I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

I am still so blown away by this book 2 days after reading it. I have gone back and read my favorite parts repeatedly. Rarely do I read a book, and the book is not at all what you expected, but so much more.

Ella Wallace is a college student enrolled at Georgetown. She is the daughter of a wealthy congressional representative and the black sheep of her family. She has chosen to put herself through college and instead of taking an internship that was offered to her; she is going to Amman Jordan to teach English in a refugee school. When she attends a party with her sister at the apartment of a Jordanian prince, little does she know that this will not be the last time she runs into him.

Rajaa is a Jordanian prince studying at Georgetown. He is home in Jordan for the Summer looking after a school he has funded for Refugees. Little does he know that the blond who has caught his eye will teach there for the Summer. When the center is attacked, Raj finds himself wanting to save the blonde he is drawn to. As Ella and Raj connect, they find that their love is intense and they will do anything to be together.

Make no mistake. This is insta-love at its finest, but so much more. The backdrop of Amman, the refugee stories, the food and the families make this book remarkable. The author describes locations in Jordan with great detail so you feel you are riding through the desert on a camel, seeing it through Ella's eyes. The passion between Ella and Raj is extraordinary, and you root for them as they face the challenges of being a couple. I just loved this book. Cross The Stars ends in a cliffhanger but the next book is coming out 5/21 and I am eager to see what happens.

*If I had to have one nit-picky thing to say, the cover does not do this book justice at all. If I was in a bookstore, I would not have picked up this book by the cover alone. The model looks like she is just a carefree college student when Ella Wallace is anything but..

I really enjoyed this book, much more than I expected to! It hit home for many reasons. I loved following Ella’s journey as she moved overseas to teach English. Her experiences were unique and interesting to read about. I also enjoyed the dynamic between her and Raj, the prince of Jordan. Fighting against family and fighting for their lives, we follow these two as they live their lives. Their story continues in book 2 and I wish I didn’t have to wait to read what happens next!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this copy in exchange for my honest review.
Wow.

This book is something else entirely.

I love the story, the characters, e v e r y t h I n g.

There were so many themes that I would never have read about before, like poverty, Muslim traditions, royalty, just unforgettable.

I am so honoured to be able to read this book and I cannot wait to read the second in this series!

GUYS I AM SHOCKED. LITERALLY THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS READING I DIDN'T EXPECT THE TURN OF EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE.
The characters are built in a way to match each other, where both Ella and Raj are independent, caring, and considerate. Though the highlight on the way Ella respected Muslim's culture and blended with her host family easily is remarkable.
So, the chemistry between Raj and Ella is just WOW. I admit it took them time to finally meet after 2 brief encounters but, it's worth it and makes sense with the events taking place especially that it helped in building the tension between them.
However, I liked the fact that Venessa shed light on the idea that if there is two brothers, one who isn't good and has darkness inside him, that doesn't reflect the personality of the other; whom in return has all the ethical purposes and represents the true selfless Muslim persona.
Moreover, Venessa focused on showing that true love might overcome any differences even if it is between two different worlds and cultures. Nevertheless, fate sometimes decides to interfere with blurry intentions.
Finally will Ella and Raj cross the stars for their love? Only one way to find out, which is to read this contemporary romance and forbidden love story!

Ella is on a self discovering journey. Little does she know the culture shock, adventure, and the love she will find will change her life forever.
*"Is it worth the risk to cross the stars and steal the moon for something greater than yourself"
A thousand times yes! I couldn't put this book down, it was amazing!

am giving this book 5+ stars, it was well written and extensively researched.
Ella is the middle child of three girls and daughter of a US senator. She is strong willed and wants to follow her own path in life not one her parents have designed for her.
Prince Rajaa youngest son of the King of Jordan has been attending University in the US and will be returning home to Jordan for the summer, he also has no desire to follow the path the King and Queen have set for him.
Ella remembering something her beloved Grandmother used to say, "Always do something with purpose. Something greater than yourself. Risk for love, risk for life. Cross the stars and steal the moon if you have to." Ella decides to take chance and registers for an International program to teach children English in a foreign country. The country she is being sent to for the summer is Jordan. Ella has crossed paths fleetingly with Rajaa twice in the US and sees him again in Jordan, coincidence or fate?
I loved this book and it brought back do many memories for me, patiently awaiting the second book in this series.

Cross the stars was a new one for me. Taking place in the Middle East was different in such a good way. El and Raj story is amazing and I’m so excited for part 2 due in may not sure I can wait that long!!! I was literally mesmerized by the story. Impossible to put down and that ending was PERFECT and i cannot wait to see what happens next

This is the first book in the Crossing Stars duet, so keep that in mind when you start reading this book. Ella and Prince Raj's story is a good one, the world-building was very well done. I love all the elements that were thrown into the story, from politics to the cultural side and of course the romance with the likes of a Romeo and Juliet story with some twists. The story will hook you from the start and you will keep on reading non-stop, of course, you will want to get the next one, I can't wait for it myself. So just go read this amazing story you will enjoy every page.