See the Stars is a book that captivated me from the very first chapter and held my heart until the very last page. I absolutely adored this book and struggled to put it down at times. It’s an uplifting but at times emotional read that would warm even the hardest of hearts . This story revolves around Alice Thornington who returns to her childhood home in Yorkshire after being signed off work due to ill health. It’s here we discover more about Alice and are introduced to other great characters and one of those is young teenager Berti who completely and utterly stole my heart. I loved the dual timelines the past when we hear about Alice as a young child and then her college life and the present day . Every single part of this book was so beautiful written and time seemed to stand still as I made my way through this heartfelt read. I can’t recommend this book highly enough and I’d give it more than five stars if I could.

See The Stars is a unique, character-driven novel with beautiful writing. At times it did feel a bit slow yet it mostly worked with the introspective feeling the book gave. This is perfect for fans of character-driven literary fiction who want to be left thinking.

See the Stars by Eleanor Ray

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Do you ever feel that life isn't going to plan?

When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.

Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?

My Opinion

See the Stars was my first book by Eleanor Ray and it was an entertaining read. Eleanor Ray uses two timelines, one set while Alice is at university and one set in the present day. See the Stars was a well-written, heart-warming novel. A delightful, easy read.

Rating 4/5

This was such a lovely, sweet, warm book. The main character is Alice, who has a very well-paid job in the City. She is living in an apartment in London, with her fiancé Hugo (who is a teacher) and her cat Basalt (who is beautifully realised, with lots of character!).
The story goes back in time and to the present day, so we read about Alice’s life over the years. You see her lovely relationship with her grandad and how they shared an interest in astronomy and the stars. This is really at the core of everything and was such a beautiful connection between them.
You also find out about Alice’s years at University with her best friend Zelda (a brilliant character), friend Callum and Professor Boxley.
In the present day, something happens to Alice which makes her go back to Yorkshire to stay in her family home for a while with her mum Sheila. In the local library, she meets a boy called Berti Beechwood, who is thirteen. She also catches up with Matt - her brother’s former best friend and her crush back in the day.
One of my favourite things about the book is that Berti and Zelda are both autistic, in my opinion (it’s never stated in the text) and I loved how they shone through the pages. Being a parent of autistic children, I loved how they were described so positively and how you saw Berti’s talent and ability, rather than the book emphasising the awkward side he displays socially.
Although the book has a focus on space and astronomy, you really don’t need to know anything about it. I don’t and I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and it was good to learn more about the stars.
I read most of this book in one long session, because I was really into it and wanted to know what would happen. It is such a delightful story, one of those that I suspect will stay with me for a while and it’s definitely going to be in the running for being one of my top novels of 2025.

Alice appears to have it all, a life in the city with her finance, well-paid job and a beautiful flat, that is until she collapses in the street outside of work. Needing to recover she returns to her childhood home in Yorkshire and it is here that she rediscovers her passion for stargazing and meets Berti, a teenager who shares the same interest, which makes her question the lifestyle she has been leading back in London.

See the Stars was such a pick-me-up, following the story of someone who is rediscovering their true passion and changing their life for the better when it comes to their health, is so heart-warming.

This is the first book of Eleanor Ray’s that I have read, but it won’t be the last. The level of detail that has gone into this with regards to stargazing as well as dealing with some hard topics, such as neurodiversity, made this book a joy to read.

I loved the focus of stargazing and the way it was used to tell not only Alice’s story but also that of Berti and Matt too. It meant that their true characters were able to shine through and especially for Alice where we see her rediscover her love for the stars and the effect that that ultimately has on her health.

Told in a dual timeline we are able to see how Alice’s love for the stars started and how she ended up with her city life.

A heart-warming story of rediscovery which is perfect for when you need a lift.

See The Stars is a gentle, introspective novel with beautiful prose and emotionally rich characters, but the slow pacing and underdeveloped subplots made it feel uneven at times. A quiet, reflective read best suited for fans of literary fiction who enjoy character-driven stories. was a warm, thoughtful read

A warm story and just what I needed at this time. Along with the protagonist, I found myself compelled to step back and think about the things that actually matter in life.

I’ve written this review for book sales and recommendation site LoveReading. Please see the link for the full review, this title has been chosen as a LoveReading Star Book.

Started off ok, but it was just a bit boring and predictable. Alice, the protagonist, was really annoying and I found myself not caring what happened to her.

See the Stars was a moving read but didn’t always hold my interest. It’s the story of Alice, who after experiencing burn out returns to her Yorkshire home to heal.
The novel moves between past and present and the author excels at characterisation as the reader sees Alice build new relationships and reflect on others.
I didn’t particularly warm to Alice however and I think this is partly due to the author’s style of writing which for me didn’t flow well.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I thought that this was an amazing book!

The focus on burnout felt really familiar to me and to see a character with a settled and seemingly perfect life struggle with something so familiar was really comforting. In realising that her life is no longer fulfilling her in the way she is living it, this book showed me that it’s ok to change your mind.

The dual timeline aspect of this book with one in present day and the other with Alice’s younger years was a clever choice in my opinion. It allowed Ray to really develop her character and made her three dimensional.

This was a lovely, heartwarming experience for me to read whilst still dealing with the tough stuff. I found the writing and plot to be strong and easy to follow.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this novel! I really enjoyed it! Thank you so much to the author and to Netgalley.

A bit soppy but not a standard storyline and lovely to read. I liked the unusual characters and I got quite hooked on it. I found myself reading for longer and longer as time went on. I recommend this for a summer or feel good read. Thanks to NetGalley and Piatkus for the advance copy.

3.8 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming!

Alice Thorington collapses on a street and is forced to accept that burnout hasn’t fulfilled her dreams. The flat, her job, and her steady relationship aren’t making her happy. She returns home to Yorkshire and rediscovers her love for stargazing, even if the family dynamics are complicated. Alice also meets Matt, her teenage crush brother’s best friend, with issues of his own. Then, there’s Berti, a boy who would rather count the stars than talk to people.
Can Alice find a way to sort her present with their help?
The story comes in Alice’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
This is the second book I read in the same month dealing with burnout in a 30-something career woman. The rest of the plots are vastly different, and both books have handled it well.
The main reason I got the book was because of the stars. If my plans had gone the way I wanted them to, I would have been an astrophysicist. I love space and all things up there in the vast, wide universe. The book does justice to the topic without making it sound like a science show.
The narrative shifts between the past and present. The past comes in installments with the year clearly marked. Though it may seem like you have to calculate the age, there’s no need to do it every time. Once is enough. You can track it from there.
This is a book where almost every character is flawed. They are not evil or villainous. They are just people with flaws, and those who thought it was the right thing at that time. I like that the fiancé is not made to be a bad guy. No need to demean him unnecessarily, right?
The characters are not that deep, but they aren’t shallow either. While we could have gotten more information (especially about Matt), the story works fine with what we know.
It is not romance. It is purely women’s fiction with just a bit of ‘love’ that doesn’t dominate the central plot, not even at the end.
The book also touches on academia and politics, etc., in it, especially when you are a woman in STEM. I’m sure you can guess what I’m implying!
Bertie, the 13 yo, is my favorite. The kid is on the spectrum and super smart (but no social cues), which makes him a refreshingly honest buddy as those around him try to be polite and say the right things.

To summarize, See the Stars is a heartwarming and introspective read about life, relationships, passion, and doing what makes one happy (while also bringing an income).
Thank you, NetGalley and Piatkus, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

3.5 Stars

A heart-warming and heart-felt novel which whilst an easy read was delightfully enjoyable. Great characters (past and present), and interesting and emotive plot, and tons of fascinating astronomical facts. This isn't an author I've read before but I'll be checking out more of her books.

Thank you to Net Galley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a free e-ARC of 'See the Stars' by Eleanor Ray.

What a heart-warming book!

'They looked at each other, and she saw the light of the stars reflected in his eyes. She loved these moments: the two of them together while the rest of the world was sleeping.'

See the Stars follows Alice Thorington, a former scientist who is now working long hours in the city (something to do with finances and stocks, not my bag haha). Alice has a health scare and ends up needing to take time off work, staying with her mum at her childhood home in Yorkshire. She has to adjust to slowing down, come to terms with a few different ghosts from her past, and consider what she actually wants out of her life. The story follows two time periods - the current day and then flashes back to Alice's past.

I loved every minute of this story. The exploration of the relationships between characters is top-tier- the flashbacks to Alice's relationship with her grandad particularly tugged my heart strings.

I really enjoyed seeing Alice's growth throughout - especially after shouting at the book for her to do or realise certain things!

Overall, solid 4 stars - I will definitely revisit this book :)

This was a gorgeous book. Easy to read but that does not mean it was dumbed down. It was intelligent and interesting. I learnt a lot about the stars a subject I knew nothing about. I loved the characters especially the gentle intelligent way Berti and Zelda were treated. I was delighted when Alice made the decisions she did and found I was rooting for her throughout the book. This was my first Eleanor Ray book but it won't be my last. Definitely an author to watch.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

this was such a touching book and one i couldn't put down. it was a story that connected to me and bought me into it right away. the book is so touching for both mind and soul. we get to know our character Alice from both the present and her past leading up to now. so we truly feel like we get to know her. and i also loved getting to know other characters particularly her Grandad and these moments were my fave. it bought the story together with also featuring her love of space and looking through her Grandpas telescope as a child. the book isn't without its more sad or difficult topics but as usual Eleanor handles with exactly what they need.
Alice knows she needs to make a change. how she knows this? well collapsing might be the first clue. so Alice decides to make that change, face that life isn't making her happy and leaves for home. for Yorkshire. she taken on a journey of truly reflecting on her life, what she wants, and what she needs. what truly could make her happy? being home and having time to heal and be at peace help Alice take stock, take time, take space.
there is so many points of connection with this book both in theme and characters and i loved it so much. made me want to give it a little hug to chest at times. and i liked the uses of metaphorical and literal plot points which i actually got( i dont usually seem clever enough to do so it made me happy to do so in this one!)
Bertie is also a standout character for me but i want you to get to meet and see him all on your own to get the true sparkle from that part of the book as i did.
we could all learn from this book. we cold all heal a bit with it. and if not we could all just enjoy a wonderful story. and i certainly think i did all three.

A beautiful book. Extremely well written with great characters. I absolutely loved it. Highly recommended.

Set across two timelines. Alice has a gorgeous fiancé, a flat in London, a job in finance - the full package.. until she burns out and is signed off work to recover.

Growing up with a single mother, Alice is really close to her Grandad who shares with her his love of astronomy.

Can present day Alice recapture her passion for the stars and readjust to a slower pace of life?

The epitome of heartwarming, this book is packed with characters you really want to cheer for.
A lovely read, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review! Thank you to Eleanor Ray for writing such a lovely book!

Love the story of Alice. The story is told in two timelines: current one and Alice’s time in the university.

It is well written, characters are well developed. It is a bit predictable however highly enjoyable read.

Alice is relatable and likeable, she is flawed but her heart is in the right place. It is a nice story of Alice’s journey from her childhood and spending time looking at the night sky with her Grandpa through University and its challenges to her work life and her medical scare which turns her life 180 degrees.

It is well written book which grabbed my attention from the start.