As someone who's obsessed with Dancing with the Stars, the second I learned about this book I knew I needed to read it, and it did not disappoint! I loved Gina- she would definitely be one of my favorite pros. Stone was the perfect contestant and the two of them together?? I loved every second. I loved the journey through their season of dancing and how their relationship grew. It was everything I wanted.

I will say, I finished this book on a DWTS night and couldn't stop thinking about it as I watched the show. They are completely right- the audience (aka me) sure loves a showmance!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc! <3

Take The Lead is a fun contemporary romance by Alexis Daria. Ms. Daria has crafted a well-written book and populated it with a phenomenal cast of characters. Gina is a professional dancer on The Dance Off show, where couples compete with one pro dancer and one non-pro dancer. Stone and his family are on a reality tv show and he's selected to be Gina's partner for the upcoming competition. Stone and Gina's story is packed with humor, drama, angst, sizzle and backstabbing. I didn't think I'd enjoy a dance show book but the characters in this one made me a fan. Take The Lead is book 1 of the Dance Off Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliffhanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria is a typical romance/rom-com story. That's not a knock; it's a compliment. When choosing to read a book like this, I want a good story with interesting characters and Daria delivers.

Gina is a professional dancer on a show, The Dance Off, that is extremely similar to "Dancing with the Stars". She is itching to win the trophy and her producer has made it clear that she has to win or she may not have a job next season. Stone is an outdoor survivalist living in the Alaskan bush with his family while filming a reality tv show. Stone's family needs money, so he goes on The Dance Off. When Stone and Gina meet, they sizzle. As the story progresses, we see the tension increase with Gina, with Stone and with Gina and Stone.

Again, though the ending is predictable, I enjoyed the journey to get there. Stone and Gina's motivations were clear and I was rooting for them. Overall, Take the Lead is a fun romance.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an #ARC of #TakeTheLead

This book is perfect. I genuinely had a smile on my face the entire time. Stone and Gina are my new comfort couple! 10/10.

I recently got obsessed with dancing with the stars so seeing this book I knew I had to request it right away. It was cute and fun. It wasn't just a simple romance which is what I liked. Also that cover is gorgeous!!

I love dance shows and drama and that is what this book reminded me of. What we imagine happens behind the scenes of a dance show.

I read this within a day and I had a great time reading the whole thing. I loved Gina and her narrative - she is a determined woman who wants to win the whole thing.

I found Stone's silent sexiness the best part of this book. He was for sure a gentle giant that we all love.

I enjoyed the romance between these two because it was urgent, sexy, and just downright sweet most of the time, I mean both characters had their own reasons and motivations for the future.

I absolutely will be reading the other books in this series - I am officially investing

Selena Gomez and Thor find love 😂 Yes, yes, yes!! This book was everything! I’m so excited to read more of this series. I love dancing and Latine culture. It made me smile :)

The book has:
- Guy Falls First
- Opposites Attract
- Film Romance (Reality TV Dance Show)
- Friendly Giant

Thank you to Alexis Daria and St.Martins Press for the ARC. I’m excited that this book will travel across the US so other readers can enjoy it.

This book was so much fun! I grew up dancing so its always fun to read a story I relate too. I also felt the author did a great job describing the scenes and the emotional aspects of dancing and partner dancing. When adding the book on my goodreads, I did see that it came out in 2017 and I read the second book right away. So fun to jump into this world and learn about the characters.

Take the Lead is officially my new favorite Alexis Daria novel.

Set during a celebrity dance-off show, Take the Lead features Gina, a professional dancer who badly wants to win the latest series of Dance Off, and Stone, the Alaskan survivalist who is burdened by his family's secrets. Their chemistry is instant and only builds as they dance together week after week, but Gina's rules against dating coworkers and Stone's belief that all of this is fake make them question everything they're feeling.

I literally could not put Take the Lead down. It's a fun celebrity romance that explores deeper emotional issues, and it's very evident that Daria put in the time to research ballroom dancing and thought through the choreography in detail. I felt as if I were backstage on a dancing reality show.

I also loved the story between Gina and Stone. For me, the best romance novels not only feature a thousand reasons why the main couple should be together.... they also have to feature at least one compelling reason why the couple should not be together. Take the Lead delivers, wrapping me up so tightly in this romance. Stone and Gina are so different -- and beautifully drawn by Daria -- and yet I felt their compatibility on every page.

Finally, I have to say that I loved how Daria handled the representation in this book. It's lightly handled but every touch is deft, particularly Gina's Latinidad. I hope that more authors will follow in Daria's example, in the diverse and well-done representation, and in the craft aspects of this story as well, because Take the Lead was truly, truly excellent.

I enjoyed every page of this book and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an early review copy of Take the Lead. All opinions are my own.

This was so cute! I devoured it. I’m a sucker for reality tv storylines, although this is my first dancing storyline. I loved reading about the choreography and the behind-the-scenes moments. I was rooting for Stone and Gina the whole time. I only wish I got an even more extended epilogue.

I received this ARC for an honest review. This is the first book I have read from Alexis Daria, and it won’t be the last. Alexis Daria is a must read author! Alexis Daria knows how to get the reader invested in the story. You feel a connection with the characters.
This story is about Stone and Gina. Stone is famous from being on a reality show with his family about living in Alaska and Gina is a dance choreographer and teacher on the reality show “Dance Off”. Stone is reluctant to be on the show, but agrees because his family needs the money to pay off his mother’s hip surgery. Gina is determined to finally win and use that win to further her dancing career. The chemistry between the two is off the charts since the beginning. But will Gina stick to her rule to never get involved with a co-worker or will she put caution in the wind? I’m not telling because you have to read the book.
I know this a re-write, so I can’t give you comparison between the two books. I can only say I’m glad I gave Alexis Daria a try. It’s well written and has a good flow. Alexis Daria’s characters are multidimensional and grow through the story. I highly recommend to give the book a try. You won’t be disappointed.

A super cute, reality tv show based, slow burn romance!
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The premise of the novel, following a dancer and celebrity with no dancing knowledge to be paired together and then participate in a famous dancing show, really intrigued me. Throughout the story, the two main characters worked through difficult dances and moves, all while trying to ignore the tension brimming to life between them. Stone and Gina complimented each other's personalities so well.

A fast paced but entertaining read if you love dance competitions and what life is like in the acting world!

I remember reading this ebook slightly but was glad to re-read it! I love the whole dancing with the stars vibe! It was overall a cute romance, a bit of a slow burn and overall was a very sweet cute read!

I've enjoyed all of Alexis Daria's books so far, so it was really cool to go read her debut novel. Just like with all of her novels, Alexis really delivers the tension in heat in Take the Lead, and I enjoyed seeing the slowburn between Gina and Stone. Even though I don't necessarily watch Dancing with the Stars, as a dancer myself, I appreciated all of the dance training sequences and performance scenes. I will admit some of the behind-the-scenes moments in the reality TV world in this book seemed a little far-fetched to the point where Stone's character didn't even feel believable (considering how wild his upbringing sounds). There were moments were we got glimpses of how sinister and troubling Stone's upbringing was, but that wasn't explored very much in the story, which made the character development feel incomplete for me. Overall, if you're looking for a dancer romance with lots of tension, definitely pick up Take the Lead when it re-releases next year. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Listen the NetGalley cover is so much cuter than the real-people cover (no offense to them because they are beautiful). I feel like the artwork is more indicative of the actual plot.

This was a fun, intense, and overall cute book (without being too cutesy). It was easy to get into even without being into dancing or knowing anything about it - and I did genuinely understand everyone’s decision-making processes even if I didn’t necessarily agree with them! I wish that Stone had someone like Gina had Natasha, or had gone more into detail about his old friends, because it would have given us more insight into the way he’s become so shut off in only a few short years. But overall, I really enjoyed this!

Reading a book inspired by a dance show was an adventure, especially when the celebrity partner is a reality star too. Some parts felt cheesy and I kind of wish there had been more drama on page with Stone's family since there seemed to be some ominous threats from Stone's parents. I felt like he was let off easy and I missed getting more. Still, a cute book that covers a different element of a celebrity romance.

I read Take the Lead when it was originally published as an ebook-only release in 2017. It still ranks high on my list of favorite romances five years later, and Alexis Daria has become one of my favorite authors. I was excited to learn this book, which was Daria’s debut, is being rereleased in paperback with a gorgeous new cover (I mean, just look at it!) and updated content. And guess what, it still holds up.

Gina Morales is a dancer on the TV show The Dance Off (think Dancing with the Stars) who has been on the show for four seasons and never even made it to the finals. Her goal for this season is to win and take the next step in her career. Gina’s dance partner is Stone Nielson, who stars with his family on a reality show about their life in Alaska. He’s only on The Dance Off to earn money to help pay for his mother’s medical care—a secret that can’t get out.

Soon after they meet, Gina realizes she’s being set up for a showmance. As a Puerto Rican woman, she’s had to deal with stereotypes her whole career, and she has a rule against getting involved with her dance partners. With her job on the line, she can’t afford to give in to her attraction to Stone.

This is a bit of a slow burn, but once these two started clicking with each other on and off the dance floor, I didn’t want to stop reading this fun, well-written, and sexy story. And it is SEXY. If you like romances with heat, you know Alexis Daria consistently delivers, and this book is no exception.

Take the Lead is a must-read. The chemistry, the character building, the dance show setting, even the descriptions of the dances themselves—all of it is fantastic. If you enjoyed the Primas of Power series but missed this one the first time around, I promise you’ll love it, too.

Part reality show critique, part family saga, and all heart, Gina and Stone’s love story examines how far people will go to achieve their dreams and to fulfill their obligations. The slippery slope of ethical boundaries and unexpected costs of competing to win make it more challenging for Gina and Stone to recognize their true feelings and to believe they can establish a solid foundation for a long-term commitment. Emotional range, humor, backstage drama, complicated family dynamics, and steady pacing combine to create a charming tale sprinkled with sensuality and explicitly sexy encounters between the main characters. Fans of Alaskan survival shows and a certain popular dance competition show might recognize some elements as homages to their successful formulae.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I very much enjoyed this book. This is a steamy romance book. If you are fans of dancing with the stars this book is for you. It’s a ton of fun and dancing is front and center.

DNF-ed at 25%. I've decided that insta-lust will forever be my least favorite trope. I firmly believe that only the (very very few) talented authors are able to pull of insta-lust without making it weirdly predatory or creepy. Unfortunately, I don't think Alexis Daria hit the mark in this book.

I wanted to like this book because I love a Dancing with the Stars spinoff and I love reading about ballroom dancing and such. However, I feel like the relationship development in this book just made me really dislike it, The little nods towards dancing were really fun, and I really enjoyed reading the parts where they were dancing together. However, I really disliked how lusty and repressed the two were. The way Daria kept on emphasizing that any sexual liaisons would be a huge violation of their professional relationship made me strongly dislike anything between them. And the amount of times the two would just lust after each other's bodies AT THE WORPLACE (while I understand is non-traditional and meant to develop chemistry) still just made me uncomfortable.