Swoony Sunday Book Review: "Flirty Dancing"
Jennifer Moffatt's fun and sexy book is the gay take on "Dirty Dancing" that I didn't know that I needed.
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Welcome to another edition of “Swoony Sunday,” where I’ll be reviewing romance in all of its forms: film, TV, books. As a Pisces, I love to love, and what better way to express that than through writing about romance, the genre that’s all about finding your heart’s desire?
Warning: Spoilers for the novel follow.
As both a writer and a reader of queer romance, I continue to be in awe of some of the amazing talent that’s out there. Flirty Dancing is one of those books that happened to catch my attention while I was perusing NetGalley, and I knew when I read the description–a gay version of Dirty Dancing–that it was going to be a delight. Let me assure you, dear reader, that I was right. This is my first time reading the works of Jennifer Moffett, but I know that it won’t be my last.
When the novel begins, Archer Read is on the threshold of turning 30, and his dreams of being a Broadway star seem even further away than ever, leaving him with few options other than moving back to Ohio and becoming an accountant. As luck would have it, though, he manages to secure a place at a resort in the Catskills, where he’ll be a part of their dance show for the summer. Once there, however, he soon finds himself a bit in over his head, particularly when he comes face-to-face with none other than Mateo Dixon, a former Broadway star with whom Archer has been obsessed since he was a teenager. As the summer progresses their relationship deepens, though obviously there are more than a few hurdles they have to jump through before they reach their happily ever after.
There’s immediate chemistry between the broody Mateo and the much flightier Archer. This isn’t quite an enemies-to-lovers story, but it’s still clear that the professional Mateo is both drawn to and slightly annoyed by his younger colleague. For Archer’s part, he’s very starstruck but, to be real, he’s kind of a dunce at times, which means that he keeps missing the very obvious cues that Mateo is very into him. Archer is an endearing hero, but he’s not always very quick on the uptake. He has a knack for putting his foot right in it, though his good heart and genuinely kind demeanor keeps him from ever becoming truly annoying or unlovable.
It’s only when Mateo and Archer start dancing that the spark between them starts to turn into something more, though at first neither of them want to acknowledge the truth of their attraction. Moffatt has a real ease with describing the raw physicality of dancing that sweeps you up in the rhythm, allowing you, the reader, to feel as if you’re right there with the characters. Though I’m not a dancer myself, my partner is, and the way that Moffatt describes these moments accord with his own recollections of what it’s like to lose yourself in your body’s movement, an experience that becomes that much more intense when it’s shared with another person. While they’re on stage, Mateo and Archer are just two bodies joining in rhythm, and there’s a real power in that.
Mateo makes for a good choice of romantic lead. There’s just enough mystery to him that you don’t quite know what to make of him, particularly since our point of view is limited to Archer. (As always, I have to say that I prefer dual-POV when it comes to romance, but the singular viewpoint works well enough here). With his smoldering good looks and his surly attitude, he’s just the type of man that I would fall for were I in Archer’s shoes, and the fact that he was once the toast of Broadway just makes him that much more appealing. As if all of that weren’t enough, he also has more than a little tragedy and personal heartbreak in his background, and if there’s one thing that I love as a romance reader it’s a sad boy who just needs someone to show him the kindness that he so desperately needs and deserves.
And then there’s Caleb.
Flirty Dancing is one of those romances that gives you a character who is easy to hate, since he stands as the major impediment in the burgeoning romance between Archer and Mateo, largely because he starts hooking up with Archer almost right away. As if that weren’t enough, he’s also kind of a jackass, constantly acting out and acting up. Fortunately, Moffett is a savvy enough writer that Caleb is more than just a roadblock. He has his own demons that he’s grappling with and, while this doesn’t excuse some of his less appealing behavior–which includes engaging in a dalliance with someone who already has a boyfriend–it does at least allow us to understand him a little more.
Flirty Dancing is also filled with lovable and entertaining secondary characters, all of whom add texture and depth to the dance world in which Archer finds himself. The fact that the Catskills resort is called Shady Queens is also delightfully queer and a clear callback to The Golden Girls. Moffett certainly does know her audience (though I would have liked to see a bit more description of the natural beauty of the Catskills, which is one of the most beautiful places in New York State).
If I have one complaint, it’s that it wasn’t quite steamy enough. I know that sex scenes aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I would have liked to see more of the physical relationship between Mateo and Archer, particularly since we get so much attention paid to their dancing prowess and their connection on the stage.
In short, I really loved Flirty Dancing. It was one of those books that it was just a genuine pleasure to read. Archer is such a relatable protagonist that you can’t help but want what’s best for him, because who among us hasn’t experienced a little bit of panic over the fact that our lives haven’t turned out like we wanted? I mean, I’m now 41, and though I have a PhD, I have yet to achieve some of my dreams, so I can definitely feel for Archer (and Mateo, whose own dreams were put on hold thanks to his behavior). Fortunately there are romances like this one, which remind us that it’s never too late to find that which makes us happy.