First, a giant thank you to Avon and Harper Voyage and Netgally for the ARC for an honest review.

Hang the Moon is the sequel to Written In the Stars, where we first met Brendon as Darcy's brother. He takes center stage in this one along with Darcy's best friend, Annie. They haven't seen each other in about 8 years, but Brendon did have a crush on Annie when they were younger. When they see each other again, sparks are definitely flying, but Brendon is a hopeless romantic, waiting for the One whereas Annie has about enough with love and relationships since she has continuously been disappointed in her previous relationships with both women and men. Annie is planning on moving to London after receiving a promotion at her job, but Darcy and Brendon have other plans and will do what they can to change her mind and move to what is apparently the greatest city ever, Seattle.

The friendships in this book were beautiful. This wasn't just a romance story between Annie and Brendon, but a platonic love story between Annie and Darcy as Darcy refuses to allow her best friend to move across the globe. Their friendship is wonderful to see, and it was very forward focused in the book. Their friendship did not play second fiddle to Brendon and Annie's growing relationship. They both got equal time. We also have beautiful moments between Elle and Annie as well as Margot and Brendon, who were friends in the previous book. The friendships these 5 share is just lovely, and I honestly could just read a book of their shenanigans.

I appreciated the flip of roles in this book, where Brendon is the hopeless romantic and Annie is the reserved, slightly jaded one. This isn't anything new nowadays, but I still appreciate when authors flip the script. I've related to a lot of characters, and Annie was definitely one of them. No, my job doesn't have me jet-setting across the globe, but the feeling that love is rainbows and sunshine and the feeling of being left behind were two I connected with in this book.

The dialogue was witty and the scenes were funny. There were moments of immense cheese, but it really did fit the story since Brendon is a giant cheeseball anyway. I loved that all these romantic moments he tried to create always ended up in some kind of "disaster" that only did more to show how not every moment has to be magical or special. The chemistry between Annie and Brendon was very there, and yes, this book was rather sexy. I actually found it had less sex scenes than in the previous book, but it didn't take away from the story at all.

I loved this book. The romantic in me understood Brendon and the jaded part understood Annie, and I just allowed myself to wrap up in the warmth this book created. It's only January, but this will probably be in my top 10, if not 5, for 2021. I can't wait to read the final edited copy.

As soon as I finished reading Written in the Stars for my book club, I knew I wanted to read Brendon's story. I'm not a huge astrology person, but I am a rom-com person so I loved all the rom-com mentions (and Nora Ephron appreciation) in this book a bit more than the astrology discussions in the first book.

I would hate to try to figure out if I like Elle/Darcy together more than Brendon/Annie, but Brendon's love of rom-coms might be enough to make this book even better for me than WITS. Granted, I love them both. They're adorable and funny and sexy! I mean how could you not love a book that has:

- a "there's only one bed" scene
- romantic gestures
- Seattle (I've only been there once but I might have to move there)
- banter galore
- chemistry EVERYWHERE
- game nights
- Margot being hilarious

Overall, this book was a great read. I had planned to read something else before this one, but I couldn't resist. I read it practically in one sitting and I can't wait for Margot's story! (even if I have to wait a year)

A brilliant follow up to a Written in the Stars. Swoony, beautifully written, sparkling. Bellefleur is a new auto buy.

Hang the Moon, which takes place in the same universe as Written in the Stars, follows the relationship between Darcy’s best friend, the globe trotting Annie, and Darcy’s in-love-with-love younger brother, Brendon, who runs an online dating app. Brendan has been in love with Annie since they were kids growing up together, and now that Annie has showed up in town to visit, Brendon decides to convince her that romance is NOT dead, after all.

This was a lovely, albeit pretty standard rom-com. Bellefleur is an effortless, lovely writer, so it’s a pleasure to read whatever she cooks up. The joy of this series is that queerness is centered in the group of family and friends, but it is not in and of itself the source of conflict. Do I wish this had a more diverse cast of characters? Yeah. Do I wish that this particularly installment was more overtly queer? A little. Annie is bisexual and makes several references to the fact, but it’s not a central part of the story. That doesn’t really seem to be Bellefleur’s intent with these books, and I can completely respect that. At the end of the day, what you get is a well-written, trope-y, just hot enough to get you going, breeze of a novel that I think we can all find a place for in our lives in 2021.

First off, that cover is GORGEOUS. I just finished this and..... I loved this book SO much. This was such a smart, sexy, sweet rom-com, Bellefleur has taken several fun tropes and make it its own.

