What do you think?
Rate this book
A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love
Moulin Rouge meets The Greatest Showman in this romance between a vaudeville star and a showbiz tycoon who find love at the turn of the twentieth century—framed by mischievous commentary of a contemporary young historian.
It’s 1897, and a new fashion for thin threatens to end the career of proudly fat vaudeville performer Evelyn Cross. Enter Thomas Gallier, the man behind the new palace of entertainment promising to be the apex of New York City’s theatrical scene. He’s in search of a star for his vaudeville spectacular, and when he hears Evelyn sing, he knows exactly who he needs to grace his stage.
In a grand finale, present-day narrator Phoebe steps in to reveal secrets and show readers what it really means to claim self-love. Inspired by the true story of a Progressive Era troop of plus-size dancers, this is a story about the spirit of community and the power of romance.
It’s 1897, and a new fashion for thin threatens to end the career of proudly fat vaudeville performer Evelyn Cross. Enter Thomas Gallier, the man behind the new palace of entertainment promising to be the apex of New York City’s theatrical scene. He’s in search of a star for his vaudeville spectacular, and when he hears Evelyn sing, he knows exactly who he needs to grace his stage.
In a grand finale, present-day narrator Phoebe steps in to reveal secrets and show readers what it really means to claim self-love. Inspired by the true story of a Progressive Era troop of plus-size dancers, this is a story about the spirit of community and the power of romance.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2025
114 people are currently reading
6383 people want to read
About the author
Alice Murphy
1 book67 followersAlice Murphy is the penname of a writer from the deep south. She is a keeper of secret recipes, secret identities, secret admirers, and secret histories.
To connect with Alice, reach out to her via Instagram (@alicemurphybooks) or visit her website.
To connect with Alice, reach out to her via Instagram (@alicemurphybooks) or visit her website.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
February 26, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley! <3
I’m sorry to be the one writing a negative review, but this book left me disappointed and I wouldn’t recommend it.
First of all, I personally found the book way longer than necessary: it’s divided into multiple parts, but that division makes no sense, since the parts are (funny enough) way too short and they don’t need to be divided, as nothing important happens that needs to be highlighted or put into a different part of the book. Usually, different parts hold different steps of the story (beginning, development, conclusion), but this one was just putting chapters and parts for the sake of it, there was no sensible order or division. It didn’t help the reader, it was just…there.
The chapters are a few pages long and, once again, way too many. We have a ‘present day’ situation, a past one with the story of Evelyn and Thomas (with chapters alternating between the two characters’ pov), and a few pages long (or sometimes just a few sentences) ‘a note from the historian’.
The thing that annoyed me the most was the writing style, no doubt.
As I said, the book was way too long: that’s because the chapters are full of redundant and repetitive situations, with unnatural -and unnecessary- dialogues that do nothing for the plot.
The characters are dull, forced and I couldn’t empathize with them. Thinking about it, there’s not many of them: it’s just the two main characters from each timeline, the past and the present day, and I couldn’t connect with any of them.
Also, they are basically the same person, just in a different time. The story itself is the same for both couples, and basically the same things happen.
Reading this book, alternating between the two couples, was like reading the same thing but with different names, and it also followed the same development and order, too, so it was reeeeally boring.
The chemistry -again, for both couples- just wasn’t there.
Which is not a nice thing, since the entire book revolves around these two ‘falling in love’. I was expecting, as promised, something more about the showbiz, but it’s definitely just a background.
The ‘notes from the historian’ were supposed to be a fun break but I found them weird and out-of-a-wattpad-fanfiction kinda style. Here’s an example:
"A note from the historian:
Now, this is probably the part of the story where you're bracing yourself and wondering "Oh, God, wasn't the 'fingering her at Coney Island' thing bad enough? Is she really about to give us a fully realized sex scene between these two?"
And to your question, yes, fuck you, I'm writing a sex scene, and with God as my witness, if I hear one more peep of complaint, I'm going to make the rest of this story nothing but sex scenes.”
I didn’t connect with this book, I think it was just trying too hard to be fun -both through the writin style and the characters- and, personally, it achieved the opposite result.
But if that’s the kind of thing that you like, then go for it, this book is definitely for you.
I’m sorry to be the one writing a negative review, but this book left me disappointed and I wouldn’t recommend it.
First of all, I personally found the book way longer than necessary: it’s divided into multiple parts, but that division makes no sense, since the parts are (funny enough) way too short and they don’t need to be divided, as nothing important happens that needs to be highlighted or put into a different part of the book. Usually, different parts hold different steps of the story (beginning, development, conclusion), but this one was just putting chapters and parts for the sake of it, there was no sensible order or division. It didn’t help the reader, it was just…there.
The chapters are a few pages long and, once again, way too many. We have a ‘present day’ situation, a past one with the story of Evelyn and Thomas (with chapters alternating between the two characters’ pov), and a few pages long (or sometimes just a few sentences) ‘a note from the historian’.
The thing that annoyed me the most was the writing style, no doubt.
As I said, the book was way too long: that’s because the chapters are full of redundant and repetitive situations, with unnatural -and unnecessary- dialogues that do nothing for the plot.
The characters are dull, forced and I couldn’t empathize with them. Thinking about it, there’s not many of them: it’s just the two main characters from each timeline, the past and the present day, and I couldn’t connect with any of them.
Also, they are basically the same person, just in a different time. The story itself is the same for both couples, and basically the same things happen.
Reading this book, alternating between the two couples, was like reading the same thing but with different names, and it also followed the same development and order, too, so it was reeeeally boring.
The chemistry -again, for both couples- just wasn’t there.
Which is not a nice thing, since the entire book revolves around these two ‘falling in love’. I was expecting, as promised, something more about the showbiz, but it’s definitely just a background.
The ‘notes from the historian’ were supposed to be a fun break but I found them weird and out-of-a-wattpad-fanfiction kinda style. Here’s an example:
"A note from the historian:
Now, this is probably the part of the story where you're bracing yourself and wondering "Oh, God, wasn't the 'fingering her at Coney Island' thing bad enough? Is she really about to give us a fully realized sex scene between these two?"
And to your question, yes, fuck you, I'm writing a sex scene, and with God as my witness, if I hear one more peep of complaint, I'm going to make the rest of this story nothing but sex scenes.”
I didn’t connect with this book, I think it was just trying too hard to be fun -both through the writin style and the characters- and, personally, it achieved the opposite result.
But if that’s the kind of thing that you like, then go for it, this book is definitely for you.
September 28, 2025
it seems in preparation of tswifts album, I'll read anything with the word showgirl in it.
May 8, 2025
Rating: 3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, Alice Murphy, and Union Square & Co. for a copy of this book.
Content Warning: Homophobia, Violence, Some Blood, Fatphobia/Body Shaming, Racism, Alcoholism, Police Brutality, Violence Against Women, Ableism, and The Late 1800's Negative Slang in General.
Have you ever finished reading a book and thought instantly, "Boy, this would make a great musical?" That was the exact thought I had once I had finished Alice Murphy's "A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love." It is a story told through multiple lenses--a modern day romance between a historian/narrator and a rich guy longing to learn more about his family's history; and then the romance between one Evelyn Cross and one Thomas Gallier, both of whom have chapters dedicated to their individual thoughts and feelings during their whirlwind relationship.
"A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love" takes place during the late 1800's when vaudeville acts are starting to be seen as unsavory, especially in high society. Evelyn has always had her luck stacked against her--not only is her weight considered distasteful for the time period, but her career as an alluring vaudeville starlet has come to a standstill. Enter Thomas Gallier, a rich man from across the pond looking to open a pleasure palace where patrons can be entertained on a daily basis. The moment he sets his eyes on Evelyn, he is done for. She doesn't think he's a bad catch, either, and so the two become so intertwined in one another that love can be the only proper ending--even if there are forces at work behind the curtains, playing Thomas like a puppet as his reputation hangs in the balance.
I really liked this novel. I thought the characters were well fleshed out (even if some felt forgotten after their introduction, only to make a comeback at the end). My main gripe is the gripe I have with most romance media--there is an unneeded tension. I understand that there must be some kind of misunderstanding or secret in order to keep the plot moving, but at some point it starts to feel overdone. Still, it is unfair for me to unload my ire of the genre onto "A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love." I do think it is a very good novel, especially with the representation of LGBTQ+, BIPOC, disabled, and body positive characters, and with the overall pacing of the story.
At the end of the day, "A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love" is a love story within a love story. Should it ever become a musical, count me as first in line to purchase tickets.
Thank you to NetGalley, Alice Murphy, and Union Square & Co. for a copy of this book.
Content Warning: Homophobia, Violence, Some Blood, Fatphobia/Body Shaming, Racism, Alcoholism, Police Brutality, Violence Against Women, Ableism, and The Late 1800's Negative Slang in General.
Have you ever finished reading a book and thought instantly, "Boy, this would make a great musical?" That was the exact thought I had once I had finished Alice Murphy's "A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love." It is a story told through multiple lenses--a modern day romance between a historian/narrator and a rich guy longing to learn more about his family's history; and then the romance between one Evelyn Cross and one Thomas Gallier, both of whom have chapters dedicated to their individual thoughts and feelings during their whirlwind relationship.
