Where do I even start with this review?! I first read Amanda's other novel a year or so back, and it was INCREDIBLE and so I was really excited to start this one. Amanda is one of my new favorite authors: her books are incredible & the storytelling is immaculate.

As with the first book, the story is told in two separate parts: one set in the past, and one set in the present. As the story progresses, the link between the two sets of stories and characters gets stronger and stronger, until they merge into one. While Dykes' two novels are not in the same series, the way they are presented are very similar.

In this book, the story is set split between the early 1800s and present time (2020), and there are two storylines. The historical line covered the story of Fredrick Hanford, while the modern storyline covers the story of Lucy and Dashel, the girl within a loving family and the parentless boy they took in. The two stories seemed to be separate for the first half of the book, but by the second half/last third, the way they would come together started becoming clearer and clearer, until by the end, the way the storylines intersected and it's incredible!

I was personally partial to Lucy and Dash's storyline, but I also just as invested in Fredrick's storyline: both were so vividly told, and the relationships, characters, and story so well developed that it was just so good to read. My favorite character was probably Lucy's dad, who was a watchmaker but who also told stories & encouraged Lucy and Dash to pursue knowledge and to tell stories.

The writing style was also incredible: it was so poetic yet not slow at all (it was a little bit slow to get into at the beginning, but only for the first 3 or so chapters). The imagery is incredible and the writing is so weighty and rich and the whole book was just so good. While it's a Christian fiction book, I would consider this more an "adult novel" than Christian fiction (at least in my mind, it's not a "girls on the cover romance" kind of Christian fiction but rather some adult person who reads a chapter or two from a book on their nightstand kind of book if that makes sense lol).

All in all, I LOVE this book, and I also highly highly recommend Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes. The storytelling in them are incredible & they are for sure books worth reading

I liked the story’s sometimes rich language and occasional resonance. Unfortunately, the book came up in my TBR pile just after a loss and since the story is heavy with loss in the opening 8 percent, I set the book aside. But that wasn't the only reason I decided to move on.

I found omniscient POV. The characters were difficult to connect to. The split-time story includes both past and present story lines, which I generally enjoy. Unfortunately, the contemporary story line held on to a historical voice, which seemed odd. There were several instances of “began to” and repeated verb phrases like “were coming” or “been studying.” Those are small things, but they flagged for me in their repetition.

Overall the first part of the story was hard to follow; as I didn’t read on, I don’t know if it becomes easier. Also, since I read the ARC, it’s possible some of those issues were reworked during the rewrite stage.

Though this novel wasn’t for me, I wish the publisher and author all the best.

This book is not what I was expecting at all! I though it was going to be a time travel story but it wasn't. It was a wonderful woven story about looking back in past and seeing for what it was. I love Lucy. She's smart, kind, and knows what she wants. Her friendship with Dash is truly amazing. I loved how they grew up together and then went their separate ways but eventually come back to each other. I love how the author brings the past to life and tells their story as if they were a live today, and how they unknowingly left clues for Lucy and Dash to find. This is truly an amazing story if you are into adventure books. The ending will leave you speechless! Happy reading my friends.

Goodness. I’m not sure I have the words to fully express the beauty of this book. Set the Stars Alight by Amand Dykes is a masterfully written time-slip novel with one timeline set in present-day England and the other timeline in the early 1800s in England or aboard a ship belonging to its Navy.
This story is magic. Not the pick-a-card kind of magic, but the light-your-eyes-and-heart-
-with-wonder kind of magic. All the tales regaled in the Watchmaker’s cottage. All the impossible places visited. All the lessons learned. Imaginations stretched. It creates an atmosphere of tangible magic--the contagious kind.
The mysteries and truths of this story are the kinds that broaden the limits of our hopes and dreams. When nothing is impossible, hope and wonder rule the day.
Set the Stars Alight is one of my favorite books from this year. I absolutely loved Lucy and Dash’s story, especially all the fantastical tales Lucy’s father told by firelight in their humble cottage. And Frederick’s story, while marked with heartache, is still incredibly beautiful in its persistence of nobility and selfless love.
I would highly recommend this book to any fan of Christian fiction, especially if you are a fan of time-slip novels.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

A deep compelling novel that will keep you hooked until the end. Recommended to those who like dual time lines.

First of all, I have to compliment Dykes on creating such an interesting way to start the story. Dash and Lucy were immediately a hit with me - both going on different journeys, and yet it seems like the stars connected them. When they met years later, and Dash pops into the scene in this bravo knight and shining amorish kind of way, I was giddy inside. And his job title? Well that literally had me searching google to see if it even existed lol. (side note - I love it when authors add this kind of quirky stuff to their stories)

But then you also have this historical romance blooming, and I didn't know which direction I wanted to read more. I think at the end of the day, I connected with Lucy and Dash more, but really it was such a well rounded story that it's a hard choice. Dykes connected all the dots between the two stories in a fabulous way - one that just left me in awe. What a beautifully written story that had my attention to the end! And what an ending by the way. The last few chapters had me at the edge of my seat.

I highly recommend reading this book, preferably in one sitting :) I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dash loves the stars. Lucy loves the sea. And her father loves stories. Dash is a lonely boy, Lucy is the Matchstick Girl and they both grow up under the sound of stories.

This book, this writing, it's exquisite, it's lyrical, maybe even whimsical, but yet it there's a draw to this story. It picks you up and pulls you in and leaves your rooting for all the characters, even crusty Sophie.

Listen to a few lines: "...no way of knowing what's true and what's fabled over time."....As if stories changed and grew, facts and twists sprinkling upon them like sweet white confectioner's sugar from Clara's sifter."

"I think it's our duty to keep the stories, to pass them on. It is our duty - and our honor. In a world as dark as ours, we - that is, people - forget how to see the light. So we remind them by telling the truth, fighting the dark, paying attention...setting the stars alight. There are things shining brightly all along, if we will notice." I'm not sure what all is being said here, but I like the idea of stories, of passing them on, of fighting the darkness. This year has been a year of darkness for many people and we have a job to do, to set the stars alight with the love of God in our home, in our community, in our state, where ever we are called.

Two stories, two timelines intertwine in this story and it's not until the end that you really learn how it all fits together. But Frederick Hanford is an amazing man who took literally the verse in the Bible, "Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends." He was willing to do that in the hope that his friend would find joy and hope. Now that's not a spoiler because I'm not saying that is what actually happened, but ..... you will simply have to read it for yourself.

I received this book from Bethany House via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review.

Such a cute story that is filled with characters to love, a setting described in such a way I want to be there and leaves me wanting more not because the story is incomplete but because I didn't want it to end.

Can I please give this book 10 stars?
It was simply fabulous and absolutely delightful!

I throughly enjoyed every moment of my reading of this title. Wow. So good!

Author Amanda Dykes pulled the time lines together so seamlessly and created characters you couldn't help but care for.
And not only that, but she beautifully intertwines a reminder that our stories matter, that our inner most longings draw us to the light of the One who Created us, to the Light of the World!

This book is a gift, please don't miss out on it!

***Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book. All views and opinions expressed in this review are my own.***

This is a story with two timelines. The contemporary timeline follows Lucy and Dash, the historical timeline follows Frederick.

Lucy and Dash grew up together. Now Dash is helping Lucy unravel the mystery behind an acclaimed traitor of the Napoleonic War, Frederick.

The story is beautifully written. The romance between Lucy and Dash slowly grows out of their common past. And the epilogue wraps both story lines up nicely.

I enjoy Amanda Dykes' books and Set the Stars Alight does not disappoint. It may be one of my favorite books by her. I am giving it a very well deserved five plus stars.

Wonderful. Fantastic. Beautiful.

There wasn't a second of my reading when I doubted this was a five-star gathering of words. Yet again, author Amanda Dykes has crept into my heart and planted a story that feels otherworldly because it's always pointing to the divine. Can our stories make a difference? Be a gathering of light that consistently leads to the Light of the world? Yes.

If I were to ever write a book, I would want it to feel the way this book feels--full of pure emotional wonder. I'm in awe, reader friends. This book is such a delight.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. All expressed opinions belong to me.

Sigh . . . what do you say about a book that takes your breath away with its lyrical beauty? I love the beauty of the written word as told through the pen of the talented author, Amanda Dykes. Set the Stars Alight took my breath away and left me yearning to know more about these characters. I equally loved both past and present story lines and how the historical story was weaved into the theme and symbolism of the contemporary story. I don't want to say too much and give the plot away, nor do I want to tell you the theme. Part of the richness of this story is the readers journey to discover that theme through the lives and stories of the characters. I would love to see these characters again, and I will be thinking of these book for days to come. I didn't think Amanda Dykes could top her first novel, which I adored, but her new novel is just as exquisite as the first. I hope to read many more of her books in the years to come.

Set the Stars Alight is Amanda Dykes‘s second novel. After reading her first, Whose Waves These Are, especially since it was one of my favorite reads of 2019, I couldn’t wait to read this one. And it did not disappoint!

The story follows Lucy Claremont from a young girl full of curiosity to a woman set upon finding a lost ship. Her father, a clock maker, would tell story upon story to her and her friend Dash, feeding their sense of discovery. Where Dash’s eyes were on the stars, Lucy’s was on the water. In particularly, a tale about a traitor who, on the night before he was to be executed, vanished along with the prison ship that held him.

I loved Set the Stars Alight. It’s the type of story that needs to be digested slowly over a mug of warm cider. Even writing a review about it, my words don’t seem to do it justice. It’s a the type of tale that is carried on the wind. Drifted over the sea. Best read under the stars.

The way the words are woven, the way the story bends and twists, it is captivating. Like watching a fire dance in a fireplace. It’s the type of story you read once for the wonder of it and twice to catch all the hidden depths you didn’t catch before.

So, do I recommend reading Set the Stars Alight? Absolutely! Just go into it with that sense of wonder. It will not entertain like a suspense, but it won’t let you go. It has hints and simmers of romance, but not when you expect. And the characters, they wrap themselves around your heart so that you don’t want their story to end.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

Set the Stars Alight is a story of endless wonder. A split-time plot, it follows two storylines that are intertwined to create a captivating tale. We hear the story of Lucy and Dash, two childhood friends in present-day England who join together as adults to search for the legendary lost ship Jubilee, and to learn of its disappearing prisoner in the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s. We also follow the story of Frederick, Juliette, and Elias as the history of the Jubilee and its traitorous passenger unfolds. Both storylines are intricately interwoven to provide a captivating story of love, sacrifice, and redemption.
Amanda Dykes talent of storytelling is undeniable, and nearly unrivaled in present day fiction. Her use of imagery is unparalleled, and I found myself caught up in her narrative. Her character development gives all five main characters deep and thoughtful backgrounds, emotions, and personal struggles. The way the mystery in the story is strung to the very last page is absolutely gripping, and kept me riveted. This is truly an awe-inspiring story, and I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future.

Every now and then, I read a book that captivates me. At those times. as a book reviewer, it’s difficult to find the words to write a review that would do justice to such a wonderful book. This is that kind of book, and I’m struggling to find the right words to describe how I feel about this story. So I’m borrowing a word the author used in her notes at the end of the book: Wonder. Reading and watching these two stories unfold and then come together in such an amazing way towards the end of the book filled me with wonder. I felt as if I were a ten year old again, hearing a classic story from the first time. How Amanda Dykes could give us such beautifully written chapters is amazing to me, and I’m so glad she shared her talent and imagination with us.

I loved how the themes of friendship, love, sacrifice and redemption are woven all throughout this book. In many subtle ways, the reader is pointed back to Christ and His sacrifice for us. You’ll love joining Lucy and Dash on their quest to find the truth of what’s been hidden for many years, and in the process, how God’s truth lights the pathway of our lives.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Raised on stories of the past and tales of the high seas, Lucy Clairmont grew up to become a marine archaeologist. However, when tragedy sweeps in, it is Forensic Astronomer Dashel and his stars that might hold the key to unlocking the mystery she discovered hiding between the walls of her home.

Two centuries earlier, a young boy and heir to the estate watches from afar as a village boy and girl play among the crags of the coast and in a hidden sea cave. When their paths collide, their choices will embark them on a journey of unforeseen and long-reaching consequences.

A desperate search for something many deny exists, leads Lucy and Dash to an old estate along the East Sussex coast and a deeply buried mystery. One that has them questioning whether the tales of their childhood held more truth than either ever imagined.

I’m going to start by confessing that I didn’t want to write this review. I put it off for weeks. Not because I didn’t like this story, on the contrary, due to its sheer brilliance. Anything I write will fall short of conveying the effect that Set the Stars Alight had on me. I spent most of the novel choked up. While it contains some sad moments, it’s not necessarily a sad story. No, what moved me was the beauty of the words on the page.

Before I picked up Set the Stars Alight, I saw someone describe Amanda Dykes writing as poetry. I first thought, “What does that even mean?” Followed by, “I hate poetry!” Then I read this book, and let me say, I get it now. Dykes combines words in a way that can only be described as music. This poetry, I love!

Two stories set centuries apart and so many seemingly random threads make it seem they could never possibly connect. Yet by the end, a beautiful tapestry forms. Much like Dashel’s stars, each its own unit but all part of a breathtaking picture.

What more can I say? The characters, the setting, and everything was exquisitely crafted to delight and stir the soul. I loved how Lucy looked to the depths of the sea and Dash to stars in the sky — opposites and yet so intertwined that when one studies the horizon it becomes nearly impossible to know where one ends and the other begins.

For anyone concerned that Set the Stars Alight doesn’t really fit his/her usual reading preference, don’t worry it’s not mine either. A fact I forgot from the very first page. I could not put it down. I heartily recommend this novel, and it will undoubtedly go down as one of my top 2020 reads.

I thought that I had outgrown my taste for Christian Romance after I left high school, but Set the Stars Alight proved me wrong. Amanda Dykes accomplished exactly what she set out to do and created a tale that invokes a sense of wonder in the reader as they engage with the two entwined stories that her plot centers on.

Her characters are compelling and believable. She took the time to establish her main character, Lucy, before moving us to a different POV character, who also receives the appropriate amount of page time for readers to become attached to him. The opposites to our main point of view characters are well-rounded characters with their own arcs. And those arcs actually help move the story forward. The romance itself is actually secondary to the main plot, and is well developed and refreshingly drama free.

The time period which some of the story takes place in is a period that I'm not overly familiar with, which created a sense of newness and excitement as I read. Ms. Dykes also seems to spent quite a bit of time on research for this book. That level of dedication comes through in the small details included throughout the plot.

Wonder and maintaining a sense of wonder is a large theme in Set the Stars Alight. And Ms. Dykes goes out her way to create an atmosphere of wonder in her story. The settings where her story takes place are described with detail. Lucy and the characters supporting her encounter a mystery that is whimsical and well-paced, which lends to a lack of frustration and a sense of enjoyment. As if the reader is along for the ride. Statements and observations made by various characters are thoughtfully placed to increase a sense of wonder in the reader, in a way that also flows with the advancing plot.

Overall, anyone who reads Set the Stars Alight can expect to find a well-paced, fun, relaxing read that leaves you with a smile on your face at the end of it.

An expanded review on my blog Coffee Stains and Ink Spots will be available during the week of September 20th. A link to the blog is included below.

I've become quite jaded as a reader. Few books draw me in and truly capture my imagination in unique and lingering ways. This is such a book. From the first chapters, despite the heartache and intensity, I was captivated.

I really liked Amanda Dykes first book Whose Waves These Are, so I was looking forward with great anticipation to reading Set the Stars Alight. Perhaps I had set my hopes too high, but I had a very hard time getting into this book, and I just felt that it moved very slow.
I did like the way the 2 time frames complimented each other, and when I did get to the last half of the book I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to know how both of the stories fit together. I was not disappointed, but I still had some questions at the end that I hoped would be answered so fir this reason I am only giving this book 4 stars.