All stars are aligned to love

About the book
When event planner Hallie Goodman receives party-inspiration material from the bride of her latest wedding project, the last thing she expects to find in the files are digital videos from Darcy’s ex-boyfriend. Hallie knows it’s wrong to keep watching these personal videos, but this guy is cute, funny, and an astronaut on the International Space Station to boot. She’s only human. And it’s not long until she starts sending e-mails and video diaries to his discontinued NASA address. Since they’re bouncing back, there’s no way anyone will ever be able to see them...right?

Christopher Ortiz is readjusting to life on earth and being constantly in the shadow of his deceased older brother. When a friend from NASA’s IT department forwards him the e-mails and video messages Hallie has sent, he can’t help but notice how much her sense of humor and pink hair make his heart race.

Separated by screens, Hallie and Chris are falling in love with each other, one transmission at a time. But can they make their star-crossed romance work when they each learn the other’s baggage?

Opinion
Let me tell you one thing in the very beginning: I was skeptical despite loving everything Samantha Young writes, it was my very first feeling to this story because I was shorteyed to an astronaut and and event planner coming together BUT I give it a shot AND it is so totally worth.

As I might often say/write/declare I love the way Samantha Young can write her characters right ti my heart. Hallie is a sweet, trustworthy and good person whom I'd love to meet in real life to keep for good (just to have her in my life to teach me one or more lessons in getting this force of nature). I love that much of Hallies evolution to a even better person with a backbone. She turns out to become my favorite female character in a fictional book. She's brave even if she's not aware of it. I simply love that.
In fact I also really love Chris the sexy astronaut - not only by being described to be so - but because he's a good person, too. Good people tend to be manipulated and used for the fact of being good. But even good people can fail which made me realize how vulnerable we all are to failure.

I love this. I love the characters, the plott and everything in between. Turns out I like the wise aunt that much I just want to adopt her. (Is that ok?)

Conclusion:
A story no one should ever miss! A story to laugh, cry and even get life lessons for free (ok, you bought the book so do I...).
This is a life-changing romance for good.

And in addition to my review I have to say that I got an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review which has definitely not changed my mind.

This is a sweet, heartwarming, and lovely book. The characters are so multi-faceted and loveable. The book had so much depth and is well-written and developed. I enjoyed seeing how both characters deal with their family issues and dynamics. There's so much chemistry between the 2 MCs and I especially loved the adorable texting portion!! Such a great read.

well, talk about a unique book! i've read maybe... one or two books with an astronaut, but they were historical fiction. so this was super fun and unique and i was excited for how different it would be.
the character growth was strong. i liked the two main characters. but i really struggled with the parents in this story, obviously that's the point, but they, and all their drama, really kind of ruined the book for me.

I can honestly say that I've never read a love story about an astronaut before. And after finishing Space Force recently, I was definitely in the mood for a starry-eyed romance. Pairing an event planner with a retired astronaut was so unique and I loved seeing them interact. It was oh-so-sweet watching 2 adults ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE. But apart from that novelty, there wasn't that much that made this book stand out from the myriad of other romance novels. (Though can we talk about Chris's ass? Because that shit launches ROCKETS)

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Hallie and Chris had me in tears of laughter for most of this book, this is a very well written story. Highly recommend this story.

Already a fan of Samatha Young and this one does not disappoint. The characters are relatable and have great chemistry. The story is adorable and a wonderful quick summer read.

Hallie Goodman is a successful party planner and notorious people pleaser. When one of her bride’s accidentally sends her personal videos of her ex-boyfriend, Hallie doesn’t mean to but she can’t help but watch these videos. The bride’s ex just happens to be renowned astronaut Christopher Ortiz, and the videos are from his time on The International Space Station. As Hallie starts to ‘get to know’ Chris from the video’s, she decides to send him her own videos, as an apology for watching them. As both Chris and Hallie get to know each other through these videos, they begin to fall for each other. They continue to grow their relationship once they meet in person, but will their pasts interferer with their present?

