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Star Shipped
Cat Sebastian’s long-awaited foray into contemporary romance! A witty, emotional, and deliciously slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance between two costars on a popular sci-fi television series.
Simon and Charlie, actors on a long-running sci-fi show, can’t stand one another. Charlie is impetuous, outgoing, and basically feral, and Simon thinks he should have stayed in reality television where he belongs. They’ve spent the better part of a decade quarreling over the spotlight and pretty much everything else, and everybody in the industry knows it. Now that Simon’s contract is finally done, he can move to New York, start fresh with work he actually likes, and get away from Charlie.
Simon’s only problem is that people might assume he’s been pushed off the show due to being impossible to work with. And he is kind of difficult to work with. He doesn’t get along with people—unlike Charlie, who somehow tricked everyone on the show into adoring him despite some outrageously bad on-set behavior during the show’s first season. Simon would rather never have to see Charlie again, but reluctantly agrees to stage a very public friendship during the short time before he moves. When Charlie has to leave town to deal with a family emergency, this means Simon comes along. Their road trip brings Simon to places he would never have willingly chosen to visit—and he finds he’s actually not having a terrible time.
The more he gets to know Charlie, the more Simon suspects he’s underestimated his former coworker. Simon also realizes that after seven years, Charlie might know him better than anyone ever has. Even stranger, Charlie seems to be starting to actually like him, despite knowing him so well. Still, Simon is about to move three thousand miles away, so whatever’s starting between him and Charlie can’t really amount to anything... right?
Enemies to Lovers
Opposites Attract
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
Simon and Charlie, actors on a long-running sci-fi show, can’t stand one another. Charlie is impetuous, outgoing, and basically feral, and Simon thinks he should have stayed in reality television where he belongs. They’ve spent the better part of a decade quarreling over the spotlight and pretty much everything else, and everybody in the industry knows it. Now that Simon’s contract is finally done, he can move to New York, start fresh with work he actually likes, and get away from Charlie.
Simon’s only problem is that people might assume he’s been pushed off the show due to being impossible to work with. And he is kind of difficult to work with. He doesn’t get along with people—unlike Charlie, who somehow tricked everyone on the show into adoring him despite some outrageously bad on-set behavior during the show’s first season. Simon would rather never have to see Charlie again, but reluctantly agrees to stage a very public friendship during the short time before he moves. When Charlie has to leave town to deal with a family emergency, this means Simon comes along. Their road trip brings Simon to places he would never have willingly chosen to visit—and he finds he’s actually not having a terrible time.
The more he gets to know Charlie, the more Simon suspects he’s underestimated his former coworker. Simon also realizes that after seven years, Charlie might know him better than anyone ever has. Even stranger, Charlie seems to be starting to actually like him, despite knowing him so well. Still, Simon is about to move three thousand miles away, so whatever’s starting between him and Charlie can’t really amount to anything... right?
Enemies to Lovers
Opposites Attract
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2026
About the author
Cat Sebastian
28 books5,790 followersCat Sebastian has written sixteen queer historical romances. Cat’s books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist.
Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of south. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.
The best way to keep up with Cat’s projects is to subscribe to her newsletter.
Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of south. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.
The best way to keep up with Cat’s projects is to subscribe to her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,975 reviews
March 3, 2026
Look. I’m a really nosy person. I love knowing people’s business, and if an entire book is me being a fly on the wall of someone’s apartment while he slowly figures out that he thinks his co-worker of several years is hot and nice and maybe not quite so much of a himbo as previously thought (still a himbo but, like, a Himbo Lite with an extra serving of childhood trauma), well then that’s the book for me. There’s little plot in this — Cat Sebastian specializes in a sort of slice-of-life/dummies-falling-in-love mashup — but don’t let that turn you off, you snobs: the characters are rich and complex, and there’s a little diva dog named Edie. This is Sebastian’s first contemporary novel after, I don’t know, four thousand historicals, and it was oddly familiar but refreshing to read her very distinct voice discussing Discord and TikTok, a sort of comforting narrator through these unpleasant times we find ourselves in. A dedicated hater of all things space-related, even I was able to enjoy the conversations the characters had around their show, described as Twin Peaks in space (dreadful), a testament to CS’s addictively charming writing. Maybe someday she’ll publish something I don’t love to death, but I doubt it.
September 6, 2025
Without a doubt, one of my top romances of the year. Absolutely phenomenal.
March 19, 2026
Such an amazing story with absolutely wonderful characters. I honestly can't say who I loved more – Simon, Charlie or Jamie. Or Edie, the dog.
Excellent representation of mental health, complex and well-developed characters, the dynamic and the relationships between the characters beautifully done. A good balance between being funny and heavy. I loved the found family aspect of the story and all the sci-fi references.
Is Jamie getting his own book? I really hope he does, I'd love that.
My first read from this author, because she finally wrote a contemporary. 😊 Love her writing style.
Also, I wanted to listen to this book on audio but, sadly for me, it's narrated by Joel Leslie. I couldn't finish the sample.
Excellent representation of mental health, complex and well-developed characters, the dynamic and the relationships between the characters beautifully done. A good balance between being funny and heavy. I loved the found family aspect of the story and all the sci-fi references.
Is Jamie getting his own book? I really hope he does, I'd love that.
My first read from this author, because she finally wrote a contemporary. 😊 Love her writing style.
Also, I wanted to listen to this book on audio but, sadly for me, it's narrated by Joel Leslie. I couldn't finish the sample.
December 28, 2025
4.5 stars. Containing Cat Sebastian’s signature tenderness and queer sensibility but this time in a contemporary, cinematic setting, Star Shipped is yet another excellent queer romance worthy of a silver screen.
June 3, 2026
3.75
This was soooo cute! I really enjoyed this for the inclusion of mental health & some social commentary that was very naturally tied into this tender, sweet romance.
On one hand, we have our protagonist Simon who is this outwardly "unlikeable" character. But only presents that way due to personal health struggles - struggling with migraines, dealing with OCD, anxieties, etc. And I honestly could relate to Simon in so many moments while reading this.
Then we have this dislike-to-lovers arc that felt very natural. I find sometimes with this or the enemies-to-lovers trope, the dislike can start becoming too forced and prolonged just to make that trope super obvious, but I feel like we didn't exaggerate anything here. Nothing felt forced, and we just very authentically saw Simon & Charlie gradually open up and start to understand one another.
There were some important mentions to things like Queerbaiting in media, and how that affects the individuals involved. Appreciated these reminders throughout the book.
The reason this wasn't perfect for me was I found myself getting a bit bogged down in the dialogue between our 2 characters. I did love their banter, but would have loved to see more variety within the story. Including getting more interactions with the rest of our cast of characters and seeing more of Simon & Charlie's lives outside of just being together. We had some potentially very cool secondary characters to get to know more, and I feel like seeing more of them would have made this story feel more full and fleshed out!
All in all, very cute. Happy I read this one in June as well, perfect pride month read!
This was soooo cute! I really enjoyed this for the inclusion of mental health & some social commentary that was very naturally tied into this tender, sweet romance.
On one hand, we have our protagonist Simon who is this outwardly "unlikeable" character. But only presents that way due to personal health struggles - struggling with migraines, dealing with OCD, anxieties, etc. And I honestly could relate to Simon in so many moments while reading this.
Then we have this dislike-to-lovers arc that felt very natural. I find sometimes with this or the enemies-to-lovers trope, the dislike can start becoming too forced and prolonged just to make that trope super obvious, but I feel like we didn't exaggerate anything here. Nothing felt forced, and we just very authentically saw Simon & Charlie gradually open up and start to understand one another.
There were some important mentions to things like Queerbaiting in media, and how that affects the individuals involved. Appreciated these reminders throughout the book.
The reason this wasn't perfect for me was I found myself getting a bit bogged down in the dialogue between our 2 characters. I did love their banter, but would have loved to see more variety within the story. Including getting more interactions with the rest of our cast of characters and seeing more of Simon & Charlie's lives outside of just being together. We had some potentially very cool secondary characters to get to know more, and I feel like seeing more of them would have made this story feel more full and fleshed out!
All in all, very cute. Happy I read this one in June as well, perfect pride month read!
May 18, 2026
2.75 stars
So I obviously knew this would be different from her other romances with the switch to a modern day setting. I was excited about that because I think Cat Sebastian is a great author, and I was sure she could pull this off. Now though? I’m not so sure she did pull it off.
Because this kind of fell flat for me. Nothing happened, it was boring in a way that her other books weren’t even though they are also low on actual plot outside the romance. I didn’t like the main character. And the way this was written was just not for me, the pacing felt kind of choppy with very different vibes than her other books.
But let’s start at the beginning.
While the idea of two TV stars who dislike each other but then decide to fake a friendship to gain more popularity for potential future projects might not be exactly up my alley (because of the TV show aspect), it had enemies to lovers written all over it and that’s what I’m here for. But it's not really what I got.
And that’s because there was no real tension (or chemistry) to be found between them. There was no enemies to lovers’ element to this story.
Yes, they seemingly disliked each other at the start of the book, for a brief moment. But they’ve already known each other for 7 years. They already know the other person, and they’ve basically already fallen in love with each other. One of them just hasn’t realised it yet and the other hasn’t allowed himself to act on his feelings because he thinks it wouldn’t be a good idea with them being coworkers and all. So like neither of them really even disliked the other at that point.
That’s one thing that bothered me. The other was that the further I got, the more it turned into something that felt more like a character study of Simon and less like a romance between Simon and Charlie.
The story is told from Simons POV, so ofc he’s the character that you know most of. After all you’re in his head throughout the story. That’s fine, that’s expected. But there was so much Simon in here that I barely got to know Charlie at all. He remained bland, vague and underdeveloped. He never turned into a fully fleshed out main character. Which is a problem because a good romance needs two strong main characters.
And aside from that, Simon wasn’t easy to like. I get that he wasn’t exactly supposed to be likeable, that he was a complex and difficult character who struggled with so much. All of that was portrayed in a great way, very realistic and with care. I felt for him and I understood how challenging everything was for him. But at the end of the day, he just wasn’t a pleasant character to read about for me. And I’m fine with difficult characters, but I have to at least like them somewhat when I read a romance. Otherwise, I won’t be rooting for them, and what’s even the point then?
__
March 2026 can’t come soon enough ✨🙏
So I obviously knew this would be different from her other romances with the switch to a modern day setting. I was excited about that because I think Cat Sebastian is a great author, and I was sure she could pull this off. Now though? I’m not so sure she did pull it off.
Because this kind of fell flat for me. Nothing happened, it was boring in a way that her other books weren’t even though they are also low on actual plot outside the romance. I didn’t like the main character. And the way this was written was just not for me, the pacing felt kind of choppy with very different vibes than her other books.
But let’s start at the beginning.
While the idea of two TV stars who dislike each other but then decide to fake a friendship to gain more popularity for potential future projects might not be exactly up my alley (because of the TV show aspect), it had enemies to lovers written all over it and that’s what I’m here for. But it's not really what I got.
And that’s because there was no real tension (or chemistry) to be found between them. There was no enemies to lovers’ element to this story.
Yes, they seemingly disliked each other at the start of the book, for a brief moment. But they’ve already known each other for 7 years. They already know the other person, and they’ve basically already fallen in love with each other. One of them just hasn’t realised it yet and the other hasn’t allowed himself to act on his feelings because he thinks it wouldn’t be a good idea with them being coworkers and all. So like neither of them really even disliked the other at that point.
That’s one thing that bothered me. The other was that the further I got, the more it turned into something that felt more like a character study of Simon and less like a romance between Simon and Charlie.
The story is told from Simons POV, so ofc he’s the character that you know most of. After all you’re in his head throughout the story. That’s fine, that’s expected. But there was so much Simon in here that I barely got to know Charlie at all. He remained bland, vague and underdeveloped. He never turned into a fully fleshed out main character. Which is a problem because a good romance needs two strong main characters.
And aside from that, Simon wasn’t easy to like. I get that he wasn’t exactly supposed to be likeable, that he was a complex and difficult character who struggled with so much. All of that was portrayed in a great way, very realistic and with care. I felt for him and I understood how challenging everything was for him. But at the end of the day, he just wasn’t a pleasant character to read about for me. And I’m fine with difficult characters, but I have to at least like them somewhat when I read a romance. Otherwise, I won’t be rooting for them, and what’s even the point then?
__
March 2026 can’t come soon enough ✨🙏
May 5, 2026
Cat Sebastian is the queen of slice-of-life stories with complex, three-dimensional characters and she absolutely outdid herself here. Like, wow.
For her first ever contemporary romance (!!) she chose an absolutely delightful pairing:
Simon, a neurodivergent, high strung, migraine-ridden, standoffish and incredibly socially anxious - but ultimately very loveable - actor on an above average sci-fi show and Charlie, his cargo-shorts wearing, smart in his own way, soft, gentle, pure sunshine (but with hidden depth and pain underneath) co-star.
Black cat vs. golden retriever at its finest and most interesting with strong enemies to lovers yearning!
You see, if you spend seven years together on set as co-stars, you really get to know the person you’re spending so much time with - even if you don’t want to, even if you detest that person (they totally don’t detest each other, they just don’t know it yet 🫠). So it comes as no surprise to literally anyone but them that, somewhere along the way, they came to know each other better than anyone else. The good, the bad, the ugly and especially the parts each of them thought they kept hidden from everyone else.
Thrust into a close proximity situation (I LOVE a good roadtrip) they slowly start to realise that behind the banter, sarcasm, abundant snark and bickering lies a deep understanding of who the other person is. A realisation that the other is someone they want to be with, be there for, stay for. Someone they want to be better for, do better for.
The fucking tenderness and raw-ness and reluctant vulnerability that slowly builds between them completely undid me.
The sloooow way they start opening up - to themselves first, to what they want and need - and only then to each other, all while being awkward about the whole thing and absolutely petrified of what it all means but also understanding the inevitability of it all?
So, SO, well done.
But next to these beautiful character and relationship arcs I have three other special mentions:
✨ Jamie was a phenomenal side character and the depiction of his and Simon’s friendship was one of my favourite things about this story. I love reading about platonic love 🥹
✨ Edie the dachshund was the real MVP.
✨ The forum chats felt incredibly authentic and I loved how the author captured the fandom around a cult show - being overly invested in the actors, writing huge AU fanfics about show characters, finding online community and connection through mutual obsession. So fun to read and explore!
This is third person, single POV and the writing is brilliant: witty, sharp, intimate and it reminded me of other authors with roots in fanfiction. I just absolutely adore this writing style!
All in all, a phenomenal new addition to Cat Sebastians already rich catalogue and maybe even my new favourite. I hope this wasn’t her last foray into contemporary because this was everything 🥹💕
For her first ever contemporary romance (!!) she chose an absolutely delightful pairing:
Simon, a neurodivergent, high strung, migraine-ridden, standoffish and incredibly socially anxious - but ultimately very loveable - actor on an above average sci-fi show and Charlie, his cargo-shorts wearing, smart in his own way, soft, gentle, pure sunshine (but with hidden depth and pain underneath) co-star.
Black cat vs. golden retriever at its finest and most interesting with strong enemies to lovers yearning!
You see, if you spend seven years together on set as co-stars, you really get to know the person you’re spending so much time with - even if you don’t want to, even if you detest that person (they totally don’t detest each other, they just don’t know it yet 🫠). So it comes as no surprise to literally anyone but them that, somewhere along the way, they came to know each other better than anyone else. The good, the bad, the ugly and especially the parts each of them thought they kept hidden from everyone else.
Thrust into a close proximity situation (I LOVE a good roadtrip) they slowly start to realise that behind the banter, sarcasm, abundant snark and bickering lies a deep understanding of who the other person is. A realisation that the other is someone they want to be with, be there for, stay for. Someone they want to be better for, do better for.
The fucking tenderness and raw-ness and reluctant vulnerability that slowly builds between them completely undid me.
The sloooow way they start opening up - to themselves first, to what they want and need - and only then to each other, all while being awkward about the whole thing and absolutely petrified of what it all means but also understanding the inevitability of it all?
So, SO, well done.
But next to these beautiful character and relationship arcs I have three other special mentions:
✨ Jamie was a phenomenal side character and the depiction of his and Simon’s friendship was one of my favourite things about this story. I love reading about platonic love 🥹
✨ Edie the dachshund was the real MVP.
✨ The forum chats felt incredibly authentic and I loved how the author captured the fandom around a cult show - being overly invested in the actors, writing huge AU fanfics about show characters, finding online community and connection through mutual obsession. So fun to read and explore!
This is third person, single POV and the writing is brilliant: witty, sharp, intimate and it reminded me of other authors with roots in fanfiction. I just absolutely adore this writing style!
All in all, a phenomenal new addition to Cat Sebastians already rich catalogue and maybe even my new favourite. I hope this wasn’t her last foray into contemporary because this was everything 🥹💕
June 11, 2026
The beauty of this book lies in the details. My first book by this author and I can say that the writing style is something unique. It’s probably a good thing to read this book slowly to get every tiny sentence that makes you pause and reread it and think about it.
Sadly, my head is a complete mess for a few weeks now and reading this book was exhausting for me. This is on me and not the books fault. I think I would have loved it to pieces in another situation. I need to remember to reread it in a year or two.
It took me a while to get into it, I was pretty bored for the first 100 or so pages. Again, I think this is on me.
Later I was better invested and I liked it even if there is nearly no plot.
What is really good and beautiful are both main characters and their struggles with life and the past and then with each other. And this is where the beauty of this writing comes in, the tiny hints and subtle details of the mental issues of both characters.
Since this is completely told from Simon’s point of view it’s a bit one sided. And Simon‘s mental health is the main focus. I love how it is portrayed and integrated in his prickly cactus personality.
No, he isn’t okay. He left okay in the rearview mirror nearly a year ago when his migraine meds started fucking with his old anxiety meds, and since then he’s relying on much-less-effective anxiety meds. He isn’t okay, but he also isn’t getting three migraines a week. 😢😢😢
Simon’s sitting on the sofa, trying to read a book while his brain is screaming that the cabinets are wrong and his groceries are wrong and also everything in the world is wrong because Simon didn’t turn the doorknob the correct number of times and how can a person be expected to function under these circumstances. 🥺🥺🥺
Simon is still mentally awarding himself star stickers for eating three meals a day. He’s counting binge reading romance novels as radical self-care. 🤭💕💕💕
“I’m trying to be nice,” Simon complains.
“You’re so bad at it. Have you ever tried before? Is this your first time? Should I be flattered?” Somehow, Charlie’s managing to sound mean and hurt and fake-flirty all at once. 😂😂😂
Sadly, my head is a complete mess for a few weeks now and reading this book was exhausting for me. This is on me and not the books fault. I think I would have loved it to pieces in another situation. I need to remember to reread it in a year or two.
It took me a while to get into it, I was pretty bored for the first 100 or so pages. Again, I think this is on me.
Later I was better invested and I liked it even if there is nearly no plot.
What is really good and beautiful are both main characters and their struggles with life and the past and then with each other. And this is where the beauty of this writing comes in, the tiny hints and subtle details of the mental issues of both characters.
Since this is completely told from Simon’s point of view it’s a bit one sided. And Simon‘s mental health is the main focus. I love how it is portrayed and integrated in his prickly cactus personality.
No, he isn’t okay. He left okay in the rearview mirror nearly a year ago when his migraine meds started fucking with his old anxiety meds, and since then he’s relying on much-less-effective anxiety meds. He isn’t okay, but he also isn’t getting three migraines a week. 😢😢😢
Simon’s sitting on the sofa, trying to read a book while his brain is screaming that the cabinets are wrong and his groceries are wrong and also everything in the world is wrong because Simon didn’t turn the doorknob the correct number of times and how can a person be expected to function under these circumstances. 🥺🥺🥺
Simon is still mentally awarding himself star stickers for eating three meals a day. He’s counting binge reading romance novels as radical self-care. 🤭💕💕💕
“I’m trying to be nice,” Simon complains.
“You’re so bad at it. Have you ever tried before? Is this your first time? Should I be flattered?” Somehow, Charlie’s managing to sound mean and hurt and fake-flirty all at once. 😂😂😂
December 15, 2025
It took me a while to get used to the writing, it isn't as flowy as what I'm used to in romance books, but once I got past that start I ate it up.
This was my first Cat Sebastian book, hence the first part about how I'm not used to her writing. I'm not a fan of historical books, but this is contemporary so I thought I'd give it a try and I was pleasantly surprised.
We follow Charlie, an actor in a tv series, and his co-star of seven years, Simon. Charlie has severe anxiety and mild OCD, and that's a big part of the plot which I loved. The author handled the feeling of having limitations and being at war with yourself because you don't want other people to have to go out of their way for you beautifully.
The way Charlie accepts Simon for who he is, accommodating to make things better for him, it's so sweet I could cry(I actually did cry a few times). Don't go in expecting a lot of smut, this is not it. Star Shipped is mainly a book about finding your people and accepting yourself. I love how the characters are a little older, showing you don't have everything figured out once you hit 30, it's a constant journey.
I really liked Star Shipped, I might even try her other books.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC!
This was my first Cat Sebastian book, hence the first part about how I'm not used to her writing. I'm not a fan of historical books, but this is contemporary so I thought I'd give it a try and I was pleasantly surprised.
We follow Charlie, an actor in a tv series, and his co-star of seven years, Simon. Charlie has severe anxiety and mild OCD, and that's a big part of the plot which I loved. The author handled the feeling of having limitations and being at war with yourself because you don't want other people to have to go out of their way for you beautifully.
The way Charlie accepts Simon for who he is, accommodating to make things better for him, it's so sweet I could cry(I actually did cry a few times). Don't go in expecting a lot of smut, this is not it. Star Shipped is mainly a book about finding your people and accepting yourself. I love how the characters are a little older, showing you don't have everything figured out once you hit 30, it's a constant journey.
I really liked Star Shipped, I might even try her other books.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC!
Want to Read
November 18, 2024Cat Sebastian could write a 60k worth of grocery list and i’d still want to read it.
Want to Read
April 21, 2026JOEL LESLIE?!? TF??? STILL?! IN THIS ECONOMY????
😭😭😭😭
I honestly thought…. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a cat book, and this is a new-ish release…. SURELY CAT LEFT JOEL IN THE PAST……
YIIIIIIIIUCK
Return to Libby instantly girl bye 👋🏼
😭😭😭😭
I honestly thought…. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a cat book, and this is a new-ish release…. SURELY CAT LEFT JOEL IN THE PAST……
YIIIIIIIIUCK
Return to Libby instantly girl bye 👋🏼
March 4, 2026
Loved how quickly Simon went from believing he hates Charlie to eagerly standing by to push Dave into traffic should he dare not hug Charlie back.
One of the rare instances where I love both MCs. Simon's not everyone's cup of tea(or so he thinks, what with the anxiety and mild OCD) so he stays away from people before they can stay away from him. Very snarky, too, but sweet, if you can read between the lines.
I love how into him Charlie is. Just seems to really enjoy being around him, even when Simon's sharp tongue is pointed at him. Makes it even cuter that he can match him snark for snark.
Simon hates that he needs accommodations and doesn't want to make them anyone else's concern. Right from the jump (and in many ways that we discover later) Charlie WANTS to be concerned. He wants Simon to be comfortable.
So what if he needs to place the mugs with the handles facing four o'clock? So what if he has to walk a few minutes to his home after driving Simon home because he knows Simon hates driving?
That's just being nice, you say? Well then, so what if he has to buy a first class ticket for Simon's dog and fly it from one coast to another just because he thinks Simon misses the dog?
He's headed that way, anyway. 💀
Their banter is my favorite part of this.
"You're so fucking petty."
"Only to you."
My personal favorite love language 🥰
And their first sex scene is the stuff of legend. By then, they clearly both like each other but are not yet comfortable in it. They want it to be good for the other, but that requires communication and that's not their thing.
"No, really. How do you like it?"
"I told you. Very vanilla."
Yesssssss finally an MC who doesn't want to prick the other's dick and lick the blood(yes, C. P. Harris, I still remember and I still haven't forgiven you).
"Just tell me where, in an ideal world, my dick is in all of this. I feel like you're telling me you wanna get fucked but I literally do not know because you're being such a weirdo."
So valid. They're asking him how he wants it and he's all, "ionno. Nice."
Then....
"I mean, I could fuck you. Like if you really wanted me to. In an emergency situation."
"You'd fuck me to save my life?"
"Yes, exactly. You're welcome."
I'm so amused that this man knows exactly what he wants BUT he's unable to express it in any coherent way.
Good thing Charlie is a mind reader.
"You said you'd do it the other way. To save my life. What do you need? A doctor's note? A prescription?"
"A court order. A petition with 10,000 signatures."
😂 Man said yeah, I can be vers once in a while for you, as a treat, but it won't be easy and the requirements would be so stringent that you'd just give up and fuck me.
Still, though. I like how clear about wanting it nice and vanilla Simon was(well,as clear as Simon can be about anything). No gymnastics necessary. I don't want to be mean to you. I also don't want you to be mean to me.
I also love how adorably flustered he was that Charlie figured it out, that he wanted to lie there and be taken care of.
More than anything, I love how they both think they're too much, but they're just the right kind of extra for each other.
Charlie thinks he's needy?
Simon thinks he's a global market leader in nuclear grade neediness.
Simon doesn't want Charlie to go back to his place? Great. Charlie looks like he'd love to be locked up in a 'codependence basement'.
Also, Simon is always in his head about everything but he's somehow able to tell when Charlie needs to be in his head about stuff, too, and in those instances he's able to be the solid one, so Charlie can spiral.
Shocked me as much as it did Charlie.
"How are you being calm right now? Not being calm is like your whole thing!"
And yes, usually I love when MCs can just be direct about what they're feeling and what they want but I found it unbelievably adorable that these two were just so into each other and so incapable of just SAYING it that they found increasingly convoluted ways to say it to each other(without actually saying it, and while maintaining plausible deniability in case the other wasn't on board).
Spoiler alert: the other was always on board. And even better, it seemed obvious to everyone around them even before it became obvious to them.
Want to come back to my place instead of yours because I'm sure there's no groceries at yours and I'm sure you must be hungry aaaaaand there's coffee and donuts at mine?
Mind you they'd just returned from what was basically a week away together.
Also loved how they eventually got to a place where they kind of suspected they knew how the other felt, but it hadn't yet been said, so whenever they wanted more, instead of getting mad when the other didn't offer it, they'd just keep the conversation going and offer alternative ideas until the other finally understood what they were angling for.
So you have multiple conversations along this vein.
Do you want to take the dog with you?
No. Why? Do you have something else to do? I shouldn't have assumed you'd babysit it.
I don't have anything else to do. Just, I know having him around makes you happy. Maybe I'll go to the gym.
Oh. Okay.
But maybe I could just come along. With you.
Why would you want to do that?
Um.
Actually, I think my family would really like you. If you'd like to come.
Okay. Guess I'll come with you then.
Chaotic but effective communication. Growth💀.
This was sweet. Had me giggling and kicking my feet.
Minus half a star because the ending felt so abrupt and idk if that was just me wanting more of them, but also.....Joel Leslie(ugh).
To anyone else that suffers from my affliction ie a Joel Leslie intolerance, he's not so bad at 1.5x speed. Still bad. But not SO bad.
Also that one instance of one MC hitting on the other's best friend. I'm totally being a hypocrite on that front because I love cheating AND this wasn't even that because nothing had started between the two MCs by then, but also by the end it's clear that specific MC had a thing for the other MC all along so him hitting on his best friend of all people rubbed me the wrong way(even though the other MC saw it in real time and was not bothered by it in the least—again, because technically there was nothing between them by that point).
Alas. GR doesn't let us dock half a star. But 4.5 for me.
One of the rare instances where I love both MCs. Simon's not everyone's cup of tea(or so he thinks, what with the anxiety and mild OCD) so he stays away from people before they can stay away from him. Very snarky, too, but sweet, if you can read between the lines.
I love how into him Charlie is. Just seems to really enjoy being around him, even when Simon's sharp tongue is pointed at him. Makes it even cuter that he can match him snark for snark.
Simon hates that he needs accommodations and doesn't want to make them anyone else's concern. Right from the jump (and in many ways that we discover later) Charlie WANTS to be concerned. He wants Simon to be comfortable.
So what if he needs to place the mugs with the handles facing four o'clock? So what if he has to walk a few minutes to his home after driving Simon home because he knows Simon hates driving?
That's just being nice, you say? Well then, so what if he has to buy a first class ticket for Simon's dog and fly it from one coast to another just because he thinks Simon misses the dog?
He's headed that way, anyway. 💀
Their banter is my favorite part of this.
"You're so fucking petty."
"Only to you."
My personal favorite love language 🥰
And their first sex scene is the stuff of legend. By then, they clearly both like each other but are not yet comfortable in it. They want it to be good for the other, but that requires communication and that's not their thing.
"No, really. How do you like it?"
"I told you. Very vanilla."
Yesssssss finally an MC who doesn't want to prick the other's dick and lick the blood(yes, C. P. Harris, I still remember and I still haven't forgiven you).
"Just tell me where, in an ideal world, my dick is in all of this. I feel like you're telling me you wanna get fucked but I literally do not know because you're being such a weirdo."
So valid. They're asking him how he wants it and he's all, "ionno. Nice."
Then....
"I mean, I could fuck you. Like if you really wanted me to. In an emergency situation."
"You'd fuck me to save my life?"
"Yes, exactly. You're welcome."
I'm so amused that this man knows exactly what he wants BUT he's unable to express it in any coherent way.
Good thing Charlie is a mind reader.
"You said you'd do it the other way. To save my life. What do you need? A doctor's note? A prescription?"
"A court order. A petition with 10,000 signatures."
😂 Man said yeah, I can be vers once in a while for you, as a treat, but it won't be easy and the requirements would be so stringent that you'd just give up and fuck me.
Still, though. I like how clear about wanting it nice and vanilla Simon was(well,as clear as Simon can be about anything). No gymnastics necessary. I don't want to be mean to you. I also don't want you to be mean to me.
I also love how adorably flustered he was that Charlie figured it out, that he wanted to lie there and be taken care of.
More than anything, I love how they both think they're too much, but they're just the right kind of extra for each other.
Charlie thinks he's needy?
Simon thinks he's a global market leader in nuclear grade neediness.
Simon doesn't want Charlie to go back to his place? Great. Charlie looks like he'd love to be locked up in a 'codependence basement'.
Also, Simon is always in his head about everything but he's somehow able to tell when Charlie needs to be in his head about stuff, too, and in those instances he's able to be the solid one, so Charlie can spiral.
Shocked me as much as it did Charlie.
"How are you being calm right now? Not being calm is like your whole thing!"
And yes, usually I love when MCs can just be direct about what they're feeling and what they want but I found it unbelievably adorable that these two were just so into each other and so incapable of just SAYING it that they found increasingly convoluted ways to say it to each other(without actually saying it, and while maintaining plausible deniability in case the other wasn't on board).
Spoiler alert: the other was always on board. And even better, it seemed obvious to everyone around them even before it became obvious to them.
Want to come back to my place instead of yours because I'm sure there's no groceries at yours and I'm sure you must be hungry aaaaaand there's coffee and donuts at mine?
Mind you they'd just returned from what was basically a week away together.
Also loved how they eventually got to a place where they kind of suspected they knew how the other felt, but it hadn't yet been said, so whenever they wanted more, instead of getting mad when the other didn't offer it, they'd just keep the conversation going and offer alternative ideas until the other finally understood what they were angling for.
So you have multiple conversations along this vein.
Do you want to take the dog with you?
No. Why? Do you have something else to do? I shouldn't have assumed you'd babysit it.
I don't have anything else to do. Just, I know having him around makes you happy. Maybe I'll go to the gym.
Oh. Okay.
But maybe I could just come along. With you.
Why would you want to do that?
Um.
Actually, I think my family would really like you. If you'd like to come.
Okay. Guess I'll come with you then.
Chaotic but effective communication. Growth💀.
This was sweet. Had me giggling and kicking my feet.
Minus half a star because the ending felt so abrupt and idk if that was just me wanting more of them, but also.....Joel Leslie(ugh).
To anyone else that suffers from my affliction ie a Joel Leslie intolerance, he's not so bad at 1.5x speed. Still bad. But not SO bad.
Also that one instance of one MC hitting on the other's best friend. I'm totally being a hypocrite on that front because I love cheating AND this wasn't even that because nothing had started between the two MCs by then, but also by the end it's clear that specific MC had a thing for the other MC all along so him hitting on his best friend of all people rubbed me the wrong way(even though the other MC saw it in real time and was not bothered by it in the least—again, because technically there was nothing between them by that point).
Alas. GR doesn't let us dock half a star. But 4.5 for me.
March 20, 2026
**** 4.5 Stars ****
What a gorgeous read!!!!😍
What a gorgeous read!!!!😍
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I'm not ashamed to say I went to the publisher with my heart on my sleeve and all but begged them to take mercy on my pending NetGalley request — which they were lovely enough to do. I just wish I had a more effusive review to give them in return for their kindness.
As a longtime Sebastian fan (though, admittedly, moreso for the earlier releases..), I was pretty psyched to see a contemporary novel being offered up to the masses. The fact that it was a hate to love set around feuding or at least bickering longtime costars, and on a sci-fi show no less, well. I was seated. But unfortunately, despite the concept and some of the early banter, I just didn't feel this one stuck the landing. And unfortunately I think that's mainly because of Simon's character and the fact that his perspective colours everything. I'm not usually (ever?) mad to be given more layers or realism to a character but I definitely feel his struggles with anxiety and OCD and migraines ended up being too much of a focal point.
Like, don't get me wrong it makes sense, and I felt it was done with care, but it took up space that I felt could've been used to insert more on-set shenanigans. Or given to that slow unfurling of the early stages of their road trip — by the way, this was the flimsiest excuse for the forced proximity ever but honestly I wasn't mad about it. It's just funny — and also just more Charlie-centric page time in general. Despite some of his drama being the reason a lot of this relationship evolution even happened, I feel like there was a lot more to unpack with him and we didn't get as much acknowledgement or attention from Simon's perspective in support of that vs Charlie doing a lot of work to acknowledge and adapt to whatever Simon needed. I don't know, it just felt offbalance.
This ended up being incredibly low stakes considering the potential impact to their show, and their careers, which in some ways is a nice change of pace, but ultimately it then resulted in just waiting for them to both get out of their own way and be happy. It's very introspective and mental-health positive but this isn't exactly what I thought I was signing up for based on the pitch. But they were cute, I guess? Even if, after all that build up, the burner on their chemistry was set to low.
Despite not getting what I wanted out of this, if you're looking for some easy light reading, where nothing bad happens and — other than navigating Simon's headspace — there's nothing too stressful to encounter, you'll probably enjoy this slowburn set in a safe queer space.
2.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
As a longtime Sebastian fan (though, admittedly, moreso for the earlier releases..), I was pretty psyched to see a contemporary novel being offered up to the masses. The fact that it was a hate to love set around feuding or at least bickering longtime costars, and on a sci-fi show no less, well. I was seated. But unfortunately, despite the concept and some of the early banter, I just didn't feel this one stuck the landing. And unfortunately I think that's mainly because of Simon's character and the fact that his perspective colours everything. I'm not usually (ever?) mad to be given more layers or realism to a character but I definitely feel his struggles with anxiety and OCD and migraines ended up being too much of a focal point.
Like, don't get me wrong it makes sense, and I felt it was done with care, but it took up space that I felt could've been used to insert more on-set shenanigans. Or given to that slow unfurling of the early stages of their road trip — by the way, this was the flimsiest excuse for the forced proximity ever but honestly I wasn't mad about it. It's just funny — and also just more Charlie-centric page time in general. Despite some of his drama being the reason a lot of this relationship evolution even happened, I feel like there was a lot more to unpack with him and we didn't get as much acknowledgement or attention from Simon's perspective in support of that vs Charlie doing a lot of work to acknowledge and adapt to whatever Simon needed. I don't know, it just felt offbalance.
This ended up being incredibly low stakes considering the potential impact to their show, and their careers, which in some ways is a nice change of pace, but ultimately it then resulted in just waiting for them to both get out of their own way and be happy. It's very introspective and mental-health positive but this isn't exactly what I thought I was signing up for based on the pitch. But they were cute, I guess? Even if, after all that build up, the burner on their chemistry was set to low.
Despite not getting what I wanted out of this, if you're looking for some easy light reading, where nothing bad happens and — other than navigating Simon's headspace — there's nothing too stressful to encounter, you'll probably enjoy this slowburn set in a safe queer space.
2.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
March 27, 2026
There never was a doubt in my mind that this would be a 5 star read because (and I have said it before), Cat Sebastian is a genius. This is her first contemporary and I was all there for it! I must admit that I slightly prefer her historical romance story’s (specially those that are set in the end of the fifties, early sixties in New York City), but I would certainly say this book is all the proof I, as a reader, might need (though, who am I kidding?) that Cat can write anything she likes and I would read it, and probably rate it 5 stars anyway.
What I loved about this book was how well she wrote a character with anxiety and (light) OCD. There were times Simon felt like a male (and fictional) version of me, and though I thankfully don’t suffer from migraines, I could easily picture how miserable he felt when he had those.
One of the things Cat does so well is showing character growth. All her stories are mostly character driven and I love those. It’s kind of rewarding to see how they get some more insight into themselves simply because they are with a person wanting them to do better for, to take better care, to make life less stressful and difficult, to take some of that other person’s burden and carry it for them. And maybe that is something that other person wants to do for you as well, and isn’t that an insight on its own? Realising that you are really worth it, that you are worth to be taken care of and loved, and not be the person other people don’t want to be around.
So, well done, once again, Cat. And thank you for giving us these wonderful men, who I have come to love and care for in this past week that I spent with them. I loved every second of it.
What I loved about this book was how well she wrote a character with anxiety and (light) OCD. There were times Simon felt like a male (and fictional) version of me, and though I thankfully don’t suffer from migraines, I could easily picture how miserable he felt when he had those.
One of the things Cat does so well is showing character growth. All her stories are mostly character driven and I love those. It’s kind of rewarding to see how they get some more insight into themselves simply because they are with a person wanting them to do better for, to take better care, to make life less stressful and difficult, to take some of that other person’s burden and carry it for them. And maybe that is something that other person wants to do for you as well, and isn’t that an insight on its own? Realising that you are really worth it, that you are worth to be taken care of and loved, and not be the person other people don’t want to be around.
So, well done, once again, Cat. And thank you for giving us these wonderful men, who I have come to love and care for in this past week that I spent with them. I loved every second of it.
March 7, 2026
Wow, this book was everything. It could have been 1000 more pages without much happening and I’d happily devoured every one of them.
Straight to the favourites shelf!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Straight to the favourites shelf!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
April 15, 2026
I’m not normally a big slice-of-life girl, but Jesus fucking Christ, I would read about these two doing anything. The character development, writing style, and banter are extraordinary.
THE PREMISE: two co-stars people make homoerotic gifs about realise they might not hate each other. Not even a little bit. Not even at all.
TROPES & VIBES:
- Incredible mental health rep
- The most emotionally messy, adorable bitches
- I would stand in front of a truck for either of them
- Slow-paced, character-driven plot
- Hurt x comfort
5⭐️ 1🌶️
THE PREMISE: two co-stars people make homoerotic gifs about realise they might not hate each other. Not even a little bit. Not even at all.
TROPES & VIBES:
- Incredible mental health rep
- The most emotionally messy, adorable bitches
- I would stand in front of a truck for either of them
- Slow-paced, character-driven plot
- Hurt x comfort
5⭐️ 1🌶️
April 23, 2026
4.5 stars, loved this one. RTC!
March 10, 2026
made me laugh out loud but lacked chemistry? i had an alright time 🧚🏼🧚🏼🧚🏼
thank you to edelweiss for the arc!
thank you to edelweiss for the arc!
May 29, 2026
My feelings for this book are not normal. I loved everything about it 😭
Two frenemy actors in a sci-fi, space opera that have had a weird, antagonistic relationship for the past 7 years realized they actually like each other and proceeded to be completely gone and soft for their new relationship.
Simon was so prickly and awkward and adorable with his anxiety and spiralling doomsday scenarios. And even though Simon and everyone thought at first that Charlie was just a himbo, it was super cute to see how Simon noticed that Charlie actually had layers and was a complex individual.
Simon and his anxiety felt so relatable; it also helped a lot that he had a dachshund, too. As the owner of one, I’m clearly biased, but Simon couldn’t have a better emotional support companion.
“Simon tries to remember where he’s supposed to put his hands, what a normal facial expression feels like, how to cosplay as a functional person.”
The love and support they had for each other were super swoony. I spent the entire book laughing and blushing at the absurdity of their interactions.
“He’s near enough to feel Charlie smile. “Simon, I’m kissing you because I ran out of reasons not to.”
Two frenemy actors in a sci-fi, space opera that have had a weird, antagonistic relationship for the past 7 years realized they actually like each other and proceeded to be completely gone and soft for their new relationship.
Simon was so prickly and awkward and adorable with his anxiety and spiralling doomsday scenarios. And even though Simon and everyone thought at first that Charlie was just a himbo, it was super cute to see how Simon noticed that Charlie actually had layers and was a complex individual.
Simon and his anxiety felt so relatable; it also helped a lot that he had a dachshund, too. As the owner of one, I’m clearly biased, but Simon couldn’t have a better emotional support companion.
“Simon tries to remember where he’s supposed to put his hands, what a normal facial expression feels like, how to cosplay as a functional person.”
The love and support they had for each other were super swoony. I spent the entire book laughing and blushing at the absurdity of their interactions.
“He’s near enough to feel Charlie smile. “Simon, I’m kissing you because I ran out of reasons not to.”
March 14, 2026
1.5 stars. i think i hated this book. i’ve been so excited for this release seeing as it carries all the usual tropes i’d enjoy but it did not deliver. at all.
simon, the main character, is exhausting to read about. i think his mental health was written in a good way and as someone who deals with anxiety, i could relate to most of his thoughts and feelings but outside of that? i couldn’t tell you one single thing i enjoyed about him. i read to escape my own brain, i don’t want to be stuck with a character that is constantly self deprecating. simon is overly bitchy for no reason and insufferable. his reasonings for disliking blake for seven fucking years are lackluster at most. i think it was because blake is younger… and hotter… and has more friends… and didn’t have a history of acting? maybe? fuck do i know, the author never really explains it.
this book is an enemies to lovers story, and you’d expect (or at least hope for) tension before they get together but one moment they were cussing each other out and the next they were kissing? the shift happened way too fast and the chemistry was still non existent at that point. sue me but when i read an enemies to lovers book, i want to expect and yearn for the moment they get together, not be completely blindsided by it.
i had hoped this book would have more scenes of simon and blake actually acting together but i guess we can’t ask for acting scenes in a book marketed as a romance between co-stars.
i feel like my review turned super bitchy. i blame it on simon rubbing off on me.
simon, the main character, is exhausting to read about. i think his mental health was written in a good way and as someone who deals with anxiety, i could relate to most of his thoughts and feelings but outside of that? i couldn’t tell you one single thing i enjoyed about him. i read to escape my own brain, i don’t want to be stuck with a character that is constantly self deprecating. simon is overly bitchy for no reason and insufferable. his reasonings for disliking blake for seven fucking years are lackluster at most. i think it was because blake is younger… and hotter… and has more friends… and didn’t have a history of acting? maybe? fuck do i know, the author never really explains it.
this book is an enemies to lovers story, and you’d expect (or at least hope for) tension before they get together but one moment they were cussing each other out and the next they were kissing? the shift happened way too fast and the chemistry was still non existent at that point. sue me but when i read an enemies to lovers book, i want to expect and yearn for the moment they get together, not be completely blindsided by it.
i had hoped this book would have more scenes of simon and blake actually acting together but i guess we can’t ask for acting scenes in a book marketed as a romance between co-stars.
i feel like my review turned super bitchy. i blame it on simon rubbing off on me.
April 25, 2026
Cat Sebastian is quickly becoming a fav author of mine. I loved Star Shipped! I didn't want it to end.
March 20, 2026
before reading: this is the Cat Sebastian book i never knew i always wanted
after reading: ↑ what she said
after reading: ↑ what she said
May 7, 2026
Darn.
Why do I not have a 'This got me right by the proverbial balls' shelf????
Or a 'made me clutch my heart' one????
Needless to say ... I really really loved this.
All of it.
The MCs.
Their complexity.
The relationship development.
The depth.
The feelings!
The intelligent writing.
The tricky conversations.
The uncertainties.
The way both these men, little by little, claw their way towards each other.
And of course … Edie, the dog.
Absolutely fantastic writing!
Simon is one hell of a character. His self-deprecation hurt. The way he sees himself made my heart ache. Big time. The way he misses so many social ‘clues’. God. I totally felt him, totally understood, totally rooted for him.
Charlie is one of those sweethearts you just wanna hug. And say thank you. But he’s not all sunshine either. There is so much more behind those beaming smiles and that outgoing, sympathic nature of his.
And I loved Jamie. (And yes please for a book about him, Ms Sebastian!)
For me, best book so far this year!
Def rereading this. So so good.
Highly recommended.
Why do I not have a 'This got me right by the proverbial balls' shelf????
Or a 'made me clutch my heart' one????
Needless to say ... I really really loved this.
All of it.
The MCs.
Their complexity.
The relationship development.
The depth.
The feelings!
The intelligent writing.
The tricky conversations.
The uncertainties.
The way both these men, little by little, claw their way towards each other.
And of course … Edie, the dog.
Absolutely fantastic writing!
Simon is one hell of a character. His self-deprecation hurt. The way he sees himself made my heart ache. Big time. The way he misses so many social ‘clues’. God. I totally felt him, totally understood, totally rooted for him.
Charlie is one of those sweethearts you just wanna hug. And say thank you. But he’s not all sunshine either. There is so much more behind those beaming smiles and that outgoing, sympathic nature of his.
And I loved Jamie. (And yes please for a book about him, Ms Sebastian!)
For me, best book so far this year!
Def rereading this. So so good.
Highly recommended.
May 25, 2026
✦ having a very hard time deciding between 2 or 3 stars. would be great if GR finally gave us half stars...
✦ i expected to really like this, because the set up seemed very intriguing, but it somehow just fell flat for me..?
✦ simon’s characterization was interesting, but other than that i didn't find much of what happened - or didn't happen, because there was barely any plot tbh - all that interesting.
✦ the main problem was that the romance didn't really work for me. i just didn't feel much chemistry between simon and charlie. the shift from enemies (were they ever reaaaally enemies..?) to lovers made me go "eh???" because it almost felt like it came out of nowhere. was that just me??
✦ this was well written in some ways, especially simon’s characterization and the mental health rep, like i genuinely related to him a lot as a fellow sufferer from anxiety and mild ocd, but overall it was missing stronger plot development and more believable chemistry between the mcs.
✦ i expected to really like this, because the set up seemed very intriguing, but it somehow just fell flat for me..?
✦ simon’s characterization was interesting, but other than that i didn't find much of what happened - or didn't happen, because there was barely any plot tbh - all that interesting.
✦ the main problem was that the romance didn't really work for me. i just didn't feel much chemistry between simon and charlie. the shift from enemies (were they ever reaaaally enemies..?) to lovers made me go "eh???" because it almost felt like it came out of nowhere. was that just me??
✦ this was well written in some ways, especially simon’s characterization and the mental health rep, like i genuinely related to him a lot as a fellow sufferer from anxiety and mild ocd, but overall it was missing stronger plot development and more believable chemistry between the mcs.
March 10, 2026
Feuding co-stars, Simon and Charlie, don't have much reason to be around each other outside of filming. However, when Simon informs Charlie that he is not returning for another season of their show, the two agree to fake a friendship so their years of animosity don't make it into the tabloids. This was such a sweet and emotional read! I loved the OCD and chronic illness representation and how it helped shape Simon and Charlie's relationship as they got to know one another. The two had this perfect push and pull banter and so much chemistry. They were just so protective of themselves and one another, and it was lovely to see how that protection evolved into them being able to be vulnerable as they became more comfortable with each other. Their slow burn romance unfolded so delicately and was layered in so many tender moments and all the caretaking scenes one could want. This was such a beautifully heartfelt and evocative read, I cannot recommend it enough!
~Many thanks to Avon for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
~Many thanks to Avon for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
March 7, 2026
With a heavy heart I must admit that I miss Cat Sebastian’s books having a touch of plot. I am all for a character study but in a romance *something* needs to happen to these characters so we understand how they interact with the world? I do feel like we have gone from ‘fun heist’ to ‘two people get together at 40% and then just make coffee and food for each other for the rest of the book’ a little too quickly. Can I have a little bit of stakes? As a treat?
Which is not to say that I did not enjoy this, because it has its lovely moments, but I’ve maybe read too many of her recent works and the formula of a protagonist who feels like they are too much realising they deserve care and then receiving that care has been done kind of the exact same way over and over. At about 60% of the book I am very happy for these two but must I read on where there is not an ounce of confict? When all they do is unearth a minor concern or gripe and then overcommunicate leaving no anxiety unturned? ‘We love each other but now let us negotiate exactly how we will give each other space by asking for space’. Girl no! I miss the highway men!
Plus - the basic premise (a scifi show!) is criminally underused and I don’t love how the narrative voice was this full of social media speech. I think the voice works better in historicals.
Which is not to say that I did not enjoy this, because it has its lovely moments, but I’ve maybe read too many of her recent works and the formula of a protagonist who feels like they are too much realising they deserve care and then receiving that care has been done kind of the exact same way over and over. At about 60% of the book I am very happy for these two but must I read on where there is not an ounce of confict? When all they do is unearth a minor concern or gripe and then overcommunicate leaving no anxiety unturned? ‘We love each other but now let us negotiate exactly how we will give each other space by asking for space’. Girl no! I miss the highway men!
Plus - the basic premise (a scifi show!) is criminally underused and I don’t love how the narrative voice was this full of social media speech. I think the voice works better in historicals.
October 6, 2025
Rating: 4.25
"You are a mess. A disaster. And that fact is so special to me.”
Star Shipped (OUT MARCH 3, 2026) is Cat Sebastian's first contemporary novel and it's what you get when you take all her Cabot books and mix them with Star Trek RPF. In other words: this book is delightful and laugh-out-loud funny with emotions that hit you straight in the gut. The MCs costar in a long-running sci-fi show and there's plenty of fantastic banter as their relationship evolves from mutual dislike to romance.
"I’m trying to be nice,” Simon complains.
“You’re so bad at it. Have you ever tried before? Is this your first time? Should I be flattered?” Somehow, Charlie’s managing to sound mean and hurt and fake-flirty all at once.
The characters are Going Through It, Simon more so than Charlie, and the book does a great job getting into the mind of someone who feels in a place of unbelonging in the world and who often struggles to get through the day without a minor breakdown or two.
These guys are both dealing with a lot and they both remain disaster gremlins with emotional constipation throughout. Just a little less so with each other as time goes on and they start to build something between them ❤️
"I can’t fake normal right now.”
That’s so uncomfortably relatable that Simon’s at a loss about what to say.
As someone who grew up in fandom, Star Shipped felt perfectly aligned with my interests in so many ways. I've literally been part of fandom discussions like the Discord messages in the book 😂
I was snort-laughing while reading and also wincing from being perceived (so rude!) and I almost felt like Simon was too relatable at time 😅
That said, the pacing was a bit off for me and the ending didn't quite feel complete. There were also some things regarding Simon's mental health and diagnoses that I wasn't fully satisfied with and while I adored the romance, I wanted more of it heh.
"I don’t want to ruin this,” he says in a rush. “Don’t let me ruin it.”
Overall though, this was a fantastic book! Cat Sebastian remains my favourite author and regardless of whichever genre her next book is, I'll be getting my grubby little hands on it because I just adore her writing so much.
Thanks to Avon for the ARC
"You are a mess. A disaster. And that fact is so special to me.”
Star Shipped (OUT MARCH 3, 2026) is Cat Sebastian's first contemporary novel and it's what you get when you take all her Cabot books and mix them with Star Trek RPF. In other words: this book is delightful and laugh-out-loud funny with emotions that hit you straight in the gut. The MCs costar in a long-running sci-fi show and there's plenty of fantastic banter as their relationship evolves from mutual dislike to romance.
"I’m trying to be nice,” Simon complains.
“You’re so bad at it. Have you ever tried before? Is this your first time? Should I be flattered?” Somehow, Charlie’s managing to sound mean and hurt and fake-flirty all at once.
The characters are Going Through It, Simon more so than Charlie, and the book does a great job getting into the mind of someone who feels in a place of unbelonging in the world and who often struggles to get through the day without a minor breakdown or two.
These guys are both dealing with a lot and they both remain disaster gremlins with emotional constipation throughout. Just a little less so with each other as time goes on and they start to build something between them ❤️
"I can’t fake normal right now.”
That’s so uncomfortably relatable that Simon’s at a loss about what to say.
As someone who grew up in fandom, Star Shipped felt perfectly aligned with my interests in so many ways. I've literally been part of fandom discussions like the Discord messages in the book 😂
I was snort-laughing while reading and also wincing from being perceived (so rude!) and I almost felt like Simon was too relatable at time 😅
That said, the pacing was a bit off for me and the ending didn't quite feel complete. There were also some things regarding Simon's mental health and diagnoses that I wasn't fully satisfied with and while I adored the romance, I wanted more of it heh.
"I don’t want to ruin this,” he says in a rush. “Don’t let me ruin it.”
Overall though, this was a fantastic book! Cat Sebastian remains my favourite author and regardless of whichever genre her next book is, I'll be getting my grubby little hands on it because I just adore her writing so much.
Thanks to Avon for the ARC
October 14, 2025
sorry sorry sorry but I hated this!
Cat Sebastian's first foray into contemporary romance wasn't bad because it was contemporary--she did that part well. There just isn't any story here, and also very little chemistry. I liked that Simon is an anxious mess but I didn't really feel invested in him and Charlie. at one point they say they're boyfriends and I'm like oh word? OK then.
I also found a lot of the fanfiction-y RPF-esque aspects almost intolerably cringe. I felt like I was reading a bad J2 fic from 2010 when Charlie and Simon start watching the TV show they star in. It reminded me of when, at FanExpo Boston in 2018, someone in the audience told Freddie Prinze Jr. that he should totally watch Buffy (he's married to Sarah Michelle Gellar). You could hear every asshole in the audience clench shut out of pure embarrassment. That's what reading this whole book felt like.
Cat Sebastian's first foray into contemporary romance wasn't bad because it was contemporary--she did that part well. There just isn't any story here, and also very little chemistry. I liked that Simon is an anxious mess but I didn't really feel invested in him and Charlie. at one point they say they're boyfriends and I'm like oh word? OK then.
I also found a lot of the fanfiction-y RPF-esque aspects almost intolerably cringe. I felt like I was reading a bad J2 fic from 2010 when Charlie and Simon start watching the TV show they star in. It reminded me of when, at FanExpo Boston in 2018, someone in the audience told Freddie Prinze Jr. that he should totally watch Buffy (he's married to Sarah Michelle Gellar). You could hear every asshole in the audience clench shut out of pure embarrassment. That's what reading this whole book felt like.
March 22, 2026
Safety info, content warnings and tropes down below.
While I didn’t go into this with super high expectations, it’s still a Cat Sebastian book so I thought I’d for sure love it a lot. Well, it didn't suck and the writing was good, but for some reason it just never really clicked for me. I didn’t quite buy into the connection between Simon and Charlie until really, really late in the story, and it didn't draw me in or keep my attention like the other books I’ve read by this author did. It builds on the thought/trope of having one oblivious and cold MC and the golden retriever ‘enemy’ MC who has been into the grump from the start, but it really didn't feel like Charlie was into Simon in way that was more than surface level attraction for a long time (the OM stuff didn't help that). There’s nothing wrong with the way it actually played out, but I don’t think the way I read it was how the author intended.
Anyway. What a long-winded and uninteresting way to say: This was okay and I liked some of it but didn't love it like I hoped. One thing I really did love was the anxiety and OCD representation. That was really well done and Simon was easy to like and connect with because of it.
I listened to the audio and for some reason scene breaks in the writing wasn't including in the narration (and I have since learned they're barely noticeable in the ebook), which lead to scene changes mid chapter with no pause whatsoever and that was incredibly confusing. Changing from place to place or even a different day with no break to indicate a change is frustrating.
Also, while the cover is great on its own, it absolutely screams 80s vibes, which is a very strange choice for the author's first contemporary romance.
The ebook is $12 and I genuinely can't get myself to recommend buying it because of that alone, but give it a try if it's at your library or you have access to the audio with a subscription.
3.5 stars
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Movie actors
Co-stars
Enemies to lovers
Contemporary
Disability rep (migraines)
Dog dad
Mental illness rep (anxiety)
Reluctant roadtrip
Forced proximity
Pillow princess
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Anxiety attacks
Prescription drug use
References to past addiction and rehab
OCD symptoms
Sexual content
Alcohol consumption (mild)
Mention of parent being an addict
Recreational drug use (edibles, self medicating)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Charlie kisses a former hookup on page because he didn't want the hookup to feel rejected when they ran into each other again (Simon sees it). Charlie and Simon’s ex-turned-best friend flirt with each other briefly and Simon overhears them. All of it happens early on and Simon isn't very bothered by it.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, single
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 27 and 34
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 384
Happy ending: Yes
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
While I didn’t go into this with super high expectations, it’s still a Cat Sebastian book so I thought I’d for sure love it a lot. Well, it didn't suck and the writing was good, but for some reason it just never really clicked for me. I didn’t quite buy into the connection between Simon and Charlie until really, really late in the story, and it didn't draw me in or keep my attention like the other books I’ve read by this author did. It builds on the thought/trope of having one oblivious and cold MC and the golden retriever ‘enemy’ MC who has been into the grump from the start, but it really didn't feel like Charlie was into Simon in way that was more than surface level attraction for a long time (the OM stuff didn't help that). There’s nothing wrong with the way it actually played out, but I don’t think the way I read it was how the author intended.
Anyway. What a long-winded and uninteresting way to say: This was okay and I liked some of it but didn't love it like I hoped. One thing I really did love was the anxiety and OCD representation. That was really well done and Simon was easy to like and connect with because of it.
I listened to the audio and for some reason scene breaks in the writing wasn't including in the narration (and I have since learned they're barely noticeable in the ebook), which lead to scene changes mid chapter with no pause whatsoever and that was incredibly confusing. Changing from place to place or even a different day with no break to indicate a change is frustrating.
Also, while the cover is great on its own, it absolutely screams 80s vibes, which is a very strange choice for the author's first contemporary romance.
The ebook is $12 and I genuinely can't get myself to recommend buying it because of that alone, but give it a try if it's at your library or you have access to the audio with a subscription.
3.5 stars
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Movie actors
Co-stars
Enemies to lovers
Contemporary
Disability rep (migraines)
Dog dad
Mental illness rep (anxiety)
Reluctant roadtrip
Forced proximity
Pillow princess
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Anxiety attacks
Prescription drug use
References to past addiction and rehab
OCD symptoms
Sexual content
Alcohol consumption (mild)
Mention of parent being an addict
Recreational drug use (edibles, self medicating)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Charlie kisses a former hookup on page because he didn't want the hookup to feel rejected when they ran into each other again (Simon sees it). Charlie and Simon’s ex-turned-best friend flirt with each other briefly and Simon overhears them. All of it happens early on and Simon isn't very bothered by it.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, single
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 27 and 34
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 384
Happy ending: Yes
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
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