REVIEW: How a Star Falls By Amber Stokes

Sweet NA Contemporary Romance Novella

How does a star fall?

Quickly. Completely. Unexpectedly.

Derrick Knolane escapes to Trinidad Head most evenings, avoiding his apartment and planning for the day he’ll break free of Humboldt County. Working in a music store might be fine for a while, but it’s far from the goal he had in mind when he got his college degree. Not to mention the fact that his roommate is a jerk and his family won’t stop trying to run his life.

Then Brielle falls into his world.

She claims to be a star. Not from Hollywood, but from heaven. He thinks she’s crazy. Certainly delusional. Yet, he can’t just leave her alone on the cliffs. So he takes her home.

And his whole world falls apart.

A heartfelt and fanciful contemporary romance novella, How a Star Falls explores the uncertain season of new adulthood and shows that sometimes the worst inconveniences make for the best miracles of all.

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I thought How a Star Falls was a sweet, intriguing story of finding your place — and learning that sometimes your biggest blessings are right in front of you. As Derrick and Brielle adventured through a few days, I was continually wondering if the story would move beyond the borders of reality into a fantasy. (I can’t tell you if it did or not, but I will say that I was happy with the ending) Amber’s writing style flows smoothly and with detail, causing me to wish  the story wasn’t over so soon. I could definitely read more about these characters! Perhaps she’ll write more about Derrick’s sisters at some point :)

Brielle seems to bring out the best in Derrick, making him leave his comfort zone and dare to hope his life could be better, even if it’s not quite what he first imagined. I loved the references to pop culture sprinkled through the story. They are an obvious reflection of Amber’s tastes and fun personality. Overall, this was a very enchanting story and one I would recommend to both mainstream and inspirational fiction fans!

Amber Stokes works as a content writer for Harvest House Publishers and writes inspirational fiction depicting the seasons of life and love. Her passion for books compelled her to earn a bachelor's degree in English and to run her own freelance editing and publicity business for over a year. Happily, the next step in her career lies in the Pacific Northwest - a part of the world she has always considered home.

How a Star Falls is now available! Forget Me Not, Bleeding Heart, and Bellflower are also available for purchase on Amazon. 

You can get a glimpse of the characters & settings of Amber's books on Pinterest: How a Star Falls, Bellflower,Forget Me Not, Bleeding Heart, Fairy Slippers, and Morning Glory.

INTERVIEW WITH AMBER STOKES

What inspired you to write this book?

I’m not entirely sure how the idea first popped into my head. Maybe it was when I was walking around my parents’ house and noticed the International Star Registry® certiface on the wall. I just recall a really vague idea about a story of stars personified and dancing coming to mind while I was doing a workout video in my parents’ living room. That was about a year ago.

Since that time, the cover my designer put together, her suggestion to change my initial title, my daydreams about the beginning of the book, and my life experiences all led to a very different sort of story. Truly, the novella wouldn’t be what it is without me going through the events of 2014—applying to different jobs, waiting (and waiting) for news, working at a grocery store for a brief time, and finally obtaining a position at a publisher and moving into my own apartment in a different state. Derrick and Brielle’s story ended up being shaped to a large extent by these changes and by my time living at home after college.quote

What spiritual message or theme do you want to communicate to readers with this story?

There is hope, even when it feels like the future we envisioned has become the present we never expected. And through God’s grace there can be meaning and joy and revival, even in the midst of seemingly undesirable circumstances.

If you could live in any other time period in history, which would it be and why?

I’ve come to understand and appreciate that there’s a place for me in this time, as much as I love stories about the past. :) But if I had to choose another time to live in, I would probably say the 19th century in the U.S. I love reading and writing about that era, with all its wildness and changes. There’s something about the time period with its mixture of challenge and simplicity (or at least our romanticized perceptions of it!) that draws me. Plus, I love the West. It’s home to me, and I find its history fascinating.

Thank you, Amber, for graciously agreeing to the interview! I’m so glad your journey shaped this story.