I was lucky and received this ARC ebook. I absolutely loved it! I was hooked from the start. I love a good Dystopian/sci-fi read. Definitely gives you a new age Titanic vibes.

Favorite Quotes:
🖤“Can we just be lost right now?” “As long as you want to be lost with me.” “Forever.”

I absolutely love a slow-burn romance, and this book has done it to perfection. These two characters were very easy to fall in love with.

This Titanic retelling was captivating. The setting of the book in space was not by typical read, but did I thoroughly enjoy it. The details of the world building, characters and the plot made you feel as if you were in the book.

The ending was constant action and tied up the story nicely for now, until the next book, which I can't wait to read.

Ugh this was good. The golden boy golden retriever that Jupiter was. The badass independent woman that Weslie was. The way they were with each other. Hell yeah. There were some minor continuity issues I noticed and the ending was just kinda… there. It was real open ended and left me with more questions than answers but I still really enjoyed this book. Thank you entangled

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Bound By Stars is a E.L. Starling first person dual-POV YA sci-fi romance genderbent retelling of Titanic. Weslie is a young prodigy in robotics who wins a spot on the Boundless’ voyage to Mars. She meets Jupiter, an artist and heir to one of the Big Six families of the future. The two aren’t looking for love but that’s exactly what they find before the spaceship they’re on starts to go down.

I would definitely classify this as a retelling of Titanic. The beats follow the film quite closely, complete with an unwanted arranged marriage that one member of the romantic relationship has to find a way to break and a sharp class divide that keeps the pair apart. I wouldn’t call this a Romantasy by any stretch of the imagination because there is nothing really fantastical in it that doesn’t have to do with robotics or space and it’s all quite grounded (think Star Trek, not Star Wars). It’s a sci-fi romance or a space romance.

Weslie comes onto the ship with something sort of going on with Reve who is one of the ship’s employees. They aren’t together but she wants something more to be between them than what there currently is until she starts to develop feelings for Jupiter, who she spends a lot of time with due to their shared classes on the Boundless. It is something of a third triangle, but there’s never really a fight between Jupiter and Reve because both young men understand that Weslie can and will make her own choices and they’ll let her pick between them without duking it out.

This moves at a fairly fast pace and is easy to read. The Titanic aspects help pull the narrative forward and the worldbuilding doesn’t use a ton of in-world terms. The mix of the familiar with a handful of new things would make this a good fit for a reader who is thinking of dipping their toes into sci-fi.

I would recommend this to fans of romances set in space and readers of YA looking to give sci-fi a spin

A titanic re-telling set on a spaceship headed for mars. There is drama, Sci-Fi, slow burn romance, and of course my favorite part: ISLA (think r2d2, but better). ISLA' s banter and perfect comeback timing was *chefs kiss*. It does explore classical and privilege, but in appropriate ways (not too preachy). Even though it is set for YA audiences, I think it also was a goodread for those that dont usually read this genre. It has a good steady pace, and loveable characters. definietly will recommend to friends!

Titanic but make it in space! This was definitely YA appropriate and such a good read. I loved the slow burn and the wittyness of the FMC. The issue of classism was done so well! Every single character was written so well and i just couldn't get enough!

Titanic in space?? Yes please! The Boundless is brand new, luxury spacecraft to Mars. Its first class citizens from Mars have beautiful cabins and gorgeous dining halls. The luxury of traveling on the fastest ship from Earth to mars is set aside for the Big Six families that basically rule Mars. Except Weslie - an Earther who won her place in the first class section of the Boundless for her life saving robot invention. Wes is pulled into the first class world even if she feels she doesn’t belong. Throw in a love interest from back home on Earth who works in the ship and a second love interest who is from one of the prominent Big Six families and it gets interesting.
Loved learning about the ship and seeing how life might not be easier just because you have money. Wish we got more of the second class section of the ship and the mystery of the group behind the attacks but maybe a book 2 will explore that more!
ISLA is the best part of this book and I will keep reading for more of her growing snarkiness!

A sci-fi titanic retelling with a side of rebel groups and mayhem. Not gonna lie I was a little hesitant going into this book but oh my god it was so good!! The character connections and relationships are so naturally developed and progressed. The sci-fi and robotics aspects were well done (scientific impossibilities aside I’m just here for the plot) and lend well to the stories development. The FMC Weslie has a hard exterior at first and while I understand her apprehensions being considered “second-class” some of her stubbornness throughout the book was very frustrating. She fails to listen before she reacts which naturally leads to a lot of tension and drama. The MMC Jupiter is a refreshing change of pace, he’s not my usual go to type of MMC but his authenticity and genuineness in a passive manner is done really well that’s it’s not eye-rollish.
I love the comparisons and nuances from Titanic, especially with the gender role reversal which lead well into the love triangle (even tho that was biggest contention with this book). I will say I’m still trying to map the ship out in my mind based on descriptions but there’s way too many hallways for me to keep track! The twists at the end were well lead into and introduced, and while I managed to infer what they would be based on snippets dropped throughout the story, the impact was still there. I’m still screaming over one of them because other characters don’t know and it’s killing me!! But the ending clearly leads into the possibility of a second book which I do hope there is… there’s way more to this story that hasn’t been touched, plus we just got to Mars, the fun is just starting!

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for giving me the opportunity to Arc read and early review!

I gave Bound by Stars four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thank you Entangled Publishing and E.L. Starling for this ARC. These are my honest opinions.

I loved this book! The author wrote it after watching Titanic and thinking, “what if….?” And I was here for all of it!

I loved the characters. Finally, an FMC that isn’t constantly doing stupid things or guilt tripping. Weslie knows where she’s from and where she hopes she’s going. She doesn’t constantly bring up guilty feelings for winning the contest that got her on the Boundless….she won fair and square and makes no apologies about it. While she does battle with her place on the ship, I think that would be a normal reaction.

Jupiter is also well written. He was the perfect companion to Weslie. Both the chemistry and the banter.

ILSA - yes please! She might have been my favorite character.

There were awesome secondary characters, too.

I enjoyed the story line and it kept me engaged from the very beginning. This was somewhat of a dystopian, class society book, although the government isn’t portrayed much.

You will like this one!

So entertaining! I really loved this! I love the strong, feisty, brilliant Weslie. Jupiter won me over as well. This was well-written, engaging and quite the page turner. I really had no idea what to expect, but this pulled me in from the start. Then the last 1/3 of the story was such a fever pitch. Goodness! I couldn’t put it down. I will highly recommend this! Such fun!

I absolutely could not put this book down! One of my favorite reads of 2025. Definitely recommend it to everyone i meet! Can't wait for more from this story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this advanced reader copy.

This book was different than anything I have ever read. It was a Titanic retelling on a state of the art spaceship. There are so many themes in this book that kept me interested and intrigued. It delves into themes of classism and social divide. There are also romantic tension, adventure and survival themes.

The ending was constant action and tied up the story nicely. I am definitely interested in reading more by this author!

Unexpectedly good! I don’t normally enjoy books with sci-fi themes and (don’t kill me) I fell asleep during Interstellar. So when I saw that this book gave Titanic and Interstellar vibes, I wasn’t sure if I would like it. However, I enjoyed it so much!

First off, I loved ILSA! I loved how she gave Weslie a taste of her own sass. I thought that the story was very interesting. I love the idea of her winning a contest and being able to go on a journey to Mars to, hopefully, create a better life for her and her mom. I feel like the people could’ve put up more of an act welcoming her. Like cmon… At least pretend you know this person that was selected as winner! I felt that the love story between her and Jupiter was cute. He was persistent and she eventually fell for him. His actions spoke louder than just his words. I liked how protective he was of her and how he was willing to do anything for her. I truly thought I had guessed the ending, but I was still caught by surprise at some of the plot twists. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot. Secretly hoping there will be more to these characters’ stories.

Firstly, thank you E.L. Starling for not throwing your computer at the sun that April day because this story was a joy to read. Weslie and Jupiter are two teens from different worlds (literally) that keep bumping into each other uncomfortably until they’re forced to work together on the luxury space liner, Boundless, as it travels between Earth and the colonization on Mars. Wes starts off a timid Earther but before you know it she’s showing off her snark, stubbornness, and total bad-assery. Jupe is the privileged Elysian boy she thinks she has figured out. Together, they challenge the expectations of lives that were predetermined for them while working out communication errors on ILSA, the bot Weslie developed that won her a ticket onto Boundless. But when are maiden voyages ever safe? After all, this story is Titanic in space.

I enjoyed the nods to Titanic, especially the dancing scenes. The banter between Wes and Jupe was great but ILSA was top tier. I pictured her as the maidbot from The Jeffersons the whole time but with a Chappie style demeanor. I wish there had been more background and development to the side characters, and it would have rounded out the depth of the story having it. The last chapter was perfect and it ended exactly where it should have, though of course I have questions about some of the other characters. Overall I enjoyed the book and would read more by this author.

4.5 stars! It would have been a full 5 for me if more of the side character holes had been filled in, though I didn’t want to knock off an entire star as it as a YA read and I can also understand not wanting to bog the book down.

I was completely absorbed from the beginning. This is sci-fi infused reworking of the Titanic but set in space. The struggle for survival is underscored by a rigid class system, and a divisive us-versus-them mentality.

The predictability of the characters' flaws contribute to the story. There were many twists and turns, with some being expected and others not. Also, the supporting characters are interesting, and I look forward to getting to know them more in a sequel. The novel explores various social issues, including arranged marriages, socioeconomic disparities, and the divide between Earth-born individuals and those from Mars. There was plenty of political intrigue and espionage, although occasionally, they felt uncomfortably close to current events.

Weslie is a smart but sheltered 17 year old. Jupiter is the black sheep heir to a Big Six Corp on Mars. Their romance has a slow burn and their scenes are appropriate for young adult.

If you're a fan of sci-fi, dystopian, slow-burn romance, and appreciate a story with heart, and tension, I highly recommend it.

This is one of those odd reads where what drew me to the book (science fiction re-telling of “Titanic”) is the specific aspect of the read that I most disliked. That is to say, there was a lot to like here whenever I could disconnect my brain from the parallel’s to the movie. While there weren’t any groundbreaking science fiction moments, the struggles between Mars and a vastly reduced Earth was an interesting political stage upon which to set the story. And the overall conflict and themes of the story (mostly centering around classism) were fairly well handled, especially for a young adult novel. The discussions of these themes was also done well and avoided straying too far into preachiness, a perpetual problem it seems in books like this. Further, the disaster itself that befalls the starliner was action packed and intense. However, this is a perfect example of how the comparisons to “Titanic” don’t work in the book’s favor.

Maybe I’m being nitpicky, but to me at least, there is a huge difference between the natural disaster that befell the Titanic with its ramming of the iceberg and a rebellion attack upon a luxury starliner. I picked this book up looking for a disaster and survival story; indeed, anyone who is promised a book that is a re-telling of “Titanic” would expect the same. A rebellion attack is a very different thing, and while not bad on its own, not what I been expecting or wanting from this read.

And you might say at this point “well, just try to read it as an original story, disconnected from the re-telling.” But you can’t! There are scenes that are direct call-backs/re-imaginings of scenes from the movie. From little things, like the FMC winning her ticket onto the starliner at the start of the book to a full scene devoted to re-imagining the “you jump, I jump” scene from the movie. There’s no getting away from the callbacks. (And I didn’t want to get away from the re-telling POV ultimately, I just wish the book had more confidently stuck to that premise in the first place!)

The change-out from disaster to rebellion attack was annoying enough, but I really began to get fed up with the way our main characters’ love story played out. Yes, classism is present in the dynamic between Rose and Jack in the movie. But there, we are seeing it through the lens of how restricted Rose is beneath the weight of this system, and Jack’s role is to free her from these binds and remind her of the joy and love to be found in life. That’s a lovely story! But here, a huge chunk of the first half of this book is devoted to Wes’s resentment towards Jupiter and his place within the wealthy uber-upper class. The enemies-to-lovers trope struck again, and in one of the most inopportune books you could find. Rose and Jack were NOT enemies! Jack didn’t spend all of his time resenting and lecturing Rose!

Not only does the change in this dynamic hurt a book that is being marketed as a science fiction version of “Titanic,” but it’s frankly a more boring choice. I’ve read a million stories that have this exact same romance and commentary on classism at their heart. And frankly, I didn’t need another. The book would have not only been more true to its concept had it stuck with the original dynamics between romantic interests, but it would have been a more interesting read on its own, as well.

If I really squinted, I could try to read this book disconnected from its “Titanic”-retelling origins. And for the brief moments where I could, it was a fine read. As a YA science fiction story, I think there’s definitely an audience for this book. But at the same time, I was incredibly disappointed with the more direct ties to the movie, especially the significant changes made to the love story at its heart. If you’re looking for a decent YA science fiction story, this may be a good fit. But if you were looking for a “Titanic” story, disaster and romance included, this is probably not for you.

Rating 7: Fine enough as a YA science fiction story, but disappointing as a “Titanic” re-imagining.

Link will go live on July 5 on The Library Ladies

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for an ARC of this debut novel.

Weslie wins a first class ticket to Mars. She hopes to receive an internship once she gets there and presents her bot ILSA so she can change her and her mother's lives. Unfortunately for Weslie the trip to Mars isn't easy. Trying to navigate new friendships, bullies, and threats from a secret group of Earthers.

This novel gives Titanic in space vibes in a good way. The romance is sweet and slow burn. ILSA is fantastic, her timing, her sarcasm, just perfect. It is a little slow paced but I didn't feel bored at any point. Switching perspectives between Weslie and Jupiter was nice. You get to see feelings develop on both sides of this sweet romance. You get little bits of action here and there until the last 25% where it really amps up. The ending and the secrets that start to come to light leave you really wanting more and I hope there is a second book coming because I have questions!

YA Sci Fi Romance
Titanic Retelling in space
Multi POVs
Loveable bot

Thank you Entangled Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Weslie is an intelligent but sheltered 17 year old.
Jupiter is a reluctant heir to a corporation and black sleep to his family.
Both have more to them than meets the eye.

The characters were predictably flawed, which added to the richness of the story. There were some good twists - a couple I saw coming and some that I did not. The side characters were also pretty interesting. Hopefully readers are able to get to know them a bit more in the next book(s).

There's a fair amount of social issues - arranged marriages, classism/status/socioeconomic status, people born on Earth (Earthers) vs Mars, etc. The political ramifications and espionage was entertaining but maybe hitting a little too close to home with the current times.

I love space books, and this was no exception.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! Usually more into fantasy where this is more sci fi but I found the characters compelling enough to enjoy the book overall

“I’m still an Earther. You’re still an heir. We’re literally from different planets”

3.75 / 5 🌟
0.5 / 5 🌶️
Kindle 📖

Titanic vibes retelling set in space, without the door scene. Against her mother’s wishes, Weslie Fleet boards the luxurious and fastest starliner Boundless set for Mars with a first class ticket awarded as a prize for winning the competition with her robot ILSA. Born an Earther, she wants to change her destiny and sees Mars as her opportunity. While onboard, she is reluctantly paired for a class project to a native Elysian Jupiter, a Big Six heir, who is being dragged home by his parents towards his prearranged future. First impressions aren’t always what they seem. Can family duty and legacy be overcome? When danger lurks en route, she leans on her friends for help.

This was a cute quick read, with well developed characters and appropriate placing. The last 25% was action packed and the ending allowed for continuation of the story (I hope there’s a book 2!). Wes’ friendship with Asha was so relatable— we all have that type of friend, and the chemistry between Weslie and Jupiter was well written and appropriate for YA. There’s yearning and angst without spice. ILSA steals the show with her sass and BBT Sheldon-like literal tendencies.

This is light on the sci-fi/speculative fiction so it’s enjoyable across a wide spectrum of readers.

🪐 enemies to lovers
☄️slow burn
🚀 forbidden romance
🛰️ betrayal
🌎 space setting
🌲(slight) love triangle
💧talking robots
🪐 found family
☄️ forced proximity
🚀 star crossed lovers
🛰️ class divide

Debut book by EL Starling, Bound by Stars releases July 1st! Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing/Entangled Teen for this advanced e-copy!