"A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love" takes place during the late 1800's when vaudeville acts are starting to be seen as unsavory, especially in high society. Evelyn has always had her luck stacked against her--not only is her weight considered distasteful for the time period, but her career as an alluring vaudeville starlet has come to a standstill. Enter Thomas Gallier, a rich man from across the pond looking to open a pleasure palace where patrons can be entertained on a daily basis. The moment he sets his eyes on Evelyn, he is done for. She doesn't think he's a bad catch, either, and so the two become so intertwined in one another that love can be the only proper ending--even if there are forces at work behind the curtains, playing Thomas like a puppet as his reputation hangs in the balance.
I really liked this novel. I thought the characters were well fleshed out (even if some felt forgotten after their introduction, only to make a comeback at the end). My main gripe is the gripe I have with most romance media--there is an unneeded tension. I understand that there must be some kind of misunderstanding or secret in order to keep the plot moving, but at some point it starts to feel overdone. Still, it is unfair for me to unload my ire of the genre onto "A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love." I do think it is a very good novel, especially with the representation of LGBTQ+, BIPOC, disabled, and body positive characters, and with the overall pacing of the story.
At the end of the day, "A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love" is a love story within a love story. Should it ever become a musical, count me as first in line to purchase tickets.
July 7, 2025
This was such an interesting and touching peek into Vaudevillian history, and a beautiful, love story. How history and time interweave themselves, and how relationships reflecting that can take place. I was mesmerized. I can see myself so much in the main character that it was a bit frightening. An undeniable woman who will always be seen…. It was told in such a unique way keeping it both interesting and engaging.. I loved it!
August 21, 2025
3.5 ⭐️. The overall story was written beautifully. I loved dual timeline. It made me feel literally every single emotion, manic rollercoaster if you will. Evelyn and Thomas deserved so much more 😭 and I need more of Phoebe and Armitage. Ugh.
January 22, 2025
ARC
What a strange book and I mean this in a good way. A Showgirls Rules for Falling in Love is the story of Evelyn Cross and Thomas Gallier and how they fall in love in the late 1890’s set against the backdrop of Vaudeville entertainment in NYC. Except it’s not completely true. The novel has three narratives working together. The story of Evelyn and Thomas that we read is the mainly true historical revisionist work of historian Phoebe Blair. We get notes from the historian sprinkled throughout that give primary sources or admissions of reading between the cracks of what information Blair has to work with. Finally there is the present day narrative of Phoebe doing this research at the behest of Thomas’ descendent Armitage Gallier and how the two fall for each other in a mirror to Evelyn and Thomas. These all make a book within the book you are reading.
As someone with a history degree, I found the framing to be a fun play on historiography. Phoebe sees herself in the romance of Evelyn and Thomas and builds upon the facts to give them publicly the great romance they deserved in their lifetime. It also made this book a lot more dramatic than expecting. You know from the beginning that Thomas does not marry Evelyn so the slow building dread for both narratives really made this a harder read than most romcoms. It also made it hard to guess how the book would end.
If you are looking for a traditionally plotted romance, this might not be the book for you. I’m still having a hard time rating it because it’s different. But I think it’s worth the read. It has great plus sized female leads and a celebration of marginalized performers of the vaudeville era. It’s an also an era of history that i don’t see super often in historical romance.
What a strange book and I mean this in a good way. A Showgirls Rules for Falling in Love is the story of Evelyn Cross and Thomas Gallier and how they fall in love in the late 1890’s set against the backdrop of Vaudeville entertainment in NYC. Except it’s not completely true. The novel has three narratives working together. The story of Evelyn and Thomas that we read is the mainly true historical revisionist work of historian Phoebe Blair. We get notes from the historian sprinkled throughout that give primary sources or admissions of reading between the cracks of what information Blair has to work with. Finally there is the present day narrative of Phoebe doing this research at the behest of Thomas’ descendent Armitage Gallier and how the two fall for each other in a mirror to Evelyn and Thomas. These all make a book within the book you are reading.
As someone with a history degree, I found the framing to be a fun play on historiography. Phoebe sees herself in the romance of Evelyn and Thomas and builds upon the facts to give them publicly the great romance they deserved in their lifetime. It also made this book a lot more dramatic than expecting. You know from the beginning that Thomas does not marry Evelyn so the slow building dread for both narratives really made this a harder read than most romcoms. It also made it hard to guess how the book would end.
If you are looking for a traditionally plotted romance, this might not be the book for you. I’m still having a hard time rating it because it’s different. But I think it’s worth the read. It has great plus sized female leads and a celebration of marginalized performers of the vaudeville era. It’s an also an era of history that i don’t see super often in historical romance.
August 11, 2025
I fought to the end with this one, and I never do that…I DNF with no qualms! But for some reason, I WANTED this book to be different. I kept reading hoping it would redeem itself. It had soooo much potential - but the alternating timelines felt very disconnected and the book’s overall layout was disjointed. If this story just stuck to the 1897 timeline with a little more vaudeville and a little less drawing. out. the. plot. it could have been amazing!!!!
August 23, 2025
A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love is an unconventional historical romance. If you know that going in—if you understand that you’re not going to be reading a typical, linear romance—you’ll have a much better time.
We open in the present day with historian Phoebe Blair. She receives a request from Armitage Gallier, heir to the multibillion-dollar Gallier empire, who needs help with a research project. It appears his ancestor, Thomas Gallier—the founder of the family’s fortune—had a relationship with a famous vaudeville performer before he married, and Armitage wants Phoebe to investigate.
Flash back to 1897. Miss Evelyn Cross has been a star of the vaudeville stage, but changing trends threaten her career. Evelyn is a fat singer and dancer who has had men salivating over her for years, but a new fad for thin women has led to canceled bookings and fewer opportunities. Determined to keep performing, Evelyn also fights to create opportunities for her queer, disabled, and otherwise marginalized friends who are being pushed out of the industry during a conservative wave in the industry.
Meanwhile, Thomas Gallier is trying to launch his new entertainment venture, The Empire. At its heart is a vaudeville theatre, but he can’t find a true star for his show—until he sees Evelyn perform. He knows instantly that she’s the headliner he’s been waiting for. Evelyn, however, insists on being a full partner in the vaudeville show, leveraging Thomas’s attraction to her during contract negotiations. But Thomas refuses to act on his feelings—he wants to keep things professional, even though he’s aching to touch her.
The structure of this book really worked for me. In the present timeline, we’re in first person, past tense, with Phoebe as our narrator. We watch her work on the project with Armitage and see their relationship grow, entirely through her perspective. In parallel, the historical narrative is told in third person, past tense, alternating between Evelyn and Thomas. The love stories unfold simultaneously, with the past timeline informing the present as Phoebe identifies with Evelyn and fills in the gaps of the historical record with her own editorial creativity. At times, Phoebe even inserts historical notes and citations into the text, which I found compelling. The parallel stories complemented each other beautifully.
As many of you know, I’m a professional performer—specifically an opera singer, though I’ve also worked extensively in operetta and musical theatre. I love the late 19th century because it was a time when many genres converged, and one result was vaudeville. People often see the Gilded Age as a time of homogeneity, when “anyone who was anyone” was a WASP, but that’s simply not true, especially on the vaudeville stage. It was, in fact, a time of great diversity. Waves of immigrants were coming to America, Black performers were establishing themselves within the art form, and fat, queer, and otherwise marginalized performers existed and performed publicly. I loved that Alice Murphy acknowledged this truth by including a diverse cast of vaudeville performers, highlighting the richness of the era.
As I mentioned at the start, this is not a typical romance novel. We know from the beginning that the hero and heroine of the historical timeline do not end up together. Thomas marries someone else and founds the Gallier fortune. That left me wondering—why was this shelved as romance? Would the HEA come in the modern timeline? Would Phoebe’s discoveries about the past reshape how we understand the ending? We’ve seen some unusual HEAs this year—I’m thinking particularly of A Lady’s Guide to London by Faye Delacour—so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I did not anticipate how Alice Murphy chose to conclude this story, but I found it lovely, especially after the devastation of the Act 3 low point.
I also want to highlight the final chapter. It isn’t the traditional epilogue; instead, it feels more like a coda, prompting us to ask, “What could happen next?” rather than offering a neat bow of resolution. I loved this choice—it was the perfect way to end a story about wealthy people who seem to have it all but are, in many ways, more trapped than the marginalized vaudeville performers of 1897.
A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love is a book that will stick with me for a long time. I’m giving it 5 stars and a spot on my best of the year list.
We open in the present day with historian Phoebe Blair. She receives a request from Armitage Gallier, heir to the multibillion-dollar Gallier empire, who needs help with a research project. It appears his ancestor, Thomas Gallier—the founder of the family’s fortune—had a relationship with a famous vaudeville performer before he married, and Armitage wants Phoebe to investigate.
Flash back to 1897. Miss Evelyn Cross has been a star of the vaudeville stage, but changing trends threaten her career. Evelyn is a fat singer and dancer who has had men salivating over her for years, but a new fad for thin women has led to canceled bookings and fewer opportunities. Determined to keep performing, Evelyn also fights to create opportunities for her queer, disabled, and otherwise marginalized friends who are being pushed out of the industry during a conservative wave in the industry.
Meanwhile, Thomas Gallier is trying to launch his new entertainment venture, The Empire. At its heart is a vaudeville theatre, but he can’t find a true star for his show—until he sees Evelyn perform. He knows instantly that she’s the headliner he’s been waiting for. Evelyn, however, insists on being a full partner in the vaudeville show, leveraging Thomas’s attraction to her during contract negotiations. But Thomas refuses to act on his feelings—he wants to keep things professional, even though he’s aching to touch her.
