Swearing Off Stars, by Danielle M. Wong

Right off the bat, I have to say that Danielle M. Wong’s Swearing Off Stars is a hugely frustrating book. It tells the story of Lia Cole and Scarlett Daniels as they struggle to have a romantic relationship in a world that emphatically does not approve of homosexuality. We follow them from the day they meet in 1919 to 1949 as they meet and part and chase each other between England, the United States, and Hong Kong. Though they love each other, Scarlett just can’t believe that they be together.

Swearing Off Stars focuses mostly on Lia Cole. Lia and Scarlett meet when Lia begins her first semester at Oxford. Lia is a shy American who has a hard time coping with the hostility of Oxford’s male students and the unpleasant family she’s staying with. Scarlett comes to Lia’s rescue that first morning and they are instantly intrigued by each other. We see them slowly fall in love, only to run headlong into the wall of Scarlett’s fear of being in an open lesbian relationship in 1919.

I can understand Scarlett’s fear—at least at the beginning of the novel. After Scarlett ends their relationship the first time, a heartbroken Lia returns to New York. The years start to race by in the novel as Lia finishes her degree, build a career, and find a measure of happiness with another woman. She and Scarlett meet once before World War II, but Lia and I ran into that wall again. It’s only after the war that they get a real chance at being together—only to run into an even bigger problem.

When I finished Swearing Off Stars, I was tempted to throw the book across the room. (I refrained because I was reading it on my iPad.) I was so angry at the way the book ended. I’m not sure who I would recommend it to, other than to readers who like miserable love stories. This was very much not a book for me.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration. It will be released 3 October 2017.