When Stars Collide

Second Chance Romance #2

by Sara Furlong Burr

When Stars Collide is a standalone sequel to When Time Stands Still, a multi-award-winning second chance romance.

Mena Straszewski has always lived life on her own terms. After graduating from the prestigious Cogsworth University, she landed her dream job as an editor at a publishing company in Queens, leaving her life in Virginia behind. Years later, having established herself in New York, a turn of events reunites her with her former boyfriend and partner in off-color commentary, Peter Monroe, now a single father still living in Virginia. Everything seems to be falling into place for Mena, until one by one, the dominoes of her life begin to fall.

Heartbroken after their long-distance relationship forces Peter to break up with her, Mena’s life is thrown off course in ways no amount of planning could have prepared her for, and straight into the path of Phineas Drake. Phineas Drake is handsome, charismatic, and one of the most eligible bachelors in New York City. He also happens to be the founder of Drake Publishing and Mena’s boss.

Between red carpet events and luxury penthouses, Phineas shows Mena a life she could only imagine before. But just as she’s beginning to move on, Peter finds his way back to her, and for the first time in her life, Mena is rendered indecisive; torn between the life she always wanted and the one she never knew she needed.

Genres: Romance, Fiction

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 17, 2020

About the author

Sara Furlong Burr is an award-winning author of romcoms filled with angst, heartbreak, and a sprinkle of laughs. She was born and raised in Michigan and currently still lives there with her husband, two daughters, a lively corgi that closely resembles a sack of potatoes, three judgmental cats, and a hedgehog named Juniper who's almost as antisocial as she is. When she's not writing, Sara enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with her family, using her treadmill as a clothes hanger, and mindlessly scrolling through TikTok and Instagram. She's also an advocate for melanoma awareness, having been diagnosed with stage 1b melanoma in 2017.

Join Sara's readers group on Facebook for the latest updates on future books: https://www.facebook.com/groups/29500...

Other Ways To Follow Sara:

https://linktr.ee/authorsarafurlongburr

Twitter: @Sarafurlong

Instagram:@authorsarafurlongburr

TikTok: @authorsarafurlongburr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSaraFu...

Website: https://www.sarafurlongburr.com

Sign up for her newsletter: https://sarafurlongburr.com/newslette...

Reviews

[Ellie Yarde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book as soon as I had finished book 1, which was a couple of months ago. Unfortunately, I never got around to reading this one until this week. This book was one that I have been waiting to get around to reading for ages, so I decided I would start reading it before I went to bed, that I would dedicate a little time to it each day so I would have time to read it. This lead to some late nights because I didn't want to put the book down.

Book 1 is focused on Elle – this book focuses on her sarcastic and loud best friend, Mena. Mena's snarky comments and witty remarks, however, act as a shield for her to hide behind. She had issues, problems, and she is largely unhappy with many aspects of her life. Her boyfriend, Peter, lives far away from her and the long distance thing doesn't seem to be working too well. On the other hand, her job is going phenomenally, and her boss, Phineas, does not hold back on compliments about her work.

With Elle's happiness on the rise, with her boyfriend proposing and therefore a wedding to plan, Mena's seems to take a downward turn. Her relationship issues go from bad to worse, and she finds herself with difficult decisions to make, with life changing outcomes.

Unlike book 1, this book is not a dual timeline novel, but it didn't need it. Mena's life is very different from Elle's, and their problems stem from different things. This book, like book 1, has themes of illness and recovery, as well as realisation about what is going wrong in Mena's life as she tries to figure out how to fix things and make her life whole again.

Naturally, I am a very sarcastic person, so Mena's personality was one that I really enjoyed reading about. In addition to this, Peter is also someone who, on the surface, doesn't take things completely seriously. Peter was one of my favourite characters, and throughout everything that happens, I kept finding myself rooting for him and Mena. They fit each other perfectly. Another character I absolutely adored was Jackson, Peter's son. Jackson is a small version of Peter, and putting a young, sarcastic child in the vicinity of Mena, who has no control over the words that leave her mouth, many of which are not child friendly, may be the recipe for disaster, but Mena clearly adores Jackson, and the feeling is mutual. Despite not being good around children, Jackson takes to Mena like a duck to water, and their relationship was absolutely lovely to read about.

