This was a cute read about Avery one of the fmcs who just went through a breakup and realized that she has no hobbies and doesn't know how to flirt. The other fmc Taylor is known for her flirting and relationships and they agree for Taylor to give Avery lessons and teach her all she knows about flirting and hookups. Of course, they fall for each other and start a benefits relationship.

I liked the premise and I liked the main characters, especially in the beginning. I thought the romance was cute and inevitable. I loved the salsa dancing element and their getting closer during these lessons. I also loved the opposites attract element and showed they complemented each other. I do think that the characters felt surface-level at times without a lot of growth. I also think the writing at times was weird but overall this was a nice and quick read. Thanks to Berkley for this arc for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book so much, but I had a really hard time with the writing and the dynamics between the characters. This felt like a straight romance that was place on top of two queer characters. I really struggled with believing that they fell in love and had bigger feelings than just lust and friendship.

I have had so many people recommend Jasmine Guillory to me, but as someone who cannot find it within herself to care about het-romance, I never picked up any of her books. So when I saw that she wrote a queer romance, this was the moment!
It has been a while since I read a romance book where both characters were not only so relatable, but they were both just so damn likable! It's also so refreshing to see a romance novel with characters over the age 23! We need more 30+ rep!
This is a great example of friends-to-lovers, and I hope Guillory continues to write more queer romance!
Thank you, Net Galley & Berkley Publishing for the ARC!

I’m always excited when a new Jasmine Guillory is released. The leads in her romances always have so much agency, they and their cohorts are so dark likable, the settings and situations are so much fun, and they're inclusive. (As I age, "Royal Holiday" grows more dear to me because of the ages of the main characters. I love that so much!)
I was also excited that Guillory was finally writing a same sex romance! Taking place in the same universe as and featuring minor characters from "Drunk on Love", Taylor and Avery are every bit as wonderful and well rounded as all of their predecessors. As with her previous books, Guillory's protagonists are very human and, like always, they are very good at communicating. (Miscommunication is the one romance trope that drives me bonkers).
Through Avery's insecurity about flirting (especially with women) and first relying on Taylor to teach her, before they decide to date, Guillory paints a great picture about not only the difficulties of seeking romance as an adult but also seeking connections and friendship. Her navigating new friendships, especially with Beth, felt very real to me.
The Napa Valley setting is a great background for the book and serves as an additional character, in many ways.
Thank you to Net Galley and Berkley Romance for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Jasmine Guillory is a go-to author for me, both to read and to recommend, and this book is a nice addition to her portfolio of works. The story was new and fun and exciting, and it was really good to have more queer representation in romance. It did take me a little bit to figure out who was being talked about, I kept getting confused about whose storyline I was in, but I ended up enjoying it. Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC!

Flirting Lessons is a heartwarming, swoony, and refreshingly queer romance that I couldn’t put down. Jasmine Guillory crafts a vibrant love story between Avery, a self-proclaimed romance novice ready to embrace her bold side, and Taylor, a flirtatious heartbreaker hiding her vulnerability. Their chemistry sizzles as Avery’s lessons in flirting turn into a journey of self-discovery, while Taylor faces her own fears about love and commitment. Set against the lush backdrop of Napa Valley, this story masterfully balances humor, steamy moments, and emotional depth. A charming and spicy must-read that leaves you rooting for love, laughter, and a well-earned happy ending!

Listen, I will and have read all of Jasmine Guillory's books. I'm a fan for life. This one wasn't my favorite but it was still a lot of fun and sexy!

The premise wasn't novel to me and it's not really my favorite trope to read-- inexperienced main character learns from the very experienced love interest who will never settle down. Unlike Guillory's other novels, this one features a same-sex couple. It read like a woman's how-to-guide to dating women at points that felt a little reductive. The "flirting lessons" sometimes felt stiff and awkward but the dates were still fun as we got to know both main characters. Similar to Guillory's last novel, "Drunk on Love" the dates all take place in Napa--from salsa dancing, axe throwing, trivia night to pottery painting-- there were a mix of ideas. The sex scenes were medium spicy, and I do think they lacked a little when describing a woman's body from a woman's perspective. Something about them didn't feel all the way there like the author was a little removed from them?

I've read everything Jasmine Guillory has written so I was very excited for Flirting Lessons. This is her first queer romance. Taylor works at Noble Winery (from previous book Drunk on Love). Avery is an event planner who just got out of a bad relationship. The two start hanging out so Taylor can give Avery flirting lessons. This was a fun, sweet book. I hope to see more from this universe.

Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory is a queer romance following two women, Avery and Taylor, who begins to spend more time with each other after Taylor agrees to give Avery flirting lessons.

***

A couple of years ago, Jasmine Guillory wrote one of my favorite books of all time (Party of Two). Because of this, I was so excited to read her first queer romance. And I have to say, I was definitely not disappointed. I read this in less than 24 hours, because it was so good.

Flirting Lessons is cute, lighthearted, and romantic. It’s a bit funny. It’s authentic. Reading Avery’s journey of self discovery, for example, felt so real and wholehearted.

It also has adorable characters I couldn’t help but root for, as well as side characters I wouldn’t mind having their own books. The two main women, Avery and Taylor in particular, felt so authentic and relatable rather than dramatized characters. They truly felt like a perfect pair—bouncing off each other—and I loved reading their romance of sparks and wholesomeness.

The only thing preventing me from giving this five stars is the POV chosen. With the subject matter and story, I would have preferred first person to get more in the nitty gritty of their thoughts and feelings.

Other than that, I loved it. It’s fast paced, spicy, and feels good. As the romance unfolded, I felt warm and tingly.

Rating: 4.5/5
This review will also be published on my Instagram on publication day.

3.5

I loved the story of this one so much and I love sapphic books but the writing was a little weird and lacking. I’m not sure if it’s the format of the e-arc but we switched perspectives in the middle of the page without warning and it was really difficult to keep up at first and to honestly tell the characters apart. Not only that but since it was third person it just felt weird. The story though was super good and I loved both Taylor and Avery and I’m so glad she wrote a sapphic book.

I am a fan of this author. I’ve read all her books. It’s interesting to read one from an LGBTQ perspective. That’s not my usual genre, however, I throughly enjoyed this book. It deals with females and friendships, communication or lack thereof, as well as self reflection and female insecurities. All relatable topics! There was good character development and I love the background scenery. As a California native, it’s neat to hear of places you’ve visited.

Flirting Lessons” was my first sapphic romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Jasmine Guillory has a way of crafting relatable, heartfelt stories, and this was no exception. Watching Avery’s journey of self-discovery and learning to trust herself after her breakup was incredibly rewarding. Taylor’s role in guiding Avery to embrace her true self and recognize her own beauty was both tender and inspiring—especially as their connection deepened.

While there were moments where the pacing slowed, and I found myself wishing for a bit more conflict to spice things up, the story’s charm ultimately won me over. The characters were wonderfully developed, and the love scenes struck the perfect balance of sensuality and emotion.

I wanted to enjoy this one, especially since it's the first of Guillory's to feature two women pursuing a romance, but my issues with it were mostly along the lines of what other reviewers have cited — underdeveloped characters, stilted writing, and difficulty discerning between their POVs, to the point where I hadn't worked out who Taylor vs. Avery was supposed to be until around 20% into the book. I wanted deeper introspection, especially from Taylor's side of things since she's intended to be somewhat relationship-phobic, but a lot of the biggest emotional moments fell short of being as satisfying as they could've been.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first sapphic romance and I enjoyed it very much! I love anything Jasmine writes and this was no exception. I loved watching Avery's awakening and her learning to trust herself and her choices after a break-up. I also loved watching Taylor lead her into being herself and trusting the beauty of who she is to attract people (and ultimately Taylor) into her life. There were some places in the story that dragged a bit and I would have enjoyed a little more conflict but ultimately the story was lovely. The characters were well-developed and the love scenes were perfectly steamy. I am glad I was able to read this advanced copy, I'm not sure I would have read it otherwise and its a great story that will stay with me!

I have really enjoyed Jasmine Guillory's books in the past, but found this one a little thin. I didn't feel like there was any conflict, like why can't they actually date? Fun, flirtatious Taylor is going to take uptight Avery under her wing to teach her how to flirt. They accomplish this by basically going on dates, but they're not dating. There's a low-stakes bet with Taylor's friend that Taylor can stay celibate for a while. It all seemed contrived.

A rare miss from Guillory.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley, opinions my own.

Jasmine Guillory’s Flirting Lessons explores love and self-discovery through Avery, newly single and exploring her attraction to women, and Taylor, a heartbreaker attempting a summer of celibacy. Set in the same universe as Drunk on Love, Guillory expands her world, reintroducing familiar faces and dynamics. I might have felt more connected to the characters if I’d read Drunk on Love first, but Avery, Taylor, and their relationship, needed more character development and depth for me.

As Guillory’s first queer romance, I was eager to fall in love with this book, but the sudden mid-page POV shifts caught me off guard and made the story feel disjointed. I often found myself confusing Avery and Taylor in the early chapters. Despite this, I appreciated the portrayal of female friendships in the book, particularly how they highlighted the challenges friends face and the ways they navigate them. My favorite subplot was Taylor’s evolving relationship with her best friend Erica, which beautifully captures the bittersweet reality of diverging life paths.

I have loved every book by Jasmine Guillory, starting with The Proposal! Flirting Lessons was a fun and cute read! I will always read anything Jasmine writes. Her romance novels are the best!

Jasmine Guillory once again proves that she is a master in writing characters who can both banter and also deeply care for another. Guillory is a staple in romance writing, and her first shot at writing queer romance was full of charm and character.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC of this novel. All opinions are honestly and my own.

I’ve been pretty vocal about my love for Jasmine Guillory books.

So, when I saw that she was coming out with a queer romance I was ECSTATIC.

Flirting Lessons takes place in the same world as Drunk on Love, but focuses on a new couple. You don’t NEED to read Drunk on Love to read Flirting Lessons, but I’d still recommend it.

Here’s the thing… I wanted to love this more than I did. I did LIKE it, but I didn’t LOVE it the way I anticipated. The story was a little slow for me, and while there was definitely attraction and the chemistry was fantastic, something felt missing. I don’t know if what we saw on the pages of the book convinced me that the couple was going to be in this for the long haul.

Overall, I’m glad I read it. I’d recommend it. And I’ll continue to read Jasmine Guillory books as fast as she’s able to produce them. it’s just not my favorite Guillory novel.

SUGGESTED SNACK PAIRING: zucchini bread

"Zucchini bread the perfect thing to make when you have a ton of zucchini and you want to learn how to bake. Plus, I have a great recipe. Come over to my place and we can snack and bake and debrief, which you know I've been dying to do for the past two hours."

Triggers: sexual content, miscarriage, pregnancy

This didn't entirely work for me, but the parts that I liked were very cute. I do love to see the author branching out into queer romance!