3 stars for Showmance! I don't think I've read a theatre romance before this book so I really enjoyed getting a peek into that world. This book is a quick read that I did enjoy for the majority, but sometimes Noah got on my nerves and the story wrapped up too quickly right at the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Showmance hits shelves on October 1, 2024.

The writing in this book is painfully awful. Great premise but nothing other than that. Dave your money!

Noah Adams has the life he’s always dreamed of. Hot British boyfriend? Check. A new musical that he wrote opening on Broadway? Check. His musical being a disaster and shutting down after one performance? Okay maybe things aren’t so great, especially when his opening night ends with a family emergency that sends him back home to the middle of nowhere. Back home is the last place Noah wants to be, what with a strained relationship with his dad and his high school enemy everywhere. To his horror, Noah finds himself sucked into directing a local community theater adaptation of his failed musical. Anxious to get back home to his life and his boyfriend, Noah quickly learns that not everything or everyone are as they once seemed and that it’s okay to make changes.

This book was too cute! I loved all the Broadway references and the character development with Noah and Luke. It checks all the boxes of a quintessential rom com, hitting all the major cliches. While this could be bad, it works well here because it feels familiar, and to be that’s comfortable. Sure I could see what was going to happen a mile away, but it somehow made the payoff even more worthwhile. If you’re looking for a lighthearted new romcom, look no further than Showmance!

2.5 stars

I want to start that from a sentence level, I think there is some decent writing. However, I'm sad I didn't love this because I really expected I would. A queer romance with musical theater and a return to hometown is right up my alley. Unfortunately, I had a lot of issues with this one. The timeline was a complete mess in my mind. The original boyfriend plotline was too long and ultimately pointless (why do you not have any trust issues after that? and to immediately jump into something new after 2 years and a horrible heartbreak?). The actual romance plot felt rushed and like every key point of a typical romance novel was hit within 2 chapters. At times the book felt like an outline that just jumped from scene to scene with no real flow and just really needed more time. Maybe if the original relationship ended in the first 10-20% of the book and the new romance started at 40%, I could have had more of a chance to actually build. I am always willing to suspend my disbelief in books but there was almost nothing in this that I felt was believable.

My favorite thing in this book was the mother calling the theater Theodore. That's actually a hilarious bit I might use in my real life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Noah ends up back in his hometown putting on his failed Broadway show and licking his wounds while life continues to throw challenges his way.

Usually you don’t start a review with a negative, but to explain the positive I kind of have to go through the negative first. The blurb is slightly misleading as Noah isn’t “marooned” in his hometown. His agent? Is actually his boyfriend of two years that he is madly in love and lust with. I don’t know about you, but having someone be completely committed to their partner of two years suddenly “fall out of love” and “in love” with someone else in a month’s time…ummm yeah, doesn’t really work for me.

I think the most difficult part is that Chase is a wonderful partner to Noah. They are truly together. Chase takes excellent care of Noah. Chad Beguelin does an excellent job of selling us this fantastic relationship. I’m not going to say that there is a hint or two that Chase could stray, but when they break up Chase tells Noah exactly why. None of that makes what happens justified, BUT you can see the whys of it.

Now, the quick romance of Luke and Noah doesn’t really make sense on Noah’s part. Luke’s part of the romance makes complete sense, but Noah has never had any romantic feelings for Luke. He actually hates him and for good reason. There are also other landmines regarding Luke and Noah’s own family that hit the pause button on romance.

What really sells me on this book is everything else. Beguelin brings texture and depth to the secondary cast in Noah’s friends from NYC and Plainview. His language is the same, no matter who he is hanging with and I speak it fluently. (chuckle) I also adore the family dysfunction storyline. It runs parallel to the growth of the musical and to Noah’s own ideas. The musical’s cast is a highlight that cannot be ignored. I don’t even know who to single out because everyone brings value.

The author ties it all up nicely and then extends it to a true “happily-ever-after”. I think I would have preferred it if they did an epilogue three years in the future with Luke and Noah finally committing. Rushing the romance doesn’t do love justice. Showmance should have focused on one romance and not given such care to the first one if the goal is to write a romance.

