“Sometimes what you think you want and what you actually want turn out to be different things” Rosie Waterman’s big dream is to be a be a working actor. But when that does not seem to be working, she takes a summer job at a regional theater.

Courtney Walsh is back with wholesome late coming of age story. I loved the cast of characters, especially the physical therapist representation. I also appreciated and connected with the theme that it is not too late to redefine what you really want in life or maybe rethinking how to achieve your goals. I made a pretty significant career change at 42, moving from a physical therapist to healthcare IT. I think this book highlights the struggle that it takes to reframe your goals and make a change. This is a fun impactful read.

This is everything I look for in a book. An uplifiting story with depth, emotion and a little self-reflection along the way. I went from laughter to tears and back again.

This book has such a full cast of wonderful characters. I could picture them all.

Courtney Walsh is a new-to-me author but I will be looking up her other books now.

It was hard not to fall in love with the main character of this book!! Rosie is such a relatable character to anyone that feels like they are not achieving their dreams. It was fun to cheer on Rosie and her ups and downs in the development of her character. The setting of this book was in a retirement community and the residents of this community that Rosie is interacting with are just the cutest thing. I love how they are also cheering her on to meet all of her dreams and successes in life. And how could anyone not like Booker’s (Rosie’s love interest) in this book?!?!! This book was cute little rom-com that I enjoyed very much.
Thank you Net Galley and publisher for the eARC of this book!!

If I'm being honest, I went into this one a little hesitant as Courtney Walsh has been kind of hit or miss for me in the past. Some of her earlier books remain my favorites, but I haven't felt the same about some of her later releases. However, I'm happy to say that Everything's Coming Up Rosie is an adorable and heartwarming clean contemporary that will give readers all the feels, and was everything I could have wanted.

As someone who has long been fascinated by the theatre, I loved the fact that our main protagonist (Rosie) is someone who has spent years trying to break into the broadway scene in New York with, unfortunately, not the greatest results. When a job offer sounds too good to be true, she jumps at the chance to move to a different state and try her hand at directing for the first time ever. Only, she didn't read the fine print that she's directing a production at a senior citizen's retirement community, which is a far cry from where she thought she'd be in her career by now. However, theatre is theatre and Rosie soon discovers a whole new community of friends and family in an unexpected place, including a man who seems to be everything she could have ever wanted. Is it possible that the dream she thought she wanted isn't everything it's cracked up to be after all?

A heartwarming story about following your heart and learning to let others in, Everything's Coming Up Rosie is a well written and relatable contemporary that touched my heart, and stayed with me long after I finished it. It was hysterically funny, it was swoon worthy and adorable, and it even had me tearing up a bit as Rosie learns to tackle the insecurities she's carried with her from the past.

If you enjoy clean romances that focus around the theatre and include plenty of hijinks and hilarity, then this might just be the book you've been waiting for.

Final Rating: 4/5.

I adored this one and can't possibly recommend it enough.



Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Rosie is following her dream of becoming an actor, but she isn’t progressing as fast as she’d wish, meaning hardly at all. Hiding behind lies of omission, she applies randomly to every possible theater job she can find, even ones she isn’t exactly qualified for. When she gets an offer, she forgets to read the actual job description before accepting and heading off. There she finds that nothing was what she’d thought. She also finds Booker, the wonderfully handsome PT who keeps a few omissions of his own. Filled with quirky characters, some hard hitting truths, and plenty of wit, this is a terrific summer read. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to everyone.

Family friendly.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Review: Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh

“This is community. This is the adventure. It’s not traveling or seeing the world—or starring in a huge show on Broadway. It’s simpler than that. It’s people. It’s always been people.”

Everything’s Coming Up Rosie is one of those rare books that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. I was hooked immediately. Courtney Welch has a gift for crafting characters so vivid and real that by the time the book ends, you genuinely miss them—as if you’ve just said goodbye to close friends.

Rosie, in particular, stood out to me. She’s incredibly relatable. Her mishaps, her fears, her worries about failure—these are all things I’ve felt myself while navigating adulthood. Walsh captures the uncertainty and vulnerability of growing up so authentically, it’s impossible not to see parts of yourself in Rosie. She’s flawed, lovable, and genuine—a character that makes you feel seen.

At its core, this book isn’t just about finding your place in the world—it’s about finding your people. Welch reminds us that the real adventure in life is connection, and Everything’s Coming Up Rosie delivers that message beautifully.

Once upon a time I took drama class in high school. We had to memorize a monologue to perform in front of the class. Being a big fan of Clueless I performed Cher's speech about how she realizes she loves Josh. If you're doing the math (ie I'm old) I have loved Paul Rudd a very long time. Growing up we saw a lot of plays and musicals as my Mom loves them and my sister and I did as well. The Lion King will probably always be my favorite and I have no shame admitting I cried during the opening scene. There's just something magical about the theatre! In Courtney Walsh's latest, Everything's Coming Up Rosie, we get a sneak peek into what goes into being a director! Rosie is a struggling artist who applies to so many jobs she doesn't even know what's what anymore. When she gets offered a directing spot she snags it. She just doesn't realize till way, way later that it's for a retirement community. She wrestles with this, almost acting like it's beneath her, but soon comes around. Even though Rosie is 29, there's a real coming of age story here. She sees that by pushing people away due to things she believes she should be embarrassed about, she's created a lonely life for herself. Being surrounded by people she grows to love while also doing something she really loves, she realizes that our dreams can be more than one thing or one way. In true Courtney Walsh form we have witty dialogue and a sweet non-spicy romance. This one is also filled with wonderful side characters, my favorites being our angsty teenager Dylan and our very grumpy resident Arthur. Pick this one up come summer! *I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for said copy.

Thanks to Netgalley & Thomas Nelson Fiction for the E-ARC! Really enjoyed! Cute characters & loved the humor. Another great one by this author.

An aspiring actress who is down on her luck takes a job as part of the creative team at a regional theatre. Plot twist, she is the new Director and sole creative team member at the Sunset Players Theatre... located at the Sunset Hills retirement village.

'Everything's Coming Up Rosie' was a fun and peppy read. The ragtag ensemble of elderly residents, and the younger hired workers form a fun and insightful cast. I particularly loved Dylan, and wish to have seen more of her backstory.

Our MC Rosie at times can be insufferable and immature, but her character has a lot to learn and (spoiler alert) it all comes to fruition in the end with quite a sweet happily-ever-for-now.

I love Courtney Walsh books. Her indie romances give me butterflies every time and I want to reread them immediately but her traditionally published novels are different. I love them equally but they inspire me in an entirely different way. They make me want to take a step outside of my carefully curated bubble. They make me want to try something new—grow and stretch. I feel like her books change me and it is one hundred percent lovely. I always tell people I don't read to become a better person, I read to be entertained, so imagine my delight when I can unintentionally do both.

So, with all that in mind, if you like theater, old people, romance, good guys—seriously, all the green flags— life long friends, growth and hilarious side characters, read this book!

I SCREAMED when I got this in the mail! Thank you so much @thomasnelson for the #gifted copy! 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠’𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐞 is out June 10th.

Where do I begin? As usual, Courtney Walsh has knocked this one out of the park! I absolutely loved every single character, especially grumpy Arthur - he had my heart. Rosie’s best friends were all fabulous! I loved the setting - a beautiful retirement community. It seems out of the ordinary, but it totally works!! What won my heart the most with this one was the theme that our dreams don’t necessarily change but the ways in which they play out might, and that is completely ok.

Once again, Courtney walsh hits it absolutely out of the park...she is the best. Her books make me reflect, laugh, dream, and hope. This one is no different, absolutely beautiful story, relatable and loveable characters, an exciting and fast moving plot, and perfect writing that you get lost in. I found myself dreaming about it all day til I could read at night...the characters became my friends. Home run all the way!!

I adore stories about struggling people who return home and find themselves again. Courtney Walsh is an author I turn to when I need a lighthearted, clean, fun read with lots of heart, banter and quirky characters and this on delivers. I did find the main character a little immature for her age but loved seeing her growth. If you are a fan of Courtney Walsh, the theater and older characters this will not disappoint.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the chance to read it. I received a complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are my own.

I want to thank Net Galley and Tomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to review this book as an ARC. For me, this book was just ok.I really thought that I would like it a lot more than I did.I love books about actresses and theater. I worked in nursing homes in the Rehab Dept . for most of my professional life. This was set in a retirement community and a Physical Therapist was one of the main characters.To me, this was just a bit flat. Rosie is an actress in New York. She has just lost her job and been kicked out of her apartment ( by a friend, it seems, due to lack of rent payment?). She goes home to Illinois to get her life together. She spends time with friends, who seem to think she is doing not only well professionally, but great , and she cannot tell them the truth. Actually she kind of tries, but they seem too concerned with their lives. She applies fo a lot of jobs and gets one in Wisconsin, directing a production of Cinderella. She takes the job with no research, and finds out that it is in a retirement community, where the actors are senior citizens with no experience. The physical therapist ( Booker, the obligatory hot male character),picks her up to take her to the community, and whole pages of dialogue go by without Rosie asking , 'Just what is this place", or Booker saying " you know this is a retirement community right?". It was slow moving and to be honest a bit silly. Just not for me.

