This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote AN INFATUATION, A SHOOTING STAR, A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (Dreamspinner Press), DRAMA QUEEN the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), PAPER DOLL the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek Press), and THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O'Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, Charles Keating, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming releases in 2016 are THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND (Dreamspinner Press), PORCELAIN DOLL and SATIN DOLL and CHINA DOLL Jana Lane mysteries (Wild Rose Press), DRAMA MUSCLE and DRAMA CRUISE Nicky and Noah mysteries (Lethe Press), and COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK and COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD (Nine Star Press).
Reviewed by Janelle Fila for Readers' Favorite
A Shooting Star (In My Heart) by Joe Cosentino is a romantic novella about the past love of two men. After winning an Academy Award, Jonathan Bello reflects back to David Star, his true love. When Jonathan was a freshman in college, his roommate was gorgeously handsome and charming David. Both in the theatre department, David aspired to teach Jonathan everything he knew, both in art and craft but also as a lover. It was wonderfully blissful until Jonathan discovered a darker side to David, a side some readers will have a hard time looking past. The lies, the cheating, the casual way in which he doesn't care that he's hurt people, including people he loves like Jonathan. The book looks at the concept of love in all shapes and forms and challenges the reader to look at their predetermined notions and re-imagine what love can mean.
Unlike most romances, this story has a bittersweet ending, which may turn off some readers expecting a traditional happy ending. However, I agree with the author and many other readers that, although this ending isn't perfect, ideal, or perhaps what I wanted to happen (or what I thought some of the characters deserved), it is a good ending for the story. So I think readers that understand this isn't a "happy ending" can still be satisfied with the way the story ends. It is a beautifully written story, full of life, love, heartbreak, tragedy, and maybe most importantly, triumph.
