Find Me in the Stars

Jonathon Island | Season 2 #7

by Dalyn Weller

He gave up on second chances. She makes him wonder if he has one left.

Everyone Lila Thompson has ever loved has left her. Her mother died when she was young. Her father chose alcohol over his own daughter. Her brother vanished into his own life without looking back. She's learned the hard she's never anyone's first choice. Never the one people stay for.

So she runs to a tiny Michigan island with nothing but hope and her mother's turquoise locket—a heart-shaped pendant her mom gave her before she died. "Protect it until you find someone worthy of your love."

She's starting to wonder if that person exists.

Ethan Sullivan hasn't let anyone close since burying his wife five years ago. He still wears his wedding ring like armor. His eight-year-old son Sam has retreated into grief so deep Ethan can't reach him. He's frozen solid—and he tells himself that's safer than feeling anything.

Then Lila shows up to teach his son.

She's warm. She's stubborn. She's sunshine in human form. She refuses to let either of them stay broken.

She teaches Sam to ride a bike—and watches a little boy come back to life. She makes Ethan laugh for the first time in years—and watches a man remember what hope feels like.

But Lila is terrified of being abandoned again. And Ethan is terrified of losing someone again.

The moment he finally takes off that ring? The moment she hands him the heart she's been protecting her whole life?
Bring tissues.

Find Me in the Stars is a tender single-dad romance about healing, second chances, and discovering that love isn't about guarantees—it's about choosing to stay. Perfect for fans of Denise Hunter, Becky Wade, and Susan May Warren.

Genres: Romance

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2026

About the author

Dalyn Weller writes small-town romance stories from a horse ranch in Washington State with her very own hero.

Like any self-respecting PNW woman, she’s a coffee snob and takes her morning mocha seriously.


website: dalynweller.com and be sure and sign up for her newsletter: Writing From The Ranch


Blog: https://dalynweller.wordpress.com
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Reviews

[Sarita]

The authors in this series is doing a great job of keeping the main theme of love and hope throughout the series, but keeping each story unique with its own challenges and emotions.

Ethan and Lila had a connection, but they both had to learn how to keep their hearts open while dealing either the past to truly move forward.

For me the starts of the book was Sam and Bunny! But especially Sam, to see his growth as he is enveloped by Lila’s positivity and no challenge it too big attitude.

Hope to see a bit more still of Sam in his aunt Charlotte’s story.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

[Emily]

Find Me in the Stars is the first story I have read written by Dalyn Weller. This is book 7 in season 2 of the Jonathan Island series. This story can be read as a standalone.

Lila moves to Jonathan Island to be the Special Education Teacher for Sam. Ethan has moved back to the island to try and revive the family farm and make it profitable. After the loss of his wife to cancer and finding himself a single father to Sam, who has Down Syndrome, he is trying to figure out his life after loss.

Pulling back the layers of Lila and Ethan was interesting. They both were struggling with their pasts and baggage. Letting go of things and realizing that there is room in their hearts for more. That not every heart is only open for one love, but there is love after loss.

Sam was one of my favorite parts of this story. He was so sweet. I loved watching him come out of his shell and learn things.

The one thing that kind of "rubbed me the wrong way" was the mention of homeschooling and how, because they took Sam out of public school to homeschool him, he wasn’t learning. This kind of puts a bad perspective on homeschooling. The cool thing about homeschooling is that you get the freedom to teach in a different way that works for your kids. So when Lila was getting push back from the principal, that kind of teaching would have been perfect in a homeschool environment. This doesn't effect my rating, it was just one thing that as a homeschool mom, stuck out to me.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. A positive review was not required. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Deena Peterson]

Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged on—hard.

Lila is coming to Jonathan Island for the sole purpose of teaching Ethan’s autistic son, Sam. After the death of his wife, he made the decision to relocate to his childhood locale.

Sam had a very hard time with the change and he wants nothing to do with his dad. So how is this new arrangement going to work?

Very, very well. It’s heartwarming and such an inspiration to parents and grandparents of autistic children. These little people are amazing and Sam shines in these pages.

I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher. I’m under no obligation and my review has not been solicited. Highly recommend!

[Courtney Dawn]

Some books are sweet. Some are emotional. And then there are the ones that quietly sneak into your heart and stay there. Find Me in the Stars was definitely one of those for me.

I’ve been loving the Jonathan Island stories, and this one may be one of my favorites yet. The series continues to carry that beautiful theme of love and hope, while giving each couple their own unique struggles, healing, and journey.

Lila and Ethan both carry deep wounds from their pasts. Lila has spent her life feeling like people leave, while Ethan has allowed grief to build walls around his heart after losing his wife. Neither of them is looking for love, but somehow they become exactly what the other needs.

But honestly… Sam stole my heart.

As someone who works with students in special education, Lila’s work with Sam hit especially close to home. I loved that she didn’t treat him as though he was incapable or define him by his struggles. Instead, she saw his potential, gave him opportunities to grow, and helped him discover just how much he was capable of.

Watching Sam slowly come out of his grief and begin to engage with the world again was one of the most beautiful parts of this story. And Bunny?! I absolutely adored them both.

I also loved Lila’s personality. She is sunshine, determination, and positivity all wrapped into one, and she brings such a wonderful energy to the story. Ethan was a little harder to crack, but watching him work through his grief and learn that moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting was incredibly meaningful.

Their romance was sweet and tender, but the healing was what really made this story stand out for me. Both Lila and Ethan had to learn to stop letting their past dictate their future and to trust that God’s plans can be better than the ones we’re afraid to hope for.

This was such a beautiful story about love, grief, healing, hope, and second chances. It made me smile, made me emotional, and reminded me that sometimes the people who change our lives are the ones we never expected to meet.

ARC Consideration: Thank you to Sunrise Publishing for the complimentary advance copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, and all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Perfect for readers who love: single-dad romance • teacher/special education representation • healing journeys • second chances • sweet romance • faith-filled stories • small-town/island settings

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy]

These Jonathan Island stories just get sweeter with every new addition to the series. This one was especially sweet because of the characters.

Lila Thompson is a wonderful teacher who puts her whole heart and soul into taking care of the precious little ones placed in her care making sure their special needs are met, but also making sure they are given independence and realizing they are capable of more than they ever dreamed. Her special gift has landed her a job on Jonathan Island working specifically with Sam, Ethan Sullivan's son.

Ethan has experienced loss in his life, and wears his bitterness like a shield. He lost his beautiful wife and was left to raise his precious son on his own. His parents have been his rock through all of the loss, but his mother and father feel that it is time for him to move forward and take over the family business and for the care of his son.

I loved Ethan and Lila's first meeting. It was a pretty interesting meeting. You will understand when you read it.

Sam was the true sweetheart of the story as he battled his grief differently. Lila was the catalyst to bring Sam out of his shell of grief. Lila did not treat him special, she gave him opportunities to grow and show his family what he was capable of. I could write for days about everything that I liked about Lila. Suffice it to say that she will steal your heart as well.

Ethan has used his grief, pain and a little bit of anger as a shield. This was a story of healing, love and moving forward. Lila had her own issues with her father, which had molded her story as well. These two were meant for each other, especially at this time in their lives.

This not only had a faith message worked into it, but it had an inspiring and uplifting message as well. I thoroughly enjoyed every single word of this special romance.

Thank you to Sunrise Publishing for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jeanloves2read]

I am always looking for new-to-me authors and am excited to have found Dalyn Weller through her book Find Me in the Stars.

This trip back to Jonathon Island tells the heartwarming story of Ethan Sullivan and Lila Thompson.

Lila leaves her home in Albuquerque to head to Jonathon Island to become the special education teacher for a class of one. She and her dog, Poncho, connect with her student, Sam Sullivan, an eight year old boy with Down Syndrome, whose education has been lacking since moving to the island.

Ethan Sullivan left the mainland to move to his family’s pumpkin farm on Jonathon Island so that his parents could help him with Sam after the death of his wife.
Ethan admits that he didn’t know what to do with Sam and let his mom do a lot of the parenting.

I absolutely loved this story. Lila and Ethan have very different things in their pasts that they need to put behind them in order to be open to the feelings and attractions that are growing between them. I loved the way that Lila wouldn’t let Sam’s Down Syndrome be an excuse got the boy to not learn. I liked that her way of teaching Sam were out of the box. I liked how Ethan’s character developed through the story and how he began to relate better to his son. I dare you not to fall in love with Sam Sullivan.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more by Dalyn Weller.

I received an arc of this book from the publisher. My opinions are my own.

[Alyssa Amey Madjeski]

4.5⭐️
What a sweet story between Lila and Ethan (and of course Sam)! These two sure aren’t perfect, but they are perfect for one another. I love this little family that forms on the pumpkin farm as Lila helps Sam and Sam and Ethan help Lila. Just a super sweet story all the way around as Lila moves beyond her past hurts and Ethan moves on from losing his wife. Lila seems intent on self-sabotaging her own happiness, but I loved her relationship with her friend Carmen, who tells it like it is. I loved seeing Ethan return to his life, releasing his grief and finding love again. These two deal with a lot of life stuff while they fall in love, and it felt sweet and authentic.

The reason for knocking off half a star- I didn’t like how Ethan’s dad was being manipulative even though he had good intentions. Threatening to sell/lease the farm out from under Ethan but never actually intending to follow through caused him a lot of undue stress and felt really cruel to me. Also the way he made excuses for he and his wife to bail on the school board hearing just to force Ethan to step up, like he didn’t trust him to do so. I know Ethan had been deep in his grief and being an overwhelmed single parent and had kind of defaulted to dependency, but I wish his dad hadn’t resorted to the manipulative behavior had just had honest and frank conversations. It sort of rubbed me the wrong way.

That didn’t hurt my enjoyment of the story overall, just felt I needed to mention it. I was really invested in these characters, their happily ever after, and especially Sam’s success. If you enjoy found family/widower stories, love after loss, small town romances, characters with special needs, and books with animal characters, you will definitely love this story.

I received a complementary copy of this book from Sunrise Publishing. I was not required to leave a review. My opinions are my own.

[Lia Lorimer]

Learning with animals
Special needs teacher, Lila and her beloved little dog, Poncho, leave the sweltering heat of New Mexico for the milder climate in Michigan when she accepts a job at the school on Jonathon Island to teach Sam, grandson to Mary, who was Lila’s late mother’s penfriend. Lila is soon absorbed into the Sullivan family’s pumpkin farm routine, although Sam’s dad, Ethan has grave reservations about her proximity to the family, while Lila, a creative teacher using unique methods, is confused by the school principal’s apparent dislike of her.
Lila lives by her motto of always adopting a positive attitude, which is frequently challenged by Ethan and Sam, who are both strong-minded individuals, testing Lila in differing ways. Poncho and Bunny are delightful additions to this story, giving Lila multiple opportunities to appeal to Sam’s curious nature. The author also gives the reader insight into real aspects of Down Syndrome character traits, and the level of responsibility caregivers should assume.
Jonathon Island continues to charm readers with its unique atmosphere and close-knit community spirit. Ms Weller, seamlessly integrates previously introduced characters into her story, allowing readers to feel a continued connection to the island. I received an ARC via Sunrise Publishers, and this is my voluntary opinion.

[Marcia Ooms]

Warning: this book brings all the emotions! I enjoyed finally being able to read Ethan and Sam's story. We have met them in a few of the Jonathon Island books, but Ethan finally gets his own book. He and his family recently moved back to Jonathon Island to revive the family pumpkin farm after he spent time away caring for his wife, who passed away. Lila Thompson is a friend of Ethan's mother and has been hired to be Ethan's son Sam's teacher. Sam has Down Syndrome, and the school is not equipped to meet his needs. Because Lila is a friend of his mother, Ethan is expecting an older woman--but he is taken by surprise when Lila arrives. Lila has her work cut out for her because Sam is not interested in school. He has been mourning his mom in his own way, and LIla works hard to find unconventional ways to engage him. She also has to win over the school principal, which is not an easy task. Ethan finds himself falling for Lila, and she also has feelings for him. However, both Ethan and Lila have experienced loss. Will Ethan be able to let go of his wife in order to move forward? Will Lila be able to trust that she will not be second fiddle to Sam's mom? This is a sweet story about love after loss and learning to trust again. Fans of Jonathon Island will enjoy this story!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Marylin]

Oh, I love all these stories set on Jonathon Island. I think I’d love to visit there. If only it were real! Each book has its own flair, and this one, to me, hit my heart the strongest. I used to work with special needs students, so I could identify with Lila and her love and care for Sam who has “Down syndrome”, and also her interest in Ethan, Sam’s father. It’s not easy to be a parent to a special needs child, but Lila tries her best to give them both the support they need.
This book had so many emotional moments for me, and the writer did a fantastic job depicting the many challenges of not only working and living with a special needs child, but also grief and how it can take over one’s life. How it’s important to let go and trust that God has a plan for your life.
Dalyn Weller is a new author to me, and I really enjoyed her writing style. She brought all her characters to life in a real and relatable way. I loved all the banter and situations that happened in this book.
I now look forward to continuing with all the other stories that will be based on this island.
I highly recommend picking up this book to start your adventures on Jonathon Island with all its colorful characters.

[Dana]

I loved this sweet and beautiful second chances romance with Lila Thompson and Ethan Sullivan. First of all, let’s talk about how adorable Sam was. Oh my goodness, loved that little dude. He was a little spitfire. As a disabled woman, I loved the author wrote this story of the sweet little boy, Samuel with Down Syndrome. Ethan, a widowed father of Sam. He came back to Jonathon Island, Michigan with his son to get help after his wife passed away. The family has hired Lila has Sam’s special education teacher in Jonathon Island and she quickly falls in love with this his fun and big personality. This was just a great book all around that I absolutely give a 5 stars. I’m ready for some more Sullivan family stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are all my own.

[Kathryn Pfeifer]

I think I've said this about each of the Jonathon Island books, but truly, this one was my favorite. I related so much to the hero and heroine, seeing myself in their struggles and daily lives. Dalyn Weller did an excellent job in developing these characters and setting them within a plot that would bring out the best—and worst— in them. My heart particularly tugged at the character of Sam, a child with Down syndrome. As a teacher, former single mom, and farmer's daughter, this story captivated me on so many levels. I truly enjoyed this read and look forward to seeing other books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Laura (kroosreadsandreviews)]

I have been looking forward to the story of Ethan and his 8 year old son Sam.

We meet Ethan as he is still grieving the loss of his wife. Sam has slumped into his sadness and doesn't want to participate in activities. Thankfully grandma Mary has invited her pen pal Lila to be Sam's teacher.

Lila is a perfect addition to the island as she has so much positivity and cheer. She brings out all of her tools (including Ponch and Bunny) to break through Sam's sullenness and along the way she starts to heal the whole family.

I was given a copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

[Allyson Anthony]

Find Me in the Stars is a wonderful romantic story. As someone with a disability, I appreciated how Weller portrayed Sam's character with Down Syndrome. I enjoyed Lila and Sam bonding with each other and Sam's transformation with Lila as his teacher. Find Me in the Stars is about family dynamics, grief, loss, healing, and second chances.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Beth Westcott]

Invited by the local school board and her friend Mary Sullivan, Lila Thompson leaves warm Albuquerque and travels to cool Jonathan Island in Lake Huron, where she becomes the special ed. teacher for one Downs Syndrome student, Sam Sullivan. Depressed and unmotivated to learn, Lila’s unorthodox teaching methods quickly engage Sam. But she meets with opposition from Edwina Sinclair, the local school’s principal. And Sam’s father, widower Ethan Sullivan, makes it clear he doesn’t want her there. However, Sam needs help, and Sam’s grandmother is positive that Lila is the right person to provide that help.

In this grumpy/sunshine romance, Lila’s sweet, positive attitude may even win over Ethan’s negativity. Ethan is determined to make a success of the family farm and has little time for his son, whom he loves but doesn’t understand. He’s been depending on his parents to take care of his son, which they have been willing to do since the death of Sam’s mother. They love Sam, but they’re getting older and want some independence to do things for themselves.

It’s a sweet story with authentic characters and a realistic plot. The reader is drawn into life on Jonathan Island.

[Karen Brasher]

Find Me in the Stars

This is such an amazing and beautiful story. Ethan Sullivan never imagined having to raise his troubled son who was born with Down Syndrome alone while also trying to revive a failing pumpkin farm. Moving on to a relationship with anyone other than his deceased wife is not a question, until he meets his son’s new teacher who seems to always find the best in every situation. I highly recommend you read the book! You will not be disappointed!

[Natalie Watkins]

I’ll jump at any chance to return to Jonathon Island! Find Me in the Stars was such a sweet compliment to this series. I loved the slow-burn, push-and-pull romance between Lila and Ethan, with their difficult pasts and their scars working hard to keep them apart. And adorable Sam brought a smile to my face each time he appeared on the page.

[Sharon Hughson]

3.5 stars.
The premise of a special education teacher winning the heart of a special boy and his grieving father appealed to me.

The characters didn’t quite ring true. Changes came fairly easily, and obvious avenues to clear fixes were given unrealistic road blocks. While I enjoyed interacting with some of the other residents, I couldn’t lose myself in the romance told here.

[Lyn Herbohn]

Beautiful.

I enjoyed reading Ethan, Lila and Sam’s story. Ethan and Lila both had pasts holding them back, and watching them work through things was wonderful. Sam was a gorgeous little character and Ethan’s parents added to the story. If you like stories with hope, faith and heart you’ll enjoy this one.

[Beth]

I really enjoyed watching Lila and Ethan find their way to one another. It was rocky and unsteady, but by the Grace of God, they did it. It was a beautifully written story and I enjoyed everything about it.

[Courtney]

Sweet story about forgiveness and letting go of the past

[Vickie]

This warm and hopeful romance is a quick and fulfilling read about a young woman who is a talented teacher and a single dad who is overwhelmed. Lila moves to a small island in Michigan to be a one-on-one teacher for Sam, a young boy with Down’s Syndrome who has withdrawn into television and is not communicating much at all. Ethan, his dad, buried himself with his wife when she died and has returned to his home island to run the pumpkin farm and to give Sam a better life. When Lila arrives on the island, there is a meet-cute that I loved and a lot of the action centers around her and her abilities to work with Sam. I was amazed at the way she got Sam to be involved in his own learning by making things fun and relevant for him. The author knows what works with teaching special education students and that was a real plus for me since I love children and I am a firm believer that everyone can learn and teachers just have to find how to reach each child as an individual. Lila has that skill in spades and convinced me quickly that she is talented and a perfect teacher for Sam. The conflicts arise because even though Lila and Ethan are attracted to each other, they have to learn to trust and let the past go. Lila also has an ongoing conflict with her boss, principal Sinclair, who seems determined to undermine her work every chance she gets. The story was realistic, with problems at work for Lila, Issues on the farm for Ethan and Ethan’s parents trying to retire and move away from the situation while spending more time with each other. My favorite character was Sam, a spunky eight year old who jumped right off that page into real life for me. Once he left the television behind, he was ready for adventures and challenges and met them all with gusto and childhood curiosity. I loved the story and thought it was paced perfectly, not too fast or too slow but just right for me to get to know this character-driven story. The interaction between Ethan and Lila was fun and flirty and ended up being a satisfying romance as they worked towards their happily ever after. This book has a well-crafted plot and appealing characters and is highly recommended for those who enjoy a warmhearted romance on a charming island with lots of lovable characters.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

[MJSH]

"Every man needs peace in his life. He needs some passion, too. Mostly, a man needs a sense of purpose."

I enjoyed Ethan and Lila's story. Ethan had a lot of baggage that he needed to let go. I loved his dependability, steadiness, perseverance, and desire to change to make things better. Lila also had a lot of baggage, especially about being second in someone's affections and not being enough. Ethan's natural grumpiness made more grumpy by his circumstances contrasted nicely with Lila's optimism and sunny disposition despite her circumstances. I loved watching Lila teach Ethan's son Sam and how even the minute detail of every day life became a lesson.
In addition to Ethan and Lila's love story, there were a lot of things happening in this book. Some - like delving into Daniel and Becky's relationship - felt like a foreshadowing of what's to come in the next books of the series. Some - like Ethan's struggles with turning a profit with the pumpkin farm - felt unresolved. Still, this trip back to Jonathon Island made me smile; Ethan and Sam getting their happy ending made me happy.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Sunrise Publishing. I was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

[Joni Truex]

"He gives us what we need instead of what we want sometimes." Welcome back to Jonthan Island for Ethan and Lila's story of second chances. Family relationships, profession challenges and new friendships offer interesting subplots. This book was provided by the publisher for me to read. The opinions expressed here are my own thoughts. Worth the read.