Do I really need to tell you how much I loved this? Because it has everything I'm looking for in a romance book. Fun, romance, and most broadway references that went right over my head. I had a fun time with this book.

I ended up really enjoying Flirty Dancing. It gave me gay Dirty Dancing vibes with the summer dancing group and all the messy relationships/ hooking up goin on. Archer moved to New York after a later-in-life career change at the age of 28 with the dream of performing on Broadway. But after months of auditions and callbacks with no roles in sight, he is beginning to wonder if it is time to return to Ohio with his tail tucked between his legs. The only light in the darkness if a queer-friendly resort in the Catskills called Shady Queens. Here he may just be performing for geriatrics and vacationing families, but a role is a role and, who knows, maybe this will be his break into show business. Enter Archer's former teen crush, Mateo, disgraced Broadway star and all around grouchy human being. What starts out as a tense partnership between the two, slowly morphs into friendship and as the two grow even closer begins to grow into something more.

This was an enjoyable read. I liked the characters and the storyline. This cast of characters could get very messy, but they owned up to mistakes and tried to be better. A great book for a quick, summer read!

Archer Read is 27 years old. He is desperate to find his place in life. Five months ago, he quit his soul-destroying accounting job in Ohio and moved to Manhattan with dreams of making it on Broadway. But, now he has nothing to show for it but a string of rejections. A musical revue at Shady Queens, a queer-friendly resort in the Catskills, is his last chance to break into show biz or it’s back to Ohio, broke and hopeless. He arrives ready to dance his heart out, only to find he’ll be working with his teenage celebrity crush, the Broadway star Mateo Dixon. Athur finds that Mateo ignores him. Meanwhile his bunk mate Caleb has gotten Arthur into a “romance” with him. Will Arthur and Mateo than become more “aware” of each other?

A romantic comedy that shows what can happen when in love. It’s a delightful book to read. It answers if love is withal sacrifice.

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.