I first discovered Alexis Daria when I snagged a copy of You Had Me At Hola. I loved the premise of the book and the representation of so many Latinx characters and the whole Spanish soap opera angle really hooked me. I thought the stories were good and I loved the romances that bloomed off the pages. So naturally when I saw this new series come up for review, I was all about it! I also liked that this book featured a biracial romance. Overall it wasn’t a hard sell for me to pick this one up! And since today is Valentines Day I think this is an appropriate time to put out my review!

There was only one thing I was a little hesitant with this one. While I liked the idea of an on screen romance in You Had Me At Hola, I was less convinced about the on screen romance of a reality show. I think that is such a hard sell and for me it was a gamble. Daria does write solid romances so I decided not to over think it too much and just see how it played out but I did have some reservations about that part.

Alexis Daria RITA award for her debut novel (You Had Me At Hola) and since then she has written additional installments to that series as well as starting this new one, all of which have rapidly gained a devoted fan following. If you are looking for a hot and upcoming romance writer, then you came to the right place! Alexis Daria has crafted some great reads, that includes this book. The more books I read by Daria, the more excited I am for her to put out the next one! I am so happy to see this is part of a new series, while I was for the next Primas of Power book!

Summary

From Alexis Daria, author of the critically acclaimed, international bestseller You Had Me at Hola, comes a fun, sexy romance set against a reality dance show.

Gina Morales wants to make it big. In her four seasons on The Dance Off, she’s never even made it to the finals. But her latest partner, the sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, could be her chance. Who knew the strong, silent, survivalist-type had moves like that? She thinks Stone Nielson is her ticket to win it all—until her producer makes it clear they’re being set up for a showmance.

Joining a celebrity dance competition is the last thing Stone wants. However, he’ll endure anything to help his family, even as he fears revealing their secrets. While the fast pace of Los Angeles makes him long for the peace and privacy of home, he can’t hide his growing attraction for his dance partner. Neither wants to fake a romance for the cameras, but the explosive chemistry that flares between them is undeniable.

As Stone and Gina heat up the dance floor, the tabloids catch on to their developing romance. With the spotlight threatening to ruin everything, will they choose fame and fortune, or let love take the lead? (summary from Goodreads)

Review

Reality tv really isn’t my thing. Now don’t come at me about this. I watch trash mindless tv too. I have also watched my fair share of reality tv over the years but I find that it’s become so scripted and just redundant that I simply have a hard time watching. I also have zero interest in things like Dancing with the Stars, Cooking with the Stars, Hells Kitchen, anything like that. However, this book still appealed to me based on what I know of the author. Even if I wasn’t excited that there would be a romance with reality tv as a backdrop, I was open to letting Daria change my mind on the subject of reality tv romances. I am glad I didn’t let my own prejudices against reality tv star me away from this one. Daria did a very very very good job at highlighting how problematic reality tv is and how the characters are often manipulated to conform to a certain plot or narrative they want to portray. She certainly offered a balanced view of reality tv and it made the romance that much more believable for me.

I also loved seeing how Daria’s writing has evolved though each book. You Had Me At Hola was good, but the next book in the series was better. With this book, I honestly expected it to be a little more evolved than it was but it wasn’t by any means poorly written etc.. I looked it on up Goodreads and found that this book was originally released in 2017, so a debut for Daria at the time. Now it’s being re-released with a spiffy new cover and what I am guessing is a revamping of some content to match Daria’s more experienced writing style. I don’t know how much was changed or polished for this new release but I am guessing at least some. Once I saw it was a re-release, it made a bit more sense why some parts fit better than others or flowed better etc.

A lot of people tend to write off the romance genre claiming it’s flippant and predictable, but for me Daria picks topics and issues that have some teeth to them. This isn’t just a fluffy piece, the characters deal with real issues and as a reader I felt a connection to the characters even if I had little investment in reality tv, I felt like the character were real people who had real issues. Sure there are some cliches in the book and some times it might be a little over the top but what fun is fiction without a little bit of that? I don’t mind cliches in the romance genre personally, I know when I pick up a romance I am 99% guaranteed a HEA and I am all for things being a bit extra in this genre!

