What. A. Book. Alexandria Bellefleur must have some direct line to my brain because Count Your Lucky Stars has everything I could ever want in a book. Queer heroines reuniting as roommates after a failed high school hookup? Check. Sexual tension out the wazoo? Check. A scene involving a curious cat and a dildo (be assured, the cat does more harm to the dildo than the dildo does to the cat)? Check (okay, maybe I didn't know I needed that last one, but the point still stands). Filled with heart, humor, and more than a little steam, this is the sapphic romance of my dreams!

The third book in this series does not disappoint! Bellefleur writes such great, rounded out, inclusive characters. I had enjoyed Margot as a side character in the first two books so, I was thrilled to get her story. The dialogue is funny, the romance is steamy, and the cast of characters is also a great read. I can't wait for what comes next!

I have loved the Written in the Stars books since the very first one. I love that these books don't just center around the romance, but the friendships as well. This is still the case with Count Your Lucky Stars, but that was probably the highlight of the book. The romance really fell flat for me, and for some reason this book felt incredibly rushed. I also didn't feel the chemistry between Olivia and Margot. I could see why they were best friends, but beyond that? I just didn't see it. I also have a really hard time believing that Margot would hold a torch for Olivia for ELEVEN YEARS. That didn't scream healthy to me honestly. And I have a lot of issues with Olivia jumping into a relationship 10 months after her divorce. She was with Brad for nearly half her life, she finally gets divorced and within 10 months (okay maybe 11), she's ready to start something again? She hasn't even really had time to figure out who she is without a significant other, to really find her place and footing in Seattle, and boom, she's ready to start back up with Margot. Okay, sure. This book felt rushed, as if Bellfleur was trying to get this out and be done with this series, and it left me slightly disappointed. Margot and Olivia deserved better. I liked it, but the other two will remain superior to me.

Count Your Lucky Stars is a very sweet and adorable sapphic love story. Bellefleur’s books feel like watching a well-loved romantic comedy that you can enjoy time and time again and this new book is no different. Margot and Olivia are thought-out characters who leave you rooting for them. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two and how they complimented the rest of the characters (main characters from her previous books). I’m not usually a huge fan of second chance romances but I think this one was done well and was easy to hope that they got together. I’m so glad I read this and will definitely be recommending it to people. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

This is a sweet sapphic second chance romance and I really enjoyed it. Margot and Olivia were best friends in throughout childhood. They hook up their senior year of high school and both are harboring serious feelings for the other. Eleven years later, Olivia is planning Margot’s friend’s wedding (see Hang the Moon, Written in the Stars #2). They become roommates and feelings are still being harbored! I liked Margot from the beginning of this series and this book only made me like her more! Love this friend group and how they love each other and the romance is hot as hell!

ALEXANDRIA BELLEFLEUR! You did it again. I thought Written in the Stars could not be topped, but guess what, you did it with Count Your Lucky Stars. I am so happy to have read this book early so now I can feel confident in my pre-order. Such fantastic story telling and you can tell the author cares for the characters as much as their readers do.

First, I absolutely love this book! Secondly, I read it with no prior knowledge of the first two, and I think that it can be read as a standalone completely fine. I can see that there would be things that I would appreciate more as it is the conclusion to the Written in the Stars universe.

I adore Margot and Olivia! They have such a fun, and realistic, dynamic. (It’s kinda a grumpy/sunshine but not entirely.) Margot is witty (and horny like damn). It’s written in 3rd person POV which would normal turn me off of a romance book, but the author does a fantastic job of connecting you to the characters in spite of this. I think that 3rd person may even benefit the story, because we get a glimpse into the characters thoughts, but can still be surprised with the other characters.

This book was spicier that I thought it was going to be. (I would give it a 3.5/5 🌶) It’s definitely more of a medium burn, but not too rushed! Trust me there is plenty of pinning, yearning, and angst.

Spoilers after this? Kinda? Idk you tell me.

We get the angst of friends to lovers to strangers and then back to friends to lovers. Very complicated and their history together makes the yearning so *chef’s kiss*. I’m normally not a big second chance lover’s fan, but they don’t dwell on the lost time so it’s better.

Overall a great read! (Also: Chapter 10 😍🥵)

It’s a second chance romance f/f story. There angst and fun woven into their story. There’s a lot of moments that just make you laugh and smile.

I really wanted to love this but had a hard time with it written in third person. And I would have probably been a lot more into if I’ve read the other two books first and had more back story on the supporting character.

I've loved all of Bellefleur's books but this one is my favorite. Margot is prickly, loving, guarded, protective of her friends. She's a complicated and wonderful character. The yearning between Margot and Olivia is delicious and palpable. A wonderful second chance romance with two bisexual women reigniting their friendship and lust. It's hot and funny and so sweet. I loved it!

I absolutely loved Written in the Stars, and Count Your Lucky Stars has a lot of the same tropes- sassy but sweet characters, millennial angst, and sweet real talk between platonic loved ones (e.g. Elle and Margot, bffs who have a very lovely, honest relationship). Also, I didn't realize until about 3/4 of the way through that like Written in the Stars, this is a very loose Austen retelling. Count Your Lucky Stars is based on Persuasion, and the character of Margot (who says the infamous "I'm half agony, half hope" line) absolutely is an accurate stand-in to smoldering, jealous-yet-noble Wentworth, while Olivia mirrors Anne in putting the concerns of her family above her own.

My only issue with the novel was that it dragged in some places, specifically when Margot is having her pity parties. I understand it's part of her character and her situation, but I think some opportunities were missed for more fleshed out character growth, and for gaining a better understanding of both women. Written in the Stars was a near-perfect example of succinctly yet descriptively giving us the full depth of Elle and Darcy; however, I think the difference is due to the novels they're based on, since P&P is more character-driven while Persuasion is more philosophical (what is the true meaning of happiness, what should we want from our lives, etc). In this respect, Bellefleur does an excellent job of staying true to the source material, and as a late-stage millennial the exact same age as the protagonists, I enjoyed reflecting on the question of "how do we get what we want from our lives while overcoming our decades of baggage?".

In sum, I highly recommend this latest installment by Bellefleur and can honestly say I will read any and all novels she publishes.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had only read Written in the Stars (and LOVED IT) before picking this book up so I missed Margot’s evolution a bit but I was invested in her from book one already! I am a sucker for a second chance, grumpy and sunshine, and BONUS the dominant vibes from Margot were *chef’s kiss* The friendship between the main characters from the series was also perfect! Their banter and affection was exactly what I want in book friendships!! I ended up going with four stars rather than 5 because some pieces were missing for me that I won’t give spoilery details but I still loved it and will absolutely be reading everything from this author in the future!!

16+
5/5 Stars
0.5/5 spices

Tropes: Second Chance at Love, Falling for the best friend, friends-strangers-lovers

Wow, boy did I enjoy this book. This is a cute second-chance romance between two ex-best friends. To be completely honest this was my first book of the series. I loved the dual POV which each girl. Margot was definitely a character I resonated with.

Something that I really liked about this book was that even if Olivia was bisexual, she ended with a woman. As a bisexual woman, this was something that I wanted to experience and it was nice to read about. Normalizing that bisexuals exist. It was truly great.

Since this is my first read from Alexandria, I will say I did fall in love with the fast-paced writing style. I also enjoyed the POV which I mentioned earlier. I think Alexandria does well with this style of dual pov that is very fast-paced. It was the perfect length. Was a tad scared around 90% of the book that she wasn't going to be able to wrap it up in time for the book to end.

If I did have to critique it a little, I would have the characters address their ending argument more. Explaining more to each other and have that communication between each other like they did with other characters.

This book was such a delight. I haven't read the other two in the series yet, but I have zero doubts I'll love them as much as I loved this one.

Count Your Lucky Stars is steamy and hilarious and moving and just a delightful book overall. I usually hate the miscommunication trope - it feels overdone often - but it was handled so well in this book. Even better is that once the characters communicated, even when they were unhappy with each other, they could still recognize that the other was right about them and they were coming from a good place. It was so relatable and realistic for anyone who's ever been in a serious relationship and had misunderstandings or been afraid to open up or to just be happy. If you love a good romance, pick this one up!

The final book in the Written in the Stars series focuses on Margot Cooper. Margot isn't interested in relationships, but she has to admit it's hard being the fifth wheel in her friend group. When Annie and Brendon's wedding starts to fall apart Olivia Grant, wedding planner and former best friend (and more!) of Margot steps in. Unresolved feelings between the two women dictate the rest of the story.

Ugh. This series ended on a sour note. I really enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy and was looking forward to a whole storyline dedicated to Margot, but Count Your Lucky Stars fell flat. The entire plot seemed so rushed and I found myself caring very little about Olivia. Even characters I liked from the previous books didn't do it for me. Everyone seemed so mean and one dimensional. And while I'm not prude the "steamy" scenes took up so much of the book I found myself skimming over them to get back to the actual storyline (speaking of the plot...if this wedding was such a big deal and was going to require so much work on Olivia's part why didn't she ever seem to be working?). The big climax at the end felt juvenile and then was neatly wrapped up within about a half a chapter. Just read the first two books...this one wasn't necessary.

I was given this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

I loved this book just as much as the other installments in this series. Margot and Olivia have a scintillating tension between their childhood friends to lovers to nothing to friends to lovers arc.

The only thing I can say is casual grand theft auto as a grand gesture is entirely my kink and I adore these two so much.

The third and final book in the Written in the Stars trilogy, Count Your Lucky Stars focuses on Margot, Elle's best friend and the last in their friend group to find love. Margot re-meets Olivia, her childhood best friend, when she is the wedding planner for Brendan and Annie's wedding.

Some things that I really liked about this book were that Olivia was divorced, had familial obligations, and founded worries about other people in her life. I liked seeing her rediscover relationships, set boundaries, and discuss life issues with Margot and listen to each other. This got very close to having a big misunderstanding, but didn't actually go that way. I enjoyed reading about characters who clearly wanted the best for each other and struggled with their feelings and responsibilities, but ultimately listened to each other and took advice that they felt was helpful. That was great and I hope that I see much more of that in other books! I liked the lessons at the end of the book which were more complex than, "let people in," which I see SO OFTEN in romance books.

Kind of weirdly, this book and this series in general has made me think about best friends in life and in fiction. I personally don't like making the distinction of a best friend, but I know that other people do and it certainly shows up in a lot of narratives, so this might just be a me problem. I found it a little grating to hear "you're my best friend!" 5,000 times because I feel like it's used as audience shorthand without having to show what best friends actually mean. I feel like every heartfelt moment was followed up with "you're my best friend!" Can't we just do things without affirming labels every three seconds? I especially did not like this with Brendan, I feel like the other books did not set him up enough to be considered a best friend and it was weird hearing it often without seeing much evidence. I had this problem with Olivia too, as the shorthand of her being Margot's best friend at one point took away some of the relationship building that I usually enjoy reading. I would have liked to read more relationship building and re-building without falling back on "best friend" tropes. I felt like it took away from the truly wonderful characters and their journeys.

If you enjoyed either of the first two books at all, I recommend this one to finish the set! I would say that it's my second favorite in the series after Written in the Stars. 4.25 stars rounded down to 4. Thankyou to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the electronic advanced reader's copy!

This was such a cute finale to this trilogy! Alexandria definitely knows how to weave comedy and romance into an enjoyable read! I seriously enjoyed reading more about Margot and Olivia. It did seem a little weird for Margot to hold a torch for someone from 11 years prior but that's just a personal thing for me and not something majorly wrong with the plot. I really enjoyed how Olivia and Margot grew individually but I also really enjoyed the fact that they called each other out on their respected issues without it being a knock down drag out fight. Alexandria is definitely really good at putting in a wrench in the story without it being something trope-y. It always feels like something that typical couples go through and not some overdramatic twist or reveal that's reminiscent of a soap opera. I'm kind of sad that this trilogy ended because I really did love each and every one of the characters, and I really enjoyed being able to experience Seattle through their eyes.

I really enjoyed this book! Friends to lovers is definitely a favorite trope of mine and this one did not disappoint.

The two main characters had relatable struggles and I appreciated the explicit discussion of divorce in the book as well since that’s rare for romance.

The key for me is that the book was very balanced in the amount of steaminess, lightness, and conflict. My one complaint is that I’ve only read one other book in the series and at times I did feel like I was left out of some inside jokes.

Overall, queer romance always has my heart and I’d recommend this if you want a cute, quick read!

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Count Your Lucky Stars is the third book in Alexandria Bellefleur’s Written in the Stars series and it brings all of the magic of the first two! This second chance romance between two bisexual women was such an amazing read that I finished it in one day. I absolutely love second chance romances-- the shared history between these two makes their story seem so special. When Margot and Olivia are forced together by their friend's marriage they are forced to reconcile their feelings for each other and what happened all of those years ago… When you throw in a ski vacation, a thieving cat, and a whole lot of hilarity and sexual tension, you get the absolute perfect romantic comedy. This book is definitely the steamiest of the trio! I am so excited to see what Bellefleur has planned for us readers next!

This was so freaking cute! I loved the first two in this series, so this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022. Happy to report that it did not disappoint!

To be honest, I usually don't go for second chance romances, but this one totally worked. Something about Bellefleur's writing is so readable; if I had started this earlier in the day instead of before bed, I would have finished it in a single day. Also, I identified with parts of Margot's personality, specifically her relatively pessimistic tendencies in the midst of her friends' more positive energy. Plus the whole "I may not want to go but I still want to be invited" feeling, which I think a lot of readers can probably relate to. While I didn't connect with Olivia as much, she was a solid character. Maybe not as fleshed out as Margot, but still compelling enough to enjoy reading from her perspective.

A few other positives/strengths:
1. The humor. I literally laughed out loud a couple times, which is rare for me while reading.
2. The mutual pining.
3. The steamy scenes. There were quite a few, but they were all really well done, and I feel like you can tell that they were written by an actual queer woman.

Readers will probably benefit from knowing that there is a miscommunication trope, but this is one of the few instances in which I think it was done pretty well! I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that, in my opinion, the miscommunication made sense considering the characters' ages and personalities. It also contributed to the aforementioned mutual pining.

My main, very minor critique is the pacing. The middle was dragged out just a bit too long and the resolution of conflicts felt a tad bit rushed.

All in all, if you want a sexy, heart-warming sapphic rom-com, READ THIS!