I will not be giving feedback on this book as I couldn’t really get into it but I think others may enjoy it.

Are you familiar with the case when you like the author and enjoy their writing, but you just don’t click with the story?
That is what happened to me with One Thousand Stars and You.

I usually love Isabelle Broom’s work. Ever since she started publishing her stories back in 2016 I fell in love with her writing and the way she would describe places her characters visited, and she found her spot on my favourite authors list.
Unfortunately, although I still enjoyed her descriptions of beautiful Sri Lanka, I didn’t fall in love with this novel.

I think the main reason I was put off was the way one of her characters was presented to us, through other characters’ (and what it felt like through author’s too) eyes.
I am talking here about Moureen who was perfect the way she was, but for some reason our MC and her love interest looked down upon her, like they are for some reason better then her.
Like Alice was pure and inocent when in reality she was emotionally cheating on her boyfriend since the moment she met Max, and Max who for some reason acted like he deserves better then Maur.
It was just really hard to love the story with hard-to-like characters.

I also wasn’t a fan how the novel reminded me of Me Before You in some parts and I am still not sure would I loved it better if it went all the way there or do I like it that it took a different turn.

In the end I appreciate the message behind this whole journey, and think that the book is good and would still recommend it.
I just wish I liked it little bit more.

Absolutely beautifully written book. The descriptions of the setting were beautiful and immersive. Would recommend this book

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

The description of Sri Lanka in this book made it quite believable that you were experiencing it, however the main character and the general story line of this book wasn’t a concept I could get on board with therefore making it a struggle to relate to the main concept running through.

Beautifully written book that immediately made me want to book a trip to explore Sri Lanka for myself. Heartfelt and compelling and a great read.

This is a bittersweet story. I really enjoyed it, heartbreaking at times and I cried deeply. A lovely story and not your typical romantic novel but beautifully written.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

Isabelle Broom has an uncanny ability to take her readers to locations around the world. This time, it’s Sri Lanka, but by reading her previous books, I’ve also been to Greece, Prague, Spain and Lake Como. All the trips have been delightful, and this one is no different. And just like all memorable trips, there’s good times and beautiful scenery, but eventually real life invades and things get complicated. Isabelle Broom writes beautifully, and I found myself really rooting for Alice and Max.

Full disclosure: Obviously I’m going to give this novel five stars because not only is there a character called Maureen in it, but she actually is named after me. To explain, I won a “Get a Character Named After You” lot in the Authors for Grenfell auction. I’m thrilled with my namesake (she’s a bit energetic and mouthy, like me) and I love this book.

My self-interest aside, I still highly recommend this novel.

A nice little story... quite an easy read but one of those stories which is almost too easy. Quite a lot of 'description' and some fairly generic characters so nothing very challenging but enjoyable nonetheless.

Gorgeous, romantic, heartwarming and evocative is pretty much how I'd sum up this book. I really felt like I was right there in Sri Lanka and accompanying Alice on her travels.

This book is lovely
Alice is an adventurer but her family and fiance don't think that she should be - the scars on her face bear witness to what could happen.
On a 'final fling' before she settles down Alice meets Max in Sri Lanka and the pull is inescapable.
Alice finds that true bravery is not about sky diving but being true to your feelings.
Beautiful setting.

I think I’ve found a new favourite chick lit author! This was immediately engaging and an easy read that I didn’t want to put down. I liked the relationships between the characters though I had to mark it down a star because Alice irritated me the way she went on about her accident and her relationship with Richard and her mam. Also the fact she would even remotely compare her scar on her face to Max losing a leg. On the whole I enjoyed the story though I would have liked more of a resolution at the end. Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Take me to Sri Lanka for I am hooked!

I've never been to Sri Lanka, but this book certainly peaked my interest for the island in the Indian Ocean. Alice and her three best friends all turn thirty within the same week, so they decide to skip out on the celebrations back home in England and go on a trip of a lifetime across the globe. Alice has been with her boyfriend, Richard since forever, it's steady, healthy, but borderline boring as heck, so she welcomes this change of scenery.

On their first night in Sri Lanka, the girls meet Max and Jamal, two fellow British travellers and there's an instant connection between Alice and Max. But Alice has Richard, so she keeps her distance, but despite her own efforts, the two grow closer as they share the experiences of climbing mountains together, going on safari and get deep with stories about themselves.
Max is dealing with an injury from his time as a soldier and Alice is also scarred from her childhood, which connects them even more throughout their trip.

Set in exotic surroundings where you can practically smell the spices and feel the sun on your face, readers are indulged in a romantic story that grips you from takeoff and doesn't release you until the final page has been turned, a page that comes far too soon in my humble opinion. I could have used a few more or maybe fifty.

We are taken on a journey through Sri Lanka and it almost serves as a tourist guide to the places to visit if you ever go there. The climbing of Adam's Peak in the middle of the night to get to the top to watch the sunrise made me want to put on my hiking boots (not that I own any) and go climb a mountain (Denmark doesn't have any). But that's what this book did to me. It excelled in selling Sri Lanka as a must-visit country, with its old temples and monks, the white sandy beaches and friendly atmosphere of the locals. It was weaved into the story in an expertly fashion and helped further the story and plot along. 

As of characters, I enjoyed all of them in their own way. 
Alice is growing out of her comfort zone and is finding out who she truly is and not who her boyfriend or overbearing mother want her to be. And it's great to see her spread her wings and throw caution to the wind. 

Steph and Maureen, her best friends are both very different; Steph is the more relaxed one whereas Maureen is the wild and spontaneous one, leaving Alice in the middle, struggling to figure out where she belongs. 

And then there's Max. On a quest of healing and to prove to himself and the people around him that his injury does not define who he is and Alice helps him with that along the way.

The romance is a slow-burning build-up and you are eagerly turning the pages to find out what happens between the two.

So all in all, an amazing book, perfect for these cold and dark months where you can dream yourself off to exotic places and heated romances.

Isabelle's novels ate sometimes labelled as travel and I can understand why. I know that Isabelle visits each destination when she is planning/writing her next novel and this is very clear as you quickly get sucked into another dimension. In this case gorgeous, sunny, Sri Lanka! Who needs a suitcase and passport when you can simply pick up a novel by Isabelle Broom and get transported to a new destination? The other positive is that you get a flipping great story to devour too (and devour this I did!)
Alice is pent up and unhappy (although I'm sure she doesn't realise just how unhappy) but the exotic beaches and surroundings of Sri Lanka soon help to remedy that. She has gone away for a 'last hurrah' with her friends leaving boyfriend Richard - who wants to marry her - behind.
Max has lost a leg whilst fighting in Afganistan and has had to fight many demons on his journey to some semblance of a recovery. Friendships and romance have been hard to come by.
However when Max meets Alice something clicks and there is definitely an instant connection between them. Max isn't looking for a woman and Alice is in a long-term relationship.

Decisions need to be made and they both need to look at past events that have defined their characters.
Tissues will be needed and possibly a cold drink as the heat and humidity of Sri Lanka jump off the pages!

Another triumph of escapism by Isabelle Broom without leaving the comfort of your own sofa.

Thank you to Michael Joseph and Penguin for the ARC which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I love Isabella Broom books for their wonderful characters, and a plot that draws you and of course an beautiful location. Alice’s growth as a person was inspiring, so many of us put others happiness before ourselves which makes Alice, Max and their journey relatable. One Thousand Stars and You, like Isabella Broom’s previous novels is inspiring and emotional in its story with characters that you really care about. Isabella Broom is fast becoming one of my favourite authors

The story is about Alice who wants to celebrate her upcoming 30th birthday differently: visiting Sri Lanka. I liked the descriptions Sri Lanka as Alice and her friends traveled from one city to another. On their first day in Lanka, Alice and her friends meet Max and his friend. From then on, they embark on a journey that will change their lives.

To be honest, I could not relate to the main character, Alice. She has a boyfriend back home but isn't satisfied with her romantic life. Upon meeting Max, she suddenly questions everything. The romance felt forced to me.

I gave two stars only because of the beautiful description and the way the theme of disability was handled.

I have read this book before but really enjoyed reading it again, particularly with the descriptions of places in Sri Lanka which seemed more vital second time around. I think the first time I focused on the relationships but this time I found the descriptions of the places visited more vibrant. A worthy book and a good story covering so much.

Isabelle Broom always manages to capture the essence of the places she writes about. In One Thousand Stars and You Sri Lanka comes alive. You feel as though you are there alongside Alice and Max. The book is light and easy to read. It is fun and magical and manages to transport you away from real life. It’s heart felt and real and you can tell that Isabelle researches the places she writes about. You can tell her enthusiasm for travel and adventure and life.

What a mesmerising wonderful story. As I started I thought that it was a simple love story and how wrong I was. The story begins by setting the stage for Alice at home and the excitement of leaving to go on vacation with her two friends to celebrate their 30th birthdays. I found that this was at its base a love story but encompasses so much more:
- from an almost travel book.about Sri Lanka,
- the life as an amputee and the issues of being such,
- the emotions of always pleasing others and ignoring your own happiness,
- mental breakdown, drug taking and recovery
- group female interactions when life does not go as planned.
Alice eventually realises that she is as important as those around her that are unwittingly denying her happiness and she begins to consider herself, although not without an internal emotional fight.
I loved the solid warmth of the book and have already recommended it to my friends and book club group as an excellent book to read.