Flirty dancing A novel

This irresistible contemporary from Moffatt (A Hard Fit) sees sunshiny Broadway hopeful Archer Read take a job dancing at an LGBTQ resort in the Catskills. He's surprised to find his teenage crush, Broadway star Mateo Dixon, leading the company--and disappointed that grumpy Mateo seems to hate him. Naturally, Archer and Mateo are partnered for a "sizzling" Latin dance, which only intensifies the sexual tension between them. Mateo even asks Archer for "extra rehearsals," perhaps as a way to get closer to him, but Archer, still convinced that Mateo can't stand him, gets together with coworker Caleb, a veteran resort dancer and troublemaker. Moffatt brings the drama both onstage--with high stakes performances and professional blunders--and off, where the dancers' dating lives get increasingly messy over the course of game nights, karaoke, and birthday celebrations. Moffatt makes it easy to crush on Mateo right alongside Archer and allows the heat between the men to build with every touch. It's a slow-burning romance that delivers all the feels. Agent: Jordy Albert, Booker Albert Agency. (May)

A queer resort in the Catskills is the perfect place for frothy fun in Moffatt's (A Hard Fit) latest. Archer Read, a 27-year-old Ohioan who moved to New York City to chase his dream of dancing on Broadway, books a summer gig at Shady Queens Resort instead. He's starstruck--and a little confused--to discover that his musical theater crush, Mateo Dixon, is there too, but their relationship gets off on the wrong foot. While they sizzle when they're on the dance floor together, Mateo is closed off to Archer and secretive about his sudden disappearance from Broadway. The novel is full of delicious relationship drama, not just the slow-burn romance of Archer and Mateo but hookups and breakups throughout the dance troupe, as well as endearing friendships that give the story depth. The novel doesn't solely focus on the main relationship, since Archer spends a good chunk of the book dating a different dancer, and there are more than enough entertaining plotlines, including several love stories, to keep readers engaged. VERDICT Readers will love taking a trip to Shady Queens Resort in this effervescent rom-com.--Jenny Kobiela-Mondor