Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks

I finished this book back in October and haven’t stopped recommending it since—which is my official sign that it’s time to sit down and break down what worked, what didn’t, and why I’m still thinking about it. (And to be fair, the “didn’t” is a very small piece of the puzzle.)

Honestly, this was one of the hardest books to rate all year. It is the ultimate emotional rollercoaster of a reading experience: an absolutely stunning, addictive opening, a middle that dragged me through the mud and nearly pushed me to DNF, and an ending that completely wrecked me and had me wanting to flip straight back to page one.

Here is how my relationship with this story played out:

The Beginning: Head Over Heels

Picture this: two strangers each stumble onto a mysterious book, and that book happens to be about the other person. Della is reading Ansel’s life. Ansel is reading Della’s. Neither of them knows the other is doing the exact same thing, and as the reader, you get to watch the whole thing unfold like the best-kept secret in the world.

I was completely hooked within the first few pages. The opening has that exact buzz of a late-night conversation you never want to end—the kind where you tell yourself “okay, just one more message” and suddenly it’s 3:00 a.m. Della and Ansel were so magnetic from a distance that I spent the entire first stretch practically begging the pages to just put them in the same room already.

The Middle: The “We Need to Talk” Era

Eventually, Della writes herself into Ansel’s book and lands right in front of him—the exact reunion I had been campaigning for! And somehow, that is the precise moment the book and I started to drift apart.

My main issue comes down to structure and pacing:

• Lost Momentum: The opening thrived on its dual perspective. Living in both of their heads—especially getting Ansel’s daily routine—was half the fun. The second Della arrived in his world, his side of the story went quiet, the romance that had me in a chokehold shrank into the background, and the pacing slowed to a crawl.
• An Unwanted Detour: Meanwhile, a mystery subplot crept in. I’m sure it served a larger purpose, but it never grabbed me. It felt like a side quest I didn’t sign up for, and without the central romance carrying the momentum, I just couldn’t bring myself to care how it turned out.

I stuck it out strictly for the sake of the relationship, even though I was seriously eyeing the DNF button.

The Ending: The Grand Gesture

And then, right when I was ready to walk away, the ending showed up and fixed everything.

I won’t spoil a single detail, because you deserve to experience it cold, but I will say this: I was an absolute mess. Full-on tears, audible gasping, and pages turning faster than my brain could keep up. The payoff was so emotionally satisfying that it retroactively made the slow middle stretch worth enduring. The second I closed the book, I wanted to go right back to the beginning and read it all over again with fresh eyes.

Portal fantasy is actually a brand-new subgenre for me to dip my toes into, so I am beyond thrilled my first taste of it ultimately proved to be worth the trip.

The Verdict

If you are a fan of time-travel or portal romances—or you’re new to the subgenre like me and want an ending that leaves you completely speechless—this needs to be on your TBR immediately.

Here’s the problem: the opening ran on a double view. We lived in both of their heads, and Ansel’s daily routine was half the fun. The second Della showed up in his world, his side of the story went quiet. The romance that had me so hooked shrank down to almost nothing, and the pace slowed to a crawl.

Meanwhile, a mystery crept in. I’m sure it had its reasons, but it never grabbed me. It felt like a side quest I didn’t sign up for, and without the romance to carry me, I just didn’t care how it turned out. I stuck it out for the sake of the relationship, but I was seriously eyeing the exit.

End: The Grand Gesture

And then, just when I was about to walk away, the ending showed up and fixed everything.

I won’t spoil a single thing, but I’ll say this: I was a mess. Tears, gasping, pages turning faster than my brain could keep up. It was so good that it made the slow stretch feel worth enduring, and the moment I finished, I wanted to go right back to the start and experience it again with fresh eyes.

Portal fantasy romance is one of my favorite things, so I’m thrilled this one ended up worth the trip.

The Verdict

This book is perfect for fans of time travel/portal romances, and endings that leave you speechless. I think my rating is a 3.5 because I wasn’t a fan of the historical aspect but I loved the writing style and travel aspects

Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks