In the wise words of a side character in this book, "Nope nope noooooope."

I'm not even sure where to begin with this review because I simply had so many issues with it.

First of all, there are way too many plots and subplots in this book. Some issues weren't introduced until after the halfway point or later. Apparently the fmc is not interested in studying business, something learned around the 50% mark with no previous mention. There's another minor subplot introduced at the 80% mark regarding one of the fmc's best friends; again, it was not hinted at beforehand, so the reveal felt forced and bland. These plots and subplots were also not given an appropriate level of importance or dedication within the book. Some minor issues received far too much attention, which detracted from the main plots.

I found this to be a reoccurring theme throughout the novel. The fmc has a physical disability. It is never named but it is frequently referenced throughout the book. The issue is that the author never went in depth about it. The fmc bemoans constantly feeling excluded and othered by family, friends, and classmates, but there is absolutely no proof of this. When choosing between her two love interests, she mentions how one choice has never made her feel different because of her disability, but there are no interactions with the other love interest to indicate he treats her differently. There were so many possibilities within the story to dive into this disability and how it impacts the fmc, but none of the opportunities were even taken. This made the disability an annoyance while reading since it added nothing to the character or plot. If the disability was removed, there would be absolutely no change.

The writing itself was okay, but I was shocked at how many grammatical errors and typos were present in the text. I normally don't have an issue with an errant comma or two in my book, but I do think it's rude to send such an unfinished copy out to reviewers. I hope these mistakes were corrected in the final edition.

This story had potential, but it never even stretched out its arm to reach it. I am very disappointed and feel that this was a waste of time.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Piper grew up hearing the magical love stories of all the women in her family and dreaming of her magical fated love. She's already feeling different due to her physical disability when her parents decide to go against the family lore of eternal love and divorce, which makes Piper feel like she has to work extra hard to prove she's part of the family. Finally finding her fated love might change things, except she messes up the meet-cute and can't figure out how to fix it. Enter her best friend Leo, a love expert who knows everything about Piper but who asked to take a break from their friendship. Can Piper convince Leo to help her? Will she find her happily ever after with her fated love? Can she get her parents back together? But most importantly, will she settle for what fate decides or forge her own path?

First of all, I loved how Schreiber handled Piper's disability. It's her reality and it affects some of what she can do, but it doesn't define her. The fact that it's a part of her, her past, and what's shaped her is evident without always being the main thing the reader is pushed to notice about her. It's my favorite way to see representation, showing that there's so much more to the character.

The story is slightly predictable but no less enjoyable because of it. The fact that it follows a pretty established path that leaves no room for surprises doesn't take away from the engaging characters and real emotions. You get pulled into the story and want Piper to realize what will really make her happy. Her parents also get a pretty solid character arc that shows a very mature stance on love and growing apart. It's a good thing to show younger readers.

Overall, the story itself didn't blow me away, but the way Schreiber handles topics is top-notch.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the thought-provoking romance!

I absolutely adored this YA RomCom! This is what YA first love books are all about and exactly what I fell in love with as a teen many years ago myself.
Piper is feisty and so full of life and love. I loved watching her navigate life and fall in love with what was right in front of her all this time.
I recommend this to anyone wanting a heartfelt classic romcom to make you feel good.
Thank you to SMP for the review copy.

This book had a really interesting concept—a girl that comes from a family where Fate chooses a true love for you, but then she has to wrestle if that’s who she really wants. I definitely liked the book—I read it quite fast, and was engaged the whole time with the characters and the plot. However, I thought Piper’s indecisiveness just dragged on for so long and everytime I thought she’d finally go for what she really wants, she would just go back to conformity with the aunts. That element of it definitely annoyed me, since even though it was framed as a love triangle and this whole conflict and self realization she has to go through, it’s obvious from early on what she will ultimately decide.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘞𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬!

I really enjoyed Gretchen Schreiber’s debut novel, 𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹, and was looking forward to reading 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻! YA novels are definitely not my usual go-to, but I do enjoy them sprinkled throughout my other reads! I was initially drawn to pick this one up because of the plot with the magical realism elements, family mingling, and most importantly, the disability representation. I unfortunately didn’t feel as big of a connection with Piper as I had hoped for and frankly felt like the words 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗲 and 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 were used overwhelmingly. Between the two novels, her debut still holds the top read for me!

