Dance with Me

By: Heidi Cullinan

Narrated by: Iggy Toma

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Sometimes, life requires a partner.

Ed Maurer has bounced back, more or less, from the neck injury that permanently benched his semi-pro football career. He hates his soul-killing office job, but he loves volunteering at a local community center. The only fly in his ointment is the dance instructor, Laurie Parker, who can't seem to stay out of his way.

Laurie was once one of the most celebrated ballet dancers in the world, but now he volunteers at Halcyon Center to avoid his society mother's machinations. It would be a perfect escape, except for the oaf of a football player cutting him glares from across the room.

When Laurie has a ballroom dancing emergency and Ed stands in as his partner, their perceptions of each other turn upside down. Dancing leads to friendship, being friends leads to becoming lovers, but most important of all, their partnership shows them how to heal the pain of their pasts. Because with every turn across the floor, Ed and Laurie realize the only escape from their personal demons is to keep dancing - together.

This novel has been previously published and has been revised from its original release.

©2015 Heidi Cullinan (P)2015 Heidi Cullinan

Nice sensual life story, awesome narration

some of emotional explanation scene were a little long but I enjoyed the story of Ed and Laurie. Not typical, which made it better. Love Iggy Toma.

The story is almost as good as the cover picture

I bought this book because of the incredible beautiful cover picture and I was happy to see the story was beautiful too. I liked all the characters and the dance references. I just hated Ed's voice. He sounds like a dirty old man instead of the gorgeous young tall football player he is supposed to be. Everything else was great.

Awesome start to a new series

Truly amazing love story. Go from not being able to stand each other, to friends and then to lovers. I want more of them and can't wait for the next book!!!!!!! Still can't stand Laur's mother, what a bitch. Loved ed's parents they are so sweet and kind. Oliver, you kinky dog you. A bunch of great secondary characters who I can't wait to see more of as well.

Iggy Toma

This story was really good, I loved the character development and the way their relationship didn't focus on and in some part challenged stereotypes associated with the gay community and masculinity. The best part of this audiobook for me, however, was Iggy Toma. I've listened to a good deal of audiobooks and one other male on male romance novel read by Mr. Toma and he is honestly a gem. He has so much expression in his voice and it just really seals the experience for me. 10/10.

Iggy Toma once again captivates me entirely.

Any additional comments?

Iggy Toma once again captivates me entirely. So much so I was resentful of intrusions that made me have to put it on pause. He manages to create a whole world that sucked me in and made me laugh, cry, and sigh. I can't ask for more than that with a story.

The story centers around Laurie and Ed, who couldn't be more different in some ways and more similar in others. The dichotomy of Ed and Laurie's personalities perfectly explain how well they ultimately compliment each other. They are yin and yang to each other, perfect in their opposition, and in what they bring to each other.

One of the things I loved so much about this story is the realism that's portrayed, woven seamlessly through the romance, so that it's not heavy-handed or brought me out of the lovely romantic story-telling. There were so many things that spoke to me personally, particularly of learning to live with the pain you have, to accept the limitations of your body after an injury, of being afraid you'll be less for it all...

Then ultimately learning to live with your own limitations and how to not just deal, but bloom under the strain of it all because of the love and acceptance of your own and your partner's.

I love this and know it will go into my rotation for re-listen.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Such a real and amazing love story

Ed is an out and proud football player (semi-pro) who hurts his neck and has to look for alternative ways to stay in shape and rehabilitate against the debilitating pain.
Laurie is a dancer who runs a small studio but who used to be on the path to greatness until he and his then partner (both dance and life) tried to break into a couples dance competition as the only same sex couple and failed, epically.
At first these two are enemies – Ed plays the music too loud, Laurie is a priss, but then… magic (sigh). They begin to dance together and it is everything they’d hoped to find. Laurie loves how Ed can be the strong partner he’s always needed and Ed loves how Laurie can give him some of his self respect back.
Along the way they become lovers, too, and that, by far, is their most important relationship.
There are many road bumps – Laurie’s mom, Ed’s pain and ego, Laurie’s fear of rejection and his past sexual history, money…
But in the end they conquer them all for a very, very satisfying HEA.
**
This is one of those books I have read and then read again and again. I just love it so!
Some of the things I really appreciate about it:
The real sex. It’s not all hot and sweaty, panting and perfection. There’s pain, and gas, and preparation, and mess. Wonderful!
I love the scene in the hot tub with the other, older couple… again, real, messy, normal, but still hot.
The real problems. Pain and money and egos. Who hasn’t had one or both of those issues in their life – even to the point of ruining their relationship?
Their love. I just fell in love with them as a couple because they are so very different but when they put down their walls you can see just how perfect they are for one another.
All in all it was an amazing book that I can’t recommend more highly than: you must read this!


Audio

Iggy Toma has narrated a lot for Heidi and he does another really excellent job here. I love the depth of emotion he puts in to his characters. His pacing is wonderful and his voice is so easy to listen to. I highly recommend both the book and this narration.

I give it 6 of 5 stars – Amazing!

Wonderful addition to series

Absolutely loved it. I hopedbtheir story would be great. I was not disappointed. I love anything read by Iggy Toma. He has amazing!

Sweet story with definite Cullinan stamp on it

I have enjoyed every Heidi Cullinan book I've listened to. I enjoy how Cullinan threads pop culture into her stories and often utilizes them for more than just back ground. I was first introduced to this couple as part of the cast of characters in Lonely Hearts and was excited to get to hear their story. I have to say that I was just a *little* disappointed in this story after the Love Lessons trilogy. I wish that Laurie, in particular, had a little more depth to him. I didn't fall in love with these guys in quite the same way that I fell in love with each of the couples in those books. I felt like the "conflict" and disparity in their personalities and backgrounds was written off a bit too easily ... and damn do I wish we'd gotten a bit more of Oliver's wickedness.

All in all though, this book will go on the playlist with the rest of H.C.'s books and I will undoubtedly revisit the series often as it is fun, sweet and while not all easy and hearts and flowers, is certainly, ultimately, feel-good reading. And of course, Iggy Toma as narrator doesn't hurt in being motivated to relisten, even a tiny bit.

Great Story

I liked that the characters were real and imperfect and have issues that regular people experience, that made it different and relatable. There were hang ups, a cluttered home, and mentions of the little embarrassing things that could happen in bed and it was all beautiful and real.

A Sweet, Romantic Dance

This was a sweet love story of two men both working on healing their own wounds. Ed’s dreams of playing football are destroyed when he gets a devastating neck injury during a game. Laurie’s joy for performing is shattered after a performance goes wrong. Together, they will work to overcome the pain they’ve been shouldering and find a new normal, both with loving each other and learning to live with this new stage in their lives. The book was heartwarming and lovely with a smooth plot that highlighted the romance and tenderness between Ed and Laurie.

The audiobook was done very well and Iggy Toma was a perfect choice for narrator. He does a fantastic job his performance is just as smooth and lovely as the book.