And here I thought I could never love a Kacen Callender book more than Felix Ever After. Well, let’s just say I’m okay with having been wrong about that one because Stars in Your Eyes truly blew me away.
Stars in Your Eyes follows actors Logan and Matt when they are cast as the leads in a new queer romantic film. Logan is known in Hollywood as the bad boy—talented but troubled, a man the public just loves to hate. Mattie, meanwhile, is the golden boy who seemingly can do no wrong—adored by the public as he is though, he is plagued by insecurities, most stemming from the fact that his father no longer speaks to him since Mattie came out.
While Logan and Mattie have never talked, they don’t start off on the right foot on set. Just as they’re about to begin to shoot, Logan claims that Matt has zero talent—and their movie’s publicity takes a nosedive before it’s even produced. To create positive buzz, they’re forced into a fake-dating scheme, only to soon realise that their feelings aren’t just for the cameras.
As the public scrutiny intensifies and old trauma threatens to resurface for both of them, Matt and Logan will have to fight for their relationship—even if that means facing the ghosts that are haunting them once and for all.
Wow, just wow. What may sound to some to be a fluffy fake-dating romance is so, so much more. The premise of the story is as intriguing as the execution proves to be and the plot is infused with excerpts from Matt’s autobiography, hilarious AO3 snippets and interviews that add both a reprieve between emotionally gutting chapters yet also give the reader a deeper understanding of just how (in)famous Matt and Logan are—and how much their personality differs from what they let the outside see sometimes.
In a way, a romance between Matt and Logan is inevitable because they are beyond a doubt a perfect fit. Not that they want to acknowledge that in the beginning, though, which makes for an excellent will-they-won’t-they romance. Their tumultuous romance, being as entertaining as it is, truly shines because of the well fleshed-out characters and their development over the course of the novel.
While I don’t want to take too much away from the book, I do have to express just how impressed I was by the depth of the topics tackled in this novel. Callender delves deep into trauma, sexual abuse, and queerphobia without ever sounding preachy or talking down to the reader or the protagonists.
Instead, we slowly unravel the mystery of why Matt and Logan are the way that they are and what has been weighing on them. In connection to that, we see just how much trauma can influence and shape (romantic) relationships because they influence not only how Matt and Logan see themselves individually but also how they treat each other. There were many times where I had to put down the book because it was so heart-wrenching (yet validating) to see how Logan lashed out while Matt just kept being patient and loving and trying to do his best to help him cope. Meanwhile, Matt also has to come to terms with how much he’s letting others determine his own worth and how, at some point, he can’t save others if they don’t want him to.
Both Logan and Matt have a long journey of recognising their issues and then accepting and working on them but the book ends on a hopeful note, reminding readers that recovery might be a long journey but definitely a worthy one.
Raw, real, and riveting, Stars In Your Eyes is a grumpy meets sunshine romance that digs deep into trauma, identity, healing and the concept of “being worthy” of love—and proves to be Callender’s best work yet!
Stars In Your Eyes is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 10th.
Will you be picking up Stars In Your Eyes? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The National Book Award-winning author of Felix Ever After delivers a beautifully tender story of two grumpy/sunshine, fake-dating actors navigating their love story both on and offscreen—perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexis Hall.
Logan Gray is Hollywood’s bad boy—a talented but troubled actor who the public loves to hate. Mattie Cole is an up‑and‑coming golden boy, adored by all but plagued by insecurities.
When Logan and Mattie are cast as leads in a new romantic film, Logan claims that Matt has “zero talent,” sending the film’s publicity into a nosedive. To create positive buzz, the two are persuaded into a fake‑dating scheme—but as the two actors get to know their new characters, real feelings start to develop.
As public scrutiny intensifies and old wounds resurface, the two must fight for their relationship and their love.
A heartfelt, hopeful, and nuanced story about identity, healing, and growth.