I can't say much about this book without giving away a lot of the plot, as there are a lot of twists and turns, and talking about some of the relationships would completely give away different aspects of the story, which I don't want to do. What I will do, though, is say that I recommend you grab both a copy of this book and book 1, and give them both a read, especially if you're a fan of romances!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mena has to be one of my favorite characters of all time with her balance of irreverent humor with heart, and by the way prepare to have yours broken a little in this book. Mena has long been in love with Peter, though their relationship has been always long distance because of her career in New York and his job and son in Virginia. They’ve managed to make it work however until a series of events cause Peter to break things off with her.

Waiting in the wings is her boss Phineas who had harbored a secret interest in Mena prior to her breakup with Peter. At first Mena is uncertain of the wisdom of a romantic entanglement with him, but eventually she decides she has to move past Peter and explore the possibilities of a new relationship with Phineas. They share a lot of interests and living in the same city is an obvious advantage but there is always a part of her that still loves Peter so it is no surprise that she at last has to choose between the two. Which love wins out? You will have to read it and find out for yourself!

Should you read this book? Well, duh. It is written by Sara and it has Mena so that’s a given! Should you read “Time” first? Absolutely yes, I’m a big proponent of starting from the beginning plus you can’t truly understand the emotional depth of one of the subplots in “Stars” which made me cry like a baby! In tandem they deliver a sucker punch to your emotions but it is a journey you won’t regret!!

A huge thank you to Sara for the opportunity to read this early, though as alway all opinions are my own!

[Sassy Southern Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!!! Get ready to be taken on one heck of an emotional roller Coaster ride because this book will have you feeling ALL of the feels! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mena and I am so excited to get my hands on her story. She is such a great character and had me laughing out loud more than once. However, my heart broke for her when she was faced with being forced between making a decision between her handsome has hell boss and her ex. I was genuinely torn myself about who I wanted her to end up with at the end of this story.

The writing, the story line and the characters are all amazing. The chemistry between the characters is off the charts and I was hooked from the moment I started reading because I was dying to know how everything was going to work out.
This is a must read book for sure! Just make sure you read book 1 first so that really get the full story of what is happening with all of the characters. Trust me, it will make you love this story even more.

By Alisa

[Tanja OMGReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was interesting read. What I find funny is how many times I rolled my eyes but still managed to loved this book. I can't even tell you what bother me I just now that SOMETHING did.

Mena was a great female character. She was funny, smart, capable and taking no-shit from anyone. I lov d the way she held her head high and wouldn't let many see her weaknesses. As for Peter; I kinda understood his reasoning for breaking up with her but I didn't like them. It probably heped his case that he was miserable without her. And Phineas; was also a great man and if he doesn't get a HEA I'm never reading Sara F. Burr book again (#nopressure)

***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads Giveaway Win

First and foremost, wow! I greatly appreciated the characters and their personalities. I found myself riding the emotional rollercoaster along with the characters. The book is a splendid read! I recommend it to anyone who wants more of a real feel.
On a side note, Mena, dear, dear Mena. I felt a true bond with her. It's so fare to find these personality traits written into a book. There has to be someone in the life of this author who resembles Mena otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to be so spot on! With that being said, it was fantastic to finally read a book that included someone with my very own traits!
Loved this book!!! Do yourself a favor, and read it!

[Imfullybooked2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVE this book!!


This book has everything...that will make you LOL and cry like a baby. Love the banters/lines and the connection/relationship between the characters. You will be an emotional wreck at the end....happy sad all at the same time. I think as well I learned about relationships...how to deal with situations/heartbreaks/second chances or third or forth. This book makes you think. DEFINITE MUST READ! Don't forget a tissue box.

