You know those books that feel like a warm mug on a chilly day? This one fits that mood perfectly. Stranded in the Stars by Kelly Franklin is a gentle, low-drama romance that starts in a cable car over Chamonix and drifts through postcard-perfect stops across Europe. I don’t usually gravitate to love stories, they often make me a little grumpy, but Ali and Luca won me over.
So, what’s the vibe?
Soft, caretaking, and very vacation-coded. The plot isn’t trying to reinvent anything, it’s creating a space where two people can meet, notice each other, and keep choosing connection. Think alpine snow, lake walks, shared meals, and the kind of conversations that turn strangers into something more.
Meet Ali and Luca
- Ali is capable, grounded, and a little guarded. She reads like someone who does the responsible thing first, feelings second, which makes her thaw genuinely satisfying.
- Luca is an engineer with a caretaker streak, the person who notices you are cold and hands you his scarf. He brings steadiness and a lot of quiet charm.
Their chemistry isn’t fireworks exploding in the sky, it’s that slow glow of kindness meeting receptivity. Which, honestly, I believed far more than the usual insta-love highs.
Settings you can practically step into
We begin with Chamonix, France, high above the mountains, then slip to the Lake Geneva region and on to Italy. The scenery does a lot of heavy lifting, and the travel rhythm gives the romance room to breathe. If you like your stories with cool air, good views, and the feeling that a perfect pastry is always nearby, you are in safe hands.
A line that captures the caretaking energy
“I got out of the car and jogged around to open her door, offering my hand and helping her out. I knew she was fully capable, but I absolutely loved taking care of her.”
— Kelly Franklin
That tells you exactly what this book values: tenderness without condescension.
The grandparents thread that quietly anchors everything
What really charmed me is how much Ali and Luca adore their grandparents, and how that devotion shapes the story’s heartbeat. Ali comes to France to honor her grandmother’s final wish, so every view, pastry, and chance encounter feels like a small act of remembrance. Luca, ever the steady soul, is an engineer, following a path modeled by the men who raised him to value craft, precision, and care. Their romance isn’t just two people falling in love; it’s two legacies meeting in the middle, each carrying forward the best of who came before. The author was also grieving her own grandmother while drafting this, and you can feel that tenderness in the quiet moments where characters choose gentleness over drama. It reads like a love letter to the people who taught them how to love in the first place.
What I loved, even as a romance skeptic
I rarely buy whirlwind passion. Real life has budgets, bosses, and calendars. Still, within the rules of a vacation romance, Ali and Luca feel sweet and believable. The book invites you to rest in kindness for a few hours, and there is real pleasure in that.
Where it (almost) lost a star for me
The ending. We close on feelings rather than a plan. Given they are from different countries, there is a lot to figure out, and the story doesn’t go there. If you need epilogues that cover logistics and long-distance realities, you may wish for one more chapter. My honest rating is five feel-good stars.
About the author
Kelly Franklin writes contemporary romance with a soft touch. This is her first book and it is just so wel written, it was a quick, easy read with beautiful imagery. This book leans into comfort, scenic settings, and two likable leads you can root for without bracing for heartbreak.
Should you read it?
If you want a peaceful, heart-forward escape that trades angst for ambiance, yes. If you are craving immigration paperwork, job negotiations, and time-zone spreadsheets, maybe not this one.
The final word
I closed the book smiling, even while wishing for a practical roadmap. Sometimes a novel is allowed to be a hug. This one is.
Song pairing
“Paris in the Rain” by Lauv. Dreamy, travel-soaked, and a little floaty, it matches the book’s cozy, lovestruck energy.
