Young adult
When the Stars Lead to You
Debut
We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Ronni Davis, on your first book!
Quick take
First love hits hard. And so does mental illness. And so does dealing with racism during your senior year of school.
Good to know
Romance
Emotional
400+ pages
Social issues
Synopsis
Eighteen-year-old Devon longs for two things:
The stars.
And the boy she fell in love with last summer.
When Ashton breaks Devon’s heart at the end of the most romantic and magical summer ever, she thinks her heart will never heal again. But over the course of the following year, Devon finds herself slowly putting the broken pieces back together.
Now it’s senior year, and she’s determined to enjoy every moment of it as she prepares for a future studying the galaxies. That is, until Ashton shows up on the first day of school. Can she forgive him and open her heart again? Or are they doomed to repeat history?
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When the Stars Lead to You
Before
Then
You’d think someone who wanted to study the stars would know better than to wish on them. There was no logical reason for me to put so much hope in exploding balls of hydrogen and helium, especially since they were millions of light-years away. But it didn’t matter. Every single night, I turned my head toward the sky, closed my eyes, and dreamed.
Like right now, sitting on the beach during the summer solstice, watching Arcturus rise. The red giant, twenty-five times bigger than the sun, burning brighter than every star in the northern hemisphere, both awed and terrified me. But it also somehow comforted me. Made me feel safe. So I gave him one simple wish: that I’d have the best summer ever.
My cousin Stephanie and her family lived at the beach year-round. Her parents owned one of the souvenir shops and a restaurant here. It was just a few hours’ drive north from my hometown, so I visited every year while my parents did non-church-affiliated (they really wanted everyone to know that part) missionary work in Honduras. If they knew the things Stephanie and I got up to (boys! parties! kissing!), they probably wouldn’t have been so quick to let me go every summer.
I loved these quiet nights before the tourists took over. The tide rolling in, the cool Atlantic waves splashing over my ankles and making me shiver. Pretty soon, they’d be splashing over my knees, then my thighs. I buried my toes in the sand. I liked the way it tickled when the surf carried the grains from under my feet. And I loved the stars scattering all over the sky like diamonds against blue velvet.
This was the dream life.
Why I love it
Jennifer Niven
Author, All the Bright Places
I love love stories. And books that mean something. And books that deal honestly and responsibly with mental illness. And books about going after dreams. I love characters that sparkle off the page, with voices so fresh and real it feels as if you know them. This book is all these things.
Devon has always been fascinated by the stars. One summer she meets the troubled Ashton, they fall in love, and then, like that—he vanishes. Now it’s Devon’s senior year and she is focused on pursuing her dream of becoming an astrophysicist. But guess who shows up? Ashton. She has to decide whether or not she can trust him again, and as they get to know each other for the second time, they are faced with challenges—Devon is biracial, Ashton is white, which makes them the target of micro-aggressive racism from those around them. To make matters worse, Ashton is struggling with depression.
This book doesn’t shy away from diving deep—into racism, mental illness, loss—and Ronni Davis writes with sensitivity, humor, understanding, and honesty. But there is also joy on these pages. And so much swoon-worthy love. It’s a gorgeous, powerful, heart-tug of a read.
Member ratings (463)
Susanne T.
Bird City, KS
Such a “real” and wonderful story.Mental health and suicide prevention have a special spot in my heart as my family has dealt with it.So this book hit home for me.So good that I couldn’t put it down!!
Alyssa H.
Mount joy, PA
I was truly surprised by this book! I love how they made it a light read yet still “tackled” - rags vs riches and bi-racial relationships. I also loved the ending. The way she ended it was refreshing!
Leah G.
Kingsland , GA
I absolutely fell in love with this book. The story of Devon and Ashton was so beautifully written. I felt every emotion, the highs and the dark lows. By far, one the best books I have ever read ❤️
Elizabeth D.
Burbank, CA
This book was so amazing! As someone who has experience with mental health issues, it was great to see a book that accurately described how hard it can be to feel loved while dealing with depression.
Loren C.
Chicopee, MA
It only took 1 day to read WTSLTY! I'm an avid reader, but it takes me at least a few days to get through a book! I can't say enough other then I completely ignored life to read this amazing story!