This book had a lot of potential. I would have loved to see Archer arrive at the retreat and be welcomed into a group that was close and supportive. Instead it felt like a group of high schoolers complete with all the teenage drama and raging hormones you'd expect in a YA novel. Most of the characters were incredibly immature, and some were downright cruel. Mateo was the only one I liked, and I spent the entire book thinking he'd deserved so much better than the group of performers he was there with. The writing had no personality, and there were times it felt like Jennifer asked AI to write parts of the book. I read this for book club and our entire group agreed that it wasn't an enjoyable read.

I have never seen the movie Dirty Dancing. So I didn’t get all the references in this retelling. Even so, it was an enjoyable read about Archer, who at 27 is trying to break into the Broadway dance scene. The only job he can find is at a resort in the Catskills where he arrives to find his childhood hero Mateo Dixon, now a disgraced Broadway star, headlining the show.

This was a fast read with lots of drama. The dance troupe fights and makes up and makes out with each other all summer. Archer finds himself drawn to fun loving party boy Caleb, especially since Mateo is broody and smoldering but doesn’t seem interested. But at some point, Archer will have to choose between the two.

The behind-the-scenes look into putting on a dance show was a lot of fun and the characters were lovable. The spice is closed door but the chemistry was good. I thought this was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @stmartinspress for the chance to review this ARC.

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!

I love all of the nods to Dirty Dancing as well as the premise of this book! Archer’s “old” for dancing standards and still trying to find his place. Mateo is fairly well-known with a developed career. They end up working at the same resort as members of the same show.

Camp drama, messy hookups, theatre kid vibes, and a fun summer setting.

I am kind of hoping this book is adapted into a movie because I love watching couples dancing and I think I’d enjoy watching Archer and Mateo dance together.

This book had a fun start. I loved Archer’s relationship with Lynne and also found his relationship with his parents relatable. His struggle was heartbreaking but also somewhat inspiring because he didn’t give up even after so many rejections. I enjoyed how he was excited and motivated to do his best at Shady Queens. The dances were described as quite spicy and with somewhat vivid descriptions, highlighting the chemistry and talent our characters held.

However, the relationships were all so messy and unclear. Caleb was a character I disliked since his introduction and I never understood how he started in a relationship with someone only to end up with someone else. I also disliked how his actions were brushed off with a simple apology and repentance period because he hurt both Archer and Mateo.

Archer’s actions were also quite confusing to me because he definitely had experience dating but somehow couldn’t tell Caleb was a bad influence. Like, I’m not sure if waking up naked after being blackout drunk was something that should have been easily forgotten. Or maybe I’m weird because I found the level of partying, drinking and nakedness to be a lot more than would be usual.

Mateo and Archer’s relationship was intense. Honestly, Mateo’s behavior was sometimes rude and uncalled for but it turns out he was just jealous and conflicted about acting on his feelings. I felt like there were not a lot of moments with them together, which is why their relationship felt rushed and unsatisfactory. Although, they were cute together, especially when they were trying unsuccessfully to hide their relationship status.

That said, the ending felt rushed. I was left with quite a bit of questions and doubts on what happened in some scenes such as, what really happened between Caleb and Ben during their hike. The epilogue was cute and I liked how we got a glimpse into the future to see the characters happy.

Overall this was a quick and okay read. The writing was surprisingly good but I felt like the execution faltered a bit. It was a good concept because it does highlight the complexities of relationships and emotions. However the resolutions are quick and simple making them ultimately lose value. That said, this would probably make a good movie or show and I’d be interested to watch it.

As someone who has watched every dance romance movie ever made MULTIPLE times, this book was an absolute delight. I got all the kicking-my-feet, squealing-into-my-fists excitement I crave out of dance romances. Perfect for readers who love dance, but also accessible for those who may be dipping a toe into the world of dance for the first time. Made me want to pack up my bags and head for the Catskills. Love the full cast and all the drama/excitement that comes along with them!

Did I like this book? Yes.
Was there Romance in this book? Yes.
Is it a romance? No.

This book was pitched as a gay Dirty Dancing, & unfortunately it was not that. There were a few references to the movie & it takes place in a similar location but that’s where the similarities end.

This book would have made more sense as a coming of age YA about someone fresh out of high school rather than someone almost 30. So many of his choices didn’t make sense for someone his age.

Sparks fly in this summer romp for fans of Casey McQuiston when dancers at a Catskills resort try to pull off the perfect show, and find happiness and a place where they belong on the way.

This is a drama-filled, messy romance with a flirty summer camp vibe—though the setting is a queer-friendly adult resort, and the main character is in his late twenties. The premise had a lot of promise, and I was genuinely excited going into it.
However, I found that many of the characters acted more immaturely than expected for their age, which made it harder to connect with the story at times. That said, the book still offers a fun and chaotic energy that some readers may enjoy, especially if you’re in the mood for a light, drama-filled romance.

Not gonna lie. I was full-on obsessed with Dirty Dancing as a teen. We watched it at every sleepover (I had it on VHS). I had pics of Patrick Swayze pinned all over my walls. I wanted to ✨️BE✨️ Baby (no one puts her in a corner)!

So this book caught my attention right away. I mean, just look at that cover art! 😍And was it ever a sweet read about the dance crew at queer resort in the Catskills. But aside from the location and a few side references, the plot is very different from the 80s blockbuster.

Archer gave up his accounting job to pursue a dancing career in NYC, but when casting calls result in nothing, he desperately takes a job at Shady Queen. There, he finds his dance idol (and crush) Mateo, who flubbed his big chance on Broadway and took this job to lick his wounds. Paired together in a smoldering duet, there's lots of drama in this will-they-won't-they romance. A perfect summer read.

I received this ARC from publisher @stmartinspress through @netgalley. The opinions are my own.

Flirty Dancing was released on May 27, 2025 and is available at booksellers now.

This was a ok read for me. I could not get over how immature the main characters were. It made it hard to read the book.
There is lots of drama throughout the story…lots!
Like I said already, it was a ok read.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Oh this was such a cute read!!!

A struggling dancer in NYC meets a washed up professional Broadway Dancer at a performance camp in the middle of nowhere. The twist? Our struggling dancer has had the hots for our broadway dancer for years.

I loved the LGBTQIA+ representation in this story and I loved the vulnerability that came with the characters. Each personality was so unique, and it can be hard to do that when there are so many characters involved.
I will say that the ending felt a little rushed, but this was still so stinking good!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffin for an eARC of this story! All opinions are my own!

Sexy dancing at a queer Catskills summer camp/resort?? Yes please. This was a delightfully fun M/M romance debut full of found family, a community of theatre/dancers and Broadway types that has an aspiring Broadway dancer taking his last shot before giving up to go back to his Midwest town and the life of an accountant his mother wants for him. I enjoyed the love triangle, the second chance, starting over late in life, finding yourself and your people of it all and the Dirty Dancing references were just an extra cherry on top. A fun summer read that was good on audio and perfect for Pride month. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Archer wants to dance on Broadway but he’s had no luck landing any jobs. He takes a job at a summer camp in order to dance and earn some money. His plan is to head back to the Big Apple after the job is done and try one more time to get a spot in a Broadway show. Matteo used to dance on Broadway until he made a mistake. He disappeared from the public eye to escape the fallout. Now he’s dancing at the summer camp. Neither man expects to meet anyone special during the job but both of them realize they just might have found something really special. Will they find a way to make it work long term?

This is a sweet romance between two grown men who love to dance. The setting of a summer camp is fun and campy. The dancers, both male and female, being dramatic and high strung really added to the story. The author did a nice job showing the differences between Archer’s and Matteo’s experiences on Broadway. It added tension to the story and the final resolution was really nice. The author did a good job contrasting how Matteo kept apart from the other dancers for the most part and how Archer really wanted to fit in. The bottom line is that this is a nice love story that made me smile. I will read more from this author in the future.

I loved this book - great story, strong character development, funny, emotional, and all about dance and the summer theatre scene and the New York Broadway dance scene! Wonderful title and side characters, too! Thanks so much for the eARC!

Flirty Dancing is a sparkling queer rom-com bursting with heart, heat, and high-kicks. Jennifer Moffatt delivers a swoony, theater-kid fever dream full of mess, toe-tapping drama, and characters you can’t help but root for. With the charm of a summer camp rom-com and the emotional beats of a Broadway showstopper, this one is pure stage-lit magic.

Flirty dancing was such a fun read for pride month! I feel like it was such a well balanced rom com.

Archer is a struggling dancer in NYC and he lands a summer gig at a resort in the Catskills. He discovers his former adolescent crush Mateo is also a part of the crew at Shady Queens. Will sparks fly or will tensions fizzle?

I absolutely loved the tension between characters and the queer representation!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This was okay, it was a nice quick read but I wish it did not seem like a 27 year old as the MMC. It felt slightly childish in areas which I would expect out of a YA romance. I did like the book overall, but I just feel it wasn’t entirely for me. I will definitely be recommending it though!

4.5/5 ⭐️
The perfect summer romance. As always it was a heartwarming story with lovable characters and the right amount of drama & comedy. I was so invested in their story and the antics at the “summer camp”. I loved the intimate moments and the messiness of a group of gays being so realistic

Unfortunately I thought this book was just not good. It was all over the place, a lot of the characters seemed very immature and the romance doesn’t even really start until like 80% of the book. It was just not for me!