Mil Estrelas Entre Nós

by Jonathon Shannon

Um romance de coincidências e desencontros.

Tom e Sophie não se conhecem. Tom é estudante de Música e aspirante a compositor. Acredita piamente no Destino, sobretudo no que toca à sua atribulada relação com Poppy, uma artista mais bem-sucedida do que ele. Nada demove o seu otimismo, nem mesmo a repentina digressão internacional dela, que ameaça virar tudo do avesso.

Sophie é doutoranda em Astrofísica. Para ela, os vastos mistérios do universo podem ser reduzidos a números puros e duros. Sabe perfeitamente que essa coisa do Destino não passa de balelas, e nem mesmo o atraente colega de projeto de investigação a fará mudar de ideias.

Sophie e Tom não sabem, mas há anos que andam na órbita um do outro.

Aparentemente, o universo pretende juntar estes dois. Mas como poderão eles cumprir o seu Destino, se falham miseravelmente na hora de se encontrarem?

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Book Club

368 pages, Paperback

Published March 18, 2025

Reviews

[Sheree | Keeping Up With The Penguins · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a sweet opposites-attract romance, with fun arts versus science content, but honestly what I enjoyed most about Bound To Happen was its familiarity. Tom and Sophie go to so many places I know, and drink at so many bars I’ve frequented, it was like talking to someone I know IRL about how they met their soulmate. It ends a little abruptly (which was surprising, given the inevitability of its conclusion), but it was still all-around a delightful read.

My full review of Bound To Happen is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a believer things in life are kismet, and Bound to Happen slipping into my mail box just before a trip to Sydney was just that. The city is a backdrop to this delightful rom-com, and it’s a race occasion that to feel like I can walk into novel I’m reading.

I was going to savour this- but I read the whole thing on the plane. A big call, but this is a perfect rom com (even bigger, considering I usually don’t read rom coms by men as a rule). Sophie is a woman in STEM: finishing her PHD, and aspiring astronaut. She also answers emails sent to the science department of the Student Centre. Tom is a musician, also studying, who is writing a song inspired by String Theory, something he decides he needs a scientists perspective on, and composes an email.

Told in alternating POV, we watch these two live life side by side, parallel lines that almost cross without realising it. I was living for the the brief moments where their paths almost aligned- a sentence here, a word there that served as a clue. The tension, these near misses getting ever closer made me giddy, feet kicking and giggling (as much as I could in economy class, anyway) but at the same time I wanted to grab each end of the book and rip it in half at how deliciously frustrating it was. In a world where we’re all such perfect strangers, it makes you think about how many near misses there are. What if you stayed at that bar a second longer, or spoke to the other passenger in your Uber pool.

So many moments, and so many ‘what if’s’ by the end the cosmic string between these two is pulled so tight, it’s impossible to put down, yet bound together by a single, anonymous email thread. “Layers of unlikely, collapsed into the inevitable.”

Books that give you that kind of visceral reaction are rare, and the best. It’s very cute, very well written and perfectly paced. An excellent debut, and Jonathon Shannon is one to watch. Thank you

[Maria João (A Biblioteca da João) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Mil Estrelas Entre Nós” revelou-se um romance bonito e bem construído que me soube tão bem ler!

Duas personagens principais, Tom e Sophie. Ele é músico, ela astrofísica. Não podiam ser mais diferentes. Ele é sonhador e criativo, ela só acredita no que se pode provar.

Sem saberem e sem se falarem pessoalmente, passam anos na órbita um do outro, afinal o destino é muito poderoso!

Achei este romance muito bem construído, de forma inteligente e às vezes subtil, o autor conseguiu passar esta imagem de proximidade. Daquela forma que provoca um sorriso no leitor. Acresce o facto de ter inúmeras referências musicais e de física, que tornam a leitura mais rica. A teoria das cordas foi o que os juntou e é delicioso!

Sem dúvida, um romance que antes de começar a ler tive algumas dúvidas que resultasse, mas que acertou em cheio nas doses certas de amor, delicadeza, destino e humor. Gostei muito!

Opinião mais detalhada em video:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...

[Bella Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really cute romance, bit of stem in there, successful woman, successful man, artsy as well. I also loved that it was Sydney based (go Australia!)

However, the book was soooooooo long and such a slow burn. I would have enjoyed some more speed.

