✨ Everything’s Coming Up Rosie is the feel-good, theater-nerd hug of a book I didn’t know I needed.

Rosie Waterman’s Broadway dreams are crumbling. With no job, no apartment, and a whole lot of self-doubt, she accepts a last-ditch gig directing a Cinderella production in a small Wisconsin town… only to discover her “cast” is made up of senior citizens at a retirement community. What follows is a heartwarming, hilarious, and unexpectedly profound journey about redefining success, rediscovering purpose, and finding joy in the unexpected.

Rosie is quirky, insecure, dramatic—and so real. It took me a bit to connect with her, but once I did, I was fully invested. Her friendship with Arthur (the world’s grumpiest stage manager) stole the show for me, and the found family vibe here is off the charts. Add in a sweet slow-burn romance with cinnamon roll physical therapist Booker, and you’ve got the perfect cozy read.

It’s a story about shifting dreams, second chances, and the kind of community that sneaks up on you and fills your soul. Think theater camp meets Schitt’s Creek, but with more heart.

🎭 Found family
🎭 Retirement community chaos
🎭 Clean, closed-door romance
🎭 Small-town second chances
🎭 Theatre kid nostalgia

⭐️ 4 stars
🎧 Audio was a delight—shout out to Jorjeana Maria’s perfect Rosie voice!

Thank you @thomasnelson @netgalley for the ALC!
#EverythingsComingUpRosie #CourtneyWalsh #BookReview #TheatreBooks #CleanRomance #FoundFamilyVibes #RetirementCommunityReads #FeelGoodFiction #BookstagramRecs #SummerReads2025 #CozyUpWithACozy

During a very stressful time in my life, this book was the perfect read. Uplifting, sweet, and playful... everything you need in the perfect beach read. Plus, love the title!

This fun and quirky girl is trying to find her way in the world. I enjoyed this character who was often misunderstood by others.

This book is a love story for all the theater geeks like me. ❤️ I giggled and laughed and cried at this one. The sense of humor was top notch. I was in love when the main character sang a show tune from Chicago during the meet cute. Seriously. Read this book!

Rosie is a struggling actress in New York at the brink of failure. In a desperate move to find a job and housing, she applies for a theater directing job in Wisconsin - beggars can’t be choosers. She takes the job and moves to discover this isn’t a normal directing job - this is a retirement community’s theater. Rosie ends up finding love and most importantly herself. I loved this book!

Was a sweet story about love and self discovery and confidence. I thought the MFC storyline was believable and easy to connect too.

I truly enjoyed Everything's Coming Up Rosie! The setting for Courtney Walsh's latest is Door County, Wisconsin...a place I dearly love! When Rosie takes a much needed job she doesn't realize it's in a retirement community at first and she is thrown for a loop and even more so when she meets the good-looking resident physical therapist, Booker.

Rosie's story reminds us that everyone is on their own journey and on their own time line. Just because you had plans or goals in the past, doesn't mean that you should be stuck in them if things change in your life and you want something different. All the side characters you'll meet here are just as wonderful as Rosie and Booker!

Jorjeana Marie did a great job narrating! She has a fun voice and is perfect for humorous Rosie.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read/listen to the audio and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 10 June 2025

Courtney Walsh’s writing just feels good, you know? Everything’s Coming Up Rosie was no different.

The audiobook and narration was fantastic, and it was an easy listen!

Rosie’s life might look like “roses and sunshine” on the outside, but underneath, she’s stuck, doubting her career, worrying about the future, and afraid to really let people in. Watching her work through all that fear and finally step into her own was so real and so relatable.

In a moment of desperation, she takes a job without doing much research and ends up at a retirement community and somehow, it’s exactly what she needed.

The side characters are the best kind of charming (even if a little grumpy sometimes) and they all play a part in helping Rosie find herself again.

And if you’re like me and love anything that ties back to theater, you’re going to be obsessed. That whole part of the story made my heart so happy.

This isn’t one of those books where the romance takes over. It’s really about Rosie finding her confidence and figuring out what she wants and I thought I knew where it was going, but it completely surprised me, in the best way.

