AudiobookReview
Narration:
It was so nice listening to an ensemble cast, each chapter narrated by a different person representing that character's perspective.

Description:
Facing financial ruin, Reneé and Jean-Paul De La Rue decide this will be the last time they host guests at their beloved bed and breakfast before selling.

In attendance is single mom Cassidy and her teenaged daughter Rosalie, Hollywood actor Leo and his wife Penny, and best friend group Henry & Lucy, Adam & Sienna. The couples have been making this trip yearly for some time but have lost touch a bit this past year, Lucy having distanced from Sienna for reasons unknown to her. Leo and Penny, childhood sweethearts turned America's sweethearts, used to visit yearly as well, but life got in the way the last few years and they haven't made it. With their recent public scandal everyone is shocked to see them. Cassidy and Rosalie are new to the group, the mother daughter oil & water duo vacation every summer and this year it was Rosalie's turn to choose. She has her reasons for choosing this specific place...

Review:
This novel was unexpected in the best of ways. It is a celebration of the messiness of life and a demonstration of faith in humanity.

The author did a fantastic job giving each story it's due, pacing them just right, simultaneously unraveling in a way that wasn't confusing and had everything seamlessly fitting together. There were so many big-deal issues respectfully examined, each briefly but with care, such as infidelity, eating disorder, infertility, parental abuse, and more. Though these can be very weighty topics the novel was not weighed down by them at all. The convergence of strangers in this magical inn took precenance over all that weighted down their lives outside of the inn, and so the reader was able to access the characters in a way that was heartwarming and uplifting. The choice to start each chapter with the meal Jean-Paul was preparing enhanced the all around feel-good feeling evoked by this read.

Another wonderful read by @rochellebweinstein 💙

The owners of the Vis Tie Vi Inn welcome three married couples and a mother-daughter duo, for a life-changing week. Told in multiple alternating POVs the atmosphere of the inn and the depth of the characters and their journeys led to plenty of tension, yet it never felt overly dramatic. Some characters were far from perfect, and even a few were unlikeable at first, the story was told In such a way, I found myself feeling empathy and understanding.

It did start off a bit slow as you get to know the characters and the Inn. As the story progressed, I felt the tension building. I knew something “bad” was going to happen, even one character made the same point, and I found myself invested.

The story captured the intricacies of people, their struggles, emotions, and relationships. Love, loss, and connection wove their way through the pages so seamlessly that I felt like I was there, watching it all unfold in real time.

A story about relationships, revelations, and forgiveness. There was something magical about the way the group bones and came together to support and uplift other when things take a turn and everyone’s secrets are revealed.

We Are Made of Stars by Rochelle B. Weinstein
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌌 Emotional chaos under starlight

A gorgeous mountain inn where everyone shows up with emotional baggage heavier than what they packed for the actual trip. And it's the LAST weekend before the place closes forever? The drama potential was astronomical (see what I did there? Because stars? I'll see myself out).

The vibes we're tracking:
🏔️ Mountain retreat but make it therapy
💔 Marriage problems that hit TOO close
👥 Found family excellence
✨ Star metaphors that somehow work

The couples in this story have LAYERS - Hollywood celebs pretending everything's fine (it's not), a practical therapist married to a star-obsessed astronomer, and that Instagram-perfect couple who's actually hanging by a thread.

"Vis Ta Vie" means "live your life" in French, and it's exactly the energy these deliciously flawed characters need. They're messy and real in ways that had me wanting to both hug and shake them.

If you love books that make you feel approximately 47 emotions simultaneously and settings so vivid you'll be Googling "mountain inns near me" at 2 AM – this one's for you! Just keep tissues handy. 💫

There was a lot that happened within the week stay at Vis Ta Vie inn. The writing was beautiful and even though there were multiple POVs they all had great depth. So many secrets came to light and the emotions slowly crept up on me. I was wondering how they were going to move forward with everything that was happening. With themes of trust, forgiveness, and acceptance it made for a heartwarming read.

Do you believe in being connected with others through energy in the universe? In this book several vacationers gathered to spend time at Vis Ta Vie Inn discover such connection. The Inn is going out of business and the owners are about to share the sad and shocking news with their regulars, however, no one realizes that so many secrets will come to light that week.

This book was a great mix of suspense and literary fiction. Emotionally charged, it really brought the story of each character to life. Although, following each visitor of the inn was quite thrilling, I enjoyed getting to know Rosalie the most. Her quest to find her father was such a great story on its own.

The author did a remarkable job writing and developing her characters. They felt real and imperfect. Just like when you look at a stranger and don't know what lies beneath the facade. The book is a revelation of such mystery. I took my time with this book, but it didn't feel slow. There was so much happening and it all came together beautifully in the end.

Both the book and the audiobook were great at presenting different perspectives and narratives. The read was heartwarming and thought-provoking. I truly enjoyed it!

