The Promise of Stardust: A Novel

Story covers a real controversial subject, but does it very well. The characters are believeable and their interaction tugs at your heart strings. I shed many tears while reading as fast as possible to reach the outcome of this exciting, fast moving novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and would recommend it to anyone as a captivating read!!

I choose Promise of Stardust for my book club, and couldn't wait till the meeting to discuss it. Priscille Sibley is a good writer, and a very qualified nurse. Priscille was kind enough to come to our book club to speak and she was just wonderful. Her book is intoxicating, readers can not put it down. Our hats and our hearts come off for Priscille and Promise of Stardust. Patiently waiting for her next book. Highly recommed this book. Thanks again Priscille :)

Wow. I really don't know where to begin. I couldn't put this book down from the start and I have never read anything like it. I don't know what sparked me to read it or how I even came across it but I am so glad that I did. This was a beautifully written novel of a man struggling to save his unborn child after experiencing a heartbreaking tragedy. I don't normally write reviews for books but I feel that I owe it to the writer for making me feel a terrible sadness after finishing this book because I couldn't be a part of Elle and Matt's world anymore. This will forever go down as one of my favorite books of all time. I will recommend this to anyone.

Easy reading, kept my interest, a interesting thought provoking read.
One never knows what they would do if ever in a position.
Nurses and mothers that have miscarried could
Shed a cleansing tear!

Loved this book even, though, it was really heart wrenching. Have tissues handy when reading it. I heard about this book from a friend and told another friend about it after I read it. The person I told about it loved it as well.

This was the most beautiful love story I have read in a long time! Elle and Matt had so much heartache but in the end she was the star in the sky! I never cried so much in my life! Would recommend and kuddos to the author???

I didn't think there was a convincing case made by the mother's side and the abortion correlation was forced. Our book club read it and not a single person felt any empathy with the mother's side of the issue. It dragged and in the end was very predictable.

This book grabbed me from the very beginning. It was difficult to keep reading at times but well worth the ride. I loved the author's style and would recommend this to anyone who wants a good love story......but so much more.

What a compelling book! At times this book was very difficult to read. I think she was such a great writer, that she was able to accurately tell this sensitive story in a beautiful and articulate way.

Best book I have read in quite a while. I connected with the characters. Pulled at my emotions. Kept my curiosity. Very well written. I am amazed that this author is not an experienced author. Fooled me. I am very selective with my reading material. Extremely impressed with Priscille Sibley's work.

I loved this book. There was sadness,joy, passion and a fantastic love. It was very well written and I loved the flash backs that helped to tell the story. If you like Jodi Picult you will enjoy this as well.

This novel captured my attention along with my heart. A wonderful read that stays with you long after it is finished. The characters are memorable. I cried, laughed and smiled throughout. What a debut for this author.

The bond of love this couple had for family and each other is astronomical. Every American adult should read . This man knew he had lost his wife, but was willing to fight for the right to save his unborn daughter. He had to do what he believed in and what he thought his wife would want. This true story will show you how much others will do to interfere in the private life of someone whom they don't even know.Non-Fiction: (True Stories)

I thought I would never finish this book. It started out very interesting, but then chapter after chapter, was the same thing. I'm not real picky about what I read, but this one just didn't keep my interest. Took me forever to finish it.

It's extremely rare for a book to make me laugh or make me cry. The Promise of Stardust had me sobbing more than once. As a wife, as a mom, as a person who has loved, I identified on so many levels with these characters. Fantastic read.

As a registered nurse, this book is intriguing and well written. All the medical terminology is spot-on and the story line is riveting and up to date. I would like to commend this author for a job well done. I couldn't put it down. Enjoy. I did.

This was a beautiful heart warming book. It completely transforms you into their lives.
The ending was wonderful and tears at the same time.
I would reccomend this book to all women out there that want a great read.

What would any of us do in this same circumstance? I found my own beliefs, which are strong, challenged several times by the words and actions of several different characters. A beautiful, thought provoking story.

Very thought provoking for currant times. Easy reading and characters are written to be so real. Topic is currant. Look at in this mornings news about the husband who is suing a hospital about his brain dead pregnant wife.

All agreed it was an excellent read and perhaps the best selection for the club in a long time. Very thought provoking and we all wondered if perhaps she would write a sequel as it was a most interesting family to follow.

This was an awesome book. It brought up so many ethical questions and pulled at my heart. It made me think of my own demise and what I needed to do to ensure my family would not have any question about what I want

I mean, it was a good, heat-wrenching story of a woman on life support who is pregnant. What is the husband to do? Keep her on life support against her wishes or save the baby. Don't get me wrong, liked the story, though It is very sad. I actually cried.

But, as a book, I found myself bored at times. It was one story line...drawn out...and drawn out and some of it simply didn't make sense. Like these random people fighting to get her off life support. I don't know, I've read some fabulous books lately and this one just didn't add up to my expectations.

This was a very gripping story about a person's right to die, the conflicts that arose when all of the family members were not in agreement and a few surprises along the way. Compelling story from beginning to end!!

I have no beef with the writing and I hope this writer's next book is not blatant propaganda for the PRO LIFE conservatives. I tried. I got half way to see if she would let up on the pro life rhetoric, but no. She kept it up, relentlessly to the end. There was no real debate on ethics. Her conservative beliefs were front and center and held the actual story hostage. If you're pro life, you don't need convincing. If you're pro choice, this will annoy the hell out you. I hope to see her write a story devoid of her personal beliefs or least hide them a bit better. This book should come with a warning: Blatant Propaganda.

This was a very gripping story about a person's right to die, the conflicts that arose when all of the family members were not in agreement and a few surprises along the way. Compelling story from beginning to end!!

I have no beef with the writing and I hope this writer's next book is not blatant propaganda for the PRO LIFE conservatives. I tried. I got half way to see if she would let up on the pro life rhetoric, but no. She kept it up, relentlessly to the end. There was no real debate on ethics. Her conservative beliefs were front and center and held the actual story hostage. If you're pro life, you don't need convincing. If you're pro choice, this will annoy the hell out you. I hope to see her write a story devoid of her personal beliefs or least hide them a bit better. This book should come with a warning: Blatant Propaganda.

We read this book for our book club. I thought it was a good read but the topic is problematic for our book club since we are a decidedly diverse group. I thought it was very depressing and somewhat predictable, but the story was well written and the characters well developed.

This fragment references the Crosby, Stills, and Nash song which is one of my favorites. This story of the beloved wife falling prey to catastrophic brain injury does invoke strong feelings and does bring the reader deeply into the plot. Should this woman who had feared lingering death be kept alive until her baby could be born. She had had a love for the stars and had always made it clear that she regarded a child as nothing less than remains of the stars.

This book missed the mark for me. I have extensive experience in the world of ICU and I think this author is not successful in bringing that reality to the page. And her pregnancy being missed before X-rays and surgery took place is so unlikely. The use of a medical narrator for the shock and foreignness of this extreme medicine gives the story a further distance. Characters told us of their pain, but it didn't translate. The sequences at times were almost manipulative in presenting events. Finally, this book reminds me of a Picoult novel, but not done as well.

Just as his friend warns the young husband, the inter family lawsuit on the health decisions bring out the worst in both sides of the Right to life versus Choice conundrum. That issue ended up annoying me but is likely a realistic part of this book. This author did do a diligent job of considering many points of view. I just didn't engage with the characters as much as I would have expected.

I thought this book was going to be about people, but it isn't. It is a vehicle for espousing political statements. That's not what I read a novel for. I don't care if the author feels she is giving two sides to a politically charged issue (although at 25% into the novel, it's seemed pretty clear to me which side she was on). I didn't like the characters, especially the husband's lawyer who was given free rein to continually ram his views down the reader's throats. The fight over the abortion issue was all there was to the book. Where is the depth of characterizations, so that we can get outside that issue and have a story? I didn't sign on for that, so I quit.

I knew I had to read The Promise of Stardust when I first read the synopsis. The story of two long-time sweethearts and their struggle with trying to have a baby, and then a personal tragedy that impacts the lives of not only two people, but others around them may sound familiar but here it is written with credibility and poignancy. Matt and Elle have been in love for a very long time and have also been trying to conceive a baby. It has not been easy and the couple have had their share of disappointments in the form of miscarriages. Then Elle has a terrible accident and is pronounced brain dead. Just as Matt decides to take her off life support, he discovers Elle is pregnant and this revelation wreaks havoc on those around Elle. Matt wants to keep her on life support to save their baby, something he feels Elle would have thought right, but other family members do not necessarily subscribe to Matt's point of view.

It was heartbreaking to see a family fractured by one incident, but this story resonated with me because it is believable. We hear cases like this in the news, where those living have to grapple with momentous, life-altering decisions when a loved one is no longer alive in the true sense of the word. What does one do when one's loved one is pronounced brain dead? Then there's the factor of the unborn baby. Does it have the right to life, does the father have the right to decide what happens to the brain dead mother? All of these questions have no simple answers, as is rarely the case in such matters, and I liked how the author wove the various threads of the story together, making for a compelling read. There are so many themes explored in this book, and though it is a sad and tragic story, it is by no means without hope. The themes of family, love, sacrifice, and choice is explored in credible detail, and makes for a riveting read. It also poses some very pertinent questions that can be picked up for discussion among family, friends, book club members, etc.

Much to my surprise, The Promise of Stardust actually made me cry. I started this book with very few expectations. I was convinced that I was about to embark on a story filled with overwrought melodrama, and was just hoping that it would be somewhat believable. Instead, I found a story that grabbed me from the first chapter and refused to let go till the final page. While the story itself might strain the limits of credulity on a couple of occasions, I didn't notice because I was wrapped up in characters that were wonderfully constructed, and relationships that were so authentic that they melted my heart in pretty short order.

The author tells her story at a rapid pace, flawlessly shifting back and forth in time without losing control of a narrative that is filled with unexpected turns and twists that never feel forced. Her observations are keenly insightful and her portrayal of an entire host of powerful emotions is always spot on. The bulk of this story takes place during a short period of time, but it has an epic feel. The romance is powerful and touching, always tempered by just enough realism to make it all the more effective.

Legal issues are at the forefront through most of the story, but the author never allows the courtroom action to take over and dominate the very human story she is telling. More than a story about pro-life, right to life or any of those legal catch phrases, this is a story about family, love, courage and devotion. The writing is top notch and the characters are memorable. I'm glad I read it and look forward to recommending it to all fans of literary and romantic fiction.

Elle and Matt Beaulieu have been trying to have a baby forever. Childhood sweethearts, they were very much in love. When Elle fell off a ladder, she suffered irreversible brain death. She was left depending upon life support machines. Matt decided that Elle would not want to live that way. In spite of his devastation over her death, he decided he would take her off life support. After all, Elle had watched her mother die a slow, painful death years before, and she had felt that it was inhumane. However, things changed when Matt discovered that Elle was pregnant. He decided to keep her on life support and to try to save the baby. But the decision was not all that easy. Other family members decided to fight him. This book tells their tale.