This was a really sweet YA novel that really delves into what it really means to be "fated" for something and how sometimes it is necessary to forge your own path. I originally thought this book would be more "magical", but the Fate and the Blessing that seems to follow Piper's family seems less magical and more a self-fulfilling prophecy. The book doesn't dwell too much in the intricacies of what the Blessing entails, only that it exists and in order to feel like she is part of her family, Piper must also find her fated mate. Piper is about to graduate from high school and in addition to student counsel and working at her family business, she has to navigate a fractured friend group and a world where she stands out due to her disability. I really like Piper as a character and she really felt like a teenager unlike a lot of YA characters written by adults.

When Piper feels the telltale tug of the Blessing she is elated because it means she finally "belongs" to her family. Luckily her formerly estranged best friend Leo agrees to help her snag her One True Love, but soon her conflicting feelings for Leo and her growing issues surrounding her parents' divorce start to make her question everything she thought she knew.

I love a book where a character has to make a choice about what is really right for them and not what they thing is right and Piper's journey here is a really great example of that.

Thank you very much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy.

All the Stars Align is a beautiful follow up to Schreiber's debut, "Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal". It swept me off my feet--the world building, the magical feel, the characters...such a delight! I definitely look forward to more from Schreiber.

This is a standalone Ya magical love story 🖤✨ We follow a single pov throughout of Piper, whose family is said to be blessed by fate, with knowing their true love at first sight. Piper is a senior is high school and has always loved her families love stories and just waiting for the day that she feels the pull of fate towards her one true love. She’s always had feelings towards her best friend Leo, but she knows he’s not the one for her, so never acted on it. She ends up finding fates pick for her, but doesn’t know how to date, so Leo has to teach her all about it 👀 Well I’m sure you can guess a bit of the antics that go down from here. This book is so cute and had me not being able to put it down. The choice for her to follow fate or forge her own path really had me on edge of how was she going to decide. There was quite a few laugh out loud moments for me as well. There is also a disability rep in this 🖤I think if you need a book to get you out of reading slump this one would help 🖤

All the women of Piper's family know who their true love is. This tradition seems to break when Piper's parents divorce. She was already treated differently due to having a disability. She finally finds her true love and wants to get her traditional love story and be an accepted part of her family. This will require help from her friend Leo, who is a love expert. The problem is, they haven't spoken in six months and he confesses his love for Piper. Who will she choose?

This is a YA romance, so you can tell how it's going to end from the start. Piper struggles with the concept of fate and feels cursed when her parents' marriage fails. She literally says in chapter one that there's no point in chasing something that isn't forever, a very defeatist way of looking at the world. It doesn't help that she's pressured by her aunts into thinking that she must choose between family traditions or having nothing at all. It leaves her with only two friends, limited social skills outside of her family, and being rather self-centered. This is why she asks Leo for advice on talking to Forest and misses the clear signs that he's interested in her. She had interest in him before but put it aside because he didn't ping the same The One vibes that family traditions talked about.

I didn't like Piper much, and of all people, I empathize with her mother and the more nuanced view of relationships. Love is there, but relationships take work from both people involved and shouldn't erase one's identity. I feel like Piper doesn't see this, it makes her miss out on a lot of her own life. Even Leo tries to understand why Piper is so upset about the divorce and changing and doesn't get a clear answer. The more time I spent with Piper, the less I was convinced she was worth the romance part of the book. She has a lot more growing up to do before she's ready for a relationship and the commitment it takes to make it work, Blessing or no Blessing.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Gretchen Schreiber, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

All the women in Piper’s family have a gift and know their true love at first sight. This is the kind of love that lasts forever. Piper grew up with her ancestors' epic love stories repeated over and over and dreams of her own true love. Already singled out in her family due to her disability, Piper collects a second strike against her when her parents announce their divorce.

When she finally finds her true love at a party, she’s determined than ever to have her love story and finally earn a spot in her family. She soon botches their first meeting, she realizes that she’ll need help from her best friend Leo. There's a huge problem though. Leo and Piper haven’t talked in months due to him needing a break from their friendship.

To win love of her life and a place in her family, Piper must have Leo to teach her the ways to love. Things are going great until Leo confesses his love for Piper. Now, what is she to do? Which love will she choose?

A sweet and romantic YA read! I loved the disability representation!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the review copy!

All the Stars Align is a charming YA novel that explores big questions about love—what it is, what it should be—and offers a thoughtful look at navigating divorce, family expectations, and figuring out what you want for yourself.

The disability representation in this story is important, as it should be, but it’s not the only theme. What makes it resonate is how it's woven into Piper’s journey of self-discovery—her fears, insecurities, and hopes about love and being loved for who she is, body and all.

I really enjoyed the way the story played with themes of fate and blessings (or maybe curses?), and how Piper comes to understand that love is more than just a spark or a feeling—it’s also about growth, trust, and aligning your heart with your dreams.

At times, the themes felt a bit repetitive or slow, but I think the pacing works well for a YA audience who perhaps have spent less years/decades reading books like this (in that the story felt fairly predictable to me, hence making it feel slow). It gives readers the space to really sit with Piper’s emotional journey, her struggles with her parents, and her questions about fate, love, and identity. It also allows time to connect with the core characters—Piper, Leo, and Forest.

What didn’t quite land for me was the role of the aunts and their meddling—it felt a bit too over-the-top at times—but overall, this is a heartfelt, thoughtful story with a lot to offer a YA audience looking for a gentle romance with interesting questions about fate and family.

Piper’s family has a magical blessing where they know their true love at first sight. But as Piper’s parents are newly divorced, Piper is on a mission to bring her parents back together,while looking for her one true love that she is fated to be with. But during her journey in “finding the one” she faces challenges and other love opportunities that she never considered before.

The author did a superb job delivering a disability rep through a teenager’s perspective. Being some of the toughest years most go through, I learned a lot from this story. I found Piper a bit challenging to warm up to. Her being dead set on believing her family’s blessing and bringing it up over and over again became way too repetitive. What saved the story for me were her endearing best friends and the way they played a part in Piper’s story.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the gifted copy. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

I started All the Stars Align as a physical ARC, and I want to thank Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this title early!

This story was super cute, and I especially appreciated the disability rep—it felt thoughtful and well done. One of the challenges of being an adult who reads YA is that sometimes a book can feel a little too young, and for me, this was one of those cases. It didn’t immediately grab me, which is what led me to pause my physical read for a bit.
That said, once I picked it back up on audio after release, I was drawn back in. While I didn’t deeply connect with the characters on a personal level, I still found myself invested in the story and curious to see how it would all unfold.

One of the highlights for me was how age-appropriate and authentic the characters felt. Sometimes YA characters can come across as either too mature or not quite believable, but that wasn’t the case here. The cast felt like real teens navigating real choices, which I think will really resonate with younger readers.

It’s a sweet coming-of-age love story, and while love triangles aren’t usually my favorite trope, I think it worked here. It felt necessary to explore the broader theme of fate versus free will, which added a layer of depth to an otherwise soft and hopeful romance.

I wanted to like this book more than I did because I liked Schreiber's first book. Piper's story was an interesting exploration of personal choice but I never felt I got to know all the characters. Forest was underdeveloped and didn't feel like a real love interest. Much of the storylines were fully flushed out, and the conclusion felt rushed. I will keep reading books from this author, but her debut left more of an impression than her follow-up.

Thanks, Wednesday Books, for the arc!

The good:
-Disabled rep - we love to see it!
-One of the few times I've enjoyed a love triangle.
-Love the hidden Taylor Swift lyrics.
-Very YAromance/figuring out who you are, but those are necessary reads for that age group

The frustrating:
-I found myself frustrated that Piper talked about having a disability, but she never really talked about what it was. I had to go back to the beginning and search to ensure I understood the physical ailment. I'm glad it was part of the character, but it was confusing.

Do I recommend?
Yes, because Gretchen Schreiber is one of the few writers who truly focuses on the disabled humans as MCs and writes them a story with them with respect. I loved Ellie Haycock is Totally Fine. So, I only hope she continues with her disability rep writing and allows our culture to be seen in books as "normal."

PS - Team Leo!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First of all: while this book started slow, it wasn't terrible. However, I was the totally wrong audience for it, a fact which became very obvious when I realized the mains were seniors in high school--in a contemporary romance in a *very young*, YA novel.

I think the audience for this book is teens and those early on in college, especially those who have felt ostracized by their peers and/or have divorced parents. Teens who are LGTBQ and/or disabled will likely feel especially represented, but I don't think that's necessary for readers to feel seen in this book. Those audiences will likely really enjoy this book.

Me? A thirty-something abled woman who has parents who have been together for 40+ years? Yeah, this didn't hit the spot. I don't mind the whole "fated romance" conversation, but for *contemporary teenagers*? It was a huge stretch and didn't feel realistic. Also, I am far from being or raising teenagers, so their antics annoyed rather than charmed me.

I did like the FMC's character arc in the end, but I felt like she only really redeemed herself the last couple of chapters.

Do I recommend this book to my audience? No. Do I recommend it to a teen/college-aged audience? Sure.

“How do you know what love is until you’ve been heartbroken?”

Everyone wants to find their person. But what if you come from a family that pride themselves on it? Meet Piper. She’s a teenager who comes from a long line of women, all who have found their one true love via a gifted blessing, all while Piper longs to find someone to call her own.

But Piper fears being lucky in love ends with her, especially since she feels like her physical disability stacks the odds against her. Keeping her afloat have been her longstanding friendships, but even those are on shaky ground-her best friend Leo taking an unexplained break from their friendship months prior.

Then one day Leo resurfaces, but without the explanation Piper craves. Despite this, she’s missed their friendship so much that she’s willing to just be happy with him being back in her life. But Leo’s return ends up coinciding with the moment Piper has waited for when she finally meets her fated love, Forest. Unable to put her feelings into words she enlists the more experienced Leo as her love coach. But as time progresses, what is fated and what feels right begin to get murky. Can Piper make sense of her feelings or should she let fate decide?

All the Stars Align is a YA romance that pays homage to Cyrano de Bergerac. While I enjoy angst ridden pining, I did feel like I was older than the intended audience for this book. For example, I felt teenaged Piper’s pouting about how she might never find the one a bit premature. I also felt the story behind her disability was too drawn out, feeling more like checking a box than something that added value to the story. Finally, there was the blessing itself, a phrase that is used ad nauseam (137 times to be exact).

All in all, the stars didn’t completely line up in this one for me. But if you enjoy sweet love stories with a twist of fate, this might work for you.

I just finished All the Stars Align by Gretchen Schreiber, and I’m still thinking about it. This story is so full of heart and charm, it completely pulled me in. At the center of it all is this beautifully layered relationship between childhood friends who slowly turn into something more, and it unfolds in such a real, emotional way. Piper’s journey through family expectations, big choices, and her search for real love felt so relatable and raw. Gretchen Schreiber’s writing has this magical quality that made me want to savor every page. If you love stories about love, identity, and finding your own way, this one’s definitely worth the read.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and PRH Audio for sending me an early physical and audiobook copy.

While I appreciated the disability and LGTBQIA+ representation, "All the Starts Align" left me wanting more when it came to the magical realism aspects. I wish there had been more discussions and lore around Fate, like if there were other families with different blessings. The romance was also very predictable and left me wanting more suspense. I feel like I knew the ending as soon as it started.

When it came to the audiobook, I was not very impressed. The narrator's voices were all very similar, especially when it came to the voices of the male characters. I switched halfway through to the physical version and I'm glad I did, since it was much easier to follow.

Without giving any spoilers, I did enjoy the conclusion of the novel regarding Piper's family and her parents' divorce. If you're looking for an everyday coming of age story with great disability representation, you'll love "All The Stars Align", especially if your a fan of YA stories like "Cupid's Revenge" and "Sick Kids in Love".

The family legend says the Hadley women will know their one true love immediately when they find it, the love that will last for forever. They call it the Blessing. Suffering a physical disability and the child of divorced parents, Suffering a physical disability and having divorced parents, Piper already feels isolated from the rest of the family, especially her Aunts. Looking for acceptance, she goes all in on the legend, always on the lookout for "the one", determined that she will find that special person. And she thought she had. Only, it doesn't feel quite right. Because "the one" doesn't make her feel the way her best friend Leo does.

I picked up this book because I thought the premise was intriguing. Unfortunately, once I started reading it just didn't work for me. I think the biggest obstacle was the age of the main characters. I think the idea behind the Blessing would work better if the characters were older, even just college seniors would have had more weight

I also had trouble believing that Piper was so desperate to be accepted by her aunts that she was willing to live her life for them. They may be divorced, but her parents were loving and supportive. Her two best friends, Leo and Diana were accepting and encouraging. She had so much going for her..

My favorite character in the story was Diana. Part of the trio of best friends, caught between Leo and Piper, she had to be the most mature. She was the one with right words and a willing ear. And tough love when it was needed. She didn't sugar coat the truth both Leo and Piper had to hear. Piper's parents were also strong characters. It was clear that despite being divorced, they both still loved each other, they just couldn't be married to each other. And they were still there for Piper when she needed them.

I really wanted to like this book. But imagining that high school seniors, especially in this day and age, would be ready to accept that fate had found their true love was a bit much. There just wasn't enough substance behind the blessing to make the story work.