The Stars Are on Our Side

The Stars Are on Our Side

Jennifer Hartmann

Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

Tabitha Brighton's name made national headlines when she was kidnapped by the infamous serial killer known as the Matchmaker. She was also known for something being the only victim he ever willingly released. Now, two years later, she's ready to tell her story. Through a series of interviews with a local writer, single mother Tabitha relives every harrowing detail of her trauma, haunted by the memory of the man she was held captive with and ultimately lost. As she confronts her demons, she finds solace in Gabe—the new man in her life who will do whatever it takes to prevent her from slipping back into the shadows. But Gabe has his own troubled past that threatens to unravel their fragile connection. And just when Tabitha begins to believe in the possibility of new love and a fresh start, her world is turned upside down once again. Gabe always tells her not to look down, to keep flying. But even stars fall… And no one ever talks about the crash. The Stars Are on Our Side is a FOLLOW-UP novel to Still Beating and Lotus, featuring fan-favorite characters Tabitha and Gabe. It is HIGHLY recommended that you read both Still Beating and Lotus prior to reading this book for the most effective reading experience.***REVIEWS ☆☆☆☆☆If you have room in your heart for a wrenching, exhilarating tale that will send tears of joy and sadness streaming down your cheeks in equal measure, sometimes simultaneously; this one is for you. ~ Author, Chelley St ClairStars is masterfully written. I was left in awe at how Hartmann was able to take the same horrific circumstances as in Still Beating, change them in fundamental, surprising ways, and leave me shattered, glassy-eyed, and slow-clapping every brilliant word. Bravo. ~ Author, E. R. WhyteInfinite stars. This book is The Mona Lisa, The Starry Night, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, The Kiss, and Paris Street; Rainy Day all rolled into one, simply put, a remarkable work of art. a masterpiece. ~ nessreadsSo adeptly written, emotionally rich with all colors of love, and electrifying at times. The story of a woman crippled by the tentacles of her own fears of rejection and abandonment, and of a man who is willing to fight the world for the right to love her—I loved every moment of it. ~ Book BistroBlogI'm not ok. I'm a mess. I'm not sure what I just read. This was a fcking masterpiece. Mindblowing, devastating and one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read in my entire life. ~ Deea, GR reviewerIncredible, unputdownable, thought-provoking, emotional, heartbreaking and heartwarming – these are a few of many adjectives I could use to describe this breathtaking and consuming story. Once again, Jennifer Hartmann has penned a narrative that will stay with me forever. ~ Literary LustWhen this lands on your kindle, you kiss adulthood away for the day! Her ability to effortlessly pull me into every book she writes cements yet again why she fast became one of my unicorn authors. Her books tick every box I seek within my books, from the dark, to the grit, to the angst, to the emotional upheaval, to the coming away from each book with a heart full to bursting. ~ Kitty Kats Crazy About BooksGabe and Tabitha are a couple that will stay with me, indefinitely. This novel would never have seen the light of day without Still Beating and Lotus so it's hard to attest to that but... I think it's my favorite of the author's. And one of my favorite books, ever.


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  • Jan 29, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    Thank you to Valentine PR and the author for providing an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

    I went into this book 100% expecting this to be a favorite of the year. Still Beating is one of my all-time favorite romances and I absolutely adored Lotus. Unfortunately this just didn't live up to either and left me really underwhelmed.

    You do need to read the other 2 books before going into this one. There is so much backstory for the characters and their relationships that you need from the other books in this world.

    I really loved these characters and was excited for both of them to get their HEA. But while I'm a big fan of friends to lovers, I didn't love this romance...

    Let's start with what I really liked.

    I loved the flashbacks. Tabitha is working with an author and sharing her story. And during their sessions together, we're getting flashbacks of what happened while she was captured. I loved how this was interspersed instead of given all at once. It kept the pacing moving since we were always left wanting to know what happened next.

    I also love how much this series(?) deals with trauma and healing. These characters have been through so much and trying to find the small hints of light and happiness.

    Unfortunately, pretty much everything else fell flat....

    I thought Tabitha and heaps more chemistry with Matthew than Gabe. And even knowing where the story was going, I was more emotionally impacted by Matthew's story than anything else in the book.

    But my biggest issue with this was absolutely every part of Gabe's plot line. Because it was wholly unnecessary....

    This book was already so heavy and filled with trauma, that adding on Gabe's mafia plot line felt like overkill. And honestly took away from the emotional aspect because it was so outrageous.

    I understood that the author was trying to parallel aspect of Matthew's story with Gabe's, but in execution it just brought down the story.

    Along with that, this book was too long. Like 100 pages too long. Not only could Gabe's story have been removed, but once the big climax was over, I was like okay books almost done. And there was still over 30 MINUTES left in the ebook... and none of them were necessary.

    It really bothers me when pages are added that simply wraps up, recaps, and explicitly states the finally feelings and conclusions. Have some faith in your readers that we followed the story and understand where everyone stands. I don't need a 10 page internal monologue about the hero's feelings and love. I know. I was there.

    This was just sadly a big disappointment. It wasn't a BAD book. But it didn't live anywhere near to the other books in this series. It felt overwritten and lacked the intense chemistry of the previous books.

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