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Pas de Deux
Aleksandr Drakov was never meant to be my Prince Charming.
He’s dark, ruthless, and powerful—and when he decides he wants something, he takes it. Including me.
I’ve survived my mental illness through rituals and rules, but he breaks every one. He buys my ballet theatre like it’s nothing to remind me that every part of me belongs to him. I should be scared. Instead, I crave him. And that terrifies me more.
Because men like Aleksandr don’t fall in love. They consume.
Evangeline Vale is forbidden in every way that matters.
She’s too soft for my world. Too innocent. A ballerina on the edge of stardom, and the sister of the man I hate most.
I know I should leave her untouched. But I can’t. I want her breathless. Ruined. Mine. And I’ll destroy anything that stands between us.
Even her world.
Pas de Deux is a dark mafia/ballet romance featuring:
- Ballet FMC
- Mafia MMC
- OCD rep
- Romeo and Juliet retelling (obsession at first sight)
- Brother’s enemy
- Forbidden love
- Touch her and die
- Spice with light kink
He’s dark, ruthless, and powerful—and when he decides he wants something, he takes it. Including me.
I’ve survived my mental illness through rituals and rules, but he breaks every one. He buys my ballet theatre like it’s nothing to remind me that every part of me belongs to him. I should be scared. Instead, I crave him. And that terrifies me more.
Because men like Aleksandr don’t fall in love. They consume.
Evangeline Vale is forbidden in every way that matters.
She’s too soft for my world. Too innocent. A ballerina on the edge of stardom, and the sister of the man I hate most.
I know I should leave her untouched. But I can’t. I want her breathless. Ruined. Mine. And I’ll destroy anything that stands between us.
Even her world.
Pas de Deux is a dark mafia/ballet romance featuring:
- Ballet FMC
- Mafia MMC
- OCD rep
- Romeo and Juliet retelling (obsession at first sight)
- Brother’s enemy
- Forbidden love
- Touch her and die
- Spice with light kink
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2026
About the author
Lina Harper
2 books14 followersLina Harper is a dark romance author who occasionally writes things completely unserious. She began writing long ago under her true name, but got frustrated with publishing and decided to write privately for fun. Her stories are filled with obsession, sarcasm, and spice that’ll have you taking a cold shower contemplating whether to read the next one or not (spoiler alert: you should).
She’s spent her whole life learning to manage her mental illness and neurodiversity, and enjoys writing characters who struggle with some of the same things. When she’s not writing, she leads a private life in the United States with her husband and dog.
She’s spent her whole life learning to manage her mental illness and neurodiversity, and enjoys writing characters who struggle with some of the same things. When she’s not writing, she leads a private life in the United States with her husband and dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For any girl who secretly wants the villain… take notes.
“Exactly. The villain is the one who will do anything for you, who will give you the world if you ask for it. He’ll take everything from you and leave you desperate for more, which is scary and a little hot. But I guess it fits because the villain is going to be the one to fuck you into oblivion. Not your Prince Charming.”
“The pas de deux was so much more than a simple loving dance. It was an innate conversation between hearts and souls, the comfort of knowing and being known, the feeling of pleasure as two slowly began to move as one.”
Honestly… this felt like Romeo and Juliet 2.0. “I will fucking find you, Eva,” I vowed darkly. “That’s not a promise. That’s a threat.” Because, as they dragged me away from her—away from the blood, away from her broken little sobs, away from the life I had almost believed I could keep—I knew one thing with clarity: This was no longer a generational war between families. This was a war over Evangeline. And I would burn this world before I let it take her from me. “
Alek… the man that you are. The obsession, the possession, the reaper energy. Lina Harper really knows how to write men that make you swoon and fear them at the same time. This was a forbidden romance done to perfection. “Never. You will never get rid of me, Evangeline. I’m the fucking poison spreading through your veins. I’m the sickness you will never find a cure for. I’m the monster who has decided he likes the taste of you. And if you ever fucking think I will leave you again—”
"I had always thought Jules might murder the first guy I brought home, but that was a joke. I never dreamed it would be real, that my big brother was the type of person to attack people so viciously without a second thought."
I am absolutely obsessed with this series. At this point, I’ll read anything Lina Harper writes. Not only did I fall in love with the story, but I completely fell in love with the found family. I want more of all of them. Nikolai was my favorite he’s hilarious and his loyalty is unmatched. “But Nikolai let himself in anyway, because of course he did. He was like a stubborn dog following a grumpy master.” also have a feeling something is brewing between him and Mia, and I am here for it. And let’s not forget big brother Julian. I cannot wait for his story coming this summer. One thing I absolutely loved were the text messages throughout the book. They had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time.
But wow… this might be the best forbidden romance I’ve ever read. The passion, the tension, the secrecy, the sneaking around it felt like love at first sight but with stakes that made it intense and real.I devoured this book in less than 24 hours, and now I’m sitting here with the worst book hangover, desperately needing the next one.
~Pre read~ Received an ARC copy, excited to jump right into this mafia romance.... :)
“Exactly. The villain is the one who will do anything for you, who will give you the world if you ask for it. He’ll take everything from you and leave you desperate for more, which is scary and a little hot. But I guess it fits because the villain is going to be the one to fuck you into oblivion. Not your Prince Charming.”
“The pas de deux was so much more than a simple loving dance. It was an innate conversation between hearts and souls, the comfort of knowing and being known, the feeling of pleasure as two slowly began to move as one.”
Honestly… this felt like Romeo and Juliet 2.0. “I will fucking find you, Eva,” I vowed darkly. “That’s not a promise. That’s a threat.” Because, as they dragged me away from her—away from the blood, away from her broken little sobs, away from the life I had almost believed I could keep—I knew one thing with clarity: This was no longer a generational war between families. This was a war over Evangeline. And I would burn this world before I let it take her from me. “
Alek… the man that you are. The obsession, the possession, the reaper energy. Lina Harper really knows how to write men that make you swoon and fear them at the same time. This was a forbidden romance done to perfection. “Never. You will never get rid of me, Evangeline. I’m the fucking poison spreading through your veins. I’m the sickness you will never find a cure for. I’m the monster who has decided he likes the taste of you. And if you ever fucking think I will leave you again—”
"I had always thought Jules might murder the first guy I brought home, but that was a joke. I never dreamed it would be real, that my big brother was the type of person to attack people so viciously without a second thought."
I am absolutely obsessed with this series. At this point, I’ll read anything Lina Harper writes. Not only did I fall in love with the story, but I completely fell in love with the found family. I want more of all of them. Nikolai was my favorite he’s hilarious and his loyalty is unmatched. “But Nikolai let himself in anyway, because of course he did. He was like a stubborn dog following a grumpy master.” also have a feeling something is brewing between him and Mia, and I am here for it. And let’s not forget big brother Julian. I cannot wait for his story coming this summer. One thing I absolutely loved were the text messages throughout the book. They had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time.
But wow… this might be the best forbidden romance I’ve ever read. The passion, the tension, the secrecy, the sneaking around it felt like love at first sight but with stakes that made it intense and real.I devoured this book in less than 24 hours, and now I’m sitting here with the worst book hangover, desperately needing the next one.
~Pre read~ Received an ARC copy, excited to jump right into this mafia romance.... :)
March 11, 2026
DNF at 38%
I don’t DNF books often… but Pas de Deux unfortunately became one of those rare cases where I simply could not continue.
To put it bluntly, reading this felt like I had accidentally stumbled into a very cringey teenage fanfiction rather than a new adult romance.
Both main characters are supposed to be in their twenties, but nothing about the way they talk, think, or behave feels remotely adult. The FMC reads like she’s about 13 years old, and the MMC is written as such an aggressively over-the-top “alpha male” that it feels almost like a caricature.
But the real breaking point for me was the instalove.
These two characters meet once. For maybe two minutes. They barely exchange a few words.
And somehow that’s enough for the MMC to immediately become ready to threaten anyone who so much as looks at her, while the FMC is internally acting like she’s met the love of her life.
Mind you… this girl has never even had a boyfriend before, yet within weeks she’s actively missing this man she barely spoke to and knows absolutely nothing about.
Girl.
Be serious.
Then the second time they see each other, they’re already getting wildly handsy in her ballet studio like they’ve been in a committed relationship for months. The pacing of the romance was so unrealistic that it completely pulled me out of the story.
That said, there were a couple of things I appreciated.
The ballet setting was interesting, and I enjoyed the glimpses into that world. I would absolutely love to read more romances that incorporate ballet or dance as part of the storyline.
I also thought the OCD representation in the FMC had some strong moments. Several of her inner monologues about intrusive thoughts and compulsions felt thoughtful and authentic, and those sections were some of the better-written parts of the book.
Unfortunately, those elements weren’t enough to make up for the juvenile character voices and the completely unbelievable romance, and I ultimately decided to stop reading at 38%.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I don’t DNF books often… but Pas de Deux unfortunately became one of those rare cases where I simply could not continue.
To put it bluntly, reading this felt like I had accidentally stumbled into a very cringey teenage fanfiction rather than a new adult romance.
Both main characters are supposed to be in their twenties, but nothing about the way they talk, think, or behave feels remotely adult. The FMC reads like she’s about 13 years old, and the MMC is written as such an aggressively over-the-top “alpha male” that it feels almost like a caricature.
But the real breaking point for me was the instalove.
These two characters meet once. For maybe two minutes. They barely exchange a few words.
And somehow that’s enough for the MMC to immediately become ready to threaten anyone who so much as looks at her, while the FMC is internally acting like she’s met the love of her life.
Mind you… this girl has never even had a boyfriend before, yet within weeks she’s actively missing this man she barely spoke to and knows absolutely nothing about.
Girl.
Be serious.
Then the second time they see each other, they’re already getting wildly handsy in her ballet studio like they’ve been in a committed relationship for months. The pacing of the romance was so unrealistic that it completely pulled me out of the story.
That said, there were a couple of things I appreciated.
The ballet setting was interesting, and I enjoyed the glimpses into that world. I would absolutely love to read more romances that incorporate ballet or dance as part of the storyline.
I also thought the OCD representation in the FMC had some strong moments. Several of her inner monologues about intrusive thoughts and compulsions felt thoughtful and authentic, and those sections were some of the better-written parts of the book.
