Review: When the Stars Come Out

When the Stars Come Out by Laura Trentham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jackson Abbott is Wyatt's twin. The silent kind, he has worked alongside Willa Brown ever since she came to Cottonbush, without really thinking about her as a woman. All the Abbott brothers know that Willa is keeping secrets, most of them have guessed that isn't her real name, but they value her work as a mechanic in their family business and they aren't ones to gossip.

Willa has been on the run since she was eighteen years old, running from what was an idyllic childhood she soon found that life away from her adored father was very different from the sheltered way she spent her first eighteen years. The Abbott family are different. Their father reminded her of her own father and she has been in love with Jackson forever. But when Willa's past looks to be catching up with her will she run like she always does? It takes the fear of Willa leaving for Jackson to wake up to the woman he has been working with for the past few years. Under the baggy thrift shop clothes, bad hair cut and cap permanent wedged on her head is a curvy, beautiful woman.

The romance between Jackson and Willa is set against several mysteries: what has happened to the oldest Abbott brother, Ford? What happened in Willa's past that necessitated her running? Who is trying to buy the Abbott Garage, and why? What happened to the Abbott brothers' mother?

Unfortunately, I have to say that I've come to the conclusion (based on reading two novels and a novella) that Laura Trentham's mysteries tend to evaporate into meh. This book and the last end on a cliffhanger/ teaser for the next book which kind of dissolves into nothing. Ford's story is dismissed at the start of this novel, frankly I don't understand Willa's issue at all, in fact I'd go further and say she acted like a spoilt brat and doesn't seem to have matured, the buyer mystery doesn't go anywhere and Mrs Abbott is also a bit meh.

I didn't like that Sutton decided to give Willa a make-over, kudos to Jackson for not caring.

Overall, I don't really understand how to categorise this. It didn't feel like romance, there wasn't much suspense/ mystery, although it is set in a small town it doesn't have that cozy small town feel. Possibly more damningly, I just didn't like Willa.

However, I'm on a bit of a book downer, I convinced myself that I didn't like the previous book and yet when I read my review I gave it "a solid four and a half stars", maybe read this review bearing in mind that I am clearly dissatisfied with everything I'm reading at the moment!

Do I want to read the next book? I know exactly who it will feature (okay, I'm guessing but I'd bet serious money), probably.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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