I really wanted to like this book, but tragically it fell flat for me. I'm super sad about it and that sucks. But I thank you, Netgally, for being so wonderful and precious to me. YOU da real MVP.

REVIEW: Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

This novel is a beautiful sapphic romance with a Seattle backdrop and all the adored angst from Pride and Prejudice, and it’s #ownvoices, which I love to see! We follow Elle (Elizabeth) Jones, co-owner of the astrology social media sensation, Oh My Stars, who is a hopeless romantic looking for her soulmate, and Darcy Lowell, a neat and serious actuary focused on anything but dating. But Darcy’s brother is persistent, and he sets her up with Elle who is consulting his dating app company. Their date goes up in flames of disaster, but Darcy makes the split second decision to tell her brother otherwise, hoping to keep him off her back. Elle agrees to the mutual benefits a fake relationship will get her with her family’s high expectation. But the lines between fake and real start to blur, opposites attract after all, and you can’t change what’s written in the stars...

This books was a perfect match for me! Angsty + sapphic + fake dating trope = Magic. I truly adored how authentic the characters were, their emotions came alive off the page, and the writing was stunning. As I’ve said before, I especially love queer stories that are written through the lens of normalcy. As in, nothing would be different if they were a straight couple, because it is accepted as it should be. The romance was the perfect combination of rawness and endearing moments. They had excellent chemistry and the relationship developed at a great pace. I enjoyed the text conversations and astrology posts sprinkled throughout as well. Overall, this is one of my favorite romances I’ve read in a while, and it even had the perfect amount of festive warmth to add to its magic. My one criticism is the ending was a bit abrupt and I would have liked to see more of the resolution play out, especially with the families and friends. Otherwise, I highly recommend this!

Rating: ★★★★.5/5

When Elle’s new friend and business partner sets her up on a blind date with his sister, she should have known it would be disastrous. Elle is a whimsical, free-spirited social media astrologer, while Darcy is a guarded, logical actuary. While the date is a hot mess, Darcy and Elle agree to fake-date. It’s a win-win situation: Elle’s family will see that she’s settling down and finally take her seriously, and Darcy’s brother will get off her case about finding a relationship. Their arrangement is set to last until New Year’s Eve, and the number one objective is to avoid falling for each other. But can you really avoid something that’s written in the stars?

With a touch of Pride & Prejudice vibes, Written in the Stars is an adorable contemporary queer romance novel. Alexandria Bellefleur perfectly employs the fake-dating and opposites-attract tropes, while still giving us a fresh, can’t-put-down rom-com. Elle and Darcy don’t hit it off so well at their blind date, but keeping up the ruse of their relationship repeatedly forces them to spend time together. I loved watching the chemistry between these two polar opposites, and it was so fun to see them both struggle to deny the attraction.

But underneath the hilarity of fake-dating, this book also tackles some big issues. Elle has been working tirelessly to build up her social media astrology brand, and is on the brink of signing a huge deal with a dating app (owned by Darcy’s brother). Elle’s family doesn’t see her business as a real career, and she struggles with getting them to take her seriously. Meanwhile, Darcy is still recovering from a serious relationship that ended painfully--she has difficulty trusting and isn’t quite ready to let someone in again. And Darcy’s got family troubles of her own, too: she has a strained relationship with her absent mother, and has always put pressure on herself to take care of her younger brother. Alexandria Bellefleur does a superb job of weaving complex themes on family, self, and identity with a light-hearted, sweet romance. Written in the Stars explores trust and vulnerability so beautifully.

Elle and Darcy are two very different but equally compelling protagonists. Elle is fun, free-spirited, and utterly whimsical. She’s forever dreaming of finding her true love, and is incredibly passionate about astrology. I adored her from the very start and totally wanted to be her BFF. Darcy is the total opposite: she’s on the uptight side and is a by-the-book actuary. But on the inside, Darcy is a total softie who’s been hurt. Written in the Stars has a fleshed-out, three-dimensional cast of supporting characters, including Elle’s roommate & business partner Margot, Darcy’s best friend, and their respective families (especially Darcy’s brother Brendon). I love that this novel portrays women having meaningful platonic relationships!

