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.

Thank you Netgalley, st martins griffin, and MacMillan audio for the free alc and earc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. This was such a delight. I loved the characters I loved the narration I enjoyed the banter. So so good.

Suggest giving it a try.

4.5/5☆

ALC review

Single narration - Mark Sanderlin
This narrator did a really good job. He has a cute voice.
This book was enjoyable. I found the story to be cute and sweet.

Mateo is a hot former broadway star who is working at a resort on a nightly show after falling from fame.
Archer is a former accountant trying to make his way in the world of dance/broadway.

Archer gets a chance working at an LGBTQ resort and on day one he sees Mateo a dancer he has a crush on as a teen.

This story follows Archer through his time working at the resort and his relationships. Trying to find his way and worrying about when he is finished with this job what he will do.

I really enjoyed it.
Closed door spice level. A few suggestive scenes and mentions of sex but no explicit description.

** told in 3rd person POV

In summary: high school angst but adults, adult camp dance group drama, light-hearted, figuring out what's next in life, closed door, and there's even more drama. If you've ever been a camp counselor and/or were involved with dance and/or drama you'll be able to find something to connect to. I feel like the drama would best be suited to people who are younger, ie just out of high school/college age not late 20's and 30's.

Audio recording, at the beginning of the book, the audio quality is not very good, it has a bit of an echo tin sound. The narrator was great at making Archer sound naive and open/gullible.

Overall, it gave me summer beach read vibes.

3.5 stars

Dancing and romancing are coming your way with this newest release from Jennifer Moffatt.

Archer and Mateo are dancers in a music review at a place called Shady Queens, and they are both there because of their own perceived failures. Archer, at 27, isn't getting many bites when it comes to his dance career (his parents are way more enthused about his potential life as an accountant), and Mateo was a well known and respected dancer who has now, somehow, ended up here. While neither dancer's career is showing much promise in the moment, a burgeoning romance just might be changing the game.

I'm always here for queer romance, and this is a fun and relatively light read. I did want some more depth in characterization and in the development of the central relationship, but this is enjoyable overall, and I'll be back for more from this author.