The Stars Too Fondly
In her breathtaking debut--part space odyssey, part sapphic rom-com--Emily Hamilton weaves a suspenseful, charming, and irresistibly joyous tale of fierce friendship, improbable love, and wonder as vast as the universe itself.
So, here's the thing: Cleo and her friends really, truly didn't mean to steal this spaceship.
They just wanted to know why, twenty years ago, the entire Providence crew vanished without a trace. But then the stupid dark matter engine started all on its own, and now these four twenty-somethings are en route to Proxima Centauri, unable to turn around, and being harangued by a snarky hologram that has the face and attitude of the ship's missing captain, Billie.
Cleo has dreamt of being an astronaut all her life, and Earth is kind of a lost cause at this point, so this should be one of those blessings in disguise that people talk about. But as the ship gets deeper into space, the laws of physics start twisting, old mysteries come crawling back to life, and Cleo's initially combative relationship with Billie turns into something deeper and more desperate than either woman was prepared for.
Lying somewhere in the subspace between science fantasy and sapphic rom-com, The Stars Too Fondly is a soaring near-future adventure about dark matter and alternate dimensions, leaving home and finding family, and the galaxy-saving power of letting yourself love and be loved.
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Emily Hamilton is a science fiction author who writes about women kissing in space. She is also an award-winning staff writer at the alt-weekly newspaper Seven Days. She lives in Burlington, Vermont, with her wife and their tiny dog Mimi.
"Emily Hamilton's The Stars Too Fondly begins as a quippy heist with an endearing cast, then evolves into a space comedy that has as many thoughtful explorations of the inner-workings of dark matter as the - equally complicated - relationships that make up a found family. This highly self-aware novel prioritizes care and connection, without sacrificing any of the fun of space (mis)adventure. Because sometimes saving the world starts with saving each other. I cannot wait to see readers who love Tamsyn Muir's Gideon and Harrow go absolutely feral for Cleo and Billie." -- Micaiah Johnson, author of The Space Between Worlds
"Funny and charming, The Stars Too Fondly perfectly balances Starfleet "can do" attitude, punk swagger, and cozy rom-com vibes. Emily Hamilton's debut is a wildly original tale that feels cozy and epic at the same time. My Trekkie heart adored it." -- Mike Chen, New York Times bestselling author of A Quantum Love Story
"Heartpounding, heartwarming, and flat-out fantastic, this book is as brilliant and beautiful as the stars! I laughed, I cried, I cheered -- I absolutely loved it! A new favorite!"
-- Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Bone Maker
"A perfect hope-punk science fantasy that reminds me of Doctor Who in all the best ways. The Stars Too Fondly is magnificent in its spaceship stealing adventure and twisty plot. Where Emily Hamilton excels is the bonds between friends and loved ones that stretch between light-years and dimensions with the comfort of a weighted blanket. It is an achingly beautiful and hilariously funny debut."
-- K.B. Wagers, author of A Pale Light in the Black
"The Stars Too Fondly is a sparkling debut filled with found family, queer joy, and a delightful romance that made me swoon. It hooked me from the start, and I couldn't put it down as I rooted for Cleo to find her way home--both literally and figuratively. I adored every word, and I can't wait to see what Emily Hamilton writes next!"
-- Jessie Mihalik, author of Hunt the Stars
"The Stars Too Fonldy is a romantic, joyful, and often poignant sci-fi romp that scratched an itch I didn't know I had. An utter delight."
-- Hannah Fergesen, author of The Infinite Miles
"The vacuum of space is anything but dark when your found family is with you. This cozy space opera is delightful and full of heart."
-- Al Hess, author of World Running Down and Key Lime Sky ?
"The fate of the world rests in the hands of a ragtag group of queers stuck on a spaceship bound for Proxima Centauri. Even though they live in the future, their concerns are all too familiar: astrology, quoting Mary Oliver, watching The Watermelon Woman, and processing their feelings. Emily Hamilton's debut is as addictive as it is funny, and as interstellar as it is human."
-- Amelia Possanza, author of Lesbian Love Story
"In this tantalizing space opera debut, Hamilton weaves a thoughtful, self-aware story bursting with witty repartee and provocative romance . . . This Star Trek-inspired space adventure has something for everyone--heartwarming romantic comedy, cosmic superpowers, and humanity's future at stake. It should win plenty of fans." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The found family of the friends is at the heart of the characters' actions, and Hamilton deftly keeps the story moving through action and emotion. . . .This delightful debut is a space odyssey with just enough mystery and romance to keep readers thoroughly entertained." -- Library Journal
