Review: Waltz This Way by Dakota Cassidy

Waltz This Way (Ex Trophy Wives 3)

By: Dakota Cassidy

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Release Date: March 6, 2012

Genre/Age: Adult Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Source: ARC for Good Choice Reading ARC Tours

Left without a partner…

When former ballroom champion Melina Cherkasov found out that her famous husband was cheating, she was devastated, especially since she was informed by a sleazy reporter on national TV. Thanks to an ironclad pre-nup and a scumbag ex, Melina has to pack up her dog and her dignity and take refuge in her dad’s retirement community in New Jersey.

… it’s time to take the lead.

To make ends meet, Melina puts her dancing shoes to use as an instructor at Westmeyer – a private school for boy geniuses. Teaching a bunch of hormonal teenagers the waltz it trying, but the school’s sexy handyman proves to be an ample distraction. Drew McPhee is perfect, except for one thing: he doesn’t like dancing. Thankfully the finesse Drew lacks on the floor is more than made up for by his skills in the bedroom. And after one steamy night, the ballroom diva is the one getting swept off her feet…

As a former dancer I knew I was going to enjoy Waltz This Way, but you don’t need to appreciate ballroom dance or reality TV shows in order to love this story. It’s full of relatable characters, snappy dialogue, and sexy moments, and it’s such a fun ride every step of the way.

I loved loved LOVED the interactions between Drew and Mel. I like my romances hot and snarky, and these two have chemistry in spades. They’re hilarious and clever and absolutely wonderful together. Mel is just a fantastic character all on her own; I love her relationships with everybody. Her scenes with the boy geniuses in dance class were especially fun.

The supporting characters were actually one of my favorite parts of Waltz This Way. From Drew’s eccentric family (particularly his son, Nate), to Mel’s best friends from LA, the different personalities definitely made the story what it was.

And although this is technically the third book in the Ex Trophy Wives series, it stands well on its own and it isn’t at all necessary to have read the previous books in order to enjoy it. I was really intrigued by the glimpses we got of the previous ex trophy wives, and I’m definitely looking forward to going back and reading the first two books in the series, particularly to learn more about Jasmine’s story.

I will say that I thought everything was wrapped up just a little too neatly and maybe slightly unrealistically, but it was a nonetheless satisfying ending. When I decide to read a contemporary romance I’m usually expecting a happy ending, so I’m not really complaining. :)

Overall, Waltz This Way is a fun, sexy story with sweet moments, fabulously clever dialogue, and a great cast of characters. If you’re a fan of contemporary romance you won’t want to miss this one!