First published 2025
Cherry Hendricks works as a professional clown in Orlando, creating wild entertainment at parties while pulling shifts at an aquarium store to pay bills. She navigates her critical mother, complicated romantic entanglements, and a tight community of fellow performers who share her struggles. Her fortunes shift when she encounters Margot the Magnificent, an established lesbian magician who has built a polished, profitable career. Margot offers Cherry guidance, industry contacts, and the promise of elevating her comedic craft. The attraction between them complicates their professional relationship as Cherry develops a bold new performance concept. She faces difficult choices about how much she will sacrifice for Margot's attention and her artistic ambitions. The story explores what it means to find authenticity within the costume and makeup that define her work identity.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Orlando
272 pages · Hardcover · Riverhead Books