What do you think?
Rate this book
Written in the Stars
One decision + two different paths = how many happy endings?
'This is THE novel for any girl who has ever wondered "What if"... Irresistible' Adele Parks
Have you ever wondered 'What if…?' What if you'd taken that other job, gone on a date with that sweet guy, moved to a different city? Would an alternative life path have led to a happier ending?
Now imagine if you could have taken both paths…
When Bea Bishop slips while walking down the aisle on her wedding day, she is momentarily knocked unconscious. And in a flash, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her on two very different journeys. In one, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other, she glides blissfully towards Adam, her intended.
Each path will take her on a very different journey. And each will see her life change for better and for worse. But which story will lead to her happy-ever-after?
'This is THE novel for any girl who has ever wondered "What if"... Irresistible' Adele Parks
Have you ever wondered 'What if…?' What if you'd taken that other job, gone on a date with that sweet guy, moved to a different city? Would an alternative life path have led to a happier ending?
Now imagine if you could have taken both paths…
When Bea Bishop slips while walking down the aisle on her wedding day, she is momentarily knocked unconscious. And in a flash, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her on two very different journeys. In one, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other, she glides blissfully towards Adam, her intended.
Each path will take her on a very different journey. And each will see her life change for better and for worse. But which story will lead to her happy-ever-after?
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2014
37 people are currently reading
1683 people want to read
About the author
Ali Harris
8 books318 followersAli is a magazine journalist who has worked in the world of glossy magazines for ten years.
She grew up in deepest darkest Norfolk, where she spent her formative years dreaming of the bright lights of the big city. At 18 she swapped sheep for show tunes and moved to London to do a degree in performing arts. After three years of 'studying' (read: doing jazz hands) she became.... a waitress. In her spare time she started writing a book (about a frustrated waitress, of course) and soon realised that writing was her true passion. After many rejection letters she decided just getting paid to write for a living would be a step in the right direction. One work placement at a celebrity style magazine later and she'd found her spiritual home. Surrounded by clothes, shoes and celebrity gossip she threw herself into her new career and was ecstatic when she bagged a job at Company magazine.
Ali was soon given her own dating column but then, she met 'Email Boy' and her column became focused on their blossoming relationship - she even won an industry award for her efforts. She left Company in 2005 to broaden her horizons as a freelance journalist, writing for Cosmo, Grazia and ELLE, amongst others. She also got married to Email Boy (now going by his official name of Ben) and then got lured back to the world of glossies with a job at number one women's magazine, Glamour. She left in 2009 to write books and have babies.
Ali's debut Miracle on Regent Street was published by Simon & Schuster in October 2011. Her second novel The First Last Kiss was published in January 2013. Her latest novel, Written in the Stars, is out now.
You can follow Ali at facebook.com/aliharriswriter and twitter.com/aliharriswriter or discover more about the author at her website aliharris.co.uk
She grew up in deepest darkest Norfolk, where she spent her formative years dreaming of the bright lights of the big city. At 18 she swapped sheep for show tunes and moved to London to do a degree in performing arts. After three years of 'studying' (read: doing jazz hands) she became.... a waitress. In her spare time she started writing a book (about a frustrated waitress, of course) and soon realised that writing was her true passion. After many rejection letters she decided just getting paid to write for a living would be a step in the right direction. One work placement at a celebrity style magazine later and she'd found her spiritual home. Surrounded by clothes, shoes and celebrity gossip she threw herself into her new career and was ecstatic when she bagged a job at Company magazine.
Ali was soon given her own dating column but then, she met 'Email Boy' and her column became focused on their blossoming relationship - she even won an industry award for her efforts. She left Company in 2005 to broaden her horizons as a freelance journalist, writing for Cosmo, Grazia and ELLE, amongst others. She also got married to Email Boy (now going by his official name of Ben) and then got lured back to the world of glossies with a job at number one women's magazine, Glamour. She left in 2009 to write books and have babies.
Ali's debut Miracle on Regent Street was published by Simon & Schuster in October 2011. Her second novel The First Last Kiss was published in January 2013. Her latest novel, Written in the Stars, is out now.
You can follow Ali at facebook.com/aliharriswriter and twitter.com/aliharriswriter or discover more about the author at her website aliharris.co.uk
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
May 29, 2019
3.5 Stars
30th APRIL 2013 is Bea's wedding day to Adam- the man she is destined to be with and it seems to have been written in the stars. However on the day she experiences some serious doubts. Not made better by seeing her real first love Kieran Blake, who's not too likeable and I can't say i liked the sound of his twin brother Elliot either.
The story then splits into two different what ifs from Bea slipping down the isle;
1. She can't marry Adam staying as Bea Bishop
2. Marries Adam and becomes Bea Hudson
Life 2 looked to be really happy but was all really a lie. The characters were all lying to themselves and Facebook they were happy. Work Adam was likeable in this version while non work Adam is a nice guy. The two worlds begin to collide and some things happened in both lives. Life 1 ended up being the better of the two with what's meant to be still happening just a year later. The characters really grew over the course of the year. I felt connected to Bea and wanted the best for her. I also wanted Adam to find a new job so much.
The story dragged a little in the middle for me, it started well and ended strong. A special mention to a character I loved, Bea's brother Cal and he makes an excellent paramedic.
30th APRIL 2013 is Bea's wedding day to Adam- the man she is destined to be with and it seems to have been written in the stars. However on the day she experiences some serious doubts. Not made better by seeing her real first love Kieran Blake, who's not too likeable and I can't say i liked the sound of his twin brother Elliot either.
The story then splits into two different what ifs from Bea slipping down the isle;
1. She can't marry Adam staying as Bea Bishop
2. Marries Adam and becomes Bea Hudson
Life 2 looked to be really happy but was all really a lie. The characters were all lying to themselves and Facebook they were happy. Work Adam was likeable in this version while non work Adam is a nice guy. The two worlds begin to collide and some things happened in both lives. Life 1 ended up being the better of the two with what's meant to be still happening just a year later. The characters really grew over the course of the year. I felt connected to Bea and wanted the best for her. I also wanted Adam to find a new job so much.
The story dragged a little in the middle for me, it started well and ended strong. A special mention to a character I loved, Bea's brother Cal and he makes an excellent paramedic.
January 7, 2015
Two loves, to possible lives - but which one is mine? Which path am I meant to take? I can't decide. I drop my head back against the tiles and begin to see stars. Then there's just black.
I'm sure that anyone who knows me, knows Ali Harris has written the book that has meant the most to me. Everywhere I can, I mention that The First Last Kiss is my #1 book in the sense that it has spoken to me on such a personal level that it has changed my view on life and love. So when she published another book, I didn't think she could ever top that. To me, personally, she hasn't. But to anyone who can relate to the main character, Bea, this book will prove to be just as powerful and life-changing.
The thing with Ali Harris is that she writes books that force you to take a good hard look at your own life. She does this through thought-provoking stories and flawed characters you can easily relate to.
She has written this book in a very unique way. We follow two different stories and both are Bea's stories. One in which she leaves her fiancé standing in front of the altar and one in which she makes it down the aisle, despite her fears and insecurities. These two stories alternate, but it isn't confusing at all. I didn't know it'd be like this before I started and I realized what the author was doing right away.
I want to tell him I love him and need him and miss him already but that I don't know who I am. I got lost a long time ago.To attempt to cover the many aspects of this book is ridiculous. It seems like a simple what if-story, but it is far from simple. Bea is supposed to get married to Adam, but she is so afraid of falling, so afraid of taking chances and so insecure about herself and just life, that in one of the scenarios, she becomes a runaway bride. The reasons for her endless doubts and confusion slowly uncover as the story goes on. Bea is an emotionally fragile girl who has gone through a traumatic experience in her past. She is forced to face that painful past, when a past lover comes back into her life. To find herself, she had to leave her fiancé.
You made my present so perfect I haven't dealt with my past.This book is Bea's journey to self-discovery, putting the past to rest, defining the present and looking forward to the future.
I feel like I'm being haunted by my past, and the more I try to throw myself into this new life, the more it takes me back to my old one.Bea is prone to depression and she has fallen into the black hole more than once in her past. I think the author did an amazing job with the depression aspect of this story and made the hurt and the inner battle so tangible. The fear of falling and never being able to get back up again, and the fear of drowning and never being able to reach the surface again, was so palpable and made my heart ache for Bea. It's why she has such a hard time making decisions, taking life into her own hands. She is just floating along with the current, desperately trying to stay above the water. A change, a risk, could pull her under.
You know, pet, if it helps at all, I don't think that the decisions you make necessarily close the door on a different future. I think that all paths lead to the same place in the end.In the end, whether or not Bea decides to say yes or no, to love or leave, to go back or more forward, it won't make a difference. Because some things in life are meant to be and you will end up right where you belong. Sometimes you just make a detour. This book shows you the detour and the straight road. In the detour, she takes the risk, leaves her fiancé standing, turns her life around, faces her past and in the end, becomes a woman she knows and loves. In the end, she chooses happiness, and in life, that's the only choice we ever have to make. This book also shows you the straight road in which she gets married to the love of her life, but where life situations force her to face her past in order to move on.
One life, so many directions. The infinite What Ifs we live with every single day. The possibilities at each pole, the confusion at the crossroads, the excitement when it feels like life is going our way, the sorrow when it doesn't. And that's when I realise no one ever truly knows where they're going.
September 30, 2016
So, "written in the stars" is about two different paths of Bea's life after an essential decision on her wedding day.
a) She marries her fiancé Adam.
b) She flees.
The two paths don't take turns by chapter and are portioned in a quite imbalanced way. (One path felt a bit just-included-to-have-this-special-type-of-story. I often almost forgot about it and was surprised when some chapters appeared :D)
One path "happens" pretty detailed and could totally have been a story on its own.
The other one, when it popped up, was sometimes just like a summary of what happened during the last month(s).
However, I think I won't spoil too much by saying that in version b) Bea's ex Kieran appears to spice up the story.
Well, he's a really nice fella :) After a tragedy 8 years ago, he left her and promised to come back a year later. Which he obviously didn't so there are those unsolved feelings and stuff.
"I know it has been too long but I hadn't felt ready to see you." WELL, if you take 8 years to be ready then there's no need to come up now. On my wedding day.
"... you saved my life. That's what I realised when I left you." Uhm, yeah. Sure.
(Their clarifying talk back in Norfolk was awkward to read, by the way. It's written like a really really poor stage play :D)
Now to Bea. She's a very indecisive person and really drippy. It seems like she didn't do anything in the last 8 years or so.
Found your prince? Well. Get offered a promotion? - Well, I'd get more money plus I don't like my current position anyway and don't want to do it for the rest of my life. So yeah, I'm gonna decline that offer :)
What?!
"I can't do this because my dad left us when I was a child. My ex left because it was my fault and my dad left us when I was a child. My dad left because my ex will break his promise in the future. My future will break because my dad left my ex will love because Adam decided and my best friend said. I'm doing something totally not related to my dad, who btw left me more than 20 years ago, and suddenly I think about my dad, who left without a goodbye (liar), and how he used to plant flowers in the garden. Adam works a lot because his dad which why my dad and Kieran left a hundred years..."
Ok, I'm sorry. :D This is getting out of hand.
2/3 of this book basically is about "I can't have a happy future without dealing with my past and my dad left and my ex, too." And then 1/3 is extremely stretched about various realisations about her life that could have been done in a single chapter.
