Dance Like Nobody’s Watching is Book 3 of the Summer Lake series, one that has been anticipated by anyone who has read Books 1 & 2. Missy and Dan’s story has been evolving slowly since Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt. I give it a solid 4.5 stars.
Overall, I liked the story. I kept waiting for a big conflict that never quite materialized, and that is why I couldn’t quite give that last half star. I thought a couple elements could have been a little stronger, a little more edgy or angsty, but none of the conflicts seemed to really threaten to keep them apart. But part of me really liked that. It was a love story about two people working out real-life type issues to make a relationship work. I very much liked that Missy and Dan talked to each other and didn’t have any of those annoying misunderstandings that drive me crazy! It makes it a bit fluffy, so readers who must have angst, and want to bite their nails worrying whether or not there will be a Happy Ever After may not find this fits the bill.
As with the other Summer Lake books, all the characters in Dance are well drawn, and the repeat characters hold true in all three books. I thought Missy’s independent and stubborn streak was very realistic, and in her case I actually admire that she just didn’t jump in and swoon so that Dan would take care of her. I found Dan to be almost too perfect, but I liked him. He wasn’t too over-the-top beefcake and he seemed very believable to me.
Random musing:
So Chance, Michael, Smoke and Laura, and Leanne and Ryan.... Each of these characters are very strongly drawn and I’m assuming their stories will be told in other books. There are very strong (and I’m assuming deliberate) hints about them, especially Chance and Michael, and I am left with a desire to know what their stories are, and who they are going to end up with. I’m also anticipating Ben’s story, coming down the line at some point. Summer Lake has potential to continue for at least three if not four more books.
I read an advance copy of this book.