Dance

By: Teodora Kostova

Narrated by: Todd Smith

Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's Summary

Two musicals, one theatre.
Two men, one epic love story.

Dancer Fenix Bergman has a dream - to perform on Broadway. But claiming a place on the biggest theatre stage in the world is not easy. When he gets offered a lead role in a new musical based in London’s West End, Fenix quickly accepts, recognizing the huge potential of the show.

Actor Jared Hartley is exactly where he wants to be in life. Starring in a popular West End musical, Jared’s career is at its peak. He doesn’t have time for love, and never even considered something was missing from his life.

Until he meets Fenix.

When Fenix and Jared’s paths cross, the world shimmers to a stop. Neither of them is capable of fighting the intense feelings they quickly develop for each other.

But when Fenix’s star becomes too bright for London, will the dream he’s chased all his life ruin the dream he’s holding in his hands?

©2014 Teodora Kostova (P)2014 Teodora Kostova

From Valleys To Mountaintops, Full Of Emotions!

Would you listen to Dance again? Why?

Yes. I felt honored that I could be a part of their connection and relationship. These men are men you want in your life as friends. They are giving, understanding, and loving to everyone and to each other. I completely recommend this story if you want to have that one in a million read.

What did you like best about this story?

Fenix and Jared completely grab your world and sling shot you into theirs. This story takes you on a journey from both of them. Teodora writes an amazing story with such detail that you are living with them and feel their happiness, sexiness, love, hurt, sadness and everything from the valleys to the mountaintops. These two men are amazing by themselves but when brought together, oh holy hotness!!! Let’s just say with Fenix as a dancer, he is quite bendy, and that turns on Jared more than anything. The strongest part of the story shows that if you truly love someone, you will not get in their way even though it may break your heart. We live through that heartbreak and you will feel that despair, but when you think it cannot get worse……does it? This story is a must read if you want to feel all the emotions a person can feel.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator could have put more emotion into the story. He sounded like he was just reading the story without knowing the story. He was slow at first, but started to read with more fluency quite a few chapters in. He did have a pleasant voice.

If you could rename Dance, what would you call it?

Dance is the perfect name for this story. The men dance with their emotions with themselves and with each other.

Any additional comments?

Just listen to this story. You will fall in love with the boys.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Would you listen to Dance again? Why?

I would definitely visit with the group from Dance again and I would also continue on to the other stories in the series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jared and Fenix together made one incredible couple.

Which character – as performed by Todd Smith – was your favorite?

Jared's dialogue stayed true to the area he was from. While Fenix had an American speaking voice that was true to his character his inner dialogue had an English accent which was contradictory.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I was captivated by the story of Jared and Fenix. The running time of the audio was over eight hours and I enjoyed spending time with them over a few days.

Any additional comments?

Love at first sight. Teodora Kostova believes in it and after you listen to Dance and spend time with Jared and Fenix, you may just believe in it as well. Love and lust at first sight does not always work well in a book, but it absolutely works here and it works oh so well.

Beautiful Story

Jared and Fenix are what I call a super couple. The odds are stacked against them and Adam, being Jared's best friend and not liking Fenix, makes it kind of hard for the couple. Then we have are superstar Fenix who never should have lift Jared. God the pain that both men went though was so sad. But in the end they make it back to each other.

mesmerizing

Where does Dance rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I love the voice, the passion you experience listening to this amazing.story!!! I rank this up with my top 3 audible books!!

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene, who can pick one scene ???? When they get back together, when they break down the walls and love each other.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Felix leaves for New York and Jared is devastated

Any additional comments?

I absolutely love this book and the audible is amazing!!!!

Diary of a Bibliophile Review

It’s really nice to read a stand alone novel. It seems all people write anymore are series. I love series books, but there is something satisfying about a book that actually ends without leaving open cliffhangers.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were likable and had good chemistry. The author could have explored the hollowness of fame a little more, since I think this was an important point in the book. I also don’t care for the title. Yes, Fenix is a dancer, but dancing doesn’t have anything to do with the central conflict. Even with these two minor issues, I enjoyed the book, and definitely will be looking for more from this author.

Since I listened to the book in audio, I really should say something about the narrator. He was easy to listen to, and did a great job, but he had some trouble with Fenix’s American accent. Sometimes it slipped into a southern sound, when Fenix was from New York. Other times Fenix sounded a bit British. That said, it wasn’t enough to distract me too much. I would listen to this narrator again.

Overall, I give Dance....

