Lead and Follow

In the sizzling first installment of her Club Devant series, Porter explores the explosive chemistry between longtime Latin dance partners Dimitri “Dima” Turgenev and Lizzie Maynes. After a failed lift leaves Lizzie with a torn ACL and doubt about her career’s viability, Dima is tortured by guilt, since he was the one who dropped her. He takes time out from serious competition to dance at Club Devant, where he works on developing a new style. The dance partners’ relationship, close but chaste until now, changes after Lizzie picks up a bartender at the club, Paul Reeves, leading to a steamy threesome. Between red-hot sex scenes, the author deftly explores the pitfalls and possible rewards of friends becoming lovers, leaving readers with the welcome message that life can hand out happy surprises even when things look grim. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Jan.)