Release Date: February 4th 2020
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 400
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Synopsis

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

This book captured my interest when I learned it was a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, but set in space. The story follows Leo, a Princess and heir whose family are on the verge of financial ruin. When the Valg season begins, Leo must do whatever she can to find herself a suitable husband to save her family – but at what cost? And when her ex Elliot returns to the ship Leo finds herself struggling to survive the secrets and lies of the Valg.

The Stars We Steal is a fun and engaging tale, full of beautiful ballgowns, secrets and drama. It definitely felt reminiscent of The Selection, but with a dash of science fiction thrown in. It is quite light on the science fiction scale and makes for a quick and enjoyable read. It’s been dubbed ‘The Bachelor in space’ and I think that sums this story up pretty well.

The characters are interesting ones, Leonie is an inventor and I was really intrigued by her water filtration system. I thought Leonie made for an interesting protagonist and I also liked her sister too. I wasn’t so keen on some of the secondary characters who I felt were a little one dimensional, and could have been explored in a bit more depth.

The Stars We Steal is a light and fluffy read, one you’ll whizz through because the glitz and drama will have you turning pages faster and faster. It’s a great story to get completely absorbed in and one I think lots of readers will enjoy. It also has a completely stunning cover that I can’t stop staring at. If you love retellings this is a fresh take on a well known tale, and definitely one to pick up.