Reach for the Stars
Reach for the Stars - Colleen Coleman
Blurb: When Evelyn Dooley married her high-school sweetheart, James, she thought she was set for life. Now she’s 28, single, and fleeing to Dublin from her small hometown to avoid the gossip surrounding their break-up.
This was not in her five-year plan. Then a chance encounter with gorgeous musician Danny leads to an unlikely friendship, and soon the pair are running music nights together. Surrounded by new friends and a welcoming community, Evelyn is building a life that she really loves – and sparks are beginning to fly between her and Danny…
But when her savings run out and home beckons, Evelyn has to choose. The safe, comfortable life she left behind, or a new adventure with Danny? Will Evelyn flee back to the familiarity of her ex, or reach for the stars and take a leap into the unknown?
Rating: 5/5 stars
My Review:
First of all, thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest book review.
Let me start off by saying that I love Colleen Coleman! In all seriousness her book "Don't Stop Me Now" provided me with a whole new outlook on life's problems and how to get by them. Not only that but it was just so damn motivational! I felt like I needed to change the world and my life after reading the book. So as soon as I found out that she was releasing a new book I jumped up with excitement! I knew it was going to be as good as "Don't Stop Me Now" and it was! I love relatable books and this one definitely one of them that shall forever remain on my favourites list.
Just like the book before this one, the cover caught my attention. Seriously, whoever designs these covers is amazing and I would like to personally thank them for creating such simply and outstanding book covers. Again, the colours and the name stood out and get your attention! I knew that as soon as I requested it, it would change my life once again! ahahaha, book covers are my downfall.
This book starts out with Evelyn and her husband James. However, after 7 years of marriage and now divorced she needs a breath of fresh air. I can relate to Evelyn here with her 5-year plan. Even though I'm 18, I like to believe that I plan ahead and have my life sorted out. I like the comfort of my home and I don't really like travelling to places outside my comfort zone! I have my uni life planned out, a possible job after I finish that and even my weekly tasks planned out before the day even arrives. When my schedule messes up I feel lost and I automatically need to get it back on schedule. Basically, I like being deadly organised with my time and I can relate to Evelyn in a sense. So, when she decides to ignore everyone's advice and jump onto a train to Dublin, I felt inspired to change my habits just like she did. Even though she heads over to start afresh, she quickly runs to apply for a teaching job for some security in this big new city! However, little does she know that will end up tending a rundown pub!
This got me because she took a leap of faith and reached for the stars and now she is happier than she has ever been. She meets new people and has new dreams! Moving on from a tragic past can be hard but if you reach for the stars anything can happen!
Now lets move onto the characters! AHHH!
- Evelyn is full of hopes and dreams, even with a 5-year plan. She is a hardworking country girl ;} and will stop at nothing until she achieves her full potential and dream. So when she finds a new purpose she works hard on making it work for her happiness. At the start of the book I knew she was going to be an amazing female lead. Just like Poppy from "Don't Stop Me Now" she followed her dreams and even when tragedy struck she found a way around it and became the amazing person she aspired to be.
I used to tip my head skywards and wish for more, for better, for different. Sometimes it all seems so impossibly far, too impossibly hard. But that glimmer in the distance, that sparkle in the sky, is within our grasp if we trust our own lights to help us steer our course and remember never to fear the darkness. Because it's in the darkness that we can find ourselves shining most brightly.
Even though the world was throwing obstacles at her she found a way to get past it all. One of the reason why I love her was because her attitude was wonderful. Yes, she did doubt herself and the situations around her but she sees the light and reached for the stars!
- Danny was such an amazing friend, I loved it. I also loved his busking. ahaha everything about him is amazing and adorable. He does develop into something more with Evelyn later on into the book but it was his good nature that made the book x10 better. He understands her dream and wants to be part of them and help her along.
- James was someone we didn't see much off but when we did he just came off as a lazy git who didn't do anything but expected everything. He was Evelyn's highschool sweetheart and might have been seen as a control freak. I didn't like him at the start and everything he said or did just made me want to shake him and say "what the heck is wrong with you? Can't you see what you have?" but then again, he redeemed himself towards the end. We understand him a bit more later on and we might feel a little sorry for him but not much! ahaha!
I really really enjoyed reading Evelyn's story and her adventures in Dublin. I enjoyed watching her grow as a person and Coleman's interpretation of trying to find one's true self. A lot of people don't like "rom-com" and I am one of them! but the romance in this novel was charming, bubbly and wonderful. I loved the relationship between all the characters and how they all had an impact on each other lives. However, I would've liked to see more development with Evelyn's and Danny's relationship. On the other hand, I want more of Evelyn and her journey so ahahaha! Can't have everything now, can we?
So overall, I really loved the story and meaning aspect of this book and I look forward to reading more of Coleman's work. I shall forever remain a fan of her work.
*** Just like "Don't Stop Me Now" Colleen Coleman will be donating a portion of her sales of this book to homeless charities and this is AMAZING! I really want to meet her and let her know that she is slowly changing the world and aspiring people through her books. It takes one person to start to change the world.
Thank you for reading this little ramble about this amazing book! Until next time. <3
