Flirty Dancing is an absolute charmer—a sweet, inclusive twist on a classic film that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly modern. From the very first pages, I was drawn in by the warmth and authenticity of the characters, especially the way friendships were portrayed with such heart and honesty. It’s not often you find a story where the platonic connections shine just as brightly as the romantic ones, but Jennifer Moffatt nails it.

The slow burn romance is one of the highlights for me—it builds with just the right amount of tension and payoff, making the final moments feel completely earned. There's a sincerity to this story that makes it impossible not to root for everyone involved.

Overall, Flirty Dancing delivers a joyful reading experience full of charm, connection, and just the right amount of sparkle. Perfect for fans of rom-coms, dance movies, and stories that celebrate being unapologetically yourself

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the
E-ARC! Really enjoyed! Fun banter & characters. Really liked the dance setting too. Great debut.

Flirty Dancing by Jennifer Moffatt was a fun and lighthearted read, though not exactly my typical genre. The story follows a protagonist diving into the world of competitive dance while navigating romance and personal growth, which made for a charming plot.

What really stood out to me were the colorful side characters. From quirky dance partners to supportive friends with their own mini-dramas, they brought a lot of humor and energy to the story. The drama within the plot was also a nice touch— it added an entertaining layer that kept me engaged.

As a fan of Broadway, I loved the references to musicals and dance. The author clearly has a passion for theater, and it shines through in the way dance and performance are woven into the writing.

“Flirty Dancing* is a solid pick for anyone looking for a fun, romantic escape with a bit of drama and Broadway flair. It’s light, enjoyable, and perfect for fans of dance-filled, feel-good stories.

I had such a great time reading this LGBTQ+ retelling of Dirty Dancing with the best fun vibes and a love letter to performing arts! The story follows two MMCs who are hired for the summer as dancers in an entertainment troupe at a Catskills vacation resort. Archer is a cinnamon roll character chasing down out of reach Broadway dreams. Mateo is his broody, grumpy love interest with a chip on his shoulder. We follow the troupe as they deal with the messy group dynamics that tend to form in close proximity over a stretch of time as they put their show together. Along the way, we get a slightly campy slow burn, closed door summer love story that feels like the best throwback to beloved dramatic romantic comedy movies. This story is a fun read, sure to leave you in a great mood!
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the gifted arc in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the idea of a Dirty Dancing inspired story and the idea that it is never too late to follow your dreams. There were so many sweet and romantic moments in this sour with a focus on the beauty of the performing arts. I found that one of the romantic pairings was forced and a fair amount of the drama felt unnecessary. However, there was a fun group of characters that kept the story moving.

This one wasn't what I expected, but it was cute.

Another solid book to throw into the beach bag this summer. It's reminder to pursue your dreams no matter the age and however it looks.
It's sweet albeit predictable. The characters were fine; maybe a bit flat. I didn't love the Caleb/Archer romantic subplot that took over half of the book, especially when we could tell Archer wasn't feeling it and Caleb was not the intended love interest. It felt very YA/high school.

It's a short read. Fade to black. And just fine.

I really enjoyed this book! Archer was such a cinnamon roll main character, and I was rooting for him to get his happy ending and have all his dreams come true from the very first page. Mateo was also such a swoony, sexy love interest, and I just. I literally could not. (Yes, I realize this is supposed to be a semi-professional review, but sue me. He was so hot and brooding but also so sweet and caring and attentive to Archer and like?!?! I love him, your honor.) I also just need to sit for a while with Mateo and the birthday cake scene. That is all.

There were parts of this book that felt a wee bit rushed for me, personally. Times where I would have enjoyed delving more into the characters' thoughts and emotions, places I wished we spent more time immersed in specific scenes instead of rushing right on through. But again, that's just a personal thing. I literally read this book in 2 sittings because it was SO entertaining, and I can't wait to read more from Moffatt!

Highly recommend if you're looking for a great queer novel with delicious drama, so much dancing, and a certified happily ever after. :)

Queer dirty dance? Yes please. This was really cutesy, but don’t worry, there’s tons of drama too. There’s not a whole lot of romance though, I do wish there was more balance between drama and romance. Archer is definitely relatable and interesting, and the writing is nice.

Such a cute, fun and funny romance.

Flirty Dancing follows Archer Read, a 27 year old who quit his job on a whim and moved to New York with dreams of being on broadway. Months into this search, he has nothing to show for it, leading him to Shady Queens, a resort in the Catskills, where he'll make his last-ditch attempt to make it in the industry. Once there, he realizes he'll be working with none other than his celebrity crush...what could possibly go wrong?

The characters were relatable and funny, and I absolutely adored this story. As a former dancer, it was so fun to get back into this world, and I loved the undertones of it never being too late to follow your dreams!

The setting vs plot and character development felt a little unbalanced, as the characters probably could have done with a little more focus/screen time, whereas the setting could have been a bit less developed.

Overall I enjoyed this book, and if you're a fan of Red White and Royal Blue, Dirty Dancing, and Theater, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins, and Jennifer Moffatt for the arc!

This book was so fun! I literally could not stop kicking and giggling. I am a sucker for theater and this book did not disappoint.

