Meet Me at the Starlight by Rachel Hauck Book Review
Meet Me at the Starlight by Rachel Hauck is a historical fiction novel that spans decades and features multiple points of view. It centers on the historical roller skating rink The Starlight, which is the heart of the small Florida town.
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Meet Me at the Starlight
Author: Rachel Hauck
Pub. Date: July 2, 2024
Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
Pages: 384
Rating: 4 stars
Spice: none
Content Warnings: violence, drunkenness, toxic relationship, fat shaming, recklessness, death, & war
Synopsis:
Eighties supermodel Harlow Hayes seeks solace in a quaint Florida beach town to hide and heal from a heartbreak that shattered her entire world. To her surprise, she encounters Matt Knight–a Hollywood A-lister with a bad-boy reputation–who has returned to his hometown to help his plucky grandmother, Tuesday, save her century-old skating rink, the Starlight.
The Starlight holds a special place in the hearts of the community, once acting as a refuge for Depression-era families and bringing the town together with gatherings and celebrations. Tuesday’s determination and resilience even protected her beloved rink from her husband’s shady business dealings. Yet when the Starlight is threatened with demolition, Tuesday may not be able to stop it.
As Matt and Harlow plot with Tuesday to save the Starlight, they find themselves on a journey of surprises, self-discovery, and the kind of healing that leads to love.
Book Review
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for the ARC of Meet Me at the Starlight by Rachel Hauck. All opinions are my own.
Meet Me at the Starlight is a historical fiction story that spans decades and weaves together the stories of Tuesday Knight and her grandson Matt.
From a young age, The Starlight, a roller-skating rink that is the heart of Sea Blue Beach, has been Tuesday’s entire world. Now that the roller-skating craze is coming to an end, the town wants to tear down the rink in the name of progress. Matt, a famous actor who’s gotten himself in trouble, has decided to come home and help save The Starlight with the help of washed-up model Harlow Hayes.
Thoughts
This story contains dual timelines that start in the 1930s and end in the 1980s. There are multiple points of view throughout the book including Tuesday (past and present), Matt, Harlow, and even some chapters from the view of the town. This book really tells the story of family, community, and learning to love yourself.
I overall enjoyed this book. As a romantic at heart, I preferred the chapters that took place in the 1980s because I liked reading more about Matt and Harlow’s friendship and eventual relationship. The chapters set in the past for Tuesday weren’t bad, but they were also quite depressing considering all of the hardships she faced.
The character growth was beautiful to see throughout the story. I especially liked how Harlow learned to accept herself the way she was not who she was in the past or who her mother wanted her to be.
There were some moments (like Matt on TV) that seemed really weird to me. I also thought the way the author included Immanuel was very strange. It was like she was trying to secretly include Jesus in a way that made Him seem weird and not at all how Jesus really is. Also, the fact that Tuesday was obsessed with The Starlight to the point that it became her idol, really took away from the storyline with Immanuel.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I liked this story and how it was multi-generational. It was beautiful at times, but I would’ve liked it better had there not been weird moments that pulled me out of the story. I would recommend it though!
Where to Read & Purchase
You can purchase a copy of this book at the following retailers:
Bookshop.org (supports independent book stores) [affiliate]
Libro.fm (audiobooks that support independent book stores) [affiliate]
→ get a free audiobook when you start a membership
Chirp (get 30% off your first purchase with code: JESS30)
Amazon [affiliate]
Books a Million (BAM) [affiliate]
AbeBooks [affiliate]
You can also find this book on:
Everand (30-Day FREE Trial)
Have you read Meet Me at the Starlight or any other books by Rachel Hauck?
I would love to hear your thoughts! Comment down below.
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