This was an excellent read, I enjoyed the story telling, the characters, where the story was set in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
It is a nicely put together book that I enjoyed reading! The read is rich in development, beautiful descriptions, great storytelling simply that good. Dr Carver Livingston has a really busy life and needs to go home and take care of family matters. The main character has to do what is expected of him and deal with the past. Having been away for a very long time, and dreading what awaits him he at first doesn't want to leave. In life there are things that one simply has to do. Going home he will end up in situations that he didn't really want or expect. The story takes us back in time and then the now, it helps us understand why Dr Carver Livingston didn't want to go back home.

It is an emotional voyage in life, happenings from the past and a way to find it possible to deal with what happened all those years ago. Overcome the fright that he once ran away from.
Getting back, meeting up with that special person from his past who will help him see the purpose in life and that he's good enough. This is also how Carver reconnects with his friends and people from his home town. It is so nice how the author focuses on how that one special person from the childhood, his teacher can help Carver again. This book is really well written and it's truly a nice feeling when reading the book. I was just a little sad when the book ended too soon!
I can definitely recommend this book I loved it a lot. I'm grateful to have gotten the opportunity to read this book and wouldn't mind if a sequel comes along later.
Thank you
Charlotte N

The Stars Don’t Lie by Boo Walker

Boo Walker does it again!

The Stars Don’t Lie gives us his most introspective and earnest story yet. Dr. Livingston (love the character name) left the small Vermont town of his youth to distance himself from a tragic decision during his junior high school year that left him significantly shaken, shattered, and shamed. When the story opens, we are introduced to Dr. Livingston in the present time, which is twenty years after his high school years. He has relocated to North Carolina and is a veterinarian with a thriving business, a successful patent, a devoted staff, and a bright future planning expansions of his businesses into multiple cities. Invitations to his twenty-year high school reunion arrive, bringing with them shame-filled memories that Dr. Livingston has kept tamped down by continual hard work and a strong focus on the future. Having politely declined the invitations to attend and the invitation to speak at the reunion, Dr. Livingston feels secure on his current path. However, a phone call from his mother changes everything, and he finds himself on a plane headed back to the home he has not seen in two decades.

As the story unfolds, Mr. Walker handles the reckoning, reconciliation, and redemption with a deft style that readers of his work have come to recognize and appreciate. He writes of the human condition and human spirit in such a way that we can see ourselves and our friends in his characters. The heartfelt moments are written with clarity and acknowledgement, and without apology or too much sentimentality. He sprinkles in moments of humor that we can all recognize as believable (the red thong and the dog chase come to mind) and poignant moments that made me catch my breath, smile, and pat my chest (the torches scene comes to mind).

The beautiful thing about Mr. Walker’s writing is that he writes characters that are readily identifiable to us. Because of this we may incorrectly believe it to be an effortless and simple act. However, as most people know, it is in the mastery of the thing that allows the execution to appear effortless and simple. The more I read books written by Mr. Walker, the more impressed I have become. There is an actor that has become a favorite of mine because no matter what role he takes on, he becomes that character. Whether in a play or in film, I no longer see the actor; I see the character he has created. The same is true with the characters in Mr. Walker’s books. Each book he writes opens another door for his talent to deepen his characters so that you never see the author’s hand in the writing of them.

The first book I read was The Singing Trees. I was entranced by it because it was so believable. I enjoyed the book, but I was also frustrated at the part of the book that created an unfair burden on one of the main characters. I was frustrated because it was true – true to human nature, and true to life that many of us experience. Next, I absorbed all four of the Red Mountain Chronicles and was in love with it all. Though I have never been to the Pacific Northwest, Mr. Walker’s writing about the place and the characters made me see everything so clearly it was as if there was a film showing in my mind. Those books are brilliant, and I recommend them often. People will fall in love (or hate) with the characters and laugh (or sometimes cry) at all the adventures found in them.

After the Pacific Northwest, I went to the Florida Keys with Mr. Walker’s An Unfinished Novel. Having gone through a life experience like the one listed in the book, I found it a thoroughly believable and delightful read. It was a great adventure, and I only wish I had spent time in the café that was listed in the book. It seems like a great place. Then, Mr. Walker brought us A Spanish Sunrise, taking us all with him to Spain to meet all the wonderful characters and learn all the interwoven stories there. I believe he really shined in the interplay of the characters, location, emotions, and energy of all involved in this book, and I thought he had reached the top. But The Stars Don’t Lie prove that he has even more depth and storytelling mastery to share. Check it out today…and then consider the others too. You’ll be glad you did.

This book will stay with you long after you finish the last page. Each character could be your family, your neighbor, your best friend...you! The story is so well written and you will figure out....the stars don't lie.

I love Boo Walker. His books have such emotion. I was excited to see this one! This was a really sweet story with some dark parts. It really had quite a few stories that intertwined the main character and the ending made me cry.

I like this one it was heartwarming and engaging and speaks to the hardness of life but also the hope when we allow it in . Her writing is evocative of Sue Monk Kidd . Loved this one
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher .

A touching story following a man’s journey to reckoning with the hurt and humiliation that drove him away from his home and family. When Carter returns home after a twenty year absence, it is initially his desire to hide and not see any of his friends. He has avoided the town for all those years and only returns at the request of his mother. Events intervene and Carter begins to understand how much being away has cost him. It is a very captivating story,
I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

At the beginning of the story, we meet Dr. Carver Livingston. He is a successful veterinary surgeon in Asheville, NC. He left his Vermont hometown shortly after his high school graduation, following a painful incident that changed his family dynamic. For twenty years he has avoided coming back to town to avoid the memories of sadness and shame of his past. Things change when he learns his parents are getting a divorce, and his mother asks him to come back to persuade his father to stay in the marriage. With his twentieth school reunion days away, will Carver return to his hometown and finally face his demons? Will he come to terms with the stories he has told himself over the years? Will he stay long enough to pay forward the love and support he received when he needed it the most?

Thoughts:

This book has an interesting premise that touches on themes of mental health, loneliness, infidelity, hope, and redemption, but I struggled to connect with the story and the characters. Carver is a man burdened with the memories of his senior year at school. While I appreciated his struggles with the sensitive situation he went through, the constant repetition of the way he feels about the origins of his family’s present dynamic was exhausting. I also found inconsistencies in the storyline that I hope will be resolved by the time the novel is published.
As for the characters, I feel that they could have benefitted from more depth and development. However, I loved Mrs. Cartwright as the supportive teacher and the author’s story behind her character. The pacing of the story, on the other hand, was spot-on.

Overall, this book did not work for me, though I could see fans of coming-of-age stories and redemption liking it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a free digital copy to review this book.

My review for, "The Stars Don't Lie ", by Boo Walker. This is a heart warming story of learning that we all are human beings in this thing called life. Can accepting yourself and your own flaws open the door to helping those we love, who we didn't realize needed helping, or perhaps the other way around? The main character is a veterinarian named Carver who is very successful and has a patent for a new product to use in knee surgeries for his beloved patients. Despite his professional and financial success, he suffers from some deeply rooted insecurities related to his life before college. He has steadfastly refused to return to his hometown in Vermont for 20 years in hopes of avoiding his past. Family issues finally demand his return, and it so happens that his high-school reunion coincides with his homecoming. Can he come to terms with his own past. Can he find peace and contentment like his old best friend? Maybe he will find it if he follows the advise of his beloved high-school teacher Mrs. Cartwright. She always said, "look to the stars Carver. In the end, will he truly find that, "The Stars Don't Lie "? I highly recommend this book. There are questions at the end to encourage further thought and to use for bookclub discussions.

Another great book by Boo Walker. Dynamic writing and a storyline that keeps you wanting more. I really enjoyed the book and didn’t want it to end. As always, I identified with the experiences of the characters and the importance of human connection. The love and tension between Carver and his parents; the respect and fondness for his teacher Mrs. Cartwright and the belief that we think we know the backstory of the relationships we are involved in. And that we will find love in the most unexpected place and person. ThemStars Don’t Lie did not disappoint and I look forward to Boo’s next book. Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful escape!

Another wonderful book from BOO WALKER! All his books are great and he sure did not disappoint with this one.. Everything was perfect with just the right blend of passion, description, romance, fun, excitement and so much more. I especially like the way his stories are so different from the others he writes and not the same thing over and over, which I refer to as "same book, different title" that so many other authors seem to do when they don't want to step outside what used to work. Not Boo, he keeps it fresh and interesting each time he writes a new book and we never know what to expect except we can always know this, it will be a GREAT read. that we can always look forward to. I could say more but I don't like spoilers, so read it and find out how it goes! My 92 year old mother and I share the books and both agree, this was excellent!

Boo has done it again! The Star's Don't Lie is one of the best novels I have read this year. After just recently attending my own 50th high school reunion it resonated with my soul, bringing back all those teenage insecurities and angst. Of course, Carter had extra "baggage" and my heart ached for him. The book was a great read that ended way too soon. And finally, Kudos to Boo for honoring our hard worked and under appreciated teachers.

Boo Walker tells a story that pulls you into the rich lives of all his characters, with glimpses of their back stories and everyday life choices, making them feel all the more real, and maybe teaching a thing or two.

The Stars Don't Lie covers those topics that we all seem to relate too; the angst of being a teenager in love, hanging on to a painful past that stops us moving forward, parents, who we love and assume have it all together, but are slowly falling apart, the caring nature of those who teach and heal.

These life lessons are expertly woven through this enjoyable storyline of love and loss and family and strangers and what ifs! Staring into the vast expanse of a night sky, we learn that the stars are the only constant in our lives when most people are not!

As Dr. Carver struggles with his past, and others consider their future, you are also reminded that you can't fix that past but you can change the now and replan your future.

