I love anything written by Alexis Daria and this is no exception. 'Take the Lead' was a fun opposites attract story about reality TV stars falling in love on their dance competition show.

2.5 stars. This was just fine. Definitely carried by the premise, which is interesting, but I wanted more from the characters.

If you love Dancing with the Stars or any other dancing TV show you will enjoy this book. It was an energetic, sweet and emotional story of two people with their past, present and future. This hot romance book by author Alexis Daria is the first one in a duology. I am not a dancer, so for me all this stuff looks real and fun. The romance of Gina and Stone is absolutely slow burn and enemies-to-lovers(love it). Gina is a really strong person, she knows what she wants and works hard for it. She has a terrible story with her ex which made her stronger and what made colder towards other people. I like the conflict of this story, it was interesting to watch the conflict and development of the characters in this story, how they showed each other their secrets. I recommend this book to TV reality shows lovers and to anyone who loves to dance.

I’m not a big lover of contemporary romance but whenever there’s a reality tv element I’m all in.

This was a cute fun read, I didn’t totally love the FMC but adored the MMC so it made it work.

Alexis Daria has been one of those authors I've been meaning to read from for a while now, so I was super excited to get Take the Lead sent my way. Funnily enough, I read this soon after the most recent season of Dancing with the Stars finished in the US!

And that's what this story is very reminiscent of: a romance set with a celebrity dance competition as the backdrop. Gina and Stone were a great pair and I appreciated that while there was instant attraction/lust, both had their own goals and ambitions that made difficult anything further than attraction. I did think the amount of sexual encounters described got a bit gratuitous and overdone by the end, but part of that is really because I was invested in how their story was going to work out! Both Gina and Stone had reasons to walk away and reasons to be upset, even when they were the ones who erred.

On a line level, there were a couple places where phrasing was a bit confusing. That was a bit concerning, since it was my understanding that this is the first paperback release of the book, but not it's first overall release. What I can hope is that these were some of the newer sections being worked on for this publishing and that they will be cleaned up by print release. Even that did not change how much I enjoyed the book and its characters.

This is going to be an excellent Valentine's Day release for 2023 and it certainly has cemented that I want to read more from Alexis Daria in the future!

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy to review!

First off, I love the cover so much! It grabbed my attention immediately.

I really enjoyed the premise and the relationship between the two characters. I was truly tuned into the dance competition as if I was actually watching it on tv. Admittedly at the beginning the pacing felt a little slow, but it definitely began to pick up towards the middle of the book.

Thank you so much St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Such a fun read! I liked the tv show life behind the scenes.

4.5 stars, rounded down
Holy shit, Alexis Daria. She is my favorite romance writer for a reason, and this is a perfect example of it. Every character is perfect and the plot is great and the relationship just feels so healthy. I love her writing style and I want to read her books all the time.
For her debut novel, I'm very impressed. It's not better than her Primas of Power series, but it is such a strong start to her bibliography. Stone and Gina were such wonderful characters -- I was so invested in them both and I loved them (especially Gina, I felt her struggle against the tropes of Latinas in media as a female-presenting Latine in the performing arts just a little too much). Stone was so endearing with his love for Gina and his feelings of responsibility for his family.
I think that a dance competition was the perfect setting for this story. It allowed for the story to move along at a great pace while adding tension to the relationship. It made for really good conflict as Stone and Gina's conflicting dreams butted heads over the course of the novel. And the images of them dancing that I created in my head? So cool, so fun, so gorgeous.
And the part that makes or breaks a romance novel: the epilogue. This one was perfect!! It wraps up the story while still leaving room for my brain to think up more of a future for them. I want more Stone and Gina, but I can leave the book knowing that their okay and imagine their life in my head when I want to.

✨ Review ✨ Take the Lead by Alexis Daria

The first book in her Dance Off series, this book follows a Dancing with the Stars type show with the pairing of Gina, a nuyorican dance pro, and Stone, a roughing in it in the wilderness of Alaska reality show star. Their connection is nearly instantaneous, and we watch their relationship grow and struggle and grow throughout the season of this reality show.

This was lots of fun to read and full of that Alexis Daria style. Admittedly, the back third felt a little repetitive as they grappled with the same sorts of issues and struggled a bit with communication. I enjoy reading reality show style books, and so this reminded me a bit of Alexis Hall's baking show books. If you like AD's other books, you'll probably enjoy this one too!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: f/m contemporary romance
Location: Los Angeles and a little bit in NYC and Alaska
Reminds me of: Alexis Hall's baking show books
Pub Date: rerelease date 14 Feb 2023 (originally came out as an independent release in 2017)

Read this if you like:
⭕️ reality show / dancing show books
⭕️ steamy romances
⭕️ celebrity secret relationships
⭕️ opposites attract

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

This was just what I needed to get me out of my reading slump. The main characters have great chemistry and I loved the setting. Very fun read

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Professional dancer Gina Morales is determined to make it to the finals of the celebraty dance competition show she is on. When she is paired with popular wilderness show star Stone Nielson, she has a feeling that they are going to win the season. The producers are setting up the pair to be the "showmance" of the season and although there is chemistry between them from the beginning, they try to resist the urge to fulfill that role. Things heat up between the two as they work closely together for months.

