About Me I am a retired librarian and I now support books and authors through my reviews.

I have always loved to read and I was able to share that love through my work as a public librarian for 22 1/2 years. I now promote literacy by reading, and then writing reviews. I love to support authors by sharing my reviews with others!

Monday, September 7, 2020

Take the Lead (Dance With Me, #2) by Shelley Shepard Gray

Take the LeadABOUT THE BOOK

Growing up in foster care, Officer Traci Lucky had a rough start to life, but things are looking up now that she's found a place in Bridgeport with two sisters she never knew she had. One night while on the job Traci finds Gwen, a pregnant teen caught up in a dangerous world of drugs, and takes her straight to the hospital. There Traci encounters the oh-so-charming Dr. Matt Rossi, who surprises Traci with his compassion--and his movie-star good looks.

A busy ob-gyn with a huge, meddling Italian family, Matt Rossi hasn't had much time for love in his life. All that changes when he meets the beautiful Officer Lucky. He's intrigued by her strength and the kind heart she tries to hide beneath her tough exterior.

When Matt confides that he needs to learn to waltz for his brother's wedding, Traci reveals that her sister happens to be a ballroom dance teacher. Next thing they know, Matt and Traci are juggling busy careers, helping young Gwen with her pregnancy and personal safety, and learning to waltz together. But when Gwen's escalating problems threaten to put all of them in danger, they wonder if they'll ever find time for a little romance too.

Shelley Shepard Gray takes us back to Bridgeport, Ohio, a town where family comes in all different shapes and sizes, love has no limits, and community means everyone deserves a little help when they're lost.
 


MY THOUGHTS.....

Captivating--realistic--romantic. Author Shelley Shepard Gray captured my attention with the realistic characters and true to life circumstances in this story and I'm so glad to get to know another sister from her Dance With Me series. The main character in Take the Lead proves that a person doesn't have to be defined by their past and they can use this awareness to build a promising future. This is the case with Traci Lucky! Her mother was addicted to drugs when Traci was born and she spent her childhood in a group home but this helped her become a strong, intelligent police officer. Her experiences also made her sensitive to the needs of others and Traci finds herself in a position to keep another baby from being placed "in the system" because of its drug-addicted mother. Realizing that she can't do this alone, Traci asks the doctor caring for that young mother to help. What follows is a story of two people, raised in totally different environments, who discover that their future may offer more than just a brief professional relationship.

This is the second book in the Dance With Me series and I enjoyed returning to Bridgeport, Ohio, to learn more about the three sisters who have managed to find their way back to each other, after being separated at birth by social workers. Three sisters, so different, but so eager to be a family! I also loved watching a friendship develop between Traci and Dr. Matt Rossi as they work together to help Gwen and her unborn baby. He definitely fits the description "dream doctor" and it becomes apparent that he recognizes just how special Traci is. Matt needs to be able to dance at his brother's wedding and Traci's sister may be able to help, so why wouldn't Traci want to save him from total embarrassment in his personal life? Will her efforts to help him learn to waltz turn into a lifelong dance? Can a man who has always enjoyed a loving, supportive family understand someone who grew up alone and in foster care?

Take the Lead is a sweet contemporary romance and I recommend it to all who enjoy feel-good stories. It made me anxious to visit Bridgeport again to see what the future holds for Kimber, the third sister in Gray's series.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. A positive review was never required and these are my own opinions.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shelley Shepard Gray has published over seventy novels. She currently writes Amish romances for Harper Collins, Kensington, and Simon & Schuster and contemporary women’s fiction for Blackstone Publishing.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s degree in English literature and elementary education and later obtained her master’s degree in educational administration. She currently lives in Colorado Springs and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two young adults and she is an active member of her church.

Learn more about Shelley at her    Website     Facebook 
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1 comment:

  1. I've had my eye on this series and it was helpful to read your review!

    ReplyDelete