 Author: Rachel Hauck Genre: Split-Time Romance Pages: 384 Release Date: July 2, 2024 Publisher: Bethany House 1987. Supermodel Harlow Hayes seeks solace in a quaint Florida beach town to heal from a heartbreak that shattered her entire world. To her surprise, she encounters Matt Knight--a Hollywood A-lister with a bad-boy reputation--who has returned to his hometown to help his plucky grandmother, Tuesday, save her century-old skating rink, the Starlight. The Starlight holds a special place in the hearts of the community, once acting as a refuge for Depression-era families and bringing the town together with gatherings and celebrations. Tuesday's determination even protected her beloved rink from her husband's shady business dealings. Yet when the Starlight is threatened with demolition, Tuesday begins to wonder if an era has come to an end. As Matt and Harlow strategize to save the rink, they find themselves on a journey of surprises, self-discovery, and the kind of healing that leads to love.
 Reviewer: Emily Stephens I enjoyed everything about Meet Me at the Starlight. This is the story of a woman (Tuesday) trying to save her beloved skating rink (The Starlight), along with her grandson (Matt) and his new love interest (Harlow). I liked the way the story toggled between the present day (the 80s) and the past (the 30s). The current storyline focuses on the personal issues of Matt and Harlow, as well as their fledgling, slow-burn romance and attempts to save the rink. The older storyline was about Tuesday’s life, marriage, family, and her history with the skating rink. I found all three main characters realistic. They each had history, baggage, and flaws, as well as positive characteristics. The themes of forgiveness and redemption run through the book and affect each character. If I had to pick a favorite character, it would definitely be Tuesday. Her backstory was amazing and complex. This is a woman who had endured a lot, and done so by relying on her strong faith. I liked learning about her past as I also watched her in her fight with the city to save the rink in the present. As a bonus, since the present-day action takes place in the 80s, there were lots of cultural and societal references that I thoroughly enjoyed. I received a review copy courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion. Reviewer: Mindy Houng "Maybe what appears to be random events or accidents is just part of the journey to our destiny." Rachel Hauck indeed has a gift of fusing two storylines and worlds together seamlessly to create a heart-wrenching yet redemptive story. This particular story is part flashback of Tuesday's past in the 1930s and 1940s and part of Tuesday, Matt, and Harlow's intertwined narrative in 1987. There was also an interesting first-person omniscient voice in present tense throughout the storyline, which could have been the town of Sea Blue Beach itself or even possibly Immanuel. I loved learning about the roller skating culture and how Starlight withstood time, war, and economic hardships to be the beacon for the town. I didn't skate while growing up, but now I wish I had spent more time at the rink learning how to roller skate. I loved Matt and his charm, loyalty, compassion, and stardom, though he had plenty of faults. Harlow was completely relatable, and I loved watching her break free from self-pity and doubt to let her strong, brave, and beautiful self shine. Tuesday's faith was incredible, and she modeled what true perseverance and strength look like. It's another perfect summer read from Rachel Hauck. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House via Interviews & Reviews and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own. Reviewer: Tammy Lunsford Life is a journey, and it helps to have something to guide us. You may want to have a box of tissues on hand when you read this emotionally deep novel. I expect a deep story when Rachel Hauck's name is on the cover, and this book has it in spades. This book begins in the 1930s, during the Depression when you are introduced to Tuesday Knight and her family. The chapters go back and forth from the past to the present (which in this case is 1987). Supermodel Harlow Hayes needs a break from the spotlight and her mother, as well as time to heal her broken heart. Sea Blue Beach, Florida, is the perfect place for her to fade into the background. She does not plan on running into her former co-star, Matt Knight. Matt Knight is a hot commodity in Hollywood, with a bad boy reputation that is beginning to soil his name. When he learns that his grandmother, Tuesday, needs help saving her beloved skating rink, the Starlight, he decides he could use a little downtime in Sea Blue Beach, Florida. The Starlight has been a place of refuge for many over the years, including Tuesday. It has also been a place of happiness for this small beach town, as well as for the tourists who have come through over the years. This book has several stories inside of it. Harlow needed to find herself and live for herself instead of always pleasing others. Matt carries a heavy burden from his past that has interfered with his happiness in the present. Finally, we have Tuesday's story. Tuesday was my favorite character. Her heart for helping others was a testament to her true self. She made the best of all circumstances, whether good or bad. She did not complain. She just dealt with whatever life dealt her. All of these characters have true emotional depth, but they are imperfect, which makes them more real to me as the reader. This book was full of nostalgia, memories from the past (some good and some bad), family memories, community, and faith. I laughed and cried while reading this book. I also raged a couple of times, but when all was said and done, I had learned a few lessons as well. I also thoroughly enjoyed all of the 80's references. This would be a wonderful beach read as you go back in time to read about a skating rink, which was so much more than a skating rink. Thank you to Bethany House for this ARC through Interviews & Reviews. I am leaving this review voluntarily.  Reviewer: Raechel Helwig I enjoyed getting to spend time in another Hauck novel. Meet Me at the Starlight is split between the '80s and the '30s and '40s and tells the life stories of Tuesday Knight and Harlow Hayes, as well as Matt Knight. Sea Blue Beach was the setting, but it was almost a character all on its own, which was fun too. I loved the significance of the skating rink, The Starlight, and how important it was to so many people. I've been to a roller skating rink once, and I could relate to Harlow's first time on the skates. It is a fun activity, though, and I admire people who are so skilled at it. Harlow was probably my favorite character. She grew up in a modeling career, but after a devastating heartbreak, she turned to food for comfort, and I appreciated seeing her journey toward healing. Weight gain and using food as a means of comfort is a real struggle, and I thought it was portrayed well here. I also appreciated how she had to find wholeness in God. I think that the faith aspect could have been stronger, though. It was more focused on their once-in-a-lifetime encounters with who they called Immanuel, which happened once for both main characters, than on faith in an everyday way. And most of the faith inclusions were towards the end of the book. I still appreciate that there was any faith at all because it's getting harder to find books with any faith substance in them. But I did feel like some of the ways it was included in this book felt more like a fiction/fantasy thread than real moments of coming to Jesus. The ending of Meet Me at the Starlight was sweet and meaningful, and I enjoyed seeing how everything came together for these characters. This book was provided courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts expressed were entirely my own. Reviewer: Rebecca Maney "Immanuel . . . . He's God with us, and whether you like it or not, He's all we got, Matt. We've seen what man can do, now let's see what God can do." The beloved Starlight . . . . in the name of progress a small Florida beach town is facing a decision . . . do they tear down the dilapidated old skating rink, (an historic symbol of Sea Blue Beach) or rally residents in a crusade to preserve some of life's happiest memories? Tuesday Knight, owner of the building and now in her eighties, is at the epicenter of the entire discussion. When her movie star grandson, and a former runway model both appear in Sea Blue Beach, perhaps what many thought was just an image on a mural, could in fact be . . . . . the key to their success. They just don't know it yet. Everything about this story works; the creative time hops, an extraordinary word flow, the idyllic setting built upon rock rather than sand, the witty, winsome, and wisdom-driven life of a woman who not only survives but thrives during the war-torn Depression, to Matt and Harlow amidst their search for renewal, to minor characters Doc and Dub who make the story not only better, but more authentic. And last but not least, Prince Blue, whose shipwrecked life . . . . . birthed the entire scenario! Put your skates on, it's time to "meet me at the Starlight"! One of my favorite books by this author! I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Interviews and Reviews. The opinions stated above are entirely my own. Reviewer: Monica Huyser
Meet Me at the Starlight by Rachel Hauck is a split-time novel set in the late 1980s and the 1930s and 1940s. It was especially fun for me to read the 1980s storyline, as that was when I was growing up. However, the whole book kept me turning pages. Harlow Hayes came to Sea Blue Beach, Florida, to heal after a bad break-up with her fiance. She has spent much of her life as a fashion model and also starred in a movie. While she is in Florida, she runs into a former co-star, Matt, who also has some healing to do after making his own mistakes. Harlow becomes involved with the star's grandmother, Tuesday, who runs the local skating rink, The Starlight, which may soon be demolished. Part of the book focuses on Tuesday's early relationship with her husband and her sons as she ran the Starlight through the 1930s and 1940s. I admired Tuesday for what she went through and how she kept the skating rink open. I also loved how she helped folks out during the Depression who needed help. She was able to do that because she looked to Immanuel for help. My grandparents ran a roller skating rink when I was little, so I have an idea of what that is like through watching them. While I have never struggled quite like Harlow Hayes with food issues, I could relate to some of her struggles with her weight and her mother. Harlow's mom has pushed her to be a model since she was a child. Since she never had the opportunity to eat junk food, or even much regular food, for that matter, when Harlow suffered a bad breakup, she turned to food. I never experienced anything that extreme, but I remember how "in" it was to be super skinny during that era. I also loved all the references to the stars and movies of the day. I enjoyed seeing the banter between Matt and Harlow and how their relationship developed throughout the book. There is a spiritual storyline running through Meet Me at the Starlight, with themes of redemption and forgiveness. I liked this element a lot. I am not sure how believable Harlow's encounter with Immanuel is, but I liked it. For my honest opinion, I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers via Interviews & Reviews. Leave a Reply. |
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