See the Stars by Eleanor Ray #Review

 

See the Stars by Eleanor Ray will be  published on February 5th 2026 by Piatkus. 

Do you ever feel that life isn't going to plan? 

When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire. 

Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present? 

Filled with heart and warmth, this uplifting novel reminds us all that we need the darkness if we want to see the stars..

 My Thoughts

Alice has to return to her home village to recuperate after a serious illness brought on through the stress of her hard work. Once there, she has to face up to her grief over the death of grandfather, the man who taught her about the stars as a child and who inspired her to take it further.  Her London life is left behind as is her very pleasant fiance, and her high powered job in finance.which is her mother's great wish for her.

    Once back at home, Alice decides to look back st her grandfather's logbooks and to try to repair his beloved telescope. Along the way, she befriends a young gifted boy, Berti, with social difficulties and together, they set out to try to discover a comet which her grandfather suspected he had seen.  She also becomes acquainted with Berti's uncle, Matt, who she knew as a young teenager as he was her brother's friend. Wounded as a soldier, his life dreams have been shattered through life changing imjuries. 

    You follow Alice's story through three different periods in her life and find out why she left University and what happened to her friends from that period.   At times, this is an emotional read, with some darker issues lying below the surface but ultimately the tone of the story is hopeful.

In short: family, friendship and love  

About the Author

Eleanor Ray is the author of the highly acclaimed novels Everything is Beautiful and The Art of Belonging. She has an MA in English Literature from Edinburgh University and had a career in financial marketing before turning to writing. She lives in London with her husband and three young children.

See the Stars, her new novel, is about reclaiming our dreams and was inspired by her own career change. Her son’s passion for space fuelled her research, and together they visited science museums, planetariums and observatories around the world. She is currently writing her next novel.

Social Media Links – Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X are all @eleanorraybooks

 Purchase links

Thanks to Eleanor Ray, Piatkus Books and Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources  for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

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