Macmillan Audio ALC
This was a perfect summer camp type of book for summer. Archer goes to work at a Catskills summer camp as a dancer and cue the flirting, tension, and fun. I loved all of the references that are woven into this book. It made it so fun to listen to. The characters were a lot of fun. I enjoyed all of the side characters and thought they added lots of great depth to the story. I don't usually love love triangles, but it worked for me in this story because of how it was handled. So much tension and pining. It's just such a fun summery book, and I can't wait to share about it with others.
Mark Sanderlin gave a stellar performance. I loved hearing how he brought Archer and the other characters to life. I could not stop listening due to his awesome narration.

This was so cute! Full of tender hearted and funny moments, this was more wholesome than what I expected coming in. The chemistry between Mateo and Archer was palpable from the beginning and gave me all the feels. While it takes a while for the two of them to get together, once they do they are so adorable together!

The found family moments between the cast were so cute as well, and you feel something for each of the characters. Caleb is still trash though!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for providing me an early copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I had a really fun time listening to this one!

Archer has a passion for dance, and at 27 his prospects for becoming successful on Broadway are growing slimmer and slimmer, until he books a gig as part of the entertainment troupe for a queer-friendly summer resort in the Catskills, Shady Queens. There he meets, and gets to dance with, his teenage celebrity crush, Mateo.

I really loved all the side characters in this one. They were all so memorable and fun.

I will say the characters did seem to be written younger than they I think they were supposed to be? The MC turns 28 during the story, and although he is supposed to be *older* than the other dancers, they all mostly seemed to behave like teenagers.

I also didn’t love that the MC dated another of their fellow dancers in the first half, but it certainly did add to the drama!

Overall I was definitely entertained by the drama and the funny moments, and if you love the film 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨, I think you would enjoy this queer take on it.

Audiobook notes: I will say, along with the characters reading pretty young to me, the narrator also had a very youthful voice. Not necessarily a *bad* thing, but probably didn’t help my perception of the character’s ages while listening.

What this book is giving:
✅ MM Romcom
✅ Single POV
✅ Summer in the Catskills
✅ Dancers/The Entertainment
✅ Shady Queens
✅ Teenage Celebrity Crush

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️¼ / 5

*Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillian audio for early copy for review*

Another great queer story. Archer gets a dancing at resort and it feels like summer camp for adults. With lots of partying and some hooking up. The author did a good job of focusing in on a group of characters and creating drama with them. The main romance with Archer and Mateo is filled with them getting closer and a lot of tension. However there is also someone else that catches Archer's eye and I like how that is handled as well. The ending is a little convenient, but I can suspend my disbelief for a rom-com. Would check something else out from author

Oh this book didn't work for me for so many reasons. I wanted to love it but the characters for the most part were unbareable to read from. I would have a hard time recommending.

3.75 stars

This was enjoyable for sure and full of drama even despite being closed door. I loved the Dirty Dancing references throughout. The love triangle I do think was done well but I think it was a little too drawn out for my tastes. We didn’t really get into the main romance until near the end of the book and then they moved incredibly quickly. I wish we had gotten more of that storyline so that I could really root for them long term. Since Caleb was such a red flag in so many ways, I think that storyline should’ve ended much earlier, made me feel like Archer was naive even though he was a bit older than many of the other characters, especially since he lived a full life before joining in the Broadway world. I thought that would’ve made him a little more mature and discerning.

But if you like a group forced to spend a lot of time together for months on end and the drama that ensues, you’ll have a blast with this one because whew there was a LOT of drama!

I’ve listened to this narrator before and they always do a great job.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC!

This was such a cute queer reimagining of Dirty Dancing! I love books surrounding dance, and this one was full of the beauty and shenanigans that surround a summer show.

This was very cute! While this is not a YA it definitely read like one. I am unsure if it was the closed door part of it or just the interactions and the audiobook narrator that made it feel young. I still enjoyed it, I was just shocked every time someone's age was mentioned.

I thought all the Dirty Dancing references were so cute and the romance was sweet.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this arc! Flirty Dancing had a really fun, summery vibe that I loved. I especially loved the summer camp setting, which gave the story a light, nostalgic feel. The characters had some cute moments and there was definitely charm in the camp drama and teen energy.

That said, I wasn’t totally sold on the love triangle. It dragged out the main romance a bit too long, and once the couple finally did get together, it felt kind of rushed and “insta-lovey.” I was hoping for a bit more development between them. Still, it was a breezy read with sweet moments; just not quite a favorite.

Well that was adorable! What a fun, flirty, engaging m/m romance redemption story! The dirty dancing twist we didn’t know we needed! I cried literal tears at the end, my heart is so happy for them! (I won’t say who or what happens because spoilersssss) this is absolutely worth the read/listen!!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC! I can’t wait for the release to add my book trophy to the shelf!

The narrator was not listen for this but I wanted to add that the narration was flawless! I truly enjoyed this listen. Thank you so much for bringing these characters to life!

This book was true LGBTQIA+ “Dirty Dancing” meets Broadway and it was AMAZING! From the very beginning, I could feel Archer’s desire to succeed and not wanting to give up on his dreams. His joy at finally landing a job at a dance show at a subpar resort, Shady Queens, and his shock to meet his idol, Mateo, were reactions that carried throughout the novel as Archer began to develop relationships with each character.

From flirty encounters between Mateo and Archer to very very friendly encounters with other dancers, this novel left me wanting more, even after finishing the last page. From betrayal to the continued progression of the Shady Queens’s dance routines, I wanted to know more about each and every moment of all sixteen dancers. Moffatt was able to craft an entirely new world, introduce a set of sixteen people all with rich backstories, and provide a strong queer love story that paid homage to both Broadway and a cult classic.

From the description of this book to the cover, I was very interested in this novel. I found as I read more and more I wanted to be part of the Shady Queens group. I wanted to witness the failed practices, the game nights with each member, and so much more. Moffatt was able to envision a world that made me as a reader want to live and exist with these characters that make it so much harder to leave as I finish the novel.

I want to thank NetGalley, Jennifer Moffatt, and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun set up and book and I wanted the two leads to get together but the resolution was too fast and not satisfactory given all the conflict they spelled out!

3.5/5. Releases 5/27/25.

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.

This was cute, and I really liked Archer and Mateo together. However, they didn't get nearly as much page time together as I would have liked.

The biggest drawback is that the story dragged a bit in the middle and I feel like too long was spent on Archer and Caleb's relationship (such as it was). It seemed more real to Archer than to Caleb, and Caleb was definitely not a good boyfriend. It just left me wanting to shake Archer and say "Hello? Mateo is *right there*??" I understand why the author included it, I just feel like it should have taken up a way smaller part of the book than it did.

Also too much time was spent on the other annoying side characters and not enough time on the interesting ones. If I could have just reached through the "screen" and shifted the camera focus, I would have enjoyed it more. It felt like a bunch of high school drama but that's just because of who the book was focused on.

The dancing scenes were great, but there were far too few of them and they were too short. It's a book about dancers - I wanted dancing. I also felt like a had a pretty good mental image of the Shady Queens resort, so the worldbuilding worked to set the scene.

I enjoyed the audiobook but did speed it up as I felt like the narrator was too slow. I feel that way about most audiobooks though, so ymmv. The narrator did a good job with most of the characters, although the annoying ones had kind of annoying voices, which, while it makes sense, just made them more annoying to listen to.

Overall it was enjoyable but I would have enjoyed it more with some changes.

*Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillan Audio for providing an early copy for review.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me access to this ALC. As a lifelong dancer, Broadway fanatic, and Dirty Dancing aficionado, this story was right up my alley. I especially appreciated the well-placed DD references (“Don’t stand there like you carried a watermelon”). Archer and Mateo’s chemistry was palpable, which is why I wish they got together earlier in the story. It was the slowest of burns, but I was on the edge of my seat WAITING for something to happen between them.

So I was able to get an early E-Arc for Flirty Dancing from NetGalley. As someone who watched Dirty Dancing and loves queer romances, the title and cover art drew me in immediately. It definitely gives off the same vibes as the movie, and made me laugh hysterically at times where I had to call my best friend to talk about what just happened. It’s a sweet romance. There is alittle bit of a love triangle, and….cheating. Those were not my favorite parts. One character really kinda sucked and sorry but the redemption was not earned in my opinion. However the only thing that I actively was not a huge fan of was the drama in this book. It was ALOT. Like I felt like I was back in high school. And to be fair the characters say much of the same thing. However I would recommend this book if you’re looking for something fun and cute to read.
My only wish with the audiobook was that there had been a bit of a voice change between characters. Otherwise it matched it pretty well.

ALC Review: Flirty Dancing by Jennifer Moffatt
Pub Date: May 27
Narrator: Mark Sanderlin

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was super excited for this book - I love Dirty Dancing and I can definitely see the inspiration even though the plot is quite quite different.

Unfortunately this just really didn't work for me in a number of different ways - the primary one being that Archer is with another character (not the other MC) for 60% of the book. I'm not really sure that a romance is really a romance if one of the main characters is in a full on relationship with someone else for more than half of the book. This wasn't a preexisting relationship either, he meets this other guy at the same time he meets Mateo.

There's also on page cheating (not with the MCs) which isn't it y'all. The characters in this book aren't that young but BOY do they act young - it's just a little too messy for me (and I usually like mess!)

I liked the narrator but unfortunately his performance alone couldn't redeem this one for me.

Flirty Dancing was cute, but honestly nothing to write home about. I think my expectations going in were a bit too high, and the romance was a bit too slow of a burn. Overall though, was a quick listen.

This book was cute. I don’t know that it was anything to write home about, but it was a sweet romcom.

thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the audiobook and eARC

mark sanderlin was an amazing narrator for this audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed my experience listening

this was an overall fun and quick read but i did feel that some parts were a bit too drawn out and unnecessary

i love dirty dancing and i think that just put my expectations too high

but i also think all the characters, especially archer, got over caleb being a shit person too quickly. ben and caleb in the epilogue???? PLEASE LIKE 🤨

this was also a very very slow burn read (90% ish) but nonetheless, still a fun read