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!

Full of so much depth and heart, this was a slow burn that very much felt satisfying! While I’m not sure both MCs got equal page time and space to discuss and work through their trauma, I did find their love story very endearing and heartwarming. The book leaves you feel full of hope and love and I really appreciated how there’s so much thoughtful and mature communication throughout.

A couple loose ends at the end made this feel a bit rushed at the end, but overall it was sweet.

I really wanted to love this book. I thoroughly enjoyed “Fly with Me”, it was one of my favorite books last year, but this one fell a bit flat for me. I found myself not interested in the storyline and it was a chore to get through. There were some parts I enjoyed but it wasn’t enough to really save the overall enjoyment of the book for me. I didn’t hate it, I just didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cute premise, but I struggled with this one. The alternating POV was confusing because the voice felt the same. I really didn’t feel the chemistry between the couple, and felt the reasoning for the third act breakup to be weak. Overall it was a bit slow and felt too long. I’ve seen many references in other reviews about the book needing more editing, and I would agree that the ARC I read could benefit from that.

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC to read and review.

Tropes/Themes: Forced Proximity, Insta-lust/love.... but still a slow burn?, found family, religious trauma, queer, Bookstore, Hidden Identity, Chronic Migraines

I actually adored this book and have already started adding other books by this author to my Libby holds. I loved everything about it. The tension, the relationships (not just the main romantic one), the scenes, and the character development. It was such a cute read but also hit some heavier topics. One of the main characters also has chronic migraines which is a main plot line throughout the book.

Thea and Courtney's slow burn but also insta lust was just perfectly done in my opinion. All the little things that built up their relationship was so cute, and honestly kind of wholesome in comparison to meeting someone on an app, texting them, etc, etc.

Them sharing both very creative hobbies and sharing it with each other was sweet- I loved the Sea of Grass section in this book- once you read it, you'll know. It also makes we want to go out stargazing and just enjoy spending time without technology.

The discussion of Courtneys childhood, plus her garbage ex-husband was a lot, but religious trauma is a lot so...

I loved the entire friend group and how much they cared for each other. It was so enjoyable to read about people supporting each other without wanting anything in return.

I am so excited for people to read this because it was the perfect sweet, a little smutty, found family romance.

I will read anything Andie Burke puts out. I thought the story was fun and the FMCs were realistic. The interactions ranged from funny to sweet to emotional, which I enjoyed. However, some of the writing felt a little rushed mixed with some run on sentences. Overall, With Stars in Her Eyes is full of heart and I would still recommend it to my friends.

If you liked Andie Burke’s other titles then you’ll really enjoy this one. I liked the set up being that the one main character is part of a band and then ends up at the bookstore. It felt similar to the movie Notting Hill (I promise I won’t compare every bookstore romance book to that film). Courtney and Thea both have unique circumstances and personalities that make reading about their individual situations even more intriguing and seeing them come together made it all worth the while. If you liked this author’s past books like Fly With Me, then you’ll love this one.

This book is a fun take on a sapphic slow burn! Courtney is a cello player who suffered a debilitating migraine in the moment of her big break. Though her migraines are chronic, this one shook both her career and her heart. Determined to move on, she goes to work in her friend’s bookstore.

Thea is the black sheep of her family who can’t seem to stick with anything. She decides to go live with her best friend when his career ends and start over in small town Kansas as a piercer at a tattoo shop. When a package is misdelivered to the tattoo shop, Thea knocks Courtney off her feet in their adorable meet cute!

What follows is a story of friendship, slow connection, found family, learning boundaries, continued deconstruction of evangelical faith, and love. This story was a touching one with elements of chronic illness, pursuing passions, and finding a place in a world that isn’t made for everyone. A beautiful story of two people finding their way to each other in this messy life.

This book was fun! I liked both of the characters and it made for a nice read for the beginning of a vacation, it just didn’t particularly stand out to me. I did really like the writing style though, so I would definitely be interested in trying another of Andie Burke’s books!

This book delivered exactly what I've come to expect from an Andie Burke romance: representation for various chronic illness and mental health issues, heavy topics balanced with just the right amount of humor, and a super fun supporting cast.

I thought it was really interesting that Burke chose to set this book in Kansas. In some ways it challenges what those of us on the coasts might assume of America's conservative middle. There is variability, and community, and safe space to be found for Thea and Courtney. In other ways it feels like a hopeful vision, Burke's dream of what this place could be. Thea and Courtney don't confront a whole lot of prejudice or fear, though there is one scene where they're reminded of where they are. To me, this book feels very optimistic about the baseline average of who is living in Kansas, playing in the NFL, and the like. I was okay with that because romance is inherently escapist, and the setting for this book feels like part of the escape.

I also loved the focus on self-actualization in this story. It's very character-driven, and there are no quick fixes for the baggage Thea and Courtney bring to their relationship. I might've liked to have seen some aspects of their past trauma and family dynamics explored a little more, in fact. But I like that while these two find some version of home in each other, they aren't each other's reason for being. If anything their individual passions and talents grow stronger in parallel to their romantic connection. Sometimes romance can be all about finding the other person, but I liked the element of Thea and Courtney finding themselves, too.

I read this as an ARC from NetGalley, so there were a few technical wrinkles, but having read the official copies of Burke's previous work I feel super confident those will be worked out.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

I love the way Andie Burke writes romcoms that also deal with serious issues. Both Courtney and Thea are dealing with a lot of personal baggage and we see both how that affects their relationship, and also the ways their relationship serves as a reprieve from all the difficulty. They bond over books and music and photography, and it’s very sweet seeing them grow closer.

However, some of Thea’s actions in the third act really rubbed me the wrong way. I think Courtney deserved a lot more grace and understanding than she received. For the ending, this is closer to a 3.5/3.75, but I’m rounding up to a 4. Still love Burke’s writing, and I really hope we get an update on some of the side characters- maybe Nic? Or Marshall??

Sweet, inclusive, and full of heart. Burke creates a warm romance that balances vulnerability and joy. The chemistry was strong, though some emotional beats felt a little rushed. Still, it’s a lovely, affirming read.

Thank you to Net Galley for the eARC!

The premise of this book drew me in - sapphic romance in a bookstore setting? Sign me up. However, the writing style of the author did not do it for me, so it was hard at times to follow the plot/story line.

I also found the book to be equally parts repetitive and slow. I wasn’t fully sold on the romance in the book - whether that is due to the writing style or the lukewarm chemistry between the two main characters, I don’t know.

That being said, the book was cozy and cute, and I am glad I got to enjoy it. I would give the book a second chance when it is published and hopefully edited to see if that improves the readability.

A delightful romance of two woman falling in love at a small town bookshop. I loved Courtney and Thea's stories, both together and apart, and they were easy to root for as they navigated past traumas to find present happiness.

There are a few undeveloped and unresolved plotlines - especially concerning their parents - but overall I was charmed by this story.

With Stars in Her Eyes by Andie Burke
Genre: contemporary romance
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩Sapphic romance
📸Photographer
🎶 Musician
💕Dual POV
🤕Chronic illness rep (severe migranes)
✨Stargazing
❤️‍🩹Religious trauma and deconstruction
🌶️Spice

I’m a sucker for musicians, and seeing Courtney open up to Thea through her music was everything. I also could identify with Thea and her people-pleasing tendencies, especially with her family. I enjoyed seeing her creative side as a photographer as well. I LOVE starry skys, so those elements were dreamy!

This story felt realistic and I believed in Thea and Courtney’s love story, BUT I felt the ending was too rushed for my liking. But I do tend to have a problem with romance books that end like this, so it might be more of a me problem!

If you’ve ever wanted a partner to send you books with love notes, pick this one up. I also thought the aura photo scene was everything - the tension was chef’s kiss!

All in all, if you’re looking for your next sapphic romance, I’d give this one a shot! Make sure to read the content warnings, but I feel the trauma covered in this book was handled with care.

With Stars in Her Eyes is out in September! Thank you to SMP for my eARC. All opinions are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC!
I truly hope that this books get another pass by an editor. The plot and story are interesting, but the execution just missed the mark. There are grammar errors, but also issues with sentence structures. The dialogue was also a bit iffy for me. I’m thinking of picking up Fly With Me by Andie Burke because I’ve heard nothing but good things about it!

Neither of the protagonists of this title are in a place to get into a relationship. Each is convinced that she's broken, so when they take their time building a relationship with one another, it adds realism to the plot. The book didn't exactly feel like a slow burn, but readers are given enough time to truly fall in love not just with the main characters, but with side characters and the town itself. The only thing that could have improved it was a soundtrack, as the book is so musically focused. Truly excellent work.

Ohhh I wanted to love this so badly.... unfortunately it just didn't hit for me. I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the main characters, so there was little to keep me invested. I kept getting pulled out of the world by the poor grammatical structuring, and frankly complete lack character development. I hope this book hits for some, and always happy to have more queer love in the world.

This was cute and heartwarming! I appreciated these characters getting to know each other through the book.