Two musical theater costars, separated by fate, reunite for a showmance to remember in a sizzling and banter-filled short story about second chances by #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Soto.

When food poisoning takes out the lead in their Valentine’s Day production of Oklahoma!, TV sensation Colby J. Turner swoops in to save the show. But for leading lady Bex Hardgrave, this last-minute casting is more drama than she bargained for. Eight years ago, their onstage chemistry sparked real-life fireworks—until a misunderstanding brought down the curtain on their budding romance. Now they’re sharing the spotlight again, and their old connection is threatening to steal the show. As showtime approaches, Bex and Colby will have to decide if their second-chance romance deserves its own standing ovation.

This was my first time reading this author, and it will likely be my last. I did not enjoy this short story. It felt dull and barely romantic for something marketed as a romance. While there was no spice, there was still a surprising amount of cursing and crude language, which I found off-putting and unnecessary. There is also a married gay couple included as side characters, which may be worth noting for readers who prefer to know that going in.

There were a few moments of banter between the main couple that I found mildly entertaining, but I never felt any real chemistry between them. I also struggled to connect with any of the characters, which made it hard to feel invested in what was happening. The only real positive for me was the length. It was short enough that I got through it in about an hour, and I was grateful it did not take up much of my time. Despite being set on Valentine’s Day, the holiday itself barely mattered. It was mentioned in passing but had no meaningful impact on the story or the emotional tone.

The story revolves around a theater production of Oklahoma!. I am not familiar with the play or film, so most of the references went over my head. That said, I did appreciate the behind-the-scenes look at how theater productions operate. There is a fair amount of technical theater jargon, which some readers may find tedious, but for me it was one of the more interesting elements. Learning about how these large productions are run and what goes on backstage was more engaging than the actual romance.

A major plot point involves multiple actors getting food poisoning the night before a performance. Unfortunately, the sickness ends up dominating the story more than the relationship. There is far too much emphasis on people being ill, retching offstage, and looking miserable, which became repetitive and unpleasant to read about. The story also ends very abruptly, with little sense of emotional payoff or resolution.

Overall, this story had potential but was poorly executed. Given that this author typically writes spicier romances, which are not my preference, I do not see myself picking up more of her work. I would not recommend this one.