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Dance Off
On the reality show Dance Off, pro rugby player Olivier Gautier and Olympic swimmer JC Webster each have one goal in to stay on the show as long as possible to earn his charity of choice maximum exposure and a larger donation. As the competition heats up, their goals expand to catching each other's interest, but Olivier is firmly in the closet and plans to stay there. JC is willing to be discreet, but not to hide forever. Starting a romance with another man is challenge enough for any celebrity, but doing it under the microscope of reality TV—and one majorly intolerant costar—is even harder. Add in meddling dance pros, JC’s overbearing family, and the need to play up chemistry with dance partners to win America’s hearts, and JC and Olivier’s time together is looking more and more like a recipe for disaster. As the pressure to stay in the competition mounts, JC and Olivier must face their inevitable separation at the end of the show as well as decide whether a relationship as complicated as theirs can survive in the real world, outside the bubble of the set and practice studios.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2015
146 people want to read
About the author
Ariel Tachna
150 books407 followersAriel Tachna lives outside of Houston with her husband, her daughter and son, and their cat. Before moving there, she traveled all over the world, having fallen in love with both France, where she found her husband, and India, where she dreams of retiring some day. She’s bilingual with snippets of four other languages to her credit, and is as in love with languages as she is with writing.
Visit Ariel at her website http://www.arieltachna.com or on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ArielTachna, or e-mail her at arieltachna@gmail.com.
Visit Ariel at her website http://www.arieltachna.com or on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ArielTachna, or e-mail her at arieltachna@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 11, 2018
Kinda like a Dancing With the Stars thing with love very much involved. Which means the MC s in love can boogie outside of practice and seduce each other. Sexy. Very good book
March 10, 2015
What a fun story! I am not a big reality TV fan, and have never watched DWTS, but this book is absolutely enjoyable...and makes me curious to indulge!
Olivier is a pro rugby player whose dashing good looks and sultry French accent is sure to be catnip for the female viewership, despite his relative anonymity. Thing is, Olivier's gay. And, in the closet. He doesn't know how being out will affect his opportunities in his sport, and he really doesn't want to become the poster boy for gay rugby, either. He's private...and very much attracted to his fellow co-star, Javier "JC", an Olympic-medalist swimmer.
JC is out publicly at a bisexual, has been since he was in high school. He has kept a low profile on his relationships--he doesn't want anyone else to have their privacy invaded due to his own celebrity. He's drawn to Olivier form the start, and it's a huge issue. He doesn't know if Olivier would welcome his attention, and there's another co-star who is a well-known conservative radio host, renown for his homophobia and hate speech. JC really doesn't want to end up as a subject on that show.
The mutual attraction simmers, each man suffering in silence as they each prepare for the competition. I know there's a reason some locales have banned dancing--whoa, boy it can really get hot in there!
JC, Olivier and their pro partners wow in the first week. Each is happy to return for more, and to have the chance to earn money for their charities. But each is also happy to figure out that, yes, the other is "into" him. They still keep everything on the down-low, but their partners quickly find out.
I loved how supportive the side characters are in this. Olivier is really intent on staying publicly quiet, but wants to share some of his joy of being with JC, of having not to hide his looks, or to be able to share even a casual embrace. Seeing how supportive the rest of the cast is with a gay pro, once the radio host is booted, gives Olivier the push to begin dropping his walls.
JC is loving and supportive throughout. He also knows his large, exuberant Mexican-American family will be quick to embrace Olivier as their own, if that's a possibility. The main tension in the story comes from waiting to see who will be eliminated from the show, and when. Soon, JC and Olivier are not simply competing for the big prize, but for their fledgling relationship to stay cocooned in the guise of the show. They are always careful to hide their secret from the camera, but the promise of more time together becomes the biggest reason to make it to the finals.
I really, really liked this. It was a bit light on the heat factor, but emotionally I was right there the whole time. The judges were so fun, and the commentary was constantly humorous. The men and women swoon for both JC and Olivier--who swooned for each other just as much! The end was spot-on, and won't leave the reader hanging on.
This review will be posted to V's Reads at a later date.
Olivier is a pro rugby player whose dashing good looks and sultry French accent is sure to be catnip for the female viewership, despite his relative anonymity. Thing is, Olivier's gay. And, in the closet. He doesn't know how being out will affect his opportunities in his sport, and he really doesn't want to become the poster boy for gay rugby, either. He's private...and very much attracted to his fellow co-star, Javier "JC", an Olympic-medalist swimmer.
JC is out publicly at a bisexual, has been since he was in high school. He has kept a low profile on his relationships--he doesn't want anyone else to have their privacy invaded due to his own celebrity. He's drawn to Olivier form the start, and it's a huge issue. He doesn't know if Olivier would welcome his attention, and there's another co-star who is a well-known conservative radio host, renown for his homophobia and hate speech. JC really doesn't want to end up as a subject on that show.
The mutual attraction simmers, each man suffering in silence as they each prepare for the competition. I know there's a reason some locales have banned dancing--whoa, boy it can really get hot in there!
JC, Olivier and their pro partners wow in the first week. Each is happy to return for more, and to have the chance to earn money for their charities. But each is also happy to figure out that, yes, the other is "into" him. They still keep everything on the down-low, but their partners quickly find out.
I loved how supportive the side characters are in this. Olivier is really intent on staying publicly quiet, but wants to share some of his joy of being with JC, of having not to hide his looks, or to be able to share even a casual embrace. Seeing how supportive the rest of the cast is with a gay pro, once the radio host is booted, gives Olivier the push to begin dropping his walls.
JC is loving and supportive throughout. He also knows his large, exuberant Mexican-American family will be quick to embrace Olivier as their own, if that's a possibility. The main tension in the story comes from waiting to see who will be eliminated from the show, and when. Soon, JC and Olivier are not simply competing for the big prize, but for their fledgling relationship to stay cocooned in the guise of the show. They are always careful to hide their secret from the camera, but the promise of more time together becomes the biggest reason to make it to the finals.
I really, really liked this. It was a bit light on the heat factor, but emotionally I was right there the whole time. The judges were so fun, and the commentary was constantly humorous. The men and women swoon for both JC and Olivier--who swooned for each other just as much! The end was spot-on, and won't leave the reader hanging on.
This review will be posted to V's Reads at a later date.
March 24, 2015
3.75 out of 5 stars
Description ~
On the reality show Dance Off, pro rugby player Olivier Gautier and Olympic swimmer JC Webster each have one goal in mind: to stay on the show as long as possible to earn his charity of choice maximum exposure and a larger donation. As the competition heats up, their goals expand to catching each other's interest, but Olivier is firmly in the closet and plans to stay there. JC is willing to be discreet, but not to hide forever.
Starting a romance with another man is challenge enough for any celebrity, but doing it under the microscope of reality TV—and one majorly intolerant costar—is even harder. Add in meddling dance pros, JC’s overbearing family, and the need to play up chemistry with dance partners to win America’s hearts, and JC and Olivier’s time together is looking more and more like a recipe for disaster.
As the pressure to stay in the competition mounts, JC and Olivier must face their inevitable separation at the end of the show as well as decide whether a relationship as complicated as theirs can survive in the real world, outside the bubble of the set and practice studios.
My Review ~
Sexy athletes competing on a ballroom dance show? Should be the perfect mix of humor, sexiness, and relationship building. If you enjoy Dancing with the Stars, you will enjoy Dance Off.
JC and Olivier are a bit of opposites. JC is an openly out and proud bisexual Olympic swimmer with a large, boisterous, in your face kind of family. Olivier is a closeted gay rugby player who's afraid to be himself because he might lose his place on his team and have to go back to France. Both end up meeting on Dance Off and are instantly attracted to the other, but aren't sure the other is attracted to them.
Eventually they give in to the attraction but have to hide it from most everyone around them. They do eventually let their dance partners in on the secret because they discovered them together one morning. And after the one contestant, Eugene, leaves they subtly let the rest of the dancers know they're together, even while still hiding it from the cameras. Both men are determined to win the contest for their charities and not by sharing their personal lives with the public.
There are some really outstanding moments in Dance Off, one is when JC, and Olivier end up doing the Argentine Tango and get to dance with each other briefly. I wish they'd have been able to do the entire dance together because that would have set the book on fire. There are also some moments that just didn't prove the relationship to me, though. The storyline itself was well written, the main characters were solid and engaging, and the secondary characters set them up nicely. However there was just something missing for me through a portion of the book. I think it was lack of interaction outside of them having sex and their being on the practice floor or performing that left JC and Olivier as slightly incomplete to me.
Now as a reviewer I will tell you this is just my opinion and subjective to what works for me. As a reader you may pick up a book and will have a totally different experience from mine. I highly suggest that readers give Dance Off a read of their own. Because it is a good story and each reader will get something different out of the story than the next.
I will definitely give more books by this author combination a try in the future.
Description ~
On the reality show Dance Off, pro rugby player Olivier Gautier and Olympic swimmer JC Webster each have one goal in mind: to stay on the show as long as possible to earn his charity of choice maximum exposure and a larger donation. As the competition heats up, their goals expand to catching each other's interest, but Olivier is firmly in the closet and plans to stay there. JC is willing to be discreet, but not to hide forever.
Starting a romance with another man is challenge enough for any celebrity, but doing it under the microscope of reality TV—and one majorly intolerant costar—is even harder. Add in meddling dance pros, JC’s overbearing family, and the need to play up chemistry with dance partners to win America’s hearts, and JC and Olivier’s time together is looking more and more like a recipe for disaster.
As the pressure to stay in the competition mounts, JC and Olivier must face their inevitable separation at the end of the show as well as decide whether a relationship as complicated as theirs can survive in the real world, outside the bubble of the set and practice studios.
