I thought this was a good audiobook. It was a nice, character driven story. I liked the disability representation due to Nick having cerebral palsy. I enjoyed how both Nick and Hayley grew as characters and helped build each other up. However, I did not like the emotional and slight physical cheating aspects to the storyline. I also did not enjoy how fast Hayley was moving on from her ex boyfriend. Overall though it was a good listen and would recommend. I did a Bookstagram review post that I have linked below.

I absolutely love books that are inclusive and are from POVs that are not typically seen. That being said, this was not my favorite book. I DNFed around 40%. I did not find the characters lovable or relatable at all.

I like disability representation and can’t resist a book with dancing in it. This book has both and I really enjoyed it.

Nick and Hayley have an awkward meeting and the friendship that follows is messy. The entire thing is so real. It was refreshing to read. Their journeys through self discovery and acceptance are moving and sweet. There is tension, wit and great chemistry. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil it.

I listen to many audio books and there aren't many male narrators that can do an amazing job with the female voice. This narrator was excellent. Pacing was perfect, pronunciation was on point. I had zero complaints.

This book comes out Feb. 6th and I really hope you add it to your TBR. This is Jason’s debut novel, and I can’t wait to read his future works.

I really liked this one! Nick is the charismatic karaoke king of his local bar, and one night, he sees a new woman dancing and can’t keep his eyes off her and the joy she radiates dancing. Her name is Hayley and she recently moved to Ohio with her boyfriend Kevin to dance at a local company. She accidentally insults him as she doesn’t realize he is disabled, using a walker. They later become friends…and maybe more?

Things I really enjoyed in this book:
First of all - the audio on this one was really good. I LOVED the narrator’s voice and I felt like it matched the picture of Nick in my head from the descriptions in the book.
Nick was a flawed, complex character. I liked that he had flaws that other people (namely Hayley) weren’t afraid to point out to him.
The strong friendship between Gavin and Nick.
Little Rosie!!
The sexual tension was really well done (this is closed door but I would have loved to see some spice because there was great chemistry between the characters).
I felt the ending was really strong and well done. This was disabled joy and I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How to Dance was cute, sweet & heartbreaking..

Publisher's summary
Nick Freeman works hard as the star of the weekly karaoke night at his bar, hoping his singing talent, quick wit, and winning smile will distract from his cerebral palsy. But one night at the bar, watching a professional dancer light up the dance floor with her boyfriend, he realizes that entertaining strangers will never give him a fraction of the joy he sees in this woman’s eyes.
When Hayley Burke notices Nick’s reaction to her dancing, she urges him to acknowledge his passion and try a few moves himself—only to be mortified when she realizes Nick can only walk with the aid of a metal walker. As Nick and Hayley fumble through misunderstanding into friendship, Hayley begins to enjoy Nick’s company more than that of her self-centered boyfriend. Nick tries to fight his attraction to Hayley, believing she deserves a dance partner who can move like her boyfriend does—but as Hayley and Nick continue to find their rhythm together, she shows him that “dancing” is about so much more than moving your feet.
In this fresh-voiced and utterly charming debut novel, Jason B. Dutton takes listeners on a swoon-filled journey as two lost souls learn that neither physical disability nor emotional scars disqualify us from finding beauty, validation, and love amidst the chaos of being human.

Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the ARC of this book!

How to Dance
By: Jason B. Dutton
Narrated by: David Bendena
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Release date: 02-06-24

I live a main character with a disability that doesn’t define them, so this book it that mark. It was an easy, delightful book that was fun to listen to. The narrator was good, drawing me in to the story and characters.

It was overall a super cute book but not something I kept grabbing for and could stay hooked on for awhile. It covers the topic of Nick and his life living with cerebral palsy. When opposites attract he finds himself falling for a girl he saw dancing in the bar. The only issue, she’s dancing with her long term boyfriend. This book travels down their stories and ends in a happy ending of them fighting for each other

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was the perfect fit for this story. I loved the characters and their connections. I enjoyed their dialogue and the way they were with each other. Very sweet story!