I would also be interested in reading a sequel about their romance and love to continue the concept of string theory.

[Shara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll start by saying I loved this book. I don’t want to spoil too much, I went in with a certain expectation of the plot but instead I was completely blown away. Jonathon Shannon created a beautiful love story of missed connections between astrophysics PHD candidate Sophie and Musician Tom. This book takes you on a journey that makes you feel extremely invested in the outcome. With every chapter, you get closer to thinking this is it, only to be wrong!

We watch Sophie’s journey who’s entire being as a scientist is numbers and the fundamentals of space. She’s witty and calculated refusing to bow to no one in the desire to reach her dreams of being an astronaut. Then one day a chance student email to the physics department about string theory from Tom changes everything. Sophie is challenged both emotionally and intellectually by Tom, who attempts to intertwine science with love and emotions. What follows is years of missed connections, life upheavals and a whole lot of science.

Will these two end up being star crossed lovers or will their meeting be a one hit wonder? You’ll have to read Bound to Happen to find out! A well written book that really brings the perfect amount of tension and wonder that makes you not want to put the book down. I give Bound to Happen by Jonathon Shannon 4/5 stars.
This is a perfect Rom-Com for those that like their “love when you least expect it” with a side of science.

[Kaila Neville · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started to read 'Bound To Happen' I was not pulled to stay in bed reading all day. In fact, this ended up being the reason I loved it so much! Tom and Sophie's slow burn felt real and magical and I found myself savouring each page, not just rushing through to the 'good bits'.

I am still fairly new to reading for pleasure but I have indulged in quite a few American romances. Reading from an Australian perspective was such a nice change of pace, one I didn't realise I needed. There were parts of the book where I was stopped in my tracks and reminded that this story takes place in Sydney, place names bringing me in and I could picture walking around the familiar streets with the characters.

It was really refreshing to read a story that I could relate to more than your average chick lit and remind me of the magic of science and fate coming together.

[matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - yes hello Hopeless Romantic Matthew checking in for another review

[Eleni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish...astronomically boring.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook because it happened to be available at my library and I really did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did? I usually don’t like Australian fiction (lol) but for some reason I really liked this being set in Sydney!

This was such a cool premise, about fate and missed opportunities and whether or not two people can be meant to be. It was so wild to see how many times the characters crossed paths without knowing it. This was slooooooow burn but I was so invested!

I am not at all a science girlie but I learned a lot from Tom and Sophie’s interactions (we love a women in STEM).

[Madalena Oliveira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 🌟

[Caroline O'Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly I want to say, how absolutely gorgeous is this cover, it definitely made me pick up this book, and I’m so glad that I did.

💙 Stem
💙 Meet Cute
💙 RomCom
💙 Contemporary
💙 Witty

In this book we come across Tom, an aspiring musician who is madly in love with Poppy also a musician. In trying to write a love song for Poppy it brings us to Sophie who is doing a PHD in Astrophysics. The question is will Tom and Sophie ever meet in real person? I will let you read the book to find out.

I really enjoyed this heartwarming RomCom a lot, it was full of wit, a quick easy read and a lot of Will they won’t they going on.

If you enjoy STEM novels then this will be right up your alley, Sophie is an extremely intelligent girl and it’s so lovely to see how passionate she is with her chosen career path.

Loved all the characters, though maybe not Poppy as honestly she came across as a total b!tch but I guess that means she played her part well.

If you are looking for something quick and easy to read then go grab this book 💙

Thank you to HarperCollinsNZ for gifting me a copy of this great book.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm generally not one to reach for meet-cute or rom-com novels, but I needed a break from my usual crime fiction fare and stumbled upon Shannon's debut, "Bound to Happen." Right off the bat, the premise captivated me; it had echoes of Justin Long's film "Comet," and uncannily paralleled the narrative of someone I used to know. The Sydney setting struck a chord with me, as I just returned from there months ago, giving me an immediate "connect" to the story.

Jonathon Shannon's writing style and depth of knowledge particularly stood out. As a musician and indie producer, I appreciated his accurate and nuanced use of terminologies. Even though I'm not a science geek, it was clear that Shannon did his homework. The pacing may be a tad slow, but hang in there—the final act is well worth the wait. The ending was so emotionally resonant that it almost moved me to tears.