Everything’s Coming Up Rosie is the second book I have read written by Courtney Walsh, and I can’t wait to read more. This book was fun, hilarious, and the perfect story for an entertaining read. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook, and it was a fun read.

Character development was great. I loved seeing Rosie process through things that we all seem to struggle through. Feeling like we are failing and not reaching our dreams, but also struggling that they are our dreams and not someone else’s dreams. I loved getting to know Booker as well. He was struggling to find his dream.

The storyline was great. I loved the theater aspect. Getting to see the behind-the-scenes. It was such a cute storyline and was the perfect hallmark book.

The relationship between Booker and Rosie was so cute and clean. I loved that it was a clean, low-spice, kiss-only romance.

The faith element was very lacking. If I did not know this was a Christian author, I would pass it off as not Christian. There is mention of prayer, praying for a miracle. Outside of that, not a whole lot.

Some things to also mention, there was a mention of going to the bar. As well as innuendos and mention of the walk of shame when Brooker and Rosie fall asleep at the theater together.

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Courtney Walsh’s books are always a delight! Everything’s Coming Up Rosie has a fantastic storyline, wonderful character development, genuinely likable characters, as well as an excellent balance between depth and lightheartedness.

Rosie has always dreamed of becoming a working actor. However, when she loses her apartment and her job in one day, she decides to embrace her next opportunity, even if it’s in an unlikely place.

This book takes readers on an amazing journey with Rosie as she comes to recognize who she truly is and what she actually wants in her life. She ends up somewhere she didn’t expect and discovers that it is exactly where she’s supposed to be. The supporting characters were all so wonderful! The found family aspect to the story was beautiful and Rosie’s interactions with all of them were great.

Rosie and Booker’s relationship is lovely and their connection feels genuine and heartfelt.

Overall, Everything’s Coming Up Rosie is a heartwarming, feel-good, joyful story that is about seeking truth, taking risks, having fun along the way, finding love, and discovering who you truly are.

Another fabulous book from Courtney Walsh! A heartwarming story of a girl who was down on her luck and thought she was behind.....only to find out she was right where she needed to be! This book is filled with feel-good moments, a sprinkle of romance, and an emotional ending that had me teary eyed and feeling all the feels.

(I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Courtney Walsh)

My heart is full for Rosie. For Rosie and her quest to find herself and her purpose. For Rosie to realize that there is someone that loves and understands her, and for her accept that from Booker. For Rosie and her new adventure in an idyllic town in my home state—I found myself relating so so many charming small town references. There’s a little bit of room left in my heart, too, for the facts I learned about theater production and everything that goes on behind the scenes. This entire closed-door romance was enduring and sweet, with many great messages of finding yourself. 4.5 stars

all Rosie ever wanted to be was an actor. but things are not going well for her, she loses her job and her apartment on the same day. she returns home to find her friends have moved on to marriage and babies. will she decide to give up acting? good story

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson, and Courtney Walsh for the eARC of this book!

I always enjoy Courtney Walsh’s books. Her books are always so easy and light. When I need an escape from life's heaviness, I often turn to one of her books. This book was no different. I related to Rosie in many ways, including her struggle to be vulnerable with those who cared about her. I felt like I went on this journey with her and learned a lot.

I struggled with Rosie a bit at the beginning because she was essentially deceiving everyone the whole time. I understood, but I struggle with this in characters sometimes. However, the way the author conveyed the lessons in the story was beautiful as well. There were some pacing issues, as we often got Rosie’s thoughts in the middle of a conversation, which sometimes took me out of the story. However, I still loved all the characters and the story!

The story featured a dynamic cast of characters. Booker and Rosie’s banter had me cracking up a lot of the time! Bertie was the sassy, wise older woman that I love in books. Her matchmaking schemes and quips made this book so funny. Taylor, Marnie, and Maya were such great friends, and I enjoyed the way Rosie was able to goof around with them and show her silly side, and eventually opened up to them. A good solid group of girlfriends is one of my favorites, and this group provided this. There are so many other side characters that I fell in love with: Arthur, a wise, grumpy old man; Belinda, a stubborn older woman; Connie, a ditzy, quirky, lovable woman; and so many more.

I recommend this book if you're looking for a romantic comedy with humor, heart, and a lot of funny side characters.

I received this eARC from the author/publisher, but this honest review is voluntary.

Content Guide:
Language: No Language
Spice: Level 1: Kissing Only
TW: Parental Abandonment, grief
Content Considerations: No content considerations