Meet Me at the Starlight

Starred review from May 1, 2024

Supermodel Harlow Hayes has lost her fianc�, her money, her passion, and her trim waistline--and part of her still wants to give her broken heart back to the man who hurt her. When she retreats to her cottage in Sea Blue Beach, FL, she encounters Tuesday Knight, an octogenarian who runs the town's run-down roller-skating rink. Originally founded by the prince of Lauchtenland and a formerly enslaved person, the Starlight Rink has seen more history than most--housing the homeless during the Great Depression, surviving the mob in midcentury, and giving hundreds of teens jobs and confidence until the late 1980s. When a smooth-talking developer wants to tear down the Starlight, an eclectic group, led by the fearless Tuesday, try to save it; Tuesday also takes Harlow under her wing. VERDICT Hauck (The Best Summer of Our Lives) pulls out all the stops in this heartwarming novel of perseverance and family, with her trademark dual-era nostalgia and mysterious, heaven-sent character. Her loyal fans will also appreciate nods to her "True Blue" series.

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 6, 2024
Hauck (The Best Summer of Our Lives) centers this poignant second-chance romance on a 100-year-old skating rink in the quaint town of Sea Blue Beach, Fla. Over the decades, the Starlight has housed needy families during the Great Depression and hosted countless birthday parties and other events. When the mayor threatens to demolish the Starlight and build a shopping center in its place, the townspeople and the rink’s sprightly 87-year-old owner, Tuesday Knight, band together to save it. Leading the charge are Tuesday’s grandson, movie star Matt Knight, and—somewhat improbably—former supermodel Harlow Hayes, who fled to the Sea Beach house she’d owned with her billionaire ex after he dumped her. Sparks fly between Matt and Harlow, who once costarred in a romantic comedy, but as they battle the mayor and his cronies, issues arise—especially after Matt blabs a secret of Harlow’s during a talk show appearance—and they must repair their trust and put their faith in God to build a future for the Starlight and themselves. Interwoven with flashbacks to the 1930s, when Tuesday’s husband purchased the skating rink for her, Matt and Harlow’s slow-burning romance is brought to life through vivid prose and fine-grained characterization. This love story has charm and depth to spare.

July 1, 2024
Hauck (The Best Summer of Our Lives, 2023) presents a dual-time line tale centered on the Starlight, a skating rink in the town of Sea Blue Beach, Florida, built by a shipwrecked prince in the 1800s and decorated with a mural depicting Immanuel, who he claimed had saved him after a shipwreck. More than 100 years later, the Starlight is in danger of demolition. Tuesday Knight is the owner and believes Immanuel will come through to save it. In 1987, Harlow Hayes, a model once named the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, now broke, overweight, and dumped by her fianc�, finds community at the Starlight. Tuesday's grandson, Matt, a Hollywood leading man, has returned seeking redemption after dangerous hijinks ended his latest movie role. In the 1930s, young wife and mother Tuesday struggles with poverty and fears her husband is involved in organized crime. Standing as a beacon of hope, the Starlight is a fascinating setting, with roller-skating lore adding interest as characters in different eras examine their careers, relationships, and what they truly want in life.

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