Flirting Lessons
2⭐️/5

The writing style is giving YA romance aside the spicy scenes. A good story but the writing style was bland. I was so close to DNFing this book multiple times. I felt bad because it’s an eARC I requested for 🥹. It reads like a manual or guidebook for flirting.

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.

I felt like I hit the jackpot when I got my hands on a physical ARC of one of Jasmine Guillory’s books! This isn’t my usual go-to romance trope, but it definitely didn’t disappoint.
✨ Synopsis:
Taylor has a reputation for being a heartbreaker, while Avery is freshly out of a relationship with a man and looking to explore dating women for the first time. The two meet through a mutual friend, Luke, at a function—cue Taylor offering Avery some “flirting lessons.” Taylor is bold, outgoing, and effortlessly charming, while Avery is more reserved and focused, running her own event planning business. They’re total opposites, but the chemistry is undeniable. 🔥
💭 My Thoughts:
This isn’t the typical romance I gravitate toward, but in true Guillory fashion, it’s packed with witty banter, emotional depth, and a good dose of spice. I loved Taylor and Avery’s dynamic—how they balanced each other out and grew together. Also, it was such a treat to see Luke and Margot again from Drunk in Love (one of my all-time favorites)!
If you’re into sapphic romances, opposites-attract vibes, and top-tier writing from a romance queen, Flirting Lessons should be on your TBR. 💘

This wasn’t my favorite Guillory, but it was still ok. It just felt really repetitive. And I was sad because Friends to Lovers is my favorite trope. But this one just didn’t hit exactly the way I did.

Ok so the plot dragged. All it was about was her giving Avery flirting lessons. And you would think it would have something more to help guide it on, but it just….. Wasn’t? Idk how to explain it. But I do know that as it went on, it felt repetitive. It was the same excuses and the same responses. Even when she actually could tell she liked her it was the same. Idk it was a bit annoying lol

The romance itself was cute tho. For this to be Guillory’s first wlw couple I did like it. She didn’t go too much into specifcs so to me it did seem like appreciation. But take this as a grain of salt as I am a straight person and haven’t seen any reviews negating this yet. But they were cute together and I think their progression to get together was cute, albeit slow. And y’all know how I am about slow burns, so yeahhhhh But they were cute.

Otherwise everything was pretty close to all Jasmine Guillory novels. She has the same type characters and the same writing style. I think the only one that was different was the Beauty and the Beast one. But (and I’m being really honest here) I really need to know what Taylor was thinking? Or Avery for that matter. Did they REALLY think they wouldn’t ed up where they were? Likeeeee BFFR lol

I don’t really have much other than that. It just was? I don’t know how else to explain it. It wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t bad? It was cute, but not my favorite. I do wish there was some more dancing lessons tho. At least that part was hot lol

I really loved Taylor and Avery’s dynamic and how they both pushed each other out of their comfort zones—it made their connection feel earned and heartfelt. Their growth felt natural, and I appreciated how they challenged one another in ways that were both vulnerable and empowering.

The Napa setting was so fun and charming! Guillory really brought the atmosphere to life, and it added a relaxed, romantic backdrop to the story. That said, some moments in the middle felt a bit slow, and I wished we got a little more emotional depth as their relationship progressed.

Overall, Flirting Lessons was a sweet, light, and steamy read!

2.25 stars - I wanted to like this book but it just did not work for me. I had a really hard time connecting to either of the main characters, almost all of the friends/secondary characters were just awful, and the writing style was not something that I enjoyed.

The whole book felt pretty stilted and it got really repetitive with the different lessons that Taylor and Avery had with each other, the bet and everything involved with that was not great and think it was too long. I found myself skimming more often than not and could tell that I wasn't missing anything important. I wish that this one had worked out for me and I'm grateful to the Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Overall 2.75
Spice 1.5

I was hopeful going into The Flirting Lesson—we need more traditionally published BIPOC sapphic stories, and I was excited to see what Jasmine Guillory would bring to the genre. The opening chapter did capture my attention, but unfortunately, the momentum didn’t build from there. The pacing remained flat, and the story never seemed to deepen or evolve.