I find most plots involving the typical boy meets girl scenerio predictable, but in this case, I was kept intrigued and guessing until the end. It was sad, and funny and thought provoking and, very real.
I love how the story wrapped up leaving me feeling like I just said a fond farewell to some new friends. Then I went and touched base with an old one!



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Love this book - and not only because of ALL the Outlander references!

Boo Walkers books really do give us stories about 'everyday people trying to figure their way in the world". Sometimes it's incredibly nice - and needed - to read something other than crime, police procedure, whodunit mystery, or even sappy romance with the (very) predictable plot line. 

Boo captured a talented, outwardly confident character in Carver Livingston.  Showing us also his angst, the struggle to prove himself to himself, his insecurities, and his need to hide those insecurities from others. We're all like this to some degree.  And the fact that everyone has problems which we may know nothing about was really well written here. 

Despite his internal struggles, Carver is a 'fixer'. Most men are. If something is wrong they have to try and fix it (though they have no clue how to fix themselves). Carver sees others struggling. Can he help? And in doing so, can he find healing?

Thank you net galley for the ARC of The stars don’t lie by Boo Walker. The story begins with a veterinarian, Dr Livingston, who returns to his hometown to reconnect with people he hasn’t seen in twenty years. He’s spent most of his adult life running away from the mistakes he made as a senior in high school. Throughout his two week visit, he discovers that things were not what they seemed and that his own impressions of what people thought of him were, in fact, quite different than reality. The novel was a great reminder of how small and insignificant we are in the universe and how others have the power to lift our spirits and help us to believe in ourselves.

I have read several of Boo Walker’s books. They are always heartfelt. In The Stars Don’t Lie he starts by telling us about the main character, Carver, who is now a successful veterinarian in his late 30’s but still tortured by events from his days in high school. I had trouble reading the first 2/3 of this book because I am a person whose character is prone to say ‘Just get over it!’ But it wasn’t that easy for Carver. He returns to his beautiful hometown in Vermont and eventually faces his demons. He takes it upon himself to try to heal not only himself, but his parents, whose marriage is in trouble, and his beloved high school teacher who is facing a crisis of her own. It’s a huge load for someone as caring as Carver. As he struggles to find answers he’s finally enlightened by a message sent from the stars when a near accident stops him in is tracks in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the stars to guide him. You feel empathy towards the author’s characters and revel in interesting conclusions as the story comes to an end.

I am feeling indifferent to this book. I found this book to be really slow for my liking. I found it hard to believe that someone as accomplished as Carver in his professional life could be as affected by his high school short lived romance as he was after all these years. I found this book to be predictable as well.

I did love Carver's relationship with his old teacher. I loved all the wisdom she had to share with him.
I actually enjoyed his dad as well.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

The Stars Don’t Lie tells the story of Dr Carver Livingston, a successful veterinarian who returns to his hometown for the first time in decades, to try to help save his parents’ marriage, and in the process, faces his past for the first time.

This is a heartwarming story of reconnecting with those you love, and learning to love yourself. It’s also a tale about trauma- facing it, dealing with it, and finally healing from it.

If I have one gripe with this book, it’s the depiction of certain dog-training methods, as well as references to Cesar Milan and the “Alpha” concept. As someone who works in the petcare field, this all felt rather tone-deaf and out-of-date from a character who would definitely know better, but it’s arguably a minor issue in the grand scheme of the story, and it definitely didn’t prevent me from being moved to tears towards the end of this heartening tale.

*Review based on a NetGalley ARC copy I received in exchange for an honest review.

Once again Boo Walker hits it out of the park. The book brings into the consequences of the choices we make as young adults, as parents as friends. Following Carver's story through the twists and turns integrating with assumptions he has lived with through his life is a wonderfully told story of become self aware. The Stars Don't Lie says it all! If you have never read Boo Walker, this is a great place to start, but then follow it up with his other books because each one is an adventure into the human psyche. Pick it up, you won't put it down.

*SPOILER ALERTS*
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I love Boo Walker as an author, but I honestly struggled to get through this book. The plot is not realistic at all. Dr. Carver Livingston is an incredibly successful 38yr old veterinarian who is unable to get over a high school romance. The fact that he is still dwelling on a relationship 20 years later, one that lasted a matter of months, was my initial frustration while reading this book.

Carver goes home to help his parents through their divorce. While visiting his hometown he meets up with an old high school teacher and helps her through a trying time. He attempts to rekindle the romance with his high school girlfriend. When that doesn't work out, he falls in love with the physical therapist of the old high school teacher. He then fixes his parents' marriage. He essentially becomes a hometown hero. Nothing in this book is plausible.

All the characters are shallow and underdeveloped. There are too many plots in this book, and they all fall short.

I hate that I was not a fan of this book because I thought "The Singing Trees" was a beautifully written book by Boo Walker and I was so excited to read this.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest feedback.

I truly enjoyed this novel. It tackles depression, suicide, and finding peace in life. Mrs. C was a gem to read about, more than anything else in this book. The world needs as many teachers like her as we can get. Watching Carver work through his issues he's kept bottled up, while helping his former teacher really was heartwarming. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone.