Review: Of Sunlight and Stardust – Riley Hart & Christina Lee

Of Sunlight and Stardust by Riley Hart and Christina Lee is a deeply emotional MM romance that blends grief, healing, and second chances with a compelling historical mystery. Set in a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the story connects two timelines: Tanner and Cole, men navigating loss and redemption in the present, and Tom and Charlie, young lovers forced to hide their love in the 1940s. It’s a beautifully layered novel about resilience, forbidden love, and the healing power of connection.

Of Sunlight and Stardust by Riley Hart, Christina Lee
Genres: Contemporary, MM Romance

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After the death of his wife, Tanner Rowe takes a step toward making her dying wish come true and buys the house with the dilapidated barn she’d been inexplicably drawn to in the picturesque Upper Peninsula. But after a year, he still can’t get past his grief long enough to make the repairs he’d promised.

Recently out of prison, Cole Lachlan has little to his name. Homeless, broke, and without many options as a felon, Cole heads to Red Bluff with hopes of a second chance. There he meets Tanner, whose loneliness mirrors his own, and soon Cole is trading room and board for rebuilding the burned-out barn on Tanner’s property that hasn’t been touched in seventy years.

Turns out, the barn holds more secrets than either of them could have imagined. After unearthing a hidden journal from 1948, Cole and Tanner spend their evenings poring over the pages, reading about a young man pining after his best friend. The deeper they delve into this forbidden affair from the past, the more Cole and Tanner’s own relationship shifts—from acquaintances to friends…to undeniable attraction.

But as they begin to deal with the newness of falling in love in the wake of Tanner’s loss and Cole’s past, they also become more determined to unravel the mystery of the young lovers who’ve captured their hearts, the rumors about the fire, and what really happened that fateful night.

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Cole has just been released from prison after four years. With nothing but a backpack of belongings and a few dollars, he arrives in Red Bluff searching for a chance to start over, though he refuses to accept handouts.

Tanner, a teacher still grieving the loss of his wife, fulfills her last wish by buying a farmhouse with a burned barn on the property. The structure, partially destroyed decades earlier, holds a shadowy past. The town often talks about the fire, but since no one knows the full truth, the real story remains a mystery.

Since Tanner is unable to handle the repairs himself, and still weighed down by grief, he hires Cole in exchange for food and a roof over his head. As they work side by side, Cole discovers a hidden diary belonging to the son of the property’s original owner, and with it, the truth behind the fire begins to unravel.

And that is where this story becomes truly remarkable.

Of Sunlight and Stardust is not only about Tanner and Cole, but also about Tom and Charlie, a young gay couple in the 1940s forced to love in secrecy and face the prejudices of their time. The diary bridges the past and present, weaving parallels between the two couples. As Tanner’s loneliness slowly gives way to friendship with Cole, and as the diary reveals more of Tom and Charlie’s fate, the story grips you with both tenderness and suspense.

What begins as a romance evolves into a layered narrative filled with mystery, heartbreak, and warmth. I found myself racing through the chapters late at night, desperate to uncover the truth while rooting for both couples across time.

This book is emotional, haunting, and deeply beautiful—I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it.

Final Rating: 4.5 stars!

Have you read Of Sunlight and Stardust or another Riley Hart or Christina Lee novel? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!