Review: Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
I’ve been in a bit of a reading rut in November. I’ve been in the thick of the Throne of Glass series and while I am enjoying it, I am not loving it the same way I loved the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. It hasn’t been as bingeable of an experience for me and I’m not loving the story as much.
We know I love romance, so when Written in the Stars arrived on my doorstep, I knew it was the perfect palette cleanser I needed. And it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this romance that is “holiday adjacent”—I wouldn’t say it’s a holiday read, but it takes place between Thanksgiving and New Years, so the most wonderful time of the year!
Thank you to Avon Books for my copy!
Synopsis: “After a disastrous blind date, Darcy Lowell is desperate to stop her well-meaning brother from playing matchmaker ever again. Love--and the inevitable heartbreak--is the last thing she wants. So she fibs and says her latest set up was a success. Darcy doesn't expect her lie to bite her in the ass.
Elle Jones, one of the astrologers behind the popular Twitter account Oh My Stars, dreams of finding her soul mate. But she knows it is most assuredly not Darcy... a no-nonsense stick-in-the-mud, who is way too analytical, punctual, and skeptical for someone as free-spirited as Elle. When Darcy's brother--and Elle's new business partner--expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. Was Darcy on the same date? Because... awkward.
Darcy begs Elle to play along and she agrees to pretend they're dating. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family during the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year's Eve. The last thing they expect is to develop real feelings during a faux relationship. But maybe opposites can attract when true love is written in the stars?” —From the publisher
What I Liked:
The Characters—I loved how full of life the characters felt. They reminded me a bit of the characters from Schitt’s Creek! Colorful and funny and unique.
The Trope—Fake dating, it’s always a fun one! There’s a lot at stake and we got a peek into Darcy and Elle’s minds as they struggled to cope with their feelings.
The subtle Pride & Prejudice themes—Okay I’m not sure this was supposed to be a full on retelling but I definitely got that vibe! I mean, we have a stubborn main character named Darcy who doesn’t want to fall in love. Need I say more? Also Elle is short for Elizabeth and she has siblings named Jane, Lydia, and Marcus. I REST MY CASE.
The Representation—I loved a woman/woman relationship! I’m so proud to read and love a genre that has done so much for LGBTQ+ representation in literature.
What Didn’t Work:
Sometimes it was a little hard to follow when we switched from Elle’s POV to Darcy’s, but that could definitely have been my error or lack of awareness.
TW/CW: Mention of infidelity, strained mother/daughter relationship
Character Authenticity: 5/5 Steam Rating: 2.5/5 Overall Rating: 4.5/5
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