Spotlight & Giveaway: Take the Lead by Alexis Daria

Today, HJ is pleased to share with you Alexis Daria’s new release: Take the Lead: A Dance Off Novel

From Alexis Daria, author of the critically acclaimed, international bestseller You Had Me at Hola, comes a fun, sexy romance set against a reality dance show.

Gina Morales wants to make it big. In her four seasons on The Dance Off, she’s never even made it to the finals. But her latest partner, the sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, could be her chance. Who knew the strong, silent, survivalist-type had moves like that? She thinks 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. However, he’ll endure anything to help his family, even as he fears revealing their 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 partner. Neither wants to fake a romance for the cameras, but the explosive chemistry that flares between them is undeniable.

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

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt from Take the Lead: A Dance Off Novel 

From Take the Lead by Alexis Daria. Copyright © 2023 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.

Two
Well, Stone had expected a city girl. And he’d gotten one.
With the axe safely in the stump, Stone caught his breath, unable to take his eyes off his dance partner as she approached him. She’d appeared in the clearing like she’d taken a wrong turn in Los Angeles and ended up in Alaska. Wrapped in a pale pink wool coat and high black boots, with her long brown hair spilling out from under a matching knit hat, she looked polished, put-together, and small. Next to her, he was a great hulking brute. How were they supposed to dance together? He’d crush her.
She was pretty, of course. Her eyes were dark and thickly lined, her lashes long, her golden skin reminiscent of the cones of a Sitka spruce after they had matured. Her full lips were painted the color of winterberries and caught his attention more than they should have.
Yeah, definitely pretty, but she didn’t belong here. Why the hell had the production dragged this delicate Hollywood dance diva all the way out to Alaska to meet him? Stone had to fly to Los Angeles for rehearsals anyway. They could have easily filmed their first meeting there.
But if a few years on a reality show had taught him anything, it was that TV producers didn’t care about convenience. Meeting in the remote wilderness, as opposed to a bright, stark rehearsal room, would make for better behind-the-scenes footage. The contrast between their appearances was purposeful, a deliberate move on the part of the producers, and Stone hated them for it.
Hated himself for taking part in this madness. A dance show, of all things.
His partner stopped a couple feet away from him. If she was nervous, she covered it well. Her grin lit her face, showing all her teeth and transforming her beauty into something more approachable and real.
“Hi there, partner.” Her voice had a musical quality he hadn’t expected, and a slight accent he couldn’t place. “I’m Gina Morales.”
“Stone Nielson.” He stuck out his hand, then froze when she opened her arms. She wanted a hug? Was this for the cameras? He was three times her size, sweaty and filthy, and he didn’t often hug people. But she was waiting, so he reached down and awkwardly embraced her. She gave him a peck on the cheek before pulling away, leaving behind the scent of tropical flowers and a tingling sensation where her lips had touched.
His eyebrows popped up in surprise, and she waved a hand dismissively. “I’m Puerto Rican. We kiss hello and goodbye.” Her gaze flicked over to the members of his camera crew, mixed in with hers. “So, I guess you’re filming a show here?”
Relief flooded through him. Good, she had no idea who he was. This whole thing was embarrassing enough without her having watched him on TV, playing out the silly storylines his father and the production team brainstormed in their weekly meetings.
Since he was shirtless and didn’t have a lav mic clipped to his waistband, Stone raised his voice so the boom mic could pick up his answer. “We’re filming the fourth season of Living Wild. My family and I live off the grid here on Nielson HQ, where we build our own homes, hunt, and live off the land.”
The premise was ridiculous and hokey even to him, and he could never explain it without sounding like a robot. How much worse would it sound to her? She probably thought they were all wacky forest folk.
But Gina only nodded as she surveyed the makeshift compound. “You’re like a wilderness expert or something?”
Stone shrugged. “Or something.”
She sent him a teasing wink. “Well, soon you’ll be a dance expert. Ready to learn a few moves?”
“I’m game,” he said, because it was expected of him. The absolute last thing he wanted to do was learn to dance. “You probably haven’t taught anyone to dance in the forest before.”
She cast another glance around, scanning the trees. “I haven’t, but there’s a first time for everything.”
“Nervous?”
“A little.” She ducked her head like she was embarrassed. “I’m more comfortable in big cities.”
“I bet.” She stood out like a palm tree in the middle of the tundra.
“Is there somewhere around here with level ground?”
“We can use the porch. It’s the closest thing we have to a dance floor.” Stone led the way, pointing to where Gina should watch her step, while the cameras circled them like planets in orbit around twin suns.
The clearing behind the house was a veritable obstacle course of outdoorsy shit, thanks to his brothers and their multitude of half-finished projects. The producers believed it made the set “visually interesting.” Stone just thought it looked like a mess.
Gina’s producer cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, “Tell her why you’re joining the show, Stone.”
Oh, right. What the hell was he supposed to say again? They’d told him not to mention the money, but it was the only reason he’d agreed to this. If his mother hadn’t owed an exorbitant amount in medical bills, he would have turned it down. His family made a good income from Living Wild, but his parents had already been in debt before his mother’s procedure. Stone would feel better if he could help them reach financial stability, and pay off his own student loans while he was at it.
“I’m joining The Dance Off for my mom.” Stone cleared his throat and recited the lines his producers had crafted. “She had a hip replacement last year. It was scary for all of us, and it would make her happy to see me dancing and having an experience totally different from everything we know.”
He winced. The lines sounded unnatural. He just wasn’t any good at these canned responses.
But Gina pressed a hand to his arm. “I’m so sorry. Is she better now?”
Her concerned expression seemed genuine, but it was impossible to know for certain in the world of reality TV. Stone nodded, not sure how else to answer.

From Take the Lead by Alexis Daria. Copyright © 2023 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.

Excerpt. ©Alexis Daria. Posted by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.
 

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Meet the Author:

Alexis Daria writes stories about successful Latinx characters and their (occasionally messy) familias. Her debut Take the Lead won the 2018 RITA® Award for “Best First Book”. You Had Me at Hola is a national bestseller, Target Diverse Book Club Pick, and New York Times Editor’s Choice Pick. Alexis is a lifelong New Yorker who loves Broadway musicals and pizza.
 
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