Debbie Macomber

Carrie Slayton, a style reporter for a leading Chicago newspaper, wants to cover more “serious” topics. Her editor, unwilling to lose her, proposes a deal. If she can get an interview with best-selling author Finn Dalton, she can choose her future assignments. If she fails, she will continue to cover the style scene in Chicago without complaint.

Dalton is such a mystery that no one knows where he lives, and there are no photographs of him. Despite this handicap, Carrie manages to track him to an isolated cabin in the Alaskan wilderness north of Fairbanks. Given the frigid early November weather, Finn is forced to let her stay with him during the approaching storm,

The brief section of the story detailing Carrie’s search for Finn is the most enjoyable part. After that, the story evolves into Carrie’s and Finn’s internal battle to deny their attraction to prevent future disappointment. This generic trope begins during their time in the cabin and continues until the story concludes.

Carrie’s strategy for finding Finn, asking bush pilots if they know where he lives, is so obvious he would have been found much earlier. After Carrie returns to Chicago, page after page describes their longing for each other and fears their differing attitudes, values, and interests will destroy their infatuation. The story concludes with the traditional three-part romance story formula. Carrie and Finn cast aside their fears and profess their love for each other, separate after a disagreement, and realize their emotional attraction is too strong to be denied.

Starry Night can be a quick read if you can stick to it. I found a few chapters at a time was my limit before I had to set aside the book and turn to something more interesting.… (more)