Then there's the ending. If you read this and understood what the hell that was supposed to mean, please tell me. This a) made no sense at all or b) is so trashy and ridiculous IF it "means" what I assume it might mean.
I realise, it all sounds pretty awful. But all in all it actually wasn't. Yes, some stuff was stupid, but I wasn't annoyed by that. AND, I don't want to spoil, but while reading I hoped for a completely different outcome than what the story was heading for. And this outcome actually came true - just like I wished it would, so that was really great :)
a) She marries her fiancé Adam.
b) She flees.
The two paths don't take turns by chapter and are portioned in a quite imbalanced way. (One path felt a bit just-included-to-have-this-special-type-of-story. I often almost forgot about it and was surprised when some chapters appeared :D)
One path "happens" pretty detailed and could totally have been a story on its own.
The other one, when it popped up, was sometimes just like a summary of what happened during the last month(s).
However, I think I won't spoil too much by saying that in version b) Bea's ex Kieran appears to spice up the story.
Well, he's a really nice fella :) After a tragedy 8 years ago, he left her and promised to come back a year later. Which he obviously didn't so there are those unsolved feelings and stuff.
"I know it has been too long but I hadn't felt ready to see you." WELL, if you take 8 years to be ready then there's no need to come up now. On my wedding day.
"... you saved my life. That's what I realised when I left you." Uhm, yeah. Sure.
(Their clarifying talk back in Norfolk was awkward to read, by the way. It's written like a really really poor stage play :D)
Now to Bea. She's a very indecisive person and really drippy. It seems like she didn't do anything in the last 8 years or so.
Found your prince? Well. Get offered a promotion? - Well, I'd get more money plus I don't like my current position anyway and don't want to do it for the rest of my life. So yeah, I'm gonna decline that offer :)
What?!
"I can't do this because my dad left us when I was a child. My ex left because it was my fault and my dad left us when I was a child. My dad left because my ex will break his promise in the future. My future will break because my dad left my ex will love because Adam decided and my best friend said. I'm doing something totally not related to my dad, who btw left me more than 20 years ago, and suddenly I think about my dad, who left without a goodbye (liar), and how he used to plant flowers in the garden. Adam works a lot because his dad which why my dad and Kieran left a hundred years..."
Ok, I'm sorry. :D This is getting out of hand.
2/3 of this book basically is about "I can't have a happy future without dealing with my past and my dad left and my ex, too." And then 1/3 is extremely stretched about various realisations about her life that could have been done in a single chapter.
Then there's the ending. If you read this and understood what the hell that was supposed to mean, please tell me. This a) made no sense at all or b) is so trashy and ridiculous IF it "means" what I assume it might mean.
I realise, it all sounds pretty awful. But all in all it actually wasn't. Yes, some stuff was stupid, but I wasn't annoyed by that. AND, I don't want to spoil, but while reading I hoped for a completely different outcome than what the story was heading for. And this outcome actually came true - just like I wished it would, so that was really great :)
September 3, 2014
The First Last Kiss was such a beautiful read and I have been long awaiting a new release by Ali Harris and after reading the synopsis for Written in the Stars I knew this would be another wonderful read.
Bea Bishop takes a tumble on her wedding day as she walks down the aisle and a blow to the head knocks her unconscious, she sees her life split into two both taking completely different paths one where she gets married to Adam and one where she runs from the church unable to marry Adam. We see Bea in both of her paths but what decision was the right one?
This must have been such a hard book to write and the author isn't shy at taking a risk. It took me a few chapters to get used to the flow of this book as it is set in a Sliding Doors style read with each chapter alternating between the different path of Bea's life and once I got used to the flow of this book it actually turned out to be a very clever and skilled structure to this book and definitely gave this book an edge over a lot of chart books.
The storyline was unpredictable all the way through which made this a compelling read, I just couldn't put it down. The subject matter of the book is one I am sure we can all relate to as at some point in our lives when we are faced in making a huge decision and part of us wonder what would happen if we chose a different path, would the outcome be the same but just on a different journey? This was a real thought provoking read for me and so it is not a book that I will forget anytime soon.
Bea was a brilliant character who is flawed but seems to go on a journey of self discovery and it is great for us to get to know her at the same time as she is getting to know herself.
Ali Harris has such a unique style to her writing as well as the story lines she creates, she is unlike any author I have read before and she become a firm favourite of mine as her books are very unpredictable, emotional and yet uplifting and just pure perfection. I definitely recommend this book but I would say remember to have patience at the beginning of this book as a few people I have spoken to have given up at chapter 3-4 but I assure you that you will get into the flow of the book and you will not be disappointed.
Bea Bishop takes a tumble on her wedding day as she walks down the aisle and a blow to the head knocks her unconscious, she sees her life split into two both taking completely different paths one where she gets married to Adam and one where she runs from the church unable to marry Adam. We see Bea in both of her paths but what decision was the right one?
This must have been such a hard book to write and the author isn't shy at taking a risk. It took me a few chapters to get used to the flow of this book as it is set in a Sliding Doors style read with each chapter alternating between the different path of Bea's life and once I got used to the flow of this book it actually turned out to be a very clever and skilled structure to this book and definitely gave this book an edge over a lot of chart books.
The storyline was unpredictable all the way through which made this a compelling read, I just couldn't put it down. The subject matter of the book is one I am sure we can all relate to as at some point in our lives when we are faced in making a huge decision and part of us wonder what would happen if we chose a different path, would the outcome be the same but just on a different journey? This was a real thought provoking read for me and so it is not a book that I will forget anytime soon.
Bea was a brilliant character who is flawed but seems to go on a journey of self discovery and it is great for us to get to know her at the same time as she is getting to know herself.
Ali Harris has such a unique style to her writing as well as the story lines she creates, she is unlike any author I have read before and she become a firm favourite of mine as her books are very unpredictable, emotional and yet uplifting and just pure perfection. I definitely recommend this book but I would say remember to have patience at the beginning of this book as a few people I have spoken to have given up at chapter 3-4 but I assure you that you will get into the flow of the book and you will not be disappointed.
September 3, 2014
Another fantastic book by Ali Harris.
Once you get into the rhythm of the book, the split of what could have happened stories becomes easier to follow, and I'll admit I preferred one of the two stories more than the other.
I'm very glad I read this book.
Once you get into the rhythm of the book, the split of what could have happened stories becomes easier to follow, and I'll admit I preferred one of the two stories more than the other.
I'm very glad I read this book.
August 24, 2017
Oh dear, I found this very boring and repetitive, the ending was so predictable and I found I was really having to make myself carry on reading it. I have to admit I skim read from about the middle of the book as I had really lost interest and only wanted to finish it in case something worthwhile happened, it didn't. I could not connect with Bea who I found boring and indecisive to the point of wanting to throttle her (never a good sign) and I didn't really like her overbearing best friend Milly either. The endless references to flowers and plants was maddening as was her continual references to her father and his pointless letters giving her advice comparing everything to horticulture.
The concept was fine but not a fresh idea and frankly this has been done much better as others have pointed out in 'Sliding Doors' and Ali Harris did not bring anything new or exciting to her take on this idea. From a promising start it just seemed to fizzle out and finished up a mediocre novel and one that is easily forgotten. Sorry Ali I can only give you a 2 star rating for this one, it would have achieved more if you had injected a little life into it.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
The concept was fine but not a fresh idea and frankly this has been done much better as others have pointed out in 'Sliding Doors' and Ali Harris did not bring anything new or exciting to her take on this idea. From a promising start it just seemed to fizzle out and finished up a mediocre novel and one that is easily forgotten. Sorry Ali I can only give you a 2 star rating for this one, it would have achieved more if you had injected a little life into it.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2025
This was so good! Such a unique premise and so beautifully executed. Can’t believe this book was published 11 years ago.
September 24, 2020
nice approach of the concept that there is more than one way to reach your goal/destiny. One wrong choice doesn't mean everything you hope for is lost forever. You just took a detour
June 23, 2014
Wow where do I begin to put together my feelings for this wonderful book? First of all the plot is totally unique to anything I've read before with the concept of the giant WHAT IF? I think this plagues everyone and to actually see how it plans out for Bea is refreshing. I love that it really captures the concept of depression, no white washing of the illness, just the pure crapness of it. But there's also the concept of feeling like your life is moving slower than others around you (Milly becoming pregnant and Bea well not pregnant). I love the fact that I immediately connected with the book as I had done with the first last kiss. How do I know? I was practically screaming for Bea not to get in Kieran's bloody van and also howling with Loni and her sex for the over 60s books! So the quote that I think really encompasses this book is:
'No one ever truly knows where they're going. No decision is easy, Loving or leaving, saying yes or no. We can waste our lives worrying about our choices or we can own them.'
I think the fact that this book reminds us that what is meant for us won't pass us by and I think if you're looking for an uplifting read definitely try this book.
Ali Harris you have become my favourite author. :)
Did I mention I really liked this book?
'No one ever truly knows where they're going. No decision is easy, Loving or leaving, saying yes or no. We can waste our lives worrying about our choices or we can own them.'
I think the fact that this book reminds us that what is meant for us won't pass us by and I think if you're looking for an uplifting read definitely try this book.
Ali Harris you have become my favourite author. :)
Did I mention I really liked this book?
August 7, 2014
So heartwarming! I loved the moral to this story. Really makes you think about life and love.
October 25, 2014
Originally posted on http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/
I'll be starting my review of Written in the Stars by Ali Harris in the same way that I do most, and that is by thanking the wonderful publishers Simon & Schuster UK for accepting me via Net Galley, and allowing me to get hold of an eBook copy of this absolutely breathtaking story. Seriously, thank you! This is one of those books that I like to refer to as a 'life changer.'
Adding onto that, how can I not thank the author Ali Harris for delivering such a moving, beautiful, masterpiece of a book? I love books, I do. I especially love romance. But this, ladies and gentlemen, is something way beyond that, something that will stay in my head and in my heart for a very long time indeed. Ali Harris, not only have you created something that I can't describe with any other word except for perfect, but you've managed to make me feel complete once more, and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
In Written in the Stars, we are introduced to Ali's main character Bea. The author swoops in and drops us straight into Bea's wedding. As she makes her way down the aisle towards her intended Adam, she slips and tumbles to the floor, knocking herself unconscious. And in that one moment, her world splits down the middle...
Amazing. I just cannot put into words how in awe I was of Ali's chosen structure of her story. Not only are we reading about Bea's present life, but we're reading about her other life too. This other life being the life she would be living if she had made just one choice differently. Never have I been so stunned at the way an author has written a book. Never in my life. It was two Beas, two life paths, and a million choices. Honestly readers, I think I'm still trying to get over it as I type so that's why I'm not making much sense, but please, please, please trust me when I say that Written in the Stars will make you look at everything differently.
Ali's main character Bea was just wonderful in every single sense of the word. When I read about her past and her history I did want to pull her to one side and give her hug because she'd had it tough, especially when it came to her absent father. The whole father thing though? That's what I got. And from the way Ali wrote about the matter, I felt like she kinda' got me too. I guess you could say that I was in the same boat as Bea (Still am), where I don't know my father, and everything that Bea went through, all the emotions and thoughts, I've been through that too, and there are still days today where I go through it. But do you know how nice it is to read about a fictional character who hasn't got both parents in the picture, who has a father that just disappeared? Bea will be one of my most favourite fictional characters from now on because I feel like she just gets me, and that my friends, is one of the best feelings in the world. It really, truly is.
Reading Written in the Stars was like watching magic take place. Reading about Bea doing one thing, and then in the next chapter she was doing something else was just mind-blowing, but incredibly entertaining at the same time. I just couldn't get enough. This is the first book that I have ever read that has been written in such an unusual but fantastic way and I can't stop thinking about it, even now. It really made me sit back and think, what would I be doing right now if I had made that one decision differently? It got inside my head and underneath my skin and I had to stop myself from shrieking each time something major happened within the pages. It was unique, enchanting and it spoke straight to my heart.
Book lovers from around the world, I hate to say it but no matter how hard I try, I feel that I will never be able to do this breathtaking story justice. Every page, every chapter, every word felt like I was peeking through the looking glass into this other world. Not only is this a story about finding your way to where you're meant to be, but it's about love, family and trusting yourself to make your own decisions in this big wide world, and knowing that one day, you'll be right where you need to be, at the perfect moment too.
It would be stupid of me to rate Written in the Stars by Ali Harris with anything other than the highest rating! I feel like throwing my hands in the air and screaming, "I love life!" after reading it, and I adore when books leave you thinking about life in a completely different way. Thank you Ali, what a beautiful, life-affirming journey that was. That's five cupcakes from Becca's Books!
I'll be starting my review of Written in the Stars by Ali Harris in the same way that I do most, and that is by thanking the wonderful publishers Simon & Schuster UK for accepting me via Net Galley, and allowing me to get hold of an eBook copy of this absolutely breathtaking story. Seriously, thank you! This is one of those books that I like to refer to as a 'life changer.'
Adding onto that, how can I not thank the author Ali Harris for delivering such a moving, beautiful, masterpiece of a book? I love books, I do. I especially love romance. But this, ladies and gentlemen, is something way beyond that, something that will stay in my head and in my heart for a very long time indeed. Ali Harris, not only have you created something that I can't describe with any other word except for perfect, but you've managed to make me feel complete once more, and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
In Written in the Stars, we are introduced to Ali's main character Bea. The author swoops in and drops us straight into Bea's wedding. As she makes her way down the aisle towards her intended Adam, she slips and tumbles to the floor, knocking herself unconscious. And in that one moment, her world splits down the middle...
Amazing. I just cannot put into words how in awe I was of Ali's chosen structure of her story. Not only are we reading about Bea's present life, but we're reading about her other life too. This other life being the life she would be living if she had made just one choice differently. Never have I been so stunned at the way an author has written a book. Never in my life. It was two Beas, two life paths, and a million choices. Honestly readers, I think I'm still trying to get over it as I type so that's why I'm not making much sense, but please, please, please trust me when I say that Written in the Stars will make you look at everything differently.
Ali's main character Bea was just wonderful in every single sense of the word. When I read about her past and her history I did want to pull her to one side and give her hug because she'd had it tough, especially when it came to her absent father. The whole father thing though? That's what I got. And from the way Ali wrote about the matter, I felt like she kinda' got me too. I guess you could say that I was in the same boat as Bea (Still am), where I don't know my father, and everything that Bea went through, all the emotions and thoughts, I've been through that too, and there are still days today where I go through it. But do you know how nice it is to read about a fictional character who hasn't got both parents in the picture, who has a father that just disappeared? Bea will be one of my most favourite fictional characters from now on because I feel like she just gets me, and that my friends, is one of the best feelings in the world. It really, truly is.
Reading Written in the Stars was like watching magic take place. Reading about Bea doing one thing, and then in the next chapter she was doing something else was just mind-blowing, but incredibly entertaining at the same time. I just couldn't get enough. This is the first book that I have ever read that has been written in such an unusual but fantastic way and I can't stop thinking about it, even now. It really made me sit back and think, what would I be doing right now if I had made that one decision differently? It got inside my head and underneath my skin and I had to stop myself from shrieking each time something major happened within the pages. It was unique, enchanting and it spoke straight to my heart.
Book lovers from around the world, I hate to say it but no matter how hard I try, I feel that I will never be able to do this breathtaking story justice. Every page, every chapter, every word felt like I was peeking through the looking glass into this other world. Not only is this a story about finding your way to where you're meant to be, but it's about love, family and trusting yourself to make your own decisions in this big wide world, and knowing that one day, you'll be right where you need to be, at the perfect moment too.
It would be stupid of me to rate Written in the Stars by Ali Harris with anything other than the highest rating! I feel like throwing my hands in the air and screaming, "I love life!" after reading it, and I adore when books leave you thinking about life in a completely different way. Thank you Ali, what a beautiful, life-affirming journey that was. That's five cupcakes from Becca's Books!
June 2, 2014
You can see this review and loads more on my blog: http://bookaddictshaun.blogspot.co.uk
This was my first Ali Harris read but it definitely won't be my last. I've actually had Ali's books on my tbr for the longest time, especially Miracle on Regent Street I've just stupidly never got round to reading them. I loved the blurb for this book though so didn't hesitate to request it on NetGalley and I'm glad I did because it was fantastic. I just loved this book. For me she seems to write the sorts of books that go beyond chick lit and tell stories that remain with you and I can't wait to get my hands on her previous books.
Bea Bishop is marrying Adam but she asks her best friend Milly how she knew her husband Jay was The One, and Milly replies with the obvious answer that you just know when you are in love. So Bea is walking down the aisle having doubts about marrying Adam when she sees someone from her past, her first love Kieran. After a accident walking down the aisle Bea wakes up, twice. In one world she marries Adam and in the other she runs from the church leaving Adam at the altar. At first I thought I would struggle to follow the two lives that Bea is now leading but I didn't struggle at all and I loved it. It's such a different and interesting way to follow a character's story!
We learn that there was a tragedy that made Kieran leave, promising he would return but he never did and so Bea moved on with her life. But now she's questioning everything, her relationships and her life and she sets out to start again from scratch. She also blames herself for the tragedy all those years ago and wonders whether her and Kieran are meant to be. That's in one world, in the other she's happily married with Adam and at the same time is reevaluating her life there, regarding her job and personal life. There are some similarities in the two worlds that she's living in but also some major differences. It's hard to really talk about the story without ruining it, as it's best to discover for yourself just what happens to Bea in these two worlds.
Bea is a fantastic character as is her best friend Milly. I was definitely rooting for her in both worlds. Since her father walked out on her she has felt like a huge part of her life is missing and has spent most of it trying to fill the space he left, her brother Cal however hates him and can't understand why Bea wants him back in her life. There are some huge developments in the book regarding this but again to elaborate would ruin the story. I found myself thinking about my own life and how differently things might have gone if I'd made different decisions, the chance to see your life how it would have went had you done things differently is both fascinating and horrifying.
Ali is a fantastic writer, I just lost myself in the book and just couldn't put it down (until I had to and I was really annoyed waiting until I could continue reading it). Not only did I have no idea where Bea's story (or two stories) would go but I also didn't know how she was living these two lives and how the story would end in terms of wrapping up these two worlds so it was a very exciting read. In this genre it's always fantastic when an author writes something a little bit different to the other books out there at the minute, it's a bit boring when books are so similar and this one was very different and unique so was a very welcome read. I cannot wait to read more of Ali's books and will be hoping to do so ASAP. Don't miss this one.
This was my first Ali Harris read but it definitely won't be my last. I've actually had Ali's books on my tbr for the longest time, especially Miracle on Regent Street I've just stupidly never got round to reading them. I loved the blurb for this book though so didn't hesitate to request it on NetGalley and I'm glad I did because it was fantastic. I just loved this book. For me she seems to write the sorts of books that go beyond chick lit and tell stories that remain with you and I can't wait to get my hands on her previous books.
Bea Bishop is marrying Adam but she asks her best friend Milly how she knew her husband Jay was The One, and Milly replies with the obvious answer that you just know when you are in love. So Bea is walking down the aisle having doubts about marrying Adam when she sees someone from her past, her first love Kieran. After a accident walking down the aisle Bea wakes up, twice. In one world she marries Adam and in the other she runs from the church leaving Adam at the altar. At first I thought I would struggle to follow the two lives that Bea is now leading but I didn't struggle at all and I loved it. It's such a different and interesting way to follow a character's story!
We learn that there was a tragedy that made Kieran leave, promising he would return but he never did and so Bea moved on with her life. But now she's questioning everything, her relationships and her life and she sets out to start again from scratch. She also blames herself for the tragedy all those years ago and wonders whether her and Kieran are meant to be. That's in one world, in the other she's happily married with Adam and at the same time is reevaluating her life there, regarding her job and personal life. There are some similarities in the two worlds that she's living in but also some major differences. It's hard to really talk about the story without ruining it, as it's best to discover for yourself just what happens to Bea in these two worlds.
Bea is a fantastic character as is her best friend Milly. I was definitely rooting for her in both worlds. Since her father walked out on her she has felt like a huge part of her life is missing and has spent most of it trying to fill the space he left, her brother Cal however hates him and can't understand why Bea wants him back in her life. There are some huge developments in the book regarding this but again to elaborate would ruin the story. I found myself thinking about my own life and how differently things might have gone if I'd made different decisions, the chance to see your life how it would have went had you done things differently is both fascinating and horrifying.
Ali is a fantastic writer, I just lost myself in the book and just couldn't put it down (until I had to and I was really annoyed waiting until I could continue reading it). Not only did I have no idea where Bea's story (or two stories) would go but I also didn't know how she was living these two lives and how the story would end in terms of wrapping up these two worlds so it was a very exciting read. In this genre it's always fantastic when an author writes something a little bit different to the other books out there at the minute, it's a bit boring when books are so similar and this one was very different and unique so was a very welcome read. I cannot wait to read more of Ali's books and will be hoping to do so ASAP. Don't miss this one.
July 21, 2014
http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
Bea Bishop is about to get married to the dashing and successful Adam, but as she is walking down the aisle she spots her old boyfriend Kieran amongst her friends and family members in the pews. He disappeared eight years before after something terrible happened over the summer (what exactly this is we don't find out until further into the story) and so in shock over his sudden appearance Bea slips and falls.
When she regains consciousness, two different lives take form: one where she married Adam and another where she pulled a runaway bride after catching a glimpse of her former lover. In alternating chapters the reader sees the two different paths unfold as Bea tries to come to terms with the choices she's made in the past. From the moment of the wedding Bea's two possible lives split into almost opposite directions, but as the months pass by it becomes evident that perhaps it doesn't matter what journey you take in life, because your destination may have been written in the stars all along.
Ali Harris knows how to write a romantic story that is beautifully written and has a real feel-good quality about it, yet doesn't avoid difficult subjects such as mental health issues and complicated family relationships. Combining both the fun aspects of a romcom and the more serious side of life, this was a well-balanced novel and somewhat of an emotional journey for the characters and readers alike.
After I recovered from the initial shock of Bea running away from her own wedding - in one of the two storylines at least - I instantly felt drawn to this wonderfully creative person who despite having everything going for her on paper, didn't feel happy with how her life had turned out. As cracks started to appear in the seemingly perfect version of her life where she did marry Adam, I started to understand what drove Bea to make that snap decision on her wedding day and it was a heart-breaking revelation.
Though I felt more gripped by the story where Bea choose not to get married and first come to terms with her past before she could even consider making such a huge and life-long commitment to another person, I did also fall in love with Adam, who was ever so wonderful and amazing despite the sudden drastic changes happening in his own life. Adam is someone very special and I'm glad he didn’t just disappear after that disastrous wedding day, but played an important role in both versions of the story.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this novel was Bea's love for gardening, which was born out of a desperate desire to connect with the father who left when she was a little girl. She has cherished the gardening diary he created for her, inspiring snippets of which are scattered throughout the novel, and even embarked on a garden design study – though she never finished it. While I'm not much of a gardener myself, I could feel Bea's passion popping from the pages.
Most of all though, I was intrigued by the underlying message of two different paths leading to the same inevitable outcome; your destiny remaining a constant no matter what choices you make in life. It's a fascinating concept and Ali Harris has tackled it wonderfully, encasing it in a beautiful romantic packaging, which managed to make my heart flutter (and also made me brush away a tear, or two).
Bea Bishop is about to get married to the dashing and successful Adam, but as she is walking down the aisle she spots her old boyfriend Kieran amongst her friends and family members in the pews. He disappeared eight years before after something terrible happened over the summer (what exactly this is we don't find out until further into the story) and so in shock over his sudden appearance Bea slips and falls.
When she regains consciousness, two different lives take form: one where she married Adam and another where she pulled a runaway bride after catching a glimpse of her former lover. In alternating chapters the reader sees the two different paths unfold as Bea tries to come to terms with the choices she's made in the past. From the moment of the wedding Bea's two possible lives split into almost opposite directions, but as the months pass by it becomes evident that perhaps it doesn't matter what journey you take in life, because your destination may have been written in the stars all along.
Ali Harris knows how to write a romantic story that is beautifully written and has a real feel-good quality about it, yet doesn't avoid difficult subjects such as mental health issues and complicated family relationships. Combining both the fun aspects of a romcom and the more serious side of life, this was a well-balanced novel and somewhat of an emotional journey for the characters and readers alike.
After I recovered from the initial shock of Bea running away from her own wedding - in one of the two storylines at least - I instantly felt drawn to this wonderfully creative person who despite having everything going for her on paper, didn't feel happy with how her life had turned out. As cracks started to appear in the seemingly perfect version of her life where she did marry Adam, I started to understand what drove Bea to make that snap decision on her wedding day and it was a heart-breaking revelation.
Though I felt more gripped by the story where Bea choose not to get married and first come to terms with her past before she could even consider making such a huge and life-long commitment to another person, I did also fall in love with Adam, who was ever so wonderful and amazing despite the sudden drastic changes happening in his own life. Adam is someone very special and I'm glad he didn’t just disappear after that disastrous wedding day, but played an important role in both versions of the story.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this novel was Bea's love for gardening, which was born out of a desperate desire to connect with the father who left when she was a little girl. She has cherished the gardening diary he created for her, inspiring snippets of which are scattered throughout the novel, and even embarked on a garden design study – though she never finished it. While I'm not much of a gardener myself, I could feel Bea's passion popping from the pages.
Most of all though, I was intrigued by the underlying message of two different paths leading to the same inevitable outcome; your destiny remaining a constant no matter what choices you make in life. It's a fascinating concept and Ali Harris has tackled it wonderfully, encasing it in a beautiful romantic packaging, which managed to make my heart flutter (and also made me brush away a tear, or two).
June 23, 2014
www.iheart-chicklit.blogspot.com
It goes without saying that Ali Harris’s Written in the Stars is one of the most anticipated books of 2014 for me. I adored her previous book, The First Last Kiss which made me cry buckets, so I was really looking forward to read Ali Harris’s latest.
When I read the blurb of Written in the Stars, this beautiful quote from Letters to Juliet popped into my mind. '"What" and "If" are two words as non-threatening as words can be. But put them together side-by-side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: What if?' First of all, I would like to praise Ali Harris for an impeccable storyline. I was hooked from the first page and throughout the entire book, I was in raptures. What an amazing story and how beautifully written it is.
I simply enjoyed the book because of its fabulous plot and as well as the alternating universes the heroine goes through. A part of her leaves her husband-to-be at the altar, in hopes to let go of her past and start a new life and in an alternate universe, she marries him and follows the life she really hoped she really craved for. I found the plot very engaging and intriguing, willing me to keep reading on and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the book as I read. The characters were very well-written, especially the heroine, Bea who is faced with tough decisions in her life and dealing with the demons of her past.
Ali Harris plays it well with writing about life and the choices we make. I loved reading about the use of imagery of plants and flowers where she reflects on Bea’s life, just like how flowers reawaken after the wintry months or when they are at full bloom in the summer sunshine. Like I said, it was beautifully written to an extent that it is poetic and imaginative. All I’m saying is that I enjoy Ali Harris’s writing and I crave for more!
The book conveys a very meaningful message to readers. WHAT IF? A simple decision can lead to a million possibilities and change your life forever. Written in the Stars compelled me to ponder about the decisions I’ve made and wonder about the different consequences. A very thought-provoking read and one that will be unforgettable. Are our destinies written in the stars? Or do we determine our futures by the choices we make?
Written in the Stars is hugely romantic, life-affirming and undeniably magical. Step aside, Cecelia Ahern, there’s a new writer on the block and she’s taking over! With back-to-back modern fairytales, Ali Harris is my hot new favourite. Ali Harris delivers another stunning novel which will leave you wondering about the choices you’ve made in life and compel you to appreciate the loved ones in your life.
Rating: 10/10
It goes without saying that Ali Harris’s Written in the Stars is one of the most anticipated books of 2014 for me. I adored her previous book, The First Last Kiss which made me cry buckets, so I was really looking forward to read Ali Harris’s latest.
When I read the blurb of Written in the Stars, this beautiful quote from Letters to Juliet popped into my mind. '"What" and "If" are two words as non-threatening as words can be. But put them together side-by-side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: What if?' First of all, I would like to praise Ali Harris for an impeccable storyline. I was hooked from the first page and throughout the entire book, I was in raptures. What an amazing story and how beautifully written it is.
I simply enjoyed the book because of its fabulous plot and as well as the alternating universes the heroine goes through. A part of her leaves her husband-to-be at the altar, in hopes to let go of her past and start a new life and in an alternate universe, she marries him and follows the life she really hoped she really craved for. I found the plot very engaging and intriguing, willing me to keep reading on and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the book as I read. The characters were very well-written, especially the heroine, Bea who is faced with tough decisions in her life and dealing with the demons of her past.
Ali Harris plays it well with writing about life and the choices we make. I loved reading about the use of imagery of plants and flowers where she reflects on Bea’s life, just like how flowers reawaken after the wintry months or when they are at full bloom in the summer sunshine. Like I said, it was beautifully written to an extent that it is poetic and imaginative. All I’m saying is that I enjoy Ali Harris’s writing and I crave for more!
The book conveys a very meaningful message to readers. WHAT IF? A simple decision can lead to a million possibilities and change your life forever. Written in the Stars compelled me to ponder about the decisions I’ve made and wonder about the different consequences. A very thought-provoking read and one that will be unforgettable. Are our destinies written in the stars? Or do we determine our futures by the choices we make?
Written in the Stars is hugely romantic, life-affirming and undeniably magical. Step aside, Cecelia Ahern, there’s a new writer on the block and she’s taking over! With back-to-back modern fairytales, Ali Harris is my hot new favourite. Ali Harris delivers another stunning novel which will leave you wondering about the choices you’ve made in life and compel you to appreciate the loved ones in your life.
Rating: 10/10
July 23, 2014
*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Thank you Sarah for sending me a copy and thanks Ali for your lovely message inside the book.
Isn’t the cover of this book beautiful? And after reading this truly magical story, I think it fits perfectly.
I was taken into this beautiful and brilliantly written story immediately and I couldn’t put it down. It follows Bea Bishop who is about to marry the love of her life, but is she really going through with it?
After the beginning scenes we are taken into alternating universes the heroine goes through. One part of her leaves her husband to be at the altar, starting a new life and figuring out things about her job and her past. The other part goes through with the wedding and we g t to see a glimpse of her married life with Adam.
In both universes there is Kieran her ex who turns up at the wedding, making Bea think about the past...
And then there is the issue with her dad who left the family, Bea thinks she’s just like him. The parts with his diary made him more real and I loved reading these parts.
Bea finds herself facing though decisions and also thinking about what she really wants in life. This year without Adam by her side shows her a lot and Adam is also very true to himself and then he does something so sweet for her...
The characters in this book seemed so lively and perfectly described, it was a pleasure going on this journey with Bea. I also adored her mother Loni, I loved the two of them together. And then there was also her amazing best friend Milly, she brought so much spark and energy into this story, loved her.
The book conveys a significant message: What if… There are so many different possibilities in life and every single one of us has to figure out what’s good for them and what they need. Bea did this as well and only because of it she found what she really wants.
WRITTEN IN THE STARS is a beautiful, romantic, magical and amazing story, showing what is important in life. The scenes Ali created were so vivid, emotional and real, I felt like being there with the characters all the time. Another awesome novel by Ali Harris, I can’t wait for the next one! ♥♥♥
Thank you Sarah for sending me a copy and thanks Ali for your lovely message inside the book.
Isn’t the cover of this book beautiful? And after reading this truly magical story, I think it fits perfectly.
I was taken into this beautiful and brilliantly written story immediately and I couldn’t put it down. It follows Bea Bishop who is about to marry the love of her life, but is she really going through with it?
After the beginning scenes we are taken into alternating universes the heroine goes through. One part of her leaves her husband to be at the altar, starting a new life and figuring out things about her job and her past. The other part goes through with the wedding and we g t to see a glimpse of her married life with Adam.
In both universes there is Kieran her ex who turns up at the wedding, making Bea think about the past...
And then there is the issue with her dad who left the family, Bea thinks she’s just like him. The parts with his diary made him more real and I loved reading these parts.
Bea finds herself facing though decisions and also thinking about what she really wants in life. This year without Adam by her side shows her a lot and Adam is also very true to himself and then he does something so sweet for her...
The characters in this book seemed so lively and perfectly described, it was a pleasure going on this journey with Bea. I also adored her mother Loni, I loved the two of them together. And then there was also her amazing best friend Milly, she brought so much spark and energy into this story, loved her.
The book conveys a significant message: What if… There are so many different possibilities in life and every single one of us has to figure out what’s good for them and what they need. Bea did this as well and only because of it she found what she really wants.
WRITTEN IN THE STARS is a beautiful, romantic, magical and amazing story, showing what is important in life. The scenes Ali created were so vivid, emotional and real, I felt like being there with the characters all the time. Another awesome novel by Ali Harris, I can’t wait for the next one! ♥♥♥
September 4, 2014
As soon as I saw the blurb to Written in the Stars I thought about a book I'd recently read that was similar called If You're not the One by Jemma Forte. So straight away I was comparing. I know I shouldn't, but I find myself doing it a lot when books have similar plots.
To be honest I have to admit I found myself just plodding along with it really. There was no suspense, no pull, nothing that had me wanted to see more. I didn't connect at all with heroine Bea, I found her flaky and boring. I also hated her best friend Milly, god she was a bitch! I'd hate to be her mate that is for sure. I did find the connections throughout with flowers and people absolutely lovely and without the horticulture in the book I think I would have not finished it. It brought it alive.
It is extremely well written, but I just couldn't get into it. Sorry Ali.
2.5/5
To be honest I have to admit I found myself just plodding along with it really. There was no suspense, no pull, nothing that had me wanted to see more. I didn't connect at all with heroine Bea, I found her flaky and boring. I also hated her best friend Milly, god she was a bitch! I'd hate to be her mate that is for sure. I did find the connections throughout with flowers and people absolutely lovely and without the horticulture in the book I think I would have not finished it. It brought it alive.
It is extremely well written, but I just couldn't get into it. Sorry Ali.