[Dee Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely not just another romance book. This book is funny, touching and well written. I loved all the characters, they were so normal. Not fairy tale, real life. I'm not a huge romance reader, but this book is by far the best I've read in a long time.

I was given an ARC for honest review.

[Spunky N Sassy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spunky N Sassy Rating: 5.0

~~~~~~~~~~Lindsey's ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review~~~~~~~~~~

Awesome Book

I absolutely loved this book. I was hooked from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. This book is a must read.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mena is TOTALLY someone I would want to be best friends with! Her sarcasm and sense of humor, making jokes at inappropriate moments, she's a girl after my own heart! I did not read the first book, but this story was easy to follow along with thanks to flashbacks and explanations. I really enjoyed this book and the characters.

[Fvalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Mena and Peter

You realky have to read the first book in this series in order to understand this couple. There is so much I could say about this book, but the only thing really I need to say is that this will not be the last book I read from this author.

[Heather Rakowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! Where do I ever begin! Sigh....this story had me all over the place emotionally....in a good way. I think this was the most true to real life story I have read in a long time. The characters had a lot of depth and connection to them. There was a lot of interconnecting storylines that just when I thought one plotline was completed another one popped up. True to reality. I usually tell people that my life is stranger than fiction due to all the things that I have gone though. Well, that is what I felt like reading Mena's story. We start out with her and her college boyfriend Peter watching their best friends Elle and Luke finding their way back to each other....getting their second chance at love. Then through the course of the story Mena & Peter who had just found their way back to each other lose their way. As if that wasn't bad enough, Mena has to watch her friends be blissfully happy while her world falls apart in so many many ways. Peter isn't any worse for wear either. Mena tries to move on. But sometimes there are forces in the universe that work beyond our control. You can't stop a shooting star. I really don't want to give away the story. Believe me you want to read & experience this for yourself. I honestly laughed my butt off and had my heart broken and brought to both happy and sad tears while reading this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I received a free copy and am leaving an honest review.

[Jasmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a kindle copy for review, all opinions are my own. This review may contain spoilers.

Liked this book. It was an enjoyable and quick read. I wasn't aware that this was part of a series. Perhaps if I'd read the first book in the series I would feel differently about this one and might have rated it higher. I never really got invested or connected to the story. So I never went on that emotional rollercoaster that I've seen others say they experienced with this book. To me, the plot wasn't always very realistic and I think that's something that turned me off to it. I found it to be either too slow or rushed. Nonetheless, the story was sweet and I had a good time with it.

Mena was one of my favorite characters of course. She was fun and relatable. She was flawed and, dare I say it, quirky in her way. She definitely made me laugh a lot and I really liked her. I liked her relationships and interactions with her friends like Jo and Elle, and of course with Phineas as well.

I wasn't a big fan of Peter. To be honest he annoyed me. I was team Phin from the beginning. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not a big fan of love triangles. It really depends on execution. In this case, the author didn't do a bad job but it didn't stand out to me. I did feel bad for the character that wasn't chosen in the end though. I felt that of the two pairings, Mena and Phineas had much more chemistry than she and Peter.

I'm giving this book 3 stars. I enjoyed it but It didn't stand out to me or leave a lasting impression. Of course, I suggest that if you haven't read it, you do so and make up your own mind about it.

[Silvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was completely blown away by this book! And I didn’t even read the first! It’s now on my TBR, though. From what I gathered, the first book is Elle’s story and this one is Mena’s. Right from the very beginning, Mena had me in the palm of her hands with her snarky wit and brash one liners. That’s all it took to reel me in. Let me be very clear, Mena is an unforgettable character, one I happened to think was awesome.

The thing I loved most about this book was that it felt so real. It deals with real life issues and conflict. Of course everyone loves a fairytale, but there’s nothing better than a character that you unexpectedly feel a kinship with, handle her heartbreak and her struggles and keep moving forward no matter how much it hurts.

