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Something Cheeky

A Novel

ebook
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 10 weeks
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 10 weeks

A steamy new rom-com from the popular author of Happy Endings and Full Exposure, where two friends get the opportunity to work together on their dream project—a Cinderella rock musical with an all-Asian cast—and discover that falling in love was the easy part...

"Lam is... the queen of sex-positive multiracial romance." —Booklist

Zoe Tran is living her best life, designing plus-size lingerie at her own award-winning clothing boutique, when suddenly her college best friend reenters her life. Derek Bui is offering a tantalizing chance to recapture a forgotten dream: designing costumes for the musical they created together years ago.

Derek has loved Zoe since freshman year but never had the guts to confess his true feelings. Now he's directing the Vietnamese Cinderella rock musical they dreamed up in college. The stakes are high: it's the first production with an all-Asian cast and creative team at Washington, D.C.'s largest theatre and if they can make it work, they'll head to Broadway. But his real goal: get Zoe back in his life.

A proud demisexual, Zoe only ever saw Derek as her best friend, but working on their dream production together brings them closer than ever. Sparks ignite under the hot spotlights. But when the theatre's artistic director pressures Derek to make the musical "less Asian," he and Zoe clash on whether to stay true to their vision or compromise to keep the production alive.

Will Zoe and Derek finally let love take center stage or will their creative differences close the curtains on them forever?

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  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      December 1, 2024

      With a delightful blend of romance and career ambition, Lam (Full Exposure) crafts a compelling friends-to-lovers story between Zoe Tran, a plus-size lingerie designer, and Derek Bui, an actor turned theater director. Set against the backdrop of a Vietnamese stage production of "Cinderella" as a rock musical, the novel explores themes of Asian representation in theater and the challenges faced by people of color in white-dominated fields. Lam skillfully weaves in discussions about microaggressions, cultural identity, and imposter syndrome, adding depth to the central romance. While the romantic elements are present and passionate, the story's strength lies in its focus on Zoe's and Derek's personal and professional growth. Readers will appreciate the authentic portrayal of the demanding world of theater production and the support Zoe and Derek offer each other in their respective careers. VERDICT This is a satisfying read for those seeking a romance that balances steamy moments with substantial character development and cultural insight. It's particularly well-suited for readers who enjoy stories of successful women navigating their careers, with a side of love.--Michelle Mistalski

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Kirkus

      January 15, 2025
      Two friends team up to bring the musical of their dreams to life. Zoe Tran is a self-made woman and proud of it. After successfully opening a plus-size lingerie boutique in Washington, D.C., she's earned a reputation for helping women feel like the best version of themselves and doesn't expect her life to change anytime soon. Then her old college friend Derek Bui walks back into her life, making her an offer she can't refuse. When they were wide-eyed theater students, they dreamed of making their favorite Vietnamese fairy tale into a rock musical--and now, Derek's here to turn that dream into reality, but he can't do it without Zoe and her eye for fashion. With Derek directing the musical and Zoe designing the costumes, plus an all-Asian cast and creative team, the production has a great chance of success. Getting it off the ground means Zoe and Derek will be working together very closely, leading Derek to experience a resurgence of his longtime crush on Zoe and leading Zoe, who's demisexual, to gain an all-new perception of her old friend. As if things couldn't get more complicated, the theater's artistic director is breathing down Derek's neck, trying to pressure him into stripping the musical of its unapologetically Vietnamese identity. Amid creative clashes, new feelings, and a ticking clock to opening night, Zoe and Derek have to decide whether they're going to stand up for the vision they've always believed in or let an outsider have the final say. Lam's romance is refreshingly sex-positive and inclusive, focused on characters who don't always get the spotlight in the genre. The book doesn't hesitate to tackle the shortcomings of the theater world, either, exploring the question of whose narratives are often diminished or reduced to outdated stereotypes. There's a deft balance between sweet moments and serious conversations, but not every element is paced as well as it could be. Culture takes center stage in this confident friends-to-lovers romance.

      COPYRIGHT(2025) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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