Subgenre: Queer Contemporary Romance / Fake Dating Trope / Holiday Romance
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.3 out of 5 cosmic cuddles and messy horoscopes)

☕ Meet-Cute, But Make It Celestial

If Jane Austen and Lizzo co-wrote a sapphic rom-com, you’d get something like Written in the Stars. Alexandria Bellefleur’s charming debut in the Written in the Stars series blends the classic enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes with a modern, unapologetically queer twist—and a dash of horoscope-fueled chaos.

It’s like Pride & Prejudice met Tinder and then had a wild night under a meteor shower. And honestly? We’re grateful for the fallout.

🌙 What’s Written in the Stars? A Whole Lot of Chemistry.

💕 The Setup: Classic Trope, Modern Magic

Elle Jones is a dreamy, astrology-obsessed social media astrologer (yes, really), and Darcy Lowell is a skeptical, buttoned-up actuary who has exactly zero time for cosmic nonsense. When a disastrous blind date leads to fake dating for the holidays, sparks fly, buttons pop (literally and metaphorically), and both women find themselves confronting the stars and their pasts.

📚 Praise for the Page-Turners

  • Sizzling Chemistry: Elle and Darcy’s opposites-attract dynamic crackles with tension and tenderness. The slow-burn build is delicious, culminating in a romance that feels both inevitable and surprising.
  • Astrology as Metaphor: Even if you're skeptical about birth charts, Bellefleur cleverly uses astrology as a lens for self-awareness, healing, and identity exploration. It’s whimsical, not preachy.
  • Well-Rounded Queerness: Queerness isn’t the conflict—it’s the canvas. This book unapologetically centers sapphic joy, messy family dynamics, and queer community in a way that feels refreshingly celebratory.

🪐 Small Stumbles in the Stars

  • A Little Predictable: As with many rom-coms, some plot turns are telegraphed lightyears in advance. But that doesn’t make the journey less satisfying.
  • Emotional Depth Could Go Deeper: Elle’s trauma and family estrangement are touched on but occasionally glossed over in favor of romance beats. A few more scenes of emotional unpacking wouldn’t have gone amiss.

🚩 Potential Triggers (Light to Moderate)

  • Family Estrangement: Particularly around queer identity and being dismissed for unconventional career choices
  • Gaslighting/Invalidation: Subtle emotional invalidation from Elle’s family members
  • Holiday Pressure: There are scenes with family tension around holiday gatherings, which may be tender for some

There’s nothing graphic or overwhelmingly intense, but feelings are part of the package.

💫 For Readers Who...

  • Devour Red, White & Royal Blue and shout "just kiss already!" at books
  • Love astrology, or at least pretend to during Mercury retrograde
  • Want queer joy, cozy sweaters, witty banter, and a love story that sparkles like a winter night
  • Enjoy fake dating hijinks, found family vibes, and diverse, vibrant settings

Perfect for romantics, dreamers, and everyone who checks their crush’s moon sign before texting back.

💖 Final Verdict: A Comfort Book for the Queer Romantics Among Us

Written in the Stars is a heartfelt, sapphic, sparkly delight—a love letter to queer joy, astrology lovers, and the messiness of falling in love with someone who challenges your every belief and still makes you feel like the main character in your own starlit saga.

Yes, it’s tropey. Yes, it’s sweet. But it’s also affirming, inclusive, and full of charm—and sometimes, that’s exactly what our hearts need.