I would love to see this book be heavily promoted! It reads like a Clayborn to me and I think readers will greatly enjoy a f/f romance with this feel as there are so few. This story captured me from the very first - the bad date to fake dating is a classic f/f trope and it was nice to see it in a new way (namely that the pining was there but the story built on more than just fake dates for events as a way to move the characters closer together. I do think that marketing it as Pride & Prejudice is misleading in a disappointing way. Rather than be given a story with a identifiably similar structure, the name Darcy is the closest that we get. And as a Jane Austen fan it is quite disappointing for books to always be marketed on a similarity to or drawing inspiration from P&P when letting the book stand on its own or comparing it to another author (like Clayborn) I think would be more of a draw.

LOVED THIS BOOK! It was cute, witty, and an all around easy read. Whether or not you read F/F, I would recommend this book either way. Also, bonus points for the Pride and Prejudice reference.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and the author for the advanced copy of this book.

Written in the Stars is EVERYTHING that wlw readers have been asking for! Seriously, anyone who has ever bemoaned the fact that there isn't enough lighthearted f/f content needs to immediately preorder a copy of this book. Go on, order it. Do it.

Things this book has: cutesy and relatable millennial characters, astrology, memes, holiday shenanigans, an opposites-attract romance, fake dating turns into real dating, references to fanfiction and dating apps, steamy sex scenes, and so much more goodness.

Things this book doesn't have: dramatic coming out stories, homophobia, trauma related to coming out/homophobia/etc., or any of the other tragedies that make LGBTQ+ content sometimes difficult to read through.

Look, I've read a lot of f/f fiction. I love f/f fiction. But you don't realize how exhausting it can be to read tragedy after tragedy until you read something brand new that has none of those tragedies in it. That's what makes Written in the Stars such a delightful breath of fresh air--it's just like every other holiday romcom out there. The fact that the two protagonists are both women isn't some sort of hurdle or issue; it's just a fact of the plot. With that tragedy out of the way, the plot follows all the fun and familiar beats of a holiday romcom that LGBTQ+ stories are so often denied.

That said, this book also exceeded my expectations of holiday romcoms by having such endearing and well-written characters. The two protagonists are polar opposites. Elle, a disaster bisexual astronomer-turned-astrologer, is charming and funny and all too relatable. Darcy, the gorgeous but stoic actuary, struggles with vulnerability after a failed engagement, but Elle is just the girl to make her believe in love again. Their chemistry together is undeniable, even after the hilariously bad first date in the opening chapter.

All in all, this book is cute and lighthearted and perfect for the upcoming holiday season. I can't wait to read more from this author, and I hope that publishers will keep investing in cute and queer stories.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This book started off strong. It was witty, funny, and it sucks you in right from the beginning. However, after about half way through the book it tapers off a little bit and becomes more cheesy than funny. The ending was anti-climatic and felt rushed but overall, it was a solid read.

With fun nods toward the world of astrology, daytime soaps, and Pride and Prejudice, we meet Elle and Darcy.... two women unlucky in love, loathed to be together, but have to be out of necessity. Although predictable, Written in the Stars was a cute, quick read strewn with references to current media and pop culture that made the ride enjoyable.. I look forward to reading the follow up - Brendan's Story.

Elle and Darcy are both engaging characters, even though they are so different. Elle is a free spirit with knowledge of astrology, Tarot, and chakras. Darcy is a bit boring on the surface with her numerical talents, all-white spotless apartment, and interests in wine and fashion. Each woman has her own type of family drama, both of which add to the story and their characters' development.

Like any real relationship, there are ups and downs in Darcy and Elle's journey. This makes the story feel more real than a unicorns and rainbows happily-ever-after romance novel. The romance includes sex scenes that are very descriptive, so those looking for a proper romance should look elsewhere.

The only thing that irked me about the novel (and this is minor!) is that during an escape room date, the crystal ball on the table is described as warped -- more like a nonagon than a sphere. A sphere is 3D, and a nonagon is 2D. It's like comparing a globe (sphere) to a stop sign (octagon). Theoretically, a proper comparison would be a nonahedron but no such thing exists. Maybe the author should have used octahedron instead.

This book is recommended to those who like the enemies to lovers romance trope, or anyone who enjoys a steamy romance novel. Those who like "clean" romance should find another title.

Absolutely Delightful!!! This book just made me sooo happy. It’s a cute, fluffy, LGBTQ, holiday romance. Both Elle and Darcy were relatable and realistic in their own unique ways. I’m usually not one for the fake relationship trope but this one worked. It wasn’t quite a full on enemies to lovers but was very much an opposites attract with a hint of Pride and Prejudice (in the characters, not really the plot).

I loved the tiny details. I’m not at all into astrology but when there was “based on your zodiac” things I found myself looking for Aquarius to see what I was. I loved that no-nonsense Darcy loves soap operas. The dig at Cheesecake Factory being a hell-scape of interior design killed me (described in the book as, “Greco-Roman meets Egyptian meets Eye of Sauron.”)

I have put this on my list to reread over the holidays. I am looking forward to reading more books from Alexandria Bellefleur.

This was one of my most anticipated romance releases of the year, and maybe I built up the anticipation too much in my head, or maybe I'm just picky, but this book fell really flat for me. I didn't have any real issues with it and I think many people will end up loving it, but I just really didn't vibe with it for whatever reason. I think my main problem was that I didn't love the main characters very much, so the romance didn't quite work for me as I wasn't very invested. I was also hoping for more in terms of this being a Pride & Prejudice retelling.

Thank you to net galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!Thank you to net galley and for the ARC an exchange for an honest review!

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur was possibly one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year. Elle and Darcy along with Margot and Brendan are all characters that are so easy to fall in love with and the story throughout keeps all of them relevant and interesting. As soon as I picked up this book, I was hooked and could not put it down! The book was funny, heartwarming, and feel good and I recommend it to anyone searching for a good romance to read!

This was everything I look for in a contemporary romance. It was witty, sexy and heartfelt! I enjoyed this one very much.

This book was the f/f Hallmark movie of my dreams. Fake dating! Over the holiday season! Low stakes, much tension! Perfect reading.

Astrologer Elle and actuary Darcy go on a blind date at the urging of Brenden, Darcy's well-intentioned brother. It is a disastrous date and to complicate matters, Elle and Brenden are new business associates. To stop her brother from his matchmaking, Darcy asks Elle to have a fake romance for a couple months. Is true romance written in the stars? There is humor throughout and the characters are likeable with real problems to overcome. I am looking forward to Bellefleur's next book telling Brenden's story.

This is the contemporary queer romance book I've been waiting for! It's just a good mix of romance themes from fake dating to opposites attract! It's got that Bridget Jone's Diary theme, but it's a split perspective book so you get both Elle and Darcy's perspective. Will definitely recommend to readers!

A tale of two painfully different people being thrown together on a blind date, starting a fake relationship, only to end up actually falling for one another.

The characters are fun and witty, the story flows nicely, and it was an all around good read. I really enjoyed how the characters said what they felt for the most part, and there wasn't chapters upon chapters of them wishing that they did.

I would recommend this book to everyone! Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.

This was so cute! Written in the Stars is a modern Pride and Prejudice retelling, in which Elle is an eccentric astrologer and Darcy is a type A actuary.

The plot doesn't follow P&P, it's more character based. I didn't have any problems with that, but frankly I didn't see much need for this to be a retelling? The characters are lovable as it is, but retellings are a solid draw for fans. The structure feels more dislike to love romance between two people who happen to be named Elle and Darcy and I'm here for it.

Elle believes in astrology and finding her perfect one while Darcy is logical and used to believe in love but not anymore. Although their initial date goes awry, the end up pretending to date. Darcy needs Elle to get her brother to stop setting her up while Elle agrees so she can stop being the black sheep in the family. Despite a rocky start and being opposites, sparks fly between them. Could fake dating actually lead to OTP status? It’s hard to tell because it’s not like Elle notices how certain colors bring out the honey-colored flecks in Darcy’s eyes. And, it’s not as though Darcy can’t help thinking about the way Elle’s eyes light up when smiling.

Written in the Stars is a charming novel that wears its heart on its sleeve. It has all the elements of a romantic comedy with fake dating and opposites attracting. It doesn’t pull unnecessary punches to yank the reader around. If there is any angst, it’s short-lived. The novel drips with such sweetness that I couldn’t read this without a goofy smile plastered on my face. Despite being a romantic, I sometimes had to cringe because it was so disgustingly sweet. While it didn’t make my heart zing, there were many parts that made me swoon. I couldn’t help it because the writing is as whimsical as Elle is, creating a tone that is light and fluffy. For instance, one of my favorites images is of Elle’s “stomach erupting in a kaleidoscope of butterflies” after a kiss. Another favorite is the blooming of love, “like stubborn wildflowers poking up through cracks in the pavement, growing where they didn’t belong.”

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I rated it a 3 but it's really a 3.5. I really liked the emotions and images that Bellefleur evoked through her writing. I highlighted so many passages throughout the book I wish I could share them all. It’s the perfect read to momentarily escape the real world, to recall what it's like to fall in love. While it didn’t give me the constant zings, it gave me moments of laughter, heart eyes, and swooniness. For a moment, I was as much in love as Elle was.

I had been hearing about this book and I was so excited to get an arc. I flew through this book as I could not wait to see how the romance unfolded. Both Darcy and Elle were both well-written characters. This book is a favorite for this year and I cannot wait to read more from the author.

Elle has her head in the clouds, well... erm stars and the future. Darcy is tied to the earth and the present. When the pair makes an agreement to stage a fake relationship with an end date, what could go wrong?

I will start by mentioning if you haven't had the chance to visit Seattle you're missing out on some serious magic. Luckily author Alexandria Bellefleur is able to convey the heartbeat of the city with ease and grace. The push and pull dynamic of Darcy and Elle is entertaining and entirely realistic without skipping out on too much angst or making it too easy for either of them. Honestly, you can't go wrong having a first date to a planetarium. I'm level 10 jealous. The romantic scenes are palpable, some of the best and natural I've seen written in this genre. Kudos to the author who has a knack for writing paragraphs that make the readers heart beat a little faster.

The addition of Brendon and Margo was refreshing, I found myself caring about both of them and getting a good chuckle out of their protectiveness for the people they so clearly cared about. The business venture the group was involved in sounds awesome. I wish OTP existed in real life, but I digress..

It might be the Taurus in me, but I highly recommend cuddling up with this novel, a pint of your favorite ice cream (Cherry Garcia, hello?) and enjoying all the qualities that this read has to offer.

I've received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a wonderful fake relationship, antagonistic to lovers, perfect dash of Pride and Prejudice romance. Elle and Darcy were meant to be (the tension between them is great) and I loved watching their relationship develop over the course of the book. The messages of be who you are, don’t conform to expectations, and don’t bury parts of yourself really resonated. By the end, both of them have become more comfortable as themselves thanks to each other’s support and their own inner strength. Overall, absolutely loved it.

I loved this story!!!!! The story pulled me in with such ease. The characters were well written, and really spiced up the story. The author did a fantastic job in keeping the reader involved. Oh how I loved this story. I couldn’t put it down.