A queer romance from my favorite romance author? Sign me up! Great story. Great spice level. Great characters.

Thank you for the early access. JASMINE GULLIROY forever! Keep me in wine country with sexy women going after what makes them happy. Come for the wine, stay for the delicious tension. SWOON.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-f/f contemporary romance
-flirting lessons
-queer rep
-this is just a hookup

A lot of fun and it was so reat to revisit the winery again.

Another amazing read from Jasmine Guillory, with all her trademark wit and sweetness. Lots of laugh out loud moments and really detailed descriptions of setting, food, and spice.

I’ve loved all of Jasmine Guiory’s Napa valley world and this one was no exception. Avery is ready and willing to start saying women and lucky for her she gets lessons from Taylor. We ALL know how dating lessons go by now folks?! It’s a lovely combo of Avery making Taylor feel like she can be herself and Avery feeling more and more confident. The banter and chemistry is amazing as always!

I love, love, love her books. This was no exception I loved all the things. thanks for letting me read this book.

Flirting Lessons is a super fun continuation of Jasmine Guillory's Napa Valley world. It follows Avery, a newly single event planner who's ready to date women, and Taylor, a bona fide heart breaker who's maybe not as tough and self-assured as she lets on. Taylor agrees to teach Avery how to flirt, and Avery provides a safe place for Taylor to be herself. The flirting lessons start to evolve into something more, but will these two be able to get out of their own ways and embrace it? Grab a glass of wine (in honor of the book's setting, of course) and find out.

This is an excellent read for romance, particularly queer romance, fans. With a premise of flirting lessons being the driving force for the two protagonists' developing feelings and relationship, the attraction can be felt through the page. It is also a good representation of those with social anxiety and confidence issues. I felt myself relation to one of the protagonists. I do find myself only giving it three and half to four stars because it seemed a bit hypocritical when they are telling each other the have to trust each other and communicate but literally not set boundaries with their other friends. However, still an enjoyable read and can wait to recommend to my library for purchase.

Okay, I have a deep abiding love for Guillory's romances. This one was different from her normal fare and it was fun to see her do a queer love story. As always with a Guillory novel you've got:
✅ an excellent friend group
✅ food that you're mad you can't eat
✅ incredible chemistry
✅ witty banter

If you're a Guillory fam you'll love this one
(and if you're a seasonal reader like myself save this one for late Spring/early Summer!)

Flirting Lessons follows Taylor and Avery. Taylor has a reputation for being a heartbreaker, and most of her relationships end within a month, and she just entered into a bet with her best friend Erica that she can make it until Labor Day without hooking up with somebody. Avery has just gotten out of a relationship with her ex-boyfriend and now wants to date women, but outside of work, she’s terrible at flirting, let alone speaking to people. So when the two meet at a wine event and spark up a conversation, Taylor offers to give Avery flirting lessons to help her find the perfect woman.

Naturally, Taylor and Avery start to fall for each other. Each of their flirting lessons are like a date, where Taylor sets Avery a task. The very first lesson is at a book signing event and it’s Avery’s job to talk to five people who aren’t the guest authors. There she makes a new friend, and the lessons continue each week, with Taylor giving instructions on what to wear without telling her where they’re going.

I thought the romance was really sweet! Both Taylor and Avery are compelling characters, and both likeable. They communicate well, to the point where I was wondering when the third-act-breakup was even going to happen. (I’ve read enough romance novels to know that it will happen.) I loved the format of each of the lessons, and the book falls into a steady rhythm because of them that kept me wanting to keep turning the page.

I also liked the exploration of friendships, particularly between Taylor and Erica. Erica is married and pregnant, and has a new friend who Taylor is worried will replace her because the new friend is also having kids and thus will usurp Taylor’s role as best friend. Over the course of the book, we see this friendship take some ups and downs, but being a feel-good romance novel, it all works out in the end.