This was a sweet romance with great disability representation! Besides great disability representation there is also good representation of panic attacks, miscarriage and burn out. Due to the authors lived experiences I thought this was an accurate representation of the mindset some disabled people have since he has lived that experience.
This is a fun character driven story. I really enjoyed how Nick and Hayley helped build each other up and grew as characters.

The aspect of the story I did not like as much was the emotional and slight physical cheating aspects to the storyline and how fast Hayley moved on from her ex-boyfriend. I understand that mentally she hadn’t been in that relationship for a while but still felt like it was a little too fast.

The audiobook was enjoyable and I thought the narrator did a good job!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say this was pretty cute, I just didn’t really feel a connection to any of the characters. I wasn’t as invested as I’d like to have been.

THIS WAS ADORABLE. And also relatable. I appreciated the realness of so many different aspects.
You had representation of burn-out, panic attacks, cerebral palsy, and miscarriage. And also in the messiness of catching feelings when you're in a relationship and all that that entails. I found the characters super likable and enjoyed spending time with them.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me an early listen of this book. All thoughts are my own, I do not accept money for reviews.

WHY AM I CRYING. But on another note, this book has the most delicious slow burn and third act breakup/get back together. If you are interested in an audiobook you will fly through, this one is for you!

The message in this book is one everyone can take into themselves; that it’s not our differences that define us, but how we choose to love and treat ourselves that define us.

My favorite part of this book is the accurate representation of the mindset of people with disabilities or have been through terrible experiences. While I am not personally disabled or been through a traumatic event, I know people who have. Some of those people can’t work past their disability, they believe it’s all people see and they start to almost resent themselves. Seeing Nick, who has cerebral palsy, learn how to see past his own disability and realize that it’s not the only reason people either are or aren’t interested in him is a beautiful journey.

There was only thing I don’t like was the idea that a male and female cannot be friends and not be romantically involved. Now, obviously Hailey and Nick were going to become endgame by the end of the book, so they aren’t the best example of this, but it’s still a belief that too many people still believe. It is only slightly mentioned, the belief that an able bodied person can’t genuinely love a disabled person is a much more prevalent component to the plot, which I also believe to be false, but men and women can be just friends and have no romantic feelings for each other.

THANK YOU. I have a sister with severe cerebral palsy, so I am always looking for books that feature a MC with the same...unfortunately the fictions are few and far between. This book was absolute perfection.

So often when books feature someone with a disability, others are put on a pedestal for being friends or in love with the MC and nothing infuriates me more.

And when they discussed him seeing his niece walk for the first time? 😭😭😭😭😭

I listened to the audiobook, but I've already preordered because I can't wait to go back and highlight everything I loved so much about it.

I really enjoyed this 'own voices' debut novel. It was a beautiful mix of funny, and sad and soul searching. It was so refreshing to read a clean romance that made me laugh out loud.

The MMC, Nick, has cerebral palsy, and I found this insightful and informative, without the huge info dump which I appreciated. I also found it refreshing that it was the MMC who had a disability and not a side character, we need more of this in romantic fiction.

The story itself was cute and swoon worthy. I rooted for the two main characters and enjoyed watching them slowly fall in love. Dodging all the usual obstacles in romantic fiction. I also enjoyed the dance aspect in this story and that dance is more than just moving the body.

Nick and Hayley also felt like fully fledged characters, and I understood both of them and their individual journeys. Ultimately this book made me smile and I had a good time listening to it. The narrator did a really great job.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a really emotional and lovely romance.

Nick is an outgoing handsome teacher, who loves music, has a wonderful singing voice and enjoys karaoke. He also has a physical disability, and needs a walker to get around. Hayley is new to town, she's a great dancer but has performance anxiety. After a rocky start Nick and Hayley become good friends, share their challenges with each other. This book is amazing in the baring of raw emotions and vulnerabilities Nick and Hayley do. This is a wonderful story filled with great characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listener copy. David Bendena was a great narrator. I highly recommend this book. I loved the physical disability and mental heath representations. These stories need to be told.

