Thankyou so much @quercusbooks for sending me the ARC of this book. It was such a heartbreaking but beautiful read. It really was like a modern day Romeo and Juliet and the fact that it was based around the fallout from brexit was so unique. The book was told from the perspective of 4 characters and it follows Jodie and Rachid's story of how they met and fell in love despite strong differences between their families and cultural backgrounds. The thing that hit the hardest reading this heartbreaking story was the fact that a lot of elements in it can be part of real life struggles that some people have to endure and it makes me so sad to know that these things are a reality for people. This book had me absolutely sobbing towards the end with the devastating events that unfolded but I won't go into too much detail as I don't want to give any major spoilers for the book. I would definitely recommend this book but warn you to get your tissues at the ready! This is the first book I've read by Linda Green and it sure won't be my last.

Well this one went in a direction I wasn't expecting! I thought it might be quite lighthearted, instead it broke my heart. Far too realistic, this was like a horror story which we are actually living through in real life. The subject of Brexit always makes my blood boil and this book expertly captures the total devastation it, and the xenophobic and racist tendencies it has enabled and given a voice to, continues to wreak in people's lives.
I'm not sure if I enjoyed it as such, it was difficult to read, but it was certainly authentic.

Everyone in the UK should be made to read this book! Such an important message for society and the UK would be a far better place if everyone could just consider the perspectives given in this book. It’s unapologetically unsubtle in its messaging, which I think works in this instance.

The one slight criticism I have is that the Romeo and Juliet parallels are a bit overdone and clumsy in places. They could have been toned down considerably and perhaps had more of an impact that way.

Other than that, this book is one that I would definitely recommend.

All too real in the telling, this is a heart-breaking story of how love really should conquer all, but sometimes is just not enough to take on the rest of the world. Compelling and humanly flawed characters make the reader really want things to turn out well for them, but there is a sense of tragedy always lurking as the outcome of prejudice.

This is a hard hitting story about love, family and humanity that will leave you in tears.Told through the eyes of 2 mothers, Donna and Sylvie, we see 2 sides of life in Leeds- affluent, educated and Muslim and a working class, white family. The story takes on a darker tone as their lives come together through their children and the issue of racism causes further rifts for everyone in both families. The love between Jodie and Rachid is so well written, it takes you back to your first love and how all encompassing it is when you are young. Wonderfully touching and thought provoking.

This is a beautifully written book which made me cry. I cried for the characters but also for the sad state the UK is in that this books centres on. I’m sure many reading it will see a reflection of conversations/arguments they’ve had with family, neighbours, colleagues, random people etc. Hopefully few have had to experience the extreme actions and consequences the book covers.

Told primarily through the voice of the two mothers it demonstrates that often there are far more similarities than differences between people. An unapologetic retelling of Romeo and Juliet, set against Brexit, it is a story we all know over and sadly we all know how that one ended. Have the tissues at the ready.

The book is told from the perspective of four characters - Sylvie, Donna, Jodie and Rachid. The book has an underlying political theme (Brexit) but tends to focus more on humanity and the results/impacts of such a dividing political view.

Jodie and Rachid meet and fall in love, both feeling like they can be truly honest with one another. Conflicting views or interests with their respective families result in arguments always arising, only further cementing on the two lovers to rely on each other more. Their relationship, however, stays hidden due to the very different backgrounds of their families and fear that they will be driven apart.

This book has many aspects that people may relate to and this quote to me was very memorable "Were all families as disjointed as ours? Existing in seperate worlds and simply coming together in a pretence of normality?". At some point of growing up I had asked myself similar questions, because we were only a family that was 'normal' at first glance but under the surface was extremely fragmented.

'In Little Stars' is a modern setting Romeo and Juliet that is definitely worth the read. It is wonderfully written and addresses racism, familial hardships, motherhood, and marginalisation but also creates warmth and hope through the development of characters.

Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read so many books by this author which have all been amazing! I knew when I read the blurb that I would need to read this book. Told mainly from the perspectives of four of the main characters – Jodie, Donna, Rachid and Sylvie – this is a story of love and hate, a modern day Romeo and Juliet. Set in Yorkshire, Jodie and Rachid meet on a train going to college, and soon become inseparable. Both the teenagers come from different families and know that their love would be frowned upon so decide to keep it a secret from them. With a strong Brexit theme running through the storyline, the subjects of race and immigration are also featured. It’s an emotional and sometimes tough read of prejudices and young love.