The audiobook was very well narrated, and I enjoyed listening to the story. However, this was not a book that worked for me. There were so many characters, and I enjoyed reading the book from multiple POV, but there were just too many to keep track of. I spent more time wondering who went with who, than enjoying the story. I liked the setting of the Inn, and how the place was special for each couple. I liked how the characters interconnected as well. But overall, it was just too hard to follow and I was not invested.

🌟WE ARE MADE OF STARS🌟

Thank you @getredprbooks for the gifted copy and cozy blanket 💙

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📆 pub date: 2/25/25
✍️ author: @rochellebweinstein

I started this story by listening to the audiobook (thanks to @netgalley)! The audio really helped me get acquainted with all of the characters and keep them straight. I physically read the last 75% of the book and loved my experience with that format as well 💙

Rochelle B. Weinstein’s writing and storytelling was brilliant. The characters’ stories were intricately woven together and I loved the alternating POVs!

The complicated character dynamics and secrets made it easy for me to get sucked into this book. I became so invested in how everything would play out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

We Are Made of Stars follows both the proprietors and guests of a bed and breakfast over the course of a stay. We learn the current difficulties going on in all of their relationships and how they've gotten to where they currently stand with one another. Unfortunately, this simply was not a book for me. I went into this expecting a different book, but I have not read any of Weinstein's other books. I did not care for the writing as it related to romance; I am not a romance reader, but I found this particularly contrived. Many of the characters' behaviors made little sense to me, and I just couldn't get invested in the characters, who felt very surface level to me with the exception of one teenage girl there with her mother . This pair was the only non-romantic couple and the only couple whose fates I was interested in. Ms. Weinstein's books appear to very popular, so for those who have enjoyed her in the past I'm sure this will a hit! I'm just not the right reader for this book. (Though I will say, the food writing was glorious!)

How much could happen in one short week at a lovely bed and breakfast in the mountains of North Carolina? Well…a lot, it turns out! Every cast member had so much history and their stories unfurled in engaging ways. A beautiful way to show the connections we keep and those we choose to break and why.

There were some characters I loved (like the lovely hosts) and some who were easy to hate. It was fun to watch transformations take place for multiple reasons. The story is fast-paced and will keep you guessing and turning the pages.

I really enjoyed the full cast of audiobook narrators. The story was told from multiple points of view but the characters were easy to keep straight since many narrators were used.

🌟✨𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖✨🌟

Thank you, @amazonpublishing and @getredprbooks for this #gifted copy.

Synopsis 👉

𝗪𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱: 𝟮/𝟮𝟱/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

I really appreciated how Weinstein “kept it real” throughout the story. There were no easy fixes for any of the characters just like in real life. Each one dealt with the truth of their situations as they built friendships with each other. You could feel just how raw and deep those emotions were as they worked through everything. Now this story wasn’t just about the hurt and anger. It was also about love, support and healing, and Weinstein did a fabulous job weaving all of this together.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Multiple POV
Second Chances
Secrets
Mystery
Cozy atmosphere
Food! Do not read on an empty stomach😂

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

From beginning to end this story held a steady pace and my attention. I enjoyed following each character’s emotional journey of forgiveness and learning to let go in order to find love.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

I recommend this character driven and heartfelt story if you are a fan of second chances and cozy atmospheres.

This is not my typical read, but I found myself enjoying it. It gave Nine Perfect Stranger vibes but was also very different. I loved that we followed several different storylines that were all so intertwined. Several moments had me gasping in surprise, which is always fun.

The full cast audio used a wide range of voices to make each character stand out.

This book deserves all the stars in the sky. I felt everything and cried so many happy tears. I wish I could read it again for the first time, but I'm glad I have a copy to reread whenever life gets to be a little too much. It's about choosing love and trusting yourself and your loved ones. It's about forgiveness, understanding, compassion, empathy, and grace. It's about found family and creating your circle of love. It's about finding the beauty in life and dancing in the rain. The audiobook is phenomenal and I loved every minute of it. Shine bright.

What an emotional rollercoaster!
This story made me think about love, relationships, and how even when things fall apart, there’s always a chance to find healing. It's one of those books that stays with you long after you finish.
Definitely worth the read if you're into deep, character-driven stories.

3.5⭐️ Renee and Jean-Paul De La Rue host one more weekend getaway before shuttering their Inn for good. When they host their final group, including several couples and a mother and daughter, secrets will come to light and romance rekindled as they are forced to confront past mistakes.

I am still new to reading Rochelle Weinstein, but I really enjoy the emotional angst her books are known for, as well as the dynamic character development. The interconnected nature of these characters, combined with the emotional trauma each brings to the table were fascinating. I appreciated the way she slowly peels back the layers on each couple’s relationship as their issues come to the surface. All in all a solid read, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

🎧As a major fan of audio, I have to say that this audio did the book a bit of a disservice. While there is a full cast, always a benefit, none of them conveyed the level of emotion this book needs. In addition, one was very breathy and another was mumbly. As much as it pains me to say this, I would highly recommend the physical/ebook to get the most enjoyment out of this book.

Read if you like:
▪️women’s fiction
▪️character driven
▪️complex relationships
▪️ensemble casts
▪️found family
▪️multiple POVs
▪️North Carolina setting

Thank you Get Red PR, Amazon Publishing, and Brilliance Audio for the gifted copies.

Huge thank you to Brilliance Audio for the gifted audiobook!

The audiobook itself was well done. Some narrators were easier to listen to than others, but it was nice having all different voices and POVs!

As far as the story itself, I couldn't get interested in it and found it very hard to pick up.

I also found some of the scenes to make me physically cringe.

I have loved Rochelle's books and have felt meh about them in the past, so she is pretty hit or miss for me.

I still think this one will have a good audience and hope for its success.

The story started slowly, but it did pick up about halfway through. I loved the characters although there were a lot of them to keep track of. Just about every character advanced and grew throughout. The story followed 3 pairs that stayed at a closing B&B. Each pair had their own troubles and secrets. I appreciated the relationship between mother and daughter, Cassidy and Rosalie, as not every mother daughter dynamic is all good or all bad. I listened to the audiobook and at times was confused as which POV I was listening to. Overall, it was an emotional, entertaining story and I would read another one from Weinstein in the future.

I loved Weinstein's newest release, We Are Made of Stars, which releases on 2/25/25!

Situated in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina is a magical inn where guests immerse themselves into nature, curated food experiences, and connections with one another. The Vis Ta Vie inn is Jean-Paul and Renee's life passion, yet faulty investment decision has them on the cusp of bankruptcy.

This book follows the inn's owners and guests over one week in the summer; lifelong college roommates and friends, Lucy and Henry meet annually with Sienna and Adam, but both couples are hiding secrets. Movie star and heartthrob Leo promised to return with his estranged wife Penny for their 25th wedding anniversary despite how tragedy and fame are pulling apart their marriage. And Rosalie, a teen, has dragged her single mother in the hopes of locating her unknown father.

Told between multiple POVs, Weinstein weaves the narratives of each guest together into a tapestry representative of all of life's experiences. Love, friendship, loss, secrets, grief, jealously, lust, and healing. The full cast audiobook narration was the perfect choice to bring together the diverse perspectives, accents, and characters of the story. The narrators did a phenomenal job capturing the wide swath of emotions from each subplot.

The characters are flawed, yet fully fleshed out with growth worth rooting for; I enjoyed every second of my stay in the Inn, especially as a NC native and having spent time myself at many of the landmarks referenced by Weinstein. Readers from all walks and stages in life will find a thread of connection to this heartwarming story!

We Are Made of Stars starts by introducing a sprawling cast of characters who converge for a week at the Vis Ta Vie inn run by Jean Paul, a renowned chef, and his wife Renée. Among the guests are Lucy, a therapist, and her husband Henry, an astronomer and their best friends Adam, a sports agents and his wife Sienna, a lawyer turned stay-at-home mom. These two couples have been vacationing together for years and have made repeat stays at the inn. There is also Leo, a famous actor and his wife Penny, they are at the inn (where they got engaged) to celebrate their anniversary but are teetering on the edge of divorce. Finally we have Cassidy, a mother who’s a complete mess, and her daughter Rosalie who is the true adult in the relationship and who chose the inn for a vacation that is supposed to help them get closer.

With so many introductions, the beginning felt a bit tedious—especially in an audiobook format, where distinguishing between multiple characters can be tricky, but once the pieces are set in place, the novel unfolds beautifully. Tensions simmer, secrets explode, and suddenly, every one of the characters is faced with life-altering decisions.

This book reminded me of reading Fredrik Backman, an author whose characters seem ordinary, even unremarkable, but by the end, feel as familiar as close friends. Weinstein does an excellent job of weaving together the complexities of human relationships, making each character’s journey feel meaningful.

By the final pages, I was fully invested, and I’ll definitely be checking out more of Weinstein’s work.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

Secrets, lies, affairs, grief and so much more come to light over the course of the week as a group of people stay at a charming B&B for its last run before closing. Told from alternating POV, the guests are different ages with complicated and contentious relationships (often interconnected in surprising ways). This was full of drama but also lots of heart. I liked it and thought it was also good on audio. Would recommend for fans of authors like Jennifer Weiner, Elyssa Friedman or Abbi Waxman. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This title is perfection and I loved discovering the significance as the story unfolded. Rochelle Weinstein’s books give me ALL THE FEELS. This beautiful story included such unique characters and I loved how they all came together to make a family. Each narrator was spot on for their respective character.