Star-crossed by Minnie Darke: Your Preview Verdict

Our latest Preview title is Star-crossed by Minnie Darke. In this sparkling romantic comedy, a young journalist tampers with her magazine’s horoscopes to win her friend’s heart – and sets in motion an unpredictable and often hilarious ripple effect…

Preview reviewers have described the book as clever, romantic, and hilarious. Take a look at these stellar reviews:

‘I absolutely loved reading ‘Star Crossed’ by Minnie Darke. A charming rom com, set in our own Australia. I fell in love with the novels main character, Justine Carmichael, from the beginning, but truly found a sweet spot for her meddling ways and oblivious lack of consideration for other Aquarians, except her childhood crush, Nick Jordan. Minnie’s crafty way with words made this a delightful easy read, which I did not want to put down. I enjoyed being a part of not only Justine’s personal and professional journeys, but also Nick’s too. Either, if not both, could be living next door to any of us!’ – Rebecca, TAS

‘Star Crossed is a modern day romance relatable to us all…it follows the life of Justine Carmichael, an aspiring young journalist for the Alexandria Park Star, who by chance bumps into her childhood sweetheart, Nick Jordan, an aspiring albeit struggling actor. Nick (Aquarius) is a devoted astrology follower who makes life decisions based on the newspaper’s regular horoscopes and Justine is suddenly given an opportunity to tinker with the horoscopes in an attempt to sway Nick towards her. However Nick is not the only Aquarius making life decisions on the horoscopes with many comical sub-stories all interwoven in some way and decisions being made based on Justine’s altered horoscopes. Star-Crossed is a light hearted and refreshing romance which reminds us that life and love will find their own way no matter how messy it can sometimes become. This is a book that keeps you smiling throughout and one to have in your tote bag for the holidays, in your handbag to read on the train going to work or to enjoy on a lazy Sunday at home.’ – Trina, NSW

‘Star Crossed by Minnie Darke was for me a fabulous read with lots of things going for it. First and foremost it was soooo Australian and so quintessentially so – but from such a different angle. Using star signs as the base line for each individual instead of what they do, where they work, who they are, was so refreshing and made (for me anyway) the pace fast and edgy as you just had to know what was going to happen next. Minnie Darke just hit the spot because don’t we all manipulate to a degree all of our relationships. And it was so FRESH and the Aussie humour just shone through. We all have a story to tell of wanting loving rejections and blowing it with the wrong words, actions, and advice, and Justine just grabs her opportunity and goes with it. I loved the support characters as they moved through all their ups and downs ALL because of the stars and even though you may sometimes miss a few pages in a book because you know how it is going to end, for me there was no time to think about that because with all the machinations going on I was engrossed and laughing all the way through! It is certainly written in the stars that this book will be a hit. Thank you for giving me the chance for my first review. I asked for it because of the title, as my maiden name was Starr and I was curious and I am glad I did because it was truly a rom com romp.’ – Natalie, QLD

‘“Star-crossed”, by Minnie Darke, is based around the question of how much of our lives is determined by fate. The book follows the journey of one central character, Justine, a journalist who tempts fate in the interests of romance, but also introduces us to a wide range of other individuals. There is a danger that a novel with many characters will be convoluted and irritating for the reader to follow, but Minnie Darke beautifully weaves together the various narratives, leading to lightbulb moments as the pieces of the jigsaw fall into place. I began reading “Star-crossed” with the expectation of a light and easy reading experience. The book delivered in this respect, but also provided so much more. “Star-crossed” is engaging, entertaining and somewhat quirky, but I also found myself pondering some of the deeper mysteries of life. Just how much of our journey is pre-determined? Can we change our destiny? “Star-crossed” was a wonderful and surprising find, a gem of a book, with relatable characters, for whom I truly cared. This book really did capture my heart and imagination.’ – Alison, QLD

‘Star-crossed by Minnie Darke is a delightful and poignant romantic-comedy about the power of horoscopes. Justine, a Sagittarius with Virgo-rising, is an astrological naysayer who finds herself in charge of the horoscope section of her local newspaper The Alexandria Park Star, when she unexpectedly runs into Nick, her childhood crush, and avid horoscope-believer (a typical Aquarian). What follows is an entertaining and ever-more chaotic cascade of events as Justine’s efforts to influence Nick not only make her own life spiral in unexpected ways, but also ripple out to impact an ever-growing circle of strangers throughout the town. Darke’s leads Justine and Nick are sweet and charming, their faults making them ever-more endearing to the reader. Justine is a particularly delightful character, a rampant grammar-correcting pixie in vintage clothing who can recite from heart all the classics and yet cannot express to Nick her true feelings. Darke’s vignettes of various townspeople within the greater Alexandria Park region are sometimes touching, often hilarious and always entertaining. The prose is light and decorative, bringing the book to life with vivid descriptions of all the colourful people (and dogs) of the town. Star Crossed is a magical and addictive novel about the inexorable connection between people and the effervescent power of dreams.’ – Eloise, NSW

Read all preview reviews for Star-crossed here 

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