“A touch of Fate and all the stars align . . .” 🏹💝💫

a special thank you to Net Galley, Wednesday Books & St.MartinPress for allowing me access to an Advanced Reader’s Copy of All the Stars Align by Gretchen Schreiber!! it’s an absolute privilege to receive an ARC & i’m so honored to be able to share a honest review in exchange.

✨ publication date: april 1st, 2025

review: ★ ★ ★ ★ (03/31/25)
a sweet, magical YA story that can remind you the importance of doing things because you want to.

i love the idea of trusting Fate & the Blessing but i am believer that you are always the one in charge of your future!! you make the choice to trust your gut.

i love the (visible & invisible) disability representation, both are so crucial. Piper (FMC) is so much stronger and more deserving than she realizes. i loved reading about Leo helping her to open up, we can see from the start that he truly gets her.

Schreiber did an amazing job of balancing all the conflicting factors on Piper’s mind. i also think the messiness & meddling created interesting drama and tensions while being fairly realistic!

i will say the end game couple was clear from the start, so the ending could not come soon enough!!! i, especially, loved the sweet moments at the end.

Piper’s family is ruled by Fate. They all know their true love at first sight, except Piper is disabled and her parents are divorced, so she thinks Fate has forgotten her. She finally meets someone who could be the one, but when she messes up their first meeting, she turns to her best friend for advice, except her best friend is also in love with her.

This story was so annoying. Piper was about to graduate high school and her aunts were all grown adults, yet they were all whiny and childish. The repetition about the Blessing and Piper’s disability was also infuriating. The characters had no concept of logic. The plot was intriguing because of the potential for magical realism, but no, there was no magic, there were just manipulative bratty characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Piper is the youngest member of her generation, determined to uphold the family traditions, because she's afraid that her family won't love her if she doesn't; in her own mind, she's already at a disadvantage because of her disability - which, on the one hand, was a key part of her motivation in both the main plot and a side plot, but on the other hand, was discussed so little that it felt fake. It was trotted out as an explanation for what would otherwise be normal teenage angst, and other than that, it was hardly mentioned.

I chose this novel because I like the premise of the Blessing, and as far as that went it was fine. But there was no suspense for me; about a quarter of the way through I guessed what the outcome of the plot would be, and the rest of the novel simply confirmed it. Like Piper's disability, the Blessing was a convenient plot device, brought in just often enough to explain what would otherwise be normal teenage yearning and emotional blindness, but other than that, it was hardly mentioned, and not really explained.

This is not a bad novel, and it will appeal to people who enjoy romances, but I was looking for fantasy, and this isn't it. This novel is appropriate for readers high school for adult who enjoy the genre.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC.

The magical realism of this novel was not planned well. The references to Fate and the "butterflies" feeling when Piper's family meets their true love are vague. This story read more like a contemporary romance novel for teenagers.

Surprisingly, I liked the toxic relationship of Piper's extended family. I'm from a big family and the toxicity varies, but it definitely echoes what's in this book. However, I did not enjoy the drama between Piper and her friends. Her family's bonds were more fleshed out than her friends'.

Piper’s family has the Blessing—the ability to know instinctively, immediately who the love of their life is when they meet them. When Piper’s parents divorce, she feels the pressure from her aunts to not only get her parents back together, but also to find her one true love. But Piper’s heart is taking her in two separate directions, and she must decide which way to follow.

It’s pretty obvious from the very beginning where the story is going and who Piper will choose, and that made it hard for me to get into. I did like the disability representation, though. We don’t know any specifics about Piper’s disability, just some of her struggles and insecurities due to it, and I thought that was great. Her disability impacts her motivations for wanting to fit in with her family and get her parents back together, but it’s never the main focus of the story. It’s cute enough for YA romance, but the storytelling is a bit lacking. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Gretchen Schreiber for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was ok. I think it's a good lower YA book, so perfect for our 12 yr old daughter after its publication.

I do think it was a little hard to tell what her disability entailed sometimes? It was a physical disability, but sometimes it made it seem like there was more to it as well? I would have appreciated her disability not being tip-toed around. I feel like there was really only one scene where practicality came into play with it, and then another scene where it explored how that disability affected how she saw herself. I do very much appreciate the representation, but I wish it was all a bit more defined and fleshed out.

The romance was sweet. The love triangle was as expected. There weren't really surprises with this book, but I appreciated the exploration of coming into your own voice and learning to move towards what you actually want in life and not what others say you should want for yourself. It's a good and uplifting coming of age story.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

I think this was more a case of it being the wrong time for me to read this book. Really like the concept overall. Definitely willing to give it another chance in the future - but I just couldn't get into the story. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Gretchen Schreiber’s *All the Stars Align* is a heartwarming YA romance that explores the tension between fate and choice—through the eyes of a protagonist who’s never quite felt like she belonged.

Piper, the main character, comes from a long line of women who all find their soulmates and *know instantly*, guided by an inherited, almost mythical sense called “the Blessing.” But when Piper’s parents get divorced—and she still hasn’t had her own moment of destined love—she begins to feel even more alienated. Add in the fact that she’s already set apart by her disability (Scoliosis, though other unnamed diagnoses may be at play as well), and it’s clear she’s not just searching for love, but for validation and acceptance within her own family.

Despite its YA label, *All the Stars Align* offers plenty for adult readers too. Piper’s internal world—her longing, her insecurity, her need to belong—feels strikingly relatable. Schreiber captures the way family expectations can shape (and sometimes warp) our view of love, and she does it with tenderness and nuance. One of the strongest aspects of the novel is how it contrasts Piper’s encounter with her supposed blessing from Fate, Forest, versus her long-time best friend Leo (who she has just always wondered about), whose quiet, enduring love slowly emerges as something much deeper and more real. Leo’s steadiness provides a beautiful counterbalance to Piper’s quest for a fairy-tale ending.

The book also deserves credit for weaving in family-based belief without losing its grounding in emotional truth. The idea that the “Blessing” may be more about belief and tradition—her family's belief in the Blessing is what gives it power—adds a lovely ambiguity. Piper’s journey becomes less about fulfilling a prophecy and more about reclaiming her own agency—and deciding whose love really matters.

Even Piper’s parents, often sidelined in YA novels, are portrayed with care. Their divorce isn’t a source of trauma but a representation of growth and mutual respect—another subtle but important subversion of romantic tropes.

*All the Stars Align* is a tender, thoughtful exploration of love, identity, and self-worth. It’s a story that reminds us that while fate might nudge us in a direction, it’s what we choose that truly defines our lives.

This book is a little bit fantasy and a lot realistic. The main character comes from a long line of women who believe in finding their one true love through special powers. And they look for the signs. And expect every woman in the family to possess this power. End the fantasy and enter the reality. The main character is a teenage girl doing her best to fit in while in high school and trying to find the love of her life. She has a physical disability which makes her feel different from others. She just wants to fit in, not just at school but in her family too. She seeks out her best friend, a male, in helping her. You can probably tell this will have a friends to lovers trope, and that is one of my favorites. Such a cute romance book for teens. I already got it for our school library!

This book is filled humor, heartache, and swoon-worthy moments, this is the kind of book that will leave you with a huge, goofy smile and maybe a few happy tear

A beautiful friends-lovers YA romance about finding your place in the world. I loved the Disability Representation in this book as well, and how it was handle. It wasn't treated as a major plot point or the main character's whole personality, but helped to give insight to who the main character was and who she wanted to be.

I absolutely LOVED this book! This beautiful, sweet YA romance had everything I love in it, and I absolutely loved that Gretchen once again chose to have disability representation with the main character. Leo gave me so many butterflies, and reading this story felt like falling in love for the first time! So magical!

I didn't hate it but I didn't love it - this was just a solid meh for me. I felt it was a little repetitive and the pacing was weird. I enjoyed having disability representation throughout the novel, but not enough to make up for a lackluster writing. The idea was there, the execution was not. The love triangle was not it for me. 3/5

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and read it in one day. I loved the characters and the storyline as well as the characters growth. I would definitely recommend this book.

I think that this might have been more of me being the wrong audience for this one. I loved the premise of this story. I feel that the execution was a tad off, but for me It was more of a character issue then the plot. I found the FMC relatable and I really enjoyed her inner monologue. There came a point about half way through the book where her continued obsession and whining about her parents just felt over done and unnecessary. I know that it was crucial to the story I just wish that maybe it had been toned down a little. I did like the way that it played out however and I absolutely loved the disability rep.

This book started a little slowly for me. It’s pretty clear from the beginning that Leo has feelings for Piper, and she’s too deliberately oblivious to see it. Just as he’s about to confess how he feels, she meets the person she’s been waiting for: a boy named Forest, whose presence makes her feel a tug in her heart.

The biggest thing that elevates what would be a simple love story is the subplot about Piper’s parents, who, despite the family Blessing identifying them as true loves, have recently divorced. At first, Piper is committed to her aunts’ campaign to reunite her parents. After all, it’s clear the two still love each other.

As Piper explores her feelings for Leo and Forest, she begins to question whether letting Fate choose her romantic destiny is the right choice. Is it what she truly wants, or is it a safe way to ensure her place in her larger family?

Piper has some physical disabilities, including scoliosis. Her feelings about being a disabled child and possible love interest also come into play as she explores her family relationships and romance.

Diana, Piper’s best friend, is easily my favorite character. I liked the way that she navigated the mess between Piper and Leo and adored that she had her own unexpected love story in the mix as well.

If you liked The Charmed List by Julie Abe, then definitely check out The Stars Align.

Thanks to St Marten's Press and Net Galley for providing this ebook ARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the wholesomeness of this beautiful story. Searching for your true love is something so many spend their entire life doing. This was a lovely story of searching for your one true love because it is something so important to your family, and then stumbling into it without expecting it. Such a lovely story. Beautifully written and it was so easy to love the characters.

Unfortunately I just wasn't vibing with this one. I really couldn't get into the romance aspect of it. I can see why others liked it though!

I really wanted to like this one.

As a genre, magical realism isn’t something that I typically look for but lately, I’ve enjoyed the idea of it; suspending belief for the sake of how it interacts with the story and connects things together. For this story, Piper lives with the Blessing, a connection from Fate that ties two people together in what is and should be true love. Piper herself is an interesting MC, living with a disability and feeling very disconnected from her family because of it (and her parent’s recent divorce). She’s wholly consumed with believing in the Blessing, both for herself (at the detriment of her more-than-best-friendship with Leo) and for her parents, who she spends a considerable amount of time trying to get back together.

I wanted to like this but found it just came up lacking. I’m not sure if it was the conceit of being YA (which made much of Piper’s feelings more grating than they should) or that there didn’t feel as if there was any connection with Piper’s “true love” (which could also be by design). It probably wasn’t the best book for me but I could easily imagine someone else enjoying the stress of it, particularly if they were the target audience.

This was a very sweet YA romance. I think the target audience here should be young teenagers. This would be the perfect book for a teen who wants to read romance and their parents want to keep it as a PG experience. I also think the family drama/found family aspect was a nice touch. And this question of “fate” vs making your own destiny was interesting and would also appeal to a younger audience.

Lastly, the disability rep was so great! I loved it and I think it was handled beautifully.