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Star Bright
Rafi Reyes figures going along with a fake-dating stunt is only fair after Julian Gault saves his life. The young actor is famously cold and snotty, and Rafi's rock band is falling apart in the wake of betrayal. A shiny new romance might be just what both their reputations need. It's too bad they don't actually like each other, but they'll both benefit -- a softer public image for Julian, revenge against his ex for Rafi.
But as they navigate public events, attend red-carpet premieres, and play cat-and-mouse with paparazzi together, Rafi gets to know a different Julian than he expected -- one who defends horses, takes care of his troubled cousin, and has Rafi's back against his dysfunctional family. Rafi starts to hope he and Julian have something real together.
But Julian has secrets more painful than Rafi can imagine. With Julian's powerful and controlling uncle scheming to turn them against each other, their relationship must become something much deeper if it -- and possibly either of them -- are to survive.
But as they navigate public events, attend red-carpet premieres, and play cat-and-mouse with paparazzi together, Rafi gets to know a different Julian than he expected -- one who defends horses, takes care of his troubled cousin, and has Rafi's back against his dysfunctional family. Rafi starts to hope he and Julian have something real together.
But Julian has secrets more painful than Rafi can imagine. With Julian's powerful and controlling uncle scheming to turn them against each other, their relationship must become something much deeper if it -- and possibly either of them -- are to survive.
318 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 19, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Rafi Reyes, lead singer and songwriter of the popular band Distant Kingdom, has hit rock bottom. It isn’t drugs or drinking that’s got its claws in him, it’s the utter betrayal of his band. Bo, his fiancee and band mate, just dumped Rafi for his brother, Carlos, also in the band. Now the two of them are not only trying to take DK and all its songs away from him, they’re also pregnant. Rafi, whatever his other flaws, is damned good at math. The only way for Bo to be as far along as she is would be if she and Carlos were fucking around while he was in London, while he and Bo were still together.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Rafi Reyes, lead singer and songwriter of the popular band Distant Kingdom, has hit rock bottom. It isn’t drugs or drinking that’s got its claws in him, it’s the utter betrayal of his band. Bo, his fiancee and band mate, just dumped Rafi for his brother, Carlos, also in the band. Now the two of them are not only trying to take DK and all its songs away from him, they’re also pregnant. Rafi, whatever his other flaws, is damned good at math. The only way for Bo to be as far along as she is would be if she and Carlos were fucking around while he was in London, while he and Bo were still together.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
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February 7, 2024On the plus side:
-- really quite good writing on that nuts-and-bolts level
-- ditto on the general narrative level
-- snappy dialogue
On the minus side:
-- LOLOLOLOL at the version of NYC depicted herein
-- tiresome epilogues that overegg the pudding
Neither plus nor minus, but:
-- It's a Captive Prince AU, though devoid of actual slavery and of torture by Laurent/Julian. Also, Nicaise/Christian lives. (Technically a spoiler, but come on.)
Embarrassing for me, because:
-- I can't believe how long it took me to register the, you know, Evil Uncle, or for that matter the Nefarious Brother Who Snags Damen/Rafi's Girlfriend.
No star rating, because although I got my mad on about Imaginary NYC, I did enjoy myself (Julian is funnier than Laurent TBH), and also because the good aspects were quite good, but on the other hand the epilogues were awful (raise your hand if you suspect they were written in response to AO3 comments begging for more), and I don't know how to split the difference.
-- really quite good writing on that nuts-and-bolts level
-- ditto on the general narrative level
-- snappy dialogue
On the minus side:
-- LOLOLOLOL at the version of NYC depicted herein
-- tiresome epilogues that overegg the pudding
Neither plus nor minus, but:
-- It's a Captive Prince AU, though devoid of actual slavery and of torture by Laurent/Julian. Also, Nicaise/Christian lives. (Technically a spoiler, but come on.)
Embarrassing for me, because:
-- I can't believe how long it took me to register the, you know, Evil Uncle, or for that matter the Nefarious Brother Who Snags Damen/Rafi's Girlfriend.
No star rating, because although I got my mad on about Imaginary NYC, I did enjoy myself (Julian is funnier than Laurent TBH), and also because the good aspects were quite good, but on the other hand the epilogues were awful (raise your hand if you suspect they were written in response to AO3 comments begging for more), and I don't know how to split the difference.
December 23, 2019
3.5 stars. For me, the relationship just took too long to develop. The writing was good, catchy banter between a rock star in the throes of losing his band and a young movie star whose career was under the thumb of his uncle. They embark on a fake boyfriend romance which eventually (almost at 70% of the book) develops into more.
The movie star was quirky guy, back and forth in emotions and demeanor. I suspected why when the uncle was first introduced but it also took most of the book to get to find out why. So the ending of the book, when everything was explained and feelings were honestly dealt with, was a very satisfying story, but I thought it dragged on too long to get there.
The movie star was quirky guy, back and forth in emotions and demeanor. I suspected why when the uncle was first introduced but it also took most of the book to get to find out why. So the ending of the book, when everything was explained and feelings were honestly dealt with, was a very satisfying story, but I thought it dragged on too long to get there.
February 20, 2024
This was very silly but I'm not too mad at it. It was sort of like watching someone playing with dolls - the characters don't really act like actual people, they're just being moved into the positions that the author wants them to be in, and then dropped when she's bored of them - but more entertaining because it is pretty nicely written and there was enough of a spark for me to amble along. The melodrama got fairly ridiculous by the end, but it's my own fault for reading the sample and then thinking, "Eh, okay," given how vividly it was telegraphed from the very first moment, so I'll roll with it. An intriguing set-up mostly wasted, but pleasantly so.
November 14, 2019
👍
Star Bright was a super enjoyable read and i devoured it in one sitting! I really liked all of the dialogue and the pacing of the story was very good!
Star Bright was a super enjoyable read and i devoured it in one sitting! I really liked all of the dialogue and the pacing of the story was very good!
December 5, 2020
Ack! Just got to 32% and, nope. Super evil just does not work for me. Plus, I've been struggling with plot for a while.
February 16, 2020
Had to stop reading to scream more than once
I love this story, for so many reasons. The boys are fantastic together and their characters are both well rounded and explored. Julian is a complicated, spiky bastard and I absolutely adore him, and there’s something I want to say about the other characters but gdi that would include spoilers!! It’s fantastic, I love it!
I love this story, for so many reasons. The boys are fantastic together and their characters are both well rounded and explored. Julian is a complicated, spiky bastard and I absolutely adore him, and there’s something I want to say about the other characters but gdi that would include spoilers!! It’s fantastic, I love it!
August 13, 2021
Reread 8/12/21
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews