Thank you to the author, publisher and #netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was my first book by this author and I did enjoy it. This is a very cute pg romcom summer story. Archer and Mateo are working as dancers at a summer resort that has the same set up and feel as Dirty Dancing. This reads exactly like a tv show season. There are a lot of characters and they all have pretty significant roles. The side character really made this story enjoyable fore me. The writing was very easy to read. There was a lot of drama with this story. I didn’t love that Archer had another love interest in the story.

3.75

*Flirty Dancing* by Jennifer Moffatt is a light, entertaining read that offers plenty of fun and flair—perfect for readers looking to unwind with something upbeat. The story moves quickly and is easy to breeze through; in fact, I finished it in just one sitting. Its engaging tone and fast pace keep the pages turning, making it a great option for a weekend or travel read.

That said, while the book has charm, it doesn't always strike the right balance. At times, the plot and dialogue veer into cheesy territory, and the lack of seriousness may not appeal to readers looking for more depth. One notable issue I had was that although the characters aren't technically teenagers, they often act like they are—which came off as a bit immature and occasionally frustrating.

Despite these flaws, *Flirty Dancing* could definitely find its audience. Dancers, theater kids, or anyone with a love for performance and a taste for light romantic comedy will likely enjoy the story’s upbeat energy. I’d especially recommend it for readers aged 15 to 24 who want something fun, flirty, and easy to devour in one go.

🦇 Flirty Dancing Book Review 🦇

❓ Can you dance?

🦇 Archer Read quit his soul-stealing accounting job to move to Manhattan with the dream of breaking into Broadway. After a slew of rejections, he finally gets a gig at Shady Queens, a queer-friendly resort in the Catskills. There, he meets his teenage celebrity crush, Broadway star Mateo Dixon. When Mateo isn't barking orders and glaring at the other dancers, he's burning up the dancefloor with a hot smolder just for Archer. Unfortunately, drama between the dancers makes its way onto the stage. Can they pull off the perfect show, or has Archer ruined his last chance at showbiz?

💜 This queer, forced proximity romance is SIZZLING with tension, pining, and a hot-hot-hot tango. Let's break it down.

✨ Characters (3/5): Adored Archer and Mateo, but Mateo's character development is far stronger than Archer's (so this would have benefited from dual POV). Each member of the secondary cast stands out, which is hard given a large cast.

✨ Plot and Pacing (3/5): The pace lags in the middle, but there are some definite stand-out moments between Archer and Mateo that make it worth it.

✨ World-Building (3/5): Definitely needed more descriptions of Shady Queens, to experience the setting.

✨ Romance (5/5): The tension between Archer and Mateo is everything. Every moment between them stole the show. Their chemistry is absolute fire.

✨ Mystery/Suspense (3/5): I would have held off on giving any details about Mateo's disappearance from Broadway a little longer, to build tension.

✨ Tone/Prose (3/5): No annotations. Though the writing was easy to read, it didn't enamor the way I wanted it to, especially during the dances. The prose relies heavily on jargon, instead of describing fluid movements that would help readers imagine each routine.

🦇 Recommended to fans of Casey McQuiston and TJ Alexander.

✨ The Vibes ✨
🩰 Forced Proximity
☀ Workplace Romance
🩰 Hot Tension
☀ Long-Time Crush
🩰 Queer Contemporary Romance
☀ Slow Burn
🩰 Summer Camp Vibes

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #FlirtyDancing

This book was so fun to read! I was a competitive dancer when I was younger, and I could picture the movements from all the dances coming right out of the page. Archer is a dancer who quit his accounting job hoping to make it in NYC but isn’t having any luck with auditions until a booking a summer dancing job at Shady Queens. It is there that Archer meets Mateo, an Broadway star who has been out of the spotlight for a while. Archer and Mateo had such good banter, and I was rooting for them from the very first time they met. I think that this book had a dynamic group of characters who laughed together, made mistakes, and supported each other. The fact that it was all set at a queer resort made it so much better. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author soon! Thank you to the publisher and author for my advanced copy!

Archer and Mateo had to go through a lot of missteps before finding their rhythm but when they do the results are fire. I loved the dirty dancing nods without it being a direct copy since this is very much its own, wonderful story. This is a fun, flirty novel that should be on everyone’s summer reading list.

I cackled out loud when reading “Flirty Dancing.” Actually cackled. Then went back to the beginning of one particular scene to read it again, enjoying it as much or more the second time. I shall never look at a cast of players who work together for an entire season the same ever again; forever wondering about all the behind the scenes shenanigans and who is pairing up with who.

