ARC Review: Second Position by Melody Grace

Second Position is the second installment in the Dirty Dancing Serial by Melody Grace. The Dirty Dancing Serial is actually a revised and expanded version of With Every Heartbeat, that was previously published by Melody Grace. While most of the story is the same, there are additional scenes and POVs that were not in the original version. Second Position is a continuation of Raphael and Annalise's story, and should only be read after First Position.

This installment picks up right where the cliffhanger of First Position left off, with Annalise hurting her ankle and wondering how she will possibly be able to perform at her audition. Annalise gets lucky and her time to prepare is extended, allowing her ankle to heal. But with her career on the line, Annalise realizes that now more than ever she needs to focus on dance and unfortunately that means staying away from Raphael. But Raphael is determined to make things up to Annalise and show her that what is between them is real and worth pursuing. Can Annalise have it all, or was her injury enough to convince her that some risks aren't worth taking?

I felt like this installment really showed things heating up between Annalise and Raphael. We really get to see the chemistry and passion between them as well as their growing connection to one another. They start to really get to know one another, and for the first time really get to spend some time together. Annalise and Raphael are extremely hot together, but what makes them work so well is how much they understand one another. They connect in a way that most people aren't able to because of their love and passion for dancing. They might have different styles, but they are able to understand all the same. It was great seeing them open up to each other more and for them to be able to talk about what they want for themselves in the future. I like how supportive and encouraging they are of each other, and I think we really get to see that in this installment. Second Position does end with another cliffhanger, and you will definitely be left wanting more.

While I like the revamped version giving us more steam and more of Raphael's thoughts and feelings, I had the same issue with this installment as I did with the previous one. Because of the switch from a novel to a serial, the story feels as though it is disjointed. I think some of this is due to the fact that I know the story and had read With Every Heartbeat. I know where things go from here and I see where the story was stopped in the middle of. I am not sure if it would feel so fragmented had I not previously read this though, so there is a chance that this is just because I know the story already. I do think that this is worth reading, and I think that fans of Melody Grace that haven't previously read this will definitely want to check it out. If you have read With Every Heartbeat and enjoyed it, I think that you will enjoy seeing more of Raphael's POV as well as more heat with this serial. But I am honestly not sure if I would buy this having already read With Every Heartbeat. While the extras have been fun and it's been great to see new content, I am not sure that they really add that much more to the story to justify the cost.

**ARC Provided by Mark My Words Book Publicity**

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