Review Detail

It’s Only Dancing fuses a coming-of-age story with camp time fun! Guillory takes readers through Kat (the main character’s) journey of having to spend time with her family at a camp in SoCal instead of prepping for college. What happens over the course of the month will open Kat’s eyes to new people, relationships, and finding the confidence to reignite her passions.

This is a sweet YA debut from Guillory who brings her swoon-worthy romances to a younger audience. Like her other novels, she creates a charming setting to entice readers a light-hearted HEA (happily ever after) that will put a smile on your face. While an easygoing read, I appreciated the heavier topics that are woven into the novel with care. This novel discusses issues of race, body image, bullying, and more. Kat has been set back by many of these obstacles and it’s through the story that she starts the journey of starting to love herself again.

This story’s themes of finding your footing and figuring out your path will make it relatable to so many readers. It reminds us that life has setbacks that we have to overcome to move forward. The nods to popular dance movies (such as Step Up and Save the Last Dance) were so much fun. It enforces just how much dance is an art form of expression and that we should let loose with music every once in a while.

This story made me smile not only because of the cute romance and dance scenes, but mainly because of the new relationships that were fostered. Kat learns to be a more open person and realizes that she doesn’t have to carry the weight of her problems alone. Seeing her path to finding dance again is so rewarding! I would recommend this story to those who love romance, dancing, and motivational stories of self-love.