Showmance has lots of humor. I adore Kiara, Melissa, and Nancy Kay. I must also confess that I love my crock pot too Nancy Kay.

Thank you Penguin Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This books is about Noah and Luke. Noah is a musical writer who just had a flop of a Broadway play. After a family incident sends him back home, he is convinced to help the town local theatre group put on his musical. Luke is a farm hand on his family farm, and has had a long time crush on Noah, much to Noah’s chagrin. They grow close and Noah has thoughts that maybe his hometown is not as bad as her remembers.

I loved this book, the main characters had off the charts chemistry! I felt for what Noah was going through and finding himself at a crossroads in life. The supporting characters help round out the book and were so loveable and unique in their own rights. I could have kept reading this book for 500 more pages. This is for fans of Timothy Janovsky!

With his tail between his legs, Noah Adams heads home to rural Illinois. See, his latest musical premiered on Broadway and was panned by critics, closing after only one day. Despite his failure, at least he has his handsome, hunky British boyfriend, Chase, by his side.

But home feels small and Noah is overwhelmed by memories of his childhood - school bullies who mercilessly teased a young queer kid - especially when he comes face to face with Luke, his arch nemesis…and his dad’s number one guy on the family farm.

But don’t worry, the Plainview Players are eagerly awaiting Noah’s arrival at the small town theater that served as his lifeline before he headed to NYC.

Oh, and they’re expecting him to produced his musical flop with them on stage.

But the townsfolk surprise him with their heart and commitment and belief in the jaded Noah. Noah, who realizes he has a lot to learn. Not only about himself but also about some misconceptions he’s held on to for over a decade, one of them about Luke.

I absolutely adored this book! The people of Plainview will remind you of those lovably goofballs from Schitt’s Creek. I loved that as Noah grew and changed as a person, the rewrites and additions to his musical matched him step by step. Plus the romance arc from Chase to Noah is just done so brilliantly, you’ll feel cheated.

Listen, Stephen Rowley of Guncle fame blurbed this book and the vibe is so similar - feel good, laugh out loud charm! Don’t sleep on this one!

Thanks to @netgalley and @penguinbooks for the ARC to read and review. This one is due October 1, 2024 and I’ll be buying my trophy copy!

Places people! Noah Adam has been a struggling playwright for many years and just as he thought he was getting his big break, the reviews caused his career to go up in flames. On the very same night as his Broadway failure, his father has a heart attack, and he heads back home  to small town Illinois. While there, he is pressured into putting on an amateur stage production of his failed Broadway musical. But like a phoenix, maybe he can rise from the ashes too.

Sometimes in life, you just need a short and cheesy romance to reset. This isn’t to say that there isn’t a lot of heart in this book. Noah, while occasionally one-note and the slightest bit unlikeable and often just downright mean (at least in the first half of the book), has his whole world rearranged. Everything he thought to be true was turned on its head and stomped on. He has to turn inwards and realize that maybe he isn’t right about everything. Once he does that, then his relationships with his family, past enemies, his career and himself start to heal.

To avoid major spoilers, it is best to leave the romance to the pages (though I think at the end you will agree that we all need a Luke). Where I think the plot line that shines the brightest is Noah’s relationship with his family, especially his father. The dynamic was so well written and the growth both father and son had in the book was heartwarming. It goes to show that while words may be nice, sometimes the actions of people are more telling and sincere than any words could ever be.

Overall, this low-stakes, small town (show)mance was way more than I was expecting. While this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, this is the first book in a long time that made me root for the characters and just have a good time. I rate this Tony worthy.

#netgalley #showmance #penguinbooks

This was beyond adorable! It's cute and sexy but also absolutely made me cry at the end (several times actually!). The way the author weaves together a romance with self-discovery and beautiful notes on family relationships was masterful. If you are a fan of musical theater, this is an absolute must read.

Showmance is a breezy queer romance dealing with coming back to a small town, reconnecting with your past, and realizing that maybe people can grow and change. The musical that Noah Adams wrote opened on Broadway… and closed the very same night after terrible reviews. When he receives news that his father had a heart attack, he goes back to Plainview, Illinois to try and recover from his failures while spending time with his family. But the town has other ideas, they want to put on their own version of his musical. And to add salt to the wound he keeps seeing Luke, one of his bullies from high school who has everyone charmed.

