This is a story that centres predominantly around Kyle’s first two years of college life and coming to terms with her sexual orientation. Kyle has known for a while she was gay especially when she thinks of her high school soccer teammate Beth. After getting a soccer scholarship to college she joins her slightly older best friend, Emily, who is also the only person she is out to. Emily encourages her to be herself and express her sexuality in an accepting environment but Kyle finds that just because she’s in college it’s not that simple to just be open.

One evening after a game of ‘I have never…’ Kyle is kissed by her teammate Joey which sends her mind reeling. But even after this, it is not that simple. Kyle comes from a family of people who don’t express themselves emotionally and this plays a huge role in how she struggles to express herself. She likes Joey but there is also Jax flirting with her and things get complicated.

I found the pace for the first half a little slow because there was a lot of going to and from practice but not much interaction and this is exacerbated by the story being from the point of view of someone who doesn’t communicate well. And because Kyle is non-communicative, I found it difficult to appreciate and understand what she was going through. The pace picks up in the second half and tension between characters is builds up.

While there is a romance element to ‘Rocks and Stars’ I wouldn’t categorise it as a romance novel, it is much more about a young woman coming out and the stupid choices we make when we’re teenagers. On the whole it is a nice read but lacks depth.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

All in all, a decent book, a decent read, up until my frustration with Kyle was evident and all I wanted to do was chop my head off because I was so frustrated. I get the whole being confused and falling for the bad girl so let’s skip out on the awesome perfect amazing girl, it’s a part of life to make a huge mistake but SHE WAS SO PERFECT FOR YOU AND I DIDN’T GET A SATISFYING ENDING. I didn’t get to see the bad girl admit she was a disgusting dirty CHEATER. I didn’t get to see a dramatic break up. I didn’t get a ending stating that the perfect girl and Kyle were going to be meant to be or even a future. Not even a future. The only thing I got was frustration from knowing she was going to make this stupid mistake with the stupid girl. The ending also seemed a little rushed, it jumped from falling relationship to parents broken relationship, what about the brother? How’s he doing? Moms reaction to coming out? Anything, something?