Cover Image: Stars Collide

Stars Collide

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Member Reviews

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful read!

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Stars Collide alternates perspectives between Eden Sands and Anna Moss. After the pair perform a duet at the Grammy awards, Anna is invited to open for Eden on tour. But what starts as a plan to generate interest in a career low point and give ticket sales a boost develops into a supportive friendship… and more.

This story has a slow burn sapphic romance and a little age gap and a lot of performance and fanfare and things that I love so much. I really loved how unabashed the characters were about their relationship and sharing it with the public eye. I loved watching the characters showing up for each other even before they were romantically involved. I loved their adventures and quiet afternoons and how they respected each other as artists. This book truly warmed my heart and it was so nice to read a sapphic romance with this kind of storyline.

This was my first Rachel Lacey book and I flew through it in a day. Suffice to say it will not be my last!

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Stars Collide takes you on a journey through the dazzling yet lonely world of music superstardom, offering a glimpse behind the curtains of fame through the eyes of Eden Sands, an experienced celebrity grappling with the emptiness that often accompanies success. With her recent album's flop and her circle of intimate friendships shrinking, Eden longs for a comeback, but when her team suggests a collaboration with the up-and-coming Anna Moss, she hesitates.

One thing I really loved about this novel is its the charismatic characters. Eden and Anna, flaws and all, draw you in effortlessly, making it impossible not to root for them as they navigate the highs and lows of their relationship.

The exploration of fame's isolating nature intrigued me. The author paints a vivid picture of the pressures and loneliness that come with life in the spotlight, reminding us that fame isn't always as glamorous as it seems.

Despite all this, Stars Collide was a 3-star read for me. I felt that certain plot points were a bit predictable, which I expected given it's a contemporary romance. And while the connection between Eden and Anna was explored, I would have loved to see more depth in their relationship.

In summary, Stars Collide is a captivating read that offers a glimpse into the world of fame, music, and relationships. Although it's predictable, its take on the familiar themes makes it an enjoyable read. If you're looking for a story with romance, drama, and a touch of stardom, I recommend it.

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A fun refreshing celebrity romance read - I was a little sceptical about the age gap, but this was such a good binge read!

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Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I enjoyed this so much!! I loved the idea of an older popstar and a younger popstar falling in love so much, and I was really rooting for the characters & their relationship! I’m a sucker for celebrity romances in general, so I really enjoyed looking behind the scenes of their tour and their performances! The writing style was also very easy and nice to read, so I finished this book very fast! The only criticism I have is that I felt like, at times, the age gap was a bit exaggerated, with Anna seeming younger and more naive and Eden seeming so old and wise, even though their age gap was not that big (27 and 36). Other than that, I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a cute and spicy sapphic romance!

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Love how the author clearly stated that she wasn’t writing about any specific celebrity and yet, Eden is just so Taylor Swift coded, it’s almost absurd😭. Anyway, it was a very good romance, I truly enjoyed it which is great because I rarely find romance books to be good so a 4⭐️ is already an achievement. I liked their chemistry and how their relationship developed. If you don’t like coming outs in queer romances, skip this one. I, however, thought it was nice to see an “older” woman go through that journey. I say older because we usually get these stories with teenagers or young adults not 30 and 40 year olds. I just found the third act conflict slightly annoying but they truly communicated well so in the end I didn’t mind it that much.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

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The age difference dynamic was odd. I kept picturing Eden as much older after they kept mentioning how Anna was a huge fan of her as a teen but she’s not. It’s not that big of a difference.
She is only 36, and she is presented like she’s 50-60.
The characters also don’t speak like real people.
It was hard to get into this book, sadly.

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Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey was a cute rom com that I devoured. I am always a fan of the pop star/musicians falling in love theme. Add the sapphic love story angle, and this one is a winner. I also appreciated the May/December-ish element of Eden and Anna's relationship. I'll look to read more from Lacey.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

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Oh my this book was so fun and the romance was gorgeous! I couldn't get enough and would highly recommend.

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This book was satisfying and fun! I love to see more late-in-life queers. It really holds up from beginning to end and the even the 3rd act breakup made sense within the character arcs.

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Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey is a heartwarming story of two musicians, Eden Sands and Anna Moss, who come together for a collaboration that could change their lives forever. Eden, a seasoned musician, is struggling to regain her lost fame after her last album flopped and her upcoming tour failed to sell out. In contrast, Anna is a young and upcoming pop star, who is looking for a chance to be taken seriously as an artist.

The story takes the reader on a journey of how these two women, from different generations and musical backgrounds, come together to create something magical. As they rehearse and work on their duet, they discover that they have more in common than just their love for music, and soon realize that they have developed feelings for each other.

The author has done an excellent job of portraying the complexities and challenges of the music industry, and how it affects the personal lives of musicians. The characters are well-developed, and their emotions and struggles are relatable. The chemistry between Eden and Anna is palpable, and their love story is both sweet and steamy.

Overall, Stars Collide is a beautifully written romance novel that will leave readers feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves music and a good love story.

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When reading this book, I found myself saying awww quite a bit out loud.

Eden Sands has basically been a pop star for the past two decades (she also has to provide for her leech-like family members) but her last album didn’t do so well. Her tour…well, those ticket sales haven’t been great either.

In comes Eden’s team to make a suggestion. Collaborate with the newest pop star on the scene, Anna Moss, at the Grammy’s. After some pushback, she ultimately gave in and Anna was contacted.

Anna says yes to performing with Eden and the two begin rehearsals. Eden starts feeling things for Anna that she didn’t think she could. After all, she always identified as being straight (also she was married to a man for many years). As time progresses and issues are thrown at them, the two become close and fall in love.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Anna was basically a fan girl when it came to Eden but she also wasn’t creepy about it. I liked the chemistry between Anna and Eden. I could have done without the third-person interference but otherwise, it was such a cute read.

Thank you @netgalley & @Montlake for the eARC!

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This was a ‘it’s me not you’ thing. I normally can do celebrity romance with age gaps but this just didn’t work. The chemistry also felt a bit forced for me considering that is her boss and the fact the younger partner had an issue with another ex who was her boss that she admired that was older than her.

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This was such a cute read, so much fun. I really enjoyed it it a lot and couldn't stop reading. I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

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I loved this sapphic celebrity romance. It was so enjoyable. It was a great slowburn with obstacles to their relationship. This was such a quick read. I felt very much in the setting with the writing of the time they spent performing on tour. Their problems were so real and relatable. I really loved it!

I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I am always a sucker for a beautiful book cover and this one fits the bill!

This book is a great one that focuses on self discovery and finding true love. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is the first book that I have read by Rachel Lacey. I will be checking out more of her work!

Eden Sands has been in the music industry since she was a teenager. Recently divorced, her career is fizzling out so her manager suggests that she collabs with a younger, popular artist, Anna Moss. Anna has always had a crush on Eden so it was a dream come true to sing with her.

These characters are very likable, the story is well written -there were a few times that I felt were drawn out but it was a very sweet story.

This book has…
Sapphic Romance
Friends to Lovers
Slow Burn
Age Gap
Rockstar Romance

Thank you to @netgalley @rachelslacey for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my honest review!

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I love celebrity romances, and making it sapphic really was a recipe for success, but I don't think the writing did the subject justice. I couldn't buy the romance, it did not feel like it was built up properly. I could not buy the chemistry.

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Pop star Eden Sands star-meter is on the decline and she just got divorced. When her team convinces her to have rising star Anna Moss join her in a Grammy’s performance she finds herself once again in public favor. Eden decides to bring Anna on tour with her and the two spend more and more time together. Anna is openly pansexual and while in her company Eden discovers she isn’t as straight as she once thought and realizes her difficulty in connecting with men may be because she is only attracted to women. Their friendship blossoms into a full-blown relationship.

I really like Rachel’s books, but this one didn’t capture me like the other books I’ve read from her. In celebrity romance I always struggle when the focus is only on them coming together because the coming together in a high-profile relationship is the easy part, it’s the what happens after that is difficult and the more interesting story. I’m going to be honest I was nervous this was going to turn into Gaylor fan-fic and was very pleasantly surprised that it never crossed into that territory. I did like both Eden and Anna. Anna provided very good pan representation and Eden’s self discovery was very lovingly written. I really liked the two of them together, but don’t think that in reality their journey would have been such smooth sailing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I received a free copy of Stars Collide from Netgalley and Montlake in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first sapphic romance I’ve read so I will say that I have nothing else to compare it to. Stars Collide is a great story told with complex characters in a series of settings that test them as individuals, as a pair, and as famous people.

Eden’s stardom has been going on for twenty years, and Anna’s has only just begun. When Anna is offered the opportunity to tour with Eden, she can’t possibly refuse. Eden is her idol and Anna knows she could learn so much…but she didn’t count on learning that her attraction to Eden might be returned.

The main trope in Stars Collide is celebrity romance, with both characters having different levels of fame. Added to that is that Anna is openly queer, and Eden isn’t, though it becomes increasingly obvious to fans that the two singers have chemistry. The only reason this novel lost a star for me is that I figured out how much I don’t like celebrity romances. But if you do, Stars Collide will be a definite hit.

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