The Dance of Desire is an absolute gem, offering a fresh and enchanting take on the classic Beauty and the Beast trope. After loving The Poetics of Passion, I was eager to dive into Angela's story and uncover the hidden heartache she carries—especially in relation to Sunny. I couldn’t wait to see where their journey would take them.

The setting, a secluded chateau on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, exudes romance with just the right touch of gothic allure. The secret greenhouse is a particularly charming addition, and I loved the subtle nods to the original fairytale that peppered the story. While Sunny starts off a bit prickly and, well, beastly, it quickly becomes clear that there’s far more to him than meets the eye. With time, patience, honesty, and of course, kittens, these childhood friends-turned-enemies learn to trust one another again, revealing a love that has been hiding in plain sight all along.

I’m already excited for the next book in the series! Ross’s Muses of Scandal are utterly irresistible, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I read the first book in the series a while back and couldn't quite remember the tone. However, this book opens with a huge dumping of tea from butthurt 'beasts' to possible bigamy to running from the press like Mia in Princess Diaries. I was having a blast! Then we travel to France with Sunny and Angela to his house in the forest that is basically void of most furniture and all but one employee, and I remembered that this was a loose Beauty and the Beast retelling. Like yes Sunny is beastly at times, but it is kind of funny because as soon as he says something mean we see him struggling not to immediately apologize. I do like that he apologizes, a lot, for his actions. Angela is also really fun but complex in her own way as she has secrets she's never really told her former best friend. There is also an interesting side plot with a woman that Sunny was planning to wed that also led to more madcap antics. There's so much drama in this book. I also liked how slowly Sunny and Angela's romance progressed and that they kind of crafted a little family with the abandoned kittens they found. I had a really fun time reading this book. It was just what I needed; so although there were points that were ridiculous and the pacing was a little off at times, it feels like a 5 star read to me.

I recently read "The Dance of Desire" by Delphine Ross, and I found it to be a captivating and emotionally charged romance novel. The storyline of Angela and Sunny's unexpected marriage of convenience is filled with tension, longing, and genuine emotion.

The author skillfully portrays the evolution of the characters' relationship from childhood friendship to a complicated and passionate entanglement. The unconventional setting of Paris adds an enchanting backdrop to their journey, and the exploration of their feelings in the gothic feline-laden chateau is both romantic and compelling.

The complexities of their emotions and the challenges they face are beautifully depicted, making their story feel genuine and heartfelt. The transformation of their marriage of convenience into a messy affair of the heart is both poignant and engaging.

Overall, "The Dance of Desire" is a beautifully written novel with well-developed characters and a compelling plot. I would highly recommend it to fans of historical romance looking for a heartfelt and captivating read.

Friends to hostile acquaintances to lovers in this historical romance was very cute and hit notes that would resonate with a lot of readers, but doesn't quite make the most sense without having read the first book. As part of an over-arching series, it's very lovely.

Well, this was a really enjoyable book. I thought maybe would be more relatable with the ballet world, but, the theme is only mention about the main character Angela.
Like I said before, it was a nice reading, very light. I found myself very enthusiast reading it. Its easy to read and the story has great moments. I think its a great reading for the summer, if you're looking for something light and fresh.
Thank you so much to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in advance.

The Dance Of Desire is the latest historical romance by author Delphine Ross. Set during the nineteenth century, this Beauty and the Beast inspired story is a fantastic marriage of convenience romance between a ballet-dancing beauty and a beastly brooding earl.

This is a charming and generally light-hearted slow-burn romance told through a split POV third person narrative. The story was well paced, although I would have liked a little bit more relationship building as most of this were lost to the side-plots. I loved the gothic French chateau setting with it’s secret passageways.

The Dance Of Desire which is full of all of your favourite romance tropes and they are all wonderfully written. On top of the marriage of convenience trope and the grumpy/sunshine dynamic you can expect from a Beauty and the Beast inspired story, the chateau has only one bed (although they have a ‘we’ll only sleep in it at different times’ arrangement), there are 'Touch Her And You Die' moments and Angela and Sunny are also (estranged) childhood best friends to enemies to lovers.

This is the second book in the Muses of Scandal series but the books work as standalone stories and can be read out of series order. This was my first time reading anything from Delphine Ross but I was hooked on her engaging writing style so now plan to catch up on the first book in the story.

Angela was a sweet FMC whose love for ballet added a really nice touch to the story, although I was expecting there to be more ballet content than there actually was. She was young and quite naïve but matured over the course of the story. It did take me a little while to warm to Sunny as the MMC due to his grumpy nature and childish urge for revenge, simply because the woman he loved had rejected him, but by the end of the story I really liked him. His backstory, that being the reason he’s become this brooding beastly earl, was really interesting. There was also some good lesbian representation within the story and Helene was one of my favourite characters.

Overall, The Dance Of Desire is a charming, light-hearted historical romance, perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast and fairytale retellings.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Level: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️/ 5 (Open Door)

I have posted my review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk

*Thank you to NetGalley, Delphine Ross and Muse Publications LLC.

It didn't work for me: I felt it was entertaining but I read too many similar plots and didn't care for the characters.
Ended it because I wanted to know if it there were some surprises.
It's well written but not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a book that I read. The beginning was strong but then they didn't talk and just stayed away from each other. They were stuck in a house together and somehow almost never interacted. The author jumped from scene to scene without developing the relationship. Also her disrupting a dual with a jump was stupid.

This is the second book in this series and it is a very worthy successor, anyone who read the first book ' The poetics of passion' will have met Angela and (in passing) Sunny. This is their story and highly enjoyable it is. I thought that this book was a good deal better than the first but possibly I liked these characters more, who knows? Angela and Sunny are friends since childhood and through a series of youthful confusion on both their parts, they become estranged. This is a delightful tale along the lines of Belle et le Bete which I found to be so sweet. The writing seemed sharper and more focused, a well rounded plot ensured my interest was held all the way through. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of The Dance of Desire. I can't wait for the next one.

I really liked this book. The main characters are Sunny and Angela. They have a marriage of convenience and are forced to spend time alone- this is one of my favorite tropes! A great read!

I was so thrilled to dive into the second book in Delphine Ross's Muses of Scandal series. Ross has crafted an utterly enchanting historical romance with Dance of Desire. This friends-to-lovers retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in 1873 Paris is a heartfelt journey of redemption and rediscovered love. Angela and Sunny's complex relationship, filled with past heartbreaks and simmering tensions, unfolds beautifully against the backdrop of a gothic chateau. Ross’s vivid descriptions and emotional depth bring their story to life, making every moment of their forced proximity and growing intimacy feel real and poignant. With charming characters, an evocative setting, and a perfectly paced romance, Dance of Desire is a delightful read that captures the magic of love's transformative power. This novel is a must-read for anyone who adores a well-crafted historical romance. I can't wait for the next book!

This is the first book I have read by this author and The Dance of Desire is a second in a series. Similar author would be Mimi Matthews. Great edition to historical romance.

The Dance of Desire by Delphine Ross

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

I cannot express how much I LOVED this book. I remember loving “Poetics of Passion” but I may have loved this book even more.

Angela is such a positive and warm character. She wants what’s best for her family but also her own happy ending.

Then there is Sunny - loving Angela despite her scandalous background. As friends since childhood, he wants her as his wife.

Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be a good story if things went exactly as planned. Angela is about to marry someone who isn’t as he says and Sunny rescues her at the altar, ultimately saving her from scandal. They decide that they will annul the marriage in a year. Unfortunately, Sunny is not the sweet friend that he once was and Angela is stuck in a fake marriage… in Paris… with one bed…

5 stars

Very good story. It's the second book in the series but doesn't really require you to have read the first. If you know the pre-raphealites then some of the themes are common to them, Originally Sunny and Angela were childhood friends....think a bit beauty and the beast, Sunny proposes but Angela rejects him. Next time she sees him, his turned up at her wedding and is looking fitter. He has a bad case of unrequited love and she's coming out of a couple of relationships. One good, one disappointing. Sunny marries her to prevent her ruination but because he's still angry about her rejection it's going to be unconsummated and then annulled in a years time. He takes her off to his chateau in Paris. I enjoyed the book and was rooting for their HEA. There'a a contuining story of her parents. The seies in about Muses so Angela is a dancer as Musa her elder sister was a poet...wonder who is next !!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A great book . Terrific both our main characters . Angela and Virgil met when they were kids and even though her parents scandaous marriage they became best friends she even called him Sunny because of his red hair . Sunny always felt ungly because of his weight , his red hair . His parents always saw him as the spare and loved his older brother the heir of the Earldom . The only person who liked him for who he was was Angela but when he proposed to her she declined . Now few months later she is getting married with another man and he is invited at the wedding when the groom turn out to be bigamist . Sunny who wants to gets his revenge marries her so she will no create more scandal for her family . He offers to stay married for one year and then to have an annulment but they must stay away from gossip and scandal so they travel at his chateau in Paris . While he wants to hate her he still loves her but he also has promised to a very good friend of his that he will marry her . Angela starts to understant that the feelings she had for her first love wasn't what she feels about Sunny now that they are married and have shared some passionate kisses . Will they be able to be a happy married couple ?
I received this book from netgalley and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

