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The premise of this book held so much promise and I loved Fly With Me by the same author, so I was very excited to get to read With Stars in Her Eyes.

Unfortunately, the book did not live up to its promise. I found the storytelling to be slow, even for a slow-burn romance. The main characters, Courtney and Thea, both faced issues that were never fully explained or dealt with. The secondary characters had so much promise, too, but were underutilized. There were also some continuity errors that I found jarring and it was occasionally hard to differentiate Courtney from Thea in scenes where they were together.

Overall, a bit of a miss for me. I hope that since I was reading an ARC, some of the errors will have been corrected before publishing.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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DNF @ 32%

I really enjoyed one character out of this duo. I felt like Courtney was much more developed and given much more time and nuance in the first third of this book. I found her backstory as a musician utterly fascinating and related to her feeling of being left behind and misunderstood due to her migraine headaches. Unfortunately, even if Thea is given more time and focus later in the book, I wasn't motivated to get there.

The prose is pretty good, but there was some clunkiness I struggled with in terms of perspective and narrative voice. The book switches between Courtney and Thea's POVs, which is my preference for romance novels; however, their narrative voices are very similar and are written in first-person-perspective, so at times it was difficult to track which chapter I was in or even who was speaking in a conversation between the two of them.

I would not write off this author by any means, but this one just didn't click for me at this moment in time. Hoping to revisit at a later date.

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If I had a nickel for how many sapphic small town romances I've read that involve a bookstore?

I'd have too many nickels.

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I think books about fame/famous people can be hit or miss but I did enjoy this one, especially seeing a sapphic take on the trope. The romance between Thea and Courtney was slow burn in a way that made it seem believable, especially as the characters felt realistic and fully fleshed out. The book handled an array of heavy topics that kept it from being a cozy sort of romance, but all in all it was a solid romance.

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I think I was blinded by the excitement of a Kansas romance and sapphic love when I requested this, since I neglected some of my previous qualms with reading about famous people. Perhaps the editor was blinded too, because there didn’t seem to be an ounce of editing to this story. There were typos galore, switches in POV and tense that made no sense, and the third act had some of the most inconsistent pacing I’ve read in a long time.

The biggest thing that an editor should’ve tackled was the amount of trauma in the pages that weren’t given the care or attention deserved. Courtney’s abusive ex blackmailing her, her abortion, Marshall’s glossed-over side plot, and even Sam’s fertility issues were treated like a checkmark in the trauma Olympics for this book without any meaningful unpacking.

The migraine rep seemed to be done well though, particularly the debilitating aspects, and there was so much sapphic joy present on every page. With such well-done representation, I guess I expected better of the other traumas?

One last note: Millennials will likely enjoy this, though I couldn’t STAND the millennial-speak present throughout the narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This is a slow burn romance book between Courtney and Thea. I thought the characters were really authentic, which made this book better for me. The town reminded me of so many small towns I grew up in up watching on tv shows. However, the overall story was.a bit all over the place.

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I frankly despised this. I am not sure what did not resonate with me about this novel. However, the dialogue did irritate me with its repetitiveness, and the utter lack of communication, as well as the rushed ending, really made this read fall apart for me. I never felt too attached to the characters; the most interesting parts, such as past conflicts and minor characters, felt incredibly unexplored.

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I can’t resist a romance that has a bookstore theme, so I requested With Stars in Her Eyes by Andi Burke so fast! After a catastrophic career debut, Courtney Starling escapes to her friend’s bookstore in Kansas in order to get her migraines under control again; Thea Quinn has also started a new job for a fresh start. Friendly meetings between the two turn into stolen moments and dates under the stars, but will the past get in their way? There are a lot of really cute moments in this. I love how Thea loves so fully and how much she wants to push Courtney to succeed. And my heart went out to Courtney for the trauma she endured and how hard things have been for her. I wanted to give her a hug. I wanted her to see how loved she was and talk to the people around her to have her know she was loved. She was so beautifully written in her insecurities and hardships, Thea too—these characters were both wonderfully developed. I think the pacing was off for me. There was so much that needed space in book to dive into and I felt like so much kept getting cut off, and I felt like the traumas and conversations deserved more time than what was given. I did read an eARC so it may be fixed, but it did feel like there were a lot of grammar mistakes and repetition of phasings throughout too that got a little distracting. Regardless, I loved the Stars Hollow vibes of this small town romance and the depth of the characters. It was also two POVs, which I thought was really well done!

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A heart-on-sleeve romance that flirts, flutters, and flat-out flies.

If you’ve ever wanted to fall in love while reorganizing a bookstore shelf, dodge a bearded dragon with dignity intact (good luck), or find someone who sees your mess and calls it magic—then With Stars in Her Eyes is your new favorite escape.