Unfortunately, those elements weren’t enough to make up for the juvenile character voices and the completely unbelievable romance, and I ultimately decided to stop reading at 38%.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 13, 2026
I truly adored everything about this book, but especially Eva. Eva is a sheltered young woman whose life revolves around ballet, her brother, and her best friend. Alek is a mafia boss who doesn’t do relationships, until he meets Eva. The two of them enter a romance that is all-consuming and intoxicating. Alek is a possessive and protective MMC. If you enjoy a man who knows what he wants and would burn the world for getting in the way, this book is perfect for you. He only has eyes for Eva, which I personally can’t get enough of. The way he fights for Eva is swoon-worthy.
Eva truly is a beautifully written and relatable character. From the relationship she has with her brother to her struggles with OCD, she feels incredibly real. Mental illness can give you a distorted view of yourself and others. While Eva has OCD, I found myself able to relate to her through my own experiences with mental illness. I found comfort in her, truly.
At first, we see Eva as a people-pleasing young woman, constantly putting the satisfaction and happiness of others above her own. As the story progresses, Eva learns that it’s okay to take up space, be seen, and be happy. It’s hard to learn how to stand up for yourself, so when I saw the relationship she had with her brother, I understood it came from a place of constantly putting the needs of others above your own. The growth she shows throughout the story is beautiful, and Alek’s help with that is the cherry on top.
Something else I loved about the book was the side characters. Mia, Elsie, Julian, Nicolai, and even Charlotte, although we don’t see much of her! I found myself completely invested in all of these characters. Seriously, I can’t wait to see them again. The balance Nicolai adds to Alek’s character is really nice. While I love a brooding and serious MMC, Nicolai adds a funny dynamic that works well with Alek’s personality. The author gives each character a unique personality, which, in my opinion, not many writers manage to do.
Overall, this book is a five-star read for me. It has everything: mental health representation, interesting side characters, character growth, and a man who is willing to literally do anything for the woman he loves
A huge thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review! I genuinely enjoyed both the experience and the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2026
Thank you to the author for the eARC of Pas de Deux (which I devoured in just over 24 hours). I’ve been wanting to dip my toes in the dark romance genre and man was this the place to start!
Eva is our innocent FMC, a ballerina and extremely sheltered young 20s who struggles with OCD and intrusive thoughts. Right from the beginning we see her mental struggles, and they stayed consistent throughout. It’s so important to show how mental health can affect people, even those who seem otherwise flawless on the outside. Eva is an incredible dancer, but on the inside she doesn’t see that, and the author did a great job showing us that. In general the prose were incredibly smooth, with great showing not telling and the perfect amount of interiority to action to keep the plot moving. Every scene felt important and lush.
And Alek?? Holy mafia god! He’s everything I wanted in a dark romance MMC and so much more. Rough around the edges, no nonsense, precise, except when it comes to his girl. His dialogue with her and interiority surrounding her felt very realistic and I loved seeing him soften for her. He’s violent/aggressive toward everyone else but not Eva- her eternal protector. Their chemistry is palpable and banter believable.
I really really enjoyed this and am so thrilled to see that this will be a series! The prologue for the second installment was included in the ARC and I am already hooked!
Highly recommend this debut!
Eva is our innocent FMC, a ballerina and extremely sheltered young 20s who struggles with OCD and intrusive thoughts. Right from the beginning we see her mental struggles, and they stayed consistent throughout. It’s so important to show how mental health can affect people, even those who seem otherwise flawless on the outside. Eva is an incredible dancer, but on the inside she doesn’t see that, and the author did a great job showing us that. In general the prose were incredibly smooth, with great showing not telling and the perfect amount of interiority to action to keep the plot moving. Every scene felt important and lush.
And Alek?? Holy mafia god! He’s everything I wanted in a dark romance MMC and so much more. Rough around the edges, no nonsense, precise, except when it comes to his girl. His dialogue with her and interiority surrounding her felt very realistic and I loved seeing him soften for her. He’s violent/aggressive toward everyone else but not Eva- her eternal protector. Their chemistry is palpable and banter believable.
I really really enjoyed this and am so thrilled to see that this will be a series! The prologue for the second installment was included in the ARC and I am already hooked!
Highly recommend this debut!
March 26, 2026
⭐️ 5/5
✅ dark mafia boss
✅ OCD rep
✅ “touch her and die”
✅ possessive, otp MMC
✅ ballerina FMC
I really enjoyed this book! Alek becomes infatuated with Eva, who has been pretty much sheltered by her brother, Jules, her whole life. While her relationship with Alek progresses, so does her ability to stand up for herself. I loved the relationship between Alek and Eva and how he will literally do anything for her. The OCD representation was definitely a plus, as well.
If I had to change anything, I just wish there were a bit more background on the characters, but it was a good read.
Thank you Lina Harper and NetGalley for providing this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
#PasdeDeux #LinaHarper #ARC
✅ dark mafia boss
✅ OCD rep
✅ “touch her and die”
✅ possessive, otp MMC
✅ ballerina FMC
I really enjoyed this book! Alek becomes infatuated with Eva, who has been pretty much sheltered by her brother, Jules, her whole life. While her relationship with Alek progresses, so does her ability to stand up for herself. I loved the relationship between Alek and Eva and how he will literally do anything for her. The OCD representation was definitely a plus, as well.
If I had to change anything, I just wish there were a bit more background on the characters, but it was a good read.
Thank you Lina Harper and NetGalley for providing this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
#PasdeDeux #LinaHarper #ARC
March 9, 2026
the moment i see a ballerina romance, i get so excited but frankly, i have yet to find one that delivers a balance between a compelling plot, romance and a fair amount of substance that acknowledges the world of ballet.
sadly, this one is another miss although i was really looking forward to it! the premise of a Romeo & Juliet retelling was so very intriguing but the way this was being fleshed out was not at all appealing to my reading preference as the fmc was extremely infantilized. this is already something that turns me away from any story but particularly when it comes to dark romance, i find it alarming and impossible to ignore so it’s difficult to enjoy other aspects of the story.
the romance develops very abruptly so this would definitely fall under the insta-lust category which is not something i prefer personally. i can overlook this when it’s just appreciating the aesthetic appeal after first impressions but the mmc’s pov was baselessly & jarringly possessive upon MY first impression so i did not form an attachment to either main character to feel compelled to follow.
as far as the representation, i know the author mentions the fmc’s struggle with OCD is inspired by her own experience and i’ll commend her for writing these moments in the story with careful intention.
i hope pas de deux finds its audience in the right hands but alas, it was not my own.
thank you to the author for the chance to read an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
sadly, this one is another miss although i was really looking forward to it! the premise of a Romeo & Juliet retelling was so very intriguing but the way this was being fleshed out was not at all appealing to my reading preference as the fmc was extremely infantilized. this is already something that turns me away from any story but particularly when it comes to dark romance, i find it alarming and impossible to ignore so it’s difficult to enjoy other aspects of the story.
the romance develops very abruptly so this would definitely fall under the insta-lust category which is not something i prefer personally. i can overlook this when it’s just appreciating the aesthetic appeal after first impressions but the mmc’s pov was baselessly & jarringly possessive upon MY first impression so i did not form an attachment to either main character to feel compelled to follow.
as far as the representation, i know the author mentions the fmc’s struggle with OCD is inspired by her own experience and i’ll commend her for writing these moments in the story with careful intention.
i hope pas de deux finds its audience in the right hands but alas, it was not my own.
thank you to the author for the chance to read an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
March 11, 2026
4/5 ✨
Review of Advance Copy Received from NetGalley
Some men buy flowers. Aleksandr buys flowers…and the entire ballet company.
He’s obsessed. That’s it. That’s the review, go read it.
In all seriousness, I found this book very enjoyable. Our FMC, Evangeline, is a ballerina who is absolutely sheltered by her older brother. She struggles with OCD, and is also a people pleaser that has to learn to fight for what she wants.
Our MMC, Aleksandr….oh yes. “Touch her and you die” embodied in a mafia boss and I was very much SAT for it all (hence this book being read in 24 hours). He’s cold but instantly softens for her no matter what. I mean, he literally calls her his little sunshine.
I did knock a star off my review, as I felt that the pacing of this book was slightly too fast for my preference. We very much boarded on insta-love/lust which I struggle to read at times. I also found the conflicts of this story to be slightly too predictable.
Nevertheless, I still loved this read. I definitely was still kicking my feet and giggling over most of these scenes.
Tropes
~ Mafia Boss x Ballerina
~ Sheltered FMC
~ Possessive MMC
A special thank you to Lina Harper, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for this ARC 🫶🏻
Review of Advance Copy Received from NetGalley
Some men buy flowers. Aleksandr buys flowers…and the entire ballet company.
He’s obsessed. That’s it. That’s the review, go read it.
In all seriousness, I found this book very enjoyable. Our FMC, Evangeline, is a ballerina who is absolutely sheltered by her older brother. She struggles with OCD, and is also a people pleaser that has to learn to fight for what she wants.
Our MMC, Aleksandr….oh yes. “Touch her and you die” embodied in a mafia boss and I was very much SAT for it all (hence this book being read in 24 hours). He’s cold but instantly softens for her no matter what. I mean, he literally calls her his little sunshine.
I did knock a star off my review, as I felt that the pacing of this book was slightly too fast for my preference. We very much boarded on insta-love/lust which I struggle to read at times. I also found the conflicts of this story to be slightly too predictable.
Nevertheless, I still loved this read. I definitely was still kicking my feet and giggling over most of these scenes.
Tropes
~ Mafia Boss x Ballerina
~ Sheltered FMC
~ Possessive MMC
A special thank you to Lina Harper, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for this ARC 🫶🏻
March 7, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 ⭐️
3 🌶️
3 🩶
This book was DELICIOUS! We have our innocent, picture perfect FMC, Eva, who happens to be a dainty ballerina 🩰. Then we have our super POSSESSIVE, touch her and die, moody MMC, Alek, a Mafia boss 🥵 She is a princess and he is her villain.
The yearning for each other throughout the entire book is 🤌 I absolutely LOVEDDDD how he could not get enough of her, his possessiveness (very toxic) and his determination to make her see how perfect she was, despite all of her internal struggles and OCD. When he tells her “you’re mine” he means MINE and it holds weight!
I will say I fell in love with Alek as a character, almost instantly, but Eva did take some time to grow on me. She is so innocent, there were times she felt almost child like in the beginning (sugarplum). However, she did grow on me and I do love who she has become. The names took time to grow on me as well, but the characters were all beautifully written and there was so much thought put into each and every one of them. I’m excited to read Jules’ story, as well as seeing how Lina progresses as an author. Great first book!
There’s spice, banter, plot, more spice which we love. If you’re new to dark romance, this would be a great starter, and if you’ve been dark and twisty for a while like myself, it’s good pallet cleanser.
4.5 ⭐️
3 🌶️
3 🩶
This book was DELICIOUS! We have our innocent, picture perfect FMC, Eva, who happens to be a dainty ballerina 🩰. Then we have our super POSSESSIVE, touch her and die, moody MMC, Alek, a Mafia boss 🥵 She is a princess and he is her villain.
The yearning for each other throughout the entire book is 🤌 I absolutely LOVEDDDD how he could not get enough of her, his possessiveness (very toxic) and his determination to make her see how perfect she was, despite all of her internal struggles and OCD. When he tells her “you’re mine” he means MINE and it holds weight!
I will say I fell in love with Alek as a character, almost instantly, but Eva did take some time to grow on me. She is so innocent, there were times she felt almost child like in the beginning (sugarplum). However, she did grow on me and I do love who she has become. The names took time to grow on me as well, but the characters were all beautifully written and there was so much thought put into each and every one of them. I’m excited to read Jules’ story, as well as seeing how Lina progresses as an author. Great first book!
There’s spice, banter, plot, more spice which we love. If you’re new to dark romance, this would be a great starter, and if you’ve been dark and twisty for a while like myself, it’s good pallet cleanser.
April 22, 2026
Okay so… I don’t even know how to start this 😅 Or maybe I should start by screaming to the high heavens that this was my FIRST NETGALLEY ARC 🤯😮💨🥹🥳💃🏼
Didn’t think I would ever get an Arc from them and I actually did ( you can bet your butt I’m patting myself in the back 💁🏼♀️)
But back to the main subject at hand — The book ….Like what the hell did I just read??? 🤯
Because this book??? I could NOT stop reading it. Like every free second I had I was reading. If I should’ve been doing something else… yeah no, I was probably still reading 🫠
I even DM’d the author at one point because I was like WHAT IS THIS??? what did you put in this book??? 😭
I admit , ballet books already have me. I’m weak for those. Sue me. But THIS??? Ballet + mafia + Romeo & Juliet??? And she’s literally playing Juliet while living something like that herself???
Yeah no. I was gone. Completely 😮💨🫠😵💫
And the whole time I was reading I just had this feeling like… something bad is coming. Like there’s a clock ticking somewhere and I just can’t hear it properly yet ?!
I was 100% sure one of them was going to die. Like I had accepted it already 😭 And then the ending happens and I’m just like…
Wait??? That’s what you’re doing??? 🤯🤯🤯
And honestly?? So much better than what I thought was coming 😮💨🥹🫠🤯👏🏼
Evangeline…😮💨🥹🤩
She just felt real. Like actually real… The way her brain works, the way she struggles, even small things like her sweet tooth or how she deals with her OCD… I don’t know, it just felt… real. Not overdone, not dramatic, just real in a touching way 🥹
And Alexander 😮💨🔥👀🫠🤯
Yes okay morally grey man, we’ve seen that before BUT 👀
The way he is with her??? Like he just KNOWS. He sees things she doesn’t even say out loud. He just gets her… The way he shows up for her every time??
Yeah… I’m not okay 🫠😭🥵
Their connection??? I don’t even know how to explain it… It’s just… there. You feel it pulsing through the pages … And that scene when she takes him to meet her brother???😰😰🫣
I SWEAR I was holding my breath the whole time… I had my heart in my mouth … Like every step they took I was like “This is it. They’re dead, both of them. This is where it ends.” 😭
The tension in this book??? insane💥🔥👏🏼🤯
And the author doesn’t just tell you everything, she kind of lets you figure things out and you’re just sitting there like… I KNOW what’s gonna happen but do I KNOW what’s gonna happen ??
SPOILER ALERT ‼️
I did have an idea but I had NO FRIKING CLUE 🤯🤯🤯
Also the way it ends but you can already feel the next story coming???
Yeah. I’m not ready 😮💨😮💨👀👀
There’s a first chapter of the next book in there and I didn’t even read it…. I KNOW myself, If I start it I’m gonna be annoying and I need the whole book immediately 💀 And that is not how this works 😭😭😭
This is not a 5 star read… This is a 6 star and I don’t make the rules 😮💨🔥— well I kinda do because I’m writing this review but Oh well 💁🏼♀️😇😅
Didn’t think I would ever get an Arc from them and I actually did ( you can bet your butt I’m patting myself in the back 💁🏼♀️)
But back to the main subject at hand — The book ….Like what the hell did I just read??? 🤯
Because this book??? I could NOT stop reading it. Like every free second I had I was reading. If I should’ve been doing something else… yeah no, I was probably still reading 🫠
I even DM’d the author at one point because I was like WHAT IS THIS??? what did you put in this book??? 😭
I admit , ballet books already have me. I’m weak for those. Sue me. But THIS??? Ballet + mafia + Romeo & Juliet??? And she’s literally playing Juliet while living something like that herself???
Yeah no. I was gone. Completely 😮💨🫠😵💫
And the whole time I was reading I just had this feeling like… something bad is coming. Like there’s a clock ticking somewhere and I just can’t hear it properly yet ?!
I was 100% sure one of them was going to die. Like I had accepted it already 😭 And then the ending happens and I’m just like…
Wait??? That’s what you’re doing??? 🤯🤯🤯
And honestly?? So much better than what I thought was coming 😮💨🥹🫠🤯👏🏼
Evangeline…😮💨🥹🤩
She just felt real. Like actually real… The way her brain works, the way she struggles, even small things like her sweet tooth or how she deals with her OCD… I don’t know, it just felt… real. Not overdone, not dramatic, just real in a touching way 🥹
And Alexander 😮💨🔥👀🫠🤯
Yes okay morally grey man, we’ve seen that before BUT 👀
The way he is with her??? Like he just KNOWS. He sees things she doesn’t even say out loud. He just gets her… The way he shows up for her every time??
Yeah… I’m not okay 🫠😭🥵
Their connection??? I don’t even know how to explain it… It’s just… there. You feel it pulsing through the pages … And that scene when she takes him to meet her brother???😰😰🫣
I SWEAR I was holding my breath the whole time… I had my heart in my mouth … Like every step they took I was like “This is it. They’re dead, both of them. This is where it ends.” 😭
The tension in this book??? insane💥🔥👏🏼🤯
And the author doesn’t just tell you everything, she kind of lets you figure things out and you’re just sitting there like… I KNOW what’s gonna happen but do I KNOW what’s gonna happen ??
SPOILER ALERT ‼️
I did have an idea but I had NO FRIKING CLUE 🤯🤯🤯
Also the way it ends but you can already feel the next story coming???
Yeah. I’m not ready 😮💨😮💨👀👀
There’s a first chapter of the next book in there and I didn’t even read it…. I KNOW myself, If I start it I’m gonna be annoying and I need the whole book immediately 💀 And that is not how this works 😭😭😭
This is not a 5 star read… This is a 6 star and I don’t make the rules 😮💨🔥— well I kinda do because I’m writing this review but Oh well 💁🏼♀️😇😅
April 21, 2026
Eva is a young ballerina who accidentally bumps into a random stranger, Alek who gives her his scarf to keep her warm. Eva's beauty really does take his breath away. Alek has never been one to catch feelings but where Eva is concerned, there's something different. Being the head of an infamous Mafia family, Alek orders his men to track her down. Eva is tracked down to the ballet company where she works and Alek makes his interest blatantly obvious sending her an elaborate bouquet of flowers. Somehow even though he barely knows her, something about Eva really softens Alek and even his right hand man can see this straight away.
Eva's main problem to deal with is her very controlling and extremely over protective brother, Jules. Eva's best friend, Mia helps to cover for her so her and Alek can get to know each other and that they do! Alek becomes Eva's Prince Charming and treats her like a princess, even becoming a major investor in the ballet company where she works. As things continue to develop for Eva and Alek, things take an unexpected turn making things extremely difficult for them both to be together but can their love shine through and conquer?
This is a dark Mafia romance and the first book in the Dangerous Dance series and debut by Lina Harper. There is no slow burn about this Nobel and the descriptions of the events unfolding are very accurate. It was impossible to put this down as it kept me totally engaged and continuously turning the pages keeping me gripped right to the end.
This book has been written from a dual character perspective with this being from the FMC Eva and MMC Alek and delves into how their feelings develop for each other. I absolutely loved reading this and would highly recommend this if you like the forbidden Mafia romance with a trigger warning list longer than your arm!
SMUT FACTOR 🌶🌶🌶
Eva's main problem to deal with is her very controlling and extremely over protective brother, Jules. Eva's best friend, Mia helps to cover for her so her and Alek can get to know each other and that they do! Alek becomes Eva's Prince Charming and treats her like a princess, even becoming a major investor in the ballet company where she works. As things continue to develop for Eva and Alek, things take an unexpected turn making things extremely difficult for them both to be together but can their love shine through and conquer?
This is a dark Mafia romance and the first book in the Dangerous Dance series and debut by Lina Harper. There is no slow burn about this Nobel and the descriptions of the events unfolding are very accurate. It was impossible to put this down as it kept me totally engaged and continuously turning the pages keeping me gripped right to the end.
This book has been written from a dual character perspective with this being from the FMC Eva and MMC Alek and delves into how their feelings develop for each other. I absolutely loved reading this and would highly recommend this if you like the forbidden Mafia romance with a trigger warning list longer than your arm!
SMUT FACTOR 🌶🌶🌶
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2026
Actual rating: 3,5 stars!
Blame Goodreads for not having half star option 😒
For me, this book was decent. The blurb was interesting but the delivery was kinda off.
It says that this book is dark mafia romance, but for me it was not that dark at all and the mafia theme was so light barely there even.
While Alek, the MMC, was so obsessed with Eva in lust way from the very beginning, his action was barely showing his obsession beside he wanted to pound her all the time. I mean, if you are a mob boss and obsessed with someone, don't you suppose to watch her all the time? Figuring out her background? But Alek was not doing any of that except buying the ballet company Eva performed at.
That also happened with Jules, Eva's brother. For me, it didn't make sense at all that Jules didn't appoint bodyguard and watched Eva 24/7. He didn't come out as overprotective big brother for me.
Those small details were bothering me the whole time I read the book because for me Eva was somewhat free and both Alek and Jules were not that overprotective nor obsessed with Eva.
The relationship between Alek and Eva happened so fast. Instalust then jumped to instalove so fast. I was not complaining about that because somehow it was make sense for me with the story and the tropes.
This book actually had so many potential. For debut novel, this book is already solid for me. I would definitely read the next book(s) from this series because the author was already giving many hits for the upcoming couple(s).
Thank you to Lina Harper and NetGalley for the ARC.
Blame Goodreads for not having half star option 😒
For me, this book was decent. The blurb was interesting but the delivery was kinda off.
It says that this book is dark mafia romance, but for me it was not that dark at all and the mafia theme was so light barely there even.
While Alek, the MMC, was so obsessed with Eva in lust way from the very beginning, his action was barely showing his obsession beside he wanted to pound her all the time. I mean, if you are a mob boss and obsessed with someone, don't you suppose to watch her all the time? Figuring out her background? But Alek was not doing any of that except buying the ballet company Eva performed at.
That also happened with Jules, Eva's brother. For me, it didn't make sense at all that Jules didn't appoint bodyguard and watched Eva 24/7. He didn't come out as overprotective big brother for me.
Those small details were bothering me the whole time I read the book because for me Eva was somewhat free and both Alek and Jules were not that overprotective nor obsessed with Eva.
The relationship between Alek and Eva happened so fast. Instalust then jumped to instalove so fast. I was not complaining about that because somehow it was make sense for me with the story and the tropes.
This book actually had so many potential. For debut novel, this book is already solid for me. I would definitely read the next book(s) from this series because the author was already giving many hits for the upcoming couple(s).
Thank you to Lina Harper and NetGalley for the ARC.
March 30, 2026
It was an enjoyable and easy read overall, with a writing style that felt very fluid and accessible which made it easy to get through the book quickly without feeling overwhelmed.
One of the highlights for me was Eva’s character. I really liked her personality and found her relatable and well-developed. She brought a sense of realism and grounding to the story, which I appreciated.
I also really enjoyed the subplot involving the brother. It added an extra layer to the story and kept me curious and I was genuinely looking forward to seeing how that situation would unfold.
However, I had a harder time connecting with the male main character. His behavior felt a bit too intense and unrealistic at times. For example, the fact that he calls Eva “my future wife” after only meeting her once felt exaggerated and made the romance less believable for me. The same issue appears again during their second meeting, where some of the dialogue felt unnatural and out of place, lines like “maybe I like it when it’s with you” didn’t really make sense in context and made the relationship feel rushed rather than genuine.
That being said, the book still has its strengths. The pacing is good, the story is easy to follow, and it’s the kind of book you can pick up when you want something light and entertaining. I also appreciated the emotional moments and the overall atmosphere of the story.
One of the highlights for me was Eva’s character. I really liked her personality and found her relatable and well-developed. She brought a sense of realism and grounding to the story, which I appreciated.
I also really enjoyed the subplot involving the brother. It added an extra layer to the story and kept me curious and I was genuinely looking forward to seeing how that situation would unfold.
However, I had a harder time connecting with the male main character. His behavior felt a bit too intense and unrealistic at times. For example, the fact that he calls Eva “my future wife” after only meeting her once felt exaggerated and made the romance less believable for me. The same issue appears again during their second meeting, where some of the dialogue felt unnatural and out of place, lines like “maybe I like it when it’s with you” didn’t really make sense in context and made the relationship feel rushed rather than genuine.
That being said, the book still has its strengths. The pacing is good, the story is easy to follow, and it’s the kind of book you can pick up when you want something light and entertaining. I also appreciated the emotional moments and the overall atmosphere of the story.
March 22, 2026
thank you netgalley and lina harper for the arc!
this book was amazing! i loved that it was a dark romance retelling of romeo and juliet with a ballerina fmc 🩰 and mafia mmc.
eva bumps into alek and they instantly become enamored. alek goes on a hunt to find her only to find her dancing at a nutcracker ballet. he buys her ballet theater and the two become closer, only to find out their families have been feuding for years. they wonder if their relationship will last if their families can’t accept each other.
eva is truly an amazing mc. she struggles with ocd and constantly has a voice in her head telling her that she isn’t good enough, but how she overcomes it and becomes her best self was so heartwarming and touching.
alek is everything you want in an mmc. he’d burn the world and risk his life to have eva and he chose not to let the issues of their past affect their relationship.
my favorite part was when they both found out their families were rivals 🫠🤣
the spice scenes were great. the book was well written and engaging. there were a few things i thought we were going to see but didn’t, but the plot was still very good!
this book was amazing! i loved that it was a dark romance retelling of romeo and juliet with a ballerina fmc 🩰 and mafia mmc.
eva bumps into alek and they instantly become enamored. alek goes on a hunt to find her only to find her dancing at a nutcracker ballet. he buys her ballet theater and the two become closer, only to find out their families have been feuding for years. they wonder if their relationship will last if their families can’t accept each other.
eva is truly an amazing mc. she struggles with ocd and constantly has a voice in her head telling her that she isn’t good enough, but how she overcomes it and becomes her best self was so heartwarming and touching.
alek is everything you want in an mmc. he’d burn the world and risk his life to have eva and he chose not to let the issues of their past affect their relationship.
my favorite part was when they both found out their families were rivals 🫠🤣
the spice scenes were great. the book was well written and engaging. there were a few things i thought we were going to see but didn’t, but the plot was still very good!
March 31, 2026
What a great dark romance mafia/ballet book!
Their relationship was very insta lust/love, and they never truly gave up on one another throughout the whole thing.
Aleks treated Eva like she truly deserved, with love and care, although his obsession seeped through the cracks A LOT it seemed that Eva was genuinely obsessed with him too, she just didn't go through hoops to own him as Aleks did with her. So glad she learnt to stand up for herself and say what she really wanted or didn't like, very good character progression.
Hoping I'll get to see other books in this world soon, I imagine the hints throughout the book for two? possible couples will come true, and there's one in particular I'm EXTREMELY excited for.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this arc, all opinions are my own.
Their relationship was very insta lust/love, and they never truly gave up on one another throughout the whole thing.
Aleks treated Eva like she truly deserved, with love and care, although his obsession seeped through the cracks A LOT it seemed that Eva was genuinely obsessed with him too, she just didn't go through hoops to own him as Aleks did with her. So glad she learnt to stand up for herself and say what she really wanted or didn't like, very good character progression.
Hoping I'll get to see other books in this world soon, I imagine the hints throughout the book for two? possible couples will come true, and there's one in particular I'm EXTREMELY excited for.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this arc, all opinions are my own.
May 14, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.
It wasn’t bad but the FMC was unfortunately an untouched virginal victim to insta love which didn’t seem particularly realistic and is a trope I despise. However the most unrealistic part of this book was the fact a rookie dancer got the role of principal at a ballet company…
It wasn’t bad but the FMC was unfortunately an untouched virginal victim to insta love which didn’t seem particularly realistic and is a trope I despise. However the most unrealistic part of this book was the fact a rookie dancer got the role of principal at a ballet company…
April 15, 2026
3⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I was very excited about this book because of the premise, I was craving a mafia romance and I did feel like it delivered, Eva and Alek’s story was very entertaining and enjoyable, the characters had growth and I really appreciated how Eva’s character and OCD representation was portrayed as well as her career in ballet 💕, however at times I did feel like she walked one step forward and two steps back which was a bit annoying for me and I have to say in the beginning the story felt a bit insta love which I don’t really enjoy much but I do think it got better.
Overall it was a fun and interesting read, and I’m definitely intrigued about ElsieJules as well as MiaNikolai 🫶🏼✨
Thank you NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I was very excited about this book because of the premise, I was craving a mafia romance and I did feel like it delivered, Eva and Alek’s story was very entertaining and enjoyable, the characters had growth and I really appreciated how Eva’s character and OCD representation was portrayed as well as her career in ballet 💕, however at times I did feel like she walked one step forward and two steps back which was a bit annoying for me and I have to say in the beginning the story felt a bit insta love which I don’t really enjoy much but I do think it got better.
Overall it was a fun and interesting read, and I’m definitely intrigued about ElsieJules as well as MiaNikolai 🫶🏼✨
April 22, 2026
Unfortunately, I was very disappointed by Lina Harper’s Pas de Deux. The premise sounded amazing, a dark mafia style contemporary Romeo & Juliet romance set at the ballet? Sounds great, count me in. I had second hand embarrassment reading this book. Evangeline Vale is the most passive character ever written, and not in a submissive way, just in a pathetic way. But even the description of her ‘selfless’ attitude and determination to put others before herself made me cringe, ‘oh all I want to do is help others, I don’t expect anything for myself’ on a drip throughout. Understandably for this plot to resemble Shakespeare in any way, her brother (AKA Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, but he doesn’t even die) refuses to let her experience normal life, but Eva doesn’t fight against her restrictions in anyway, quite happy to spend her life bored and isolated at the sake of keeping this guy happy. Fair enough, write a submissive, withdrawn, passive character, but her consistent reminders of her selflessness came across as false altruism and insincere.
Aleksandr’s POV was slightly easier to read, except he embodied every mafia man trope ever written. There was no originality to his character, and his text scenes in between him and his cousin were especially cringy to read. His constant repetition that Eva was ‘mine’ was unnecessary and lost any value the more it was repeated. PLEASE pick another term of endearment, I’m literally begging you. Also, so much for not ‘letting anything keep him from HIS WOMAN’ because as soon as she’s grounded by her brother, he doesn’t even attempt to break in, see her, start a mob war or nothing. He’s just like: ‘oh well she isn’t replying to my texts, never mind’. – like dude, I thought you’d die for her?
These two apparently fall in love, I’m all for ‘love at first sight’ but this was ridiculous. Their so-called romance is based off barely a conversation (which was boring) and now Alek is ready to murder anyone who looks her way, we’re here for intensity but honestly this was ludicrous. If their so called dominate/submissive relationship wasn’t bad enough, Harper has decided to portray Alek’s magical penis being able to cure Eva’s OCD. – Bad mental health representation is where I draw the line in my smut.
Honestly this book makes a mockery of this condition. Eva’s consistent repetition of ‘not perfect’ and refolding her sock draw does not begin to touch on the reality of living with OCD and if you think it did, please have a conversation with someone living with this condition. These random inputs added nothing to the story, except give Alek something to ‘fix’ in her. “I wanted to feel him inside of me. Fully. Driving away all my darkness” – your ‘darkness’? There is no dick good enough to ‘drive away’ your ‘darkness’. You’re being absurd please stop. After meeting Alek and Harper wants to evidence his positive influence on Eva, she beings arguing with her ‘darkness’ and when her “OCD tried to fight it, Alek’s voice fought harder” like no babe!! Please grow for yourself. Men cannot fix mental health problems, you cannot shagaway OCD, please don’t present that as a possibility.