2.5/5
September 3, 2016
Actual rating 2.5/5.
I'm very sad that this book can not be compared to The first last kiss... I was really looking forward to something similar. I don't like Bea, I don't understand her and I couldn't connect with her, I simply didn't care for her.
I'm very sad that this book can not be compared to The first last kiss... I was really looking forward to something similar. I don't like Bea, I don't understand her and I couldn't connect with her, I simply didn't care for her.
August 14, 2019
"Follow the path my heart has taken me on so far and know that, no matter what detours I make, I will always end up exactly where I'm meant to be. I just have to trust myself."
Do you believe, that sometimes a book crosses your path with a special purpose?
I feel like this book found me. Usually, I search for books, but this one came to me on her own. I actually found her on my vacation in those little book houses, where you can borrow books and then return them when you read them. That's why I believe that this book came to me. ;)
I loved it! <3 One decision + two different paths.
Sometimes we are on the crossroads in our life and we don't know what path to choose. Do you ever wonder "What would happen if I chose differently?" In this book, you follow Bea in two different paths. What happens when he chooses to marry Adam and what happens when she chooses to flee. I always believe that If it's meant to be it will happen, no matter what we chose.
And this book shows just that - If it's meant to be it will happen to you. Maybe you will just take a little longer to get there.
A beautiful story about love, life and decisions.
Do you believe, that sometimes a book crosses your path with a special purpose?
I feel like this book found me. Usually, I search for books, but this one came to me on her own. I actually found her on my vacation in those little book houses, where you can borrow books and then return them when you read them. That's why I believe that this book came to me. ;)
I loved it! <3 One decision + two different paths.
Sometimes we are on the crossroads in our life and we don't know what path to choose. Do you ever wonder "What would happen if I chose differently?" In this book, you follow Bea in two different paths. What happens when he chooses to marry Adam and what happens when she chooses to flee. I always believe that If it's meant to be it will happen, no matter what we chose.
And this book shows just that - If it's meant to be it will happen to you. Maybe you will just take a little longer to get there.
A beautiful story about love, life and decisions.
February 18, 2020
A lovely ‘Sliding Doors’ type story about Bea and Adam and how the decisions that people make can inevitably end up bringing them exactly where they were always meant to be.
I loved how we got the full story from differing choices made, how the alternate chapters kept me thinking about what I felt might have been a good or bad decision and made me reflect on my own life and choices and how true to life this book actually felt to me as a reader.
I enjoyed all the characters, though I did move through different emotions about certain ones as I read through the story but the book was rounded up beautifully leaving no question in your mind which way the story ends.
A beautiful book about ‘what if’s’ and taking a leap of faith!
I loved how we got the full story from differing choices made, how the alternate chapters kept me thinking about what I felt might have been a good or bad decision and made me reflect on my own life and choices and how true to life this book actually felt to me as a reader.
I enjoyed all the characters, though I did move through different emotions about certain ones as I read through the story but the book was rounded up beautifully leaving no question in your mind which way the story ends.
A beautiful book about ‘what if’s’ and taking a leap of faith!
May 26, 2014
There are a very few books that delve deep into the reader’s psyche and emotions and strike a chord deep within the reader’s heart. Ali Harris’s Written in the Stars manages to do just that. Let me say at this point that I am not someone who is generally very emotional….I don’t cry when I watch a soppy film nor do I go weak-kneed with emotion when I see puppies, kittens and babies….you get the gist, however, even I shed a tear when I read this book.
‘Written in the stars’ is about Bea Bishop and Adam Hudson and a bevy of amazing supporting characters and what is truly unique about this tale is it asks the question that all of us have asked ourselves at one point or the other, ‘If I had chosen to do things differently, would my life have been the same?’ Thus, with this theme in mind, the author rather brilliantly takes us down two routes, one where Bea and Adam get married and start to pursue a wedded life together and the other where Bea, after sighting a long lost ex boyfriend in the crowd of her wedding guests, decides to make a runner for it and desert her groom on their wedding day.
Let me congratulate Ali at this point for writing two stories within one book with such conviction and clarity, no mean feat indeed. At no point whatsoever in the book did I confuse one story with the other and the credit goes entirely to the author for laying down the demarcations within the two stories and gently guiding the reader through both the tales as they unfold. I have my own personal favourite amongst the two intersecting tales, but I would encourage you to read the book to find your own favourite.
Bea is a very complicated soul. Her father abandoned her on her seventh birthday and she never quite gets over the sense of abandonment that this event caused within her. Bea is hugely talented as an aspiring garden designer, something she inherited from her father but she has been unable to commit to her talent, dropping out of her Garden Design degree in the second year and doing various jobs for a temp agency as an adult. Added to this, a tragic incident in the past involving her, her ex Keiran and his twin brother Elliot has haunted her throughout her adult life for which she has never gotten closure.
Her husband / fiance Adam has his own emotional baggage to deal with. A scion of a wealthy and successful family, Aam always feels that he is under the shadow of his larger than life, charismatic father who built his business up from scratch and who expects his son to work with the same dogged determination and obsession as himself. Adam struggles with this as he has always had decisions made for him and his life and career planned for him by his parents. He wants to break free but feels trapped. Bea is the one thing in his life that feels true.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, switching back and forth amongst the two story lines and the experiences and indeed, the adventures Bea had exploring the differences in fate that the two different decisions brought to her life. On the one hand, when Bea gets married to Adam, they are together but Bea hardly gets to see or spend time with her husband because her husband is too busy pleasing his father by throwing his heart, body and soul into growing the family business. Although Bea gets a chance to explore her creative side by getting a chance to temp at a Garden Design consultancy as a PA and ultimately design the offices for Adam’s father’s company, she gets very little love, time or attention from her husband.
On the other end of the spectrum, when Bea leaves Adam, she gets a chance to explore what she really wants in life and also revisits her past to gain the closure that she so desperately needs. She kicks in her temping job and almost by accident gets a job that she loves at a local florist. Keiran, her ex who promised to return but never did, also plays a key role and Bea fights against strong feelings for him and manages to make a decision with regards to their relationship which is true to her own heart. She also finally finds and meets her father who had been missing from her life and draws her own conclusions on why he had made the decisions that had affected her and her family’s life so drastically.
I loved all the characters in this novel: Bea , the flawed but strong heroine. Adam a real man with real flaws but a beautiful and genuine heart. Milly, the longstanding, best friend, loyal and generous to a fault but always reliable, as solid as a rock. Loni, Bea’s hippie, self help, guru mother who is very loveable but only as the novel draws to a close does the reader starts to appreciate her strength of character. Cal, the supportive, strong brother whose love and concern for his sister is touching.
Although the novel has its light-hearted moments, serious themes are present as the topic of depression is explored. I also thought that gardening and garden design is interwoven beautifully in the novel in form of Bea’s father’s diary and the way it intersperses with the story throughout.
Readers will love this novel, for the beauty of the two interlinked stories, the depth of the characters and for the brilliance of the author’s story-telling. Ultimately they will love it for the beautiful fairy tale ending that we all want and wait for.
Indeed, after reading the book, you will be tempted to ask, ‘So, regardless of what we do, are we meant to have the same fate?’
Read this novel, you will definitely not regret it…. ‘Written in the Stars’ is out on 5th of June 2014, being published by Simon & Schuster UK
‘Written in the stars’ is about Bea Bishop and Adam Hudson and a bevy of amazing supporting characters and what is truly unique about this tale is it asks the question that all of us have asked ourselves at one point or the other, ‘If I had chosen to do things differently, would my life have been the same?’ Thus, with this theme in mind, the author rather brilliantly takes us down two routes, one where Bea and Adam get married and start to pursue a wedded life together and the other where Bea, after sighting a long lost ex boyfriend in the crowd of her wedding guests, decides to make a runner for it and desert her groom on their wedding day.
Let me congratulate Ali at this point for writing two stories within one book with such conviction and clarity, no mean feat indeed. At no point whatsoever in the book did I confuse one story with the other and the credit goes entirely to the author for laying down the demarcations within the two stories and gently guiding the reader through both the tales as they unfold. I have my own personal favourite amongst the two intersecting tales, but I would encourage you to read the book to find your own favourite.
Bea is a very complicated soul. Her father abandoned her on her seventh birthday and she never quite gets over the sense of abandonment that this event caused within her. Bea is hugely talented as an aspiring garden designer, something she inherited from her father but she has been unable to commit to her talent, dropping out of her Garden Design degree in the second year and doing various jobs for a temp agency as an adult. Added to this, a tragic incident in the past involving her, her ex Keiran and his twin brother Elliot has haunted her throughout her adult life for which she has never gotten closure.
Her husband / fiance Adam has his own emotional baggage to deal with. A scion of a wealthy and successful family, Aam always feels that he is under the shadow of his larger than life, charismatic father who built his business up from scratch and who expects his son to work with the same dogged determination and obsession as himself. Adam struggles with this as he has always had decisions made for him and his life and career planned for him by his parents. He wants to break free but feels trapped. Bea is the one thing in his life that feels true.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, switching back and forth amongst the two story lines and the experiences and indeed, the adventures Bea had exploring the differences in fate that the two different decisions brought to her life. On the one hand, when Bea gets married to Adam, they are together but Bea hardly gets to see or spend time with her husband because her husband is too busy pleasing his father by throwing his heart, body and soul into growing the family business. Although Bea gets a chance to explore her creative side by getting a chance to temp at a Garden Design consultancy as a PA and ultimately design the offices for Adam’s father’s company, she gets very little love, time or attention from her husband.
On the other end of the spectrum, when Bea leaves Adam, she gets a chance to explore what she really wants in life and also revisits her past to gain the closure that she so desperately needs. She kicks in her temping job and almost by accident gets a job that she loves at a local florist. Keiran, her ex who promised to return but never did, also plays a key role and Bea fights against strong feelings for him and manages to make a decision with regards to their relationship which is true to her own heart. She also finally finds and meets her father who had been missing from her life and draws her own conclusions on why he had made the decisions that had affected her and her family’s life so drastically.
I loved all the characters in this novel: Bea , the flawed but strong heroine. Adam a real man with real flaws but a beautiful and genuine heart. Milly, the longstanding, best friend, loyal and generous to a fault but always reliable, as solid as a rock. Loni, Bea’s hippie, self help, guru mother who is very loveable but only as the novel draws to a close does the reader starts to appreciate her strength of character. Cal, the supportive, strong brother whose love and concern for his sister is touching.
Although the novel has its light-hearted moments, serious themes are present as the topic of depression is explored. I also thought that gardening and garden design is interwoven beautifully in the novel in form of Bea’s father’s diary and the way it intersperses with the story throughout.
Readers will love this novel, for the beauty of the two interlinked stories, the depth of the characters and for the brilliance of the author’s story-telling. Ultimately they will love it for the beautiful fairy tale ending that we all want and wait for.
Indeed, after reading the book, you will be tempted to ask, ‘So, regardless of what we do, are we meant to have the same fate?’
Read this novel, you will definitely not regret it…. ‘Written in the Stars’ is out on 5th of June 2014, being published by Simon & Schuster UK
February 7, 2020
This was good, I liked it. But to be honest, I was a little bored at times. I really enjoyed the plot but sometimes I felt like this went a bit too slow.
I liked having the different paths shown in Bea's life although sometimes it took me a while to figure out which one of the choices were in the chapter I was reading since it jumped around them without really telling you it was happening.
But overall, I enjoyed it and liked Bea as a character.
This quote hit me hard, I loved it!
