Dance with Me: A Novel (California Belly Dance Romance Series Book 2)

ROMANTIC COMEDY:  Taz Roman's sister insists on coming from New York to visit her little brother in California at their childhood home. Thinking that it will deter her, he says he’s living with a new girlfriend, which is complete fiction.  Not to be deterred, his sister wants to meet the new girl. Melanie Drake wants nothing more than to dance with the Belly Dancing Divas. She gets free studio time for helping her friend Abby out at the Shimmy Shop but is still nervous about auditioning. When Taz, a well-known drummer with the Divas, who is knowledgeable about the audition criteria, comes in and makes his sisterly woes known, a light bulb goes off for Abby. Can love sidetrack a life-long dream?

In this short contemporary romance,the relationship that Taz has with his sister and Melanie with her mother is crystal clear, and it is through those interactions that the reader learns of the main characters' personality traits. The story hits the ground running, giving the reader the feeling that they are missing something for not having read the first book. It is not without conflict, but the plot is predictable, and issues too easily resolved. The writing style has a repetitious quality to it, and the author relies heavily on similes.  

If the reader is looking for a clear villainous element and likeable (even for their fallibility) characters with a giggle inserted for good measure, then pick this one up and enjoy the subplot, if not the main one.

Heather R. Nielsen