Plot - 4 bookmarks
Character Development - 4 1/2 bookmarks
Love Story - 4 bookmarks (too much time apart)
Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Wilson Bethel (Fenix), Luke Grimes (Jared)

Great narration, great story

Would you listen to Dance again? Why?

Yes, very well written and the narrator did so very well. I enjoyed it from beginnig to end.

What did you like best about this story?

Narration! I enjoyed the entire book, but Todd Smith did a fantastic job narrating the book.

Have you listened to any of Todd Smith’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I haven't listening to any others.

Any additional comments?

I feel like the most important thing that an audiobook needs is a great narrator. That doesn't mean that all good books will not be good as audiobooks. The opposite is also true. I have learned about myself that I must have a certain mindset about how books "sound" in my head as I am reading them, and I haven't always enjoyed an audiobook, if I have already read the book.

That being said, the narrator in this book is just fantastic. He had a very smooth controlled pitch, and he let his British accent fly when he was narrating. It truly helped me to visual this story, being set in London, and all the visuals around them.

When Fenix was speaking, you could hear much more of an American accent for this character, since Fenix was raised in New York City. I truly enjoyed Todd Smith's narration of Dance. It was so well done. After listening to it, I had to see what else Todd had done, with just one other book, not in the same genre as Dance. However, this is a narrator I would love to listen to again.

On to the book itself. Dance is based primarily in the West End of London, around the Queen Victoria theater. These two men meet when Fenix's musical Poison is put in the theater, as Jared's show is also playing in the same theater. It is truly love at first sight for these men. They fall in love and really don't waste any time coming together, living together, for months, until Fenix is offered a chance to take Poison to Broadway and Jared stays in London, as they separate.

These two men are stubborn, each wanting their own way, and they get it when they separate, until they realize that what they truly wanted was each other. The road back for these men is not easy, with bumps along the way with each other, as well as some bumps put out there by those around them. Finding their HEA was not easy, they had to work for it, but the road was worth the drive.

The story was very well written, with strong secondary characters, which of course will lead to the next book in this series, Adam's story. And for sure, I will be waiting for Adam's story on Audible. Why mess with a good thing? :)

Final Determination for the audiobook of Dance:
5 stars for narration
4.5 stars for the book

So well done by both Teodora and Todd on this, and it was truly a pleasure to listen to this book.

A passionate story that's as dramatic as its cover

What did you love best about Dance?

I loved the angst between the main characters, Jared and Fenix. The way that their relationship evolved as each man was forced to evaluate his life choices, reconsider his dreams and decide where to focus their time and energy. It gave the characters emotional depth while also allowing me to identify with their imperfections .

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jared and Fenix are almost impossible to evaluate individually, because their story is so interwoven. I was especially drawn to Fenix, because his history is more complex overall, but without the dramatic effect Jared had on his life the story wouldn't be the same.

What about Todd Smith’s performance did you like?

I thought that Todd Smith did an acceptable job narrating this story overall, but his narration during particularly emotional scenes lacked the intensity I would have liked to hear. I was also frustrated by occasional breaks in the character's tone of voice and overall dialect.

Who was the most memorable character of Dance and why?

Oh my goodness, the cover illustrates my favorite scene. It's incredibly powerfully and being able to seeing the cover model's depiction of that moment in my mind's eye while it was being narrated added tremendously to the emotional impact. When you hear it for yourselves you'll know what I mean!!

Any additional comments?

Teodora Kostova is a new author to me, and one that I will definitely be keeping my eye on in the future. The writing is superb and the characters are well developed. I loved, loved, loved this story!!!!

Love it!!

If you could sum up Dance in three words, what would they be?

sweet, sexy and fun

What about Todd Smith’s performance did you like?

He has an amazingly sexy voice.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

Jared and Fenix are such delightful boys. I love how they are perfect together and finally realize that they are meant to be together.

A breath of fresh air.

Where does Dance rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I'd say in the top ten. The narration breaths new life into a story I've read countless times. made it seem like I was reading it for the first time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dance?

For me it was when Fenix decides not to wait for the future and tell Jared he still loves him.

What does Todd Smith bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I just liked his voice.

Any additional comments?

I would have liked to see this story at least nominated for the rainbow awards in the category of best cover and best Romance.I was Very happy see there was an audio version of this book and hope MASK will be in audio as well.

Love the narration

If you could sum up Dance in three words, what would they be?

Wonderful love story

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love both Jared and Fenix for various reasons and love them together as well.

Have you listened to any of Todd Smith’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not yet, but other narrators. He does an amazing job of this. I loved the story already from reading the ebook, but he brings something more to it which is amazing.

A very enjoyable story

Jared and Fenix fall hard and fast from the start. It’s a case of love or lust at first sight when the two stars share a dressing room at the Queen Vic theatre in London. There’s an intense connection between them as they fall into bed and in love. The two young men are inseparable and share many hot and steamy scenes together. You sense their happiness and the desire to live in each other’s pockets. On the whole, things move swiftly and easily for them. I especially liked the friction and jealousy between Adam—Jared’s best friend—and Fenix.

Everything is wonderful as they live together and share their lives, but of course, this is shattered when Fenix gets his Broadway dream fulfilled. Almost without a second thought for their relationship, he accepts and all contact between the two lovers ceases. Jared didn’t fight for him either. They both place their careers first. I found it hard to understand why they gave up on their relationship immediately and didn’t even remain in contact as friends. It made me question their love and want to bash their heads together. But that's all part of the angst and sorrow. Deep down, they knew they loved each other and wanted to be together, but it took over two years of heartache and tears before they are eventually reunited. This part of this story is relatively short, but for me it was the most emotional. I would have liked further scenes showing how the two men suffered while they were apart.

More drama follows as the story reaches it ending. The epilogue jumps eight years ahead and is a little at odds with most of the story and their characters, but by then these two men had matured and had new dreams for their future.

The narration of the story by Todd Smith works well for Teodora’s storytelling style of writing. He speaks clearly and narrates at a steady pace. His voice suits the West End setting and the various characters’ personalities. He helped bring them to life for me.

Overall, I enjoyed listening to this engaging story. I am intrigued to hear Adam’s story next in Mask and would like to know more of his thoughts on Jared and Fenix’s relationship. I hope he gets his happy ever after too.

amazing!!!

Would you listen to Dance again? Why?

Yes! Definitely! I love the narrator's voice, but also the quality of the sound of the whole book was superb. It's already one of my favourite booksbooks, so I'm so happy it got an audio version!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dance?

Oh, gosh, how can I choose?? I love so many moments in this book, but the musical performances were so beautifully described that I felt I was in the theatre myself.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The chemistry between Jared and Fenix is electrifying! Every scene between them was amazing.

Any additional comments?

If you're a fan of hot mm romance, you'll love Dance. It's such a beautiful, sexy story, and so different from everything else in the genre. Definitely recommend.

This kept me guessing

I didn’t appreciate the reader in the early stages but gradually warmed to him and felt the accent was appropriate. The story was not easy to predict which kept me listening. The ending was far from what I expected. Enjoyed the sex scenes and the emotional context. I’m glad I bought it

Sweet lovestory with some stuggle

I like the feel of this story. The chemistry between the characters are instant and obvious. Opportunities in life make them have to choose love or career.

Parts of the book is really good. All the feelings comming through and right to the heart. But sometimes there are jumps that makes you wonder what happened. Nothing in the storyline is missing but still sometimes the depth is.

And... As from Sweden there are some things I was surprised slipped through. One in particular in the very end. Nobody exept the royal family is called by their titels. Everyone calls their boss, neighbur, teacher or uncle by first name. (Small children can call their teacher ”Teacher”, no name added). So for the little girl call him mr Bergman in the end wouldn’t happen.

Todd Smith has an easy to listen to voice even if it confused me that Fenix, born and rased in NewYork had a rather schooled brittish accent.

A musical romantic story

Two wonderful actors/dancers meet, fall into a quick whirlwind romance only to find that not everyone is destined to have a HEA. The angst involved when people feel that there is more to life and follow a dream, only to find out later in life that it's not always greener on the other side.
Beautifully read story with detail about the dancers, the passion that keeps them dedicated to long hours and hardships.
Eventually you do get to see a happy ever after for Phoenix, but he does go through a gruelling time, which is well written. Would highly recommend this book.

as good as the ebook

The story is always 4 or 5 stars, because if I wouldn't like the story as ebook, I wouldn't listen to the audiobook.

The performance from the narrator is also very important for me. I can't listen to a lot, because my English as a non-native-speaker isn't so perfect to follow a whole story over hours, when the narrator speaks too fast or too sloppy. Normally I have to SEE the person, who is talking to me in English. It took me a little bit, to come into the narrator, but at the end, it worked. I only have to take a few breaks between. I'm just not yet finish with the book, but I listen enough to give a review.

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:

5* - very very good
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often re-listening
it's like an A

3* - it's more then a one-time-listening.
it's like a B