Rosewood: A Midsummer Meet Cute

Two Bengali American teens fall for each other while being scouted as extras for a television show in this rollicking Sense and Sensibility and A Midsummer Night’s Dream mash-up by DasGupta (Debating Darcy). Growing up, Eila Das wanted to be an actor. Her practicality prompts her to give up on that dream to become a lawyer instead, however, and though that decision is bittersweet, she’s excited to attend the prestigious Norland Summer Shakespeare Academy—until the course is canceled and replaced by a camp sponsored by the producers of TV show Rosewood, described as “Bridgerton meets Murder, She Wrote.” Even worse, her pop culture–obsessed, hopeless romantic younger sister Mallika submitted an application on her behalf, and she was accepted. Eila is hesitant to attend but relents when Mallika insists this could be her last chance to pursue acting. While there, Eila meets and falls for Rahul Lee, a fellow Bard fan and the only other camper able to match her wit tit-for-tat. DasGupta’s wish-fulfilling meet-cute bursts with South Asian pop culture references, Regency-era history, and Austenian and Shakespearian tropes, making for a timely and deeply romantic jaunt. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)