My Review ~
Sexy athletes competing on a ballroom dance show? Should be the perfect mix of humor, sexiness, and relationship building. If you enjoy Dancing with the Stars, you will enjoy Dance Off.
JC and Olivier are a bit of opposites. JC is an openly out and proud bisexual Olympic swimmer with a large, boisterous, in your face kind of family. Olivier is a closeted gay rugby player who's afraid to be himself because he might lose his place on his team and have to go back to France. Both end up meeting on Dance Off and are instantly attracted to the other, but aren't sure the other is attracted to them.
Eventually they give in to the attraction but have to hide it from most everyone around them. They do eventually let their dance partners in on the secret because they discovered them together one morning. And after the one contestant, Eugene, leaves they subtly let the rest of the dancers know they're together, even while still hiding it from the cameras. Both men are determined to win the contest for their charities and not by sharing their personal lives with the public.
There are some really outstanding moments in Dance Off, one is when JC, and Olivier end up doing the Argentine Tango and get to dance with each other briefly. I wish they'd have been able to do the entire dance together because that would have set the book on fire. There are also some moments that just didn't prove the relationship to me, though. The storyline itself was well written, the main characters were solid and engaging, and the secondary characters set them up nicely. However there was just something missing for me through a portion of the book. I think it was lack of interaction outside of them having sex and their being on the practice floor or performing that left JC and Olivier as slightly incomplete to me.
Now as a reviewer I will tell you this is just my opinion and subjective to what works for me. As a reader you may pick up a book and will have a totally different experience from mine. I highly suggest that readers give Dance Off a read of their own. Because it is a good story and each reader will get something different out of the story than the next.
I will definitely give more books by this author combination a try in the future.
February 15, 2016
Full review available on All About Romance here: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
Welcome to Dance Off, where stars and pros dance latin and ballroom dances to earn money for the charity of their choice. Sound a lot like Dancing with the Stars? Well, that’s because it is a lot like Dancing with the Stars, just with charities and fictional stars.
This season on Dance Off, we have JC Webster, Olympic swimmer and gold medal winner, and Olivier Gautier, pro rugby player, along with a Miss America winner, a bigoted radio host, and more in a group of mostly B-list celebrities. JC is out as a bisexual, but Olivier has kept his sexuality hidden - it’s no one’s business but his own.
Attraction at first sight between JC and Olivier turns to lust, and in turn to a deeper emotional connection as the competition progresses, but with the cameras always on and rolling, how can either make an advance without giving it all away? And as the show comes to a close, the inevitability of their separation looms overhead. And neither are quite sure what they want to do about it.
I’m not big on reality shows, but I absolutely adore the dancing competitions. I’ve watched Dancing with the Stars for years, and love watching the stars improve. While in the show, the scores matter, they were sadly overdone here. The descriptions of the dances were hit or miss for me - as the story went on, I felt like there was a lot more attention on the competition than the romance. That being said, I did enjoy the bits of a relationship we got to see. Unfortunately it just needed more - and that’s the main reason I didn’t give it a higher grade than this. I wanted fewer scores and more scoring, as it were.
Welcome to Dance Off, where stars and pros dance latin and ballroom dances to earn money for the charity of their choice. Sound a lot like Dancing with the Stars? Well, that’s because it is a lot like Dancing with the Stars, just with charities and fictional stars.
This season on Dance Off, we have JC Webster, Olympic swimmer and gold medal winner, and Olivier Gautier, pro rugby player, along with a Miss America winner, a bigoted radio host, and more in a group of mostly B-list celebrities. JC is out as a bisexual, but Olivier has kept his sexuality hidden - it’s no one’s business but his own.
Attraction at first sight between JC and Olivier turns to lust, and in turn to a deeper emotional connection as the competition progresses, but with the cameras always on and rolling, how can either make an advance without giving it all away? And as the show comes to a close, the inevitability of their separation looms overhead. And neither are quite sure what they want to do about it.
I’m not big on reality shows, but I absolutely adore the dancing competitions. I’ve watched Dancing with the Stars for years, and love watching the stars improve. While in the show, the scores matter, they were sadly overdone here. The descriptions of the dances were hit or miss for me - as the story went on, I felt like there was a lot more attention on the competition than the romance. That being said, I did enjoy the bits of a relationship we got to see. Unfortunately it just needed more - and that’s the main reason I didn’t give it a higher grade than this. I wanted fewer scores and more scoring, as it were.
October 12, 2015
This seemed awkward when I first started reading, like it couldn't figure out its tone. But as I read more, I settled into the style and found myself cheering on this dancing pair of elite sportsman.
I was glad we got so much of the dancing as we did. It would have been easy to leave those sections off-page. There was even some smexy times left off page *gasp* Imagine.
Anyway, I liked it quite it a lot.
