Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Light of Stars by Jenelle Hovde, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Author: Jenelle Hovde
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Release Date: July 14, 2026
Genre: Historical Romance
An arranged marriage. A powerful company tainted with corruption. Two souls caught between obligation and a longing to find their true calling in this Regency romance set in glittering London ballrooms and Calcutta street markets.
When Kitty Grenville’s grandfather announces her engagement to Sebastian Sinclair, she’s appalled. She barely remembers the boy she met once as a child—and now he’s a man tied to the East India Company, the very organization that tore Kitty and her brother from their mother and home in Hyderabad years ago. Unwilling to relinquish her dream of a love match or her passion for astronomy, Kitty is determined to refuse the marriage and find freedom in her own way.
Sebastian Sinclair carries the weight of duty and regret. To atone for past sins, he complies with his grandfather’s orders to return to England, fulfill a long-standing betrothal, and defend the maligned East India Company before Parliament. Though Kitty makes her disinterest clear, Sebastian is drawn to her intellect and spirit.
As Kitty navigates her first London season, her opinion of Sebastian begins to shift, especially when he shields her from scandal. When he’s abruptly called back to India, Kitty stuns everyone by marrying him and going with him, hoping to escape her grandfather’s control—and to find her mother.
But the challenges that await in India are greater than imagined. Together, Kitty and Sebastian must confront the legacy of family and empire—and discover if a marriage born of obligation can grow into a love strong enough to endure.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Tyndale | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop | BookBub
December 1814, Seven Oakes, England
I stood outside Grandfather’s study and inhaled a shaky breath.
The winter sun slanted low through the mullioned windows, casting a watery light across ledgers and maps. The man known as the Iron Colonel sat tall behind his desk, his shoulders still broad from years of service, his dark coat cut to military precision. Time had silvered his hair at the temples and carved stern lines at the corners of his eyes, yet there was no mistaking the strength in his bearing. His presence filled the room like a command.
I smoothed my skirts and at last stepped inside, determined to ask him to finally allow me a trip to London to see my brother. Perhaps even experience a season, although I was far more interested in visiting museums and bluestocking salons.
He did not rise when I entered, only lifted his head from the page, quill poised above the ledger.
“What is it, Katherine?” His voice carried the weight of impatience, a sound I knew too well.
“I have a request, Grandfather.” My words felt fragile. “Might I be allowed a season in London this spring? I am nearly eight and ten. I should love to attend the museums and lectures. Lady Ashford said I could call, perhaps even meet her friends—”
The quill scraped hard across the page. “How did you ever secure the attention of this Lady Ashford? As for attending a lecture, I won’t have you indulge in such wild fancies.”
I dared not confess the entire truth. Two years ago, I had read her treatise in The Times regarding social issues, and Edward had been so kind to hunt down her address. For well over a year, Lady Ashford and I had corresponded regularly about all matters pertaining to science, literature, and my love of astronomy.
I groaned inwardly though I pressed on with a bright smile. “Surely it would not disgrace us. My studies harm no one. The stars—”
He glared at me. “You will not speak of stars to me. A Grenville’s duty is not to chase the cosmos.”
I fell silent, and my eyes wandered to his desk. Two envelopes rested at his elbow, the wax seals stamped deep. For one heartbeat I glimpsed a crest, curved and regal, before his hand swept them away.
Letters from India.
My breath quickened at the thought of hearing from family. Once, at five and ten, I had managed to sneak out a missive to the nearest inn where post was delivered. But only once. Somehow word of the letter reached his ears before it left the inn; no doubt a servant eager to curry favor carried tales of my insubordination. After that, Grandfather made certain not a single servant would deliver a letter to India on my behalf. My breath quickened at the thought of hearing from family. Once, at five and ten, I had managed to sneak out a missive to the nearest inn where post was delivered. But only once. Somehow word of the letter reached his ears before it left the inn; no doubt a servant eager to curry favor carried tales of my insubordination. After that, Grandfather made certain not a single servant would deliver a letter to India on my behalf. I wrote my mother each month regardless, storing every missive in a box hidden beneath my bed. A diary of sorts, intended only for her.
I tipped forward to see his papers better. “May I read your letters? Is that one from the palace at Hyderabad? I have seen that seal before.”
His chair scraped back. “Your entire family most certainly died of diphtheria, Katherine. Why must I keep explaining how I saved you and Edward from the same fate?” His gaze hardened, the words struck like daggers. “Trouble me no further. I have work to do.”
The desk drawer shut with a decisive thud, swallowing the letters whole.
But the seal . . .
The wax bore an oval impression with strokes sweeping upward and around in patterns I half remembered, flowing like vines across stone. Though I could not read the words, the shape of them stirred a buried memory from my past, as if I had once heard those syllables whispered in prayer.
I lowered in an awkward curtsy, my throat tight with questions unasked, and then withdrew from the study. Yet the vision of those foreign seals haunted me as I crossed the corridor.
If my mother and family were truly gone, why did he guard those letters as though they held the breath of the dead?
The Light of Stars by Jenelle Hovde is my favorite book of 2026 (so far). It held my attention from start to finish, and was highly enjoyable to read. Kitty, the main female character, was fiery but not overdone. She had a backbone that served her well as she navigated a tumultuous season of life. I could relate to her distress and the difficulties of being born into a corrupt, greedy family, never knowing the truth until an adult. The author explored this element well through Kitty’s circumstances, desires, and thoughts.
The Light of Stars included the arranged marriage trope, and I loved the tension and swoon that came with Sebastian’s arrival in Kitty’s life. Most of all, I appreciated the melding of two hearts and minds, though the path was bumpy at times for both Kitty and Sebastian. Their relationship blossomed beautifully into a deep, faithful love that held together even as other ties unraveled.
The Light of Stars carried both strong themes (ethics, justice, integrity, and trusting God) and lesser themes (mercy, gender equality, forgiveness, and more) that added to the story. With all these elements combined, I found The Light of Stars to be a complex, beautiful story.
I recommend The Light of Stars to Jenelle Hovde to Christian readers who enjoy historical romances. The novel will appeal broadly with its themes, history, romance, and secrets. I think it would make an excellent book club choice. Five stars!
Book Excerpt
December 1814, Seven Oakes, England
I stood outside Grandfather’s study and inhaled a shaky breath.
The winter sun slanted low through the mullioned windows, casting a watery light across ledgers and maps. The man known as the Iron Colonel sat tall behind his desk, his shoulders still broad from years of service, his dark coat cut to military precision. Time had silvered his hair at the temples and carved stern lines at the corners of his eyes, yet there was no mistaking the strength in his bearing. His presence filled the room like a command.
I smoothed my skirts and at last stepped inside, determined to ask him to finally allow me a trip to London to see my brother. Perhaps even experience a season, although I was far more interested in visiting museums and bluestocking salons.
He did not rise when I entered, only lifted his head from the page, quill poised above the ledger.
“What is it, Katherine?” His voice carried the weight of impatience, a sound I knew too well.
“I have a request, Grandfather.” My words felt fragile. “Might I be allowed a season in London this spring? I am nearly eight and ten. I should love to attend the museums and lectures. Lady Ashford said I could call, perhaps even meet her friends—”
The quill scraped hard across the page. “How did you ever secure the attention of this Lady Ashford? As for attending a lecture, I won’t have you indulge in such wild fancies.”
I dared not confess the entire truth. Two years ago, I had read her treatise in The Times regarding social issues, and Edward had been so kind to hunt down her address. For well over a year, Lady Ashford and I had corresponded regularly about all matters pertaining to science, literature, and my love of astronomy.
I groaned inwardly though I pressed on with a bright smile. “Surely it would not disgrace us. My studies harm no one. The stars—”
He glared at me. “You will not speak of stars to me. A Grenville’s duty is not to chase the cosmos.”
I fell silent, and my eyes wandered to his desk. Two envelopes rested at his elbow, the wax seals stamped deep. For one heartbeat I glimpsed a crest, curved and regal, before his hand swept them away.
Letters from India.
My breath quickened at the thought of hearing from family. Once, at five and ten, I had managed to sneak out a missive to the nearest inn where post was delivered. But only once. Somehow word of the letter reached his ears before it left the inn; no doubt a servant eager to curry favor carried tales of my insubordination. After that, Grandfather made certain not a single servant would deliver a letter to India on my behalf. My breath quickened at the thought of hearing from family. Once, at five and ten, I had managed to sneak out a missive to the nearest inn where post was delivered. But only once. Somehow word of the letter reached his ears before it left the inn; no doubt a servant eager to curry favor carried tales of my insubordination. After that, Grandfather made certain not a single servant would deliver a letter to India on my behalf. I wrote my mother each month regardless, storing every missive in a box hidden beneath my bed. A diary of sorts, intended only for her.
I tipped forward to see his papers better. “May I read your letters? Is that one from the palace at Hyderabad? I have seen that seal before.”
His chair scraped back. “Your entire family most certainly died of diphtheria, Katherine. Why must I keep explaining how I saved you and Edward from the same fate?” His gaze hardened, the words struck like daggers. “Trouble me no further. I have work to do.”
The desk drawer shut with a decisive thud, swallowing the letters whole.
But the seal . . .
The wax bore an oval impression with strokes sweeping upward and around in patterns I half remembered, flowing like vines across stone. Though I could not read the words, the shape of them stirred a buried memory from my past, as if I had once heard those syllables whispered in prayer.
I lowered in an awkward curtsy, my throat tight with questions unasked, and then withdrew from the study. Yet the vision of those foreign seals haunted me as I crossed the corridor.
If my mother and family were truly gone, why did he guard those letters as though they held the breath of the dead?
My Thoughts
The Light of Stars by Jenelle Hovde is my favorite book of 2026 (so far). It held my attention from start to finish, and was highly enjoyable to read. Kitty, the main female character, was fiery but not overdone. She had a backbone that served her well as she navigated a tumultuous season of life. I could relate to her distress and the difficulties of being born into a corrupt, greedy family, never knowing the truth until an adult. The author explored this element well through Kitty’s circumstances, desires, and thoughts.
The Light of Stars included the arranged marriage trope, and I loved the tension and swoon that came with Sebastian’s arrival in Kitty’s life. Most of all, I appreciated the melding of two hearts and minds, though the path was bumpy at times for both Kitty and Sebastian. Their relationship blossomed beautifully into a deep, faithful love that held together even as other ties unraveled.
The Light of Stars carried both strong themes (ethics, justice, integrity, and trusting God) and lesser themes (mercy, gender equality, forgiveness, and more) that added to the story. With all these elements combined, I found The Light of Stars to be a complex, beautiful story.
I recommend The Light of Stars to Jenelle Hovde to Christian readers who enjoy historical romances. The novel will appeal broadly with its themes, history, romance, and secrets. I think it would make an excellent book club choice. Five stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from the author or publisher. My review reflects my honest opinion.
Also Available
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Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a $25 gift card to their choice bookstore!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight July 21, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on July 28, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
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