Love's Bright Star by Virginnia de Parte

Love's Bright Star by Virginnia de Parte

I really struggled with Love’s Bright Star by Virginnia de Parte.  It is the first true romance novella I have ever read.  I thought years of watching romantic comedies with the women in my life would prepare me, but I was wrong.  The genre aficionados among the horde may find it amusing that I loved it.  Then I hated it.  Then I loved it.  Then I hated…

The basics are a future setting in which there are two classes of humans, normals and g-altereds.  Siobhan is a photographer with cat genes who is being attacked by a man in a night club when James, a University Lecturer, who can stop time comes to her rescue.  From here the first half of the book is their growing passion for each other.  I found it a little tiring and superficial.  Siobhan is supposed to be 28, but she came across as very juvenile to me.

Siobhan becomes pregnant against James’ wishes seemingly destroying their relationship.  I couldn’t help but side with James.  I was clearly too focused on the sci-fi back story of the second class citizenship that the child would be burdened with.   

For me, the climax of the book took place well before the end when Siobhan was having her initial ultrasound.  Virginnia gave us a very exciting moment that had me white knuckling my kindle, but unfortunately, it didn’t last. 

A cat and mouse game follows in which an organization known as the Defense Department takes extreme interest in the former couple and their unborn child.  James and Siobhan come back together, and the book gradually ends.  I think there is a sequel in the works.

The book was short and well written, so you won’t feel it is a total waste of time.  But it is not complete blissful escapism either.  Severed heads is not the best scale for this one, and my feelings are mixed.  So I give Love’s Bright Star by Virginnia de Parte somewhere between 2 and 3 cupid arrows.

Heads Will Roll,

Everette Bell