This story got me diving into it. It has mess written all over it in a good way. There’s tea and drama throughout, like watching a movie just unfold. I caught myself reacting verbally to what I was reading multiple times. This books has so much summer vibes and each time they’re lakeside, I wish I were where they were.

The chemistry between the MMCs was electric from the beginning but this story has the slow burn trope and will keep you reading until you get there. I enjoyed this book so much and it kept me in the same spot in our house for hours just reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Chasing your dreams is always possible, and Archer Read, our protagonist, is a perfect example of that.

The story kicks off with him being told he’s too old to dance on Broadway. It hit him hard, but he never let that stop him from pursuing his love for the stage.

I was totally hooked from the start of the book! I couldn’t put it down at first. But then, somewhere along the way, it lost its spark. I’m not sure if it was the introduction of two love interests or just the pacing in the second half, but it felt a bit rushed.

The writing style shifted quite a bit throughout, and I kept waiting for it to regain its momentum.

Was it a bad read? Not at all! I really enjoyed the author’s concept and Archer’s character felt relatable. However, I wouldn’t call it a standout book for me.

If you’re into quick reads featuring queer protagonists, cabaret vibes, and plenty of drama, you might want to check it out. Your take on it could be totally different!

Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice:🌶️


TROPES: DANCER, LOVE TRIANGLE-ISH, SUMMER FLINGS

Til Next Review,
Sincerely, Lyssi

Flirty Dancing is a MM contemporary romance inspired by the classic movie Dirty Dancing. An easy summer romance read that is heavy on the drama surrounding the dance cast of Shady Queens Resort.

The story follows Archer, a male late 20s former accountant that 5 months ago decided to uproot his life and follow his passion for dance and Broadway. After countless failed auditions Archer lands a summer job at a resort in the Catskills of New York. Just when he thinks his luck has run out and he will need to return back to Ohio after the summer with failed dreams, Matteo walks into dance practice. Matteo, a former broadway star and Archer’s childhood crush could be the shake up Archer needs.

However, the moody Matteo tries to keep things strictly busy while at Shady Queens, which pushes Archer into the arms of his roommate Caleb. During the 3 months at Shady Queens tension, romance, and tempers run high between the dance cast which spins out of control. Can the dancers put their personal feelings aside and preform as professionals? Who should Archer be with? Will Archer succeed? Read and find out.


Overall, this story is short, fast paced, with closed door romance scenes and DRAMA! It is a nice easy summer read.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley, for this eARC. These opinions are my own. Someone mentioned Dirty Dancing meets Camp Rock, and that's exactly what this is! This is such a fast-paced story, and when I started it, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I love it, the love triangle was a bit annoying, but you power through it. I can't wait to see more from Ms. Jennifer Moffatt!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A charming story! Archer turned his life upside down to pursue his dream of dancing on Broadway but so far he’s not had any luck. His only offer is to dance in a cabaret show at Shady Queens, an LGBTQ+ resort it the Catskills. But it’s a job and just maybe it’ll lead to something more. He’s pleasantly surprised when he arrived to find Mateo Dixon on the stage. He’s crush and idol when he was a teenager. Years ago Mateo was dancing on Broadway but then he abruptly quit his show and no one had seen him since, so what’s he doing here? Unfortunately, for Archer, Mateo doesn’t seem to like him very much. But one of his roommates, Caleb, is plenty flirty. The two can have a little fun, but as Archer and Mateo dance more they seem to be drawn together. Can he win Mateo over? Who will it be Caleb or Mateo? Can he finally reach his dream? Sweet and charming with a lovable group of side characters and plenty of drama! If you are into dancing you’ll definitely enjoy this book! Jennifer Moffatt also gives plenty of character growth, mistakes, and apologies!

This was right up my alley in theory, but nothing ended up working out… the love triangle just was too much and the writing over all just didn’t vibe with me.

This book started off rocky for me, and it was really hard to get into, but once I embraced the reality tv show vibe it was giving off, I ATE IT UP. It’s one of those books that you can’t really take seriously because it’s just fun. I’m such a sucker for well developed characters and this book DELIVERED. Every character was thought out flawlessly, and you could tell that they all had unique personalities instead of just blending into the background. The main characters really grew on me, and by the end, I found myself rooting for them. The relationship drama was so intense. When I tell you I was about to throw HANDS with this random dude named Caleb that was lowkey pissing me off, I’m not kidding. I love a good, deep read that makes me think, but this book really hit for me. It wasn’t serious, and sometimes you need a good lighthearted read (in this day and age especially).

Dirty Dancing, camp vibes, banter, dancing, drama and more shape this fun romance!
This was such a fun vibe and the chemistry and tension between Archer and Mateo kept me invested in them throughout. Lynn was probably my fav side character and I would be interested in seeing more from her. Great little read for summer or when you just want a M/M Dirty Dancing/Camp Rock vibe as a palate cleanser.

A solid 3.5 star read.
Camp Rock meets Dirty Dancing, but make it adult...and so GAY!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
There will be shade and there will be queens. They’re the Shady Queens. It’s all jealousy, love triangles, and blueberry pie. The MMC is oblivious and the antagonist needs to be slapped with a wet fish. A teenage crush turns transforms into adult dance partners. The tension! You will want to shake your book because you see ‘it’ long before he does. Every character is an hot mess and only queer camp can fix them.
What could go wrong?

I really loved the premise of this story. I loved dirty dancing and knew this would be a fun read. The characters were unique and the two mmc’s have so much chemistry and I was pining for them to get together from the beginning. I enjoyed the setting, though it did seem unrealistic and juvenile for the ages of the characters. Similarly, while the characters were humorous, their development was flat. I was hoping for more dynamical plot and relationships. The end felt rushed…I really just wanted more from the plot and characters. While I did enjoy most of the book, I wanted more from it.

Such a cute story! I so enjoyed the whole cast of characters! Of course Archer & Mateo stole the show but I was just as wrapped up in the whole gang. I wasn’t sure if I would like it as I don’t have any real interest in dancing or shows but truthfully the characters & relationships were so great that the setting wasn’t necessarily central for me. Now if you love dancing & shows you’d be crazy not to read it!!

One of my favorite memoirs I've ever read is Andrew Rannells' "Too Much is Not Enough." He talks at length about his experience doing these upper New York couple of month gigs for shows and whatnot, and this book captured a lot of how that memoir felt, but fictionally. It's a really light, enjoyable read with all the fun of things like the tv show smash and all the romance you could hope for.

In a fantastic mix between the film White Christmas and the tv show Smash, Flirty Dancing is the perfect romance for those who belt Phantom in their cars during road trips.

FLIRTY DANCING was incredibly cute and fast paced. This is a closed door romance for those looking for something with less kick.

Flirty Dancing blends elements of Dirty Dancing with messy relationships, camp, and chaotic humor. This bringing together a cast of dancers at Shady Queens resort for a summer of drama, dreams, and unexpected romance. Archer, a 27-year-old former accountant, dreams of making it big as a dancer in New York but finds himself working at the resort alongside his childhood crush, Mateo Dixon was a once-rising Broadway star whose career crashed hard. While Mateo is emotionally closed off, there’s undeniable chemistry between him and Archer, leading to a slow-burn romance filled with tension, longing, and complicated feelings. The supporting cast, including Archer’s hilarious roommate Lynn and the ever-present storyteller Eileen, add charm and personality to the story, though some characters, like Caleb, feel more like plot devices than fully developed roles. At times, the book struggles to balance its slice-of-life, friend-group dynamics with its romance plot, leaving some parts feeling rushed especially in the final chapters, where things wrap up a little too cleanly. Despite that, the emotional depth, the struggle of aging dancers, and the sizzling tension between Archer and Mateo make this an engaging read. If you’re into messy, campy MM romance with theater kid chaos and a resort full of drama, this one’s worth picking up!

This was a quick read with likeable characters. I was hoping for a little more depth. The characters come across more like teenagers then mid to late 20s. The happy ending was never in doubt, with even the troublemaker character being totally redeemed.

I loved this fun and sexy closed door remaining of Dirty dancing! The characters were funny, and interesting. The drama was hot and the creativity was amazing. I finished it in 2 days, and it only took that long because I had to go to work.

I was lucky to receive an ARC for Flirty Dancing, this has a cute story and the setting reminds me so much of Kellermans from, you guessed it, Dirty Dancing.
Archer is in his late twenties and is pursuing his dream of being a dancer, after many misses, he finally gets the chance to perform in a show at a local resort. While there, he meets none other than Mateo Dixon, a former Broadway star; with a reputation that precedes him. I thought I knew how this would play out but there’s a good amount of time focused on another character that I took away from getting to know the two main characters better.
While there is a connection made early on with our main MCs, I wish there was more interaction between them along the way. I will say though, once the focus shifts to our main guys, the chemistry is there, I loved the stolen glances and how they complimented each other. Their dance scenes sounded so good and that tension was fire, I’d watch this routine!
There’s a good mix of characters that you’ll either love or hate, lots of drama but also some cute and tender moments. I absolutely loved Lynn and was invested in her storyline as well! The last couple of chapters felt a tad rushed and ended abruptly; it left me wanting just a tiny bit more after so much build up. This was a quick and fun read and while it does have its flaws, it’s a great reminder of summer camps and crushes.

Thank you to NetGalley, and St Martins Griffin for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Flirty Dancing is a cute closed door romance with Dirty Dancing vibes. The premise is adorable, but the pacing led this novel to falling flat for me. Unfortunately, I don’t feel the romance got enough time to develop. Over half the book was focused on a side relationship clearly going nowhere at the cost of main relationship. I almost think this would have worked better if everyone had been aged down.

This is perfect for anyone looking for a quick fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Words can not describe how adorable and heartwarming this book was. If you know me, you KNOW that, ‘Dirty Dancing’ is my favorite movie of all time (and yes, its literally my number 1 movie). I was a tad hesitant when I saw the title, thinking that, do I really neeeeed a Dirty Dancing retelling? The answer was YES!
The story centers around our lead, Archer, who left his life in Ohio as an accountant at the age of 27 to pursue his big dream of being a dancer on Broadway. He feels lie he is too old to be a dancer and is at that point of giving up when he books a gig for the summer at a LGBTQIA+ resort called Shady Queens. When he arrives he meets the cast and is star struck when Mateo Dixon, a former Broadway star, and his childhood crush, happens to be working on the same show. Things get heated on and off stage and everyone needs to navigate their show but also their relationships.
This book is filled with so many musical references and a ton of Dirty Dancing references… even a watermelon one, IYKYK. Archer and Mateo we the perfect substitute for Baby and Johnny, and still gave that feeling of nostalgia and tension I needed. Overall, I highly recommend this book, its fun and will make you smile a lot.
4.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for an ARC copy for an honest review!

3.5⭐️
Why did a round up? I think it’ll have its audience, I just wasn’t it.

I really enjoy Achillean (MM) as well as Sapphic (FF) romances despite not being in the LGTBQ community other than being an ally. However, this one felt like a YA book but the characters were in their late 20’s! Had it been a YA book I could have wrapped my head around it a lot easier but when grown adults act like 12 year olds it’s really off putting.

I did like the dance references and the unique chapter setups as it was different from the typical. On the other hand , and yes I know it is fiction, it was really far fetched. 27 years old is well past when you would get your foot in as a professional dancer. Making a go on Broadway could be conceivable but not in this circumstance. It was things like this that made it hard to stick with the story.

What drew me to the book was the Dirty Dancing parallels and there were some that were done well. But there were others that missed the mark. You know what it felt like? Like the TV show, Riverdale where the line was blurred of the time period when you have it modern day but gave characteristics from the 1950’s. It didn’t work.

That being said I think I there are some that may really like this, particularly teenagers looking for queer fiction. I am thankful to have gotten the eARC for free from St Martins Press through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thanks to the author and St. Martin’s for the ARC! This was a cute queer reimagining of Dirty Dancing. Not life changing but enjoyable. There were a couple strange turns of phrase like “Mateo’s jaw flapped.” I’m not sure what that supposed to mean but it sounds physically impossible?