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brandypainter's review
5.0
I loved Joe and Frances from [b:Star Dust|26257699|Star Dust (Fly Me to the Moon, #1)|Emma Barry|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1443942881s/26257699.jpg|46255881]. Neither of them got a lot of page time (particularly Joe), but they still stood out. Frances with her calming presence and Joe's willingness to miss an opportunity to orbit the earth for his son's medical emergency. This lovely little holiday novella takes readers back to when Joe and Frances first met and is absolutely delightful. Joe is a awesome. Any guy who is willing to woo a girl through gifts of books is. Frances is quiet and reserved with definite opinions on what she doesn't want her life to be. Their courtship is sweet and earnest and absolutely delightful.
amaldae's review
2.0
I don't think the limited length does this story any favors. It is mainly distinguished from the rest of the romance genre by its hero (who is forthcoming and in my opinion mildly creepy, but downright angelic in comparison to the typical asshat love interest), but it would need to be two or three times longer to not feel shallow and rushed. Though I'm sure I would have liked it a whole lot better if I weren't so tired of simplistic female fantasy wish fulfillment, especially of the traditional kind that ends HEA in monogamous marriage after a few weeks of courtship. ;)
whiskeyinthejar's review
5.0
4.5 stars
Read this for 12 Tasks of the Festive Season:
Task the Ninth: The Happy New Year:
- Every year you get a little bit older! Read a coming of age novel or any old favorite comfort read to start the new year right.
Y'all. Seriously.
Set in 1948 we have Frances, a nineteen year old Admiral's daughter who has basically had to take on the responsibility of wife, setting up dinners and functions, after her mother passed away. She is constantly hounded by young naval men only wanting to date her to get in good with her father.
In walks Joe, a midshipman who has one conversation with Frances and gets struck by love at first sight. It's a novella, so I'll forgive the insta-love but only because how the rest of the story went.
Just, gah. I don't know, it was so romantic! The way Joe pursues Frances, y'all, he gives her books...
THAT HE READ. He read a Georgette Heyer for her.
AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE KIDS!
As she watched him, he didn't touch her; He looked. Merely looked. Looked in a way that made touching beside the point. His hands were in his pockets, and her heart was in her mouth.
You're going to swoon hard for Joe. Frances was a bit of a tough cookie but oh how you understand her when she says she doesn't want to be a Navy man's wife. I loved Frances' family, sister, and father. Her father may anger you at first but with few words and one amazing scene where he sits on the floor with Frances, you'll sympathize with a man who did a tough job and maybe doesn't fully understand raising girls but loves them. I loved how the authors had Joe showing respect for the Admiral and a bit nervous but in a couple scenes show him standing up to him and for Frances. Y'all, again,
There's not too much of a holiday feel to this but who needs that when you have Joe. This story is just so romance-y and if you want your face to hurt from smiling and your heart to feel like it is going to burst out of your chest, you must read this.
Surprisingly, the only down fall was the epilogue for me. Reminder it is 1948 so their sex scene is a bit..awkward and I don't know, it kind of dented the chemistry I felt from the couple earlier. Or maybe it's just my 21st century womanhood screaming, "Get at it Frances!" cause, y'all, again,
So, I know this review is basically me telling you I have the hots for Joe but I had to let someone know, couldn't keep it to myself. Read this book if you at all like romance.
Read this for 12 Tasks of the Festive Season:
Task the Ninth: The Happy New Year:
- Every year you get a little bit older! Read a coming of age novel or any old favorite comfort read to start the new year right.
Y'all. Seriously.
Set in 1948 we have Frances, a nineteen year old Admiral's daughter who has basically had to take on the responsibility of wife, setting up dinners and functions, after her mother passed away. She is constantly hounded by young naval men only wanting to date her to get in good with her father.
In walks Joe, a midshipman who has one conversation with Frances and gets struck by love at first sight. It's a novella, so I'll forgive the insta-love but only because how the rest of the story went.
Just, gah. I don't know, it was so romantic! The way Joe pursues Frances, y'all, he gives her books...
THAT HE READ. He read a Georgette Heyer for her.
AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE KIDS!
As she watched him, he didn't touch her; He looked. Merely looked. Looked in a way that made touching beside the point. His hands were in his pockets, and her heart was in her mouth.
You're going to swoon hard for Joe. Frances was a bit of a tough cookie but oh how you understand her when she says she doesn't want to be a Navy man's wife. I loved Frances' family, sister, and father. Her father may anger you at first but with few words and one amazing scene where he sits on the floor with Frances, you'll sympathize with a man who did a tough job and maybe doesn't fully understand raising girls but loves them. I loved how the authors had Joe showing respect for the Admiral and a bit nervous but in a couple scenes show him standing up to him and for Frances. Y'all, again,
There's not too much of a holiday feel to this but who needs that when you have Joe. This story is just so romance-y and if you want your face to hurt from smiling and your heart to feel like it is going to burst out of your chest, you must read this.
Surprisingly, the only down fall was the epilogue for me. Reminder it is 1948 so their sex scene is a bit..awkward and I don't know, it kind of dented the chemistry I felt from the couple earlier. Or maybe it's just my 21st century womanhood screaming, "Get at it Frances!" cause, y'all, again,
So, I know this review is basically me telling you I have the hots for Joe but I had to let someone know, couldn't keep it to myself. Read this book if you at all like romance.
marie123's review
4.0
Cute historical romance novella. It was free for the kindle on amazon and a nice, short read.
anacoqui's review
5.0
This novella is set in Annapolis in 1949, a dozen years before Star Dust and is the story of Joe Reynolds (another Perseid astronaut) and Frances Dumfries. Frances is an Admiral's daughter, who constantly must fend of the attentions of ambitious midshipmen who want to rub shoulders with her father. Joe, while ambitious and dedicated only has eyes for Frances. The novella is sweet and romantic, as Joe sets out to impress Frances with his desire to seek her happiness above his own. The conflict and resolutions both seemed real and believable. Barry and Turner did a wonderful job developing a great supporting cast without stealing any time from the young lovers.
mara_miriam's review
2.0
See my review of Star Crossed for a review of the Fly Me to the Moon series.
susanscribs's review
3.0
Cute and sweet novella, but I was mildly irked that after the heroine makes several impassioned speeches about not wanting to be a Navy wife and wanting something more out of life, she falls in love with the hero and all of that feminist talk goes out of the window. Also not sure we needed the honeymoon love scene epilogue, which didn't add anything to the plot.
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