4.5/5 stars! The cover of this book was desperately YA, but the premise was contemporary romance. That's really my only complaint. That the cover and the story don't line up, which could be confusing to buyers in a bookstore. Anna and Eden were swoony perfection and I loved this story.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

4.0

Thanks to Montlake Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of this title! Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey is a celeb x celeb steamy sapphic rom-com about Eden Sands, global superstar, who ends up having to rely on newcomer Anna Moss for ratings when they performed at the Grammy’s. As the two got closer, with Anna being invited to open for Eden’s new tour, both women fight their attractions to one another. Rachel Lacey killed it with the chemistry, I could really get a sense of Eden & Anna’s developing relationship through the pages! Both characters were fun and likeable and I could totally see this story being adapted for the screen. Thus, I give this book a 4 out of 5, for stealing all my attention page after page.

Stars Collide is a sapphic novel that tells the story of Eden Sanders, a famous singer who has been in the industry for many years but who lately has not been so successful and needs to get back in the spotlight.. With that, we meet Anna Moss, a pop star on the rise who idolizes Eden and receives an invitation from her to sing a duet with her at the Grammys.

Eden's dynamic with Anna is the highlight of the book. I loved every time they were together and how Eden was lighter and happier when she was with Anna.

I also liked that the book shows both the glamorous and the not-so-glamorous part of being in the spotlight. When Eden and Anna wanted to be able to do normal things like walk around town but there was always someone who would get in the way to ask for a photo or autographs.

Another part of the book that I really liked was the way Eden was discovering her sexuality and how Anna helped her and always comforted her by stating that it was okay to find out a little later in life, that there was no age limit to come out.

The romance was also one of the highlights of this book for me. How much they cared for each other and they cute moments together.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

Call my bias but Rachel Lacey writes incredible books. You know how some books give you butterflies because they are that good? This one gave me exactly that.

This book follows both Eden Sands and Anna Moss, two pop stars, in a dual pov. Eden Sands recent album has not been getting as much love as her previous ones and on top of that her tour is not selling out. Anna Moss is an up and coming pansexual pop star who has idolized Eden for the majority of her life. So when Eden invites her to duet at the Grammy's it is no wonder that Anna is over the moon about it. As they begin to work together they realise that they might have more in common than they first believed.

I felt that both Anna and Eden were written beautifully and that the plot of the book did not move too fast. I had not read many pop star books before but after reading this one I will defiantly be reading more (even better if it is sapphic). Once I began reading this I could not put the book down and instead read it all in one go. If you read this you will defiantly not be disappointed!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This was very wow read. And I truly seems to enjoyed it. The trope of slow burn romance with the a dash of enemies to lovers and that too this good? I have been to heaven!!

As a whole, I really enjoyed this book! It appealed to my love of Sapphic romance novels, while also being pretty light hearted and fun. I think that Lacey did a great job of developing the characters and really telling a nice cohesive story through the lens of Anna and Eden. The build up throughout the initial chapters was wholly present and the suspense of "what's going to happen next," was gripping and made me want to pick up the book any chance that I got. As a queer woman myself, seeing these "come to age" novels about other queer people is always a plus to me and I love how that exploration wasn't limited to a young age (which I find that most of these novels tend to lean towards.

One comment that I do have about the novel is that at some times, it was a bit predictable. I don't think that this takes away from Lacey's great writing style and technique, but I think I was itching for a little more unpredictability, that just never came. I will also say that I wish the main conflict in the novel came a little bit earlier so that we could have more down time after its resolution. With it being so close to the end of the book, it felt to me like things were wrapped up fairly quickly, and I would've liked to see that drawn out just a bit longer. I think the reason that I gave this book 3 stars as opposed to a 4 star rating, is that it seemed kind of similar to other romance novels that I've read. I know that that can be a big draw to a lot of readers - reading what you're familiar with - but for me I wish there would've been a spark of something a little bit different than the others.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed this book and it was such a light hearted and quick read. This was my first book that I have picked up by Rachel Lacey and I can confidently say that I would read another!

The characters, Eden and Anna were so likeable and i loved seeing the celebrity/celebrity trope! The chemistry between the two was sooo good. It was so amazing to watch Eden’s journey and see her open up more and become more comfortable with herself! Gosh the reassurance and communication in this too was phenomenal, it was nice not seeing the miscommunication trope. Overall, this was great! it was so cute and fun. I highly recommend!