Ya’ll this is the cutest little book that I didn’t know I needed! I loved so much about this story from Hallie Goodman being the most hard working party planner while also being the absolute sweetest person, to former astronaut Chris who is trying to figure out his next step in life. I absolutely hated the way Hallie’s family and friends walked over her, but loved the way her best friend and Chris jump in to help her stand up for herself. This could have very easily turned into a super cheesy romance, where just one conversation would have resolved the entire plot line, but Young does a great job of making this one relatable and ‘real’.

This was such a heartfelt romance with plenty of character growth and personality. It was absolutely delightful to read especially when you just need something to make your heart happy. Highly recommend grabbing this one when it comes out in October.


A Cosmic Kind of Love comes out October 18 , 2022! Huge thank you to Berkley Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.

I've been reading romance for some time now, yet I can't recall any astronaut male character from the astronomical amounts of books on my shelves. There will be no forgetting Captain Chris Ortiz though, this man is magnificent. The original premise and charming characters made it really easy to let myself swept away by their romance.

(for the record, yes, I intend to refer to the male character as Captain Chris Ortiz for the remainder of this review. Yes, it's certainly a mouthful. Wink.)

I loved the main characters, although at one point I wasn't too sure about Hallie. As an event planner being a capital P people pleaser is certainly an asset, in her personal life though she's got learn to stand for herself. It was almost painful for me to read about the ways she would go to make sure everyone was happy around her and how the people supposedly in her corner would abuse of this trait. Hallie character's growth is very much central to the story and Captain Chris Ortiz plays a good part supporting her, complimenting her, restoring her confidence. Captain Chris Ortiz praising Hallie was all kinds of hot.

There's undeniable chemistry between Hallie and Captain Chris Ortiz on page, an effortless gravitation between them, I adored the super cute texting (kuddos for the formatting!), it made my epistolary romance addict happy!

I loved this opposites attract romance, it's full of quality banter and heartfelt moments although sometimes it felt like there was a smidge too much drama to deal with. Both characters are dealing with toxic families and as great as it was to see them both taking necessary steps towards emancipation, there was no need for the third act drama piling up on already much conflict in an otherwise low angst story.

I'm giving this 4 stars for 2 reasons
1) Astronaut romance? Yes please! And she didn't totally screw up the details about being an astronaut, which is cool. Oversimplified but got more right than most people would.
2) Romance novels have a formula. And it's become tired. This one changes that formula and shows how people in a relationship can work together to help each other. Healthy conversations and coping skills are shown, and the unhealthy ones get called on. Things don't get magically fixed by love but with love you have support to work on them. And sometimes they are unfixable and you need to accept it. That seems a healthier message for people to be reading.

By changing the formula, she was able to tell a richer story where more happened than fight-sex-misunderstanding-love. Life is complicated, love is complicated, and there is never a true happily ever after, there's finding a partner you love who you can grow with and face challenges together. And have great sex.

So there's what I liked. There were still some of the common tropes- the girl is slightly overweight and quirky, the boy amazingly hot and smart and charming but with some damage in his past. I know these are written for girls like me who are like that, but it still is annoying. Make the guys more real. I mean, let's be honest, the idea of astronauts is sexy but really, they rarely actually are IRL. I've met my share and Gordo Coopers they are not.

I really liked reading it but it didn't enrapture me and I'm not walking around thinking about the characters. I got to the end and was satisfied and have moved on. I'm happy I spent that time with them, I'm glad to see a new type of romance story. It was time well spent reading it.

I did get an ACR copy (but my review is totally candid and honest) as was apparent because there were some typos- the book is told from both perspectives and sometimes a character would suddenly start talking about themselves in 3rd person, forgetting it was their section. But I'm sure things like that will be fixed on final editing.

Cosmic ideas, stars, moon and love! What more could a nerdy rom com lover want? Nothing! This was perfect! 5/5!’n
It starts with the cover which is adorable and it never lets up! I enjoyed it so much, I am now looking at the authors other books.

A Cosmic Kind of Love is a sweep-you-off-your-feet, tender-hearted romance.

