Review: Toe to Toe by Fallon Ballard
Thank you Putnam Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
As the child of a ballerina, Center Stage was a formative film experience for me. I still LOVE that movie so I was so excited when I heard about this book. I’ve loved Fallon since her debut, Lease on Love, and I think this might be up there with my favorites by her. It’s a slow burn, fun, hot romance between a ballet dancer and owner/creator of a Magic Mike-esque show in New York City.
Synopsis:
“Allegra Hart has been working her whole life to achieve one goal: become a principal ballerina. When her director starts holding auditions for the lead role in the company’s latest production, Allegra sees this as her chance—maybe her last chance.
The catch? The director wants someone with sex appeal, and he doesn’t think she’s up to the task. Determined to prove him wrong, Allegra enlists the help of the lead dancer of an all-male revue, Cord Donovan, a classically trained dancer who is also the sexiest man she’s ever met. In exchange for lessons on how to ramp up her sex appeal, she promises to help Cord choreograph a new partner piece for his show.
As they practice their moves on and off the stage, Allegra and Cord find themselves battling a growing attraction, all the more illicit because Cord has sworn to never partner with a ballerina. Allegra is determined not to let a man derail her career, but what if she could have both love and success? Or will her involvement with Cord jeopardize everything she’s worked for?” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Dance World/Descriptions of Dance—I was really impressed with this aspect! As someone who grew up dancing and is still in the dance world, I wasn’t sure how this would work but I was mesmerized by it!
The Chemistry/Tropes—I love a good “teach me” agreement in a Romance and this was definitely one that leaned in the slowwwww burn aspect. Loved it.
The Fun—I really just enjoyed this book. It reminded me of Center Stage, a favorite movie, while still being entirely original.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
Wanted a Bit More Conflict—I felt like the stakes weren’t matching the situation. The drama queen in me wanted a confrontation between Cord and David. But everything was rather realistic I suppose.
The Pacing—This is a slowwwwww burn. Which I love! But since a lot of the connecting takes place over text, I felt like we missed some of their growth.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
Content Warnings:
sexual harassment, disordered eating, emotional abuse, strained parent/child relationship