Flirting lessons

The mild latest from bestseller Guillory (The Wedding Date) finds buttoned-up bisexual Avery Jensen, 29, ready to try dating women for the first time, though she's unsure how to begin. Enter bartender Taylor Cameron, a newly single lesbian lothario. Taylor offers to give Avery lessons in flirting, which she nervously accepts. Meanwhile, Taylor's best friend bets her that she won't be able to go a whole summer without sleeping with anyone. Taylor begins wingwomaning Avery on a series of outings, including a book signing, salsa dancing, and a burlesque show, that slowly push Avery out of her comfort zone. But when Taylor assigns Avery's flirting lesson midterm--flirting with Taylor herself--sexual tension ignites, leading to a casual physical relationship. Avery is wary of taking things any further and becoming another woman Taylor loves and leaves. Subplots about Avery finding a new hobby and Taylor dealing with growing tension in her closest friendship add some depth, but the plot still feels thin, with little drama and only surface-level chemistry to draw readers in. The result is sweet but forgettable. (Apr.)

A crash course in learning how to flirt leads to real feelings for two women. Avery Jensen thinks that when people look at her, they see someone too fearful to try anything new; she never knows how to make a strong impression on anyone she has even the slightest romantic interest in. There's no way Avery will be able to break out of her comfort zone without help, but luckily for her, she's just met someone who can teach her how to put her best foot forward--and even flirt a little, while she's at it. Taylor Cameron has a reputation for being a love-'em-and-leave-'em type, and it's well earned. In fact, right before she runs into Avery, Taylor made a bet with a friend that she can make it to Labor Day without sleeping with anyone. Offering to give Avery flirting lessons is the perfect way for Taylor to keep herself too distracted to end up in bed with someone she wouldn't be able to commit to anyway. The only problem is that Avery has to practice flirting with other people, and as their lessons continue, Taylor soon realizes that she has a crush on the very woman she thought she could keep at a distance, while Avery's attraction to Taylor only deepens as the weeks go on. Guillory's latest marks the first romance she's written for two female characters, and while the premise is frankly irresistible--there's a reason courtship lessons have become such a tried-and-true trope in the genre--the surrounding components don't come together. Alternating points of view within chapters would be less confusing if Avery and Taylor had unique perspectives, but they're not written distinctly enough until well into the book. Also, there isn't enough space devoted to a deeper exploration of what an exclusive relationship would mean for both parties--especially Taylor, whose commitment-phobia is a defining trait--making for a resolution that doesn't feel as satisfying as it could have. This flirty romance fails to leave a lingering impression. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.