I was concerned that this book could get into boring court cases and mundane accounts of laws. But I could not put this book down. The author tells the story of Elle and Matt by flashing back and telling the details of their past. It is so tenderly written that it is extremely moving and realistic. The characters are presented with their faults and strengths and are so very real, the reader would swear to have known them. The author strings the reader along, the reader wanting to know more and more. This book is unforgettable!

It broke my heart and tugged at my heartstrings over and over, but every tear that may have been shed, and every pull was truly worth the time reading this beautiful story. This is one of those books that you wonder why you didn't come across it earlier. With its beautiful, but heart wrenching story of love, loss, healing, and hope. It didn't take me long to read it because I just couldn't put it down, reading into the early morning hours, it's most definitely a page turner. I loved reading about the couples love story how they came together, the fears, pain and loss they faced, their time apart though it broke my heart at times, and how they found each other again. Even with such tragedy that they both faced throughout their lives they found that love and hope in each other that never truly left and fought so desperately to share that love with a child. A book that will stay with me for some time. Even if I start another it will be there in the back of my mind.

Matt and Elle are a married couple living in Maine. Matt is a neurosurgeon just a few years into trying to build his own practice while Elle is a former NASA astronaut-turned-physics & astronomy professor. They've been a couple on and off since their teen years, when Matt accidentally got Elle pregnant. Elle lost the baby, and two others after that in the following years. The last miscarriage left her hemorrhaging so badly that it nearly killed her. Matt, fearing that he may lose her, puts his foot down and says no more pregnancies, but Elle desperately wants to try just once more. Following a night of intimacy between them, Elle becomes pregnant but doesn't tell Matt. Instead, he finds out about the child after Elle takes a fall from a ladder, landing a blow to the head so severe it throws her into a comatose state almost immediately.

When Matt, in neurosurgeon mode, looks over his wife's injuries, he immediately sees that her pupils indicate severe brain trauma that she likely won't come back from. In fact, all signs point toward brain death. But once he's informed that Elle is pregnant, he decides to leave her on life support long enough to hopefully bring the baby close enough to term for a safe delivery. After that, he promises to shut the machines off. What he doesn't expect is the fight he finds himself in against his own mother (who is also Elle's godmother), who says his decision is in direct violation with Elle's living will.This living will Elle created in her teen years gives Matt's mother power of attorney. To complicate matters further, another character comes in saying THEY have an updated power of attorney from Elle. Matt suddenly finds that what was a simple plan to save the life of his child is turning into a legal and ethical battle that gets picked up by the media and sweeps the country.

One of my favorite reads of the month so far. It's not the easiest book to get into, a lot of it moves much slower than the typical modern novel, and it addresses the tough topic of a spouse having to decide when / how to let go of their partner on life support when hope of recovery just doesn't seem like a possibility anymore. We not only get the personal aspect of Matt and Elle, their bond illustrating how a relationship can evolve over years, but there's also the media element that, I found, had a lot of relevance and food for thought as far as how the media can latch onto a sensational topic and spin it to suit a certain agenda ... regardless of how that might affect the people directly involved with the story. Through Matt's experiences, the reader sees an example of how events can actually transpire versus the story the rest of us, not in the immediate picture, get fed by media outlets and how that can unfairly fuel rage in protest groups who don't have all the facts.

This novel makes a number of references to Roe vs. Wade as well as the true life story of Terri Schiavo. It has the characters get into the debate about when a life is considered a life, whether that's at conception or when it's officially at "fetus" stage. Elle's condition is also used to look at the complications that can arise when decisions made on paper can conflict with extenuating circumstances. Matt's mother argues that Elle signed paperwork that specifically gives DNR (Do Not Resusitate) orders. But Matt argues that only he lived with Elle day in and day out and no one knew the inner workings of her heart and mind like he did. He knew that Elle journaled constantly so he seeks out passages that will help show the naysayers why he feels he's in the right. I think what gives this story extra dimension though is the honest portrayal of Matt when even he is second-guessing his decisions. What if he's wrong? I think any reader can relate to that feeling, that fear, that maybe everyone else IS right?! Maybe not under these circumstances, necessarily, but I think we've all had moments where we've been in a similar mindset.

I will warn readers that there is a great deal of medical terminology throughout the novel. The author herself happens to be a NICU (Natal Intesive Care Unit) nurse, so I'm sure the jargon is second-nature to her. I grew up around hospital environments myself and have also had medical jobs, so I'm comfortable with it myself, but I just wanted to give a heads up to readers. There are also a fair number of legal passages as well, so I'd say if you are a fan of the works of John Grisham or Michael Crichton's medical dramas, you may have a good time with this one. I don't even have children of my own and I was moved by this story and the realness of all the characters involved!

... You'll have to read it for yourself to see why. This novel captivated me, and left me thinking about it long after the last page. I will recommend to anyone who likes to read novels with controversial subject matter and unforgettable characters.

Neurosurgeon, Matt Beaulieu and his wife, astronaut Elle McClure, have been neighbors and sweethearts most all of their lives, and married 5 years when this saga opens. Elle has completed a mission in space and is wanting a family. After several miscarriages and 1 still-birth, her husband doesn't want to take any more chances with the life of his beloved Elle. She wants to try again and they argue about it the night before she sustains an accident that leaves her brain-dead. She has made it clear she never wants to be left on life support if anything should happen to her. As her husband heartbreakingly makes the decision to terminate life-support it is determined that she is pregnant, which he didn't know, and it was so early in the pregnancy that he doubts she even knew. Now this changes everything, and is where we get to the heart of this novel. What is the right thing to do, and even more important, what would Elle want done?

The novel develops the characters well. We feel emotionally involved and attached to them. Elle and Matt's families are like one family and they each have their own opinion of what Elle would want, based on circumstances in her life of which we are informed through flashbacks and various circumstances. We also are privy to the life of an astronaut which I personally found fascinating. The reader is also drawn into the medical, religious and legal aspects of a situation such as this, which is enlightening. There is definitely more to the novel than heart-wrenching sadness, and gut-wrenching choices.

The prose, the flow, even interrupted by flashbacks, is easy to follow and I look forward to reading more by this author. I think Jodi Picoult fans will enjoy this, or anyone, actually, that wants to read more than fluff. It will get you involved and give you lots to think about... just what I like best in a well written novel. A remarkable debut and can't wait to see what Sibley comes up with next. A strong 4.5 for this, her first endeavor. Absolutely loved it. Recommended to me by a Goodreads friend. Thank you, Amanda!

I received this book as a gift and was unsure that I would get into it from the description. Still, I decided to give it a try and man-am I glad I did. Big events happen within the first few pages, and after the first couple of chapters I was enthralled with the story. This story is a heart-wrenching tale of love and grief, and the author portrays her character's emotions very well. The characters feel real-they aren't written with crazy pretenses or flowered up to seem super-human. They just feel human, which ultimately allows them to be related to better. It allows you to sympathize and ache for them.

It's really interesting to watch the relationships that form and fall apart as the story goes through. Each character is stricken with their own form of grief, and each character has their own ideas about what should be happening. The discussions, arguments, and breaking that ensues due to the court battle and different beliefs about end of life care.

This book is very well written and involved-a fact which caused me to become very invested in the characters and where the story was going. I'd highly recommend it.

When a book is truly grand, you feel it. You love it.
You can't shake the feelings you have about it, even after months.

This book is not grand. It is way more.

Elle and Matt are happily married. They have been through a lot but they found their way back to each other, through love and loss. Now, the only think they don't have is a child.
And then, Elle falls. Hits her head, hard.
She is brain dead.
Matt is crushed. He is not about to keep her on life support, he knows she would hate it. Then he learns another crushing news : Elle is pregnant. She wanted a baby more than anything, and she would have given her life for a baby. So Matt decides to see the pregnancy through first.
But other people knew and loved Elle. Matt's mom. Elle's brother. Elle's former boyfriend. Family's friends. They knew she wouldn't want to be kept alive. Now, Matt has to fight for Elle... He has to fight so Elle's baby will live.

While you read this book, you learn about love. You learn about hypocrisy. You learn about self-sacrifice. What makes this book a great one ? Because it makes you feel. You begin the book barely knowing Elle. Then as the story unfolds, you learn through flashbacks how their lives led them to this moment.
You learn about Matt. How he rooted and loved Elle through the years. Why his decision is more related to Elle's desires than his. Why he will fight so Elle's final wish is fulfilled.
And how through this fight, it is only through Elle that he will survive. He mourns her, but her baby represents life.
Hope.

This is truly a magnificent book.

THE PROMISE OF STARDUST is Priscille Sibley's first novel and I loved it so much that I truly could not put it down. When I finished it at 3 AM, I was sad that it ended and realize it will stay with me for a very long time. Sibley tells a memorable, poignant love story that will keep you turning pages as the twists and turns in the novel move it quickly along. The love between Matt Beaulieu, a neurosurgeon, and Elle McClure, a gifted astronaut, began as children. As next door neighbors, their families' lives seemed connected. Elle was a young teenager when she went through the prolonged, painful death of her mother, while doing much of the care giving on her own. She cared also for her younger brother as her father drank his way out of the situation he couldn`t handle. This effected Elle in so many ways and all those around her. It was also at this time that she and Matt realized that they weren't just childhood pals but that their friendship had grown into something much more.

After Elle's mother's death, their lives went on to include the years of their education, and being together as well as apart. Finally, Matt and Elle realize there is nobody else in their world but each other. They are married and they begin what they perceive to be a long and happy lifetime. However, when Elle has an accident and winds up on life support, Matt is devastated especially since as a neurosurgeon, he realizes how helpless he is to bring her back and that she is virtually already gone. But when Matt finds out Elle is pregnant, everything changes once more.

Knowing how Elle would feel about a lingering death like her mother faced, Matt has an agonizing decision to make. Having lost 4 children already with miscarriages and a stillbirth, Matt knows how much this baby would mean to Elle, and to him. His decision to keep her alive to hopefully deliver the baby they always wanted battles against his conscience in knowing she wouldn't want to be living this way. As he weighs this heartbreaking decision, he finds he must also deal with all the others who feel they have a say in the situation because they also love Elle. As news of Matt's fight for Elle and their baby reaches the public and the courts, Matt must battle even against family members in order to save his unborn child.

As the narrative weaves an intricate tale, readers will feel they know these two characters so well thanks to the skillful writing of author Priscille Sibley. Flashbacks are woven into the current story to add to the depth and understanding of the characters and their situation. Elle's journals give readers great insight as well. We really know these people thanks to Sibley using these techniques. Just when you think you know how things will go, Sibley throws in a curve and takes you off on another path. The action and romance combine with the moral ethics involved to make for an amazing story begging to be shared and discussed with others. I highly recommend this poignantly moving book to everyone who loves a well written, riveting, and important story for our times.

This was a complicated read. It turned into so much more than the sum of its synopsis and I'm not sure I liked the insertion of the public into the personal. I suppose I should have expected it when the subject has anything to do with life support and fetuses. The world comes knocking nowadays even when these decisions should remain personal and private.

