This is one of the YA novels I read when I thought I was writing YA and was looking for YA comps for Starlight. With romance, intrigue, and a touch of Bridgerton, this read is appropriate for younger teens but equally enjoyable for adults.
Vika works as a barmaid on an impoverished, working-class planet that provides cheap commuter labour for the nearby planet where the solar system’s wealthier inhabitants live in luxury. But her luck changes when she finds out that she’s been included in the will of a billionaire benefactor, along with his former maintenance man and housekeeper.
The money isn’t enough for Vika to live on forever, but it is enough for her to enjoy the luxe life along with the newly rich servant couple, attending operas and soirees in search of a wealthy husband who can make Vika’s new lifestyle permanent. But Sky Foster, a mysterious new employee, seems to have his eye on her. And when Vika discovers that her benefactor died under suspicious circumstances and her friends may be the next target, she must uncover the plot before the next victim is claimed.
This novel is sweet but not simple, with lots of complexity to the mystery, multiple POV’s that add to the intrigue, and tough realities the main character must wrestle with and ultimately face head on.
The Stars Between Us was a fun read for me as an adult, and also something I would have loved as a preteen in my Jane Austen phase. It will appeal to fans of clean historical romance like Mister Malcolm’s List as much as it will to fans of social scheming Space Operas like the Galactic Bonds series. Highly recommended!