Courtney Starling is a cello prodigy on the brink of superstardom—until her body throws a wrench into her dream with a very public, very career-derailing migraine episode. Cue the spiral. Cue the rumors. Cue the very relatable flight response. Where does she land? In a charming Kansas bookstore run by her best friend, hiding behind the register, a pixie cut, and a name tag that offers her a temporary reprieve from the spotlight.

Enter Thea Quinn, chaos in combat boots with a camera around her neck and just enough romantic trauma to make her immune to dreamy-eyed cellists. Or so she thinks. Their meet-cute? A full-on meet-disaster involving a shriek, a shelf tumble, and a rogue bearded dragon. It’s gloriously awkward and instantly electric.

From there, Andie Burke crafts a slow-burn romance that simply sings. Between Courtney’s hidden past and Thea’s tentative hope for a new future, their chemistry simmers in shared lunches, book club glances, and accidental hand brushes. It’s cozy. It’s intimate. It’s every queer girl’s dream scenario—messy, tender, and filled with banter that slaps.

💘 What makes it so special?

A meet-cute worthy of a rom-com Hall of Fame
A real, respectful look at chronic illness, ambition, and the pressure to “push through”
Queer joy, found family, and sapphic pining in the coziest of settings
Thea’s photography and Courtney’s music—art as healing, expression, connection
Tattoo-shop/bookstore vibes that are chef’s kiss
📌 Perfect for fans of:

Abby Jimenez, Meryl Wilsner, or Rachel Lynn Solomon
Romance with depth, where trauma doesn’t erase the joy
Queer women finding strength in softness
Anyone who’s ever needed a fresh start and a well-placed book club flyer

With Stars in Her Eyes is swoony, soulful, and utterly unputdownable. Andie Burke writes with warmth and honesty, wrapping love, grief, and hope in a beautifully sapphic bow. This isn't just a romance—it's a full-body exhale. A gentle reminder that healing isn’t linear, love is sometimes inconvenient, and happy endings are rarely tidy—but always worth it.

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Ok this book gave all the vibes I needed this past week. I loved the cover the characters just everything. The love story between Courtney and Thea it just made my heart happy. The Author Andie has now made two books that i adore and I cant wait to see what else I will eventually read from her.

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# 4/5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

With Stars in Her Eyes by Andie Burke delivers a charming sapphic romance that had me completely invested in Courtney and Thea’s love story. The chemistry between these two characters absolutely crackles on the page—Burke has a real gift for writing that electric tension that makes you want to shake the characters and yell “just kiss already!” The slow burn is deliciously torturous in the best possible way, building anticipation with every stolen glance and almost-moment.

What really shines in this novel is the small town atmosphere that Burke creates. The setting has that warm, cozy feel reminiscent of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls—you can practically smell the coffee and feel the community gossip swirling around. It’s the kind of place that feels both comforting and slightly claustrophobic, perfect for a romance where everyone knows everyone’s business.

My main gripe with the book centers on the miscommunication trope, which unfortunately plays a significant role in keeping our leads apart. While I understand it’s a common romance device, the misunderstandings felt a bit forced at times and pulled me out of an otherwise engaging story. These moments of frustration detracted from what could have been an even more satisfying romantic journey.

Despite that frustration, Burke’s writing kept me turning pages late into the night. The emotional beats feel genuine, and when Courtney and Thea finally do get their moments together, it’s absolutely worth the wait. This is a solid addition to the sapphic romance genre that romance readers will definitely want to add to their TBR pile.

**Perfect for fans of:** Small town romance, slow burn sapphic love stories, and anyone who enjoys that Gilmore Girls small-town charm with a queer twist.

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4.5⭐️

I ate up this book! The sapphic slow burn was 🥵. I loved that they knew they didn’t want the miscommunication or third act break up tropes. Showing once again that gays do it better 😉 You could feel the love that comes with a dual POV.

I’m really hoping for Marshall’s sequel now!

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I was very excited for this book after reading Fly with Me and I was not disappointed. It was a little bit more of a slow build rather than grabbing me immediately, but it worked.

Fly with Me had a personal connection with the author, having a character working as a nurse. This has a deeper personal connection, dealing with a fundamentalist upbringing and severe migraines. OK, that doesn't sound like fun, but the book is both humorous, serious, and deeply felt.

Both characters can be both witty and awkward, there are some great small-town characters (and some music industry scum), and realistic obstacles.

There are running jokes about romance novel tropes—one character points out that they are not doing a third-act breakup "because you hate those". Another time, she offers to grow her hair out to be more like Fabio. These are exactly the kinds of things I'd expect from someone who works in a bookstore.

As a photographer, it was nice to see the astrophotography well-researched and describe. Aura photography is a real thing, too.

I'm pretty sure that the title refers both to the astrophotography and to vision artifacts from a migraine.

I'm already looking forward to Andie Burke's next book.

St. Martin's Press was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via NetGalley for an honest review.

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3.25 stars

This is the second book by Andie Burke that I have read, and I'm beginning to think that she may not be the author for me. Each time, I have been drawn in by the interesting premise, but left wanting in the end. With Stars In Her Eyes has a great premise and very interesting characters, but the plot just doesn't do enough heavy lifting to do it justice. The character development also felt lopsided. we get A LOT from Courtney's side, and it seems that in order to not overload the story, Thea fell to the wayside. Balancing it out would have definitely helped, especially since we have two very interesting characters. I wanted to love this, but I only kind of liked it. In the end, I was able to finish it, but it seems to be a bit forgettable, which is a shame.

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This was a fun and cute sapphic romance! I enjoyed it and would still recommend it.

I loved watching the character development of both women. Courtney had the most to overcome and seeing her finally step into her dreams was so rewarding. I was also really glad to see Thea really put up strong boundaries around her toxic family.

The book has a lot to say about damaging families and pasts that have the potential to hold you back from who you truly are. I was happy to see both them get where they deserved to be.

Overall, 3 ⭐️. A lot of the book was pretty slow and the plot kept going places and then stopping. It was just a lot of talking and not a lot of action. I’d have loved to see a more intense plot with the pasts that these two had. Also don’t love that Courtney kept so much from Thea knowing how intense she was about honesty. But otherwise, I did really enjoy this book and the writing was quite beautiful.

Some of my fav quotes:

✨ Last night felt like something so precious and righteously stolen amidst the clutter and chaos waiting for me everywhere else.

✨ The idea of being with Thea and waking up beside her every day might be enough of a gift that maybe I wouldn’t miss my old dreams.

✨ “God, you just get me.” Thea laughed and laughed until I made her make a sound that was definitely and absolutely not a scream.

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This cover is absolutely gorgeous and so is the relationship! I loved the settings and the vibes and it felt so well done

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Huge thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s press | St. Martin’s Griffin and author Andie Burke, for providing me with the eARC of “With Stars in her Eyes”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: September 16th, 2025
Reviewed on Goodreads: July 11th, 2025

This book was a perfect rainy-day read.
It felt warm, cozy and mystical.

Courtney has been a musician since she was a child. She has recently decided to take a break from her career, due to health issues. While on break she is working with a friend at a Kanas bookshop.
This is where she meets Thea- a tattoo artist and photographer that has just moved to the same town to escape her complicated family relationships.
The two women aren’t looking for love but form an instant connection to each other.
There just happens to be a lot that Thea has yet to learn about Courtney.

Perfect if you love:
- Sapphic Romance
- Slow burn romance
- Cozy romance
- Celebrity romance

Courtney and Thea are adorable. I loved them.
I thought both of their characters were written beautifully, and I could really feel the connection between them.
I was actually aching for them to have their first romantic encounter.
Like please KISS THE GIRL ALREADY! The slow burn was definitely burning for me.
It was oh-so good when things finally picked up.

Both characters were well developed, with their own individual problems. The story didn’t feel completely taken over by just one of them. It was quite balanced.
This story is dual-pov as well, which I always think makes everything feel much more personal.

I appreciated hearing Thea’s stories about how she felt secondary to her siblings, who were all married with children. She felt that her mother viewed her as being less than them, and always put her in uncomfortable situations to prioritize them.
I think a lot of readers could probably relate to her here.

Bonus points for the inclusion of cute animals. I love that.

I think this is definitely worth the read!

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I have come to love Andie Burke's writing. She has a way of mixing romance and hard topics into a cozy little package, and this book is no exception. I love the characters, the town, and all the backstories happening throughout the book.

The only thing that kept me from giving this the five stars that I wanted to, was a series of editing issues that unfortunately kept pulling me out of the story.

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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! After a performance gone wrong, cellist Courtney leaves her skyrocketing career behind to work in her best friend’s bookstore where she meets tattoo artist and photographer Thea. Sparks fly.

Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing this at 51%. I always read with characters in mind - they’re the most important part of a story to me - and I felt that Courtney and Thea were rather flat. The writing was trying to be witty but not quite achieving that, making me cringe at times instead. I could also feel the writer trying to make the story cute and sweet instead of letting that happen naturally.

I do always feel guilty when I DNF an ARC but life is short and I know this wouldn’t have gotten more than a three star from me and might have even been lower.

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What a lovely read! I am a huge Andie Burke fan, and this latest book did not disappoint. This is a must-read for fans of musical romances, love-interests with fun hobbies, and romance book enthusiasts (I love the in universe book club!) Thank you so much Netgalley for the ARC!

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