Member Reviews
Usually love Georgia Beers books but this one felt a little slow to me. I felt like it took way too long for the actual story to start. Once it did, I was hooked!
3.5/5 stars
This was a super sweet new read from Georgia Beers. Wonderful chemistry, a heartwarming story and plenty of loveable characters. This is the kind of book that leaves you feeling all warm inside and with a silly smile on your face.
The chemistry between Scottie and Marisa is what made this book worthwhile. The dancing scenes were on fire and just so engaging to read. Scottie is a very relatable heroine, and her awkwardness to begin with when dancing made me giggle to myself because I know that’s exactly how I would be. But once we got past that awkwardness, the dance scenes added a whole lot of passion and sexiness to an otherwise very sweet and light story. The tension between them at the beginning due to their unusual prior relationship was also a unique and fun twist to their relationship.
The side characters are also really loveable in this book, especially Scottie’s grandma and friends. We had lots of fun chatting and banter moments between friends that felt so natural, adding to the enjoyability of the book.
Very nice read! Don't know what it is about Georgia Beers but she always seems to capture us readers, with likeable characters, banter, emotions and a great storyline. And Dance with me differently as all of those.
Good story, I've given it a 3.6 out of 5
Cute light read. I felt the writing was a little repetitive at points, but still a pleasant read. I really liked a number of the characters, especially Scottie's grandma, Marisa's nephew, and Scottie's best friend Adley. (Adley clearly needs her own story, as well as Marisa's financial brilliance.) I found myself caring more about most of them than Scottie herself.
Scottie is still moping after her ex-girlfriend kicked her out. Even her grandma has begun prodding her to move on with her life. Thankfully she's already given in to taking a dance class with her best friend Bash, where she happens to meet her ex's ex (the woman Scottie supplanted), Marisa. Cue the music, cue the immediate attraction, cue the weirdness. Can they figure out how to make this work, particularly given that the ex has seemed to pop up again?
I think this book was a decent read with a pretty cute premise and a host of wonderful side characters.
Note: I received a free pdf review copy thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, but my review and opinions are my own.
Never have I disliked a Georgia Beers book and this one is once again an ejoyable read with witty dialogue, main characters with nice chemistry and fun supporting characters. Even though as a romance reader you will never go wrong with a Georgia Beers book I have a few minor point.
Written in the first person (Scotties POV) made me less able to connect to Marisa or gauge where she stood in this whole story. Even though it seems like first person view is getting more common in romance books I actually have a severe dislike of it. I want to get swept up in the romance between 2 people, not just stay inside the head of one and needing to guess about the other characters thoughts.
There were a lot of surrounding story lines that were mentioned too often to not handle, like with the ice cream shop or hairdresser situation. The solution for these storyline seemed to be within the story, but for some reason did not get a conclusion.
Nevertheless: romance + Georgia Beers = you can't go wrong picking this one up
***Thank you Netgalley and Bold Stroke Books for giving me the chance to read and review this book***
I've read several romance novels by Georgia Beers an have yet to be disappointed. This is another great story. The chemistry between the main character is good and the witty dialogue kept me smiling. If you're familiar with some of the author's older works, Dance with Me kind of reminds me of Baking from Scratch (another great novel by this author). This is a quick easy read and I recommend.
I really liked this book. I have read all of Georgia Beers' books and this was definite favorite.
The book follows Scottie who is coaxed into taking dancing lessons. However, her friend gets in an accident and breaks his foot. Scottie is tempted to stop going to the lessons, but her friend suggests she continue.
Scottie goes to one class and the regular instructor is not there,, but her niece, Marissa, is taking her place. However, Scottie was the one Marissa dumped her for, Scottie did not know that Marissa was with her until afterwards. This creates a difficult situation for both women.
How they get through it and beyond is worth the read.
I would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story was a bit underwhelming. I’ve had a decent track recording thoroughly enjoying Georgia Beers novels, but this one left me wondering what happened, because it didn’t really feel like her writing. The first person POV (via Scottie), was the first thing to throw me off. I honestly didn’t know where things were going (if there was even going to be a romance) for the first 16% of the book. I wish we at least were given Marisa’s perspective. But the narrative of Scottie alone (I was a bit shocked when it was revealed she is in their thirties, not early twenties) by her inner monologue/interactions with people. I just wish there was more substance, less repetitive, and less teenage drama amongst ex’s (I still don’t understand why a certain phone number wasn’t blocked to begin with).
As for the rest of the story not part of the romance, it felt like there were a lot of loose ends. Like with Scotties BFF struggling with the ice cream shoppe – wouldn’t it make sense if Marisa helped her out considering she’s a financial planner? Or how about the issue of the hair salon rent going up…there was a lot of discussion about Scottie and her friends needing to open their own place, but that seems to have been forgotten.