I must admit, I found the book a little slower paced to begin with, but a few chapters in and I was completely hooked. Jodie is a head-strong teenager who comes from a family whose attitudes to race and religion are very ‘old-school’. Rachid’s father is Muslim, but his mother, Sylvie is French and a non-Muslim. His father wants his children to be brought up as Muslims, but becomes very disillusioned with this country when he and his wife have to apply for UK Citizenship following Brexit, despite living and working here for many years. I won’t say anymore about the storyline other than that as I really wouldn’t want to give away anymore of the plot!

The storyline is well written, well researched and would make a great discussion for book clubs and the like. It’s a heart-breaking read, but I became very quickly invested in the characters, loving the relationships between some of them, disliking others and, strangely, finding some of them redeeming themselves by the end of their stories. It’s not an easy read, with some upsetting and disturbing topics and scenes, but one which had captivated me by the end. I’ve found other books by this author to be such emotional reads, and this one was no different. It will tug at your heart-strings, bring tears to your eyes and stay with you long after the book has finished.

This was such an amazing read. It was powerful and a real eye opener. Everyone should read this book.

That is all I am going to say, apart from I know this book is going to stay with me for a very long time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ArC in exchange for an honest review. If I’m honest I struggled to finish this book, I didn’t particularly warm to the characters and so struggled to engage with the story. That said, it was well written.

Right, soooo not to be dramatic, but get this on your TBRs immediately! WHAT. A. BOOK.

This story follows two families, residing in Northern England, each on either side of the brexit divide. Two mothers, Sylvia and Donna, are both struggling to keep their respective families unified and as tensions rise at home, both miss the signs that their children Rachid and Jodie are falling in love. Due to their differences and the knowledge that their families would disapprove, the two lovers decide to keep their feelings a secret. When the families paths eventually cross, it’s not in a way that anyone would ever have expected...

When I tell you I sobbed... and I don’t cry at books easily.

This was such a powerful and poignant love story that was so much more than just a tale of devotion. It covered racism, marginalisation as well as the complexities of motherhood and familial relationships. It’s a worryingly accurate depiction of modern society and the aftermath of Brexit in Britain and it didn’t hold back, serving up a dose of stark reality.

Linda Green’s writing was captivating and I was engrossed from start to finish. I felt a rollercoaster of emotions throughout, from endearment and warmth when reading about young love, to feeling enraged and frustrated when uncovering certain characters far right views.. However, whilst I bawled my eyes out at the end, it wasn’t all doom and gloom - there were hopeful and funny moments too.

It’s a multi POV book (my fave) and I felt all of the characters were credible and well developed. At no point did I ever wish I could skip a chapter to get back to another POV (they all felt as equally important and likeable).

It’s also set in Leeds which is my home city and I think this added to my reading experience enormously, as I could picture certain descriptions and I felt fully immersed in the action.

Overall, it was enlightening and thought-provoking and not just in a ‘it made me think way’, (which it undeniably did) but in a “I will remember this book forever” way (and if that doesn’t persuade you to pick it up, then I don’t know what will!).

5/5 stars for me and 100% will be recommending to all my friends!

Thank you to Linda Green, Quercus books and Netgalley for the ARC.

First of all, I’d like to say a huge thank you to @quercusbooks for allowing me access to this ARC before it’s release date.

This book was a beautify written, horrifically tragic yet moving book. It really moved me and unfortunately whilst reading the book I knew that these circumstances / events are sadly not too far from the reality of the world we live in.

This book is written about two different families. Two families that are different in ethnicity, religion and background.

Jodie, disgusted by the racist / derogatory behaviour of the men in her family, desperately wants to disown them and show love to everyone in the world. People everyone is human and deserves to feel that way.

Rachid, has a Muslim Father and a French mother. Rachid struggles with how much his Dad tries to work against his dreams as they do not fall in line with his beliefs.

Jodie and Rachid meet on their first day of college. Rachid spots her on the train and is drawn to her instantly. They are enamoured by each other and very quickly fall in love. They want to be together forever despite knowing that neither of their families will allow it.

Their happiness however is short lived.

I don’t want to say much more to be honest as I don’t want to spoil it. This book is about love and humanity and it really hit me in the feels.

Spoiler alert: This book wasn't what I was expecting. It was such a tragic and sad story. There were parts that felt like a like a modern day Romeo and Juliet.

Rating: 4.2/5

Linda Green has a real talent for writing family dramas. She can always be relied upon to create credible characters, with authentic voices in relatable scenarios. Her latest offering, "In Little Stars" is no exception.

