Honestly this book was a little on the insufferable side. There was so much that was just purely unnecessary in this book which made the story drag on and on. for example, the heaven scene at the end.... what the point in that? it added nothing to the book and if it had not been added it would have changed nothing about the case. Euthanizing the dogs. What was the point of that? What did that add to the book? the only reason I did not give the book 1 star is I did think the two main characters that end up lovers are nice. In general, I would not recommend this book to anyone.

The concept and the characters are well-done but more editing was sorely needed. I found myself wishing for it to be over, which is frankly very rare when reading romance.

This was a pretty middle-of-the-road read for me. I think if you're really into astrology this will be up your alley. I do like it when stories have a fun cast of characters, I think this just had too many side stories – which I get is part of the interconnectedness of this book and story overall – but I found it a bit hard to connect with the characters since it felt like we only got pieces of them.

This was a quick and engaging read. Easy to get into and hard to put down, really enjoyed the storyline and characters throughout.

I have a big interest in astrology and found this one to be really cute! I’m not a big romance reader but this rom-com was great.

This book is centered around Justine and her futzing around with astrology predictions for a chance at love even though it could get her in trouble at work. I also found Justine to be quirky which was a nice change of pace as I can most deff relate to that.

If you want a funny, light, romantic read… pick this up!

I wanted to love this one more, but the writing style was a little choppy for me. The idea was cute and had a lot of promise, but it just didn’t pull me in like I hoped it would. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Minnie Drake for my galley!

*** My sincerest apologies to the publisher. At the time I went to review this book years ago, I had selected "I will not be giving feedback on this title" because I didn't realize that I could still leave title feedback for a book I DNF'd. I've since learned that a DNF still counts so long as I can provide my honest thoughts as to why I DNF'd, so I am now remedying my feedback on this book and sharing my review .***

(DNF at roughly 75%) Well, I'm so sad to say that Star-Crossed didn't end up working out for me after all. And I know it's rather late to DNF a book near the 75% mark (note to self: maybe don't push on for so long next time), but alas, here I did just that. I got to the point where I found myself dreading to pick it up, so I threw in the towel. Let me explain.

While I at first found the storyline to be fun, smart, and different (I was really digging the astrology/horoscope angle)... it all began feeling lengthy without really going anywhere, and totally lost my interest. The messy writing/plot and so many characters to keep tabs on, my growing dislike for said characters, the weird dialogue the main character had going on with her own brain (awkward?) ultimately combined to push me over the edge. Plus, I felt it totally lacked the romance aspect I had signed up for!

I so hate being negative towards a book and an author's hard work, but I also always want to be completely honest when I share about books! So there you have it. I'm not saying don't read this book, because it very well may be one you really enjoy! It just didn't happen to be the book for me.

Expected to enjoy this one more than I actually did I found it to be boring. The pacing felt off for me too and sorta choppy.

When childhood sweethearts Justine (Sagittarius and serious skeptic) and Nick (Aquarius and true believer) bump into each other as adults, a life-changing love affair seems inevitable. To Justine, anyway. Especially when she learns Nick is an astrological devotee, whose decisions are guided by the stars, and more specifically, by the horoscopes in his favorite magazine.

This book was okay. There were some really cute moments but there was too much astrology for my liking

I love a cute rom com and add in astrology--- Heck Yes!!!!
Im looking forward to more books by Minne Darke

Expected to enjoy this one more than I actually did I found it to be boring. The pacing felt off for me too and sorta choppy.

Eh, not the book for me but that is all personal preference. I didn't care much for the characters or story. Thank you for my copy and I hope the next book by this author works for me!

This book just didn't do it for me. I thought it was going to be right up my alley because it is about astrology and romance. I was so excited to read it. However, I just couldn't stay focused on it. The references to astrology were so heavy handed that I couldn't even keep up with what the different horoscopes were. The characters didn't leap out of the pages like I wanted them to. The story wasn't terrible, and I believe other people may enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me.

Sometimes even destiny needs a little bit of help. When childhood sweethearts Justine (Sagittarius and serious skeptic) and Nick (Aquarius and true believer) bump into each other as adults, a life-changing love affair seems inevitable. To Justine, anyway. Especially when she learns Nick is an astrological devotee, whose decisions are guided by the stars, and more specifically, by the horoscopes in his favorite magazine. The same magazine Justine happens to write for.

If you're not too familiar with Astrology, this book will definitely will make you go read all about it! The story was super cute, I would recommend giving it as a gift to a good friend! This book is filled with cute little laughs that will make your teenage heart smile.

I have learned so much about astrology from this book. There is a great chemistry between Justine & Nick and there message basket between apartments is just adorable. The perfect book to binge. Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

While the plot line intrigued m,e I felt the book was a little slowed paced and I struggled to connect with the characters,

A sweet and easy read, “Star-Crossed” is a unique romantic story that embeds astrology amongst a whimsical set of characters. I think I enjoyed the idea of this book more than the story itself, but it definitely offers a fun and quick narrative that satisfies a comforting read craving.

I really enjoyed the astrological aspects of this book! Consistent throughout. Job well done! I would definitely give this 4 stars only because though it was not a page-turner for me, it was still really good!

This Australian novel was a delightful read. Justine Carmichael has been working as a copy-runner at the Alexandria Park Star, doing whatever is asked of her while she waits for a reporting position to open up. The Star has developed over the last thirty years from a street rag to a glossy current affairs magazine. Justine runs errands, gets coffee, delivers messages and generally does whatever needs to be done. Justine has an incredible memory, a love of literature, and a penchant for correct grammar. She carries a sharpie in her purse and corrects signs, menus, and other sources of grammar and spelling mistakes that she encounters in her day. Nick Jordan is an actor, so far not very successful. His latest gig has him wearing a fish costume at the local market, which is where Justine and him meet, or rather meet again after several years of not seeing each other. Their mothers had been best friends, until his family moved across the country. Justine has never really forgot Nick and the one evening they spent together at the young age their were then.
Catching up on each other's lives, Justine discovers that Nick is a big believer in horoscopes, particularly the ones that run in the magazine she works for. When an unexpected opening at work brings the transcription of the horoscopes under Justine's purview, she can't resist tweaking them to encourage Nick to think of her romantically. But of course, Nick is not the only Aquarius reading those horoscopes, and there are other people who make life choices based on what Justine has done.
I really enjoyed this read, liking Justine, and Nick and several of the other characters that come along. There is a good deal of humour, a general light-hearted flavour to the book, and of course some romance. Definitely recommended.

Was anyone going to tell me that this novel was set in Australia, or was I just supposed to figure that out by myself?

The thing that I enjoyed the most about this book was the way that it dealt with the “ripple effect.” The multitude of characters, and the way that they interact with each other, was so fun and fresh! This really helped set the book apart from the multitude of other romantic dramas out there.
Additionally, the synopsis was pretty original, and it was absolutely hilarious how incorrectly Nick interpreted all of Justine’s horoscopes. Mainly, though, it was a pretty sleazy thing to do. It was a little unrealistic how quickly Nick forgave her, and how dense he was being about the whole thing.
I’m not going to lie, the whole flipped seasons in Australia really threw me off. I cannot fathom living through winter without a festival every other week. Dandiya, Hallowen, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Navratri, Christmas, New Year’s, and my birthday are the only things that get me through the winter. But, I digress.
Overall, Star-Crossed was sweet and easy to swallow, but it seriously lacked depth. The connection between Justine and Nick feels a little underdeveloped, and you just have to take their attraction as a given because the story does not really dwell on it. Still, the book has some amazing sequences that really lean into the power of fate, and it did make me a bit of a believer myself :)