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Falling Stars #1

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Samotna matka. Zdolny perkusista rockowej kapeli z trudną przeszłością. Teoretycznie ich ścieżki nigdy nie powinny się przeciąć. Wszystko zmienia się, gdy straszliwa zbrodnia wstrząsa życiem Mii West. Kobieta przystaje na propozycję swojego brata-rockmana, by lato spędzić w jego willi w Savannah i tam powoli dochodzić do siebie. Nie ona jedna korzysta z jego gościny – na miejscu poznaje zabójczo przystojnego, ponurego perkusistę. Mrok, którym emanuje, przyciąga. Jego spojrzenia nie sposób zapomnieć. Mia wie, że ten facet to same kłopoty. W życiu Leifa Godwina liczą się dwie rzeczy: kapela, w której gra, o nazwie Carolina George, oraz szukanie zemsty za krzywdę, która go kiedyś spotkała. W tym równaniu nigdy nie było miejsca na Mię. Jej oczy rzucają czar. Jej ciało to wieczna pokusa. Kiedy jej dotknie, popełni grzech. Czy miłość, która ich połączy, przyniesie im zgubę?

448 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2020

3931 people are currently reading
10111 people want to read

About the author

A.L. Jackson

95 books14.6k followers
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, BLEEDING STARS, FIGHT FOR ME, CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART, FALLING STARS, REDEMPTION HILLS, TIME RIVER, and MOONLIT RIDGE novels. Start your binge with the first book in her latest series, From Here to Eternity! A broody single dad, a heroine on the run, and all the steam and suspense!

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

GET TO KNOW ME EVERYWHERE

Website: www.aljacksonauthor.com
Facebook: facebook.com/aljacksonauthor
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor
Snapchat: aljacksonauthor
Newsletter: http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock

Text "aljackson" to 33222 for special updates!

Want to know what music inspires my books?
I have book specific playlists on Spotify!
https://open.spotify.com/user/1255231879

Represent by Brower Literary & Management
subrights@browerliterary.com

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5 stars
3,040 (43%)
4 stars
2,259 (32%)
3 stars
1,149 (16%)
2 stars
351 (5%)
1 star
134 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 720 reviews
Profile Image for The Bosnian.
1,394 reviews331 followers
February 27, 2020
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UNBELIEVABLE STORY! Honestly I love Amy's books but she, she there done and outdid herself...CHECK OUT MY FULL REVIEW & TEASER & MORE on my BLOG -> C L I C K - H E R E
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Profile Image for Suzanne.
2,646 reviews44 followers
March 5, 2020
How do you come back from something so tragic that shatters such a deep place in your soul? How do you find that love you thought you would never get again? Between Mia and Lief, these two have such a tragic and emotional past that they find each other in the darkest place. What I loved about this book is the whole connection that these two have. It was magnetic. Poetic even. While the passion in this story is sizzling, I think what drew me in was the whole concept behind why Mia and Lief are the way they are and how they find each other.
As things play out in this story, I found I could not put this book down. I needed answers. I needed to know why certain things happened and how they are all connected in the long run. It blew my mind and had me almost in tears at points. I have been a huge fan of Jackson and I think this is one of her best books due to the fact that there is so much depth to it both emotionally but mentally. Seeing Lief fight his demons. Seeing Mia grow with the help of her family but mostly because of Lief. It was utter brilliance and is so one that needs to be read!
Profile Image for Leticia (jerseygirlsbookshelf).
579 reviews290 followers
May 4, 2021
"But sometimes you had to wander lost before you found out where you belonged."
I bought this book because of its title. "Kiss the Stars" drew me in. I had never read anything else by A.L. Jackson, but now that this is over... I need to have all her books. But I need to take my time reading them, because if they're all like this... damn, what an emotional ride. I'm not sure I was ready for this, but now I want more.

"The man lost. A wanderer who raged as he searched through the earth for where he fit."
Leif broke me. Like, seriously. From the start, you know that he feels like he's dark, undeserving, a demon, unworthy of anything good in his life. You just don't know why... and that is revealed as you keep reading. And as you find out more, your heart breaks for him, little by little - mine did. I found myself fighting back tears, because he's been through so much and he has the most beautiful heart.

"'You got me, Mia. You fucking got me. And that is my honest.'"
Mia was such a strong character, in my opinion. She's been through hell as well, and someone who was dear to her was murdered in front of her. It shook her, and she doesn't feel safe, but she's a fighter. She has the best brother and the best friends (or family) in her brother's band. And she has her kids. But there's something missing, and sometimes we don't know something's missing until we find it and we realize we can't live without it. Funny, isn't it?

"Tell me baby, Is it worth dying, For everything you’ve been living for?"
Leif and Mia are wonderfully written. The music backdrop was everything I wanted.
But what really draws you in is the story between the two of them and how they connect on so many levels. When they meet at a party, yes, there's instant attraction and undeniable chemistry, but there's also magic in the air.
It's the kind of magic that exists when something is somehow meant to be, and it doesn't matter how hard you try to run, it'll find you.

"'Kissing you feels like kissing the stars.'"
A friend asked me today what this book was like. And I answered "It's heavy, and it's so inspiring at the same time". I think she was confused by my answer, and that's fine. It feels heavy, but it leaves you feeling like anything is possible, and that you can conquer the freaking world when you have the right people by your side.

Leif and Mia caught their own falling star and allowed themselves to fall. They found themselves in each other. The guy who thought he was irredeemable and the girl who was afraid are none of those things anymore. And that's because love can heal you, if you trust it can.

Great book. Loved it.
Profile Image for Chelsea Humphrey.
1,487 reviews83k followers
July 29, 2021
My first A.L. Jackson was a success!