2.5 stars
ARC received from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Scottie Templeton’s grandmother has more of a social life than she does. And this really doesn’t bother Scottie one bit. She is living with her grandmother after being cast aside by her girlfriend of four years. To throw insult to injury, Scottie was asked to take her things and leave immediately. Now all Scottie wants is to enjoy a glass of wine with the comfort of Netflix. That is until a close friend convinces Scottie to take dance lessons so that he is ready for his wedding day. It is at the dance studio that Scottie meets the instructor’s niece Marisa, who takes Scottie’s breath away.
Dance With Me is a love story from the prolific pen of Georgia Beers. It is as diametrically opposite on the romance spectrum as a story can be from the depth and gravitas of her last novel, Camp Lost and Found. Dance With Me is a spirited up tempo first person narrative filled with Scottie’s hair salon coworkers, her childhood best friend, who owns an ice cream shop, her grandmother and her blended family times two.
The novel is an uncomplicated love story which is a perfect read for a lazy afternoon.
I received an advance review copy from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I'll always have a soft spot for Georgia Beers, but her last few books haven't hit for me. I'm not a huge fan of first person in romances, even if it seems really common, and Scottie's head wasn't my favourite place to be in. The chemistry between Scottie and Marisa and their main conflict didn't land for me. I find romances hard to rate because they never really hit higher than a 3 star for me, but that doesn't mean I think they're bad. Overall, I think it was a decent read and it's impressive that Beers can keep coming up with new plots/characters, but this one isn't one of my favourites.
Scottie feels second best. Dumped by her girlfriend Pen and ignored by her divorced parents who are busy raising her half siblings, Scottie has moved back in with her grandma while she figures out where she fits in the world. When she agrees to take dance lessons with a coworker so he can dance with his bride at their wedding, she does so reluctantly. It’s so much easier to sit on the couch watching Law and Order: SVU episodes with her grandma than acknowledge her feelings of loneliness. After her initial fears, Scottie begins to look forward to their weekly lessons, even more so when their dance instructor's niece Marissa takes over the classes. It’s not long before they discover they share both attraction and the realization that Marissa is the ex girlfriend of her ex girlfriend, Penelope.
I admit I inherited my two left feet from my fathers side of the family. Dancing is not something I enjoy so why choose a book with dancing as the central focus and romance as the payoff? Easy. Because it’s Georgia Beers and she will let me enjoy being awkward alongside her main character. I think this is what makes her special to me as an author. While her characters might be beautiful in their own ways, I can relate to their challenges, fears and dreams. Comfort reads every time.
It’s easy to see where the conflicts in this budding relationship lie but it didn't detract from my reading pleasure. Scottie and Marisa, their family and friends and a good dose of ice cream all come together to make this a sweet if predictable read.
A copy of this book was received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.
Really good book. The relationship between Scottie and Marisa was sweet with very low angst and drama. I liked that their relationship started out as kind of enemies/rivals, because of the ex girlfriend, but after clearing the air about the ex these two became friends and then lovers. The addition of the Scotties family was I think necessary to the storyline. So, that we could get a feel about why she's so willing to to keep the peace at all cost, even if it hurts her feelings. The support characters weren't really well developed, but I feel that this was intentional it almost feels like the author has another book waiting to be written. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author.
When it comes to romance authors, I always place Ms. Beers in my top five favorite authors. In Dance With Me, Ms. Beers has created another wonderful romance for people to enjoy.
Scottie Templeton has signed up for dance lessons so that her best friend will have a dance partner. Scottie is not looking forward to these lessons because she feels she has two left feet, but she will not go back on her promise to help her friend. However, plans quickly go awry.
Marisa Reyes has agreed to help her aunt with the dance class. She has always been around dance so it is not such a big favor that her aunt has asked of her. When she meets Scottie in the class, she wishes that she was anywhere but in the same room as Scottie due to their negative history.
I really love the two main characters. As usual, Ms. Beers creates a love story and characters that seems so believable. The secondary characters only add additional flavor to the plot. I had a hard time putting this book down at the end of the evening – that’s how good this book is and readers will just want to know how it will turn out.
I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I received this ARC from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a story about Scottie Templeton who is a hair stylist. She has recently been dumped by her ex Penelope. Scottie wants to find her soul mate, get married and have kids. Penelope didn’t want any permanent attachments so she kicked Scottie out after Scottie told her she wanted to get married.
Scottie has two great co workers that added fun to the story. And a best friend who stands by her throughout the book. Scottie reluctantly agrees to taking a salsa dance class with her co worker. There she meets Marisa Reeves, who used to date Penelope.
