Show Biz is the setting. Love is in the air. Pettiness and jealousy flare up. And....we have Broadway caliber dancers rehearsing and performing a dance extravaganza seven nights a week during a summer season at an upstate New York resort. Partners are unfaithful and egos get bruised. Lots of LGBTQ characters whose talents shine as relationships and friendships are worked out. It is a fun and funny read that is well worth your time. My thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐.25 / 5
Spice 🌶️: 0 / 5

This is a sweet, easy, comforting read. It’s full of nostalgia and feels more like a summer camp romance than anything else, set at a richly described fictional LGBTQ+ resort. There’s plenty of dance and Broadway talk to tickle the fancy of fans, but not enough to overwhelm or annoy those with a casual appreciation.

As for our leads…Archer is almost painfully naive and oblivious, despite the fact that he’s in his late 20s. It takes him too long, in my opinion, to both stand up to Caleb and realize how he feels for Mateo. That aside, he’s an easy character to root for. Endearingly earnest and the kind who becomes the glue that people in the group don’t realize is holding them together.

And Mateo? He’s a masterpiece. Complex and layered, a broken bad boy suffering from guilt and a lack of confidence. He’s a powerful former Broadway star who likes to bake and I want to wrap him in a fluffy blanket and protect him from the world.

The friendships forged with the entertaining cast of side characters are genuine and heartwarming. It’s overall a light, low angst read with some cute puns and an HEA that feels like end game.

For fans of Dirty Dancing, So You Think You Can Dance, Casey McQuiston, Broadway musicals, and summer camp drama.

📚Fast facts📚
✨ Dirty Dancing but make it gay
✨ Fallen Broadway star & former accountant
✨ Love triangle
✨ Found family
✨ Contemporary MM
✨ Standalone
✨ Third person limited, single POV, past tense

I am grateful to the author, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley to have received an advanced copy of this story! This is my honest and unbiased review.

This gay romcom was EVERYTHING I needed t to be. I loved the references to Dirty Dancing as well as theater throughout this book. The characters were so lovable, even the ones who weren't. This is a hella slow burn so if you are not interested in that, this may not be for you. But the tension and heat between the love interests was wonderful I also love the grump/sunshine trope so that added extra flair.

MM Romance
Gay Dirty Dancing

DNF @ 40%


I am sooooo disappointed 😭😭😭😭 The minute I saw this book was gay Dirty Dancing, I <i>needed</i> the arc and I was so excited to be approved. Dirty Dancing is one of my all time favorite movies and the ultra gay version sounded like heaven but I’m bored to tears and this is just not what I had in mind. I didn’t expect this to be exactly like DD but I’m not vibing with the choices this author made. I also feel like this is reading very YA while also reading too adult for it to be YA and it’s not working for me.

The characters are in their late 20s but feel like they should be in their early 20s for this concept to make any kind of sense. Instead of having dancers who are at this camp for the summer before going off to school, we have dancers who are almost washed up and this is their last chance to do something with their career. It makes this camp feel very high stakes and takes away some of the whimsy I wanted to feel while reading this. But my biggest issue has to do with the main couple. When Archer & Mateo are on page dancing together, this book sings but unfortunately Archer is involved with another dancer for at least the first 40% of this book and I’m not down with this at all. It takes away from the couple I care about and it’s ruined the tension filled enemies to lovers vibe that I love. This other dancer is a total ass too so I feel like it was just such a bad decision to incorporate him into so much of this book therefore I am struggling trying to pick this back up and am choosing to DNF.

I’m choosing not to rate this because I didn’t make it to 50% and it’s an arc so thanks netgalley but I’m super disappointed. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Since I saw the cover and read the blurb, this became one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and it hit the spot!

One thing that drew me in from the start was Archer being 27 and going for a dream, one which others continue to tell him he's too old to reach. He's committed and ready for this new part of his life, actually loving what he does. When he's struggling, he decides to give it one more try and it's the big break that he needs. When he gets the job at Shady Queens, he knows it's not the dream, but it's a step. And when Mateo, a Broadway star who he absolutely had a poster of on his wall, ends up being in the show too, well... it can only be a good sign, right?

The summer camp vibes were so strong and also so MESSY which I loved. It's giving adult summer camp, where they don't really have supervision besides the fact they have a job to do. With that in mind, they definitely get involved (and cause) a bit of drama, but it's all in good fun.

Highly recommend as a summer read due to the summer setting (and the camp vibes). Perfect for messy gays. And those who love Broadway! If you're not a huge Broadway fan, you'll miss out on a few references, but nothing that'll affect your overall reading comprehension. Overall - truly loved it, and loved seeing the chemistry grow between Archer and Mateo!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Look who showed up to class today. I had to pop in and share this review though. It’s a fun take on dirty dancing with all the dancing, romance, drama, insecurity, heartbreak, self exploration and ultimately love.

Archer after a string of lost auditions finally gets his chance at a resort in the Catskills. He wasn’t expecting his childhood crush and broadway star Mateo to also be there.

These two had instant chemistry but their desire to focus on the show leads them to be friends and sometimes not so friendly.

While Mason has a small fling with his roommate which ends in disaster the show must go on. The queer ensemble of dancers and guests made this a Tony worthy performance. With Mateo and Archer winning best off broadway duo.

