This was a strong sequel in the Muses of Scandal series, it had everything that I was hoping for from the first book. The concept was wonderfully done and enjoyed the historical feel to this. Delphine Ross has a great writing style and enjoyed going through this story again. It uses the Beauty and the Beast elements and enjoyed how good everything worked. It uses the romance element perfectly and I enjoyed how realistic is was.

“𝓐 𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓰𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓽𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓪 𝓫𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓽-𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓵𝔂 𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓵 𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝓮𝓼𝓼𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓖𝓻𝓾𝓶𝓹𝔂/𝓢𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓱𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓵 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓯 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽.”

There was dancing and blackmail and kittens and a grumbly MMC and misunderstandings and secret passageways and a dual… Though I found the first half of this book to be slow, I ended up falling for these characters and their love by The End.

QUICK THOUGHTS 💭
🩰 This book is fraught with “good intentions” that aren’t actually good for anyone.
🩰 Sunny’s character is… well… not sunny. He’s grumpy and rude and mean. I found him not very likable for the first half of this read and grew tired of his grumbling.
🩰 Angela is a sweet FMC who will do anything for her family (again - those “good intentions!”). She is young and a bit naive and her secret past has left her feeling like she’ll never love again.
🩰 Their pasts influenced their future; both characters had some healing to do before they could find happiness together.

Thanks so much to Delphine Ross and Muse Publications for the ARC of this book!

"The Dance of Desire" by Delphine Ross is a captivating installment in the Muses of Scandal series, offering a fantastic and overall lovely reading experience. The story revolves around two main characters who are deeply compelling and endearing, drawing readers into their world with ease. Ross skillfully weaves a tale filled with emotional depth, seamlessly blending moments of laughter and tears. The narrative keeps readers engaged from start to finish, making it difficult to put the book down. With its perfect balance of romance, humor, and heartfelt moments, "The Dance of Desire" proves to be a must-read for 2024

The Dance of Desire is the second in a series, but you don’t have to read them in order, as this reads as a stand alone. I have read both, however, and they are both charming.

The story is based on the beauty and the beast fairy tale. The male protagonist, Sunny, does not become beastly until is offer of marriage to the beautiful Angela , his good friend, is turned down. Even when he becomes beastly, his kind and generous heart is not compromised. After an unexpected marriage of convenience, the two eventually rekindle their friendship before the slow burn of their romance.

The characters are well developed, and I actually sympathized with Sunny more than Angela, and eagerly awaited his HEA.

A delightful read!

Tropes: friends to enemies to lovers; sunshine MFC/grumpy MMC; marriage of convenience; forced proximity
Steam level: 2-3
Part of a series, but works fine as a standalone.

This is a sweet HR with plenty of humor, strong world-building, sharp dialog, and homages to "Beauty and the Beast" throughout. Although it starts off in hectic, comedic mode, and dances along the expected plot-points, in its quiet moments it's really a slow-burn romantic tale of two friends realizing they've loved each other all along. I wasn't a big fan of Sunny from the previous book, but here he transitions from bumbling fool to surly tough guy to warm cinnamon roll. He's been trying to find his way for his entire life but has been plagued by bullies and insecurity, and now must finally make a stand. I love that he's not your stock perfect-looking hero, btw.

I had a little difficulty with Angela at times, as she's a bit oblivious and a touch martyr-ish until the final chapters, but she does have her character arc as she and Sunny find their way to their HEA. Supporting characters such as Helene and Luke Ward verge on stealing key scenes, although I would have rather the MC's spent time with each other reconnecting instead of opening up to them and leaving notes for each other during the middle chapters. There was a point when I was rooting for Sunny to go his own way, as he and Angela struggled to resolve their communication issues. A tense dueling scene helped move things along, thankfully.

Bottom line: this is another winning book by this author.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my honest, voluntary review. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

The first word that came to mind was "tortured" or should I say "torturous"? The male protagonist had very real human hangups. The lead female had issues of her own. Even the support characters challenged me as I slogged through the early stages of our story here. So many questions to be unanswered.
Imagine my surprise and relief as the author skillfully transforms seemingly impossible situations into credible resolutions. Initial opinions changed and I was happy for that fact. I don't want to spoil your own adventure but I will admit that I felt a mixture of sadness and relief that the stories ended. Do not misunderstand me here; the sadness was that the book ended and maybe true love can conquer all! Well done Delphine Ross.

