Book Review #NewAdultRomance #FriendstoLoversRomance #BadBoyRomance #Angstyromance #ForbiddenRomanceBooks #RockstarRomance @greyspromo
Shooting Star is an epic coming of age story between two souls who were made for each other. This novel is full of angsty miscommunications, lack of conversations, and big new feelings. (I ate up every bite!) Shooting Star is the first in a spin of series from Michelle Mankin that features the next generation, I have not read the aforementioned series-this is the first Mankin novel I have read. This felt like an easy entry point into Mankin's universe, and it definitely made me curious about the parents series. I found Mankin's writing to be clear, well paced and to really embrace the right tone and feel for this new adult romance. The characters felt true to me, they made me anxious, they made me frustrated, and they made me smile and wish the best for them.
This novel has a truly epic appeal to it, we meet both Bo and Peace at as young teenagers, we see that both of them are struggling with bullying and feeling like an outsider, and we see them connect in a truly lovely way. But the complications of controlling families, misconceptions and untruths create many barriers for them along the way as they grow into adults and they fall a part. Their romance is a journey of growth, learning who you are, learning to trust, learning to sacrifice, and learning to understand. The angst and frustrations are not only coming from Bo and Peace but from their fathers who lack an understanding and empathy for their children. It comes from the uncertainty of youth and being bold enough to stand or ask for what you need and want. So this romance is really the journey that Bo and Peace must go on together and separately before they can truly embrace and understand what they need.
This novel is an emotional journey with ups and downs, but Mankin truly does a wonderful job being understanding and caring around the difficult topics and explorations she takes her characters on. This novel feels like a lifetime (even though it is really just a few years) but we see these characters go through so much, we see them grow. This novel is hard, it's sexy, it's heartbreaking, it's gratifying, it is so many things wrapped up into the truly beautiful journey of two people discovering each other.
I very highly recommend this novel if you are interested in two young people at a time in their lives where decisions are large, change can be hard, and communication unclear. This is a beautiful romance that left me with hope in my heart and a desire to explore more of Mankin's works.
Thank you so much to Grey's Promotions for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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