I enjoyed getting to know Taylor and Avery over the course of this book and felt like the flirting lessons were a fun concept for the plot. I found their connection to be both sweet and sexy early on.

However, overall, the book dragged for me. There were entire scenes that felt unimportant to the story. With their connection being so immediate from the beginning, I expected the intimate scenes to be electric, but I felt they fell flat. Ultimately, I did not enjoy it as much as I expected to.

3.5⭐️
A super cute sapphic romance—
When Taylor agrees to teach Avery how to flirt with women, neither of them think they are going to fall in love. Avery because she just experienced a bad breakup an Taylor because she “doesn’t do relationships”. But of course they fall for each other. I enjoyed this one just like I’ve enjoyed all of Jasmine Guillory’s romances…but I took off 1/2 a star because it was about 100 pages too long.

I love Jasmine Guillory, so it is no wonder I loved Flirting Lessons too. Although a wlw story is something I'd not read from her before, Guillory did a great job at describing both adult romance and a lesbian romance. Returning to the Napa valley with these characters felt like coming home and I was giddy reading it and all the dates they went on. Not just a romance novel but a story about finding yourself.

Avery and Taylor have always been in each others' orbit, with mutual friends and event attendances, and a simmering attraction between them. But Avery had always been in a relationship and Taylor seems to flirt with everyone, so it's not until an encounter and vineyard brings these two women together. But Avery is stiff and uncomfortable, inexperienced with both men and women. So when Taylor offers to help her loosen up and learn how to flirt, she can't turn down the attractive winery employee.

I am a huge Jasmine Guillory fan--and have been since her very first book, The Wedding Date--so I was very excited to read her first foray into LGBTQ romance. Unfortunately, this one seems to miss the mark. Although the opening pages are great, and the connection between the main characters feels sizzling, the fake dating / flirting lessons premise feels extremely contrived and implausible. I struggled to get into the book and wanting to keep reading, ultimately DNFing this one.

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars - 4/10

thank you to netgalley for the eArc!

First, the good: I loved these two POV characters. They were so charming and adorable together! The friends throughout the story were also fun. I also liked that a lot of the conflict felt realistic to what actually happens in relationships; being annoyed at friends absolutely does bleed into conversations with other people, and that was well done.

The only negative thing I really have to say is that the dialogue sometimes felt a little awkward or unnecessary. Otherwise this was great!

rep: Black MC and LI and predominantly Black cast. Sapphic love story and side characters

spice: a few vivid sex scenes

Besties what is there to say but that it’s sapphic and it slaps? I love Jasmine Guillory’s books; they’re always full of humor and joy. This is her first queer contemporary romance and it was great! Avery wants to get better at flirting, and who better to help her than Taylor, whose friends all think she can’t possibly commit to anyone or anything. Together they’re electric and the book is so fun. Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this queer romance! I loved the concept of flirting lessons as the way the FMCs fall for each other. It kept the book fun and interesting - I was always trying to guess what Taylor would plan next. I also loved the individual character development along the way. The book didn't just focus on the FMCs relationship with each other, but also their personal struggles and areas for growth. Taylor's relationship with her friends was a particularly interesting plot point for me. Overall, I enjoyed this book and found it to be engaging with just the right amount of spice.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this title, but unfortunately it didn’t quite capture my interest. While the premise was promising, I found it difficult to stay engaged. That said, I’m sure it will find its audience with readers who connect more strongly with the writing style or pacing.

Really enjoyed this sapphic romance novel. I love Jasmine Guillory's romance universe of diverse characters in California and would love to see subsequent spin off novels. It was a fun read and I will definitely be hand selling.

Thank you to NetGalley / Berkley for an arc.

I’m quite disappointed in this book. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, but it fell really flat for me. There seemed to be really nothing going on plot wise, it was more of every day life kind of read and those just aren’t my cup of tea. I also didn’t like Taylor’s friends or how they spoke of her, and while I could relate to Avery, I got tired of the constant self-deprecation. It felt like reading nonstop about a conversation you happen to hear at the coffee shop. I did like the premise though, of flirting lessons. I’m just somehow who needs something to happen plot wise in an overarching theme and this didn’t give me what I wanted.

Jasmine Guillory is back with a fresh new romance! Avery Jensen is nearing thirty and she's ready to mix things up - finding new talents, new passions, and maybe even new love. Her considerable lack of talent when it comes to flirting, but she has a perfect solution when she meets a gorgeous stranger, and Napa Valley's biggest flirt, Taylor Cameron. She'll learn to flirt, and Taylor will learn to take a break from breaking hearts. What could possibly go wrong?

I wanted to love this book and I'm hearing tons of buzz about it, so I may be in the minority. Ultimately I couldn't care as much about the characters although they were likable. I abandoned at 30%.

I adore Jasmine Guillory books. They are usually so beautiful and full of deep connections. This one just felt a little different for me and missed the mark. I didn’t feel the chemistry as much between Avery & Taylor and the writing was more stilted.

I am typically a huge Jasmine Guillory fan - her writing feels fresh and beautiful, and her stories just give me so much. There's always this element of vulnerability with her characters that really stops me in my tracks and makes me think. So needless to say I was rather excited for this one.

