Review: The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne

The Stars We Steal
by Alexa Donne

February 4, 2020
400 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Engagement season is in the air. Eighteen-year-old Princess Leonie “Leo” Kolburg, heir to a faded European spaceship, only has one thing on her mind: which lucky bachelor can save her family from financial ruin?

But when Leo’s childhood friend and first love Elliot returns as the captain of a successful whiskey ship, everything changes. Elliot was the one that got away, the boy Leo’s family deemed to be unsuitable for marriage. Now, he’s the biggest catch of the season and he seems determined to make Leo’s life miserable. But old habits die hard, and as Leo navigates the glittering balls of the Valg Season, she finds herself failing for her first love in a game of love, lies, and past regrets.

Review

I enjoy Jane Austen retellings very much so I was very eager to dive into The Stars We Steal. Despite the story being on the long side, the special setting and the characters with their drama-filled interactions were quite entertaining.

I loved learning about the space settlement in The Stars We Steal. It reminded me a lot of the tv show, The 100, but on a grander scale. Ms. Donne does an excellent job on the world-building. I can perfectly picture each ship with their various functions and luxuries for its inhabitants.

The second chance romance was totally up my alley. The back and forth between Leo and Elliot was pulse-pounding. I liked their history and how their past as a couple made up a big part of who they've become. However, the romance was slow-going. I wish the swoonworthy moments happened sooner. The "almosts" between them really frustrated me as the story went on. I just ached for the two of them to finally reconcile and be together!

Given all the build up, the main conflict and basically every problem in The Stars We Steal were too easily wrapped up. Resolutions that were suppose to be important felt brushed over as they were only resolved towards the end of the book and in a quick manner. I feel more concrete conclusions would've made the story stronger.

Overall I had a great time reading The Stars We Steal. The pacing could've been faster but the setting and story were interesting enough to have held my attention. Sci-fi readers will want in on this space experience.

*I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the ARC I received.