The structure of this book really worked for me. In the present timeline, we’re in first person, past tense, with Phoebe as our narrator. We watch her work on the project with Armitage and see their relationship grow, entirely through her perspective. In parallel, the historical narrative is told in third person, past tense, alternating between Evelyn and Thomas. The love stories unfold simultaneously, with the past timeline informing the present as Phoebe identifies with Evelyn and fills in the gaps of the historical record with her own editorial creativity. At times, Phoebe even inserts historical notes and citations into the text, which I found compelling. The parallel stories complemented each other beautifully.
As many of you know, I’m a professional performer—specifically an opera singer, though I’ve also worked extensively in operetta and musical theatre. I love the late 19th century because it was a time when many genres converged, and one result was vaudeville. People often see the Gilded Age as a time of homogeneity, when “anyone who was anyone” was a WASP, but that’s simply not true, especially on the vaudeville stage. It was, in fact, a time of great diversity. Waves of immigrants were coming to America, Black performers were establishing themselves within the art form, and fat, queer, and otherwise marginalized performers existed and performed publicly. I loved that Alice Murphy acknowledged this truth by including a diverse cast of vaudeville performers, highlighting the richness of the era.
As I mentioned at the start, this is not a typical romance novel. We know from the beginning that the hero and heroine of the historical timeline do not end up together. Thomas marries someone else and founds the Gallier fortune. That left me wondering—why was this shelved as romance? Would the HEA come in the modern timeline? Would Phoebe’s discoveries about the past reshape how we understand the ending? We’ve seen some unusual HEAs this year—I’m thinking particularly of A Lady’s Guide to London by Faye Delacour—so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I did not anticipate how Alice Murphy chose to conclude this story, but I found it lovely, especially after the devastation of the Act 3 low point.
I also want to highlight the final chapter. It isn’t the traditional epilogue; instead, it feels more like a coda, prompting us to ask, “What could happen next?” rather than offering a neat bow of resolution. I loved this choice—it was the perfect way to end a story about wealthy people who seem to have it all but are, in many ways, more trapped than the marginalized vaudeville performers of 1897.
A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love is a book that will stick with me for a long time. I’m giving it 5 stars and a spot on my best of the year list.
May 23, 2025
Alice Murphy's debut novel, A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love, is nothing short of a literary triumph that defies easy categorization. This ambitious work weaves together two parallel love stories separated by more than a century, creating a tapestry rich with themes of self-acceptance, courage, and the timeless nature of human connection. Murphy, writing under a pen name and known for her work as a Hallmark screenwriter, has crafted something far more complex and emotionally resonant than her previous commercial work might suggest.
The novel operates on two distinct timelines: 1897 Manhattan, where we meet Evelyn Cross, a proudly plus-sized vaudeville performer fighting for relevance in an increasingly thin-obsessed world, and contemporary New York, where historian Phoebe Blair uncovers Evelyn's story while conducting research for the enigmatic billionaire Armitage Gallier. This dual narrative structure serves as more than mere literary device—it becomes the very heart of the book's exploration of how society's attitudes toward body image, love, and power remain frustratingly consistent across time.
Evelyn Cross: A Heroine Who Refuses to Disappear
The historical storyline centers on Evelyn Cross, a character who blazes across the pages with the force of a woman who knows her worth in a world determined to diminish it. Murphy has created in Evelyn a heroine who embodies everything we rarely see in historical romance: she's fat, unapologetic, sexually confident, and refuses to be anyone's secret. Her romance with Thomas Gallier—a mysterious theater impresario with secrets of his own—unfolds against the backdrop of New York's vibrant vaudeville scene, a world Murphy renders with stunning authenticity and attention to detail.
What makes Evelyn extraordinary isn't just her refusal to conform to society's beauty standards, but her complexity as a character. She's vulnerable yet fierce, calculating yet generous, experienced yet capable of profound innocence when it comes to love. Murphy avoids the trap of making Evelyn's size her only defining characteristic; instead, she's a fully realized woman whose body positivity feels genuine rather than performative.
The supporting cast of vaudeville performers—Jules Moreau, the female impersonator; Annie Parker, the disabled escape artist; and the entire motley crew of The Empire's entertainers—creates a chosen family that celebrates diversity in all its forms. These characters feel historically grounded while addressing contemporary concerns about inclusion and representation.
Thomas Gallier: Complexity Behind the Mask
Thomas Gallier proves to be equally compelling, though his characterization requires more patience from readers. Murphy gradually peels back his layers, revealing a man whose entire identity is performative—not unlike the vaudevillians he employs. His true backstory, when finally revealed, adds genuine pathos to what could have been a standard "wealthy man learns to love" narrative.
The relationship between Evelyn and Thomas crackles with chemistry that extends beyond the physical. Their banter feels natural and unforced, their conflicts arise from genuine character flaws rather than manufactured misunderstandings, and their eventual separation carries real emotional weight because Murphy has invested the time to make us care about both characters as individuals.
The Contemporary Mirror: Phoebe and Armitage
The modern-day storyline featuring Phoebe Blair and Armitage Gallier serves as both a mirror to and commentary on the historical narrative. Phoebe, like Evelyn, is a plus-sized woman whose intellect and passion make her irresistible to a powerful man who should be out of her league. The parallels between the two relationships are deliberate and mostly effective, though occasionally heavy-handed.
Murphy's decision to have Phoebe narrate the historical story while living through her own version of it creates an interesting meta-textual element. Phoebe's voice as historian-narrator is engaging, bringing both scholarly credibility and personal investment to Evelyn's story. Her growing identification with Evelyn adds layers of meaning to both timelines, though some readers may find her frequent interruptions disruptive to the historical narrative's flow.
The Writing: Wit, Warmth, and Occasional Indulgence
Murphy's prose style deserves particular praise for its versatility. When writing Evelyn's sections, she adopts a more ornate, period-appropriate voice that still maintains accessibility for modern readers. The contemporary sections feature Phoebe's conversational, often humorous voice that includes delightful anachronisms and pop culture references. This stylistic flexibility demonstrates Murphy's range as a writer, though occasionally the tonal shifts can feel jarring.
The author's background in screenwriting shows in her excellent dialogue and cinematic scene construction. The climactic wedding/theater opening sequence is particularly well-orchestrated, managing to be both historically plausible and dramatically satisfying. Murphy has a gift for balancing intimate character moments with larger set pieces, creating a narrative that feels both personal and epic in scope.
However, the novel isn't without its weaknesses. At nearly 400 pages, certain sections feel indulgent, particularly some of Phoebe's contemporary workplace drama that doesn't directly serve the larger themes. The research process sections, while interesting for book lovers, occasionally slow the romantic momentum. Additionally, some of the parallels between the two timelines are drawn so explicitly that they border on heavy-handed.
Historical Authenticity Meets Contemporary Relevance
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its historical research and attention to period detail. Murphy clearly invested significant time in understanding vaudeville culture, turn-of-the-century New York, and the social pressures facing women of different body types throughout history. The vaudeville world feels authentic, populated with characters who reflect the diversity of performers who actually worked in these venues.
The book's treatment of body positivity feels genuinely revolutionary for historical romance, where heroines are typically described in frustratingly similar terms. Murphy doesn't shy away from depicting the very real challenges fat women faced (and continue to face), while also celebrating their sexuality, intelligence, and worthiness of love. This isn't inspiration porn or trauma tourism—it's a genuine attempt to center fat women's experiences in a genre that typically erases them.
The Verdict: A Bold, Imperfect, Essential Read
A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love succeeds brilliantly at its primary mission: creating space within historical romance for women whose bodies have been erased from the genre's traditional narratives. While the book has structural flaws and occasionally suffers from its ambitious scope, Murphy's commitment to authentic representation and genuine emotion elevates it above many of its contemporaries.
The novel works best when it focuses on Evelyn and Thomas's relationship, which feels both historically grounded and emotionally contemporary. Their love story is earned through genuine character development and mutual respect, creating a template for how historical romance can evolve to be more inclusive without sacrificing the genre's essential romantic elements.
The novel operates on two distinct timelines: 1897 Manhattan, where we meet Evelyn Cross, a proudly plus-sized vaudeville performer fighting for relevance in an increasingly thin-obsessed world, and contemporary New York, where historian Phoebe Blair uncovers Evelyn's story while conducting research for the enigmatic billionaire Armitage Gallier. This dual narrative structure serves as more than mere literary device—it becomes the very heart of the book's exploration of how society's attitudes toward body image, love, and power remain frustratingly consistent across time.
Evelyn Cross: A Heroine Who Refuses to Disappear
The historical storyline centers on Evelyn Cross, a character who blazes across the pages with the force of a woman who knows her worth in a world determined to diminish it. Murphy has created in Evelyn a heroine who embodies everything we rarely see in historical romance: she's fat, unapologetic, sexually confident, and refuses to be anyone's secret. Her romance with Thomas Gallier—a mysterious theater impresario with secrets of his own—unfolds against the backdrop of New York's vibrant vaudeville scene, a world Murphy renders with stunning authenticity and attention to detail.
What makes Evelyn extraordinary isn't just her refusal to conform to society's beauty standards, but her complexity as a character. She's vulnerable yet fierce, calculating yet generous, experienced yet capable of profound innocence when it comes to love. Murphy avoids the trap of making Evelyn's size her only defining characteristic; instead, she's a fully realized woman whose body positivity feels genuine rather than performative.
The supporting cast of vaudeville performers—Jules Moreau, the female impersonator; Annie Parker, the disabled escape artist; and the entire motley crew of The Empire's entertainers—creates a chosen family that celebrates diversity in all its forms. These characters feel historically grounded while addressing contemporary concerns about inclusion and representation.
Thomas Gallier: Complexity Behind the Mask
Thomas Gallier proves to be equally compelling, though his characterization requires more patience from readers. Murphy gradually peels back his layers, revealing a man whose entire identity is performative—not unlike the vaudevillians he employs. His true backstory, when finally revealed, adds genuine pathos to what could have been a standard "wealthy man learns to love" narrative.
The relationship between Evelyn and Thomas crackles with chemistry that extends beyond the physical. Their banter feels natural and unforced, their conflicts arise from genuine character flaws rather than manufactured misunderstandings, and their eventual separation carries real emotional weight because Murphy has invested the time to make us care about both characters as individuals.
The Contemporary Mirror: Phoebe and Armitage
The modern-day storyline featuring Phoebe Blair and Armitage Gallier serves as both a mirror to and commentary on the historical narrative. Phoebe, like Evelyn, is a plus-sized woman whose intellect and passion make her irresistible to a powerful man who should be out of her league. The parallels between the two relationships are deliberate and mostly effective, though occasionally heavy-handed.
Murphy's decision to have Phoebe narrate the historical story while living through her own version of it creates an interesting meta-textual element. Phoebe's voice as historian-narrator is engaging, bringing both scholarly credibility and personal investment to Evelyn's story. Her growing identification with Evelyn adds layers of meaning to both timelines, though some readers may find her frequent interruptions disruptive to the historical narrative's flow.
The Writing: Wit, Warmth, and Occasional Indulgence
Murphy's prose style deserves particular praise for its versatility. When writing Evelyn's sections, she adopts a more ornate, period-appropriate voice that still maintains accessibility for modern readers. The contemporary sections feature Phoebe's conversational, often humorous voice that includes delightful anachronisms and pop culture references. This stylistic flexibility demonstrates Murphy's range as a writer, though occasionally the tonal shifts can feel jarring.
The author's background in screenwriting shows in her excellent dialogue and cinematic scene construction. The climactic wedding/theater opening sequence is particularly well-orchestrated, managing to be both historically plausible and dramatically satisfying. Murphy has a gift for balancing intimate character moments with larger set pieces, creating a narrative that feels both personal and epic in scope.
However, the novel isn't without its weaknesses. At nearly 400 pages, certain sections feel indulgent, particularly some of Phoebe's contemporary workplace drama that doesn't directly serve the larger themes. The research process sections, while interesting for book lovers, occasionally slow the romantic momentum. Additionally, some of the parallels between the two timelines are drawn so explicitly that they border on heavy-handed.
Historical Authenticity Meets Contemporary Relevance
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its historical research and attention to period detail. Murphy clearly invested significant time in understanding vaudeville culture, turn-of-the-century New York, and the social pressures facing women of different body types throughout history. The vaudeville world feels authentic, populated with characters who reflect the diversity of performers who actually worked in these venues.
The book's treatment of body positivity feels genuinely revolutionary for historical romance, where heroines are typically described in frustratingly similar terms. Murphy doesn't shy away from depicting the very real challenges fat women faced (and continue to face), while also celebrating their sexuality, intelligence, and worthiness of love. This isn't inspiration porn or trauma tourism—it's a genuine attempt to center fat women's experiences in a genre that typically erases them.
The Verdict: A Bold, Imperfect, Essential Read
A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love succeeds brilliantly at its primary mission: creating space within historical romance for women whose bodies have been erased from the genre's traditional narratives. While the book has structural flaws and occasionally suffers from its ambitious scope, Murphy's commitment to authentic representation and genuine emotion elevates it above many of its contemporaries.
The novel works best when it focuses on Evelyn and Thomas's relationship, which feels both historically grounded and emotionally contemporary. Their love story is earned through genuine character development and mutual respect, creating a template for how historical romance can evolve to be more inclusive without sacrificing the genre's essential romantic elements.
May 12, 2025
Heat Index: 6/10
—romantic historical AND contemporary fiction
—dual love stories
—two plus size heroines for the price of one
—the grand Gilded Age stage
The Basics:
Budding historian Phoebe has been charged by handsome billionaire Armitage Gallier to trace the history of his ancestor Thomas—and Thomas's illicit affair with stage siren Evelyn Cross. As Armitage and Phoebe grow close in the present day, Thomas and Evelyn work together to bring a legendary vaudeville show to life... and everyone has their hearts on the line.
The Review:
There's one word I would immediately use to describe this novel, and it's "cinematic". It really didn't surprise me to find out that Alice Murphy is a prolific screenwriter, because, like? Of course. From the descriptions of sumptuous scenery to the witty dialogue to the way moments flowed into each other, A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love played like a movie in my head. And it was a delight.
Although Thomas and Evelyn's romance in the past takes a bit more of the center stage, Phoebe and Armitage's love story packs a punch. I should be clear and say that while these are love stories, this isn't quite a conventional romance... and at the same time, it's got enough hope and passion to appeal to many romance readers, I'm sure. It reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones and The Six (my personal favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid), with this sort of center focus on the complexities of love. And with the degree of metatextual play involved, of course.
Essentially, Phoebe is writing a fictionalized history of Thomas and Evelyn's real romance, right? But she's also interjecting with her own notes, and we're seeing her fall for Armitage in real time. And that's influencing the way she views Thomas and Evelyn's story. It's all very clever, and it adds humor to the bittersweetness of the past. Which isn't to say that Armitage and Phoebe don't have their fair share of angst.
The thing is that Evelyn has the confidence and brassiness that Phoebe wants to have, embracing her fatness and her sexuality with verve and a demand for the love she deserves. And yet... there's still an aching vulnerability to her. A wistfulness. Phoebe realizes this as she gets to "know" Evelyn in this narrative—she realizes this woman, for all that she was an icon, was also a human being.
Don't get me wrong, though—for all that this is deep and complicated, it's also a lot of fun. I felt transported to the theater, like Evelyn's act was at my fingertips. I was swept up in her RIDICULOUS sexual tension with Thomas (and his impressive erection). And there's something rather adorable about Phoebe's interplay with stuffy Armitage, who's clearly obsessed with her from jump, too. You truly get swept up in the emotion in this book, you feel the passion, and God—it's a good time. True escapism with wit.
Sometimes, you want a book with Big Feelings. A book that makes points about our world while telling an epic story. A book that doesn't tell a simple story about people who always make the right decision, but about people who make REAL and human decisions (and mistakes). This is a book for that mood, and it's really good.
The Sex:
While the format of "historian tells the story of a 'real' person" means you don't get like, a ridiculous amount of sex on the page... You still get some ridiculously hot scenes. A few of which depend on the tension, and the aforementioned impressive erections. A few of which depend on... more explicit content. They're all deeply effective.
The Conclusion:
An unusual, all-encompassing, complicated dual love story, A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love packs a punch. It reminds me of everything I love about a romance that isn't straightforward—and comes with sacrifice. And it's an ode to kickass women who refuse to live on the sidelines.
Thanks to Union Square & Co. and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
—romantic historical AND contemporary fiction
—dual love stories
—two plus size heroines for the price of one
—the grand Gilded Age stage
The Basics:
Budding historian Phoebe has been charged by handsome billionaire Armitage Gallier to trace the history of his ancestor Thomas—and Thomas's illicit affair with stage siren Evelyn Cross. As Armitage and Phoebe grow close in the present day, Thomas and Evelyn work together to bring a legendary vaudeville show to life... and everyone has their hearts on the line.
The Review:
There's one word I would immediately use to describe this novel, and it's "cinematic". It really didn't surprise me to find out that Alice Murphy is a prolific screenwriter, because, like? Of course. From the descriptions of sumptuous scenery to the witty dialogue to the way moments flowed into each other, A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love played like a movie in my head. And it was a delight.
Although Thomas and Evelyn's romance in the past takes a bit more of the center stage, Phoebe and Armitage's love story packs a punch. I should be clear and say that while these are love stories, this isn't quite a conventional romance... and at the same time, it's got enough hope and passion to appeal to many romance readers, I'm sure. It reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones and The Six (my personal favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid), with this sort of center focus on the complexities of love. And with the degree of metatextual play involved, of course.
Essentially, Phoebe is writing a fictionalized history of Thomas and Evelyn's real romance, right? But she's also interjecting with her own notes, and we're seeing her fall for Armitage in real time. And that's influencing the way she views Thomas and Evelyn's story. It's all very clever, and it adds humor to the bittersweetness of the past. Which isn't to say that Armitage and Phoebe don't have their fair share of angst.
The thing is that Evelyn has the confidence and brassiness that Phoebe wants to have, embracing her fatness and her sexuality with verve and a demand for the love she deserves. And yet... there's still an aching vulnerability to her. A wistfulness. Phoebe realizes this as she gets to "know" Evelyn in this narrative—she realizes this woman, for all that she was an icon, was also a human being.
Don't get me wrong, though—for all that this is deep and complicated, it's also a lot of fun. I felt transported to the theater, like Evelyn's act was at my fingertips. I was swept up in her RIDICULOUS sexual tension with Thomas (and his impressive erection). And there's something rather adorable about Phoebe's interplay with stuffy Armitage, who's clearly obsessed with her from jump, too. You truly get swept up in the emotion in this book, you feel the passion, and God—it's a good time. True escapism with wit.
