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Where Our Stars Align
"Sometimes I wonder if I tore myself open, would the wound glow with all the nights I spent wanting him?"
Emma and Ben were never supposed to meet again. Not after their tragic fallout. Not after she married for safety, and he spent years convincing himself she wasn’t the only thing he ever really wanted.
She writes stories to keep herself from falling apart. He is a dangerously magnetic doctor who saves strangers, but has never figured out how to save himself from her since they were teenagers.
And once again, the universe refuses to let them forget they’re written in each other’s bones. So when Ben returns to San Francisco, moving just one floor above Emma, the spark they buried turns to wildfire. But the timing is catastrophic, and they have to accept that someone is going to get hurt…
Where Our Stars Align is an angsty steamy romance that deals with second chances, forced proximity, and a forbidden desire. Book one of a series; book two releases in 2026.
Content Contains emotionally intense themes, mutual obsession, explicit sexual scenes, strong language, and infidelity. It's for 18+ readers who like their romance messier and all-consuming.
Emma and Ben were never supposed to meet again. Not after their tragic fallout. Not after she married for safety, and he spent years convincing himself she wasn’t the only thing he ever really wanted.
She writes stories to keep herself from falling apart. He is a dangerously magnetic doctor who saves strangers, but has never figured out how to save himself from her since they were teenagers.
And once again, the universe refuses to let them forget they’re written in each other’s bones. So when Ben returns to San Francisco, moving just one floor above Emma, the spark they buried turns to wildfire. But the timing is catastrophic, and they have to accept that someone is going to get hurt…
Where Our Stars Align is an angsty steamy romance that deals with second chances, forced proximity, and a forbidden desire. Book one of a series; book two releases in 2026.
Content Contains emotionally intense themes, mutual obsession, explicit sexual scenes, strong language, and infidelity. It's for 18+ readers who like their romance messier and all-consuming.
639 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2025
16 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Christina Mach
1 book5 followersChristina Mach is an author of angsty, steamy romance.
A former musician turned storyteller, she's often inspired by her belief in wild soulmates and her tendency to overanalyze... well, everything.
She loves urban nightlife, cars on highways at 3 am with windows open, boujee lifestyle (secretly-not-so-secretly), and characters that are far from perfect—that's where her stories are born.
She writes for people who feel like too much and not enough at the same time. Who highlight books. Who want tenderness, but also obsession. Who cry at sunsets and get emotionally attached to song lyrics.
When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her beloved husband, taking photos no one else sees the meaning in, or reading Carl Jung.
Currently based in Prague.
A former musician turned storyteller, she's often inspired by her belief in wild soulmates and her tendency to overanalyze... well, everything.
She loves urban nightlife, cars on highways at 3 am with windows open, boujee lifestyle (secretly-not-so-secretly), and characters that are far from perfect—that's where her stories are born.
She writes for people who feel like too much and not enough at the same time. Who highlight books. Who want tenderness, but also obsession. Who cry at sunsets and get emotionally attached to song lyrics.
When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her beloved husband, taking photos no one else sees the meaning in, or reading Carl Jung.
Currently based in Prague.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 26, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ Where Our Stars Align is an emotional romance that leans into bad timing, fated connections, and a kind of love that never fully fades…even when life moves on.
Ben and Emma have instant chemistry when they first meet, but neither is in a place to pursue it, so they set those feelings aside and try to be “just friends.” Years later, they cross paths again, only now they’re living very different lives with new partners, and carrying unresolved feelings they never quite left behind.
What follows is a messy, emotionally charged reconnection filled with longing, internal conflict, and the pull of a relationship that feels unfinished. This isn’t a neat or easy love story. It embraces emotional complexity and morally gray areas with flawed, very human characters making imperfect choices.
This is the kind of romance that lingers, long after you finish the last page. (As always, please check the TW before reading)
Ben and Emma have instant chemistry when they first meet, but neither is in a place to pursue it, so they set those feelings aside and try to be “just friends.” Years later, they cross paths again, only now they’re living very different lives with new partners, and carrying unresolved feelings they never quite left behind.
What follows is a messy, emotionally charged reconnection filled with longing, internal conflict, and the pull of a relationship that feels unfinished. This isn’t a neat or easy love story. It embraces emotional complexity and morally gray areas with flawed, very human characters making imperfect choices.
This is the kind of romance that lingers, long after you finish the last page. (As always, please check the TW before reading)
January 19, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
is this a god tier? oh my god. ANOTHER HIDDEN GEM. this pulled me out of an almost month long slump and hooked me within the first chapter. there’s nothing like an angsty, toxic, contemporary romance that’s going to reel me in and have me wanting to throw it across the room. both characters frustrated me to no end but GOD were they intoxicating. their tension and love for each other shined through the pages. i need the next book immediately.
is this a god tier? oh my god. ANOTHER HIDDEN GEM. this pulled me out of an almost month long slump and hooked me within the first chapter. there’s nothing like an angsty, toxic, contemporary romance that’s going to reel me in and have me wanting to throw it across the room. both characters frustrated me to no end but GOD were they intoxicating. their tension and love for each other shined through the pages. i need the next book immediately.
February 1, 2026
"Sometimes I wonder if I tore myself open, would the wound glow with all the nights I spent wanting him?"
“You think telling me to stop makes me want to? Say you don’t feel it and I will.”
Where Our Stars Align is an angsty steamy romance that deals with second chances, forced proximity, and a forbidden desire. An emotional romance with bad timing, fated connections, and a kind of love that never fully fades - even when life moves on.
Emma and Ben were never supposed to meet again after their tragic fallout. She married for safety, and he spent years convincing himself she wasn’t the only thing he ever really wanted.
But, the universe refuses to let them forget they’re written in each other’s bones. So when Ben returns to San Francisco, moving just one floor above Emma, the spark they buried turns to wildfire. But the timing is catastrophic, and they have to accept that someone is going to get hurt…
Ben and Emma have instant chemistry when they first meet but due to circumstances decide to stay "just friends. After years, life has crossed their paths again- only life goes on and they have different lives with new partners- all while still having unresolved feelings they never quite left behind.
Insert- a messy, emotionally charged reconnection filled with longing, internal conflict, and the pull of a relationship that feels unfinished. Embracing emotional complexity and flawed human characters making imperfect choices with huge consequences/ implications.
This is the story of a romance that lingers long after you finish the last page.
I highly recommend this to readers who live a good dramatic romance full of emotion, unresolved feelings, and morally gray choices. These characters are human and leave you wondering and rationalizing their choices because no matter what they decide to do regardless someone gets hurt.
Please check your trigger warning!
Thanks to Christina Mach for the gifted ARC. These are my honest opinions.
“You think telling me to stop makes me want to? Say you don’t feel it and I will.”
Where Our Stars Align is an angsty steamy romance that deals with second chances, forced proximity, and a forbidden desire. An emotional romance with bad timing, fated connections, and a kind of love that never fully fades - even when life moves on.
Emma and Ben were never supposed to meet again after their tragic fallout. She married for safety, and he spent years convincing himself she wasn’t the only thing he ever really wanted.
But, the universe refuses to let them forget they’re written in each other’s bones. So when Ben returns to San Francisco, moving just one floor above Emma, the spark they buried turns to wildfire. But the timing is catastrophic, and they have to accept that someone is going to get hurt…
Ben and Emma have instant chemistry when they first meet but due to circumstances decide to stay "just friends. After years, life has crossed their paths again- only life goes on and they have different lives with new partners- all while still having unresolved feelings they never quite left behind.
Insert- a messy, emotionally charged reconnection filled with longing, internal conflict, and the pull of a relationship that feels unfinished. Embracing emotional complexity and flawed human characters making imperfect choices with huge consequences/ implications.
This is the story of a romance that lingers long after you finish the last page.
I highly recommend this to readers who live a good dramatic romance full of emotion, unresolved feelings, and morally gray choices. These characters are human and leave you wondering and rationalizing their choices because no matter what they decide to do regardless someone gets hurt.
Please check your trigger warning!
Thanks to Christina Mach for the gifted ARC. These are my honest opinions.
February 5, 2026
I went into this book knowing only one thing: the MMC has chest hair (he does and it’s glorious).
Wow 😮💨 this was messy—but in the good way—the characters aren’t perfect people, they don’t always do the right thing and they don’t magically have everything “turn out fine”. That made it feel almost a little too real 😅🫠 I spent at least 80% of this book like this 😳 and 100% of it was on the edge of my seat waiting and waiting to see what happened next. If you’ve never experienced a messy love, maybe you won’t get it, but jfc 😭
I totally thought this was going to be a stand-alone, and was SHATTERED by it, BUT! It’s not! So good news, their story isn’t over (and we’re getting Ben’s POV in book two?!?!?) and the bad news, it’s not in my hands right now 😭
Wow 😮💨 this was messy—but in the good way—the characters aren’t perfect people, they don’t always do the right thing and they don’t magically have everything “turn out fine”. That made it feel almost a little too real 😅🫠 I spent at least 80% of this book like this 😳 and 100% of it was on the edge of my seat waiting and waiting to see what happened next. If you’ve never experienced a messy love, maybe you won’t get it, but jfc 😭
I totally thought this was going to be a stand-alone, and was SHATTERED by it, BUT! It’s not! So good news, their story isn’t over (and we’re getting Ben’s POV in book two?!?!?) and the bad news, it’s not in my hands right now 😭
January 9, 2026
This book was perfection! It drew me in from the first page. The characters were developed to the point that you ached when they ached. The storyline never broke and was written in a way that you didn’t want to villainize Ben or Emma for the situation they got ended up in. Richard and Lisa were seen just enough to feel they deserved being treated poorly. The side characters were a perfect compliment to the main characters and the love journey thy were traveling. Highly recommend but have time to devour it because you will not want to put it down once you start.
February 3, 2026
Why would I go when I have my girl here?
My heart stopped. I swear these two MCs had my heart on chokehold.
I'm not gonna lie, I hated them both in some scenes, but in reality, which one of us don't make mistakes when it comes to love?
This book is not the soft romance where everything clicks in places. It is an emotional roller-coaster where you want to scream at characters.
I drank this book up in 24 hours. Did I loose sleep? Hell yeah. But it was so worth it.
Oh, and the spice is spicing soo good.
I get why Emma did what she did at the end of the book. I would have done the same.
I'm so invested in their story.
If they don't get their HEA, I'll riot.
My heart stopped. I swear these two MCs had my heart on chokehold.
I'm not gonna lie, I hated them both in some scenes, but in reality, which one of us don't make mistakes when it comes to love?
This book is not the soft romance where everything clicks in places. It is an emotional roller-coaster where you want to scream at characters.
I drank this book up in 24 hours. Did I loose sleep? Hell yeah. But it was so worth it.
Oh, and the spice is spicing soo good.
I get why Emma did what she did at the end of the book. I would have done the same.
I'm so invested in their story.
If they don't get their HEA, I'll riot.
January 20, 2026
Flew through it.
I was intimidated by the length of this book, because I measure books based on how may other books I could have read, but with a day off, I dove in, and didn’t look back! This book tackles cheating, heartbreak, finding love, and losing. I didn’t expect there to be a second book, but I’m so excited for it to come out!
I was intimidated by the length of this book, because I measure books based on how may other books I could have read, but with a day off, I dove in, and didn’t look back! This book tackles cheating, heartbreak, finding love, and losing. I didn’t expect there to be a second book, but I’m so excited for it to come out!
February 6, 2026
Absolutely addictive!
This book sucked me in so quick..the tension, heat..spice 10/10 Ben became a top book boyfriend after a couple chapters. The love story is a rollercoaster but soooo worth the ride! I cannot wait for book 2! For a serial reader its been one of the best ive read over the past year.
This book sucked me in so quick..the tension, heat..spice 10/10 Ben became a top book boyfriend after a couple chapters. The love story is a rollercoaster but soooo worth the ride! I cannot wait for book 2! For a serial reader its been one of the best ive read over the past year.
February 2, 2026
where do I even start with this? Toxic, messy, unputdownable. I had my heart ripped out time and time again, completely obsessed! And to leave me on that cliff hanger? Illegal. Wow Ben and Emma ruined my weekend in the best way.
“Meet me where our stars align.”
I need book 2 like I need air. 😭
“Meet me where our stars align.”
I need book 2 like I need air. 😭
December 27, 2025
I devoured this book in a week. Need a “Ben” in my life!!
January 19, 2026
This was a great book, but I think it was too long to be a cliffhanger. I was so upset! I am happy at the fact that there next will be dual POV. I really need to see things from Ben's side.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews