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 centuryframed by mischievous commentary of a contemporary young historian. Its 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 Citys theatrical scene. Hes 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. Neither Evelyn nor Thomas is prepared for the real feelings they develop over rehearsals, dinners, a trip to Coney Island, and dancing at Tin Pan Alleymuch to the displeasure of Nehemiah Alban, a media mogul determined to arrange a union between Thomas and his own daughter. As opening night approaches, Evelyn and Thomas find themselves at the center of a culture war with prudish society types, conniving newspapermen, and corrupt cops on one side and Evelyns effervescent community of fat, queer, BIPOC, immigrant, and working-class artists on the other. 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.