In terms of diversity, Elle is bisexual, Darcy is a lesbian, and Elle’s roommate & business partner Margot is pansexual. As a queer woman, I enjoyed these characters and felt that the representation felt authentic--and it’s always wonderful to read a book about queer women simply existing. I love that the ‘problem’ of the book wasn’t rooted in their queerness, and the novel wasn’t focused on coming out. The main characters were all white, and while I overall loved this sweet romance, it would have been nice to see more BIPOC characters.

I loved Bellefleur’s writing and am definitely counting Written in the Stars as one of my new favorite romances. The pacing was spot-on, and the chemistry and tension between the two protagonists was palpable. Once I picked this one up, I couldn’t put it down because I just needed to see Darcy and Elle admit their feelings for each other. The Seattle setting and the timing (set around Christmas and New Year’s) made this contemporary feel so atmospheric and cozy. Written in the Stars is cute and sweet, but it’s also full of steam! And while there’s a wealth of fake-dating stories out there right now, Alexandria Bellefleur definitely brought a new, fresh spin to this trope.

Written in the Stars is an utterly adorable, heart-warming contemporary queer romance that had me swooning from start to finish. Romance readers who enjoy the fake-dating or opposites-attract tropes will love this one, as well as fans of Pride & Prejudice. I’ll also be recommending this one to fans of Casey McQuiston and Meryl Wilsner. Alexandria Bellefleur has definitely become an auto-read author for me and I have a feeling I’ll adore her next book--it’s practically written in the stars.

This book has been living rent-free in my brain since page one and I simultaneously couldn’t stop reading it while not wanting it to be over. Whether you’re a Pride & Prejudice superfan or just looking for a delightfully quirky, steamy f/f romance, you really can’t go wrong with Written in the Stars. Elle is a charming, energetic heroine that bounces off Darcy and her slightly pricklier exterior so nicely, and the chemistry between them was off-the-charts delicious. Bellefleur has a reader in me for sure and I’m already looking forward to Darcy’s brother’s book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

Rating: 3 stars

“Written in the Stars” was one of my most anticipated romances for the latter half of 2020. P&P is one of my favourite books and I honestly couldn’t wait for this sapphic, contemporary retelling. However, this, unfortunately, fell a little flat for me.

First up, I adored the writing style and the story was super fast-paced, which I loved. I also really enjoyed the beginning and the hilarious first date disaster Darcy and Elle had.

I normally really enjoy books with the fake dating trope and as this also had the P&P retelling element, I was expecting to love it. But I found myself drifting throughout, I wasn’t invested in the characters or their romance. I didn’t particularly feel the connection between the mcs either. I just felt really indifferent to the whole thing, I didn’t love it but I also didn’t hate it.

Overall, I would recommend this to people that like contemporary romance with queer main characters, unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me, but I definitely see why people love this one!

This took me a while to get through, to be honest, because I found Darcy to be too abrasive and condescending up front and Elle to be way too "fluffy." There were definitely things I loved, though! I did love the incorporation of astrology and the relationship development. They ended up balancing each other out in a really sweet way. I think it's a unique story, which is definitely hard to find in the romance genre.

This book was a perfect light read for around the holidays. Elle and Darcy's relationship is cute and steamy. Alexandria Bellefleur reflects two types of people: someone who is longing to find their person and someone who is terrified to love again. The Astrology metaphors were a unique aspect in the description of the settings and characters. There is a very realistic aspect to Bellefleur's writing that I can't quite put my finger on. I loved the pop culture references which added some humor. The message I took from this story; there is only one choice: happiness.

I’m a sucker for books set in Seattle and the fake dating trope so this was a must pick-up that absolutely lived up to the promise of both. Elle and Darcy and the cast of characters surrounding them were super enjoyable to read and cheer on for them to sort out their real feelings.

Fake dating tropes can be very entertaining. This story was done well. Elizabeth Jones, free spirited astrologer, with a warm and open heart; looking for a long term relationship. Darcy Lowell, focused actuary, self-reflective and working to mend a broken heart. Both women deal with overbearing parents and for the most extent supportive family and friends. Elle though sunny and bright struggles with a family that does not think much of what she does for a living and therefore, that makes her sad and question herself. Darcy, heartbroken, finds it hard to believe that she could be swept off her feet.

While reading, I thought about the important of communication and the give/take and push/pull within a relationship. Sad to say, the ending was not satisfying because in my opinion, it was rushed. Which is unfortunate because the story in general was good.

Written in the Stars is a sweet, fun sapphic fake dating romance that gave me many warm-fuzzies. Darcy just recently moved to Seattle after her ex fiancé cheated on her, and her brother who believes in One True Love keeps trying to help her find someone. That leads to a disastrous first date with Elle, an astrologer who’s got a contract in the works with Brendon’s dating app. In an effort to get Brendon off her back, Darcy claims her date with Elle was the beginning of a new relationship, and now she has to sell the lie.

Elle is such a sunshiny, hopeful person who likes to believe in magic and fate and true love. In contrast, Darcy is more jaded and tends to keep her feelings close to her chest, especially as she saw how her dad cheating on her mom and that marriage ending led to her mother having a severe case of depression. Darcy is terrified of being like her mother, and as her feelings for Elle grow so does her fear.

I really enjoyed the friendships and familial bonds, although both Darcy and Elle have complicated relationships with their mom. Elle’s mom in particular is kind of toxic with the pressures she puts on her kids and the ways in which she belittles Elle’s success, all while claiming she just wants the best for Elle. I really enjoyed watching Elle and Darcy grow closer and their feelings develop from reluctant fake dating to something real.

Overall this was a fun romance with lots of feelings. The endings was especially sweet, and I’m looking forward to Brendon’s story next.

What a great way to start off my holiday reading! This book follows Darcy and Elle, who start off on maybe the worst blind date in history as they then find themselves in a fake relationship for the holidays.
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First off, the premise of this book is right up my alley. Lighthearted, fun, a bit sarcastic with incredibly likable characters, and who DOESN’T like a fake dating trope?? How they found themselves in the relationship was both realistic and reasonable. The story played out very much like a hallmark movie which is very fun.
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While there might not be a ton of substance, the characters still have very real moments which grounds the story which I totally appreciate. If you are looking for something light, fluffy, and yet still pretty spicy (this is an ADULT book, might I add!) this is definitely a great holiday read for you!

I absolutely loved Elle and Darcy’s story! This was a fun fake dating story that starts with a terrible blind date. I really loved Elle because she is very much like myself - she believes in true love and wears her heart on her sleeve. Darcy is super logical and has been burned before so it was an interesting pairing from the start. I would definitely never be in a fake dating situation but I love seeing them unfold in fiction because I can’t do anything but root for them falling in love. I felt like the conflict was really well done and the story was just a lot of fun!

*ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher*
4.5 stars
This was basically the sapphic holiday romcom I’ve been looking for. Darcy and Elle were polar opposites, but somehow their dynamic worked so well. The supporting characters were fleshed out and very pleasant to read from. The writing was much more dramatic than the book warranted, but it absolutely worked to make the story more tangible. I loved Elle’s love for astrology, and I thought the addition of the match making business was such a fun part of the story.
This reads like a sapphic Hallmark movie, and I loved every second of it.

<B>3.5 Stars rounded up to 4</B>

A cute sapphic nod to Pride and Prejudice. The characters were complete opposites and clashed immediately, but when Darcy Lowell tells her brother they hit it off so that he will stop his match-making schemes, Elle Jones gets wind of it and marches right over to call Darcy out on her lie. Darcy manages to convince Elle to go along with the scheme for the holidays and nothing will ever be the same.

This book was cute with both hate to love and fake dating tropes. Darcy started off as just a loathsome character, Elle was terribly naive, but over time they grew on me. This book suffers from the "why don't they just talk" phenomenon in most romance and had they not purposefully refused to do so they could have suffered a lot less headaches. I think without that fault the author could have built a deeper and more meaningful bond (and story) as well.

All that being said, I look forward to seeing what else this writer has in store for us.

Written in the Stars was an adorable ff romance. And I must admit although I haven’t read any sapphic romances before 2020, I’m glad I changed that when I picked up SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT earlier this year. Since then, I’ve been adding more and more ff romances to my tbr.

Overall I was very happy with Written in the Stars, it was incredibly cozy, endearing and charming. Thanks to the two main characters, Elle and Darcy, their attraction, and connection was heart warming.

They were such vivid characters, and although they were pretty much opposites in demeanor and interests, their attraction gave them a reason to meet in the middle. And I just loved how they, after a not so great first impression, had each other’s back, and learned so much about the other. Their relationship grew and made sense, outside of their attraction. I really felt they actually complimented each other in a very endearing way.

You can’t go wrong with this #ownvoices queer rom-com debut, which was well written, and had some popular tropes like fake dating, and some enemies to lovers at the beginning. I’m looking forward to more books by this author.

I loved this book! Elle and Darcy have an instant spark the quickly ignites. This book will make you feel warm and fuzzy just in time for the holidays. If you love banter, the opposites attract sunny/grumpy trope, this book is for you. Warning, I seriously jonesing for an escape room after reading this though as I was reading this during a lockdown.

“If Elle had one dollar for every time someone had used the word fun to reject her, she’d--no, it’d still suck no matter how many dollars she had.”

Elle Jones runs the popular twitter astrology account, Oh My Stars, and dreams of finding her soulmate. Darcy Lowell does not believe in astrology or soulmates. She’s an actuary, and finds solace in numbers and logic. So when Darcy’s brother and Elle’s coworker gets it in his head that the two should go on a blind date, Darcy is immediately apprehensive. As far as first dates go, it was an absolute disaster--for both parties. So when Darcy’s brother tells Elle that Darcy was smitten with her, Elle knows something is up.

Desperate to avoid her brother’s next set-up, Darcy lies and puts Elle in an incredibly uncomfortable position. Torn between being truthful and wanting to help Darcy out, Elle reluctantly agrees to pretend to date until New Year’s Eve, some five weeks away. Although it’s a fake relationship, the two can’t deny that sparks fly when they’re together. Will this relationship stay fake, or will something real blossom between them?

First, if you couldn’t tell, this is an LGBT romance. But that is not the sole characteristic of this novel. It is a true blue romance novel--the gender of the characters should not be a deterrent for you. It is cute, toe-curlingly sweet, and insanely passionate. Darcy and Elle feel tangible, real, and like my best friends by the end of this novel. This romance also realistically deals with familial strife, as well as gives a good idea of what it is like to be dating in the LGBT world.

This is also the first book I have read by Alexandria Bellefleur and I can’t wait to read more of her work! If you’re a fan of Avery Flynn, Emma Hart, or The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts, you’ll LOVE Written in the Stars and will be dying for more!

I just found a new favorite romance book!!!!



Ok, so I’m obsessed. As soon as I started this and was around 10% in I already knew it was going to be a favorite, and that feeling didn’t change one bit as I finished this story. Darcy and Elle were absolutely perfect and their story was a joy to read from start to finish!


Elle was literally the embodiment of Rapunzel from Tangled. She’s positive, energetic, and hopeless romantic. I loved everything about her! Meanwhile, Darcy is literally the opposite. I wouldn’t say so a negative person, but she thinks with her head, is focused on her work, and is NOT looking to be in a serious relationship. She is responsible and analytic. In hindsight, you wouldn’t think they would work, but they fit each other so well and really complimented each other. They had so much chemistry from the get go, and their scenes were just too cute and made me smile multiple times! I specially loved their text messages to one another, those were some of my favorite parts!


I could not recommend this book enough. Great writing, amazing set of characters and swoony romance!

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC

I am a huge P&P fan, which made me hesitant as I started reading Written in the Stars. Needless to say, I was so thankful that this book was fantastic! I really enjoyed getting to know Elle and Darcy, from their horrible first meeting (c'mon, we've all had those dates) to their first hook up (hello steam) to their happily ever after. I love reading queer romance done right, not with any weird fetishized overtones. I can't wait to read the next book AB puts out!

CHRISTMAS GAYS!!!!! In Seattle!!! In all seriousness though, this book was an absolute delight. Even though Darcy and Elle were about as opposite as it is possible to be, they had SO MUCH chemistry and I was rooting so hard for them from page one. This book was exactly what I was hoping it would be and honestly you all just need to read it, like, yesterday. Also extra bonus points for the sexy scenes bc they were A+++++++++