I really loved seeing Noah’s character arc throughout the story. At times he can be very dismissive, quick to judge, and unwilling to give people a second chance. It’s understandable that he’s on edge around people who gave him a hard time in the past, but sometimes he doesn’t acknowledge the ways that he is being unfair in the present day. It was great getting to see his moments of introspection, growth, and change. Outside of the romance, it was also wonderful to see the ways he and his dad started to connect more.

Luke was a great love interest, he pushes back against Noah and challenges him when he says things without thinking. They have great romantic chemistry and it was fun learning about Luke’s perspective of their high school days. I do think that the timeline of the romance was a bit rushed with where they end up with their feelings. This is a closed door/fade to black romance, which isn’t my preference for romance novels. But I think that does fit with the romcom vibes it was going for.

Fans of queer romantic comedies should give this a try. I’m not a big musicals/Broadway fan so I’m sure a lot of those references went over my head. But it would probably be a lot of fun for readers who are into that world.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC of Showmance by Chad Beguelin.

Showmance by Chad Beguelin is a delightful romp that combines humor, heart, and a touch of nostalgia in this vibrant queer rom-com. The story follows Noah Adams, a down-on-his-luck Broadway playwright banished to his small hometown of Plainview, Illinois, after a scathing review sends his career spiraling. What unfolds is a beautifully crafted tale of second chances, not just in love but in life.

Noah's initial reluctance to engage with the community theater—and his former high school nemesis, Luke—creates a tension that is both relatable and engaging. The chemistry between Noah and Luke is electric, and as they navigate their complicated past, the narrative blossoms into a heartwarming exploration of redemption and understanding.

Beguelin excels at blending witty dialogue with poignant moments, making you laugh out loud while also tugging at your heartstrings. The small-town cast of characters is charming and endearing, showcasing the unexpected wisdom and warmth found in a place Noah had long dismissed.

As Noah wrestles with his insecurities and the ghosts of his past, the community theater becomes a metaphor for his own growth. The insights from the amateur cast not only help Noah rediscover his passion for theater but also challenge him to confront his own biases and fears.

Showmance is a celebration of creativity, love, and the importance of community. Beguelin's storytelling captures the magic of theater and the transformative power of second chances. This book is a must-read for anyone who appreciates a good laugh, a heartfelt romance, and a story that reminds us of the beauty of coming home.

This is a fun little silly good time about a man struggling in his career, going home where he is somewhat of a local celebrity. While he sees himself as a failure, they think he is amazing. They don’t care that his most recent musical flopped. They are all prepared to perform a small town show of his musical, much to his dismay.

Overcoming hometown bullies from childhood and realizing his true potential, our protagonist has an eye opening experience being back in the town he tried so hard to get away from.

I struggled with aspects of this book. Some of the ways in which Noah is treated by family, then made to look like the dramatic one… that was too much. He is supposed to change who he is for others, while they have wronged him, treated him poorly, or misunderstood him.

Overall, this was good. I loved the characters. Some of the people in the town were really great and made the book!

Noah Adam's is almost the next big thing, but when the promising playwrite's musical flops on Broadway, closing on opening night, he has nowhere to go. Well, except back to his small, farming hometown visit his ailing father. The local community, though naive and a little backwards, embraces their fallen star with open arms, surprising Noah with a run of his failed musical. And they want him to direct it.
What more could go wrong? Oh, maybe the fact that his high-school bully now works for his family, and the theater, and is constantly nearby, acting like they're best pals??

I laughed aloud so many times reading this. Noah is quick-witted, his mother hilarious, and his friends ridiculously funny. Any time I get annoyed at Noah's uppity attitude, someone else takes him down a notch for me. The book has a lot of heart, and some real vulnerability wrapped in the rom-com of it all. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting a light, funny read. 4.75 stars.

I'm a huge fan of broadway musicals and was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to read Chad Beguelin's debut novel Showmance. If you don't recognize the author's name, he is known for having written the lyrics to The Wedding Singer and one of my personal favorites, Elf the musical. He's no stranger to the process that goes into a Broadway Musical and his writing is showmance is a testament to that. Showmance is a charming and light gay romance read. Noah has finally done it. He has his first show on Broadway....no small feat for anyone. And then, before he knows it, it's over. He heads back home to Illinois to visit some family and finds himself helping the town put on an amateur community theater version of his show.
I've got to be fully honest, in that, I really don't like Noah. I found him rude, self-centered, pretentious and an overall pain in the ass. He's not a person that I was endeared to at any point in this book. And that is sometimes tough to deal with when it comes to a main character. I contemplated downgrading my review because I disliked him so much. But....here's the thing. For me to dislike him so much, means that the author wrote him really well. The descriptions were real enough that I felt like I knew him (and still didn't like him).
There are some nice themes to the book. There are some lovely themes around being able to do what you love, the ease of misperception and differing perceptions and beliefs, and coming home again. I did find myself particularly enjoying Noah's mom, an eclectic, no-nonsense woman, who was a minor character, but genuine to herself and those she loves.
The romance was interesting in that it didn't follow the general tropes, but it was also fairly predictable.
Overall, this is a nice lighthearted read that's perfect for those who already love romance, or for someone seeking a palate cleanse from heavier books. I would definitely recommend adding it to your to-read list.
Huge thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Showmance.

Review will be added to amazon and linked as soon as allowed following publication date!

Noah's career is on a downward spiral after a particularly bad review of his broadway musical. He ends up back in his small mid-western town and learns a lot about second chances, and the value of family.
This book is just really delightful. Anyone who likes some mm romance, small towns, theatre, and witty dialogue will love it. I think the only thing that could improve the book a bit would be a little more spice between the main characters but it was definitely worth the read!

This book was fabulous. I can be really annoyed by some tropes that tend to show up in this genre and I am overjoyed by the choices that were made along the way in this story. As a Broadway fan, an Illinois native, and a STL resident, this book overlapped so many parts of my life in such an enjoyable way.

This was such a pleasant surprise of a book! I wasn't sure what to expect going in. What I found was a funny, self-effacing, emotional story about life's second "acts", the issues we all have with judging others' actions (or lack of action), and the power of forgiving ourselves and those who have hurt us. This book had that rare mix of humor and emotional intelligence which defines the human experience. 💞

Almost immediately after reading the synopsis I knew this was something I would love and boy was I right. Not only did I fall in absolute love with Noah and Luke’s love story but the writing was so engaging and had some of the best theater references I’ve ever seen. You know when you read a book and you can just tell that the author has extensive experience in what they’re writing? This was definitely one of those times!

Being a theater kid myself, one of the things I loved about this book was how authentic it was. You could really tell by the writing and how each character was written that it was by someone who truly knew what they were talking about. I think I’ve met almost every person in this book and that’s not even an exaggeration. Okay, maybe I haven’t met a hot, British agent but that’s beside the point.

Some of my favorite parts were the supporting characters and how they helped bring the story to life. Sometimes when you read a book the background characters can get lost in, well, the background and don’t really bring anything to the actual story. That wasn’t the case here. The characters brought so much heart and light into the story that otherwise wouldn’t be there if they weren’t.

11/10, highly recommend. I only wish I could go back and reread it for the first time again.

Showmance is a fast paced and ultimately heart warming queer rom-com. It features Noah, a sarcastic, dramatic, and often pompous playwright who finds himself in his small midwestern hometown after a disastrous review of his latest Broadway show. He soon falls for the golden retriever town hero, Luke, who may or may not have bullied him in high school. And although I thought Noah was insufferable for the first 50% of the novel, he learns humility from his childhood friends and neighbors, and rediscovers his love of the theater. I enjoyed the small town enemies to lovers romance, especially the ancillary characters: Noah’s parents and his 2 best friends, Kiara and Melissa. Overall an enjoyable, if predictable, queer romance with an especially touching author’s note. 3.5/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Penguin Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Unfortunately I DNFed this. I was intrigued by the concept and I love a good romance, but the writing was a bit too cutesy for me. Stylistically it didn’t work for me at all, and I knew it wasn’t going to be something I’d like. Hopefully it works for someone else!