Cover Image: Love's Falling Star

Love's Falling Star

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A favourite trope that was well executed.

I struggle to work out what to say about this without giving too much away, suffice to say that two interesting characters with an genuine connection.

What I enjoyed was that the story didn't seem contrived and felt like an insight into the rich and famous.

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An uplifting, romantic read. (Seriously it’s a great read.)

I’ve been kind of letdown by sapphic romances as of late, so many read like poorly written fanfiction and it’s driving me mad.
So believe me when I say I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND THIS BOOK.

The story itself is vaguely trope driven for a romance but I love that about it. These are the kind of tropes we rarely see in sapphic literature so it’s pretty awesome to have a well written, queer take. (Famous singer scared to come out due to her family and fan base.)

I enjoyed the writing style, and found myself intrigued by the characters. They both have their issues such as Lochlan’s issues with her media presence, and this kept me interested from early on.

Whilst I wasn’t wild on the sex scenes (think like a 3-4 on the spice meter folks) they were still written decently but could have done with more development or a more paced writing style so they didn’t feel so hasty.

I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh at or question ‘MacKenzie Daveys’ the queer actress in the novel (side character) who I’m immediately assuming is a reference to Mackenzie Davis.

If you’re looking for a decent sapphic romance that doesn’t feel tacky or fanfic like this is for you.

It’s one I’m sure I’ll pick up and read again and truly enjoyed. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a lighthearted and sexy read.

Thank you to both NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

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Love's Falling Star is a great book - lots of fun to read, sucked you right in to the story and the rich portrayl of the characters. I love books that include Universities - campuses, students, or Professors, - and while I'm not particularly focused on celebrity stories, the balance between the two characters was great, the attraction was real, and overall I recommend it!

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I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I'm a native Knoxvillian who is thrilled to see my city represented! This is a coming-out celebrity romance that really reads like a YA, I guess because Vanessa is an undergrad and Lochlan is a mid-twenties country pop star. There's not a ton of chemistry between them for me, but the story is adorable and it was just fun to read. I'm looking forward to whatever is next from BD Grayson.

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This was a good read. I enjoyed the story enough it wasn't one of my favourites. I didn't find the chemistry between the two to be extremely evident. I didn't love the secondary characters in Mia, Ty and Jamie. In saying all that I am a sucker for books about stars falling for a noncelebrity people therefore I did enjoyed the storyline. So for me it was a good enough read with an entertaining storyline.

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Stories like these are successful because who hasn't had that fantasy of what it would be like to date a famous movie star or musician? This one was unique in that Vanessa held her own as an individual. I think I probably liked her more than the superstar, Lochlan Paige.

I felt like this showcased the challenges you would face trying to navigate some kind of relationship with someone in an entirely different world than you. All the angst and drama of if they could ever make this work.
'
I was entertained by this one. I have a soft spot for musicians.

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I love this one so much and it’s a debut book so I’m doubly impressed. What sets the celebrity trope apart from others is the glamour and excitement that comes with either being a big celebrity or dating one. It sounds materialistic but it’s true for me and Grayson gets it. The excitement is infectious and it made me want to scream like a fangirl along with the characters from time to time.

I love how the characters don’t fall into stereotypes. Vanessa is a pre-med student and a bookworm who studies in the library but she isn’t a complete nerd. She listens to music and tweets like a normal young person. Lochlan is a country music superstar (like Taylor Swift) but she isn’t arrogant about it. At the same time, she doesn't hate it nor is she shy about it.

I've tried to find out if B. D. Grayson has written more books, I couldn't find any. This is a terrific debut, I actually can't really believe it's a debut. The book is well-written, the trope a well-known one, but done wonderfully for this story.

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I LOVED this book and read it in a day. It helped that I love country music but both main characters were lovely- normally one is nicer than the other but it really liked both of these girls.

I thought the issues that Lochlan had were written about very well and I loved that Vanessa kept up her studies even at the end of the book and that both girls ended up being role models on what can be achieved.

A real feel good book.

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ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I usually like the celebrity trope, but this one didn’t hit the mark for me. This features Lochlan (Loc), a country music star who is staring to burn out after a series of concerts. She goes to a library to write a song and meets Vanessa, a pre-med student studying for finals.

The two strike up some banter and continue to connect via social media and then in person and begin a relationship even though Loc is Narnia deep in the closet. Usually the closeted star thing is annoying because it seems unrealistic that anyone would care in this day and age, but Loc is a country singer, so that part did at least ring true.

Vanessa professes to understand this and will ‘protect’ Loc about this, but isn’t anywhere near this understanding for long. Loc also has a BFF/manager who does nothing to help this situation, she’s mostly just a nagging bitch. Vanessa has two BFFs and an understanding family, but her BFFs come off and superficial and I couldn’t really warm to them. I did like the backstory about why she wanted to be a doctor, and her family were very sweet.

I think part of the problem I had with this is I felt Vanessa was too young to be able to navigate this situation. She’s pre-med, so I’m guessing about 20-21 and it showed. I don’t think we’re told how old Loc is but she was much more aware of the realities of her world. The requisite drama near the end was a bit much and I found the reconciliation way too rom-comy. Don’t even get me started on the implausibility of the events described in the epilogue.

Overall, this was a bit uneven, I think Grayson tried to do too much in one story, it’s a debut novel so I give her a pass there, but this is an average read. 3 stars.

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This was for sure a sweet and enjoyable romance. The bonus is a coming out story. The two mains Lochlan Paige and Vanessa Wallace have chemistry. This sort of chemistry is what most authors aim to create in a romance, but not all are successful. From the moment they meet in the library you feel the crackle snap pop in the air. Both MC are really likable characters. I liked this story feels real. We all know the country music industry have been known to express some homophobia. We can still find that in many industries out there. I am glad that Grayson tackled this topic and made it feel more realistic. Overall I just really enjoyed this one. 4.25 stars.

This arc was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

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Lochlan Paige is the biggest star in country music. She sells out stadiums and loves to perform. However, she is gay and feels like coming out would ruin her career. She hides deep in the closet so that her dreams of stardom are not compromised. Vanessa is a med student that dreams to be a pediatric oncologist. She is often studying in the library late at night. When she runs into Lochlan late at night they have an instant connection. After some time getting to know each other…will they take the leap to take a step out in public? Will Lochlan decide their relationship is worth the risk that her career could be in shambles?

This was a cute romance and a fun book to read. It was a quick read and kept me interested. I enjoyed the journey of the two main characters and there was good character development. I did feel that this book could have been a bit better. I feel like the author played it a little safe in the storyline and could have introduced more excitement. Also, the relationship of the two women could have been portrayed a little more maturely.

I have read books with a similar story line, and Grayson did a great job in adding creativity to make this plot feel like a different book than ones I have read before. This is a debut book and that hold a lot of promise for future works. I feel compelled to read other novels that Grayson comes out with in the future. I would like to see if there is progress in the writing and if the feedback from this debut book makes Grayson better.

I rate this 3.5 because it was enjoyable, but I do feel it was not as strong as it could have been. There were no spelling errors, and it does look as if editing was done well. Great job for a first attempt from B.D. Grayson.

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Love conquers all

This is not the first book I’ve read by this publisher, and it certainly won’t be the last! I’ve gotten off really lucky with the books from them that I’ve picked up, this one being no exception. And, to add to all that, this is the author’s debut novel! Seriously impressive!

I must say, however, before I start the main part of my review, that I’ve no idea what it’s like to be “in the closet”. As a cis female, it is of course not easy to understand the concept. But books like this certainly help in understanding. The fear of being rejected by peers, of potentially losing your career, losing your friends. But in this story it turns out, there was nothing to fear.

Could Lochlan and Vanessa be any more different? She, the popular Country music star. Vanessa, a med student. It just so happened that they were in the same library at the same time, albeit for different reasons, yet that chance encounter left an impact on both.

For Vanessa, she isn’t a huge fan, yet in that moment she sees the person and not the star. And with her naturally caring attitude, Loc is warmed to her whole person. Yet, it is an impossible attraction, as the star has a career where coming out could completely ruin it. It’s happened before, so of course it will happen to her, too! So that’s how life goes – she puts her career above everything, mostly at the advice of her best friend and manager, Jamie. Yet, in doing so, she risks losing the best thing that may have ever come into her life. And her sanity.

It takes Lochlan accidentally reaching rock bottom to see the truth. But will Vanessa still be there waiting for her when she does do the Country equivalent of the unthinkable?

It is a seriously cute love story. Yeah yeah, there are many like it, but it’s written beautifully. I wasn’t so happy with the ending, really, as it felt a bit dragged out and not as concrete as some of the rest. But all can certainly be forgiven for it being a debut novel. It was one of my quickest reads of the year!

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free digital ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

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'Arc provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for a honest review'
I have rated this book 3 1-2 stars

I really wanted to rate this book four stars because B.D Grayson is clearly a lovely writer. I say this because I read the book in one sitting and I wasn't left disappointed, but I also wasn't left with the gushy feels. It was just , that's a really sweet romance.

Let me explain; I feel like the book could of had more in it. More flirting and a slower build to it, on the romance side i felt like it just went straight there. I understand when you have that instant connection or attraction and sparks can fly, moving at an unstoppable, pace trust me and ask my wife. However you still have that slow build up to the moment of your first kiss , touch etc.

I enjoyed our main characters Lochlan Paige Nashville singing sensation and Vanessa Wallace , a serious pre med student. Both sweet , intelligent and funny. As mentioned if there was more of a slower build , then with Graysons writing these two could of been off the chat.

If you looking for a nice easy romantic , two unlikely people meeting in a library , well written, then ' Love's Falling Star' I suggestion picking up.

I am looking forward to what's next in store for B.D Grayson

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Cute romance but I didn’t click with it like I hoped. This book has a lot of wonderful, high rated, reviews so I seem to be a bit of an outlier here. I’m not sure if my expectations where to high, or what but this book is falling in the strictly just okay category for me.

I’m a big celebrity romance fan. In fact, I would put them as my third favorite romance trope only behind fauxmances and ice queens. I also love reading new authors and after so many of my friends loved this, I thought this would be a big win for me. Instead, I was honestly just underwhelmed. The overall story is one that has been done before, and I’m not sure if there was anything different enough to catch my attention. The whole big star in the closet doesn’t have the same affect it had even just ten years ago. And in the end I didn’t feel the urgency of having to keep their relationship a secret or the drama that came with it.

The whole closet thing led me to another part that bothered me. Loc is so scared of anyone knowing she’s gay, so she’s so happy to find someone like Vanessa who understands that and wants to keep her safe. Vanessa is going to be patient and date in secret until Loc is ready. Fast forward only a couple of chapters and Vanessa is trying to force her out with an ultimatum. All I could think of is really, this is how you show her you care and will be there for her? I thought Loc should forget Vanessa and find someone who would actually be patient.

Besides not being much of a Vanessa fan, I wasn’t crazy about these two as a couple. The chemistry was just barely there for me. I felt like the characters went from a saying few words to each other… to real feelings. There was none of that good connecting part that I want in a romance. I love the dating and getting to know you faze, I love seeing a connection develop, but I thought that was missing in this story.

On the good side, I was happy that the ending didn’t feel rushed. It was a cute romantic ending. I did find the speech Loc gave to be over the top, you would have thought she cured cancer or something, but it was only a small eye-roll. In the end this wasn’t the story I was expecting. It just didn’t have the spark I was looking for. I thought it was a cute story and I think it was nicely written for a debut. I would not be surprised if we see a lot more of Grayson in the future. When it comes to this book I’m an outlier here. Many people really loved this one so I would suggest reading some other reviews to help you decide if this book is for you.

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Love’s Falling Star is listed as the debut book for Ms. Grayson. It is a romance set in the music industry environment. This specific story setting is one of my favorites.

As an extremely successful country singer/songwriter, Lochlan Paige has it all. Unfortunately, she feels that she must stay in the closet because the country audience tends to not like gay performers. Touring is long and hard, but Lochlan does not mind it because she is living her dream. When she writes songs on the road, she likes to find a quiet place at night to create. She usually seeks quiet corners of a library.

On one of these tranquil nights, she meets Vanessa Wallace. Vanessa is a pre-med student who also prefers the solitude of late nights in a library. But on this particular night, Vanessa is disturbed by the musical humming of Lochlan. Although their interaction is less than an hour, it allows a spark of interest to form between the two of them. The development of this relationship is fun and interesting.

Ms. Grayson has developed an exceptionally good plot. It has a suitable pace and readers will find that they can finish the book during a weekend. I enjoyed Love’s Falling Star and had difficulty with setting it aside. Lochlan’s and Vanessa’s characters were very believable, and readers will be drawn to them. I also appreciated the supporting characters, Mia and Ty, Vanessa’s best friends, and Spencer, Lochlan’s assistant.

I highly recommend Love’s Falling Star and rate it with 5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to future books by this author.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Thank you @netgalley and @boldstrokesbooks for this advanced copy of Love’s Falling Star ⭐️
Lachlan Paige is America’s sweetheart in country music. She is living her dream touring the country and performing her heart out. Her career means everything to her; but does living on the stage also mean having to live in the closet?
I absolutely loved this book! It was short, sweet and captivating. The characters were so relatable, that you were rooting for them from the beginning. Not only does this book give an inside look into celebrity life but it also beautifully represents the LGBTQ+ community. There was humour, heartbreak and most importantly love. It also helps that it takes place in one of my fav cities (Nashville) and involved the country music scene. This is the definition of a fun, light hearted read and I recommend picking it up now!

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This book was adorable. There is something about the main characters that really touched me. They had great chemistry from the beginning. The primary issue brought up in the storyline is a sad, but often still realistic concern. My biggest problem is that I wish it was longer! I could have enjoyed several more chapters of these two navigating life after Lochlan coming out. This book is a definite recommend and I look forward to the next book from this author. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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This book was very enjoyable. Well written with a solid plot. I had a minor issue following the timeline as there were instances when several months would pass between events. But the characters were great and I was invested in their story. Overall, this one left me with a warm feeling.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Vanessa Wallace was minding her own business, using the library’s quiet and resources to study. She was studying for her dream, to become a pediatric oncologist. That is until she’s interrupted by someone humming a song.
Lochlan Paige had just finished her concert to a sold out crowd and while she loved singing for her fans, the other parts of being a star, not so much. The only place, besides her own home to write music she found a library worked just as well. Everything is going great, that is until someone, a very attractive someone asked her to be a little quieter.
Lachlan is in the closet and was very afraid anyone would find out. Maybe if she chose another music genre it would be fine instead, but she was a country singer. A very famous country singer. Vanessa wasn’t in the closet but she appreciates that others couldn’t. But they remain friends, mainly texting and phone calls.
With a supporting cast made up of both women's friends and family. Ms Grayson has given us a pretty nice read. Nicely paced this is an easy read. Very enjoyable.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books.

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I finished this book in less than 24 hours. It was engaging and fun. I liked the characters. It wasn't completely predictable but also not too angsty. While there was an instant connection, the story took place over many months.

I'm very impressed by this debut author.

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