Viki, short for Viktoria with a K, serves drinks in a dive bar in a mining town on a barely habitable moon. Her life of quiet desperation changes when she discovers she is an heir to a fortune on the halcyon planet below. She quickly adapts to a new lavish style of life, but there is the nagging problem that a killer is stalking everyone named in the will. Can she trust any of her new beaus? In The Stars Between Us, Cristen Terrill has written a Hallmark Channel romantic mystery in science fiction clothing. I, of course, would like it better if the sci-fi elements were more front and center. ( )

A fun, different, and unique space romance in a dystopian world/setting. This was not my usual read, but it was pretty good. If you like enemies to lovers, dystopian societies, conspiracies, independent and strong-willed women, cinnamon roll boys, mystery, thrills, drama, and twists, then you'll love this book.
Vika is a girl that's grown up making ends meet by chipping in her earnings from being a barmaid. It wasn't always that way, though. She and her family used to be in the more elite class before things went badly for them and they fell down the totem pole in society. Sky is another interesting character and Ariel is too. How all of them meet and what happens with them and their dynamics are another interesting part of everything. It was a quick read that kept my interest and I enjoyed it a lot and would recommend it.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for letting me read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

Viktoria Hale, known as Vika, lives on the planet Philomenus, which is controlled by its nearby sister planet Ploutos. The Philomenis barely get by, mostly by working as menials for the wealthy people of Ploutos who pay for their daily travel by ferry between the two planets. The trip each way is less than an hour thanks to the invention of the hydrino fission reactor by Rigel Chapin, now the richest man on Ploutos.

As the story begins, Rigel Chapin has just been found dead, and his will shockingly specified that his son Leo would get all of his billions only if he married Vika. Vika had never met Leo, and only had encountered Rigel once when she was a child. Something about her appealed to Rigel back then, and he studied her over the years, deciding that she was the one he wanted for Leo’s wife.

Vika’s life thus suddenly turns upside down, not once, but twice. Before she could even adjust mentally to what all this meant, it turned out that Leo Chapin, on his way back to Ploutos from abroad, was on an airship that exploded mid-journey, killing all aboard.

Vika thought her inheritance was lost before it was even realized. As outraged as she had been over the manipulation by Chapin, she couldn’t deny the idea of money had been overwhelmingly appealing.

Then Vika had a third upheaval in her life. She was summoned to Ploutos to meet the next inheritors in line to Chapin, a married couple who acted as Chapin’s former housekeeper and handyman. They invited Vika to come live with them in the Chapin penthouse and share in their good fortune. She accepted, and began to live the life of luxury she always dreamed about. Moreover, there were several men from Ploutos who found her attractive for various reasons, and wanted to marry her.

But being rich, which had great advantages in terms of comfort, was not as wonderful as she thought it would be. She saw lots of shallow and greedy behavior, and didn’t know whom around her she could trust. Moreover, whoever wanted Leo Chapin dead was not done trying to get rid of the benefactors of his fortune.

Evaluation: This sci-fi/romance/thriller is directed at the young adult market, but I think it has broader appeal. It’s not too complex (a plus); somewhat predictable (not necessarily a minus); and has an outcome that will please most readers. ( )

This feels less like space opera and more like something with a 'Prince and the Pauper' flavor, but reversed. There are plenty of twists and intriguing moments to hold a reader's attention and keep their fingers turning pages. I read it in one afternoon and found it quite satisfying. ( )

Vika Hale has grown up on the struggling planet of Philomenus. Dirty air from pollution fills the air, there is no reliable energy resource, and most of the residents live paycheck to paycheck and are uneducated, serving as the working class for the nearby planet, Ploutos. Vika, however, was given an exceptional education by an unknown benefactor. Now, the unknown benefactor has passed and he has named Vika as the wife for his son in his will. In order for Leo Cashin to inherit his father's legacy, he must marry the girl his father wants. Vika's life is turned upside down as she imagines a life of luxury on Plutonius, but she must decide if she wants to give up her life for a stranger. Although, just before Vika and Leo meet a tragedy strikes that will change Vika's path once again.
The Stars Between Us is a sci-fi romance that hits on economic disparity. I was really interested in Philomenus and Ploutus, how they were colonized and how they became so disparate. The information about the planets is dispersed throughout the story, but I could have used a little more background. Vika's character is very interesting, she is not exactly the most likable person, but her strong-willed, stubborn nature and tendency to go after what she wanted were the traits that her benefactor admired. Vika's feelings about potentially being rich and having the life she has always dreamed of were understandable; however, it seemed that she was ungrateful when the opportunity was handed to her. Vika's relationship with Sky also seemed unbalanced, I was rooting for them, but wasn't sure why Sky was so entranced. Overall, an interesting science fiction romance with a lot of drama and some twists that shows the impact of money, greed and choosing your own destiny.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )