It was a little slow in the beginning, but it picked up and I really enjoyed it. Overall I recommend reading this book.

Alexis Daria is now an auto-buy romance author for me! Her books are known to have a lot of chemistry between the leads that you can feel leap off the page, and this story of Gina & Stone, in a Dancing With The Stars-type setting is no exception.

If I have any critique here, it’s that I wish the 4th act were a little longer - I wanted more!!

Needs one more pass with a dance editor to make sure all the details are accurate. There were a couple of times with things like the woman putting her hand on the leader's lower back during the basic step, which is not standard and almost not possible if his arms are where they are supposed to be. Simultaneously too many details like that and not enough scenes of practicing. Some of the mechanics of the competition were also glossed over. There was also more sex than I personally wanted, but it was all used to serve the development of the relationship, so that worked. I really liked that the characters were genuinely conflicted over their life goals, rather than some fake misunderstanding. A cute and fun story that could use some tightening up.

I first read this book years ago and am so glad that I took the opportunity to read it again. It was just as good, if not better, the second time around.

When professional dancer Gina is paired with reality star Stone for reality show dancing competition it is apparent from the start that the network is looking for a showmance. Neither of them intends to go there, Gina is not going to damage her reputation as a professional and Stone cannot risk getting too close to anyone and risking the success of the show he stars in with his family. However as the weeks go by and the foxtrot moved onto the tango, walls come down and the people behind the personas get to know each other and maybe even more.

With sizzling attraction and a really entertaining behind the scenes glimpse and a reality show this was a book that is easy to lose yourself in. I do wish that Stone’s family situation had been given more resolution. I was tense anytime he was with any of them.

Already planning my reread of the next book in this duology.

4 stars

When I saw Alexis Daria’s name on a gorgeous cover of a book, you know I had to request it!! I mean that cover is too pretty for words😍

If you’re a fan of Dancing With The Stars, then this book is right up your alley! I used to watch that show all the time and when a dancer and celebrity actually got married in real life, it reminded me of this book!

This book was fun, the opposites attract trope is such a classic, and the dancing was contagious!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the earc in return for an honest review

Wow this one was spicy from the start! These covers are so misleading sometimes haha but I did like the story and concept a lot. I wouldn’t mind reading more DWTS themed stories!!

I was disappointed that even up to 96%, there was still no real, heartfelt communication between the MC's. I prefer a stronger emotional connection in a romance than Gina and Stone had; what the two shared seemed more physical, void of a stronger connection.

The drama in this one went on way too long for me and the obstacles between the two also went on for far too long. This novel unfortunately didn't work well for me but I will read more of the author’s work.

This book fantastic! I love this authors writing style! It was romantic, smutty, dramatic, very creative. I fell in love with this love story. Main character Gina a Puerto Rican professional dancer. She is part of a television show called “dance off” which is basically like dancing with the stars. She gets paired with Stone he is a reality star from show called living wild based out of Alaska. This is opposites attract both come from two different worlds but in away know about reality tv and can relate with the drama that comes with shows like these. Publicist love pushing narratives our main characters aren’t happy with. These two have an immediate attraction, there is so much passion and tension while learning their choreography. We are talking spicy tangos and some hot dances. With the attraction so palpable “omg I was blushing” Gina has always had a rule for herself DONT GET INVOLVED WITH PARTNERS. she is a professional she is fighting this attraction she has for stone everyday she is around him. Her career comes first, she is driven and fierce and focused to come on top on this competition and win. Stone himself struggles with his attraction for this hot talented dancer. But he himself holds back knowing he has his own secrets and family obligations. The romance in this was so cute and then when you least expect it “BAM” the spice kicks and man it was Hot! Loved every bit of this book! I can’t wait to own my physical copy! I can’t wait to read more by this author

this was a fun read. I loved the pace of the relationship-building, and how the two MC opened up to each other as they became closer. The premise of a televised dance competition was brilliant, but also showed the seedy side of reality shows. The sexy times were HOT, and both characters had real growth throughout the book. thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

5/5 stars.
Going into this book I knew I’d love it, just knowing the female lead was Puerto Rican instantly made it a must read for me, nothing beats reading a character that’s the same ethnicity and nationality as you. Seeing your culture represented fills your heart in a way that almost indescribable.
Gina is a pro dancer for a reality tv show called The Dance Off, looking forward to a new season she can’t wait to meet here celebrity partner, who turns out to be a reality tv show star from Alaska.
The way their relationship develops is so fascinating to read: seeing Stone coming out of his shell, seeing Gina grow out of her fears. It’s such a wholesome story.
And the dance scenes are great! I’m not really into dance, but the way Daria takes to explaining the in and outs of dancing: the commitment, the intimacy between partners and how it can lead to discovering things about yourself and your emotions.

It seemed to be a good representation of a Latina who is smart and determined. There were some things that felt somewhat contrived, but overall the story was enjoyable and fast paced.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I love Alexis Daria’s other books so I was excited NetGalley gave me the opportunity to read Take the Lead. What I loved most about this was seeing the progress Daria has made since writing this. You Had me at Hola and A Lot Like Adios are face paced steamy romances. This one felt so much more drawn out. It felt like Daria was testing the waters in her writing. Sometimes it worked sometimes it felt artificial. I loved reading this because I’m a sucker for the genre. Definitely read if you’re a fan of Daria!

Well worth the re-read with a breathtaking new cover to match this fun, steamy story. Hot dancers. Off-limits romance. Alexis Daria's trademark strong heroines with spice and all the tension. Gorgeous storytelling that invites you behind the scenes to swoon, laugh, and pine for more! LOVE this one!