So, Alek and her brother, whatever his name is, are meant to be leaders of opposing mafia gangs. I have no idea what their businesses are, I don’t think Harper has any idea either. For the plot we need to know all of NOTHING about how the mafia feature or what they control, just that they’re lifelong enemies, which is *very* believable. – Also, who on earth set fire to the studio? I guess that information is irrelevant, we just needed to include a firefighter scene to tick that box.
Cheers to NetGalley for letting me read a prepublication copy in exchange for this review.
Aleksandr’s POV was slightly easier to read, except he embodied every mafia man trope ever written. There was no originality to his character, and his text scenes in between him and his cousin were especially cringy to read. His constant repetition that Eva was ‘mine’ was unnecessary and lost any value the more it was repeated. PLEASE pick another term of endearment, I’m literally begging you. Also, so much for not ‘letting anything keep him from HIS WOMAN’ because as soon as she’s grounded by her brother, he doesn’t even attempt to break in, see her, start a mob war or nothing. He’s just like: ‘oh well she isn’t replying to my texts, never mind’. – like dude, I thought you’d die for her?
These two apparently fall in love, I’m all for ‘love at first sight’ but this was ridiculous. Their so-called romance is based off barely a conversation (which was boring) and now Alek is ready to murder anyone who looks her way, we’re here for intensity but honestly this was ludicrous. If their so called dominate/submissive relationship wasn’t bad enough, Harper has decided to portray Alek’s magical penis being able to cure Eva’s OCD. – Bad mental health representation is where I draw the line in my smut.
Honestly this book makes a mockery of this condition. Eva’s consistent repetition of ‘not perfect’ and refolding her sock draw does not begin to touch on the reality of living with OCD and if you think it did, please have a conversation with someone living with this condition. These random inputs added nothing to the story, except give Alek something to ‘fix’ in her. “I wanted to feel him inside of me. Fully. Driving away all my darkness” – your ‘darkness’? There is no dick good enough to ‘drive away’ your ‘darkness’. You’re being absurd please stop. After meeting Alek and Harper wants to evidence his positive influence on Eva, she beings arguing with her ‘darkness’ and when her “OCD tried to fight it, Alek’s voice fought harder” like no babe!! Please grow for yourself. Men cannot fix mental health problems, you cannot shagaway OCD, please don’t present that as a possibility.
So, Alek and her brother, whatever his name is, are meant to be leaders of opposing mafia gangs. I have no idea what their businesses are, I don’t think Harper has any idea either. For the plot we need to know all of NOTHING about how the mafia feature or what they control, just that they’re lifelong enemies, which is *very* believable. – Also, who on earth set fire to the studio? I guess that information is irrelevant, we just needed to include a firefighter scene to tick that box.
Cheers to NetGalley for letting me read a prepublication copy in exchange for this review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I could tell that Pas De Deux was written with a lot of heart. The pacing is good; I didn’t come across any parts that moved too quickly or slowly.
This book reminds me of the golden age of soap opera, in the best way! Haha.
The Romance romances, the Spice spices, and the Lovers love! What more can one ask for? Solid plot and character developments. Yes, it’s a sexy novel, but the romance itself is front and center.
To me, this is Dark Romance done right: yes, there are dark elements, but the MMC never once demeans, abuses, or demoralizes the FMC. A lot of times, people think that “Dark Romance” is the Get Out of Jail Free card, a carte blanche for them to write whatever they want and still claim that it’s “romance.” When I read Pas De Deux, I got to experience the thrill of darkness, but actually left feeling good after, which is what Romance is supposed to inspire at the end of the day, regardless of subgenre.
Another thing the author does well is giving the characters a lot of interiority.
Alek is a totally unhinged love interest, and a lot of fun to read. He’s crazy, but…sweet. 😅 His craziness is believable, considering the line of work that he’s in. He doesn’t strike me as cruel, but more like someone who has the stomach to do what he does, know what I mean? But, regardless of all that and any personal vendettas he may have, he always chooses Evangeline first. That contradiction is difficult to write—someone who has the stomach for cruelty, but isn’t a cruel person, you know? But here, the author succeeds.
Speaking of Evangeline, I love how her character is written, too. She’s 21 but has led a sheltered, overprotected life, and here’s how Lina Harper (author) makes her so believable: she is mature in many respects, but also naive in others. A lot of times when a sheltered or overprotected character is written, authors make the mistake of infantilizing them; that isn’t the case here. Harper understands how to write contradictions in ways that feel intentional and believable.
But, you know who captured my heart, though? Jules—Evangeline’s older brother, and I’m so excited that he’s getting his own book!
I received the ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Character Archetypes: Grumpy (but secretly a sweetheart) - Sunshine (but is more than meets the eye).
Romance Subgenre: an excellent balance of Erotica and Romance. Has dark elements, but not disturbing. Honestly, I found this story to be so heartwarming, as far as Dark Romance goes. Check the triggers, though everything is written with taste, tbh.
Romance: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Passion: ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Violence: ⚔️
Other-Man / Other-Woman Drama: No.
This book reminds me of the golden age of soap opera, in the best way! Haha.
The Romance romances, the Spice spices, and the Lovers love! What more can one ask for? Solid plot and character developments. Yes, it’s a sexy novel, but the romance itself is front and center.
To me, this is Dark Romance done right: yes, there are dark elements, but the MMC never once demeans, abuses, or demoralizes the FMC. A lot of times, people think that “Dark Romance” is the Get Out of Jail Free card, a carte blanche for them to write whatever they want and still claim that it’s “romance.” When I read Pas De Deux, I got to experience the thrill of darkness, but actually left feeling good after, which is what Romance is supposed to inspire at the end of the day, regardless of subgenre.
Another thing the author does well is giving the characters a lot of interiority.
Alek is a totally unhinged love interest, and a lot of fun to read. He’s crazy, but…sweet. 😅 His craziness is believable, considering the line of work that he’s in. He doesn’t strike me as cruel, but more like someone who has the stomach to do what he does, know what I mean? But, regardless of all that and any personal vendettas he may have, he always chooses Evangeline first. That contradiction is difficult to write—someone who has the stomach for cruelty, but isn’t a cruel person, you know? But here, the author succeeds.
Speaking of Evangeline, I love how her character is written, too. She’s 21 but has led a sheltered, overprotected life, and here’s how Lina Harper (author) makes her so believable: she is mature in many respects, but also naive in others. A lot of times when a sheltered or overprotected character is written, authors make the mistake of infantilizing them; that isn’t the case here. Harper understands how to write contradictions in ways that feel intentional and believable.
But, you know who captured my heart, though? Jules—Evangeline’s older brother, and I’m so excited that he’s getting his own book!
I received the ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Character Archetypes: Grumpy (but secretly a sweetheart) - Sunshine (but is more than meets the eye).
Romance Subgenre: an excellent balance of Erotica and Romance. Has dark elements, but not disturbing. Honestly, I found this story to be so heartwarming, as far as Dark Romance goes. Check the triggers, though everything is written with taste, tbh.
Romance: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Passion: ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Violence: ⚔️
Other-Man / Other-Woman Drama: No.
April 17, 2026
thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review!
i really wanted to love this one. dark mafia MMC, ballerina FMC, brother's enemy, touch her and die — on paper this is a lineup of tropes that should have had me in a chokehold. and there are pieces of this book that genuinely work. but as a whole, it didn't land for me.
i want to start with what i think the book does well, because it deserves recognition: the OCD representation is handled with real care and nuance. Evangeline's rituals, her internal logic, the way her illness shapes her relationship to control and routine — it's thoughtful, specific, and never reduced to a quirk or a plot device. in a genre that often fumbles mental health rep, this stood out and i genuinely applaud Lina Harper for it.
now. the rest.
the romance is instalove at a level that made it really difficult for me to buy in. Aleksandr goes from "i should stay away from her" to fully obsessed with no real development in between, and their connection never earns the intensity the prose is trying to sell. it reads less like a slow descent into dangerous desire and more like two characters who were told they're in love on page three and just went with it. dark romance lives and dies on tension — the push, the pull, the agonizing restraint before the fall — and without that buildup, the spice and the stakes both feel hollow.
my bigger issue is with how Evangeline is written. there's a version of the "soft innocent FMC corrupted by a dark powerful MMC" dynamic that works, but here it tipped into infantilization in a way that genuinely made me uncomfortable. she's described as too soft, too innocent, too pure so often that she stops feeling like a person and starts feeling like an object being handled. for a character who's supposed to be on the edge of stardom — a professional ballerina, which requires an insane amount of discipline and grit — she's rendered strangely passive and small. it undercut both her character and the romance for me.
the writing style also skewed younger than i expected. some of the dialogue and internal monologue felt more like early-stage fanfiction than published dark romance, and not in the endearing, self-aware way that fanfic can be brilliant — more in the way where the emotional beats don't quite match the weight the story is asking them to carry.
that said — if instalove is your thing and you're less bothered by the dynamic between the leads, the OCD rep alone might make this worth picking up. that part was done with genuine care and i'd love to see more of it in the genre.
cw per the author: themes related to OCD, light kink, mafia violence
i really wanted to love this one. dark mafia MMC, ballerina FMC, brother's enemy, touch her and die — on paper this is a lineup of tropes that should have had me in a chokehold. and there are pieces of this book that genuinely work. but as a whole, it didn't land for me.
i want to start with what i think the book does well, because it deserves recognition: the OCD representation is handled with real care and nuance. Evangeline's rituals, her internal logic, the way her illness shapes her relationship to control and routine — it's thoughtful, specific, and never reduced to a quirk or a plot device. in a genre that often fumbles mental health rep, this stood out and i genuinely applaud Lina Harper for it.
now. the rest.
the romance is instalove at a level that made it really difficult for me to buy in. Aleksandr goes from "i should stay away from her" to fully obsessed with no real development in between, and their connection never earns the intensity the prose is trying to sell. it reads less like a slow descent into dangerous desire and more like two characters who were told they're in love on page three and just went with it. dark romance lives and dies on tension — the push, the pull, the agonizing restraint before the fall — and without that buildup, the spice and the stakes both feel hollow.
my bigger issue is with how Evangeline is written. there's a version of the "soft innocent FMC corrupted by a dark powerful MMC" dynamic that works, but here it tipped into infantilization in a way that genuinely made me uncomfortable. she's described as too soft, too innocent, too pure so often that she stops feeling like a person and starts feeling like an object being handled. for a character who's supposed to be on the edge of stardom — a professional ballerina, which requires an insane amount of discipline and grit — she's rendered strangely passive and small. it undercut both her character and the romance for me.
the writing style also skewed younger than i expected. some of the dialogue and internal monologue felt more like early-stage fanfiction than published dark romance, and not in the endearing, self-aware way that fanfic can be brilliant — more in the way where the emotional beats don't quite match the weight the story is asking them to carry.
that said — if instalove is your thing and you're less bothered by the dynamic between the leads, the OCD rep alone might make this worth picking up. that part was done with genuine care and i'd love to see more of it in the genre.
cw per the author: themes related to OCD, light kink, mafia violence
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hi, my loves! I'm Lina, the author of PAS DE DEUX, and I wanted to take a moment to give you a little insight into this book and also to thank you for giving my debut a chance.
