Of Love & Stardust

by Shamila Ilyasi

It’s the summer of 2012, when Demir first sees Phen in a crowded Istanbul restaurant. Their eyes meet and it feels like everything has led them to this moment, like an inevitable stellar explosion. However, their moment of pure bliss is short-lived when Demir’s girlfriend abruptly interrupts them. Infuriated and embarrassed, Phen leaves without a second glance. And all Demir has left of Phen is her name.

Six years later, Phen is offered a teaching job in Istanbul and packs up her life in Montreal. All the while, she tries to convince herself her move has nothing to do with “restaurant guy”—or Demir—, the stranger from almost a decade ago.

But fate intervenes again when the pair meet at an event in Istanbul and, this time, Demir is determined not to let Phen walk away again. But when tragedy strikes Demir’s family, they wonder if their second chance will be just as fleeting as their first or if they will be able to fight against the pull of obligation. Of Love & Stardust is an unforgettable love story that explores the power of love at first sight…and whether it is enough to last a lifetime.

407 pages, Hardcover

Published May 16, 2022

About the author

A passionate reader and a gifted storyteller, Shamila Ilyasi was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. She and her family fled their war-torn country in 1992, and briefly lived in Uzbekistan and Russia, before permanently settling in Canada in 1997. Currently based in Montreal, Canada, she spends her days as a training manager and her nights reading and writing. Of Love & Stardust is her first novel.

Reviews

[Vivi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written, beautiful and sad .... it took me a week to get over it :(

[Veronica Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

All I know is pain and sadness. This book was beautiful and heart breaking. I don't have any more words to describe how much I was rooting for Phen and Demir.

[Frishta Khedri · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read the title of this book, I thought to myself: oh that’s original. It’s only at the end that everything made sense (especially at the last quarter where the author described how pure, beautiful and grandiose their love was and compared it to the collision/union or stars). I admit I was heartbroken as I was reading the last few pages, but at the very end, I felt good about the ending, as if I found peace and closure in Demir’s letter. Everyone likes a good ending when it comes to love stories, but the way the author ended this novel was beautiful.. just like all my favourite books/movies such as The notebook, Dear John or The best of me. I love to feel all the emotions and imagine the characters or the places when I read a book and the way Shamila detailed everything was just exquisite. Also, the flow of the book was smooth. Sometimes, when I read a book, I can feel the « clash » or a change in the flow when the author jumps from a description to a « live scenery » but I didn’t feel that as I was reading “Of love and stardust”. And the way Shamila described some of the scenes, like Demir and Phen’s first kiss… wow. It was just so beautifully put together. I could literally feel the passion and tbh I re-read some of the parts (like their first kiss) about 2-3 times!! I just loved the way the author portrayed the main characters’ passion and emotions but also the places (she truly did her researchl!!). Everything was so real and authentic! Also, I liked the references/quotes and the metaphors inserted. It helped to better describe some of the feelings or scenes, as well as the “psychological” parts. I could feel and understand Phen and her behaviours (like the fact that she runs away, or doesn’t cry, or can’t see that she attracts people’s attention with her beauty) because of the way Shamila so well narrated her past traumas. And I like that she linked one of her behaviour to a defence mechanism. Again, it shows a good and in depth search from her side on all the topics she wrote about. I was just awed at this author’s talent as I was reading the book.. Shamila, you truly are a good story teller and we are lucky to have such a talented and dedicated new author amongst us! I truly just wish you more and more success ahead (and also more books for us to read)!!

[Fariah Bakhsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very beautifully written, I love the way the author has described every character with the finest details…not only was I able to imagine them, but I could also feel and empathize with them. Such love stories seem unreal, yet are so close to reality, as if people do not, yet, know about them… Once you start reading, you absolutely want to finish it, the narrative is captivating and full of unexpected turns…As for the context, Montreal and Istanbul are two completely different cities, yet fitted well into the narrative… Would have loved to know more about Phen’s sister, Salma, and ther equation, especially the fact that sister bonding is so important in most families, especially Afghan ones…Overall, I would definitely recommend readers immerse themselves in this amazing story! Are we expecting part 2 by any chance..? :D

[Riss 🫶🏻☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a dual POV from Phen and Demir, I was so excited to read about them and the plot as the story unfolded. This was such a fun read and the love story was SO well done. The writer has done a great job to keep up the momentum between Demir and Phen and their lives. Give this a read!

[Natalie Cecere · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am traumatized.
The writing was fantastic, this was not a romance, I am in physical pain, broken, fuck life right now wow.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insta love, especially when it is set up like this was, is hard to pull off. My feelings about this book kept changing the farther I got into it, but in a good way. Getting a dual POV from the lovebirds, Phen and Demir, was great because we got to see how the events affected them both. You could feel their love for one another and while I did not always like or agree with their actions I was hoping for the best. I loved the secondary characters. The friends that Phen made and the ones like brothers to Demir really rounded the story well. Their relationship faced more challenges than romances I typically read but I think it was right for this book. It was emotional but felt real. I’d read more from this author!

Thank you @shamila.ilyasi for the gifted copy.