I received an ARC of Flirty Dancing in exchange for an honest review.

What an adorable, feel good read! The first half felt so slow for me — I read it casually to keep my Kindle streak going while I tackled other reads in other formats. But the second half!!! I DEVOURED it in an hour.

There are so many things the author does well here: the emotions of being an aging and seemingly failing dancer with parents who don’t quite understand your heart, THE TENSION and ✨chemistry✨ between Archer and Mateo. There was so much I loved and squealed over, never stopping my excitement to FINALLY see those two get together.

The last few chapters felt rushed, like we were just trying to get to the end with the cleanest, most ideal ending of all. It soured me on the whole book a little bit, almost like we were building to a climax that happened and then absolutely nothing else but pure fluff. I still love this book as a whole and if MM romance is for you, I highly recommend picking up this sweet little book on 5/27/25 when it releases 🫶🏼

Thank you to Jennifer Moffatt and NetGalley for the eARC!

Explicitness: 🔥🔥🔥 / 5 or PG-13 (fade to black sex scenes)
Archer has always wanted to dance on Broadway; unfortunately, at 27 he keeps being told he is too old. When he’s almost at the end of his savings, he gets offered a job dancing at a queer resort in the Catskills all summer. When he arrives, he finds out that his teenage Broadway crush is one of his coworkers and the leader of the troupe. Mateo has a chip on his shoulder and doesn’t appreciate that Archer’s a fan – and they have to dance several duets and a pas de deux together. Worse still, their chemistry is off the charts, at least on stage.
This was a fast-paced, compelling read. Though I was a little annoyed with Archer at first, I ended up really rooting for him and it eased my earlier frustration. The main characters are pretty well fleshed-out, convincingly having inner lives. Narration alternates between the two, but Archer feels like the real protagonist. Some of the supporting characters, like Betty and Eileen, are well-developed and have nice relationships with the main two. One thing that bugged me is that Caleb, who Archer dates for a significant chunk of the summer, is kind of flat and incredibly immature.
I’d recommend this for fans of dance rom-coms (like Save the Last Dance) and for readers who love a grumpy/sunshine dynamic. I received an advance copy of this book for review; all opinions are my own.

This was disappointing for me. Although the MCs were in their late 20s, this read more like a YA. Early on in the book one of the characters proclaims that "this isn't high school" but honestly...that's what it felt like. There was a lot of petty drama and immaturity and it felt like a bunch of teens at summer camp rather. Which is fine, just not my cup of tea.

I loved the premise of this. Dirty dancing vibes but with an M/M pairing.
However, all the drama felt very like high school show choir/theater.
I’m still not sure what two saw in each other. I love a good slow burn but this just didn’t hit for me.

I loved this book. I laughed, I cringed, and I wanted to dance and go to summer camp.

I believed in the romance and I WANTED it to happen. The palpable sexual and romantic tension kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. I loved Archer, and really the rest of the cast! Archer felt like a good person with relatable struggles and issues, and the rest of the cast was full of people much the same. I appreciated the depth it brought to the story.

The dancing was really well written. I know just enough ballroom dance to have felt maybe a tenth of what the dancers felt in terms of chemistry on the dance floor, but I appreciated that the dancing was both a focus point and not too technical in description.

Also, I really appreciate a "closed door" romance now and then that still treats the reader like an adult, which this book did well - lots of the time in closed door books, it feels like if characters are not going to have sex on the page, the characters don't dare to so much as think about attraction, which can hurt the chemistry, and that was NOT the case here.

Finally, the book was kind, which is something I don't read often enough. Characters can make mistakes and do bad things and apologize and forgive each other and grow, hard things work out in the end, and the overall feeling was warm and fuzzy.

Flirty Dancing delivers a story that does what it promises as the title suggests: flirtatious and passionate. Moffatt keeps the tension high through the struggle and stress of creating the perfect musical event, in which she emphasizes that no matter how small or seemingly unimportant the place is, entertainment has to be immaculate and entertaining for the guests. She further preserves the tension with the backstage drama behind the scenes, from unexpected romance to illicit affairs—they might be pretty vulgar for someone's reading taste. Still, I would say that it isn't misplaced in a particular queer-friendly Catskill resort.

Regarding romance, the progress is relatively slow, with bumps here and there, and, of course, some summer flings go wrong. And yet, these are the parts where the drama becomes much more amusing because it unfolds many aspects of the characters, particularly the main characters like Arthur Read and Mateo Dixon. In conclusion, the book is a ride for someone wanting to read explosive adult romances.

This was a sweet rom com that I really enjoyed. Well written and I loved all the characters. I would enjoy a sequel. Will definitely keep an eye out for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Flirty Dancing was a cute LGBTQ+ spin on Dirty Dancing. I really enjoyed how the author described the dances, and you could feel the love for the performing arts in this book. I loved the chemistry between Archer and Mateo, especially towards the end of the book. However, the pacing throughout the book felt a bit off, and I didn't love the drama within the dance crew. It was described in the book as "high school drama" and it very much was. But as it kept going on and on throughout the majority of the book I got tired of it, especially because these characters are supposed to be adults. I also didn't love the dynamics between Archer and Caleb, and since it was basically the first half of the book, it brought my rating down.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book is incredibly sweet. Is it a little mushy and predictable, sure, but it’s an LGBTQ+ retelling of Dirty Dancing, so the plot is more or less in the title. The fun is in the journey.

4 Stars - rounding up from 3 1/2 because a good time was had by all.

Honestly, a really nice book to read if you are into musicals and queer love stories. I don’t usually read romance books but this one caught my eye because of the main characters. I like how they’re not young adults but adults, which really gives more depth in their characters. Nothing wrong with young adult characters but I like seeing some diversity in the age when it comes to romance. This book, while it’s light-hearted (somewhat) in the romance and dramatic like almost every summer camp set book, it does bring attention to one of the big things that the main character struggles to find, achieving his dream to being in Broadway despite starting in his late 20’s. I like the notion that he doesn’t give up in achieving his dream, even when he’s struggling to make a place for himself and leaving everything he’s known for that. The ending wasn’t surprising but it was a nice ending that really gave that happy ending to a love story between Archer and Mateo while also achieving their dreams.

The romance with Mateo is also what I really like as well, because you can see the development in their dynamic change throughout the book. Although, I personally like how oblivious Archer is to Mateo’s interest because clearly Mateo is jealous and their is some sort of sexual intimacy happening yet they won’t do anything about it. Although, Caleb did annoy me because he was acting like a teenager that didn’t get what he wanted and causing trouble and drama everywhere he goes. Gives off the vibes of someone who hasn’t grown up and seeing the realization settle into Archer that he doesn’t want to be with someone like that was a breath of fresh air because he doesn’t try to justify his actions. Although there is sexual tension throughout the entire book, they really only got together when there really is only 30 pages left of the story, so it’s pretty much very slow burn. They didn’t have any kind of romantic drama or obstacle between the two which I really enjoy because that really isn’t my favourite thing to read in a romance book but I also like how not everything is butterflies as well as they tackle their own issues.

Although this book was comedic in itself and all I can thank for is the hilarious director that absolutely knew what he was doing when making comments at Mateo and Archer. The best word to describe him is unhinged.

Overall, I enjoy this cute story and would recommend it to anyone who would like a good, comedic, light romantic book who is also a queer musical fan.

I would also like to thank NetGalley for allowing to read the earc of this novel and the publishers, St. Martin's Press, as well!

Flirty Dancing
2/5 ⭐️

This review does contain spoilers

I was so excited by the premise of this one but unfortunately it just fell flat for me. I found I felt ambivalent toward the main character and that I didn’t overly like many of the other characters. I found myself frequently wondering why Archer was even dating Caleb since it didn’t seem by the text that he even really liked him much. I also didn’t really feel chemistry between Archer and Mateo though out and when they got together at the end (90% through the book) it just felt off.

I’m not quite sure who the audience for this one is. The writing felt young, and though the characters were in their late 20s they felt more like teens to me. Unfortunately, this one just isn’t for me.

Flirty Dancing by Jennifer Moffat is a whirlwind of romance, drama, and summer adventure - but unfortunately, it's often too much of a whirlwind to really settle into its potential. The story follows Archer who is trying to pivot from his former life as an accountant into being a professional dancer on Broadway, and his last hope is being hired to be a performer in a dance troupe for a LGBTQ+ resort in the Catskills. Ultimately, this was a solid and enjoyable read that struggled to find its footing - but once it did, it really did.

The biggest issue with this book is the pacing of individual scenes and events. Relationships and storylines don't develop naturally so much as they materialize out of thin air. Important scenes, such as Archer's interactions with his parents who are a major source of his anxiety, or with Lynn who is supposedly his best friend, are brushed over leaving the reader to fill in the gaps. Similarly, pivotal moments, such as Archer's first live performance as a professional dancer, or Mateo revealing his sobriety, are introduced and then abandoned without any meaningful exploration. Emotional beats that should have resonated - like Mateo's admission of past transphobia - are rushed, with forgiveness coming uncomfortably quickly.

The writing itself also struggles to keep up with the story's ambitions. While the characters are in their twenties, they often read like teenagers, and the breakneck pace leaves little time for reflection or emotional depth. Scenes feel like they're being ticked off a checklist, and there's a sense that we're being told what happens rather than experiencing it with the characters.

That said, the book's pacing, while chaotic, does give it a compulsive readability, and the rapid progression of events kept me turning pages and interested in what would happen next. And while the initial character and relationship development didn't work for me, once they had been established the dynamics became much more engaging. By the end of the story, the characters felt much less one-dimensional, and I felt that each storyline reached a satisfying conclusion.

Overall, this book has its moments but doesn't lean into its emotional weight enough to be truly memorable. It's a fun, fast-paced read, but one that could have benefitted from slowing down and letting its characters - and its readers - breathe.

Archer Read, a 27-year-old accountant from Ohio, moves to Manhattan with dreams of Broadway stardom but ends up with nothing but rejection. Desperate for a shot, he takes a job dancing at Shady Queens, a queer-friendly resort, where he’s shocked to find himself working with his former celebrity crush, fallen Broadway star Mateo Dixon. As Archer navigates Mateo’s icy demeanor, a fling with his bunkmate Caleb, and the chaotic drama of the dance crew, he discovers that chasing your dreams means confronting heartbreak—both on and off the stage.

I am more and more getting into MM romance and this one is a very cute romance and queer family story. I loved Shady Queens and their staff and would love to go to a resort like this in real life. There were a lot of slow moving parts, but there’s a lot of vulnerability and accountability with their characters (specifically one main character) which I loved. The ending was a bit abrupt, but I did enjoy this book. It’s definitely more cutesy than sexy, and the romance plays a much much much lower end on the plot point than you’d expect. I would definitely read more from this author.

At first it felt like a gay rip off of Dirty Dancing but eventually evolved into something else. The story follows a dance troupe an upstate New York summer camp for LGBTQ+ individuals. The characters are likable and it was fun to see the inner development of a show. Definitely gives vibes of Noises Off where we see the drama behind the show. While the sexual tension of the characters is quite strong, the sexual encounters are tame and without detail, skipping from makeout to afterglow. This is a plus for those who prefer a less spicy romance novel.
Parts of the story were slow and the main romance story develops so slowly that you don't see its resolution until 90% through the novel. There is a brief side romance featuring Caleb, my least favorite character, and the story's main antagonist. I felt like this plot detour detracts from the flow of the story and did little to aid character development or to bring our main protagonists together. Fixing some of these issues would help improve my rankings.
Overall, it was an entertaining read and while it not going on my favorite books list, I wasn't disappointed.
Plot: ⭐️⭐️
Spicyness level: 🌶️🌶️
Character Chemistry and Romance: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I love the movie Dirty Dancing, so I was excited to see this one, but I"m afraid it fell flat for me. The writing read very young, although the story involves people in their 20s, and I wasn't really sure who it was meant for. I also found the fact that one of the MMCs is in a situationship with someone else for a good portion of the book to be both unnecessary and very odd. I think there is an audience for this, it just was decidedly not me!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I love the premise of the book and really enjoyed some of the callbacks to the movie. While the description of the dancing was beautiful, between Archer spending way too much time with Caleb and some not so great stereotypes being used as plot points I bounced off of this title hard.

Truly started reading this because I thought it would be a light and fluffy, fun rom com to cleanse the palette. Meanwhile! I cried. A lot!

A lot of these situations hit way closer to home than I thought they would (feeling like you’re running out of time, protecting yourself by not allowing yourself to enjoy what’s in front of you, etc.) This book will hit different for artists.

I loved these characters and how real they were. I felt so invested in them and their story.

Dirty Dancing setting, but with a Hallmark movie vibe.

Flirty Dancing is one of those books where you wanna reach through the screen and smack the characters. (Mostly Caleb. I really wanna smack him.) Not that I didn’t enjoy all the behind the scenes shenanigans of the dancers. They’re a lot of fun. I was just frustrated with how long it took the MCs to get together.

Tropes:
Slow burn
Grumpy/Sunshine

Spice:
Mild

Ugh, I just love books like this. Such queer joy and fun and flirty! This book is pure Broadway glitter and queer summer chaos! If you’re a fan of Casey McQuiston or just love your rom coms packed with big personalities, swoony moments, and a sprinkle of second chance dreams, you’re going to eat this up.

Archer Read is the ultimate golden retriever protagonist—a 27 year old dreamer who quit his accounting job for the bright lights of Broadway… only to land at Shady Queens, a queer friendly Catskills resort, as a last shot at his performing dreams. Enter Mateo Dixon, his teenage celebrity crush turned smoldering, broody coworker (yes, the vibes are immaculate), and Caleb, his bunkmate slash fling who adds just the right dose of spice to the chaos. 🌶️

This book is like a musical itself—high energy, dramatic, and heartfelt. The dance scenes are electric, and the behind the scenes shenanigans are filled with juicy tension, heartbreak, and all the drama you’d expect when you throw together big personalities with even bigger egos. But what makes this shine is the way it balances the campy fun with genuine moments of self-discovery and vulnerability.

📖 What I loved:
✨ The sizzling tension between Archer and Mateo. Their slow burn romance gave me life 🔥
✨ The side characters! They’re chaotic, lovable, and messy in the best way possible
✨ So many Broadway references, it’s like a love letter to theater nerds everywhere 🎶
✨ The Catskills setting—it has that cozy yet vibrant summer camp vibe that makes you nostalgic for a simpler time

If you love romance with a heaping dose of drama, a protagonist you can’t help but root for, and a reminder that finding yourself can be as messy as a midsummer dance rehearsal, then Flirty Dancing is your next read. 💃

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Moffatt, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this book.

I was so excited when I saw an achillean, Dirty Dancing inspired, romance, unfortunately it fell completely flat for me. There was a lot going on in this fade to black rom-com, but at the same time nothing that felt of consequence or was very engaging. The overall tone of the writing skewed young, and I'm not sure who the intended audience is for this.

Some readers will be frustrated that MMC Archer spends a significant amount of the book in a situationship (not his HEA guy), which also starts well into the book.