This is not the first book I've read from Rochelle Weinstein, but I believe it's my favorite as well as one of the best books I've read this year. I could just feel the tension mounting throughout the book and couldn't wait to see how everything would come together. It takes place over the course of a week and is told in the alternating voices of the owners and guests of the Vis Ta Vie Inn. With a cast of diverse characters struggling with their personal battles, there is bound to be lots of drama. I have long thought that people who appear to have such perfect lives probably present a far different picture behind closed doors. This story definitely confirmed my theory. Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for a copy to read and review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I decided to change it up a bit with my usual genre and although this is not my usual, I did enjoy the story. I think you will too... It warms you a little.

Weinstein's work gets better and better with each book, and this one is no exception. A great read for lovers of women's fiction.

Wow.... this book was showstopper. I had a few moments where I thought "just get to the secrets already" but now I think it was done perfectly. Who could have imagined all the twists and turns.

Great book, this is the first book I have read by author. Very good story line and characters.
Holds your attention from the beginning. Recommend this book.

I had such a wonderful time getting lost in this story! The author describes the book as a blend of White Lotus and Virgin River, and I can totally see the connection. The peaceful, idyllic setting in Virgin River and the beautiful North Carolina backdrop here both serve as the perfect backdrop for the characters’ journeys of healing and second chances. Fans of The White Lotus will likely enjoy this one too, as both explore the complexities of human nature, personal struggles, and the hidden tensions that simmer beneath the surface of seemingly perfect or idyllic environments. These stories highlight how the outer layers of life often conceal deeper emotional truths.

Told from multiple POVs, this story weaves emotions, experiences, and connections at a cozy inn in the North Carolina mountains. The innkeepers are a loving couple and are at the heart of this story! They create a welcoming, cozy vibe, and the food descriptions are chef’s kiss—so vivid and mouth-watering, they add a magical sensory layer to the experience. Every meal shared throughout the story is a reminder of how food brings people together. At the Vis Ta Vie Inn, that is exactly what happens: guests gather around the table, and some even come together to cook, forming connections along the way.

If you are looking for a book that will transport you to a cozy, idyllic place and offer a heartfelt experience, this is it. It is a story that is perfect to save after finishing a book that emotionally wrecks you in the best way possible! Consider it a perfect palate cleanser! This one gets 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me! I listened to the audiobook and the full cast of narrators did an amazing job at bringing this story to life.

Check out Zibby Owen’s “Totally Booked with Zibby” podcast for a behind-the-scenes chat with Rochelle Weinstein about the book’s journey (episode from 3/12/2025).

“We are all made up of stars and we are all connected in some big and beautiful way” ~Rochelle Weinstein

Congratulations Rochelle on such a beautiful story! I look forward to getting lost in more of your stories!

Follow me on Instagram at @i.am.book.a.licious for more bookish content.

This was my first book by Rochelle Weinstein and it definitely will not be the last!
Thank you so much to @getredpr for giving me the opportunity to read this book early!
We Are Made of Stars is about how people from all walks of life can come together and turn hardships into a beautiful ending.
The descriptions in this story transported me to the Vis Ta Vie
Inn. I felt fully immersed in the setting and along side the characters happy, sad, scary, confusing and hard moments.
Around the 50% mark this story takes off and I couldn't put it down.
We have a beautiful yet worrisome plot twist.
But everything comes together and we truly see how important family is, whether by blood or chosen family.
I loved this and cannot wait to read more of Rochelle's books!

We Are Made of Stars by Rochelle B. Weinstein.

I absolutely loved the large cast of characters in this book. I knew in the beginning when the three couples and mother and daughter arrived at the Inn for a weekend there would be some drama but I wasn’t expecting so much. This is yet another wonderful written book by Rochelle, I gave it four stars. I really enjoyed how the characters came together and they were all so unique. I will definitely recommend this book as I’ve alway Been a fan.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book exceeded my expectations; it was both engaging and complicated, and the characters were so memorable. I was totally engaged throughout the entire novel.
The book was full of vivid descriptions and vivid imagery to the point where I felt like I had slipped into the pages.

I’m amazed how drama-filled a book can be! This read kept me glued once I got a hold of all the characters. I like how each character had their own POV to tell their story. This was my first Rochelle Weinstein novel — it won’t be the last! Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an excellent book. I loved how interconnected the characters were and how well they meshed. The growth and resilience that occurred in every character by end was incredibly thought provoking.

Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is women’s fiction/contemporary fiction. It is a very character driven book that focuses on friendships, relationships and secrets.

Renée and Jean-Paul are a married couple running a quaint inn that can accommodate eight guests each week.

This book takes place over one week. And it’s told from multiple POVs.

The guests include three couples: Leo and Penny (Hollywood couple) Adam and Sienna, and Henry and Lucy (two couples who have been friends since college). There is also Cassidy and Rosalie (a mother and daughter).

Everyone has secrets. And quite a few of them arrived at the inn wanting to confess. A lot of the couples were also struggling. So it was interesting to see which couples worked through their issues. And I enjoyed seeing the secrets revealed.

This book started out slow while we are introduced to all of the characters. I went into this book blind. And for some reason I was expecting this book to be different. At first I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. There are a lot of POVs. And a few of the characters are not very likeable.

Eventually as the characters got to know each other it seemed like the inn was one big family. I really enjoyed how things came together.

This is a very character driven story set at a magical location. I really enjoyed Jean-Paul being a chef. And the beginning of each chapter showing that day’s menu was a fun addition.

I enjoyed the second half of the book the most. Rosalie’s story (the daughter) was especially moving. Overall this story was very relationship focused. And it ended in a very satisfying way.

This author writes books that really pull you in and pull at your heartstrings. They usually have all the feels included too. This one is no different and is possibly her best to date. I thoroughly enjoyed "Somebody's Daughter" and "This Is Not How It Ends." I look forward to reading quite a few more.

Jean-Paul and Renee own the Inn.
Penny and Leo, Leo is an actor. They are headed for divorce over something with another woman. Leo swears he is innocent,
Cassidy and her daughter Rosalie. I loved Rosalie more than any other character. He just touched my heart. Rosalie has a big secret she needs to share with her mother.
Henry is married to Lucy. Henry has secrets but he has no idea how much they affect it will have on Jean-Paul and Renee. Lucy has a huge secret.
Adam and Sienna are married. Adam has done something bad but he doesn't want anyone to ever know.
Lucy and Sienna have been best friends for a very long time.

There are three couples and a mother/daughter along with the Inn owners. The story is told by each person. The couples have a few secrets they are not really wanting to share. While two of the couples are best friends they still won't share some of their secrets. But you can bet they are revealed. And things take a big turn.

Things are revealed that will cause breakups. Other things will make some think about how important their life together really is. Is it worth fighting for? A lot is going on and it makes this story so good. Nothing is hard to follow and the story flows along at a good pace. You get to know each character and how they feel about things. There was only one that I honestly hated from the start and one that never grew on me. Adam bragged to much and Cassidy was not a good mother. I guess she may have grown on me a tiny bit but I still didn't much like her.

This book hits on subjects that may be a little hard. The loss of a child. Miscarriage. Drugs and alcohol. Divorce. Reconciliation. And a few more things. It's truly such a good book. From the very start to the very last word I was hooked. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you #NetGalley, #LakeUnionPublishing, for this ARC.

Book review: 4.25/5 ⭐️
Genre: contemporary fiction
Themes: enduring love, betrayal, secrets and lies, bonds that burn like the stars
📖 Read if you like: Pineapple Street, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe

“We promise to peel onions, literal and figurative, while creative connections and reflection.”

Happy Pub day to this true star of modern storytelling. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of this book.

This book made me hungry. Hallmarking the days at Vis Ta Vie with the daily menu was a clever day to whet our appetites for all the drama the day would bring. It also just gave me some ideas on dishes I wanted to make. I enjoyed that food and dining together was a part of this journey as 5 pairs of couples, friends, lovers and family are brought together at a quaint little inn in the mountains.

The De La Rues are the sweet owners of the inn, but are facing financial ruin after an erroneous choice. A Hollywood couple separated after a tabloid incident and deciding on a divorce. A therapist and astronomer who no longer know how to communicate in the wake of a family tear. A seemingly perfect couple who care more about how their relationship looks than the relationship itself. And a self-absorbed mother and surly goth daughter who couldn’t be more different than day and night. For one week the De La Rues together with their photographer niece will host these eight guests and what will be served is far more than anyone expected.

