Bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur has penned the third and final book in her Written in the Stars series, COUNT YOUR LUCKY STARS. This time, with Darcy and Elle properly smitten and Brendon and Annie racing toward the altar, it’s time for Margot to take a chance on love.

Readers of the previous two books, WRITTEN IN THE STARS and HANG THE MOON, will remember Margot Cooper as Elle’s best friend and the cofounder of Oh My Stars, a popular Twitter and Instagram account focused on helping users make big and small life decisions based on their zodiac signs. Ever since Elle and Margot teamed up with Brendon, the founder of the dating app OTP, members of their group have been paring off into relationships left and right. Margot is happy for all her friends, but she can’t help but feel a bit left behind. To make matters worse, she is much more direct than her friends, and their good-natured teasing about her stubbornness and no-relationship policy is starting to grate on her nerves.

"I’ve loved every installment of this series, and one of the most rewarding parts is seeing the lives of previous protagonists play out in the background, giving these novels the feel of a little town full of big stories."

Still, with love stories like Darcy and Elle’s and Brendon and Annie’s being written right before her eyes, even Margot is excited when the five of them start to plan the latter’s wedding. But when their venue is damaged in a fire only a few weeks before the big day, Brendon and Annie turn on emergency mode to find and plan a whole new wedding…without changing the date and risking their families’ plane tickets and hotel bookings.

Enter Emerald City Events and their best assistant, Olivia Grant. Olivia loves what she does, and given her company’s relationship with Brendon --- not to mention his vision and budget --- she knows that this is her chance to really shine. Pulling off this major event could mean getting the promotion she so deserves --- one that will help her feel a bit more secure after her divorce, her father’s health scare and her sudden move to Seattle, where she rents a tiny apartment by the month. There’s just one problem: Olivia and Margot aren’t meeting for the first time when the group gets together with Olivia at the new venue. Their history goes way, way back to one steamy, sex-filled week over spring break.

Back in high school, Margot and Olivia were best friends who shared everything, except their true feelings for one another. While Margot was openly and proudly bisexual, Olivia always considered herself straight, not least because of her long-term boyfriend. But when he dumped her before a weeklong trip to Mexico, Olivia found comfort in snacks, vodka and the arms of her best friend. When he returned and convinced her that their breakup was more of a “pause,” Olivia took him back, leaving her relationship with Margot confusing, complicated and messy. Olivia went on to marry, then divorce, her boyfriend, while Margot swore off relationships forever. Or did she?

After an awkward and obviously tension-filled reunion, Margot and Olivia find themselves rooming together when fate intervenes and turns Olivia’s apartment into a swimming pool. They’re quick to set up ground rules, but love is in the air, and there are no rules when natural chemistry and unresolved feelings are concerned.

Second-chance romance is a highly underrated trope, but in COUNT YOUR LUCKY STARS, Bellefleur reinvigorates it, using the reasons that Margot and Olivia couldn’t make it work the first time to lay the foundation for why they do work this time. The result is spellbinding, gut-wrenching and absolutely swoon-worthy. Bellefleur understands the human psyche --- and heart --- in a way that simply can’t be taught, and her writing demonstrates a real love for exploring what makes people tick, fall for one another or push away one another.

I’ve loved every installment of this series, and one of the most rewarding parts is seeing the lives of previous protagonists play out in the background, giving these novels the feel of a little town full of big stories. Bellefleur writes everything effortlessly, whether it’s laugh-out-loud banter, steamy sex or heartfelt platonic relationships. Even though she constantly pushes the envelope by digging into new themes and dynamics, her books always feel safe and cozy. Her celebration of all ways and modes of love makes her series stand out.

I’m honestly not sure what I’ll do without another Written in the Stars novel to wait for, but I can definitely say that I’ll be preordering whatever Bellefleur writes next. You should too.