Synopsis
A love story on stage
And one waiting in the wings?
Ruth Connell’s beloved theatre is under threat! In desperation, she approaches reclusive playwright Artemis Goode. If Artemis can write a hit, Ruth can save her troupe from financial ruin. Yet it’s not just Ruth’s livelihood in need of saving, but Artemis’s shattered heart too. As quickly as their personalities clash, their passion ignites! But whilst that leads their play towards success, it also leads Ruth closer to the end of her partnership with Artemis…
My Review
Ruth is trying to save her late father’s theatre. To do this she approaches Artemis, a reclusive playwright that once worked with her father. Can Ruth and Artemis save the theatre?
I have read quite a few books by this author and I absolutely adore their writing style so I couldn’t wait to read this book. I don’t think I have ever read a historical romance where the two main characters were from the from the LGBTQI+ community so this was my first and one I would describe as memorable.
The storyline was everything I hoped for from the title and the synopsis. It was filled with emotion, love and romance all set against the backdrop of the theatre. The more I read the more I wished I was at the theatre with the characters that I met during my reading journey. Ruth and Artemis are two characters who have never previously met but they encounter each other following the death of Ruth’s father. Ruth’s father owned a theatre and this is where Ruth grew up. When Ruth finds out the theatre, which was her father’s dream and that is her home is under threat she enlists the help of Artemis who was once an actress and also a renowned playwright. Ruth hopes that a new play by Artemis will draw in the crowds, bring in much needed money and save her home. I have to say the first meeting between Artemis and Ruth was certainly memorable especially because it involves Artemis shutting the door in Ruth’s face.
What I loved about this story is that it included the grumpy sunshine trope and the two main characters in this book reflected that so well. Artemis is what I would describe as grumpy and Ruth is the sunshine. I absolutely loved both characters, their growing romance and their journey from getting to know each other to realising that there was more to their connection. What was interesting about the two characters is that they’re independent and accomplished women. Artemis was a playwright until she dropped off the scene and Ruth helped her father manage the theatre and productions. I was intrigued to see how their working relationship would work. Ruth was very brave when she gave her honest feedback on the first draft of Artemis’ play and what I loved about that scene is that despite Ruth knowing who Artemis was she didn’t hold back. One of the things that both characters definitely have in common is that they lack confidence and their confidence has been dented. In Artemis’ case this goes back to her past and the impact that that had on her and her writing. For Ruth she’s never thought that she could be anything other than her father’s assistant yet she dreamed of being an actress, acting in the theatre but never pushed herself forward. Another aspect that Artemis and Ruth have in common is that they are both very lonely. Artemis has locked herself away from everyone, has no family, friends or a love interest for a long time. Ruth is grieving for her father who was her family. When the two start to spend time together that loneliness starts to disappear. But Artemis does struggle because as soon as she starts getting close to Ruth she panics and then pushes her away because she doesn’t know how she feels but that in turn confuses Ruth because she starts to feel rejected.
It’s clear the Artemis has lost her love of writing but she still has all these stories in her head waiting to get out and the person that inspires that and reignites her passion for writing is Ruth. One of my favourite little touches at the end of this book was the announcement of the play written by Artemis, which included a synopsis and a list of the cast. It’s definitely a play that I would want to watch.
Author Bio
Lotte James trained as an actor and theatre director, but spent most of her life working day jobs crunching numbers whilst dreaming up stories of love and adventure. She’s thrilled to finally be writing those stories, and when she’s not scribbling on tiny pieces of paper, she can usually be found wandering the countryside for inspiration, or nestling with coffee and a book.
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