I really enjoy Eleanor Ray's storytelling, and See The Stars is another good offering. I like the different timelines from when Alice was a child, a student, and an adult in the present day.

Alice has a high pressured jobs which she has to take a break from when illness hits, causing her to revisit her past - but will it change her future? There are some lovely characters in the book and some different themes including illness, bereavement, self harm, neurodivergence, injury, Alzheimers, bullying and stress, but the overarching themes are friendship and following your dreams.

I really enjoyed reading about Alice's friendships with Zelda and Berti, and, as an ex scientist, I liked the research and academia elements. I don't know much about astrophysics, but it is clear that the author has done lots of research and presented the information in an interesting way. I liked the way the story panned out, and although I had a fair idea of how it may end, the journey was definitely worth it 🤩.

Ebook provided by NetGalley. Thank you.

Alice is an astronomer. Previously she was studying for her masters degree but left it suddenly and joined the world of finance in the city. As a kid she loved nothing more than stargazing with her beloved grandpa until his descent into dementia and rambles about a comet no-one else could see.

Following a collapse at work and the diagnosis of a mini-stroke Alice goes home to Yorkshire to recuperate, re-discovering her grandpa's logbooks in the process and maybe he wasn't wrong about the comet? Along the way she reconnects with her teenage crush Matt, through his nerdy, autistic nephew Berti. I loved Berti as a character and his autism is obvious to me but unfortunately never named on page which is my only slight bugbear with this novel

Told in dual timeline between Alice's time as a child and her university journey and present day this is an emotional, engaging story and I didn't find the space stuff too complicated or overwhelming in the way it was written. The characters were all well-written and easy to connect to. I was hoping for a certain outcome and I was not disappointed but no spoilers here of course.

Alice has to return to her home village to recuperate after a serious illness brought on through the stress of her hard work. Once there, she has to face up to her grief over the death of grandfather, the man who taught her about the stars as a child and who inspired her to take it further. Her London life is left behind as is her very pleasant fiance, and her high powered job in finance.which is her mother's great wish for her.

Once back at home, Alice decides to look back st her grandfather's logbooks and to try to repair his beloved telescope. Along the way, she befriends a young gifted boy, Berti, with social difficulties and together, they set out to try to discover a comet which her grandfather suspected he had seen. She also becomes acquainted with Berti's uncle, Matt, who she knew as a young teenager as he was her brother's friend. Wounded as a soldier, his life dreams have been shattered through life changing imjuries.

You follow Alice's story through three different periods in her life and find out why she left University and what happened to her friends from that period. At times, this is an emotional read, with some darker issues lying below the surface but ultimately the tone of the story is hopeful.

In short: family, friendship and love

An enjoyable, sweet book with a bit of a difference. Told through present and past chapters, the backstory adds some great depth to understanding the motivations of Alice, the main character. The astronomy focus was really enjoyable, and something fresh. However, the romance element fell completely flat for me: frankly, it added very little and there was zero chemistry.

Oh my what a heartwarming read. I just don’t know where to start.

‘“The heart looks into space to be away from Earth.” Richard Jefferies’

Alice has a medical incident signing her off sick for a fortnight. She’s determined to have a few days in glorious Yorkshire and be back at her high profile, high pressured job in days… she’s hilarious.

There is something about Yorkshire that relaxes you when you’re not working. It has a magical tonic to soothe the soul – trust me, I’ve been here over 20 years and a day off exploring a different part of God’s own county is pure medicine.

The friendship between Alice and Berti was just enticing. Berti is such a fascinating young man and his instant rapport with this stressed out woman is wonderful. I felt for this young man with his peers as Ray eluded to, kids and teens alike can be cruel and Berti has his quirks to not fully appreciate what is happening.

See The Stars is a very different book for me but a very enjoyable one. I loved the split timelines between chapters so I could understand Alice so much better. She’s a very driven individual but her switch in focus from space to banking was massively intriguing. As I met people from her past, they equally piqued my interest as to their future.

This is a fabulous story of acceptance and self discovery. Ray has pitched her characters perfectly and I was hooked even though it is not my usual read. Ray gave her characters body and realism which made the story a 3D read. Just wonderful.

With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This is a romance / finding oneself / girl-does-science begging-to-be-turned-into-a-romcom sort of novel in the vein of Lessons in Chemistry (but with a cat not a dog) or The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything (with neurodiverse child instead of adult).

It is readable enough, but not particularly engaging or stimulating. I found it disappointingly predicatable and slight despite the astrophysics science bits. Very much a beach read, and pretty forgettable.

Such a beautiful, gentle read. I really enjoyed it and devoured it. Great characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

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.