Showmance
A Novel
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4.1 • 12 Ratings
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
"Showmance is ready for the big time....Beguelin crafts a story you never want to end.” —Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Celebrants
A down-on-his-luck Broadway playwright is marooned in rural Illinois in this sharply funny queer rom-com
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?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Playwright Beguelin's sparkling debut novel sees Broadway musical writer Noah Adams returning home to rural Plainview, Ill., after his father suffers a heart attack. Noah is suffering, too; Stage of Fools, his adaptation of King Lear, has "joined the list of tragic musicals that opened and closed in one night." Once home, Noah learns his high school nemesis, Luke Carter, is now working for Noah's family; making matters worse, Luke's as attractive as ever. When Noah's asked to direct a production of Stage of Fools for the local community theater, he thinks he's hit a new low—especially once the town's amateur thespians start making changes to the show. But as the superior Noah is humbled, he realizes both that the locals' tinkering has improved his show, and that he might have misjudged Luke. A cozy hot-air balloon ride with Luke releases some of Noah's sarcasm and disdain as he comes to see his former bully in a new light. As the men fall in love, the idea of going back to New York becomes heartbreaking. Peppered with witty one-liners and many musical theater references, this charming, zippy romance hits all the right notes.
