What a fun book! I really enjoyed reading about badass astronaut Reggie and himbo but not really Jon. I think they brought out the best in each other and had a good time doing it (no pun intended). At times the story was over the top but I think that added to the charm of it. And it was the perfect combo of sexy, silly and serious. There is a scene when Jon and Reggie are at Reggie's parents that had me hysterical with the mental image. And I can't review the book without mentioning my favorite characters, Katya and Jon's mom. And now that I'm saying that, I now want a book where those two meet because I think it would be hilarious. With a great supporting and main cast, I found this book to just be a lot of fun to read.

Content warning for terrible parents that are verbally abusive

I absolutely adored this book. It was so funny, and sweet, and I laughed out loud several times.

Reggie is an astronaut on a mission to become the first woman on the moon. She has to prove she can handle working with a team, and training a movie star is the next step of her plan. Jon is training for his first serious role, and trying to avoid the small crush he has for his tough astronaut trainer. The characters voices were so clear while reading, and I really loved them both. Their story was so sweet, and there were so many genuinely funny parts.

"The Astronaut and the Star" is a new take on a romance and one that I was excited to read. At first I was unsure about Reggie and Jon, but soon found myself chuckling at their antics, cringing at their misfortunes and rooting for them along the way. Take a ride with them as Reggie gives a behind the scenes look to Jon, an actor who is out for a part as an astronaut, and she works to boost her PR and get back on the lunar mission. I also enjoyed getting an inside glimpse myself of astronaut training! Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for an advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

🌟🌟🌟💫

Thanks to Bonkers Romance and NetGalley for the ARC

This was a fun and satisfying grumpy/sunshine romcom.

Reggie Hayes is an accomplished astronaut with experience on the International Space Station under her belt, and she is currently angling to be selected as a member of a mission to the moon. She is a workaholic and does not have the greatest people skills, which is a major barrier to her selection. She wants to prove that she is a team player to make it on that mission, so she volunteers for the last task she wants to do: help train a Hollywood actor to prepare him for a role as an astronaut.

Jon Leo is a hot B-list actor best known for a campy movie popular with teenagers, and he has dreams of making it to the A-list by staring in a potential Oscar contender where he plays an astronaut. One of the problems is that he hasn’t read the script, and struggles with motivation, memory, and organization. He is fun-loving and charming, though these characteristics are also shields he uses to camouflage his struggles.

Reggie and Jon are a study in contrasts, and I felt the spark of chemistry between them at the start, and I liked how it built over time. I really appreciated the way that Jon immediately understood Reggie’s challenges, and how he gently worked to support her, and always respected her boundaries. I wish that Reggie was less judgmental and more understanding of Jon, though I guess that is in line with her character and her own struggles. For most of the book, I felt that Jon was more into her than she was into him, and I would have liked to see her grappling with her feelings more.

One of the highlights of the book are the short appearances of Reggie’s friend Katy’s, a Russian cosmonaute. She was hilarious, I loved all those scenes, and I wish there were more! Much of the book takes place while Reggie and Jon are in relative isolation doing training, and I found the parts were they are interacting with others to be stronger. I loved the scenes with their respective families, and with the film crew and Jon’s publicist. There is a scene towards the end that I don’t want to spoil that had me dying of laughter.

Overall, this was a really solid rom com!

🌶🌶🌶/5 moderate steam

I adored this story about Reggie, the grumpy astronaut who plans to be the first woman to walk on the moon and isn't ready to let anything stand in her way, and Jon, the scatter brained actor with a heart of gold.

I will definitely be re-reading this at some point as this book was hilarious while still hitting the emotional points where needed. I also very much enjoyed the side characters who felt complete even with limited exposure in the story.

The Astronaut and the Star is a really strong debut book that was a great rom-com, and had a good level of spice (the dirty talk was 🥵), though not a huge volume of spice. Reminded me of Tessa Bailey, though not as deft with characters/storytelling. I'm LOLing at some of these reviews that are mad it was a romance novel. If you enjoy contemporary romance with some spice, some science, and a grumpy/sunshine couple (where the woman is grumpy), you will probably like this.

I wasn't sure what to expect from The Astronaut and the Star, but ultimately I was very pleasantly surprised. Reggie is a very Type A kind of character, a woman who's been told from birth that she must succeed and that's what she's set out to do - sacrificing some social niceties to become the best astronaut she can be. Her growth throughout the book was huge, as Jon Leo - a teddy bear of a hero - breaks down her walls and gets beneath her skin. I loved Jon, and his (usually) unflappable personality. That said, my favourite character from the whole book is one of Reggie's few friends, her roommate and Russian cosmonaut, Katya, who who routinely offered up sage, but blunt, romantic advice.

Astronaut Reggie wants to be the first woman on the moon, but her superiors don’t think that her ice cold, loner attitude is a good fit for the mission. So, to appear more like a friendly team player, Reggie volunteers to do publicised astronaut training with a handsome and enthusiastic Hollywood actor, Jon Leo, to help him prepare for his latest role (and fulfil his space-nerd fantasy of being an astronaut). Even though Reggie and Jon are total opposites, their mutual sexual attraction is undeniable right from the get-go and living in close quarters for astronaut training proves to be way too tempting. But Reggie doesn’t do relationships and Jon doesn’t do flings…can Jon convince Reggie that they’re a perfect match before his astronaut training comes to its inevitable end? On top of that, Jon and Reggie are forced to navigate family drama, a media scandal, and relentless space conspiracy theorists.

The Astronaut and the Star is a unique romantic comedy featuring the close proximity, workplace romance, opposites attract, and grumpy with sunshine tropes. This book also features own voices ADHD representation, a bisexual main character, and a lot of science fiction elements. The Astronaut and the Star deals with themes such as darkness and light, rebellion, order and chaos, companionship, individual versus team, work-life balance, family and growing up, love and heartbreak, and quest for status and power. The moral of story is that sometimes it’s better to ask for help and work as a team instead of trying to do everything by yourself.

I loved Jon and Reggie’s immense chemistry, “will they, won’t they” vibes, and constant flirty banter. The humorous aspects of this novel were enjoyable, such as Jon’s clumsiness and joking personality as well as Reggie’s roommate Katya’s sassy and brutally honest attitude; I actually wish that we got to see more of Katya in The Astronaut and the Star but hopefully Comfort will write a companion novel featuring Katya’s love story (or even what happens if or when Katya meets her favourite actress, Zendaya). I really appreciated how the ending of the novel was unexpected and kept me guessing because this allowed me to stay interested and engaged in the story.

On the negative side, I didn’t think that the cover of the book really matched the romantic comedy vibe of the story; I know that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I feel like I would have been more excited to pick up this book if the cover had featured a fun and flirty couple instead of a realistic-looking picture of the moon and stars. Moreover, even if the cover of The Astronaut and the Star doesn’t appeal to you, make sure that you read the book description before you count this book out! Another thing that I wasn’t a big fan of was the use of unfamiliar space lingo as well as the excessive amount of time that Reggie and Jon spend collecting rock samples as I wasn’t clear how studying rocks was going to help Jon prepare for his upcoming space flick.

The Astronaut and the Star would be perfect for fans of space science who also enjoy steamy romances. Reggie is a fierce woman in STEM and a strong female role model who reminded me of Olive from The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood; so, if you are a fan of that book, you should definitely check this out! I would also recommend this book to fans of romantic comedies like Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert, and science fiction romances like Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Astronaut and the Star and it definitely exceeded my expectations. If you are looking for a unique, fun, and steamy romantic comedy filled with space science than I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Astronaut and the Star!

First of all, as someone who has always dreamed of going to space camp, this was a book that appealed to me IMMENSELY. I saw the cover, description, and shouted GIMME to myself, alone in a room. I feel very lucky to have received this copy of the book early, so I can be one of the first to say how spectacular this is. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, goodness all in one book.

I knew I had to get my hands on this book as soon as I heard the pitch of grumpy bisexual goth astronaut x ADHD golden retriever himbo actor, and THE ASTRONAUT AND THE STAR delivered everything I was looking for from that premise and more. I was obsessed with the chemistry between Reggie and Jon, an opposites-attract pairing that brought heat and heart (and heat, again 🥵). Both characters are incredibly well-drawn and lovable, but I have a special soft spot for ice queen Reggie, fighting in vain against Jon’s attempts to melt her. I inhaled this book in one sitting, and Jen Comfort’s funny, charming, and distinctive voice has made her an auto-buy author for me.

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

The Astronaut and the Star was such a fun ride! It's full of tension, warmth, and quirks. I can't wait to see what else Jen Comfort comes out with!

This story follows Reggie, a DGAF astronaut with her sights on a moon mission, and Jon, a doe-eyed actor who's just landed the role of his dreams. It's up to Reggie to train Jon on the ins and outs of being an astronaut before filming begins. What ensues is a battle of opposites and nights alone at a training base. If you enjoy slow-burn romance with a light sci-fi twist and a new take on the "only one bed" trope, definitely pick this one up!

I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was looking forward to reading this book when I first heard about it, and it did not disappoint. Reggie, an astronaut, is determined to be the first woman on the moon. In order to reclaim her reputation at NASA and prove herself the best candidate for the mission, she agrees to train Jon, a comedy-action actor who was cast as an astronaut for an upcoming movie. Reggie and Jon immediately clash, as Reggie is focused on the task at hand while Jon seemingly appears to be a goof off. But their chemistry is undeniable, and the sparks soon fly.
I loved how Reggie is a fierce, determined STEM heroine who tries to keep her emotions in check while Jon wears his heart on his sleeve. Reggie and Jon’s romance was so steamy it was positively scorching, but the story also had tender moments that warmed and broke my heart. And Katya, Reggie’s coworker and friend, made me laugh in just about every scene she was in.. This was honestly one of my favorite reads this year.

I saw a tweet about this book and knew I needed to read it. It did not disappoint. It was sweet, funny, engaging, and worth the anticipation. I love a grumpy-softie pairing and the setting and space training details were so refreshing. Plus the dirty talk is very well done! Highly recommend!

Astronaut Regina “Reggie” Hayes has her eyes set on the stars. The real stars, not Hollywood actor Jon Leo who Reggie discovers is distractingly and infuriatingly sexy after she’s assigned to train Jon ahead of his upcoming major film set in space to clean up her PR image. (full review to come in Library Journal).

When you find a new to you author who writes the perfect, utterly sexy rolling boil slow-burn horny romance of your heart, that is such a great feeling. I loved this one so very much. Jon's realization he might have ADHD was an excellent inclusion too.

The ending got a bit rushed and wild, with the inclusion of a Fake Moon Landing zealot who ends up (view spoiler), but all's well that ends well.

My thoughts are sort of jumbled, but I'll definitely be re-reading closer to pub date!

Spoilery content notes

Content notes: slightly embarrassing public situations, kidnapping (of adults), threat with a gun

<b>Out of this World Romance Is Hot and Funny</b>

What you need to know about “The Astronaut and The Star”:
✔ Opposites Attract Romance
✔ Dual Point of View
✔ Celebrity/Astronaut Romance
✔ Regina “Reggie” Hayes, astronaut, wants to be the first woman on the Moon
✔ Jon Leo, actor, trying to make it to the A list
✔ Forced proximity
✔ Grumpy x sunshine
✔ Complete Standalone

Regina “Reggie” Hayes is a tough astronaut who wants to be the first woman on the moon. She’s admittedly cold, emotionally cut-off and singularly focused on her goal. However, after a big mistake on her part, that moon mission isn’t looking too good.

So Reggie volunteers to be the NASA liaison / teacher for an actor looking for an immersive astronaut experience to prepare for a role. She hopes this will convey to NASA that she’s a team player.

She finds out that the actor, Jon Leo, is considered easy to work with and a “nice guy”. Reggie doesn’t like or want to be around nice people.

Reggie: “Was she cursed? Would nice people infiltrate her entire life, forever haunting her like ghosts who hadn’t died right?”

Jon Leo is an actor most known for the cult hit “Space Dude”, who feels a little out of his depth when first introduced. He wanted to be an astronaut when he was a kid (as a lot of kids do) so he’s incredibly excited to meet Reggie. But more than that, “This movie was his big break - a chance to be more than a show pony.”

When Reggie and Jon meet there is so much chemistry and attraction on both sides but neither wants to admit it.

Reggie is terrible in every social situation and on camera and Jon admits to her that it’s pretty much all that he’s good at. So, he offers to help her.

They fight themselves and each other as their attraction grows stronger.

The Astronaut and The Star is such a great romance. It is an opposites attract, grumpy woman, sunshine / cinnamon roll hero story. It’s funny, charming and resonates emotionally on so many levels.

For me, as someone who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, it really meant a lot to me to have that represented in a romance that I absolutely loved.

It was also gratifying to read about two adults battling their own sometimes negative self-images. These characters were given many facets which made them seem more real. I loved their self-doubt, their strengths, their love, their faults, and their crazy (terrible in Reggie’s case) families.

I absolutely love personal growth in a romance so I adored how Jon and Reggie affected one another and that they learn and grow from that. They are always equals in their treatment of, and responses to, one another.

The Astronaut and The Star is an out of this world romance. It’s hot, funny, emotional and smart. I can’t wait to read more from Jen Comfort.

WRITING STYLE: 5/5
PLOT: 5/5
WORLD-BUILDING: 5/5
PACING: 5/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5/5
ROMANCE: 5/5
HEAT: 5/5

I received an e-ARC of this book, my opinions are 100% my own.