Second Act Romance

by Julie Soto

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

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

Julie Soto’s Second Act Romance is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances, stories for star-crossed lovers and hopeless romantics. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s do it again.

Genres: Romance, Novella, Audiobook, Contemporary, Short Stories, Contemporary Romance, Holiday

60 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 2026

About the author

JULIE SOTO is a USA Today bestselling author, playwright, and actress originally from Sacramento, CA. Her musical Generation Me won the 2017 New York Musical Festival’s Best Musical award, as well as Best Book for her script. She is a musical theater geek, fandom nerd, and the author of many spicy fan fictions. Julie now lives in Fort Bragg, CA, with her dog, Charlie. She is probably drinking coffee as you read this.

Reviews

[maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

wtf, the writing in this book made me feel like if I didn’t know english 🧍🏻‍♀️ it was all over the place too

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐

I really liked this, it was a fun novella!
I love Julie Soto and the way she writes, so in that aspect she did delivered once again, I just wish we got more.. 

After most of the cast for Oklahoma! gets food poisoning, Bex is one of the few left standing. They have no one to play the male lead Curly though, so TV star Colby J. Turner steps in, just in time for the show. Bex and C. J. already met once, eight years ago, playing those same characters.. They had a real connection, but due to some unfortunate circumstances, it never went anywhere. Will this be their second chance?

The setting was my favourite part. I don't know a lot about theater, but I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look we got here. It was very chaotic and exciting. 

Colby and Bex had great chemistry and I did liked them together, but I wish we got more of them. With everything going on with the cast, the romance aspect of the story was really lacking.. 
I loved meeting all the characters, but with such a short story, it was a bit too much.. I would've loved this a lot more if it was a little longer. 

The pace of the story was great and I did have fun, so it was still an enjoyable experience, it just didn't fully deliver on the romance.

*Thank you to Netgalley and to Amazon Original Stories for providing me with an ARC.*

[aira · Rating 3 out of 5]

the theater kid in me ate this up 🫣 even if I ended up binging a show instead of finishing this novella series

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the reference to Grey's Anatomy, but that's about all that I liked about the short book. I did not feel any chemistry. It felt like the shrimp debacle was the only thing important in this book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

I didn't like this one as much as the other novella. 😭 I think it would have worked better as a full-length novel so we could understand, build, and swoon over Bex and C. J.'s chemistry that I could tell was there somewhere among the gagging and fainting, but fell flat because explaining it isn't the same as seeing (or reading) it firsthand. Also, the beginning kinda bored me, but the characters and ending were still sweet, and I loved the whole theatre setting, too. 🤭🩷

❗️Content Warnings❗️
Swearing: Some...? (Geez, I don't remember 😂🫣)
Spice: No-only kissing. (🌶️/5)

[paula ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐

Honestly, I was expecting a bit more romance instead of so much technical jargon about theater, but it wasn't bad at all; it was really cute.

[Casey Reads 🌸 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah.. this wasn’t for me. No chemistry in my opinion. Very boring. Lacking any exciting plot IMO. Maybe you have to be a theater person to enjoy? Idk.

[Anila · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve never read a Julie Soto book before, but I don’t think her writing style is for me. The story was all over the place and not very interesting. The author would introduce some background information, but it wouldn’t be important until a couple of paragraphs later. It made the book feel very jumbled and I hard time keeping up with what was going on. The romance was also non existent and we’re just given behind the scenes chaos of putting on a theatre production. And so, this one was a complete miss for me and I understand why it has the lowest rating of all the novellas in the series.

[Brooke 𝜗𝜚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ★
I’m a sucker for the theatre.

[Kayla | Kayla Reads Smut · Rating 1 out of 5]

I swear to all things that are holy, if I never have to hear the name Colby J. Turner again, I’ll die a happy woman. Like we get it, his name is Colby J. Turner. The repetition was not needed. Neither was the fact that this one was a 60 page run on sentence. Also the narrator was like nails on the chalkboard. And to make matters worse it’s told in third person. Which just gives me the ick. The only positive about this one was the fact that I didn’t have to waste more than a car ride home from work to realize Julie Soto is not for me.

If you enjoyed this one good for you. But I should have DNF’d this one and I would have if it wouldn’t have caused an accident on the way home.

Also I never wanna hear fish tacos again 🤢🤮

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I love the theater and I thought for sure this would be a hit for me. I get that food poisoning was a plot point, but there was way too much sickness mentioned in such a short novella for me. I did enjoy both of the main characters and their romance aside from all the illness.

