I've loved all of Bellefleur's books but this one is my favorite. Margot is prickly, loving, guarded, protective of her friends. She's a complicated and wonderful character. The yearning between Margot and Olivia is delicious and palpable. A wonderful second chance romance with two bisexual women reigniting their friendship and lust. It's hot and funny and so sweet. I loved it!

I absolutely loved Written in the Stars, and Count Your Lucky Stars has a lot of the same tropes- sassy but sweet characters, millennial angst, and sweet real talk between platonic loved ones (e.g. Elle and Margot, bffs who have a very lovely, honest relationship). Also, I didn't realize until about 3/4 of the way through that like Written in the Stars, this is a very loose Austen retelling. Count Your Lucky Stars is based on Persuasion, and the character of Margot (who says the infamous "I'm half agony, half hope" line) absolutely is an accurate stand-in to smoldering, jealous-yet-noble Wentworth, while Olivia mirrors Anne in putting the concerns of her family above her own.

My only issue with the novel was that it dragged in some places, specifically when Margot is having her pity parties. I understand it's part of her character and her situation, but I think some opportunities were missed for more fleshed out character growth, and for gaining a better understanding of both women. Written in the Stars was a near-perfect example of succinctly yet descriptively giving us the full depth of Elle and Darcy; however, I think the difference is due to the novels they're based on, since P&P is more character-driven while Persuasion is more philosophical (what is the true meaning of happiness, what should we want from our lives, etc). In this respect, Bellefleur does an excellent job of staying true to the source material, and as a late-stage millennial the exact same age as the protagonists, I enjoyed reflecting on the question of "how do we get what we want from our lives while overcoming our decades of baggage?".

In sum, I highly recommend this latest installment by Bellefleur and can honestly say I will read any and all novels she publishes.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had only read Written in the Stars (and LOVED IT) before picking this book up so I missed Margot’s evolution a bit but I was invested in her from book one already! I am a sucker for a second chance, grumpy and sunshine, and BONUS the dominant vibes from Margot were *chef’s kiss* The friendship between the main characters from the series was also perfect! Their banter and affection was exactly what I want in book friendships!! I ended up going with four stars rather than 5 because some pieces were missing for me that I won’t give spoilery details but I still loved it and will absolutely be reading everything from this author in the future!!

16+
5/5 Stars
0.5/5 spices

Tropes: Second Chance at Love, Falling for the best friend, friends-strangers-lovers

Wow, boy did I enjoy this book. This is a cute second-chance romance between two ex-best friends. To be completely honest this was my first book of the series. I loved the dual POV which each girl. Margot was definitely a character I resonated with.

Something that I really liked about this book was that even if Olivia was bisexual, she ended with a woman. As a bisexual woman, this was something that I wanted to experience and it was nice to read about. Normalizing that bisexuals exist. It was truly great.

Since this is my first read from Alexandria, I will say I did fall in love with the fast-paced writing style. I also enjoyed the POV which I mentioned earlier. I think Alexandria does well with this style of dual pov that is very fast-paced. It was the perfect length. Was a tad scared around 90% of the book that she wasn't going to be able to wrap it up in time for the book to end.

If I did have to critique it a little, I would have the characters address their ending argument more. Explaining more to each other and have that communication between each other like they did with other characters.

This book was such a delight. I haven't read the other two in the series yet, but I have zero doubts I'll love them as much as I loved this one.

Count Your Lucky Stars is steamy and hilarious and moving and just a delightful book overall. I usually hate the miscommunication trope - it feels overdone often - but it was handled so well in this book. Even better is that once the characters communicated, even when they were unhappy with each other, they could still recognize that the other was right about them and they were coming from a good place. It was so relatable and realistic for anyone who's ever been in a serious relationship and had misunderstandings or been afraid to open up or to just be happy. If you love a good romance, pick this one up!

The final book in the Written in the Stars series focuses on Margot Cooper. Margot isn't interested in relationships, but she has to admit it's hard being the fifth wheel in her friend group. When Annie and Brendon's wedding starts to fall apart Olivia Grant, wedding planner and former best friend (and more!) of Margot steps in. Unresolved feelings between the two women dictate the rest of the story.

Ugh. This series ended on a sour note. I really enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy and was looking forward to a whole storyline dedicated to Margot, but Count Your Lucky Stars fell flat. The entire plot seemed so rushed and I found myself caring very little about Olivia. Even characters I liked from the previous books didn't do it for me. Everyone seemed so mean and one dimensional. And while I'm not prude the "steamy" scenes took up so much of the book I found myself skimming over them to get back to the actual storyline (speaking of the plot...if this wedding was such a big deal and was going to require so much work on Olivia's part why didn't she ever seem to be working?). The big climax at the end felt juvenile and then was neatly wrapped up within about a half a chapter. Just read the first two books...this one wasn't necessary.

I was given this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

I loved this book just as much as the other installments in this series. Margot and Olivia have a scintillating tension between their childhood friends to lovers to nothing to friends to lovers arc.

The only thing I can say is casual grand theft auto as a grand gesture is entirely my kink and I adore these two so much.

The third and final book in the Written in the Stars trilogy, Count Your Lucky Stars focuses on Margot, Elle's best friend and the last in their friend group to find love. Margot re-meets Olivia, her childhood best friend, when she is the wedding planner for Brendan and Annie's wedding.

Some things that I really liked about this book were that Olivia was divorced, had familial obligations, and founded worries about other people in her life. I liked seeing her rediscover relationships, set boundaries, and discuss life issues with Margot and listen to each other. This got very close to having a big misunderstanding, but didn't actually go that way. I enjoyed reading about characters who clearly wanted the best for each other and struggled with their feelings and responsibilities, but ultimately listened to each other and took advice that they felt was helpful. That was great and I hope that I see much more of that in other books! I liked the lessons at the end of the book which were more complex than, "let people in," which I see SO OFTEN in romance books.

Kind of weirdly, this book and this series in general has made me think about best friends in life and in fiction. I personally don't like making the distinction of a best friend, but I know that other people do and it certainly shows up in a lot of narratives, so this might just be a me problem. I found it a little grating to hear "you're my best friend!" 5,000 times because I feel like it's used as audience shorthand without having to show what best friends actually mean. I feel like every heartfelt moment was followed up with "you're my best friend!" Can't we just do things without affirming labels every three seconds? I especially did not like this with Brendan, I feel like the other books did not set him up enough to be considered a best friend and it was weird hearing it often without seeing much evidence. I had this problem with Olivia too, as the shorthand of her being Margot's best friend at one point took away some of the relationship building that I usually enjoy reading. I would have liked to read more relationship building and re-building without falling back on "best friend" tropes. I felt like it took away from the truly wonderful characters and their journeys.

If you enjoyed either of the first two books at all, I recommend this one to finish the set! I would say that it's my second favorite in the series after Written in the Stars. 4.25 stars rounded down to 4. Thankyou to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the electronic advanced reader's copy!

This was such a cute finale to this trilogy! Alexandria definitely knows how to weave comedy and romance into an enjoyable read! I seriously enjoyed reading more about Margot and Olivia. It did seem a little weird for Margot to hold a torch for someone from 11 years prior but that's just a personal thing for me and not something majorly wrong with the plot. I really enjoyed how Olivia and Margot grew individually but I also really enjoyed the fact that they called each other out on their respected issues without it being a knock down drag out fight. Alexandria is definitely really good at putting in a wrench in the story without it being something trope-y. It always feels like something that typical couples go through and not some overdramatic twist or reveal that's reminiscent of a soap opera. I'm kind of sad that this trilogy ended because I really did love each and every one of the characters, and I really enjoyed being able to experience Seattle through their eyes.

I really enjoyed this book! Friends to lovers is definitely a favorite trope of mine and this one did not disappoint.

The two main characters had relatable struggles and I appreciated the explicit discussion of divorce in the book as well since that’s rare for romance.

The key for me is that the book was very balanced in the amount of steaminess, lightness, and conflict. My one complaint is that I’ve only read one other book in the series and at times I did feel like I was left out of some inside jokes.

Overall, queer romance always has my heart and I’d recommend this if you want a cute, quick read!

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Count Your Lucky Stars is the third book in Alexandria Bellefleur’s Written in the Stars series and it brings all of the magic of the first two! This second chance romance between two bisexual women was such an amazing read that I finished it in one day. I absolutely love second chance romances-- the shared history between these two makes their story seem so special. When Margot and Olivia are forced together by their friend's marriage they are forced to reconcile their feelings for each other and what happened all of those years ago… When you throw in a ski vacation, a thieving cat, and a whole lot of hilarity and sexual tension, you get the absolute perfect romantic comedy. This book is definitely the steamiest of the trio! I am so excited to see what Bellefleur has planned for us readers next!

This was so freaking cute! I loved the first two in this series, so this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022. Happy to report that it did not disappoint!

To be honest, I usually don't go for second chance romances, but this one totally worked. Something about Bellefleur's writing is so readable; if I had started this earlier in the day instead of before bed, I would have finished it in a single day. Also, I identified with parts of Margot's personality, specifically her relatively pessimistic tendencies in the midst of her friends' more positive energy. Plus the whole "I may not want to go but I still want to be invited" feeling, which I think a lot of readers can probably relate to. While I didn't connect with Olivia as much, she was a solid character. Maybe not as fleshed out as Margot, but still compelling enough to enjoy reading from her perspective.

A few other positives/strengths:
1. The humor. I literally laughed out loud a couple times, which is rare for me while reading.
2. The mutual pining.
3. The steamy scenes. There were quite a few, but they were all really well done, and I feel like you can tell that they were written by an actual queer woman.

Readers will probably benefit from knowing that there is a miscommunication trope, but this is one of the few instances in which I think it was done pretty well! I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that, in my opinion, the miscommunication made sense considering the characters' ages and personalities. It also contributed to the aforementioned mutual pining.

My main, very minor critique is the pacing. The middle was dragged out just a bit too long and the resolution of conflicts felt a tad bit rushed.