I am especially appreciative of the fact that the book doesn’t center on two femme characters. As a butch, I love to see it when a character doesn’t wear dresses or keep their hair long, so thank you Taylor for being a light in my dark tunnel of masculine representation. T-shirts and hoodies all the way.

Overall, Flirting Lessons was a truly enjoyable book with a lot of depth in terms of characters and how they interact. It was cute and sweet but also not overly saccharine. Flirting Lessons comes out April 5, 2025. Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy! 4/5 stars.

The newest Jasmine Guillory romance takes us back into the Napa Valley world she created in "Drunk on Love."

We meet Avery, a staid woman who wants to push herself out of her comfort zone and explore her sexuality. She's in a routine life and doesn't know how to get out of it.

Then she meets Taylor, an expert flirt and well known heartbreaker in the queer community.

Their conversation leads to lessons in flirting, which leads to cute banter and attraction and hijinks ensue.

This is a departure from Guillory's previous novels in that it explores the queer community which I really appreciated. I really liked Avery and Taylor, but this felt like a low stakes romance-- it had good messages about speaking up for yourself, finding your voice and going after what you want -- but it didn't have the same sense of conflict as some of her previous novels.

Still a good read, just didn't hook me as much.

Newly single Avery and perpetual dater Taylor strike up a bargain: Taylor will help Avery gain confidence with the titular flirting lessons, and Avery will help Taylor win a bet that she can last the summer without any hookups. What neither is counting on is their terrific chemistry.

Both main characters appeared in the previous Noble winery book, and we get to see more people from that world. The burgeoning romance is hot, but the most realistic subplot is Taylor’s changing relationship with her now married and pregnant best friend. Guillory does a great job of capturing the strong bond and pain of what happens when you and your friends are suddenly in different life stages.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! It took me a while to get into, and I'm not sure if that's because it's SUCH an early copy, or because it's been a while since I read DRUNK IN LOVE and needed reacquainting with the setting and characters. Once I was about 40% in, I was hooked! Taylor and Avery had great chemistry on both the friends and lovers level and it was fun to see them together; I also liked watching Avery become friends with Beth, and Taylor's changing friendship with Erica was a satisfying subplot as well. The flirting lessons setup worked well once it found its stride! I am excited to read it again in its final form.

I love love love anything by Jasmine Guillory and this one did not disappoint. I tore through this in a matter of days and I enjoyed reading about someone discovering new aspects of their sexuality later in life.

The friends to lovers worked very well in this relationship. Their chemistry was undeniably hot. Thank you to NetGallery and to Berkley Publishing Group for giving me a copy.

This was a wonderfully done romance novel by Jasmine Guillory, it had everything that I enjoyed from other books by Jasmine Guillory. The characters felt like real people and worked with the story that was being told. I enjoyed the overall concept and how it worked well in this story, it does everything that I was expecting and glad I got to go on this journey.

There’s something for everyone, but this wasn’t for me. I really wanted to like it and be able to support a popular author dipping her toe into queer romance - yay! And sexy cover - double yay! But the dialogue was clunky, and the story didn’t hold me. I couldn’t get into the chemistry. DNF at 40%.

Short summary: Avery wants to flirt with women, Taylor’s great at it, so she offers her lessons.

Thanks to Berkeley Publishing Group. ARC exchanged for an honest review.

Better than Drunk on Love...

but still not a personal fave. The conflict felt a bit predictable and the story lacked a little sparkle for me. I wanted to like this one so badly :/

This was a really lovely friends to lovers story with a vibrant queer friendly community and lots of important discussions about self love and exploration of queer identity. So excited to have this story coming from such a prolific Black author!

The third act break up comes pretty late in the book, so if you’re looking for sweet and smutty vibes for 80% of the book, this is the way to go!

Also, as per most romance series rules, it will be helpful (but not imperative) to have read some of Jasmine’s backlog, especially Drunk on Love, to enjoy some of the backstory for Luke and Margot and other characters mentioned!

Jasmine Guillory can't write a bad book! This was great! filled will passion and so much romance! i really enjoyed reading this.