I enjoyed this multigenerational saga that was reminiscent of Yellowstone and Lonesome Dove. I thought the characters were well developed and their stories fulfilling.

What a great debut novel! Lone Stars is a multi-generational story set in Texas during the time of Eisenhower as President.

It tells the story of a family with well developed characters surviving the effects of war and racism, and parenting a gay child who isn’t accepted in this world.

*many thanks to St Martin’s Press/Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I tried to read this book several times and I couldn’t get into it. This book was not for me. I couldn’t get into the story or the characters.

Incredible story following a number of generations of a Texan family. The author does an incredible job taking us through tough immigration, religion, Vietnam, women not having rights, patriarchy, gay bashing, infidelity, divorce and most of all hope. Written from a number of character prospectives, you will cry, laugh, sigh and rejoice. Wonderful read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own. Thank you St Martins Press for another great read.

This was a great debut novel about families and the dysfunction and beauty that come with family. The writing wasn’t the best in my opinion and the ending fell a bit flat for me but I think this author has amazing potential and can’t wait to see what he comes out with next!

Due to a family illness, and unexpected events, I am very far behind in writing my reviews.I found my self reading one book after another without writing the review -- that was a big mistake. I really enjoyed this book, and I happily gave it 4 stars.

Multi-generational saga starting back in the Vietnam War until "present day", this book will give you a glimpse of growing up in Texas. Having lived in this area, I started this book hoping to be transported to one of my memories, and this book didn't stray too far from real life. I loved learning about this family and was sad that the novel ended. The author mentioned that he wrote about what he knew, so this must be close to real life for him. There is a lot chucked into the book from war to adoption to raising a gay son and divorce because of adultery. I appreciated the way the book was laid out with different parts. Also grab the audio book, the reader is an award winner.

3.5 / 5

This book has been sitting on my NetGalley shelf since this time last year, and I'm not sure why I waited so long to read it. I was drawn to it as it was described as a generational saga taking place in Texas - that right there checks off boxes for me.

It sweeps through this family from the time Eisenhower was president with anti-immigration raids, traversing the Vietnam War, and into the 2000s with the gay rights struggle.

The main character is Julian, although the opening chapters are solely about his mother and grandmother. The story shifts to become Julian’s coming out story and how his mother, Lacey, becomes his strongest advocate.

I thought the pace lagged some as we got caught up in the minutiae of everyday life, but I loved all the historical markers in this story. And of course, being familiar with the Texas towns and places, made it feel inviting. Deabler touches on many important and relevant topics: immigration, racism, homophobia, and the political divide, making it a thought-provoking read.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this gifted copy.

After several attempts at reading this one, I feel it’s just not for me. The pacing feels a bit slow and it does not hold my attention. Based on the synopsis, I was highly interested in this book.

<i>Lone Stars</I> was one of those surprisingly enjoyable character driven books that I wasn't expecting but so glad I had the opportunity to read. This story follows four generations and develops the passed down history you would hope to have yourself for your own family. How a family survives the effects of the war, racism, parenting a gay child who isn't accepted in the world, losing a parent, cancer. All of these topics are touched upon and it's beautiful to see how each topic is touched upon by the main players in this family story.

Attention catching multi-generational family saga.
Many things influence and shape our lives and this tells how it came about in Julian Weaver's life. He is a gay man, a new dad fourth generation Texan researching his roots after his husband asks him, " what will you tell our son about the people you come, from now that they're gone?"
Told in a manner of self discovery of past generations. Each generation goes through their own struggles,hopes,dreams,failures and imparts wisdom upon the next generation who grow and prosper from past experiences.

Published February 2nd 2021 by St. Martin's Press
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This debut novel tells the story of four generations of a family who are from Texas. Julian is navigating being a first-time father when his partner asks him how he will describe his parents to their child. Julian’s heritage is traced as the reader gets glimpses into his parents’ lives as well as his grandparents. The story touches on important cultural events such as the Vietnam War, immigrant deportation and gay rights.

The characters in this novel were great. I loved the fact that you got to see where each one of them came from as the generations were depicted. The settings were atmospheric and the writing style was vivid. At times, I almost felt like I was in the story because of the imagery that was evoked. The wide variety of issues that this novel touches on was also amazing. As it skims through four generations, a lot of time passes and the social issues evolve. I thought that Deabler did a great job of making commentary about said issues with not a lot of time to spend on them due to having to move on in the chronology. I really struggled between a 3.5 and 4 star rating for this and ultimately decided on a 3.5 because I found it a bit slow at parts.

I started this book not liking it much. Then I started liking it a lot. Then I started feeling sort of meh about it. But just because I didn't connect with it, doesn't detract with the fact this is a very good book. I didn't identify with any of the characters, but they seemed very believable. I felt sorry for Lacy and her sad life - - and felt sorry that Julian realized only after Lacy was gone, just how much she had done for him - and how much she meant to him.

I enjoyed all the bits of recent history that were included in this book that made it feel authentic. My only problem with the writing was the skipping of years in a single paragraph without any warning! That took me by surprise a few times. Other than that, I felt the author did a good job.

Overall, this is a worthwhile debut novel.

This was a well written family saga full of drama that has elements of racism, discrimination, gay issues, and genealogy. The characters were realistic and well developed and they kept me engaged throughout the story.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a riveting debut novel! How I enjoy those multi-generational family sagas, and this one did not disappoint. The main protagonist is Julian Warner, a young genius who discovers his gayness in a very realistic manner and who is so lucky to have such a loving and dedicated mother like Lacy. Never have I read a LGBTQ book whose main focus is not on gayness, it was so great and refreshing. I enjoyed seeing him grow up and go through all those life stages we all go through, no matter our sexual orientation.

It is interesting to note the recurring theme of rejection and shame, starting with Julian’s maternal grandmother and the denial of her Mexican roots, which can be understandable when put in context, followed by Julian’s father and his difficulties accepting his son for who he was, and finishing with Julian being ashamed of his mother when comparing her to his wealthy in-laws. The beauty of it all is that, no matter our flaws, no one us is perfect. Despite that, the people in our lives love us by accepting who we are. This is what is so beautiful in this story, and much needed to hear in a time where we all pretend to be someone we’re not on social media.

I also have to point out the love story between Lacy Adams and Aaron Warner that was so romantic! I was swooning over those two: the way they fell in love before they even met while corresponding during WWII was so Hollywood-esque!

This is my favorite LGBTQ novel ever, I don’t recall ever reading one that did not revolve around the protagonist’s sexuality. This one is meaty; it has a lot of content and would be a smart book club selection.

Thank you very much Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for this

I loved this book. It’s a multi-generational family saga that takes place in Texas where the hair is big, people pray at the altar of football, you’ve got to go along to get along and if you are even slightly different than everyone else life can be harder than it has to. Julian ponders the question asked by his husband “what will you tell our son about your family history and from whence you came?” The writer takes us along on Julians journey through generations to figure out who he is and how he came to be. The writing is exquisite, loving, kind, explores so many different and important times in our history and interestingly so many of the issues that were relevant then are no less relevant today. Immigration, war, LGBTQ, racism, bigotry, politics……And how each factor in to Julians life road of experience. Please do yourself a favor and read this book slowly and take it all in. It's an emotional story that will leave you better for reading it.

When Julian finally has a baby of his own, his husband, Phillip, asks him what he’s going to tell their son about his family. One night while soothing the baby, Julian spends some time thinking about his past and his family’s past in order to find the answer to that question. This novel is really the story of Julian’s ancestors, starting with his grandparents in Houston and Midland and ending with Julian and Phillip in New York.

This family goes through so much change. It’s sweeping and knocks you off your feet and even though it’s sometimes very hard to feel any strong emotions one way or the other for a multigenerational family because you cycle through them so quickly in just 300 pages, I genuinely thought that every character had such a unique voice and displayed so much personality and emotion that I got misty-eyed more than a few times reading this. They were all flawed and while I was thrilled to see the character growth in some of them, it all still made so much sense that everyone reacted the way that they did.

There is a lot of history covered in this book: from Eisenhower to Obama in presidencies! And it all felt authentic and genuine and fortunately not rushed at all.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This debut novel, tells the multi-generational story of a family living in the outskirts of Houston, TX. Starting prior to the Vietnam war you meet Aaron, who is a star football player at University of Texas. He winds up fighting in the Vietnam war, where he becomes pen-pals with Lacey, and they eventually marry and have their son Julian.

Lacey is a doting mother to her son, who is super bright, and she realizes early on, that Julian is gay, and she never strays from his side. Aaron, less than enthused by this notion, has a very hard time accepting this. Aaron, while he loves his family, turns to other woman, for connections he cannot get at home. This culminates to a forever changing moment in all of their lives.

This is a very complicated, intense story, which covers many themes, such as immigration, homophobia, drug use just to to skim the surface. Daebler writes a depiction of a struggling family, and all that comes with it.

The writing is simple and beautiful, and will leave you in tears at times. I simply loved this book, and it should be getting all the praise in the world. This is a debut novel from this author, and you can put me down for a pre-order for his next book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lone Stars by Justin Deabler is the story of family in an ever changing America. Julian Warner wrestles with a question his husband, Philip, poses to him after they adopt a baby boy, Pablo. What will he tell their son about the people he came from? As he comforts his son late at night, Julian thinks about his family. The story transports readers to 1960s Texas to Lacy Adams, a young girl who discovers her mother isn’t telling her the truth about her family, and to Aaron Warner, a young man who dreams of college football and life away from his blue collar family. The story follows Lacy, Aaron and Julian as they live through the events of the 1980s, 90s and the new millennium as American struggles to answer the questions of immigration, sexuality, and the rapidly changing world. Will Julian find the answers he’s looking for?
In his debut novel, Justin Deabler weaves a story of family, secrets and the freedom you find in being yourself. From the 1960s and Eisenhower’s immigration border raids, to the 1970s, Lacy and Aaron’s letter correspondence during the Vietnam War to their crumbling marriage and Julian coming to terms with his sexuality and finding love, it is a story of the changing world around us. It is a story about being true to ourselves. Not just in terms of sexuality but as immigrants, women empowerment and discovering that family is more than just the people you come from. Family can be the one you build for yourself. It is a story about life’s struggles as we search for a better life than the one we left behind. It takes a hard look at the events of the last thirty years with brutal honesty and hope. I recommend Lone Stars.

Lone Stars is available in hardcover and eBook.

I'm not always a fan of historical fiction but this was an interesting take on many events in our past--most of them I remember. Julian and Phillip are pondering how much to tell their young son about their families; we then go back in time to understand where they came from. The book deals with immigration, infidelity, fear of coming out, and political intrigue from Eisenhower to Obama. Thank goodness we have come a long way!