This was an ok romance. I didn't realize it was a re-release when requested via Read Now. You can definitely see the difference in Daria's writing from this to You Had Me at Hola, for example. But overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you, Alexis Daria, for getting me out of my romance reading slump!

Take the Lead is a fun and sexy, opposites attract rom-com that takes place on a reality dancing show, a la Dancing with the Stars. Our FMC is Gina Morales, a Puerto Rican professional dancer determined to follow her dreams and make it big in the entertainment industry after her mother had to give up her career to raise her and her siblings. Our MMC is Stone Nielson, a quiet and sexy mountain man who stars in a reality show with his family in the Alaskan wilderness. Stone is in this for his family, as he plans on using the money from Tue Dance Off to help pay for his mom's hip surgery.

This story was a lot of fun. Stone and Gina have immediate chemistry, despite living completely different lifestyles. The story is told from both of their perspectives, which let's us get to know their thoughts and motivations. Stone was definitely more than meets the eye, as he was sensitive, thoughtful, and was eventually willing to embrace dancing and coming out of his comfort zone. Gina had the patience of a saint, working with Stone at first, and she enabled him to come out of his shell and be himself. She was also tenacious and non-judgmental. My favorite scenes were of them growing their relationship during dance practices and performing on the show. We get to see a lot of their personalities in these scenes and Alexis does a great job of describing the dances to make it feel like you're there watching them. As the story went on, we got fewer of these moments, which was a bit of a bummer.

The intimate scenes between Stone and Gina were enjoyable to read - and there were quite a few, so if you look for that in a romance, you'll definitely find it in this book.

The third-act break-up was written better than I expected. Stone made a real bone-headed move and betrayed Gina's trust, but I think they both handled it like adults and without an infuriating miscommunication cop-out. Sure they both said some things that were irrational and motivated by anger, but really who doesnt do that when theyre upset? I found it to be pretty relatable, personally. In the end, I'm not sure if these two are HEA, but definitely HFN.

Overall, this book is fun, sexy, and up-beat. If you like Dancing with the Stars, a big burly mountain men love interest, and steamy love scenes, Take the Lead is definitely the book for you!

Rating 4.25/5

(Note: I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review)

Fame isn't what it's cracked up to be and sometimes you just have to make choices you don't want to to achieve it. This steamy couple has quite the journey ahead of them.

Take the Lead was such a fun read! Alexis excelled at creating the perfect “brooding” yet caring and emotional love interest known as Stone, and Gina, the protagonist that wears her heart on her sleeve. The concept of the novel was very original and great to navigate. Overall, a nice and easy read! Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Alexis Daria for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I hadn’t heard of this one until I saw it on Netgalley, but this is actually Alexis Daria’s debut from 2017. This is a rerelease (I believe) with a new cover (so cute!), updated text and bonus content. I really enjoyed both books in the Primas of Power series so I’m happy to have now also read the book that started her writing journey!

Gina is a dance pro on The Dance Off (think Dancing With the Stars) and gets paired up with Stone who appears along with his family on a reality tv show centered around living off the grid in Alaska. It was super fun to be immersed in a tv show dance competition—I don’t think I’ve ever read a book in this type of setting before. Alexis Daria really makes the entire experience seem realistic, from the tv producer manipulation to the scripted aspect of “reality” tv.

I really loved both characters. Gina is a hard-working and proud Puerto Rican woman who wants to make a name for herself in the industry without being seen as the “sexy Latina”. Stone is extremely duty-bound to his family and has lost himself along the way because of it. Through their time on the show, they help each other realize some important things. Although I did enjoy them as a couple, I would have liked to see more off camera/non-rehearsal scenes between them in the beginning to help better establish their connection. Other than that, this was such a great and entertaining read!

I absolutely loved this book! Fans of celebrity romances, TV/Hollywood settings, and Dancing with the Stars will eat this book up. I thought the main characters were likable and relatable, and the third act breakup actually made sense in terms of the plot and characterization. The spice was top-notch, and the plot was fast-moving and engaging. I basically read this in one sitting, I’m excited to check out more of Alexis Daria’s work.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Alexis Daria for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you St Martins press and Netagalley for the E-Arc. This book is about two tv actors one a dancer Gina and a survivalist being teamed up for a Tv Dance Show. Producers push them into a showman r even though that is against Gina contract. Even so they begin to develop feeling for each other. Take the lead follows the formula to HEA and contemporary romance and I quite enjoyed it, especially since there was foreshadowing so expected the conflict and there was conflict resolution. I love Alexis Dara writing and give Take the lead 3.5 stars

A book with Dancing with the Stars elements? And reality TV? It's like this book was written specifically for me! I love reality TV and once upon a time I tuned in religiously for DWTS. So, how could I not love this book?

Alexis Daria navigated her way through this book with so much fun and entertainment that I couldn't help but continue reading! The chemistry between Gina and Stone was sizzling off the pages and I truly loved how Alexis Daria didn't shy away from discussing complex topics, especially Gina's issue with stereotyping and Stone's issue with sexualization.

Overall, this book was a joy to read and experience. Gina and Stone are a couple you will quickly fall in love with either separately or together, but their journey is one you definitely do not want to miss out on!

I'm a fan of Alexis Daria's Primas of Power series, but I hadn't read her debut novel, "Take the Lead." Now it's being reissued with a super cute new cover, and "with updated text," according to the publisher's description.

Gina Morales is a pro dancer on a "Dancing with the Stars"-type series called "The Dance Off." She's never made it to the finals before, and the producer is hinting that if she doesn't do so this season, she may lose her job. Things don't look too promising when she's paired with a very tall, very hunky Alaskan named Stone -- he's a D-list celebrity at best, who appears on a reality show with his family, all about their rugged adventures in the Alaskan wilderness.

The last thing Stone wants to do is spend months in L.A. learning to dance -- he only agreed to go on "The Dance Off" in the first place because his family needs the money and the additional exposure that being on a super-popular show will bring. However, he finds himself falling for Gina, and the feeling is mutual. The chemistry between them is intense, and when they're alone without the cameras around, they wind up in bed.

Gina has always put her career first and doesn't want her storyline to be about a "showmance," so she and Stone have to hide their true feelings from the ever-present cameras. "Take the Lead" is refreshingly realistic about the price of reality TV fame -- Gina knows what she signed up for, but she wants to win because of her hard work and integrity, not because fans are titillated by her relationship.

The descriptions of the dances are beautifully written, and chapters from both main characters' point of view give us a lot of insight into their thoughts, feelings and struggles. Their attraction to each other practically jumps off the page! I finished "Take the Lead" on Dec. 30, so I can definitively state that it's one of the best romance novels I've read all year.

This remastered romance novel gets a facelift with updated text and an artful cover. Strong silent type Alaska native Stone Neilson stars with his family in a roughing it wilderness show; he is paired with vivacious Puerto Rican dancer Gina on a Dancing with the Stars-type reality television dance competition. He needs to help pay for his mother’s hip replacement surgery, and keep the truth about his family’s backstory quiet. Meanwhile, Gina is looking for a bigger break to launch her career, and if she and her dance partner don’t make it as finalists this year, she’s out of a job. Her boss is itching for some showmance between them to bring in the ratings.

In movies, the way a couple dances together–intense, playful, timid–is supposed to serve as a metaphor for how they are in the sack together. Part of Stone’s character growth is understanding how dance can convey emotion. In spite of his lack of formal training, he’s a quick learner with a good teacher. Gina is resistant to a relationship with a dance partner for personal and professional reasons, but their attraction is immediate and palpable, and she gives in. Their chemistry is both a boon and liability. They foxtrot, tango, jive, rumba and more, mostly scoring high throughout the completion. Some mean-girl antics from a fellow competitor, support from some crew members, and scheming from the producer round out the drama of this tale.

High on dance moves, fashion details, and peppered with Spanish, the writing is straight forward but solid. I appreciated the Puerto Rican cultural details and that the author didn’t feel the need to translate any words or phrases, but skillfully conveyed meaning to the reader through context. My two quibbles: the author–or editor–chose to leave some dramatic competition scenes off the page. Sometimes we get more details about rehearsal than the pivotal moments! Secondly, probing conversations with well-meaning parents are so short they seem abrupt.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #TakeTheLead from #NetGalley.

I love Alexis Daria! This was fun, flirty, very New York despite only being there for a short time, and any book with a reality competition show element is a win in my book!
I’m so happy that this book is going back out in the world so more people can find it!

I had not read the original version of this novel before it got this re-release so I can’t speak to how it differs from its original publication. However, I can say that I enjoyed this story and its characters. The premise of finding love on a dancing with the stars type show between a professional dancer and a wilderness reality tv star was both intriguing and fun. From the backstories crafted for each character it was easy to see why the two main characters fell for each other. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters, but I wish there had been more interactions between the two. A lot of the story revolved around the two characters’ inner monologues, which made some of their romance feel rushed since it felt like I didn’t get to witness any of the conversations or moments being referenced as reasons they fell for the other. What conversations and interactions were depicted on the page kept me reading until the end. Ultimately I’d say this book was a fun little read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC!

This was a fun story about reality TV and romance. I liked the characters. I laughed a lot while reading.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Take The Lead by Alexis Daria

“He was leaving her, and the thought of him boarding a plane back to Alaska devastated her heart. She should never have gotten so wrapped up in him that it would hurt this much when he left. She needed to stop thinking about it. Just feel. Let him wash it all way with his touch.”

Thank you, St. Martin’s Griffin, for the ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 💕

No lie, I was expecting to hate this, LOL. Not that Daria has let me down before or anything. But my expectations were low based on the whole behind-the-scenes reality show angle.

But I have to admit I LOVED THIS. I loved it so much that I breezed through most of the book in hours.

Stone kills as the broody, grumpy MMC with a heart of gold. And I loved Gina - hands down my favorite FMC by Daria. Her reservations about falling in love and her emphasis on keeping her professional life away from her love life were so honest and relatable. Even if you are not in the tv industry, but especially if you are a POC, you get it. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Alexis Daria book without a Hollywood/tv/movie backdrop, with infectious and funny, not to mention diverse characters and interweaving of Latine culture.

…
It’s Gina Morales’ fifth season on The Dance Off, a network TV celebrity dance competition…and she wants to win.

Stone Neilson hates reality television even though he is already on one with his family, but doing The Dance Off is his chance to make some money and pay off some family debt.

After being paired together, once they meet, they can’t help but assess one another. They couldn’t be any more different. She’s from NYC; he’s from Alaska. She’s a dancer; he is a survivalist reality tv star. She wants to transition and become a household name, and he wants to return to Alaska, alone and free from cameras and his familial reality tv obligations.

But when they start dancing, all the differences melt away, and all Gina and Stone are left with is chemistry.

What could get in the way of this new connection? The producers of Dance Off? Paparazzi? Secrets? Priorities? The fear to leap for a love that neither of them has ever experienced?

This book is perfect for fans of Dancing with the Stars. Even me, who has only seen snippets and clips through the years I found the story and the characters to be enticing and interesting. Gina and Stone are the definition of opposites attract and this enemies to lovers was a great ride the whole time!

3.5 stars = pretty good.

I liked the dance completion reality TV setting of Take the Lead, but I had nits with the professional dancer leading lady Rita breaking her own rules about a romance with her celebrity dance partner Stone.

I understand forbidden romance as a trope, but it doesn't always work for me. Here I had a hard time because the stakes of breaking her own rules are so high for Rita. Rita believes that a relationship with her partner will put her future and the career she's worked so hard for in jeopardy. So when she and Stone act on their attraction, despite her determination to avoid a "showmance" that would force her into a sexy Latina stereo type, and then decide to try hiding the relationship both decisions seem like huge mistakes for a reality show professionals.

There is some good steam in the story as the author establishes the attraction between the partners, but there were too many sexy times after they seal the deal for me. My favorite parts of Take the Lead were the dance competition and rehearsal parts of the story, I thought they were well done and gave a good feel for the 'Dancing with the Stars' like setting of the story.

ARC Courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley, release date 14 February 2023. This is an unpaid review.

I love this author! She knows how to write such good chemistry and spice. I read her Prima of Powers series and loved them. This is her first novel and it's getting a new sexy cover to go along with the sexy story. So excited!

I'm actually not super into reality TV and dance shows, but I still thought the plot was fun. This was a big opposites attract and I loved it!

Stone was such a book boyfriend! Based on our first impression you might think he's a jerk and judgement, but he is so into Gina and will literally do anything for her. Who doesn't love a guy falls first trope at its finest?

Gina was lot more difficult. You understood all her hang ups about "showmances" and getting involved with her dance partner. But Stone didn't deserve her back and forth relationship. I liked her character arc but I felt it stretched out a bit too long IMO.

I want to read Dance With Me (book #2 of this series) and hear Natasha's story.

Take the Lead is fantastic. Alexis Daria takes the forced proximity of a celebrity dance competition and uses it as the backdrop for a sizzling grumpy sunshine romance.

Gina is a professional dancer, shepherding celebrities through The Dance Off’s reality tv competition. Stone isn’t a stranger to reality tv, since his family’s Alaska survivalist show is his claim to fame. He’s not comfortable with dancing, but he wants to win the prize money to pay off his mother’s medical bills. Gina wants to finally win the trophy, but based on her choreography skills, not a manufactured showmance with Stone. But can they fight their mutual attraction while trying to win the trophy? Um no.

I adored this book! I’m on the record as loving a reality show romance, since it creates forced proximity that’s tough to beat. Gina and Stone are both likable, engaging characters whose conflicting motivations lead to a story I couldn’t put down. From “we’re going to be professional” to “this is just a hookup” to “oh no…” this couple had me invested. It didn’t hurt that while Stone is grumpy with everyone else, he opens up to Gina and would do anything for her.

Take the Lead was originally Daria’s debut novel, and it’s been slightly updated for this latest release. The issues addressed are just as timely, and the romance shines through. Daria is a master of the entertainment industry romance, and she’s showcased those skills throughout her writing career.

Daria creates a delicious story with oh so steamy chemistry and realistic plot twists. In addition to the romance, she showcases the pitfalls of a Latine woman in the entertainment industry, which is a minefield of possible missteps. If you love a grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity romance with a behind the scenes look at reality tv too, read Take the Lead.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved the premise of this book and I think it would be a hit with romance readers!!
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Professional dancer, Gina Morales, is on her fifth season of The Dance Off, where pros get paired with celebrity partners to compete & she is eager to get a win. Three plane rides later, Gina Morales is surprised to land in Alaska & meet her celebrity partner, who turns out to be one member of the family Alaskan wilderness TV show, Living Wild, Stone Nielson. Stone is unbelievably tall, attractive & in-shape, but he is also extremely adverse to reality TV. Can this opposites attract pair find the right steps & twirl their way to the a trophy?! Read Take the Lead to find out!

Dancing reality shows are some of my favorite shows to watch. Once I read this premise on this one, I instantly knew I would be entertained. I really liked getting the behind the scenes aspects of the show. I also enjoyed getting to know the other casts moments of The Dance Off. Also, because it takes place in the entertainment business, there’s plenty of drama, tension, secrets & paparazzi to keep you engrossed. The third quarter of the book got a little slow for me, but I enjoyed how everything came together. & I really appreciated the ending,

I really liked the acknowledgement of the intersectionality of being a woman & being Puerto Rican & how that affects how Gina must conduct herself in the entertainment world in order to not be stereotyped. It is discussed in a realistic manner showcasing the complexities of the standards set on women in society & the steps Gina takes to overcome typecast roles. This is a very important topic that is interwoven into this lovely romance & I loved how it all worked out.

If you are a fan of dancing reality shows, then Take the Lead is a great recommendation for you!!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Griffth for the arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed. All thoughts & opinions are my own.