*Early Review* These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner

Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen have absolutely nothing in common. While Lilac is heiress to LaRoux Industries and has bodyguards and her father's wrath keeping unwanted boys away from her, Tarver is a scholarship student, a teacher's son, and a war hero who has been promoted to Major on the battlefield and is adjusting to his time under the spotlight. 

A chance encounter aboard the starship Icarus in which Lilac treats Tarver like crap, and a crash landing on a forbidden planet that apparently has been abandoned, leads Lilac and Tarver into partnership and discovery that opposites do in fact attract and that anything is possible if you put all prejudices and preconceived notions aside.

It quickly became apparent that Lilac isn't your average spoiled teenager who runs around in beautiful dresses and parties while not understanding the world she revolves around. Even though her attitude grated on my nerves in the beginning, it was also her quick thinking that allows her and Tarver to survive when others aren't so lucky. There is a huge question in regards to a particular situation that happens to her towards the end that remains nipping at my heels. Unfortunately, this is a standalone, and two different characters pick up the reigns in the sequel. Therefore, readers will never know what really happened to Lilac on that planet and whether or not her secret will come out. 

As for Tarver, I immediately felt a connection to this boy who comes from a humble background and does everything he can to protect Lilac and keep them both safe. I love the fact that he's humble in his success, and doesn't let things go to his head. Having decided to pick up where his older brother left off, Tarver is witty, charming, and definitely a character you can grab hold of follow him to the end of the story. I'm sure there will be commentary about the rich vs poor angle and how Lilac's attitude comes from being around people who treat the poor with disdain. Tarver, however, never makes you feel sorry for his upbringing or the fact that he's not been handed anything on a silver platter.

I must say that I didn't take the whole Titanic in space montage too seriously. While there were similarities in that Lilac and Tarver come from different backgrounds, it is actually a story of survival and relying on someone other than yourself in order to stay alive until a rescue team can come along. It is a story about discovering one's own strengths in the midsts of hardships. It is also a story about coming together in order to survive the unknown. I also appreciated that there was some fireworks between the couple and not an insta-lust situation which drives me to do many shots all at once.

These Broken Stars is a standalone novel although I would love to see what happens next between Tarver and Lilac when they arrive back home and face the paparazzi. There are a few questions I would love to see answered, but I'm sure my requests will go unanswered. In the end, These Broken Stars is an entertaining story about survival and I would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy Sci-Fi stories. 

*Netgalley 07/25/2013* Expected publication: December 10th 2013 by Disney Hyperion

Authors - Amy Kaufman, Megan Spooner
Title - These Broken Stars (Starbound # 1)
Publisher - Disney Hyperion
Released - December 10, 2013
Genre - YA, Science Fiction, Romance
Received via NetGalley from Publisher