Cover of Acting Up by L R Martiny
FictionSteamy

Acting Up

by L R Martiny

2024

This sexy enemies to lovers sapphic romance will cure your stage fright! Harlow James is finally fulfilling her brother's dying wish. Since Paul passed at 14 from childhood cancer, he asked his family to live out his dreams for him in a kind of bucket list. Harlow's assignment is to perform in a play. She's finally stopped avoiding it, and now she's in deep, having signed up for an acting class that will end in a real play. But things get complicated when she discovers that her acting partner is none other than Jacki Rowe, the spoiled brat daughter of her boss who is also the star of her unwanted sexy dreams. The longer they work together, the more Harlow learns about the young woman, and the worse the dreams get. Eventually, Harlow will have to come to terms to with everything: the impending play, her family's desire to talk things out, and the sweet, tender kisses of Jacki Rowe.

Enemies to LoversForced ProximityOpposites Attract
Editor ReviewedAI-AssistedRomance Profile Available
Your rating:

About This Book

Acting Up is a fiction romance novel by L R Martiny, first published in 2024 by Independently Published. Readers can expect enemies to lovers, forced proximity, opposites attract; steamy heat; a emotional and hopeful tone.

At a glance

Genre
Fiction
Trope
Enemies to Lovers
Heat
Steamy
Ending
HEA
Mood
Emotional
Published
2024

Where to read or listen

Get Acting Up by L R Martiny

These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Should I read this?

Why You May Love This Book

You may love this if…

  • To fulfill her late brother's bucket list, Harlow must conquer her stage fright while navigating a charged rivalry with her boss's daughter.
  • Fans of theater-themed romance
  • Readers who enjoy 'enemies to lovers' with high sexual tension
  • Yearning
  • Features Enemies to Lovers

This may not be ideal if…

  • Readers sensitive to themes of sibling death
  • Readers looking for low-conflict romance
  • Potential for heavy angst due to the grief backstory
Romance Profile

The Romance

Tropes, dynamics, and the chemistry that drives this story.

Tropes

Enemies to LoversBoss's DaughterForced ProximityWorkplace RomanceBucket ListOpposites Attract

Relationship Dynamics

Rivalry to RomanceSecret AttractionProfessional Tension

Details

Type: Contemporary Sapphic Romance

Pairing: F/F

Power balance: Uneven due to boss's daughter dynamic

Slow BurnStrong (55 out of 100)
Relationship TensionVery strong (85 out of 100)
Emotional IntimacyStrong (70 out of 100)
Emotional Experience

How It Feels

The emotional landscape you'll move through while reading.

Moderate comfort, high tension, mild humor, and a strong emotional payoff.

AngstStrong (60 out of 100)
ComfortStrong (55 out of 100)
HumorMild (40 out of 100)
TensionVery strong (80 out of 100)
DarknessLow (20 out of 100)
Emotional IntensityVery strong (75 out of 100)
Emotional PayoffVery strong (80 out of 100)
Tear RatingMild (45 out of 100)
Pacing: Moderate
Tone:RomanticSteamyBittersweetReflective
Heat & Explicitness

Heat Level

Based on available metadata and editorial review.

Heat Level
On-page sexual contentStrong (70 out of 100)

High

Explicitness: High
Sexual content present
Heat information is based on available metadata and editorial review. Reader sensitivities vary.
Reader Fit

Who Is This Book For?

Best for

Fans of theater-themed romanceReaders who enjoy 'enemies to lovers' with high sexual tensionFans of sapphic romance with emotional depth

Reading mood

YearningEmotionalRomanticTense

May not suit

Readers sensitive to themes of sibling deathReaders looking for low-conflict romance

Recommended audience: Adult

Content Guidance

Content Guidance

Story & Themes

The Story

Spoiler-Free Synopsis

Harlow James has spent years avoiding the spotlight, but a promise to her late brother finally forces her into an acting class. To complete the course, she must perform in a play, but her assigned partner is Jacki Rowe, the one person she can't stand—and can't stop dreaming about. As rehearsals intensify, the professional friction between the boss's daughter and the reluctant actress transforms into a deep personal connection, forcing Harlow to confront both her grief and her growing feelings.

Central Conflict

Harlow must overcome her stage fright and grief-driven reluctance while managing a high-tension romantic attraction to a woman she perceives as a 'spoiled brat' and the daughter of her employer.

Setting

Contemporary urban setting, primarily centered around an acting class and theater.

Themes

Stage frightTheaterGriefBoss's daughterSexual tensionSapphic RomanceEnemies to LoversContemporary Romance

Strengths

  • Compelling emotional stakes involving the brother's bucket list
  • High-tension 'enemies to lovers' setup
  • Unique theater setting that facilitates forced proximity

Consider before reading

  • Potential for heavy angst due to the grief backstory
  • Power dynamic issues regarding the boss's daughter trope
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Book Club

Discussion Guide

Questions to deepen your reading experience or spark a book club conversation.

  1. 1

    How does the central conflict shape the relationship between the main characters?

  2. 2

    Which theme — Stage fright — resonated most strongly with you, and why?

  3. 3

    How does the setting influence the characters' decisions and their relationship?

  4. 4

    Did the emotional payoff feel earned by the story's buildup?

  5. 5

    How do the relationship dynamics evolve throughout the story?

  6. 6

    Who would you most want to recommend this book to?

  7. 7

    How did the pacing affect your reading experience?

  8. 8

    Which aspect of the story did you find most compelling?

Questions are generated from approved book intelligence and may not reflect every reader's experience.
Trust & Transparency

How This Profile Was Created

Eikna uses book metadata and AI-assisted analysis to create structured romance profiles. Public profiles are reviewed and approved by an editor before publication.

Editor reviewed:
Yes
Last reviewed:
August 30, 2026
Confidence:
High confidence
Profile version:
eikna-public-book-intelligence-v1
Meet the writer

About the Author

LRM

L R Martiny

1 books
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Reader Reviews

What Readers Say

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Publication Details

Publisher
Independently Published
Published
2024
Language
English
ISBN-13
9798320818153

Acting Up: quick answers

Who wrote Acting Up?
Acting Up was written by L R Martiny.
When was Acting Up published?
Acting Up was first published in 2024 by Independently Published.
What genre is Acting Up?
Acting Up is a fiction romance novel, with enemies to lovers, forced proximity, opposites attract.
How spicy is Acting Up?
EIKNA rates Acting Up as steamy heat.

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Where to read or listen

Get Acting Up by L R Martiny

These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

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