Summary

With nods to Bridget Jones and Pride and Prejudice, a charming #ownvoices queer rom-com debut about a free-spirited social media astrologer who agrees to fake a relationship with an uptight actuary until New Year’s Eve—with results not even the stars could predict!

After a disastrous blind date, Darcy Lowell is desperate to stop her well-meaning brother from playing matchmaker ever again. Love—and the inevitable heartbreak—is the last thing she wants. So she fibs and says her latest set up was a success. Darcy doesn’t expect her lie to bite her in the ass.

Elle Jones, one of the astrologers behind the popular Twitter account, Oh My Stars, dreams of finding her soul mate. But she knows it is most assuredly not Darcy… a no-nonsense stick-in-the-mud, who is way too analytical, punctual, and skeptical for someone as free-spirited as Elle. When Darcy’s brother—and Elle’s new business partner—expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. Was Darcy on the same date? Because… awkward.

When Darcy begs Elle to play along, she agrees to pretend they’re dating to save face. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family over the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year’s Eve. The last thing they expect is to develop real feelings during a fake relationship.

But maybe opposites can attract when true love is written in the stars? 

Review

First of all, who DOESN’T love a Sapphic fake-dating trope with strong Pride & Prejudice vibes? I love Elle SO MUCH, because I’m something of a mess myself maybe, I don’t know. I also really liked Darcy. I feel like a lot of Sapphic romances have the chaotic messy sunshine one and the cold ice queen, and I don’t normally like the ice queen character as much – but I did really like Darcy. (And this is despite sort of hating Pride & Prejudice and especially Mr. Darcy.) I did keep comparing the characters and trying to make a more direct connection to P&P, but it’s not a retelling so much as a sort of vibe that carries over.

The chemistry between Elle and Darcy is amazing, and I really treasured the friendship between Elle/Margot and Darcy/Brendon as well. The sex scenes are *chef’s kiss* and the you could cut the sexual tension with a knife. I wanted to jump into this book and go on a double date with Elle and Darcy, or hang out with Elle and Margot, and just basically make everyone be my new best friend, which is how I, personally, know I’ve found a great book. Also, I hate cilantro and think it tastes like soap, but I still love Elle. (You’ll know when you read it.)

If you love:
* fake relationships
* opposites attract
* the grumpy one falls for the sunshine one
* oh-no-I’ve-caught-feelings
then NOW IS THE TIME! THIS IS YOUR BOOK!

Also, in case you’re into Astrology and want to know (this bugged me through most of the book because we get Elle’s sun sign but not the others):
Darcy – Capricorn Sun, Pisces moon, Taurus rising
Elle – Pisces Sun, Scorpio Moon, Pisces Rising

This is a stand alone, but I cannot wait for the follow up, Hang the Moon, which is Brendon and Annie’s book and a best friend’s sibling romance – YESSSSSS. I can’t wait to read more by Alexandria Bellefleur – she’s definitely an author to watch!

A digital ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.