapters later we find out the hero and heroine did have a chat to clear the air...along with a declaration of love...but it all happened off page. Are you kidding me??? WHY wouldn’t you include that? It’s a major part of a relationship! For that reason, I’d say these stories are closer to women’s fiction than romance. And I’m okay with that, but also a little disappointed because this could have been a really good love story.

But then again, that’s an issue I’ve had with this author, more than once. These books are labeled as romance, but the relationships between the hero and heroine are secondary. Which isn’t a bad thing...unless you’re anticipating a book focused on a romance. Unless the synopsis of the book leads to believe you’re going to be reading a romance, as I believe this one does (as well as the other ones I’ve read). I like Ms. Gray writing, I like her characters and the plots. But I feel like we’re getting a bare-bones story that doesn’t take us quite all the way to happily ever after. This one had a lot of potential, but failed to reach it.

So, this was probably my final Shelley Shepherd Gray book. I’ve enjoyed her stories, but too many times I’ve finished the last page and thought “that’s it? It’s over???” I want to feel a sense of completion and contentment when I finish a book, not be left wanting more. If an author can’t deliver that, I’ll pick a different author. Good thing there are more than enough to choose from!

* thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Three sisters meet as adults for the very first time as they did not know the others existed as their mom died when they were very young. It's a typical sweet Hallmark like movie with some tragedy too.

I loved this book. shelley is one of my favorite authors. I can not wait to read more I'd books.
I couldn't put it down.

Shall We Dance is a perfect fit to this series. I started reading the series because the real Bridgeport Ohio is not far from my hometown, I have read the entire series because the author is one of my favorites and this series is so good. I loved each book and have recommended it many times.

I really liked this book. I appreciated the theme of female friendship and sisterly support as the main character, Shannon, learned to live with and love her new-found sisters and the sister of the love interest, Dylan. The relationship of Shannon and Dylan was definitely more of a slow burn, and I liked watching it develop over the course of the book. Although I would consider this book a romance, it also dealt with a lot of heavy issues related to recovering from past traumas and was almost an adventure/thriller at times as Dylan and Shannon's sister (both cops) sought to protect their families from violence. All in all, I felt totally immersed in the book and on the edge of my seat as to how it would all be resolved. If you like small town romances with women supporting women and an unfolding mystery/drama, I would highly recommend this book!

This book immediately drew me in and I found it hard to put down all day. It was very engaging. The characters were wonderful. They were unique yet felt very authentic and relatable. They were likeable. I laughed at Dylan and Shannon’s rocky start and enjoyed all the dancing bits as I used to take lessons myself.
I appreciated the commitment the three sisters made to each other even though they didn’t know each other at the beginning. It was beautiful watching them learn about and experience each other as family.
I’m excited about this new series. I am glad it is set in Bridgeport so people from the Bridgeport Social Club series can make an appearance. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I’d highly recommend it.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I will be honest. I was drawn to this story because I love the movie Shall We Dance, Mr. Clark. What I found was this book does not disappoint. I love how the characters in the story became instant favorites of mine. Each was well fleshed out and the story line kept the book moving.
Shannon Murphy finds that she has two half sisters that she never knew about until now. Through loving persuasion, Shannon has convinced her sisters to move in with her over her dance studio in Bridgeport. She is looking to grow not only her family ties but her business. When Dylan Lang becomes her newest client, can she keep this all business? Dylan lost a bet, Dance Lessons were the consequences. However, one look at the dance instructor and maybe the lost bet was his gain. This is a really fun read that keeps the reader on edge. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

Back a few months ago I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of Shall We Dance by Shelley Shepard Gray. It was an enjoyable heart-warming novel that ticked all the boxes. Charming characters, secondary drama, and familiar settings left me with all the feels.

This title will be published January 28th, 2020 – get your copy when it hits the shelves for a comfortable, friendly read. Tagged as “women’s fiction”, you’ll be transported to a beloved, fictional small town crafted by a bestselling author.

My thanks to Blackstone Publishing for the complimentary copy provided via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sweet story, nice return to Bridgeport. This was a heartwarming story of family, friendships, and love. I look forward to more in the series.

Shall We Dance is a sweet romance. This book is well written and has believable characters. You can never go wrong with this author’s books. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

Shelley Shepard Gray gives us a new contemporary series, which is a very delightful, easy read.

The characters are interesting as 2 families are introduced – 3 sisters who have just discovered each other and strive to learn about each other and form the family they have missed out on through their lives, and a young police officer and his sister, who is living with him right now as she recovers from the trauma of an attack.

Family dynamics, new friendships, and love take a few twists and turns, but definitely keeps your attention as you want to see how these relationships resolve.

This is an excellent book that leaves you just waiting for the next installment of the series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

Shall We Dance by Shelley Shepard Gray is a contemporary romance about 3 sisters who just found each other as adults. This story featured Shannon. She is dance instructor and her handsome hero is a cop who lost a bet and had to take dance lessons. This was a mystery as well as a romance. I really enjoyed it. I look forward to the next installment in the series. For those of you who are used to this author's Amish and historical books, be warned this one is a bit different. There are a few light curse words but is a clean and wholesome read.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

I enjoyed the set-up and characters in this short novel. I wish, however, that several aspects of the plot had been better developed. We’re told that Shannon suddenly discovered that she had two sisters and they’d all been adopted by different families. Now they’ve decided to all move in together in the little Ohio town from Shepard Gray’s earlier novels. It’s not clear how Shannon found her sisters and why they picked this town for the three of them to move to. I would have liked some flashbacks to clarify that.

Now Shannon has opened up a dance studio and she meets her new student, Dylan, who had to take dance lessons for a bet he lost. Of course, he and Shannon are soon going to find out they’re attracted to each other. Add in another plot about Dylan’s younger sister, Jennifer, who has been traumatized after being attacked and raped. He is constantly worried about her as she is slowly recovering from her agoraphobia.

The plot and characters were interesting, but everything gets wrapped up pretty quickly. There’s a bit of suspense, but that is over in just a paragraph. Shannon and Dylan have a conflict, but that also gets resolved pretty easily. Jennifer starts out as terrified to go anywhere and her difficulties take up a lot of the novel, but we’re also told that she does the cooking and shopping for her brother. So I’m not sure how that matches up with her supposed fears of going out in public.

I still enjoyed the book, but I think the author could have gone into a bit more depth with some of the situations she set up.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

“Shall We Dance?” by Shelley Shepard Gray
I really loved this story. If you like clean romance with a touch of police drama then I think you will really like this story too. A nice touch was the dance quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I would love to chat with you about this story… but then I would run the chance of spoiling the story for you… because discovering all the bits and pieces of the story is why we read our novels… Oops almost forgot to share that I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley. And, this review expresses my honest opinions. Happy Reading ! !

As usual, Shelley Shepard Gray gives us another addictive series surrounding characters that feel like best friends or family to us. In Shall We Dance, the first in a series of three, we are introduced to three sisters who are forging a relationship. Separated as young children and sharing the same mother, the girls work on becoming sisters by moving in together. Shall We Dance revolves around Shannon, a dance instructor. The girls move into the apartment above Shannon's dance studio in the small town of Bridgeport, Ohio. Shannon's new student, Dylan, is only there because he lost a bet with his police buddies. Of course, sparks fly between the two but they aren't really the plot twist of the book. This revolves around Dylan's younger sister, the victim of a brutal attack. Shall We Dance blurs the lines between family and friends and proves it really does take a village.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from NetGalley.