This unfortunately fell really flat for me. I love the original Dirty Dancing as a comfort movie and this seems to only take the title and the concept of dancing at a summer getaway from that. I appreciate the change to a completely positive queer-filled summer camp / resort, and the cast of diverse characters. But that's about it. All of the characters are established dancers and since the camp is so openly queer, there's no risk in being "found out" doing these dances or even hanging out with this group of people like the film. There's little to no conflict in this besides Archer's own insecurity and this camp being filled with the most dramatic men in the world.

The characters and dialogue are holding this back the most. Archer is very flat, I didn't find myself connecting or caring about him much at all. At first you're rooting for him to follow his dream, but then he doesn't take really any action or even react to anything around him in a compelling way. His two friends who are women are mostly there to support him from afar. The dialogue is VERY generic, which also takes away any personality the characters have. The love interest(s) starts with Caleb, who is the most drama-filled Mean Gay you've ever seen and you just want the relationship to be over. Meanwhile Mateo is also flat, moody, and only has small sparks of personality throughout.

Overall I was disappointed. It's not terrible by any means, but really lacked stakes, characters

This was a cute and sweet, and a really fun book for fans of Dirty Dancing. The characters were lovable and you found yourself cheering for them, even in the messy moments. Overall a very enjoyable read.

very fun and flirty romance with some fun ideas and good vibes. the characters are all interesting and flawed. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Dirty Dancing but make it gayer…ummmm OKAY!!!

Flirty Dancing follows a 27 year old dancer trying to make it in the big city who ends up landing a summer gig at a resort in the Catskills (the nods to dirty dancing were immaculate!)

The pacing felt off to me and I struggled to stay engaged but the characters were great and the vibes were amazing just something I can’t quit put my finger on kept me from flying through it.

Flirty Dancing 🕺🥧
Jennifer Moffatt
3.5⭐️
ARC review (Pub date May 27, 2025)

I had a good time reading this LGBTQ+ retelling of Dirty Dancing. Like the movie it's based on, it made me wish I could dance and attend camp all summer.

The two MMCs are both dancers who are hired as entertainment at a summer resort in the Catskills called Shady Queens. The story takes place over the course of one summer and follows all the drama that ensues between the staff at the resort. This did the same thing for my brain as watching trashy, reality television. The drama was ridiculous, the plot basically non-existent, but I was invested enough to keep reading and enjoying the vibes.

The romance in this is slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, and closed door. I thought the dancing scenes especially did a good job of demonstrating their chemistry with each other.

I like reading books like this when im on vacation because I don't want to cry while I'm on vacation or use a lot of brain power.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was so cute!!! A fun LGBT+ love letter for Dirty Dancing, and it just made me smile! Archer and Mateo are so cute and good together!! And as someone who works in theatre, Caleb made me SO MAD!! I would have fined him so much for the crap he pulled!! And that cover is gorgeous!! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

This book was so fun and had me hooked from the beginning making me finish it in one sitting! The camp setting was so great for a summer read. The little call outs to movies I love too, like Dirty Dancing, brought a smile to my face. The characters were fun but still complex and made them feel real. I really enjoyed that there wasn't an instant love situation and it had that extra layer making the two stay apart for longer. This was 5 stars easily for me and I can't wait to read more from the author.

Thank you to the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this novel.

3/5 ⭐️
0.5/5 🌶️ — basically a closed door romance with kissing and a few peeks.

Well, Dirty Dancing is one of my all-time favorite movies. So an LGBTQ+ contemporary twist on this classic? SIGN. ME. UP.

I really enjoyed the author’s way with words. I think her writing was quite eloquent and beautiful. You could really feel the emotions of the characters - good, bad, and in-between. The characters were well developed and well thought out.

For me, it felt like something was missing. Some of the book dragged for me in parts. I didn’t devour it, like I was hoping I would. However, I still encourage you to give this book a chance!

Look, I read this book in about 5 hours and it was SO good. Archer is such a kind character, chasing his dreams of making it big on Broadway. When he lands a part at a LGBTQA+ vacation resort, he takes it. We see through his time at Shady Queens how he is such a supportive, encouraging, and caring character. He doesn't expect that Mateo Dixon, his childhood crush, is going to be his grumpy coworker.

This book is the definition of a delicious slow burn. The relationship between Archer and Mateo develops in a way that feels authentic. We watch Mateo grow and overcome some of his own issues thanks to Archer and their times at Shady Queens. Not to mention the rest of the dance troupe are phenomenal characters in their own right.

I really enjoyed this book. Like I said, I finished it in about 5 hours. Definitely worth the read if you're looking for a slow burn!

It’s never too late to follow your dreams. A 27 year old ex account, goes to New York to try to dance on Broadway. Just when he’s about to pack it up he gets a gig for the summer at a resort at the Catskills. And to his surprise his Broadway idol/crush will be dancing alongside him….

The tension in this book was to die for. These two were made for each other. Be ready to fall in love when Mateo does the littlest things for Archer that actually mean the most. This book was such a cute read and no third act break up! After reading, you might have the urge to book some dance lessons.