Full Review: Booklist, Sept 15 issue

I was absolutely intrigued by the premise of this book. I'm a big fan of romances that are even remotely similar to pen pal relationships. Unfortunately, there wasn't as much focus on this as I originally anticipated, since Hallie only sent a very small number of videos. Nonetheless, the relationship between Hallie and Chris, particularly in the last half of the book, was cute with some solid banter and hilarious moments. Chris was protective and loving, Hallie was sweet and utterly unselfish, and they had great chemistry together. I really admired their respect and care for one another as they developed a friendship before the romance. While I would've loved a longer epilogue, the ending was also adorable with a great grovel and satisfying resolution to loose ends.

My primary complaint was that I felt the book, especially the first half, was overly emotional and sometimes too real. Though I enjoy stories that have a bit of realism, some of Samantha Young's more recent characters have been so real, so flawed that the story lacks the fantasy and magic that I look for in romance novels. The book occasionally felt more like a journey of self-discovery than a romance. Hallie and Chris tended to talk unendingly about their problems, and their family lives were quite depressing. Additionally, Chris made a lot of pretty obvious mistakes in his relationship with Hallie. He didn't have the sexy, alpha goodness of the heroes from the On Dublin Street series. However, the secondary characters like Althea were a great addition and added some much needed humor and lightness to the novel. I also enjoyed the inclusion of the discussion questions at the end of the book.

Overall, this was an emotional, unique story with chemistry and humor. While it was not my favorite of Young's books, I still recommend it to those who enjoy self-reflective, dramatic romances.

*I received an ARC of this novel. This is my complete and honest review.*

3.75 Stars.

Mostly good but the romance got a little lackluster in the second half. There’s a sweetness and beautiful understanding of spirit that make up the MCs personalities that fizzled a little bit partway through. There just wasn’t enough tension. The sexual interjections tried to liven it up but for once they weren’t totally working for me. It felt like just filling pages.

At the same time I thought Hallie and Chris had believable individual story arcs. Where the book’s energy swelled was in the strong familial and emotional story threads. The parental drama was everything and the more important storyline(s). The parents were so well done that they even stressed me out, because they’re awful. But those were the necessary hurdles to give these characters life.

In the end, I liked it, I liked where it ended, but I was definitely less thrilled with the second half. Good not great but still a solid recommendation for most.

* I received a free early ecopy from the publisher via netgalley.

Another cute, fun romcom read from Samantha Young. I was intrigued by this one because I don’t often (or ever that I can recall) read about an Astronaut hero. I loved the idea of them ‘meeting’ via video diary entries.

Highlights:

✨ Aunt Richelle and Althea - strong side characters who show some good support for their loved ones are always a plus.
✨ Complex family dynamics
✨ Video diaries and texting communication
✨ Clear growth and development of both mains beyond just the love story

In terms of wishes, I think that this one felt a bit long at parts - there was a lot going on but it felt like a lot at times. Overall though, I thought it was a good, easy read.

Hallie's newest client accidently sends video diaries from her previous fiance and even though she knows it's a privacy violation, Hallie watches them and is charmed by Chris's dispatches from space. She responds to his defunct (she thinks) email with her own series of messages--an opportunity to be her unflinchingly real self--it's not as if he's ever going to see them! It's a clever, sciencey meet cute. THey do meet IRL, he hires to do some event planning for her, and doesn't at first reveal he's been on the receiving end of her messages.

The lighthearted plot does have some weight to it: her anxiety, his pressure to success as a Latino astronaut, past relationship drama, family drama. Most triggers are counteracted and resolved, and the character growth is strong.

I received a free advance reader's review copy of #ACosmicKindOfLove from #NetGalley

Samantha Young can write a heck of a book. I like this so much. I especially liked that there wasn't a ridiculous misunderstanding plotline and that their communication issues were realistic. I actually really liked the ending with the food poisoning instead of a proposal. I will definitely recommend this one.

I really enjoyed this book. Masquerading as a fun, sweet romance, at its heart it's complicated and has really well-developed characters.

Hallie and Chris have wonderful chemistry and dynamics. I liked that they weren't perfect characters, but that they definitely each go on their own journey.

This was a really lovely book.

A sweet romance.

Event planner Hallie Goodman works for one of the elite event planners in the city. She is preparing the engagement party for socialite Darcy Hawthorne and looking for Darcy’s preferences. Darcy simply sent her a link to a drop box with saved ideas. But what Hallie finds in this file, changes her life. Darcy’s former boyfriend is Captain Christopher Ortiz, an astronaut who sent Darcy recordings during his time at the International Space Station. Hallie knows that she could get in trouble for invasion of privacy but after only a few minutes of watching these videos, she becomes obsessed with watching Chris and his excitement over his time in space.

Hallie feels guilty about watching and sends a video to Chris’s NASA email contact apologizing for watching his videos. At first Chris is angry and has Hallie’s video bounced back as if the address is invalid. But when more videos keep popping up, Chris’s own curiosity kicks in and he too becomes intrigued by the adorable, pink-haired woman with her crazy stories. So much so, that Chris accepts the invitation to Darcy’s engagement party so he can bump into her event planner and introduce himself.

Hallie takes to opportunity to apologize to Chris again in person and it is obvious that Hallie doesn’t realize that Chris has watched her own videos diaries to him. It might be a mistake but Chris keeps that information to himself. Chris decides that he needs Hallie’s help to plan a retirement celebration for himself, since he doesn’t plan on returning to space. In fact, spending time with Hallie is the only decision Chris wants to make right now.

My thoughts:
I enjoyed spending time with Chris and Hallie. They got to know each other over videos, even if they weren’t aware of each other watching. When the finally meet in person, they are both pretty committing to beginning a relationship. They each tried to play it cool not realizing that the other was desperately trying to play it cool as well and not come off as well, desperate to make a connection. Both had bad relationships in the past but were pretty sure that this relationship was what they needed in their life.

The problem is that I really hated the parents in this story. Hallie’s parents had a bitter divorce and each kept trying to drag Hallie onto their side. Trying to keep the peace between them while they were still married, made Hallie a people pleaser which allowed her parents to continue their mental abuse of her long into their divorce. Their bitterness towards each other was taken out on Hallie instead of confronting each other directly.

That was so bad but what might have been worse was Chris’s treatment by his father. Chris’s father was a self-made millionaire who was used to controlling everything. He also favored Chris’s older brother, Mateo and while Mateo was alive, his father simply ignored Chris. After his brother was killed in battle, Chris’s father focused all his attention on Chris and not in any positive way. He constantly verbalized that not only did Chris not live up to his brother but his father was unhappy with how Chris was living his life. The only exception to that was Chris being an astronaut and that he had been dating socialite Darcy for a time. That was acceptable to him. Now Chris’s indecision of what to do next with his life and his dating a pink-haired, “party-girl”, is not. Even his father’s sudden attempts to mend fences oozed couldn’t be trusted.

I would enjoy my time with Chris and Hallie but I found myself overly stressed by both their parents. Enough so that it actually affected my enjoyment of the story. If I was going to re-read this story, I would definitely just jump around to Chris and Hallie moments.

This was actually a very cute romance read! I felt a lot of chemistry between the characters. Both physically and mentally there was a lot of cute moments with them, but also some very realistic ones. I also especially loved the personal growth both of them had with their messed up families.
I didn’t love the love at first sight feel and the miscommunication at the end, but that’s because I don’t care for those tropes so some will love it.
Overall it’s a cute, fast read that will make you fall in love with Chris and Hallie! I definitely recommend it to romance lovers!

Is it too cheesy to say A Cosmic Kind of Love was out of this world? You know what, who cares! It absolutely was!! I highly recommend you give this book a shot when it comes out Oct 18!

Hallie and Chris’ story was an absolute delight! I thought it was really cute/clever how their relationship started before they ever even met 😊 I enjoyed their character growth both as individuals and as a couple throughout the novel. Shout out to Aunt Richelle and Althea (that end scene 😂) who added greatly to the story.

Overall, A Cosmic Kind of Love was well written and satisfied my need for a sweet, feel good RomCom! Bonus points for using a profession not commonly used in romance novels 🚀 I look forward to reading more books by Samantha Young 🤓

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me an ARC copy in return for an honest review.