The Romantic Fiction Shelf

Take the Lead: A Dance Off
Alexis Daria
St. Martin's Griffin
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250817969, $17.99, PB, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Take-Lead-Dance-Off-Novel/dp/125081796X

Synopsis: Gina Morales wants to make it big. In her four seasons on the sho=
w 'The Dance Off', she's never even made it to the finals. But her latest p= artner, the sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, could be her chance. W=
ho knew the strong, silent, survivalist-type had moves like that? She think=
s Stone Nielson is her ticket to win it all -- until her producer makes it = clear they're being set up for a 'showmance'.

Joining a celebrity dance competition is the last thing Stone wants. Howeve=
r, he'll endure anything to help his family, even as he fears revealing the=
ir secrets. While the fast pace of Los Angeles makes him long for the peace=
and privacy of home, he can't hide his growing attraction for his dance pa= rtner. Neither wants to fake a romance for the cameras, but the explosive c= hemistry that flares between them is undeniable.

As Stone and Gina heat up the dance floor, the tabloids catch on to their d= eveloping romance. With the spotlight threatening to ruin everything, will = they choose fame and fortune, or let love take the lead?

Critique: The kind of deftly written story that Hallmark Romance Movies are=
made from, "Take The Lead" by Alexis Daria is a delightful and light-heart=
ed romance from cover to cover. While also available in a digital book form=
at (Kindle, $12.99) for personal reading lists, "Take The Lead" will prove =
to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mul= ticultural Romantic Comedy collections.

Editorial Note: As a novelist, Alexis Daria (https://alexisdaria.com) write=
s stories about successful Latinx characters and their (occasionally messy)=
familias. Her debut novel "Take the Lead" won the 2018 RITA Award for "Bes=
t First Book". Her novel, "You Had Me at Hola", is a Target Diverse Book Cl=
ub Pick, and New York Times Editor's Choice Pick.

The Reunion
Kayla Olson
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781668001943, $17.00, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Reunion-Novel-Kayla-Olson/dp/1668001942

Synopsis: Liv Latimer grew up on TV. As the star of the popular teen drama = Girl on the Verge, Liv spent her adolescence on the screen trying to be as = picture perfect as her character in real life. But after the death of her f= ather and the betrayal of her on-screen love interest and off-screen best f= riend Ransom Joel, Liv wanted nothing more than to retreat, living a mostly=
normal life aside from a few indie film roles. But now, twenty years after=
the show's premiere, the cast is invited back for a reunion special, finan= ced by a major streaming service.

Liv is happy to be back on set, especially once she discovers Ransom has on=
ly improved with age. And their chemistry is certainly still intact. They q= uickly fall into their old rhythms, rediscovering what had drawn them toget= her decades before. But with new rivalries among the cast emerging and the = specter of a reboot shadowing their shoot, Liv questions whether returning =
to the past is what she needs to finally get her own happy ending.

Critique: As an author, novelist Kala Olson is a master of the contemporary=
'RomCom'. An original and fun read from cover to cover, "The Reunion" is t=
he stuff of which Hallmark Channel Television Movies are made. While unrese= rvedly recommended as an addition to community library Contemporary Romance=
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicate=
d romantic comedy fans that "The Reunion" is also available in a digital bo=
ok format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blac= kstone Audio, 9781797150840, $39.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Kayla Olson (www.KaylaOlson.com.) is the author of two book=
s for young adults and The Reunion. Whether writing at her desk or curled u=
p with a good book, she can most often be found with a fresh cup of coffee = and at least one cat.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
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(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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