Favorite Quotes:

"I wanted to carve out a place for him. Show him what it was like to belong. To be treasured and loved, the way he showed me without asking for a thing in return."

"I'm really good at destroying whatever I come into contact with. Whatever I touch... Question is, is it gonna be him or is it gonna be you?"

"You came out of nowhere.
A train wreck.
Paradise.
Moved.
Desolate.
Would give it all up.
If it would keep you from falling apart."

"You are the light I stopped believing existed.
And you are my completion."
Profile Image for Dilek VT.
1,548 reviews1,682 followers
February 23, 2021
I didn’t know that this book was a spin-off from the "Bleeding Stars" series. I would have started with the series if I had known. Still, I can say that it can be read as a stand-alone, you just don’t know any of the tons of characters parading around. If I had read their books, I am sure it would have been awesome to meet them again in a different book.

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That said, let’s move on to talk about "Kiss The Stars". This is the painful love story between an artist and a drummer. It has a depressing and sad mood with an intense passion between the characters.

The book had a lot of potential and at first I loved it and was eager to turn the next page etc. but the more I read, the more the same problems repeated themselves and it got annoying after a certain point.

First of all, the hero Leif’s self-hatred becomes unbearable after a while. Nearly till the end of the book, he believes that he is a monster, that he doesn’t deserve anything good and he thinks that he will never be happy again, blah bla. After one too many times, I felt sick of reading about his tortured soul. It really is painful what he experienced in his life but his intense and continuous self-hatred makes the book too depressing.



The heroine, Mia, is a gem, I loved her. She is a single mother with two children, and the children are both adorable, as well. Despite all the terrible things that happened in her life, she is still standing.



Mia sees the good in Leif and insists that she is willing to give it a try no matter how many times he says he will ruin her. She believes in him. Thus, after a long time of resisting, he gives in to his attraction and they become lovers but they both have enemies that threaten their life and their loved ones so things get even more complicated after they become lovers.

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If you are one of those readers who hate insta-love, this is one of the most insta-love/lust of them all 😊 Just saying.

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Also, if you are one of those readers who don’t like the dead ex / dead child trope, there is a heavy one here ☹.

The hero Leif still suffers from the guilt of the death of his wife and daughter. It is reflected heavily on his present relationship with the heroine. It really taints the relationship between them as the ghost of the dead wife and child is always there.

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As if that wasn’t enough, the plot twist makes everything even worse. I HATED THAT PLOT TWIST, which ruined everything even more in my opinion. The situation became even more unbearable with that plot twist.

Yes, they now have their HEA but WTF kind of a HEA is it after that plot twist is revealed?

I don’t know if I could ever cope with a truth like that and they never talked about it. There was no confrontation about it. He leaves her when he learns it because it is an ugly truth and we don’t know what he will do about it and then some other things happen such as kidnapping, shooting, hospitalization etc. and he thanks God that she is alive and this is it. And this HUGE plot twist that should ruin them forever is not talked about at all. As you can imagine, I HATED THAT ENDING, as well.

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Safety:

The hero doesn’t get involved with another woman after meeting the heroine but the book goes between the past and the present and there are love scenes between the hero and his dead wife. I could have done without those scenes.

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Writing:

The writing is from dual point of view. It makes you feel. It really makes you feel a lot!

However, the writing tends to get poetical from time to time written in verse rather than prose. Use of one-word sentences or broken sentences in the form of clauses is considered an emotional style of expression and some of them do increase the effect of the emotions conveyed but some of them are too distracting, hindering the flow of reading. I think that style is overused in the book.

Also, the book is too long for its own good (350 pages). It drags and drags without much happening for a while.

Another negative thing is that some definitions are repeated too many times in the book. I lost count of the times the hero said, “Her sable eyes…” It was too many… too many times, indeed! That much of a repetition should not happen in good writing.

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Rating:

Without the aforementioned problems, this book could have been a solid 4-star read for me (but never a 5-star read with the ghost of the dead ex wife and child), however, all those things stole more from the beauty of the book and I ended up giving it 3 stars.

Still, it may be worth trying as it is a book that makes you feel and not all books achieve that!

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Here are some QUOTES from the book

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He was hotter than a thousand blazing suns. Yet somehow colder than the darkest hell. A falling star. One not sent as a wish, but rather a warning of what would soon burn out.

***

“I should walk away, shouldn’t I?” she whispered.

I gave her a tight nod.
She touched my chest.
Motherfucking flames.

“So what is this feeling that’s begging me to stay?”

“No doubt, it’s the exact same thing that is going to make me push you away.”

***

Felt like I was rending myself in two. Talk about fucked up. Didn’t even know this girl, and she managed to make herself feel like something that had been missing all along.
Like she was essential.
Natural.
Fated.
The perfect torment.
What could never be.

***

I couldn’t be this reckless.
Wrapped up in a man who didn’t even want me.
Our intensity fire.
But where there was fire, there was ash.
Dust and debris.
And he was right.
The last thing I could afford was to be consumed.

***

“Leif. Why does it feel like I have known you my entire life? Like you’re a piece that’s been missing, and now that you’re here, I’m whole?”

It was a stupid, stupid confession. I knew it. But I had never been about playing games.

***

The man was a shadow beneath, his shoulders hitched high as he strode across the yard toward his little home.
If he even had one.
The man lost.
A wanderer who raged as he searched through the earth for where he fit.
I wanted to carve out a place for him. Show him what it was like to belong. To be treasured and loved, the way he showed without asking for a thing in return.




“Maybe some things are meant to be, written before time, but when you get there? You’ve already fucked it up so bad that it’s not yours anymore, and it gets lumped in with the things you can’t have but feel like you can’t live without. They become a piece that will forever go missing.”

“And what if you’re only meant to work harder for it?”

