Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
Totally rooted for Kat and James from page 1. What a fun read!

I thought this was a cute read, the storyline moved at a pretty good pace and the characters were enjoyable. The writing was great and the story easy to follow.

This a fun book, from the moment the main characters meet. We love celebrity and normal person love stories are just needed! We love that hope that us normal folks will one day meet our celebrity crush and have an romance of lifetime with them!

Ivy Dawes’ Starstruck is a delightful whirlwind of romance, humor, and self-discovery that completely stole my heart. From the very first page, I was hooked by the effortless charm of her storytelling. It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel because Dawes’ writing feels polished, engaging, and utterly binge-worthy.

The novel follows Kat, a struggling actress who’s sidelined into working as a production assistant on a major film. Life has been throwing her curveballs, and just when she thinks she’s stuck in the background, she meets James—a swoon-worthy A-list actor with his own share of hidden struggles. What starts as an unexpected connection quickly turns into a romance laced with tension, secrecy, and electric chemistry. Their dynamic reminded me of the best 2000s rom-coms, making the book feel like pure nostalgia in the best way possible.

Kat’s character arc was one of my favorite aspects of the story. She starts off unsure of herself, weighed down by past disappointments, but throughout the novel, she finds her voice and confidence. She’s real—flawed, funny, and so easy to root for. And James? He’s the dreamboat leading man we all crave in a romance novel. Charming yet vulnerable, supportive yet struggling with his own baggage—his love for Kat feels genuine and organic, even with the secrecy of their relationship adding an extra layer of tension. Also, the fact that he falls first? I ate that up!

Yes, there’s some insta-love, but it’s executed so well that it feels natural rather than forced. And the tropes? Hidden identity, celebrity romance, secret relationship, and a touch of forbidden love—all blended seamlessly into a story that feels fresh and exciting. The third-act breakup was heartbreaking, but it served a purpose, giving both characters the space to grow before delivering a satisfying happily-ever-after.

If you’re looking for a romance that will make you swoon, laugh, and maybe even kick your feet a little, Starstruck is the perfect pick. Sweet with just the right amount of spice, it’s a fantastic debut that has me eagerly anticipating what Ivy Dawes writes next. Here’s hoping for more from the Starlight Studios world—because I need stories about those side characters ASAP!

This is a good book. The two main characters are Kat and James. They meet on a movie set. Kat is a personal assistant, but gets fired. James offers her an actor role. She takes it. They start dating. They each have issues but together they work them out and fall in love.

Kat and James were such a cute couple! They had such a great connection together. Their banter was truly adorable! I loved that it was a forbidden celebrity romance, definitely recommend!

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this book, which was mainly down to the characters and their likeability.

I found the relationship between the MC's to be disingenuous. I didn't feel they had good chemistry, and it didn't make much sense for them to be together. The FMC was not likeable at all - even the MMC had a hard time listing the things he liked about her - and this just left a sour taste in my mouth.

The pacing is this book was off; some vital parts rushed, some dragged out too much. There were too many mentions of her past relationship and I became annoyed that this was taking focus away from the MC's relationship together.

This is the debut novel from this author, and I see lots of promise throughout her writing, but this was just not for me.

*review not posted on any other platform*

Starstruck seemed to be something out of my “movie star falls in love with me” childhood fantasies, in the best way!

Kat is starting at the bottom as a PA for Starlight Studios, reeling from her recent breakup, until she runs into (quite literally) a handsome background actor - so she thinks. Turns out, this background actor is actually the lead actor in disguise, James.

With the studio pushing James to date another movie star and his heart pushing him towards Kat, this is a romance meant for all the girls who loved classic rom-com movies.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Such a cute romance that I read in once sitting!

It was fun, easy read.

Connected well to the characters and good plot.

This was such a cute romcom. I could not put it down and read it in just a couple of days. This book also had a wonderful story line that I really enjoyed.

A very cute and lighthearted romcom. I loved the storyline and the main characters, couldnt put this book down and had it finished within about 3 hours, would definitely recommend

Book review 📚
Startstruck by Ivy Dawes
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was unsure how I was going to do with this book at first, simply because of the romance aspect behind it. I’m not a huge lover of romance, especially when there is no story behind it except the romance. But with Starstruck, I was pleasantly surprised.

Dawes really did a fantastic job on this book and I am proud to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn’t just “girl and boy” it was aspects of their lives and their careers as a plot. A struggling actress with a movie star. They’re both incredible characters and had such chemistry with each other. I loved the witty banter and comedy from both the MCs, they worked so well together that I could not help but become addicted to their story.

The descriptive writing from Dawes was also incredible, and how she presents the characters is a testament to her writing. If you’re looking for a cute and cosy rom-com then this book is it.

Starstruck is a delightful, interstellar romp that’s equal parts romance and adventure. Ivy Dawes crafts a universe where sparks fly between characters with as much intensity as the celestial phenomena around them. The chemistry between the protagonists is electric, their journey across the cosmos filled with tension, humour, and just the right amount of drama. If you're a fan of star-crossed lovers (literally), this book will leave you, well, starstruck!

Cute story that i couldnt put down! I really enjoyed reading this and found it an easy read, it was funny, it was sweet, it was cute, it was well balanced! The storyline was good all the way through

Super cute romance about a movie star and a struggling actress.

Kat and James are sweet and honest main characters.

Of course it would be Hollywood without some twists and turns and a little bit of backstabbing.

I enjoyed the plot and it was interesting to read about the struggles James faced of having a career controlled by someone else when all he wanted to do was follow his heart.

Would definitely recommend

Starstruck is an entertaining Hollywood story about a struggling actress and a popular movie star. The two main characters are down to earth and easy to connect with and their connection is sweet and easy.

Kat is working as a P.A. on a movie set when she meets James, the star of the movie. Her life hasn’t worked out as she has planned and her confidence is at an all time low.

I liked James and Kat and thought they were great together. They are down to earth, don’t have big egos and help each other deal with some of their issues. Hollywood is a cutthroat place and this wouldn’t be a Hollywood story without some backstabbing, bloated egos and insincere smiles. Where everyone around them is insincere James and Kat are honest and work well together. This is an entertaining story from start to finish.

Such a great read, the perfect amount of wit and comedic value, as well as such a brilliantly put together plot line.
I can’t wait to read more of Ivy’s work!

Based on the cover alone I had high hopes for this. I absolutely love the cover art for this book!
The MMC is so dreamy! Like holy hell he is the perfect man. He’s mature, successful, hot, and just the sweetest thing to the FMC. This is where I get the insta lovey vibes from this book and it works!
The MMC and FMC are friends at first but it quickly turns romantic. There is some good angst even with it being insta lovey.
The reason this isn’t a 5 star read for me is because of the FMC. Sometimes I felt like I was reading about a 15 year old girl and other times I was like dang this girl has a good head on her shoulders! So I’m just left feeling meh about the FMC.
Great debut book and I look forward to her next!
4/5

“youre everything I didnt know I was missing until the moment you walked into my life”.

this was such a beautiful read and i LOVE books with good communication!! this book was exactly what i needed to get out of my slump and i will definitely be rereading it!!