A fascinating look into the lives of professional ballet cast members. It was as intense and full of personal intrigue, and casual relationships as I had expected. The heat was distinctly sporadic and the characters hard to feel sympathy for. I found it hard to read at times.

First Position by Melanie Hamrick is a captivating novel that provides a rare glimpse into the glamorous yet cut-throat world of professional ballet dancing. The story follows the journey of Sylvie Carter, a determined ballerina who breaks every rule to reach the top of her profession. However, when a scandal rocks the ballet world, Sylvie is blamed and loses everything she has worked so hard for. She is then drawn to renowned dancer Alessandro Russo, and her life both on and off stage becomes more tempestuous. As she spirals out of control, she uses alcohol and erotic encounters to cope. Despite her mental unraveling, Sylvie is artistically blooming and taps into emotions long buried. The author's attention to detail, likely due to her experience as a former ballerina, makes the story more authentic and relatable.
Overall, First Position is a raw and addictive novel perfect for those who love their story with forbidden and steamy elements for a romance book.

Loved this storyline, an insight into ballet and the struggles that dancers face. Not my usual genre but enjoyed it.

I’m always looking for books that has a dance element in it and it’s also blurbed by Jodi Ellen Malpas? I’m sold!

The emotions touched the right strings. I will recommend this book. I’ll keep it vague because I feel it’s better to go in blind.

Okay, where do I start with this book? At first I did not like it, but I stuck with it and I am so glad I did. The last few chapters and the ending is what sold it for me.
I just wanted to give Sylvie (and Jocelyn) a hug and protect her. How most people treated her-disgusting. I am so happy the direction the book went and would for sure recommend it (purely for the last few chapters and the ending) but just please PLEASE check trigger warnings. Do not just going into this book blind.
I really didn’t see myself finishing this book I almost DNF’D so many times at the start but I don’t know something just switched and I grew attached to Sylvie (& Jocelyn) and I grew protective of them. I can’t say a lot without spoiling it and I don’t want to do that. If you like The Black Swan I have a feeling you will like this book! Overall I am giving this is a 3 star and I would absolutely (in the right mood) read it again.
Thank you to Net Gallery and Mills & Boon for the arc!

Sylvie was on track to be the best ballerina of her generation when a scandal leaves her career and her mental health in tatters. Years later, she is coasting through her life, a shadow of her former self. A chance encounter with the male lead ballet dancer has her at a cross roads. But will she repeat the same mistakes or will she rediscover herself?

If you are after a quick, spicy read, you’ll probably find what you are looking for in “First Position”. You’ll also get insight behind the scenes of a ballet company and I found that part of the book really interesting. I could have read more about that for sure.

The trouble is I didn’t really connect to Sylvie or any other characters except for Joselyn and so when I put the book down, I didn’t feel any urgency to pick it back up again. The sex scenes felt a little prescriptive.

It’s a grittier read than your usual erotica which makes it stand out in the genre. There’s some good character development for Sylvie too, though I felt like the ending was a step backwards in that respect.

I would probably recommend it for fans of the genre, but I wouldn’t expect it to be your favourite read of the year.

Thanks to the author, her publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A story of seduction, ambition, dreams, disappointment and determination.
An insight into the glamorous, cut-throat world of professional ballet dancing.
Sylvia is magnetically drawn to renowned dancer, Alessandro Russo, who is a guest artist for a season.
Her life both on and off stage becomes more tempestuous- using alcohol and erotic encounters to cope.
Just like the spins and pirouettes of a ballerina, Sylvia’s world spirals out of control. She is mentally unraveling but artistically blooming, as she taps into emotions long buried.
Just by reading and the level of detail you can tell the author is a former ballerina.
Addictive like Black Swan.
Perfect for those who love spicy, explicit, forbidden romance.
Well written but a bit too raunchy for me
Thanks #melaniehamrick @millsandboon @netgalley for the advance eARC

A fascinating insight into the lives (and sex lives) of professional ballerinas. I loved all the backstage action (take that how you will) and the heroine's journey to regain her confidence

Wow what a good read! This is probably one of the best representations of ballet and the ballet world I have read in a fiction book.
As a former performer I really appreciated how detailed and in depth this author went. She really captured the dark and often isolated and lonely world ballet can be.

The characters werent flat, that were really good, it was dark, there were twists, it was hot!!

A real insight into the lives of professional ballet dancers and the hardships they have to face .
It delved into the lives and loves of these people and also brought out the competitive side of it. More like dog eat dog to get to the top.
I really enjoyed this book but feel it has been put into the wrong genre and so will loose out on a wider audience

A mad jump about forward and backward in time and country. Some raw emotions, dirty reality of jealousy, pain and dance set in the harsh world of elite ballet. A window is opened into the rarified life in a ballet company and the rules that govern the dancers - or don’t govern them.

I really liked the focus on the ballet but I wish this was increased exponentially. I got an understanding for the characters individually but not for how they functioned together. I wanted to see them socialize more, dance more, backstab more, rather than be lost inside their heads. That being said, the ballet was what I came to this book for and did like all that it delivered there, even though I longed for more. The spice scenes also were interesting but could have fleshed out more as I found them a little too short, sometimes. In all a fun read, full of mysteries, darkness, and tragedy.