A massive thank you to NetGalley and Scribner books for this advance copy of Ethan Joella’s new release, The Same Bright Stars - this one is coming out very soon, 7/2/24!

To no surprise of anyone, if I need to have a “go to” feel good author who writes with so much depth, I know I can count on Ethan Joella. I’m from Pennsylvania, and the imagery and scene setting in this book was so familiar as an East Coast summertime beach goer (so I would think it might not hit the same if you’re not picturing Delaware like I’ve seen it), but this is such an interesting character story, and it made it very hard to put down because I was loving all of the writing. I was lucky enough to have met the author last year at a signing, and I can absolutely picture the inspiration for this work, as he sat down with another local author (ie - this book gave me Last Night at the Lobster vibes, and I was not mad at that whatsoever) to discuss his process and writing books that involve “normal people doing normal things” - sometimes that’s what you want in a book. Highly recommend for those that want a wonderful seasonal read.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for this review. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up in a week or so on 7/2 when it hits shelves!

I usually enjoy character driven novels, especially when there is a found family element. This one, however, fell flat for me. I was not invested in the main character, and I thought the first half was repetitive and too slow. The story did pick up about midway through, but the pacing was inconsistent. I did enjoy reading about the family owned business and the struggles that come with that.

Okay, I’m not going to lie when I say I was worried about my feelings towards this book until about 35% of the way through. I was like “where is this going? Why does this feel like nothing is happening? I am so sad I loved his other two books.” But then I forgot that Joella has the most perfect way of dropping you little bread crumbs to get you to fall in love with all of the characters so that when the oomph actually happens you’re sucked in and can’t let go. He does such a wonderful job of painting every day events that many people will look right past just to remind us that these every day events are what makes the juice of life. The ordinary, the dull, the what seems like the mundane––all of this is usually wrapped around community and family, love and loss. The things we hold most dear. The juice, my friends. This is the juice. For those that don’t speak Katie, this just means I loved it. And I was so glad I read this in Delaware. It was perfect timing!

I’ve typed out words and then have deleted like five times… signs I loved a book and I’m unclear on how to tell people I loved a book!

Let’s start with Rehoboth Beach…a character in itself… I know WA beaches are incredibly different from east coasts ones but this beach gave me all the nostalgic vibes of my favorite childhood beach town trips. A treat to visit while reading.

In all of Ethan’s books his characters are unforgettable and this group is one that will forever be in my heart. Ethan’s tribute to family owned restaurants felt incredibly special to read about. My first job was as a hostess at a local beach town restaurant where I worked my way up and was there for years! You can feel the demand and toll come off the pages that it takes to be in that industry.

With the memorable characters, the breezy beach setting and the hustle and bustle of the restaurant you also get story’s within story’s which span throughout the book and are so cohesively shared that focus on Jacks early years… about his mother as well as a past girl he had spent time with.

If you love books about community, found family and a great sense of place this and all of Ethan’s books are a must!

Thank you Scribner
Release 7/2

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Since the death of his father, Jack has been running the restaurant that has been in his family for generations. As his contemporaries are moving on and creating families of their own, he's in a rut keeping the restaurant afloat. A company comes in buying up restaurants in the area, and Jack has to decide what would be best for him and best for the future of the restaurant. Set in the town of Rehoboth Beach, the location setting becomes as much a character as Jack. As he struggles with his decision, we get a glimpse into his life and what could have been. The book is heartwarming and full of compassion. This is my first Ethan Joella book, and I am a fan.

I really like this author! After reading “A Quiet Life” and absolutely loving it, I was excited to read his latest.

Ugh- it was so good. I loved so many things about The Same Bright Stars. It was a character driven book with short chapters which doesn’t happen very often- 2 of my favorite things! This is one of those books that really makes you feel for the characters. I adored the main character Jack and all the side characters were fleshed out really well. While this is not necessarily a “beach read” it has small town beach vibes that I really enjoyed! And as someone who grew up working in a restaurant, I loved the theme of found family at the restaurant.

