Sylvie and Donna are both mums, unknowingly commuting on the same train each day. But that is where the similarities end; Sylvie and Donna’s families come from totally different backgrounds and are on opposite sides of the Brexit fence.
What neither of the families know is that their eldest children Rachid and Jodie have met at university and fallen head over heels in love. The teenagers keep their relationship a secret knowing that both families will disapprove. As Sylvie’s family start to feel less and less welcome in England they decide to relocate to Paris, sending the young couple in to free fall. As the Brexit tension in the country escalates, so does that in each of the family households. The teenagers decide to take things into their own hands with consequences that shatter both families.
This is more than a book, it’s a lesson about morals and doing the right thing. A bittersweet yet shocking story, showing how well and how poorly people can behave and treat each other.

I had heard so much good stuff about this book that I positively squealed when I got offered a copy. But having finished it, I’m most definitely on the fence.

There’s a definite Romeo and Juliet vibe about this, which gave me hope as it’s my favourite Shakespeare play, but I’m afraid that hope was misplaced for me.

I generally dislike fiction books that use too much reality in them. I’m living it, I don’t want to read about it too, I want fiction to be an escape and so the Brexit backdrop was a bit distracting.

One of my main concerns is how much of this is fictional and how much is the author’s belief? Has she been impartial in creating a fictional tale or is she bias towards leave/remain? It often feels like she’s written it to provoke.

I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. I guess I thought it would be this heartfelt and beautiful story, but instead it’s heavy and sad and shocking. Yes there’s love and friendship and joy and hope in it, but I found the overall tone very morose. It’s a very heavy book and I wonder if, at times, it’s maybe too heavy.

I know he’s young but I found the character of Rachid to be a bit creepy. I did grow to like him, but at times he felt a bit stalker-ish and it was painted as romantic. I didn’t like Sam - I won’t go into detail for fear of spoilers, but he’s not a nice character at all. And then you have Jodie, who for me was a bit of a wet weekend. She puts up this front but behind it she’s a bit of a weak character. And then you have 15 year old Amina who was probably my favourite of the children. She had her flaws but I felt she was just trying to live her life but everything was conspiring against her and she wasn’t able to live her own life. The rest of the characters are on the periphery. I didn’t like either father (Neil and Bilal) for different reasons, but did feel some empathy towards the mothers (Sylvie and Donna).

I am afraid that for the most of it, I was just thinking about the next book I was going to read rather than losing myself in it. I’d seen so many positive reviews and whilst it wasn’t a bad book or badly written (it definitely improved as it went along), it just felt flat and moany and critical, which made it unenjoyable for me.

One thing I did really like was how everything was linked. Both families flow in and out of each other’s lives which I thought was very cleverly done.

I’m unsure it will stand the test of time. I don’t mean that in terms of her writing ability, there’s nothing wrong with that - bar a few typos which I’m sure will be ironed out in the final copy - but the plot. Whilst Brexit will become a point in history that we are taught about, I’m not sure it’ll have this division or this fever of opinion as it does not when it’s still timely.

It is a sad world we live in when something as horrific as is in this book is actually a reality. That racism and racial violence can’t just be confined to the bookshelves. And whilst I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I thought, I could appreciate the passion that Linda has for the topic and the importance of her writing.

Cosy read, great author. Always enjoy this writer's work. A good story, intertwined with emotion and mystery.

In the Little Stars by Linda
Marc:NetGalley
Publisher: Quercus Books, Quercus
Publication Date: 2nd February 2023
Genre:Women's Fiction

SYLVIE and Donna are both struggling to adjust to life after Brexit.
This book addresses many complex topics, including racism, Brexit, sexual equality, status and social standing, and family problems. Green is courageous in her discussion of the many issues that minority groups in the UK today face.

I liked how Rachid and Jodie's love story was at the core of all these problems. It was the ideal narrative for weaving together all the many topics.

#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads #womensfiction

This is the first book by Linda Green that I've read and I loved it.

The way she brings the characters to life is exquisite!

This novel tackles a lot of hard subjects (racism, Brexit, sexual equality, status and social standing, family problems) & Green is brave in her confrontation of so many issues faced by minority groups living in the UK today. Being at the receiving end of some similarly racist comments myself, I could really relate to the characters.

I loved that, at the heart of all these issues, was the love story between Rachid and Jodie. It was the perfect plot against which to entwine all the various themes.

I also learnt a lot of things that I didn't know - for example, the rigorous processes that people are expected to go through to gain UK Citizenship.

As with all books that explore such controversial topics, there were a few things that I disagreed with however this didn't detract from my reading experience of the novel. I also got slightly confused when the character point of view swapped and occasionally had to double back on myself to see who was speaking.

Definitely worth a read!

Billed as the story of Romeo and Juliet during Brexit, In Little Stars explores two families who are very different yet whose paths cross. Told mainly through the voices of the two mothers, Sylvia and Donna, the dialogue conveys the tensions and divisions within families over the events of Brexit in 2019. The voices of the mothers was very authentic, showing how hard it is to deal with and understand headstrong teens.
The short chapters interspersed with the text messages between Rashid and Jodie, the teens who meet and fall in love make for an absorbing read and I found it to be a real page turner. As the story continues and the level of racism in the community rises, there is a sense of dread and the end was emotional. I haven’t read many books about Brexit and this story shows the side of Britain that people don’t like to talk about. A brave choice of story subject.

Oh this book is beautiful and will stay with me for a long time to come. I love it when a book gives you a book hangover and you can't read anything else for a little while afterwards because it was so good. Don't miss it I implore you.

It's rare that I don't write my review straight after finishing a book, as I like to get my thoughts out quickly and then move on to the next book.
However, this book needed some serious consideration.
I have loved Linda Green's book before, I don't even need to read the blurb. Her characters are wonderfully written, but she writes a compelling plot to combine them with.
That said, she has reached a whole new level in In Little Stars. I finished it on Friday night (early hours of Saturday) and still has me grabbed by the shoulders and consumed my waking thoughts ever since.
This has been dubbed a 'modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet', and whilst there are several similarities, this book deserves to be praised on its own merit. I did love the R and J names of Rachid and Jodie though. Cute.
The plot is so cleverly constructed- the families whose lives, unbeknownst to them, cross several times, and become forever linked. The reader has an incredible sense of foreboding and dread as the book progresses as it reaches the main event, and this is through the multiple POVs. The narrative and the text message conversations keep it flowing and keep the reader gripped and reading well into the night. I also loved the Yorkshire accents of the characters- made them so much more real.
The ending is incredible. I cried. No, I BAWLED. Whenever I stopped crying, the next page would set me off again. My heart has been blasted into a million pieces. The role of all the characters and the parts they play in the story shook me to my core. I was reading it in bed and had to leave the bedroom in case my sobs woke my sleeping fiance!
Aside from the wonderful characters and clever plot though, are the real themes addressed by Green. It is set in the time of Brexit in Britain, and the racism that runs on the undercurrent of the book is brutally conveyed. It is painful to read, written to shock readers and highlight the attitudes of some people in Britain today. Green messaged me herself to say it 'pretty much destroyed her while writing it', and I can see why.
I have not been this affected by a book in years. It is one of my books of the year and will be difficult to beat. I genuinely feel like it has changed me as a person.

A gripping read that I read in one sitting and really made me think. Loved the writing, the story was compelling and the characters were really well developed. I really enjoyed it

In Little Stars is a book about two families with slightly differing views. One is a french/muslim family who have brought their children up in the UK and the other is a 'typically' British family who are staunch supporters of Brexit. The two teenagers from the families embark on a relationship that they try to hide from their family. The story idea is great but the execution is a little clumsy. I normally find Linda Green's writing really gripping and didn't with this and thought some of the dialogue was a bit stilted. It's still worth a read and explores important themes.

I loved this book. I simply couldn’t put it down. Thought it was well written and moved well and really was time spent with another time and place which is what good reading should be. Linda Green writes so well.

A modern day Romeo and Juliet, set in West Yorkshire admist the backdrop of Brexit. This is a must read; it's real, and gritty and absolutely captivating.

This book isnt an easy read because it holds so many uncomfortable truths about the society that we exist in but it is an important one. One to experience the life experiences of others that we may have been privileged not to experience ourselves; one that brings every bit of 'prevent' training that I've ever done to the forefront of reality.


The author says in her notes that it is not a political book, it's a story about humanity. One I hope we learn from, because love is bigger than hate.