When ex-best friends revive their college dreams
of writing a musical together,
their second chance at love takes center stage.
Peek behind the curtain…
At 96,000 words, OFF BOOK: A SHOWMANCE is a contemporary romance centering on ex-best friends who write a musical together.
Full of spice in the vein of Wildfire by Hannah Grace’s summer of forced proximity, it will appeal to readers who loved the friends-to-lovers on Broadway storyline of Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman and the second chance romance of It's Different This Time by Joss Richard. OFF BOOK is also perfect for those who appreciate the found family, musical-writing elements of the film Theater Camp.
When serial-bolter Olivia Turner’s boyfriend Mark proposes, she doesn’t immediately say yes. Comfortable in her stable job in San Francisco, her playwriting dreams have stalled out, leaving her in a creative rut. Hoping that time away might bring her clarity on her commitment issues and inspire her to write again, Olivia returns to the quaint California town of Oak Valley to direct her alma mater’s summer performing arts program. Instead, she discovers the school’s new music director, who she’ll be working alongside, is her ex-best friend, Andy.
Andy Stevenson blames himself for the drunken kiss that ended his friendship with Olivia ten years ago. Working together is the second chance with her he’s always craved. Under the influence of a heated reunion, rekindled friendship leads to benefits, though Olivia insists it should remain a one-time encounter. After stumbling upon a scandalous bucket list Olivia wrote, Andy devises a plan to keep her close. He suggests they relive the glory of their college years by completing the list and combining their talents to write their own musical together.
While writing together and checking boxes off her list, Olivia slowly puts her trust in Andy, lowering her guard that has prevented her from going all in in the past, but she remains stuck between her stable life with Mark and a potential, riskier future with Andy. When disaster strikes in rehearsals, forcing Andy and Olivia to put out metaphorical—and literal—fires, the show may not go on. With time running out, Andy and Olivia must put their past behind them and rewrite their narrative...or else a Shakespearean tragedy awaits.