Publication Date: 10th July 2025
Purchase Link: https://geni.us/SeetheStars
Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228885851-see-the-stars
Genre: Women’s Fiction
3.8 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming!
Book Blurb:
Do you ever feel
that life isn't going to plan?
When Alice Thorington
collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must
finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship,
well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it
would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her
dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.
Her childhood home brings
complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing, and
two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than
interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage
crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant
so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?
Filled with heart and warmth,
this uplifting novel reminds us all that we need the darkness if we want to see
the stars.
***
My Thoughts:
The story comes in Alice’s third-person POV.
This is the second book I read in the same month dealing with burnout in a 30-something career woman. The rest of the plots are vastly different, and both books have handled it well.
The main reason I got the book
was because of the stars. If my plans had gone the way I wanted them to, I
would have been an astrophysicist. I love space and all things up there in the
vast, wide universe. The book does justice to the topic without making it sound
like a science show.
The narrative shifts between
the past and present. The past comes in installments with the year clearly
marked. Though it may seem like you have to calculate the age, there’s no need
to do it every time. Once is enough. You can track it from there.
This is a book where almost
every character is flawed. They are not evil or villainous. They are just
people with flaws, and those who thought it was the right thing at that time. I
like that the fiancé is not made to be a bad guy. No need to demean him
unnecessarily, right?
The characters are not that
deep, but they aren’t shallow either. While we could have gotten more
information (especially about Matt), the story works fine with what we know.
It is not romance. It is
purely women’s fiction with just a bit of ‘love’ that doesn’t dominate the
central plot, not even at the end.
The book also touches on
academia and politics, among other topics, especially when you are a woman in
STEM. I’m sure you can guess what I’m implying!
Bertie, the 13-year-old, is my
favorite. The kid is super smart (but no social cues),
which makes him a refreshingly honest buddy as those around him try to be
polite and say the right things.
To summarize, See the Stars is
a heartwarming and introspective read about life, relationships, passion, and
doing what makes one happy (while also bringing an income).
Thank you, Rachel’s Random
Resources and Piatkus, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my
honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
***
About the Author – Eleanor Ray
Eleanor Ray is the author of
the highly acclaimed novels Everything is Beautiful and The Art of Belonging.
She has an MA in English Literature from Edinburgh University and had a career
in financial marketing before turning to writing. She lives in London with her
husband and three young children.
See the Stars, her new novel,
is about reclaiming our dreams and was inspired by her own career change. Her
son’s passion for space fuelled her research, and together they visited science
museums, planetariums, and observatories around the world. She is currently
writing her next novel.
Follow the Author:
Instagram: @eleanorraybooks
Facebook: @eleanorraybooks
TikTok: @eleanorraybooks
X: @eleanorraybooks
***
This has been a stop on the #SeeTheStars blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources (@rararesources). Thanks for stopping by!
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