If you are looking for a book which can make you smile and laugh, one that can warm your cockles while also breaking your heart, then this one may well be it.

Faced with the breakup of her marriage and a career which is going nowhere, Evelyn takes a gamble and heads off to Dublin to top and tail in a small apartment she will share with her younger sister. Unable to find work as a teacher, Evelyn takes the first opportunity which comes her way – working in an old time boozer which has seen better days. Faced with the prospect of the pub being closed, Evelyn sets about turning the place around. With the help of a few friends, including musician Danny, Evelyn is about to go on the adventure of a lifetime, taking her far from the future she thought she’d have into a world of possibilities, as long as she can open her mind, her heart and find a little bit of good old fashioned Irish luck.

Regular followers of my blog will know that I seldom venture far from the world of crime (literary of course) and that when I do, it has to be a darned good book to capture my imagination. I was really taken by the blurb for Reach For The Stars and so when the opportunity came round to read it, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. And I am so glad I didn’t.

This is a wonderfully entertaining story, full of characters who you absolutely root for at every turn. From bar fly Christy to pub landlord Colm, Evelyn is blessed by making some wonderful friends along the way. I loved the easy camaraderie between the pair, and the authentic feel of their friendship, relaxed and casual in a way that only Irish folk really seem to inhabit. Their friendship provides some truly light moments, but also one of the most poignant too. You need to read to understand why.

There is Evelyn’s younger sister Tara. She doesn’t feature much, but in the short glimpses we have of her, you can sense the closeness of the two sisters and her positivity really impacts Evelyn in such a great way that you can’t help but smile. In complete contrast you have Ruby, the grand-daughter of the girls’ landlady. Completely misunderstood and struggling with everything from life to school, all she really needs is somewhere to belong and a true friend. Ruby’s story is moving, Evelyn’s friendship a literal lifeline for the young girl. Truly heart-warming.

And then there is Danny. The musician playing on the street corner opposite the pub who captures not only Evelyn’s eye and ear, but her heart too. She arrived in Dublin determined to start again, without relationships, but it’s amazing how quickly plans can be derailed when you find the person who may well be your soulmate. Their relationship is beautifully drawn, finding just the right balance between sweet and entertaining, the two characters complimenting each other so completely, the chemistry so clear, that what happens is totally inevitable.

There are still surprises in there for them both, nothing can ever be that plain sailing now can it. Faced with tragedy, the possible loss of the pub that they worked so hard to save and an unexpected development, their relationship faces strains which would test any couple, let alone one where they have only known each other a matter of weeks, and where both of them have very different visions of their perfect future. It adds that element of romantic tension that you are looking for in your book; the conflict which could drive the couple either way. You can only hope that in the end, one or both of them sees sense.

Do they save the pub? Do they have their happily ever after? Does Ruby ever find the place where she belongs? Well… You’ll have to read the book for yourself, won’t you.

Funny, uplifting and heart-warming, with more than a hint of Irish charm, fans of rom-coms are going to love this. A top read.

What would you do if you had the chance… the chance to do something different, become the person you always wanted to be?

Reach for the Stars is a truly lovely story of love, loss, and new beginnings. Evelyn Dooley’s life is turned upside down, her five-year plan torn to shreds, so she takes a chance on a new beginning, and heads to Dublin. With a new career path, a rather handsome Irish musician Danny (who for some reason I pictured like Jamie from Outlander…maybe it’s the red hair?), Evelyn decides to Reach for the Stars, and see where it takes her.

Full of laugh out loud moments, I really couldn’t put this novel down. I went through so many emotions along with Evelyn as I read, and when I closed the book, it was with sadness that the story had ended.

Colleen Coleman has a great aesthetic to her writing, a way of drawing you in with her amazing characters, brilliant plot, and of course a fantastic Irish pub!

This novel truly was a joy to read, a heart-warming tale full of second chances, dreams, friendship and a little bit of romance.

I highly recommend this book as the perfect read to curl up with beside the fire, with a cuppa to hand as you get lost in this little Irish gem.

