Review: Enter Stage Left by Lisa Slabach

A smoldering story of second chances with romance waiting in the wings, Enter Stage Left by Lisa Slabach offers up an entertaining, realistic, and steamy first installment in her Chicago Theater Romance series.

When rising star Elle Serra finally gets a shot to direct at the Chicago Repertory Theatre, it’s a dream come true, and not an opportunity she intends to squander. Her big break consists of workshopping a play written by Bret Stark – a hunky hookup from her past, which ended on a decidedly sour note. It doesn’t take long for old embers between them to relight, forcing them to find a delicate balance between their personal desires and professional dreams.

The omniscient narration gives readers easy access to the emotional processing happening for both Elle and Bret, which only builds the tension and frustration as the characters dodge and dance around the unspoken truths occupying their thoughts. Slabach also connects the development of Bret’s play with the exploration of nuance within their relationship; he is simultaneously maturing as both an artist and romantic partner, recognizing the need to move past late-night hookups and locker-room punchlines.

Although slow-burn romance often features an unexpectedly sensitive soul beneath a handsome exterior, the pair of protagonists are refreshingly nuanced, heightened by the original setting. Some of the most honest storytelling comes during Elle’s moments of self-reflection and internal debate over her regrettable choices in the past versus her very real decisions in the present. Slabach gives readers intimate access to the protagonist’s memories, explicitly detailing the depth of passion once shared between this star-crossed pair.

The dialogue is witty and flavored with snark, particularly the banter between Jackie and Elle, while the interactions between the heartthrob playwright and ambitious director are raw and authentic. Slabach knows her subjects well, with Chicago vibrantly coming to life under her pen, alongside the high-pressure stakes of the Second City theater scene, and this is reflected in authentic character relationships. Occasionally, the flirtatious banter does elicit an eye-roll, as there is a line between organically clever conversation and seemingly scripted repartee. There are also instances where the author over-explains the significance of an interaction, or explicitly states the emotional subtext, rather than showing it, such as the chest-puffing exchanges between Bret and John, so Slabach could trust her readers more to identify contextual nuance.

Generally, the story neatly walks the line between pulp romance and theatrical melodrama, echoing the dramatic intensity of live theater, which can occasionally edge towards over-the-top, but maintains believability in even the most climactic scenes. This is especially evident in moments of blunt eroticism, which are disarming, delectable, and surprisingly true to life, such as the wild scene in Millennium Park, leaving readers just as eager and unsatisfied as the characters themselves.

Tapping into familiar generational woes about modern relationships, but also embracing unique entanglements, miscommunications, and tangible tension, this classic love story is conveyed with charming reverence for both the romance genre and the world of theater, in a setting that is ripe for spice and drama.