Darcy and Elle could not be more unalike, but sparks fly on their disastrous first date. Despite their incompatibility, Elle and Darcy agree to fake date to get their families off their backs. Eventually fake feelings mix with real feelings until the two women each realize that they don't want to go back to how things were before.

The description for this book mentions Bridget Jones' Diary and Pride and Prejudice, which immediately got my attention. However, I misread the description and thought the novel was a retelling instead of a "nod" as it says. The only elements of Pride and Prejudice are personality traits and some family names/circumstances, but the plot does not share many similarities other than the enemies to lovers trope. That said, this was an enjoyable F/F romance. It relied on tropes like enemies to lovers and opposites attract, but I love that in queer books because we (queer people) historically don't get uncomplicated, fluffy books. I wish there had been less focus on the physical descriptions of the Elle and Darcy, but that's part of reading romance novels. Overall I would recommend this to someone looking for a nice fluffy queer read.

I'm always super happy when a new author comes out with a debut book that really shines. This one does just that, and now I'm looking forward to more books from her.

It has the classic stuck up woman who falls for the carefree and sweet woman. The ice queens are always my favorite, and Darcy is that but also surprisingly a little dorky. When that side comes out, Elle realizes they are more alike than she thought previously and the initial physical chemistry evolves to something else.

This book was also one of the first fake dating books that seemed realistic. A lot of the ones in this genre feel very contrived, but they really only made a plan to go to two functions together and it evolved naturally from there.

What I particularly liked about this book was Elle. Even though she was the type that would give the shirt off her back to anyone, she wasn't a pushover when it came to Darcy. If she was upset, or felt like Darcy was in the wrong, she let her have it! No wet blanket!

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to others.

I enjoyed this read! I'm a sucker for tropes so I was pleased to see "opposites attract" and "fake dating" at play -- and in a modern F/F romance, at that. Elle and Darcy were likable MCs, and their journey from mutual dislike (and mutual unwilling attraction) to head-over-heels was done well. The family drama on both sides was realistic and I was pleased that not everything was perfectly resolved with a bow on top.

I have to say that this book was written for a very specific type of reader: the educated-but-underachiever millenial who owns several pieces of quirky Harry Potter merchandise and divides her time equally between horoscope memes, AO3, and literary/aesthetic Tumblr and Instagram. I'm not quite the target audience, but those who find themselves nodding along fervently to that description will find a lot to love in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for an ARC of this book.

Oh. My. Stars. This book is a blessing from Sappho Herself. I don't know what I was expecting with this book; I requested it because I thought it looked cute and I like reading about astrology sometimes. I wasn't expecting this book to crash-land into my "Favorites" pile with all the force of a meteor.

There's something so satisfying about a guarded-yet-secretly-loving ice queen/king getting thawed into a pile of goo by a Giant Cinnamon Roll. Elle and Darcy are two of the most different people on planet earth, except for their capacity to love. So, of course pure, fluffy, cotton-candy magic ensues. Not to mention, this book was laugh-out-loud funny at times, especially in the first half.

I'll probably end up buying a physical copy of this book just so it can keep it propped up on my bed like a stuffed animal. I can't wait to read more books by Alexandria Bellefleur!

Alexandria Bellefleur’s Written in the Stars is an absolute delight. It has all the trappings of an adult romance that lesbians will honestly love. From the fake dating trope, enemies to lovers, the grumpy and sunshine odd couple to slow burn, I literally devoured this book so quickly and it hit every beat wonderfully.

Darcy Lowell is a quiet, serious woman focusing on furthering her career. After getting heartbroken by her ex-fiancee, she moves halfway across the county, determined to never fall in love again, or allow herself to be so vulnerable and open to heartbreak like her mother. Elle Jones, on the other hand, is a quirky, eccentric astrologer who wears her heart on her sleeve, who quit her doctorate in order to follow her passion of astrology, building a career from writing horoscopes on the side to landing a deal with a dating app developer. However, after spending her whole life in her parents’ high expectations and her successful older siblings’ shadows, even optimistic Elle is starting to wonder if she has a soulmate.

Their personalities crash right away after one disastrous date that leaves both of them convinced that they will never see each other again. Darcy, however, is soon caught in a lie by her brother and has to lie further, saying how her and Elle hit it off. So the two strike a deal: They will pretend to date through the holidays so both their families will get off their backs. Of course, nothing is ever so simple. As the date of their fake break up approaches, both women are wondering if they ever really want to give what they have built together up.

