This was a great sapphic sci-fi in a genre that can always use more diversity. It read as a little more YA than I was expecting, but was still enjoyable.

A delightful and unique sapphic sci-fi romance. Te Stars Too Fondly was a rollicking ride right from the start, with the accidental spaceship theft. The characters were easy to love, not despite their flaws, but because of them. The way they all learned how best to work together with their strengths and weaknesses was lovely to see. The romance was cute and sweet, and I liked how the human/AI relationship dilemma was resolved satisfactorily for all parties. The range of queer rep was excellent, and the plot kept me turning pages until the end.

So PRECIOUS.

This book is such a charming gem in the world of space operas and sci-fi fantasy. It's one part cozy intergalactic romp, one part frightening outer space nightmare (that the characters handle with far more grace than my anxiety-riddled brain could possibly manage), and one part cheesy-sweet whodunit. This absolutely precious Sapphic romance reads like the perfect mix of Legends and Lattes and the movie Wall-E. It's a dystopian space mystery that somehow maintains the feeling of a small, cozy world. A perfect book rec for a lower-stakes take on adventures in science fiction.

a space opera set in the not-too-far future that reminded me of The Aurora Cycle series and The Illuminae Files series.

a mission to move a human population to the planet Proxima Centauri went haywire, the entire crew vanished without trace, leaving only the spaceship. no one has been able to solve that mystery, and no one cared to send another delegation. twenty years later, Cleo and friends got into that spaceship only to find out more about that mystery, but suddenly the engine started on its own and so they headed to Proxima Centauri.

in a desperate attempt to save their lives, Cleo found out about the computer hologram that has the face of the original spaceship captain that went missing.the thing is, Billie--the hologram--wasn't really reliable and not always willing to help. but what started with barely civil interactions between Cleo and Billie turned into something bigger and deeper. on the other hand, Cleo's crew members started to experience something that couldn't be explained with the law of physics, and they decided to see through the the mystery until it's solved.

it was... mid. partly because a lot of parts reminded me of other series i mentioned before, and partly because i couldn't get the main couple's chemistry. also the the attempt to weave science with the conflict turned to be quite confusing.

Unfortunately this book didn't really work for me. One of the things I really enjoy about science-fiction romance is the science fiction feel, and while Hamilton spent a lot of time on technobabble, the world-building otherwise felt sorely lacking - the characters didn't belong in the future, they belonged in the present... probably on Tumblr. Characters use TikTok and debate the finer points of Star Trek Voyager as though this is a perfectly normal and common conversational topic. (It's not - even in the 2020s - and it wasn't when it was airing in the 2000s, either. Voyager never entered the zeitgeist in the same way as its predecessors and I won't bore you with the explanations as to why, but it meant that listening to characters bond over their shared love for Voyager felt like nails on a chalkboard to my little Trekkie heart: it was just too implausible. A niche weird interest? Absolutely. A common cultural reference? No.) We learn, clumsily, that a character is trans because they need their HRT. (Medical science hasn't advanced in that arena by 2061?)

It didn't feel like science fiction, it felt like alternate reality fiction, where someone was writing a coffeeshop AU of the present day but set on a spaceship. It wasn't my thing. It also was definitely not a romcom, but the comparisons to Becky Chambers felt very apt, so if you enjoy Chambers this may be right up your alley.

I stopped reading at 57%.

I have so many mixed feelings about this one.

The first thing I have to say is that I listened to this on audio, something I wouldn't necessarily recommend unless you had a physical copy of the book to reference. While the narration was enjoyable and well done, there were moments in which the shift in perspective couple be confusing without looking at the page itself.

On the one hand, I found the whole concept of Cleo falling in love with a hologram version of Billie to be a bit... strange. Yes, I realize this is a sci-fi story, and pretty much anything goes, but still there were elements of their love story that lost me, namely Hologram Billie being jealous of the real Billie (whom the characters didn't even know was alive). On the other hand, the twist that comes midway through the book, revealing the identity behind one of the POVs, got me completely reinvested in the story, particularly the love story.

Overall, there seemed to be too much going on in this book for me to have fully enjoyed it. While there was a cute love story, and a good collection of characters forming a great found family dynamic. I do think it's worth the read if you're a science fiction fan, however I think it would be best experienced as a physical or e-book.

This cozy sapphic sci-fi was so charming and wholesome! The dynamic between Cleo, the MC, and her friends felt so real and warm; they just KNEW each other and worked through problems together so well (I'm a sucker for found family dynamics, so I'm a tiny bit biased). And of course the romance was so cute; Billie and Cleo had such tender moments together, despite the odds (and oddity of their situation).
I almost wish we saw a bit more of Kaleisha, Ros, and Abe and learned more about them. They were written so well and it felt they had so much more depth to them than was written that it left me wanting to get to know them more!
Overall, this read left me feeling wholesomely snug from cover to cover, and I look forward to seeing more from Hamilton in the future!

The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton. Sci-Fi Speculative Fiction - adore. The completely out of place references to 1990-2010s popculture in the year 2061.....took me out. References to ihpones, Tik Tok, TVs while the constant repetition that the leads were these advanced hackers??

"Another outdated keypad, more old-ass software. Cleo cracked her knuckles and dove into the code. She’d broken more complex encryptions in high school. She deciphered the initialization vector in seconds...... Abe laughed. “They couldn’t have possibly accounted for you, Hack-ie Robinson.”

....a reference to Jackie Robinson in 2061 ......

DNF @ 10%

This book was not marketed, to the best of my knowledge, as a YA book, but that is what it appears to be. The characters are apparently supposed to be adults? But they are written like high schoolers and are extremely annoying. I'm unable to get past how obnoxious I find them and how implausible the entire premise is (ie, spaceship just easily accessible after being abandoned by the government).

Science Fiction Romance needs the same amount of love as Romantasy!

The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton is a story that follows Cleo, a woman who accidentally steals a spaceship (or more accurately as was stated in Doctor Who, the spaceship stole her) with friends. This leads the unwitting crew on the adventure of a lifetime. This sapphic sci-fi romance is what I needed for a fun pick-me-up!

If you like Jessie Mihlalik, Valerie Valdes, or Everina Maxwell, this book is aimed directly at you.

Let it sweep you away.

Whoa what a ride!
Emily Hamilton does a really fantastic job of building a world you feel immersed in, with characters you care about having to face impossible decisions.
I cannot emphasize enough that the One Last Stop comp felt so accurate, it’s part of what drew me to this novel to start and I’m glad it did.
Though The Stars Too Fondly comps One Last Stop and Becky Chambers it feels totally original.
The story is engaging and there is something about falling in love with your idol who is maybe or maybe not frozen in time and space.
Maybe love really does conquer all.

The Stars Too Fondly is a delightful blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance, centered on the adventures of Cleo and Billie. The story follows their journey as they uncover the mysteries of the ill-fated Providence 1 mission, which vanished 20 years ago. The characters are vibrant and endearing, particularly Cleo and Billie, whose dynamic and growth drive the plot. While the novel sometimes feels more YA than adult sci-fi, this adds to its charm, making it a fun and engaging read.

Emily Hamilton's debut excels in creating a cozy, queer space adventure filled with humor and heart. The narrative balances personal conflicts with intriguing sci-fi elements, like dark matter and space exploration. The diverse cast and their camaraderie make the story feel like a warm, found-family tale set among the stars. If you're looking for a light-hearted, sapphic sci-fi romp with a mix of romance and adventure, this book is a must-read.

Such a surprising cozy sci-fi book! I don’t know why I expected any different based on the gorgeous cover but it still somehow surprised me. I adored all the characters and their interactions. They all felt solid and real in the way they loved each other but still disagreed. Then we have Billie and Cleo and their relationship which I loved. The way the mystery of the Providence unfolded was so satisfying. My one critique is the initial first chapters felt so fast. All the sudden we were in space and I wish we had an extra chapter or two establishing the characters before that happened. Overall though I would easily recommend this to so many different people.

Growing up in the age of space exploration and colonization, Cleo and her friends are consumed with the mystery surrounding what happened to the Providence's crew that disappeared when the dark matter engine was fired up 20 years prior. What they are not expecting is to find themselves accidentally launching into space on the abandoned ship. Joined on the journey by a hologram of the missing captain (with all of her memories and attitude), their lives and relationships depend on how quickly they can figure out what went wrong to avoid the same fate.

I thought this was an entertaining read! It's a space odyssey that isn't super focused on the scientific details, although with alternate dimensions, and dark matter there is enough to appease most readers. I feel the story's true heart lies in the relationships that are formed and the family bond of this group of friends. Can you have a lasting relationship with a hologram? Is physical touch vital to romance? The characters of Cleo and Billie had fun personalities and definitely put the com in rom-com with their banter. I will say that at times the characters come across as younger than the 20-somethings they are supposed to be. But overall, it was light hearted and fun with likable characters. All of the inclusivity is a great touch. I feel like it's a solid debut for Hamilton, and I would pick up what she writes next. I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley for my opinions.

this was such a cute and fun read! some things were kind of predictable but it didn’t tale away from my enjoyment. i can’t wait for more book by this author!

thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

I have never watched Star Trek, but after reading this sapphic sci-fi, I’m actually tempted to start it! I’ve only recently delved into sci-fi, but really enjoyed this cozy-ish novel and I’m glad I picked it up.

