I spent most of my high school and college years in rehearsal, backstage, onstage, occasionally painting sets, and arguing passionately about Shakespeare. Now, I mostly indulge my inner theater kid by going to see as many shows as I can and reading everything set in the performing arts I can get my hands on. I’ll pick up anything set in the world of classical music, theater, opera, or ballet. (Side note: I would love a ballet-set romance novel if anyone has a recommendation.)
I adore a romance novel with a highly specific setting that feels lived in, especially a setting that I find fascinating. The world of the performing arts also overflows with big personalities that make for compelling protagonists, supporting characters, and the occasional villain. It’s pure catnip for me and here are three of my favorites.
London Celebrities series by Lucy Parker: This series set in and around the London theater world is one of my all-time favorite romance series and one I reach for whenever I need a comforting reread. Parker’s writing exudes wit and joy and I find myself laughing out loud multiple times whenever I pick up one of her books. Her couples have the perfect balance of sarcasm and sentiment. The banter flies back and forth at a rapid pace but there are also so many lovely moments of deep emotional connection between her heroes and heroines. The fictional London theater world these books take place in is delightfully detailed, especially the fictional plays, most of which I would like to see in real life. If you like a grumpy/sunshine pairing, you have to pick this series up, particularly The Austen Playbook, with its icy theater critic known for his cutting reviews and human sunbeam of a heroine. There are five books out now, with a sixth coming at some point. (The steam level varies over the course of the series, starting out closed door and becoming more open door as it goes on.)
Magic Flutes by Eva Ibbotson (published as The Reluctant Heiress in the US): A fairy tale confection of a novel set in 1920’s Vienna about an ancient castle, an English businessman, and an Austrian princess working incognito at an opera company. Vienna really comes to life throughout Magic Flutes, from its grand hotels to its music-obsessed culture, and I’ve been yearning to go ever since I first read this. There’s a wonderful sense of place and time, as Ibbotson captures a city filled with the very real ghosts of the past. (One of my favorite scenes is when Tessa takes Guy through Vienna and points out landmarks from the crypt where Brahms’ housekeeper lit a candle for his liver complaints to the cafe where Schubert’s great niece eats her nightly slice of cake.) This book has everything you could want: eccentric aristocrats, a charmingly shambolic opera company, star-crossed lovers, and a beautifully written homage to the power of music. Funny, charming, and a little magical. (Kissing only.)
Well Met by Jen DeLuca: A gentle Renaissance faire-set romance about healing, finding purpose, and the ways we take care of each other that made me want to invest in a medieval-style dress and learn how to huzzah. I really enjoy the cozy small town setting, complete with charming independent bookstore, and diving into the inner workings of a Ren Faire. The hero is a buttoned-up English teacher who moonlights as a dashing Ren Faire pirate during the summer while the heroine is a hyper-organized Shakespeare nerd looking for a new beginning after a breakup that unraveled her life and together they are adorable. This is a book that hits a lot of the classic moments of a contemporary enemies-to-lovers romance and does it so well. All of those moments feel specific and grounded in the characters and deliver that shot of pure romance novel glee. I think this would be a great introduction to contemporary romance for anyone new to the genre. (Open door.)
Currently reading: The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews and I’m loving it. The hero and heroine are wonderfully drawn and the tenderness between them is exquisite. I think I’m going to have to explore more of Matthews’ back catalogue soon.
What’s bringing me joy this week:
Adventures in straight leg jeans. I finally relaxed my grip on skinny jeans and picked up a pair of the Madewell perfect vintage jeans in a light wash for the spring and summer. I don’t think I’ll ever be a convert to full flares but I’m enjoying experimenting with a new silhouette.
The few days of warmer weather this week that allowed for long walks through the city. I went out for a walk today and was practically bouncing down the pavement when I smelled spring in the air.
More impulse Trader Joe’s purchases: mini char siu bao and peanut butter cocoa marshmallows. I am that person they successfully reel in with the display stands by the checkout line and that is a fact I have long accepted about myself.
I think you'll enjoy Pas de Don't by Chlose Angyal, out this spring! Set in the ballet worlds of Syndey and NYC, theater vibes but dancing, and a lovely sense of place.
Oh this was a newsletter for me. I’ve been meaning to read the London Celebrities series for a while off the back of a Modern Mrs Darcy recommendation but I have yet to get there, and I’ve owned the ebook of Well Met since it’s release but haven’t read it. What I have read, however, was Belle of Belgrave Square and I found it utterly charming.