This is my second book by Ethan Joella and I really enjoyed it. He writes such descriptive settings -- I could picture every part of the town and the houses and restaurant, the beach.

Jack is contemplating selling the restaurant that has been in his family for generations when a past relationship comes back to town and makes him take a look at what he wants for his life.

I loved Jack -- I felt for him so deeply as he tires to figure out his life and what is best for him. I loved Deacon and Andie, and the sweetness that baby Evie added to the story. All the people that worked at Schmidt's were entertaining and enriched the restaurant scenes. My favorite character was Nicole -- I loved her confidence and sense of humor.

I thought the end was pretty perfect and very satisfying. Overall a very sweet, feel good book that also touches on a lot of heavy topics. I found myself unable to stop reading which is always a good sign for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I seem to be in the minority with this book, as all I’m seeing are high ratings, but unfortunately there was barely anything I liked about this one, and I’m struggling to understand how hardly anyone else feels the same.

First off, when I picked this book up I was expecting something beachy, light, meaningful, and maybe heartwarming. The cover and the synopsis both led me to thinking that’s what this book would be. But I was very mistaken. This book was so depressing. Barely anything good happened. And pretty much every character was dealing with heavy, hard stuff, and with practically no light at the end of the tunnel.

I can handle a depressing book if I feel invested, if the story is compelling, if it has some poignant moments, but this story was lacking all of that. It never really grabbed my attention in any way. And the characters were not that great either (I really didn’t like the main character at all).

Also, the first half of the book takes place at Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it doesn’t even feel summery and beachy. It felt like a very confusing choice, honestly. The cover, while beautiful, is misleading.

But like I said, lots of people are loving it, so you might too. Definitely get your expectations in the right place though. This isn’t as light and beachy as the cover and synopsis implies.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner Books for the eARC of this book

The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella is a very highly recommended feel-good literary domestic drama following Jack Schmidt and his family's beachfront restaurant, Schmidts, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. This one hits all the right notes and tugs on every heart string.

Jack, 52, spends all his time, every day, running the family restaurant. Ever since he took over after the death of his father, the demands of Schmidts always come first, before relationships or leisure time. He is the third generation to run the restaurant. Now he has before him a generous offer from the DelDine group to buy Schmidts. The corporation has been buying up restaurants along the coast. The stress the holidays put any restaurant under makes Thanksgiving a natural time to seriously consider the DelDine offer. They claim they will continue to employ his staff and honor his family's legacy, but can he trust them? And is it too late for Jack to make a life for himself apart from the restaurant?

The Same Bright Stars shines as a character driven drama and character study focused around Jack. Jack's life, struggles, family, compassion, and loses are all perfectly portrayed. He is a wonderful, fully realized, sympathetic character, as are the supporting cast of characters. They all come to life. Jack also has regrets from his past and desires a relationship but feels like it's perhaps too late for him.

While following the present day drama, the narrative also includes excerpts from a guidebook describing Rehoboth Beach and chapters flashing back into events from the past. Joella does an exceptional job realistically describing restaurant work. (I respect mentioning Crocs. Seriously, Crocs for work are a huge thing and this is a wonderful, realistic addition to the story.) The people who work for Jack are like family and many have a long-time relationship with him.

The Same Bright Stars is such an incredible, eloquent story of legacy, family, loss, and love. Joella handles the well-written narrative with his deft touch showing compassion and empathy for his characters and their struggles. Once you start reading you will not be able to set this novel down and it will leave an emotional impact on you. Thanks to Scribner for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

I'm not always a big fan of the "women's fiction" label, but I use it to point to books that center family and relationships and the ways life can be messy and complicated in good and bad ways. I generally love these books, so I say with great admiration that Ethan Joella is in a class by himself in terms of writing "women's fiction" with a male protagonist. I was impressed by The Same Bright Stars and its weaving together of the various strands that make up our MC Jack's life, past and present. His depiction of relationships, small business, and life in a seasonal community are all spot on, and though I've never run a restaurant, I felt an implicit trust for the narration on this front as well. So, all in all, a good story about people I was largely rooting for that appreciated the way lives can veer off in unexpected directions, meander, and eventually come to a place of contentment.

