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 @stmartinspress 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! Plus, the narrator did such a fantastic job, he really made the book come to life.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian for letting me listen to this early!

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
Flirty Dancing was the story of Archer, a 27 year old (aka ANCIENT) dancer trying to follow his dream and get his big break. After nothing but rejection, he’s offered a summer job dancing in an ensemble for a queer summer resort. There he meets his childhood celebrity crush/disgraced broadway burnout: Mateo. What could he possibly be doing here?

This book was okay. There was a big amount of stress on the fact that Archer and Mateo were “old” (late 20’s), so I suppose it shouldn’t have annoyed me when the rest of the characters were annoying and dramatic. This was a LOT of drama. Like an unnecessary amount of relationship drama. Love triangles, cheating, on again-off again, will they-won’t they, etc. It was actually kind of exhausting listening to these characters constantly fighting with each other or finding new reasons to be shitty to one another. If you’re into that, this book is DEFINITELY for you!! I am not, however. This book felt too long and really drug in several spots. The parts I enjoyed, I really did like! But it was only like half the book that I enjoyed.

Also: my dog’s name is Archer so that aspect did take me out of a little bit. Not the fault of the author, just my own personal note!!

3⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy. First I want to say I love the title of this book. I thought this was a super cute romance book. I was looking for something that would expand topics and genres that I typically don’t read. This was my first male/male romance. And I thought it was done very well.

I truly have nothing bad to say about this book and the narration done by Mark Sanderlin. The plot of this book was outstanding having ups and downs with the complexity of the characters and the world that they are in. I usually read my audio books on 2x speed and for this audiobook I wanted to take it slow and fully digest the story, and that was the right option. Being able to have a deeper connection with the characters and the actual story was what I needed for this read.

Seeing Archer, a smalltown character, trying to make it big in the theater industry as well as struggling with the relationships that he has, made this book feel more personal in a way. Mateo, an ex-Broadway star, struggles with the backlash of partying and the harsh reality of how words can make or break your career. They run into each other at Shady Queens, when they become partners for an intimate tango. Their connection goes through the ups and downs of their time at Shady Queens, and the people that they meet along the way. In the end they get their happily-ever-after and both make their Broadway debut together.

Overall, this was an amazing book by Jennifer Moffat, and I can't wait to read more of her works. And for Mark Sanderlin his narration was one of my favorites and I will in fact be looking out for more of his work as well.

Judging from the title, I immediately thought "A gay version of Dirty Dancing?" when I first received this book for review. Well yeah...sort of...not really. Though the book is quite similar in places, it's different enough to make for a really interesting read, albeit a little on the light side.

The main character, Archer is having no luck in landing a dancing gig in NYC when he gets hired to go to the Catskills to be part of a dance troupe at a gay resort. There he meets mega-hottie, Mateo and the sparks begin to fly but a fair amount of friction must be dealt with before the two finally fall into each other's arms.

P.S. This book would be great for a LGBTQIA+ teen or anyone that prefers a "cleaner" read. Though it does contain references to sex from time to time, it doesn't go into details.

This was a really fun book! I really enjoyed the cast of characters in the story and getting to see all the hijinks that a bunch of 20-somethings can get into by being in close proximity together for an entire summer. I liked getting to see the self confidence journey that Archer goes on, both with wanting to pursue a career in dance and his feelings towards Mateo.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of Flirty Dancing!

A fun, feel-good read with lots of heart and Broadway flair. The buildup between the characters took a while, and some of the phrasing got repetitive, but I really enjoyed the journey. The summer camp vibes, dance drama, and queer romance made for an entertaining and satisfying story. Four stars!

2.75 rounded

bleh, I truly did not care for this one. While the audio itself is fine, the book is just eh. There is so much unnecessary drama and our MC spends more than half the book with someone who isn't the actual love interest. I despise Caleb with the power of 1000 suns. This book could have been so much better without him. Sorry if you loved this one, but I cannot.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the alc in exchange for an honest review.

Heat Index: 2/10

—Dirty Dancing but make it gay

—queer-friendly resort~

—grumpy/sunshine

The Basics:

After giving up his stable but boring accountant lifestyle to become a dancer on Broadway, Archer is left adrift—until he's given the opportunity to dance at Shady Queens, a queer-centric Catskills resort. And, oh yeah, he's going to be paired with Broadway star Mateo, his teenage crush. Except Mateo is actually kind of a douche, and it's a bit easier for Archer to get on with Caleb (albeit also a douche). But that doesn't mean he can forget the way Mateo keeps looking at him...

The Review:

In many ways, this is a love letter to Dirty Dancing while still being its own things—there's a comparison made to Casey McQuiston, and I can see that... Though more on the side of Red, White, and Royal Blue than The Pairing. I'm more into the latter's vibe than the former's, but believe me when I say the comparison is a compliment and speaks to how broadly I see this book appealing to people. It's lighthearted, it's funny, and it brings the drama.

Well, maybe not to the extent that Dirty Dancing brought the drama. The title shift is perfectly reflective of the tonal change. There's a lot of flirting, a lot of uncertainty about who really likes who, a healthy dose of snark. But it's never heavy, and it never feels like Archer intends to be insensitive or reckless with anyone's heart.

In some ways, it did read a little younger than it should have. You definitely get the sense that Archer is living a second wind of sorts, having abandoned what he "should be" (an accountant) for who he actually is (a dancer). And of course, he's getting all those smolders from his old crush! But still. He is old enough to have been and abandoning being an accountant, and everyone here is an adult. It could be a little much.

You definitely see that Dirty Dancing vibe with Mateo in the role of the jaded pro while Archer is a bit of more an ingenue (in spirit, if not in practice) but the stakes just feel a little lower because of all this. I also will say that while I always respect an author's choice to make a book closed door, I did go into this expecting that Dirty Dancing tribute vibe to be a bit higher heat? Dancing in general evokes a sizzle to me, and because the book is closed door that feels a bit unfulfilled. That said, I know that others feel differently, and if you enjoy a closed door book, this could be perfect for you.

I will say that the classic "queer friend group relationship drama" shenanigans were really fun here. And I'm definitely enjoying the trend I'm seeing in resort-set books (this is also the second book I've read recently featuring queer-friendly resorts specifically). The explicit prioritization of queer joy in romance is so important, now more than ever.

The Conclusion:

I think I was expecting something a bit hotter, a bit more mature. But you'll still get a cute, fun book here, and the narration is quality.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A queer take on Dirty Dancing? Count me in!

Archer moves to NYC with dreams of making it as a dancer on Broadway. After loads of auditions, he finally gets cast, in a dance troupe for a camp in the Catskills. While not exactly what he was aiming for, he can finally call himself a professional dancer. When he gets to Shady Queens, he realizes his childhood celebrity crush Mateo is also on the dance crew.

This book was a fun lighthearted read. The partying and poor decision making felt so real to camp life/early 20s decision making. It did have me cringing at parts and yelling at the characters to communicate, but that was part of the charm. The story did feel like it was a bit rushed at the end but overall I just had a good time reading about the shenanigans these characters got up to.

Tropes
* Summer Camp Vibes
* Childhood Celebrity Crush
* Workplace Romance
* Dance Partners
* Fun side characters

4 stars

I about DNF'd this because it felt simultaneously very predictable, and ultimately a story I didn't care about.

DNF @ 59%

I adore Dirty Dancing so I was really excited to see a queer take on the story. Unfortunately this version didn’t work for me. There were too many threads that didn’t quite come together into a cohesive story. My main issue with the story is that Archer engages in a relationship with someone who is not the love interest all the way to the 59% mark. I wanted to see more of his relationship with Mateo but we haven't gotten much of that so far and I don't see how a satisfying love story can be built when half the book has been spent on another character. If you don't mind the central romance taking a backseat then you will likely enjoy this story because Archer himself is a very likable main character.

The narrator did a lovely job portraying all the characters and kept me invested in the story even when the plot was frustrating me. I'd definitely recommend picking this story up on audio if you enjoy listening to your books.

This book is too cute! I mean, man who are professional dancers? GIVE ME MORE PLEASE! I need those! This story is so romantic and fluffy and it made me smile so big my teeth hurt.
And I love the narrator, he was simply perfect!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Flirty Dancing by Jennifer Moffatt
ARC from Macmillan audio
Release date: May 27th 2025
-omg Archer is me we just in our twenties trying to figure out our lives taking the leap of faith is scary bro lol
-love him trying for broadway in New York I feel like I’m there with him trying to make it as a drama kid I’m giddy
-love a fan girl moment imagine having to work with your childhood celebrity crush I’d crash out
-some moments I felt bored
-the mess, the drama ouff
-was not a fan of Caleb so feels like that was a waste of time 😅
-This was a cute read but not what I thought it would be
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️

Archer decides, at age 27, that he wants to give up his boring career as an accountant in Ohio to move to NYC to pursue dancing. He just can’t seem to catch a break until he gets a job at Shady Queens, a queer resort in the Catskills, and takes the gig as his last chance to break into the business. Much to his surprise, his teenage celebrity crush Mateo Dixon is there for the gig as well, both brooding and smouldering. Archer gets entangled in the web of another castmate, Caleb, who may not be the best fit as a partner, at least until he can start to get to know the real Mateo.