From a sci-perspective, there aren’t too many confusing, technical aspects to keep track of. Some reviews have criticized the underdevelopment of the sci-fi elements, which I can partially agree with. However, if you go in expecting a lighter sci-fi with more focus on characters, you won’t be disappointed.

This book started off slow for me, but the pace starts to pick up about halfway through. I thought the characters were very well-developed for a debut novel and I really loved the found family aspects, in addition to the romance. I read the ebook version, but I also think this would be a great reread via audiobook!

Overall, I recommend for someone who enjoys a lighter sci-fi with LGBTQ+ rep and a happy ending!

My actual rating for this would probably be closer to a 3.5. This book had an interesting premise. In the year 2041, a dark matter engine was developed, a crew was assembled, and a plan was created to go start a colony on another inhabitable planet in an attempt to save the human race from themselves and the destruction they wrought on earth. Then, on launch day, the engine was started and the whole crew...disappeared. Into thin air. Leaving only the head engineer, quiet and confused, to disappear one year later himself. Now, twenty years later, four phD students who grew up in the shadow of such a wonderful plan falling apart are finally acting on their plan. These four are going to break in to the space ship and solve the mystery of what happened to the crew once and for all. And then the engine starts and launches them into space. This leaves the crew to solve the mystery while hurtling towards a distant planet while still trying to solve the mystery, now with the help of...a hologram duplicate of the former captain??
Here are the positives: the crew was pretty fun. It was a diverse cast, and it was a good size at just 5 (mostly). The romance with a holographic AI was interesting, at least. I've waffled on it. On the one hand, it was unique and the moral dilemma of a relationship between a person and someone who seems incredibly real but can't touch/be touched was cool, along with the fact that ideally at the end, they won't need Hologram Billie anymore. On the other hand, it was weird. It got kind of weird. No spoilers, but yeah. The sci-fi aspect was also a positive. The dark energy and counterminous dimension and energy was interesting and well done and that was good.
The cons: a fair amount of this book felt forced or contrived. For example, the found family aspect felt more like it was ticking a box to attract readers than a natural dynamic. The odds of these four people still being this close after meeting at the same time in elementary school? Low. Also, it adds more interest to have to show growth between their relationships, or to provide even just different backstories as to how the gang got together. Billie, at least, got this. Cleo was a pretty annoying main character, to be fully honest. She was insanely lax about the whole potential fourteen years in space thing, and her initial brushing off of her friends' concerns was immature. The whole crew felt a little more like undergrads than anyone older. On that note, all the conflict was resolved so easily. Every single roadblock they encountered was recovered from without issues, if it wasn't fully deus ex machinad. That, I feel, cheapens the conflict.
But if you're looking for space lesbians and a fun, fluffy little read, this one might be for you.

I really really wanted to like this one, but sadly DNF'd at 30% which for me is pretty rare. The premise was so enticing and the cover is gorgeous. I just couldn't get into the prose. I might try and come back to this later this year, it could have just been my mood at the time. Thank you, Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this tiitle.

DNF. The plot was pretty far fetched, the characters felt really juvenile (like 16 year olds) but were supposed to be in their late 20s. It also had interludes that switched from past to present tense that REALLY bugged me but that’s more minor. I was excited about the setting and the diversity rep, but ultimately the cons outweighed the pros so I DNF at 22%.

🌈Queer rep: Nonbinary main character, trans woman main character. Probably more rep too but this is what I picked up on before DNFing.

I had high hopes for this book, and I wouldn't say my expectations were entirely met, but I didn't DISlike it?

This was a super interesting and fast-paced book that felt like a sci-fi book with romance elements. The balance of romance to scifi felt really great to me, but I did find myself wishing the scifi elements were more science based. For example, a few of the scifi elements made me laugh out loud because they were so unbelievable.

Another minor complaint I had was that I wanted to feel the connection between the friends a little stronger. The book goes out of its way to tell us that this group of friends is basically family, but since we didn't SEE those connections happen on the page, they didn't feel as connected as I wanted them to feel.

Overall though, I had a good time reading this one. It's pretty clearly a debut to me, and I would definitely be interested to see what this author does with another book under her belt.