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embrcko's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
holly_keimig's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book but it went a bit slowly for me in places. I love dancing and I love reading stories with Latinx characters, so I figured this was one was a must read. I think I listened to the other Daria book that I read and enjoyed it a bit more, so I might try to find more on audio. Dance competition shows can sometimes be a bit too "forced" for me and the characters a bit too "perfect" or formulaic. Daria writes the main characters, Gina and Stone, and their chemistry really well and they didn't feel formulaic at all. I just found myself wishing they weren't in the competition so they could just get together already (slow tango-y burn for sure)! If you enjoy watching Dancing with the Stars or other reality shows like that, you'll definitely enjoy this book. Looking forward to reading more from Alexis Daria.
v_gonz's review
4.0
Soooo good! I always feel like finding romances with a Latina lead is hard, so I was so glad I found this one! It combined my love of reality TV and all its drama with a sexy romance.
almase2020's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
It had just the right amount of angst between the two characters, and yes a 3rd act breakup but done really well
haneyhayespr's review against another edition
5.0
Take the Lead is a good fit for people who are in the mood for a lighthearted, romantic story that explores the ups and downs of a celebrity dance competition and the blossoming relationship between two unlikely partners.
embereye's review
Yeah, I read this in a day, and I'll probably do it again! Loved this book.
isabellariggs's review against another edition
3.5
Gift from lil Jim. This book was a book that I wasn’t expecting. Dancing with the stars love story essentially. At first I wasn’t sure if I’d like it but once the story picked up I found it very enjoyable. The plot I felt like was strong and didn’t rely entirely on the characters romantic life, but it did add to it. I think as a debut book this was very well done. Unsure if I will read the next books in the series but I did enjoy this one!
mdd13's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
maiareadss's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is insane for a debut novel. I’m literally obsessed! The adult romance was adult romancing.
jackiehorne's review
3.0
A strong debut contemporary romance from Alexia Daria. I'm not a reality TV fan, so I'm not the intended audience here, but for those who are, Daria's story delves deep into all the behind-the-scenes details of celebrity/professional dance competitions. Our protagonists are Gina Morales, a professional dancer who won't let romance get in the way of her career, and Stone Nielson, the "celebrity" half of The Dance Off team, who has starred for four years on a reality tv show with his family about living off the grid in Alaska. The romance develops slowly, but hotly, as a reluctant Stone gradually comes to respect Gina's talent and drive, and begins to take the competition seriously.
I appreciated Gina's insistence that the show not feature them as the season's "showmance," even after they begin sleeping together, because she doesn't want to cater to stereotypes of the "hot Latina" or to win the contest because of anything besides her own talent. And Gina and Stone explore interesting discussions about the real and the fake when one is working on a reality show. Daria also does a good job portraying her secondary characters: Gina's bestie and fellow dance show star Tasha; other celebrity dancers; the judges. The only one who came across rather flatly is the baddie producer, Donna, who goes against Gina's wishes and publicizes the budding romance for ratings.
Gina's reluctance to go public with their romance leads her to treat Stone and his feelings pretty unkindly at times. Another annoyance: each decides to keep something from the other at different points in the story, secrets of the "if they had just talked to each other they could have avoided a lot of annoying arguing" type; these conflicts felt more than a bit forced. And I would have liked a bit more character developmen, to feel the emotional reasons behind their decisions and hang-ups, rather than just being told told about them secondhand (bad boyfriend and absent father = abandonment issues for Gina; too much loyalty to family = repressing one's own desires for Stone).
What really is putting this relationship in peril: since Stone is still under contract to his reality show, he must return to Alaska; Gina has her sights set firmly on a big showbiz career, which means she's either in LA or NYC. Whose career dreams will have to be given up in order to make more than a fling possible? I didn't find the way this was resolved all that convincing.
But Daria writes with assurance and control, and has crafted likable characters that are sure to appeal to a broad audience. The set-up for book 2 makes me eager to see how this new writer follows up on this promising debut.
I appreciated Gina's insistence that the show not feature them as the season's "showmance," even after they begin sleeping together, because she doesn't want to cater to stereotypes of the "hot Latina" or to win the contest because of anything besides her own talent. And Gina and Stone explore interesting discussions about the real and the fake when one is working on a reality show. Daria also does a good job portraying her secondary characters: Gina's bestie and fellow dance show star Tasha; other celebrity dancers; the judges. The only one who came across rather flatly is the baddie producer, Donna, who goes against Gina's wishes and publicizes the budding romance for ratings.
Gina's reluctance to go public with their romance leads her to treat Stone and his feelings pretty unkindly at times. Another annoyance: each decides to keep something from the other at different points in the story, secrets of the "if they had just talked to each other they could have avoided a lot of annoying arguing" type; these conflicts felt more than a bit forced. And I would have liked a bit more character developmen, to feel the emotional reasons behind their decisions and hang-ups, rather than just being told told about them secondhand (bad boyfriend and absent father = abandonment issues for Gina; too much loyalty to family = repressing one's own desires for Stone).
What really is putting this relationship in peril: since Stone is still under contract to his reality show, he must return to Alaska; Gina has her sights set firmly on a big showbiz career, which means she's either in LA or NYC. Whose career dreams will have to be given up in order to make more than a fling possible? I didn't find the way this was resolved all that convincing.
But Daria writes with assurance and control, and has crafted likable characters that are sure to appeal to a broad audience. The set-up for book 2 makes me eager to see how this new writer follows up on this promising debut.