Dance Away with Me: A Novel

Written by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Narrated by Nicole Poole

At long last, the legendary New York Times bestselling author returns with a heartfelt novel of womanhood, a wild heart, and the healing power of love.

Run, run, as fast as you can!

When life throws her one setback too many, midwife and young widow Tess Hartsong takes off for Runaway Mountain. In this small town high in the Tennessee mountains, surrounded by nature, she hopes to outrun her heartbreak and find the solace she needs to heal. 

But instead of peace and quiet, she encounters an enigmatic artist with a craving for solitude, a fairy-tale sprite with too many secrets, a helpless infant, a passel of curious teens, and a town suspicious of outsiders, especially one as headstrong as Tess. Just as headstrong, is Ian North, a difficult, gifted man with a tortured soul—a man who makes Tess question everything. 

In running away to this new life, Tess wonders— Has she lost herself . . . or has she found her future? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jun 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9780062973061

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books have been published in over thirty languages. Guided by the motto, “Life is better with happily-ever-afters,” she loves writing about love in all its forms. Among her accomplishments, Susan created the sports romance with her novel Fancy Pants. She is best known for her Chicago Stars and Wynette, Texas series, as well as multiple stand-alone books. Visit Susan’s website at www.susanelizabethphillips.com.

Reviews for Dance Away with Me

[Lammert · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book would have been better if the female protagonist had been less perfect. As it was she was a bit exhausting.

[Jennifer Adams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is on of my most favorite authors!

Do you know the feeling when you can’t wait to find out what happens next, when you are compelled to keep reading, or listening, in this case? That is this book!

[M A. I. · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It was way too long for what it should've been. It's true that this book talks about important matters. Such as grief, feminism or sex ed. However, I don't think we need over 400 pgs to do that. In fact, I lost count of how many times teenagers showed up on Tess door to ask for info about sex.
Then, I didn't feel the romance at all. They felt more like roomates/friends. It's true that their chemistry is there, but the transition to a romance...felt awkward.
Plus, there was a lot of build-up around that amazing chemistry that I stop feeling once they were intimate. Again, a lot of build-up to the scene. But the sex scene itself was too short. Barely a few paragraphs. Too rushed for my taste.
With all this, I'm not saying this is a bad book. It just wasn't the book for me. I will give more tries to Susan Elizabeth Phillips since this was my first time.

[ladana Vernon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Most amazing book I’ve listened to in awhile AMAZING !!!!!

[Fena Reti · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

At first I was enjoying it but quickly I realised I was definitely not the demographic. In the end it felt a bit flat for me. I just wanted to finish it to get it over with so that I find something more enjoyable to read.

[morgan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this one! A new favorite! Such a great ending and epilogue.

[Lissa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really different story great characters ? loved it a lot

[claire Kilpatrick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. The emotions I felt as I read it were intense. I didn’t see how it could have a happy ending, but Ms. Phillips came through as she always does. There were some good messages in the story and I think anyone who reads this book will have a stretch in his/her thoughts. Thank you Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I love all of your books. Please keep on writing!

[Stephanie Wright · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was a bit dark and sad to me. My least favorite of her books.

[Sandra Bailey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely LOVED it, funny and heart wrenching! Great read!

[Parkinson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great characters. Wonderful story. You laugh and you cry. Susan did it again with this one.

[Diana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a beautiful heartwarming story and it really captures the essence of small town living and what it means to be part of such a great community. The most interesting characters and I fell in love with this book the people and the wonderful story. The author is fast becoming my favourite and once again the narrator was awesome.

[ROSVI C. GAETOS · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful book! I was hesitant to listen to it at first after reading the reviews but I was glad I ignored them and followed my instinct that this excellent author will never go wrong.
The story is rich in strong and colorful characters, with their own stories to tell. The heroine is nothing like your typical ones, driven unwittingly into the lives of others in her community. Dialogue is witty and funny between the hero and the heroine. I just did not like the part where the heroine gave up on the hero yet she persevered for others.

[sarah Stow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The best book that I’ve read in a long time! And I read many a week

[alison durham · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I find it very hard to believe SEP actually wrote this book. Dear lord, it was boring. so boring. If it was any other author I would have stopped about halfway through, I kept waiting for it to get better. And none of the characters were particularly likeable. I rolled my eyes so hard I think I saw my brain during the epilogue. The only redeeming thing about it was the narrator, she did a great job.

[icwhit · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm a big fan of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and this is one of her best. She delves into some deep issues, including teen pregnancy and death, but overall the book is heartwarming and uplifting. Highly recommended!

[judy griffin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A vanilla, non-steamy ROM COM. Author Susan R Phillips is a writer at the top of the game. Is not a novice. I was empathetic towards the characters

[ftbooklover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tess has gone to stay in a cabin in the Tennessee mountains to try to escape the devastating death of her husband. Nothing makes her feel better except for dancing outside the cabin in the rain, but her new neighbor, famous graffiti artist Ian, is angered by the loud music because it disrupts his creative process. Not only is his girlfriend, Bianca, not angry, she is happy to have another woman to talk to as she enters the last two months of her pregnancy. When Bianca goes into early labor, the events that follow throw Tess and Ian together in ways neither of them planned or expected.

Dance Away with Me can't be called a fun read, but both of the main characters are well developed, leaving the impression that they are real people. Even though the book is filled with sadness and loss, the sarcastic dialogue is sometimes funny, showing a little ray of hope in this story filled with sorrow. The quirky characters who inhabit the town add even more to this enjoyable book. Overall, Dance Away with Me is a story of characters living with despair, who manage to rise above their situation.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was really hoping to like this book as it had been on several lists of highly anticipated novels, but I thought it was just OK. I think the story had a lot of promise, but it was a bit preachy (telling customers that you won't sell them something, setting up info on sex education against the store owner's wishes). I also thought it was predictable that Ian and Tess would end up together from the moment they met. Tess was a whirlwind in the town, and an outsider, so I was a bit surprised of her takeover of the town in many ways. I expected more from this novel.

[phyllis2779 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not a bad romance but I bogged down in the middle. I will try to finish it.

[madison_fairbanks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dance Away With Me by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsThere’s a reason this author is continually on The NY Times bestseller lists. It includes phenomenal writing, multi-dimensional characters and a story to invest your emotions and time in reading. This story includes a street artist learning to let go of his anger, a widow learning to live with her grief and learning to live and love again. And a small town learning to encompass change.Overly dramatic? I will admit to shedding some tears in a couple of the emotional scenes. A story of family, renewal, and accepting change. I loved it. It is darker than the usual by this author. I won an early copy of this book from the publisher through a reader conference. 4.5 rounded up.