Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne-dual review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 13, 2024

After getting passed over for tenure and having her life upended in the process, a physics professor decides to throw caution to the wind and live by her horoscope predictions for a year in this effervescent rom-com from the New York Times bestselling author of Made in Manhattan.

As the youngest physics professor at her university, practical-minded Miranda Reed plans her life with minute precision. But that’s before she’s denied tenure and the promotion she thought was guaranteed. Suddenly, her tidy life is anything but constant.

Overdue for a sabbatical, Miranda takes some time to look towards the stars—only this time, she’s not looking for black holes. With her faith in science shaken, Miranda turns to a practice she’s long dismissed as preposterous: astrology.

Determined to figure out why her life has suddenly gone sideways, Miranda commits to a year of letting her horoscope guide her. Soon she’s taking on new home improvement projects, adopting a new pet, and studying what the stars have to say about her ideal love match. The intriguingly aloof artist living next door? Never. His Aries energy is all wrong. On the other hand, the charming father of her new tutoring pupil is Sagittarian perfection. Made for her…right?

As Miranda navigates life with new a perspective, she slowly discovers neither science nor the stars have all the answers. And that, when it comes to love, you sometimes just have to trust your heart.

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Sandy’s Review: MIRANDA IN RETROGRADE by Lauren Layne is a contemporary, adult, romance story line focusing on thirty-one year old physics professor Dr. Miranda Reed, and artist Simon Archer.

Told from first person perspective (Miranda) MIRANDA IN RETROGRADE follow Dr. Miranda Reed in the aftermath of not making tenure, and taking a year’s sabbatical to follow her horoscope, using astrology and the signs to show her the way. Without a place to live, Miranda sets up shop in her Aunt Lillian’s house where she will meet the neighbor, artist Simon Archer, the man with whom Miranda will fall in love but along the way, Miranda continues to take advise from the stars, and her relationship with Archer is threatened by her inability to follow her heart. What ensues is the tempestuous but growing relationship between Archer and Miranda, and the potential fall-out when betrayal threatens our heroine’s future.

The world building focuses on Miranda Reed as she follows her astrological chart to the point of obsession. Everything she does bounces back to the stars, and in this, she may miss the important events and people who call to her heart.

The relationship between Miranda and Archer begins as neighbors but Miranda refuses to bend on her need to follow the signs, and narrowly mises the opportunity to fall in love. Believing she has already met the man of her future, Miranda pushes away the man with whom she is falling in love. There are no $ex scenes.

We are introduced to Miranda’s friend Daphne, and Miranda’s aunt Lillian; her brothers Brian and Jamie as well as their parents; love interest Christian Hughes, his daughter Kylee, and Archer’s ex Alyssa.

MIRANDA IN RETROGRADE is a sweet yet quiet romance; a story of hope and fears, of expectations and friendships. The premise is inviting and imaginative ; the romance is subtle; the characters are animated and sassy.

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Barb’s Review:  Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne is a sweet standalone novel. I am a big fan of Lauren Layne, as she always has wonderful romantic stories. We meet, Dr. Miranda Reed, who is a very successful PhD astrophysics professor, and to her surprise, she is denied tenure to the university, even though all her students love her.  Miranda decides to take a sabbatical, and is encouraged by her BFF, to do something out of her comfort zone; and she chooses looking into Astrology. She decides to try and follow her horoscope rather than the logical life she has always lived. Miranda moves into her aunt’s loft, while the aunt goes away for the summer.

Miranda meets her aunt’s next-door neighbor, Archer, who is a well-known private artist, who refuses to show her his paintings, and though in time, they become friends.  Miranda slowly gets used to Archer’s grumpy ways; as learning more about her astrological suggestions, will open her up to other surprising things. Miranda and Archer have a slow-burn romance, that for the most part, was just a witty banter that led to a fun and hilarious friendship.  Miranda began to actively date Christian, as she was helping train his daughter, into learning more of astrology; but over time, she begins to know that Christian was a good friend, but no real romantic relationship. I really did like Archer and Miranda, as they had a fantastic relationship, even though both of them weren’t ready to open up to a possible relationship.  I thought that Archer had begun to have feelings for Miranda, but thought she was only interested in Christian.

Miranda in Retrograde was a fun, sweet, heartwarming and romantic story, filled with love. Archer and Miranda were great together as friends, and eventually falling in love. I did love them together.  I also liked the wonderful secondary characters, such as Aunt Lillian, her BFF Daphne, and even Christian and his daughter were very good. I loved the ending, as Miranda will find a terrific new career, and the wonderful love between her and Archer.   Miranda in Retrograde was so very well written by Lauren Layne.