The Glittering Star is Book 2 in The Sway of the Stars series by Frances Dall’Alba. It is a stand-alone, contemporary romance novel set in the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland.
The Prologue foreshadows the emotional storyline as a heartbroken Lily buries a special gem in a tiny box under a giant Kauri tree by Lake Barrine. Twenty-eight years later Lily sends her daughter, Roberta on a secret mission to find this box, which she is meant to return before unravelling its mystery.
However, Roberta is very wilful and decides to investigate matters herself, leading to unexpected twists and turns. On the journey to the Tablelands, Roberta finds herself handcuffed to Nate during an environmental protest she was attempting to undermine.
This sets the stage for a rather predictable but emotional and (at times) explosive connection between the two characters who oscillate between love and hate. Nate is an environmentalist, so the author underpins the storyline with environmental issues. There is a delicate balance between providing clean energy with wind farms while protecting the beauty of the rainforest and the animals and birds that live there.
There is also a mention of the Treat volunteer organisation as its real-life work in planting native trees is commendable.
I found this book very easy to read, with excellent descriptions of the natural environment which transport the reader to the midst of the beautiful rainforest. I especially loved the magical appearance of the fireflies while Roberta was digging for the mystery box.
Overall, for those who love romance, this book will certainly provide an enjoyable read.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading The Glittering Star by Frances Dall’Alba. You can read their comments below or add your own review.
I am a huge fan of Francés Dall’alba and was delighted be able to read and review The Glittering Star
This story honestly had me hooked from the very start. I laughed, I cried and every page end left me wanting more!
Do yourself a favour and read every story Francés Dall’alba has written because I guarantee you will not be disappointed!
The Glittering Star by Frances Dall’Alba is a very enjoyable romance with family secrets and mystery to keep you engaged.
Roberta travels to Malanda Qld on a mission to dig up a small box her mother buried 28 years ago. Once she finds it her mother promises to tell Roberta the secrets of her past.
Close to her destination Roberta becomes involved with a protest and is mistakenly arrested and handcuffed to an annoying protester, Nate.
Their chemistry is apparent, but what could these two very different characters have in common. Plus the mystery of what is in the box and the secrets of the past, keep you intrigued.
Having been to the Teahouse at Lake Barrine many years ago, I love how environmental issues are woven into Frances’ books. Wind Farms and the importance of their positioning, plus the work TREAT does in revegetation of the rain forests added another dimension for me to think about and appreciate.
This book does not disappoint, it is an excellent read. Five stars.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for allowing me the pop to read The Glittering Star by Frances Dall’Alba.
I was hooked from the very start and with it being an ebook I was able to read it anywhere. I will now be looking up all novels by Frances because she is an amazing author.
Roberta was a character who I didn’t know whether to like or dislike.
She travels to a small town in QLD to dig up a box for her Mum who had buried it over 25 years ago.
Roberta’s mother tells her that she will reveal secrets of the past when she retrieves the box.
After a mistake with police she meets a young man named Nate after she is arrested during a protest she had no part in.
She decides to work at a lovely tea house where the job includes accommodation in a cottage that she will share with one other person .
She soon finds out that Nate will be the person she shares the cottage with.
Even though they think they don’t like each other it is very apparent that there is a lot of chemistry between them.
I highly recommend reading The Glittering Star. I would rate it 5 stars.
Thank you again.
I am happy to admit I am a Frances Dall’Alba fan! I especially love the Queensland settings and that readers come away learning about current environmental issues.
In this contemporary romance Roberta and Nate are brought together as Roberta searches for a box hidden away in the surrounds of Nate’s family’s historical teahouse on Lake Barrine.
The mystery behind the box provides another aspect of the book that helps to hold the reader’s interest.
The musical moments and song titles really positions the readers to connect with the storyline and the emotional roller coaster that the characters find themselves riding.
I would be happy to recommend This Glittering Star – it’s an easy-to-read and satisfyingly enjoyable story!
Who knew a tiny box hidden at the base of a tree could cause so much chaos? Book 2 in the Sway of the Stars series brings this very adventure to our pages and it hooks you immediately- why did Roberta’s Mother Lily bury it, why does she want her daughter to dig it up now? “The Glittering Star” was an easy to read book with great characters and a beautiful back drop of North Queensland. Frances Dall’Alba filled it with suspense, humor, heartbreak and chemistry, it kept me reading as I wanted to know all about the buried box and its secrets!
Roberta is asked by her mother to head up to North Queensland to dig up this box but there’s a few issues as it is at the base of a tree in a National Park. Nate’s family have a tea house that borders the trees and Lake Barrine. There is only one problem Nate and Roberta have already met and ended up handcuffed together after being arrested at an environmental protest that Nate was holding, and Roberta was trying to stop.
This was a contemporary romance, a page turner and I would recommend it. I enjoyed reading about the Environmental issues Nate was so passionate about, the North Qld backdrop was beautifully detailed and I really liked the characters and storyline which was very original.
Great summer time holiday read while hanging by the pool. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!
She’s the no filters chick. Funny, full of life and always ready for a good laugh. Until her mother drops a bombshell.
He’s the environmental warrior. Passionate, driven and determined to save the world. Burnt once before, he’s moving on and doing things his way.
So how did they end up handcuffed together on day one?
Roberta Mintello is sent to North Queensland by her distraught mother, to dig up a small box buried nearly thirty years ago. It’s no help that it’s buried beside giant trees, in a protected national park, on the shores of a stunning lake. Its mystery will only be revealed when the box is returned. How is an impatient Roberta going to hold off that long?
Nate Surrey’s family owns the teahouse that has graced Lake Barrine for nearly one hundred years. When he catches Roberta digging around the bases of the twin monoliths, he demands answers.
Roberta follows no rules, especially the ones telling her to stay away from the drop-dead gorgeous Nate. But the rules change when the box is found. The chemistry ramps up between them, and Roberta shouldn’t have started what she can’t handle.
When the mystery blows up in her face, she’s not prepared for the hurt and lies. Not even Nate can fix it, because she’s not staying long enough to find out.