Take the Lead was such a pleasant surprise and I didn’t expect to devour it so quickly. I haven’t watched Dancing with the Stars since middle school and this book brought me right back with the covert references. The gaudy trophy, celebrity partnerships, and the art of a “showmance” all screamed Celebrity Dancing Show We Can’t Legally Name! I know this was republished, but this was incredibly impressive as a debut. I loved the various characters, great pacing, and high attention to detail with the catalog of dances. It was very easy to picture our couple on the main stage and I was rooting for them from the moment Gina stepped off the helicopter in Alaska to meet her hunky mountain man dance partner.

Gina and Stone were such a lovely couple and well suited to each other. They acted as perfect foils and helped provide support where the other was lacking. Stone was a gentle giant who was solid as his namesake and Gina was a gregarious professional dancer determined to win the top prize. I loved all their interactions from dance rehearsals, taped performances, and those shared moments in between the show. I thought the author did an excellent job explaining the various dances and the intended emotions assigned to each category. My least favorite trope was unfortunately utilized in the third act: miscommunication. I’m so tired of reading this literary conflict. Let’s give Character Vs. Nature a round in the ring because it’s been gathering dust in the metaphorical wardrobe for far too long. Miscommunication has overshared its welcome! These two had an excellent partnership on the dance floor, but migrate that communication to your offstage relationship!

Take the Lead was a fantastic contemporary romance that I was not expecting to love so much considering I’m not the biggest fan of competitive dancing shows. Stone and Gina were a fascinating couple and I was a huge cheerleader for their blossoming relationship. Shoutout to the author for creating such dynamic and realistic characters that I personally wanted to befriend. I will continue to read this author’s future publications because with anything she writes, I’m more than willing to let her Take the Lead.

She is a dancer in The Dance Off competition, his family have their show in Alaska, now they are paired in next season of The Dance Off. She wants to win, he wants to go back to Alaska, and somewhere everything changes, they want something else.
Cute story I enjoyed

This was a decent romcom read. Pretty much a Dancing with the Stars plot. Gina is the instructor and Stone is a reality TV show star. They are attracted to each other but try not to act on it.

Gina was a relatable FMC and I like the POC rep. Stone was good too, kind of a cinnamon roll hero. Because of the show plot there was a bunch of side characters who I couldn’t keep track of. While I enjoyed this book, it felt repetitive at times which was hard to push through.

This was my first read by Alexis Daria and I’ll definitely try her again.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

As someone who grew up watching Dancing with the Stars with my mom, I was more than intrigued by this book! I thought it was a cute look into what many of the real-life relationships that blossom on the show started off as (or what I assume they looked like).

The book is told in third-person, so there were times that I felt I was being told something rather than feeling something. When that happens, it can be hard to really immerse myself into the story. But I got by with this book.

Stone, a wilderness survival man, whose family lives off the grid in Alaska, took the job to help pay for his mom's hip replacement. The only problem is, their family isn't as 'off the grid' as the show portrays them to be.

And Gina, our New Yorker with Puerto Rican blood, wants to make it in the industry without succumbing to Latina stereotypes. She also found out from her boss that her spot on the show wasn't guaranteed unless she agreed to a showmance (she said no), made it to the finals (tough to do), and eventually to win (even harder still!).

Gina and Stone are both instantly attracted to each other when they meet in the Alaskan wilderness. But Gina refuses to get involved with a co-worker after having been burned in the past. And Stone...well, he wasn't against it, but he also knew he wasn't staying in LA after the show ended.

The book was cute. I loved the backstage view of the show and all its side characters. Even Meli, who I assumed was a nod to J.Lo, was a nice touch. Gina looked up to her so much and I loved that we saw her again at the end.

I was a little surprised there weren't more scenes of Gina coaching Stone to become better - there's a running issue with his knees being wonky in the dances and it never even gets addressed.

The book was spicy and definitely focused more on Stone and Gina's relationship rather than the show. So if you're reading this for the 'behind the scenes' of the show, you may be disappointed. But that being said, I liked the ending and how Stone's confidence grew, allowing him to consider life outside of Alaska.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Take the Lead was a cute romance in a unique setting. I enjoyed reading about Gina and Stone's love story while they fought for a win on the Dancing With the Stars type show called The Dance Off. I wish there had been more tension built before certain things happened, but it was steamy enough to make up for it.

If you're looking for a steamy romance with some good structure and plot, check this book out in February! It will be a great read for the month of love and romance.

This story was so cute! I really enjoyed the Dance Off show setting and the intimacy and connections that were formed through it.

It was really interesting to look at love through the scope of reality TV and Stone was such a sweet book boyfriend. Gina is a strong, independent and hard-working woman and I LOVED the female Puerto Rican representation! I’m only sorta-Rican (half) but I have felt many of the stereotypes that Gina describes and struggled against.

Would recommend to romance lovers that want to spice things up a bit! 💃🏽

I'm not usually into "celebrity" romances or reality TV show plots, but here I am once again diving into one. I was pleasantly surprised with how real the main characters appear. Gina is a professional dancer in her fifth season on the fictional "Dance Off" show and hoping to win it all. Stone is a reality TV star from an Alaskan wilderness show and is cast as Gina's partner in the latest season of Dance Off. Gina and Stone are immediately attracted to each other but maintain professionalism while filming. As the competition heats up, so does their romance (ha, I've always wanted to type that.) Gina and Stone not only practice to be the best dancing duo, but they also attempt to develop a real relationship based on their true selves but disguised behind their television personalities.

This was a fun romance with emotional depth. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the insta-lust didn't mean insta-sex. There is so much chemistry and trust built between the two dance partners, that when they do finally start to explore their physical relationship, it is smoking hot. Gina and Stone both contend with maintaining their true self while also trying to further their careers. As expected, this book would be perfect for fans of Dancing with the Stars who are also looking for a book with emotional (as well as physical) heat.