Mutual Interest

At the turn of the 20th century, Vivian Lesperance is determined to escape the narrow expectations of her working-class upbringing in Utica, New York. When she meets Oscar Schmidt, a modest soap company employee with little interest in women, she sees an opportunity—not for marriage in the traditional sense, but for a mutually beneficial alliance. With Vivian's drive and Oscar’s pliability, she intends to build an empire and live freely, pursuing her love affairs with women behind closed doors.

To realize her vision, they enlist Squire Clancey, heir to an old-money fortune. As Clancey & Schmidt rises to prominence selling soaps, perfumes, and candles, the trio forge a bond that defies convention—both professionally and personally. But when Oscar and Squire fall for each other, and public scrutiny grows, their carefully constructed arrangement threatens to unravel.

Sweeping yet intimate, Mutual Interest is a richly imagined tale of queer love, hidden lives, and the price of ambition, set against the seductive promise—and peril—of American industry.