Pros:
The book does offer some genuinely thoughtful insights for shy people trying to put themselves out there. It suggests practical ways to meet new people, broaden social circles, and maintain friendships even as personal lives shift. It also touches on some weighty and relatable topics—pregnancy and miscarriage, the changing dynamics when single friends watch others get married, and how to navigate evolving friendships.

Cons:
It was clear this wasn’t a genre or subject the author was fully comfortable with. The sapphic and BIPOC elements felt more like surface-level labels than meaningful representation. Aside from a few brief mentions of the word “Black,” there was little cultural or identity depth to the characters. If you didn’t already know this was a sapphic BIPOC story, it would be easy to miss those aspects altogether. As someone from the sapphic community, I found this disappointing. Each culture brings something distinct to queer experiences, and this book failed to reflect that. It felt more like an afterthought than an intentional part of the narrative.

Final Thoughts:
While The Flirting Lesson attempts to be inclusive and timely, it doesn’t quite deliver on its promise. Representation matters, but it also needs to be done with care, authenticity, and depth.

Did received this as an arc from the publisher.

I really enjoyed this! It took a while to read just because I’ve had so much going on, but I’m glad to have finally finished it. Taylor and Avery were fun characters to follow, and I loved seeing the different dates and activities they got up to. I also really appreciated how much consent was sprinkled throughout this book, particularly during the sex scenes. Sometimes the writing style felt a little…off I guess? But that certainly didn’t make me enjoy it any less. I’m glad to see this author dip her toes into a queer romance, and honestly I’d love to see more in the future!

Also, most of Taylor’s friends really suck. Oof.

Thank you Berkley for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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I’m really sad about my feelings towards this book. I was so ready to love it but everything simply wasn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy how a lot of the characters’ traits were directly told to me instead of shown through actions. Avery’s anxiety and insecurities could feel very overwhelming sometimes. I didn’t like how Taylor’s friends treated her and sometimes vice versa. The miscommunication near the end was also tough to get through.

This book is suited for people who are looking for a quick and simple romance between two queer women who are trying to build love for their identities and find their place in this world.

Jasmine Guillory is an author I can trust to always deliver a good time, and Flirting Lessons was no different!

Avery is coming out of a bad relationship, and isn't the best at approaching people or expressing her interest in them. Taylor is magnetic and the kind of person everyone flocks to—half her group of friends are also her exes. So, because the laws of romance demands it, Taylor starts giving Avery lessons in flirting—in particular, flirting with women, because Avery hasn't explored dating in this sphere before.
I'm a shy little wallflower so a lot of the situations Avery finds herself in were my personal nightmare scenarios but she was always a good sport about it and it made for great reading lol. Taylor takes Avery to a book signing for their first lesson and has her chat up random people—and like, I absolutely adore my booksta peeps but if I saw them out in the wild I'd probably freeze and not know how to behave human 😂

I loved watching Avery grow and become more self assured. She knows exactly what to say or do in professional settings, but has been less confident in her personal life. It was also great to see Taylor realize that her sapphic Casanova persona doesn't define her, and that what everyone thinks of her isn't who she is. How she moves forward is only on her, and no one else's opinion on it matters (even when it hurts!).

I'll say that this book was a tad long and could definitely have been culled, but I'm also in my "whyyyy is this book longer than 8 hours" era 😅 I had the ARC but listened to the audio after it came out—which I absolutely recommend!

Such a fun sapphic romance with flirting lessons leading to more.
Avery thought she was out of Taylor’s league since she was very flirty and popular with everyone but she someone got her to offer flirting lessons.
I was excited when they finally gave in to their feelings. The teacher wanted to be one of her test subjects too!
Taylor’s friends weren’t the best all of the time cause they didn’t think this would last. I had friends like that and happy Taylor was able to talk it out with them. I sadly did not.
Loved all the dates they went on. This was set in Napa where I grew up so I’ve gone to the mud spas and I will tell you they are definitely an experience. So worth it!
The relationship had an expiration but that was insecurity and gossip not what was in their hearts. Don’t worry there is def a hea and tons of new friends!
Loved the wedding idea for the new friend at the end!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I quite enjoyed this first sapphic romance from Jasmine Guillory. I found both Taylor and Avery to be well-written and nuanced characters who showed growth both individually and together. I especially loved Avery because I related so strongly to what she was going through.