Book two in “A Muse of Scandal” series, “The Dance of Desire” was as charming and engaging as the first book. Ross writes with an easy grace and seduction that will sweep you into the story, compelling you to read through to the end with its Victorian-era style and wit. This friends to enemies to lovers retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” boasts several nods to the fairy tale of old (and the subsequent Disney movies) complete with a gothic chateau, a swoon-worthy library, a secret passageway, five adorable kittens, a jilted engagement, a beast-like male main character, and a light-hearted seemingly innocent and downtrodden female main character. Sunny, the beast, offers a marriage of convenience in a “I need to have my revenge on you for breaking my heart” sort of way to Angela who is forced to accept after a disastrous, albeit very funny for the innocent observer, first foray down the aisle.

Told with slow simmering passion, yearning, and all heart, this is definitely a series I will be continuing. Read in order or as a standalone, I appreciated that I’ve read these in order for the backstory it provided about Angela’s family, though it wasn’t necessary.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Delphine Ross, and Muse Publications for this digital copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this romance reading it in less than a day!


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Genre: historical romance
Paris, 1873

Angela Bartham broke Sunny’s - the Earl of Sunderland’s - heart when she declined his marriage proposal. But as she prepares to marry someone else to help clear her family’s name from scandal, something goes terribly awry at the wedding… and she finds herself suddenly in a marriage of convenience with Sunny himself. But he’s changed in the months since she rejected him, and their relationship is nothing like the friendship they once had.

This had a really strong setup, kind of faded in the middle, and then ended stronger. There are a lot of sweet moments, but I also felt like there were a lot of threads that convoluted the romance. Also, she was trapped Beauty and the Beast style in a castle in France in this marriage of convenience with her childhood best friend, but stubbornness on both their parts kept them from communicating via anything but notes for a third of the book. There is Another Woman and Another Man plot line, both of which contribute to conflict, resolution, and growth of the overall story arc, but take away from the relationship development on page between Angela and Sunny.

There’s a lot to enjoy about Ross’s writing style, and this series has a lot of fun moments, but this wasn’t as strong for me as the first book. I still recommend picking this up, especially if you like childhood friends to enemies to lovers and locked-in-a-castle close proximity scenarios! It’s an overall pleasant romance, and despite the stakes stays fairly low angst.

Dance of desire by Delphine Ross is a charming beauty in the beast adjacent marriage of convenience! I really enjoyed Sunny‘s character and I agree with some other reviews that he is not very beastly, but his nobility and devotion make him special!

It’s fast paced but I didn’t feel like it was too much. I enjoyed the romance and the tension but I since I did not read the first book in the series so I was a little thrown off by the plot that he had already proposed to Angela. I think it’s decent as a standalone minus that part!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. Overall, the story was entertaining and generally quick-moving. There were some repetitive parts throughout - she wishes she didn’t write the letter, his mom doesn’t like France, etc. There were so many elements in this book that needed to be fleshed out more regarding the various storylines. It felt like the author gave just enough detail and backstory to Angela’s former love, Helene’s personality and story, and the earl’s reason for remaining in the chalet in France, so the reader knew roughly what was going on, but it fell flat. I feel like I only superficially knew the characters, and I think it’s because there were too many competing stories to do any of them justice with a book of this short length.

This was a delightful historical romance, From the moment I started reading, I was captivated by the intricate dance between Angela and Sunny, whose marriage of convenience evolves into something much deeper and more passionate.

The characters were compelling and well-developed. Angela and Sunny's relationship was fraught with tension and complexity, yet their chemistry was undeniable. I found myself rooting for them to overcome their differences and find happiness together.

Ross's writing style is elegant and evocative, perfectly suited to the time period in which the story is set. Her prose flowed effortlessly, drawing me deeper into the story with each turn of the page.

This book has a captivating romance, rich historical detail, and engaging characters. It's a book that will sweep you off your feet and leave you longing for more.

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Historical romance, grumpy/sunshine, friends to enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, opposite attract, forced proximity

I really enjoyed this Beauty and the Beast retelling. It's perfect for sunshine/grumpy trope fans and I loved the music/dance themes.

4.5 stars. This book was soooo much fun! The first book in the series left me with tentative hope for this author, and book two really delivered for me. Estranged childhood best friends to lovers is one of my absolute favorite tropes. Plus there’s an “only one bed, but we’ll sleep in it at different times” à la The Flatshare. And a break from England is always refreshing in a Victorian-era HR.

Sunny and Angela’s relationship is sweet and tentative. They’re both trying to guard themselves and protect their family/friends, while dealing with a very broken friendship and a marriage of convenience.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

"The Dance of Desire" is a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling, with quirky variations. Angela and Sunny met as children and are fast friends, until Sunny starts having feelings for Angela and doesn't know how to deal with it. By the time they meet again, Sunny has spent a lot of time away from society, and Angela has accepted her lot in life to have a perfectly suitable marriage, the kind that is "normal" in society. But when her most suitable groom proves to be most unsuitable, right at the moment of exchanging the vows.