However, from the start I found myself struggling - struggling to connect with the characters, struggling to be absorbed into the writing. The 3rd person dual POV's threw me for a loop for some reason. Avery (fresh out of a relationship with a male) is interested in dating females but confused; and Taylor bets her friend that she can make it through the summer without sleeping with anyone. She meets Avery and agrees to give her "flirting lessons".

The romance is physical at best; there's no indication that there is anything more than "Oh, she is hot!" from either woman, and it just is really hard to feel like it's anything more than lust.

Avery showed really no growth; and Taylor has slept with pretty mucheveryone in Napa Valley... there's not much else there. There was a great deal of weird rambling, and the characters just all truly talked the same way - there was no shining personalities standing out or calling for attention, and that for me was a huge let down.

Thank you to NetGalley, and to Berkley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Jasmine Guillory is a must buy/read author for me so I was excited about this new book.

But I had mixed feelings about Flirting Lessons. I loved the Black and sapphic rep—it’s great to see more of that in romance. I do love a duel point of view so loved watching Avery grow more confident in herself and i loved Taylor's flirty ways.

I didn't even mind the predictability of it. It's a romance. BUT the romance didn't quite hit for me. I wanted more..and MORE SPICE. it felt almost..timid?

But Overall, it was a fun, easy read.

The latest read from Jasmine Guillory's Wedding Date universe was sweet and good exploration for Jasmine in the sapphic arena.

Meet Avery, almost thirty and ready to explore her sexuality and queer identity after a breakup (with someone she shouldn't have been with). Low on confidence in the dating arena, but thriving professionally - enter Taylor Cameron, the Napa resident hottie and hot girl dating coach. Taylor also made a terrible bet with her best friend she wouldn't have sex with anyone for the whole summer and of course Taylor thinks coaching Avery (who she thinks is wildly attractive) will keep her distracted.

This was a good first swing for Jasmine. It was more of a friend romance in my opinion with Taylor and Erica figuring things out in their friendship and boundary reset. I love when Jasmine weaves in characters in the Wedding Date universe throughout her books. I would have love more open door scenes like in previous books. The scenes felt timid at times and as if the author was exploring this side of sexuality themselves. It felt like maybe 3 watts up from "Royal Holiday" in terms of spice. It was definitely more timid and maybe because this is the first dance in this arena but give us more spice for sure. We are receiving and us readers will enjoy it.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the E-ARC.

Flirting Lessons is my second book by Jasmine Guillory, so I’m still getting to know her writing style. This story follows Avery and Taylor, set against the lush backdrop of Napa County, California. Avery, fresh out of a long-term heterosexual relationship, is exploring her attraction to women for the first time. That’s when she meets Taylor—a charismatic winery employee with a bit of a “playgirl” reputation and a history of flings within her friend group.
Taylor offers to give Avery “flirting lessons” to help her build confidence connecting with women. Over the course of the summer, the two women spend time together and inevitably start catching feelings for each other—though neither wants to admit it. Avery is hesitant because of Taylor’s reputation, and Taylor holds back because she fears she’ll end up hurting Avery.

Adding to the tension is a bet made by Taylor’s friends: that she can’t make it through the summer without sleeping with anyone. When Taylor and Avery cross that line, it complicates things emotionally—and Taylor ends up having to host a baby shower as part of the bet’s consequences. By that point, they’ve become a full-blown couple, but during the shower, Taylor overhears her friends placing another bet—this time about how long her relationship with Avery will last. The moment is a turning point and causes real strain in the relationship.

There’s more I could share, but I’ll stop to avoid spoilers. What I can say is that things eventually resolve, and Taylor and Avery get their happy ending.
Beyond the central romance, I appreciated the subplots: Avery’s growing friendships at the community garden and her close bond with her friend Luke added extra depth. The book did start slow for me, and at times the many characters and their interwoven relationships felt a bit overwhelming. Still, the story picked up and delivered an enjoyable sapphic romance.

I look forward to reading more from Jasmine Guillory in the future.

Thank you @berkleyromance and @jasminepics for my gifted ebook. Flirting Lessons is out now.

Avery is off a big breakup when she runs into Taylor. She has just begun to purse dating women and she’s unsure of herself when trying to flirt. Taylor takes her under her wing and they go on a series of flirting lessons aka dates to meet women. As the novel goes on, they become more interested in each other. Avery and Taylor balance each other so well. Taylor is outgoing and an extrovert; Avery takes a while to open up and is more reserved. They have several similar interests and have great chemistry.

I loved that this was a classic Jasmine Guillory novel. You can absolutely feel her throughout the story. If you enjoy LGBTQ stories, friends to lovers and drinking wine in Napa, this story is a homerun.

I have adored Jasmine Guillory's other books, and she has always been a must-read author, but despite my recent interest in sapphic love stories, this is just not for me.

Avery is a buttoned-up wedding planner. After a recent break-up, she wants to get into the single scene. She decides to take sexy bartender Taylor up on the offer to teach her how to flirt with women. Of course, the two are attracted and all that ensues.

I just was not sucked in by Avery or Taylor. The writing was missing the hook I have found in the past. It didn't read like it was enjoyable to write. I also am just not that into the whole teaching someone how to flirt thing.

Some people may enjoy this, but it fell flat for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Guillory's first queer romance was such a delightful read. The stakes were low, the flirting between the two was fun to read, and the HEA felt so deserved without any of the unnecessary miscommunication, third act breakups, etc. I always enjoy a Jasmine Guillory book!