I loved this book especially because of the characters. Brendon could literally propose to me tomorrow and I'd say yes. I just adored him so much, all his six foot four inches plus he is hopeless romantic with dimples, while Annie is workaholic who wants to avoid all matters of the heart to avoid getting hurt again.
Watching Brendon and Annie fall for each other was an absolute delight. The way they softened into each other's company was beautiful--it was so satisfying, they just fit together like puzzle pieces.
Elle and Darcy were delight seeing again, I'm looking forward to Margot's story next!
This book felt like a warm hug and I recommend it to everyone.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

She says romance is dead. He is out to prove her wrong.

As soon as I finished the absolutely delightful contemporary f/f romance, WRITTEN IN THE STARS, I put in a request to read the follow up book- HANG THE MOON.

A hopeless yet adoringly optimistic romantic hero paired with a jaded, reluctant bisexual heroine who is not only his childhood crush but also his sisters best friend.

This book had everything I look for in a rom-com. It's sweet and swoony with some serious spice. There are endearingly tender moments followed by moments of undeniable chemistry. The secondary cast, that we got to know in the first book, help guide the story along with just the right amount of meddling.

As a rom-com movie aficionado I loved how the nods to my favorite films were woven into the narrative. Plus- there is a grand gesture. My heart will never stop flipping over meet-cutes and grand gestures.

This is a #ownvoices queer rom-com and I continue to enjoy experiencing the inclusion and diversity of Bellefleuer's characters.

While this can be a stand alone book, the character background I gained by reading the first book enhanced my enjoyment of the second.

I loved this book! I couldn't put it down and stayed up until 4 am reading it. I laughed, I swooned, and felt all the things. 10/10 would recommend. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

4/5

Upon hearing the sound of "there was only one bed" trope, ten years were added to my life. In this charming companion novel to Written in the Stars, we head back to Seattle with Annie, Darcy's long time best friend intent on surprising her for the weekend. Upon learning that Darcy is out of town with Elle, Annie spends the weekend with Darcy's brother Brendon, successful app creator and believer in true love, Annie is the exact opposite, sick of the modern dating scene and tired of trying. In just two weeks, Brendon will try to show her that there's more to love than holding on, and that maybe it has even been there all along.

Sometimes no plot just vibes really works, and in the case of this novel I didn't mind it one bit. After reading Bellefleur's first novel Written in the Stars, I couldn't wait to read it's follow up centered around Annie and Brendon. If there is anything I love, it's a friends to lovers romance where one person has completely given up on love and the other person has to show them what they are missing. Add to the fact that this included cute dates all over Seattle and I was completely sold. Admittedly there was more of a focus on these two characters overcoming emotional barriers and building a relationship, than there was plot, but as this is something the author does incredibly well, it didn't really bother me. Both Annie and Brendon are strong complex characters that you just can't help but root for. I mean Brendon, what can I say, he compared Annie to a potato chip, but made it sound romantic. I just love him so much. What I really did appreciate in this one, was the lack of an unnecessary third act breakup. Nothing against the use of them as a whole, it just definitely was not needed here. These characters were more on a journey towards finding a way to be together, than dealing with an unneeded break up. Bellefleur has once again grabbed my attention with the way she writes romance and showcases queer love. There was so much page time devoted to Elle and Darcy. I loved every moment we got with them. Hang the Moon may have not been up on the exact same level as the previous book, but it was wholesome, cute, and tons of fun. Looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Review posted on GoodReads (January 10, 2021)
Review linked.

5/5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for sending me an E-ARC for an honest review.

I loved Alexandria Bellefleur's first romance WRITTEN IN THE STARS, so I was really excited to read her new book. I went into this book with pretty high expectations and all of those expectations were met. This was such a beautiful, thoughtful, emotional, sexy, and fun romance! I loved both of our main characters Brendon and Annie, and I thought that their romance was such a beautiful read. After this book, and WRITTEN IN THE STARS, Alexandria Bellefleur is a new favorite romance writer of mine and I can't wait to read her next book!

If you loved WRITTEN IN THE STARS then I really recommend this fun next installment following Darcy's brother and best friend. If you love fun and sexy Adult Romance then this book is for you!

Thanks for reading!
Caden

I absolutely adored Written in the Stars so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Hang the Moon. The book follows Annie (Darcy’s best friend) and Brendon (Darcy’s brother) who are both an absolute delight. I was happy to find Elle and Darcy both still very much in love and present in this book but in the role of side characters. That being said, this book can absolutely be read as a standalone.

Brendon is the epitome of cinnamon roll. I have “marshmallow boy” written multiple times in my notes. I adore that as a child he wanted to be Hugh Grant when he grew up and that he has the Up house tattooed on his pec and that he cries while watching proposal compilations on YouTube.

Annie is just so normal and realistic. I love how self aware she is and how open and honest she is about where she is personally with both Brendon an Darcy. Her view of life is very similar to mine, so she really spoke to me.

The trope for this book is definitely best friends brother / sister’s best friend and it absolutely works. I loved that Darcy was there to meddle but was never a source of conflict, which felt realistic. Darcy’s involvement also added level of dimension she added to Annie’s character because not only was Annie navigating her relationship with Brendon she had to navigate her relationship with Darcy. Annie and Brendon had real chemistry and I loved all the memories shared showing their interactions as children / teens because it made their relationship seem more rounded than just an instant attraction fling.

I absolutely adored all the rom-com references. Especially the multiple references to love ferns because “You killed our love fern” is the greatest line of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and possibly all of rom-coms. The book itself is a rom-com full of heart and ridiculousness and thoroughly enjoyed myself from start to finish.

I can’t wait to read Margot’s book in 2022.

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

I will preface this by saying l have not read Written in the Stars and had no prior knowledge of any of the characters before diving into Hang the Moon, regardless, l thoroughly enjoyed this book and firmly believe it can be read as I stand alone.

Hang the Moon is a precious contemporary romance novel centering around Annie, an HR specialist who has decided that love is too much of a hassle, and Brendon, a self-proclaimed matchmaker who is in love with love and believes that romance is alive and kicking. On a whim, Annie decides to make a spontaneous visit to Seattle to surprise her best friend, Darcy, but also finds herself spending more time with Brendon, Darcy’s younger brother (who has definitely buffed up since the last time Annie saw him.) The book is set over the course of two weeks and shows the growing relationship between Annie and Brendon as Brendon aims to show Annie that love is out there and worth it.

This book was adorable and had me grinning while I read the entirety of it; I loved not only Brendon and Annie, but the other charters as well. Darcy, Elle, and Margot are all extremely well written and I loved seeing them pop up on the page.

While this book was a very good, lighthearted read that is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face, I do wish there was more of a plot as I am a plot driven reader. I also feel like Annie was a bit under-developed and that the major conflict of the story was resolved way too quickly and easily. I felt myself wanting more of a story as the book was wrapping up and found the resolution of the story a little clunky.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading Alexandria Bellefleur’s other works!

I received an ARC of Hang the Moon through Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 4.5/5 stars
Publication Date: 5/25/21

After loving Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur, I could not wait to read her follow-up novel. Hang the Moon is Annie and Brendon’s love story and is absolutely adorable. It can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading them in order.

Brendon, a hopeless romantic and creator of a successful dating app, was a standout for me in Written in the Stars. He is hot and loves Nora Ephron, so of course I was obsessed. When his childhood crush, Annie, comes to town to surprise Brendan’s sister, he falls in love all over again. Annie, however, has given up on love and Brendan makes it his mission to make her believe in romance again by using the greatest movie romcoms as his guide. As a huge fan of all romance movies, I enjoyed all of the movie references. When Bellefleur name-checked the Holy Trinity of Romcoms (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail), I was sold.

Hang the Moon is a sweet, cozy, and charming romance. All the characters you fell in love with in Written in the Stars play a large role in the story, but never take away from the main romance. Alexandria Bellefleur once again creates a love story with sharp humor and a ton of heart. Fans of Kerry Winfrey and Abby Jimenez will love this heart-warming story.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alexandria Bellefleur's next book does not disappoint! Brendon is a hopeless romantic with a (allegedly former) crush on his sister's best friend, Annie. When she comes to Seattle before moving to London, Brendon finds himself in a race to convince her that dating and love isn't the disappointment she's familiar with.

I liked this more than "Written in the Stars", I thought all the romantic tropes were a fun way to learn more about Brendon. I personally feel like Annie's character was a bit under-developed but it didn't take away from this book being a delight. I definitely recommend reading her first book before this one as it will help shed light on the supporting characters!

Thank you to Avon and Avon Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Really liked this story! It was an easy, romantic read and a good distraction from the world. I love that the hopeless romantic in the story was male, breaking down the toxic masculinity barrier, and that he wanted to woo Annie instead of just getting in her pants (though he was happy to do that as well...lol).

I'm loving all of these interconnected rom-com series that have been coming out over the last couple of years (Talia Hibbert's and Alisha Rai's are two favorites) and Alexandria Bellefleur is definitely on that list! While I enjoyed WRITTEN IN THE STARS, I liked HANG THE MOON even more. There was so much squee worthy chemistry, I loved all the characters, and I always appreciate the discussions of complicated friendship and family dynamics. Highly recommend!

The second book from Alexandra Bellefleur I read in 2020, having fully enjoyed "Written in the Stars"!