I was glad we got so much of the dancing as we did. It would have been easy to leave those sections off-page. There was even some smexy times left off page *gasp* Imagine.
Anyway, I liked it quite it a lot.
May 8, 2015
Sweet and low angst story based around a show similar to Dancing with the Stars (or Strictly Come Dancing for us Brits).
Started off with a multitude of POVs but thankfully this soon settled down to just the two MCs. It did ping pong between them within scenes which I'm not really used to anymore but it was easy enough to follow.
I would have liked a little more conflict for such a long read but it was cute and left a smile on my face and that's always good.
Started off with a multitude of POVs but thankfully this soon settled down to just the two MCs. It did ping pong between them within scenes which I'm not really used to anymore but it was easy enough to follow.
I would have liked a little more conflict for such a long read but it was cute and left a smile on my face and that's always good.
February 8, 2020
I'd give this 3.5 stars rounded down a bit (since I wouldn't round up).
What I liked:
~ Olivier and JC -- both are sympathetic and likable characters
~ dual POV -- like always, I enjoy getting to know the characters from their own perspectives
~ the setting (dance competition) -- I really liked the dance elements; they were the highlights of the book!
What wasn't as strong:
~ the plot was pretty weak -- not much happened really, and even though there were hints at tension and conflict, nothing really come of any of them
~ the disorganized fashion for the dual POV -- usually books will alternate chapters (or something similar), but here, the POVs just randomly switched, sometimes even within a paragraph. It was pretty confusing, and it make the entire flow very disjointed and choppy
Overall, this was just okay for me. I did enjoy it, but I doubt I'll read it again. There simply isn't enough tension or purpose behind the story, and even the romance is just basic (again, no tension or conflict at all). *shrugs*
What I liked:
~ Olivier and JC -- both are sympathetic and likable characters
~ dual POV -- like always, I enjoy getting to know the characters from their own perspectives
~ the setting (dance competition) -- I really liked the dance elements; they were the highlights of the book!
What wasn't as strong:
~ the plot was pretty weak -- not much happened really, and even though there were hints at tension and conflict, nothing really come of any of them
~ the disorganized fashion for the dual POV -- usually books will alternate chapters (or something similar), but here, the POVs just randomly switched, sometimes even within a paragraph. It was pretty confusing, and it make the entire flow very disjointed and choppy
Overall, this was just okay for me. I did enjoy it, but I doubt I'll read it again. There simply isn't enough tension or purpose behind the story, and even the romance is just basic (again, no tension or conflict at all). *shrugs*
November 20, 2017
this book was almost a parody of the show Dancing with the Stars . Celebrity compete in a dancing show. Couples dance for a charity organization. JC and Olivier are two contestants in the show who fall in love with each other during the season.
I liked the charity organization part of the book.
I liked the charity organization part of the book.
October 1, 2023
Dancing With the Stars MM style. Nicely written tale about Javi and Olivier who are contestants on a celebrity dance competition. Lots of drama including a bigoted guy who is also a contestant. Javi is out but Olivier nisn't. I did enjoy this but there were times I got bored.
December 20, 2018
1.75 stars
January 19, 2017
It was a nice read, a little unrealistic sometimes but enjoyable nonetheless.
April 16, 2015
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
What a wonderfully pleasant story! This book made me happy, putting me in a good mood and keeping me there throughout the story. Better than a trip to the spa, I found it enjoyable and relaxing and just plain fun to read.
Based loosely on the popular reality TV dance show, this story centers around the competitors in the show, “Dance Off”. Each star is dancing for a charity, getting one thousand dollars for each week they remain on the show, with the top two slots getting fifteen and twenty thousand dollars, respectively. The format of the story and the realistic characterization of the contestants had this reviewer rooting for favorite celebrities right along with the story’s viewing audience.
The authors did a wonderful job fleshing out all of the characters, both MCs and secondary. I hated Eugene, the uptight talk show host, but really enjoyed getting to know Kevan, the rap musician, Deborah, the former Olympic skater, Christine, a former Congresswoman, Freddie, the older and overweight jazz musician, and Amber, a former Miss America. We even got to know the various pro dancers who partnered with the stars, and had insider views of what goes on behind the scenes, both on the show and in their personal lives. The judges were so realistic that I was able to easily picture what they looked like, giving them the faces of other reality TV judges who have been popular in the past and I’m sure were the models in the authors’ imaginations. Most of all, of course, I loved Olivier, the closeted rugby player originally from France, and JC, aka Javier or Javi, a US Olympic gold medal swimmer and his very large and personable Hispanic family, most frequently represented by Mama and Abuela.
Olivier and JC are each athletic and mentally tough enough to be focused, yet each finds it difficult to retrain their muscles into the required dance moves for the show. The authors made their practice sessions and performances come alive with a realism that surprised me. I truly felt like I was there as they struggled to learn their routines. I was also there as they beat around the bush trying to determine if their interest in each other was reciprocated. JC was out and proud as a bisexual man, but Olivier was out only to his closest friends and family members, fearing repercussions from his teammates and/or other teams he’d be playing in the league so he preferred to tread lightly. When the two finally read the signals right and got together, they decided to keep it quiet, fearing that homophobic Eugene would not only cause trouble on the set, but might announce it on his national talk show.
As the season progresses, so do the issues, and when Eugene finally gets voted off, the men share their romance with their housemates. They are warmly accepted and assured of their privacy. As the weeks go forward and they survive elimination rounds each wants to win for his charity, but is very supportive of the other, and once they declare their love for each other they make tentative plans to try to stay together as a couple after the event ends.
It’s somewhat difficult to explain exactly what I most liked about this book. There was never any major angst or confrontations or shocking accusations or other drama. It was simply a beautifully told love story about two young men who join a dance competition to support charities that they felt very strongly about and end up finding the love of their life. Olivier was dancing for Doctors Without Borders and JC was dancing for The Trevor Project. Kudos to the authors for not only highlighting each of the twelve charities in the story, but also for including contact information for each charity at the end of the book.
On the negative side, I was a bit disappointed that some of the opportunities for conflict weren’t pursued. Olivier certainly had a lot at risk if he was outed before he was ready, but the authors didn’t pursue that approach. On the one hand, the story didn’t suffer for not having that kind of drama and tragedy, but on the other, it would have added some spice and been more exciting if there had been some conflict.
The authors certainly did their research for this one and, coupled with the way they made each character and dance scene come alive, I truly felt like I was watching the competition. I’d highly recommend this one to all lovers of M/M romance, especially to those who like an angst-free story. I can’t wait to read more from these two authors.
4.5 stars
What a wonderfully pleasant story! This book made me happy, putting me in a good mood and keeping me there throughout the story. Better than a trip to the spa, I found it enjoyable and relaxing and just plain fun to read.
Based loosely on the popular reality TV dance show, this story centers around the competitors in the show, “Dance Off”. Each star is dancing for a charity, getting one thousand dollars for each week they remain on the show, with the top two slots getting fifteen and twenty thousand dollars, respectively. The format of the story and the realistic characterization of the contestants had this reviewer rooting for favorite celebrities right along with the story’s viewing audience.
The authors did a wonderful job fleshing out all of the characters, both MCs and secondary. I hated Eugene, the uptight talk show host, but really enjoyed getting to know Kevan, the rap musician, Deborah, the former Olympic skater, Christine, a former Congresswoman, Freddie, the older and overweight jazz musician, and Amber, a former Miss America. We even got to know the various pro dancers who partnered with the stars, and had insider views of what goes on behind the scenes, both on the show and in their personal lives. The judges were so realistic that I was able to easily picture what they looked like, giving them the faces of other reality TV judges who have been popular in the past and I’m sure were the models in the authors’ imaginations. Most of all, of course, I loved Olivier, the closeted rugby player originally from France, and JC, aka Javier or Javi, a US Olympic gold medal swimmer and his very large and personable Hispanic family, most frequently represented by Mama and Abuela.
Olivier and JC are each athletic and mentally tough enough to be focused, yet each finds it difficult to retrain their muscles into the required dance moves for the show. The authors made their practice sessions and performances come alive with a realism that surprised me. I truly felt like I was there as they struggled to learn their routines. I was also there as they beat around the bush trying to determine if their interest in each other was reciprocated. JC was out and proud as a bisexual man, but Olivier was out only to his closest friends and family members, fearing repercussions from his teammates and/or other teams he’d be playing in the league so he preferred to tread lightly. When the two finally read the signals right and got together, they decided to keep it quiet, fearing that homophobic Eugene would not only cause trouble on the set, but might announce it on his national talk show.
As the season progresses, so do the issues, and when Eugene finally gets voted off, the men share their romance with their housemates. They are warmly accepted and assured of their privacy. As the weeks go forward and they survive elimination rounds each wants to win for his charity, but is very supportive of the other, and once they declare their love for each other they make tentative plans to try to stay together as a couple after the event ends.
It’s somewhat difficult to explain exactly what I most liked about this book. There was never any major angst or confrontations or shocking accusations or other drama. It was simply a beautifully told love story about two young men who join a dance competition to support charities that they felt very strongly about and end up finding the love of their life. Olivier was dancing for Doctors Without Borders and JC was dancing for The Trevor Project. Kudos to the authors for not only highlighting each of the twelve charities in the story, but also for including contact information for each charity at the end of the book.
On the negative side, I was a bit disappointed that some of the opportunities for conflict weren’t pursued. Olivier certainly had a lot at risk if he was outed before he was ready, but the authors didn’t pursue that approach. On the one hand, the story didn’t suffer for not having that kind of drama and tragedy, but on the other, it would have added some spice and been more exciting if there had been some conflict.
The authors certainly did their research for this one and, coupled with the way they made each character and dance scene come alive, I truly felt like I was watching the competition. I’d highly recommend this one to all lovers of M/M romance, especially to those who like an angst-free story. I can’t wait to read more from these two authors.
4.5 stars
March 26, 2015
4 star review by Vicki
What a fun story! I am a fan of Dancing with the Stars, and this book is set around a very similar show, with a romance added in.
JC Webster, Olympic swimmer, has accepted a position as a “star” on Dance off, a dance competition show on TV. He’s very athletic, but not a dancer so he’s excited to meet his partner and get started dancing. What he doesn’t expect is to find himself attracted to fellow competitor Olivier Gautier, a French rugby player. JC is open about his bisexuality, but Olivier is not, rugby not being a safe sport for a gay man. Both try to be cool about their attraction to the other, knowing that this is not he time and place to start anything. Not only are cameras on them a whole lot of the time, but they don’t want to cause any issues among the other competitors. JC is supported by his large Hispanic family, staying at his Abuela’s house instead of the competitors house, which makes it easier for him to ignore the lure of Olivier, but it gets harder for him to handle the commute to and from the house and the studio. As JC and Olivier make their way through the competition and grow closer, Olivier convinces JC to stay in the house and things get interesting…
So I enjoyed this story, but it was a focused more on the competition than the romance. I got tired of reading the scores and comments after the performances. It was fun for a bit, then it got old. I liked the competition as a background to the romance, I just wished there had been a little more romance. I didn’t feel the emotional connection between JC and Olivier as much as I would have liked. There were a couple of very nice sex scenes between them, and some sexy dancing, but I wish there had been more time with just the two of them. I think if they had spent some time getting to know each other I would have felt it more. There are a lot of other characters in the book, all of the other competitors, and we get lots about them. Almost a little too much at times. It distracted me from the romance between JC and Olivier. The same with JC family, lots about his mother and grandmother, and visits by his siblings. It was cute for a while, but also got old. Being a fan of Dancing with the Stars, I could see personality traits in the judges in the book that paralleled the judges on the show, that was fun to read.
Now I sound like I didn’t like the book, and I really did like it! It was cute and fun, a bit of fluffiness in contrast to darker stories I have read recently. I liked the writing, I liked the characters, especially JC and Olivier, I liked the setting of the dance competition, and I liked the ending.
Overall it was an enjoyable book! If you are looking for a light read, this is a good one. If you are a fan of reality television, and dance shows in particular, you’ll probably like this one.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
What a fun story! I am a fan of Dancing with the Stars, and this book is set around a very similar show, with a romance added in.
JC Webster, Olympic swimmer, has accepted a position as a “star” on Dance off, a dance competition show on TV. He’s very athletic, but not a dancer so he’s excited to meet his partner and get started dancing. What he doesn’t expect is to find himself attracted to fellow competitor Olivier Gautier, a French rugby player. JC is open about his bisexuality, but Olivier is not, rugby not being a safe sport for a gay man. Both try to be cool about their attraction to the other, knowing that this is not he time and place to start anything. Not only are cameras on them a whole lot of the time, but they don’t want to cause any issues among the other competitors. JC is supported by his large Hispanic family, staying at his Abuela’s house instead of the competitors house, which makes it easier for him to ignore the lure of Olivier, but it gets harder for him to handle the commute to and from the house and the studio. As JC and Olivier make their way through the competition and grow closer, Olivier convinces JC to stay in the house and things get interesting…
So I enjoyed this story, but it was a focused more on the competition than the romance. I got tired of reading the scores and comments after the performances. It was fun for a bit, then it got old. I liked the competition as a background to the romance, I just wished there had been a little more romance. I didn’t feel the emotional connection between JC and Olivier as much as I would have liked. There were a couple of very nice sex scenes between them, and some sexy dancing, but I wish there had been more time with just the two of them. I think if they had spent some time getting to know each other I would have felt it more. There are a lot of other characters in the book, all of the other competitors, and we get lots about them. Almost a little too much at times. It distracted me from the romance between JC and Olivier. The same with JC family, lots about his mother and grandmother, and visits by his siblings. It was cute for a while, but also got old. Being a fan of Dancing with the Stars, I could see personality traits in the judges in the book that paralleled the judges on the show, that was fun to read.
Now I sound like I didn’t like the book, and I really did like it! It was cute and fun, a bit of fluffiness in contrast to darker stories I have read recently. I liked the writing, I liked the characters, especially JC and Olivier, I liked the setting of the dance competition, and I liked the ending.
Overall it was an enjoyable book! If you are looking for a light read, this is a good one. If you are a fan of reality television, and dance shows in particular, you’ll probably like this one.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
March 31, 2015
So this was a character driven book. You either liked the character or you didn’t and each character brought something to the story. For example Luis was a character that you learned about accepting who you are and embracing it. He was married to a wonderful man and although it was known amongst the pro dancers it was kept low key so they could be together and not have it be a big deal for everyone. Deborah taught us about perserverence and so did Freddy. Freddy was a great guy and he showed us that when you love someone and they are the one they are beautiful to you no matter what. Kevan showed us not to judge a book by its cover. Olivier taught us that sometimes you need love and someone to love you back to shine and feel strength to get the courage to be who you are no matter what. Javi was my favorite. He was comfortable in his own skin. Loved freely and was kind and very open about himself. He had a loving family and worked hard to get where he was and on the show. Javi and Olivier have a attraction. For Javi or JC it was the moment he saw Olivier dance that first week of the cha cha. For Olivier it was a slow and gradual attraction. For Olivier this was a slow dance of seduction. He needed to feel safe and secure and also now that JC felt the same. It was a beautiful waltz that these two did to come together. Each had insecurities to get through and with each other’s help and understanding and love they did. While they were trying to come together and know each they were competing against each other in a dance competition for charity. They had other competitors that help make the story interestings. JC’s abuela and mama were awesome comentators and showed that they loved and accepted no matter what. The abuela was precious. So was JC’s sister solita she was so sweet and so accepting for her age. chelsea and Tricia were there dance partners and just amazing. They were understanding and patient. Kind and encouraging. Each one brought a different type of confidence to JC and Olivier. The dance they did together holy batcave batman that was sensual. the one judge I loved was Eduoardo. He was a hoot and so nice. He encouraged them and allowed each dancer to feel confident and that they were doing great no matter what. It was wonderful to see such positive and bubbliness from a male character. The story was fun and sexy. Has your holy batcave batman steamy scenes. The dances were fun and sensual to read about and the buildup of the relationship between JC (Javi) and Olivier was a irresistable sensual waltz that kept you wanting more. This is the sensual and fun story of JC and Olivier. How they got together. How one overcame his fear of coming out of the closet with the love and support of the other and how the other helped one see he was more than just a gangly swimmer. The waltz of their relationship will at times leave you panting and salivating and other times have you aww in this entertaining and wonderful story.
April 3, 2015
Dance Off is a behind-the-scene look at a television dance competition like Dancing With the Stars. This book focuses on two main characters and then the entourage of other dances who are part of the dance show. It is a great premise, and the follow through is generally good. But I want to mention a couple of pet peeves . . . .
Authors that take for granted that readers know words from different languages. In this book, there are words and phrases that are written in French and Spanish -- a lot of them! I don't know any Spanish (but I can hold my own with some French). I find the use of undefined foreign words and phrases to be an unnecessary pompous distraction inserted into a book by authors who want to show off how smart they think they are. Let's look at some examples --Was it really necessary to use the Spanish word for grandmother when the English word would have been just as good. Or if the author feels it is necessary to use the Spanish word, then translate the damn word when it is first used instead of making your reader search for a Spanish-English dictionary. Similarly, why use the French word merde, when the English word shit would gave been equally appropriate. I suppose it is also the same as an author who continually uses unknown words for words that are used in common parlance. I suppose the author wants to prove that they have a big vocabulary.
But, with those style problems out of the way -- let's talk about the story,
Olivier is a rugby star and JC is a former Olympic swimming champion. These are two of the pseudo stars that inhabit Dance Off.
JC is openly gay/bi, while Olivier is very discreet. The have an instalove relationship. Most of the cast on the dance show lives in a common house close for the dance practice studio. JC, however, lives with his mother and grandmother at a house off site. Olivier meets JC's family and the family approves of the relationship. JC then makes a decision to move into the house that is being shared by other participants on the show. JC's room is conveniently located next to Oliver's. Their love affair then begins to develop in earnest.
Not surprisingly, these two main characters make it through the week in and week out dance competition, until they are in the finals with one other contestant. I won't say any more about the competition.
I am not a big Dancing With The Stars fan, but the dancing show was a great back drop for this story. Overall, this book gets 4 stars from me. It would have gotten the fifth star if it wasn't for the constant interruption of foreign words and phrases that broke up the flow of the book.
Authors that take for granted that readers know words from different languages. In this book, there are words and phrases that are written in French and Spanish -- a lot of them! I don't know any Spanish (but I can hold my own with some French). I find the use of undefined foreign words and phrases to be an unnecessary pompous distraction inserted into a book by authors who want to show off how smart they think they are. Let's look at some examples --Was it really necessary to use the Spanish word for grandmother when the English word would have been just as good. Or if the author feels it is necessary to use the Spanish word, then translate the damn word when it is first used instead of making your reader search for a Spanish-English dictionary. Similarly, why use the French word merde, when the English word shit would gave been equally appropriate. I suppose it is also the same as an author who continually uses unknown words for words that are used in common parlance. I suppose the author wants to prove that they have a big vocabulary.
But, with those style problems out of the way -- let's talk about the story,
Olivier is a rugby star and JC is a former Olympic swimming champion. These are two of the pseudo stars that inhabit Dance Off.
JC is openly gay/bi, while Olivier is very discreet. The have an instalove relationship. Most of the cast on the dance show lives in a common house close for the dance practice studio. JC, however, lives with his mother and grandmother at a house off site. Olivier meets JC's family and the family approves of the relationship. JC then makes a decision to move into the house that is being shared by other participants on the show. JC's room is conveniently located next to Oliver's. Their love affair then begins to develop in earnest.
Not surprisingly, these two main characters make it through the week in and week out dance competition, until they are in the finals with one other contestant. I won't say any more about the competition.
I am not a big Dancing With The Stars fan, but the dancing show was a great back drop for this story. Overall, this book gets 4 stars from me. It would have gotten the fifth star if it wasn't for the constant interruption of foreign words and phrases that broke up the flow of the book.
May 29, 2016
This was such a fun read! I love pretty much anything dance related and this hit all the right spots for me. I really enjoyed both characters and the way their story evolved. It felt natural, not forced, and it was nice to have a story that played on the small difficulties they encountered because of the setting they're in and the fact that only one of them is out. No forced angst, it just felt like a slice of life. I also really liked the other characters around them, especially JC's family and their respective dance partners.
Plus, it's so nice to read a book with a French character who actually sounds like he's fluent in French! Even to my French eyes, Olivier never seemed to be speaking like a bad translation. I had no problem believing that he was, indeed, French.
And the little bit of French and Spanish in the dialogues really added something to the story; it made sense that Olivier would slip back to French in some moments, and that JC would speak Spanish with some of his family members. I didn't even care that I couldn't always understand; the context made it clear enough for me to have an idea of what was said.
Plus, it's so nice to read a book with a French character who actually sounds like he's fluent in French! Even to my French eyes, Olivier never seemed to be speaking like a bad translation. I had no problem believing that he was, indeed, French.
And the little bit of French and Spanish in the dialogues really added something to the story; it made sense that Olivier would slip back to French in some moments, and that JC would speak Spanish with some of his family members. I didn't even care that I couldn't always understand; the context made it clear enough for me to have an idea of what was said.
April 25, 2016
As a big Strictly fan, this was a must read for me!
I did enjoy it, lots of characters as the show starts but luckily they do get whittled down!
It is a very insular book as the cast are sequestered to live and train in the same place so all action is really there and on the show.
I enjoyed the show bits - very Strictly with a very Bruno like Eduoardo, technical Len Henrietta but no Fab-u-luss Darling Craig! And having the contestants view of the show was good.
Olivier and JC were nice together, there was little angst so the feels were muted also but as they get more into a relationship, the book did grow on me, it was an easy pacy read and made me smile a lot and I enjoyed it!
I did enjoy it, lots of characters as the show starts but luckily they do get whittled down!
It is a very insular book as the cast are sequestered to live and train in the same place so all action is really there and on the show.
I enjoyed the show bits - very Strictly with a very Bruno like Eduoardo, technical Len Henrietta but no Fab-u-luss Darling Craig! And having the contestants view of the show was good.
Olivier and JC were nice together, there was little angst so the feels were muted also but as they get more into a relationship, the book did grow on me, it was an easy pacy read and made me smile a lot and I enjoyed it!
April 10, 2015
I will start off by saying that I am not really big on reality tv. I have never watched DWTS, but I enjoyed this book. It was slow at first, but I got into it.
The chemistry between both JC and Oliver is amazing, and with every slide of the page, I wanted to read about their shared moments. You felt their emotions, their struggle and got to see them think jealous thoughts as the other danced with their dance partners.
When they danced together OMG. I thought they would out themselves for real.
Excellent read!
The chemistry between both JC and Oliver is amazing, and with every slide of the page, I wanted to read about their shared moments. You felt their emotions, their struggle and got to see them think jealous thoughts as the other danced with their dance partners.
When they danced together OMG. I thought they would out themselves for real.
Excellent read!
November 6, 2015
this was better than I feared it would be. the main problems was a rush on the dance competition. the authors skipped over whole weeks and when they did write the dance scene. it was mostly about how seeing the other is in the dance and how lustful it makes them
01-mm-tbr
August 26, 20152015
December 9, 2015
Dancing with the Stars M/M version. The story line was okay for a dance novel, not my speed but a great read non the less.
May 9, 2016
3.5 Stars
May 31, 2016
Dreamspinner Press meets DWTS!
did-not-finished
September 20, 2018Dnf at 39%
I have a hard time keeping myself engaged in this story.
I like the setup.. But it's written in the 3rd person POV which is hit or miss for me and every other paragraph change POV between the MC. It's very confusing..
I have a hard time keeping myself engaged in this story.
I like the setup.. But it's written in the 3rd person POV which is hit or miss for me and every other paragraph change POV between the MC. It's very confusing..
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