“That is nothing but a dangerous fantasy.”

“Is that what you are, a dangerous fantasy?”

He leaned forward, his touch searing through me when he set his palm on my cheek. “No, baby, you’re mine.”




“I can’t give you what you deserve, Mia.”

“Then give me what I want.”

A sound left him that was somewhere between a groan and a roar, the rain beginning to pound as he hovered and hesitated and tried to resist.

I saw the second he snapped.

The moment I whispered, “Please.”

He crossed the space like some kind of warring avenger, on his way to plunder and annihilate. To steal.

***

He hoisted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist while he kissed me mad.
Savagely.
Fiercely.
No restraint.




He worked me into a sweat.
Worked me into a puddle.
Worked me into chaos.
Pieces of me coming apart.
Cracking.
Splintering.

***

The girl wicked.
The girl pure.
The girl everything.
My mouth came down hard, devouring her lips the way she was devouring my soul.
Kissing her mad.
Relentlessly.

***

I was unable to stop. Damn the consequences. Here I was, stepping into Eden. Just a quick deviation on my way to Hell.

***

“I was apologizing to her because you are the first person who has made me feel since losing her, Mia, and the truth is, I’m not quite sure how to handle that. You’re the first person who’s made me question what I’m living for. The first person who’s made me think that maybe I might want something different.” He clutched me tighter. “Yeah, I’ve slept with other women, Mia. But you are the only one I’ve been with.”



“God . . . Leif. I’m . . . I’m so sorry. So sorry.” I blinked a million times, as if it might erase some of his pain. Like it could soothe mine as I struggled to fumble through the idea that she had been there with us. Between us. On his mind and on his tongue. That he’d felt dishonor in touching me. In being with me.


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Profile Image for Jan.
1,254 reviews990 followers
March 10, 2020
Finally a good read!!
Solid 4 stars. Intense, angsty, and gritty.

My highlights were:
✔ The story ARC, loved that we could have a glimpse in Leif's past every now and then.
✔ Characterization, both MC's very well done. Specially Leif, so tormented and haunted by his past.
✔ The touches added by all kids, they were adorable.


Profile Image for A.L. Jackson.
Author 95 books14.6k followers
February 27, 2020
Ahhh my loves!!!! I am so thrilled to bring you KISS THE STARS!!!!! It's raw and gritty and soo swoony! I feel so hard in love with Leif and Mia. I can't wait for you to get to experience them!!!

A little history!!

Kiss the Stars is a Falling-Stars stand-alone novel!! The Falling Stars series follows the band, Carolina George, and each of the members will have THEIR OWN STORY. They will each be stand-alones but interwoven!

And yes, this is a Bleeding Stars series spin-off! Nope, you don't have to have read those books, but for those of you who have known and loved my Sunder boys, you'll get a peek of what they're up to in these books!!

I hope you love Leif and Mia every bit as much as I do!!!

xoxo ~ Amy
Profile Image for Sabrina.
4,298 reviews2,392 followers
August 7, 2020
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK



I don't even know where to start with this review because there were just so many things that I loved about the story. The characters were amazing and had me so intrigued, the suspense of not know what had happened in Lief's past to make him think he wasn't good enough for Mia, the amazing connection between the band and their family. It was all so good and had me captivated and then sad once the book was over. I didn't want to leave these characters and I hope I'll get more of them soon.

Lief, despite thinking he wasn't worthy of Mia, was the best guy. He had such a big heart and was so tortured by his past and yet wasn't able to stay away from Mia and her kids. It was fun to see him try and fail to keep his distance because the connection between them was just too strong. It broke my heart to see him trying to be a good guy for her kids and slowly open up to them. And when he finally gave in to he went all in and was so invested in Mia and her family, and I loved that.
"I'm no savior. You can be sure of that. But I'll gladly stand in the flames if it means keeping you from the fire."

Mia was so strong for her kids and she wanted to be strong for Lief too. I loved her for that and how she wasn't afraid of getting close to Lief and not letting him push her away. I really admired her for that and that she didn't let Lief scare her off. She and Lief both had very painful pasts and it had my heart breaking when they were struggling with them. But it also brought them closer together and seeing that made me so happy. They were truly perfect together.

Overall, I highly recommend reading this book. It's written so beautifully even the most heartbreaking parts will leave a smile on your face. It can be read as a standalone but there are a lot of characters from the Bleeding Stars series that you'll see and if haven't read their stories you will probably be very interested in them.

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for ✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ .
2,334 reviews1,343 followers
March 6, 2020
description

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We all remember Lyric and his band Sunder from the Bleeding Stars → A Stone in the Sea series!

This book is about his sister Mia. A single mom with a bit of a sad and mysterious past.

She's now moving into Lyric's house in Savannah for the summer - to get away from bad people/things? in Los Angeles!

And who is living on the other side of the pool? Leif. The drummer of the up and coming country band Carolina George. He's staying for the summer too - because Lyric's band needs him on drums for the new album!

Two people with über-insta-attraction and mysterious, sad and heartbreaking pasts ... and danger following them?

Let the fun times begin...

What will happen to Mia & Leif?
Will we get a HEA?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT ☺

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Rock-Star-Romance!


My absolute favorite kind of romance!

Unfortunately (sorry - rant coming!) AL Jackson's books are not my favorite kinds of books. Ever since reading the first Bleeding Stars book - I have hated her writing style. But I kept on reading, because! Rock-Star-Romances! ☺

I just don't get why she writes like that. She leaves out every first word in almost every sentence. No 'I's - no 'THE's et cetera ... why??? It just sounds ridiculous and stupid. I could live with one person talking like that...but it's alll of them. And I don't get why no editor has ever told her to stop doing that. But that's only one thing about her writing. The worst, but only one. The other thing I don't like. She tries too hard to sound poetic. All those 1-4 word sentences. And other weird lines. It's soo hard to read her books. Nothing flows. My brain just can't and doesn't want to read those too short/too long & über-wordy/über-poetic sentences. At least 40% of the book could be cut and nothing about the story would be lost! I force myself through these books, because the stories are pretty good and in this case again ... a ROCK STAR ROMANCE! But I just don't like reading her books. And I get that it's probably just me who is having those weird problems with her writing. So - don't worry too much about my weird review! ☺ Even though I just found out that my blogpartner DNF'd the book because of the weird writing style! I kept on reading - even though I started to fast forward and only read the conversations after 30% or so.

The story was cute. Rock Stars. Funny moments. Adorable family moments. Lots of exciting and mysterious and dangerous moments.

The mysterious parts were also a bit ridiculous. Not what actually happened to Leif and Mia. But the first 20% of the book - we get 'teased' that bad stuff happened to them...twice on every page. Ugh. I wanted to throw the kindle out the next window. Just tell us!!!! Or don't say anything. But mentioning that something happened constantly and not saying what? Ridiculous. Too much. Too often.

I kinda have the feeling that I'm ruining this book for many potential readers. But I can't help that I have my weird reading likes and dislikes. And it wasn't all bad.

Like I said - the story was really rock-stary and heartbreaking. It was a really good Romantic Rock Star Suspense Novel.

Great cast - who all forget to say the first words of their sentences - but still a great group of people!☺ But I doubt that I will read any more books in this series or by this author. Sorry.

KiSS THE STARS was a great Romantic Suspense Rock Star Novel! Funny, Exciting, Dangerous, Mysterious, Sparky, Heartbreaking ... with a bit of a 'you-have-to-get-used-to-it' writing style!

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💜 💜



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Profile Image for Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾.
2,314 reviews13.7k followers
March 9, 2020
4 STARS
You are the light I stopped believing existed.”


Whoa. I wasn't expecting this book at all. It took me completely by surprise. In all honesty, rockstar romance isn't really my thing any more. It's just not the story I tend to gravitate towards. But being the huge fan of AL Jackson that I am, I decided to take a chance on this one, and I'm so glad I did. Because it wasn't the typical rockstar romance at all. This story featured some of the characters from her other rockstar romance books which I haven't had a chance to read yet, but fully intend to. Having said that, this is definitely easily enjoyed as a standalone and if you're like me, you'll have no problem being sucked right into this world.

There's just something about a single mom meets reclusive rockstar that just sounds utterly delicious to me. And this certainly was that. Mainly because Leif is the furthest thing from the usual rockstar. He's a talented drummer but he's a recluse. He shies away from the limelight and all of the things that come with it. He's hiding painful secrets from his past. But when Mia quite literally stumbles into his life, he can't seem to stay away from her.

Mia is still reeling from the tragic and violent event in her past that has her in hiding on her famous rockstar brother's estate. Leif is staying in the pool house as he's working with her brother's band. And even though he tells her that he's bad at every turn, she can't seem to stay away from him either.

There's a lot more to this story than meets the eye at first. It's full of twists and turns and a suspense that had me eagerly turning the pages long into the night. My one quibble is that the usual lyrical writing style that I enjoy with AL Jackson's books just didn't fit the genre of this one for me. It felt repetitive and a touch too purple prose in parts. There was a dark and gritty feeling to this book and I LOVED it. But the descriptive nature of the writing took a piece away from that for me.

Having said that, I still devoured this in one sitting. It was emotional and unexpected and full of twists I never saw coming. I loved the suspense element and the slightly grittier feel of the story.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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Profile Image for Syndi.
3,713 reviews1,042 followers
April 14, 2020
See, I can not like this book more than 3 stars. I really want to like it more. Do not get me wrong, I like Miss Jackson's signature writing style. Some of her other books, her writing works fine. But not with this series.

What is wrong with this book is the plot is not as dramatic as her writing style. The plot is simple and with over the top dramatic words, the plot became anticlimax. Leif is not as dark and twisted with his past. He is more like lost hero who needs some guidance. Some part he is just feeling sorry for himself. Mia is damsel in distress. But even her distress can not save this book.

Look, I do not hate the book. But I do not like it either. I wish there is more on this book. More twists, more drama and more darker plot.

3 stars
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,908 reviews1,365 followers
March 15, 2020
****AVAILABLE NOW - FULL REVIEW ****

4 CROWNS

Kiss the Stars is everything readers have come to expect from A.L. Jackson - swoony, broken hero, beautiful prose, and an element of danger.

Leif is your pretty typical Jackson hero who is weighed down by past mistakes and sees himself as unworthy of love and the heroine. Similarly, the heroine is looking for love after some kind of damage from her past. Through their relationship they find redemption and love.

Both of the characters are likable, they have really good chemistry and the bedroom scenes are great too.

The story has a good start. Jackson really fleshed our their story and their characters. It was great to see the Sunder family again. I really felt like they contributed to the story versus being there for cameo purposes. This is a slow burn and a lot happens in the final chapters of the book. I do wish those parts would have been spread out more throughout the book versus having some much action at the end. That being said, I loved where she took the story with them. That is what made me enjoy the story so much.

Beautifully written, as A.L. Jackson’s books always are, Kiss the Stars is another romance about hope that can come with second chances.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Jessica Hull.
936 reviews652 followers
March 6, 2020
Reading this book was a lot like bumping into an ex. It looked really good standing there after I hadn't seen it for a while. It sounded good, made me nostalgic for what I once loved. It briefly reminded me of what initially attracted me to it in the first place, had me longing for another taste. But unfortunately it didn't take me long to remember why we broke up. 

For the most part, I had once enjoyed the books surrounding the guys from Sunder. They were sexy and romantic and often angsty. They were heavy and emotional and often twisty. But the writing style (the stilted sentences and the flowery prose) eventually wore on me and I decided that it just wasn't working for me anymore. That, along with the storylines that began feeling much too OTT dramatic for my personal taste, and I found myself parting ways with this author's work. It was sad, but I knew it was me, not her. This author is a lovely person whose work readers absolutely LOVE. But what once did it for me just simply didn't any longer. It was nothing personal, just a matter of changing taste and I had to walk away. 

But then I saw the gorgeous cover of Kiss the Stars and I read the blurb which oozed of familiarity and heartache. And it had been so long since I'd read a book taking place in this world that I'd simply forgotten why I lost interest in it. I forgot what didn't work for me and instead I succumbed to old feelings, fell into old habits and jumped back in, hoping Leif and Mia might lead me to our very own second chance romance. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for me to realize that it wasn't going to work out. The dialogue. The writing style. The overly dramatic storyline. I just want different things in my romance now and maybe I needed to go back to know that for sure. 

I feel terrible. I feel like I picked up a book I shouldn't have read in the first place and now I'm crapping on it. That was never my intention. But here's the thing... If you've loved AL Jackson's work all along, you're going to love this book. If you've never read her books before, I highly recommend giving this one a shot because I think if this was the first book of her's I'd read, I might've enjoyed it more too. If you like rock star romances and family strife and bits of suspense and stunning twists and OTT drama, this book is probably exactly what you need in your life. And I sincerely hope it all works for you in a way it just didn't for me. 
Profile Image for Karen Mc .
1,106 reviews770 followers
February 24, 2020



”If I let myself fall, would you be there to catch me? Just for a little while?”


GAH! I’ve been mourning the loss of the Bleeding Stars—MY TOP SERIES EVER—for almost three years. Three years of wishing and silently pleading that AL Jackson would return to her rock star writing roots and give me more of my favorite Sunder family! Then IT happened: My author rock star made my dreams come true with KISS THE STARS, another epic, emotion-bleeding rocker romance full of fire and feels, the yin to the Bleeding Star series’ yang! A spellbinding story of heartbreak and healing that sings to the soul, one I read with tears in my eyes and love inside. SO MUCH LOVE!




You don’t have to look hard to see the beauty that bleeds into A.L. Jackson’s words, so wondrous ... so WOW. Every word that this author writes is FULL OF FEELS. Every word is mesmerizing and meaningful. Every word means everything. From the scorching cover to the heart-igniting inside, Kiss the Stars is rock star romance at its best! Prepare to fall in love with the Falling Stars, the Bleeding Stars, and Sunder all over again.

He was hotter than a thousand blazing suns. Yet somehow colder than the darkest hell. A falling star.


Set in my former Savannah home, Kiss the Stars is the captivating tale of a torn hero and heroine who battle demons and walk through hell to save each other. Two kindred spirits with beautiful hearts fated together in the most messy but meaningful of ways. Light and dark. Bold and brave. A hero who doesn’t think he’s worthy and a heroine willing to do whatever it takes to show him his worth, both looking for that sliver of light in the darkness in this collision of past and present ... fire and fate. The hero, Leif, is beautiful, broody, bold and brave. He’s edgy and so imperfectly perfect. I LOVED HIM! The stunning and bright beauty, Mia, was made for him. I LOVED THEM!

”I will ruin you.”
“I want you to.”


Immediately thrust back into the Bleeding Stars world, I didn’t want to surface for air as I felt fully ALIVE. I DEVOURED this broken beauty in one sitting, a book that made me BREATHLESS as it nearly brought to my knees. Kiss the Stars filled my lungs with its power, pull, and paralyzing intensity as its words filtered into my very core where I felt everything. I was wholeheartedly sucked into this story—UTTERLY CONSUMED—as Kiss the Stars stole my soul, heart, breath, and tears.

”I close my eyes, and it’s you I see.”


OH MY STARS!!! OH MY HEART!!! OH MY SOUL!!! I am so OVER THE MOON IN LOVE with this romance! Kiss the Stars is a soul-slaying, sweep-you-in-heart, passionately poetic, epic rock star romance that I dare you not to feel. I felt every word ... I FELT EVERYTHING ... I still feel it all. Kiss the Stars is pure passion and poetry on pages, a lyrical rocker romance that sings to the soul. Heart-crashing. Soul-slashing. My soul shines for this story that still sings to me.

This Sunder band quote perfectly sums up this book, and how I feel about this band family and intertwined series:

”We make magic, baby. Nothing can touch us. Nothing ever will.”


An epic rocker romance, and top 2020 and lifetime read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ but worth 10 soul-kissing stars

➡️ https://amzn.to/3c3YSWb




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Profile Image for Melissa  ❤️ bookaddict_fanatic .
1,129 reviews109 followers
February 27, 2020
How do you put into words a story that pulls all the emotion from you? This book was more than just that, it was so much more than words on a page, I felt every word and it was brilliant images playing out. A.L. Jackson is a master at creating magic with her words and with this heart-wrenching, gripping, all-consuming read you will absolutely FEEL EVERYTHING! Leif and Mia's story is a powerful, emotional page-turner about loss, vengeance, forgiveness and discovering that no matter what everyone deserves a second chance at love. If you think you'll be able to read this book without consequences you're so wrong because this story will ruin you, you won't be able to stop thinking about it long after reading! Definitely at the top of my best reads list!
Profile Image for Beeg Panda.
1,616 reviews574 followers
March 22, 2020
One of those "love triangles with dead wife plots".
Don't think I'll ever be okay with the hero thinking of his wife all the time like he does, especially not during intimate scenes with the heroine, like he does. Twice
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Elsa Gomes (BookishAurora).
2,420 reviews302 followers
February 29, 2020
Rate: 4.5/ 5 stars

I was beyond excited for this series to begin... I think the Bleeding Stars was one of the first series I ever read that was rock star romance and I completely fell in love with the trope, A. L. Jackson's characters and words. So I was immensely happy when she announced this spin-off series, I was so excited to be back in this world and see some of the Bleeding Stars characters again and guys you get so much of them in this book. It's amazing!

Kiss the Stars is the story of Lyric's sister, Mia, and Carolina George's drummer, Leif Godwin. It's an amazing, beautiful and emotional story. Once again A. L. Jackson astonished me with her writing. I feel like rockstar romance is what she writes best... the writing is always so lyrical and poetic, it hightens the emotions and almost vibrates off the pages. I am amazed and so in love with her writing in this book.

Leif and Mia's romance is angsty and emotional and oh so sweet. Their chemistry is off the charts amazing and the way they just connected on such a deep level... goodness. I loved watching these two let go and fall for each other and Leif falling in love with Mia's kids, swoonnnn. It was adorable and so emotional.

When it comes to the main plot, I was pleasantly surprised there too with all the suspense.. it really added to the story and I loved getting breadcrumbs and coming up with theories to what had happened and still be surprised at the end when it all comes to light.

A. L. Jackson wrote a deepply emotional story in Leif and Mia, one filled with grief, suspense, sweetness, music and so much love. Kiss the Stars was a splendid introduction to the Falling Stars series and I am super excited to get more of this world.

➳ARC kindly provided by author, in exchange for an honest review.

➳ Order at: Amazon UKAmazon US

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Profile Image for Siobhan Davis.
Author 112 books9,481 followers
March 1, 2020
Kiss the Stars is an emotional, heart-wrenching read with tons of angsty deliciousness and swoon-worthy, steamy romance, written in A.L. Jackson's beautifully poetic prose. This story consumed me from start to finish and I never wanted it to end.
Profile Image for Elena.
214 reviews44 followers
April 1, 2021
Нищо не ми хареса в тази книга! Нито историята, нито стила на писане, нито образите и действията на главните герои. Давам 2* единствено заради края, но ще стигна и до там и ще се обоснова защо.
Първо ще започна с това, че очаквах книгата да е някаква тийнейджърска история с лека драматичност и много романтика. Да, ама не! В нея се говори за една 30-годишна жена с две деца, много по-възрастен мъж за партньор (бащата на децата), точеща лиги по барабанист. Бляк! Заряза таткото, за да се скрие при брат си, защото някой я преследва, ама това не й попречи преди това да "заседне" случайно в една стая с барабаниста Лейф и да си мечтаеше как той ще я "залепи" за стената. Това е още в първа глава и от тук започна падението на книгата. През цялата история Мия се държеше като 13-годишна тийнейджърка с яко бушуващи хормони (не такова тийн имах в предвид за четене), която не я интересуваше нищо друго освен да си легне с Лейф. Съжалявам, но това не е поведение на голяма жена и то с две деца! Най-потресавящото беше, когато на втората им среща (диалозите им бяха от по 5-6 думи), направо си му предложи да си легнат. Ей, от тук се отвратих изцяло вече! Защо авторката е решила образа на Мия да е толкова "кух", не знам, но няма и да се опитвам да разбера, защото Лейф е още по-зле.
Неговият образ беше толкова объркващ и прескачащ от едно в друго, че имах чувството, че се намирам в центрофугата на пералня. През цялото време повтаря "Аз съм лош. Аз съм зъл. Аз съм дявол." и после "Защо го направих? Как можах да сторя това?". И това неговото "трябва- не трябва" в повече ми дойде. Голяма съвест, голямо чудо! До последно си остана такъв объркващ и неразбран образ. Ще дам пример: Трябва да се крие, да стои в сянка, а от 3 години е барабанист в музикална група. Как се стои в сянка, като се занимаваш с това и ходиш по концерти?!!!
Мия е Лейф постоянно кръжаха един около друг и нищо не се случваше между тях (освен погледи и безмислени "страсти"). Като казвам, че нищо не се случваше имам в предвид диалог, защото те не си говориха нищо. Това "искам те - не те искам" (от страна на Лейф) и "ела при мен" (от страна на Мия) не подхожда на двама уж зрели хора. Отделно как толкова бързо осъзнаха, че се обичат, при положение, че не бяха провели и един смислен разговор???
Приключвам с образите, никаква задълбоченост не притежаваха и никаква градация не последва.
Всеки в тази история беше разгневен и страшен! Авторката да беше написала трилър с цялата тази ярост събрала в героите си!
Стила на писане е потресаващ, глупав, неориентиран. Диалозите между героите бяха под всякаква критика, плоски, повтаряха се постоянно. Изключително дълги, протяжни и разтегливи размисли, че забравяш за какво е ставало въпрос преди това. Постоянно се повтаряше едно и също и като думи е като действия. А действията, ах действията, напълно безмислени, нелепи. Как дете на 2 години (момче) може да говори и да му се разбира всичко? Как дете на 11 години може да е по-умно от майка си, да й дава съвети и да говори мъдри приказки на Лейф. Как Лейф тръгна да преследва нападатели, а Мия седна да рисува спокойно и като се прибра дори не го попита добре ли е? Как тя каза, че не може да има повече деца, заради усложнения след раждането на второто си дете и накрая бам бременна?!! И има още много такива безобразия!
Допълнителната ми звезда е за това, че в края малко се забърза действието и се случи НЕЩО и заради случилото се в миналото на Лейф, въпреки че беше доста претупано всичко.
Не мога да си обясня този рейтинг на книгата, след като не блести с нищо. Пълна пародия е и няма да се задълбочавам повече в нея. Нямам и никакво намерение да чета следващите книги от поредицата и да си губя времето с толкова плоски четива!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Betül.
1,067 reviews292 followers
March 5, 2020
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
description

"He was hotter than a thousand blazing suns. Yet somehow colder than the darkest hell. A falling star."

Kiss the Stars is the first book in the Falling Stars series. It features Mia West, who is the sister of rock-star Lyrik from the book Where Lightning Strikes, and Leif Godwin who is the drummer for the country band Carolina George. Mia is a single mother of two: Penny is eleven and Greyson is two years old. When a senseless crime rocks Mia West’s entire world, she agrees to spend the summer hiding out at her brother’s mansion in Savannah until the storm blows over. Leif finds himself at the guest house of this mansion when he is asked to temporarily fill in as a drummer for Lyrik's band.

"I'm no savior. You can be sure of that. But I'll gladly stand in the flames if it means keeping you from the fire."

The chemistry between Leif and Mia was really strong. They both have things they are dealing with both in past in present time. This opened up the way to some very suspenseful moments. Especially Leif has things he needs to handle before he can think of a future with Mia. He did his best to let Mia know that he wasn't good for her, but all of his actions show a different thing. He doesn't think he deserves her, but Mia isn't that easily pushed away. Also the way Leif interacted with Mia's kids was so beautiful. I especially loved the relationship he created with Penny, who was pretty shy. Both Mia and Leif were great characters and I enjoyed getting to know them. Both did a great job in healing each other. There was some suspenseful moments that had me on the edge of my seat, and I really wished there was more of that throughout the book. I think I mentioned this before in other reviews, but I really think AL Jackson would write a great romantic suspense novel.

"I wanted to carve out of place for him. Show him what it was like to belong. To be treasured and loved, the way he showed without asking for a thing in return."

Kiss the Stars was a great introduction to the Falling Stars series. I hope the other books are going to focus on the other three members in the Carolina George band. We briefly meet them in this book and I really liked them. I also loved being reunited with my favorite characters from the Bleeding Stars series. It was fun seeing what all of them were up to. This book was romantic, suspenseful, emotional, and funny as well. It really made me feel warm inside. AL Jackson has a way with words, and she really knows how to captivate and mesmerize me with it. I always end up highlighting a lot of quotes when I am reading her book. I recommend this book if you like your romance with a bit of suspense added to it. Also pick it up if you are a fan of the single parent trope, or if you like your heroes to be a bit broody and broken. Also him being a musician doesn't hurt at all.
Profile Image for Julia.
623 reviews683 followers
Read
March 15, 2020
No rating. Only got 3 chapters in.

Writing is very self flagellating and lofty. Characters were acting/talking like they only know what human interaction was from watching Lifetime movies.

I think this authors writing just isnt for me. Theres alot of useless staccato sentences and she uses it on every page. Sample of this flowery crap:

"Stuck in a quicksand I could feel pulling me under.
His eyes traced me.
Blatantly.
Bluntly."

*eyeroll*
Profile Image for Jo - •.★Reading Is My Bliss★.•.
2,429 reviews238 followers
June 22, 2022
Mia is spending the summer with her two kids at her brother’s place after witnessing a senseless murder. She just needed to get as far away as possible from any further danger to her and her children. Being in Savannah gives her the much needed family time they all need.

Leith is also staying at Lyric’s place as a summer guest. He works in the music industry and has agreed to play drums with the band as a favor to Lyric. Leith too is escaping something so painful and deep that it has become a sole focus of his to seek retribution for what was cruelly taken from him.

Being at Lyric and Tamar’s house is like being at a school holiday programme, there are children everywhere, everywhere you look there is a small person. Not what Lyric is used to but lucky he is staying in the pool house so he has some place to be alone.

When Leith meets Mia and her children, he feels a need to protect them. He is drawn to her. She has that look in her eyes that he recognises in his own and he wants them to feel safe. Her kids are adorable and over time he builds a really cute friendship with her daughter Penny. Greyson on the other hand seems to enjoy all the mischief any two year old likes to get into and Leith thinks he is an awesome wee boy.

Leith and Mia are completely drawn to each other and as each day passes, she proves to him time and again that he is deserving of happiness. He does try to warn her off but she wants him to see the good in him that she sees. He knows he needs to sort out his past before he can move forward but in doing so he unwittingly brings danger knocking on her door.

Another emotionally charged love story with the signature suspense trope that I have come to expect. My audio indulgence of the week had all the wonderful elements that I love about this author’s writing.
Profile Image for Amy .
3,125 reviews
March 5, 2020
“We were swaying, swept up in this unstoppable dance that I never saw coming.”

“You are the true definition of it, Mia. Beauty. You stole my breath the first time I saw you. You are the creator of it. I won’t taint that.”

“Kissing you feels like kissing the stars.”

5 Soul Searing Stars!!

I feel like I’m always saying this when I read an A.L. Jackson book, but man, does she ever have a way with her words. The lyrical flow and power of her words just slay me.

Leif and Mia captured my heart from the moment I met the two of them. They were both beautifully broken, and undeniably drawn to one another. Like a moth to flame, there was no stopping the two of them, no matter how hard they tried. Their passion and connection was like an inferno that I never wanted to see put out. I hung to each word and moment of their story. I couldn’t get enough and wild horses couldn’t stop me from devouring this book…

Kiss the Stars brings readers back to the world of rock-n-roll and brings back a ton of familiar faces. Mia and Leif’s story will take readers for an emotional and suspenseful ride. The push and pull will leave you desperate for more. The suspense will keep you guessing and on your toes. And the romance….the romance will fill your heart, it will make you swoon, and leave you utterly breathless.