As you may have picked up from the official synopsis and and other early reviews, the core of the story is essentially a reimagined version of Romeo & Juliet, but set in West Yorkshire in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum. (The title, "In Little Stars" is taken from a line spoken by Juliet in Shakespeare's play) The ill-fated young lovers here are Rachid & Jodie. Rachid is a Muslim, whose parents are career professionals who moved to the UK from France, while Jodie is from a working-class family white family, where her male relatives are not only keen supporters of Brexit, but who also display strong racist leanings.

The narrative is provided from four viewpoints: Those of Rachid and Jodie, as you would expect, but also of the two mothers, Sylvie and Donna. Linda Green manages to give each of the four distinct and credible voices, which adds to the overall impact of the book. Although the tragedy of Romeo & Juliet has been used to provide the central story arc, there are other significant plot themes that run throughout the novel: Brexit, racism, intolerance and radicalisation feature prominently with the likes of marital disharmony, education and social class being referenced to a lesser extent.

Clearly, with these kind of topics there is the potential for matters to become both emotive and emotional - and they certainly do. Not everyone will like the content of this book - even if they have read and enjoyed Linda Green's work previously. I say that, because there is the distinct possibility that some people may take umbrage, depending on their individual stance on certain issues raised in this novel. However, Linda Green does state in her "Afterword" that this "is not a political book. It's simply about humanity." And that quotation brings me onto what, for me, is clearly the strongest and most important message of this book: To quote the English philosopher, John Stuart Mill, "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review

When I started reading this book,I thought this seems familiar.This story was exactly like a real story in real life.I knew how it was going to end , hoping it wouldn't end like it did,but of course it did.This book is an excellent read,I actually couldn't put it down.Linda Green does it again, amazing.

Thank you to Linda Green, Quercus Books and Netgalley for this advance copy.
In Little Stars is an incredibly moving and powerful book which I didn't want to end. A book that no doubt will change and influence each and every reader. Dealing with important topic matter centred around Brexit, politics, relationships and at its core and the way we treat each other as humans.
This book really effected me, I was so moved by each and every character and their voice and perspective. Told from multiple viewpoints and loosely mirroring Romeo and Juliet, topic matter is brought to the forefront through horrific prejudice and racism, tragedy and love. It is a reminder of how we all have a responsibility to look out for each other and how we can overcome hate by community and togetherness, supporting each and every member of our world. This book will stay with me for time and I feel very lucky to have been one of the first readers.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

I had to restart this after reading a couple of chapters as I was not in the right frame of mind and I am glad I restarted it.

Well written, thought provoking and sent me on my own journey. Raises some difficult issues and sensitive subjects.

Highly recommended

It took me a little while to realise that this was a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet - Rachid and Jodie - and overall I thought it was well done. I did find some parts a bit over simplified with characters very one side or the other (brexit or non brexit) and sometimes I wondered if it was a ya. But it did expose the things that people have to put up with to live in this country and how difficult it is to stand out from the crowd.

On paper it's a new re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, in a post-Brexit world. As an EU national living in the UK, I just couldn't get into it. I am too tired to read about Brexit and British intolerance. I just am not in the right frame of mind for this book, but I'm sure lots of other people will be able to read past that and enjoy it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I was blown away by this book, it's incredibly powerful and hard-hitting. In Little Stars is a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet set in post Brexit Yorkshire. Jodie and Rachid meet and fall head over heels in love but their families are very different so they keep their relationship secret. The story is set over just a few weeks and is told from the points of view of Rachid, Jodie, Donna (Jodie's mum) and Sylvie (Rachid's mum). The families are both really interesting and both pose significant challenges for the teenagers. Religion and cultural expectations weigh heavily on Rachid and his family and for Jodie racism and bigotry from her brother and father are enormous issues that impact her and her mother hugely. I enjoyed the way the story was written and it was really helpful in showing the similarities between the two mothers -both menopausal women taking the weight of family responsibility and work on their shoulders and wanting the best for their children whilst dealing with their own insecurities and challenges. The purity and intensity of Rachid and Jodie's love was beautiful but also concerned me as the book progressed because of the direction things were taking. There are strong themes in the book of racism, bigotry and violence which are hard to read but need acknowledging and expressing. Green doesn't shy away from these emotive topics. There were also themes of women, mothers, friendships and connection and the struggle to keep everything together. I enjoyed reading about the mothers in the book and could really feel for their inner struggles with their sense of self, their relationships, their changing bodies and the sense that everything was their responsibility. I could not put this book down and read late into the night to finish it. It is compelling, thought provoking and powerful. It is also incredibly emotive and I shed a lot of tears throughout the last third of the book. It's not an easy read and it comes with trigger warnings, but my goodness it is impressive. Green is great at writing the underdogs of society and hard hitting themes and she had done a fantastic job with this one.