In this book, Stone and Gina had solid chemistry. There is something about dancing that lends itself to sensualism and I thought that came across nicely in this book. Overall this was a great book to read for the romance season! I love how diverse it was and I love love love the new cover that this book was released with. If you are looking for a hot new romance this Valentines Day, then you are not going to want to miss this one!

Book Info and Rating

Format 368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication

February 14, 2023 by St. Martin’s Griffin

ISBN 9781250817969 (ISBN10: 125081796X)

Free review copies provided by publisher, St Martin’s Griffin, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: romance , contempo romance

4 Stars!!

"You make things...easier.
"What do vou mean?"
"It's easier to talk with you. Easier to think. Easier to… feel."

Puerto Rican professional dancer + Mountain man reality
star + dance competition = one happy reader!

If you're a Dancing With the Stars fan, then this book needs to be on your radar! It was a slow build, friends-to-lovers that was so fun. We get a very behind the scenes look at these two dancers - a professional Puerto Rican dancer needing to make the finals or be cut from the show and her partner, an Alaskan lumberjack who'd rather be anywhere than on the stage.

I recommend this book if you like:

• m/f contemporary romance
• Dance competition
• Insta attraction
• Hella sexual chemistry
• Forced proximity
• "This is just a hookup"
• Latin heroine rep

This book was heartwarming and sexy as hell. I loved watching Gina and Stone's journey both in the competition and as a couple. The pacing seemed a little uneven at times, but in general, I enjoyed the heck out of this one!

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria is an excellent reality show romance.

Gina is a dance pro on the long-running The Dance Off celebrity dancing show, and this season her partner is the 6'7" hunk Stone, member of a wilderness Alaskan reality show family.

While Gina and Stone have immediate sparks, neither of them wants a relationship. Gina is avoiding the reputation of a Latina temptress, and Stone knows there's no future in Alaska for a woman who's heart is in New York.

Gina and Stone need to get comfortable to win the competition but have to avoiding being spun as this season's romance.

I loved everyone in this book! Gina is a driven professional who's gone to the top of her field through her hard work. Stone put his life and profession on hold for his family and is starting to wonder if the price has been too high. They have amazing chemistry. The tv crew and producers are, of course, bastards. While the book is dual-POV, I had more of an attachment to Gina, and it feels like her book.

The dance show is a great set-up since the couple have to work together to accomplish their goal, and everyone else is against them.

A great contemporary romance for lovers of dancing and reality tv!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for access to an early e-arc of this book.

Thanks again St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

"Take the Lead" was a fun, sexy, and captivating opposites attract romance. The story had all the right steps, twists, holds, and lifts to be an instant win for me.

Gina has big dreams of stardom and sees winning The Dance Off as the jumpstart to that. She’s driven to make it through hard work and talent, not through gimmicks or playing into stereotypes.

Stone has always put family first even if it meant being on another reality show completely out of his comfort zone. More at home outdoors in the Alaskan wilderness, he hopes he won’t make any missteps (or divulge any secrets) before he can collect the much needed paycheck.

Although they may have started the competition for differing reasons, Gina and Stone immediately clicked and soon found renewed purpose towards winning. Their easygoing partnership paved the way for a romance that they didn’t want but was inescapable to flourish. The tantalizing heat between them helped make their dance numbers be effervescent, passionate, competitive, and believable. Despite setbacks and attempts at sabotage, Stone and Gina’s fire never dimmed, allowing them to communicate all they felt and wanted to say in every move they made.

Gina is such a bright character and very likable. Her passion for dance is truly inspiring. I also loved how patient she was while helping Stone to be himself through dance.

Stone’s selflessness is his greatest strength and weakness. As the second son and eldest of seven, Stone has done all he can to help his family through tough times, but he’s also neglected his own wellbeing. As the competition progresses and his feelings for Gina deepen, Stone shows extraordinary growth as a dancer and person.

"Take the Lead" is a lyrical dance that expresses Gina and Stone’s desire to be the lead (the hero) of their own respective stories by living a life by their own design. Throughout exhilarating highs and conflicting emotional lows, these two endearing characters begin to realize what they want most if they’re brave enough to go after it. That they can still dream big and love just as fiercely.

I loved "Take the Lead." Gina and Stone had wonderful chemistry as friends, dance partners, and romantic interests. I liked that they both came from a reality TV background because having this shared experience helped break down some of the walls between them.

I loved how diverse the cast was and that there were several pairs who could have potentially won. And I also liked the clash of perceptions versus reality and how the author used that to heighten underlying tensions and stakes. This was overall a highly enjoyable story.

This was a fun read. Great for fans of dancing with the stars.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

4/5⭐️

the premise of the book instantly drew me in!
gina morales is professional dancer on the show ‘the dance off.’ she gets partnered up with stone nielson, a star from an alaskan wilderness show.
in her past four seasons, she hasn’t been able to make it to the finals and this time might be her chance.

the connection and chemistry between gina and stone was apparent right from the start! but, they didn’t want to just be the showmance of the season, so they try to keep it a secret; but as they continue to dance with each other, how long can they keep their feelings under wraps?


thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press for an eARC, in exchange for an honest review <3
all thoughts & opinions are mine!

Is this how it really works?
If you’ve read the other reviews, you’ll know this is the author’s version of a TV reality show like Dancing with the Stars. Stone Nielson has been in his family’s realty show set in the Alaskan wilderness (not too wild) for years and plays his part in it as a strong, quiet, survivalist. He’s roped into another realty show called The Dance Off and partnered with a 4-year veteran of the show who’s never won named Gina Morales who is Puerto Rican via New York City. The show’s producers want them to fake a budding romance during the series. The writing of the book follows the course of the show with good descriptions of what goes into making a realty series. I’m not a fan of most reality-based shows, so I can’t say how accurate the book is, but the author knows how to make this read like it is how everything works. At 362 pages, it dragged for me, but I did enjoy the mechanics of both The Dance Off and Living Wild. Alexis Daria does a great job of giving both characters interesting personalities, who do grow as the story progresses. If you’re a fan of any reality show you will enjoy the story. I was given an ARC of the book by NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria has "Dancing with the Stars" all over it but in a better readable form with steam! Gina has spent her life as a ballroom dancer. Now she is in her fourth season of a television show called The Dance Off. She needs to win this season as her career is in desperate need of it. She ends up getting paired with a reality star Stone and thinks he can help her win. However, the producers have another idea in mind. They need to fake date for the ratings. This book is so good and you are cheering for their romance to be real and to win the season! A great read over all and I'm looking forward to more from this author!

Do you love Dancing with the Stars? Then you will love this contemporary romance by Alexis Daria! It’s a fun read!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Griffin and NetGalley for The opportunity to read and review this book.

Professional dancer Gina Morales is determined to make it to the finals of The Dance Off, a celebrity Dance Competition that pairs professional dancers with popular celebrity stars. When she is paired with popular wilderness show star Stone Nielson, she realizes the network has set the pair of them up to be this season's "showmance", and even though they do feel the chemistry pulling between them, they fight to fall into that role, so they have a shot at actually winning the season.
What I didn't realize about this novel was that it was Alexis Daria's debut novel being republished by St. Martin's Press.I was thoroughly impressed by the story and having read several of her titles before, even more impressed that this was her debut novel.
This story hooked me right in the feels and I was immediately invested in Gina and Stone, connecting with both of their characters. I loved how sensational and visual the writing was and how it hooked you in as the story progressed. All in all, it was a terrific novel, and I am excited to read more from this author in this series!

I’ve read two other of Alexis Daria’s books in the Primas of Power series and loved them. Based on that, I was excited to read Take the Lead, a romance that happens on a reality show, similar to Dancing with the Stars.

It’s Gina’s fifth season on Dance Off! This season she is paired with Stone, who is also on a reality show Living Wild with his family. Their first meeting is when Gina goes to Alaska to meet him before the show starts. And of course, everything is filmed. They have great chemistry and are set to become the ”showmance” for the season.

Gina is in it to win this season. Stone is in it for the prize money to help his family. As the season progress, Gina and Stone grow closer and try to hide their growing attraction but when there are cameras everywhere all the time…

I loved Gina and Stone together. They had such great chemistry! I read this one over the course of two days. I recommend this if you enjoy:

🪩 reality show settings
🪩 forced proximity
🪩 open door romance

Take the Lead is out today…just in time for Valentine’s Day! Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advance readers copy. All thoughts are my own.

** Thank you Netgalley for this arc**

Alexis Daria definitely done it again, if you haven't read any of her books please do so. When I saw that Alexis Daria was going to write a new book, I just knew I had to get my hands on it. I'm really glad that I was approved to read the arc :). This book was so good that I couldn't put the book down but I also wanted to savor it at the same time, this book gave me 'Dancing with The Stars' vibes. This book gave me my favorite things in a romance novel: steamy scenes, the drama, and the HEA *swoons*. I give this book a 5/5 stars and 5/5 stars on the steamy scenes, Alexis Daria never disappoints on writing the steamy scenes LOL. I definitely recommend this book if you haven't read any books from Alexis Daria or if you love just reading romance.

“This. This is what she adored about dance. To dance like this with a man as handsome and compelling as stone, to be this close and intimate without words, to let their bodies do the talking… It was the most perfect thing in the world. Time lost its meaning. The beat changed, and she used her own body to communicate the shift to him. After a week of dancing in hold together, he figured it out without her having to say it. God, she loved that.”
Gina Morales has what it takes to win The Dance Off, but she has never gotten the partner that would boost her to the top. When she is flown to Alaska to meet her new partner, she is hoping and praying that it’s an Olympic figure skater, but instead she gets Stone Nielsen. He is a sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, but underneath his strong and silent demeaner, he just might be what Gina needs to secure her position on The Dance Off for good.

Alexis Daria’s debut novel is getting a shiny new cover, updated text, and bonus material before being re-released into the world a second time. I have been a fan of Alexis Daria’s for a few years now. She writes tough, feisty, and intelligent heroines, which I appreciate. Gina was all these things, and she was also determined to make her way in the industry without sleeping her way to the top. Stone was the strong silent type, but he also had a sweet and caring side. He protected Gina a lot throughout the book, even when she didn’t want him to. They had great chemistry, and I was rooting for them the entire book. I think my issue is that this feels like a debut novel because the flow and ease I have come to expect from Alexis Daria’s writing was missing, and I think that’s because she hadn’t found it when she wrote this book. There was a heavy focus on the dancing side of the story, and less of a focus on the romantic connection between Gina and Stone. Of course, it got there in the end, but I wish it had started focusing on their emotional connection earlier instead of just their insane physical chemistry.

If you’re a fan of authors such as Lucy Parker or Mia Sosa then I think you wouldn’t regret picking this one up.

~ Michelle

3.5 stars ☆ I've been looking for a book that has a reality tv type of plot and the fact that this has dancing with the stars vibes?! Yuppp. This book was such a quick and cute read. The only thing I have was that I'm just not really invested in the story that much probably because it’s written in 3rd pov but the chemistry between Gina and Stone still made the book so so good.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc !!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. This book was published previously but was republished with a new cover and it made me like this book. Strange right?? Haha.. This was good and Stone and Gina were a good couple. Thanks!!

I will never emotionally recover from this book.

As someone who grew up watching dancing with the stars, this book IMMEDIATELY hooked me. Like I read it in 6 hours, hooked me.

Stone and Gina are just *chefs kiss+

Cannot wait until the next book!!!

Can’t believe this was a debut novel for Alexis Daria - I loved it so much! It’s sexy, fun, and I couldn’t put it down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 rating)
🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5 pretty spicy!)

I adored the reality dance show element of it - Gina is a professional dancer, paired with Stone, a reality tv star known for living in the Alaskan wild. Opposites from seemingly different worlds, these 2 complement each other so perfectly.

Read if you enjoy:
⭐️ Reality (dance) show
⭐️ Different worlds
⭐️ Opposites attract
⭐️ Forced proximity
⭐️ Dual POV

This book was so fun! It’s the perfect amount of romance and steam, which is perfect for its set re-release on Valentine’s Day! Stone and Gina have such amazing chemistry and whew, the steam was on point in this one! The dancing competition aspects were interesting and I could picture the atmosphere and dancing pairs so easily! I loved how strong and determined Gina was in this one. It was also nice to see her softer, more vulnerable side with Stone. The opposites attract trope was perfect for this romance. I loved the Latin American woman representation in this one and I thought the way that Daria touched on how Latin American women are often portrayed in the media and the stereotyping that happens was really important. The friendship between Daria and Natasha was also super cute and I loved how supportive they were of each other. All around, this was a solid romance read and perfect to pick up this month!