Scottie and Marisa have instant attraction but both are reluctant to get involved because they are feeling weird that they both dated Penelope. The book is written in first person from Scottie’s point of view. A great deal of the book focuses on these uncomfortable feelings both have about dating each other. And this gets annoying with the repetitive thoughts. Scottie is very insecure with her family life and her childhood and that theme is a constant thought in her mind. Scottie lives in the moment and doesn’t seem to have the ability to communicate with her family, her ex or Marisa to resolve her insecurities and self doubts.
Overall I enjoyed the book. It was low angst and a fun story.
ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.
"Dance With Me" by Georgia Beers is an enjoyable love story that left me content and happy. The main characters, are two women that love to dance and have differing lifestyles. Both have flaws and insecurities but work to find their HEA.
I have always loved Ms. Beers' writing style and she really gives the reader a good understanding of the MCs struggles and issues that open the reader up to their hurts and love that make them relatable women-like them we all just want acceptance and love. The supporting characters are also a good touch, they give some of the humor of the book.
I read this in one night so it was a quick read and the story moved along well. Overall, I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming and uplifting romance novel that celebrates the power of love and self-discovery.
Georgia Beers does such a wonderful job writing this story from Scottie Templeton’s point of view. I was taken from the first chapter with how sweet, kind, and self deprecating Scottie is. Her divorced parents with their new families as well as her crappy ex really did a number on Scottie’s self esteem. Despite this, Scottie is hard working, compassionate, just really flippin’ nice.
When Scottie meets Marisa, whose connection to her is one of a kind, the two push past that oddness and with the help of Marisa’s nephew, Jaden form a tentative friendship. Scottie’s friends and grandma help to add depth to Scottie’s character and I love how this story also takes place in the fictional, Northwood, where we’ve met many other characters from Ms. Beers’s books. Scottie and Marisa’s journey, while not all sunshine and roses, is perfectly paced, charming, and delightful!
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely ADORED this book. This is one of my favorite authors, and she does not disappoint with this one. I really enjoyed the way this story was told from the first person, present moment. It makes me feel like I'm living through the character. I really loved the way Georgia Beers developed these characters. They were sweet and relatable. I highly recommend you read this beautiful story!
Lovely!
Scottie gets roped into dancing lessons to help her friend only to find herself attending alone after her friend has an accident. When the dance teacher turns out to be her ex's ex, Scottie wants to quit but developing a connection with Marisa and some gentle encouragement from family and friends is enough to persuade her to continue.
Had so much fun reading this. It was a feel good story, really focusing on giving things a chance, pushing fears aside, and just enjoying experiences. Scottie was really relatable as a character. I totally understood all her hesitation to want to be around people or have trust in relationships. After what she had been through it was great that she had such supportive family and friends to support her, especially when she learned who Marisa was and the worries she had about Marisa learning who she was.
They had all the chemistry though, both on and off the dance floor and their paths were clearly destined to cross. Dancing gave Scottie the focus she needed to get out of a slump and rebuild her trust in people. Marisa was a great reminder not to overthink a situation or judge how someone will think of you without talking to them first. Marisa's reaction to recognising who Scottie was was absolutely unexpected and completely brilliant. She had such a unique perspective of it, Scottie had no excuse to run or not pursue the attraction to one another they shared.
Such a great romance with all the awkwardness and drama you'd expect to make it memorable. Can't recommend this story enough.
A grounded and touching romance with believable adult characters. No insta-love, no big misunderstanding, mostly natural doubts and human mistakes. The dancing scenes are great. There's also a love triangle that just can't happen in a cis-het romance, where our two main characters were dumped by the same woman. Just so nice to read a well-written book about grown-ups.
Scottie Templeton, hair stylist, is living with her grandmother. Not where she planned on being when she was in her thirty six, living with her grandmother. Reason she’s living with Grandma is because her ex girlfriend broke up with her, after she’d cheated on Scottie. While she has good friends she works with, she still, at times, feels very alone because she’s constantly left behind by her parents, who after their divorce remarried and each had more children. To top it off all her younger siblings adore her.
To help out her friend Bash she starts taking dancing lessons so he can dance with his bride on their big day. All is going well until Bash breaks a foot and can’t dance any more but he insists Scottie to stay with the class. Scottie decides to keep taking classes, she’s enjoying herself, that’s until her instructor has to go for a few weeks and she asks her niece Marisa to take over the class. No big deal right, Pen left Marisa to be with Scottie but now after three years Scottie and Pen are no more. Yikes!
Ms Beers has done it again, with great leads with Marisa and Scottie along with cast members that help bring the story to life. Ms Beers writing is entertaining and the ‘sex’ scenes, WOW! Fun read, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books