Ethan, you’ve done it again. Thank you to Ethan Joella, NetGalley, & Scribner Books for an advanced copy!

The Same Bright Stars is full of brilliant characters — full of personality, flaws, and empathy. I was particularly struck in this story by the each character’s struggle to do their best, to do what’s right, amidst the struggles they face every day. This quality brings an authenticity to the story I don’t often come across while reading.

Ethan’s stories are always full of humanity, kindness, & small moments of seeing the beauty in the world around us and the people around us. They have the wonderful ability to help me slow down & remind me what’s really important in life, something I find truly special.

Out this July! You don’t want to miss it!

I really love Ethan Joella’s writing and in this book I fell in love with Rehoboth Beach. This is the second book of his I’ve read and I really enjoys how he writes his characters. They just seem so raw and real. This book has a small town setting, found family, a main character you can root for, and a community you’ll love.

I really enjoyed this novel. At first I just liked the writing and found it a bit meandering, but then the story continued to unfold and deepen. It drew me in so much that I read more than half of it in one day to finish. Warm themes of found family and small town community. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I expected a lot from this book after reading Joella’s previous works and this did not disappoint! As with all of Joella’s books, The Same Bright Stars takes you on an amazing journey following Jack as he attempts to run his family’s beachside restaurant. The writing is simply beautiful, and I’ll instantly buy any book Ethan Joella pens

Ethan Joella is an author I will continue to follow and read anything he puts out. His stories are full of rich and real characters, provide human connection and always make me feel something. This was a story about loss, love, the family we create and how to have hope in the inevitable lows of life. Jack is struggling with keeping a restaurant afloat that has been in his family for generations. He has to learn to rely on the people around him and take help when it is offered. I struggled in the beginning with this one, but the ending really won me over and had me feeling all the feels.

This was my first Ethan Joella novel. I enjoyed the beach setting, the restaurant setting, and the characters who were endearing and slightly quirky. The writing style was easy to read, though there were some places that felt a bit disjointed. I didn't love one of the main characters, though I think the author wanted us to love her. I will read more from this author, though!

Jack Schmidt has led his family's restaurant in a Delaware beach town since his father passed away. The restaurant is an institution, both to locals and to those who flock to the town each summer. But running the restaurant leaves Jack no time for himself. So when the DelDine group, which has been purchasing restaurants all across town, makes an offer for his restaurant, Jack can't help but consider it. The freedom to live his own life that selling the restaurant would offer is tempting, but Jack worries about what will happen to his staff, who are like family, and to the legacy his grandmother and father built. When a secret from decades before surfaces, Jack is forced to confront his past, and his present, in ways he never had before, and consider what future he wants for himself.

This is a touching book from an author who excels at the family novel. Well written and perceptive about the cross pressures of family legacy and charting your own path, this story is full of characters you will not soon forget.

Highly recommended!

What a beautiful and touching read! Ethan Joella’s writing is so deep yet so relatable and you can’t help but root for all of the characters in this book! Great beach read interwoven with some sadness, some scenes made my eyes misty, but it was so heartwarming at the same time.

The Same Bright Stars has a divine mixture of magic for a sweet book - love, loss, laughter, remorse, discovery, memories, dreams…Ethan Joella has created a story that tugs and pricks a bit to read but wraps up with the best kinds of love.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This novel is a beautifully written, complex and profound read. A story full of love, loss, grief and friendship. It makes one realize how another individual’s decisions/choices can change the course of so many lives.
So many wonderful characters, I particularly adored the main POV, Jack.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ethan Joella's latest novel, The Same Bright Stars, is a poignant exploration of the human experience. The story centers around Jack Schmidt, the third generation to run his family's beach restaurant. Jack's dedication to his work is unwavering, but when an offer from the corporate DelDine group arises, he's forced to confront the possibility of selling his beloved restaurant and leaving his employees behind.

As Joella masterfully weaves together themes of family, workaholism, grief, relationships, and addiction, the reader is treated to a nuanced portrayal of what it means to be human. One of the most striking aspects of the novel for me is the symbolism of Jack's beach chair.

I highly recommend The Same Bright Stars to adult readers, and I'm grateful to NetGalley and Scribner for providing an advance copy for review.

Thank you so much to @netgalley for this early release copy from one of my favorite authors @joellawriting
This is out July 2nd, and I can't wait to get my pre-ordered copy. I have read both A Little Hope and A Quiet Life and loved those as well.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can say that The Same Bright Stars didn't have me bawling like a baby like A Little Hope, but I did have my tissue out several times!