PAS DE DEUX TROPES:
🖤 Ballet FMC
🖤 Mafia MMC
🖤 Touch her and ☠️
🖤 Romeo and Juliet forbidden love
🖤 Brother’s enemy
🖤 Spice with praise and a little bit of choking kink
I've always loved reading dark romance, especially mafia/crime family romance where the MMC is dark, brooding, and dangerous. But despite having this idea for a long time, I've never pursued writing one of my own because I actually write under my real name for traditional publishing with books that are a lot different. When that started to slow, I knew I needed an outlet, so I decided to see how indie publishing would go for me! It's been really difficult, but I've enjoyed it so far. It's been healing for me, in a way, and I know I'll be able to say the same about future books as well.
As much as I would love to say I am like delicate and coquettish Evangeline, I'm really not. I'm more like another Dangerous Dance FMC we will have the pleasure of seeing later. But there are parts of me inside her, from her struggles with OCD to her experience dancing. The only difference is that Evangeline is actually good at ballet, and despite doing ballet for 15 years, I really wasn't. That world has always felt so magical and so at odds with the mafia books I love that I knew I wanted to write something that at least I have never seen!
Writing PAS DE DEUX was extremely difficult, but I enjoyed almost every moment (okay, I hated editing, but that's at least over). I'm so glad I get to stay in this world for Book 2, Adagio, which you can see a sneak peek of at the end of Book 1. Trust me, if you like groveling, you'll like this one. And as a little hint, Book 3 will have a juicy marriage of convenience and Book 4 will be a lot darker than the others with a stalker romance. But that's all you're getting from me!! You'll just have to stick around to see more.
Speaking of seeing more... if you want updates on future books (there are some fun ideas in my head I'm excited to write when I'm done with the Dangerous Dance series), bonus scenes, and more, subscribe to my Substack, authorlinaharper.substack.com! Or follow along on social media.
Thank you again for looking at my baby, which I hope brings you as much happiness as it brought me to write it.
With love and death,
Lina🖤🩰
PAS DE DEUX TROPES:
🖤 Ballet FMC
🖤 Mafia MMC
🖤 Touch her and ☠️
🖤 Romeo and Juliet forbidden love
🖤 Brother’s enemy
🖤 Spice with praise and a little bit of choking kink
I've always loved reading dark romance, especially mafia/crime family romance where the MMC is dark, brooding, and dangerous. But despite having this idea for a long time, I've never pursued writing one of my own because I actually write under my real name for traditional publishing with books that are a lot different. When that started to slow, I knew I needed an outlet, so I decided to see how indie publishing would go for me! It's been really difficult, but I've enjoyed it so far. It's been healing for me, in a way, and I know I'll be able to say the same about future books as well.
As much as I would love to say I am like delicate and coquettish Evangeline, I'm really not. I'm more like another Dangerous Dance FMC we will have the pleasure of seeing later. But there are parts of me inside her, from her struggles with OCD to her experience dancing. The only difference is that Evangeline is actually good at ballet, and despite doing ballet for 15 years, I really wasn't. That world has always felt so magical and so at odds with the mafia books I love that I knew I wanted to write something that at least I have never seen!
Writing PAS DE DEUX was extremely difficult, but I enjoyed almost every moment (okay, I hated editing, but that's at least over). I'm so glad I get to stay in this world for Book 2, Adagio, which you can see a sneak peek of at the end of Book 1. Trust me, if you like groveling, you'll like this one. And as a little hint, Book 3 will have a juicy marriage of convenience and Book 4 will be a lot darker than the others with a stalker romance. But that's all you're getting from me!! You'll just have to stick around to see more.
Speaking of seeing more... if you want updates on future books (there are some fun ideas in my head I'm excited to write when I'm done with the Dangerous Dance series), bonus scenes, and more, subscribe to my Substack, authorlinaharper.substack.com! Or follow along on social media.
Thank you again for looking at my baby, which I hope brings you as much happiness as it brought me to write it.
With love and death,
Lina🖤🩰
April 5, 2026
I requested Pas De Deux because the ballet title caught my eye as a professional dancer myself! I was ready to tear into it. It was a very quick read and very very spicy. I am curious to see the published version now that I have read the ARC from Netgallley! I really enjoyed how Alek and Eva met. I love the trope where the love interests crash into each other, make eye contact and are left speechless. Their relationship moved SO FAST after Alek found her at the ballet. I personally like more of a slow burn. I like how Eva’s brother Jules way of protecting her reminded me of the Black Swan. I loved seeing those connections. As a dancer I didn’t love to see that the main character was teenie tiny, and “frail”. Ballerina’s in really life are Olympians with amazing strength. it disappoints me to see that the smallness of Eva was romanticized since body image issues are already such a huge thing in the dance community. Certain descriptions of her attire through me off too. Like at some points during a spicy scene with Alek she was wearing a skirt, pantyhose, and a tank top… Usually a ballerina, coming out of rehearsal will be dressed in a leotard and tights. yes a skirt or other layers are worn but tit doesn’t make sense for her to have just been in a tank top and tights. There is another mention of her wearing underwear after rehearsal. If she was wearing a leotard, she most likely would not have been wearing underwear. Ballerina’s try to keep all visual lines “clean” so most don’t wear underwear or a bra under their leotard because the underwear lines could show. I wish that the stakes felt even higher for the romantic relationship. I would have loved to see more character growth within Eva and her brother. He held her prisoner for most of her life and the ending doesn’t give us any closure on that topic. I wish she stood up to him even more than she did and left him in the dust. I wish also had more information on the crime families and what their actual businesses were. I am happy that Alek and Eva got their happily ever after but I wasn’t totally satisfied in the end. I was left with a few questions. What happened with Eva’s struggle with her mental health? What exactly is going on with her parents? If she went to the hospital with a gun shot wound how did that not cause any issues? How did the theater catch fire? Charlotte? I enjoyed the read but I probably wouldn’t read it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am giving this book 3 stars. I seriously considered four. I was very interested in this book. I was very interested in the characters. I thought it was sexy and entertaining, and I couldn’t put it down. Alek is brooding and sexy and dangerous and that comes across very well. I thought the tension was delicious. I found your side characters to be wonderful, especially Nikolai. The reason I am taking away one star though is because Eva was just too childlike for me. I understand that she is sheltered because of her brother and inexperienced, but her dialogue and her overall giddiness was so childlike that it was offputting due to the nature of the book. I found myself being very involved in these love scenes only to have her dialogue completely throw cold water on me because she seemed so immature. The author even went as far as to have her in frilly bows and pink all the time she explains why this is, but it still was offputting to me. The dialogue seemed very surface level during the sex scenes. There was so much talk of bodily fluids, which is fine in a spicy book. I’m all for it but disgusting freezing was brought up during romantic, heartfelt emotional scenes and it was unnecessary and it took me out of the romance and made me kind of grossed out for example. At one point Alek refers to a part of Eva as her “back hole.” I have read a lot of spicy books and never have. I heard such basic and vulgar terminology for a woman’s backside. I feel like we really could’ve had some prettier prose in this part particularly. This would’ve been almost a four star read for me if the dialogue seemed a bit more creative, creative and Eva was less little girl like. I will definitely read the next installment because like I said, I was extremely interested in the book. I thought the story was very good. I thought the characters were very good. It was definitely a page turner for me. I was just taking a back several times by the dialogue. I also thought it was extremely fast pace in the first chapter. Alek goes from talking about how he doesn’t get involved with women and within five pages he’s obsessed with her already and I just thought it was extremely unbelievable. There was no buildup to the tension, but once the tension was there, it was delicious. .
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I genuinely don’t even know where to start with this one because I finished it and just sat there staring at the wall trying to process everything.
Pas de Deux is a dark, obsessive romance set in the world of ballet, and the contrast between those two worlds was honestly one of my favorite things about this book. On one side you have discipline, beauty, and perfection in ballet… and on the other side you have danger, power, and morally grey choices. It created such an intense atmosphere throughout the story.
Evangeline is a ballerina who has spent her life dedicated to dance, and watching her world collide with Aleksandr’s was so gripping. Aleksandr is the definition of a morally grey MMC — powerful, protective, and very much used to getting what he wants. Their relationship is complicated, messy, and full of tension in the best way. I was hooked watching everything unfold between them.
One thing I really loved was the way the story included text conversations between characters throughout the chapters. They added so much personality and gave extra insight into the relationships without interrupting the pacing.
And speaking of pacing — this book moves. Once things start happening, it’s very hard to put down. I kept wanting to read just one more chapter to see what would happen next.
The Romeo and Juliet parallels with the ballet production were such a clever touch too. When the story started revealing more about Evangeline’s family and the connection to Aleksandr’s world, the tension just kept building.
The romance itself leans into obsession, intensity, and forbidden love, and if you like dark romance with strong chemistry and a possessive MMC, this will absolutely deliver.
This was such a unique mix of mafia romance and the ballet world, which I honestly hadn’t seen done like this before.
Tropes:
🩰 Ballet setting
🖤 Mafia / dark romance
🔥 Morally grey MMC
💔 Forbidden love
🛡️ Protective, dominant hero
❤️ He falls first
🧠 Mental health representation
Definitely check the content warnings because this book explores some heavy themes, but if dark romance is your genre, this one is a really compelling read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Pas de Deux is a dark, obsessive romance set in the world of ballet, and the contrast between those two worlds was honestly one of my favorite things about this book. On one side you have discipline, beauty, and perfection in ballet… and on the other side you have danger, power, and morally grey choices. It created such an intense atmosphere throughout the story.
Evangeline is a ballerina who has spent her life dedicated to dance, and watching her world collide with Aleksandr’s was so gripping. Aleksandr is the definition of a morally grey MMC — powerful, protective, and very much used to getting what he wants. Their relationship is complicated, messy, and full of tension in the best way. I was hooked watching everything unfold between them.
One thing I really loved was the way the story included text conversations between characters throughout the chapters. They added so much personality and gave extra insight into the relationships without interrupting the pacing.
And speaking of pacing — this book moves. Once things start happening, it’s very hard to put down. I kept wanting to read just one more chapter to see what would happen next.
The Romeo and Juliet parallels with the ballet production were such a clever touch too. When the story started revealing more about Evangeline’s family and the connection to Aleksandr’s world, the tension just kept building.
The romance itself leans into obsession, intensity, and forbidden love, and if you like dark romance with strong chemistry and a possessive MMC, this will absolutely deliver.
This was such a unique mix of mafia romance and the ballet world, which I honestly hadn’t seen done like this before.
Tropes:
🩰 Ballet setting
🖤 Mafia / dark romance
🔥 Morally grey MMC
💔 Forbidden love
🛡️ Protective, dominant hero
❤️ He falls first
🧠 Mental health representation
Definitely check the content warnings because this book explores some heavy themes, but if dark romance is your genre, this one is a really compelling read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
April 3, 2026
While I know absolutely zilch about ballet, I found it believable in the way it was expressed. The closest I've ever come to seeing ballet was the childhood bane of my life, aka my baby sisters favourite, Barbie and the Nutcracker. Sigh.
I always found the idea of ballet quite strange, pushing yourself in pain to gain applause. However, this book made it seem a lot more than that. It was written as a beautiful dance. I believe that.
Now, as I'm sure you've read in the blurby bit, this is a ballerina/mafia love story. It's not sweet and delicate like ballet, it's fiery possession and darkness.
The FMCs perspective, it gutted me a little when reading. As a fellow OCD/intrusive thoughts sufferer,
I 100% feel her pain.
I've said before in other book reviews that it is a seriously debilitating illness. This has not changed. Any day I wake up and have a brief break from my mind is delightful, but it always ends the same with me spiralling into thinking something must be wrong with me. *Shrugs*
The MMC is every bit a broody possessive dominating soul, but that's how we like our mafia men no? Well in excess of those traits he is also tender sweet with FMC Eva. I love that.
The best friend reminded me so much of Danika from CC. Her overexcited and fun personality was charming and I'm hoping that maybe there's a little love story of her own in the works.
A running Romeo and Juliet vibe running throughout the book was different. I have never actually read that in my 33 years of life, but I got the sentiment.
I look forward to book 2, I was dying not having any chapters from the next lead couples perspectives. Every tease of info had me pacing inside my mind and what could possibly come next.
So this book, it wasn't perfect, but it was definitely a good first installment.
I'd absolutely recommend for mafia romance fans, but just beware it's probably not as spicy as you are use too. It also has a plot if you aren't keen on that, it's only a light plot but it's a happy ending. I know some of you chaos gremlins just read the ultra smutty books. I'm not saying the spice isn't there, it's just not every single page 😂
Anywho,
4 shiny stars for you.
I always found the idea of ballet quite strange, pushing yourself in pain to gain applause. However, this book made it seem a lot more than that. It was written as a beautiful dance. I believe that.
Now, as I'm sure you've read in the blurby bit, this is a ballerina/mafia love story. It's not sweet and delicate like ballet, it's fiery possession and darkness.
The FMCs perspective, it gutted me a little when reading. As a fellow OCD/intrusive thoughts sufferer,
I 100% feel her pain.
I've said before in other book reviews that it is a seriously debilitating illness. This has not changed. Any day I wake up and have a brief break from my mind is delightful, but it always ends the same with me spiralling into thinking something must be wrong with me. *Shrugs*
The MMC is every bit a broody possessive dominating soul, but that's how we like our mafia men no? Well in excess of those traits he is also tender sweet with FMC Eva. I love that.
The best friend reminded me so much of Danika from CC. Her overexcited and fun personality was charming and I'm hoping that maybe there's a little love story of her own in the works.
A running Romeo and Juliet vibe running throughout the book was different. I have never actually read that in my 33 years of life, but I got the sentiment.
I look forward to book 2, I was dying not having any chapters from the next lead couples perspectives. Every tease of info had me pacing inside my mind and what could possibly come next.
So this book, it wasn't perfect, but it was definitely a good first installment.
I'd absolutely recommend for mafia romance fans, but just beware it's probably not as spicy as you are use too. It also has a plot if you aren't keen on that, it's only a light plot but it's a happy ending. I know some of you chaos gremlins just read the ultra smutty books. I'm not saying the spice isn't there, it's just not every single page 😂
Anywho,
4 shiny stars for you.
April 6, 2026
If you’re looking for a story that captures the high-stakes tension of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, look no further. Pas de Deux is a breathtaking journey through the world of elite ballet and shadow-drenched secrets that left me completely spellbound.
Evangeline’s Evolution
Beyond the romance, the most rewarding part of this book was watching Evangeline’s personal growth. For so much of her life, she’s been defined by the expectations of others, but seeing her finally embrace her feelings and put herself first was incredibly empowering. Her journey isn't just about falling in love; it’s about finding the courage to choose her own happiness over the path laid out for her.
The connection between Evangeline and Alek is electric. Their chemistry is palpable from their first interaction, but it’s the forbidden nature of their love that truly keeps you turning the pages.
Much like Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, Eva and Alek are caught between worlds that refuse to let them be together. Watching them navigate the "us against the world" trope was both heartbreaking and exhilarating. It’s a beautiful reminder that even in a modern setting, the most powerful stories are the ones where two people are willing to risk everything for a single moment together.
The overarching theme that love conquers all is woven beautifully throughout the narrative. It doesn't shy away from the pain of their circumstances, but it reinforces the idea that true connection is worth the battle.
The "forbidden" element isn't just for show it carries real weight, making every stolen glance and secret meeting feel earned.
Final Thoughts & Future Hopes
I finished this book with a massive book hangover, and I am already counting down the days until the next release! I can't wait to see how Eva and Alek’s story develops—they've been through so much, and I’m rooting for their "happily ever after."
Also, can we talk about the side characters? I am officially starting the petition for Nikolai and Mia to get together.
Evangeline’s Evolution
Beyond the romance, the most rewarding part of this book was watching Evangeline’s personal growth. For so much of her life, she’s been defined by the expectations of others, but seeing her finally embrace her feelings and put herself first was incredibly empowering. Her journey isn't just about falling in love; it’s about finding the courage to choose her own happiness over the path laid out for her.
The connection between Evangeline and Alek is electric. Their chemistry is palpable from their first interaction, but it’s the forbidden nature of their love that truly keeps you turning the pages.
Much like Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, Eva and Alek are caught between worlds that refuse to let them be together. Watching them navigate the "us against the world" trope was both heartbreaking and exhilarating. It’s a beautiful reminder that even in a modern setting, the most powerful stories are the ones where two people are willing to risk everything for a single moment together.
The overarching theme that love conquers all is woven beautifully throughout the narrative. It doesn't shy away from the pain of their circumstances, but it reinforces the idea that true connection is worth the battle.
The "forbidden" element isn't just for show it carries real weight, making every stolen glance and secret meeting feel earned.
Final Thoughts & Future Hopes
I finished this book with a massive book hangover, and I am already counting down the days until the next release! I can't wait to see how Eva and Alek’s story develops—they've been through so much, and I’m rooting for their "happily ever after."
Also, can we talk about the side characters? I am officially starting the petition for Nikolai and Mia to get together.
April 29, 2026
DNF at 28%
The premise seemed like so much fun. Dark romance and ballet? I was absolutely in for the contrast of those two worlds colliding. Unfortunately, the execution left a lot to be desired.
Ultimately, my issue is that this read way too young. The FMC is 21, but her brother tells her where she can or can't go. She is written as very naive, even childish. She's, of course, a virgin and has never kissed anyone, then immediately proceeds to tongue-tango with the MMC after knowing him for two minutes. The MMC wants to own her and lock her away from the world just for himself. It all sounds way too toxic, but not in a self-aware way. I've read darker, but I really don't like when characters are infantilised and the age and life-experience gap becomes the darkest part of the book.
Now cue the usual offenders such as insta love/lust, "it was like running into a brick wall," "she makes me finally feel something," and threatening people who we all know will not actually be harmed. The MMC repeatedly threatens his cousin, but none of those moments ever made me feel like the guy should be worried. The hero has Italian cousins, mentions his mum smothering the FMC with tiramisu, yet they all have Russian-sounding names and he calls the FMC solnyshka. I mean, sure, it could be a multinational family, but it was never explained. Also, is buying ballet company shares in 30 minutes from a request, at night, realistic?
Nothing kept me interested. I fully zoned out when the MMC sits in rehearsals in the dark audience looking ominous, only to assign the FMC the main role in a new play in front of all her colleagues. Because yes, they would all definitely feel like that was deserved. Also, I kept imagining him as Shia LeBouf in "Shia LaBeouf" Live by Rob Cantor the entire time. Watch it on Youtube and you'll understand.
ARC via Netgalley
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The premise seemed like so much fun. Dark romance and ballet? I was absolutely in for the contrast of those two worlds colliding. Unfortunately, the execution left a lot to be desired.
Ultimately, my issue is that this read way too young. The FMC is 21, but her brother tells her where she can or can't go. She is written as very naive, even childish. She's, of course, a virgin and has never kissed anyone, then immediately proceeds to tongue-tango with the MMC after knowing him for two minutes. The MMC wants to own her and lock her away from the world just for himself. It all sounds way too toxic, but not in a self-aware way. I've read darker, but I really don't like when characters are infantilised and the age and life-experience gap becomes the darkest part of the book.
Now cue the usual offenders such as insta love/lust, "it was like running into a brick wall," "she makes me finally feel something," and threatening people who we all know will not actually be harmed. The MMC repeatedly threatens his cousin, but none of those moments ever made me feel like the guy should be worried. The hero has Italian cousins, mentions his mum smothering the FMC with tiramisu, yet they all have Russian-sounding names and he calls the FMC solnyshka. I mean, sure, it could be a multinational family, but it was never explained. Also, is buying ballet company shares in 30 minutes from a request, at night, realistic?
Nothing kept me interested. I fully zoned out when the MMC sits in rehearsals in the dark audience looking ominous, only to assign the FMC the main role in a new play in front of all her colleagues. Because yes, they would all definitely feel like that was deserved. Also, I kept imagining him as Shia LeBouf in "Shia LaBeouf" Live by Rob Cantor the entire time. Watch it on Youtube and you'll understand.
ARC via Netgalley
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 8, 2026
I really wanted to like this story but unfortunately I almost DNF it so many times because the FMC was getting on my nerves too much with her people pleasing tendencies and letting her brother control her every moves so much. It just wasn't for me and made me really annoyed and angry.
The book probably triggered me since I used to struggle a lot with people pleasing and intrusive negative thoughts and I just did not like how I saw the FMC struggle with that and her brother was being too much of a controlling a$$hole.
The number of times I wanted to shake the FMC for her thoughts and for letting everyone walk all over her especially her brother were too many to count and it just made it really hard for me to fully enjoy the story and get into it.
I liked the character of Alek but I feel like it did not make sense how fast the insta lust happened for Eva since she was a virgin and so insecure and overthinking everything so it was hard to believe what she allowed to happen on their 2nd meet especially since she kind of made the first move on that stage. It felt a lot rushed and it did not make sense with how she was portrayed.
I did like that Alek helped build her confidence and stand up for herself although it took the whole book for that to actually happen. He did help also replace her negative intrusive thoughts.
I appreciate the mental health rep and I did enjoy the ballet and mafia setting but I just really struggled with the FMC unfortunately.
Tropes:
- Dark romance
- Ballet/ mafia setting
- He falls first
- Possessive MMC
- Virgin, inexperienced and sheltered FMC
- Mental health rep (OCD)
- Grumpy MMC
- Age gap (8 years)
- Forbidden love (Brother's rival)
- Romeo & Juliet vibes
- Morally grey MMC
Thank you Netgalley and Lina Harper for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The book probably triggered me since I used to struggle a lot with people pleasing and intrusive negative thoughts and I just did not like how I saw the FMC struggle with that and her brother was being too much of a controlling a$$hole.
The number of times I wanted to shake the FMC for her thoughts and for letting everyone walk all over her especially her brother were too many to count and it just made it really hard for me to fully enjoy the story and get into it.
I liked the character of Alek but I feel like it did not make sense how fast the insta lust happened for Eva since she was a virgin and so insecure and overthinking everything so it was hard to believe what she allowed to happen on their 2nd meet especially since she kind of made the first move on that stage. It felt a lot rushed and it did not make sense with how she was portrayed.
I did like that Alek helped build her confidence and stand up for herself although it took the whole book for that to actually happen. He did help also replace her negative intrusive thoughts.
I appreciate the mental health rep and I did enjoy the ballet and mafia setting but I just really struggled with the FMC unfortunately.
Tropes:
- Dark romance
- Ballet/ mafia setting
- He falls first
- Possessive MMC
- Virgin, inexperienced and sheltered FMC
- Mental health rep (OCD)
- Grumpy MMC
- Age gap (8 years)
- Forbidden love (Brother's rival)
- Romeo & Juliet vibes
- Morally grey MMC
Thank you Netgalley and Lina Harper for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 6, 2026
I was lucky enough to receive this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book — the story was interesting, and I liked the two main characters, Alek and Eva. I thought they worked well together, though I do think they both could have been a little deeper. Exploring more of their childhoods and getting to know them better as individuals would have added to the story. At times, I felt some things were rushed, and it seemed like a lot of details were overlooked.
I didn’t really like any of the side characters other than Niko and Elise; the rest felt a little one‑dimensional.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book. It was well written and very easy to read. I do think it could have been a little longer and gone into more detail on certain topics, which would have pushed it even further. But overall, it’s a solid 3.5 ⭐ read and an enjoyable one.
TROPES:
🩰 Age gap (she’s 21, he’s 29)
🩰 She’s a ballerina
🩰 OCD rep
🩰 She’s a virgin
🩰 Overprotective brother
🩰 MMC obsessed
🩰 Mafia
I didn’t really like any of the side characters other than Niko and Elise; the rest felt a little one‑dimensional.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book. It was well written and very easy to read. I do think it could have been a little longer and gone into more detail on certain topics, which would have pushed it even further. But overall, it’s a solid 3.5 ⭐ read and an enjoyable one.
TROPES:
🩰 Age gap (she’s 21, he’s 29)
🩰 She’s a ballerina
🩰 OCD rep
🩰 She’s a virgin
🩰 Overprotective brother
🩰 MMC obsessed
🩰 Mafia
April 7, 2026
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
2.5⭐️
2.5🌶️
Touch her and ☠️ / rival families / Romeo and Juliet inspired
As someone who danced growing up, I always get so excited to see dancer/ballerina romances. However, I feel like this author didn’t necessarily do her dance research. She often states that Eva, the FMC, is wearing tank tops and tights to a company rehearsal instead of a leotard, and comments on how Alek removed her undies from underneath her tights. If you’ve ever danced, ESPECIALLY ballet, you know that you do not wear underwear under your tights.
I did appreciate the mental health rep, especially how it can affect a dancer under so much pressure.
I know insta-love/lust isn’t for everyone, and it’s not practical at all, but that’s why we read fiction, right? Personally, I love how Alek knew what he wanted from the first moment he saw her. And I was only slightly concerned with the lovebombing. Once again- it’s fiction so it’s okay. (But if that happens irl pls run away)
I did enjoy the parallel between Romeo + Juliet and Eva + Alek. It was poetic how Eva kept thinking back to the original tragedy and could see the parallels herself.
On top of a few disconnects in the story line (texting without exchanging numbers, Alek using his office in a club that Eva had no idea he owned but she didn’t question it when they got spicy in there, discrepancies in dance attire, etc) I do wish we could have heard more about the organized crime side of the families. We know they hate each other. We kinda know why. But what do they do? Obviously Alek had unalived some folks, but why? Has Jules done the same? So many unknowns.
I’d really only recommend this book if someone just wants some touch her and ☠️ vibes and can ignore plot holes.
2.5⭐️
2.5🌶️
Touch her and ☠️ / rival families / Romeo and Juliet inspired
As someone who danced growing up, I always get so excited to see dancer/ballerina romances. However, I feel like this author didn’t necessarily do her dance research. She often states that Eva, the FMC, is wearing tank tops and tights to a company rehearsal instead of a leotard, and comments on how Alek removed her undies from underneath her tights. If you’ve ever danced, ESPECIALLY ballet, you know that you do not wear underwear under your tights.
I did appreciate the mental health rep, especially how it can affect a dancer under so much pressure.
I know insta-love/lust isn’t for everyone, and it’s not practical at all, but that’s why we read fiction, right? Personally, I love how Alek knew what he wanted from the first moment he saw her. And I was only slightly concerned with the lovebombing. Once again- it’s fiction so it’s okay. (But if that happens irl pls run away)
I did enjoy the parallel between Romeo + Juliet and Eva + Alek. It was poetic how Eva kept thinking back to the original tragedy and could see the parallels herself.
On top of a few disconnects in the story line (texting without exchanging numbers, Alek using his office in a club that Eva had no idea he owned but she didn’t question it when they got spicy in there, discrepancies in dance attire, etc) I do wish we could have heard more about the organized crime side of the families. We know they hate each other. We kinda know why. But what do they do? Obviously Alek had unalived some folks, but why? Has Jules done the same? So many unknowns.
I’d really only recommend this book if someone just wants some touch her and ☠️ vibes and can ignore plot holes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First off, thank you to the author and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review….
Pas de Deux by Lina Harper completely swept me into a world where discipline, obsession, and forbidden desire collide like dancers meeting center stage. From the first chapter, the tension wrapped around the story like velvet ribbons pulled just a little too tight.
Eva is a fiercely determined FMC who has sacrificed everything for ballet. Her life is structure, perfection, and relentless training. Then Alek walks in… and suddenly the careful choreography of her world starts unraveling in the most deliciously dangerous way.
Alek is the kind of MMC that commands every scene he enters. Intense, possessive, and absolutely relentless once he sets his sights on Eva. The push and pull between them feels like a dance itself: control versus surrender, rules versus temptation. Their chemistry burns from the very first interaction, and the tension only grows stronger with every page.
What I loved most was how the author balanced the beauty of the ballet world with the darker, more obsessive edge of their relationship. The elegance of dance contrasts perfectly with the emotional intensity between Alek and Eva. Every moment felt charged, like the quiet pause before a leap.
This story is full of:
• Forbidden attraction
• Intense chemistry
• A powerful, determined heroine
• A dangerously irresistible hero
If you love romances where the MMC is completely captivated by the FMC and refuses to walk away, Pas de Deux delivers that energy in every chapter.
By the final page I was equal parts breathless and desperate for more. This book doesn’t just tell a romance… it performs it.
✨ Five stars for a story that dances right into your heart and refuses to let go.
Pas de Deux by Lina Harper completely swept me into a world where discipline, obsession, and forbidden desire collide like dancers meeting center stage. From the first chapter, the tension wrapped around the story like velvet ribbons pulled just a little too tight.
Eva is a fiercely determined FMC who has sacrificed everything for ballet. Her life is structure, perfection, and relentless training. Then Alek walks in… and suddenly the careful choreography of her world starts unraveling in the most deliciously dangerous way.
Alek is the kind of MMC that commands every scene he enters. Intense, possessive, and absolutely relentless once he sets his sights on Eva. The push and pull between them feels like a dance itself: control versus surrender, rules versus temptation. Their chemistry burns from the very first interaction, and the tension only grows stronger with every page.
What I loved most was how the author balanced the beauty of the ballet world with the darker, more obsessive edge of their relationship. The elegance of dance contrasts perfectly with the emotional intensity between Alek and Eva. Every moment felt charged, like the quiet pause before a leap.
This story is full of:
• Forbidden attraction
• Intense chemistry
• A powerful, determined heroine
• A dangerously irresistible hero
If you love romances where the MMC is completely captivated by the FMC and refuses to walk away, Pas de Deux delivers that energy in every chapter.
By the final page I was equal parts breathless and desperate for more. This book doesn’t just tell a romance… it performs it.
✨ Five stars for a story that dances right into your heart and refuses to let go.
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