Sunny, by now a surly Earl of Sunderland, offered the best solution: a marriage of convenience. And even better, one that they will live a year in the outskirts of Paris, secluded from society. What both Angela and Sunny did not count on, of course, was that time away gives them the chance to get to know each other once again, and better. Their invisible servants are matchmaking. And true love has a way of finding the light, no matter how in the dark it's kept. Despite their best intentions and their flimsy safeguards--not sleeping at the same time, so they do not share the bed (ha!), the bonds of marriage gives them a sense of intimacy and partnership, rediscovering their friendship and their life's passions, and facing adversities and adversaries together.

This was such a sweet read, and was a romantic slow-burn before the steam turns up--contrary to what I would usually expect from a Beauty and the Beast retelling. (This is not a complaint, more like a heads up to those, who may, like me, have expected spicier Beauty and the Beast renditions.) The slow simmer worked well to get Angela and Sunny to the closeness they've been building as childhood friends, and to pay off with the passion of a man and woman who've also grown emotionally attached. I loved seeing Angela and Sunny, who are their own persons and each battling their own demons, come together and face the world as a couple--stronger together than apart.

I received an ARC through the author on #Netgalley. This review is made voluntarily, honestly, and for free.

P.S. My copy had some typos and several instances of using "discrete" to mean "discreet," which happened quite a bit for me to recommend one more copy-editing round to hopefully have happened before the final release. It doesn't take away from the story, but it just might be a little bother to grammar sticklers.

A well developed book where friends become enemies and then marry for convinience (and revenge).

Angela truly does not see the depth of Sunnys feelings for her and sends him on a downward spiral by refusing his marriage proposal. A year later, he is back to rescue her by marrying her when she faces scandal at the altar. Over the year they agree to keep their pretend marriage in place, feelings are renewed and grow deeper.

A lovely read, well written with lots of angst.

This one was a bit of a miss for me. I would have really loved to see the character's together more on the page. It just wasn't for me, but another ready might love it!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a charming sequel in the Muses of Scandal series. Angela was such a strong and interesting secondary character in the first book that I was hoping she'd become a main character in the future. In this book, Angela has realized her dream of having a proper marriage, but her wedding is disrupted in a terrible way. Her best friend, Sunny, steps in to marry her on the spot. Unfortunately, Angela turned Sunny's proposal down in the last book and he is consumed by anger and a desire for revenge. The couple moves to Paris to live separate lives in misery.

Except, this is Angela, the sunshine character. While she's devastated by the turn her life has taken, she find small bits of happiness in dance and taking care of animals. Eventually, Sunny thaws and realizes his earlier feelings are still with him. While Angela and Sunny's relationship evolves, he's dealing with a gossip columnist who threatens one of his friends and Angela is worrying about her mother, who is traveling to find her father.

While this book does standalone, it's more satisfying if you've read the first book and understand the full backstory of Angela's family. The pace is pretty fast and it's an entertaining read. I think I devoured this in a day! I'm looking forward to Lyra's book!

Sunny and Angela have been friends since forever, and he's been in love with her for just about as long. One year ago, Sunny finally proposed to Angela ... and she not only turned him down, she sent him a letter so final that he left the country. Present day, Angela is marrying another man and Sunny is attending the wedding when he gets the chance to step in for the groom. But now that they're married, they're both determined to get it annulled as soon as they can. But since they're stuck together for the next six months, any romance reader can see that these two aren't getting an annulment any time soon...

The beginning of this book is very strong. It's great to see a bumbling character not change, exactly, but to develop their own main character energy. Sunny hasn't gotten fit, lost weight, or become a rake; but he's less trusting of Angela, and as her view of him changes, so does ours. Maybe we're just too immersed in the romance world, but it was frustrating to read the relationship progressing so slowly. There is only one bed in their manor, and yet for months - MONTHS! - they manage to avoid even having a conversation with each other. We just wanted some more progression of the relationship; maybe dinners together? Actually sharing the bed (like, at night)??

That said, like the first book in the series (The Poetics of Passion), the world Ross has created is very intriguing. Her prose flows well, and we were invested in the relationship. We just wouldn't mind more romantic romance!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

This book was so sweet! I absolutely adored this grumpy sunshine historical romance. The writing style is very enjoyable and the characters have good character development. The chemistry between Sunny and Angela is written well.

I sat down and read this book in one sitting! It will grasp your attention and keep you wanting more until you are finished. I loved this book and can’t wait to read more from this author.

This book was a really fun riff on Beauty and the Beast. Kittens and ballerinas! Need I say more? Plus the French setting reminded me of Jean Cocteau's La Belle et la Bête, which is one of my favorite films period.