Brendon is absolutely a hopeless romantic. He loves romantic comedies and is the head of an online dating app that is designed to create love matches instead of random hookups. When his sister's best friend shows up unexpectedly - while his sister is out of town - Brendon becomes the de facto tour guide for the woman he nursed crushes on as a teenager! She's given up on dating, so it's up to Brendon to prove to her that romance can still exist in a world of "swipe right or left".

This is a great addition to a series of queer love stories - Annie is bisexual, yes, even though she fell in love with a man.

Last year, I read WRITTEN IN THE STARS and it was one of my favorite books of the year. So it was a great deal of hope and anticipation that I started HANG THE MOON as my first read of 2021. This book met and exceeded every single one of my hopes.
I loved this book. Brendon is just as sweet and optimistic as he was in WRITTEN IN THE STARS and meeting Annie, Darcy's best friend, was the best. She is funny, snarky, vulnerable, and flawed in ways that made me completely fall in love with her.
I love romance books that bring along characters we already know and love and this was no exception. Darcy, Elle, and Margot are present and prominent characters in this book and I hope we will see more of all of them in any future books from this author.

I love this book! This is the best way to start 2021.

You really should read Written in the Stars before you read this. You probably could get by without having done so, but I feel like I wouldn’t have the connection with the characters if I haven’t read Written in the Stars before. Hang the Moon centers on Annie, Darcy's best friend who lives in Philadelphia but recently got a big promotion and will be moving to London. Before she moves halfway around the world, she decides to surprise Darcy with a visit, only to find out that Darcy is out of town for the weekend with her girlfriend Elle. Annie ends up spending the weekend with Darcy's brother, Brendon, who is the creator of a dating app and had a huge crush on her growing up. He is a diehard romantic who believes in grand gestures and true love like you see in the movies. He is shocked that Annie has given up on dating and is cynical about love. He makes it his mission to make her believe in love again. Along the way, they end up developing feelings for one another and Annie has to decide if she'll follow her head and move to London or follow her heart and move to Seattle and maybe find everything that she’s looking for.

The book did a great job expanding on Annie and Brendon, but there was lot more expanding Annie’s character than Brendon. I think the reason for that is because we got to know Brendon pretty well in Written in the Stars. In Hang the Moon we see his personality expanding and new sides of him, but the basics are in Written in the Stars. We didn’t know much about Annie before this book, and we learn all about her. I loved that we learn how Annie and Darcy became friends (the story was so funny and Darcy’s reaction was typical Darcy) and Annie’s feelings regarding their friendship and how it’s changed. Annie and Brendon’s chemistry is sizzling and jumps off the page. Brendon is super sweet, romantic, adorkable with a naughty side. He leaps in with both feet and is the perfect other half for Annie who is more cautious and reserved. Her reasons for the things she was feeling were so realistic and understandable. I am a rom-com fanatic and I was so happy with all of the movie references throughout the book. Alexandria Bellefleur has such a spectacular way of writing characters that are loveable, and realistic. Written in the Stars was one of my favorite books in 2020 and was thrilled when I saw she was coming out with Brendon’s story. Her novels are exactly what I’m looking for when I read romance: a great story, well-thought out characters, and sizzling chemistry. This was the perfect, feel good rom-com; I think this book will be a big hit. I’m so excited that book 3 will delve into Margot, I absolutely love her character and I can’t wait!! I HIGHLY recommend this and Written in the Stars to all romance lovers!

This book is for everyone who adores romantic comedies and believes in happy endings. Brendon is a true romantic. Heck he even founded a matchmaking website (similar to eHarmony - but with a broader reach). He loves all things romance and wants everyone to find love and a happily ever after. He even successfully matched his sister with her girlfriend. He's been working hard at finding his own happily ever after but hasn't found anyone he feels fireworks with. Annie is Brendon's sister's best-friend. She is a world-traveling HR consultant who has finally accepted a position that will keep her in one place - London. A really long way from Seattle where Brendon and his sister live. Brendon had a major league crush on Annie growing up - but hasn't seen her in 8 years. When Annie visits Seattle as a surprise - they reconnect in a major way. Brendon wants to convince Annie that romance isn't dead - and Annie goes along for the ride.

I loved everything about this - Brendon is just pretty much the sweetest guy ever. He listens to Annie and really wants to learn her and support her happiness in a very real way. Annie is skeptical of the whole romantic experience - she just doesn't trust that it can last. Her issues and concerns are handled in a really honest way.

I also think the other characters were just wonderful as well!

Overall - I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a happy ending and a hero who is the opposite of toxic masculinity!

I was extremely lucky to receive this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own!

An adorable love story. I really loved Brendan and Annie, they were sweet and very undramatic which is an odd description but I love how simple they were. Brendan was wonderful, he was so sweet and it was nice reading about the guy being the one in love with love.