Brimming with unsaid things these relationships will all undergo their own Tasmania devil when secrets are revealed and each must choose whether their stars will die or if they will find each other again in the darkness. It was the quintessential dinner party gone awry with drama soaked wine spilling from lips and glasses alike. Although most of the revelations could be easily spotted, I could not get enough of the journey!

I liked all the little facts about space as an analogy to life and relationships. It was also interesting to have so many flawed and unlikeable people together with those that are charming, but equally faulted. Imperfect people worthy of second chances. It felt relatable and raw with characters I really felt like I knew.

All the little hurts and trauma that turn normal people into monsters if only for a moment. Full of betrayals, regrets and unexpected surprises it was a heart breaking and heart healing read. An ode to love when all the light has seemingly faded. Like one long therapy session this was both thoughtful and uncomfortable, but with the power to change perspectives.

Beautifully written novel with an ensemble of interesting and unique characters. Set in a small bed and breakfast, run by Renee and Jean Paul, three couples and a mother and daughter arrive to spend a week that will end up impacting all their futures. Between lies, betrayals, secrets and the challenges of life, every character will undergo some kind of emotional journey. I definitely recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love a book that pairs a great story and interesting characters along with gourmet meals and menus that feature the best of haute cuisine. WE ARE MADE OF STARS by Rochelle B. Weinstein is just such a novel.

Renee and Jean-Paul De La Rue are ready to host one more culinary-centered weekend before they must close their quaint inn. Their final group of guests includes three unique couples and a mother and daughter in need of relationship counseling. Throughout the story, and often after a few glasses of wine, secrets are revealed and a flame of romance is relit. In the passing of the week, their lives become interwoven with some unexpected results. I loved meeting these characters, each with his or her flaw.

This is my first time reading a book by Rochelle Weinstein, but I love how she draws her readers with the drama among her characters and the way the tension grows as the story progresses. Readers are given a front row seat at what occurs behind closed doors. This is a good, strong, and interesting story.

She is definitely one of my favorite authors and this book was no different. I absolutely loved every second of it! I highly recommend it to everyone!

We Are Made of Stars by Rochelle Weinstein is a story of love, loss, betrayal, secrets, lies and second chances that takes place at a picturesque mountain getaway in this powerful novel about love and family. This story is told from multiple viewpoints with all of the various couples at the inn being represented with a POV from either one or both of them. The beautiful Vis Ta Vie Inn is the powerful setting for the diverse cast of characters whose goal is to leave the pressures of their real lives behind for a week.

With shocking truths and in-depth characters, the mysteriousness of the secrets each person was keeping was explored: marriage, infidelity, parenting, paternity, regret, and the price tag of celebrity. The week would test their relationships as they seek truth, get past grudges, trust issues and tragedy. Magic happens at the Vis Ta Vie Inn through the food, wine, togetherness, and ultimately, love. The way that this all came together kept me completely engaged, guessing at the outcomes, and highly invested in every character.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #LakeUnion #WeAreMadeofStars

This is a powerful read and great exploration of relationships and the idea of hopes and expectations for self and others. I was easily engrossed in the story and writing… waiting to see how each person might grow and where the plot would take me. I loved the characters and the idea of escaping the world for a bit in order to figure some stuff out. Wouldn’t that be nice?

“Secrets, lies, and second chances are served up beneath the stars at a picturesque mountain getaway in this powerful novel about love and family…”

Truthfully, my level of distraction in this endless January has not been good for my reading life. Yet, I opened We Are Made of Stars and found an escape. If that’s not literary magic, I’m not sure what is!

You’ve heard of locked room plots, and this is similar though a drama, rather than mystery. Jean-Paul and Reneé run a boutique inn, Vis Ta Vie, known for bringing people together with excellent food and wine, in a beautiful North Carolina setting. On what will be the final week of their ownership, three couples and a mother daughter pair arrive as guests.

Over the course of a week, relationships are tested, secrets revealed, and bonds are formed and broken. The way that this all came together kept me completely engaged, guessing at the outcomes, and highly invested in every character (well, except one - when you read this, you’ll know!). This would make an excellent book club selection!

CR:
ED, infidelity, child neglect, financial loss, death of a child (in past), infertility, serious accident/injury