I loved the dance competition show part of this book! Gina and Stone are a PHYSICAL couple, and I don’t just mean the sex. A lot of their emotional work was through dance and I think it was done really well. Alexis Daria also had a great way of changing up the monotony of weekly reality shows that not every book can get away from. I definitely want to read the next book in this dance romance series!

I have always been a fan of reality tv dancing competitions. So when I saw Take the Lead, I thought it would be a great story of mixing some reality and fiction. This did not disappoint!

I thought the story threw the drama in at the right times. The characters show us how they evolve within the story. Then you have the heart of the story which is the dancing. There are so many reasons why folks do these things, but this story goes beyond that. I enjoyed reading Take the Lead in a couple of days. At the end, I was smiling from ear to ear.

The “ reality” in reality tv

If you love dancing with the stars, behind the scenes in reality tv, dirty dancing, step up, and maybe the wilderness this book if for you.
This was such a cute, sexy, and fun debut. I love Alex Daria’s writing and boy she can write sexual tension. This book is about Stone a tv celebrity survivalist living in Alaska with his family and Gina a dancer and choreographer on the show Dance off. I appreciate authenticity. It was clear that Daria has a background in Dance or she did her research!! I learned a lot. I loved the emotional connection and it was seen through their dance moves. My only issue was the pacing, but it was a great debut!
Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved Daria's writing since I read Take the Lead for the first time in February of 2018 and I was so excited when she first announced that St. Martin's was going to re-publish her debut novel with updates! And if all of y'all would kindly read and rave about this book, I would be so appreciative because Dance with Me is book two in this series and my personal favorite. So I really need St. Martin's to get with the program and go ahead and agree that they'll publish it too. (I am begging.)

Essentially, Take the Lead follows Puerto Rican professional dancer Gina who is one of the stars The Dance Off (think DWTS) and her producer is a bit of a nightmare who decides to push a showmance on Gina with her new partner, Stone. Now, Stone is the "strong and silent type" on his family's show about living off the grid in Alaska. The two of them have an immediate electric connection, but Gina refuses to get slotted into the sexy Latina stereotype so she is extremely resistant to giving into the connection between them. Stone is struggling with his own stuff too about how much he can share about the truth of his life.

What I love about this book is the way Daria describes the dancing and the connection between Stone and Gina. What I struggled with a little bit this time around is that I really, really don't know how I feel about the third act conflict through to the resolution of this book. And to be clear, there's nothing wrong with the way the third act of this book is handled, but for my personal preferences, it didn't work for me as much this time as it did when I was pretty early in my romance reading journey back in 2018. That said, my excitement for the future of this series knows no bounds and I repeat, I am begging St. Martin's to please, please publish Dance with Me because Natasha and Dimitri are everything. Okay, that is all.

Take the Lead is Alexis Daria’s debut novel from 2017, being released in paperback with updated text. I gobbled this one right up! If you are a fan of reality tv, especially Dancing with the Stars, I think you’ll enjoy this romance that follows the pair of veteran pro dancer Gina and Stone, the 2nd oldest of seven siblings living with their parents off the grid in remote Alaska while being televised on their show Living Wild. Gina needs to be in the finals in order to keep her job, and Stone wants to do everything he can to help her, even though the show is pushing them as the new season’s “showmance” and wanting them to bring all the drama. I grew up dancing, although I have never done any ballroom dancing, and I do not miss all of the time and effort needed to practice, even for a 30-second routine. I loved reading about it, though!
I saw this one out early on display at B&N, but I read a NetGalley early copy from the publisher, St Martin's Griffin from St Martin's Press, in exchange for my honest opinion. It will be available Tuesday 2/14 everywhere!

This was a fun romance! I really enjoyed the dancing competition aspect. The chemistry between Stone and Gina was perfect. I kept imagining stone as Chris Hemsworth and it made reading that more enjoyable 😉

Take a beautiful Latina professional dancer on a reality dance tv show. Combine with a tall, muscular mountain man from a survivalist reality show. What do you think will happen next? Gina has been adamant that she will absolutely not be in the "showmance" pairing for this season of Dance Off. She believes it will undermine everything she has worked to earn in the business. Stone only agreed to this so there would be more money to help cover the cost of his mom's recent hip surgery. What does he know about dancing? He's more at home with a axe in the woods... shirtless... sweaty.... moving on!
Stone's got some secrets he needs to keep under wraps, a whole slew of talented competitors to dance against, and an attraction to Gina that is really inconvenient, since she is anti-showmance, and they are on camera all the time. Will they give in to the chemistry, despite the problems it may cause for them and for the show?

Gina is a serious dancer, who prides herself on earning what she has through hard work and dedication. She is principled, and has no interest in using her sexuality to win a competition to the detriment of her hard won reputation.

Stone, too, is principled. He doesn't feel comfortable with lying and deception, so he remains quiet, even though quiet is not who he is. It has become his persona on his family's reality show, and he is coming to realize that he doesn't want to be that person.

