**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.

This contemporary romance inspired by “Dancing With the Stars” featuring a hot, reluctant reality star and dancing star who wants the win. When their sparks fly on the show it leads to a steamy romance behind the scenes. This is a very fun read for fans of the show. However, if you don’t know the show inspiration or ballroom dancing you may not get as much out of this read. I really enjoyed it!

This was a fun and sexy read. Honestly, I do not want to give more away than that, but the premise of the novel is that Gina and Stone are partnered together on The Dance Off. Basically this is like “Dancing with the Stars”. So if you’re looking for something sexy, and you are a big fan of that show, this novel is definitely for you. Also, Stone? He is a sexy Alaskan, wood chopping reality star. Now I don’t know about you, but I really love those wood chopping videos on Tiktok. Reading this novel, honestly made me feel like I would absolutely love to meet Stone in real life because… damn that is hot.
Here is a quote from the novel I simply CANNOT get out of my mind.


She'd danced the tango countless times, with countless partners. It had never, never been like this.
This was foreplay. He was showing her his intensity, what he was capable of, and what he'd do to her - for her, with her - if she let him.
​

I loved this book. On February 14, 2023 do yourself a favour and get yourself a copy.

As a big fan of Dancing with the Stars this book synopsis caught my attention. Overall I liked the book and the premise was really original compared to what I have read in the romance genre so far. Furthermore, I found the book well written and the characters well developed. As a reader, you are rooting for Stone to get with Gina the whole time because he is such a loveable character!

Having said that, I found it hard to get into the book the first ten chapters. I think it has something to do with how hot and cold Gina was with Stone. He is this cinnamon role main character that takes care of everyone else’s needs before his own. He goes on this journey to learn how to dance in front of millions of people in order to pay for his mothers medical bills. In the dance studio and beyond, his chemistry with his dance partner and teacher is undeniable. Gina, on the other hand, is determined to put her career ambitions and goals above all else and not follow in the footsteps of her mother. It was sometimes hard to read about how she treated Stone and pushed him away when all he did was try to protect her at every turn.

The secondary characters were fun and the behind the scenes happenings of a dance competition was a fun perspective to read about. Overall a decent read and one that had its enjoyable moments, their was even some pretty steamy scenes that were well written. It was one that I did not feel the pull to devour in one sitting but did not regret reading in the slightest.

A stunning debut contemporary romance filled with dancing, passion - perfect for lovers of reality tv!

Take the Lead was such an enjoyable read, I received the ARC for this book just as the current season of Dancing With The Stars was ending and it came at the perfect time because I couldn't get enough of this magnetic story. We follow Gina and Stone, Gina is a Puerto Rican Professional Dancer on a reality TV Dancing competition show and her partner for this season, Stone who stars on a Wilderness Survivalist on a reality show with his family. When the two are paired together on Dance-Off, neither are expecting the instant attraction but it really takes Stone by surprise and allows him to show a side of himself thats has been lost for quite sometime.

I loved the entire vibe of this novel! The reality TV aspect was portrayed really well and I appreciated the breaking of the fourth wall , so to speak. The description and manipulation the cast members are out through is portrayed in a real and honest way, showing how far the producers will go to get a clip for the show or create something that will gain viewership. That said, the created conflict in the story was frustrating at times, even though it was necessary to enhance the story.

Gina and Stone are both likeable characters who are both doing what they do for a bigger purpose. Together they have great chemistry and are very supportive and understanding of one another, their slow burn connection turns steamy and Alexa Daria blesses us with the mirror scene which was SO HOT!

I really liked this book, the characters and side characters were great, the story line was engaging and the spice level was palatable for the story. Overall a fun romance novel for all to enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Griffin for an ARC copy of Take The Lead!

What happens when you have a Dancing With the Stars type show, a professional dancer who is beautiful and her partner who is quiet, an Alaskan woodsman and drop dead gorgeous? Two people who think they know what they're getting but have no idea at all! This novel will have you rooting for Gina and Stone and wanting to watch their dances as their romance heats up. But will there ever be a way they can keep it going after the show? or during the show when there are too many forces trying to intervene? Great beach read!!!

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

A big thank you to Alexis Daria, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Take the Lead comes out February 14, 2023.

Take the Lead is a romantic comedy centered around a dance show competition, this is a previously published book from Alexis Daria that is being revamped and rereleased. Poppy is a professional dance that is currently on her 5th season of "Dance Off," unfortunately she has not won a season so far. This season she is paired with outdoor survivalist Stone, while he and his family has their own show he is trying to win the prize money to pay off his mothers medical bills. During training and the show the two keep fighting their overwhelming attraction toward each other. Will the two be able to get past ambition, long distance and secrets to possibly have a future together.

Take the Lead was such a fun and romantic novel to read. Poppy is a very strong and driven female lead, and Stone is a cinnamon roll male lead who cares very deeply about his family. They seem like a very odd pairing, Poppy is a city girl while Stone is a Alaskan nature man. In the end though they both go through emotional and personnel growth to be people that can make it work. If you are looking for a fun, romantic and easy read, Take the Lead id for you!

I loved this book!! Definitely a five star read for me. It was my first of Alexis Daria and it will definitely not be the last. It was funny, cute and had great chemistry with the main characters.

I really loved the TV show reality plot and felt like it was done in a really fun way without bogging the reader down with too much extra information.

I can’t wait to read more from this author!

I don't think men understand at all what it is like to be a woman trying to work and be judged for her work and not as a woman. Gina knows what she has to do and she is constantly up against everyone to prove herself that she is worthy. She struggles with this throughout her whole career, but is part of it because her father was missing from her life? I don't think parents know how much they mess up their kids by their actions. I know we all try to do our best, but some could definitely try to do better.

I had a little bit of trouble getting into the book at first, but by the last half I couldn't put it down. I loved the development between Gina and Stone. I also loved the hispanic representation. Overall, it was a super cute read.

As a fan of Alexis Daria, I was very excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed the concept of the characters being on a competition "reality" show and how the characters have to deal with the gossip that surrounds them. The characters of Stone and Gina were well-developed and I enjoyed how they grew as the story went on. The kind of slow-burn romance between the two was perfect! If you're a fan of Alexis Daria, I highly recommend this book!

Gina and Stone could not be anymore different. Gina is a puerto rican woman from New York, who is passionate about dance and chasing her dreams. She wants to have a successful career and no one is going to get in the way of that, especially a man. Stone lives in a remote area of Alaska, and is reluctantly one of the stars of a reality TV show, called "Living Wild." When these two get paired together to compete in a dance competition show, things start off pretty rock. As the show progresses, their bond becomes stronger and a relationship forms that neither of them were expecting.

I love romance novels that teach me about a subject that I had little knowledge of. While reading this book, I learned a lot about different styles of dance. The way Gina describes the dances that she creates is so well written. I felt immersed in the dance aspect of the story, and found myself rooting for the competitors. I also enjoyed Gina and Stone! They were so different, but it really worked well in the story. There were some steamy scenes, fun banter, and of course sensual dancing between them.

I will be reading this again.

I LOVE IT!! Everything I wanted from a dance competition/lumberjack type romance! Alexis Daria does it again and I’ve been swooned. There’s something about her writing that I live for and I can’t wait to read more of her backlist!

Gina is starting her fifth season on the Dance Off and is hoping for an amazing dance partner. She is thrilled when she realizes that he is super hot, fit, and stars on reality tv, but she is hoping that it will translate to good dancing. Stone is on a tv show with his family called Living Wild and they have a few secrets they are trying to protect. He hates tv and LA so at the start, he is not. the most willing dance partner. He really is there to get the money to help pay for his moms medical bills. Gina and Stone have incredible chemistry on and off the dance floor, but Gina refuses to be involved with a co-star after a previous incident. The pressure is on and her producer goes behind Gina's back to make some things happen. Gina is worried that it will backfire and she is mad at Stone for not telling her when he knew about it.

I loved this cute, flirty story. Their chemistry was almost palpable and how they have to learn to fully trust each other and their gut really built their relationship. I loved the Dancing with the Stars feel that it had even down to the two co-hosts like we had this past season. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

This has to be one of my favorite books of the year. It’s well-written with great characters and an interesting setting. The plot is based on a take-off of “Dancing for the Stars,” with reality-tv twists and turns. Stone’s large family has a survivalist cable-tv show set in the wilds of Alaska. His parents push him into doing the “Dance Off” show. He reluctantly agrees to go on the show with the hope of staying in the competition long enough to pay some family medical bills. Stone’s assigned dance teacher and partner is Gina. Gina is a talented Hispanic dancer and choreographer from the Bronx. Gina has been on the “Dance Off” show for a few seasons but hasn’t won yet. Her goal is to win and then go on to have a hugely successful career in show business. While Gina is trying to be professional and keep her life private despite intrusive cameras, their producer tries to set up a showmance for ratings. Despite Stone’s and Gina’s different goals and backgrounds, they find themselves falling for each other as the competition progresses. This book has lots of adult heat, realistic character growth, interesting details about the show’s production and engaging dual points of view. Stone and Gina’s HEA is uncertain, so this book is very hard to put down. Great story! I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was such a fun read. I loved the chemistry from Stone and Gina right off the bat. They had a strong connection and I loved how sensitive and open Stone was. There were a few times where Gina made me angry and acted like a child. If it weren't for Stone's strong character, I probably would've rated this lower, he made the story. Gina was very immature at times but overall I did enjoy the book. I would recommend if you're looking for a light and fun read.

I was already a fan of Daria, but now I absolutely adore her! I am a big fan of DWTS and when I saw a chance to review this book, I couldn’t wait to see the romantic spin of dance competitions. The story was so well written and the MC’s were so well developed! I hope this becomes a series; Daria is so good at writing reality/TV show romances!

4.75/5 stars

I've never been a fan of any of these Celebrity ballroom dancing shows before, but I'm VERY much second-guessing my stance on that after reading "Take the Lead"!

I don't know why, but I went in with pretty low expectations for this book - not a reflection by any means on the book or Alexis Daria - I've just been in a bit of a reading slump/haven't found a book that really grabs my attention, but this was exactly what I needed. I was honestly hooked from the third chapter and I could NOT put it down!!

Alexis Daria has now solidified her spot in my "instant-buy authors" category...we've got a burly Viking-esque-mountain-man meets trailblazing-powerful-latina-pro ballroom dancer and BAM! if that doesn't set the stage for a spicy-steamy-tension-misunderstanding filled romance then I don't know what does??

All tropes aside, this story was beautifully written. The pace was excellent and I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I loved Alexis' representation of a Latina woman in this book, and her stance at breaking the stereotypes of Latina women in the entertainment industry. It was truly refreshing to see a female main character in a Romance novel stick to her guns instead of compromising for a man with a kind heart. When it comes to the actual dance off/competition part of this book, I was SHOCKED!! Literally could not believe how into this competition I got!! I genuinely felt like I was fully WATCHING this show unfold in front of my eyes, the writing is INCREDIBLE!!

All in all, this book is a definite all-time fave of mine now, and I cannot recommend it enough. The ups and downs were truly ups and downs, and the chemistry between Stone and Gina will forever be a benchmark for future characters in my mind. Can't wait for the next book!!

The behind the scenes of a TV dance competition reality show take the lead for dancer Gina and her partner Stone. He is also a reality show star and knows the ropes however this is different. Fina is adamant about not being used for a showmance. The producer is cooking up one for her and Stone.
The beauty of the story is the developing relationship of Stone and Gina as the story progresses. A delightful novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.