A queer retelling of Dirty Dancing? Yes please! Sign me up! A quick and sweet read that is hard to put down!

This was cute! I have never seen the movie Dirty Dancing ( I KNOW I KNOW) so I am not sure how closely this relates to the movie. But I really enjoyed this one.

Super cute queer reimagining of Dirty Dancing. Fun, fluffy, and yes - flirty. I loved the banter, especially with the side characters.

I really enjoyed this! And think it’s the perfect book to pick up for the summer.

Set in a resort in upstate NY, a group of broadway-aspiring dancers get together to put on 6 performances a week for the vacationers.

As you might expect from pulling a group of broadway performers into a couple of cabins together, there is lots of drama.

This book is messy, it’s chaotic, but it’s a lot of fun! A quick read for the summer.

I wanted to love this--Dirty Dancing is one of my favorite movies of all time and I loved the idea of a romance at a resort like that. Ultimately, this just missed the mark for me--the dialog was a little stilted, the side characters never felt fleshed out and the main character getting into a relationship with someone else when he so clearly had feelings for Mateo and didn't really like Caleb that much just seemed off. The book shines when Archer is dancing, particularly with Mateo and the theater director provides some comic relief.

Thank you so much Jennifer Moffatt, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This story hooked me right from the beginning and I LOVED their romance! It's a beautiful slow burn and when they finally get together it is so worth it and your heart just melts! The only thing I didn't like was the love triangle aspect, I felt like it took away from the two MMCs story.

Spice was a one chili pepper, but it was still good!

This was my first book by this author and it definitely will not be my last!! These two were perfect! My inner theater kid was living her best life with this one, and so was I!

A group of dancers stuck together trying to put together a cabaret show over a summer- sparks fly, relationships spark, drama ensues, and jealousy roams.
This book was so much fun! Reading about a group of dancers, which is already dramatic as is, stuck together for months on end while still needing to put a show together. I mean, it’s drama all across the board and it was so so so much fun to read. Reading Archer’s experience as a banker from Ohio turned dancer, and having this as his first professional gig was so much fun. Also his relationship with Mateo, as well as the other dancers was just so much fun to read. Personally loved the game night scenes.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for an eARC of this book!

This story got me diving into it. It has mess written all over it in a good way. There’s tea and drama throughout, like watching a movie just unfold. I caught myself reacting verbally to what I was reading multiple times. This books has so much summer vibes and each time they’re lakeside, I wish I were where they were.

The chemistry between the MMCs was electric from the beginning but this story has the slow burn trope and will keep you reading until you get there. I enjoyed this book so much and it kept me in the same spot in our house for hours just reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Chasing your dreams is always possible, and Archer Read, our protagonist, is a perfect example of that.

The story kicks off with him being told he’s too old to dance on Broadway. It hit him hard, but he never let that stop him from pursuing his love for the stage.

I was totally hooked from the start of the book! I couldn’t put it down at first. But then, somewhere along the way, it lost its spark. I’m not sure if it was the introduction of two love interests or just the pacing in the second half, but it felt a bit rushed.

The writing style shifted quite a bit throughout, and I kept waiting for it to regain its momentum.

Was it a bad read? Not at all! I really enjoyed the author’s concept and Archer’s character felt relatable. However, I wouldn’t call it a standout book for me.

If you’re into quick reads featuring queer protagonists, cabaret vibes, and plenty of drama, you might want to check it out. Your take on it could be totally different!

Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice:🌶️


TROPES: DANCER, LOVE TRIANGLE-ISH, SUMMER FLINGS

Til Next Review,
Sincerely, Lyssi

Flirty Dancing is a MM contemporary romance inspired by the classic movie Dirty Dancing. An easy summer romance read that is heavy on the drama surrounding the dance cast of Shady Queens Resort.

The story follows Archer, a male late 20s former accountant that 5 months ago decided to uproot his life and follow his passion for dance and Broadway. After countless failed auditions Archer lands a summer job at a resort in the Catskills of New York. Just when he thinks his luck has run out and he will need to return back to Ohio after the summer with failed dreams, Matteo walks into dance practice. Matteo, a former broadway star and Archer’s childhood crush could be the shake up Archer needs.

However, the moody Matteo tries to keep things strictly busy while at Shady Queens, which pushes Archer into the arms of his roommate Caleb. During the 3 months at Shady Queens tension, romance, and tempers run high between the dance cast which spins out of control. Can the dancers put their personal feelings aside and preform as professionals? Who should Archer be with? Will Archer succeed? Read and find out.


Overall, this story is short, fast paced, with closed door romance scenes and DRAMA! It is a nice easy summer read.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley, for this eARC. These opinions are my own. Someone mentioned Dirty Dancing meets Camp Rock, and that's exactly what this is! This is such a fast-paced story, and when I started it, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I love it, the love triangle was a bit annoying, but you power through it. I can't wait to see more from Ms. Jennifer Moffatt!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A charming story! Archer turned his life upside down to pursue his dream of dancing on Broadway but so far he’s not had any luck. His only offer is to dance in a cabaret show at Shady Queens, an LGBTQ+ resort it the Catskills. But it’s a job and just maybe it’ll lead to something more. He’s pleasantly surprised when he arrived to find Mateo Dixon on the stage. He’s crush and idol when he was a teenager. Years ago Mateo was dancing on Broadway but then he abruptly quit his show and no one had seen him since, so what’s he doing here? Unfortunately, for Archer, Mateo doesn’t seem to like him very much. But one of his roommates, Caleb, is plenty flirty. The two can have a little fun, but as Archer and Mateo dance more they seem to be drawn together. Can he win Mateo over? Who will it be Caleb or Mateo? Can he finally reach his dream? Sweet and charming with a lovable group of side characters and plenty of drama! If you are into dancing you’ll definitely enjoy this book! Jennifer Moffatt also gives plenty of character growth, mistakes, and apologies!

This was right up my alley in theory, but nothing ended up working out… the love triangle just was too much and the writing over all just didn’t vibe with me.

This book started off rocky for me, and it was really hard to get into, but once I embraced the reality tv show vibe it was giving off, I ATE IT UP. It’s one of those books that you can’t really take seriously because it’s just fun. I’m such a sucker for well developed characters and this book DELIVERED. Every character was thought out flawlessly, and you could tell that they all had unique personalities instead of just blending into the background. The main characters really grew on me, and by the end, I found myself rooting for them. The relationship drama was so intense. When I tell you I was about to throw HANDS with this random dude named Caleb that was lowkey pissing me off, I’m not kidding. I love a good, deep read that makes me think, but this book really hit for me. It wasn’t serious, and sometimes you need a good lighthearted read (in this day and age especially).

Dirty Dancing, camp vibes, banter, dancing, drama and more shape this fun romance!
This was such a fun vibe and the chemistry and tension between Archer and Mateo kept me invested in them throughout. Lynn was probably my fav side character and I would be interested in seeing more from her. Great little read for summer or when you just want a M/M Dirty Dancing/Camp Rock vibe as a palate cleanser.

A solid 3.5 star read.
Camp Rock meets Dirty Dancing, but make it adult...and so GAY!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
There will be shade and there will be queens. They’re the Shady Queens. It’s all jealousy, love triangles, and blueberry pie. The MMC is oblivious and the antagonist needs to be slapped with a wet fish. A teenage crush turns transforms into adult dance partners. The tension! You will want to shake your book because you see ‘it’ long before he does. Every character is an hot mess and only queer camp can fix them.
What could go wrong?

I really loved the premise of this story. I loved dirty dancing and knew this would be a fun read. The characters were unique and the two mmc’s have so much chemistry and I was pining for them to get together from the beginning. I enjoyed the setting, though it did seem unrealistic and juvenile for the ages of the characters. Similarly, while the characters were humorous, their development was flat. I was hoping for more dynamical plot and relationships. The end felt rushed…I really just wanted more from the plot and characters. While I did enjoy most of the book, I wanted more from it.

Such a cute story! I so enjoyed the whole cast of characters! Of course Archer & Mateo stole the show but I was just as wrapped up in the whole gang. I wasn’t sure if I would like it as I don’t have any real interest in dancing or shows but truthfully the characters & relationships were so great that the setting wasn’t necessarily central for me. Now if you love dancing & shows you’d be crazy not to read it!!

One of my favorite memoirs I've ever read is Andrew Rannells' "Too Much is Not Enough." He talks at length about his experience doing these upper New York couple of month gigs for shows and whatnot, and this book captured a lot of how that memoir felt, but fictionally. It's a really light, enjoyable read with all the fun of things like the tv show smash and all the romance you could hope for.

In a fantastic mix between the film White Christmas and the tv show Smash, Flirty Dancing is the perfect romance for those who belt Phantom in their cars during road trips.

FLIRTY DANCING was incredibly cute and fast paced. This is a closed door romance for those looking for something with less kick.