I don't watch a lot of reality tv, but both naturalist and dance shows would be on the list if I did. I liked the characters, their integrity, and the behind-the-scenes of it all. I would definitely recommend this to fans who like reality tv, spicy romance, and happy ever afters.

Favorite quotes:

"It was like trying to hide a time-traveling Viking in a kindergarten class"

"The spotlight of fame is always harsher on women, isn't it?"

Alexis Daria shines through at her brightest in this re-write and re-launch of her first romance Take the Lead. Embracing both the celebrity and reality television tropes, this Dance Off themed romance was fun, flirty, and a slow burn in just the right way as the characters figured out whether their happily ever after was possible.

The story centers Gina, a Latina dance expert on the show dedicated to winning yet also avoiding flirty stereotypes, and Stone, a tall, blonde white man who had been "Living Wild" with his family's reality tv show i. Alaska. Gina and Stone were both well fleshed out and their decisions and regrets made sense even when they were aggravating.

I hope the rest of the series is re-released too because the other characters deserve their HEAs too.

Thank you to the author Alexis Daria, publishers St. Martin's Griffin and St. Martin's Press, and as always NetGalley, for an advance audio copy of TAKE THE LEAD.

Gina is a professional dancer on a Dance Off style show, who treks to the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, <i>facing death</i>, to snag her sexy dancing costar-- Stone, who oh so humbly only lives on ice mountain in order to help out his backward family, otherwise he'd definitely be in LA. Stone drives Gina crazy with his lack of polish, and she, with her curt one liners and ice-queen maneuvers dialed up, never gives him a chance to charm her with his towering beard and fourteen and a half pack..
.
.
Until she does and he accidentally impales her. Honestly, is he having sex with her or competing in a one man track meet and she'sthe discus, shotput, hurdle, and pole vault? Bowling ball?

I probably would have liked this book better if it focused more on these antics, honestly. They were funny. The sex scenes were pretty funny too, though I don't think that's what the writer was shooting for.

Unfortunately, for a book about dancers, there aren't too many dancing descriptions, like what dancing looks like, or feels like in the body. Or how the dancers sync to music, how the audience responds. Whatever. Most of the details about dancing are super dry and technical, tons of jargon, and I couldn't connect with any of it. And it makes up a huge portion of the storyline.

I'm not always in favor of the character driven story, but in this case, I would have liked to see less focus on the dance competition plot, and more focus on developing the two characters, and then their romance.

Rating: 🩰🩰🩰 / 5 dancing shoes
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶 / 4 (for gymnastics)
Recommend? Sure, it's not bad
Finished: February 22 2023
Read this if you like:
🌶 Spicy romance
💃 Stories about dancing
🎥 Stories about TV shows
❤️‍🩹 Enemies to lovers trope

If you love reality TV, but also all the romance. This is your book! I loved the fact that it takes place in a Dance reality show (very much like Dancing with the Stars) but with more drama, lots of humor, and of course the undeniable romance. I've loved everything Alexis has written, and I'm so excited to find out what's next!!

I finished this book on Valentines Day and it was a great way to finish it. I'm a sucker for reality shows so pair that with romance and I'm in! Gina and Stone are the perfect duo and you can't help but fall in love with them. If you're a fan or dancing with the stars with a romance twist (who wouldn't be?) Then this is the book for you!

Take the Lead is a flirty romance that does not shy away from the explosive chemistry between characters. I especially loved how Stone and Gia slowly allow themselves to fall for each other despite the obstacles they'll face in their careers if they chose to pursue a relationship.

This fun romance is perfect for any reality tv show fan. And I recommend it for readers who enjoyed Daria's "You Had me at Hola."

I. Loved. This!!

Stone is a star of a reality show with his family and their reclusive life in Alaska. Gina is a professional dancer on The Dance Off, a popular TV show that pairs pro dancers with celebrities (sound familiar...?). They come from very, very different backgrounds but when they're paired to dance together on the show, sparks fly. Can Gina resist temptation and lead Stone to victory?

Alexis Daria is becoming one of my favorite contemporary authors. She writes her characters so well and her books are always a lot of fun, this one included.

Take the Lead has so many tropes I love in a good romance book. I used to watch Dancing with the Stars growing up so I was so excited to read this book. However, I wish I liked this story more than I did. By no means is this story bad, but it just didn't serve what I thought it would.

It's a very cute story! I really enjoyed the visuals of the the main pairing and seeing how their showmance played out. Reality TV shows have all the drama and this book captured that drama really well. I just think it felt flat across the relationships between the main couple and their interactions with friends and family as well. I just didn't get Stone's family at all.

I expected the reality TV drama and the showmance was supposed to show the fake, heightened 'made for TV' love and relationships. Then when the cameras were turned off, the quiet moments, the development, the conversations of substance would take place. I felt like the showy drama just continued off camera as well. Relationship drama between Gina and Stone is justified but the insta-lust to love plot didn't settle with me considering the short timespan from first meeting to the end of the show. The final act resolution and the passion during their dances fell a little flat for me as well.

