“You’re made up of everything I’m not—a constellation I’ve never seen before.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Ardent Quay is set to take over the family business: a tourist service via the Starfarer.
“Tatoone was no one’s vacation destination. First off, the sand went everywhere.”
The story opens with Ardent on a side quest to a shop on Coruscant to obtain the last of the holo serial novel series Under the Tan Tan Sun, where she bumps into Sian, a Wild Spacer and a Lucem. The newly established First Order arrives in pursuit of Sian, who is carrying a broken lightsaber. Ardent helps him escape as a stowaway on the Starfarer.
Problems arise as Ardent’s estranged brother Val arrives, as he has joined the First Order, and Ardent tries to keep Sian safe, as well as her favorite droids, and the rest of the ship’s crew. Sparks fly as Ardent and Sian work together and reveal their deepest secrets.
Sian, raised in the First Order Academy, is carrying what his mentor said was Luke Skywalker’s broken lightsaber.
This is the first official Star Wars Romance novel! As a Star Wars fan and a romance reader, this is an exciting time. Yes, Lost Stars and Dark Disciple have romance, but they are not clearly in the romance genre. On release day, I was very curious where the bookstore would have Eyes Like Stars shelved (Star Wars section? YA sci fi/fantasy?), and I found it in the YA section, where they normally shelve other YA romance.
It was interesting to have a Lucem as a main character, since as far as I know, we haven’t seen many. I giggled when General Hux threw up from Sian’s eyes. I enjoyed Leia and Kylo Ren being part of the story but not centered. And of course, Maz Kanata knows people: Ardent’s mother, crew member Daaric, and Sian’s Mentor, Vek.
“I took a deep breath and faced the terrible tall man in black armor. He really did look like a nightmare—some warped version of pictures I’d seen of Darth Vader. ‘And I’m sorry to tell you this, sir,’ I said to him, ‘but that mask is ugly, and probably so are y—‘“
Romance novels are unique in that they have to have a “happily ever after” ending. This is a topic frequently debated on the internet, but avid romance readers insist this is the case (otherwise, it is a tragedy). This means Ardent and Sian must live happily ever after. I would predict because of this, we won’t see them again, because they have plot armor — we know they cannot break up or die tragically. That is, unless Star Wars breaks this rule (which is possible, as other genre books wouldn’t have this requirement). I would also assume another romance novel wouldn’t really be a sequel, but another new story with new main characters. It’s something interesting to think about, and something I’m excited to discuss.
“Well, if we die, then it’s your job to make sure someone writes a very smutty version of my story someday. I want it steaming. I’m talking the kind of smut that’ll make a Daaric blush.”
I think this is exactly what’s needed in the Star Wars romance genre books, though. Fresh characters, fresh stories that add small bits to the Star Wars universe and fill in a few gaps.
As @alexintheabstract pointed out on instagram, the cover and spine seem to indicate there will be more in the romance genre, and I’m looking forward to finding out what other romance authors may be signing on to write these novels!
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