A beautifully written book about two agents who get separated after a mission gone awry. Ten years later, Ivy is still mourning the loss of her husband and is seeking revenge for his death, only to run across him trying to kill her. Will Jack and Ivy ever get their happily ever after? This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. Full of betrayal, forgiveness, redemption, and romance. Highly recommend for lovers of suspense.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

"Hope was the most dangerous of all. Hope told a person what might be. It whispered sweetness in the ear, encouraged one to take a chance. Hope bloomed in rebellion against fear. Hope would be their savior." ⠀
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J'nell Ciesielski, To Free The Stars⠀
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To Free The Stars by J'nell Ciesielski is one of the best sequels I've read in a while!It starts off strong with an action packed flashback and tons of spy intrigue and just keeps building from there. Ivy is so different in the sequel but I love her strength and perseverance. She's made a name for herself and it's pretty awesome. Jack is unforgettable and I am totally invested in his dark Bucky Barnes vibe. I couldn't ever really make up my mind about Philip but I enjoyed his story arc. The author did a great job of keeping the characters fresh and interesting with several surprises and tons of action. Talon is an impressive organization and the historical aspect of the 1920's in Europe fascinated me. I would recommend this series to any fan of historical spy stories and found family tropes.

What a conclusion to Ivy and Jack's story! The intensity and adrenaline are so high during this story I needed to take a few breaks to catch my breath. White-knuckle action and edge of your seat danger keeps the story flying by. With a deadly Order still trying to raise out of the shadows, the danger never seems to back off and Jack and Ivy are right in the thick of it. But the villains need to be stopped and erased to save the world from a danger they don't even know exists. Just who will be the the one to throw the fateful last punch though? And what will the price be? Historical espionage roars to life with this amazing romance/thriller.
I loved that there are all these deeper levels to Ivy and Jack that this second installment got to show the reader. I also loved all the traveling I got to do with this high action couple. J'nell Ciesielski is a master at transporting readers to different locations all over the world. Her descriptions and research make each city and mountain top fall into place a piece at a time until the reader is surrounded by the new location. The extra layers this detail adds to the story makes it come to life like a movie. Through all the suspense, espionage, and danger threads a string of love and dedication that shows how important family is to ground a person through good and bad. I have quickly grown to love J'nell Ciesielski's writing and always eagerly anticipate her next release. With the rich history and marvelous suspense in each story, she is always at the top of my TBR pile. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Back last year, I read the first part of this series, the Brilliance of Stars. Now the second part, To Free the Stars is out now! It takes place 10 years after the first book in the 1920s Prohibition era, picking up right where it left off.

Ivy and Jack work with Talon, a secret society who helps with good after all the evil in the world. They are separated and Ivy is left to wonder wants happened to Jack. Ivy and her friend Philip keep fighting for justice. I like that Ivy is focused on improving the world and you have to root for her. This is one that’s definitely better experienced and you need to read for yourself.

Thank you @jnellciesielski and @thomasnelson for my gifted book. Because this relates so much to the first book, I do think you need to read both to understand. This action packed novel is out now!

To Free the Stars is the second book in the Jack & Ivy duology.

This is a historical romance/spy thriller set in Europe in the 1920s as Ivy has accepted that Jack is gone. She is still focusing on the mission of Talon and bringing down the order that took him away from her.

I feel like this starts right where book one - The Brilliance of Stars ends and out dives you right into the action. I do recommend reading both books since this is a duology.

This series is more action/spy thriller than her previous books but J'nell's wonderful writing and characters are still present just in a different & mood action-packed world. I liked seeing her try something different with her stories!

I would highly suggest reading the first book before this one to get the full story. Both books are a little dark and not always the easiest thing to read, but I enjoyed this one more than the first. It reminded me of Captain America Winter Soldier and I think that helped me get through it. There is a lot of heartbreak and sadness, but also some hope.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley and this is my honest review.

This is an epic and gritty spy story. I usually like those type of stories, but I can't say that I really connected with this one. It is definitely not a Christian Fiction book. There is some profanity, some intimacy scenes (not explicit - more fade to black but it takes up a couple pages, so you know what is happening and it is between a married couple) and lastly, a lot of violence. This is my reason for the 3 stars. The whole book revolves around assassins - one group looking to take over the world and the other trying to stop them and essentially trying to keep the world safe. I did not read book #1 but felt like I had a basic overall understanding of the characters. Jack & Ivy are a married couple who are spies and on the "good guy" team but basically assassins. I don't want to give away the whole plot or what happens to them but there is a lot of violence. More than I was comfortable with. I have to say I wasn't expecting it from this publisher! Maybe I haven't read enough books from this publisher to know that there are other books like this, but it surprised me. I few times I had to skim the pages because it was just too much violence for me. I did love Ivy's complete dedication to Jack after he was brainwashed during his capture and then return when he was trying to get his memories back. She unwaveringly showed her love for him at every turn. Perhaps others will like this story more than I did.

I was completely thrilled to get this book so I could find out what happens with Ivy and Jack. This book mixes the roaring 20s with spys assassins and the Cult, Order of the rising moon is back. And this keeps you on the edge of your seat biting your nails good! I loved it!!
I just reviewed To Free the Stars by J'nell Ciesielski. #ToFreetheStars #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Title: To Free the Stars

Author: J’nell Ciesielski


Ch: 33 plus epilogue


Pg: 400


Series: Jack and Ivy book 2


Genre: Historical Fiction


Rating: 5 stars


Publisher: Thomas Nelson


I loved To Free The Stars as much as I did The Brilliance of Stars. I do have to say though J’nell did not make Jack and Ivy’s journey easy. But they do say the course of true love never was smooth. This one picks up ten years after the first book. And let’s say Ivy’s had a hard ten years. But despite what others have told her she’s held on to hope. Jack on the other hand has given up.


To Free The Stars is indeed more suspenseful and stressful than the first one. And you feel the emotions that both Ivy and Jack feel. Despite being a spy Ivy does wear her heart on her sleeve. I finished this one in two days. One of which had me saying up late to finish because I had to know what happened.


And there ended up being a character that I should have hated. But despite what they did I couldn’t hate them. Because of what they went through.


This is a two book series that you really need to read in order. I do suggest caution to readers because there is mentions of trauma and mind control. As well PTSD on the page even though for the time period that wasn’t the term at the time.


Though it all J’nell Ciesielski still manages to give us a romance that won’t die. And I still got to say she gave me what the MCU wouldn’t do she gave me a Winter Soldier Black Widow love story.





I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Thank you @jnellciesielski @tnzfiction for the book and having me on tour!

“Fate is fickle and the stars are silent, but I do know this: No matter how difficult the circumstances or how savagely the world tries to tear us apart, I am here with you.”

TITLE: TO FREE THE STARS
AUTHOR: J’Nell Ciesielski
PUB DATE: 08.08.2023 Pre Order Now

This white-knuckled conclusion to The Brilliance of Stars takes readers on a breathless adventure from the speakeasies of America to the Horse Guards Parade in London, an ancient cemetery outside Paris, and back to the Eastern European strongholds where the Vales’ tragedy first began.

Thoughts:

Don’t let the cover fool you, this book is intense, and a suspenseful ride - Book 2 continues immediately from where The Brilliance of Stars left off, and immediately dives in to Jack and Ivy’s story. Moving forward ten years ahead and be still my heart not only for the triumphant writing of the action adventure scenes but the sweeping romance that gutted me. TO FREE THE STARS is a deftly written historical fiction that had me in tears, and all kinds of emotions. An exuberant duology must read for any historical fiction lover.

Book 2 in this duology is another adrenaline rush. More exciting fight scenes, along with Ivy exhibiting loads of patience and tenderness in trying to help her husband Jack regain the awareness of himself.

It's not necessary to read Book 1 in the series, but I would recommend it to get the background history of the characters and because it is so darn enjoyable.

4.5⭐️

Oh wow! This was intense, suspenseful, and chilling; my emotions were all over the place. Do I need to say more?

J’nell Ciesielski writes a stunning conclusion to Jack and Ivy’s story and it’s everything you could want from a historical fiction. 𝐓𝐨 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 begins right where 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 left off - when Jack disappeared.

Now, moving ten years forward, Ivy must continue with her mission as an assassin with Talon, even if it means doing it without Jack. Talon works to oppress the evil that has risen up from war-torn Europe. But Ivy’s not prepared for the battle she’s about to face - It gets too personal this time.

Spanning across the globe, you can’t help but be swept up in Jack and Ivy’s story: their romance, their battle for good over evil, and their hope for survival. I will say this was darker and heavier than I anticipated, but it was written so well, and incredibly gripping!

Thank you @jnellciesielski and @tnzfiction for a spot on tour and a gifted book.

I liked the story well enough, but I did not care for the characters or the writing. There was some language that I did not care for. Also, there was zero mention of God, and this is advertised as a Christian book. The only reason that I finished it was I was interested in the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

To Free the Stars is the second of J'Nell Ciesielski's Jack and Ivy novels. To be enjoyed and understood, having read The Brilliance of Stars is essential. The series denies categorization. There are historical storylines, secret agents, intense action, sizzling romance, betrayal, world travel, secret organizations (both good and evil), and antagonists who border on fantasy style villains, but definitely not the Disney kind. There is also forgiveness, redemption, and restoration among characters that readers are not likely to ever forget. If you have found yourself in a reading rut, reading the same type of stories over and over, the Jack and Ivy novels will jump start you on a whole new path, one filled with extremes of many varieties. I highly recommend these novels and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of To Free the Stars from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

BOOK REVIEW - To Free the Stars - J'nell Ciesielski - 4/5 Stars

THE STORY
Full disclosure, I was not in a great head space when I read this so I didn't enjoy it as much as I probably would have. I adore reading Romance 99% of the time but sometimes a 1% day hits while reading a really touching romance, like this one, and the despair of singleness bowls me over with much tears (other single romance readers #iykyk). So to the author I apologize for not giving this the rave review it probably deserves as I loooove all the books you've released so far! I don't usually review sequels but I just had to share again about this series, with this book being the thrilling conclusion. They definitely need to be read together, the first book ends on a cliff hanger (a very maddening 10 month wait!) and picks right up in the second. I won't give much away but this book is a thrilling non-stop read full of spies, action and adventure that only slows down for exquisitely swoony romance! Think historical James Bond meets The Kingsman with swoon instead of spice!

THE ROMANCE
Bring the fan for this one because it gets pretty hot in here! It's interesting the differences in romance between courting and married couples, as married couples seem to be allowed the extra bit of heat that you can't get away with in other books. This romance definitely has that extra, so be prepared!

THE TRUTHS
Ivy's love in this story is a beautiful analogy of God's love for us. His love us steadfast and unwavering, no matter what we've done, God's mercy and forgiveness is there for us, offering us redemption. There is nothing we can do to lose His love and we are never beyond His redemption! He is by our sides, always, and we can turn to Him always!

When Jack and Ivy overcame Yuri, they hoped they'd achieved their bigger objective of destroying the Order of the Rising Moon - but it's soon clear they haven't. Jack's apparent death falling off a cliff sends Ivy on a mission of vengeance even stronger than before, but when the Order's chief assassin comes after her 10 years later, she begins to realise he seems familiar. But those the Order takes it never lets go save by death - and they have a particularly important role for the Riser. Can Ivy hope to take on this worldwide organisation, even with Talon's help, and win? And is there any chance of her holding together the family she's worked so hard to gain? Or will the Order be the death of everything she holds most dear?

While it does have a satisfying conclusion, this is overall a dark and at times quite violent book - though most of the violence is more background than foreground and it's not glorified or overdone. There's an effort to reach for light, to 'free the stars', but Jack and Ivy have to go through horrors to truly achieve it. As a result, I'd be a little careful who I recommended it to (there's also one scene that gets slightly more passionate than I was quite comfortable with, though I'd still call it clean overall). Certainly it's not a light read, and though it's compelling, I couldn't call it 'glamorous' in any way. It does bring Jack and Ivy's story (begun in book 1 and best read after it) to a satisfying conclusion, and I'm not sorry I read it - but It's definitely somewhat darker than I anticipated even from book 1. Nevertheless, a compelling and at times inspiring read.

Content warning: violence, addiction, suicidal thoughts

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

There’s always one in every group: a Weasley coward who creates a different facade. Trouble is the fear and cowardice is easily sniffed out.
I figured out who was the coward early on and thought the ending didn’t redeem him.
Ivy has been a cold stone assassin for 10 years but So has her beloved. Can they make their way back from the darkness toward each other??
This novel has spies, assassins, lots of dark moments, and hope, interlaced with a tad bit of romance.
Read what the constellations have in store for Jack and Ivy.

For ten years Ivy thought Jack was dead. Then Phillip disappears and is presumed dead. There’s lots of surprises in this book. It’s a good continuation of the first one. I did think it was maybe a bit too long.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

** “Sometimes I feel those stars have been my only constant, calling to me with understanding while steadying me in place.” **

J’nell Ciesielski delivers an intense pre-WWII era novel with “To Free the Stars,” a story of clandestine organizations, vengeance, justice and the freedom of home.

Picking up immediately after “The Brilliance of Stars,” the secret society Talon — a group that seeks to fill in the good versus evil cracks left behind by the government — are still seeking to destroy the evil Silver One, head of the Order of the Rising Moon. Agents Ivy, Jack and Philip must overcome their own demons during a ten-year journey to end the wicked woman’s reign of tyranny.

What follows is an intense story filled with violence, loyalty, determination and a fight for justice. Ciesielski does an incredible job of developing a plot that will leave readers guessing as to who will survive. She continues with her cast of characters that you can’t help but root for, as well as those who are completely loathsome.

She also fills “To Free the Stars” with some great themes, like restoration rather than destruction; looking fear in the eye and standing strong; loneliness is a cruel burden; and the path justice, vengeance and revenge can take you on.

I did feel the plot was a little bogged down at times, and the story does contain a lot of violence, a couple of incidences of very mild language and some moments of implied intimacy.

Fans of historical fiction, especially war-era stories, as well as action-packed characters like Clive Cussler’s Isaac Bell and dynamic duos like Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence and The Thin Man’s Nick and Nora will love “To Free the Stars,” which is due out Aug. 8. I would also not recommend reading this as a standalone.

Four stars out of five.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I have been extremely excited for this book to come out. I loved the first one and have been anxiously awaiting the second so that I could finish the story. However, this one did not capture my heart and attention like the first. While the writing is still beautiful, there was a lack of soul to the story and characters that the first one had so much of.