"The infinite What Ifs we live with every single day. The possibilities at each pole, the confusion at the crossroads, the excitement when it feels like life is going our way, the sorrow when it doesn't. And that's when I realize no one ever truly knows where they're going. No decision is easy. Loving, or leaving, saying yes or no. We can waste our lives wondering if we've made the right choice; or we can own them. Stop looking at the other routes -- and realize that being happy is the only decision we really have to make."
I liked having the different paths shown in Bea's life although sometimes it took me a while to figure out which one of the choices were in the chapter I was reading since it jumped around them without really telling you it was happening.
But overall, I enjoyed it and liked Bea as a character.
This quote hit me hard, I loved it!
"The infinite What Ifs we live with every single day. The possibilities at each pole, the confusion at the crossroads, the excitement when it feels like life is going our way, the sorrow when it doesn't. And that's when I realize no one ever truly knows where they're going. No decision is easy. Loving, or leaving, saying yes or no. We can waste our lives wondering if we've made the right choice; or we can own them. Stop looking at the other routes -- and realize that being happy is the only decision we really have to make."
May 17, 2017
It turns out this was a re-read for me, but don't take that as it isn't good enough to remember, I'm just rubbish with names and titles!
this is a lovely story, that took me through a range of emotions and the characters are really likeable.
think sliding doors and your part way there...
I'm not sure how I feel about destiny, which is ultimately what the story is about, but these words really stuck with me: 'This is what every decision, every mistake, every path, every star has been leading me to.'
this is a lovely story, that took me through a range of emotions and the characters are really likeable.
think sliding doors and your part way there...
I'm not sure how I feel about destiny, which is ultimately what the story is about, but these words really stuck with me: 'This is what every decision, every mistake, every path, every star has been leading me to.'
February 1, 2015
Bea Bishop is preparing to make the biggest of commitment of her life, however, as she walks down the aisle towards Adam, her boyfriend of the last seven years, she is filled with doubts and uncertainties. Then she spots a familiar face amongst the guests, a face she has not seen for eight years, yet one that she has never forgotten, her first love Kieran. In that moment it is as if she finds herself being pulled in two different directions, and when she slips and knocks herself unconscious, she awakens to actually live these two separate lives. In the one life Bea marries Adam, and tries her hardest to focus on the future ahead; whilst in the other Bea runs away from her wedding and finds herself increasingly drawn to the ghosts of her past. However, which decision was the right one?
Written in the Stars is a wonderfully imaginative and clever book, and though it has a touch of the magical in its central premise, it actually makes for a very thought-provoking and reflective read, and one that feels realistic of life. Furthermore, it actually provides two stories running in parallel to each other, as you follow the two different versions of Bea; a bit of a Sliding Doors type structure. Harris ensures that the two stories are easy to differentiate such that the book is never confusing, using Facebook statuses to head the alternating sections between Bea Bishop and Bea Hudson.
Bea herself is a warm, albeit vulnerable and rather lost heroine, who it is hard not to be drawn to. She struggles to make decisions in her life, to the extent where she simply doesn't do so but rather relies on others, mainly Adam and her best friend Milly. The reasons for why she is like this become apparent as the book unfolds and are related to her past, mainly her abandonment at an early age by her beloved father, as well as her tragic history with Kieran. She has battled with depression over the years, and doesn't think she deserves happiness. As such though at times you almost feel like shaking her and begging her to appreciate all the good things in her life, it is easy to sympathise with her and understand where she is coming from. Both versions of Bea end up going on a bit of a journey of self-discovery through the book, albeit at different paces; the Bea that doesn't marry Adam actually facing up to her past sooner and examining and questioning her life choices one by one in order to discover the person she really wants to be.
As such this book is much more than a love story; it is rather a story about the journey one woman has to go through to become content with herself, by facing up to her past, and taking control of her life, but also by appreciating that ultimately there is more than one path in life that leads to that happy ending. One of the main themes of the book is that sometimes regardless of the decisions and choices we make, we are always destined to end up in the same place one way or another, such that we simply need to trust in our decisions and our fate. Indeed I found it interesting to see how though the two versions of Bea are living separate lives, ultimately her paths cross with the same people in one way or another, and converge to bring her to the same place.
There are a host of wonderful supporting characters too, in particular Bea's mum Loni, who is the type of mum everyone would wish for, albeit might at times be embarrassed by; and I liked reading about their relationship becoming closer, and loved their trip to Goa together. Then of course there are the two very different men in Bea's life. Kieran, rough round the edges, with that air of danger and yet also vulnerability, is the first but never forgotten love in her life, whose past is entwined with Bea's in such a way that has marked both their lives. We learn early on in the book of a certain tragic event that occurred in their past, however, Harris teases the reader till the very end of the story to actually reveal the full details of what happened. Then there is Adam, in many ways the polar opposite of Kieran, with his ordered and perfectly planned lifestyle, (the problem is that it's mostly planned by his parents). Yet whilst it is clear that Adam's not perfect, and much as I liked Kieran, I absolutely loved Adam. He's loyal and true, his support and gentle encouragement of Bea unwavering, and has a heart of gold and the spirit of a real romantic; and I was willing Bea to see that all throughout the book.
I also really liked the theme of gardening in the book, and in particular the diary entries that mark each month's beginning written by Bea's Dad, with their insightful messages not only relating to gardening but to life.
Written in the Stars is a wonderfully imaginative and clever book, and though it has a touch of the magical in its central premise, it actually makes for a very thought-provoking and reflective read, and one that feels realistic of life. Furthermore, it actually provides two stories running in parallel to each other, as you follow the two different versions of Bea; a bit of a Sliding Doors type structure. Harris ensures that the two stories are easy to differentiate such that the book is never confusing, using Facebook statuses to head the alternating sections between Bea Bishop and Bea Hudson.
Bea herself is a warm, albeit vulnerable and rather lost heroine, who it is hard not to be drawn to. She struggles to make decisions in her life, to the extent where she simply doesn't do so but rather relies on others, mainly Adam and her best friend Milly. The reasons for why she is like this become apparent as the book unfolds and are related to her past, mainly her abandonment at an early age by her beloved father, as well as her tragic history with Kieran. She has battled with depression over the years, and doesn't think she deserves happiness. As such though at times you almost feel like shaking her and begging her to appreciate all the good things in her life, it is easy to sympathise with her and understand where she is coming from. Both versions of Bea end up going on a bit of a journey of self-discovery through the book, albeit at different paces; the Bea that doesn't marry Adam actually facing up to her past sooner and examining and questioning her life choices one by one in order to discover the person she really wants to be.
As such this book is much more than a love story; it is rather a story about the journey one woman has to go through to become content with herself, by facing up to her past, and taking control of her life, but also by appreciating that ultimately there is more than one path in life that leads to that happy ending. One of the main themes of the book is that sometimes regardless of the decisions and choices we make, we are always destined to end up in the same place one way or another, such that we simply need to trust in our decisions and our fate. Indeed I found it interesting to see how though the two versions of Bea are living separate lives, ultimately her paths cross with the same people in one way or another, and converge to bring her to the same place.
There are a host of wonderful supporting characters too, in particular Bea's mum Loni, who is the type of mum everyone would wish for, albeit might at times be embarrassed by; and I liked reading about their relationship becoming closer, and loved their trip to Goa together. Then of course there are the two very different men in Bea's life. Kieran, rough round the edges, with that air of danger and yet also vulnerability, is the first but never forgotten love in her life, whose past is entwined with Bea's in such a way that has marked both their lives. We learn early on in the book of a certain tragic event that occurred in their past, however, Harris teases the reader till the very end of the story to actually reveal the full details of what happened. Then there is Adam, in many ways the polar opposite of Kieran, with his ordered and perfectly planned lifestyle, (the problem is that it's mostly planned by his parents). Yet whilst it is clear that Adam's not perfect, and much as I liked Kieran, I absolutely loved Adam. He's loyal and true, his support and gentle encouragement of Bea unwavering, and has a heart of gold and the spirit of a real romantic; and I was willing Bea to see that all throughout the book.
I also really liked the theme of gardening in the book, and in particular the diary entries that mark each month's beginning written by Bea's Dad, with their insightful messages not only relating to gardening but to life.
July 10, 2021
Good read! Captivating and takes you on a ride of what ifs? Little confusing towards the end as both stories intertwine, nonetheless good one!
October 15, 2014
My favourite bookstore had a 10-day sale in August to commemorate their 15th year anniversary and I remembered dithering by the General Fiction (in other words, the chick lit shelf) wondering if I should buy this book Written in the Stars by Ali Harris. And I am SO dang glad I did. It took me quite a while to settle into reading this, as with the rest of the books that I had bought, because I am perpetually distracted by my pile of books borrowed from the library. Also, the first few chapters were a bit slow. But it picks up quickly after the first 50 pages. The book swings between one parallel universe to the other with each chapter. It was a bit disconcerting for me at first; you know the universe swings to the other each time the author starts off with a facebook update from Bea in each new chapter.
I love this amazing, emotionally heart-felt book because it speaks to me.
Protagonist Bea Bishop was knocked unconscious when she slipped and fell while walking down the aisle to her intended Adam Hudson. Then, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her onto two very different journeys. The first one - she ran out of the church. The second one, she picks herself up from her feet and walk toward Adam.
At first glance, it’s easy to write it off as another chicklit novel because of the pretty cover. But I assure you, it is NOT. Ali Harris has a powerful way of welding the pen, that it makes me feel so messed up. See? Even I don’t know how to describe it :P I have seen a few book posts via Tumblr about how certain books just messed up your head because they are SO DANG GOOD. And Written in the Stars is one of them.
"I look at my engagement ring and my wedding ring. They are shining brightly in the darkness, auras of Adam's love and protection. He's always known that I am prone to emotional instability, that I find it hard to cope with life, that I push away happiness because I don't feel I deserve it. It's why he never took no for an answer every time he proposed. It's why he organised the wedding because he knew I couldn't cope with the enormity of it. It's why he arranged for James to contact me. He believes in me so he makes decisions for me when he knows I'm too scared to take a risk. It's probably why he didn't tell me about New York. He isn't a control freak; he keeps me moored, bobbing on the waves, whilst trying to steer me toward a happy future. Our future."
This book is underrated. It is just SO DANG GOOD. And emotional. At first glance, you may be inclined to write it off as a typical chick lit but I assure you, it is NOT. My brain is just so gobsmacked by the 450 pages.
It speaks to me because the protagonist was in a way, very very similar to me. Crashed out of A Levels, suffered from depression, lost, afraid to love. For me, it hit home on so many levels that I bawled with Bea. It is so emotionally good, and it makes you question what the hell you are doing with your life if happiness isn’t what you are chasing after.
"I think of the compass I was standing on earlier and how it felt like a symbol: one life, so many different directions. The infinite What Ifs we live with every single day. The possibilities at each pole, the confusion at the crossroads, the excitement when it feels like life is going our way, the sorrow when it doesn't. And that's when I realise no one ever truly knows where they're going. No decision is easy. Loving, or leaving, saying yes or no. We can waste our lives wondering if we've made the right choices, or we can own them. Stop looking at the other routes and follow our inner Siri, or in my case, listen to Loni and realise that being happy is the only decision we really have to make."
Have I mentioned how much I love this book and Harris's writing? :)
I love this amazing, emotionally heart-felt book because it speaks to me.
Protagonist Bea Bishop was knocked unconscious when she slipped and fell while walking down the aisle to her intended Adam Hudson. Then, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her onto two very different journeys. The first one - she ran out of the church. The second one, she picks herself up from her feet and walk toward Adam.
At first glance, it’s easy to write it off as another chicklit novel because of the pretty cover. But I assure you, it is NOT. Ali Harris has a powerful way of welding the pen, that it makes me feel so messed up. See? Even I don’t know how to describe it :P I have seen a few book posts via Tumblr about how certain books just messed up your head because they are SO DANG GOOD. And Written in the Stars is one of them.
"I look at my engagement ring and my wedding ring. They are shining brightly in the darkness, auras of Adam's love and protection. He's always known that I am prone to emotional instability, that I find it hard to cope with life, that I push away happiness because I don't feel I deserve it. It's why he never took no for an answer every time he proposed. It's why he organised the wedding because he knew I couldn't cope with the enormity of it. It's why he arranged for James to contact me. He believes in me so he makes decisions for me when he knows I'm too scared to take a risk. It's probably why he didn't tell me about New York. He isn't a control freak; he keeps me moored, bobbing on the waves, whilst trying to steer me toward a happy future. Our future."
This book is underrated. It is just SO DANG GOOD. And emotional. At first glance, you may be inclined to write it off as a typical chick lit but I assure you, it is NOT. My brain is just so gobsmacked by the 450 pages.
It speaks to me because the protagonist was in a way, very very similar to me. Crashed out of A Levels, suffered from depression, lost, afraid to love. For me, it hit home on so many levels that I bawled with Bea. It is so emotionally good, and it makes you question what the hell you are doing with your life if happiness isn’t what you are chasing after.
"I think of the compass I was standing on earlier and how it felt like a symbol: one life, so many different directions. The infinite What Ifs we live with every single day. The possibilities at each pole, the confusion at the crossroads, the excitement when it feels like life is going our way, the sorrow when it doesn't. And that's when I realise no one ever truly knows where they're going. No decision is easy. Loving, or leaving, saying yes or no. We can waste our lives wondering if we've made the right choices, or we can own them. Stop looking at the other routes and follow our inner Siri, or in my case, listen to Loni and realise that being happy is the only decision we really have to make."
Have I mentioned how much I love this book and Harris's writing? :)
August 28, 2014
Moments ago, I was crying... full girly tears of sheer joy and happiness as I witnessed a truly remarkable ending to a book with a hefty 450 pages in. Written in the Stars, is by largely one of the best ever books I've ever read... in my LIFE! For a book to bring tears to my eyes and a sense of happiness for the characters... well it is a masterpiece!
Written in the Stars is very unique in the way it is written. I for one have never read a book that is put together by the author right down to the most intricate detail in the way that Ali Harris has. The style of telling two different stories that could have been Bea Bishop's life path at the same time is one that separates Ali's book from so many of the others out there. It really is a book for every woman who has ever wondered..."what if?...". I for one know that I have wondered 'What if?' on more than one occasion, and through this book, as a reader you can't help but ponder on your very own 'what if?' moments.
Throughout the book, Bea is guided by her diary gifted to her by her Father on her 7th birthday - the day before he left, and just like the seasonal year, we see through Bea's eyes that life really is cyclical and turns with the seasons. We begin the book with scenes of the past that shows what has led up to one of the key moments in her life...her wedding day. Walking down the aisle, Bea slips after seeing someone in the congregation that she wasn't expecting to see, and suddenly floods of memories past hit her like a stormy sea of waves that knock her unconscious. When she comes around the reader is shown two very different ways in which her life could play out. To get married to Adam or to not get married to Adam? That really was the question that began Bea's dramatic and heart-warming journey to finding the person that she has always longed for... even if it's not who she quite expected it to be in the start.
Love, guilt, career choices and dreams of gardening from the past come flooding back - in both of her lives - and it is how she deals with them that sees the reader go on a trip of a lifetime with Bea where she finally discovers what the key to her life is ... to do what makes her happy.
I particularly love the ending as we see her two worlds collide and we find Bea right where she needs to be. Ali, has most definitely done book bloggers, faithful readers, fellow facebookers & Tweeters, not to mention the book world an immense service in the writing of this book. She should be immensely proud!
Having started the book way back in April and only recently picking it back up to continue reading (due to personal circumstances), I am only sorry that I didn't finish it sooner! However if I have learnt anything from Bea Bishop (lead character), it is that I would always have ended up here... wiping tears from my eyes, and being fully in love with the entire story.
There is a quote from one of her Father's diary entries to her that really stood out to me;
Each path we choose, every decision we make may one day take us back to the very same one we turned away from.
It's a tender yet strong message for everyone I feel, not just Bea, and one that we can all try to live up to. As someone who can relate to Bea's character in that she made a decision once upon a time to live a different life to what she had always wanted, I can attest to the fact that just like Bea, 7 years later, you may ... like me, find yourself coming full circle where you are almost being given a second chance of the life you not only always wanted because it is what makes you happy, but that sometimes, it just so happens to be 'Written in the Stars'.
Written in the Stars is very unique in the way it is written. I for one have never read a book that is put together by the author right down to the most intricate detail in the way that Ali Harris has. The style of telling two different stories that could have been Bea Bishop's life path at the same time is one that separates Ali's book from so many of the others out there. It really is a book for every woman who has ever wondered..."what if?...". I for one know that I have wondered 'What if?' on more than one occasion, and through this book, as a reader you can't help but ponder on your very own 'what if?' moments.
Throughout the book, Bea is guided by her diary gifted to her by her Father on her 7th birthday - the day before he left, and just like the seasonal year, we see through Bea's eyes that life really is cyclical and turns with the seasons. We begin the book with scenes of the past that shows what has led up to one of the key moments in her life...her wedding day. Walking down the aisle, Bea slips after seeing someone in the congregation that she wasn't expecting to see, and suddenly floods of memories past hit her like a stormy sea of waves that knock her unconscious. When she comes around the reader is shown two very different ways in which her life could play out. To get married to Adam or to not get married to Adam? That really was the question that began Bea's dramatic and heart-warming journey to finding the person that she has always longed for... even if it's not who she quite expected it to be in the start.
Love, guilt, career choices and dreams of gardening from the past come flooding back - in both of her lives - and it is how she deals with them that sees the reader go on a trip of a lifetime with Bea where she finally discovers what the key to her life is ... to do what makes her happy.
I particularly love the ending as we see her two worlds collide and we find Bea right where she needs to be. Ali, has most definitely done book bloggers, faithful readers, fellow facebookers & Tweeters, not to mention the book world an immense service in the writing of this book. She should be immensely proud!
Having started the book way back in April and only recently picking it back up to continue reading (due to personal circumstances), I am only sorry that I didn't finish it sooner! However if I have learnt anything from Bea Bishop (lead character), it is that I would always have ended up here... wiping tears from my eyes, and being fully in love with the entire story.
There is a quote from one of her Father's diary entries to her that really stood out to me;
Each path we choose, every decision we make may one day take us back to the very same one we turned away from.
It's a tender yet strong message for everyone I feel, not just Bea, and one that we can all try to live up to. As someone who can relate to Bea's character in that she made a decision once upon a time to live a different life to what she had always wanted, I can attest to the fact that just like Bea, 7 years later, you may ... like me, find yourself coming full circle where you are almost being given a second chance of the life you not only always wanted because it is what makes you happy, but that sometimes, it just so happens to be 'Written in the Stars'.
December 24, 2014
First posted on Dreaming With Open Eyes
I kindly received Written in the Stars in exchange of an honest review by the publisher.
I know I am very late reading and reviewing this one. Nonetheless I'd like to share my thoughts with you. First of all, I'd like to begin my review by saying a huge thank you to Sara from Simon & Schuter, for providing me with my very own paperback copy of the book. Written in the Stars was absolutely fabulous, and I loved it from back to front.
This is going to sound crazy, but this is the very first book that I have had the pleasure of reading by Ali Harris. The truth is that I actually have a few books written by her on my bookshelf. Sadly, my ever-growing to-read list hasn't given me a break, but as soon as I possibly can, I'm going to dig those beauties out and lose myself to some more of Ali's wonderful writing.
We meet Bea Bishop on her wedding day. Usually this should be the most happiest day of her life but Bea is filled with doubts and uncertainties. While she walks down the aisle towards Adam, her boyfriend of the last seven years, she spots a familiar face amongst the guests, a face she has not seen for eight years, yet one that she has never forgotten, her first love Kieran. Then she slips and knocks herself unconscious. Bea's world is split into two separate lives and she gets the chance to live out both decisions of what she should do that day. With Written in the Stars, it will leave you wondering “what if?”. What if… There are so many different possibilities in life and every single one of us has to figure out what’s good for them and what they need In this novel, the reader gets the chance to see two different versions of the story's main character, Bea: Bea Bishop, the bride who ran away and finds herself increasingly drawn to the ghosts of her past and Bea Hudson, the bride who walked down the aisle marries Adam. Which decision was the right one?
The one element that I did truly admire within this novel was the Ali ensures that the two stories are easy to differentiate such that the book is never confusing, using Facebook statuses to head the alternating sections between Bea Bishop and Bea Hudson. Ali’s writing style is so fluent, relatable and easy to follow it makes it hard to stop. She really managed to convey two different Bea's and it was really fascinating to see the changes between the two, to see what certain events can do to people and how it can have an effect on them for the rest of their lives. I was initially taken aback by the depth and beauty of this narrative. There is so much more to this book than a girl being stuck between choosing two guys; it’s massively about friendship, decisions, self discoveryloss and what happens when your entire world changes in an instant. Ali Harris is a natural born story-teller who’s books I have completely fallen in love with. Her stories, although enjoyable in their own right, always come with important messages which you will take away with you and remember long after you’ve put the book down. Overall an all-round amazing book. I can't wait for more.
I kindly received Written in the Stars in exchange of an honest review by the publisher.
I know I am very late reading and reviewing this one. Nonetheless I'd like to share my thoughts with you. First of all, I'd like to begin my review by saying a huge thank you to Sara from Simon & Schuter, for providing me with my very own paperback copy of the book. Written in the Stars was absolutely fabulous, and I loved it from back to front.
This is going to sound crazy, but this is the very first book that I have had the pleasure of reading by Ali Harris. The truth is that I actually have a few books written by her on my bookshelf. Sadly, my ever-growing to-read list hasn't given me a break, but as soon as I possibly can, I'm going to dig those beauties out and lose myself to some more of Ali's wonderful writing.
We meet Bea Bishop on her wedding day. Usually this should be the most happiest day of her life but Bea is filled with doubts and uncertainties. While she walks down the aisle towards Adam, her boyfriend of the last seven years, she spots a familiar face amongst the guests, a face she has not seen for eight years, yet one that she has never forgotten, her first love Kieran. Then she slips and knocks herself unconscious. Bea's world is split into two separate lives and she gets the chance to live out both decisions of what she should do that day. With Written in the Stars, it will leave you wondering “what if?”. What if… There are so many different possibilities in life and every single one of us has to figure out what’s good for them and what they need In this novel, the reader gets the chance to see two different versions of the story's main character, Bea: Bea Bishop, the bride who ran away and finds herself increasingly drawn to the ghosts of her past and Bea Hudson, the bride who walked down the aisle marries Adam. Which decision was the right one?
The one element that I did truly admire within this novel was the Ali ensures that the two stories are easy to differentiate such that the book is never confusing, using Facebook statuses to head the alternating sections between Bea Bishop and Bea Hudson. Ali’s writing style is so fluent, relatable and easy to follow it makes it hard to stop. She really managed to convey two different Bea's and it was really fascinating to see the changes between the two, to see what certain events can do to people and how it can have an effect on them for the rest of their lives. I was initially taken aback by the depth and beauty of this narrative. There is so much more to this book than a girl being stuck between choosing two guys; it’s massively about friendship, decisions, self discoveryloss and what happens when your entire world changes in an instant. Ali Harris is a natural born story-teller who’s books I have completely fallen in love with. Her stories, although enjoyable in their own right, always come with important messages which you will take away with you and remember long after you’ve put the book down. Overall an all-round amazing book. I can't wait for more.
May 30, 2014
Firstly I would like to thank Simon and Schuster and also Netgalley for giving me the chance to devour an advanced reading copy of this book.
The Blurb
One decision + two different paths = how many happy endings?
Have you ever wondered 'What if…?' What if you'd taken that other job, gone on a date with that sweet guy, moved to a different city? Would an alternative life path have led to a happier ending?
Now imagine if you could have taken both paths…
When Bea Bishop slips while walking down the aisle on her wedding day, she is momentarily knocked unconscious. And in a flash, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her on two very different journeys. In one, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other, she glides blissfully towards Adam, her intended.
Each path will take her on a very different journey. And each will see her life change for better and for worse. But which story will lead to her happy-ever-after?
I was absolutely delighted to receive a copy of this book and I can assure you I was not disappointed. Although ultimately a love story, this book is about finding oneself and ultimately being happy.
It is beautifully and very smartly written as it flits between the two different lives of Bea Bishop. The life she should have taken and the life she feels she deserves. This is probably one of the hardest reviews I’ve had to write as I hate spoiler alerts but also feel that the best bits to review are the bits that give too much away.
It tackles some very common mental health problems that are unfortunately rife in today’s society. The stigma of these issues still remains but this book proves that it’s ok to have, and to talk about depression and anxiety disorders and Bea is, although fictional, sound proof that these problems can be overcome with help and support.
I loved Adams character and found him very believable. He is handsome, successful and kind and he understands Bea. Milly, Bea’s best friend was also very likeable and her ‘take no nonsense’ attitude was the perfect balance that Bea’s character needed. Loni, Bea’s mother was also fantastic. Although I have to be honest and say that I wasn’t totally won over by Beas character. I wanted to really love her but found her indecisiveness frustrating but I seen past this because of the personal battles she was fighting.
This was the first book of Ali Harris’ I’ve read but it definitely won’t be the last. Personally I really enjoyed this book but however it did take me longer than normal to read it and I think it may be because I struggled a bit at the end to keep up with the pace and what life I was reading about at that time, having to go back a page or two a couple of times to get my bearings.
Having said all this, overall I really liked this book and it was an addictive page turner when I was on track. I particularly liked the references to the flowers and plants and loved reading about the Norfolk seaside. This is undeniably a summer must read.
The Blurb
One decision + two different paths = how many happy endings?
Have you ever wondered 'What if…?' What if you'd taken that other job, gone on a date with that sweet guy, moved to a different city? Would an alternative life path have led to a happier ending?
Now imagine if you could have taken both paths…
When Bea Bishop slips while walking down the aisle on her wedding day, she is momentarily knocked unconscious. And in a flash, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her on two very different journeys. In one, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other, she glides blissfully towards Adam, her intended.
Each path will take her on a very different journey. And each will see her life change for better and for worse. But which story will lead to her happy-ever-after?
I was absolutely delighted to receive a copy of this book and I can assure you I was not disappointed. Although ultimately a love story, this book is about finding oneself and ultimately being happy.
It is beautifully and very smartly written as it flits between the two different lives of Bea Bishop. The life she should have taken and the life she feels she deserves. This is probably one of the hardest reviews I’ve had to write as I hate spoiler alerts but also feel that the best bits to review are the bits that give too much away.
It tackles some very common mental health problems that are unfortunately rife in today’s society. The stigma of these issues still remains but this book proves that it’s ok to have, and to talk about depression and anxiety disorders and Bea is, although fictional, sound proof that these problems can be overcome with help and support.
I loved Adams character and found him very believable. He is handsome, successful and kind and he understands Bea. Milly, Bea’s best friend was also very likeable and her ‘take no nonsense’ attitude was the perfect balance that Bea’s character needed. Loni, Bea’s mother was also fantastic. Although I have to be honest and say that I wasn’t totally won over by Beas character. I wanted to really love her but found her indecisiveness frustrating but I seen past this because of the personal battles she was fighting.
This was the first book of Ali Harris’ I’ve read but it definitely won’t be the last. Personally I really enjoyed this book but however it did take me longer than normal to read it and I think it may be because I struggled a bit at the end to keep up with the pace and what life I was reading about at that time, having to go back a page or two a couple of times to get my bearings.
Having said all this, overall I really liked this book and it was an addictive page turner when I was on track. I particularly liked the references to the flowers and plants and loved reading about the Norfolk seaside. This is undeniably a summer must read.
June 25, 2014
WRITTEN IN THE STARS BY ALI HARRIS
The blurb
One decision + two different paths = how many happy endings? Have you ever wondered 'What if...?' What if you'd taken that other job, gone on a date with that sweet guy, moved to a different city? Would an alternative life path have led to a happier ending? Now imagine if you could have taken both paths...When Bea Bishop slips while walking down the aisle on her wedding day, she is momentarily knocked unconscious. And in a flash, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her on two very different journeys. In one, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other, she glides blissfully towards Adam, her intended. Each path will take her on a very different journey. And each will see her life change for better and for worse. But which story will lead to her happy-ever-after?
What i say
This is one of the first books i had read by Ali Harris it was so good a amazing story the structure of the story was so cleverly put across to you . you got Bea present life and her other life the other life is the what if i did that world they both run together so well both life's are so different Such different paths she chose to live i really love how it done
The book stars off with Bea wedding she walking down the aisle she slips and tumbles to the floor she knocked herself unconscious and now her two life's begin
Bea could follow so many different paths .
I love her dad he wrote her a book about plants the season as he not around any more he left them when she was young she trying to find him Cal her brother can not understand why she wants him back in her life he left them i liked now the book tell you all about this it very sad i wanted to hugs Bea
You could feel all her emotions why did her dad just disappear it was great that we find out why he left i really did feel for her at this point i liked that each characters had different feeling about what was happing in the story it makes you think about your own life what is i done that in my own life would it be different from now
Kieran was Bea first love he a good character you hear about the tragedy that kill his brother and why he left 8 years ago why was he at Bea wedding what made him show up now bea blames her self for his brother death she should not
Adam a very much a business guy he loves his job he parents have plan out his job and life for him they want him to work in new york can Adam make his own mind up about his life
Milly her best friend she there for her no matter what going on
I like her she was a very good mate to bea
I got totally lost in the book i just wanted to continue reading it i loved that both worlds were wrap up so well together at the end
The book very much all about family ,love and making your own decision in your life it very well written very different to other book i loved it
A gem of a book
Aj book review club's photo.
The blurb
One decision + two different paths = how many happy endings? Have you ever wondered 'What if...?' What if you'd taken that other job, gone on a date with that sweet guy, moved to a different city? Would an alternative life path have led to a happier ending? Now imagine if you could have taken both paths...When Bea Bishop slips while walking down the aisle on her wedding day, she is momentarily knocked unconscious. And in a flash, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her on two very different journeys. In one, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other, she glides blissfully towards Adam, her intended. Each path will take her on a very different journey. And each will see her life change for better and for worse. But which story will lead to her happy-ever-after?
What i say
This is one of the first books i had read by Ali Harris it was so good a amazing story the structure of the story was so cleverly put across to you . you got Bea present life and her other life the other life is the what if i did that world they both run together so well both life's are so different Such different paths she chose to live i really love how it done
The book stars off with Bea wedding she walking down the aisle she slips and tumbles to the floor she knocked herself unconscious and now her two life's begin
Bea could follow so many different paths .
I love her dad he wrote her a book about plants the season as he not around any more he left them when she was young she trying to find him Cal her brother can not understand why she wants him back in her life he left them i liked now the book tell you all about this it very sad i wanted to hugs Bea
You could feel all her emotions why did her dad just disappear it was great that we find out why he left i really did feel for her at this point i liked that each characters had different feeling about what was happing in the story it makes you think about your own life what is i done that in my own life would it be different from now
Kieran was Bea first love he a good character you hear about the tragedy that kill his brother and why he left 8 years ago why was he at Bea wedding what made him show up now bea blames her self for his brother death she should not
Adam a very much a business guy he loves his job he parents have plan out his job and life for him they want him to work in new york can Adam make his own mind up about his life
Milly her best friend she there for her no matter what going on
I like her she was a very good mate to bea
I got totally lost in the book i just wanted to continue reading it i loved that both worlds were wrap up so well together at the end
The book very much all about family ,love and making your own decision in your life it very well written very different to other book i loved it
A gem of a book
Aj book review club's photo.
June 21, 2014
Review: first of all let me just say that I LOVE the cover of this book, and it's just reflect the delicious content! I really enjoyed this book, Ali Harris's writing is just awesome and I always feel like the books it written for me when I read her words... This book has a really interesting storyline focusing on something we've always thought and that's what if. It answers the questions for the main character, what is she had or hadn't made one crucial decision in her life and the conseque new for both decisions. It can be a little confusing if reading this on ebook because the story flips between one of her consequences and then jumps quickly over the the other side. When reading in paperback it's much clearer which bit is which. I like the structure despite the initial conclusion and the whole thing is tied together with Facebook status updates which I think is really nice and also reflects the main characters personality!
I'm really not sure about Bea as a character, I did flip between liking her and not, I think that this may be because I agreed more with one of her decisions than the other and so felt resentful to the Bea that made the wrong decision is my opinion! This is totally subjective of course and many readers will approve either Bea or side with the opposite one to me-that's the beauty of reading a book differently to someone else! There are some other really interesting characters in this book and I really enjoyed the mix of personalities. I loved Beas mum and she really ties the whole story together. Her friends seemed a little more flakey (a bit like her father) but all add depth and interest.
This books deals with some interesting issues such as absent parents, women's career choices and mental health issues and I think they were all dealt with incredibly well and with sensitivity. Although it is a story of one woman over all, these issues add real interest and reflect something different in the choice of subject matter for this author which is fab to see as well. Overall this is a light hearted book but one that will make you think about the decisions that you make and have made, I like a book that makes me think and so I would say this should definitely be on your summer reading list. Another lovely novel from the fabulous Ali Harris.
I'm really not sure about Bea as a character, I did flip between liking her and not, I think that this may be because I agreed more with one of her decisions than the other and so felt resentful to the Bea that made the wrong decision is my opinion! This is totally subjective of course and many readers will approve either Bea or side with the opposite one to me-that's the beauty of reading a book differently to someone else! There are some other really interesting characters in this book and I really enjoyed the mix of personalities. I loved Beas mum and she really ties the whole story together. Her friends seemed a little more flakey (a bit like her father) but all add depth and interest.
This books deals with some interesting issues such as absent parents, women's career choices and mental health issues and I think they were all dealt with incredibly well and with sensitivity. Although it is a story of one woman over all, these issues add real interest and reflect something different in the choice of subject matter for this author which is fab to see as well. Overall this is a light hearted book but one that will make you think about the decisions that you make and have made, I like a book that makes me think and so I would say this should definitely be on your summer reading list. Another lovely novel from the fabulous Ali Harris.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews