BAD REPUTATION

A creative genius can’t fight his overwhelming attraction to the ballerina he’s cast as the lead of his nontraditional Broadway dance show.

Wes Evans is determined to leave behind the stifling expectations of his Broadway-royalty family and make a name for himself by staging a completely innovative dance show, but first he needs to find the perfect dancer to be his star. Enter Remi Drysdale, who moved to New York after being forced out of her Australian ballet company for having an affair with a fellow dancer. Since then, she’s made three rules for herself: “Don’t be scared. Say yes to every opportunity. Fun comes first.” When Wes offers her an opportunity to dance professionally again, she makes it clear that she won’t mix business with pleasure. After this brisk and pleasing opening, the romantic energy of the plot is put on the back burner, with Remi and Wes determined to fight their attraction. The narrative shifts to Wes’ fight to keep his dignity and funding intact after a date reveals his prowess (and package) in the bedroom on the Bad Bachelors dating app, which promptly dubs him “The Anaconda.” Meanwhile, Remi battles her lack of confidence and fear of failure, anxieties which are rooted in her painful past. Both Remi and Wes have tough decisions to make about prioritizing love or career, especially once jealous rivals enter the picture, but it’s frustrating that most of their problems could have been solved with an honest conversation rather than avoidance. As in the previous book in this series, London (Bad Bachelor, 2018, etc.) explores the ethics and perils of the Bad Bachelors app.

The behind-the-scenes look at the making of a dance production takes center stage in this competent but unevenly paced romance.