I had a hard time getting on board with this book. The characters were so messy, and not in a fun way. I found most of the spicy scenes seemed to happen out of nowhere and were really abrupt and just not realistic.

I had a really hard time liking the characters. The ending was the best way to wrap up this kind of story, and I felt satisfied after, but the only thing really keeping me interested was Lucy.

I received this ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Please take my review with a grain of salt, as this normally isn't the kind of book I'd pick up.

I really wanted to like this more!

The overall reading experience was easy as the writing was accessible but some parts I felt were a little unnecessary (toward the middle mostly).

So we follow Kate as she enters this reality show dance competition. She is paired with Merle a professional dancer, but if you ask me he is not professional at all. They end up heating things up extremely quickly. That along with a few terrible decisions made by Kate really annoyed me.

It finished up nicely though and isnt too bad. Overall I enjoyed some parts but was really frustrated in others.

This book fell a little flat for me. I liked the concept, but hated the characters. Okay, hate is a strong word, but I wasn't connected to any of them (even the protagonist) and deeply disliked some of the other characters. The plot felt like it was missing. I think there was too many sex scenes that didn't lead to character development of further the missing plot.

While I typically love a fake dating, love triangle book, this one honestly fell flat for me. I wanted to love the characters, but it didn't feel like there was really any substance to them. I still barely feel like I know them.

I’m not really sure what I think about this book. I know I don’t like Kate’s first partner. And I love Sofiya and Aleksis. But I feel like it all went too fast and was a bit too caught up on the sex rather than emotional connection until way later in the book. That said, the last third was far better than the rest, so I’m glad I didn’t give up on it.

When I requested this ARC, I was really excited about the prospect of a romance set on a dance reality tv show. However, I had begun to read the other arc reviews and saw that the general consensus was that this book wasn’t great, so I had put off reading it until now. As much as I wish it were otherwise, the other reviews were right.

The Dance Deception follows Kate, an out of her luck woman who is stuck at a crappy job. After her friend pushes her to join a dance reality tv show, she quits and starts training with her dance partner Merle. After a scandal, Kate is forced to dance with, and later fake date, a new partner, Aleksis.

First of all, it is very clear that Kate has had bad experiences dating in the past. It blows my mind that all of Merle’s red flags would have gone unnoticed. Generally, a lot of the things that happened in the books seemed super implausible: the person that took the picture, the return of a couple in the final, and the end result.

On top of that, I was 35% through the book when I realized that I didn’t really understand Kate. With other books, I can imagine the main characters in other scenarios and can predict how they would act. I can’t do that with Kate. She just felt like a surface level character. Furthermore, a lot of the character interactions felt super shallow especially amongst the contestants that were friends. Other characters also felt really surface level, like they had no personality beyond moving the plot forward, like Sofiya and Liam.

I will say, there was some redemption a little later in the book when Kate and Aleksis went from fake dating to actually dating. That part was pretty good, but I don’t think it was worth reading the entire book for.

PS. Thank you Harper 360 for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge fan of dancing and books about dancing, so I had to request to read this one. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with the plot or characters and this book just fell flat to me.

The Dance Deception is what fun escapism is supposed to be about! If you enjoy shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars AND steamy romance, you will enjoy The Dance Deception.

Kate Wareing is excited to be taking part of the first series of Fire on the Dance Floor and is even more excited about her gorgeous French dance partner Merle. When a scandal shakes up the crew of Fire on the Dance Floor, Kate finds herself teamed up with new partner Aleksis, only to realize that Aleksis cannot stand to be in the same room with her longer than necessary. Desperate to break the tension and smooth the scandal, Kate and Aleksis embark on a passionate love affair to woo the audience with the understanding that it is completely fake…or is it?

While this book was a low-stakes romance and did suffer its issues (read: main character who made really stupid decisions and just an alright romance), it was still extremely fun and the perfect palette cleanser I didn’t know I needed.

*Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Dance Deception follows Kate Wareing, a contestant on a new reality tv dance competition. She is initially paired with the handsome and flirty Merle, but after a scandal rocks the competition, Kate must switch partners and dance with Aleksis, who seems to hate her.

This was such a fun read, and I really enjoyed this book. If you miss the days of good Rom Coms, then this book is for you. It's 'Dancing With the Stars' with a dash of Bravo TV-level drama.

Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
United against a common enemy
Fake Dating

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️

This was a fun light read with just the right amount of spice! I enjoyed the character development and storyline between Kate and Aleksis, including just the right amount of drama and a great full-circle moment to round out the book. The descriptions of the dances were detailed enough that I could picture them as I read, which was really fun!

s fun contemporary romance brings the razzle dazzle of a reality show dance competition with real people! Becky
Ward’s vivid descriptions bring you to the edge of your seat during the twists and turns of this enemies to lovers and fake
dating story. Pay close attention – there are a lot of moments you won’t see coming!
Tropes:
Dance Competition / Reality Show / Enemies to Lovers / Fake Dating or Relationship / Contemporary Romance / Forced
Proximity / Divorce / Adultery
Characters:
Kate – awkward reality show contestant – plucked from obscurity, she will compete in a reality competition where
normal people are paired with dance pros. She falls for her pro, and unfortunately, he betrays her, and then she’s paired
with someone else – who absolutely detests her.
Merle – Kate’s first dance partner, who seduces her, only to splash a semi-nude photo across the London tabloids. He
also tries to blackmail Kate with revenge porn. He’s just an all around bad guy!
Alexi – Kate’s second dance pro, who hates her. His sister is Merle’s wife – the wife Merle cheats on with Kate. Very
awkward at first, but sparks FLY as the book goes on.
Sophia – Merle’s wronged wife, who only wants to help her brother win the competition
Some Highlights –
- The spice starts on page 5. It doesn’t take long, and DAMN. It heats up quick! Merle and Kate have a LOT of chemistry. It
was initially sad to see that backfire on Kate, but when Kate and Alexi begin to spice things up…just wow. I’m giving it a
4/5 on the Spice Meter.
- SO MANY JAW DROPPING MOMENTS. Literally gasping. Moments I didn’t see coming!
- I loved the ending – while I wished Kate and Alexi would have placed first, it makes sense not to give Kate the win. She
has other things she needs to be doing to get her life on track, and Alexi should be part of that. It’s really the only way to
end the book!
- The parts with Kate’s family seemed unnecessary – I would have loved to know more about Kate’s roommate, and her
new boyfriend! Maybe in book 2?
Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers Ltd for granting me an Advanced Reader Copy of this book!

The first 10-15% of this book I really struggled with. I hated Merle from the first moment he was on the page. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to read the whole book with all the *ICK* he gave me. BUT this book turned out to be such a gem! Aleksis was just what I needed to cleanse my reading palate from that slime ball Merle! Fake dating is one of my favorite troupes! I loved his personality, even when he was angry. The author writes really well, everything flowed nicely. I was laughing out loud in the middle of the night waking my dogs up with the banter! The other characters were fantastic too! I loved how they always hyped Kate up by being supportive, even when it sounded bonkers. Will definitely be reading more by this author in the future!

I had a really hard time getting into this book and caring about the characters and their outcome. The whole book is told from the perspective of one FMC, and it’s difficult to follow along on her (mis)adventures in love on the dancing reality show.

The sex scenes feel forced, and while are graphic aren’t that steamy, the characters are mostly not flushed out, and the competition is overly drawn out.

The best part of this book is that the FMC is very sexually free, does not feel any guilt or shame (nor is any casted on her) for sleeping with multiple people during the 6-week period, and the sexual representation of the FMC typically not finishing from the penetration, and expecting further from her male partners.

I really liked this book! It was fun, steamy, and had enough suspense to have me read it all in one sitting! There were times I wanted to smack the FMC over her choices, but overall I loved all the characters. I do wish there was a little more buildup between Aleksis and Kate's relationship, it was pretty much all about the spice and the fake relationship. Overall a great read, and i would recommend it to a friend! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

perfect blend of romance and drama, with well-developed characters and a compelling storyline. It explores themes of trust, ambition, and the power of love amidst adversity. With twists and turns that keep you guessing, this book will have you rooting for the characters until the very end.

Okay, so, not the best book I've ever read, but certainly not the worst. If you are looking for little plot and mostly spice, this book is for you. And that's not to say that's necessarily a negative thing. Just like watching junk TV, it's okay to read a book that's not 800 pages long with heavy themes.

It does have short chapters, so I flew through this book. Chapter 1 already has spice in it so I was intrigued for sure.

Is the main character sort of infuriating? Yes. She gets hung up on a sleazy, cheating, good-for-nothing dude, but honestly who hasn't? The timeline is a little off - it's drawn out in some places and sped through in others, but it wasn't terrible.

For Becky Ward's first published adult novel, I thought Becky did a good job. Again, not every book needs to be profound and have you leaving it with life lessons. Some books can be pure, fun entertainment and I think that's what this book does.

★ ★ ★ ★ //5

The Dance Deception
by: Becky Ward

THOUGHTS:

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I thought that this book was great aside from what reviews said. I don’t read reviews before I dive into a book anyways…to each their own views with books and I am glad that I didn’t. This book was well written and well done, not necessarily something that I would usually pick up to read but I am not mad at it. I thought it was cute. I loved the characters Aleksis & Kate, I truly did. This book was a quick read and I thought that the relationships and the chemistry amongst the characters was well done. I love how the author threw in some great twists and turns into the book and they definitely had you guessing what was going to happen. I think that this book deserves a lot more than what it’s being given. I would recommend this book, of course :)

Prepare to be swept away by what promises to be the season's steamiest read, boasting an enticing blend of romantic tropes including a tantalizing love triangle, the allure of fake dating, and the thrill of enemies turned lovers. Yet, despite these captivating elements, my enthusiasm was dampened, leaving me with no choice but to bestow a modest three stars upon this novel.

Initially, the premise held immense promise, tantalizing me with the delicious tension of fake dating and the tantalizing prospects of a fiery enemies-to-lovers narrative. Regrettably, the execution fell short, leaving a bitter taste of disappointment in its wake. With an overwhelming emphasis on Kate's dependence on male companionship, the narrative faltered, failing to delve beneath the surface and provide the depth necessary to truly engage the reader.

Despite my personal reservations, I remain cognizant of the subjective nature of literary taste. While this particular work failed to resonate with me, it may very well strike a chord with others. As always, take each review with a grain of salt, for every reader's experience is unique and subjective.

I really liked the premise of this book and I think the author did a great job of navigating writing about a TV show in the middle of the main plotline. I didn't like the way the dialog was written in this book though. It didn't feel very immersive to me, and I don't feel like I connected with the characters very well which is a bummer because I was still invested in the storyline and the romance, but I don't feel like the two main characters interacted at all since it doesn't feel like they talked. It was a quick read that I think had a great premise, but execution wasn't my favorite, however I would still recommend it to readers who are looking for a good palette cleanser and something with low stakes.