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    E.L Starling’s Bound by Stars is fast-moving sci-fi romance

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    By Jessica on July 1, 2025 Ages 14 & up, young adult

    BOUND BY STARS, by E.L. Starling, Entangled: Teen, July 1, 2025, Paperback, $14.99 (young adult, ages 14 and up)

    A girl wins first-class passage on planetary ship of all ships in Bound by Stars, a YA romance by E.L. Starling.

    She never belonged in his world. He never thought he’d leave it.

    When Weslie Fleet wins a golden ticket aboard the Boundless, humanity’s most opulent starliner, it’s a dream―and a danger. Raised in the dust-ridden ruins of Earth, she is thrust into the gleaming luxury of Mars’s elite, where every whispered word carries weight and every glance is a silent judgment. And none watch her closer than Jupiter, the golden boy of Mars’s high society, bound by duty, legacy, and a future he never chose.

    Their reluctant partnership was supposed to be a one-off assignment. Instead, it becomes a battle of wills, a spark that ignites, and a love neither of them anticipated. But fate is as cruel as it is unpredictable, and when the Boundless veers off course, love won’t be enough to save them.

    The ship is failing. The odds are impossible. And in the darkness of space, survival is the only thing that matters.

    But some loves are worth defying the stars for. —Synopsis provided by Entangled: Teen

    Bound by Stars is an ode to the ocean liner Titanic — tragedy and all.

    Only this time the voyage isn’t across the Atlantic. This time it’s to Mars. And it starts with entrances for the Elysians (Mars residents) and Earthers. A nice touch is that the Boundless is part of the White Star Line, which is also the name of the British shipping line that owned the Titanic. You’ll find little Easter eggs like this throughout Bound by Stars.

    The story follows Weslie as she tries to navigate the opulent world she’s dropped in while remaining true to herself. Along the way she meets Jupiter, heir apparent to one of the most prominent companies on Mars.

    Bound by Stars is told from the alternating first-person viewpoints of Weslie and Jupiter. In this way, readers get to know each one intimately, heightening their relationship and the obstacles in their way. Author E. L. Starling captures both with confidence, although Weslie takes a more starring role. A cast of supporting characters, including Weslie’s robot ISLA and other teens on the ship, help move the story forward and make the story feel intimate and expansive at the same time.

    Bound by Stars is a fast-moving page-turner. I was hooked from beginning to end. And while the book does stand alone, it very much feels like there’s something more waiting to be told. I certainly hope so.

    *Sensitivity note: Bound by Stars is a sci-fi romance adventure that does feature death, classism, blood and gore. While these elements may not be suitable for all readers, they are not overly graphic. It would be rated PG-13 as a movie.

     

    Copyright © 2025 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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    Jessica
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    Jessica Harrison is the reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. She loves books and worked as the in-house book critic at a daily newspaper, writing reviews and interviewing authors for two years. When the company cut back, she lost her position covering books, but that doesn't mean she stopped reading. If anything, the whole experience made her more passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices. She has been featured on NetGalley's Blogger Spotlight and is on Kindleprenuer's Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs. Contact her at jessica(at)crackingthecover(dot)com and follow Cracking the Cover on Bluesky, Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter (X) @crackingthecovr. You can also read scaled down reviews on Jessica's Goodreads review page. Jessica is also a reviewer on Amazon.

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