Astronauts of Romance: A Review of Beyond the Stars by Evelyn Latrice

Aug 4
2 min read

Updated: Aug 5

“Y'all should have been some damn astronauts with all this space stuff. We've been to the moon and beyond the stars. Now you're telling me we're going from Venus and waking up on Mars.” When I read To the Moon last year, I never imagined it would change my literary experience forever. The portal it has opened to these amazing characters just keeps getting better.

Beyond the Stars is a coming-of-age love story that doubles as an insta-love tale. The main characters, Qamar and Siasia, hail from drastically different worlds, but that doesn't stop them from colliding and making readers fall in love.

“You trying to take me to the moon, Qamar?” Siasia asked, wrapping her arms around his waist and craning her neck up at him. Gently, he pecked her nose. “Nah, mama, beyond the stars.” He smiled, melting her resolve and walls even more.

Siasia (pronounced C-Asia or Sea-Asia) is my favorite type of main character—a stripper with dreams (squeals). Her life is unconventional, like most strippers, but the strip club isn't her final destination, only a pit stop (again, like most strippers). Her life is forever changed when a handsome stranger whispers sweet nothings in her ear: “I'm paying double tonight.” And like the Cinderella she is, nothing was ever the same. Siasia's life lessons prevent her from taking Qamar at face value, but when she finally does, the journey is swoon-worthy.

“When it's just the two of us, you follow my lead. Here, I make all the rules. I tell you when to come, how many times you can come, and how much of me you'll take. Do you understand?”

Qamar (pronounced like Shamar but with a Q) is at a pivotal point in his life. He's trying to find himself without being overshadowed by the wants and needs of his family. Being a two-time baby daddy isn't making his quest any easier. When he meets Siasia and falls so hard for her, his family starts to wonder if he'll ever get his life together, not realizing that his puzzle is more intricate than any of them could have ever foreseen.

“These were the moments that Siasia cherished, capturing the vulnerability that made him human—a stark contrast to the superstar image the world often saw. He was more than that; he was Superman.”

This is only my second read by Evelyn Latrice, and this book definitely makes me want to explore more of her work. Not just about these characters, but more from her entire catalog. The way the chemistry between these characters leaps from the pages tells me there's something special about her writing. I loved the evolution of these characters; it was a bit toxic but romantic nonetheless. A five-star read for me!

Catch the Beyond the Stars vibe!