This novel is for fans of the #GrumpySunshine trope or rom-coms with lots of Broadway references! I loved the take on a queer grumpy/sunshine trope, and even though I’m only a passive Broadway fan, I could still appreciate the dance team scene. It’s a love story for everyone! The audio version features Mark Sanderlin as the narrator who ~uplifted~ [sorry, that’s my attempt at a Dirty Dancing pun] the story, making it enthralling and particularly making Mateo a swoon-worthy heartthrob. Definitely a unique and fun read!

Spice rating: quite mild

Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio/St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review.

This review will be posted on Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the publication date!

“I’m not in love with him. Just professionally admiring him.” -Archer

This book was so dramatic and funny. It is very closely based on the movie Dirty Dancing. I mostly compared it to an off-Broadway show at a summer retreat for the rich and famous.

I loved that the characters both believed in one another.

Archer leaves his job as an accountant & moves to New York to peruse his dream of being a dancer on Broadway, but after thirty-some failed auditions, he is ready to give up. However, he books a Summer gig in the Catskills where he discovers he will be working with his childhood celebrity crush, Mateo.

when I saw the cover of this book, i knew i needed to read it! dirty dancing is my favorite movie & this definitely had the vibes of the movie! this book was MESSY but so entertaining & i had so much fun reading this. I thought it was interesting, however, that Mateo & Archer didn't get together until so deep into the book. In fact, Archer dates someone else, despite the flaming hot sexual tension with Mateo. I didn't expect the love triangle! The end wrapped up a bit quickly & I wish we saw more of Mateo & Archer's relationship, but this was such a fun read!

tropes:
✨LGBTQ+ representation
✨summer camp vibes
✨M/M romance
✨Dirty Dancing meets Dancing with the Stars
✨workplace
✨closed door
✨lots of messy fun

"That's it. That feeling. You love dancing; Your soul is dancing. You need to share that with the others. They need to feel that love."

thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Jennifer Moffatt, and MacMillan Audio for an ARC of this book!!!

Archer has big dreams of starring in a Broadway production, but he isn't having much luck and keeps getting the message that he might be too old (at 27). So he auditions for a summer gig at Shady Queens, a resort in the Catskills, and gets the job. When he gets there, he comes face-to-face with his Broadway idol Mateo, as well as a whole squad of other dancers and theater kids.

As a former theater kid myself, I loved this! The setting was so fun. A queer-friendly resort that has shows every day, and the staff get to live there and pursue their dancing dreams while also living out their summer camp dreams. It is idyllic.
Archer and Mateo, our main characters, are completely opposite. They have the sunshine/grumpy trope down as well as Archer being a little bit more naive about the behind the scenes of theatre, while Mateo has a lot of experience and has unfortunately made some mistakes that hurt his career. Mateo has a lot of character growth, and I think Archer is such a good influence on him, helping him see the bright side and how not give up. And Archer is such a sweetie and has a forgiving heart.
My inner theater kid also love the drama in this! Normally I don't like "other man" drama, but in this book it worked well. It kept me interested to see where things were going to go because you know those secrets are not going to be kept. I really didn't like Caleb and even though Archer is a good soul, I'm not so sure Caleb was deserving of any forgiveness.
5/5 for the audiobook. Mark Sanderlin is becoming a favorite narrator and he did a wonderful job with this.

~Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Jennifer Moffatt and NetGalley for this complimentary ALC. All opinions are my own~

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I give this 4 stars and 1 chili pepper for spice. I loved this story so much. As a dancer I really connected to the plot. Mateo and Asher’s slow burn love story was perfect and I really liked the love triangle with Caleb. I really wish this story had more spice. It was very closed door. The tension build up between Asher and Caleb was so strong that when the intimate scene finally happened it was slightly underwhelming. But that being said, the story was still amazing and I loved the plot. I’m super happy I read this.