Eden Sands has been the iconic pop star for over 20 years now. Anna Moss is one of the new IT girls on the pop scene. This year hasn’t been the one for Eden, her record sales haven’t been as good, so to help with her sales for her latest album and upcoming tour, it’s suggested that Eden and Anna do a duet for the Grammys. And wow… do sparks fly in this duet! So much that things progress quickly professionally for the two women… and later personally too.

Ooft! Queer romance between two pop stars? Yes please!! Diverse queer characters, faced paced read and all round queer joy? I could not finish this quick enough! I was so obsessed I finished it while walking around the shops and then in my car as I. Just. Had. To. Get. More. Be still my beating heart! Officially released on May 2nd 2023 - get your hands on this one quick if you need more queer joy and sapphic love! 😍😍

Thank you for giving me an ARC copy of this book and in trade I will give my honest review.

This book was so cute to me. I am usually a mood reader so it takes a bit for me to be interested but I really enjoyed this piece. It was such a slow burn but it was so beautifully written. The age gap wasnt too big and i loved the contrast of the two main leads. Im happy they reviewed a happy ending. They properly communicate in this book (thank god) and the characters are written very well and they arent annoying and needy. They arent flat either. I dont want to give too much away but this book just filled my heart with so much love. i love a sweet sapphic story

I've consistently enjoyed all the books I've read by Rachel Lacey. She has a certain way of spinning a story that just transports you right to the setting.

This is a celebrity romance and that's sort of my guilty pleasure, that's win number one for this book. Win number two is Lacey wrote characters who are likable, but most of all, and important to me, they communicate! Actual good communication, it's rare and so wonderful. Going by the blurb I thought these characters would have a huge age gap between them. They don't, Eden is 36, but has been in the spotlight for 20 years, and Anna is 27 and just starting in the business.
Usually, a celebrity romance involves a celebrity and a “regular” person, I’d say in this story both characters are celebrities. Yes, one is a much bigger star than the other, but both are well-known. Eden is a recently divorced straight woman and while she is discovering she might not be so straight Anna is there to support her. The character growth and support between these two is very well done. It's all just so sweet and easy. Even Eden coming to terms with her sexuality is just so easy, and normal, and sweet. If only life was easy as it seems in this book.
I really liked this book for easy of it. Just so easy and sweet, it's perfect for some easy and light reading.

I really loved Lacey's other works, but something about Stars Collide did not click well with me. I think the pacing threw me -- it felt a bit too whirlwind for my tastes, but I definitely see a lot of value in that for others. I did love the characters dearly, and the plot is so, so much fun.

Stunningly beautiful. This novel is a true love letter in LGBTQ+ form. It had many different themes, such as coming out later in life, dealing with emotional abuse and learning how to come into your own. I felt strongly impacted by this novel and connected with it. I will be looking out for more of Rachel Lacey's works.

This is a must read. I struggled to put it down.

CW: abusive/controlling relationships

A wholesome sapphic slow burn romance. Was shamelessly crying like a baby by the end in the best way possible.

Giving 4 stars because it was a fun read, but overall felt pretty unoriginal and Edan was more than a little annoying sometimes- even for being a lifelong celebrity.

Such a wonderful and loving romance. I loved every second of it. I appreciate the themes it tackled so much, they were beautifully written. I had a blast and would recommend this to anyone!

This is a fun, lighthearted celebrity friends-to-lovers sapphic romance set in the music business. It’s been a tough year for Eden Sands - her star seems to be on the wane, she’s just gone through a divorce, and she’s having trouble selling out her upcoming tour. Enter Anna Moss, a rising star, who just might be the answer to all of Eden’s problems.

Contemporary romance is often not my favourite genre. It can be a little predictable and tropey, and can feel phoned in. This book was a pleasant surprise - the characters were fun and likeable, their relationship built in a natural and logical way, and you could tell why they would like each other. The writing was solid, and never devolved into purple prose. Sex scenes in romance books can sometimes be squicky, but when it gets physical between Eden and Anna, the writing is tight and controlled (and hot.)

If I have a criticism, it’s that the traditional third act misunderstanding/argument/heartbreak is just a tad melodramatic. It was also resolved much too quickly - either spend the time exploring a genuine conflict/relationship bump or just don’t include a fight at all. Introducing a reasonable conflict (and it was) and then resolving it a chapter later feels like a missed opportunity. Honestly, I’d have been happier if they’d just had a proper conversation. I’d love it if more romance authors had the confidence to break free of the formula a bit.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a lighthearted, sweet romance. With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this book. Below is my honest review.

Eden is a pop star who is losing her sparkle. Anna is an up and comer who is finding her footing. These two artists can bolster their careers by singing a duet at the Grammys. Their performance is such a hit, Eden’s team invites Anna to open for her next tour.

Will pop musics new sensation fall for music royalty?

I enjoyed this more than I anticipated. The two main characters were well developed. Anna’s friendships were a joy to see on page, especially her relationship with Zoe. Eden’s parents, and Anna’s reaction to them, was well done. Anna’s dad was a riot! I also felt the nerves and the fun they each had on stage. Eden’s discovery of herself and her feelings for Anna were handled with care as were Anna’s struggles with her ex.

This is a solid four star book for me. The only thing missing is their

This was a sweet romance! Both leads were dynamic, and I really sunk into the developing relationship, especially in the later half of the book. I do wish that the POVs went deeper; most of the time, I felt I was hovering over the narrative instead of being in the character's head, and that distracted from my overall enjoyment. The alternative POV voices weren't quite distinct enough for my tastes either. I would have loved to feel Anna's bubbly personality and Eden's more reserved (perhaps jaded?) attitude more profoundly within the way both characters narrate. Despite these hesitations, however, I still enjoyed the read. Thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Eden Sands is 20 years into a career as an international pop sensation but a recent divorce has her feeling even more lonely in her ivory tower. Her upcoming tour and last album are not selling quite like her previous ones have so her team looks to add an opening act to help bolster the tour. Anna Moss has had a good run from her last album and becoming more popular by the day when she gets an unexpected invitation to join the tour from her celebrity idol.
This happens to be one of my favorite tropes so I’m a little biased but I loved these two characters. The growth of their relationship from colleagues to friends to more felt very real as they tour the nation together. The chemistry is great and I loved the evolution of their relationship. Eden’s mask slowly coming off as she gets to know Anna and be more comfortable around Anna’s open disposition is fun to watch as she leads Eden outside of her comfort zone. I also liked the side characters and the fun they bring to the story. It was nice to see how the same sex aspect of their relationship causes no drama for either MC when they choose to tell their people. I hate when there’s too much drama about what others will think when an MC is a celebrity. This was a great book that will definitely be something I’ll read again in the future.

Stars Collide was an absolutely perfect romance. I love sapphic love stories for the fact that there is double the women’s point of view, like my other favourites the Written in the stars series by Alexandria Bellefleur, and the Bright Falls series by Ashley Herring Blake, this new book by Rachel Lacey is full of heart and her characters come to life on the page.

I really enjoyed my journey along with Anna and Eden, as they struggled through some of their personal fears, and figured out what they needed from the world and each other.

Anna an up and coming pop star, and Eden who’s been at the top for 20 years and is starting to slip. Find that they have so much to offer each other on stage and off, as they become fast friends and Anna who is openly Pansexual tries desperately to tamp down her growing feelings for Eden.

Eden is confused and shocked at her response to Anna. As she tries to regain her Pop crown, she also need to figure out what she really feels for Anna.

This slow burn did not disappoint! And it will go in my rotation of comfort reads

Thank you for my Advanced readers copy. I look forward to reading more rom this author

I’ve read a few pop star books and this one takes the Grammy. I loved almost everything about it. The chemistry was fire, Eden’s journey was handled so purely, and the ending was chef’s kiss. Both characters are well developed and I liked how they brought each other up. The drama felt a little overly dramatized to me but paled in comparison to the wonderful build up of romance. It’s one of those books where I raced to the end to find out what happened but then was so sad it was over because I want to stay on their world. Highly recommend this one.

Short summary: Eden is in a slump and can’t believe her only way up is with the help of a young pop star. Anna’s little fan girl heart can’t believe her long-time idol has invited her on tour. She’ll just have to keep her crush to herself since Eden is straight. Except the way Eden starts looking at her does not feel platonic…

Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.