You’re My Beat

By: Zarah Detand

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

True love isn’t always on pointe.

When Lucas Clarke's dance troupe loses its sponsor, the last person he expects to step in is Max Fina—best friend of Lucas’ big brother and Britain’s hottest export since Harry Styles. Also? The guy Lucas has been avoiding since a sideways kiss four years ago.

Sizzling tension, a world tour, and heaps of messy emotions await in this smart and heartfelt slow-burn romance filled with British wit and charm. Will Lucas and Max stumble past misunderstandings and missed chances to finally win their hard-earned happily ever after? Listen on if you like your love stories laced with humor, realism, and a generous dash of angst.

Lucas Clarke, openly gay dancer, and Max Fina, rock star with a party-boy past, used to be like family. But an ill-advised attempt by 16-year-old Lucas to kiss Max sent them scattering in different directions—Lucas to London's Royal Ballet School, and Max to stardom's dizzying heights.

Years later, their worlds collide in Brighton. Lucas, now dancing with a struggling contemporary troupe, is reluctantly pulled into Max's glitzy world tour. Their renewed connection sparkles with fast-paced dialogue and crackling tension. Old feelings resurface, but Lucas dates others, and Max grapples with his offstage identity.

As they sway between attraction and misunderstanding, between lighthearted banter and painstaking growth, rumors ignite. Will a song and a leap of faith bridge the gap between them?

In this witty slow-burn MM romance, love's dance is realistically messy but exquisitely choreographed. Prepare for a fun, angsty journey with unforgettable characters growing, stumbling, and finally falling in step with each other.

©2023 Zarah Detand (P)2023 Zarah Detand

Loved it!

I’d never read this author before because I mostly listen to books and previously she hadn’t had audio options. I loved it! I get nervous to start slow burns because I get impatient but this book had me hooked almost immediately and the pacing was great throughout the whole thing. Joel is also a favorite narrator of mine and he did an amazing job as always. I don’t have a lot of time to eyeball read so I seriously hope that Zarah has plans to release more of her books on audio because I would love to listen to anything else she writes!

Fabulous story brought to life by one of the best

I read this book when it first came out and loved it. It is not really a second chance romance but a connecting with someone you crushed on when you were young romance. I think we all at some point remember that first crush and wonder I found it a delightful fun read - Max is rock star who during the fast climb to fame seemed to have lost his way a bit (nothing heavy but enough that he has to work at getting his life back on track and Lucas a mature guy in the body of a young man - he knows what he wants and is on his way to getting it but meeting up with Max (the guy he crushed on in a big way when he was 16) throws him off. This romance is a slow burn both guys have issues to work on but a HEA of course - I enjoy Zarah’s book so much they have real people with all there flaws showing reacting according to finding them selves caught up in more than just a casual fling whether they were looking for it or not There is almost no arrogance in her characters neither guy more in control than the other. So many authors have to have an Alpha guy in charge but not Zarah thank goodness I laughed a lot at some of the conversations and situation but then I want to shout at them. I was excited to have it come out in Audio and I have to say Joel Leslie was amazing and wonderful He is one of my favorite narrators - He adds so much emotion the ups and downs totally bringing this to life . He had the perfect voice for each of them - so very talented

a lovely surprise !

I originally purchased this book because I love Joel Leslie, he never disappoints me.
What I found was a lovely story and a new to me author who’s other works I am now very much looking forward to reading.

Bland…just so dull

This was just two guys constantly thinking about how fit the other was and flirting was every middle school quip the author could think of it seemed to me. No connection, no chemistry. Silly and halfway through it became apparent it would just meander on through immaturity to some kind of supposed HEA and I was just done as I realized I did not care and was yawning.
The narrator has such a bizarre tone drawing out nasally every line. While still grating, I got used to it in another novel I was listening to set in the 40s when it sort of became a fit for the time and the characters. Here, it just sounded like two old whiny guys with practically the same voice and not a 24 year old rock star & 20 year old guy. It was just really wierd and a miss for me.
I gave it a two as I could feel the intention to be a deeper more interesting and sexy story, but the dialogue and performance just was not there.