You should add this to your TBR if you enjoy:
— Small-town feels
— Stories about finding yourself
— Theater and rediscovering your passion
— Slow-burn romance that sneaks up on you
— Books that leave you smiling when you close them

This book releases June 10, 2025! 💜

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I received a complimentary AUDIOBOOK ARC copy of this book opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

First off I am obsessed with this story and this book. It’s such a fun and cute read. Secondly for the audiobook I at first wasn’t sure about it the first chapter is a bit slow with the narrator but once the MMC comes in the audiobook speeds up and is great the banter between the two characters is perfect the narrators compliment each-other in the best ways!

Before I get to what this book is about I have to say it is PHENOMENAL. I laughed, I cried, I giggled, I had big feelings, I felt giddy like a school girl with a crush, this book really was an experience and an amazing one at that. I wish I could read this book again for the first time because it really was that wonderful of an experience

Now what you’ll get in this book without giving away spoilers- friendship, family, found family, healing of trauma, healing of generational trauma, lovable characters, closed door romance with a slow burn that is just perfection, so much growth, jokes, songs, theater jokes of course, and so much more.

Rosie is an actress who has been struggling for a long time but she refuses to tell anyone so faced with the choice of coming clean that she’s broke and jobless she takes a job she doesn’t remember applying for, and it’s nothing that she expected, or wanted, but is it what she needs, you’ll have to read to find out..just trust me it’s worth it

After years of never quite breaking into the acting scene in NYC, Rosie finds herself at a crossroads of her life. To keep pursuing the dream of making it big on stage? Or pivot and try out a different roll more behind the curtains?

This book was a light sweet read with themes of overcoming insecurities, realizing which dreams are worth living for, and learning to deeply and fully feel all of life’s emotions.

I will note that the first half of the book was more like a 3 star read for me. But by the second half of the novel it all came together and I enjoyed the story more.

A Quick Overview:
👩🏻‍🦰Quirky and Cute Redhead FMC
💫Unfulfilled Dreams
💗High School Best Friends
🎶Tons of Musical References
👵🏼Found Family
❤️Workplace Romance
🏰Production of Cinderella

Thank you @ThomasNelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and @NetGalley for the ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars- This book was such a beautiful story full of characters that were so way to love and root for. The whole concept was original and I loved that the romance was so sweet I could easily share this story with my teenage daughter and we would both love it equally.

The characters were so well- rounded and full of life. I think my favorite character was Arthur. I loved his layers and how as the story progressed we got to see his tender center. He offered honest and sound advice

The love story was sweet, but I think it was trumped slightly by Rosie’s growth in the story. Watching Rosie find herself was just as enjoyable as the romance that ensues.

Highly recommend this one if you love character driven books that are more than just a love story.

“It’s just life”

This was such a fun read/listen. I thoroughly enjoyed Rosie’s humor and her journey to figuring out what following her dream meant and how to find joy in the journey.

Courtney Walsh just NEVER disappoints. As a lover of her books, musicals, and closed door romances, this has become one of my favorites of hers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for my advance audiobook copy of Everything's Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh in exchange for my honest review. This is coming out on June 10th!

Rosie sees herself as a failure. She has lost her job AND apartment in the city and on a trip home she sees that everyone else has their life together. She has not admitted to anyone just how unhappy she has been, but keeps a smile on her face and fakes it.

Needing a job, Rosie takes an offer to be a regional theater director, despite how badly she wants to be an actor, and despite the fact that it isn't in New York City, but in Wisconsin. The humor really starts to pick up in this book when it isn't just a regional theater, but a retirement community that she's directing.

She failed to read the job description so suddenly she's stuck. This is where I really enjoyed the story and it took off for me. Rosie has been so hard on herself that she hasn't seen what is in front of her. When a few of the members of the retirement community get on her case, can she turn it around?

I also enjoyed the cameo of her friends. They knew that Rosie wasn't always happy, but were waiting for her to say something. Ah friends, we can't always hide from them, can we?