The flirting lessons were so fun, and made me want to join them all. Seriously, the lessons and other outings included all of my favorite things in a single story: book night, salsa dancing, gardening, and more. I really want to join every activity and meet all the people. Indeed, I especially appreciated the strong queer community around Taylor. It's so nice to see that celebrated and Avery invited into it.

Heidi Franklin narrated the whole book. I would have enjoyed a bit more differentiation in the voices, but she did a nice job.

I was incredibly privileged to see Jasmine Guillory on her book tour to Portland, OR. Hosted by Grand Gesture books, she talked about her own favorite of the activities and the importance of seeing Black women being celebrated and romanced in books. I'll keep reading everything she writes.

I have been a Jasmine Guillory fan for years and I was super excited to see her write a sapphic romance! Taylor and Avery are so different that it makes it fun to watch them complement each other. I loved watching Taylor give Avery flirting lessons. They were just a bit too effective and the resulting jealousy was fun to read.

I also enjoyed the napa valley setting of this book. It felt like a mini vacation! I was sort of tempted to move there and start a vineyard after reading this one but then I remembered I don't know anything about growing grapes, I just like wine.

If you are looking for a fun summer read with emotional depth and queer exploration this is a great choice! I also enjoyed that female friendships were a part of this beyond Taylor and Avery's relationship.

I listened to the audio for flirty dancing and it was great! Heidi Franklin did the narration and anyone who listened to Drunk on Love will recognize her from that.

Oh my god. I need about a dozen more sapphics from JG. I love them, watching Avery grow and her and Taylor fall in love ugh yes. I can’t wait to see who else we get to know in Napa. I’m so thankful for the burlesque scene and how she didn’t just die of her embarrassment because I may have but I also would’ve died of second hand embarrassment for her. Additionally I now need queer tango lessons.
Jasmine please please please give us more sapphics

I'm usually a fan of Jasmine Guillory but this book felt extremely stilted and juvenile. I felt talked down to the entire time, something I hadn't felt with any of her previous books. It felt like Guillory was writing outside of her comfort zone, which I think is great, writers should be challenged; however, it showed a little too much throughout the novel.

The chemistry between Taylor and Avery simply was not there. I felt everything at surface level. There were no real conversations happening between the two other than the "lessons" and I craved for more for them. It was simply a physical attraction that was forced by the author to be more.

I will not be recommending this one to readers, but that doesn't mean I won't recommend her previous novels! I'm still team Guillory, but this one was a stinker.

Very hot F/F romance set in Napa wine country.

After yet another breakup, Taylor is going to try to stay single. Really. When Avery approaches her for help to starting dating women, Taylor's resolve will be sorely tested.

I loved it from the flirting lessons all the way to the acknowledgment of feelings. This author did a great job of character development when it came to Taylor because you can actually see why her relationships never lasted. I especially love the Tuesday nights of the book.

I love good opposites attract story and this one was a fun and sexy read. Avery has no problem getting into new relationships but tires of them quickly and moves on. Avery on the other hand has just broken up with her last boyfriend and decides she needs to loosen up a bit, learn how to play the field and also wants to explore dating women. When the two meet and talk at a wine event, it only makes sense that Taylor helps Avery along her path by giving her Flirting Lessons.
Of course, the Napa setting added to the story for me. I thought their Flirting Lesson dates were fun too, especially the queer salsa dancing.
The conflict begins when their attraction to each other becomes undeniable. They found they could talk to each other freely and create some steam in the bedroom. This is especially complicated since Taylor has made a bet with her best friend that she can go two months without sex!
Although I knew where the story was headed, it was interesting to see how the two opposites would work it out. I enjoyed the gifted audio, narrated by Heidi Franklin.

Short synopsis: Avery just broke up with her boyfriend, but isn’t sure how to “get back out there,” then she meets Taylor who is going to give Avery flirting lessons.

What I loved: The character growth of both characters, I think Avery grew more confident and Taylor matured so much. I also liked the sapphic “coming out” experience, and their dates were just so fun.

What didn’t work for me: I felt like the relationship was one dimensional and didn’t really feel the connection between Avery and Taylor. The opposites attract was just a little too far opposite.

Read if you love:
* Sapphic romance
* Opposites attract
* Flirting lessons
* Fun dates
* Friends to lovers

Fun enough, but I thought the writing style was a little choppy and the characters were kind of...uninteresting.