I mean no doubt that if they were really on Dancing with the Stars, I'd probably be voting for this pairing. After reading this book though I don't think Gina, Stone and the entire ensemble cast have left much of an impression on me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gina and Stone have a lot at stake in The Dance Off! While they come from very different backgrounds, they have a strong connection and chemistry between them. But they also have secrets between them and those can be dangerous.

As they prepare for the competition, they may encounter challenges due to their different personalities and ways of approaching things. However, they may also be able to learn from each other and find ways to complement each other's strengths. Gina's job and Stone's family both depend on their success in the competition, so the pressure is on. However, if they are able to work together and support each other, they may be able to overcome any obstacles and come out on top. Of course, there are forces at play in the show that cause issues and the paparazzi also gets in their heads. It's a mental game as much as a physical one.

Ultimately, The Dance Off will be a test of their skills and their ability to work together as a team. If they can channel their chemistry into a winning performance, they may be able to achieve their goals and come out on top. The real test will be to see if their hearts can survive.

I thought this was a sweet and somewhat spicy book. The characters were likable and easy to cheer for. I'll be interested to see how the rest of this series is.

Thank you to NetGalley for this complimentary copy. I chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Gina, a professional dancer with big aspirations, and Stone, a reality TV mountain man who lives “off the grid” with his family, get paired up to compete on The Dance Off. With Gina’s struggle to make it to the finals in previous seasons, she’s more determined than ever to win; she just has to make sure she doesn’t let her feelings get in the way of her success.

I enjoyed the storyline, but could’ve done with less drama between Stone and Gina. As a Latina, I can empathize with Gina not wanting to be typecasted and refusing to put her private life on display. however, I was also kinda torn because she was a bit selfish throughout the novel and didn’t really care about Stone’s feelings.

Overall, a solid read and would def recommend.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press + NetGalley for the ARC!

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria is a perfect book for people who are fans of Dancing with the Stars and big, strong, Alaskan men.
This story follows Gina, who works as a professional dancer on a competition dance show. She wants to make it big but has never even made it to the finals. With her latest partner, a big strong Alaskan man from Living Wild named Stone Nielson, she might stand a chance. She thinks that this will be her ticket to winning until her producer hints at her and Stone being set up for a showmance. Neither wants to fake a romance for the cameras, but they can’t hide their attraction for each other either.
I have this book 4/5 stars. I loved how the characters were opposites and how different they were. I also loved how Gina was the only one who made Stone comfortable about dancing and being touched. Gina was always so professional and she was a strong character. I also loved Stone. He was so quiet and shy. He would also do anything for his family. These two together were so cute and the attraction between them was undeniable. I liked this book and would read it again but it is not five stars to me. Thank you NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

If you book has a behind scene of TV shows, like sign me up.

Spice rating - 🌶🌶🌶.5

This book opened a lot for me about the manipulation and emotional abuse that goes on in the industry, and also that dancing is also a form of intimacy.

I loved how mentally strong Gina was, like I want to be like that. The miscommunication that dragged on forever wasn't fun at all and also we understood that stone was a giant man the first time, why was it mentioned over and over again.
The writing was good, the characters were likable at best.

Thanks to netgalley and the author for a eARC, in exchange for a honest review.

This book was pretty good. I can't say more than that for two reasons. First, I feel I'm in the minority, but I dislike reality T.V. a great deal. Bachelor/bachelorette, Survivor, following other people's lives, Dancing with the Stars, ugh. I will not watch them, so I should have read the blurb when I was offered the ARC of this book before agreeing to read and review. I mean I'm reading this and shuddering thinking about cameras and mics on them all the time. Total nightmare. So, the fact that Gina and Stone are reality stars - you have to weigh my review through that filter. The book itself was well written, but my second issue was I did not like Gina with Stone. I liked her pretty well with her family and Tash, but frankly she was horrible to him, treating him as if his opinion, thoughts and feelings were nothing. Now, I will say her character as a Latina working as a reality dance instructor I can empathize with her feelings and can totally see her point of view when it comes to showmance and her reputation, but not to the exclusion of all else and the man she supposedly has feelings for, could have fooled me. Stone on the other hand was a wonderful character. Was he perfect, no, but he was a hell of lot nicer than Gina. And all she did was mirror how his family treated him as well (another reality show nightmare.) If this story had been taken out of the reality realm, I might have liked it a bit better depending on how Gina acted in a different situation....

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, St Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for providing an ARC for an honest and unbiased review.

What a fun story and a look into the world of reality television! Not a fan of any of those shows really, I wasn’t sure that I would stay engaged with this one. Not so – it was a great read and the reality show was somewhat of a side story within the whole picture. Both of the main characters were participants in their own reality shows when the two cross over. I’m pretty sure that even if it isn’t true in Hollywood, many of us know similar situations. Enjoy the tough guy who really wants the girl but isn’t sure how he will get her in the end! Of course there is a HEA!