This novel is Alexis Daria's debut novel and it is being republished by St. Martin's Press. I love to dive into backlists from authors I enjoy and I was impressed by Daria's debut. This book got me in the feels in a way I didn't expect. From the very beginning of the story, I was invested in Gina and Stone's story and I connected with their characters. Gina was a badass dancer who was sassy and didn't put up with nonsense. Stone was a silent and brooding man who was thoughtful, kind, and caring underneath the mysterious façade. And he chopped wood without a shirt on, for goodness sakes!

As Gina and Stone got to know each other, their connection grew with depth and intensity. They each were something that the other needed. Gina was the confidence and encouraging support Stone needed to pull off something that many thought was impossible. Stone was the person who reminded Gina that they could work hard and have fun, too. These two made me feel some type of way and I loved every moment with them. They were like fire on the dance floor (that ARGENTINE TANGO was everything) and in the bedroom.

I want to campaign for this book to be made into a movie because I think it would be perfect for the screen!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥½
⚠️: mention of a house fire

Okay do y'all see that COVER?? I heard ''Dancing with the Stars' inspired romance and raaaan to read this book 😍

I absolutely adored Gina's character, she was strong, sassy, and understood her own worth even when the people around her didn't. She knows that being an attractive woman already puts her in a tough spot in the entertainment industry, and she has been battling with stereotypes because of her Latina heritage and career (gotta love the world we live in 🥴) her whole life, so she sets a rule to never hook up with her dance partners/coworkers.

"You know I'm from the Bronx, right? I don't do nature. I've never even been camping."


Since it's Gina's fifth season on The Dance Off, but she's never even made it to the finals... the producers pitch the idea of a "showmance" to help boost both her rankings and the shows ratings, which goes against everything Gina stands for.... but then she meets Stone and he has to go and look like THAT


"--she looked polished, put-together, and small. Next to her, he was a great hulking brute. How were they supposed to dance together? He'd crush her."


I absolutely adored Stone's quiet personality mixed with a lil rugged charm 😍 & I thought his backstory was very interesting--but booooy does this man make some stupid decisions 😅

I am not a huge fan of miscommunication in romance novels as it is, and the miscommunication in this story didn't even feel believable to me. It very much felt like it was only thrown in to add unnecessary conflict, when I think we should have explored how their relationship would even work in the real world considering he's from ALASKA and she's from NYC/Los Angeles 😬

The spice in this was hot, but had a few missteps. I absolutely can not get past Gina's dirty talk involving "do you even lift?" that was so cringe to read I seriously wanted to yeet my kindle across the room 🙃 of all the things to say 😩

Overall this book was an enjoyable read & I can definitely see myself picking up the next one in the series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for sending me Take the Lead in exchange for my honest review.

Sparks flew the minute Gina met Stone in cold and blustery Alaska where he lived with this family. He is a reality TV star and she is a talented dancer on a hugely popular dance competition show. The handsome outdoorsman was dazzled by Gina’s beauty and her infectious personality. If she could survive her short visit to Alaska, Stone knew he could deal with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Stone agreed to do the show for personal reasons so failure was not an option. Gina was a professional and he was confident he could follow her lead and win the competition.

Gina wasn’t so sure that Stone was her perfect dance partner but he was nice to look at and had an amazing body so what more could she ask for? She desperately needed to win this season so as long as Stone followed her instructions and their relationship remained platonic, she would be fine. The sparks continued to fly as they danced around the practice studio and I loved the chemistry they had on and off the dance floor. The lure of forbidden romance was apparent with every step they took, as they gazed seductively in each other's eyes. Could the magic of the dance keep them together as their time as a couple was coming to an end?

Will you let love take the lead?

Pro dancer Gina Morales has never made it to the final in her four seasons of celebrity dance competition “The Dance Off” but her latest partner could be her chance. Alaskan wilderness expert and reality star Stone Nielson will do anything to help his family, even if it means joining a celebrity dance competition.

I’ve had my fair share of watching “Dancing with the Stars,” and this read takes me back to those days. I think I prefer reading about fictional celebrity dance competitions as opposed to watching them. I like the detailed description of the dances and brief backgrounds on each type. On to the main characters, Gina and Stone can’t hide their attraction, and their chemistry translates on the dance floor. While the plot centers around the competition, it is multi-layered. It was not just about winning a competition; it was about duty to family and achieving one’s dreams.

4 ⭐️
2.5 🌶️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

Alexis is a 1 click author for me and I liked a lot of aspects of this book and some just didn’t work for me personally.

What I loved:

I kept picturing the dances and then looking up some of the dances to watch what some would be.

I liked that the chemistry between the Love interests

I liked how the FMC talked about the struggles of a Latina woman in media might experience in terms of stereotypes. It was a way to help readers understand some of the harmful stereotypes that are out there.

The mirror scene was pretty awesome.


What I didn’t like:

This couple is so polar opposite that I really struggled to see them as a couple. He likes Alaska and the wilderness and she is city all the way. For the ending to happen I felt like more communication and build needed to happen.

The miscommunication was driving me wild.

CW: mention of fire, sex on page, injury

There's something about reading about reality TV shows like the one in this book that I just LOVE - even though I don't watch shows like this EVER in my free time. This was such a good book, filled with the drama that comes with reality tv shows, AMAZING chemistry between the two main characters [not to mention the spice was EVERYTHING - was so well written], but also having those two main characters be polar opposites coming together in such a magical way.

Gina and Stone could not be more different if they tried. Gina is a pro dancer on the reality TV show "The Dance Off" and a city girl from L.A and Stone is a SEXY Alaskan survivalist on a wilderness show. They both have something to prove and motives for wanting to win the competition and week after week they work together. Gina showing her choreography skills and helping Stone learn to dance which proved difficult when the chemistry became a little to hard to ignore....

Will they choose fame and fortune, or let love take the lead???
Guess you need to read for yourself to find out!

Can't wait for the next book in the series, because I genuinely enjoyed the authors style of writing and the way she told the story. It was such a fun read. If you like shows like Dancing with The Stars, books where opposites attract in a sexy romance with deliciously written steamy chemistry this book is for you. Definitely recommend!

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

This is a new favorite Alexis Daria novel for me! You Had Me at Hola was such a fun time, but this novel was definitely attempting to take its number one spot in my rankings.

I loved watching Dancing With the Stars growing up, so reading this was almost a nostalgic experience for me. The tension between the two main characters was stunning, and I'm glad we had both of their POVs.

rating: 4.5
spice: 3.5

I'm a big fan of Daria's work and jumped at a chance to read this novel. It's got a lot of similarities to her Primas of Power novels (Hola and Adios) but it also stands on its own and since it's been a while since I read her other titles I really took it that way and not as an extension of the others.

Gina and Stone are, it would appear, opposites in every way. Except that they've been paired up for Gina's fifth season of Dance Off, a hit reality tv show. Stone is no stranger to reality tv - which is how he gets roped (that's a pun for when you've read the book) into doing this gig. Gina is hopeful as she steps on to the stage for her fifth season of dancing with celebrities for cash prizes and bragging rights. And maybe, just maybe, Stone is her ticket to that top prize.

I suppose is would be cast as a opposites attract but it's also got a taste of forbidden romance which is a fave so that was fun. And in the end, there's a lot that these two have in common so is it truly opposites attract? You'll have to read to find out more.

**I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review**

I was nervous that this book wouldn't meet the hype. I had seen several positive reviews, plus the romance centers around a dance competition and the main characters are gorgeous! It was with trepidation that I started this read....

and finished it with excitement the same night.
Seriously, I opened the ARC, thinking I'd read a couple chapters and then stayed up until 2:30am to finish it.

If you like mountain man-esque characters thrown out of their comfort zones, dance competitions, lots of personal growth, secret romances, and a dash of slowburn with another healthy helping of spice, then this book it for you.

I was pleasantly surprised at how spicy this book was. We get multiple scenes after some fantastic slow burn. The dance scenes were excellent and I was totally immersed in the story. The pacing was also fantastic, at no point did I feel like we were going too slow or fast, despite needing to cover several months of time.

I was worried about the resolution as I approached the end but was really pleased with how everything worked out. The character development for both characters was well thought out. This book deals with some themes surrounding family and self-identity. This is really evident in Stone's character development as he tries to figure out if his love for Alaska and living rough is really his or what he's been expected to portray. Both characters are used to the cut throat and difficult life of being on reality tv, and both experience some setbacks related to this.

Overall a really great read that delivered a greater punch in several area than I expected! I'll be looking forward to book 2!

Wow, this was a fun and sexy read! 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this and I think if you're a Dancing with the Stars fan you'll love it when more. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun Romance.

Thank you netgalley for providing me an arc for an honest review.