“You light me up. You helped me remember who I was before, and see clearly who I am now and who I want to be.”

This was such a perfect February romance. The premise is really fun, and it’s the kind of book that’s easy to lose yourself in. I really was invested in the story and the romance.

Gina Morales is one of the pro dancers on The Dance Off, where she is paired up with Stone Nielsen. Stone and his family star in a reality series documenting their life in the Alaskan bush. Gina and Stone couldn’t seem more different, but there are sparks from the moment they meet. Gina is adamant about not faking a romance for the show, but it’s only a matter of time before their feelings boil over.

I loved the chemistry between Stone and Gina, and how protective they are of each other. They have lovely vulnerable moments and come to really know each other. Despite the outside noise, they stay focused on the competition while serving as each other’s anchor. It seems like they each provide such a grounding presence to the other while they’re under the microscope on television. The story really portrays the difficulties of being in the spotlight really well.

For being a reality tv setting, it felt realistic. They are dealing with producers who want to portray things a certain way, regardless of Gina and Stone’s feelings. Stone has a difficult relationship with his family as he’s given up a lot to do the reality show with them. They are both struggling with the boxes they’ve been placed in. For Gina, she doesn’t want to be seen as the sexy Latina and wants to be taken seriously in the industry. She’s so determined and headstrong, and I really loved her character. As the completion progresses, both Gina and Stone form better pictures of what they want for their futures.

There were a few smaller plot points that I felt didn’t really get completely wrapped up, but that didn’t take away from the cute romance. The story didn’t feel overly deep; the majority of the conflicts felt as if the were more on the surface. I think that there were a few opportunities to give both Gina and Stone more detailed backgrounds, connecting the reader to the story. Overall, though, this was just such an adorable story.

Take the Lead is the first novel in the Dance Off series that follows different couples. While the dancing competition is based on Strictly Come Dancing (UK) and Dancing with the Stars (US), the author does her own take with the in-novel The Dance Off. Professional dancer, Gina Morales is determined to land in the finals after four seasons on the show. She is paired with Stone Nielson, star of a reality show about a family living off-the-grid in Alaska called Living Wild. While Stone does not really want to compete, he is determined to win the prize money to help pay for his mother’s medical bills. This part initially confused me a lot as if he and his family are on a successful show already, I do not get why they are scraping money together.

Due to their amazing chemistry, the producers push a “showmance” storyline between the couple. While neither initially is for the idea, the two eventually give in and the two try to explore a relationship. While they had great tension between them, I wish that some elements were explored in greater depth. There is a major height difference between the two characters as Gina is 5’6” and Stone is 6’7.” While this is addressed early on when they first start to choreograph dances, it seems it was soon forgotten. I feel the author mainly did this just for the initial moments, but then did not bother to think about the logistics. Unfortunately, “accidentally kissing” should not have been plausible as their lips don’t line up. I wish if the author wanted to make this a plot element, then more care should have been given to the actual logistics.

Gina was difficult to like at first as she seemed blinded by her ambition to win. Stone is out of his element and even has some knee issues, yet she seemed to gloss over them. I do not think she did not care as there are very small hints, but I think some additional scenes of Gina coaching Stone would have benefited this side of their relationship. Additionally, she objectified Stone a lot which felt a little hypocritical considering she didn’t want it done to her. It is unfortunate that these traits came across this way as she was an otherwise decent character. Unfortunately, the writing just needed to highlight these in a more positive way for me. In comparison, Stone came across a little better for their connection, but I think he needed a little more work, too, to make him a more well-rounded character. Overall, this was a very fun story, and I loved the concept of not only having a sweet love story, but to highlight the ins and outs of a reality show dancing competition. I look forward to trying the next novel with a new couple in the future!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**