There are no words to express the thrill I get after reading an A.L. Jackson book. It is an experience unlike any other. And Kiss the Stars does not disappoint. This book was everything I wanted and needed and I can’t wait to read it all over again.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Антоанета.
1,124 reviews
June 20, 2021
Оф, тази книга признавам си я четох съвсем насила. И при други книги ми се е случвало да не са ми интересни и да се мъча да ги избутам по-бързо, но такова четене по диагонал като при тази не знам дали е имало. Прескачах цели пасажи, прочитах по едно изречение от тук от там, за да проследя нишката и минавах нататък.
Още в началото не бях впечатлена от секси майката на две деца, която трябва да се крие при брат си, който я закриляше от всичко и всеки, а пък самият той - известна рок звезда. Нещо ми се стори много съшито с бели конци.
Лейф пък как от нарко-дилър и работник в сервиз беше станал крал на барабаните, толкова добър, че да го търсят да запишат албум също ми беше непонятно!
Авторката се е опитала да пресъздаде страстна история и неудържимо и фатално привличане между Мия и Лейф, но в моите очи не й се е получило. А като при първото му разсъбличане беше описана татуировка на палма, направо си умрях от смях 😂 Сериозно!?! На палма!?! 😲 Само такава ли можа да измисли?
Единственото раздвижване беше в последните 50 страници, които чинно си ги прочетох от край до край и може би там имаше потенциал за покачване на напрежението, но уви - слаб напън.
И целият сладникав завършек съвсем накрая остави само още по-лош вкус от цялостното изживяване. 2*
Profile Image for Annelyse.
20 reviews1 follower
Read
February 26, 2020
Top read of 2020!! I was so sad to see the Sunder world end but wow did Amy not disappoint with this whole new world bringing back all of your favorite Sunder boys and their leading ladies and their families!! Oh god, I swooned seeing all the guys being daddies. But back to the amazingness of Kiss The Stars...You know that moment when you read a book and it’s so amazing you wish you could forget it just to read it again? That’s this book!! It sings to my soul. I am speechless after reading this book. Mia and Leif are serious goals. Even with their explosive chemistry, these two fought hard against it let me tell you, but you could see that these two were meant for each other. They were two perfectly imperfect people that needed each other even if they didn’t realize it at first. Once I read about Mia in Where The Lightning Strikes I knew I needed her story and for her to get her HEA. She is such a strong heroine who has been through her fair share of bad things but never lets it affect who she is and what she stands for, she is what every girl should aspire to be in life. Leif, oh God, where do I even begin with Leif...he is such a broody bad boy that has a tragic past but he has a heart of gold and made me swoon with all of the sweet moments he and Mia had. His and Mia’s relationship was EVERYTHING and their story was an intense, angst filled beautiful passionate love story that is deserving of all the stars and more. This book gets 5 “my honest” stars. Amy’s writing is flawless as usual and will leave you breathless by the end. Read this as soon as it releases, I promise you won’t regret it. Thank you Amy for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Wendy LeGrand.
1,287 reviews53 followers
March 2, 2020
A.L. Jackson is back with another gorgeous rock star and the woman who brings him to his knees!

Kiss the Stars is the first book in the new Falling Stars series, focusing on the band Carolina George. You may be familiar with this band, since they've popped up in multiple other books. If you're not, that's okay, their time has come to finally shine in the spotlight, literally and figuratively.

Leif Godwin is the drummer for Carolina George, a man with a whole slew of demons in his past that he's trying to keep at bay. He's asked by Lyrik West (remember him?) to play with the band for a few months and when he does he meets Mia West, Lyrik's younger sister. She's a single mom of two kids and she is also battling some demons of her own right now.

I loved how Amy wrote this book as a crossover novel from the Bleeding Stars series. It was so awesome to get to spend so much time with Lyrik and Tamar and their two kids. We spend a pretty good amount of time with the whole Sunder crew along the way and it felt like coming home.

Leif and Mia's story is full of passion and heartache, suspense and danger, redemption and forgiveness. I've said it before and I will say it again, Amy is the master at breaking my heart while reading, and then lovingly and painstakingly putting it back together by the time the book comes to a close. My heart hurt so much for both Mia and Leif and what's transpired in their lives. But in true Amy fashion, she pulls all the strings together to tie this story up with a beautiful ending.

I am so excited to start the journey this new series will be taking us on!
May 1, 2020
3-3.5 ⭐'s

What was the reason you read the book? Because it was supposed to be angsty, of course!

And was it? Not really. He always thinks he's a bad guy so there's a lot of push and pull until things escalate towards the end.

What's it about? Leif's a drummer for a country rock band and comes to help out her brother's band while they're recording an album. He has a shady past.

Mia's an artist and her best friend was murdered at their gallery in LA. They all go to Savannah to record the album and for her to get away and heal.

They meet, sparks fly but he's too hot or cold for things to move forward.

What's good about it? What angst there is was nice. I also liked the "family" dynamic of all the band members and their families.

Leif's relationships with several of the kids was really sweet and funny...especially with Greyson.

Anything you didn't like? The "purple" pose. The writing is really flowery and overly descriptive. Too much telling and not enough action.

It's really difficult in the beginning and caused the book to drag.

Anything that surprised you? It didn't seem like the house and band members had enough security. It was especially glaring with all the events that went on.

Would you recommend it? If you're a light angst reader, this would be good. Also, this is a bit of a spin off on the Bleeding Stars series so if you've read that, you'd probably enjoy catching up with everyone.
Profile Image for Seline.
577 reviews42 followers
did-not-finish
March 11, 2020
I couldn’t connect with this authors writing it was TOO MUCH. I didn’t like how the author described things and again it was way over the top. I do like books that ARE DESCRIPTIVE but not like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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