The Promise of Stardust revolves around Elle, a retired astronaut, now professor living in Maine. She and her husband Matt have been trying to have children but she has had several miscarriages. The reader learns the story of their love through a series of flashbacks and in Matt's reading of her diary combing for clues as to her thoughts on abortion. Why is he doing this? Because Elle has had a catastrophic brain injury but just as the plug was about to be pulled Matt has learned she is pregnant. He feels she would want to do ANYTHING to give the child a chance at life while others, including his own mother feel she would not want to be kept alive on machines. Matt is in full agreement on that - except for the baby. His mother brings suit to pull the plug and Matt counter-sues - hence the search of her diaries.

I LOVED this book when it told the story of Matt and Elle. It was heartrending, it was beautiful, it was a love story. Matt is a complicated character who was dealing with a situation none of us ever want to face. He knew that the thing Elle feared the most was a slow death but he also knew the thing she wanted the most was a child. His mother saw only Elle's desire to not be hooked up to machines due to the way her mother died. Matt could not seem to get across that Elle's mother died in pain from cancer but that Elle was feeling nothing.

Due to the presence of the baby the case draws national attention and it becomes a battle between pro life forces and right to die people and any other group that might have a stake. This is the part that I didn't care for. The politics. While not heavy handed, I didn't sign on for a political discussion - although in this day and age as I stated above no one can do anything in private any longer.

There are a number of twists and turns one of them being an old boyfriend of Elle's whose presence and interference just doesn't make sense. He is not likable nor should his opinion hold as much weight as it does.

The Promise of Stardust is a thought provoking book. With the one exception mentioned, the main characters are well developed. I was looking for more interplay from both Matt's and Elle's siblings - it was as if they disappeared once introduced - but overall I was glad I read the book. It made me think and it provided hope.

This is a moving account of one man's struggle to save the life of his unborn baby while doing what is right for his wife, her brain dead mother. Matt and Elle were the perfect couple. Both are accomplished and both knew from childhood that they were destined to be together. Matt is a neurosurgeon and Elle, a former astronaut, teaches on the college level. The only shadow in their sparkling lives is Elle's inability to carry a baby to full term. But their perfect lives are shattered when a freak accident leaves the pregnant Elle brain dead. Matt knows that Elle would not want to continue on life support. Years earlier, she witnessed the tortuous decline of her mother to breast cancer. But he must balance that against her burning desire for a baby. His decision to fight for the possibility of life and the ensuing court battle divides the families and challenges all he holds dear.

I liked this book. The cold clinical precision of the medical establishment and the calculated wrangling of the legal system underscore are inadequate to address the raw grief of the human tragedy occuring in both. As the private nightmare unfolds, it becomes public property, played in the press and exploited by political interests. Although I groaned when Elle turned out to be a famous and heroic astronaut, she and Matt are both likeable, grounded characters. The portrayal of the impact terminal illness can have on a family was honest and searing. This is not to say the book is without flaws. The motivation of Matt's mother, an experienced obstetrics nurse, is unconvincing. The teenaged pregnancy line was unnecessary and that it would be misinterpreted and revealed by Elle's immature younger brother was not believable.

This is a book to be read. Matt's journey challanges all he is and all he knows. Each decision of his life is held to scrutiny and he learns that in times of despair, the only place to look is up. While the story is heart-rending, ultimately it is uplifting and life-affirming. Recommended.

Life is never truly what you expect it to be--it's usually much more or much less than you ever imagined. Sometimes, the most careful planning by the most clever and orderly minds is all for naught. Life can change in the space of a heartbeat, the drop of a tear, or the length of a breath. "The Promise of Stardust", from author Priscille Sibley is a poignant love story and a thoughtful, well-written reminder of the fragility of the body and the endurance of the spirit. Matt Beaulieu and Elle McClure were childhood next-door neighbors and best friends who became teenaged sweethearts. Later separating, they reunited and were married in their thirties. Eminently successful in their chosen professions, Elle a scientist and astronaut, and Matt, a neurosurgeon, they have been unable to make their cherished dream of becoming parents a reality. After four heartbreaking miscarriages, Matt is unwilling to take another chance, but Elle still has hope that she can carry a baby to term. One morning, after fighting over the subject of having a baby, and later making up, Matt and Elle go their separate ways to start their day. It is a fateful morning, however, as Matt will soon receive a shocking phone call telling him that Elle has had a serious accident. As soon as Matt reaches the emergency room, his own medical training tells him that Elle has suffered a devastating brain injury. Surgery is performed to sustain and temporarily improve her condition, but clinically, she is brain-dead. Soon after the surgery, while Matt is considering organ donation and when to turn off the life-support equipment, he is informed that Elle is pregnant. When he tells his mother, Linney, an obstetrical nurse, of Elle's condition, she lets him know that years ago, Elle had written a "living will" stating she did not want to be kept alive through artificial life-support. Matt had not known of the will, and during one her of miscarriages, she had indicated on a hospital form that she had no living will. Linney and Elle were always very close, and Elle had signed the document as a teenager after her own mother died. She had named Linney as her medical power of attorney. Thus begins a heartrending emotional and legal battle, as Matt very much wants his unborn child, and Linney believes that Elle's early directive should be followed. Family and friends are forced into a powerful ethical conflict, at the center of which is one tiny heart, beating inside the body of a woman who so deeply wanted to be a mother. Priscille Sibley is a wonderful writer, telling a difficult tale with great heart and sensitivity. "The Promise of Stardust" is involving, touching, and unforgettable. This is a book to read all in one sitting, to take it all in, and you most likely will read it more than once. Recommended.

This is one of those books that makes me want to pull out all the stops on the adjectives. Powerful; gripping; sensitive; compassionate as well as passionate; timely and incredibly meaningful. Obviously, Sibley knows her subject, and the discussion of the intense effort needed to keep Elle's body functioning until the baby becomes viable rings completely true. I don't know what her experience with the legal intricacies of the case are, but certainly the conflict between those who believe Elle's original dread of remaining in a vegetative state even long enough to give Hope a chance at life versus Matt's conviction that Elle's true desire would be to provide that opportunity is vividly drawn with almost unbearable tension.

It goes without saying that the personalities of Matt and Elle are presented with epic sensitivity. Sibley pulls no punches in depicting the extreme sense of desperation Matt experiences as he finds himself almost alone in trying to adhere to what he firmly believes Elle would want IN THIS SITUATION despite his own desperate grief and the opposition of his own family, especially his mother.

I deeply appreciated the title and backdrop of this book. A few years ago, I encountered a memoir written by Miriam Therese Winder, titled "The Singer and the Song". Winter commented that we are ALL stardust. She recommended replacing the phrase, "Remember, man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return," used on Ash Wednesday during the liturgical service involving distribution of ashes, with the similar (but totally different) admonition, "Remember, human, that you are stardust, and into stardust you shall return." For me, this completely transforms the gloomy aspect of abject penitence with the awareness that we are indeed all part of a universe suffused with love. Sibley's magnificent book carries this same wonderful message, despite all the grief and trauma. The choice to have her character Elle be a heroic astronaut is nothing short of absolute brilliance.

Dr. Matt Beulieu gets a call from the ER. It is Matt's wife, Elle. Matt rushes to the emergency room to find that his wife is brain dead. She fell off a ladder and hit her head on a rock. Matt is about to pull the plug when he learns that Elle is pregnant.

Matt and Elle dreamed of having a family and have several miscarriages; they never thought they would have a child. Now Matt could have the family that he and Elle dreamed of. Matt makes the choice to keep Elle on life support until she is far enough along for the doctor to deliver their baby. Matt is stopped by a road block. Elle signed papers giving Matt's mother medical power of attorney. Matt's mother knows that Elle would not want to be kept on life support and wants to carry out Elle's wishes and pull the plug. It will be a battle of love and ethics that will have families taking sides.

The human aspect of the characters and the story touched my heart. It made me really get in Matt's corner and cheer him on. Matt fought hard even with it seemed like the odds were against him. I can not imagine what Matt had to go though with Elle. As I was reading this book, I was discussing it with my husband. He was just as intrigued as I was in how this story was progressing and how it would turn out. I don't want to give anything away in regards to the ending, so all I will say is that I did shed tears.

The Promise of Stardust is not only a must read but a must tell everyone about it type of book. I pretty much devoured this book. Watch out as Priscille Sibley is going to be the next big Jodi Picoult. Priscille came out with a huge bang with her first novel. I can not wait to see what is in store next from this author.

Outstanding story of life and death and one family's decisions and their impact on each other. The novel starts with a sad, tragic accident that render's a woman brain dead, but it is determined that she is pregnant shortly after. Due to her experience with her mother's lingering deathbed, she never wanted to be kept alive if she had no chance of recovery. Her husband seemingly goes against her wishes hoping that she will stay alive long enough to deliver the baby that she is carrying and has to go against his own mother in court as they fight for Elle's life or death.

Tragedy is in every aspect of this book, but so are faith & hope. Beautifully written, this novel is one I'll be thinking of long after finishing it. Definitely a Goodread!

The extreme anti-choice bias of this book removed any real drama from the proceedings. The author gives lip service to presenting both points of view but this is clearly an anti-abortion screed. Worse, the author just flogs the same points over and over as the protagonist fights with everyone in his family. Sad to think that the equivalent pro-choice book might feature one of the many real-life little girls who died after becoming pregnant from rape and being denied an abortion, being subjected to an illegal one or dying in childbirth because a 9-year old can't physically carry a pregnancy to term.

This is a very emotionally charged book that deals with some heavy issues. Right from the start, Matthew is forced to deal with a devastating accident that leaves his wife Elle in a vegetative state. Then he finds out that she is pregnant after years of difficulty carrying a child to term. Discord ensues. Elle witnessed her mother's prolonged suffering as a cancer patient and everyone knows she would not want to live in this condition. But Matthew will do anything to save the baby and his family is torn apart when a legal battle forces Elle's loved ones to take sides.

Because Matthew is a neurosurgeon, he has a bit too much insight to his wife's condition and he imposes himself in every last detail of her care. His involvement is often overbearing and of course he knows everyone on staff at the hospital so he's almost more of a nuisance know-it-all than a sympathetic, grieving husband. Of course, stubbornness is a constant presence as different characters express their opinion on behalf of Elle. What I enjoyed the most were the chapters that looked back on different periods of Elle and Matthew's relationship. From childhood neighbors to high school sweethearts, then their period of separation while Matthew was in medical school and Elle was training to be an astronaut. Once married, they must overcome the tragedies of losing pregnancies. This is when Elle comes alive and she's a tangible character, not just an unconscious shell in a hospital bed. Overall, I enjoyed getting to know Elle through Matt and I was engaged by the entire story.

From the very first pages this book packs an emotional wallop - and it never really lets up. So have the tissues on-hand for the whole, gripping read! At just 25 pages in, Sibley not only brings out tears, but has created a genuine connection to the characters. It is downright impressive how quickly these characters come to life! And all the tearjerking scenes aside (and there are plenty of them - seriously, keep Kleenex around!), there is something so un-putdownable about this book! I read it in one sitting, and though the courtroom drama woven in with the family drama is quite reminiscent of Jodi Picoult's books, this feels fresher and more realistic. Sibley writes to evoke genuine emotional empathy from her readers. It is a very sad, sad story, but at the same time there are some beautifully described, poignant moments, too. It's an engrossing read a wonderful debut. The incorporation of the diaries works well and gives voice to make it a more well-rounded story. I can't wait to see what Sibley publishes next!

This was one of the most emotionally moving books I've read. From page one, I was invested in the story and in Elle and Matt's love story. It is heartbreaking, it is powerful, and it will change the way you think about life, love, and everything in between.

Sibley's writing style is phenomenal. It is a perfect balance between poetically descriptive lines and concise, punchy facts. I never lost interest in the story because the plot is fast moving, intense, and tragic. The flashbacks allowed me to become even more invested in the characters.

This book is sure to open up questions and discussions about end of life decisions, the value of love, and the choices we must make.

Very well written, poignant story about a neurosurgeon having to make an extremely difficult decision on saving the life of his unborn child after his wife is declared brain dead. It's been awhile since I've read a book that's had such a heartfelt effect on me. It made me really sit down and think about what if this happened to me? Priscille you made my heart ache, you made me laugh and cry. This book felt honest and true and that's what I love about it and this book will stay with me forever. I wish I could give it 10 stars! Thank you so very much.

Matt Beaulieu was two years old the first time he held Elle McClure in his arms, seventeen when he first kissed her under a sky filled with shooting stars, and thirty-three when he convinced her to marry him. Now in their late 30s, the deeply devoted couple has everything-except the baby they've always wanted.

When an accident leaves Elle brain dead, Matt is devastated. Though he cannot bear the thought of life without her, he knows Elle was afraid of only one thing-a slow death. And so, Matt resolves to take her off life support.

But Matt changes his mind when they discover Elle's pregnant. While there are no certainties, the baby might survive if Elle remains on life support. Matt's mother, Linney, disagrees with his decision. She loves Elle, too, and insists that Elle would never want to be kept alive on machines. Linney is prepared to fight her son in court-armed with Elle's living will.

I will admit to one flaw with my review: I am pregnant and this is one of those books that probably should not be read whilst pregnant. But that was my state upon reading and there you go and the result is that I loved this book, read it in a day, and made a deep bond with a box of tissues. I came away with the opinion that this was a solid romance that knew how to get at the heart and emotions and do a darn fine job of writing a story at the same time.

Matt, a neurosurgeon, and his wife Elle, an astronaut and professor, have been trying for several years to get pregnant, only to have those end in stillbirths and miscarriages. When an accidental fall leaves Elle brain-dead, the plan to follow her wishes to pull the plug is derailed when it is discovered she is once again pregnant. The story follows the struggles of Matt and his family as they are divided over conflicting evidence of what Elle would want--the heat of the battle falling between Matt, who wants his unborn child, and his mother Linny, who feels Elle should not be kept alive.

At first I worried the book would become preachy to one philosophy or the other, but Sibley instead provides an honest and plausible story that goes for the thoughts and feelings of individuals over any pro-life/pro-choice debate. This is a romance first and foremost, a tale of grieving man dealing with faith and heartache smattered with the history of Matt and Elle's complicated lifelong relationship. Sibley avoids any strong placement of anyone as good or evil but merely presents the people involved in a difficult choice.

Sibley should be proud of this first novel. The writing is strong and beautiful, the story well-paced. This may not be an original idea, but it was one that is heartfelt and told with talent.

Some may find this sappy, but it is a romance and those looking for a good romantic novel that will give them an excuse to bawl their eyes out should be pleased. I was.

The Promise of Stardust is an interesting, thoughtful, thought provoking, emotional novel. It is one that you could talk about for hours. It is the type of novel that opens up taboo subjects, or hard to talk about subjects, for discussion. It is not an easy book to read. It is a book that made me cry at the end. It is a story that drove a family apart and then brought them back together in the end.

It is about truly knowing what a loved one would want you to do and not because you have a signed piece of paper. It is about mitigating circumstances and fighting for what you believe in and what you know they would ultimately want.

The Promise of Stardust would make an excellent book club choice, if you think people would read it with an open mind.

This is a book that will be passed around in my circle of friends and family.

There is nothing more comforting than to see an author doing what she is supposed to do, writing on a subject that she is familiar with including the lingo and the circumstances and inject some meaningful things to think about. I started reading this book and was immediately impressed at how the medical lingo flowed naturally into the story, I flipped to the back and read about who the author is. "Priscille SIbley is a neonatal intensive care nurse..." it says on the back of the cover. I love novels with any medical elements in it. What a big relief, I thought, I can relax into the book and read this without its not having the right medical jargons. Now the story is an unusual moral dilemma that obviously requires some contemplation. It was well written and I finished the book in one sitting.

I gave this a five star rating because I couldn't put the book down until I finished. I found myself asking what was it that no one else but the husband could see how different this was than from Elles mother dying of cancer who was in such pain? It pained me to think about all the family members fighting each other and not trusting Matt to do right by the woman he loved more than life itself. I also enjoyed this book because I never knew from page to page what was going to happen next. There were never any clues to guess the outcome like most you can guess who did it or how it ends. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written story and also who enjoys being challenged on the issues on the right to die and who should be in charge of those decisions.

I loved this book. I picked it up on a cruise because I didn't have another book and then I couldn't put it down. Crying over a book isn't me, but I found myself in tears a couple of times with this one. I enjoy a story where the main character is a stand-up person. Going back and forth between the past and the present was a bit difficult to keep track of, but not terribly bothersome. It did make me really get to know the characters, however. Very worthy of reading and it will be with you long after the last page is turned.

Matt and Elle, childhood friends, highschool sweethearts and long time married couple have faced almost everything in life together, good or bad, they have always had love and friendship to connect them. Lately multiple miscarriages have devastated them and Elle being at a point in her life of wanting a family, can only think about having another baby no matter the risk. Matt on the other hand wants kids but does not want Elle to put her life in danger, so trying again for the 5th time is out of the question. Before the two can even travel the road of battling about it, Elle has a tragic freak accident and sustains massive head trauma putting her in a vegetative state hooked up to life support. Matt has no intention of keeping Elle alive and knows its time to say goodbye to his wife, but when he receives the news that Elle is eight weeks pregnant everything changes in an instant.

The thought of a child, a piece of Elle left behind changes Matt's mind and he decides to keep Elle on life support until the baby is born, knowing that this is what Elle would have wanted, knowing he will have to let her go after but wanting to give the unborn child a chance at life. So he hires an attorney and fights for guardianship over the baby without knowing he would create a storm of controversy in his wake. Others including fellow doctors, family and Matt's own mother do not agree and think he should terminate Elle's life, which in turn would automatically terminate the child's. His mother being Elle's power of attorney over medical decisions (due to Elle's own mother dying) since she was a teenager actually is taking it so seriously that she decides to fight Matt over the issue in court, trying to block his guardianship.

Even with the consequences of ripping the family apart Matt moves forward and an ensuing battle takes place over the right of the unborn child and the right of the mother who lays incompetent in a hospital bed, asking the question of living wills versus a spouses legal right. It also becomes a high profile case and brings the pro-lifers and the women's rights groups out in droves begging the debate on the right to life. Everyone thinks they knew Elle, and in a sense they did, due to her small town fame, but not as well as Matt knew her and over the course of the story he slowly reveals to the reader the layered past of him and Elle's romance, the young teenage love of her at 15 and him 17, the time at college and the times apart, the memories are primarily focused on a woman already dead but we are able to capture her through Matt and see the years before the accident, interlocked with the veracious court battle, media storm and Pro-life versus Pro-choice commentary that riddles the book. Matt feels like he's doing the right thing, even though the entire world seems to be against him, even though he is holding that one last shred of hope, as a brain surgeon himself he knows the possibility for Elle returning whole is gone, but the possibility of that child is not lost and he will fight to save it.

Heartbreaking and grueling issues face Matt's journey and the time spent going through Elle's journals rekindle the beginnings of their relationship and takes our character and us the reader on an unbelievable love story, a coming of age story, a story of loss and a story about life. The Promise of Stardust was a stunning debut from Sibley, I was very impressed with the writing style and have to hand it to the author for taking on such a controversial social commentary, showing a remarkable viewpoint from the stand of the right to life, and the woman's right to choose. I think that's why I loved this book so much, it made me think about things so relevant to life and death choices. I also loved that the story was told by Matt, the husband left behind, I felt so incredibly connected to him that it made the story personal and the outcomes that much more emotional.

This book does not mess around or pull any punches, it grabs you, smacks you and knocks you down within the first chapter. A book for readers on both sides of the spectrum, one that may even change your view on how you look at the right to life debate. An intense nonstop contemporary ride with the pace and feel of a thriller, riddled with heartbreak and tears.

I love a book that makes me think and makes me wonder what would I do, how would I feel. This book does that and adds what would I want. Your thoughts, your feelings, your beliefs, and your morals all come into play as the story unfolds. A doctor's beloved wife falls and becomes brain dead. As he is about to honor her request and remove life support, he learns that she is pregnant with their child. Should he follow her wishes to die or her dreams of having a baby? You'll have to read this wonderful book to find out.

It’s no secret that I like to read. On the flip side of that, it’s no secret that my husband hates reading (absolute insanity if you ask me). Still, he’s always nice enough to ask me what I’m reading and what the book is about before drifting off to sleep after complaining that the light on my Nook is too bright (impossible, of course). When I mentioned that I was reading The Promise of Stardust and explained it to him, he had two thoughts on the book. One, “that title makes no sense! It has nothing to do with stars.” And two, “Duh, of course you’d keep your wife alive to save the baby.” While the first statement sounds exactly like him, I was actually surprised by the first. I had no idea my husband felt that way. After explaining the circumstances to him (she’s only a few weeks into pregnancy, she’d need to be kept on life support for months, she explicitly stated she didn’t want to ever be on life support, etc.), he was still firm in his decision. I was both surprised and pleased that a book (especially one dealing with this topic) could open up a discussion with my husband. That, however, is only one of the many reasons I enjoyed this book.

Like my husband, without even knowing any of the details, I had made up my mind that if I was ever in that situation I would want to be on life support to do everything possible to save the baby. And perhaps it’s silly. Yes, I have such a strong desire to have a child, but if I’m brain dead… well, be honest, what difference would that make to me? Here I am, a completely pro-choice woman and I’d be willing to “suffer” through months for a child that I wouldn’t be able to raise myself. Crazy, right? Maybe, but who really knows?

Anyway, how about the book itself? Immediately, it gives you something that you want to discuss (obviously). It’s one of those issues that people are going to be divided by and, somehow, that makes the book so much more interesting. The writing is beautiful and wonderful. The story is both lovely and heartbreaking at the exact same time. While it might not be one of those books you can pick up at any ol’ time (I hope this makes sense… sometimes you need to read a certain type/genre of book and this one might be a little too “life heavy” for particular times) and enjoy, it is absolutely worth reading when the time is right for you.