All in all, if you want a sexy, heart-warming sapphic rom-com, READ THIS!

I really liked this book, it wasn't one of my favorites from the author but it still managed to warm my heart. I absolutely adore Alexandria's writing and all the love and care each one of her books have. I already loved Margot because of the previous books but learning more about her in this one was amazing. Olivia was the perfect addition to the group and I fell in love with her instantly, her chemistry with Margot was off the charts and the steamy scenes were amazing. I think the reason I did not like this one as much as the other two was because they instantly connected, I know they weren't strangers and all but I was waiting for a slow burn book and this was not it.

It's a well-known rule of thumb that romance is far from my favorite genre. However, Bellefleur's books are an exception to the rule. While I didn't read the book focusing on Brandon, I have read Written in the Stars and found it fun and lovable. Count Your Lucky stars fits that style well and remained light-hearted in the right spots, and heavy where it fits best. Bellefleur does this in a way that feels seamless.

Overall, this book was just as fun and entertaining as her other stories. Although some of the characters can be a little petty and flat, it still leads to an interesting story. The pacing is incredibly well done, and the more steamy scenes are well written and placed in such a way that you can skip them if you wanted to. This really appeals to me as a reader, and makes me want to read more from this author!

This book, like the others in this series, is absolute perfection.

Margot has long been one of my favorite characters in this series and I was so happy to see her story play out. In Bellefleur's signature style, this book is witty, and passionate and so beautifully written. The characters envelope you like a warm hug and you just never want to leave this world that has been created. Each story is wonderful and charming in its own right. I loved getting to see the softer side of Margot who is always the strong one for everyone else. You get to see how she is trying so hard to hold it together on the outside while crumbling in the inside and how trying to stay strong is harming her. And then there is Olivia who is such a wonderful addition to this cast of characters. She is the perfect partner for Margot. She is caring and loving and breaks through those barriers that Margot has worked so hard to build. This book is steamy such a wonderful love story. And can we talk about Cat?! I mean I am still laughing about that vibrator.

All the stars for this wonderful third book. For fans of this series we got just enough of a peek into our favorite characters from the other books to make us feel all warm and fuzzy without taking away from the fact that this was Margot's story. This was expertly done and I never want to leave this world that Bellefleur has created. I thank my lucky stars that we got to be a part of it.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc! I requested it because I loved Written in the Stars. Super excited that I actually got approved! So I hustled and bumped Hang the Moon up my TBR because I have to read in order even though they really can be read stand alone.
Y’all this book has all the things. SAPPHIC ROMANCE. SECOND CHANCE LOVERS. ESTRANGED CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS. ROOMMATES! A CAT NAMED CAT.
This is a great ending to the Written in the Stars series. I loved the first two books and this one holds up for sure. The spice was also excellent in this one. The plot is surrounding planning a wedding. Margot’s friends (Brendon and Annie from Hang the Moon) are getting married and Olivia is their wedding planner. When they all show up for the first meeting it’s the first time they’ve seen each other in 11 years!
The release date is 2/1/22. Definitely check out the series if you haven’t yet!

I really thought this was going to be a 5 star read for me for nearly 80% of the book. The PINING was just perfection and I loved Margot and Olivia's backstory. There was also the ultra-specific trope of "no one can touch her, she's mine - even though she's not technically or officially mine" which was just so fun to read. Including the characters from the previous books made this feel so cohesive, like we just picked up where we left off. The emotional depth portrayed and experienced by Olivia and Margot in the first two acts made my heart ache for them.

However, the third act conflict and resolution unfortunately fell so short for me. From one page to the next, they were confessing feelings to each other, only to then get in a fight over fundamental issues they personally needed to work through, to leaving each other. Olivia's phone and car breaking ahead of the rehearsal dinner served as the big tension, and it just felt a bit too predictable and lacked the emotional depth we saw for the other portion of the book. I think I was missing more focus on Olivia's career and promotion beyond just a mention in the epilogue, since that was a huge reason why this wedding was so important to her.

Overall, I loved the characters, but ultimately this didn't end up working out for me.

Of the three books in this series, I enjoyed this one the most, although I was a little disappointed Margot had to give up on her polyamorous, somewhat hedonistic lifestyle and instead find true love.

Another wonderful story by Alexandria Bellefleur!
This was especially fun because it had a unique order of events for a romance novel. Since the two main characters have a history together, they deal with lots of old and new emotions so it’s a lot of fun to navigate through the twists and turns.
There is great LGBT representation, and I related to Margot lots which helped with feeling empathetic towards her as a character. I will say that I’d love to read a book by Bellefleur with just one perspective, as the two perspectives in a romance novel isn’t my favorite format. Still, the author writes a fun and captivating story.
Um, also this book is SPICY so definitely know that before reading!

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me review this early copy.

This was actually the first in this series I've read, and I plan to read the others after having enjoyed the friendships, romance, and setting in this book (Seattle). This was also my first female/female romance, and I loved Margot and Olivia and their second chance at a relationship, and that they were best friends and knew each other well back in high school.

Both women are bi, if that is something you are looking for.