Astronaut Reggie wants to be the first woman on the moon, but her superiors don’t think that her ice cold, loner attitude is a good fit for the mission. So, to appear more like a friendly team player, Reggie volunteers to do publicised astronaut training with a handsome and enthusiastic Hollywood actor, Jon Leo, to help him prepare for his latest role (and fulfil his space-nerd fantasy of being an astronaut). Even though Reggie and Jon are total opposites, their mutual sexual attraction is undeniable right from the get-go and living in close quarters for astronaut training proves to be way too tempting. But Reggie doesn’t do relationships and Jon doesn’t do flings…can Jon convince Reggie that they’re a perfect match before his astronaut training comes to its inevitable end? On top of that, Jon and Reggie are forced to navigate family drama, a media scandal, and relentless space conspiracy theorists.
The Astronaut and the Star is a unique romantic comedy featuring the close proximity, workplace romance, opposites attract, and grumpy with sunshine tropes. This book also features own voices ADHD representation, a bisexual main character, and a lot of science fiction elements. The Astronaut and the Star deals with themes such as darkness and light, rebellion, order and chaos, companionship, individual versus team, work-life balance, family and growing up, love and heartbreak, and quest for status and power. The moral of story is that sometimes it’s better to ask for help and work as a team instead of trying to do everything by yourself.
I loved Jon and Reggie’s immense chemistry, “will they, won’t they” vibes, and constant flirty banter. The humorous aspects of this novel were enjoyable, such as Jon’s clumsiness and joking personality as well as Reggie’s roommate Katya’s sassy and brutally honest attitude; I actually wish that we got to see more of Katya in The Astronaut and the Star but hopefully Comfort will write a companion novel featuring Katya’s love story (or even what happens if or when Katya meets her favourite actress, Zendaya). I really appreciated how the ending of the novel was unexpected and kept me guessing because this allowed me to stay interested and engaged in the story.
On the negative side, I didn’t think that the cover of the book really matched the romantic comedy vibe of the story; I know that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I feel like I would have been more excited to pick up this book if the cover had featured a fun and flirty couple instead of a realistic-looking picture of the moon and stars. Moreover, even if the cover of The Astronaut and the Star doesn’t appeal to you, make sure that you read the book description before you count this book out! Another thing that I wasn’t a big fan of was the use of unfamiliar space lingo as well as the excessive amount of time that Reggie and Jon spend collecting rock samples as I wasn’t clear how studying rocks was going to help Jon prepare for his upcoming space flick.
The Astronaut and the Star would be perfect for fans of space science who also enjoy steamy romances. Reggie is a fierce woman in STEM and a strong female role model who reminded me of Olive from The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood; so, if you are a fan of that book, you should definitely check this out! I would also recommend this book to fans of romantic comedies like Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert, and science fiction romances like Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell.
Overall, I enjoyed reading The Astronaut and the Star and it definitely exceeded my expectations. If you are looking for a unique, fun, and steamy romantic comedy filled with space science than I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Astronaut and the Star!
The Astronaut and the Star is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 1st 2022.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
An out-of-this-world romantic comedy featuring an astronaut tasked with training a Hollywood actor for a space flick.
Astronaut Regina “Reggie” Hayes wants to be the first woman on the moon—it’s all she’s ever dreamed of. But after a PR disaster, Reggie is off the list for a lunar mission. To rehabilitate her reputation with NASA, she agrees to a different kind of assignment: astronaut “training” with a Hollywood action hero.
Jon Leo is a charmer. With credits that include an underperforming sitcom and a campy action flick called Space Dude, his upcoming role in a prestigious movie could prove he’s a star. But Jon isn’t just big muscles and an otherworldly smile—he’s also a total space nerd. He’s pumped about his own personal space camp…until he meets ice-cold Reggie.
Although Reggie and Jon are polar opposites, their mutual attraction is undeniable, and it only takes a few weeks in close quarters for them to give in to its magnetic force. Jon is set on convincing Reggie this is a match made in the heavens, but her future is in space, and his is among stars of the Hollywood kind. The odds of successfully launching a real relationship outside the confines of the training base are anything but optimal.
Reggie, content with keeping things casual, is forced by a sudden turn of events to confront the possibility of losing Jon forever. Now, she’ll do whatever it takes to win both the man and the moon.