For a debut novel, "Bound to Happen" impresses. I'm giving it four stars and eagerly await what Shannon has in store for us next.

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5
I could not put this book down. This story was so different to the romances I typically read but I loved it! The series of near misses were both frustrating and exciting and had me impatiently anticipating the moment Tom and Sophie would finally meet. This was the perfect book to get me out of a reading slump.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The review I wrote before I finished:

this book made me want to rip my hair out and also scream and also bite people. The slow burn and the constant missed connections kept me so on edge i felt insufferable.
Writing style made it seem like a fanfic but that just made it easier to read.

The review after I finished just consists of me screaming into my pillow

[Hollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually go for romance books, but a story that explores so many familiar places for Australians (and current music) was such a treat. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic after all!

[Erika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried…

[Sajda Batra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book around kismet/destiny - captivating read and hard to put down

[Leisa Bettiens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anxiety-inducing edge of your seat final chapter? Check.
Women in STEM? Check.
Multiple references to aussie indie artists? Check check.

I picked up this book (coincidentally) just before boarding a flight from Sydney to Brisbane, and didn’t put it down until I’d finished it 5 hours later. It’s rare to get to read a rom-com full of Australian references, I enjoyed every second of it.

[Simone Shugg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! Easy and not intellectually stimulating- just fast food fiction! Perfect holiday reads.

[Dana Light (dlight_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The focus on fate and the invisible string theory was super interesting, and I lived for the moments when Tom and Sophie’s paths would come so close to crossing, but for one reason or another, they just don’t.

The fact that this book is set in Australia was also super fun! I loved seeing the characters visit familiar places, and the recreation of Matt Agnew and Abbie Chatfield’s “I’m an astrophysicist,” “ Okayyy, I’m a Gemini.” moment was so iconic.

However, the amount of STEM content in this book did get a bit much for me at times. This is 100% a me problem though - I’m just not a massive fan of STEM romances 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Shrez (Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit uncertain about where the book was going to go plot wise when I first read the description, but I am very glad I gave the book a chance. As someone who is not a believer in kismet or fate, this book was far from my type.
Without giving away any spoilers, I love the way Tom and Sophie have so many near misses of meeting, but it just adds to the fun of thinking "this is it! This might be when they meet!" only to be very wrong. Now, I thought I would get a bit frustrated with this, but I definitely didn't.

Sophie's wit and confidence in herself is what drew me to her character, as a fellow woman in STEM.

I could even admit just a little, maybe the idea of fate and kismet isn't so bad...

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fabulous, fun novel this was! Enjoyed every page and loved all the sliding door moments. The author has done such a great job coming up with all these scenarios, near misses and tying it altogether!! So clever!

I loved that it was set in Sydney and I knew most of the places mentioned. I also loved the characters, especially Tom and Sophie. They were both super cute.

The ending was perfection. But now I need book two, but I can’t say why! I just want more!!

Super fun rom com, with a bit of space and music mixed in. Great combination 👌

Thank you so much @ultimopress for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Katrina Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound to Happen was a well written interesting book which initially challenged me with the email exchanges between Tom and Sophie. Tom was a music student and song writer trying to write a love song.Tom sent an email to Sydney University Physics department asking for help with his love song and trying to establish a link between string this was answered by Sophie and this exchange continues throughout the book .There are two other main characters intertwined Raj who is a medical student and Poppy who is Tom's girlfriend.
This book is intelligent and keeps you intrigued until the end, so it is well worth a read.

[Sammy thebookninja_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stepped out of my comfort zone with this one, delving into a cheeky rom com in between my usual reads and I’m glad I did. I don’t have much to compare it to in this genre but it was a sweet read, full of delightful characters that left your heart feeling full. At times it lost me a little with the science based email exchanges but overall an endearing story.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous, heartwarming rom-com! I was so invested that i need a book two! I want more SC & Tom !

[Lisa Anybookanytime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, smart and the slowest burn ever

This book transcends the rom com genre to deliver a beautiful exploration of fate, love and what ifs.

Take You've Got Mail, a splash of Sliding Doors, and a dash of your favourite women in STEM romance. Then add philosophy, theoretical science, poetry and humour and you're getting closer to this magic book.

It's the slowest of slow burn romances that will warm your heart as Tom the musician and Sophie the astrophysicist develop a deep and honest connection by email. However, in the real world, they keep coming oh-so-close to meeting, only for fate to decree that their time has not yet come.

The many ways that they (almost) meet in each chapter were so clever that I laughed with delight, when I wasn't groaning with frustration. (One word, Mr Shannon. Streetlights! I nearly threw the book across the room.)

But the result was that (for me) the payoff was hugely emotional. I loved the way this book developed the characters and the relationship, and adored the way it ended.

Critiques? Only that I wish I had more musical knowledge so that I could have appreciated the talk of chords and sound mixing more. If this novel is made into a movie or tv show, their biggest challenge will be getting the music right.

DISCLAIMER: This book was gifted by Better Reading Australia and the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cute story which is essentially Sydney based How I Met Your Mother. Let’s just hope in the follow up book the author doesn’t kill Sophie and make Matt get back with Poppy.

[Denise N · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started and put down. I did not like how this successful physicist thinks she's lacking because she graduated single. Nope. Not for me thanks.

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound to Happen (Ultimo Press 2023) is a whip-smart, witty, warm rom-com about two people who have never met although we suspect from the very first pages that their connection is bound to happen. A debut by Jonathon Shannon, this novel takes its cue from the chance encounters that never occur, and the parallel lines that never meet, as described in The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig. The book came into my hands perhaps by happenstance, or luck, or timing, or six degrees of separation, but I’m so glad it did, as it is the perfect feel-good read that is also intelligent, sexy, complex and thoughtful.

Sophie is an astrophysics PhD candidate who can narrow the mysteries of the universe down to cold, hard facts. Science is the central core of her being, not fate or destiny. Her private ambitions (as a child, she dreamt of being an astronaut), her friendships and family relationships, her slightly illicit liaison with the handsome undergrad assigned to her research project – none of these changes her mind about the immutability of scientific facts.

But the dynamics of her solid theoretical framework are tested when she receives a random question about string theory from not a science undergrad, but a music student and aspiring songwriter, Tom, who is deeply into fate and what is meant to be. He’s writing a love song for his partner, a successful recording artist, whose overseas travel tests the boundaries of their love. Tom’s curious mind and incessant questions to a nameless science bod in the physics department fuel his determination to write the perfect love song. But what does that mean? Does fate play a part? Are we destined to find our other half? Or is everything calculated and predetermined and unable to be swayed by emotion and feeling?

Tom and Sophie have never met, but they come to know each other through this series of serious and inquiring question and answer emails about the universe and its capacity. And in a several years long tantalising dance of sliding door moments, the two unknowingly orbit each other, often coming so close, but never actually colliding.

Shannon has a close hold on the reins of his writing and pulls taut in exactly the right moments. The tension is palpable. Small, tell-tale signs – a whispered name, a colour, an Uber encounter, a missed connection, a misunderstanding, a maleficent force, a random sighting, a door just closing, a coffee order mix-up … there are so many small sliding door moments in this book that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat, thinking ‘surely, THIS is the moment…’ only to discover the opportunity slipping away or the potential fading. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where two protagonists are SO CLOSE to meeting without it happening. Shannon draws out the suspense and tension to an unbelievable degree.

And yet, despite the nature of the genre, the easy, light-hearted story, the heart-warming content, this novel is elevated by the sharp intelligence and informed scientific knowledge at its core. Sophie is bright and talented but also curious and willing to explore hypotheses. Tom is a messy musical genius who nevertheless wants to write songs that make sense in a scientific way; not rubbish pop, but smart indie writing that contains a message about love that can be scientifically proven, or at least discussed in a theoretical way.

If you love novels by Toni Jordan and Graeme Simsion, with their clever, shrewd, quick and keen wit, you will enjoy this book. It reminded me a lot of Minnie Dark’s Star-Crossed Lovers, albeit with less astrology and more astrophysics, but with that same beautiful sliding doors scenario that makes us wonder how many people in the world – in the universe – might be our soul mates if only different decisions were made on different days. The butterfly effect in reverse.

This is the perfect rom-com for intelligent readers who like their romance served with a side of science and reality cuddled up with randomness and that accidental fleeting moment that changes your life (or alternatively doesn’t happen, and doesn’t change anything). I especially love the line: ‘Layers of the unlikely that had collapsed into the inevitable.’