4 stars. I loved the growth Rosie had throughout this book. I always enjoyed the romance factor in this one as well. Keep an eye out for this one, it was a fun, light hearted read!

Oh my gosh - THIS BOOK! Everything's Coming Up Rosie, by Courtney Walsh, narrated by Jorjeana Marie has everything to love in a novel. First, the narration by Jorjeana Marie is absolutely perfect. Her voice captures the essence of Rosie perfectly and she is able to flex her voice to provide individuality to all of the other characters. Rosie is honest, vulnerable, funny, brave, compassionate, reflective, optimistic and bubbly. I can't imagine experiencing this book without Jorjeana's narration. I think she contributes as much to the joy of this book as the story does. The story instantly grabbed my heart and will hold on to it for a long time. In this one novel, I found personal connections that I think are universal to all people. This book is unique in that, while it is a compelling and entertaining plot, it also has layers and layers of lessons about all aspects of life. I loved the story and was charmed by Rosie, Booker, Daisy, Arthur, and all of the characters, but it's the layers of lessons and reflections and insights about living life and appreciating the moment and the people we love that will be with me for a long time. Rosie experiences tremendous personal growth throughout the novel. As a listener, I feel like I have also been changed for the better by this novel. Read it - it's amazing!

This is a sweet book.

The realization of rediscovering what your dreams are with the confidence to take the leap, takes a village. Rosie finds this when she applies for a job at a seniors resort

Here she finds the love and comfort and strength from so many people at this resort

I you would like a sweet little story please check this book out

What a fun audiobook! I really appreciated Rosie’s character and how well she handled her time with Sunset’s theater crew. It’s hard when you have an idea of what you want to do with your life in adulthood but find that it’s just not feasible to do. While Rosie had internal struggles with her situation, I appreciate how she handled it. She gave her best and made a not-so-great situation work out well.

I absolutely love Courtney’s writing - it’s beautiful and easy to follow! The narrator did a great job of bringing the story to life as well! She really conveyed true “theater kid” energy if you know what I mean haha.

4/5 stars for the story | 5/5 stars for the narration

Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh is a charming and heartwarming story about a struggling actress who unexpectedly finds herself directing a play at a retirement community’s theater. What begins as a detour becomes a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and renewed passion. Rosie’s character development is wonderfully done, and the romantic subplot is sweet and subtle—adding just the right touch without overshadowing the main story.

Jorjeana Marie’s narration is outstanding. She brings Rosie’s personality and emotional journey to life with warmth, humor, and authenticity—an absolute joy to listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this delightful audiobook ARC!

It was a teeny bit of a slow start for me. But once it picked up, I was all in! I related to Rosie’s insecurities, but she learns and grows so much throughout the story. I loved the sense of community and the people she works with at her new job. I loved the witty banter and the flirtation between Rosy and Booker. It’s a heartwarming, inspiring and feel good story. It was a clean read, with zero cheesiness. I HATE cheesy books! lol I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. I would definitely recommend this one!

I needed to DNF at 13% as I was having a difficult time connecting with the main character. Her continuous thoughts of "oh my friends are more successful than I am, woe is me" was really dragging the story down, in the short amount that I listened to.

While listening, I really didn't know where the story was going, nor did I feel compelled to find out why. I'm hopeful this is a case of me not being the right reader, and am confident the right person will stumble upon it and enjoy it. I adore Jorjeana Marie's narration, but had a difficult time connecting with the story.

This was a charming romantic comedy about a struggling actress who takes a job directing a play at a retirement community after her life in New York falls apart. Surrounded by quirky seniors and an unexpected love interest, she rediscovers purpose, friendship, and what it truly means to live a fulfilling life.

Rosie’s character is so inspiring. After everything, she still never gave up on her dream of acting. She is someone who genuinely cares about others and truly wanted to help. This was a funny, heartfelt, and uplifting read with quirky, lovable characters. Although, I found Rosie to be a bit naive at times which made less relatable.

Jorjeana Marie was great as the narrator. She perfectly conveyed characters’ emotions and their quirks! Thank you, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Netgalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.