Book 9 of 2024 - ☑️! Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & Jason B. Dutton for the ALC of How to Dance by Jason B. Dutton in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t remember how I came upon How to Dance (I believe it was via Bookstagram) but I was very much looking forward to this own-voices rom-com. It’s also a M/F rom-com written by a man, which isn’t quite as common in the genre. In this book (which I would consider a grumpy/sunshine pairing) - Nick Freeman is a talented singer, a movie buff and a math teacher who has Cerebral Palsy and uses a mobility aid (walker) to get around. Hayley Burke is passionate dancer who moves to town with her boyfriend in the midst of their complicated relationship with each other and dance.

I very much enjoyed the representation here - I don’t think I’ve read a book with a character who has CP at the center. Nick is sharp and quick-witted. He is able to connect with just about anyone in any room, and has the sweetest relationship with his young niece. Hayley is someone I related to on a personal level in the sense that she’s so in love with her creative career (dance), that it’s so entangled with her identity - she loves it so much, and because she loves it so much, she feels so deeply about it (both the good parts and the darker sides).

A note that Chapter 46 on my ALC didn’t work - I refreshed it, rewound it, fast-forwarded it, left the app and came back and checked other chapters around it (they all worked). I’m unsure if this happened to anyone else…

3.5/5 (rock) ⭐️’s for this one. On the pepper scale, without having listened to chapter 46, there’s a chapter where the characters go to what the kids call 2nd base, so I’d give it a 1.5/5 on the 🌶️ scale. I enjoyed Jason’s writing and thought this was a good debut novel. The book comes out on 2/6/24! 🎶 💃🏻 🧮 #NetGalley #HowtoDance

3.5, rounded up
Debut author

Nick is used to putting on a show to distract from his disability. He has cerebral palsy and uses a walker. He figures the more charismatic he is, the less likely people will think about his walker. While sitting in his usual bar on karaoke night, he sees a couple dancing. They lock eyes and he feels something. After finishing, Hayley walks over and sits with him. She noticed him. She immediately puts her foot in her mouth, saying anyone can dance- not realizing Nick can't even walk unassisted. Both say some things, both feel guilty. A few weeks later, they bump into each other again and apologize. A friendship is formed. Nick had feeling from the start and is trying to manage them- Hayley has a boyfriend. But one who puts himself first.

I enjoyed the characters, I loved the fact that Nick has CP. I like to think I am pretty respectful of those with challenges, but it helps to 'hear' their perspective once in a while. I feel both characters had a good growth arc.

What I didn't care for- Hayley is in a relationship when they meet. And stays in that relationship for a while. It wasn't quite a love triangle- there is no cheating or even contemplating cheating- but it still makes it a bit messy.

David Bendena narrates the audiobook. No complaints.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Jason B. Dutton for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 stars round up to 4 out of 5.
How to Dance tells a sweet yet also realistic look into love in a life with a disibility.
I enjoyed Nick’s point of view, and how honest and truthful he expressed himself and his frustrations of his circumstances and the way he was treated. You can tell the author put a lot of his own journey into the story. The relationships with his friends and others in the town gut you by the end because you realize your own reading has been swayed by his thoughts.
I didn’t really love the romance aspect though. I found Haley’s reactions to things confusing and I genuinely just didn’t connect with her view. This could partly be because I have never been into dancing and thus couldn’t connect to her passions.
Overall though, the story was beautiful and I would recommend it to those who love music and dancing, and those who are willing to question their own view and treatment of people with disabilities.

DNF at 45%

This book just wasn't for me. I didn't like the writing style or the characters. Some of the scenes felt very stilted and there were chapters I had to re-listen to because of the way things are worded. I liked the representation but there's not much else I enjoyed.
I did however like the narrator. He did a great job. I do wish there was also a female narrator for Hayley though.

If you're looking for a cute, entertaining, slow burn, clean romance this this is for you!

This book follows the MMC, Nick, and his friendship turns romance with the FMC, Haley. The main characters were loveable and and both grew throughout the book. I like that the author focused on a character with a disability (cerebral palsy), as I think there were lots of lessons to be learned by the characters in the book but also for the reader, and I don't think we see characters with disabilities highlighted often, especially in romance reads.

For this author's debut, great job! And bonus points for mentioning Nick reading one of my favorite authors, Louise Penny, at the end!

Note: I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator was perfect for this.

Thanks to Jason B. Dutton and Dreamscape Media for providing me with this ARC audiobook.