Book Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Pages: 421
Publish date: June 1, 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781471161063
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best-friends-turned-worst-enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern-day version of the Montagues and Capulets. But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to try to make their way to safety. But as the two travel deeper into the rugged Californian countryside, secrets, and hidden feelings surface. Soon it’s not simply a matter of enduring each other’s company, but taming their growing feelings for each other.

Starry Eyes:

I received a copy of Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett from Simon and Schuster for free in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

Last year when I read Alex, Approximately, I fell in love with the characters, humour and the writing. So when I heard that Jenn Bennet was bringing out another novel, I knew I needed it and I was not disappointed. Starry Eyes is a beautiful novel that explores friendship, love and defying the odds.

Starry Eyes follows teens Zorie and Lennon as they try and navigate their last years of school, but best friends that have now turned enemies didn’t expect to be spending their break together on a camping trip. When things go south and they have to stick together, everything is brought out into the open. But it doesn’t help that Zorie’s father hating everything to do with Lennon is just the start of it. And Lennon didn’t turn up to homecoming.

Zorie was a really interesting character, from the start of Starry Eyes the reader is able to see that she is still quite hurt from what happened between her and Lennon. But as the novel goes on we get to see her really open to both her feelings and the past. What Jenn Bennet does best is create honest and likable characters protagonist and that is what Zorie is. She is not perfect, but that is what makes her so interesting. Zorie didn’t just find out the truth in Starry Eyes, but also found herself. She found the strength to stand up for herself and those that she loves even if it broke her heart to do so.

Lennon was a very interesting character as well. At first, it was hard to love him, simply because of how Zorie saw him, but as the novel went on and everything came out into the open, gosh he was great. Lennon has been through a lot. And the way that he dealt with it was too pull away. I loved Lennon’s presence that he gave the book, it just gave this whole lift to the book, I can’t even explain.

Miscommunication and secrets were what torn Zorie and Lennon apart. But as the novel went on and those all came out, both of them were able to see the best in one another again and that was fantastic to see. Jenn Bennet is a genius at adorable, slow burn romances and even though the romance in Starry Eyes was over a short period of time, Zorie and Lennon had been friends for years. This wasn’t just hate-to-lovers, but friends to loves and gosh it was just the best thing in the world. Zorie and Lennon were adorable together, you could tell that they both still very much liked each other. Zorie and Lennon hadn’t really talked since homecoming. But this camping trip and eventually them being stuck together really got them both really letting everything go. And that was great to see.

Family and friendship is a big theme in Starry Eyes and what Jenn Bennett does, is explore the good and bad of both. Zorie’s family isn’t that crash hot. At the start of the novel, she finds out something. And this is tearing her apart and it was really hard on her. There were so many things going on in her life, she really didn’t need it at all. It broke my heart when Zories was trying to figure what to do with all the information and finding out others knew before her. Zorie also had some pretty horrible friends, I understand that everyone has something going on in their lives, but gosh did it escalate in Starry Eyes. Lennon’s family is just great, I adored both his mums and they just seemed like great parents that really understood their son.

Overall, I loved Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett. It explores what it means to love, have family and friends. It’s a coming of age novel that really grabs you from the start with its honesty and reliability. Zorie and Lennon were such great protagonists that made the story that much better. Plus they were stuck in the middle of the wildness with only each other for company, things are bound to get heated. Starry Eyes is for everyone that wants to be taken away with honest and flawed characters and romance that will warm your heart.

Jenn Bennett is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary romance books, including Alex, Approximately; Night Owls; and Starry Eyes. She also writes romance and urban fantasy for adults. Her books have garnered multiple starred reviews, won the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award, and been included on Publishers Weekly Best Books annual list. She lives near Atlanta with one husband and two dogs.

Twitter | Instagram | Website | Goodreads

Have you read Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it soon? Have you read any of her other books? Let’s Chat! Also, don’t forget to check out the rest of the blog tour.