Review: Star-Crossed

Star-Crossed is going to be one of those books I recommend to everyone this year. Minnie Darke's novel - and a debut one at that - was an absolute delight. It had drama, comedy, romance, and a touch of magic, in the form of astrology. Even if you're not a fan of one of those things, I think you're going to be a fan of this novel.

Here's the synopsis:

When childhood sweethearts Justine (Sagittarius and serious skeptic) and Nick (Aquarius and true believer) randomly bump into each other as adults, a life-changing love affair seems inevitable. To Justine anyway. True, she hasn't seen Nick in thirteen years, one month and three weeks, but who's counting? She's pined after him all the same, and now that Nick lives in the same town, a struggling actor to her struggling magazine reporter, he'll surely realize his own unchanged feelings, take the reins and jump at the chance to rekindle their relationship. Right? Well, no. Nick, she learns, is an astrological devotee, and his decision-making, romantic and professional, is guided solely by the infallible horoscopes in his favourite magazine. The magazine Justine happens to work at. Perhaps the stars' guiding forces could use a little journalistic reimagining?
It's only a few tweaks to the Aquarius column, just a little push to get him to realize they're meant for one another. It's nonsense in the first place, what could possibly happen? Aquarians everywhere are about to find out, when the doctored horoscopes, ostensibly published to steer Nick and Nick alone, end up reverberating in the lives of the column's devoted readers, showing the ripple effects of what can happen when one woman takes the horoscopes, and Fate itself, into her own hands.
Spanning exactly one year, as the earth moves through all twelve stars signs, Star-Crossed is a delicious, intelligent and affecting love story about fate, chance and how we all navigate the kinds of choices that are hard to face alone.

This novel isn't perfect, or even really close to it, but I enjoyed it so much that I have a really hard time putting my finger on what didn't work - or what did. I was so completely swept up in the story and adored every second I spent with Justine and Nick.

Of course, I do love a good second chance story so that likely had a lot to do with how much I swooned over this book!

Both Nick and Justine are having some life troubles, mostly in their professional lives but their romantic lives aren't so hot either. Running into each other after so many years apart had them reevaluating what it was they wanted to be when they grew up.

Darke separated her novel by astrological sign with "cusp" chapters between. I know some readers had trouble with the chapters between the main action but I enjoyed it. I liked the nod to astrology and how it showed that Justine's creative license with the horoscopes were impacting more than just Nick. These characters didn't always directly cross paths with Nick and Justine but that didn't make them unimportant. I think it showed that every person and every action can have an impact on the rest of the community, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time.

This has absolutely nothing to do with much of anything but I loved that this book was set in Australia. I don't actively seek out books set in that (wonderful) country because I make a conscious effort to read a lot of Canadian authors but I really should try to read more Australian authors. In case you're new here (welcome!), I've visited Australia twice and, as much as I love my country, would move there in a heartbeat. (I can avoid snakes there. I can't avoid -30 degree temperatures and tons of snow here.) I hope publishers take a chance on more books that aren't set in the US because I'm honestly kind of tired of reading books with American settings, especially by Canadian authors, because that's *apparently* what sells. Harrumph. But that's a rant for another day. The takeaway: the setting in this book is delightful and I loved it.

I really, really liked Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke and thought it was such a fun, sweet story. This is one you can pick up as a gift for a woman in your life (say, yourself?) or maybe even suggest to your book club (how fun would an astrology themed meeting be?).

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Doubleday Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*