I loved this book. I wanted to read this right away after discovering that this was a wlw (women loving women) Pride and Prejudice modern adaption. It immediately washed my mouth out of the horrible transphobic experience I had with Curtis Sittenfeld’s Eligible. Honestly, though, I would have read this book without the Pride and Prejudice hook; I especially liked how Bellefleur didn’t rip straight from the source, and, instead, took the main characters’ personalities and transported them to a modern setting with references to the source material. It was fun in a way that a lot of modern adaptations find themselves lacking, as if the author feels so trapped by the source material that the outcome feels lifeless.

It’s not perfect, but honestly that doesn’t detract from the experience. There are a lot of trappings of fan fiction, like switching third person perspectives and noting how often a character bites their lips or blushes, but the latter is more of a pet peeve of mine. Sometimes the writing felt more like young adult fiction than adult romance, and I’m not sure why the first line of the description mentions a nod towards the Bridget Jones’ series. Bellefleur could have spent more time on the finale instead of rehashing that both characters internally feel that this could end in disaster. There were some loose ends that I wanted to know the outcome of, and more development of other characters, but Darcy and Elle stand out on their own. I found that a lot of the struggles both Darcy and Elle will strike a chord with a lot of LGBTQ readers in their late twenties and early thirties. Darcy and Elle’s past heartbreaks leave you hurting and will make you even happier when the two of them do get a shot at a more optimistic future.

I wish the finale was a little stretched out but the sex scenes have me not complaining. I would recommend this book to my LGBTQ Jane Austen friends, and even to any of my LGBTQ friends who needs a cheesy romance without the triggering scenes with homophobia. It’s a perfect romantic getaway during the tough year everyone has had.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of #WrittenintheStars

Written in the Stars was exactly the right book for me right now. It’s the perfect mix of romance while still being realistic. The fact that is a female female relationship just makes it a whole lot better. The story follows two women, Darcy and Elle. Elle being the hopeful and more head in the clouds of the two, while Darcy is more straight up and precocious. The two are set up on a blind date my Darcy’s brother and, in short, the date doesn’t go well, but Darcy tells her brother it did to get him off her back. The two begin fake dating and the rest is history. Overall, the book was very well written and and excellent representation of love between women while also being polar opposites.

3.5 stars

Darcy Lowell has given up on love after a particularly rough breakup. If only her younger brother Brendon would stop trying to set her up on blind dates. Darcy hates denying Brendon anything, but after a particularly rough date with Elle Jones, Darcy's total opposite, Darcy puts her foot down—kind of. She tells Brendon that she and Elle hit it off, hoping that it will get Brendon off her back for a few months. Unfortunately, Elle finds out and Darcy has to loop her in on the farce. A fake relationship is born, but what happens when it stops feeling so fake...?

This was a cute story, but it ultimately had a bit too much going on for me.

The Characters: So I ended up really liking both characters, but neither of them was very realistic. Elle was very much a caricature of a bubbly blonde. Hearing her narrate was a bit of a struggle. I don't know if it's just because I'm much more of a Darcy-like person, but I can't imagine someone thinking the way Elle does. Despite this, Elle gets points for well-roundedness. Darcy is serious and a more realistic person for me, but her character felt less developed than Elle's. Her main issues were the heartbreak of her past and her relationship with her mom, but she didn't quite get enough space to explore those issues. There are some involved side characters, but they're pretty much there to support the leads and don't have much of their own subplots going on.

The Romance: Some of it was cute, some of it was a bit over the top. I guess fauxmances are rarely realistic, but I felt a disconnect between their extreme attraction to each other and their insistence that the relationship was just a mutually beneficial business deal. I will say, the sex scenes were hot. And I liked how in the short period of time before everything went to shit, they had a really supportive relationship where they had each other's backs.

The Plot: Err, nothing really happens beyond the romance? We know there are other things in play, such as Elle and Darcy's respective jobs, but we don't get to see the final results of those. I felt like a lot of the actions taken by the characters did not make sense. They were doing stuff just to stir up drama, talking over each other, creating misunderstandings, etc. It was a bit exhausting to read about. Still, the book was relatively engaging. I kept reading, at least.

The Writing: Confusing. It was pretty hard to read. The book alternated between Darcy's and Elle's (third person limited) POVs within the same paragraph, and I had trouble following some of the sentences because of the ambiguous use of "she." Some parts had pretty language, but much of it was at least a little jumbled for me.

Other notes: This book is a typical take on a commonly used trope (fauxmances), which wouldn't have bothered me if it was better written. I guess my most general criticism of the book is that it lacks maturity and purpose, and certain bits felt dumbed down. It felt more like YA than an adult romance.

All in all, this was an entertaining story, but it also made my head hurt a little bit. There were lots of moving parts that didn't quite come together, but it was a decent first effort, and honestly, I'll probably still pick up the sequel.

**I received an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Brendon is convinced that his sister Darcy needs to start dating, and since finding out that his new business partner, Elle, is having dating troubles, he arranges for Darcy and Elle to meet. Except the initial date does not go well at all. Darcy and Elle are exact opposites. Elle believes in finding your one true pairing and soul mate, Darcy thinks that notion is ridiculous. Elle enjoys box wine, Darcy only drinks expensive wine. Elle relies heavily on social media, Darcy does not "do" social media. And this list of opposites continues. However, because Darcy wants to avoid being set-up on additional dates, and Elle would like for her family to take her seriously, they agree to have a fake relationship for a few months. As they begin to spend more time together, they realize that there is more to it than just the outward attraction. Will it be possible for Darcy to open her heart and realize that Elle is everything she wants and needs?
This was a very nice read. Elle & Darcy as main characters were relatable and Brendon & Margot as secondary characters added just the right amount of flare required for the story. Very well done.

Darcy Lowell brother set her up on a blind date with Elle Jones. The date starts off decent, but ends in disaster. Her brother then quizzes her on the date and she convinces him that all went great because she is tired of being set up on these blind dates. She swears him to secrecy, but when Elle sees Darcy's brother the next day, he lets the cat out of the bag. Next thing you know, these two have agreed to be a fake relationships.

There are many things I enjoyed about Written in the Stars. It was well written. Bellefleur either knows a lot about astronomy and astrology or did her research. I often found myself comparing to information she gave up on the zodiac signs. I also love fake romances. This one came together well because she made sure the characters learned a good bit about each other. Also, I liked that they didn't continue to pretend that they didn't like one another. The two mains also have chemistry and the overall story line holds on to that chemistry as they move to pretend this relationship really is fake. There are also some deeper issues here about acceptance and trust on both sides. Bellefleur just does a good job at playing all of the cards out in a sequence that wants you to keep reading. I could go on, but if you like a good fake romance or just a good romance pick up this one. 4.25 stars

Elle and Darcy are set up on a blind date by Darcy brother Brendon who happens to be Elle business partner.

They immediately realize they aren’t’ right for each other but when Darcy tells her brother that they are match he thrill and congratulations Elle but Elle is baffled because it was the worst date she been on. When Darcy tells her she just told her brother that to keep him from trying to set her up again she ask Elle to play along and Elle agreed if she goes to her family and pretend they together also. As they fake a relationship they are surprise that real feelings are happening between them but will they take a chance to make a fake relationship real.

I love this read it remind of some of my favorite hallmark movies. I just wish Hallmark Movies Channel would do same sex couples and interracial couples but maybe one day they will.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Elle and Darcy are total opposites, set up on a blind first date through Brendon— Elle’s new business partner, and Darcy’s brother. Elle is the whimsical social media influencer responsible for “Oh My Stars,” a wildly popular astrology based twitter account, and is intent on finding true love. Darcy, on the other hand is an actuary who loves all things practical, and does not believe in finding a soulmate. It’s obvious that the two don’t initially hit it off, but when Darcy lies to her brother saying that the date went well, the two are forced to fake a relationship that just might turn into something real.

This book was super cute! Darcy and Elle were such vivid characters, and I loved seeing their personalities clash, and eventually compliment each other, through the course of the book. It was adorable to watch them open up to each other more, despite their differences. The dialogue was one of the best aspects of this book; I feel like Alexandria Bellefleur really got the “trendy/modern” lingo down, without making it feel awkward, forced, or cliche.

That being said, I wish there had been more of that awesome dialogue. I found that a lot of times, each line of dialogue was interrupted by tons of description, largely about the appearance/movement of the other characters. It definitely made me feel more present, or “in the middle” of the scene, but it was also a little jarring to have the dialogue separated so much. I would get really distracted and have to reread sections frequently. Additionally, it seemed like a lot of points were rehashed over and over (yes, we get it, Darcy thinks falling for Elle would be a bad move, and Elle doesn’t want to mess up her business deal with Brendon, it doesn't need to be said every other line). The story would have been much more enjoyable for me if Darcy and Elle weren’t constantly restating their inner feelings. Some of the language and phrasing was also very repetitive, which got annoying (although I should note that the ARC I received to review is not the final edited copy).

I can’t say if the book truly was a nod to Pride and Prejudice besides the names, as it has been years since I read it, nor Bridgette Jones, as I’m not familiar with that story at all. Regardless of that, I thought the story was good just as itself. It is refreshing to see LGBTQ+ characters who are 1) sure of their sexualities 2) don’t have an identity based solely on their sexuality and 3) do not have to “overcome” some aspect of their sexuality. Don’t get me wrong, books depicting the struggles of being LGBTQ+ and finding one’s identity are important, but it is also nice to see them portrayed with the same sense of normalcy given to heterosexual relationships.

Overall it was a cute story that I enjoyed, there were just some elements of the way it was written that bothered me. If the repetitive language were fixed, it would probably be 3.5 or 4 stars, but for now I have to give it a 3/5.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review! My review will be posted on Goodreads closer to the publication date.

A refreshing twist on pride and prejudice. A story of patience in finding love. It felt a little dragged out in some places but overall was an enjoyable read.

This book was so CUTE!!!! I don't think I fully realized how sweet and relatable this story was going to be before I started reading, and I fell in love with it. It's a lighthearted gay romance between two dynamic female characters. I loved the dynamic between them: they were fresh approaches to gay women in literature with complex personalities. Their femininity was expressed in different ways without letting them fall prey to stereotypes. This was the perfect romance to celebrate pride month with. Probably more of a 4.5 rating because of some of the predictable plotlines, but this made me too happy to give it less than 5 stars!

When I first started reading this book, I honestly thought that it would be about a 3 star at most. However, once I reached about 30%, I could not put this book down. The book, loosely based off of Pride and Prejudice as well as Bridget Jones’s Diary, bases its characters more on them than the plot itself, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I imagine if one were to criticize this book, they would say it follows common tropes found for the genre. To me though, that is one of the appeals of the book. This book is just a nice, pleasant read, and it offers an escape for about eight hours.

This book is hilarious and relatable. Before I reached the point of adoring this book, I thought the characters were both funny and like people I know. The fact that astrology led to them having an argument at the beginning made me laugh out loud, even though the more I read, the more I understood why it was such a sensitive topic for Elle. I also really enjoy that while it is a fun, cute book, it still touches on themes many Gen Z and millenials feel as far as the choices we have to make about our careers and lives. I enjoyed that Darcy chose a sensible career because of how she grew up, and Elle chose the career she loved because she was tired of doing what pleased her family and not herself.

Overall, this book was pleasant, sweet, and a wonderful escape. I will certainly be reading more of Bellefleur’s books in the future, and I recommend everyone read this one as well!

This was cute. It's not exatcly a p&p retelling, the author uses the p&p dynamic and there's a reference here and there but that's about it. Written in the Stars is its own thing.

If you like romcoms you'll love this one. It has fake dating, grumpy x ray of sunshine trope, blind date disaster, opposites attract... It was very quick to read and I had a good time. I enjoyed their chemistry a lot.

It's about a social media astrologer and an uptight capricorn who have a very bad first date and have absolutely nothing in common finding themselves in the position to pretend to date each other in front of their families.

I liked Darcy the most, she is extremely rational and doesn't deal well with feelings and I liked that Elle made her work through her trust issues and that Elle didn't accept less than she deserved just because she was in love with Darcy

Elle is half of an up-and-coming astrology team that has just landed a deal with popular dating site OTP. Darcy is a straight-laced actuary with baggage (and the sister of OTP's creator). When the two have the Worst First Date Ever, they both plan on going their separate ways. But when push comes to shove, the two decide to fake date so that Darcy can help Elle increase her standing in her family's eyes and so that Elle can help get Brendon off Darcy's back. But then they fall for each other-- hard and fast.

I was super excited to see another major publisher putting out a lesbian romance! And I went in with moderate hopes, and those hopes were met until about 1/3 or 1/2 half-way through. And then I got tired of Elle's childlike personality. And then the last third of the story drags. And the barely concealed homage to Pride and Prejudice? No thanks.

On the steamy to chaste scale, it's a 7.

LGBTQIA+:
- Both Darcy and Elle are lesbians.

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. This was amazing! At the very beginning I was laughing out loud and as the book progressed I fell more in love with the characters and the story line. This book was outstanding and I can't wait to re read it!

Ahem. So, I’m guessing, the author who wrote this book. She has to be a Gemini, cause Gemini? - Witty? Ingenious? Or maybe a Pisces, cause Pisces - Empathic? Expressive? Or probably a Capricorn, cause Capricorn - Practical? Organised? For some of these attributes are written into the personas of Elle and Darcy. Some of these are impressed upon the readers with the style of writing. This is some debut. And way.to.go.

If you feel invisible, are rooting for the underdogs of the world, you have not met the One, or you are the everyone-just-don’t-see me disillusioned damsel waiting for your princess, then you will find the book gratifying.

Oh, and did I mention the cover works for me? Sweet! Treat yourself to the book!

I just reviewed Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur. #WrittenintheStars #NetGalley

This is a truly delightful romance. Darcy and Elle are fabulous and I rooted for them for their first disaster date.
It’s also sexy as hell and nice to see queer women having sex in a romance instead of shying away from it

Love it.