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!

I had mixed feelings about this one. On the positive side, I really appreciated the representation of both African American and sapphic romance, which was refreshing to see in a space that often lacks diverse perspectives. The dual POV also allowed me to connect with both Avery and Taylor, giving me a deeper understanding of their personal struggles and growth throughout the story.

Avery’s journey of stepping out of her comfort zone and learning to embrace dating, especially with women, was engaging, and I loved seeing her evolve from being nervous and unsure to more confident and self-assured. Taylor, the flirtatious heartbreaker, was an intriguing contrast to Avery, and their dynamic was enjoyable to follow, even if predictable at times.

However, I found the romance itself to be lacking a bit of depth. For a story about flirting, dating, and personal growth, the chemistry between the characters didn’t fully land for me. The tension was there, but it felt a bit surface-level. I expected more spice and emotional connection, especially considering the build-up. The lessons and flirtation were fun, but the deeper, more intimate moments seemed to be missing, leaving the romance feeling a little flat.

Overall, Flirting Lessons had a lot of promise, especially with its inclusive themes and characters, but I was hoping for more of a spark between the leads. It’s a cute, easy read, but I craved a little more depth in the romance and emotional payoff.

If Jasmine Guillory writes it.... yes, I will always read it. As soon I read page 1, I was hooked especially when I realized it was a sequel to Drunk on Love! Yes!!!!

This was a light hearted, heartwarming, fun, give me all the cute banter, I'm here for the girl's falling in love... yes!!!!

Avery and Taylor definitely checked all the boxes for me....
✅️ Friends to Lovers
✅️ Slow Burn
✅️ Found Family
✅️ Contemporary Romance

Yes! I loved it all! Jasmine is literally my favorite!

Always enjoy reading Jasmine Guillory. Would love to be friends with all of her characters. Avery and Taylor were so relatable and inspiring. Hope there will be more books like this based in Napa, to expand their friend group. Taylor was a great side character in Drunk On Love, so happy to see her getting her own HEA and growing up a little too.

There are so many people who are going to love Guillory’s first queer romance with its fun cover, dual pov, and third person story-telling. However after reading a few different books from this author, I just don’t think her writing style is for me

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.75⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary romance 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Such a sweet and fun sapphic romance!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Slow burn sapphic romance
Personal growth
Romantic comedies
Emotional depth
Opposites attract
Flirting lessons
Friends to lovers
Great chemistry
Leaning to trust again
Dual POV

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Diverse characters
Napa Valley setting
All the lessons we so fun
The cover!
As an introvert I could relate to Avery

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Predictable plot
The conflict resolution felt a little rushed

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:
★ “Flirting isn’t about being someone else; it’s about being the best version of yourself.”
★ “Sometimes, the biggest risk is letting someone see the real you.”
★ “Confidence isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you build, one step at a time.”

Flirting Lessons, Jasmine Guillory’s first queer romance, is a welcome and joyful expansion of her already beloved body of work. The novel’s premise is charmingly simple: a recently single woman nearing thirty decides it’s time to break free from self-imposed rules and start living with more openness—and maybe even a little flirtation. Guillory takes this setup and turns it into a tender exploration of self-discovery, vulnerability, and queer joy.

Avery is easy to root for: methodical, a little cautious, and craving the kind of connection she’s never quite allowed herself. The titular “lessons,” given by the flirtatious and emotionally avoidant Taylor, are delightful not just because of their romantic tension but because of how sincerely Avery takes them to heart. Guillory handles her growth with nuance, allowing Avery to expand her social circle, take risks, and make meaningful changes in her life—all while navigating the complexities of new friendships, old wounds, and unexpected attraction.

One small issue I had was with the abrupt point-of-view changes mid-chapter, which occasionally pulled me out of the story until I got my bearings again. Still, the strength of the characters and the warmth of Guillory’s voice pulled me right back in.

Flirting Lessons is not just a romance—it’s a story about choosing joy, taking chances, and letting yourself be seen. Guillory fans will find the emotional honesty they’ve come to love, and readers eager for a queer romcom that balances heart and humor will be glad to have this one on their shelf. I know I am.

A perfect read for those who want a book that's simple, witty, and fun.

I wouldn't say the characters feel extremely realistic to me, but they were definitely entertaining to read about. I didn't feel very emotionally invested or connected to the story, but I would say it's a good pallette cleanser romance.

I did love the plot though. I think the idea of the forced proximity aspect along with flirting lessons is such a great concept, and was lovely to read as well. It worked just as well as a concept as it did on paper.

Although, I would say I wasn't totally impressed with the emotional depth of the story. I felt very disconnected from all the characters, and I would have loved to see more character growth, as well as some more tension to help keep the story together. I felt like there was nothing pushing the characters to be together, and at times their dynamic felt completely sexual and physical, without any romance or emotional connection. That being said, that is my personal preference, as I prefer romances with emotional and romantic connections as the focus.

If you are looking for a steamy romance with sexual tension, this book is perfect for you. But, if you are like me, and prefer something more emotional, then I wouldn't be inclined to recommend it.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for giving me the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 ⭐️

Flirting Lessons is Jasmine Guillory’s first sapphic romance, and it’s an easy win, full of charm, chemistry, and genuine emotional growth. Set in sunny Napa Valley, the story follows Avery, a shy introvert fresh off a breakup and still figuring out her attraction to women, and Taylor, a confident flirt with commitment issues and a killer smile. Their dynamic? Electric. Their weekly “flirting lessons” double as low-key dates, think salsa dancing and trivia nights, and the slow burn is so worth it.

Avery’s journey from anxious and unsure to confident and open is one of the best parts of the book. Taylor’s emotional arc is more subtle but just as satisfying as she slowly lets her guard down. Their connection builds through witty banter, soft moments, and—bless—actual communication instead of the dreaded miscommunication trope.

The side cast, especially Taylor’s bestie Erica, adds warmth and a good dose of humour, and the focus on female friendships is a nice bonus. My only minor gripe? The mid-chapter POV shifts made it a bit harder to stay grounded, and I wouldn’t have minded a bit more voice distinction between Avery and Taylor.

Still, this is a sweet, character-driven romance that balances flirtiness with real emotional payoff. If you’re into slow burn sapphic stories with heart, humour, and a bit of sunshine, this one’s worth picking up.