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First Position

Melissa Brayden (Goodreads Author)

4.16 · Rating details · 1,950 ratings · 253 reviews

Anastasia Mikhelson is the rising star of the New York City Ballet. She’s sacrificed creature comforts, a social life, as well as her own physical well-being for perfection in dance. Even her reputation as The Ice Queen doesn’t faze her. Though Ana’s at the peak of her career, competition from a new and noteworthy dancer puts all she’s worked for in jeopardy.

While Natalie ...more

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Paperback, 249 pages

Published August 16th 2016 by Bold Strokes Books

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· 1,950 ratings · 253 reviews

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Jun 23, 2016 Jem rated it it was amazing

Shelves: twist-y, gifted-girls, injured-sick-disabled, opposites-attract, favorite-2016-reads

How can something so formulaic be so good? You've got to hand it to Melissa Brayden. She's got the style and technique down pat. Match a pair of starkly opposite leads, whip up some sparkling repartee, throw up some impossible hurdles, and sprinkle some secret Brayden-branded pixie dust and you've got another hugely enjoyable read. If we were to examine the pixie dust under the microscope, this is probably what we'd find: (1) Humor—not slapstick, but the kind that just flows naturally and doesn’ How can something so formulaic be so good? You've got to hand it to Melissa Brayden. She's got the style and technique down pat. Match a pair of starkly opposite leads, whip up some sparkling repartee, throw up some impossible hurdles, and sprinkle some secret Brayden-branded pixie dust and you've got another hugely enjoyable read. If we were to examine the pixie dust under the microscope, this is probably what we'd find: (1) Humor—not slapstick, but the kind that just flows naturally and doesn’t try too hard. She has this uncanny ability to mine them from situations and the characters’ personalities that just works. (2) Seamless transitions—which I think is even harder than humor to capture and perfect. She can take a perfectly ordinary, whimsical scene and turn it into something really meaningful and memorable. (view spoiler). Her characters, worlds and dialogue all have a certain kind of charm and vibrancy that’s upbeat, uplifting and feel-good. She tends to lean too much towards the saccharine side. But then always tempers it with one last bit of conflict or heartbreak the characters have to wade through before their eventual HEA. The structure may be formulaic, but the style is all Brayden-original.

In this book, the author takes us into the rigorous and severely stringent world of professional ballet-- from the thrill of auditions to the pain of endless rehearsals, all through the exhilaration of performances and final bows. Ana is all classical ballerina in every single aspect--from the physique, to the discipline, to the well-controlled technique. She’s probably been training for it since she was an embryo :), being the daughter of famous Russian dancers. For Ana, her entire future is set in stone: be the principal dancer of a top ballet company. She goes after this goal with the single-minded focus and dedication of a zombie after the last remaining human, eschewing fun, fast food and friends in favor of endless practice and perfecting her technique.

When we first come upon Ana in the book, she has one foot in the door--an offer to dance the principal role in an original ballet production. But, she is in competition with a total unknown plucked from the wild. Because of the ‘contemporary and edgy’ vibe of the production, the choreographer has chosen an outsider with a good ballet background to alternate with Ana in the lead role.

Natalie quit the rigid world of classical ballet training over a decade ago to do it her way. Over a decade of going it alone, with her own ragtag dance company, has been very fulfilling for Natalie’s creativity and dancing, but unfortunately, not for her finances. A chance to step back into the world of professional ballet as the lead dancer is simply too big to pass up, even if it means dancing under the confining structure and discipline of a very traditional dance company, something that is completely against her nature. It doesn’t help that Ana, the person tasked to help her master the role’s more technical requirements, is cold, unfriendly, and in her opinion, stuck-up. Despite that, she’s finding she can’t keep her eyes off the Ice Queen.

What follows is typical Brayden. Competitive sparks graduate to friendly and beyond, as the two dancers compete and support each other. Ana has to deal with health issues common to ballet dancers while trying to live up to her famous father’s ambitions for her. Meanwhile, Natalie is finding out all over again why she left classical ballet in the first place. Colorful and well-developed supporting characters pepper the book. Some memorable ones include Ana’s Russian father, nosy Audrey and lovely Helen. Many authors have trouble with foreign English. Russian papa’s wording was spot-on. And guess which characters from Ms. Brayden’s other books show up?

In this book, the conflict/heartbreak is much more intense and darker than the usual Brayden, so maybe have some tissues on stand-by, just in case. :) The emotional impact was a little too understated, imho. (view spoiler) That’s just nitpicking though. This is a truly enjoyable read and right up there among my favorite romances of the year (probably #1 or near it) :)

4.9 stars

ARC from Netgalley & Bold Strokes Books. ...more

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May 04, 2016 Lex Kent rated it really liked it

Shelves: f-f-bsb-romance

My favorite Brayden book is Waiting in the Wings followed closely by Soho #1, so when I heard about this coming out I was dying to read it. It was good and enjoyable, just not quite as excellent as Waiting in the Wings is.
I liked both characters, but felt that I understood Ana more. I enjoyed how it was not love at first site, but pure frustration. The chemistry was absolutely there and built and built as the book went on.
I also thought Brayden added a bit of a twist I didn't see coming with ab ...more

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Nov 01, 2015 Tiff rated it it was amazing

Shelves: angst, paint-music-art, humor, my-absolute-favs, hate-to-love

So you go about your days reading books, thinking oh yes this one is good, that one over there is so good, and then a Melissa Brayden comes along making everything else seem. . . well just less than. Dancing is an art form, one I was not blessed with. Don’t you snicker now, I have moves, as a matter a fact I can do the can do the Shopping Cart and the Lawnmower like a badass, but that isn’t going to land me on the big stage, there is always hope for America’s Funniest Videos though. Dancing, rea So you go about your days reading books, thinking oh yes this one is good, that one over there is so good, and then a Melissa Brayden comes along making everything else seem. . . well just less than. Dancing is an art form, one I was not blessed with. Don’t you snicker now, I have moves, as a matter a fact I can do the can do the Shopping Cart and the Lawnmower like a badass, but that isn’t going to land me on the big stage, there is always hope for America’s Funniest Videos though. Dancing, real dancing, like in First Position is heart stopping beautiful, a vivacious combination of living breathing art and absolute athleticism. Now throw in a heart stopping, angsty, sexy romance with some pirouettes. What do you get, well I’ll tell you, in my opinion you have Melissa Brayden’s best one yet! Bold statement right?

Anastasia “Ana” Mikhelson is all business, all the time. Ballet, ballet and more ballet, there is nothing else in her life literally. She is the product of two famous Russian ballet superstars, her father arguably being the most famous danseur in the world. For Ana life is about living up to her father’s fame, finding his acceptance through her hard work and flawless technical ability. What she lacks and what is holding her from being the best, passion. Ana for the life of her cannot figure out how to capture that fire that she has been told that she is missing. This all changes when a cocky rival, Natalie Frederico shows up to dance with Ana’s company, the New York City Ballet.

Natalie Frederico was a ballet child prodigy. Out of nowhere she was accepted into one of the world’s most prestigious schools. The thing was ballet was too rigid for this free spirit, so she left and headed out to LA to find her own expression of her art. Barely making it, a chance opportunity arrives year’s later for her to dance as a soloist in a new production for the New York City Ballet. While her fire is there and passion exudes from her very pores as she dances, she needs help refining her technique. Who can she turn to for help? You guessed it, the Ice Queen Ana Mikhelson. Watch out for the sparks!

These two have banter, they are competitive as hell with each other, and the whole time you have that great push-pull that really holds your attention and grabs at those little heartstrings. So many times you just catch yourself smiling through the book, almost wanting to lose your page and start from the beginning all over again. It’s sexy, it’s hot, it’s funny, it’s witty, it’s angsty. . .it’s just damn good reading (I have more adjectives, but I stopped myself). This is arguably Melissa Brayden’s best work. Bold statement yes, but I’m sticking by it. Easily one of the top five books I have read this year, easily.

Eleventy billion stars :)

...more

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Nov 01, 2015 Pin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: character_ice-queen-reputation, narrative_twisty, dynamics_femme-femme, info_review-copy, theme_music-classical, theme_relationship-started-badly, setting_showbiz, character_injury-recovery, theme_opposites-attract, 4-and-a-half-stars

Firstly, First Position is a very good romance novel. Not my favorite by the author, but ranks third with Kiss the Girl taking first place and How Sweet It Is second. I really liked the leads, as well as a number of equally well-done secondary characters. Brayden has found her formula and she masterfully produces quality books one after the other. So far the only three (more precisely, three and a half) stars in my book are reserved for her debut Waiting in the Wings, but I liked its two leads a ...more

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Nov 02, 2015 Agirlcandream rated it it was amazing

What a beautiful love story. Two actually.

Brayden is at the top of her game with First Position. She’s given us a story with heart, hope and a whole lot of wonderful. What sets her novels above the rest? Her ability to turn a simple story into something special, scenes so easy to imagine you think you are watching a movie and a cast you can’t help but admire and wish you knew. It’s an intoxicating combination.

Natalie is a dancer with raw talent and a creative spirit reveling in the freedom she What a beautiful love story. Two actually.

Brayden is at the top of her game with First Position. She’s given us a story with heart, hope and a whole lot of wonderful. What sets her novels above the rest? Her ability to turn a simple story into something special, scenes so easy to imagine you think you are watching a movie and a cast you can’t help but admire and wish you knew. It’s an intoxicating combination.

Natalie is a dancer with raw talent and a creative spirit reveling in the freedom she finds in modern dance but struggling financially for her art. When she is asked to audition for a classical ballet company back in New York she is reluctant but accepts the offer.

Ana is rigid and driven to succeed both for herself and to please her father. She has worked hard to become a prima ballerina, perfecting her craft while struggling to find the emotional range needed to win this coveted title.

Two women with completely different work ethics forced to train together makes for an entertaining look at how opposites do attract. It was a pleasure to watch this romance develop in the heart of the theatre world. Ana is the best drawn character I’ve read in Brayden’s growing collection. There is so much depth to her, so much suppressed emotion. Natalie has her role to play but the joy and liberation Ana feels as she discovers her true potential elevates the story from predictable to excellent.

Two love stories you ask? Yes, in my opinion there are two in this novel. Natalie and Ana are the first. The second is the authors love for the Performing Arts. First Position is a love letter to all those involved in theatrical productions of all kinds. Brayden shines when she writes about the lives of her dancers, actors, stage managers and choreographers. She knows the industry and she understands the dedication needed to succeed in front of an audience or behind the scenes. One of my favourite scenes in the novel is a quiet one at the end of a performance when Natalie lingers in the theatre lobby before heading home;

She strolled into the house where the ushers were vacuuming the red carpet after the audience had dispersed and headed out into the world. A singular ghost light stood onstage. She stared at it, the image somehow magical to her, the lonely light that would keep watch until they all returned and did it again the next day. Loc. 3768

Like I said, two love stories.

ARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.
...more

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Jun 28, 2016 Diane Wallace rated it it was ok

When you're used to a such good works from certain authors then there comes a time when their writings just do not have the "IT" factor. Well this book is just that,i had to check to make sure that i was really reading a Melissa Brayden's book. Could not pinpoint exactly the cause of what my struggles and frustrations were to get through this story but i sure had lots of skipping pages going and add to it,it took me extra time to get done because the storyline was not i think written to Ms.Brayd ...more

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Jul 04, 2016 Wendy'sThoughts rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Melissa Brayden Fans, Dance, FF Romance

3.5 Finding Out What's Important Stars
* * * 1/2
I am a sucker for anything Dance related. I took Ballet as a kid and once you have that in you... I think you always consider yourself a dancer. Now that is Not to say I was accomplished on pointe or continued after 11 years old. I segued into musical theater and that was more of the goal for my teen years. I share this so you will understand my quick click for this book.

Hey, it had a perfectly pointed toe shoe! Seriously, though, this book had all ...more

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Jun 19, 2019 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

First time listening to lesbian fiction on audio book. It was definitely an experience.

Natalie is a show runner in LA. She does art for the meaning and feeling of it. Not the commercial aspect of it. Unfortunately non-commercial doesn't pay the bills and the show has to end. A scout watches their final performance and fairy tale picks her up and drops her into the New York City Ballet. Anna is a stuck up dancer there that only strives to be the best. There is no such thing as a social life for h ...more

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May 04, 2016 Julia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ff, read-in-2016, contemporary, lesbian-romance, co-workers, showbiz, enemies-to-lovers, ice-queen-reputation, opposites-attract, arcs

I have a lot of feelings about this book so here goes my attempt to translate them into a coherent review.

At first impression I was thinking, this is the Melissa Brayden version of Black Swan, the 2010 film. The characters of Ana and Natalie reminded me a lot of Nina and Lily from that movie, but to be fair, they could be compared to many other pairings with the typical "opposites attract" dynamic: one who is shy and closed off and another who is bright and easygoing and manages to pull the firs I have a lot of feelings about this book so here goes my attempt to translate them into a coherent review.

At first impression I was thinking, this is the Melissa Brayden version of Black Swan, the 2010 film. The characters of Ana and Natalie reminded me a lot of Nina and Lily from that movie, but to be fair, they could be compared to many other pairings with the typical "opposites attract" dynamic: one who is shy and closed off and another who is bright and easygoing and manages to pull the first one out of their shell.

Objectively, I can acknowledge what wasn't so perfect in this book. The characters were hardly super original — Ana who works harder than anyone because of family pressure to be as good as them, Natalie who is a free spirit and doesn't care about money and just wants to do what she loves. Some things were predictable and maybe rushed, maybe a little too cheesy. The big conflict towards the end, although pretty much expected, was by far the saddest amongst the other Brayden books I've read, and then I thought it was resolved a bit too quickly. ((view spoiler))

And yet you can see I gave this the full 5 stars, because this is what Brayden does to me. She follows the same sort of formula of her other books, but makes up for it with... everything else. In the end, what would otherwise bother me just feels so small in comparison to how the story made me feel. Maybe this is partly because I've only read three out of her 6 other novels, so I'm not too tired of her formula just yet, but no book that had me squealing and smiling this much deserves less than 5/5 stars.

I've come to categorize Brayden in my head as the best at mixing fluff and angst. She gives you the sweetest romance, and on the next scene she might just rip your heart out. She can turn even the most mundane of scenes into the best, most meaningful interactions between her characters with just a few well-chosen sentences. The witty kind of charm that her characters have is irresistible, and the natural way she writes humor into the scenes is one of the things I appreciate the most in books.

By the end of the book, I couldn't believe these same characters couldn't stand each other in the beginning; it just felt like a distant memory. But a believable one: if I'd worked as hard as Ana my whole life towards a single goal, only to end up competing with a woman who'd been simply handed the same opportunity despite putting no effort into getting there specifically, you bet I'd be pissed as hell too. And yet, they turned out to be just what the other needed: while Natalie could use a lot of help with her ballet technique and discipline after a lifetime of doing things her own way accompanied by her party-goer girlfriend, Ana desperately needed the passion that Natalie inspired in her, not only so she could do her job better but also find enjoyment in it, and snap out of her exhausting routine of endless hard work and no gratification. (view spoiler)

Now, I must take a moment to comment on the best surprise of this book: the special appearances. I couldn't be more thankful if I tried. (view spoiler)

So. I've read this in a couple of other reviews already, but I guess there's no better way to say it: Brayden did it again. And this is one of her best.

ARC received from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jul 21, 2018 Linda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-solid-five-star-read, femme-femme

An excellent read! My third book by Ms Brayden and I’m getting hooked with her writing. Loved the story which had a feel-good factor; none of the back-stabbing or betrayal which I thought will be part of this writing. 2 strong MCs in Ana and Natalie who are the opposite and yet complement each other. I enjoyed their banters, felt their angst and immersed in their joy!

This is a book that I can read over and over again.

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Feb 04, 2020 Farah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

2O2O Book Challenge
Read A Brayden Once A Week

Brayden hits the nail right on the head once again. Emotional, sensual, romantic, almost everything about this book I adore. It had sweetness laced with heart-melting scenes that totally had me wrapped up in the story. Ana and Natalie made a good combo for a romance story, they are both a little broken which just made for a more believable connection between the characters. Call me silly but I believed their story, I was drawn into the drama and love 2O2O Book Challenge
Read A Brayden Once A Week

Brayden hits the nail right on the head once again. Emotional, sensual, romantic, almost everything about this book I adore. It had sweetness laced with heart-melting scenes that totally had me wrapped up in the story. Ana and Natalie made a good combo for a romance story, they are both a little broken which just made for a more believable connection between the characters. Call me silly but I believed their story, I was drawn into the drama and loved and raced along with the pages desperate for the happily ever after. Although predictable, it was just perfect, complete loved up scenes with hot bedroom action all delivered by gorgeous characters who were the complete opposites but complement and complete each other.

Natalie wanted more than just ballet, she dropped out of the prestigious ballet school and made a name for herself in LA. Dancing was in her blood, consumed her soul but it didn't pay the bills. The new prospect in NY was just what she needed but partnering with Ana was like discovering that she ran out of batteries when she needed them the most.

Ballet was the only thing that mattered to Ana, she gave up on everything none ballet related. She was career minded and got to her current position thanks to her own two feet. Ana started from the bottom and finally, it was time for her to grab the principal dancer post. She got it, but her celebration was short-lived, thanks to Natalie.

There were no twists or out-of-the-blue surprises. It was just a sweet story that encompasses the highs and lows of life, the good/bad times, the regrets/what-ifs, and the quest for soul-mate love.

In the end, it is hard not to liiiiike? this book on some levels despite the 2 issues I have with it.
A. Natalie's relationship with her gf, before moving to NY is not serious enough for them to agree to a LDR.
B. I think the 8O% breakup scene is inspired by An Affair To Remember, love Deborah Kerr so love the movie but Brayden's version, pass.

All of us readers need an occasional feel-good romance that put a few frowns, grimaces and smiles on our face and First Position is that kind of book.

Final score - 3¹⅝ ...more

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Oct 24, 2015 Amanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, lesbian-fiction

Oh Melissa Brayden and her super sweet romances, we just can’t quit them. I would probably preorder her next 15 books if they were available. I usually purchase the ebook/paperback combo from bold strokes, and will for sure be purchasing the paperback copy. My favorite authors I rarely request an ARC, but with Brayden’s new book I couldn’t resist. I may not have loved this book as much as her other books because I just listened to her Soho Romances on audiobook. Her books are best read with a li ...more

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Nov 02, 2015 Just a man's point of view rated it it was amazing

Shelves: lesbian, personal-growth, defrosting-ice-queen

Reading a Melissa Brayden’s romance is like curling on a comfy sofa in the soft glow of a fireplace during Winter. In other words, it makes you feel all warm and cozy while reading about powerful emotions, sweet feelings, and a good dose of nice humorous banter. You’re surrounded by a very feminine, delicate atmosphere.

First Position brings the reader in the world of Ballet. A world, an Art, made of a stern and strict physical discipline on one side, and heart-felt, intensely emotional expressiv Reading a Melissa Brayden’s romance is like curling on a comfy sofa in the soft glow of a fireplace during Winter. In other words, it makes you feel all warm and cozy while reading about powerful emotions, sweet feelings, and a good dose of nice humorous banter. You’re surrounded by a very feminine, delicate atmosphere.

First Position brings the reader in the world of Ballet. A world, an Art, made of a stern and strict physical discipline on one side, and heart-felt, intensely emotional expressiveness on the other.
As the balance of these two qualities is the ideal that bring forth the masterpiece, in this book they are incarnate in the two leading characters. Ana, daughter of a severe world famous dancer, is all discipline, while Natalie is heart and feelings.

But under all that strict discipline, Ana has also a big, tender heart, just waiting for the right person to dig out.
As the view of the art starts to change from antagonistic to harmonious, sparkling attraction, feelings and love starts to blossom between Ana and Natalie.

One of the things that I appreciate most in Melissa Brayden’s novels, and expecially in this book, is that the main characters really communicate. They talk to each other. They do not spare indefinitely the truth, even when uncomfortable or inconvenient. As a result, true friendship is born. Not just an attraction. Not just an infatuation, not even just superficial comfortable relax in each other’s company. Please authors, take note! If it is friendship that you want to describe, it goes along with sincerity.
And attraction plus true friendship is a solid foundation for love.

There is another beautiful aspect of this book I want to touch. But it’s better to put it under spoiler.
(view spoiler)
A very beautiful, moving end.
...more

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Apr 13, 2016 Sprinkles rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: enemies-to-lovers, fluffy, femme-femme, ice-queen, character-crush, celebrity, performing-arts, romantic, workplace-setting, funny

This story is on POINTE. *ignores jeering at beautiful pun*

I knew it. I just knew this would be my favorite Melissa Brayden book ever since I saw its cover. I'm not a dance buff myself, but this world is ultra fascinating. It wasn't difficult to let Brayden take me away.

The initial spark of Ana and Natalie's relationship is one of my favorites: rivals to lovers. We could all see it coming like a Mack truck and that's half the fun, isn't it? And of course, I fell for the ice queen character, Ana. ...more

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Nov 02, 2015 M rated it really liked it

Shelves: l-books, romance

Excellent book.

It's all been said before great characters, dialogue and authentic settings.

However, not my favourite from this author (that would be Just Three Words), as the ending felt a bit rushed and a slight case of 'bait and switch'. Still a great book.

Book provided by the Publisher for an honest review. ...more

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Dec 01, 2015 Kate rated it it was amazing

There is no doubt that Melissa Brayden is one of the best LesFic authors out there. As a few other reviewers have said it's crazy that books with a similar formula can still be so good. First Position wasn't my favourite of her books but it was still an excellent read. I don't think I'll read another that I loved as much as How Sweet It Is.

Ana has dedicated her life to ballet, her main aim to reach the top has caused her to isolate herself from friends and colleagues. As well as sacrificing a so ...more

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Jul 01, 2016 Kennedy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-ng-romance-enjoyed-very-much

The grit, resolve and determination it takes to deliver a ballet performance at the level expected was articulated in such a manner that you felt the range of emotion of the dancers, specifically passion, energy and pain. I was swept away with the complexity and growth of Anastasia Mikhelson and Natalie Frederico. It was intoxicating to observe the effect Anastasia and Natalie had on each other. Some of us may wish to have a person in our lives that care about the craft and you to say and do the ...more

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May 04, 2016 Lexxi Kitty rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, genre-romance-contemporary, setting-continent-north-america, lgbt, lesbian-romance, ethnicity-european, lesbian-fiction, reviewed, genre-romance, age-020s

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

(For those who care about such things, two people from Waiting in the Wings appear and have relatively significant roles); just an FYI in case someone would wish to read that one before this book here (which I’d recommend doing)

This story has seemingly a cast of thousands, but two of them are the most important for today’s discussion, both of whom are roughly 27 years of age. Natalie Frederico and Anastasia ...more

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Oct 10, 2020 Bárbara Sousa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sapphic-books

Melissa Brayden, I LOVE YOU!! I’ve been reading book after book after book by this author and they are all amazing! Like, amazing isn’t even word enough to describe how good these books are. I don’t even think there’s a word that’s good enough to describe these masterpieces. I feel like i’m in heaven every time I pick up a book by Melissa. Her writing style and her stories and her main characters are just everything.
And i have to say I loved this book even more because 4 characters from two othe ...more

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Dec 31, 2015 Catherine rated it it was amazing

I am a big Melissa Brayden fan and she has never let me down with any of her books. I am excited to say that she didn't disappoint with this book! She creates fun lovable characters with funny dialogue that flows well throughout the book. I also love that her stories aren't predictable, yes she has a similar structure to her books but I never quite know what is going to happen and am often thinking I wasn't expecting that to happen.

I loved the differences between Ana and Natalie and how they com ...more

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May 04, 2016 Luce rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-read, 5-stars, romance, job-actor-dancer

I can't say much more or better than the reviewers before me. Favorite Brayden tied with Three Little Words. What are you waiting for? Go read it! ...more

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Jul 12, 2016 Pippa D rated it it was amazing

Shelves: lesbian-romances

Ana Mikhelson is the prodigy daughter of two Russian ballet stars. Technically brilliant, she finally rises through the ranks of the New York City Ballet to a leading role. Despite her obsession for ballet, her one weakness on the stage is a lack of emotion.

Her main competition for a new leading role is Natalie Frederico. Shipped in from outside the ballet company, her form is not perfect but what she lacks in precision, she makes up with her passionate and charismatic performances.

The artisti Ana Mikhelson is the prodigy daughter of two Russian ballet stars. Technically brilliant, she finally rises through the ranks of the New York City Ballet to a leading role. Despite her obsession for ballet, her one weakness on the stage is a lack of emotion.

Her main competition for a new leading role is Natalie Frederico. Shipped in from outside the ballet company, her form is not perfect but what she lacks in precision, she makes up with her passionate and charismatic performances.

The artistic director sees a challenge for both his rising stars, and forces them to work together by sharing the difficult role. Ana is obsessed with technique and precision, and Natalie’s style is more modern, and less precise. Their gradual friendship is a surprise to both of them, but there is still plenty of room to clash. Does the heat between them indicate more is possible?

This is a classic Brayden book. She’s written a number of lesbian romances, and this is one of the better ones. I really liked both the main characters. There was a solid motivation for their personalities and their behaviours, and neither were perfect either.

Brayden’s dialogue is smart and has a lovely ring of truth to it. It’s very cleverly done, to give a sense of us being in the room with the characters, while actually avoiding all the tedious bits of real life.
I don’t want to give too much away, but this is a classic uptight woman meets a wild one, and they both learn from each other. It is so beautifully written that it doesn’t really matter that we can guess what the ending is going to be long before we get there. The delivery is so clever, and the plot points sufficiently plausible that it’s a joy to get there.

I will admit to feeling compelled to finish the book, which meant not turning the light off until 4am, but it was such a good read and I just had to know what happened next. I thoroughly recommend this book.

4.5-5 stars
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
...more

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Nov 08, 2016 Megzz rated it liked it

Shelves: vanilla

Yes, yes...it's Brayden, so it could never be bad. It's got a sweet romance, and a nice enough setting. Brayden knows how to write.

However, I can't help but feel a bit frustrated with the whole thing. There's something missing from this book.
The premise is nice. I love stories where characters are artists, because it usually brings a whole new level of feels. Except in First Position, it doesn't. The story falls a bit short emotion wise.
The chemistry is fine in the first third of the book, the ...more

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Oct 16, 2016 Tara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ff, read-in-2016, workplace-romance, contemporary, reviewed-at-tlr, bold-strokes-books

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Melissa Brayden’s books or that Kiss the Girl is one of my favourite romances. There are things I’ve come to expect from her writing style, plot construction, and characters. But Natalie is not your typical Brayden heroine and First Position doesn’t have the banter I grew to know and love in the Soho Loft series, and I couldn’t be happier. I was delighted that Melissa Brayden blew all of my expectations out of the water and I can’t wait to see what else she h ...more

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Aug 02, 2017 Jacob Proffitt rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, steamy, lgbt, unfinished

It's relatively rare that I'll DNF a book I rate higher than two stars and the reasons vary widely. In this case, the romance culminated satisfactorily and I loved where the main characters were and their relationship was outstanding and strong and I totally bought the benefits each brought to the other. So at 70% all I could look forward to was pain and/or stuff going wrong. So, having put it down I found myself increasingly reluctant to pick it back up again.

Anyway, I enjoyed this romance and ...more

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Jan 03, 2021 Guerunche rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-sapphic-book-challenge, lesbian-romance, lesbian-fiction, lesbian-ice-queen

Full disclosure - I love a performing arts trope. Whether the story is about actors, musicians, dancers, artists... I'm all about them. So this one was right up my alley.
Anastasia Mikhelson has just risen to the highest rank of principal dancer for the New York City Ballet. She has worked for a lot of years to get there at great sacrifice to her body and social life. So when prodigy Natalie Frederico is brought in as a soloist from outside the company, seemingly skipping right over other dance ...more

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Nov 01, 2015 ~ * K E L L I E * ~ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, read-2016

This is a Brayden book - you just know it's going to be a great novel before you start reading...

Ana has always aspired to be the best ballerina through hard work and dedication. Her technique is like no other, however she is very rigid and proper.

Natalie is a carefree spirit who loves variety when it comes to dancing. She doesn’t have the same perfection to match Ana's technique, however what she lacks she makes up for in spirit and passion.

Ana and Natalie are given co-leads for an upcoming b ...more

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Nov 03, 2015 Stephanie rated it really liked it

ARC received from Bold Strokes via netgalley for an honest review.

I was dubious at best about a Lesbian romance with two ballerinas. I should have known if anyone could make it work it would be Melissa Brayden. It was a good, solid book. Complex main characters with a fun host of secondary characters that gave the book depth. Classic Brayden formula.

Having said all that, it wasn't my usual 5 start Brayden rating. It didn't quite hit the bar set by "Waiting in the Wings" or "Soho Loft Romances". ...more

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Jan 25, 2017 lov2laf rated it really liked it

Shelves: lesbian-or-f-f, romance, ethnic-diversity-russian, love-leads-in-their-20s, borrowed-scribd, 200-250-pages, ice-queen, location-new-york-city, from-hate-to-love

I wasn't that big of a fan of "Waiting in the Wings" and was pleasantly surprised by "First Position".

I found the characters of Natalie and Ana to be well-defined, excellent opposites, and very convincing. They felt real and the book is a simple, straight-forward satisfying romance. I thought it was great up until a certain point (view spoiler). Something about that incident felt extra tropey and the resolution felt too syrupy sweet for me...BUT, I still felt Ana and ...more

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Jun 26, 2017 Delitealex rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.5 stars

Anastasia is a dancer with the the New York City Ballet. She's very focused on furthering her career. Her social life is non existent due to always trying to improve her dancing. Anna starts feeling like an outsider when with her colleagues. Natalie is hired by the dance company and really shakes up Ana' s ordered life.

Natalie is a very talented dancer but not as dedicated to ballet as Ana is. She is more of a wild child and carefree loving modern styles of dance more than the tradition ...more

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About Melissa Brayden

Melissa Brayden

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Melissa Brayden is the multi-award winning author of sixteen women-loving-women romance novels and is hard at work on more. She is a wine enthusiast, a fan of all donuts, and is probably staring off into space as you're reading this. ...more