I can’t wait to see what the author writes next. He has cemented himself ad one of my auto read authors!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

Interesting story about an aging restaurateur trying to figure out his life. It's the first Ethan Joella book I've read and it was enjoyable. I liked the camaraderie amongst the restaurant workers

There is a lot going on in this book, Jack is trying to decide if he wants to continue with his restaurant or sell out to the company buying all the restaurants in Rehoboth Beach. He's tired of disappointment, of the long hours and the loss of his mother. The girl that he let slip away comes back and she's about to drop a big secret on him, something she should have told him years before - but wasn't her story. A lot going on, but a beautifully written story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This is my second book by Ethan Joella and I really enjoyed it. He writes such descriptive settings -- I could picture every part of the town and the houses and restaurant, the beach.

Jack is contemplating selling the restaurant that has been in his family for generations when a past relationship comes back to town and makes him take a look at what he wants for his life.

I loved Jack -- I felt for him so deeply as he tires to figure out his life and what is best for him. I loved Deacon and Andie, and the sweetness that baby Evie added to the story. All the people that worked at Schmidt's were entertaining and enriched the restaurant scenes. My favorite character was Nicole -- I loved her confidence and sense of humor.

I thought the end was pretty perfect and very satisfying. Overall a very sweet, feel good book that also touches on a lot of heavy topics. I found myself unable to stop reading which is always a good sign for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I seem to be in the minority with this book, as all I’m seeing are high ratings, but unfortunately there was barely anything I liked about this one, and I’m struggling to understand how hardly anyone else feels the same.

First off, when I picked this book up I was expecting something beachy, light, meaningful, and maybe heartwarming. The cover and the synopsis both led me to thinking that’s what this book would be. But I was very mistaken. This book was so depressing. Barely anything good happened. And pretty much every character was dealing with heavy, hard stuff, and with practically no light at the end of the tunnel.

I can handle a depressing book if I feel invested, if the story is compelling, if it has some poignant moments, but this story was lacking all of that. It never really grabbed my attention in any way. And the characters were not that great either (I really didn’t like the main character at all).

Also, the first half of the book takes place at Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it doesn’t even feel summery and beachy. It felt like a very confusing choice, honestly. The cover, while beautiful, is misleading.

But like I said, lots of people are loving it, so you might too. Definitely get your expectations in the right place though. This isn’t as light and beachy as the cover and synopsis implies.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner Books for the eARC of this book

The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella is a very highly recommended feel-good literary domestic drama following Jack Schmidt and his family's beachfront restaurant, Schmidts, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. This one hits all the right notes and tugs on every heart string.

Jack, 52, spends all his time, every day, running the family restaurant. Ever since he took over after the death of his father, the demands of Schmidts always come first, before relationships or leisure time. He is the third generation to run the restaurant. Now he has before him a generous offer from the DelDine group to buy Schmidts. The corporation has been buying up restaurants along the coast. The stress the holidays put any restaurant under makes Thanksgiving a natural time to seriously consider the DelDine offer. They claim they will continue to employ his staff and honor his family's legacy, but can he trust them? And is it too late for Jack to make a life for himself apart from the restaurant?

The Same Bright Stars shines as a character driven drama and character study focused around Jack. Jack's life, struggles, family, compassion, and loses are all perfectly portrayed. He is a wonderful, fully realized, sympathetic character, as are the supporting cast of characters. They all come to life. Jack also has regrets from his past and desires a relationship but feels like it's perhaps too late for him.

While following the present day drama, the narrative also includes excerpts from a guidebook describing Rehoboth Beach and chapters flashing back into events from the past. Joella does an exceptional job realistically describing restaurant work. (I respect mentioning Crocs. Seriously, Crocs for work are a huge thing and this is a wonderful, realistic addition to the story.) The people who work for Jack are like family and many have a long-time relationship with him.

The Same Bright Stars is such an incredible, eloquent story of legacy, family, loss, and love. Joella handles the well-written narrative with his deft touch showing compassion and empathy for his characters and their struggles. Once you start reading you will not be able to set this novel down and it will leave an emotional impact on you. Thanks to Scribner for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

I'm not always a big fan of the "women's fiction" label, but I use it to point to books that center family and relationships and the ways life can be messy and complicated in good and bad ways. I generally love these books, so I say with great admiration that Ethan Joella is in a class by himself in terms of writing "women's fiction" with a male protagonist. I was impressed by The Same Bright Stars and its weaving together of the various strands that make up our MC Jack's life, past and present. His depiction of relationships, small business, and life in a seasonal community are all spot on, and though I've never run a restaurant, I felt an implicit trust for the narration on this front as well. So, all in all, a good story about people I was largely rooting for that appreciated the way lives can veer off in unexpected directions, meander, and eventually come to a place of contentment.

Set at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, The Same Bright Stars has the perfect small town beach setting for a summer read. Jack Schmidt is the third generation to run his family’s restaurant on the beach. At 52, he’s burned out but feels responsible for his employees and loyal customers. When he’s approached by a huge conglomerate about selling the restaurant, Jack is tempted but his high school buddy Deacon encourages him not to sell. The restaurant is Jack’s whole life and has always come first but it might be time for a change. The story’s timeline returns to the 1980s in flashbacks of Jack’s romance with Kitty, his ex-fiance.

Joella’s novels are beautifully written and the character driven plot transports the reader deep into the lives of these characters.The result is a story full of human connections and raw emotions. With themes of gentrification, corporate greed and family traditions, The Same Bright Stars conveys the ups and downs of life creating a heartwarming and relatable story.

“As long as we’re under the same stars, my dad used to say, there’s still a chance.”
A quick summery beach read. It gets you invested right from the start.
Jack grew up in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. His family has owned a restaurant for 3 generations. He works nonstop, 24/7. While he enjoys the restaurant life and his employees are like family, he realizes that life has passed him by. No significant other, no children, just working.
When an offer comes through to purchase Schmidt’s Restaurant, Jack is unsure of what to do. He is afraid of changes, doesn’t want his employees to lose their job, wants to keep the small time feel to the restaurant. He questions what he would do with his life if he were to sell the restaurant.
This is a very character driven story. Jack is an extremely likable, even lovable character. You have empathy for him as he tries to make the best decisions for everyone, not just for him. The book left you with warm feelings towards many of the characters- his best friend Deacon and his wife Andie, Alexis, a girlfriend from the past, Kitty a more recent girlfriend. Even Nicole, the quirky person wanting to buy the restaurant. The people that worked at the restaurant had such a work ethic for Jack in wanting the restaurant to succeed.
There were definitely some twists and turns along the way, some surprises, both good and bad.

I loved the inserts of “That’s Rehoboth Beach: A Guidebook. It gave such a superb description of life at the beach and all that it has to offer.

Many thanks to Scribner Books at Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. To be published on July 2, 2024.

Jack Schmidt runs his family's restaurant that has been around for three generations. His whole life is the restaurant. The DelDine group is buying up restaurants all up and down Rehoboth Beach in Delaware and now they are courting Jack. Is it time to let it go and try to salvage a life for himself? But Jack can't imagine the beach without Schmidt's. Perhaps even worse, Jack can't imagine who he is without Schimdt's.

Another hit by Ethan Joella. If you haven't read any of his books previously, I suggest you get on that. You will not be disappointed. This is a story of a man and the people in his life and restaurant. A real character driven story that takes you deep into the lives of these people, with all their ups and downs. It feels like you could go down to your local family owned restaurant and meet these actual characters. Again, another well-written and beautiful story of ordinary people from Ethan Joella, who has quickly become a must-read author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available July 2, 2024.

I really enjoyed this book. It was wonderfully written and I could not put it down. It will be a perfect book club discussion book.

This was my second Ethan Joella book and I am such a fan! His books are like a respite from all of the crazy goings on in the world with main characters who are good people through and through.

This story focuses on Jack Schmidt who at 52 years old is the 3rd generation running his family's restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Jack is approached by a conglomerate that is buying restaurants in the areas and while it would mean a huge payday and retirement for Jack he feels pulled to continue his family legacy and to take care of his loyal employees. It's a wonderful story about choices we make in life and the outcomes both immediate and as the decades go by.

Many thanks to NetGally and Scribner for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ethan Joella just has the magic touch at creating these cozy, small towns that truly make you feel like you live there. Just like A Quiet Life, The Same Bright Stars focuses on found family which I just adore.

We follow Jack, who owns Schmidt’s in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware. He’s struggling with his decision to sell his family restaurant and start living life for himself.

The cast of characters in Jacks life really brought the story together. They’re all lovable and troubled in their own ways but never fail to show up for one another. There were a few plot points that I neeeeded tied up for my own peace of mind that weren’t but I truly loved this book so much.

His books truly just feel like a warm hug and I hope he never stoped writing.

4.5 🌟

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to Ethan Joella, Scribner and Netgalley for the ARC!

“Look what you got to have. There was never a good time for it to end. There was never a way of being done with it, but you got to have it. It was yours for a while. And that means something, you know?”

For three generations, the Schmidts have run their family’s beachfront restaurant. Jack has been in charge since his father’s passing, putting the restaurant before all else. He can’t remember the last time he enjoyed a hobby or sat on the beach and relaxed. So when the DelDine Group approaches Jack with a very good offer to buy out his restaurant, he seriously considers it. He wonders what it would mean to close the door on the restaurant and who he would be without it. Most importantly, he wonders if the DelDine group will continue to honor his family’s legacy.

Ethan Joella truly captures what it means to be human in his books. Full of raw emotion and a huge emphasis on the simple connections we make along the way, “Same Bright Stars” is no different. I found Jack to be very relatable, in wondering what was the right thing to do and thinking about different paths his life could have taken. With dual timelines, Jack reflects on the life he’s lived and his life going forward. Joella also expertly explores the subject of grief and loss and how that shapes life going forward. My favorite part is exploring how simple, everyday interactions are sometimes the things that have the biggest impact.

Interspersed with snippets about Rehoboth Beach - that Joella credits as “the city that saved us” - the small, beach town setting was a huge part of this story. If you enjoy character-driven stories and small town vibes, you will enjoy “Same Bright Stars”.

”The Same Bright Stars” is out July 2, 2024! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for my gifted copy of The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Ethan Joella and he is now on my auto buy author list, so keep these amazing novels coming!

There are very few books that I connect with in an emotional way, but Joella knows how to pull on my heartstrings, every single time!

The Same Bright Stars is beautifully written and the words just flow so smoothly together that I could not stop reading.

Joella also does a fantastic job describing the setting of Rehoboth Beach. I loved the summer vibes and honestly just the overall vibes of Rehoboth Beach, I even told my husband we need to take a trip down there (not a far road trip from NJ).

I always love all of the characters in the novels by Ethan Joella, and this holds true for The Same Bright Stars. Even the secondary characters are so well developed that you feel like you know them and root for them.

I love how real the characters are too, they have struggles like the rest of us, but it’s the journey through these struggles that is so wonderful to experience.

If you haven’t guessed already, this was a five-star read for me. I highly recommend The Same Bright Stars and Ethan Joella’s previous novels if you have not read them yet.

Jacks life is in a holding pattern. He’s living to work. He’s lonely. He’s wondering if there is more. He. Way too depressed for me. I read to 27% and stopped. My investment in his journey just dissolved.