It is true that no one can save you, no one but yourself. And sometimes… even you cannot save you, no matter how much you wish it was untrue. Sadly, some things are not meant to be saved.

Wow. WOW. This book was simply stunning.

Unlit Star was beautiful, captivating, real, and heartbreaking. Honestly, it was nothing I expected, and I’m glad I went into this pretty blindly. This is the type of book that will move your heart–it stays with you for a long, long time, and I’m so glad to have read it.

First off, a big shoutout to my girl Tushara for recommending Unlit Star to me! After she messaged this to me, how could I NOT read it!?

LACE!!!! OMG I HAVE FOUND A BOOK, THAT IS RIGHT TRUMPING ANY FEELINGS I HAVE EVER HAD FOR ANY OTHER BOOK
SIGH
ITS LIKE ON PAR WITH TFIOS AND SLAMMED AND ALL THOSE
ITS BEAUTIFUL
AND I JUST SPENT THE LAST 15 MINUTES BAWLING MY EYES OUT BECAUSE OF THE LAST 15% OF IT

Obviously I had to read it immediately!

The first thing that captivated me about Unlit Star was the writing. All I can say is that it is flawless. I am so in love with Lindy Zart’s words–my favorite part of this book is truly how well-written it is. Even though the characters didn’t have me hooked straight away, I was still utterly mesmerized by the writing. The humor, the angst, the intensity… all of these were so powerfully evoked through this author’s words. Just… read this book, okay? I promise you won’t regret it.

The beginning was a bit slow–I wasn’t too sure how to feel about the characters at first. But gradually, as I got to know more about Delilah and Rivers, I started to fall in love with their story. Delilah has just graduated high school and has taken a job during the summer working at the Young’s house. She’s a sort of housekeeper, if you will. And the boy who lives there happens to be Rivers Young, who went to the same high school as Delilah. Rivers was the popular, all-star athlete at school, full of charisma and charm, while Delilah was the outcast, bullied by Rivers’s then-girlfriend. But a few months before graduation, Rivers was in a boating accident, leaving him with a limp and scars on his body, and ruining his chances of going to college on a football scholarship.

Delilah and Rivers are two very different people. Delilah is the type of girl who wants to make the best and most out of life. She’s real, but not pessimistic about the world. She’s able to see the joy in life. The post-accident Rivers is the type of guy who only sees what he’s lost. But when Delilah looks at Rivers, she doesn’t see his lost opportunities or the things that were taken away from him–she sees the life that still flows in his veins, the fact that he survived the accident, that Rivers is still alive.

How do you break through the black and into the light? How does a boy who used to have everything decide he has something to fight for when he’s lost all he’s known? What will be strong enough to pull him from the waters of his dark abyss of reality? I think he has to do it himself, but he has to want to. I also think it’s the scars of his heart that need to be mended, not the superficial outside one.

Rivers and Delilah studiously ignore each other, even though Delilah works at his house nearly everyday. But that changes when Rivers’s parents have to leave town, putting Delilah in charge of the house… and Rivers. Now they have to be around each other 24/7, and Delilah isn’t up for being around a guy who’s angry at the world. So she forces him to open up, to go outside, to try to be happy with his life. But she never expected to end up falling for this boy.

It wasn’t easy to like Rivers–at least, not at first. He’s broody and moody, he doesn’t talk, he doesn’t do anything. He basically mopes around the house, feeling sorry for himself and his legs. But Delilah, this awesome, sweet girl, is able to slowly pull him out of his misery. And it turns out Rivers is actually the sweetest, most amazing guy ever. He’s funny, smart, beautiful, a little self-deprecating, but overall, he’s a scrumptious package.

Rivers is a perfect mix of clouds and sunshine, openness and hardness. He’s an impeccable, yet inconsistent being of all that is good and all that is not.

My heart… it was just feeling so much during this book! So much happiness for Delilah and Rivers slowly opening up to each other, slowly falling in love. But my heart was also aching for Rivers, who just doesn’t see the amazing potential in him, even with his bad legs. He doesn’t see that he’s still gorgeous or that he can still do great things that don’t have to be football. But slowly, he stops feeling sorry for himself. All thanks to Delilah Bana, a girl he never noticed in high school, but now is all he can see.

“I used to fit in with the athletes, right? If I didn’t know anything else, I knew that. You never fit in anywhere. Now I know why. There is no way to put you into a category when there is no one way to define you. You’re like…” He pauses as he looks at me, smiling when he says, “Sunshine. And rain. Flowers. You’re everywhere, everything. The wind. The stars.
“…It’s like… you’re the complete embodiment of life. Your laugh, your sense of humor, your personality–you just–you put all of you into everything you do. You know? Even your heart…” He inhales deeply. “You’re a beautiful person, Delilah Bana.”

I just… Awwwwww. River just has the perfect way with words to make you smile and clutch your heart.

Delilah and Rivers together is just perfection. I adored these two–they’re sweet and romantic, but also funny and witty with each other. They learn from each other, they lean on each other. They’re just a wonderful couple I loved reading about.

But it’s not exactly an easy HEA for them. There are hints from the author, some foreshadowing that something heart-wrenching is going to happen. I don’t want to say anything because of spoilers, but I will say that Lindy Zart will no doubt break your heart. There are things to this story you might not be happy about, that I normally wouldn’t be, but it just fit right with this book. I couldn’t have imagined another, better, story for Rivers and Delilah.

“You woke my soul up and the rest of me followed.”

Unlit Star is just a beautiful story. It has lovable characters you grow to care for so much, it has humor to make these characters feel real, and it has an unforgettable way of storytelling. I will definitely be reading more books from this author!

Also by Renée Carlino

Roomies: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Take Care, Sara: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Smother: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Within This Frame: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Steady as the Snow Falls: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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