2018 Reader's Favorites Book Awards Gold Medal in Fiction—Historical 2018 International Book Awards Winner in Fiction: LGBTQ 2018 Independent Press Award Winner in Women's Fiction 2018 Independent Press Award Winner in LGBTQ Fiction 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner in First Novel (Under 60,000 words) 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in LGBTQ2 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in LGBTQ Fiction 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Women's Fiction 2018 IBPA Ben Franklin Awards Finalist in Fiction: Romance "Setting her first novel against tumultuous world events, Wong focuses foremost on the romantic relationship between her main characters. She reveals a gift for writing place, especially scenes in Hong Kong, where Scarlett, now a movie star, is on set. A star-crossed story for lovers of romantic and character-centric historical fiction.” —Booklist
“Wong’s style is imagery-laden and captivating, with floating, seamless prose…No relationship is easy to maintain, but this story is a heartfelt exploration of the ways in which relationships are absolutely necessary.” —Foreword Review, 5 stars
"A tempestuous, fiery page-turner that will leave you aching and begging for more, Swearing Off Stars is a novel with both great heart and unforgettable characters.” — San Francisco Book Review, 5 out of 5 stars
"Wong’s novel succeeds in creating congenial characters with an undying commitment to women’s liberation in education, careers, and relationships, particularly those bonds that are stigmatized…An engaging romantic tale that also calls for equality.” —Kirkus Reviews
"Swearing Off Stars is easily one of the most beautiful books I have read. It is joyful, heart-wrenching, and defiant in the face of any opposition to telling the stories of women like Lia and Scarlett. I would recommend this book to any woman, whether part of the LGBT community or not, who wants a reminder that we do have a place in history.” — Manhattan Book Review, five out of five stars
“A fiery page-turner that will leave you begging for more! 5 Stars!” —Cynthia Brian, New York Times best-selling author
“Wong writes a fiery and fantastic novel featuring two women who find true love with one another…Swearing Off Stars is a truly wonderful novel.” —RT Book Reviews
"A captivating book for all readers who believe in the power of love." —Betty Hafner, author of Not Exactly Love: A Memoir
"A novel with great heart and unforgettable characters...Oxford student movements, movie star solitudes, desperation and hope, all entwine in this captivating story. —Vamsee Juluri, author of Saraswati's Intelligence
"A new kind of romance is unveiled in Danielle M. Wong’s heartfelt story of first love and suspense….This story of uncovering lost love and finding your true soul mate is sure to earn a front row seat on your bookshelf.”
— Brit + Co, “21 New Books to Read This Fall"
“…a passionate love story where the heroines have to fight against prejudices…The book is well crafted in a vivid style.”
— Lamorinda Weekly
"Swearing Off Stars is a very beautiful and engaging story with memorable characters and well-developed themes…The story is intelligently plotted, emotionally intense, and beguiling.”
— Readers’ Favorite (5 out of 5)
"An LGBT romance? Yes. A story set in Britain? Yes. During the 1920s gender equality movement? Yes, yes, yes.”
— HelloGiggles
"A beautifully written and heart-wrenching romance, spanning decades and continents, Swearing Off Stars is a captivating must read.”
— BuzzFeed
“…for anyone who wants a light romance…”
— Historical Novels Review
“The novel spans decades and continents as we watch our characters grow, separately and together… Over the years, their relationship is many things at once – tumultuous, steamy, addictive – and, most importantly for the reader, never boring… Swearing Off Stars is tough to put down, spanning many decades and following Lia’s many relationships, romantic and otherwise. I’m looking forward to seeing where in world history Danielle M. Wong’s next romance novel will land.” — LAMBDA Literary "Swearing Off Stars by Danielle M. Wong tells the spellbinding tale of secret love and gender equality...an engrossing, thought provoking novel that will be enjoyed by all readers of quality fiction.” —Reader Views
2017-08-02
An American student at the University of Oxford in 1919 falls in love with a dynamic women's rights activist in this debut novel. Amelia Cole, called Lia by her friends, is the daughter of immigrant restaurateurs in Brooklyn. Young and somewhat unsure of herself, she boards a ship for England and becomes one of the first women to study at Oxford. She stays with a couple called the Watsons in the quiet, upscale enclave of Spindly Oaks, where Lia is concerned that Mr. Watson may have a drinking problem. On her way to class, Lia runs into an effervescent student named Scarlett Daniels. Lia thinks she is like a movie star: beautiful, posh, and concerned about women's rights at Oxford. A group has formed on campus that is fighting for women to be able to matriculate along with the men. Scarlett urges Lia to join the band, thinking (correctly) that administrators will listen to an outside American voice. Entranced by the group's secret home, a cabin called Wonderland, Lia finds herself joining the cause and falling in love with her new friend. Scarlett is similarly inclined, and the budding romance evolves into a passionate affair, complete with a glamorous Christmas trip to London. But Scarlett abruptly ends the relationship, fearing the world won't accept a lesbian couple. A distraught Lia leaves Oxford early and enrolls at New York University. As the years roll by, Scarlett becomes a well-known actress, and Lia turns into a pioneering woman in journalism. Still, Lia has never truly given up on Scarlett. As the action moves to the 1940s, Lia follows the actress to Hong Kong in one final bid to secure her love. Wong's novel succeeds in creating congenial characters with an undying commitment to women's liberation in education, careers, and relationships, particularly those bonds that are stigmatized. But with only vague, passing references to Lia's career and obvious details about the various time periods, the story works best as a romance. The on-again, off-again dynamics of Lia and Scarlett's relationship are convincingly described, and the added pressures of a same-sex bond in a hostile time period resonate very well. The prose is spare though somewhat plain ("Divorce was a big deal"). The years fly by quickly, but the emotion of the book flows toward a moving conclusion. An engaging romantic tale that also calls for equality.
