Historical fiction romances are always great. Dancing with the Lion is a fast read that had me swooning as soon as the romance hit. There were times where I felt the story was dragging a bit and the writing wasn't really my style, but it was a good book nonetheless.

I couldn't get into this book all the way. I finished it, but it took me forever to do so. I don't think this type of book is for me. I found it a bit dull and dry. I think another problem I had was that I was expecting Alexander to be older, but here he isn't even 13 yet, so I think that was a factor for me as well. However, I feel like if you enjoy reading retellings of historical figures, then you'd probably enjoy this book a lot more than I did. You can tell the author did a lot of research and is very knowledgeable in this area of history, and towards the end of the book it picks up.

Although I have great respect for Reames as a scholar and have enjoyed her academic work, I was underwhelmed by her fictional exploration of Alexander's childhood – although I readily admit that my expectations may have been too high, having read Mary Renault's Fire From Heaven – the platonic ideal for a fictional exploration of Alexander's childhood – only a few months before. This version of Alexander felt bland and ordinary, which are two words that should never be used to describe any version of Alexander. I was ultimately disappointed, but may continue reading this series to see if I enjoy it more once Reames digs into the real meat of Alexander's life.

Awesome. Chock full of history. Who doesn’t want to read about a queer Alexander the Great? Friends to lovers, pretty much closed door, does read a little bit like a textbook at times. I’m looking forward to book two.

I've always been intrigued by Alexander the Great so requesting this was a no-brainer. Arguably the most prolific conqueror the world has ever seen and all by the age of 32! Incredible, is the only word for that sort of accomplishment. Reames, too, seems to be an ardent fan of him and she's clearly knowledgeable about not only Alexander but this period in general, something that is evident in the writing.

However, said writing is dry and for the most part unengaging. It reads like a textbook at times, cramming in details that weren't folded into the overall narrative in a cohesive or sophisticated way. Undeniably, I learned a few things while reading Dancing with the Lion but I also learned things while reading A Song of Achilles and Axios, both of which were not only didactic but simultaneously found the balance between romance and edification. They both also consumed me and imprinted on my psyche; the same cannot be said of this novel. Nevertheless, this novel is a likable first effort at historical fiction by this author.

Reames' portrayal of Alexander and Hephaistion is both insightful and touching. Both have strengths and weaknesses and both read age appropriate. Fast friends after meeting with a connection between them that's obvious made me crave more of those moments but they were largely subsumed by the aforementioned details which stymied my connection to this narrative. However, it certainly has its moments as they slowly grow closer and feelings develop which confuses them both. There is a slight age difference with Hephaistion being the elder that was enjoyable to read from their different perspectives regarding how their disparate developmental levels affected their inchoate romantic relationship.

"Becoming" lays the foundation for what's to come between them as well as the host of secondary characters introduced. I'm hopeful their romance will be more front and center in "Rise" with more focus on their relationship development, though from the point where "Becoming" left off Alexander is on the cusp of his meteoric rise to greatness, so it'll be interesting to see what Reames does with the narrative in part two of this series.

If you are a fan of friends to lovers historical romance that's fairly chaste or young adult that's strongly historical then give "Becoming" a try.




A review copy was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love love love retellings. When an author takes creative liberties with old stories and makes them their own, and that's exactly what Jeanne did here and she didn't VERY well. With good reason too, it's kind of her schtick :)

I enjoyed this story immensely and cannot wait for the second half.

This was a fascinating read.

The author brought ancient Greece to light with such accuracy that it was clear it is an area in which she delights. I didn't even know she was a history professor till I read up on her but it made perfect sense after I did. Her attention to detail was impeccable.Unfortunately, it was this attention to detail that slowed the pace of this book considerably.

I will admit that it had something to do with my expectations. I thought it would be a fast paced book about how Alexander the Great and his friend grew up and conquered the known world(at the time) but it turned out to be an intricate first look at his just his initial formative years and ALL(and I do mean ALL) that it entailed. It wasn't bad, it just didn't go as far as I thought it would (I think that would be in subsequent books) and for that I think I only blame myself.

So, if you are in the mood for a hardcore and pretty interesting look at ancient Greece and you don't mind a slow and steady pace, Pick this up. It will be right up your alley!

This was a fantastic read! I'm impressed by the level of research that went into this, and the result is an absorbing, immersive novel about Alexander the Great (Alexandros) and his love, Hephaistion. While a lot of attention is paid to their developing love story, I appreciated how much the novel developed them as individual characters, delving into their families, upbringing, and respective childhoods, especially Alexander's rocky relationship with his father. It reminded me in many ways of Anabel Lyon's "The Golden Mean" (by virtue of the subject matter, of course) without feeling like it was retreading tired ground. You really feel how they are beginning to grow into the men they will eventually become, setting the stage for future books in this series and the larger-than-life historical figures we all know. I especially enjoyed how the author insisted on using Greek names and terminology appropriate to the period and region, rather than anglicizing everything. Sometimes the way Greek words are defined in the book comes across as a bit clunky, but overall, I appreciated that attention to detail and the learning experience it will provide for many readers. Eagerly awaiting future books in the series!

I don't know why, but I just could not really get into this book. I think part of it the fact that the pacing is sooo slooow. I don't know how many books the author has planned for this series but Alexander is still very young at the end of this one and I don't feel like a lot happened beyond 'he trained for the army for a bit and also had some lessons with Aristotle'. Also the epilogue was very weird and I didn't feel like it fit with the rest of the book at all. I assume it is setting up the next book, but I was honestly pretty out of it at that point.

I think this will still be a very enjoyable read for a lot of people, but I personally would have liked it if it had started when Alexander was a bit older I think. Also while the author obviously has a very impressive knowledge of the subject matter and general time period, it did make for rather dry reading some of the time and I could probably do without many of the random Greek words thrown into the text.

One thing I really did love about this particular retelling was Hephaestion's personality. You would think it would be the other way around but pretty much this whole book was Alexander going 'no, you're going to get in trouble!' and Hephaestion being like 'um, do I look like I care???' which I found absolutely hilarious. I guess it makes a certain amount of sense in this story with Hephaestion being several years old and having a different kind of upbringing, but it still took me by surprise.

I was honestly drawn to this book simply based on the cover and the premise. This book promised a romance between two young boys-turning-adults in ancient Greece learning under Aristotle (or written as Aristoteles in the book).

I found the pacing, however, to be quite slow. Understandably, it is the first book in the series and therefore, the pacing is meant to be slower in order to really flesh out the main characters, side characters, politics and so forth. I still found the book slow and without much action. There were whole paragraphs that I skipped because there was a lot of dialogue interchange between characters or a lot of word fluff for scenes that didn’t add to anything.

The characters of Alexandros and Hephaistion are really interesting and offer a unique dynamic. We have Prince Alexandros who for the most part is this ordinary young boy, fourteen years old, whose parents tell him what to do all the time and he is going through a sort of rebellious phase. Hephaistion, on the other hand, is an older teen and has his work cut out for him. Men and women find him attractive and he has tumultuous feelings constantly and feelings of self deprecation. He also has self doubt for not only falling for a boy but also for a prince, nonetheless.

The frustrating part was their relationship. Hints were peppered in here and there but it wasn’t “obvious” on the page, per se, until about 50 pages before the book ended and right there, it just seemed to be this flame that was quickly snuffed out. I didn’t like the ending either, as I felt it was sort of abrupt and nonsensical. I hope that the subsequent books in the series will be better, but this was certainly not the most impressive first book in a series.

Jeanne Reames is a highly regarded scholar. Currently she the Graduate Program Chair for the History Dept at the University of Nebraska. She has published numerous papers on Macedonia at the time of Alexander the Great, on Greek and Macedonian Religion, and on Greek Gender Studies. How wonderful to have such an expert write the love story between Alexander and Hephaistion.

Becoming (Book 1) is just that. We meet Alexandros (Alexander) as a young teen. True he is the king's acknowledged son. This does not mean much in the rough, internecine life in Philippos (Philip II). Without his mother's strategic thinking, Alexandros might not have survived past childhood.

Not quite thirteen, and alternating sleeping in the women's quarters and the page's dormitory, Alexandros is struck by the beauty and the courage of Hephaistion. Hephaistion has left his home, gambling his future by petitioning to be a page in Philippo's court. The two become friends while studying with Aristoteles (Aristotle).

The novel is filled with such detail, that it almost reads like non fiction. The life of Macedonia is so vividly described, that a reader might feel comfortable preparing a meal based on ancient Macedonian cooking. Likewise, the love story between the young men is both beautiful and believable. This is not the mythic Alexander the Great, instead Reames introduces us to a very likeable, complex young man on the thresh hold of his destiny.

The novel is intended for adult readers. I believe mature young adults would appreciate the work as well

Highly recommended

Full disclosure: I received this copy from netgalley and Riptide Publications in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity.

The moment , I read the blurb of Dancing with the Lion: Becoming , I was hook, line and sinker.

I always have been fascinated with Alexander the Great and this extremely well researched and crafted book gave me lots of food for thought.

I enjoyed reading this book.



I received a copy of Dancing with the Lion at my request from Riptide Publishing through NetGalley and I am giving my unbiased and voluntary review.

You can really feel how knowledgeable the author is about the places and people in this book. It's more like a peek into history than reading a novel. I did enjoy the story, but I do feel like it's the kind of thing that will appeal a lot to some people and not at all to others. If you are a fan of Alexander the Great or the history of his time then I would recommend it!

I thought this book was intriguing. I think the author has vast knowledge and did extensive research for the time period, providing a unique historical context for this work. The use of time period-specific names and vocabulary, Reames delves into the psyche of a growing leader with the confines of societal pressure, family expectations, and the typical coming-of-age of a young boy.

Overall, I liked it, but I would probably only recommend it to very specific people in my life that have a taste for this specific area, time period, or a deep love of historical fiction.

Dancing with the Lion is a fantastic book and the author did a great job of pulling of the storyline. The characters are well developed and the book is entertaining.

This review will be published on my blog on June 1, 2019.
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The son of the King of Makdon – Alexandros is on track to be a leader and is battling to be treated like everyone else. Hephaistion arrives – searching for his own destiny and becomes friends with the young prince. Their relationship flourishes as they begin their education together under the trusted guidance of Aristoteles. As Alexandros battles his way through the harsh lessons facing him, his emotional attachment to Hephaistion. As a prince, Alexandros is supposed to be independent, emotionally aloof, strong and his emotional connection to his friend challenges everything.

Jeanne Reames is a self-declared Homer fangirl in addition to being a History Professor. Her life-long commitment to her field definitely plays into how fantastic this book is. As I read this novel, I was surprised to find that I was as caught up in history as much as the story about the two main characters. For obvious reasons, Reames has a fantastic grasp of the time period and it’s a pleasure to read a book that is so detailed and complete with respect to history.

The relationship between Alexandros and Hephaistion builds slowly throughout the story. These two characters are well-thought out and fully developed beyond their friendship with one another. It’s a pleasure to read a novel in which there is a pairing between two characters that is important but not the entirety of the plot.

This is a complex story of growing up with the weight of huge expectations and commitments. I am intrigued by the way Alexandros’ life will unfold as he is groomed to become a leader. The friendship between Alexandros and Hephaistion is documented historically and they were often referred to as being the best of friends. It wasn’t uncommon for young boys to be involved sexually with one another so this story is certainly not far-fetched. Reames does a fantastic job of weaving the complex relationship implications into an already-intriguing story. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.