In Her Spotlight

Spalding shines in the fourth novel of her Out in Hollywood series (after On Her Terms), a tender second-chance sapphic romance featuring grown-up theater kids and lots of community support. Starlet Tess Gardner is trying to pivot from sparkly cinematic superhero roles to more serious acting work via a part in an L.A. theater production with Broadway aspirations. But when scandal forces the big-name director out, Tess is thrown for a loop by his replacement, up-and-coming Rebecca Frisch, who happens to be closeted Tess’s first and only girlfriend. Tess broke Rebecca’s heart by running from their connection during summer stock a dozen years earlier. Now the pair agree to keep it professional onstage, but they eventually engage in heartfelt conversation about their past, falling easily back into a cozy after-hours romance when they realize that the spark is still there. The expected beats of producing a theatrical performance, and vibrant social dynamics among the cast and crew, fill in the setting nicely while leaving space for a satisfying win both for the heroines and for the show. Series fans will not be disappointed. (Feb.)