Lauren Layne has mothered again!!!

Seriously there's not a book written by her that I haven't read and love. Or reread and loved more. Now Miranda in Retrograde is going to join the list.

I loved this book so much I don't know how to explain it. It's funny and fun and heartwarming and full of love and hope.

Miranda thinks at the beginning she lost everything that she wanted and everything she was, but as another very famous Dr. would say: I don't know if you know who you are until you lose who you are.

So she starts a journey of changes, of connection with herself and maybe even her inner child. Discovering new layers of herself while sharing space and time with an unexpected friend and very much opposite neighbor. Or maybe not so opposite???

Archer is that grumpy neighbor we all love that the more that you know him the more you love him, and Miranda had to get to know him as slowly as she discovered herself so you could say this book was slow burn perfection everywhere.

A group of wonderful and funny side characters that make the book the gem that it is. I wouldn't be opposed to a couple of them getting stories of their own so I can read Miranda and Archer again.

Lauren Layne does it again! She is the queen of slow burn, witty banter, and incredible chemistry. It started off a little slow but quickly picked up and then I couldn’t put the book down. I loveddddd the tension between the two main characters, it was absolute perfection. It’s a short read and I flew through it.

I really enjoyed this book! It was definitely a feel good read for the summer! I found some typos but overall it was fleshed out and well written! I do wish we got to see a little more of the MCs together.

I am a fan of Lauren Layne's books because the female MCs have depth to them, and I always know there will be a happy ending. Sometimes those are exactly the books we need, right?
Miranda was a loveable character. I identified with her because of always needing rules to guide your life -- I have found myself questioning my own life now that I am happy personally and professions and wondering what is next for me when I have followed all the rules and guidelines. I adored Archer as the male MC -- he was easy to enjoy!
And the ending??? What a chef's kiss of perfection! I squealed.
If you are looking for some light romances, I definitely suggest this one or Layne's other reads!

Miranda is a very popular, somewhat famous, physics professor at a university. She even has a social media following! Unfortunately, her university thinks she needs to focus less on interviews and more on serious physics so she does not get tenure. She takes a one year sabbatical where she will make decisions based on her astrology sign and horoscope. A great light-hearted read!!!

Miranda comes from an academic minded family and has had her life planned out almost to the minute, that is until she is denied the tenure she thought was hers guaranteed. Now she is unsure where her future is headed and decided to take a one year sabbatical and decides to focus on something she has long loathed and a scientist has never believed in, astrology.

During her year off Miranda puts all her effort into her horoscope and doing whatever she feels it is telling her to do, even down to her love life. Miranda is now in uncharted territory and though it may be uncomfortable she is starting to see that maybe science doesn’t in fact have all the answers she once thought it did.

This is such a fun, sweet and unique book! I absolutely loved the two main characters, Miranda and Archer. The banter, quirks and thoughtfulness made for such a lovable story! I read this one in 24 hours and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a heartwarming and sweet romance without all the fluff! I also really enjoyed all the information on astrology and horoscopes and the way it was woven perfectly into this story!

It was fun to nerd out on astronomy and astrology and science in general in this STEM romance. Miranda works through her career crisis & personal introspection during her sabbatical. Lauren Layne writes such clever scenes and banter, and I gladly blew through this in 1 day; an enjoyable read with a purely satisfying ending.
Thank you #NetGalley and #GalleyBooks for the e-book ARC.

Lauren Layne is one of my instant buy authors. This one was another great read and her first step into STEM romance and she definitely knocked it out of the park. I had such a fun time reading this and thought she did a great job tying everything up. Sometimes the grouchy MMC can be hard to like but she always makes me like them by there end of the book.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Have I mentioned before that I love books with women in STEM? Dr. Miranda Reed is a star, not for her looks or who she knows, but for what she knows and that is far more impressive in my book! Even with a firm head on her shoulders, she can’t help but be intrigued by horoscopes and so when obtaining a tenured position does not go her way, she might as well learn more about astrology! Miranda in Retrograde is a fun rom com about stepping out of your comfort zone and understanding that maybe the universe does have a bigger plan for you…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Review is posted on Goodreads and final review will be posted on instagram closer to the publication date!

A STEM romance, ye please! Thank you NetGalley, Lauren Layne and Gallery Books for this early read. I loved it.

Lauren Layne is one of my all time favorite authors(I'd happily read her grocery list at this point)so I couldn't resist reading the ARC this early even though it releases on 08/13 😂 ⁣
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Miranda Reed has a PhD in astrophysics and is one of the youngest physics professors at her university but when she's denied a tenure position, she's left feeling a bit lost. When she's nudged to take a sabbatical, she decides to use this time to rediscover and try new things and what better way to do this than to look at astrology - something that she doesn't really believe in. But with the help of her aunt and her best friend - who's an astrology enthusiast, she decides to take a leap of faith by living according to some of the predictions - a bit difficult for the ever-practical Miranda but she's up for a challenge!⁣
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This one had everything I love in an LL book - easy-to-love characters, some witty banter and humor along with the romance! Miranda was a bit different from the usual LL heroine but she was also very relatable at times. While the blurb might hint at a love triangle I feel like the love interest was pretty obvious! The romance between Miranda and Archer was a super slow burn(had me feeling like it was a Mariana Zapata book😂) but really amazing with a healthy amount of opposites-attract tension and banter! I love how Asher was so astute in his observations about her and saw her for who she was. I loved pretty much all of the characters in this one and had so much fun reading it. My only complaint is the lack of steam in this one 😩 makes me miss the old LL books. But honestly everything else was perfect and I can't wait for everyone else to fall in love with this story too!❣️✨

"Miranda in Retrograde" by Lauren Layne is a delightful rom-com that follows the story of Miranda Reed, a practical-minded physics professor, and her journey of self-discovery after being denied tenure. When her carefully planned life takes an unexpected turn, Miranda decides to embrace astrology and let her horoscope guide her for a year.

The novel is filled with effervescent charm and humor as Miranda navigates her new approach to life. From avoiding major decisions during Mercury retrograde to hesitating to engage with her intriguing neighbor due to his "wrong" Aries energy, Miranda's adventures in astrology lead to both amusing and heartfelt moments.

Layne skillfully develops Miranda's character, portraying her as a relatable and endearing protagonist who learns to embrace uncertainty and trust in the unknown. Miranda's skepticism towards astrology gradually gives way to a newfound appreciation for the guidance it offers, challenging her to step outside her comfort zone and take risks in love and life.

Simon Archer, the charming artist living next door, adds depth to the story with his intriguing personality and undeniable chemistry with Miranda. Their budding romance is both sweet and engaging, as Miranda learns to let go of her preconceived notions and follow her heart.

Throughout the novel, Layne's writing is witty and engaging, capturing the essence of Miranda's journey with warmth and humor. The exploration of themes such as fate, love, and self-discovery adds depth to the narrative, making it more than just a typical rom-com.

Overall, "Miranda in Retrograde" is a delightful read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance. With its lovable characters, witty dialogue, and heartfelt moments, it's a feel-good story about embracing life's uncertainties and finding love in unexpected places. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.

So glad to see another book by Lauren Layne coming out. If you're looking for closed door romance, she's an excellent choice. I loved the astrology tie in as well as the emphasis on women in STEM. It's a cute story with great banter. Consider adding this to your pool/beach bag this summer!

This was a super sweet and enjoyable romantic read. I found Miranda's journey to find herself after losing out on what she thought was her future to be interesting. I don't know much about horoscopes, but they were handled in a way that made sense to someone with no knowledge. Loved the romantic tension and building of a friendship. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

After getting passed over for tenure and having her life upended in the process, a physics professor decides to throw caution to the wind and live by her horoscope predictions for a year.

Miranda in Retrograde is a different kind of story and I’m all here for it! The stars aligned in Mother Layne’s new opposites attract rom-com.

This was such a sweet slow burn rom-com with fantastic astrology references. The banter between Miranda and Archer was perfect and the plot was well thought out. An absolutely delightful read of self discovery and finding the universe may have a bigger plan for us.

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

After Physics professor Miranda is denied tenure, she decides to use her daily horoscope as a compass during her sabbatical.

The author beautifully fulfills the high concept promise of this romance novel. Miranda makes a great protagonist as she begins to question if her previous life choices were a result of the encouragement of her science-focused family or truly her heart’s desire.

The plot gives her two potential suitors: kind Christian whose daughter reminds Miranda of herself as a kid or Archer, her grumpy and oh-so-hot artist neighbor.

The secondary characters are delightful, especially Miranda’s eccentric aunt Lillian, Miranda’s wonderfully witchy best friend Daphne, Miranda’s microbiologist brother Jamie, Miranda’s sister-in-law Emily, and Christian’s daughter Kylee. I’d love to see this be a series starter to give Daphne and Lillian the opportunity to find love and to further explore the story world. I liked how none of the characters were made out to be villains. For example, Miranda’s family struggles to support her initially, because they can’t fathom Miranda turning to astrology.

While the heat level of the book is low, there’s plenty of sexual tension and banter.

I enjoyed the author’s note that discusses how the book was researched.

MIRANDA IN RETROGRADE makes a super fun and sweet romance read for those who enjoy the grumpy-sunshine trope, STEM heroine stories, low-heat romances, and romantic comedy elements.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

Miranda didn’t get the promotion she was hoping for then is encouraged by her university to take a sabbatical. So she decides to make a change and do something out of the norm for her… follow her horoscope for a year.

I absolutely love her new neighbor, Asher. Their friendship is often sarcastic and flirty. So sweet together. I really enjoyed this friendship and neighbors, slow burn romance.

Thanks to @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Miranda in Retrograde to come out August 13, 2024.

What a fun read! Characters and situations that so resonate - real emotions and situations, real self-doubt, and quite the rollercoaster to the end. More substance than the usual romance, no spice for those who will ask - but a great story that carries the day.

Miranda has a PhD in astrophysics and is very well regarded outside here academic career but when she is denied tenure, she begins to question her life path. When given the opportunity to take a years sabbatical, she moves into her aunt’s apartment and begins living her life based on astrology as an experiment. She meets Archer, her artist neighbor who questions her new found belief in astrology, and Christian, the father of a girl she tutors who astrologically may be her perfect match. Throughout the book, Miranda learns about herself and what she wants in love.

This book was a breezy and short read. I love Lauren’s writing style but do wish this book had been more romance and less women’s fiction. The book made it clear who Miranda was going to end up with but for the majority of the book she is actively dating Christian. I really liked both Miranda and Archer and was glad that they were on the page together for the majority of the story even while not romantically involved. I liked the chapter headings give us Miranda’s daily horoscope and dividing the sections of the book into the different zodiac signs as it really brought the theme of the book together. As always, I will happily read whatever Miranda writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Book for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Miranda in Retrograde was something so different and so cool from Lauren Layne. 75% women's fiction and 25% romance, it starts with Miranda losing her chance at tenure and setting off on a journey of self-discovery through astrology. While on that journey, she unexpectedly meets the love of her life. Miranda faces a lot of ups and downs and has to make a lot of big decisions while building closer relationships with the people who matter to her. I loved Miranda's journey and how her horoscope fit into it all. It was so fun! I also loved how she fell in love. It was the beautiful slowest of slow burns. This book goes to show that whatever Layne wants to write, I will read and love it.