Set at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, The Same Bright Stars has the perfect small town beach setting for a summer read. Jack Schmidt is the third generation to run his family’s restaurant on the beach. At 52, he’s burned out but feels responsible for his employees and loyal customers. When he’s approached by a huge conglomerate about selling the restaurant, Jack is tempted but his high school buddy Deacon encourages him not to sell. The restaurant is Jack’s whole life and has always come first but it might be time for a change. The story’s timeline returns to the 1980s in flashbacks of Jack’s romance with Kitty, his ex-fiance.

Joella’s novels are beautifully written and the character driven plot transports the reader deep into the lives of these characters.The result is a story full of human connections and raw emotions. With themes of gentrification, corporate greed and family traditions, The Same Bright Stars conveys the ups and downs of life creating a heartwarming and relatable story.

“As long as we’re under the same stars, my dad used to say, there’s still a chance.”
A quick summery beach read. It gets you invested right from the start.
Jack grew up in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. His family has owned a restaurant for 3 generations. He works nonstop, 24/7. While he enjoys the restaurant life and his employees are like family, he realizes that life has passed him by. No significant other, no children, just working.
When an offer comes through to purchase Schmidt’s Restaurant, Jack is unsure of what to do. He is afraid of changes, doesn’t want his employees to lose their job, wants to keep the small time feel to the restaurant. He questions what he would do with his life if he were to sell the restaurant.
This is a very character driven story. Jack is an extremely likable, even lovable character. You have empathy for him as he tries to make the best decisions for everyone, not just for him. The book left you with warm feelings towards many of the characters- his best friend Deacon and his wife Andie, Alexis, a girlfriend from the past, Kitty a more recent girlfriend. Even Nicole, the quirky person wanting to buy the restaurant. The people that worked at the restaurant had such a work ethic for Jack in wanting the restaurant to succeed.
There were definitely some twists and turns along the way, some surprises, both good and bad.

I loved the inserts of “That’s Rehoboth Beach: A Guidebook. It gave such a superb description of life at the beach and all that it has to offer.

Many thanks to Scribner Books at Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. To be published on July 2, 2024.

Jack Schmidt runs his family's restaurant that has been around for three generations. His whole life is the restaurant. The DelDine group is buying up restaurants all up and down Rehoboth Beach in Delaware and now they are courting Jack. Is it time to let it go and try to salvage a life for himself? But Jack can't imagine the beach without Schmidt's. Perhaps even worse, Jack can't imagine who he is without Schimdt's.

Another hit by Ethan Joella. If you haven't read any of his books previously, I suggest you get on that. You will not be disappointed. This is a story of a man and the people in his life and restaurant. A real character driven story that takes you deep into the lives of these people, with all their ups and downs. It feels like you could go down to your local family owned restaurant and meet these actual characters. Again, another well-written and beautiful story of ordinary people from Ethan Joella, who has quickly become a must-read author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available July 2, 2024.

I really enjoyed this book. It was wonderfully written and I could not put it down. It will be a perfect book club discussion book.

This was my second Ethan Joella book and I am such a fan! His books are like a respite from all of the crazy goings on in the world with main characters who are good people through and through.

This story focuses on Jack Schmidt who at 52 years old is the 3rd generation running his family's restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Jack is approached by a conglomerate that is buying restaurants in the areas and while it would mean a huge payday and retirement for Jack he feels pulled to continue his family legacy and to take care of his loyal employees. It's a wonderful story about choices we make in life and the outcomes both immediate and as the decades go by.

Many thanks to NetGally and Scribner for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ethan Joella just has the magic touch at creating these cozy, small towns that truly make you feel like you live there. Just like A Quiet Life, The Same Bright Stars focuses on found family which I just adore.

We follow Jack, who owns Schmidt’s in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware. He’s struggling with his decision to sell his family restaurant and start living life for himself.

The cast of characters in Jacks life really brought the story together. They’re all lovable and troubled in their own ways but never fail to show up for one another. There were a few plot points that I neeeeded tied up for my own peace of mind that weren’t but I truly loved this book so much.

His books truly just feel like a warm hug and I hope he never stoped writing.

4.5 🌟

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to Ethan Joella, Scribner and Netgalley for the ARC!

“Look what you got to have. There was never a good time for it to end. There was never a way of being done with it, but you got to have it. It was yours for a while. And that means something, you know?”

For three generations, the Schmidts have run their family’s beachfront restaurant. Jack has been in charge since his father’s passing, putting the restaurant before all else. He can’t remember the last time he enjoyed a hobby or sat on the beach and relaxed. So when the DelDine Group approaches Jack with a very good offer to buy out his restaurant, he seriously considers it. He wonders what it would mean to close the door on the restaurant and who he would be without it. Most importantly, he wonders if the DelDine group will continue to honor his family’s legacy.

Ethan Joella truly captures what it means to be human in his books. Full of raw emotion and a huge emphasis on the simple connections we make along the way, “Same Bright Stars” is no different. I found Jack to be very relatable, in wondering what was the right thing to do and thinking about different paths his life could have taken. With dual timelines, Jack reflects on the life he’s lived and his life going forward. Joella also expertly explores the subject of grief and loss and how that shapes life going forward. My favorite part is exploring how simple, everyday interactions are sometimes the things that have the biggest impact.

Interspersed with snippets about Rehoboth Beach - that Joella credits as “the city that saved us” - the small, beach town setting was a huge part of this story. If you enjoy character-driven stories and small town vibes, you will enjoy “Same Bright Stars”.

”The Same Bright Stars” is out July 2, 2024! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for my gifted copy of The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Ethan Joella and he is now on my auto buy author list, so keep these amazing novels coming!

There are very few books that I connect with in an emotional way, but Joella knows how to pull on my heartstrings, every single time!

The Same Bright Stars is beautifully written and the words just flow so smoothly together that I could not stop reading.

Joella also does a fantastic job describing the setting of Rehoboth Beach. I loved the summer vibes and honestly just the overall vibes of Rehoboth Beach, I even told my husband we need to take a trip down there (not a far road trip from NJ).

I always love all of the characters in the novels by Ethan Joella, and this holds true for The Same Bright Stars. Even the secondary characters are so well developed that you feel like you know them and root for them.

I love how real the characters are too, they have struggles like the rest of us, but it’s the journey through these struggles that is so wonderful to experience.

If you haven’t guessed already, this was a five-star read for me. I highly recommend The Same Bright Stars and Ethan Joella’s previous novels if you have not read them yet.

Jacks life is in a holding pattern. He’s living to work. He’s lonely. He’s wondering if there is more. He. Way too depressed for me. I read to 27% and stopped. My investment in his journey just dissolved.

Another excellent read from Ethan Joella! He is a fantastic writer and his books always hit me right in the feels. This story isa perfect example of you never really know what someone is going through behind the scenes until you get to know them. I loved the small town coastal setting, and really loved the characters. They were real and authentic and relatable, facing real life situations that made me feel understood. Ethan Joella is an auto-buy author for me, and I absolutely recommend all his books!

"He stands there and feels too young to be old and too old to be young, years and years of living ahead of him, if he's lucky, nothing really certain."

"As lon as we're under the same stars, my dad used to say, there's still a chance."

In a touristy beach community, Jack Schmidt runs the popular restaurant that has been in his family for three generations. His life has become routine and dull but he has been given an opportunity to sell the restaurant to a management company. Jack is torn between accepting the huge sum of money to sell and looking out for the welfare of his devoted employees.
I found this book to be a “nice” story, pleasant to read though a little slow at times. The character development is very good and I liked the drama and the way Jack was so caring towards the people in his life. I especially enjoyed the quirky character of the woman who works for the management company. Overall, a very nice story.

Ethan Joella has done it again, book friends. Three five star reads in a row! How the heck does he do it? What a talent, my gosh. His storytelling just gets better and better with each new release.

Before I talk about the book, let’s chat about the cover. I can’t even begin to tell you how perfect it is. Not only does it scream SUMMER, but it also plays a huge part in the story. There’s a hint of mystery surrounding the chairs, and that’s all I will say about that. Once you read it, you’ll get it, and truly appreciate it. Extra points for this brilliant cover design!

I proudly admit that the women’s fiction genre is very much my jam. I love to read about the lives of women. Give me ALL of the stories about female friendship, sisterhood, motherhood, and marriage. I am definitely the target audience for all of that. So when you give me a story from a man’s perspective, I tend to hesitate. Will I connect to a story told from the male gaze? Well, if Ethan Joella writes it, I sure as heck will. Ethan can layer and develop characters like no other. The characters in TSBS just might be some of my very favorites from Ethan. I LOVED Jack. Wow! What a character. Not only did I root for this sweet and caring man, I also wanted to be friends with him, and dine at his restaurant. Heck, if I were single, I’d probably even hit on him! 🤣

If you ever worked in the food and restaurant industry, you will truly appreciate this story. It reminded me of my late teens and early twenties, and the eclectic group of co-workers and customers I met along the way.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Delaware beach town setting
- Character-driven novels
- Family-owned restaurants
- Mature male characters
- Quiet, slow-paced reads
- Reflections on loss, grief, and healing
- Found family storylines
- Friendship fiction
- Stories on letting go and new beginnings

I highly recommend every single one of Ethan’s novels, but this one is true perfection. With the beach town setting, it makes for a superb summer read. 5/5 stars for The Same Bright Stars! Grab your copy on release day, July 2nd!

Having spent many days at Rehoboth Beach, this book caught my attention and I was thrilled to be able to read and review it. Jack, the main character, is in his fifties and has been running the three generation family restaurant. When an opportunity rises to sell, he takes a long look at his life plus the people around him. I can visualize the pictures that the author describes; also the smell and taste of the beach food! I am ready to go back to Rehoboth. I particularly like the travel descriptions at the beginning of each chapter. This is a great beach read that i will be highly recommending.

After two five-star reads in a row from Joella, I'm going to have to go back and read his first novel while I eagerly await his fourth. Unlike "A Quiet Life," Joella sticks to one main character, Jack, in this novel, and he was so well-written, as was the supporting cast. Jack runs his family's restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, like his father and grandmother before him. Now in his fifties, he's considering selling to an aggressive developer. The story and characters felt so real to me, and I love Joella's way of drawing out emotions without it feeling manipulative. Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for a digital review copy.

Thank you @scribnerbooks and Ethan Joella for a #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ethan Joella’s writing has a way of making you feel what seems like subtle everyday emotions at first but those emotions build into such a crescendo of complex, beautiful feelings. He writes about real-life people going through mundane everyday life and makes it pack a punch. He has such a way of writing human emotion that makes me cry each time and makes you feel connected with the people and town you come in contact with as if you actually do live everyday life with them.

The scenery made me want to live in a beachy town like Rehoboth Beach, especially for the community aspect of this story. Everyone knew everyone and rallied together when support was needed.

I loved the complex relationships. The story was almost entirely driven by relationships and their proximity to Jack. Some gave insight into his past and who he was when he was young while others allowed for growth in current times. Each person he came in contact with shaped a little bit of who he is and I loved the beauty of that concept. Good or bad, everything you do can affect the people you meet (and sometimes even the people you don’t meet).

This book specifically hit hard for me because I started it shortly after my favorite place in the world, a family-owned vacation spot, announced they were selling. Reading the other side of it, the perspective of the owner of a family-run business, hit a little deep for me. It forced me to look past my grief about the situation and at how running the vacation spot may have taken a toll on the owners year after year.

Thank you Ethan Joella for another beautiful book.

Ethan Joella is back with his signature style and this is one you’ll want to put on your radar for the summer!

Jack Schmidt and his family restaurant are at a crossroads. Jack is feeling ready to sell, but also has heart strings keeping him put. When he receives shocking news from his past, Jack begins to reshape his plans and forge new relationships in his small beach town.

To know Joella, is to love Joella. As a person and as an author. His stories have a special way of transporting you straight into the lives of these ordinary, but extraordinary, people. They are gentle and emotional. He is also one of the kindest and most genuine people in our bookish world.

⭐️ 5/5