Planetarium

by Ashley Harmon

With graduate school nearly behind her, Emily has one goal left: prove she deserves a permanent future—and eventually a partnership—at the Brinkston Planetarium. So when closure looms, she throws herself into one last-ditch effort to keep the doors open and the stars glowing.

Desperate for a solution, Emily unexpectedly finds herself teamed up with Zayne, the planetarium’s charming new intern. Full of big ideas, he dives into the campaign alongside Emily and their eccentric coworkers, determined to bring the planetarium back to life. From a disastrous livestream to a marketing stunt involving stress-ball planets, their efforts swing between comic disaster and surprising success.

As Emily fights to get people through the doors—and prove she has what it takes to become a partner—she’ll have to rely on more than wit and a love of stargazing. Saving the planetarium could finally secure the future she’s worked for, but chasing everything she wants may mean risking her heart along the way.

Genres: Romance, Workplace

281 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

Ashley Harmon lives in St. George, Utah, where she loves to cook, travel, and quote her favorite movies and TV shows far too often. She has a degree in English literature and co-founded a growth marketing agency with her husband, who also happens to be her best friend. Together, they’re raising three incredible girls and building a life they love.

Reviews

[Riley Davis]

I’m quite a sucker for a happy ending!

Ashley Harmon’s Planetarium unlocked the side of me that’s obsessed with learning about the stars and how infinite everything is.

Our main character Emily is witty yet emotionally understandable, making her the perfect candidate for this rollercoaster of a book!

I was here for all the highs and lows of both the actual planetarium and Emily and Zayne’s relationship!

(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)

[EveeVerse Universe]

I absolutely loved this book! Emily’s passion for saving the place made it really easy to root for her.

The characters were so much fun, especially Emily and Zayne. Their relationship was sweet, and especially Ruth!

Overall, this was a really fun, feel-good story with lovable characters, plenty of laughs, and a little romance. The planetarium atmosphere was absolutely magical.

Definitely a 5-star read for me! BIG RECCOMEND

[Logan Warner]

I LOVED it. Smart, funny, beach read closed-door workplace romance. Great characters. Emily and Zayne I couldn't help but root for, and Ruth steals every single scene she's in (even shopping at a grocery store). The marketing hijinks (especially the stress ball planets and live stream) were hilarious and smart. Great ending, would easily recommend to lovers of clean, funny romance.

[Angel Webster]

For me it was hit and miss in spots.

I feel like maybe in my younger years id have loved it but in my 30th not so much. I was confused in sections on who was dating who. It felt a little odd flirting when the mmc had a gf and the mfc knew about her and flirted as well.

I gave it a 3.5 but rounded up

This was received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jen]

This is a story about an eclectic group of co-workers who band together to save their planetarium. It's full of funny adventures and romantic moments. I especially love that the characters are well thought out and they each have their own unique personalities. Lovely read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cassie]

A cute, easy read! I really enjoyed the fun storyline, likeable characters, and lighthearted feel of this book. It was entertaining without being overly complicated, and it was the perfect book to pick up when I wanted something fun and relaxing. If you like quirky characters, workplace chemistry, and a cozy community atmosphere, this could be a good pick. Definitely a quick, feel-good read!

[Sophie Harmon]

This book was super cute! I loved reading it and couldn’t put it down! Zayne and Emily (the two main characters) has such great chemistry and I loved the side characters.

[Jane Wedig]

Absolutely loved this book! The dialogue was smart and witty, the romance flowed so naturally, and even the smaller characters Ruth, Antonio, and Ben were memorable (I want Ruth to adopt me). The perfect weekend read.

[Megan Grey]

ARC Read - A really sweet concept of a found family trying to save a run down planetarium! I struggled with the FMC being dense around people's feelings and the MMC clearly emotionally cheating on his (admittedly horrible) girlfriend but overall it was a sweet story

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.