*****stars from me!

Crikey, Colleen Coleman has done it again! After thoroughly enjoying her first novel, I was excited to read this one and she certainly did not disappoint! She has a way of writing that draws you in and makes you cheer on the main character and get completely emotionally involved, somehow. This is a rare gift, in my opinion. I read this book in one go :)

Evelyn Dooley is like many of us, she marries young and fully expects that it is for life - only it isn't, and she has to re-think her plans for the future. Naturally this is a terrifying prospect and takes some adjusting to but she is a courageous person and takes a leap of faith into the unknown. I absolutely love this character, her bravery, her can-do attitude, her kindness and caring; all of these things endear me to her so much. If the world was full of Evelyn's, the world would be a much nicer place to live.

This book is so lovely because the characters are so human, they are flawed, and yet they achieve amazing things and you want them to succeed so badly. Consequently, there is a lot of depth to this book and it is so worth exploring.

Highly recommended read from me, 5 stars :)

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Reach for the stars. I couldn’t have picked a better title for this new scholar year and my personal life. But I did not want a heavy and moralistic story about how you better give life all you have and not think of anything else. I wanted laughs, dreams, and a nice kick in the butt to remind myself everything is possible.

That’s what this story does.

Evelyn is not thirty yet, but she has been leading the life of a boring suburban married woman hooked on 50 Shades of Grey (no attack whatsoever meant here against anyone!). She did what I did for 25 years: she followed her parents’ advice, she found a steady job, she got married, she wanted a kid, she had the next 50 years planned in a routine. And she thought that was what she wanted… Until it wasn’t.

I loved how Evelyn woke up. It was not easy “let’s pack and go”. It’s hard to let go of the perception others have of you, the perception you end up having of yourself and of the persona you created to comply to others’ needs. Reach for the Stars shows you it’s hard to free yourself from the shackles of your comfort zone to just become the person you were supposed to be without any pressure coming from all over the place.

Evelyn’s journey is relatable because it’s full of doubts, of what makes us settle for less, of “what ifs”. She takes a step away from who she had to become and the freedom was liberating for both of us! I know what it’s like to feel the need to fit and do what is “right”. But your right is to be happy, be crazy, find your way, and enjoy the ride, with every emotion it may bring!

Because it’s in the darkness that we can find ourselves shining most brightly.

The main character’s development is wrapped up in Dublin’s history and streets. I’ve never been to Ireland but gosh do I want to! The old pub, the old stories, the music… I was there, taking in the rain and the sun in people’s eyes. Evelyn is also surrounded by love and warmth. You know me, romance and I don’t go along so well. Still, little details, small happiness coming from the heart filled me with joy and made me believe gentlemen still existed. A round of Dubliners, a pint, and a guitar, and I was home. I might not have found the humor there was in the previous book I read from the author, but Reach for the Stars has the power to make you believe again, in life and in yourself, and in these days, I think we all need a good cheering up and a happy story.

Reach for the stars is a story about starting over. Or maybe finding the strength to begin at all. Heart-warming, cute, and full of hope, this is a feel-good story to read with your favorite tea and blanket!

I didn’t think I would be able to love a Colleen Coleman book more than I loved her debut novel Don’t Stop Me Now (check out my review!) but here I am, all smiles and runny nose and tear-streaked face writing yet another great review for an even more fantastic Colleen Coleman book.

Reach for the Stars is the story of Evelyn, she’s a 28-year-old whose life went upside down in just a matter of months. She went from living with her husband and high-school sweetheart, James, to living with her mother as a divorced woman.
But she’s got nothing to lose and if by moving to Dublin she can escape all of the gossip going around her little town then even better.
Meeting Danny was a very unexpected turn of events for Evelyn. He’s a musician and nothing like her former husband.
When the time comes will she go back to her safe life with James or is she willing to take a risk and stay with Danny, the charming musician?… Guess you’ll have to pick up this book to figure it out!