[Mira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Julie Soto’s previous release almost a year ago, and I love her romances so much… This novella felt like a breath of fresh air!! Even though it’s only about 60 pages long, it gave me everything I needed—though of course, I wouldn’t say no to a full-length book🤭

I fell in love with Julie’s MMC all over again—she truly creates incredible male characters. The dialogue made me smile without even realizing it; they were just so sweet!

The novella is set in a theater, and it was so interesting to get a behind-the-scenes look!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[aeryn rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

1⭐️

60 pages of absolutely nothing...😭
This was beyond boring and frankly did not make much sense either. The characters had zero chemistry and the writing wasn't that great. I'm not a big Julie Soto fan but I swear, anything could have been better than this.

If you're going to read these novellas and are wondering which ones you should read, please skip this one. Yes, it's only 60 pages but thank god for that cause I felt more chemistry between my door than these two gave on the pages. If it had been longer, I don't know how much more of it I'd be able to take. Definitely not a fan. 😔

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: 💌🩷

I've heard this is the worst one of the bunch of these novellas so I am prepared to at the very least be disappointed and at the very worst actually hating this LMAO so lets see 😭

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ I’m not sure what is happening, but these novellas are just not working for me with the exception of one. Here, I could not connect to the characters, felt like there was way too much discussion of 🤮 + 💩, and felt completely disengaged from the story. The characters felt more two-dimensional and I did not buy their chemistry.

Thank you Brillaince Publishing for the advanced copy.

[seeraaa ♡ { semi-ia } · Rating 3 out of 5]

Valentine #3 🩷

♡₊˚ 3.5☆
This one was shorter than the first two, but I honestly enjoyed it even more 🩷✨ Maybe because the MCs were actually in the same place, meeting again after 8 years, and still remembering each other 🥺

It made me think about those moments when someone randomly catches your eye, you feel that instant connection, even though you know you’ll probably never see him again… and yet, this book somehow gave me hope 😭😅

I loved the theater and acting vibes so much 🎭💌, but I really wished it had been a bit longer 🥹🩷

[Emma.catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two musical theater costars, separated by fate, reunite for a showmance to remember in a sizzling and banter-filled short story about second chances…

Valentine's Day production of Oklahoma!

Queue: food poisoning 🤢

Famous TV star, Colby J. Turner, steps in to save the show from utter chaos. However, leading lady, Bex Hardgrave, was not the least bit pleased. 8 years earlier, their on-stage chemistry spilled off-stage until a misunderstanding resulted in heartbreak 💔 Now, they are once again sharing the spotlight, old feelings simmering, threatening to steal the show. When they finally confront their undeniable connection, will their second-chance romance deserve a standing ovation?

Anyone who can convey such a strong plot in 60 pages deserves an applause from me 👏🏽 This was a fun and unique spin on a second-chance romance. The originality of this story was predominantly due to the theatre setting. I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look; chaos and all. However, the only complaint I have was the dwelling on 🤮 and 💩.

As romance goes, I definitely felt the sparks between Colby and Bex, but as always with short stories, I wish there was more…

"She got lost in his smile, his blue eyes never leaving her face. She forgot for a moment how many ensemble men they were missing, how the adrenaline had pushed her through it all, and how absolutely mad this day had been. Staring up at him in his costume with his dark hair curled loosely, Bex felt like she’d finally slipped back into a dream she’d been trying to remember for years." 💘

Overall, an enjoyable and entertaining read 💖👏🏽✨

3.75 🌟🌟🌟💫

[Jonetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

the setup…
Theater actress Bex Hardgrave is on tour with the musical production of Oklahoma! and they are all set for the Valentine’s Day production until a seafood taco takes out most of the cast. She’s okay as she took a pass on that delectable but the “show must go on” tradition is threatened because they don’t have anyone to stand in as Curly, her male lead. As luck would have it, new TV star sensation Colby J. Turner is in town and comes to the rescue. Bex is flummoxed as they performed together eight years ago and she’s still not over him.

the heart of the story…
The flashbacks to eight years ago gave me a glimpse into what seemed to be a potential romance between Bex and Colby. It’s full of wit and light banter but it was the backstage production drama and the performance that swept me away. Loved that aspect of the story.

the narration…
Thérèse Plummer is another favorite and I loved how she captured Bex and the cast. Her performance was lively and delightful.

the bottom line…
This was pretty funny and I was fascinated by the lengths to which the show goes on. The romance was just okay, even though the idea of it captured my imagination. It needed just a little more oomph. No matter as I had a good time. 3.5 stars

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy of the entire collection. All opinions are my own.)

[cat · Rating 1 out of 5]

I seriously cannot be the only one who was confused through most of this. 😭😭😭 I went in expecting something sweet and theatrical with second chance romance, and instead I kept stopping to figure out what I had just read.

The writing felt tangled and rushed, like one long run on thought that never fully sorted itself out?? I reread multiple sections thinking I missed something, but it was just unclear. Too many random details, not enough grounding, and I never really connected to the characters, so the emotional moments did not hit at all. The plot felt unrealistic and thrown together.

Since these novellas are written by different authors, I am really hoping the others are not like this. I kind of wish I had started with a different one. One star. Not for me

[Mai H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Valentine's Day 2026 #10

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction ) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thoughts
I really wanted to enjoy this as I love theatre based plot books but I feel like the author lost focus of the main plot and focused on the gagging and food poisoning, it felt too long for a 60 page read and if I'm honest I just couldn't care for the story anymore. This happens to yet again be my first reading experience by this author but this one won't count as "first impressions" with that being said I really need to do a TBR clear out lol

Plot Summary
When a Valentine’s Day theatre production is thrown into chaos, a famous TV star, Colby steps in at the last minute to save the show—much to the dismay of the leading lady, Bex Hardgrave. Years earlier, their undeniable chemistry spilled offstage and ended in heartbreak after a misunderstanding. Now reunited under the spotlight, old feelings resurface as opening night nears, forcing them to confront whether their unfinished story deserves an encore.

My Bookstagram

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 1 out of 5]

“I’ve been waiting for eight years to take you for a drink,” he said, eyes on her. “I think I can wait a little longer.”

second chance romances already get on my nerves, but then you go an add theater actors into the mix? short story of my nightmares. the characters had as much chemistry as two cardboard cut outs & i swear everything about this went through one ear and straight out the other.. a complete disjointed mess lmao

[♡Naz♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was sooo funny and the meet cute was just Gaaaahhhhh.

[Ri ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

this novella had more characters than the number of pages. the whole romance was all over the place, and i don’t even know what happened, except that shrimp tacos and food poisoning were the main highlights of the story. the theatre dynamics should have been fun, but it was way too chaotic for me to understand what they were even performing. also, the characters just fell in love like that? nothing happened, but also something happened that made them obsessed with each other for eight years, and now they’re back and suddenly completely in love? wasted potential.

[Sandra Castro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2⭐⭐
Format: ebook
Platform/app used: z library, readera

Tropes:

• Second Chances;
• Showmance / Stage Romance;
• Forced Proximity;
• Romantic Theater Setting;
• Light Holiday Vibes.

Review:
"Second Act Romance" presents a novella-length love story that immerses readers in a vibrant theatrical environment and moves at a rapid pace, but it ultimately falls short in delivering a more profound romantic experience. The premise involves two former co-stars reuniting when a leading actor falls ill during a production, offering ample opportunities for both conflict and charm. However, the story’s brevity often leaves important aspects feeling underexplored and less engaging.

The lively theatrical backdrop showcases the author's enjoyment of the chaos behind the scenes, the urgency of last-minute casting, and the high-energy vibe of live performances. This adds a distinct flavour to the narrative compared to standard contemporary romances. Yet, this focus on production details sometimes detracts from the emotional bond between the main characters, making their reconnection feel more like a plot device than a genuinely earned second chance.

Given its short length of approximately 60 pages, there’s limited space to delve into the characters' inner thoughts or build meaningful rapport. The story progresses quickly from one event to the next, which can cause moments of authentic romantic tension to get lost in the shuffle instead of being highlighted.

In summary, while the tale is light-hearted and occasionally humorous, its lack of deep character development and emotional progression leaves it feeling more like a fleeting sketch than a fully realised love story.

[Kelsey reviews•books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super cute! I love Julie Soto’s characters and this short story gave me two new ones to admire.

I do wish it was longer. But it was also somehow perfect this length.

[ashlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

i think Julie Soto was very distracted writing this because this made no sense

[Dul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know how I feel with this book

[Em (semi-hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

If next to nothing romantic qualifies as a romance now, we’re in trouble

[Grace Btrs]

Pre-read:
Considering skipping since rating is dreadful (3.21 average)... but I mean it's 60 pages.
What's the worst that could happen?

[⦻ eyeless jack ⦻ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok idk call me picky or crazy or whatever but I guess I prefer my romances with far less references to projectile vomit and explosive diarrhea