IT'S ONLY DANCING

Dirty Dancing, hip-hop style.

Katherine Woods isn’t pleased that her parents are dragging the family from the Bay Area to a camp in Southern California. She tried claiming that she needed to spend the summer before senior year working on college applications, but her parents insisted that she and her sister can enjoy their independence and have “family togetherness” in “a glamping kind of situation.” Trying to escape the bonding, Katherine wanders off and stumbles on a staff barn party, where she spots attractive Jordan Lawrence, one of the dance instructors, and becomes intrigued by hip-hop. After years of loving and excelling at ballet, Katherine developed curves, which drew criticism from a new teacher and rejection by fellow dancers, making her quit and swear off dancing completely. But when Jordan needs a partner for a Juneteenth event in Los Angeles that could earn him a much-needed college dance scholarship, Katherine finds herself breaking all her rules to help out. In her YA debut, bestselling romance author Guillory continues to center Black voices and celebrate Black love. She weaves a tapestry of romantic hurdles, ranging from the strict prohibition against fraternization between staff and campers to Katherine’s deep-seated emotional scars that extend far beyond a callous dance teacher. The inclusion of a prejudiced camp director’s unfair labor practices and a local protest against a drag queen storytime add inclusive modern elements.

A sweet summer romance that hits all the right beats.