Every single character in Reach for the Stars completes the story perfectly and makes it even more unique. They are all so lovely and hilarious and the kind of people you’d like to be surrounded with in real life.
You can feel Evelyn’s character sneak so deep inside your heart that you can’t help but cheer her on during her journey reaching for the stars. I’m all about those stories were women work hard to make their dreams come true so I’ve read plenty of them and I can wholeheartedly say Evelyn is by far one of my favorite main characters.
Also, Danny is the loveliest male character ever. I love how sweet he is and that his character is just as deep as Evelyn’s. I’m sure a lot of you are going to love him too.

Ugh. I can’t even with Colleen Coleman’s amazing writing. She makes you get all of the feels. You are laughing one second and crying the next because her stories are so relatable and real that either you’ve gone through something similar or you can totally imagine something like that happening to you. I can’t wait to see what she comes up next. I’m sure all of her future books are going to be equally amazing. Definitely and author you want to keep in your radar.

If you’re feeling a bit down and you need a feel-good read to make it all better, pick up this book. If you need a little inspiration to keep you going reaching for your stars, pick up this book. If you want to laugh until your belly hurts and find the sweetest book boyfriend ever, pick up this book. If you’re happy and you know it, pick up this book!

Thank you to Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. This is the first book I have read by Colleen but I loved the cover and description. I am always up for trying new authors as you never know when you will find an absolute gem.

The story follows Evelyn Dooley as she navigates her way through breaking up with her high-school sweetheart husband. I thought that Evelyn was extremely brave to go to a new place where she practically knew no one and start over. I found Evelyn very likeable and easy to associate with.

Not long after she moves to Dublin Evelyn meets Danny. Now there is something about Danny that you just can't help but love him. He's very sweet but he's a but mysterious. There's something that this man isn't telling us. Danny has a bit of a tortured soul which comes across in his music.

This is a happy, lighthearted read with a touch of seriousness. This story will bring you out of the darkest moods and leave you with a smile on your face.

I really enjoyed Colleen's style and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

For now I will leave you with my favourite quote from the book.

Set your sights on the sky and reach for the stars

Having read, devoured, and loved Colleen Coleman's debut novel, 'Don't Stop Me Now', I really had no idea how the author was going to top that book going forward. But folks, she did and by golly did she do it well!!!

The thing I love about Colleen Coleman's novels, is how she takes real life, relatable situations and turns them into storylines that will either make you nodding in agreement, or reaching for a second box of Kleenex. Some of you might be thinking 'why would I cry at a situation I have already endured once or twice before?' and, whilst that is a pretty valid question, my comeback to that would be 'well, why wouldn't you?'. Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in situations we can't seem to find our way out from, and then Colleen Coleman comes along with characters just like us, who go through situations just like us, allowing us to see a different way of coming out of that dark situation unscathed. 

Evelyn's life hasn't exactly gone to plan and, instead of staying to shut down the gossips, she flees the nest to try to make a clean break. What Evelyn didn't account for however, was meeting a musician who was more likely to tinkle her ivories (or ovaries) by allowing her to see her life as sweet, sweet music instead of what it was; a failed marriage.

Have you ever watched or read 'Ps. I Love You' by Cecelia Ahern? If you have, part of this storyline might remind you of the musician character from the movie. Well, unless it's just me, obviously! As soon as 'Danny' was introduced into the storyline, I couldn't help but think of the musician in the film played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. If you have read this book, please put me out of my misery and say you thought the same!

Anyway, back to this book (sorry!). 

I couldn't help but let the tears fall out of my eyes whilst I was reading 'Reach for the Stars'. There was something incredibly magical about each individual character within the book, the ever so heart-warming storyline which made me think about my own life, and a question which made me open my eyes; stay safe or reach for the stars? I just love how the author manages to incorporate such meaningful and eye-opening messages into each of her storylines, making me think outside the box instead of going down the same old route.

'Reach for the Stars' is everything I hoped for, and more. I was quite unsure as to how Colleen Coleman was going to beat her previous novel as it gave me all the feels, but she did. Coleman has managed to raise the bar even higher with this heart-warming and extremely touching novel which will make you look at life in a completely different way. I really have no idea how the author does it, but she manages to make me laugh and cry, whilst also making me feel as though I can conquer the world in my sleep, all at the same time. Not only does it require a talented author to be able to do that, it also requires an author with a heart of gold. Colleen Coleman ticks both boxes and more.

'Reach for the Stars' is an absolutely phenomenal read. From start to finish I was glued to Evelyn's story and the chances she could take. I wanted her to be brave and reach for the stars. I wanted her to live her life for herself, and not for anybody else. Watching the character get to that point, however, made me crumble in the most beautiful way.

This book is everything I could have wished for in a storyline and, if I had to choose a book to live my life by; I would certainly have 'Reach for the Stars' as my life bible.

Touching, emotional, relatable, and absolutely beautiful, Colleen Coleman has done it yet again with this outstanding novel. Beautifully written and full of girl power, 'Reach for the Stars' is the book which everyone needs to read....now.

I truly cannot wait to see what the author comes up with next. If it's anything like her previous novel and this novel, I am going to have to stock up on the Kleenex! Easiest five stars ever!

Thanks Bookouture.

Evelyn Dooley moves to Dublin from the wilds of the west coast to start again after discovering that her life consisted of fitting in to please others. She starts on a voyage of self-discovery helping others on the way as that's the sort of person she is.

I absolutely loved this book. Colleen has a tremendous imagination I had no idea where this story was going and was as surprised as Evelyn was when she hit the bumps in life's road. I also loved the Irishness of it.

I really enjoyed this book!!  It genuinely made me feel good after I'd read it and for me that is practically priceless in a book - I laughed out loud and have already raved about this to friends and family and yes, they may well be getting copies of the book for Christmas!! The characters in the book are lovely and will genuinely leave you with a warm and cosy feeling inside - I loved it - 5 stars from me

Reach for the Stars is a lovely little read following the story of Evelyn but after marrying her high school sweetheart, now the music teacher finds herself single at 28 and living in Dublin. This wasn't what she planned and her five year plan now seems like a distant memory.

However a chance meeting with a musician forged an unlikely friendship and soon they're running music nights together. She's building a life she loves but when her savings run out will she stay or return home?

This is a pleasant enough read, it didn't have me gripped with the plot line but it was nice to see how both the characters and plot developed.

I would give this book 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Great book. Chic lit and women's fiction all together. I recommend to my friends.

I LOVED this book! The characters and storyline hooked me in and I ended the last page wishing there was 100 more! This was the first of Colleen's books I've read and I have already purchased Don't Stop Me Now!

A really enjoyable story about a total life change and stepping out of your comfort zone. Well written and entertaining - I just wanted to keep reading! I loved the characters, the storyline and the ending. I'd love to read another to continue Evelyn's story.

It's getting to that time of year when, if I wake up early at the weekend, it's a bit too dark to read my print book. So the other weekend, I picked up my Kindle and thought I'd read a few chapters of this book until it got lighter. Suffice to say, a few hours later I was still happily reading. It is indeed, as it says on the cover, a really feel-good book. And you will be singing the S Club 7 song in your head - you can't help it and let's face it it's a bit of a feel-good song too!

Evelyn's life had been going to plan: childhood sweetheart husband, great house even if needed a fair bit work, steady job as a teacher in her local school. But sometimes life doesn't stick with the plan and Evelyn finds herself separated and wondering what to do with herself. Her sister Tara invites her to move to Dublin and stay with her for a bit. So Evelyn leaves behind her job, her soon to be ex-husband, her failed marriage and her home to see what Dublin has to offer. Unable to find work as a teacher, through a chance encounter she gets some work in a run-down traditional Irish pub. With the help of Danny, a local busker, she has grand ideas to revamp the pub. Should she reach for the stars, as her late father always advised, and take the risk or head back to her old life back home in Ballybeg?

