Pas de Don't

Heather Hays finally has everything she’s worked for—she’s a principal dancer at New York Ballet Theater, has the best friend a girl could ask for, and is engaged to her forever crush, fellow principal Jack Andersen. They’ve been dubbed “American ballet royalty” . . . but when Heather’s best friend Carly catches Jack with a corps ballet dancer, the castle comes crashing down. Determined to prove that she rose to the top on her own merits—and not, as the press has always implied, because of her relationship with Jack—she accepts a guest position from the only company that will hire her without him: the Australian National Ballet.

Marcus Campbell has had the most hellish year imaginable. He shredded his Achilles tendon during a performance, destroying any chance of his dad seeing him dance before lung cancer ended his life. He’s spent a year in physical therapy, getting his strength back and determined to honor his father’s memory by getting back on stage before he’s too old to dance anymore. Now Marcus’s boss wants him to play tour guide for the company’s new arrival.

When Marcus realizes who the new arrival is, and that she’s even more gorgeous in person than she is on the cover of Barre magazine, he also finds she’s opinionated and funny. And for Heather, Marcus is everything Jack wasn’t: kind, consistent, and interested in what she has to say. For once in her life, she wants to rebel a little. But Heather’s in Sydney to dance, and it’s not like she can act on her attraction: ANB has a strict no-dating policy, an anti-harassment measure that the reform-minded artistic director takes very seriously.

But as their Sydney sightseeing time turns to much more, Heather and Marcus find even the best-kept secrets have a way of coming out.
 

“" Pas de Don't sizzles with sexual chemistry between the two leads. It's a kind and grown-up love story between two passionate and ambitious people. Angyal rips the glamorous facade off the world of ballet and exposes the heart and artistry of those who dance. A truly original take on a slow-burn workplace romance." --Andie J. Christopher, USA Today bestselling author of Thank You, Next”

“Pas de Don't sizzles with sexual chemistry between the two leads. It's a kind and grown-up love story between two passionate and ambitious people. Angyal rips the glamorous facade off the world of ballet and exposes the heart and artistry of those who dance. A truly original take on a slow-burn workplace romance." — Andie J. Christopher, USA Today bestselling author of Thank You, Next
“A tender, sexy novel about the forbidden romance between two dancers at the Australian National Ballet, Pas de Don’t will sweep readers off their feet. Chloe Angyal’s deep knowledge of the ballet world gives the story an extra layer of richness and originality. I fell hard for the longing and the chemistry, and started wondering if I should move to Sydney.” —Laura Hankin, author of A Special Place for Women and The Daydreams
“A standing ovation for Pas de Don’t! Chloe Angyal has created a heart-stopping romance filled with lush settings, characters, and chemistry that will make you gasp. Her in-depth knowledge of the ballet world made every detail feel so special and left me yearning for more even after the story ended.” —Alexa Martin, author of the Playbook series, Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes, and Better than Fiction
“Absolutely unputdownable—who needs sleep when a love story is this perfect? Angyal's romance debut is transporting, but not just to Australia or into the world of professional ballet. You will feel the sizzling chemistry and charming wonder of falling in love and the power of taking center stage in your own life. Pas de Don't is the warm embrace and sexy standing ovation you've been looking for, and Chloe Angyal is a new auto-buy author for me.” —Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting

"Women get everything they want and everything they deserve. So they deserve to be treated with respect and in the bedroom and outside of it."—Talk Iowa, Iowa Public Radio
"There’s a lot of backstory to get through before the love story begins in earnest, but readers who stick with it will be rewarded by an emotional forbidden romance that doubles as a love letter to ballet and a travelogue through Sydney. This is a treat."—Publishers Weekly
“A sexy, smoldering romance that pulls back the curtain on the world of ballet and deftly portrays the ambition, drive, and passion of those who live and work in it.”  — Library Journal
“It’s so good! It’s so well-written and smart and I love that it’s grounded in reality. And I love the ending— it’s really strong and satisfying.” —Carol Heikkinen, screenwriter, Center Stage (2000)

"Of all the contemporary romance books published thus far in 2023, this is, by far, our staff’s and readership’s favorite." —Talk of Iowa: Iowa Public Radio.
"Pas de Don’t is simultaneously the perfect beach read and a deeper, very timely, commentary about the ballet world," —Fjord Review.

"Angyal educates readers about the kinds of reforms that are desperately needed in the ballet world, and the people who are pushing for those changes." —Bookishly Jewish.

Pas de Don't is featured in Smart Bitches' "Hide Your Wallet!" column "featuring weekly releases we’re excited for." 

"Some of my favorite authors are raving about this novel so, of course, when I had the chance to read it,  I didn't hesitate. . . . Pas De Don't had humor, passion, and interesting commentary on work place harassment. The secondary characters and plot enhanced the primary plot and helped provide that little something extra and the pacing made reading this so easy, I felt like I was done before I even started." —Must-Read Books or Die.

"A sweet romance, beautifully picturesque setting, and an immersive peek into the world of professional ballet? Sign me up." —The Bucolic Bookshelf.

"...fantastic. The characters and the plot are grown up and the romance is tender (and steamy). Angyal uses her background in dance to ground her romance between professional dancers in the physical joy of being a dancer, without glamorizing (or fetishizing) all the things beyond art that make ballet a world apart." —Cannonball Reads.

"A lyrically beautiful romance about two hurt lovers who find healing together, even if they might have to risk it all to keep it." —B. And Her Books Reviews.

"A sexy, smoldering romance that pulls back the curtain on the world of ballet and deftly portrays the ambition, drive, and passion of those who live and work in it." —Library Journal.

Chloe Angyal is the author of Turning Pointe: How a New Generation of Dancers Is Saving Ballet from Itself, which was the result of years of reporting on gender and power in American ballet. Her writing about ballet has appeared in Jezebel and the Washington Post and has been quoted in the New York Times. Pas de Don't is her first novel. She holds a BA from Princeton and a PhD in arts and media from the University of New South Wales. She lives in Iowa City, Iowa.

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