In “Stars From There to Here”, author Mae Wellcome delivers an emotionally layered and deeply human story about how love, distance, and the choices we make can shape—and sometimes fracture—the families we hold dear. Spanning 555 pages, this debut novel quietly commands attention with its delicate balance of realism, warmth, and heartbreak, all while inviting readers to reflect on the gravitational pull of family.
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The book opens with a prologue that immediately sets the tone—tense, intriguing, and thought-provoking. A chase unfolds, leading to a shocking moment where a man places Nina under house arrest. Her ensuing plan changes everything, severing her ties with both the man and her friend Jessie forever. From there, Mae Wellcome deftly shifts gears, taking readers back in time to Sussex as Neville and Lois Garth prepare to say goodbye to their family home before retiring to Spain. It’s a transition that seems peaceful on the surface but becomes the emotional catalyst for everything that follows.
Mae Wellcome’s writing style is engaging and full of characterisation, pulling readers into each scene with vivid attention to emotional nuance. At times, her prose carries a maximalist quality—richly detailed, with dialogue that breathes life into the story. Yet it’s her strength in character work that truly shines. Every figure feels textured and believable, from Neville’s quiet introspection to Lois’s conflicting emotions, and from Nell’s unspoken burdens to the later generations whose choices continue to echo those of their predecessors.
The novel unfolds across different time periods, creating a sweeping generational narrative that pieces together the complex lives of two seemingly separate families—one in England and one in Ireland. Mae Wellcome moves effortlessly through the decades, revealing how distance, love, and circumstance can bind strangers in unexpected ways. It’s this fluid movement through time that keeps readers gripped, always eager to discover how one family’s past choices reverberate into another’s present.
Visually, the book’s presentation is just as evocative as its content. Published by Grosvenor House Publishing, the paperback edition of “Stars From There to Here” features a striking cover designed by Monster Creative. It depicts a woman walking down a narrow path flanked by grassy hills, as a golden sunset illuminates the sky behind her and a full moon hangs above, scattered with stars. The imagery perfectly mirrors the story’s Irish hillside setting and its themes of journey, reflection, and connection.
Ultimately, “Stars From There to Here” is a deeply touching exploration of the ties that define us—between parent and child, between generations, and across borders both literal and emotional. It’s a novel that resonates with anyone who’s ever felt the weight of family obligations or the ache of distance, and it reaffirms the enduring truth that even the farthest stars are still connected by the same sky.
With her debut, Mae Wellcome proves herself a storyteller of remarkable sensitivity and scope, crafting a tale that lingers long after the final page. “Stars From There to Here” is not just about the families we’re born into, but the ones we build, the choices we carry, and the light that guides us back home.
“Stars From There to Here”, by Mae Wellcome, has been published by Grosvenor House Publishing and is available to purchase in ebook format from Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Bookshop.org; and in paperback format from Amazon and Waterstones.
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