From the very start I was mentally cheering Evelyn on and also young Ruby, the troubled teen she tries to help. Evelyn was determined to make a success of her life in Dublin and though things didn't work out exactly as she'd hoped, that determination saw her taking chances even though the opportunities she had were very different from what she had thought her life might be. And then there was the very lovely busker Danny of course, gorgeous and talented but with troubles of his own. These two could be just what the other needed but would either be willing to take that kind of chance? The new opportunities open to Evelyn weren't without their challenges though making this a convincing story. There were plenty of likeable characters providing laughter and some tears throughout the book including Colm, Christy and Ruby and a small but significant part is played by homeless man Martin. 

The author had a really enjoyable style of writing which meant I flew through the pages, eager to see what opportunities would open up for Evelyn and whether taking chances would pay off for her or not. I've heard that a new phrase has been coined recently for uplifting novels - 'up-lit' - and I would say this books certainly fits in that category. It was such great fun to read and reminds us that even if life doesn't follow the path we hope, there are often second chances and unexpected opportunities if we reach for the stars. Definitely a book to reach for when you want a satisfying feel-good story.

Evelyn never expected to be out on her own at this point in her life. She married her high school sweetheart and thought that "happily ever after" was in the cards. But when James doesn't have the same goals or visions of family that she has, they head their separate ways. Evelyn leaves the small town where she grew up and hopes to find adventure in a new city. When her spirits are low, she ends up in a somewhat run down bar to take a breather. Unexpectedly, this small decision leads to both opportunity and adventure. This is a lovely story about starting over and second chances. I'm not really sure why it's advertised as laugh-out-loud funny because I didn't find it to be funny at all. I did, however, find it to be lighthearted and inspiring. I recommend this one for a fun read.

I received this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley.com, to Bookouture, and to Colleen Coleman.

Reach for the stars by Colleen Coleman a supreme four star read. I will be honest this is my first book by this author as I picked it up thinking it was someone else but I am so glad I did, it really was laugh out loud funny. This is an honest to goodness charming and uplifting read, if you need a pick me up then this is the read you need. There are lovable characters who will leave you with a feel good feeling.
Evelyn Dooley was someone I want to take to the pub and talk life with. This story is full of emotional ups and downs and you can’t help but get sucked in and spat out the other side.
Colleen Coleman writes in a very saturated genre but I think she has a talent that will see her rising to the top of the pile very soon. This was a great story and I can’t wait to read more of what she is writing.

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Evelyn Dooley is 28 years old, single and her marriage with high-school sweetheart James is in the past. That was definitely not the plan and she leaves her hometown for Dublin.

She makes new friends, builds a life she’s enjoying and meets gorgeous musician Danny. I really enjoyed their scenes and following them around was so much fun. However, her savings run out and she has to make a life changing choice: a new adventure with Danny or the safe life back home.

Of course there are stones and obstacles in the way, which don’t make it any easier and for the reader of of course it’s more exciting and entertaining.
I heard some people say the title is misleading, which I don’t agree with. Reaching for the stars can mean being courageous and brave to start a new adventure and I really think it fits the story.

I think the book has a great message and it’s cleverly integrated in the story. The romantic parts are also a highlight and in general I think it’s such an uplifting, fresh, charming and bubbly story.

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a real feel-good romance about Evelyn Dooley, who seeks a new life following a divorce from her high-school sweetheart, James. Her five-year plan has changed, and 'Reach for the Stars' shows how Evelyn's life course has changed somewhat, but change isn't necessarily a bad thing!

I really enjoyed this book; it had plenty of romance and feel-good factors whilst still being believable enough that you could kind of relate to the characters. All of the characters were likeable, and I felt invested in their outcomes. I love a happy ending and this certainly offers exactly that. It's also claimed to be a 'laugh out loud' book which I would seriously dispute (I didn't find any humour in it at all) but apart from that I would highly recommend.

I loved this book. It made me think on life and best ways to live it. I enjoyed reading this book at the end of the day

A warm and fuzzy kind of book - love the storyline and the musical elements. You can really feel Evelyn come to life in this story. I didn't find it laugh-out-loud (I rarely do) but I did really enjoy it!