This is a wonderfully written story about a family restaurant in a small beach town. Jack has been running it since his grandma and father are no longer here. He puts the restaurant first in his life and never even takes a day off. When a group comes in and makes him an offer to buy it, he has to consider it. The offer is great! He's not sure what to do or what he would if he retired. He doesn't even have a hobby. Someone from his past resurfaces and brings him startling news. Jack has to figure out who he wants to be without the restaurant. It's a great story about family, relationships, loving yourself, and finding yourself all in one!
I loved it and know you will too!
#crazybooknerd
#netgalley
#ethanjoellabooks
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If you’re looking for an emotional summer story, this is the book for you— coming July 2nd!! 🥹

GENRE: Contemporary Fiction
MY RATING: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟(5/5)
#gifted @scribnerbooks— ily!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
▫️Comforting reads
▫️Wholesome characters 🫶
▫️Beach towns 🌊
▫️Alternating timelines
▫️Single POV
▫️Short chapters
▫️Books about food 😋
▫️Found family
▫️Young love 💕

MY THOUGHTS & RATING:
I decided that Joella’s books feel like a cozy Sunday morning or a warm cup of coffee in your favorite spot or talking to an old friend… his stories are exactly what you need them to be. 😭 Does that make sense?

The Same Bright Stars was a delicate story about a man named Jack, who must decide what to do with his father’s restaurant after he passes away. When a big company offers to buy the restaurant, Jack is faced with a difficult decision— sell it or keep it.

Every time I finish a book by Joella, I need at least 3-5 business days to recover from the emotional pull. ❤️‍🩹 You get to know his characters SO deeply… You invest into their lives so much that you feel as if you are holding their hand along their journey. Then the book ends and you have to LET. THEM. GO. 😭 The found family feels were FEELING you guys. The family-owned restaurant setting in a small beach town came to life easily due to the rich details in Joella’s writing. This book made me forget I was reading, thus making it a 5-star for me. 😌🌟 Highly recommend!

DETAILS:
▫️Publishes: 7/2/24
▫️Pages: 304
▫️Format I read: Physical

Thank you for the chance to read this for a honest review.
Jack has run the family restaurant since his father’s death. He puts the restaurant above all else and has no family of his own. He receives an offer from a group that wants to buy his restaurant. He questions if maybe this is the time for him to explore starting a family. I liked the relationship between Jack and his best friend, Deacon and Deacon’s wife, Andie. There’s a twist that I won’t spoil, but I also enjoyed the unexpected friendship that came out of that.

This felt like a typical Ethan Joella novel, which isn't a bad thing! If you've liked his previous novels, I anticipate that you'd like this one. He's a master at character and setting development. I loved Jack. Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC.

This is my first Joel’s book and won’t be my last.

The character development was beautiful. Such a lovely story!! Highly recommend!

I'm a big Ethan Joella fan and this book did not disappoint! However, I'm also a Rehoboth Beach native and so it was kind of weird to read about a REAL place but with fictional establishments. And while I do get why Joella would want to use a fictional restaurant as the main setting for the plot conflict, I'm not clear why places like Browseabout Books, Finland, and Candy Kitchen couldn't be named. That's probably a criticism only from people who know the place, but it did strike me as odd.

🏖 BOOK / REVIEW 🏖

This was my first book by #ethanjoella, and it definitely won't be my last! #thesamebrightstars was an easy, breezy summertime read that takes place in #rehobothbeach and follows a complicated (and sometimes lonely) character, Jack.

I loved that this one featured a family restaurant that was passed down for generations and all of the special memories that it holds. The secondary band of characters really stole the show for me, though - albeit a little rag tag in nature, each character added such a special element to the story.

While this was an easy read, it was pretty slow with little "action," which left me wanting more. It was a nice story overall, but there were definitely a few important storylines that were never tied up. Not sure if that means a sequel is coming, but I wanted answers.

It's a quick read that many will enjoy! Thank you, @simonandschuster, for my #gifted copy. This drops in July, 2024

Ethan Joella is a master of writing empathetic characters! I felt like I really knew MC Jack by the end of the story.

The sense of place he created in Rehoboth Beach was so vivid. I could picture it in every season, and after finishing, I wanted to visit.

The plot was somewhat lacking for me. The was more of a character driven story, and I missed the multiple perspective format he used in his previous novels.

I love a story with a strong sense of place, and Rehobeth Beach comes alive under Ethan Joella's descriptive pen. The Same Bright Stars gives us likeable characters doing the best they can, a few twists and surprises along the way, and a satisfying redemptive ending. Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read this wonderful eArc. 3.5/5 stars.