A fun sweet amusing story about The Duke and Angela, childhood friends who get together again under unusual circumstance.
A good amusing read with a little angst and a sweet romance.
Voluntarily reviewed.

I could not read this. Honestly, I think the premise is intriguing but overall I did not enjoy the writing or the characters.

First things first: a huge thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. ♥

Friends to enemies to lovers in a marriage of convenience! Kittens! A gorgeous greenhouse! Dramatic French duels! What more could you want?

This was such a sweet, sexy read. As much as I can appreciate the passion of an insta-love story, <i>The Dance of Desire</i> takes the reader on a beautiful journey as Angela realizes throughout just how much she loves Sunny. Angela, complete with her own baggage and self-doubt, is afraid to truly love again; meanwhile, Sunny is supposed to be the damaged, heartbroken beast -- but you understand where he's coming from and his hurt is so palpable. Even though this is the second book of the series and I've yet to read the first, I found myself fully invested in all of the characters and Ross's writing was compelling from the start. I'm excited to read more from her!

(And listen...me personally? I'm patiently waiting for a book about my sapphic badasses Hélène and Julie.)

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

After being shunned at the aisle, Angela thinks her entire life is going to blow up in scandal. She is saved at the last second by her childhood friend Sunny, who she has not seen in 6 months, since she turned him down. He is completely different from how she remembers him, becoming more uncouth and cruel than she ever believed him capable. To avoid his mother, reporters and the general gossip of London Sunny takes his new wife to Paris, to stay in a property his father owned. The only problem is that there is only one bed, and he can't stand to be in the same room as his new wife. He can't decide if he wants to hate her or desire her, making his actions angry, dominating, and downright rude at times.

Combining the one bed trope and with friends to enemies to lovers, this historical Beauty and the Beast retelling was a delight to read. To my knowledge, it was historically accurate, with the setting throwing me into the characters era. Sunny was a socially anxious bean, completely adorable but hiding behind the facade of a man who cares not for society or peoples opinions. Angela was an angel, a dancer who wanted nothing more than to protect her families reputation. Together, they made an unlikely team against the forces of gossip, blackmail and hurt. The redemption arc between them was swoon worthy and happened slowly, believably. The author included sapphic representation between a couple of the leading secondary characters, which I loved. I want to see more books that approach the subject of LGBTQIA+ in historical fiction as gently and sensitively as the author did here. Whilst there was some confusion surrounding the mian characters and their feelings, most of these were resolved by the end of the book. I loved the character development, especially in Sunny. I love a book that had characters that I can truly relate with and love - this book did exactly that.

There are some mild trigger warnings for suicidal thoughts, sibling death, and amputation. The author covers these subjects sensitively and with a grace that is often missing in books. I would put the age rating of the book as a 17+ as there are some explicitiss sex scenes. They weren't the most explicit I have ever read but are definitely not appropriate for younger viewers. The romance in this book was very slow burn, with the sexual cone=tent only coming at the end of the book. There was a bunch of sizzling tension, and I was on the edge of my seat, gasping at some of the plot twists. Combine that tension with exceptionally good writing, you have a recipe for a perfect book. (There were some grammatical errors, but I did read an uncorrected proof, so I'm hoping that when it is released, they will no longer be a problem.)

This book was an easy four stars for me.

this is my first book by this author AND I NEED TO READ THE FIRST BOOK STAT!!! I NEED MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR STAT!! i am so excited that i got to read this early! it was so fun and lovable and really nothing was out of place!