Dirty Dancing but make it gay???
Say less!!!! This was closed door spice which was a bummer but I still love the riffraff, the drama and of course the unlikely couple dancing their way to a HEA.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was so comforting, cozy, and fun! The slow-burn romance was adorable, and this book had me laughing on each page. I loved that each character had growth, even the "foil" to the main characters. I can't wait to read more from Jennifer Moffatt!

Thank you again for the ARC!

Overall, I liked this book, but it has some flaws. The Dirty Dancing references made me feel nostalgic. The main characters were delightful and strong. I felt the beginning a bit slow and inconsistent, but as we reach the last third of the plot the pace gets better and the story becomes more compelling.

Definitely a fun quick read. The characters are a little messy but it's so satisfying to see them rally together in the end. The development of the two MMCs from frenemies to lovers was so sweet. and the whole plot is on brand for theatre kids (adults) at a camp in the Catskills. Loved it!

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely DEVOURED this book. Like could not sleep or do anything until I finished. It felt like queer summer camp and tbh there’s nothing better than that.

I originally picked this one because of the cover. Overall the story was fun and I enjoyed the characters, but I didn’t really enjoy the love triangle. Mateo and Archer were cute though and they had great chemistry. I liked Mateo’s backstory.

Thanks for advanced copy to review St Martin’s Press

Flirty Dancing was such a cute summer rom com that had be kicking my feet and giggling out loud.
I adored the Dirty Dancing references and the way this book added a deeper view on the performers personalities and lives outside of the dances they perform. The styles of dance and performances helped further the plot and the pacing was great. My only gripe is the pacing around some of the drama that occurs between the characters, but Jennifer Moffatt did a great job of building tension that you wanted to see resolved and the result of.
I can't wait to read other books by Jennifer soon but Flirty Dancing is definitely in my comfort rereads category.

thank you to netgalley for sending me this e-arc! i had such a fun time with this book! i loved both of the main characters and if you’re looking for something that’s reminiscent of dirty dancing but mm i would give this a go!
my character would have to be archer, the way he took such a big risk to follow his dreams is very inspirational. i was rooting for him the whole time. mateo on the other hand took a minute to warm up to but once the sparks starting appearing between them i was SAT!

This really wanted to be something and I did not like it. Half of the book he's dating someone else and like him being starstruck by him the whole damn time. It's like did he fall in love with him or the idea of him.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Content Warnings from Storygraph reviewers: Graphic Alcohol, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Moderate Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse Minor Alcoholism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship

I absolutely loved Red, White, and Royal Blue, so I was definitely intrigued when I ran across Flirty Dancing. Would queer magic strike again?

First, setting this book in the Catskills is brilliant. I’ve read a lot about the area in the eastern United States (east compared to where I live, anyway.) Ever since I saw Dirty Dancing back in 1987ish, I’ve heard more and more about the area and how it’s a great way for entertainers to get experience. Actors, comedians, bands, you name it. It’s a very popular place to cut your teeth.

This light-hearted yet emotional book focuses on dancers who are searching for their identity and a sense of belonging. The pace of the book is slow and languid, which was fine by me. The dance-centric plot outweighed the open-door romance that I normally avoid in my reading (queer or straight, I’m just not a big fan. A little goes a long way with me.) And the romance is such a slow burn, you might find yourself wishing for things to speed up.

Overall, I found Flirty Dancing a very entertaining and enjoyable book. Recommended!

Flirty Dancing
By Jennifer Moffatt

I have really enjoyed books by Andie Burke, which are centered on LGBTQ love stories. When I was sent Flirty Dancing, I had a strong suspicion I would like it, and I did-very much!

I enjoyed the main character and side characters. I liked the slow revelation of the reasoning behind Mateo's behavior and the growth shown by Caleb (I was so happy this character grew emotionally throughout the story and wasn't stagnant-that would have been a negative for me). I did think there was going to be a surprise at the end, but I guessed incorrectly at which character that would involve.

I enjoyed this "closed door" romance quite a bit and look forward to reading more by this author.

2 stars

The blurb for Flirty Dancing promised "colorful side characters, a million Broadway references, and enough drama for a high school summer camp". After reading it, I'd say that it delivered on one out of three.

I will give this book credit where it is due - I so appreciate a LGBT+ story where the characters can just live their truths without a trauma plot. This delivered in that aspect in spades! Unfortunately, so much of this book is let down by what I felt was a meandering plot, lackluster character work, and a focus on interpersonal drama that was irritating rather than entertaining. As an actor myself and unrepentant lover of mess, I felt like this concept could have been explored with so much more depth, humor, and heart.

I'm sure that there are people out there that will gobble this book up and I wish that I could have been one of them - alas!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Thank you to Net galley, St. Martin’s press and MacMillan Audio for the ARC of Flirty Dancing!
When I saw that this was inspired by Dirty Dancing, I was immediately intrigued. They did an excellent job incorporating the movie, while also creating their own story. I appreciated all the references, especially “I carried a watermelon”. Matteo felt so Johnny like to me multiple times!

The story was very cute. The story was an extremely slow burn, with a nice will they won’t they fell. At moments, it felt almost too slow for me. The ensemble of side characters were all great, with many side characters sticking out.

This plot was basically every theatre kids dream- having your Broadway crush fall in love with you. It made my theatre heart very full. The phantom of the opera touch near the end? Perfect

This book is perfect for both theatre kids and Dirty Dancing lovers alike!

This book was cute! I went in expecting more romance, but I’m a sucker for camp drama so I ate this up. I also adored the meeting of a long term crush/hero actually working out.