When the Stars Lead to You
Author: Ronni Davis
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: November 12th, 2019
Pages: 400
My Rating: ★★★★

Eighteen-year-old Devon longs for two things. The stars. And the boy she fell in love with last summer. When Ashton breaks Devon’s heart at the end of the most romantic and magical summer ever, she thinks her heart will never heal again. But over the course of the following year, Devon finds herself slowly putting the broken pieces back together. Now it’s senior year, and she’s determined to enjoy every moment of it as she prepares for a future studying the galaxies. That is, until Ashton shows up on the first day of school. Can she forgive him and open her heart again? Or are they doomed to repeat history? From debut author, Ronni Davis, comes a stunning novel about passion, loss, and the power of first love.
A girl falls in love for the first time to someone who has depression.
I was very excited to read When the Stars Lead to You because the cover caught my eye. It's one of the prettiest covers that I have ever seen. The story is all about a girl named Devon who is a very type-A student and person. She dreams of being an astrophysicist and loves everything about the stars. 

One day, while on vacation she meets the boy of her dreams. Devon and Ashton immediately fall for each other and embark on a whirlwind romance. The story conveys all the ups and downs of falling in love for the first time. Both characters were extremely relatable. Ashton struggles with major depression and it starts affecting their relationship. As someone who struggles with depression, I related to both characters. I am also a very type-A person. In high school, there were many times that I overworked myself like Devon does throughout the book. My first relationship/love ended a lot like how the characters did in the book. 

I enjoyed seeing the contrast between the two characters. How depression not only affects the person dealing with mental health issues but how it also affects loved ones and relationships. There are a lot of triggers in this book though... So don't go into reading it if you do not have a strong mindset to read anything dealing with depression, suicide, etc. 

Devon is a very determined character. She dreams of becoming a scientist. Most of the book is her preparing for college. I loved seeing the troubles that are presented when applying for college and all the waiting you have to endure. The book also deals with dysfunctional families and racism. I felt for Ashton so much while reading. There were times when I wanted to punch his parents. Even in modern times, there is racism. Especially where money is concerned. The novel portrayed that very well. 

This isn't your average young adult romance novel and the plot has a lot of substance behind it. The hard topics were dealt with extremely well and not one time did it feel forced like so many other young adult novels. This was Ronni Davis' first novel and I cannot wait to see what she writes in the future. Her writing was so beautiful and seamless. 

The ending was beautiful and very realistic. I loved reading the author's note at the end. This made the book and plot all the more powerful to read. Thank god for a realistic ending in a young adult romance for once! I was very emotional while reading this book. There were times that I was more invested in the plot and others that I didn't care much for. That's the only reason why I did not give this book five stars. I reserve my five-star books for my absolute favorite books. However, I did love this story. Thank you, to Ronni Davis, The FFBC, and the publisher for a finished copy to review! 
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Ronni Davis grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where she tried her best to fit in—and failed miserably. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a BA in Psychology, she worked in insurance, taught yoga, and became a cat mom. Now she lives in Chicago, where by day she copy edits everything from TV commercials to billboards, and by night she writes contemporary YA about brown girls falling in love. When she’s not writing, you can catch her playing the Sims, eating too much candy, or planning her next trip to Disney World.