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The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes
By Xio Axelrod
🎧 Narrated by: Alexander Cendese, Tamika Simone
Book 17 of 2024

The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes has been sitting on my shelf probably since it’s release date in 2021, and I’m so excited that I finally read it!! 

Check the content warnings…this one is a little heavier than my typical romance read. It doesn’t live in it’s darker themes though, so it was overall a very fun read. 

I would recommend this for readers who like the romance to be just one of the main elements in their reads. We get to spend a lot of time with the band, and Toni’s own growth, as well as the romantic plot. And I would definitely recommend it to music enthusiasts! 

💖 second chance romance
💖female rock band / women supporting women
💖 some found family vibes 

Going back to the content warnings, both main character Toni and her love interest Seb have difficult parents that have a range of abuse. I really admired how Axelrod didn’t shy away from the complex feelings of being an adult child of an abusive parent. 

🎧 Excellent on audio!

QotD: Do you consider yourself a music lover? Who are you currently listening to? 

I’m always in my Taylor Swift era, but with a heavy side of Noah Kahan this week!

[book synopsis]

They say the road to stardom is paved with broken dreams.

Growing up, Antonia “Toni” Bennett’s guitar was her only companion…until she met Sebastian Quick. Seb was a little older, a lot wiser, and he became Toni’s way out, promising they’d escape their small town together. Then Seb turned eighteen and split without looking back.

Now, Toni B is all grown up and making a name for herself in Philadelphia’s indie rock scene. When a friend suggests she try out for the hottest new band in the country, she decides to take a chance. She’s in for a surprise when one of the decision-makers turns out to be none other than Seb. Toni can handle it. No problem. Or it wouldn’t be if Seb didn’t still hold a piece of her heart, not to mention the key to her future.