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Verdict: Georgia Beers in feel-good mode: a hairstylist who’s been dumped takes dance lessons for a friend’s wedding, and the gorgeous instructor turns out to be the woman her ex left for her. Readers love Scottie’s funny voice and the tender romance; a few found Scottie immature and the story light on event.
Best for: Readers who want a sweet, low-drama romance with dancing and a big-hearted heroine.
Heat level: 🌶️🌶️
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.9/5 — a 4.19 Goodreads average across 763 ratings, 3.86 on StoryGraph from 108 reviews, and 4.7 stars across 473 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Sharing an ex, dance partners, single POV, found family, low angst.
Dance with Me is Georgia Beers’s 2023 contemporary lesbian romance from Bold Strokes Books. Scottie Templeton, 34, is a hairstylist living with her grandma after her ex, Pen, told her to leave — and now Pen, who didn’t do commitment, is getting married.
It holds a 4.19 average across 763 Goodreads ratings, with 80% of them four or five stars, 3.86 on StoryGraph from 108 reviews, and 4.7 stars across 473 Amazon ratings.
What Is Dance with Me About?
When a friend asks Scottie to take dance lessons with him, she agrees. Then the instructor turns out to be Marisa Reyes — the woman Pen dumped for Scottie — her friend breaks his foot, and dancers without a partner get paired with the instructor.
Scottie wants to quit, but her grandma won’t let her. The chemistry on the dance floor may be the bigger problem.
What Works in This Book
- Scottie: Readers find her delightful, quirky and easy to root for, with amusing inner dialogue.
- A tender romance: One reader found the relationship extremely sweet and the way they got together organic.
- Family and friends: Readers like Scottie’s grandma, best friend Adley and her ice cream shop, and the salon coworkers.
- Emotion: A couple of readers were surprised to find themselves crying.
Book Synopsis
A heartbroken hairstylist is paired with her ex’s ex for dance lessons.
Every step brings them closer.
My Review
This is Beers’s usual low-angst, low-drama style, with a single first-person point of view that some readers adore. Beneath the humour, Scottie’s divorced parents and their new families give the book an emotional undercurrent.
Some readers didn’t click with it. One found 34-year-old Scottie read much younger and wished for Marisa’s perspective, another called it one-note with rambling dialogue, and one didn’t like the leads. One reader felt the late drama came from Marisa running instead of listening. A reader who liked it still felt it wasn’t Beers’s best.
My honest note: If you like Scottie’s voice by chapter two, you’ll love it.
| Element | In Dance with Me |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Scottie Templeton (hairstylist) & Marisa Reyes (dance instructor) |
| Core tropes | Sharing an ex, dance partners |
| Setting | A dance studio, a salon and an ice cream shop |
| Heat level | 🌶️🌶️ |
| Length | 240 pages (paperback) |
| Series | Dance with Me #1 |
| Content notes | Infidelity (past), injury (StoryGraph) |
How Spicy Is Dance with Me?
Moderately; one reader calls the love scenes tasteful.
StoryGraph users flag past infidelity, an injury and grief.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a warm, funny first-person romance. It is on our low-angst lesbian romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you need both points of view or can’t stand miscommunication.
In short: Sweet steps.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 43% five stars, 37% four, 14% three, 2% two and 1% one. On StoryGraph, 78% tagged it lighthearted and 73% hopeful.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Scottie first. Second, the tender romance. Third, family and friends. Fourth, unexpected tears.
What readers argue about and complain about: Scottie’s maturity, above everything. Second, little happening. Third, avoidable drama.
The comparison worth making first: Beers’s On the Rocks, another warm, family-rich romance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whose point of view is Dance with Me told from?
Only Scottie’s, in first person. Many readers love her funny inner voice; one found her immature and Marisa the more interesting character.
Is there miscommunication?
Yes, briefly. One reader says the late drama could have been avoided if Marisa had listened instead of running, though they talk it through afterwards.
How spicy is Dance with Me?
Moderate. One reader calls the love scenes tastefully written.
Is Dance with Me part of a series?
Goodreads lists it as book one; Peaches and Cream follows Scottie’s best friend Adley.
Is Dance with Me on Kindle Unlimited?
Not when we checked; the Kindle edition was listed at $9.99. An audiobook edition is available.
If You Loved Dance with Me, Read These Next
Try Beers’s On the Rocks or One Walk in Winter. Browse our low-angst list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Dance with Me sets out to be a sweet, low-angst romance with an awkward twist, and it is. What holds it back is a heroine not every reader warms to. Recommended for Beers fans. Check Dance with Me on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Dance with Me ranks as a good comfort read — sweet, light.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.9/5
- ✓ 4.19 average across 763 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 80% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.86 on StoryGraph from 108 reviews
- ✓ 4.7 stars across 473 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Sharing an ex
- ✓ Tender
- ✓ Organic
- ✓ Avoidable drama
Characters ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ Delightful Scottie
- ✓ Great friends
- ✓ Immature for one
- ✓ Marisa unseen
Writing ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ Conversational
- ✓ Funny inner voice
- ✓ Rambling for one
- ✓ Single POV
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ Tagged hopeful by 73%
- ✓ Family wounds
- ✓ Made readers cry
- ✓ Low angst
Heat Level ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ Tasteful love scenes
- ✓ Moderate
- ✓ Adult
- ✓ Not the focus
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Sorted out
- ✓ Smooth sailing
- ✓ Warm
- ✓ Series continues
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ $9.99 Kindle price
- ✓ Audiobook available
- ✓ Comfort read
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
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