Book Summary: 

Archer Read is 27 and desperate to find his place in life. Five months ago, he quit his soul-destroying accounting job in Ohio and moved to Manhattan with dreams of making it on Broadway. And now he has nothing to show for it but a string of rejections. Even for a ray-of-sunshine like Archer, hope can only go so far. A musical revue at Shady Queens, a queer-friendly resort in the Catskills, is his last chance to break into show biz―otherwise, it’s back to Ohio, broke and hopeless. He arrives ready to dance his heart out, only to find he’ll be working with his teenage celebrity crush, the Broadway star Mateo Dixon.

What is Mateo doing working at Shady Queens? Besides barking orders and glaring at everyone…when he’s not absolutely smoldering at Archer on the dancefloor. As Archer tries to forget his teen crush and get to know the real Mateo, he’s caught up in a romance with his hot, temperamental bunkmate, Caleb. Between Mateo’s baggage and the dance crew’s drama―partying, flirting, breaking up, getting back together, then breaking up again―it’s no surprise when the show starts to fall apart. Archer quickly discovers that when it comes to dance, sometimes you can’t leave all your problems backstage.

My Review:

Welcome to 90210 meets Melrose Place meets The OC (okay, I never actually watched The OC, but it was popular for a reason!). The diva (Stewart), the juicy drama (cue one literary love triangle between Caleb, Mateo, and Archer), the cattiness, and the sheer hilarity of the situation make you hope that someone turns this book into a series – not a movie. I need episodes so we get every delicious moment!

Five months earlier, Archer Read traded in his accountant job for big dreams of dancing on Broadway. Fast forward to the present: after months of pounding the pavement, audition after audition, and rejection after rejection, Archer’s once-vivid dream is slowly being crushed by the harshness of reality. At 27, maybe he is “too old.” Desperate times call for desperate measures, and a callback for a summer cabaret show at an LGBTQ+ resort may be his last shot. Giving it his all, not only does he land a spot, but he also discovers he’ll be dancing with his childhood crush – Broadway legend Mateo Dixon. Archer quickly learns why you should never meet your heroes, but he is determined to stay focused and use the summer gig as a way to get discovered, putting his dreams back on track. If only he could keep his focus whenever Mateo is around, and resist the ever-present advances of his gorgeous bunkmate, Caleb.

I could not put this book down! There was a moment when all heck broke loose, and I’m pretty sure people thought something was wrong with me because of the nervous laughter I couldn’t hold back. I just couldn’t believe the chaos! This book will keep you on the edge of your seat – and if you’re not gasping, you’re laughing, or tearing up at the sheer sweetness and tenderness that is Archer Read.

Having read all of Casey McQuiston’s books, I’d say Flirty Dancing won’t appeal to the same audience for the same reasons; however, Jennifer’s writing reminded me a lot of Sarah Adams and Michelle Angelle. The amount of heat and steam she can evoke in a glance, a caress, a kiss – your imagination will be set ablaze. You don’t need to know what happens behind closed doors, because you can feel the energy building to that moment. This was the first M/M closed door romance I ever read, and while I was initially disappointed in the idea – especially after the build-up when the next page was a new chapter, and I let out a bloodcurdling “No!” – that feeling quickly dissipated. An open-door scene would have taken so much away from those intimate moments!

The humor is another shining reason for the comparison. The main characters, the supporting cast – everyone brings something unique to the table, and there’s never a dull moment. You’d think three months would drag out the story, but it didn’t! As each week passed, we loved, we lost (break-ups), we gasped (oh boy, did we gasp), and we laughed. There wasn’t a lull, even when you thought things were winding down and the book was getting complacent – it quickly reminded you that comfort wasn’t an option!

For the most part, the book was sheer entertainment – more of a “day in the life” – and a heartfelt nod to its talented inspiration: the dance troupe at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos. Outside of that, it’s about finding yourself, chasing your dreams, never giving up, and never fearing failure. Each member has their struggles, their stories, their demons – obstacles to overcome in life, love, past, present, and future. We learn the full story behind Mateo’s past, we witness the destructive behavior of Caleb, we see poor choices made, but above all else – we witness growth, evolution, and the beauty that is the human spirit. I think my absolute favorite part of this story was the descriptions of how Archer felt when he danced, or how he would describe Mateo dancing. To have that much passion and connection with something is heartstoppingly beautiful.

As I said before – PassionFlix, Netflix, I don’t care – someone turn this into a mini-series! Preferably eleven episodes, about an hour long each – I’d even settle for eight. I just need to see this book come to life! The dancing, the talent, the passion – the words on the page brought it to life, but to visually witness it would be a dream, especially Archer and Mateo’s tango!