Review: One Thousand Stars and You

One Thousand Stars and You by Isabelle Broom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alice and her girlfriends are fast approaching thirty – with a steady (boring) History teacher boyfriend Richard, and an over-protective mother it seems that Alice’s life is all mapped out. Until one of her best friends Maureen suggests that the friends go on holiday to Sri Lanka for one last hurrah!
On arrival, the girls chance upon two other travellers Max and Jamal and soon they all buddy up and travel together. After a catastrophic, life changing injury, Max is determined that life should carry on as normal. Forming a friendship with Alice, she then starts to view life through different eyes, and realises that she doesn’t have to accept what life has thrown at her.
This is the first Isabelle Broom book I’ve read, and it certainly won’t be the last. She made the colours, sights and sounds of Sri Lanka lift off the page. I quickly found myself absolutely absorbed in the story, and even felt that I was travelling with them, I felt the heat of the sun on my back, and the crush of people on the packed train as it rattled along the tracks. I even found myself googling Adam’s Peak whilst I was reading about their ascent so that I could witness the wonderful sunrise with them! I’ve never done that before in my life when reading a book!
A beautiful novel which has you holding your breathe right up to the finish, and which I didn’t want to end!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books for a Advance Review Copy in return for an honest and open review.

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