Hang the Moon is the queen of all companion novels/sequels. The sequel to Written in the Stars – which was an incredible and charming sapphic romance – Hang the Moon is full of sweetness. It’s the sequel I needed featuring the hopeless romantic Brendon and Annie, the skeptic. Keep reading this book review to see what I ended up loving!
Summary
Brendon Lowell loves love. It’s why he created a dating app to help people find their one true pairing and why he’s convinced “the one” is out there, even if he hasn’t met her yet. Or… has he? When his sister’s best friend turns up in Seattle unexpectedly, Brendon jumps at the chance to hang out with her. He’s crushed on Annie since they were kids, and the stars have finally aligned, putting them in the same city at the same time.
Annie booked a spur-of-the-moment trip to Seattle to spend time with friends before moving across the globe. She’s not looking for love, especially with her best friend’s brother. Annie remembers Brendon as a sweet, dorky kid. Except, the 6-foot-4 man who shows up at her door is a certified Hot Nerd and Annie… wants him? Oh yes.
Getting involved would be a terrible idea—her stay is temporary and he wants forever—but when Brendon learns Annie has given up on dating, he’s determined to prove that romance is real. Taking cues from his favorite rom-coms, Brendon plans to woo her with elaborate dates straight out of Nora Ephron’s playbook. The clock is ticking on Annie’s time in Seattle, and Brendon’s starting to realize romance isn’t just flowers and chocolate. But maybe real love doesn’t need to be as perfect as the movies… as long as you think your partner hung the moon.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Hang the Moon is supremely precious. Brendon’s story about a dating app owner with a White Knight complex who can’t find love, who re-connetcts with his childhood crush had my heart swooning. It’s not that Annie doesn’t believe in love per say, but she’s skeptical of romantic gestures and love proclamations. Hardened by disappointment, people who cannot handle the distance, and who move on. Hang the Moon is dual POV and allows readers to witness the lingering and new feelings of their relationship from both sides.
It’s so stinking cute and will make your heart melt. One of my favorite notes from Hang the Moon is, “it’s not a real relationship until your embarrass yourself or pee in front of someone”. I stand by what I said. Hang the Moon examines how not letting people in is a form of disappointment control. How we can sometimes predict how we think it will end, before it even begins. The feelings when we realize we’re more invested than someone else and this leaves us vulnerable.
Hang the Moon is about second chances, about leaping with our heart, and trusting our gut. It’s about challenging our expectations, celebrating friendships, and putting ourselves out there. Find Hang the Moon on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.