I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

When I was offered a review copy of this book, it was a no-brainer. Being a huge theatre nerd and having so many wonderful memories of my community theatre days, I had to accept it. While the main character grated my last nerve for about the book’s first half, I ended up really enjoying it in the end.

The book focuses on Noah Adams, a small-town boy who now lives in New York. Noah has had a couple of off-broadway musicals that tanked, but his new musical, which just made its premiere on Broadway, may be the one to put him on the map. When the book starts, Noah and his super-hot (of course) British boyfriend Chase are at the opening night afterparty waiting for the New York Times review to post. This review will either make or break the show and much to Noah’s horror, the show receives a scathing review, forcing the show to close immediately. To top it off, his father just had a massive heart attack, and Noah needs to return to his hometown of Plainview, Illinois. To make matters worse, the local community theatre (the same theatre that was Noah’s safe haven growing up) has decided to stage an amateur production of his recently failed musical and they expect him to direct it.

Surrounded by a group of inexperienced actors and dealing with the constant presence of his high school nemesis, Luke (who has grown up to be the town’s golden boy), Noah isn’t sure he’ll make it through the next month. But he always promised that if the theatre ever needed him, he’d be there to help, and now it’s time to pay his debt. It’ll only be a month, but Luke seems to be everywhere Noah turns, and their interactions are awkward, fueled by unresolved tension from their past.

The romance that develops between Noah and Luke is a slow burn enemies to lovers that adds a lot of heart to the story. Their chemistry is undeniable, and as they confront their shared history and old wounds, Noah realizes there is much more to Luke than meets the eye. The exploration of their evolving feelings is both tender and humorous, though I will admit that I am soooooooo tired of reading about perfect shoulders, tight chests, washboard abs, and buns of steel. Yeah, I get it, gay men are shallow, and we love a hot body, but as I’ve gotten older, I care so much less about the roundness of one’s ass or their bulging biceps than I do the personality and behavior of the guy. I feel we’re way past due for some “normal” guys in our M/M romances.

Now that I’ve gotten off my soapbox, I will say that Beguelin’s writing is sharp and witty, filled with clever dialogue and relatable characters. As I mentioned earlier, I initially found Noah to be insufferably catty and entitled, but as he woke up to his bad behavior, he started to grow on me. I always appreciate character growth.

But it’s the supporting cast that really makes the book shine. The community theatre players are all hilarious and add so much heart to the novel. I adored Luke (where can I get one?), but it was Noah’s mom who made the book work so well for me. She is hilarious, and I loved every scene she was in!

Overall, I found this to be a delightful read that combined so many of my favorite things: Small towns, gay romance, and community theatre. The storytelling is engaging and entertaining, and it made me want to move to Plainview. Fans of romantic comedies and small-town charm will thoroughly enjoy this light-hearted and feel-good rom-com.