Reach For The Stars by Coleen Coleman

Length: 226 pages

Please note that the cover image leads to a universal buy link for the book (also known as ‘I’m Still Standing’ on Amazon)

What they say: When Evelyn Dooley married her high-school sweetheart, James, she thought she was set for life. Now she’s 28, single, and fleeing to Dublin from her small hometown to avoid the gossip surrounding their break-up.

This was not in her five-year plan.

Then a chance encounter with gorgeous musician Danny leads to an unlikely friendship, and soon the pair are running music nights together. Surrounded by new friends and a welcoming community, Evelyn is building a life that she really loves – and sparks are beginning to fly between her and Danny…

But when her savings run out and home beckons, Evelyn has to choose. The safe, comfortable life she left behind, or a new adventure with Danny? Will Evelyn flee back to the familiarity of her ex, or reach for the stars and take a leap into the unknown?

A laugh-out-loud, feel-good story of friendship, second chances, and romance, perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Lindsey Kelk and Marian Keyes.

The Review: As I said before, I’m afraid I saw Bookouture, and Irish comedy and the cover and jumped a bit too fast for this one. I love that it’s set in Dublin, with excellent settings, but with a cover like that I think I thought it might be a bit sharper and braver than it is, it’s more of a really nice descriptive romantic comedy than all out sparkly comedy, which was what I expected from the cover.

But back to the start. I’ll admit when I began I was excited, meeting Evelyn and James and accompanying them on the realisation that maybe they weren’t right for each other after years being a couple that everyone assumed would last. I smiled at the comedy and nodded along, looking forward to seeing where Evelyn’s new found singledom would take her. Evelyn was full of hope and ready to go but that’s when everything turned on its head. I felt I had been led to believe that she lived for her job, but suddenly she decided to take off and I think that’s when I wasn’t sure about the story. We were constantly told how amazing Evelyn was, and what with that and her telling us how brave she’d been, I felt disconnected from her.

I really enjoyed the descriptions, and nodded along, at times finding lots to smile about, but when the book changed from being comedy driven to description laden, with a cover like that, which screamed sparkly comedy (my love!), and after being compared to a Marian Keyes book, I’m afraid I felt my interest waiver, especially as all the issues raised were solved a bit too easily for my liking.

It’s somewhat telling for me that with only ten percent to go I switched over to something else, but did go back after a while, and I do enjoy the author’s writing . Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 3/5