27 year old Archer has moved to New York City to pursue his dream of becoming a professional dancer despite the doubts and naysayers. After many unsuccessful auditions he finally lands a job dancing for the summer season at Shady Queens resort in the Catskills. Upon arriving he discovers his teen celebrity crush, Mateo Dixon, is also a dancer. Throw in some angsty dance drama, a handsome roommate with a thing for Archer, relationship breakups and makeups, summer camp shenanigans, along with heart stopping smouldering looks and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an event-filled summer that Archer will never forget.

And, while in my own life I strive hard to live a drama free life, I am here for all the drama if it’s written by @jmoffattwrites .

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary #drc and the #alc on NetGalley I loved this book, especially the audiobook which kept me thoroughly entertained from start to finish giving voice to each of the characters in this ensemble cast. @itsmarksanderlin did a brilliant job voicing each of the characters! I absolutely loved #flirtydancing.

#stmartinspress #stmartinsgriffin #bookgeek #booknerd #fyp #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #flirtydancing #romancebook #contemporaryromance #bookreviewer #jennifermoffatt

This was such a cute book, I absolutely adored it. It was such a fun time following Archer and cheering for him and Mateo to get together. Plus, a lot of the interactions between characters had me laughing quite a bit. Such a good read!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin for letting me read this early!

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.
I love a queer romance, I love dance, and I love Dirty Dancing so when I saw this was a Dirty Dancing retelling with a queer story I was immediately excited. Execution wise this missed the mark for me.
I enjoyed the setting in the Catskills. Felt like a nice beach/ lake read.
What disappointed me was the romance. Archer spent 80% of the book with an immature partner who irritated me instead of being with the true love interest and when they did get together, the romance fell flat for me.
I love a dance romance so the tension Moffatt was able to add to the dancing scenes was fun but the storyline felt repetitive and got boring toward the end. I really just wanted to see Archer and Mateo together more! I enjoyed their scenes one on one but there needed to be more of them and less Archer/ Caleb and texting with Lynn or talking with his parents if it isn't going to pay off at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lovely queer rom com that took inspiration from Dirty Dancing without being the same beats. This was like if the movie was about Johnny, Penny and the cast instead of the guests at the resort. I loved Archer and Mateo so much and I loved how Archer wasn’t framed as this talentless hack who couldn’t cut it next to a dancer like Mateo. There were lots of little twists and turns at the end to keep the story fresh. I really liked how dramatic this was. Everyone in the dance cast had something going on and that made this a ton of fun. Is this reinventing the genre? No. But it was amazingly enjoyable and I had a blast reading it. I am looking forward to what Moffatt writes next!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I was expecting more of Archer and Mateo and the fact that nothing really happened with them till the last 20% of the book and Archer was with a bad dude the rest of the book was just disappointing. To me this book had such potential. Also the whole ‘I had your poster on my wall’ level vibe Archer had of Mateo was slightly awkward to me. To me this book just read differently than what the synopsis made it out to be.

This book was such a fun and quick read. I loved the atmosphere and the story!

Mateo and Archer were written beautifully and their stories of life as a professional dancer were so intriguing to follow. I loved the “summer camp” vibe to the book!

If you’re looking for a lighthearted M/M romance, this is it! ❤️

I was looking forward to this book as I love a queer romance, I love dirty dancing, and I loved the premise.
Overall, I feel like the drama was drama-ing a bit too hard at times with the cast of the show in the book, and I felt that the romance felt kind of rushed/hard to understand due to the timelines and other relationships in the book.

Parts of this book felt nostalgic, and I definitely related to some aspects, having grown up a queer dancer.

Overall, I think this was a fun beach read, but I had wished for a little bit more and more build up of the relationship. This felt a bit more like YA.

There was a time when it was my dream to move to New York City and join the entertainment industry so I aways find it fun to read a book about it (although I'm very happy as a psychologist). It was fun to see Archer get to do the thing he loves and make friends to support him. However, a lot of the things that happened in this book felt unnecessary to the romance which is ultimately the central plot in a romance book.

While I don't want characters with no past, I don't usually enjoy reading about romances that are not with the love interest. In this case, I felt like having a second romantic interest for Archer just meant the reader didn't get as much time to get to know Mateo as we could have. I would have loved to see their emotional connection develop more. I also felt like Archer received some pressure to drink and act unprofessional that went unaddressed.

At the end of the day I enjoyed aspects of this story but I would have loved it to include Mateos POV. If you want to read about exploring being a queer dancer in your late 20's this is a good read but the romance comes off as a secondary plot.

I really wanted to enjoy this story, but I don't think it was for me. I had some concerns with the way that the relationships were discussed and how things transpired.

I love most books that have dancing involved and if you throw in a romance, I’m almost guaranteed to read it. Archer is a mid-20s accountant who moved to NYC to try and fulfill his dream of being a dancer. He gets the chance at an outdoor summer resort in the Catskills where he meets fellow dancers and lives a summer filled with loads of drama.

Sometimes the drama from all the cast got to be a little too much for me, but I enjoyed the camaraderie they also shared. Archer’s love interest, Mateo, is present for most of the books, but unfortunately, Archer is with another dancer for most of the book and I felt that it caused the romance between Archer and Mateo to feel rushed when it finally happened. I’d had like to see less of the first one and more time spent developing the relationship between Mateo and Archer. However, it was still a fun contemporary romance perfect for a beach read.

There were aspects of this book that felt very nostalgic for me as someone who spent their teen years performing in theatre during the summer. If you were a camp kid or spent much of your childhood at lake cabins I think that this setting will really appeal to you. I also enjoyed the different structure that the relationship progression took in this book. So much of romance hits the same beats, which can be fun, but it's always refreshing to get something different.
Where this book fell flat for me is what I perceive to be the author's lack of knowledge regarding professional performing arts. The major conflict of this story revolves around disagreements in the cast that would not exist in any paid theatre/performance job. For example, there was no stage manager in this book which makes absolutely no sense. The stage manager is there to call the show, enforce safety, and keep the production tight. Once the director leaves the show belongs to the stage manager and the various cast captains. This is another reason why the conflict made no sense, Mateo was obviously the show's dance captain. It's well understood in theatre that the person in a leadership position has been selected by the production team because they are competent and one of the best performers in the show. If you don't know anything about theatre, I think you'll still find these petty arguments about being late and altering choreo grating.
Finally the out of the blue medical emergency at 96% felt entirely unearned and dropped this book from a 3.5 to a 3 for me. We didn't spend enough time with that character for the moment to feel fulfilling. If you wanted to integrate her more into the story she should have been the resident costumer or something. This would allow for her to be backstage and to build a bond with the entire cast. As it stands, she's a sweet minor character but doesn't play a big enough role in the plot for this to hit like it should.

I just finished *Flirty Dancing* by Jennifer Moffatt and honestly, I really enjoyed it. It’s a super cute LGBTQ+ romance about a guy named Archer who decides he’s done being an accountant and wants to chase his dream of becoming a Broadway star. He moves to the city, starts auditioning, but nothing really works out for a while, and you can feel how disheartening that gets for him.

Eventually, he ends up joining this summer dance crew at a resort that is basically Kellerman’s from *Dirty Dancing*. While he’s there, he gets to work with his childhood Broadway crush, Mateo. There's definitely instant chemistry, even though Mateo comes off a bit cold at first. Archer ends up having a fling with someone else, but the vibes between him and Mateo are strong the whole time.

The story was fun, fast-paced, and full of great musical references, which I loved. It kept me entertained the whole way through. The ending was really sweet and satisfying—definitely gave me that warm, feel-good moment. If you're a fan of musicals or *Dirty Dancing* (even though it’s not a direct retelling), you'll probably love the vibe of this one too. I’m really looking forward to reading more from this author.

A RETELLING OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES??? Signe me up!!! Overall: 4/5 stars ⭐️
The tension, the drama, the romance!!! I very much enjoyed the pacing of this story, it did not feel too rushed. Mateo and Archer be still my heart. I love when mcs are close in age to me the reader its nice to see some older 20s representation!!
What a delightful story!! Thank you NetGalley and Publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely queer rom com! I loved the setting of a queer summer camp. All the drama surrounding the dancers and their show was so fun.

The pining and longing between Archer and Mateo was delicious. Their chemistry was so good! I would kill to be able to watch their Tango and Pas de Deux in real life.

When the title of a book and its Catskills resort camp setting are clearly meant to evoke nostalgia for “Dirty Dancing,” the first question you might ask is “Is there going to be a Baby put in the corner?” I will save you time and say there isn’t, but there are a few other little references that made me smile.

After the last two romances I read, “Flirty Dancing” felt almost cozy and low-stakes in comparison. That’s not a complaint. The main character, Archer Read, is 27 and about to give up his pursuit of a dance career when he lands a job with his celebrity dance crush, Mateo Dixon. They’ll be part of a dance company putting on two shows a night at an LGBTQ resort called Shady Queens.

It’s a sweet story with a decent cast of characters. The dancers are all young and horny, partying and pairing up and having relationship drama that constantly threatens the show. Archer and Mateo are generally the mature ones holding things together. They clearly have chemistry, so it’s just a question of when they’ll realize it against that backdrop.

I enjoyed it. It’s low in the spice scale, but there’s plenty of yearning and longing and “Oh my god, just kiss him!” moments that will keep you going.