It's rare that a book makes you want to root for every character and yet that's what this one does. It was a privilege to be exposed to writing of this level and to feel as though I truly knew the characters. I enjoyed the book and couldn't wait to begin re-reading it. The story is moving and the character development is tragically beautiful. I felt as though the story carried with me, even months after I finished reading it, which I believe is the mark of a masterpiece. I cannot wait for what this author has in store for her future readers. I recommend this book without hesitation and would rate it 10 stars if I had the opportunity to do so.

Priscille Sibley's powerful debut novel, The Promise of Stardust, is a compelling and compassionate story about a family torn apart in the wake of tragedy and ethical dilemma. It circles grandiose themes of life and death and has much to fuel book club discussions. And yet, underneath, it's a beautifully crafted love story, one full of hope.

The book starts with gripping action: Matt Beaulieu, a thirty-something neurosurgeon, is working when he gets the call that his wife is in the E.R. Following what appears to be a minor accident, Elle McClure is brain dead. As Matt makes the heart-wrenching decision to terminate life support, he discovers Elle is pregnant. And this is where the real trauma begins. The family splits in its decision to keep her alive artificially so as to give the unborn baby a chance at survival. To make matters worse, Elle is a public figure. Everyone has an opinion on what Matt should do, and his intensely private family drama plays out in public. The ensuing court battle, which will appeal to fans of Jodi Picoult, pits Matt against his own mother, who is an obstetrical nurse, and allies him with political groups whose agenda he doesn't share.

Although The Promise of Stardust delves into emotionally charged issues, it never does so gratuitously. Yes, I had a few tears, but there was no melodrama, no sense that my heartstrings were being stretched to snapping point. And since the author is a neonatal intensive care nurse, I found the medical information fascinating not maudlin. The hospital settings really came alive.

What I enjoyed most, however, was the gradual unveiling of an unexpected marriage. In the first few chapters, I made incorrect assumptions about Matt and Elle's relationship. We know they grew up together, and then we learn they were teenage lovers. But their relationship is full of twist and turns; we discover the truth through flashbacks that start with their first kiss and end with their decision to marry.

Elle is an intriguing heroine. A brilliant woman who--literally--reached for the stars. An astrophysicist, she walked in space but nothing mattered more than carrying a baby to term. And Matt just stole my heart. So many times, I stopped to think, "What would I do if I were him?"

The Promise of Stardust is a page-turner. I consumed it in two days.

What an incredibly wonderful book. I absolutely loved this book from the start. While it does involve a somewhat "touchy" medical subject matter, it is a lovely book. Not only can you really feel for the main character but you also put yourself in his shoes and really understand where he's coming from. The other supporting characters are also written in a way that makes you feel for them also. Brilliant book, just brilliant!

A Promise of Stardust really surprised me and I have no idea why. Possibly because I didn’t know much about it before picking it up and it blew me away. Or maybe because I was desperate to read at least four other novels in my to-be-read pile but had to read this one first. But regardless of the reason, I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled that I happened to get a chance to read this one. A Promise of Stardust is at once heartbreaking and tender, explosive and thought provoking.

The drama and devastation unfolds immediately from the first page and from there, both a love story and an ethical dilemma unfold. I was heartbroken by the story and moved to tears. You will probably find yourself on one side of the issue or the other and maybe even tottering on the fine line in between. Sibley handles the subject skilfully and with such grace, dignity and sensitivity.

The relationship between Matt and Elle is gradually revealed and woven through the story via flashbacks and I thought this suited the novel well. Narrated by Matt, we see his view of their relationship and the situation and I found this a refreshing change as I read so many novels from women’s perspectives. I loved that their relationship isn’t perfect and how it felt so real. It’s gritty and messy and complicated - as most relationships are. I also loved that both their relationship and Elle herself weren’t glorified and that she wasn’t portrayed as a saint in light of the accident.

There was one thing that I did find a bit aggravating from time to time and that was some repetition that occurred throughout. I’ve been able to forgive it slightly as I’m sure it is something that occurs in extreme situations and is probably realistic with how life actually is at times. But it did grate somewhat, particularly the nature of the statement. I got it already, I thought, and didn’t love that it was harped on so much.

The Promise of Stardust makes you think. It will have you desperate to hug your loved ones and not take them for granted. You’ll want to get your affairs in order and have conversations. This is a fabulous read for anyone looking for something a bit deeper than the standard chick lit fare. Although I don’t read much of either, all I could think while reading was that this novel seemed a perfect blend of Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks and I believe fans of either will enjoy this one.

Thank you to HarperCollins for our review copy! All opinions are our own.

I gave this a five star rating because I couldn't put the book down until I finished. I found myself asking what was it that no one else but the husband could see how different this was than from Elles mother dying of cancer who was in such pain? It pained me to think about all the family members fighting each other and not trusting Matt to do right by the woman he loved more than life itself. I also enjoyed this book because I never knew from page to page what was going to happen next. There were never any clues to guess the outcome like most you can guess who did it or how it ends. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written story and also who enjoys being challenged on the issues on the right to die and who should be in charge of those decisions.

I loved this book. I picked it up on a cruise because I didn't have another book and then I couldn't put it down. Crying over a book isn't me, but I found myself in tears a couple of times with this one. I enjoy a story where the main character is a stand-up person. Going back and forth between the past and the present was a bit difficult to keep track of, but not terribly bothersome. It did make me really get to know the characters, however. Very worthy of reading and it will be with you long after the last page is turned.

Matt and Elle, childhood friends, highschool sweethearts and long time married couple have faced almost everything in life together, good or bad, they have always had love and friendship to connect them. Lately multiple miscarriages have devastated them and Elle being at a point in her life of wanting a family, can only think about having another baby no matter the risk. Matt on the other hand wants kids but does not want Elle to put her life in danger, so trying again for the 5th time is out of the question. Before the two can even travel the road of battling about it, Elle has a tragic freak accident and sustains massive head trauma putting her in a vegetative state hooked up to life support. Matt has no intention of keeping Elle alive and knows its time to say goodbye to his wife, but when he receives the news that Elle is eight weeks pregnant everything changes in an instant.

The thought of a child, a piece of Elle left behind changes Matt's mind and he decides to keep Elle on life support until the baby is born, knowing that this is what Elle would have wanted, knowing he will have to let her go after but wanting to give the unborn child a chance at life. So he hires an attorney and fights for guardianship over the baby without knowing he would create a storm of controversy in his wake. Others including fellow doctors, family and Matt's own mother do not agree and think he should terminate Elle's life, which in turn would automatically terminate the child's. His mother being Elle's power of attorney over medical decisions (due to Elle's own mother dying) since she was a teenager actually is taking it so seriously that she decides to fight Matt over the issue in court, trying to block his guardianship.

Even with the consequences of ripping the family apart Matt moves forward and an ensuing battle takes place over the right of the unborn child and the right of the mother who lays incompetent in a hospital bed, asking the question of living wills versus a spouses legal right. It also becomes a high profile case and brings the pro-lifers and the women's rights groups out in droves begging the debate on the right to life. Everyone thinks they knew Elle, and in a sense they did, due to her small town fame, but not as well as Matt knew her and over the course of the story he slowly reveals to the reader the layered past of him and Elle's romance, the young teenage love of her at 15 and him 17, the time at college and the times apart, the memories are primarily focused on a woman already dead but we are able to capture her through Matt and see the years before the accident, interlocked with the veracious court battle, media storm and Pro-life versus Pro-choice commentary that riddles the book. Matt feels like he's doing the right thing, even though the entire world seems to be against him, even though he is holding that one last shred of hope, as a brain surgeon himself he knows the possibility for Elle returning whole is gone, but the possibility of that child is not lost and he will fight to save it.

Heartbreaking and grueling issues face Matt's journey and the time spent going through Elle's journals rekindle the beginnings of their relationship and takes our character and us the reader on an unbelievable love story, a coming of age story, a story of loss and a story about life. The Promise of Stardust was a stunning debut from Sibley, I was very impressed with the writing style and have to hand it to the author for taking on such a controversial social commentary, showing a remarkable viewpoint from the stand of the right to life, and the woman's right to choose. I think that's why I loved this book so much, it made me think about things so relevant to life and death choices. I also loved that the story was told by Matt, the husband left behind, I felt so incredibly connected to him that it made the story personal and the outcomes that much more emotional.

This book does not mess around or pull any punches, it grabs you, smacks you and knocks you down within the first chapter. A book for readers on both sides of the spectrum, one that may even change your view on how you look at the right to life debate. An intense nonstop contemporary ride with the pace and feel of a thriller, riddled with heartbreak and tears.

I love a book that makes me think and makes me wonder what would I do, how would I feel. This book does that and adds what would I want. Your thoughts, your feelings, your beliefs, and your morals all come into play as the story unfolds. A doctor's beloved wife falls and becomes brain dead. As he is about to honor her request and remove life support, he learns that she is pregnant with their child. Should he follow her wishes to die or her dreams of having a baby? You'll have to read this wonderful book to find out.

It’s no secret that I like to read. On the flip side of that, it’s no secret that my husband hates reading (absolute insanity if you ask me). Still, he’s always nice enough to ask me what I’m reading and what the book is about before drifting off to sleep after complaining that the light on my Nook is too bright (impossible, of course). When I mentioned that I was reading The Promise of Stardust and explained it to him, he had two thoughts on the book. One, “that title makes no sense! It has nothing to do with stars.” And two, “Duh, of course you’d keep your wife alive to save the baby.” While the first statement sounds exactly like him, I was actually surprised by the first. I had no idea my husband felt that way. After explaining the circumstances to him (she’s only a few weeks into pregnancy, she’d need to be kept on life support for months, she explicitly stated she didn’t want to ever be on life support, etc.), he was still firm in his decision. I was both surprised and pleased that a book (especially one dealing with this topic) could open up a discussion with my husband. That, however, is only one of the many reasons I enjoyed this book.

Like my husband, without even knowing any of the details, I had made up my mind that if I was ever in that situation I would want to be on life support to do everything possible to save the baby. And perhaps it’s silly. Yes, I have such a strong desire to have a child, but if I’m brain dead… well, be honest, what difference would that make to me? Here I am, a completely pro-choice woman and I’d be willing to “suffer” through months for a child that I wouldn’t be able to raise myself. Crazy, right? Maybe, but who really knows?

Anyway, how about the book itself? Immediately, it gives you something that you want to discuss (obviously). It’s one of those issues that people are going to be divided by and, somehow, that makes the book so much more interesting. The writing is beautiful and wonderful. The story is both lovely and heartbreaking at the exact same time. While it might not be one of those books you can pick up at any ol’ time (I hope this makes sense… sometimes you need to read a certain type/genre of book and this one might be a little too “life heavy” for particular times) and enjoy, it is absolutely worth reading when the time is right for you.

It's rare that a book makes you want to root for every character and yet that's what this one does. It was a privilege to be exposed to writing of this level and to feel as though I truly knew the characters. I enjoyed the book and couldn't wait to begin re-reading it. The story is moving and the character development is tragically beautiful. I felt as though the story carried with me, even months after I finished reading it, which I believe is the mark of a masterpiece. I cannot wait for what this author has in store for her future readers. I recommend this book without hesitation and would rate it 10 stars if I had the opportunity to do so.

Priscille Sibley's powerful debut novel, The Promise of Stardust, is a compelling and compassionate story about a family torn apart in the wake of tragedy and ethical dilemma. It circles grandiose themes of life and death and has much to fuel book club discussions. And yet, underneath, it's a beautifully crafted love story, one full of hope.

The book starts with gripping action: Matt Beaulieu, a thirty-something neurosurgeon, is working when he gets the call that his wife is in the E.R. Following what appears to be a minor accident, Elle McClure is brain dead. As Matt makes the heart-wrenching decision to terminate life support, he discovers Elle is pregnant. And this is where the real trauma begins. The family splits in its decision to keep her alive artificially so as to give the unborn baby a chance at survival. To make matters worse, Elle is a public figure. Everyone has an opinion on what Matt should do, and his intensely private family drama plays out in public. The ensuing court battle, which will appeal to fans of Jodi Picoult, pits Matt against his own mother, who is an obstetrical nurse, and allies him with political groups whose agenda he doesn't share.

Although The Promise of Stardust delves into emotionally charged issues, it never does so gratuitously. Yes, I had a few tears, but there was no melodrama, no sense that my heartstrings were being stretched to snapping point. And since the author is a neonatal intensive care nurse, I found the medical information fascinating not maudlin. The hospital settings really came alive.

What I enjoyed most, however, was the gradual unveiling of an unexpected marriage. In the first few chapters, I made incorrect assumptions about Matt and Elle's relationship. We know they grew up together, and then we learn they were teenage lovers. But their relationship is full of twist and turns; we discover the truth through flashbacks that start with their first kiss and end with their decision to marry.

Elle is an intriguing heroine. A brilliant woman who--literally--reached for the stars. An astrophysicist, she walked in space but nothing mattered more than carrying a baby to term. And Matt just stole my heart. So many times, I stopped to think, "What would I do if I were him?"

The Promise of Stardust is a page-turner. I consumed it in two days.

What an incredibly wonderful book. I absolutely loved this book from the start. While it does involve a somewhat "touchy" medical subject matter, it is a lovely book. Not only can you really feel for the main character but you also put yourself in his shoes and really understand where he's coming from. The other supporting characters are also written in a way that makes you feel for them also. Brilliant book, just brilliant!

A Promise of Stardust really surprised me and I have no idea why. Possibly because I didn’t know much about it before picking it up and it blew me away. Or maybe because I was desperate to read at least four other novels in my to-be-read pile but had to read this one first. But regardless of the reason, I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled that I happened to get a chance to read this one. A Promise of Stardust is at once heartbreaking and tender, explosive and thought provoking.

The drama and devastation unfolds immediately from the first page and from there, both a love story and an ethical dilemma unfold. I was heartbroken by the story and moved to tears. You will probably find yourself on one side of the issue or the other and maybe even tottering on the fine line in between. Sibley handles the subject skilfully and with such grace, dignity and sensitivity.

The relationship between Matt and Elle is gradually revealed and woven through the story via flashbacks and I thought this suited the novel well. Narrated by Matt, we see his view of their relationship and the situation and I found this a refreshing change as I read so many novels from women’s perspectives. I loved that their relationship isn’t perfect and how it felt so real. It’s gritty and messy and complicated - as most relationships are. I also loved that both their relationship and Elle herself weren’t glorified and that she wasn’t portrayed as a saint in light of the accident.

There was one thing that I did find a bit aggravating from time to time and that was some repetition that occurred throughout. I’ve been able to forgive it slightly as I’m sure it is something that occurs in extreme situations and is probably realistic with how life actually is at times. But it did grate somewhat, particularly the nature of the statement. I got it already, I thought, and didn’t love that it was harped on so much.

The Promise of Stardust makes you think. It will have you desperate to hug your loved ones and not take them for granted. You’ll want to get your affairs in order and have conversations. This is a fabulous read for anyone looking for something a bit deeper than the standard chick lit fare. Although I don’t read much of either, all I could think while reading was that this novel seemed a perfect blend of Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks and I believe fans of either will enjoy this one.

Thank you to HarperCollins for our review copy! All opinions are our own.

Story Description:

HarperCollins|January 28, 2013|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-0-06-219417-6

Matt Beaulieu was two years old the first time he held Elle McClure in his arms, seventeen when he first kissed her under a sky filled with shooting stars, and thirty-three when they wed. Now in their late thirties, the deeply devoted couple has everything - except the baby they've always wanted.

When a tragic accident leaves Elle brain-dead, Matt is devastated. Though he cannot bear losing her, he knows his wife, a thoughtful adventurous scientist, feared only one thing - a slow death. Just before Matt agrees to remove Elle from life support, the doctors discover that she is pregnant. Now what was once a clear-cut decision becomes an impossible choice. Matt knows how much this child would have meant to Elle. While there is no certainty her body can sustain the pregnancy, he is sure Elle would want the baby to have a chance. Linney, Matt's mother, believes her son is blind with denial. She loves Elle, too, and insists that Elle would never want to be kept alive by artificial means, no matter what the situation.

Divided by the love they share, driven by principle, Matt and Linney fight for what each believes is right, and the result is a disagreement that escalates into a controversial legal battle, ultimately going beyond one family and one single life.

Told with sensitivity and compassion, The Promise of Stardust is an emotionally resonant and thought-provoking tale that raises profound questions about life and death, faith and medicine - and illuminates, with beauty and grace, the power of love to wound...and to heal.

My Review:

Matt and Elle had been sweethearts since they were very young children and are very much in love. Matt is a neurosurgeon and works at the local hospital. One afternoon he receives a phone call in his office located four blocks from the hospital. The call is from one of his colleagues, Carl Archer. He told Matt he needed to come to the hospital immediately as Elle had been in an accident. His first thought was: "Oh please, don't let her be dead." Matt asked: "Is it serious?" Carl cleared his throat and responded: "It's serious. Come now. I'll see you in a few minutes." Matt sprinted the four blocks to the hospital and heads straight to the trauma room. Matt took in the horrible scene before him. His precious Elle was decked out with a dozen IV bags, pumps, lines of all sorts sprang from her extremities and a ventilator hissed its accordion wheeze as it pumped oxygen. Elle's face was white as the bed sheets and dried blood was caked in her beautiful blond hair. The only indication she was still alive was the tracing across the cardiac monitor. Her body was rigid and arched, toes were pointed, and her hands were curled under and all this was an indication of severe brain damage. Matt dropped to his knees knowing whatever happened had devastated her brain. Elle was only thirty-five-years-old.

Elle has always feared a slow death and just before doctors are removing life support they discover Elle is pregnant. There is no certainty that her body could sustain a pregnancy on life support but Matt is a hundred percent positive that Elle would want the baby to have the best chance at survival.

Linney, Matt's own mother who loves Elle to pieces and treats her as a daughter believes Matt is blind with denial. She is positive that Elle would NOT want to be kept alive by artificial means no matter the situation and it's glaringly clear that Elle is brain dead.

Matt and Linney each fight for what each believes is right, pitting son against mother. The result is a disagreement that escalates into a controversial legal battle, ultimately going beyond one family and one single life.

When I first decided to read this novel I was worried that the story would get bogged down in lengthy, drawn-out, and boring court trials and details. However, just the opposite was true. Ms. Sibley tells the story through flashbacks of their past and it works very well. I couldn't put the book down until I was done. The Promise of Stardust would be a perfect selection for a book clubs, so much controversy and so many different aspects and viewpoints would make for hours and hours of great discussion. This is the kind of book you won't soon forget. Very well-done!

Priscille Sibley, the author of THE PROMISE OF STARDUST, is a neonatal intensive care nurse, and her medical knowledge --- not to mention her compassion for her patients and their families --- shines through every word of her first novel.
Like Sibley herself, protagonist Matt Beaulieu is a medical professional. Matt is a young doctor at a large hospital in Portland, Maine. When his own wife arrives as a patient in the ER --- she has suffered a bad fall off a ladder, with significant head trauma --- Matt starts out by using his medical knowledge to help compartmentalize the horror and helplessness of what's unfolding before him. His beautiful, brilliant wife Elle --- so strong that she's run marathons and even gone into space as an astronaut on the space shuttle --- is in a persistent vegetative state, and even with all the medical knowledge and tools at his disposal, neither Matt nor anyone else can save her.
Elle, whose own mother died after a long and painful battle with cancer, has always said in no uncertain terms that she would never want to be kept on life support. She even signed an advanced directive to that effect when she was a very young woman. But now that he faces that situation, Matt learns one piece of information that might change everything --- Elle is eight weeks pregnant.
Matt and Elle had tried to have a baby before, but multiple miscarriages and one stillbirth had marred their hopes for a family. Now, though, the autoimmune disorder that had kept Elle from carrying a child to term has been addressed, and there's every reason to hope that, as long as life support is able to maintain Elle's body, she can bring her and Matt's child into the world. But Matt will encounter plenty of resistance, both in and out of court, as he fights to save his unborn child --- including not only from Elle's former fiancé but also from Matt's own mother, a nurse herself.
Sibley's first novel doesn't shy away from addressing pretty big and certainly controversial issues. She breaks up the intensity of the courtroom scenes by giving readers glimpses of Matt and Elle's long history together; next-door neighbors, they have known and loved each other since they were children. Matt is certainly a consummate professional, but at times his tendency to fall back on medical analyses of Elle's condition can make the book seem less emotionally immediate. As readers come to know Elle, however, both through Matt's memories and through her own journal entries, they undeniably will be touched by her story and by Matt's courageous attempts to seize any hope he can find, however small.
THE PROMISE OF STARDUST is tailor-made for great discussions. Be prepared, though, for heated political conversations as the novel addresses both right-to-die and anti-abortion issues head-on. But there are also plenty of interpersonal topics to explore, as readers can consider and discuss what they would do if they or a loved one faced a similarly impossible decision.

Reviewed by Norah Piehl

Matt a neurosurgeon, and Elle an astronaut

My first thought right there is when do they see each other? Of course they can't get pregnant, there is no opportunity. All kidding aside Elle is a retired astronaut and now a college professor living in Maine. They have had 4 unsuccessful pregnancies already.

Then tragedy strikes these childhood sweethearts when Elle the astronaut takes a fall off a ladder, the day after learning she was pregnant, and is declared brain dead. And as circumstances would have it, without sharing the FABULOUS news Matt *sigh*.

What more could go wrong?

** Possible Spoiler **

Matt's mother. You would think she would support Matt is anything short of idiocy. You would be wrong. The lawsuit and counter suit by your own mother? Matts's mother has medical power of attorney?

I thought the argument, that Elle's advanced directive against being kept alive by artificial means if there was no hope of recovery, was lame. I really can't imagine anyone believing she wouldn't want to remain on life support until the baby was born.

Elle's journals that Matt reads as a comfort and connection to his beloved lets Matt and the reader capture her essence.

The end was spot on, The writing was terrific, especially for a newly published writer.

Elle McClure had trouble bringing babies to term, and after losing her last baby in her eighth month and nearly her life, she agreed with her husband, Matthew, they would not try again. However, the unthinkable happens and Matthew has some decisions to make based on what he believed Elle would want. The question as to what Matthew should do about his wife's right to live comes into question and battle in Author Priscille Sibley's The Promise of Stardust.

When Elle decided to help her brother clean the windows on his house, no one could have predicted it would end in a fall from a ladder that threatened to claim her life and the life of the unborn baby she was carrying. The fact that no one knew she was pregnant, Matthew included, leaving Elle on life support to carry the baby to term became a public forum for pro-lifers and pro-choice believers everywhere. The tension it caused in the family and with those who had no direct authority to determine what should be done left Matthew stressed and questioning if leaving Elle on life support to try to keep a baby that may not live in Elle's deteriorating body.

A glimmer of hope finally shined through, but there were struggles both mentally and physically for Matthew, still he continued holding fast to the decision he believed was right. As a neurosurgeon, he knew that saving Elle's life was impossible, but could the baby survive?

I enjoyed reading The Promise of Stardust because the sweet love evident between Matthew and Elle was so beautifully written through the pages of her journals and Matthew's heart. Most importantly, it clearly expresses the need for all of us to have a will and/or a living will is very important. I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys stories of true love.

This book was provided to me courtesy of the publisher for review purposes.

Review by Sharel E. Gordon-Love
APOOO BookClub

Before our last book club meeting, one of the women said that she was bringing copies of a book that she had won through an on-line contest for our next selection. As usual, I don't start a book right away, but then a few weeks before our next meeting, I start. Most of the time, it takes me a while to get into the book, so I figure out how long it will take me to read if I really don't like the book, and I usually settle on 30 pages. Having such low expectations for this book, because, after all, it was free, I thought I would struggle through every one of those 30 pages each time I sat down to read. I could not have been more wrong!

Within a few pages, the story had me captured. I couldn't put it down at first, and every day I couldn't wait until I had a chance to pick it up again. This was a story of love that cannot be matched; coupled with family heart-ache and opposition that almost tore them apart. The legal and medical issues were intertwined in a story about Matt and Elle that showed what true love is really about.

It would be easy to give too many spoilers, and that would be a shame, because I am sure you will love this book as much as I did.

Matt has known Elle, literally, since she was born. Having grown up next door to each other, Matt and Elle have always been a part of each other's lives; now they are married. The only issue is that they have been unable to successfully start a family. When Elle suffers a tragic accident that leaves her brain dead, Matt is prepared to follow her wishes and cease life support. When it is discovered that Elle is pregnant, Matt must struggle with which desire Elle holds more dear- the desire to die with dignity, or the desire to give life to a child no matter what the cost.

Very rarely do books make me cry, but this book left me a soggy, blubbering mess, and I loved every moment of it. The word intense does not even begin to describe this book. The story is complex on so many levels. First and foremost, the choices Matt must make are heartbreaking. The choices of those around him are equally difficult and often enraging. And the back story is no walk in the park either. Matt and Elle have been through so many difficulties, both separately and together, prior to the current crises, you wonder how much more they can take. The story is full of legal and medical technicalities which are so important to the story, without being overly distracting. The narrative moves around on the timeline of events, but when there is a shift in time, it always makes sense, and it is always relevant to the current action of the story.

I love that we meet Elle's character through the lens of Matt's memory, the emotional responses of her family, and her own diaries. It feels incredibly intimate, and is some of the most earnest character development I have ever read. Matt's character is developed through his actions; the character shows us who he is, rather than just telling us. I personally enjoyed that. There were a lot of extraneous characters, most of which I cared very little about, or simply felt angry at, but Matt and Elle were always at the center of the story.

These are intense issues covered in the book. Terminal illness, teen pregnancy, right to life, right to death, alcoholism. Yet there is something, ultimately, uplifting about the book. Do not get me wrong, you will need tissues, but you will feel glad that you read the book when it is all said and done. For people who have suffered fertility issues, miscarriages, stillbirths and other forms of infant loss, or loss of a loved one due to traumatic brain injury, this book will most likely serve as trigger, so be aware of that. Even though the book left me emotionally exhausted, I feel thankful to have read it, and the story simply will not leave my mind; a brilliant showing for a debut novel.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.

Elle and Matt are next-door neighbors and best friends who (predictably) become husband and wife. Elle is an astronaut, Matt is a neurosurgeon and the two of them have big dreams for their lives. But their biggest dream is to start a family, to have a child and capture the love they share. Alas, though Elle can conceive she can't seem to bring a child to term - doctors think because of an autoimmune disorder she has called APS. Several miscarriages later, the couple have all but given up on the reality of a child if not the hope -- when Elle suffers a tragic accident which leaves her brain-dead. At first Matt considers it a no-brainer to turn off her life support - but when he finds out she pregnant it complicates matters, pitting his own mother against him in court.

Fans of Jodi Picoult will recognize the structure of this book: moral dilemma, leading to a court-room drama both of which are entangled by a love story. I couldn't stop harping on the similarities while I read and, in fact, Sibley names Picoult as an influence in the back of the book.

The story was well-told and engaging - we hear it from Matt's point of view since Elle no longer has a voice - but I did have some qualms with it. Before long, the arguments the character brought forth got very repetitive "Elle didn't want to die this way;" "she was terrified of ending up like her mother"; "but there's a difference, she's not in pain," "she wanted a child more than anything..." was written over and over again, with nothing knew being brought to light. That really began to grate on me and might well begin to grate on you.

Also, for me, the "right thing" to do was evident from the start. (Of course "right thing" is in quotation marks because there's no right or wrong in a case like this). What I should say is that as a reader I came to my personal conclusion early and didn't need pages and pages of hem-hawing to make the decision for me. Of course, everyone is different and for many the case will not be so clearcut. But because it was for me, the book felt very drawn out.

This seems like an untenable situation: a young pregnant woman is brain-dead and her husband must decide whether to let her go or try to keep her alive long enough to deliver their child. Matt is the husband. Elle is the wife. Elle was a brilliant scientist and astronaut who even went into space once. Matt's a neurosurgeon so he's well aware of how the human brain works. His mother Linney who knew and loved Elle from childhood has come forward to say Elle had a living will and asked her to look out for her rights should something happen to her. A battle between his mother and Matt ensues. Linney wants Elle to die peacefully saying she wouldn't want to be kept alive under the circumstances. Matt simply wants to save his child, a part of Elle. A lot of the story is told in flashbacks. The reader wouldn't have gotten to know Elle otherwise because the accident that incapacitates her takes place in the first chapter. By the end of the novel I was honestly not sure which side I would be on should something like that happen in my own life. That's the mark of a good read: It makes you think, and this novel did.

I was given a wonderful opportunity (by Bookreporter.com and William Morrow books - thank you!) to read and review this book.

I was immediately drawn into this book after reading just the first few pages. It reminded me a lot of a Jodi Picoult book: Lone Wolf + The Pact = The Promise of Stardust.

It's a love story like none you'll ever read with hope and despair. A young couple working against the odds of their age finally break-up and go their separate ways but when times heals the pain and they are reconnected they have an unlikely opportunity to rekindle what they once had and to start a family. If it were only that easy.

This book will make you think about things you never thought of before and you will realize that some things in life should be sacred - that you shouldn't have to fight for what's rightfully yours.

One last thing that I feel the need to mention, The Promise of Stardust is Priscille Sibley's FIRST book. I can't believe it. It's written like a pro, not like a novice. Well done Priscille!

I highly recommend.

"The Promise of Stardust" by Priscille Sibley is a great love story you must read! Matt and Ellie were childhood friends who now have a loving marriage. What they want are children and a family. Their first two attempts ended in tragedy. When Matt, who is a doctor, gets a call that Ellie is being rushed to the hospital, he hurries only to find her fall from a ladder has left her brain dead and that she is carrying his child! He wants to keep her on life support hoping that the baby will live but his mom and Ellie's brother want the plug pulled.

This is an outstanding book that is a page turner. I loved how the author went back in time to show how Matt and Ellie came to be married and the trials they faced. Does the baby live? Who wins the trial? Speaking of the trial, that part of the book is gripping with suspense! Have a tissue handy for the ending. This book will tug at your heartstrings--it did mine! Loved it!! It doesn't get any better than this! "The Promise of Stardust" is her first novel too, are you kidding me? Well done!

I found The Promise of Stardust riveting. This book is so well written and there is so much passion exuding from so many of the characters. I recommend it highly but with the following reservations. This is a book for mature readers. The sexual aspects of an unplanned pregnancy are handled realistically, delicately and with just enough info that I don't recommend for younger teens. It did bother me that the author threw in what I consider inappropriate language about one word every 15 to twenty pages. I used white out on my copy because I did really like the book but don't appreciate the F word and certain others. Right to Life versus Pro Choice is such a hot polarizing topic in our society and if the language were cleaned up this could be a classic. It didn't add to the story and was a distraction.

There is a muscular quality to this story that I found remarkable and hard to define. Sibley takes on deep, emotional and spiritual issues that are historically explosive and divisive. Yet, this debut author juggles it all and keeps the reader centered and punching through a maze of obstacles as the protagonist battles to do what he believes is right. And, that is the key (I won't get into plot here)--doing what is right. In another strange turn, as reader and witness to the story, I felt part of the story, part of the plot. Whose side would I take? What group would I join to protest or picket? Would I go to court? How would I testify? The Promise of Stardust promises to turn you inside out, to look at your own moral architecture, and consider the consequences of following what you believe in. How far would you go? How far COULD you go? These are questions that Sibley takes on with an authority and power that kept me reading late into the night.

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

From page one of this book, I was swept in this story involving a man and his wife who in the first few pages has a tragic accident where he is well aware of the outcome as he is a neurosurgeon and her injuries are brain related. As you can read from the synopsis, they find out early on that Elle, his wife, is pregnant and he is determined to keep her alive long enough to keep the baby alive.

When I picked up The Promise of Stardust I thought it was about death. It is not. It is about love. How love can both tear families apart and bring them together. It is a beautifully written, heart-wrenching love story, filled with hope. This stunning debut grapples ethical issues in a sensitive and compassionate way, it is never melodramatic or preachy.

Matt has loved his wife Elle since he was two years old. Now they are married, and Elle is pregnant with her first child. When the unthinkable happens, and Elle is killed in an accident, Matt must decide whether to go against his wife's wishes and keep her on life support to save their unborn child. But Matt's mother has strong opinions of her own, and she is also willing to fight for what she thinks is right. So many times while I read this book I wondered what Matt should do, what I would do. It is a book that stayed with me long after I read it. I highly recommend it.

I rarely give 5 stars but this book had everything I want in a novel. Characters that are real and people whom I would enjoy knowing and a story that made me think. This should be a very sad story but in many ways I was uplifted. This has many hot topic issues. The right to die and is a fetus a life if the mother is brain dead. I realize this has type of story has been in the news but this is neither a pro life or a pro choice book, it is just a very real love story.

THE PROMISE OF STARDUST is more than just a love story. It is also a story of conflict with family members, as well as with oneself. When Matt Beaulieu decides to keep his wife Elle, who had a terrible accident and was pronounced brain dead, on life support knowing that she would not want to be kept alive indefinitely but also confident she would want the baby she’s carrying to have a chance at life, he faces family members and the community who think she should be allowed to die peacefully. Believing as Elle did in the right to die with dignity and also in the baby’s right to live, left me in a quandary. How did I want it to end? I couldn't have it both ways. What would you do?
The characters and story were remarkably believable. Priscille Sibley knows how to write a story to hold your interest, even after you’ve finished the book. I highly recommend THE PROMISE OF STARDUST. I couldn’t put it down.

This was a pretty fast read. I did enjoy the book on the whole but there are some things that I did not like.
It is written in the first person, something I really like when done correctly. It really convey's personal emotion well.
The very beginning of the book starts off great and you get a good feel for the characters involved, but then in my opinion the pacing gets off track a bit. It seems like things are moving much to fast or maybe just not connected enough. In my opinion though this doesn't detract from the overall book.

This book raises explores right to life issues in a personal way and I like that.

I don't feel that either side would feel pressured either way by this book either. It merely presents a story to you. You can make up your own mind on how you feel about the issues.

In any event, it was a quick enjoyable read.

I was one of the lucky early readers to receive Priscille Sibley's The Promise of Stardust This book is so good! The story is of a husband and wife who have tried for years to get pregnant. Finally, the wife is pregnant, has an accident and is now on life support. Her husband is faced with the decision to end her life support or keep it on until the baby can be safely born. Sound interesting? Just wait because it gets better. Everyone turns on the husband when he makes his decision and a lawsuit begins.

One of the main themes to the story becomes (without the husband meaning it or wanting it to) the controversy of life and choice. This book will have you feeling differently with each turn of the page. This book has everything. There is the medical drama, the lawsuit. court proceedings and emotions that will have you riveted. You can't help but feel for everyone involved.

I highly recommend this one.

This book encompasses a real moral dilemma. Matt and Elle Beaulieu are in their mid-thirties and have always wanted a child--they've tried for years and have been unsuccessful. Elle suffers an accident, which results in brain death, but it's discovered that she's pregnant. Matt goes against what his family thinks is right, and keeps his wife on life support. This is yet another book where the characters have stayed with me long after I've read the last page. The subject matter is very heavy and can put many people off, but much of the story is told in flashback. So, the reader really gets a sense of Matt and Elle's deep and abiding relationship. I found myelf re-reading many of the flashback sections because Matt and Elle became real people to me, and I admired the depth of their love for one another.

Priscille Sibley does a masterful job of grabbing you on the first page and holding you to the very end of the book. She takes an ethical dilemma that challenges, parents, doctors, lawyers, and court systems throughout our country: the rights of an unborn baby when the mother is declared brain dead, and allows her individual characters to struggle with the preceived needs, wants and desires of the comatose victim. Without taking sides one way or the other, Sibley, challenges the reader to struggle along with the characters of her novel. Her personal experience as a neo-natal intensive care nurse shines through as she expertly walks us through the physiological aspects of the many challenges to maintain life under these circumstances. Well worth the read.

This beautiful love story explores the moral and legal obligations of following a loved one's living will when mitigating circumstances weigh heavily on everyone's heart. As his pregnant wife is kept alive on life support, Matt must fight for what he believes in and what he knows Elle would ultimately want.

This is of course a tear jerker and I don't mean that as a put-down. There's much to admire here. I especially like the way the author goes right to the point in the first pages of the novel rather than subjecting the reader to a lengthy introduction to the main characters. I admit that the long and thorough introduction works often, but in this particular book, the quick plunge into the heart of the story and the then more leisurely flashbacks makes the book a good read even for guys like me who don't ordinarily go for sentimental and sad love stories. I think that the motivation of the characters works to keep this from being overly weepy and maintains a more positive stance throughout. Very highly recommended.

Maybe it's cliche for me to start this review, yet again with a quote. They just work, though. This book in particular starts out with a powerful one. It needs to be noted. "As for me, to love you alone, to make you happy, to do nothing which would contradict your wishes, this is my destiny and the meaning of life." - Napoleon Bonaparte. This is exactly the essence of this novel. It's all about the distance we're willing to go to make the ones we love happy.

I was thoroughly impressed about how well established the writing is. The chapters are small and easy to breeze through. I think I read this book in one sitting and a half. It was super easy to read through the plot. Sibley definitely wrote this book effortlessly. I like it when writers make it easy for the readers to get right to the subject they're trying to portray, even if I do prefer the more challenging books at times.

This book is filled with hope and despair; it's about both the pain and the sorrow of loosing someone; and best of all it's really about love, marriage, and parenthood. It's definitely a memorable search for the one thing we all seem to want when we've gotten everything else - children.

Meet Matt Beaulieu, a neurosurgeon, and Ell McClure, a gifted astronaut. Elle becomes tragically on life support and is found to be carrying a child. This is the story of what kinds of implications are involved in unforeseen events, like the one Elle goes through, like the ones her husband goes through.

This book offers not only emotional excitement, but also a level of both legal and ethical questions about life and death.

[...]

This book is heartbreaking beautiful. I read it in about 2 days! As an RN I have watched lives unravel and have questioned what is right on more than one occassion. It is important to see life stories from every angle, to treat patients AND families. This author does an amazing job weaving a complicated web of characters and beliefs into one book.

I read the synopsis of this book and ordered it because I am drawn to novels that have anything to do with medicine. This was supposed to be a gripping novel about medical ethics, morals, legal issues and a crisis that tests the boundaries of human relationships. Unfortunately, it falls short because it turns into melodrama with characters I never developed a liking for and the over-the-top coincidences and events that completely defied belief. Certainly the reader will quickly develop a personal position on what happens and what should be done in this case based on his or her own opinions about the situation.

Elle Beaulieu is only about 10 weeks pregnant when she falls off a ladder and is declared brain dead. Her husband, neurosurgeon Matt, is devastated but begins a campaign to force Elle to be kept alive long enough to deliver their child. A baby that he claims Elle would "do anything for" despite the fact that she once signed an advanced directive indicating she wouldn't want to be kept alive by artificial means if there was no hope of recovery.

Elle, a famous astronaut, is everything any fictional woman should be. Beautiful, brilliant, wonderful -- and she's the love of Matt's life since they've been more or less together since childhood because they lived next door to each other. Even though they were both with other people during an "off" period. (Can you say cliche?). Finally married, they try to get pregnant several times but fail due to the fact that Elle has an autoimmune disease that causes complications. Of course she would be happy to be a vessel for the baby until it can be born about 6-7 months into the future while her body is kept on machines. It's what Matt says she would have wanted. A legal battle ensues that threatens to rip the two families apart. There's a lot more, of course, but mostly it is maudlin and overly sentimental. I'm not completely a heartless cynic, and I did feel for him at times, but the additional events that happen seemed to be a little much to buy into. Matt, for all that he is supposed to be a medical doctor and neurosurgeon, seemed to me to be a very weak man. I did not like him and struggled to reach some sort of empathy for his plight. I'd say more, but the details here might spoil it for another reader -- I guess I can sum it up by saying I think he lacked character if you look at his behavior and his actions through all the years. Elle never came to life for me and was painted as a saint, as an object of adoration with everyone claiming they know what is best for her, not as a real person despite the words that the author gives her in the form of letters.

If you want a sort of sappy and predictable tearjerker, this is the book for you. I felt a bit manipulated and rushed through to the ending after all. If you aren't sure of your position on these medico-legal issues, you might spend some time thinking about it all once you've finished the story. It's a lot to digest.

A good read but a little too much sap for my taste. This novel tries to be touching, but something stops it short from hitting you at the core.
* If I had to read one more time that this whole thing was the husband's fault because "he got her pregnant," I thought I would scream - isn't that the talk of teenagers?

This was a deeply moving book and also controversial. It dealt with Advance Directives, riffs between family members, and courtroom battles. I thought the author did a great job explaining the love story between Matt and Elle. I really felt I was reading about either a true life couple or I was watching a well directed movie. It made me think about life and what would I want or do if I was in that situation. I also wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to everyone in the story. Very touching novel and would recommend it to others.

This was a very touching and sensitive novel. It was very well written and was hard to put down. The Promise of Stardust is the authors debut novel and it's a good one! One that will stay with you for a long time wondering what you would do or want done in a situation like this. Looking forward to more heart felt novels from Priscille Sibley.

This would have been read nonstop, except the story's intensity made some breaks necessary. In spite of some farfetchedness, I did not put it down, or flip to the back to put myself out of my misery. Overall, the author did earn her five stars, and certainly made her point that we are products of our history.

The story opens with Matt being called to see his wife who has had a brain damaging accident. About to release the body for organ donation, knowing his wife did not want to be kept alive in a vegetative state, he finds out she is 8 weeks pregnant. The story of the days following the accident, the court battle that follows over want she would want done who she gave the authority to decide is worked through with interspersed chapters of Matt and Elle's past. It was a story that captured my attention and made me wonder about how I would decide in that situation.

I bought this book with little knowledge of the story. I thought that it sounded interesting enough, so I started reading it. The book took me a long stretch of time to finish, because I found it unrealistic, and I also thought it could have been written better.
The bad luck was unrealistic, and I understand that books are often exaggerated to make them more entertaining, but I just felt like the story had no where else to go, so the author just included another disaster... or two.
I have a pet peeve, and that is books that are horribly written. This book was not detailed enough for my liking. I did not feel an emotional connection to the characters and the only two settings I can recall were really just the hospital and the court room. I couldn't imagine the atmosphere, because it was not described well. The characters also were not described well in both appearance and personality.
Honestly, just not good.

I have to admit that I'm not a fan of tear jerkers and books that make me feel slightly depressed. Especially if they start out that way and never really move on from there. I know that some people enjoy a good book, regardless of how depressing it is, and I would say that this is a good book to read. The author is talented and I appreciated the tale she had to tell but I generally prefer something a little different.

This is a fantastic debut book. I am thoroughly impressed with her ability to define and create thick characters. This story speaks to your soul. It's definitely a must read. I highly recommend. Anxiously awaiting a second novel.

This book was amazing. The author had created a ethical dilemma with multiple layers and characters with different opinions on the issues. I couldn't put it down. The story was of love, loss, not giving up, and doing anything you could for the people you love.

This book was hard to put down! Matt & Elle's beautiful love story shows the struggle between the right to life for their unborn child and Elle's right to die with dignity. I love how the story is told from the time periods before and after Elle's tragic accident. I was in tears reading Elle's journal to Matt. This book would make a wonderful book club selection since there are so many issues to discuss.

This is a poorly written story with which the author clearly has an agenda to annihilate women's rights. Not worth the time or energy. I read it for a book club and I won't attend for fear I may offend some during the discussion. When I researched the book, the reviews made me look forward to reading it. Comparisons to Jodi Piccoult, and other positive comments were made. However, within the first paragraph, it's clear that it's nothing like JP. The ideas are spoon fed to the reader, no thought provocation at all. It is all written in first person with one perspective. There is no gray area examined, all one sided. I highly discourage anyone who likes to think for themselves from reading this book.