I didn't expect to love this sci-fi romance as much as I did! Something about it gave me found family vibes and I loved the meshing of different classes. Both MCs are really likable and the amount of adventure was perfect. This is one I will be recommending to my following for sure!

Set aboard The Boundless, a luxury interplanetary starliner en route to Mars, the story follows Weslie Fleet, a brilliant teen from Earth’s struggling underclass who wins a coveted ticket thanks to her invention of a life-support bot. Thrust into the opulence of Mars’s elite, Weslie collides with Jupiter Dalloway, the reluctant heir to a corporate empire. Their journey begins with friction and evolves into a alliance, then something deeper, as the ship’s voyage takes a perilous turn.

Weslie shines as a heroine, clever, grounded, and quietly relentless. Opposite her, Jupiter brings a disarming blend of vulnerability and privilege, trapped in a world that dictates who he should be. Their dynamic feels electric, not just because of their emotional pull, but because of the barriers they’re brave enough to challenge together.

Bound by Stars is a luminous debut that blends high-stakes adventure with emotional depth. It’s perfect for fans of These Broken Stars, The 100, or anyone who’s ever dreamed of love among the stars. Highly recommended

In A Love That Defies Gravity…and Fate, the author delivers a spellbinding blend of star-crossed romance and speculative adventure, crafting a narrative as emotionally grounded as it is galactically expansive. Set aboard the Boundless—an extravagant starliner that represents the pinnacle of Martian wealth and ambition—the story follows Weslie Fleet, an underdog heroine thrust from the decaying remains of Earth into a world that gleams with privilege and peril in equal measure.

From the outset, the novel pulses with thematic depth: class division, identity, and the often brutal cost of freedom. Weslie, fierce yet vulnerable, is an immediately compelling figure. Her journey from outsider to unexpected catalyst aboard the Boundless mirrors the novel’s larger arc: a confrontation between the comfortable inertia of tradition and the unpredictable power of change. Her chemistry with Jupiter—the heir-apparent of Martian aristocracy—is electric, charged with the tension of two worlds colliding. Their dynamic evolves naturally from wary alliance to something far more volatile and tender, yet the romance never feels rushed or overwrought. It’s threaded through with moments of startling sincerity and quiet defiance, making it all the more affecting when the stakes escalate.

The author’s prose is evocative without veering into the indulgent. Descriptions of space, of the Boundless’s glittering interiors, and of Earth’s broken bones are painted with vivid precision. But what lingers most are the emotional beats: a look across a crowded ballroom, the silence of stars outside a window, the desperation of two souls finding solace in one another when everything else begins to fall apart. The looming failure of the ship becomes more than a plot device—it’s a metaphor for the fragility of connection, of legacy, of survival itself.

What elevates this novel is its refusal to offer easy answers. The characters are shaped not just by love, but by grief, ambition, resentment, and longing. Even secondary characters are drawn with nuance, and the worldbuilding—though rich in scope—never overshadows the deeply personal nature of the story. The final chapters are heart-pounding and poignant, balancing the thrill of survival with the ache of impossible choices.

Ultimately, A Love That Defies Gravity…and Fate is more than a romance set among the stars—it’s a meditation on what it means to belong, to hope, and to choose love even when the universe seems bent on tearing it apart. Bold, intimate, and breathtakingly human, this is a story that will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

This is my first sci-fi book in years and is making me want to read more, I immediately ran to threads to request more recommendations because I’m very new to this genre and it’s never interested in it before but now I’m ready to explore, it’s time to add a new genre to my line up. This book was so fun, I loved the banter between ILSA and Weslie most of all, it’s so funny to see her personality mirrored with something she created. There are some strong political plot lines underlying this series using earth versus mars people to show race, but also classism, and using similarities to the titanic was done really well. I love that the author pointed it out none of the math is realistic which helps me not think about all the functionality of the science behind it and I could enjoy the romance and the politics more, while also using the politics of science as well which helps.

Weslie and Jupiter have fun beginning to a relationship as they close the gap between mars and earth relations, where they just are forced to spend time together and slowly start to enjoy spending time together. I love that ILSA kept calling out these two out for their attractions using their body expressions and I was here for it! There was a decent amount of jealousy, friendship, secrets, and so much more that is just pure fun! I can’t wait to continue this series and explore the sci-fi genre more!

When Weslie earns a ticket on the ship to Mars, she knows the work she has put into her robot has all paid off. Little did she know that being from Earth would be such a bad thing.
Of course, with space, there is little predictability. She meets friends and is challenged intellectually with finalizing her robot but everything is not how it seems. Friend’s seem out to get her, her robot is put at risk and the ship has started falling apart.
The light romance and funny personality of her robot made a fun story but the uncertainty of space loomed and added such intensity. The end is fast paced with dramatic moments that felt like the Titanic!
If you love YA and space stories you’ll definitely love this one!

Thank you to @Entangledteen for the copy, this was a wild ride! The book just released, make sure to grab this one!

I found Bound By Stars to be quite an insightful look at classism wrapped up in an engaging, slow burn, good time!

Starling has done a magnificent job crafting lovable characters that are oh so easy to root for. Even in the most mundane moments, readers know that impending doom is around the corner and that really worked to propel the story forward!

I must admit, I have been cooling to YA in general lately, so while this did at times seemed exceedingly youthful for me, I can see the merits of telling such a political story in a way that would appeal to it's intended audience. This is a well crafted YA and delivers on what it promises!

This was the first YA novel that I've read in quite a while, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but the Titanic (in space) retelling premise was super interesting to me.

Usually, I'm not a big fan of jumping between two viewpoints, but for Bound by Stars, I really thought both Weslie and Jupiter had such clearly defined voices that I thought were essential to the story. I loved how strong of a woman Weslie is, even though she's only 17. She is brilliant! I loved ILSA and related to her sassiness throughout. Jupiter was also written with so much internal conflict and struggle, and it was great to hear about it from his perspective vs what the rest of the world sees in him and expects him to be, being from one of the Big Six families.

The one thing that deviated a little bit from the Titanic (that I really appreciated) was the side characters. They had depth to them that really added to the story and as things unfolded it all just clicked into place so nicely. That being said, I did NOT expect there to be a twist in this book, and I'm so glad that I was surprised by it.

This book does end in a bit of a cliffhanger and I cannot WAIT for the next one. If you are looking for a quirky, unique, low/no spice (because YA) novel, I really recommend giving this one a try! And it's officially out now!

Thank you to Entangled Teen for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I could not put this book down! I was not expecting to devour this book so quickly. But I found myself immersed into the story and characters.

While I loved our main characters Weslie & Jupiter. I adored ISLA, I found myself looking forward to her parts in the book. The ending did leave me with some unanswered questions. However, I really enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA Sci-Fi. Readers who enjoy romance would also be so pleased with this read. I found the slow burn romance to be so sweet and authentic. Yet not an overly cliché first love. The high stakes survival element really added to the intensity of the storyline which kept me intrigued the whole time.

I am so grateful to have received this ARC of E.L Starling's debut novel. I already cannot wait to read what she has next.

What an exciting concept for this new YA novel! Bound By Stars has an excellent cast of characters and you can tell that there are things that will be revealed about secondary characters throughout later books. Some big plot twists for our main characters as well. They are so likable. Wes, the FMC, is our smart and courageous underdog while Jupiter, the MMC, is genuine and kind. I actually thought Jupiter was a female for the first several chapters based on his character description. I don't think a gender pronoun was used at all?! Certain parts of the book felt clunky and disjointed. I'd turn a page on a cliffhanger and we were in a totally different scene in the future with no resolution to that previous scene. Or information was casually mentioned with little detail as though we were fully introduced to it previously. And I admit, I was waiting for my Titanic door moment that this version just didn't live up to. Despite these things, I know many people are looking forward to reading Bound By Stars!
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝐛𝐲 𝐄. 𝐋. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

- - -
Read this if you like:
□ sci-fi
□ Titanic in space
□ love triangle
□ high society politics
□ forbidden love
□ forced proximity
□ closed-door romance

Thank you, Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, for the ARC.

I instantly clicked on request on Netgalley once I read that it's like Titanic but in space. This book sounded so promising, and I wished I could read it one sitting. It's such a page-turner!

There are a lot of my favorite tropes in this book. Like from enemies to lovers, forbidden love and forced proximity. The romance was so sweet, how they would not let go of each other.

That plot twist at the end of the story made me gasp, I am a little flabbergasted. I hope there will be a second book cause it felt like an open ending.

Overall, I really enjoyed this sci-fi and highly recommend it!

If you're looking for a book that will transport you to one that makes dreams seem like they can come true while reminding you nightmares are real, it is this book.

Hauntingly insightful Bound By Stars is that rare book that can take events from the past, the disaster of the Titanic, and show how those events in a different time could either repeat themselves or plot their own course.

As someone who has a slight obsession with The Titanic, I found myself mesmerized by the little things that were mentioned, seeing the White Star Line, the staircase, and the lack of escape pods, it all just drew me in and kept me glued to the page.

I rated this one five stars, but if I could, I'd give it all the stars in the sky.

I'll be adding review links later today.

⭐ 4 | 🌶️ 1

I enjoyed Bound by Stars so, so, so much! Just a few chapters in and I was completely hooked — I knew I was in for a wild, emotional ride.

It’s a Titanic retelling… set in the far future… with sci-fi elements (I think that’s the best way to describe it?) — and it works! The world was intriguing, the stakes were high, and the emotions hit hard. I laughed, got angry, felt genuinely anxious for the characters, and yes, I definitely got a little sad 🥺

I don’t really have any complaints except one big emotional demand: JUSTICE FOR LESLIE 😤 There are two characters in particular who seriously needed consequences for their actions and I will die on that hill.

But other than that — what a great, unique read! Highly recommend if you like retellings with a twist and a bit of space drama thrown in.

Thank you to E.L. Starling and Entangled Publishing for this eARC!

I want to start off by saying that now that I have read the book, I think the blurb is a bit too spoilery. Not that I didn't enjoy this book because I loved it. I think it would have been better blurbed as being how she actually got on the boundless and forced into working alongside Weslie Fleet. A lot of the blurb covers things that don't happen until near the end so I don't particular like that. Had I read the blurb (which I normally do not until I'm done reading for this particular reason) I would have been disappointed. Thankfully, I did not and I got to enjoy all the twists to full capacity.

This book follows Weslie and Jupiter. We start off to Weslie essentially sneaking onto the boundless. Not that she wasn't invited but she doesn't have parental permission and she's still a minor. Weslie won an interplanetary space competition for her creation ILSA. ILSA in the best way to describe her is like J.A.R.V.I.S.. She is super intelligent and self-aware, although she appears to be malfunctioning. This leads to Jupiter, the heir to one of the Big Six, getting paired up with her to help her fix up ILSA before Weslie's presentation.

What you can expect:
📚YA
📚Rivals to friends to lovers
📚He Falls First
📚Found Family
📚Titanic Vibes but make it space
📚Forced Proximity

Thank you to Entangled for the early copy!

I think if I’d known going into it that this was a retelling of the Titanic I might would have enjoyed it more. Without knowing that, this felt like two books mashed into one with a jarring switch between the two. The beginning felt like a standard YA story with a love interest, bullies, school, etc, and then at around 85% it turned into a tragedy with a huge death count. They didn’t fit together for me.

The best part was the robot the FMC was developing, she was so cute and reminded me of a sassier Baymax. I honestly could’ve used even more of her.

I found the set up of this future world interesting, and liked how the difference between the rich people on Mars and the poor on Earth was explored.

The “bad guys” that are eventually revealed gave me some pause, and I can’t quite decide how I feel about it. Whenever the antagonists in a story are severely oppressed people seeking change but they decide to do so in a violent way, I’m always left asking what the message is supposed to be? Like they’re right for wanting change, and they’re right to rise up. But obviously the way they’re doing it is wrong. Reading that kind of story, especially right now in 2025 when so many are rightfully making a stand, just left a bad taste in my mouth as I wondered what exactly it was trying to say.

I don’t think I’ll be continuing with this series, but I enjoyed enough of the book until the ending.

Thanks to Entangled for the copy.

This was a cute quick read, with well-developed characters. A sci-fi retelling of the Titanic, packed with rebel groups and mayhem, promising an action-packed adventure.

The ending of this story is clearly setting the stage for a sequel, and I desperately hope that's the case. With so much of the story still unexplored, and the thrilling arrival on Mars, I'm eager to see where the next installment takes us.

The pacing in this book was a bit of a letdown, but I get why it had to be that way – all the world-building was necessary to set the stage.

I highly recommend this book for its thoughtful portrayal of young adult themes. With no explicit content, it masterfully weaves together tension, feelings, and longing. The exploration of class divide, survival, grief, identity, and the struggle to belong is both poignant and impactful.

Tropes you can expect to find in this book include Enemies to Lovers, He Falls First, Found Family, Trapped In Space, Slow Burn, and Female STEM.

This was such an interesting and beautiful story!
I loved the idea of the Titanic, but in space! This was a new and fresh idea for a story — I could not put it down!
The main characters are from opposite sides of life and are as different as can be, but they are thrust together in a story of love, duty, and surprises. I really liked how the two MCs came together and built a relationship that defied what society had in mind for them (much like Rose and Jack in Titanic).
I can't write this review and NOT mention ILSA, whose humor made me laugh several times throughout the story and who, honestly, is the real hero in this story!
Reading this one, I really loved the plot and how the story flowed. It didn’t even occur to me how much of it was similar to the Titanic story until I sat down to write this review. Yeah, there are a lot of differences, but the overarching story is so similar, and I honestly love it!
The end of this one 100% pulled on my heartstrings. Now my only question is, will there be more? Especially with the secrets unveiled in the ending!
This book is worth a read!

AMAZING book by a debut author. Loved the space travel, the characters, the fast pace and everything about this YA book. I was excited to read more books by this author until I realized this was her first. Can't wait for more! Thank you to Entangled Insiders and NetGalley for an ARC of this ebook. Go do yourself a favor and order this book!!

I fell into this story and devoured it in one setting. I loved everything about this book: the world, the characters, the romance and the suspense. The ending left me hanging from a cliff and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!

Unlike some fantasy and sci-fi books, Bound by Stars started relatively fast and is driven by dialogue. I appreciated that since this is not my primary genre. The YA Space Romance that has the Titanic vibe was certainly a big draw to me. The story is creatively told and quite exciting as it builds up and does so from the start. I liked Weslie's carefree, adventurous attitude and strength. ISLA was great comic relief—think Iron Man’s Jarvis. And similar to the Titanic, there is a class difference, among other things, between her and her love interest, Jupiter.

The concept of Weslie leaving Earth to be on the spaceship is unique. The romance is a slow-burn, but I was more focused on the plot as it neared the end. It does end on a cliffhanger. And yes, I would say it is significant too.
I’m looking forward to finding out what’s next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for sending me an ARC of this book. To me, this had Titanic vibes and a mix of Romeo and Juliet. Which means a lot a tragedy and drama in this book!! I will say at the start it felt a little slow to me. I was like waiting for things to pick up and they did and I became more engaged, but overall it’s a really interesting book concept that hasn’t been done before and I think it worked really well. Weslie and Jupiter are our main characters and star crossed lovers!! Not only do they come from different wealth classes, they also come from different worlds. Like the Titanic, they are on a starship heading for a trip to Mars. Weslie is from Earth and won a trip to Mars because of her engineering skills. Jupiter is heir to one of the Big Six families that run Mars and Earth. Their first introduction isn’t great, but then they have to work on a project together. That means spending time with one another and started to see different side of each other. I enjoyed seeing Weslie and Jupiter starting to realize how similar they are and building that connection along with this romance, which is a slow burn. There is also some drama and deception going on in the starship through their journey to Mars, which I thought was very intriguing. I loved the way it went down and there are definitely some things that you won’t see coming that were just chefs kiss and honestly, I think the ending was perfect!