Back of Book: 

Who says you can’t rewrite the stars?

1962—Twelve years removed from the summer when she first gave her heart away, Dr. Elizabeth (Ellie) Spencer, Professor of Astronomy at Indiana University, receives a mysterious package that has her asking that very question.

Inside the unmarked box is a novel written by Ellie’s first love, Jack Bennett. It tells the story of a young man and woman who meet at the water’s edge and fall madly in love, only to have their romance cut short by forces beyond their control. Ellie quickly realizes this is no ordinary story; it’s their story. Captivated by Jack’s words, she immerses herself in the pages, reliving the adventures they shared that magical summer. To her astonishment, hidden among the tales of star-gazing and stolen kisses is a detail that has her questioning everything.

Seeking answers, Ellie turns to her sister for help, but before they can get to the bottom of the mystery, news reaches them of their aunt’s death, sending Ellie back to the water’s edge with the hopes of finding the truth and rewriting the stars.

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Romance | Contemporary 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟 

A romance set against the backdrop of the sea that fate has already written in the stars.

Jack Bennett has lived in a small, seaside town in Tennessee his entire life. He dreams of nothing more than spending his time on the water and taking care of his mother. That is, until Ellie Spencer appears before his boat, demanding that room is made for her to come aboard. For Jack, it's love at first sight. As for Ellie, it doesn't take long for a single spark to become a summer of romance. But can a teenage summer romance survive the test of time when outside forces seem so set on keeping Jack and Ellie apart? Or will they find a way to rewrite the stars and claim their own destinies?

This one was a pretty mediocre read for me. I really enjoyed the beginning when Jack and Ellie fall in love as young adults. I thought the moments on the island were cute, the presents that Jack gave Ellie were meaningful, and I love the story of the mockingbird and how Jack tied this to their relationship. It was a cute set-up and made me want to root for the two of them. However, the back and forth that the two went through of being on-again off-again was very annoying and had me lamenting the fact that these two couldn't make up their minds. Did they love each other more than anything else or not? I know love is never simple, but I honestly can't believe that these two didn't blow their chances with one another by their indecisiveness alone.

I'm going to sound this at risk to sounding like a broken record, but this story really reminded my of Spark's "Dear John" mashed together with "The Notebook." I know that many adult love stories encompass very similar tropes and themes (even many of Spark's books read near the same thing), but I often found it strange how much this book reminded me of these two Sparks novels. This isn't exactly a bad thing, but it really did up the predictability by quite a bit when many of the same things happened throughout the story in hauntingly similar ways.

I think my favorite thing about this book had to be the usage of stars. The fact that Ellie is an astrologist and Jack is a sailor means that both of their livelihoods depend on the stars. I thought this made it extra cool to use stars metaphorically throughout to talk about how small humans are, how fate can seem predetermined, how "fated" things can change on a whim, and how Jack is Ellie's North Star, all while Ellie is Jack's "keeper of stars." It might not be the most unique concept, but paired with the mockingbird and the arrowhead, I thought that Jack and Ellie had a pretty solid selection of objects to imprint on and metaphorically wax poetic about.

Overall, "The Keeper of Stars" was a decent romance between a small town boy and a girl with dreams as untouchable as the stars. I didn't particularly connect with Jack or Ellie and I found the rest of the character's to be, for the most part, quite petty. I didn't hate the romance, but I didn't find myself exactly rooting for it either (as long as Jack didn't end up with Sara *shudder*). In the end, the book was quite predictable and the way that the story got to that point was often frustrating. All in all, a very middle of the road kind of romance—not terrible, but not anything amazing.

Back of Book: 

Before Ellie Spencer came to Sims Chapel and caught Jack Bennett’s eye, Sara Coffee had been the brightest star in his universe. Having grown up together, Sara and Jack were best friends, their bond as deep as the river that formed the lake where they spent countless summer days fishing and sharing dreams. But then Ellie Spencer happened, and everything changed.

Desperate to keep Jack’s attention, Sara takes matters into her own hands, ending the blossoming romance before it has a chance to fully bloom. Twelve years later, Sara appears to have it all—including Jack. But when Ellie returns after her Aunt Clara’s passing, Sara is once again on the outside looking in. And when the secret of her betrayal finally comes to light, Jack ends their relationship, leaving Sara to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.

In search of a new beginning, Sara flees her home and settles in the quiet beach town of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. She lands a job as a paralegal for Andrew Hastings, a successful lawyer who left the big city after a painful breakup of his own. From the start, there is an undeniable chemistry between them that only intensifies as they collaborate on their first case. But can Sara open her heart to someone new or is she forever chained to her past, to the memories of Jack Bennett and the love they once shared?

Book Number: Two

Genre: Adult | Romance | Contemporary 

Review: ? 

Back of Book: 

From the author of The Keeper of Stars and A Thousand Distant Shores comes the story of a woman who, after tragedy, discovers that even in the darkest of times, love has the power to heal and transform.

Two years after writing the memoir of Judge Sara Hastings, 31-year-old Diane Montgomery finds herself at a crossroads. In the quiet solitude of her Kitty Hawk beach house, she contemplates the decisions that have brought her here: the choice to abandon her career in journalism to write a novel, the decision to move her and her daughter halfway across the state, and the ultimate decision—moving on from the loss of her husband.

But when she meets Nathan Garner, a 37-year-old artist who has recently opened a gallery near the beach, she is taken aback by the stirring of something familiar in her heart. Something that whispers of second chances and sunlit futures. That is, until Sara Hastings passes away, leaving Diane to grapple with a grief that is both new and hauntingly reminiscent of the past.

Can Diane gather the fragments of her heart and put them back together, or will she allow herself to be consumed by the tide of sorrow? 

Book Number: Three

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance

Review: ?