While I adored Mena, both Peter and Phineas gave me moments of happiness and then disappointed frustration. I can’t tell you that I was rooting for one of them specifically, but I’ll say that I was devastated for the guy that ends up with a broken heart. There were so many highs and lows, quite a few tissue box moments and plenty of moments that had me cracking up!

* I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Mary Tippett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is one of my favourites -- her sense of humour absolutely shines through the main character, Mena. I lost count of how many "LOLs" I wrote in the margins of this book. As much as I enjoyed the author's first book, I absolutely loved this one... (Warning: spoilers coming. Do not read further if you want to avoid spoilers.)

...Until Mena made the wrong choice. Full disclosure, I do not usually read love triangle romances. Also, I now see the parenthetical "Second Chance Romance" by the title on goodreads. (Insert face palm here.) Had I been more observant, I might have avoided the sinking feeling in my stomach that began at about 3/4 of the book in and morphed into panic-laced anxiety through the epilogue. As another reviewer commented, I was on team Phin from the start. I didn't feel the chemistry between Peter and Mena at all. In fact, I kind of skimmed much of the beginning of the book because I wasn't feeling it. Then when Phin entered the scene, I understood why I didn't feel it. Phin was "the one!" The fact he had been hurt before made me extra sure that Mena would not be the one to break his heart after he opened up to her. Honestly, I am still grieving here! (This is some powerful writing that can produce such powerful feelings.)

That said, and personal preferences aside, Sara Furlong Burr is a force to be reckoned with as far as writing goes. Other reviews hint at Phin getting his own happy ending in the next book. My fingers are crossed. Perhaps my heart will stop aching between now and then... *sniff*

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I signed on to read 'When Stars Collide' I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I wasn't disappointed. For the most part. To say that Mena is a colorful character would be a serious understatement, and I adore her. When the story begins Mena is a seemingly good relationship with her long distance boyfriend, Peter. Over time they begin to run into some problems and rather than voicing his doubts and insecurities to Mena, Peter breaks her heart and ends their relationship. Enter Phineas, Mena's boss, who was on the periphery of the story but then plays a larger role. He begins to help Mena heal and in turn begins to live again. I was really rooting for them after Peter seemingly blew it, but alas, it would seem that Mena and I felt differently. She finds her happily ever after, and while it was a very sweet ending... part of me was really hoping she'd end up with Phineas. I'm hoping this author writes his happy ending next because if ever there was a character who deserves one! I hope the supporting characters make an appearance in future stories because the witty banter was great. Mena's deliberate inability to call Violet by her actual name brought a few chuckles as well.

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mena thought her life was perfect with her dream job, and her long distance boyfriend. Peter. Things take a turn with Peter breaking things off, though that event made a way for Phineas to actually try to make a go of it with Mena, though he was her boss. He had been harboring a secret crust on her, so Peter really screwed the pooch on this one. Just when Mena is starting to move on, Peter comes back into her life wanting another chance which kind of angered me because why the hell do men do that crap?! Now my poor strong girl is torn between two men, which had my emotions out to play though I had my favorite. There's chemistry in spades with Mena & each man making it harder to choose, so yeah, I couldn't put it down until I saw how it all played out. Not only was there some big time angst, and super sexy times, there's also humor which had me laughing out loud more than once. So please hit those one click buttons to see who Mena chooses! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ebook copy of When Stars Collide through Goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.

For anyone who noticed that this is the second book in a series, I will start off by saying it can be read as a stand alone. The first book focuses on Elle and Luke, where this book focuses on Mena and Peter. Obviously there are some overlaps, but the first book is not necessarily needed for the second.

It did take me a little while to read this book. I enjoyed it, but the beginning was a little slower and didn't hold my attention as much as the later half. It is an easier read with a love triangle. I am not going to lie that I did switch between team Peter and team Phineas a couple times, but I am happy with the happy ending Sara Burr created. I was resistant at first, but it seems she went with the best course for Mena and in the end, I would pick this book back up again. It may not be my go to genre or my go to book, but this is a nice book for a beach or even just when I need an easy read.

[Arti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written in first person from the point of view of Mena and so, we get to witness her feelings, her relationship with her family and her friends. I loved Mena and her spontaneity. I loved her sense of humour. The story was realistic with all the conflicts and stresses. I liked how we just did not read Mena’s story but also read Elle’s story. Her confusion was palpable and this is one story in which I was rooting for both Phineas and Peter, because I wanted Mena to be happy.
The secondary characters have also been given a lot of importance in the book and that real helps the story grow better.
This book would be enjoyed more if the previous book ‘When Time stands still’ is read before, because it gives an idea of what happened before. I must confess that I liked Elle’s story more.

[J.C. Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found. Lost. Found. Lost. Then...

This is the sequel to when When Time Stands Still. It takes up after the first book, but this time tells Mena and Peter's story. The story is honest and filled with real life events. We'd probably all like life & love to be a fairytale, but instead it's hard, messy and often makes you stupid things you can't take back. And by the time you find the courage to try, it's too late; your happily ever after has moved on without you. So what do you do then? Guess you'll have to read it for yourself and find out.

[Jenna Whalen · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own.*

This was a nice follow-up to Furlong Burr's first book. I liked getting to know more about Mena and Peter, and their relationship, along with also getting to know Luke and Elle more. Quite a few big events took place in this book, and unfortunately came across more as ways to move the plot along rather than big parts of the story even though they easily could have been. Still, this story was fun and sweet with a likeable group of characters.

[Cassie Ashford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tugs on the heart strings! When Peter broke Mena’s heart after reconnecting again I was ready to smack the crap out of him. The going gets tough and he just gives in?! Ugh!

There will be a HEA. I can’t say much more without spoiling it but I hope there is another book next because a certain mister hooked me and I want to see more!

[Becky Ballenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mena and Peter’s Love Story is one for the ages!!!! I loved every single second of these books!!! You have to read both books for these two!!!! Their love is like no other!!!! What a phenomenal story!!!!! Sara Furlong Burr did an absolutely brilliant job!!! I will definitely be reading more from her!!!!!

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very well written, but the plot was a little far fetched and ridiculous at some points. Some of the development was too slow, while in other parts it was way too quick and difficult to follow the reasoning of the characters. However, it was a good read!

**I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

[Jasmyne Channel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me to be honest. It was a good plot and I enjoyed all the characters storylines. I was rooting for the other guy in the end but I'm still satisfied with the ending. The reason I did 4 stars rather than 5 stars were it was quite wordy at places and was a little longer in places than it needed to be.

[Lostintime · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice reading which remembered me why I do not like love triangles very much.

If the author does a good job (and here she did) you end up rooting for both contenders and unhappy for the one left behind.

I really hope Ms Furlong Burr will give a HEA to the lover left behind he deserved (personally in my view more than the one who has been chosen).

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads Kindle Copy Win

It’s a rollercoaster love story that is on and off. It is a wild ride of letting go after time een when things bring you unexpected back and a love that somehow endures. Sometimes you just do not have a say in your future.

A enjoyable read that goes by quickly.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a super cheesy and mostly enjoyable romance. It’s about a book editor who’s in a long distance relationship and is also attracted to her boss. There are a fair number of twists and almost all of them are believable.

[Jane Gundogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realise this was part of a series, as a stand alone it was easy to read without the need for background information. I will admit I was gunning for Phin but the relationship between Mena and Peter was off the chart. Let's just say this was an emotional rollercoaster ride from the git go! Great secondary characters (MC from book 1).

Very enjoyable. First book now on my TBR.

* I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Melissa B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was cheesy, slow-paced, funny, a second chance romance and it had a love triangle.
It's well-written but a bit too far fetched.
I'm voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a copy from Hidden Arcs. 

[Ryanne Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An almost perfect chic lit/romance. I didn’t read the first one but I didn’t feel I was missing anything. This def stands alone and was a great book!