Sometimes, you want a book with Big Feelings. A book that makes points about our world while telling an epic story. A book that doesn't tell a simple story about people who always make the right decision, but about people who make REAL and human decisions (and mistakes). This is a book for that mood, and it's really good.
The Sex:
While the format of "historian tells the story of a 'real' person" means you don't get like, a ridiculous amount of sex on the page... You still get some ridiculously hot scenes. A few of which depend on the tension, and the aforementioned impressive erections. A few of which depend on... more explicit content. They're all deeply effective.
The Conclusion:
An unusual, all-encompassing, complicated dual love story, A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love packs a punch. It reminds me of everything I love about a romance that isn't straightforward—and comes with sacrifice. And it's an ode to kickass women who refuse to live on the sidelines.
Thanks to Union Square & Co. and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 7, 2025
5 ⭐️
This novel balances two timelines and two love stories. One between present-day historian and (slightly) insecure curvy girl, Phoebe and rich, mysterious, and reserved stuffy man Armitage. When Armitage comes to her asking to help him research his ancestor Thomas Galier’s archives, the two uncover a hidden love story. One between this entertainment tycoon and Evelyn, fat, proud, and sexy Vaudeville star. Their love stories parallel, and as Phoebe furthers her research, she also begins to discover her own confidence.
Evelyn is THAT b*tch, and we love her so much for it. Her confidence and strength are such compelling aspects to her character, but what intrigued me more was her softer side. I can easily see how she’s such an icon to Phoebe. I equally loved how gone Thomas was for Evelyn right from the start, but that he’s fighting it in every way. This combo of his repressed need for control, and her boisterous confidence, which is somewhat a persona, was explosive. They had such great chemistry and their scenes always left me with my jaw on the floor. Aside from our mains, there’s a dynamic cast of side-characters that are so lovable and unique, I was super invested in their stories as well.
Alice did something really wonderful with this book, and I was left thinking about it long after I finished the last page. The book was quite the emotional powerhouse and Alice writes such lyrical prose, I found myself highlighting so much. It’s not your typical romance, and it’s certainly not your typical HEA, but it had me feeling every emotion on the scale….and I loved it for that. It’s doing something different and unique, and I really appreciated the journey of self-love interwoven with the romance. I honestly can’t wait to read this book again with a more layered understanding of what’s to come. The whole time, I felt like Evelyn/Phoebe, waiting for the other shoe to drop. And that type of anticipation and angst is hard to build in a book that I still end up adoring.
Thank you to the author for an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own, etc.
This novel balances two timelines and two love stories. One between present-day historian and (slightly) insecure curvy girl, Phoebe and rich, mysterious, and reserved stuffy man Armitage. When Armitage comes to her asking to help him research his ancestor Thomas Galier’s archives, the two uncover a hidden love story. One between this entertainment tycoon and Evelyn, fat, proud, and sexy Vaudeville star. Their love stories parallel, and as Phoebe furthers her research, she also begins to discover her own confidence.
Evelyn is THAT b*tch, and we love her so much for it. Her confidence and strength are such compelling aspects to her character, but what intrigued me more was her softer side. I can easily see how she’s such an icon to Phoebe. I equally loved how gone Thomas was for Evelyn right from the start, but that he’s fighting it in every way. This combo of his repressed need for control, and her boisterous confidence, which is somewhat a persona, was explosive. They had such great chemistry and their scenes always left me with my jaw on the floor. Aside from our mains, there’s a dynamic cast of side-characters that are so lovable and unique, I was super invested in their stories as well.
Alice did something really wonderful with this book, and I was left thinking about it long after I finished the last page. The book was quite the emotional powerhouse and Alice writes such lyrical prose, I found myself highlighting so much. It’s not your typical romance, and it’s certainly not your typical HEA, but it had me feeling every emotion on the scale….and I loved it for that. It’s doing something different and unique, and I really appreciated the journey of self-love interwoven with the romance. I honestly can’t wait to read this book again with a more layered understanding of what’s to come. The whole time, I felt like Evelyn/Phoebe, waiting for the other shoe to drop. And that type of anticipation and angst is hard to build in a book that I still end up adoring.
Thank you to the author for an eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own, etc.
April 15, 2025
What can I say? This is a great book! I highly recommend it.
There are two romances in the book - one historical and one contemporary. Each romance was interwoven well to show the connection the past has to today. The characters are well-developed, fleshed out, and multifaceted. Evelyn is a force to be reckoned with and has big Mae West vibes, while Thomas Gallier is the starchiest person on planet earth. Each main character has things you like and things you dislike about them, which is always refreshing.
Additionally, the side characters are compelling and complex. This book celebrates diversity and has a wide range of people, including people of various sizes, abilities, sexualities, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Good job!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There are two romances in the book - one historical and one contemporary. Each romance was interwoven well to show the connection the past has to today. The characters are well-developed, fleshed out, and multifaceted. Evelyn is a force to be reckoned with and has big Mae West vibes, while Thomas Gallier is the starchiest person on planet earth. Each main character has things you like and things you dislike about them, which is always refreshing.
Additionally, the side characters are compelling and complex. This book celebrates diversity and has a wide range of people, including people of various sizes, abilities, sexualities, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Good job!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2025
I’d love to see this as a miniseries or a movie.
October 18, 2025
So this book wasn’t what I was expecting! I thought it was going to be a traditional romance story but it was different and that’s why I ended up liking it! It’s not your traditional happy ending, and yet they give it to us anyways. Very coincidental with tswifts Life of a Showgirl (colors and all) which tbh is why I chose to read it…but I’m glad I did! I loved that there was a motley crew of outcasts that all loved each other and the public grew to like; a introduction to the LGBTQ side of showbiz! I recommend this book to all the showgirls!
December 10, 2025
4.5 stars!! Not sure why this book doesn’t have more hype tbh
January 5, 2026
I bought this bc it reminded me of Taylor’s new album The Life of a Showgirl. It was a cute double love story. Nothing profound, but a cute light read.
September 21, 2025
Loved the writing style and the multiple timelines. A really interesting look into the Vaudeville scene
April 13, 2025
This book was good, but do not read it if you're looking for a genre romance, because IMO it doesn't hit those beats.
March 22, 2025
I was gifted this ARC from my local indie bookstore to read and review, and I was truly moved by the narrative, characters, and dual storyline being told in these pages. If the turn of the century and height of vaudeville is at all enticing, or if you enjoy a meta-narrative of historical research, please read this wonderful book!
February 27, 2025
4.5
a dual-timeline narration has always been my favorite storytelling format, especially when the present-day characters peek at the mysteries of the past to find a mirror refracting off the pages.
alice murphy masterfully weaves a richly layered tale of a 20th-century vaudeville star and a showbiz tycoon, explored through the perspective of a young historian recruited by the tycoon's descendant, with compelling narrative, murphy characters and an intricate nar delivers a captivating blend of history, intrigue, and emotional depth.
a dual-timeline narration has always been my favorite storytelling format, especially when the present-day characters peek at the mysteries of the past to find a mirror refracting off the pages.
alice murphy masterfully weaves a richly layered tale of a 20th-century vaudeville star and a showbiz tycoon, explored through the perspective of a young historian recruited by the tycoon's descendant, with compelling narrative, murphy characters and an intricate nar delivers a captivating blend of history, intrigue, and emotional depth.
June 11, 2025
I really enjoyed the historical elements of this story, but the rest of it was sadly not for me.
August 15, 2025
Rating: 5/5 Stars - No Spoilers Ahead :)
I feel like 2025 has converted me to romance. Only historical romance, really- I haven’t quite given into the Proper Contemporary ChickLit. But I’m open, and that is certainly more than I could say for myself a year ago. Healing era! Speaking of- I was in the middle of reading this when Taylor Swift announced that her new album would be called *The Life of a Showgirl* and the color was orange… I felt like the most intuitive person ALIVE.
Honestly, a huge reason I turn away from most romance books is because as a plus-size woman, I have a hard time seeing myself in these FMCs- Tiny, pursued by 2 more more men at a time, did I mention so teeny and small and feminine? Let’s just say I’m not that girl. Seeing myself on the cover alone made me pick it up. I always hesitate when the main character is plus sized because I don’t want to read a book where a man saves a woman from her own insecurity. It feels patronizing and unrealistic, especially when the people who have made me feel the worst about my body were men I encountered while dating. *A Showgirl’s Rules to Falling in Love* doesn’t do that. Hell, it almost refuses to do that. It captures so well the feeling of knowing you are beautiful by some unexplainable yet innate feeling, but also adopting a fear of rejection because you know society doesn’t feel the same way. It’s the feeling of being invisible, feeling like you are the only one who knows your light, and starting to think no one will ever see it despite fighting every day. Or, if they do, only appreciate at night, in private and away from the world. The hope that one day, someone will love you so loudly that all they can do is shout it from the rooftops. That is Evelyn Cross, but also Phoebe Blair, and so many other plus size women, myself included.
I think the stories of Phoebe Blair and Evelyn Cross are interwoven so well. You can, of course, certainly see the similarities between the characters and their love stories, but they have different voices, different approaches to life and different reactions to a challenge. I think there was enough of Phoebe to provide context and tell her story but not too many where the interruptions became annoying. I cared about Phoebe’s arc almost as much as I cared about Evelyn’s, and that’s a good place for it to sit with me.
I won’t talk about Tom Gallier for too long because I’ll fall in love with him again. I am just a girl. I just about folded every time this man described Evelyn from the moment he saw her. I also think hearing his voice and getting his perspective made the book work as well as it did. Otherwise, he’d just be stoic and a little awkward until he full-force launched at her, which is not as fun to read in my opinion. I want to hear about men who yearn. Tell me how much you love about that woman. Bring back men who are lover boys. AND BRING THEM TO ME!
Overall, I got so much joy from reading this book. Pure joy, which is more than I can say from most things today. I laughed, I cried, I wondered why no one is freaking it at Coney Island anymore. Or maybe they are, I don’t know. Probably way less sexy now. The point is- This book weirdly made me feel seen in so many ways, and I can’t quite describe why it means so much to me. Maybe Evelyn’s walls hit too close to home. Maybe to be seen is to be known, no matter who or what is seeing you.
I feel like 2025 has converted me to romance. Only historical romance, really- I haven’t quite given into the Proper Contemporary ChickLit. But I’m open, and that is certainly more than I could say for myself a year ago. Healing era! Speaking of- I was in the middle of reading this when Taylor Swift announced that her new album would be called *The Life of a Showgirl* and the color was orange… I felt like the most intuitive person ALIVE.
Honestly, a huge reason I turn away from most romance books is because as a plus-size woman, I have a hard time seeing myself in these FMCs- Tiny, pursued by 2 more more men at a time, did I mention so teeny and small and feminine? Let’s just say I’m not that girl. Seeing myself on the cover alone made me pick it up. I always hesitate when the main character is plus sized because I don’t want to read a book where a man saves a woman from her own insecurity. It feels patronizing and unrealistic, especially when the people who have made me feel the worst about my body were men I encountered while dating. *A Showgirl’s Rules to Falling in Love* doesn’t do that. Hell, it almost refuses to do that. It captures so well the feeling of knowing you are beautiful by some unexplainable yet innate feeling, but also adopting a fear of rejection because you know society doesn’t feel the same way. It’s the feeling of being invisible, feeling like you are the only one who knows your light, and starting to think no one will ever see it despite fighting every day. Or, if they do, only appreciate at night, in private and away from the world. The hope that one day, someone will love you so loudly that all they can do is shout it from the rooftops. That is Evelyn Cross, but also Phoebe Blair, and so many other plus size women, myself included.
I think the stories of Phoebe Blair and Evelyn Cross are interwoven so well. You can, of course, certainly see the similarities between the characters and their love stories, but they have different voices, different approaches to life and different reactions to a challenge. I think there was enough of Phoebe to provide context and tell her story but not too many where the interruptions became annoying. I cared about Phoebe’s arc almost as much as I cared about Evelyn’s, and that’s a good place for it to sit with me.
I won’t talk about Tom Gallier for too long because I’ll fall in love with him again. I am just a girl. I just about folded every time this man described Evelyn from the moment he saw her. I also think hearing his voice and getting his perspective made the book work as well as it did. Otherwise, he’d just be stoic and a little awkward until he full-force launched at her, which is not as fun to read in my opinion. I want to hear about men who yearn. Tell me how much you love about that woman. Bring back men who are lover boys. AND BRING THEM TO ME!
Overall, I got so much joy from reading this book. Pure joy, which is more than I can say from most things today. I laughed, I cried, I wondered why no one is freaking it at Coney Island anymore. Or maybe they are, I don’t know. Probably way less sexy now. The point is- This book weirdly made me feel seen in so many ways, and I can’t quite describe why it means so much to me. Maybe Evelyn’s walls hit too close to home. Maybe to be seen is to be known, no matter who or what is seeing you.
May 3, 2025
I loved this, but I'm rating it 4-stars because it is not a romance, although it is being marketed as one. This book is women's fiction. Readers should know this going in so that their expectations are met. The ending of this story is left up to the reader, and it does not have an actual HEA.
The book tells two love stories, a fictional "historical" story between a vaudeville performer and a theater producer; and a fictional "contemporary" story between the researcher contracted to write the biographies of the "historical" couple, and her billionaire employer. Neither story has a happy ending on the page. So while not a romance, the novel is a fantastic, well written, and utterly original work of women's fiction, and I will be recommending it to all of my friends and followers.
At its heart, the book is a social commentary. The author does a fantastic job illustrating the parallels between the American culture wars of the late 1800s and today, as the story follows members of marginalized communities performing in vaudeville who suddenly and for no justifiable reason find themselves fighting for their right to exist, let alone to make a living entertaining the masses of "good Christian people."
The main character, Evelyn, is a plus-size performer facing a new era of a single acceptable body type - rail thin. Her struggles mirror those of the everyday American woman who is bombarded with social influencers telling us what to look like, what to buy, and how to behave. But Evelyn's fundamental obstacle is not really about her appearance, but her inability to believe she is worthy of unconditional love.
The most difficult aspect of the book for me was watching Tom and Evelyn sacrifice their own happiness for what they believe is best for the other person. While martyrdom can certainly be a grand gesture, it's not necessarily an uplifting one.
The love story between Phoebe and Armitage is not as sympathetic, and hinges on insta-love, and miscommunication as the primary source of conflict. I did love how the author ended the novel by surprising the reader completely with Armitage's heartfelt grand gesture of his own.
What I loved best about the novel was the premise, an interplay between Phoebe's written findings, and the "actual" archival materials she uncovered. I loved the final "clue" that revealed Tom intended to marry Evelyn all along. I loved how the author rewrote her own story at the end, because the "actual" one wasn't the one she wanted. It really is wonderfully clever, and I've never read a book like it.
Finally, I found the author's writing style to be deliciously witty and sharp. I am looking forward to reading her next novel.
Thanks to the author and Union Square & Co for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication. I was not compensated in any way for this review, and all of the opinions expressed here are my own.
The book tells two love stories, a fictional "historical" story between a vaudeville performer and a theater producer; and a fictional "contemporary" story between the researcher contracted to write the biographies of the "historical" couple, and her billionaire employer. Neither story has a happy ending on the page. So while not a romance, the novel is a fantastic, well written, and utterly original work of women's fiction, and I will be recommending it to all of my friends and followers.
At its heart, the book is a social commentary. The author does a fantastic job illustrating the parallels between the American culture wars of the late 1800s and today, as the story follows members of marginalized communities performing in vaudeville who suddenly and for no justifiable reason find themselves fighting for their right to exist, let alone to make a living entertaining the masses of "good Christian people."
The main character, Evelyn, is a plus-size performer facing a new era of a single acceptable body type - rail thin. Her struggles mirror those of the everyday American woman who is bombarded with social influencers telling us what to look like, what to buy, and how to behave. But Evelyn's fundamental obstacle is not really about her appearance, but her inability to believe she is worthy of unconditional love.
The most difficult aspect of the book for me was watching Tom and Evelyn sacrifice their own happiness for what they believe is best for the other person. While martyrdom can certainly be a grand gesture, it's not necessarily an uplifting one.
The love story between Phoebe and Armitage is not as sympathetic, and hinges on insta-love, and miscommunication as the primary source of conflict. I did love how the author ended the novel by surprising the reader completely with Armitage's heartfelt grand gesture of his own.
What I loved best about the novel was the premise, an interplay between Phoebe's written findings, and the "actual" archival materials she uncovered. I loved the final "clue" that revealed Tom intended to marry Evelyn all along. I loved how the author rewrote her own story at the end, because the "actual" one wasn't the one she wanted. It really is wonderfully clever, and I've never read a book like it.
Finally, I found the author's writing style to be deliciously witty and sharp. I am looking forward to reading her next novel.
Thanks to the author and Union Square & Co for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication. I was not compensated in any way for this review, and all of the opinions expressed here are my own.
January 23, 2025
Oh boy, do I have THOUGHTS.
Let's get the obvious out of the way first, shall we? The cover art is absolutely *stunning* and 100% the reason this book caught my attention, so kudos to Decue Wu.
Evelyn is a firecracker of a character and, like Thomas, I loved her immediately. She felt complex and real (and a lot of that has to do with Murphy's wonderful writing. I can't tell you how many times I said to myself, "Oh man, what a LINE.) Evelyn's beauty, brains, and talent are - yes - undeniable, and it is so refreshing to see fatness be *celebrated*. As for the romance? Evelyn and Thomas...my silly, scared beloveds. Their falling in love and the slow burn of figuring out just what their mysterious pasts entailed was engaging throughout. I loved their quips back and forth as much as I loved their chemistry.
But Thomas and Evelyn's love story is also set against the backdrop of the nearly forgotten, and now more than ever I appreciate that. I want historical romance books that color outside of the lines and expand on the truth: that queer folks, people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, etc. built so much of what's good in our country. Just because they're not in the history books doesn't mean they weren't there. By giving us Evelyn's theatre friends as side characters, Murphy paints such a loving homage to the people and places conveniently forgotten across time.
The ending wasn't conventional and I had FEELINGS.
I wasn't initially sure if the dual timeline/historian retelling angle was going to work for me, but it was fascinating with the parallels -- and as a history nerd myself, I was absolutely living through Phoebe getting to explore all of the amazing treasures! It's clearly evident how much love, dedication and research went into this. (I also checked out Murphy's Instagram and one of the inspos being 'Ball of Fire'? LOVE THAT.)
I am absolutely looking forward to more from Alice Murphy. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Let's get the obvious out of the way first, shall we? The cover art is absolutely *stunning* and 100% the reason this book caught my attention, so kudos to Decue Wu.
Evelyn is a firecracker of a character and, like Thomas, I loved her immediately. She felt complex and real (and a lot of that has to do with Murphy's wonderful writing. I can't tell you how many times I said to myself, "Oh man, what a LINE.) Evelyn's beauty, brains, and talent are - yes - undeniable, and it is so refreshing to see fatness be *celebrated*. As for the romance? Evelyn and Thomas...my silly, scared beloveds. Their falling in love and the slow burn of figuring out just what their mysterious pasts entailed was engaging throughout. I loved their quips back and forth as much as I loved their chemistry.
But Thomas and Evelyn's love story is also set against the backdrop of the nearly forgotten, and now more than ever I appreciate that. I want historical romance books that color outside of the lines and expand on the truth: that queer folks, people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, etc. built so much of what's good in our country. Just because they're not in the history books doesn't mean they weren't there. By giving us Evelyn's theatre friends as side characters, Murphy paints such a loving homage to the people and places conveniently forgotten across time.
The ending wasn't conventional and I had FEELINGS.
I wasn't initially sure if the dual timeline/historian retelling angle was going to work for me, but it was fascinating with the parallels -- and as a history nerd myself, I was absolutely living through Phoebe getting to explore all of the amazing treasures! It's clearly evident how much love, dedication and research went into this. (I also checked out Murphy's Instagram and one of the inspos being 'Ball of Fire'? LOVE THAT.)
I am absolutely looking forward to more from Alice Murphy. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2025
After I finished reading this book, it took me a bit of time to put together my thoughts. First, the structure of this book is really different. I love a well-put-together structure, and this was pulled of well. Basically, we've got a frame story from the POV of Phoebe Blair, historian, who's hired by Armitage Gallier to look into the connection between his ancestor, Thomas Gallier, and Evelyn Cross, a "big, unapologetic ... star." As Phoebe begins piecing together the lost love story, she and Armitage begin their own relationship chapter. But as Phoebe admits, although she has evidence for much of what she's writing, she's editorializing and projecting. (For example, she writes an intense contract negotiation scene, only to follow it with "the only element of the original contract to survive ... was two little signatures.") By the end of the book, the reader can't be sure what's fact or fiction (or what's SUPPOSED to be fact or fiction).
And, partly because of that, I still can't decide if this is a romance or not. How much do I care if the HEA is "real"? (I mean, this whole book is fiction, isn't it?? Not a single HistRom HEA I love is REAL real...) Because of that ambiguity, I think I'd sell this more to readers who want a book with plenty of discussion points. I can see this being a big hit on the book club scene.
I also really loved the depiction of the different kinds of performers found in Vaudeville. This is the second book I've read recently (the other was When the Tides Held the Moon) to showcase the historical attitudes toward difference and how some people leveraged those differences by putting them on display. I loved both WTTHTM and Showgirl's Guide for their humanizing view of these performers.
TL;DR: Recommended if you're in the mood for a book that makes you think about romance - both the structure and the genre. I might just be choosing it for my next IRL book club...
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
And, partly because of that, I still can't decide if this is a romance or not. How much do I care if the HEA is "real"? (I mean, this whole book is fiction, isn't it?? Not a single HistRom HEA I love is REAL real...) Because of that ambiguity, I think I'd sell this more to readers who want a book with plenty of discussion points. I can see this being a big hit on the book club scene.
I also really loved the depiction of the different kinds of performers found in Vaudeville. This is the second book I've read recently (the other was When the Tides Held the Moon) to showcase the historical attitudes toward difference and how some people leveraged those differences by putting them on display. I loved both WTTHTM and Showgirl's Guide for their humanizing view of these performers.
TL;DR: Recommended if you're in the mood for a book that makes you think about romance - both the structure and the genre. I might just be choosing it for my next IRL book club...
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
July 17, 2025
Originally reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)
A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love was written very well. So well, in fact, that I felt compelled to look into whether there really had been a vaudeville star named Evelyn Cross. I didn’t find anything, but I imagine her story could fit the realm of other female performers from that time who did all they could not to fall in love with someone like Thomas Gallier.
I loved the story. The writing style was engaging, too. The two timelines that are highlighted–1897, and present day–were done well. When I read the dialogue between Evelyn and Thomas, it felt like they were characters placed deep within the late 1800s. And when Phoebe is doing her research and learning more about the unusual vaudeville star and her showbiz tycoon love interest, I truly felt as though Phoebe was getting a glimpse of the past while using resources provided to her from the 21st century. I also loved how Phoebe's life begins to mirror Evelyn’s life, with Evelyn becoming Phoebe’s unexpected hero. In an era when women did not have ground to stand on, Evelyn pushed past the boundaries and preconceived notions of what is acceptable, redefining what it is to be a star. How could she not be everyone’s hero?!?
The romance (and the heat and tension between Evelyn and Thomas) was pretty amazing, but I loved the friendship aspects a lot more. Throughout the book, it is clear that Evelyn views her ragtag crew of perceived misfits as her chosen family, going to all lengths to protect them and do right by them. That sentiment is reciprocated, too, because ultimately, what do you have if you don’t have your friends? From protecting her crew at an underground boxing ring, to the most epic quarrel in vaudeville history between the corrupted authorities and her crew–it was apparent that she would always choose them, and they’d always choose her, too. It was really sweet to see.
I was pleasantly surprised by A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling In Love. It could have been overridden by factual points and made to feel like a nonfiction read instead of a larger-than-life turn-of-the-century read, but it was definitely the latter. It was a fun, exciting, engaging five-star experience!
A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love was written very well. So well, in fact, that I felt compelled to look into whether there really had been a vaudeville star named Evelyn Cross. I didn’t find anything, but I imagine her story could fit the realm of other female performers from that time who did all they could not to fall in love with someone like Thomas Gallier.
I loved the story. The writing style was engaging, too. The two timelines that are highlighted–1897, and present day–were done well. When I read the dialogue between Evelyn and Thomas, it felt like they were characters placed deep within the late 1800s. And when Phoebe is doing her research and learning more about the unusual vaudeville star and her showbiz tycoon love interest, I truly felt as though Phoebe was getting a glimpse of the past while using resources provided to her from the 21st century. I also loved how Phoebe's life begins to mirror Evelyn’s life, with Evelyn becoming Phoebe’s unexpected hero. In an era when women did not have ground to stand on, Evelyn pushed past the boundaries and preconceived notions of what is acceptable, redefining what it is to be a star. How could she not be everyone’s hero?!?
The romance (and the heat and tension between Evelyn and Thomas) was pretty amazing, but I loved the friendship aspects a lot more. Throughout the book, it is clear that Evelyn views her ragtag crew of perceived misfits as her chosen family, going to all lengths to protect them and do right by them. That sentiment is reciprocated, too, because ultimately, what do you have if you don’t have your friends? From protecting her crew at an underground boxing ring, to the most epic quarrel in vaudeville history between the corrupted authorities and her crew–it was apparent that she would always choose them, and they’d always choose her, too. It was really sweet to see.
I was pleasantly surprised by A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling In Love. It could have been overridden by factual points and made to feel like a nonfiction read instead of a larger-than-life turn-of-the-century read, but it was definitely the latter. It was a fun, exciting, engaging five-star experience!
November 5, 2025
"Marshmallow fluff. It all started with marshmallow fluff."
What a start to a book. As a lover of marshmallow fluff, I was instantly hooked.
A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love was a back-and-forth telling of history, fictional history, and present day historian researching. I loved Phoebe researching Evelyn Cross and Thomas Gallier and the dual love stories of Phoebe and Armitage alongside Evelyn and Tom.
"Evelyn Cross, with her bold, unflinching performance style and reputation for sexual conquest, had always been a particular fixation of mine."
Taylor Swift songs that fit A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love:
Welcome to New York
Bejeweled
Coney Island
Illicit Affairs
Mirrorball
The Life of a Showgirl
"This is what we do for people we love. We share the bad so we can share the good. No matter the cost or consequences."
Alice Murphy balances the reoccurrence of searching for undeniability spanning over past and present and it so well done and had me rereading those parts again at the end.
"Sometimes things just don't make sense. Sometimes letters don't arrive. Sometimes people fail you. Sometimes hearts get broken. Sometimes people just can't love you the way you want them to."
I won't spoil the ending but I was left wanting a bit more at the same time as feeling that the ending was justifiable for Phoebe. For Evelyn, I almost wish we left it on the boat but I understand the grand, romantic gesture of hope.
"One day, I will be nothing more than a story, too. And when that day comes, I hope someone writes me a fairy tale."
I highly recommend A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love. It has body positivity among a time of society actively pushing back against acceptance. There is a community of queer, BIPOC, immigrant, and working-class artists and representation. In a time where immigrants, artists, BIPOC, and queer community members are facing such hardships, this story reminds us of how far we've come in equality and how far we still have to go. A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love is a show stopper.
What a start to a book. As a lover of marshmallow fluff, I was instantly hooked.
A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love was a back-and-forth telling of history, fictional history, and present day historian researching. I loved Phoebe researching Evelyn Cross and Thomas Gallier and the dual love stories of Phoebe and Armitage alongside Evelyn and Tom.
"Evelyn Cross, with her bold, unflinching performance style and reputation for sexual conquest, had always been a particular fixation of mine."
Taylor Swift songs that fit A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love:
Welcome to New York
Bejeweled
Coney Island
Illicit Affairs
Mirrorball
The Life of a Showgirl
"This is what we do for people we love. We share the bad so we can share the good. No matter the cost or consequences."
Alice Murphy balances the reoccurrence of searching for undeniability spanning over past and present and it so well done and had me rereading those parts again at the end.
"Sometimes things just don't make sense. Sometimes letters don't arrive. Sometimes people fail you. Sometimes hearts get broken. Sometimes people just can't love you the way you want them to."
I won't spoil the ending but I was left wanting a bit more at the same time as feeling that the ending was justifiable for Phoebe. For Evelyn, I almost wish we left it on the boat but I understand the grand, romantic gesture of hope.
"One day, I will be nothing more than a story, too. And when that day comes, I hope someone writes me a fairy tale."
I highly recommend A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love. It has body positivity among a time of society actively pushing back against acceptance. There is a community of queer, BIPOC, immigrant, and working-class artists and representation. In a time where immigrants, artists, BIPOC, and queer community members are facing such hardships, this story reminds us of how far we've come in equality and how far we still have to go. A Showgirl's Rules for Falling in Love is a show stopper.
January 15, 2026
I wanted to like this so bad, it had so many things going for it that I usually love: plus size heroines, the life of a showgirl off stage, dual timelines. But none of that really worked here.
First off the writing is just not good. It feels like that author was going for that bright, witty, casual, Buzzfeed-like writing that was popular around 2015. But it feels really out of place in what we’re told is a historic report. The “notes from the historian” feel like Author’s Notes you would read in a fan-fiction and feel really unnecessary to the story.
Honestly the entire framing device of the present day storyline is unnecessary. It just bogs down a book and makes it feel MUCH longer than it is. The leads in the present day storyline have no chemistry and due to the dual timeline the present day storyline doesn’t have enough room to breathe and develop and only serves to disrupt the much more interesting 1890s storyline. How am I supposed to care about Phoebe and Armitage if their relationship is barely present and the only thing we know about them is that Phoebe is plus size and Armitage is rich? They have no depth.
While I said that 1890s storyline is more interesting compared to the present day, it’s not really a compliment. While Thomas and Evelyn are more fleshed out they also have little chemistry as romantic leads and a lot of their dialogue is very unnatural and forced sounding. They’re only really able to snark at each other.
The pacing is all over the place. The first half is very slow and then with about a hundred pages left it feels like the author really sped through and glossed over a lot to get to the ending. And I HATED the two different endings written for Thomas and Evelyn. I think it could have worked if the fake happy ending was presented first and then have the reveal of the real ending after. I think that could have also maybe helped the ending of the present day storyline. Because reading the fake ending after the real one just feels entirely POINTLESS.
First off the writing is just not good. It feels like that author was going for that bright, witty, casual, Buzzfeed-like writing that was popular around 2015. But it feels really out of place in what we’re told is a historic report. The “notes from the historian” feel like Author’s Notes you would read in a fan-fiction and feel really unnecessary to the story.
Honestly the entire framing device of the present day storyline is unnecessary. It just bogs down a book and makes it feel MUCH longer than it is. The leads in the present day storyline have no chemistry and due to the dual timeline the present day storyline doesn’t have enough room to breathe and develop and only serves to disrupt the much more interesting 1890s storyline. How am I supposed to care about Phoebe and Armitage if their relationship is barely present and the only thing we know about them is that Phoebe is plus size and Armitage is rich? They have no depth.
While I said that 1890s storyline is more interesting compared to the present day, it’s not really a compliment. While Thomas and Evelyn are more fleshed out they also have little chemistry as romantic leads and a lot of their dialogue is very unnatural and forced sounding. They’re only really able to snark at each other.
The pacing is all over the place. The first half is very slow and then with about a hundred pages left it feels like the author really sped through and glossed over a lot to get to the ending. And I HATED the two different endings written for Thomas and Evelyn. I think it could have worked if the fake happy ending was presented first and then have the reveal of the real ending after. I think that could have also maybe helped the ending of the present day storyline. Because reading the fake ending after the real one just feels entirely POINTLESS.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2025
I received an Arc on Netgalley, this is my review.
This book was such a vibe. I picked it up for the fat showgirl in the spotlight and stayed for the emotional tenderness, archival mystery, and layered storytelling that made my heart ache in the best way.
In the 1897 timeline, we follow Evelyn Cross, a fat, fabulous vaudeville performer who knows her worth and refuses to play small. There is so much joy in seeing fat characters take up space, especially in historical romance. Evelyn’s confidence, her wit, she is everything. And Thomas? Quietly intense, respectful, full of admiration. Their chemistry is a slow burn, but once it hits, it hits. I loved how he saw her, truly saw her, and how Evelyn never once gave up being herself.
The present-day POV belongs to Phoebe, a young historian working in New York who stumbles upon Evelyn’s story and slowly begins piecing it together through letters and records. As Phoebe uncovers Evelyn’s truth, she starts to face her own. I really connected with her-there’s something tender and raw about trying to understand your place in the world through someone else’s legacy. That sense of searching for belonging and finding it in unexpected places really hit.
This book is about love, yes, but it’s also about visibility. About whose stories get told and who gets remembered. It celebrates fat joy, longing, ambition, grief, and the power of claiming your story onstage and off.
If you love historical romances with depth, dual timelines that connect across generations, and heroines who take up space without apology, this one belongs on your shelf.
Someone please adapt this for TV so I can watch Evelyn slay the stage in a feathered corset. I will bring snacks and tissues.
Tropes
- Historical Romance with a Fat Heroine
-Dual Timeline
- Forbidden Love
- Slow Burn
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Identity
- Found Family
This book was such a vibe. I picked it up for the fat showgirl in the spotlight and stayed for the emotional tenderness, archival mystery, and layered storytelling that made my heart ache in the best way.
In the 1897 timeline, we follow Evelyn Cross, a fat, fabulous vaudeville performer who knows her worth and refuses to play small. There is so much joy in seeing fat characters take up space, especially in historical romance. Evelyn’s confidence, her wit, she is everything. And Thomas? Quietly intense, respectful, full of admiration. Their chemistry is a slow burn, but once it hits, it hits. I loved how he saw her, truly saw her, and how Evelyn never once gave up being herself.
The present-day POV belongs to Phoebe, a young historian working in New York who stumbles upon Evelyn’s story and slowly begins piecing it together through letters and records. As Phoebe uncovers Evelyn’s truth, she starts to face her own. I really connected with her-there’s something tender and raw about trying to understand your place in the world through someone else’s legacy. That sense of searching for belonging and finding it in unexpected places really hit.
This book is about love, yes, but it’s also about visibility. About whose stories get told and who gets remembered. It celebrates fat joy, longing, ambition, grief, and the power of claiming your story onstage and off.
If you love historical romances with depth, dual timelines that connect across generations, and heroines who take up space without apology, this one belongs on your shelf.
Someone please adapt this for TV so I can watch Evelyn slay the stage in a feathered corset. I will bring snacks and tissues.
Tropes
- Historical Romance with a Fat Heroine
-Dual Timeline
- Forbidden Love
- Slow Burn
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Identity
- Found Family
August 26, 2025
Book Review: A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love by Alice Murphy
I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC, and I’ve finally finished it. I had originally requested this one before I realized I could request audiobooks, so I put it aside for a bit—but I’m glad I came back to it.
I really enjoyed this story. As a woman who has been labeled “fat” all my life, I resonated with this book much more than I expected. Alice Murphy does a wonderful job of exploring themes of self-image, body acceptance, and finding love despite society’s judgments. The protagonist, Dolly, is a plus-size showgirl in 1930s London who has been told countless times what she can’t do—yet she’s determined to live life on her own terms. Watching her navigate both her career on stage and her complicated feelings about romance was inspiring and relatable.
The love story itself was sweet and emotional, with just the right balance of longing, vulnerability, and strength. I especially loved how Dolly’s romantic journey wasn’t just about finding love with someone else, but also about learning to truly embrace herself.
The historical aspects of the book added another layer I appreciated. Murphy captured the glitter and grit of the showgirl world, set against the backdrop of London’s nightlife in the interwar years. The setting gave the story a glamorous yet realistic feel, and it made Dolly’s struggle for independence and recognition even more powerful.
Overall, A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love was an engaging read that blended romance, historical detail, and personal growth beautifully. I’m glad I finally picked it up, and I’d definitely read more from Alice Murphy in the future.
I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC, and I’ve finally finished it. I had originally requested this one before I realized I could request audiobooks, so I put it aside for a bit—but I’m glad I came back to it.
I really enjoyed this story. As a woman who has been labeled “fat” all my life, I resonated with this book much more than I expected. Alice Murphy does a wonderful job of exploring themes of self-image, body acceptance, and finding love despite society’s judgments. The protagonist, Dolly, is a plus-size showgirl in 1930s London who has been told countless times what she can’t do—yet she’s determined to live life on her own terms. Watching her navigate both her career on stage and her complicated feelings about romance was inspiring and relatable.
The love story itself was sweet and emotional, with just the right balance of longing, vulnerability, and strength. I especially loved how Dolly’s romantic journey wasn’t just about finding love with someone else, but also about learning to truly embrace herself.
The historical aspects of the book added another layer I appreciated. Murphy captured the glitter and grit of the showgirl world, set against the backdrop of London’s nightlife in the interwar years. The setting gave the story a glamorous yet realistic feel, and it made Dolly’s struggle for independence and recognition even more powerful.
Overall, A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love was an engaging read that blended romance, historical detail, and personal growth beautifully. I’m glad I finally picked it up, and I’d definitely read more from Alice Murphy in the future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews