Posted on by Maureen

Flirty Dancing by Jennifer Moffatt 

Book Description 

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.

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.

Filled with colorful side characters, about a million Broadway references, and enough drama for a high school summer camp, Flirty Dancing is a delightful romantic comedy that shows love, like art, is worth a little sacrifice.

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Posted on by Maureen

Showmance by Chad Beguelin 

Book Description 

Noah Adams’s career as a playwright is circling the drain, thanks to a scorching review of his first Broadway musical. So when a family emergency sends him back to his Podunk hometown of Plainview, Illinois, he figures he’ll hide out for a bit. But to Noah’s horror, his agent has secretly arranged for him to stage an amateur version of the career-ruining musical at the local community theater.

As if trying to work with a bunch of artless amateurs wasn’t enough, Noah runs into Luke, the jerk from his high school years, everywhere he goes. Luke somehow grew up to be beloved by everyone in town…and undeniably gorgeous. As rehearsals begin, Noah is surprised by his cast’s insights, the warmth of the town he’d dismissed, and the reality of what happened with Luke all those years ago. Just how much has Noah misjudged?

My Review 

Noah left his small town for college and a new life in New York City. He never expected he would have to return, especially with the added baggage of a failed Broadway show. As much as he saw the local community theatre as a safe haven when he was a closeted gay kid, he is reluctant to return there and stage a production of that same failed show. 

As much as Noah had a glowup when he left home for the first time, it is only after he returns that he has the opportunity to grow up and come to terms with a lot of the problems from his youth. At first, he approaches the situation with a chip on his shoulder, refusing to listen to the suggestions offered by his cast of amateurs. But luckily, he gets over himself, realizes that they might have valuable insight, and most importantly, that his hometown is so much more than the poor provincial town with nothing to offer. 

This book is hilarious. Noah has such a lively voice with snappy responses. Much of the humor comes from him being a fish out of water unsuited for small-town life. He certainly doesn’t expect to find romance, especially not with the boy who used to make fun of him in high school, but that’s exactly what happens. 

I would absolutely recommend Showmance. This is a fun romcom that will appeal to fans of Broadway musicals and queer romance. I would definitely read more from Beguelin in the future. 

I received a digital ARC of this book from Penguin/NetGalley.