The Stars We Steal

The Bachelorette meets sci-fi in this gripping story about a young girl caught in a world of royal intrigue and lost love in her quest to save her family from ruin. Perfect for fans of Katharine McGee, Melissa de la Cruz, and Kiera Cass.

Engagement season is in the air. Eighteen-year-old Princess Leonie “Leo” Kolburg, heir to a faded European spaceship, has only one thing on her mind: which lucky bachelor can save her family from financial ruin? 

But when Leo’s childhood friend and first love, Elliot, returns as the captain of a successful whiskey ship, everything changes. Elliot was the one who got away, the boy Leo’s family deemed to be unsuitable for marriage. Now he’s the biggest catch of the season and he seems determined to make Leo’s life miserable.

But old habits die hard, and as Leo navigates the glittering balls of the Valg Season, she finds herself falling for her first love in a game of love, lies, and past regrets.

Fans of Katharine McGee and Kiera Cass will be dazzled by this world of lost love and royal intrigue. 

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“Donne’s complex characters...are deeply flawed and human....Similar in spirit to Brightly Burning (2018), which staged Jane Eyre in space, this novel takes its cues loosely from Jane Austen’s Persuasion with shimmering success.”—Booklist  

“[R]omantic intrigue will keep readers turning pages.” —School Library Journal  

“A thrilling romance.” —Kirkus  

“[R]eaders may sigh over the well-crafted romantic storyline and strong chemistry between its leads.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“This bold new take on a classic love story crackles with romantic tension, delivering a twisty ride full of secrets and betrayals.”  – Elly Blake, New York Times best-selling author of the Frostblood series  

“Alexa Donne whips up another irresistible combination of sparkling romance and savvy social politics. An original and inventive retelling, readers are in for a treat.” —Jessica Cluess, author of A Shadow Bright & Burning series and the forthcoming House of Dragons  

“A rich, swoony adventure bursting with wit, this book doesn't just steal the stars - it'll steal your heart!” —Emily Suvada, award-winning author of This Mortal Coil series