Star Dust

Star Dust is a charming and warmly written historical romance novel co-authored by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner, first published in 2015 as the opening book in their beloved Fly Me to the Moon series. Set against the electrifying backdrop of Houston in 1962, the story captures the excitement and social tensions of the early Space Age with heart, humor, and undeniable chemistry.

The story centers on Anne-Marie Smith, a newly divorced mother of two who moves to a Houston suburb to start over. All she wants is a quiet, stable new normal, but fate has other plans when the charming and reckless astronaut Commander Kit Campbell moves in next door. Kit is a man chasing the stars, willing to endure fame and public scrutiny for the chance to orbit the Earth. Neither of them is looking for love, but their attraction is impossible to ignore.

What sets Star Dust apart is how skillfully it balances the personal and the historical. The authors bring 1960s America vividly to life through sharp period details, from pearl necklaces and sheath dresses to the tense Cold War atmosphere surrounding the space program. Anne-Marie is a quietly revolutionary heroine, a woman carving out her own identity at a time when divorce alone made her an outsider. The slow-burn romance feels both emotionally earned and genuinely fun to read.

Star Dust is a love story about two people daring to want more than the world has assigned them. It will appeal to fans of historical romance with a fresh and unconventional setting, strong female leads, and all the tension that comes from two people who know they should stay apart but simply cannot. Readers who enjoy books set during the Space Race will find this series an absolute gem.