Hang the Moon
Light hearted
Heartwarming
Sweet

Hang the Moon A Novel

In a delightful follow-up to Written in the Stars, Alexandria Bellefleur delivers another #ownvoices queer rom-com about a hopeless romantic who vows to show his childhood crush that romance isn't dead by recreating iconic dates from his favorite films... Brendon Lowell loves love. It's why he created a dating app to help people find their one true pairing and why he's convinced "the one" is out there, even if he hasn't met her yet. Or... has he? When his sister's best friend turns up in Seattle unexpectedly, Brendon jumps at the chance to hang out with her. He's crushed on Annie since they were kids, and the stars have finally aligned, putting them in the same city at the same time. Annie booked a spur-of-the-moment trip to Seattle to spend time with friends before moving across the globe. She's not looking for love, especially with her best friend's brother. Annie remembers Brendon as a sweet, dorky kid. Except, the 6-foot-4 man who shows up at her door is a certified Hot Nerd and Annie... wants him? Oh yes. Getting involved would be a terrible idea--her stay is temporary and he wants forever--but when Brendon learns Annie has given up on dating, he's determined to prove that romance is real. Taking cues from his favorite rom-coms, Brendon plans to woo her with elaborate dates straight out of Nora Ephron's playbook. The clock is ticking on Annie's time in Seattle, and Brendon's starting to realize romance isn't just flowers and chocolate. But maybe real love doesn't need to be as perfect as the movies... as long as you think your partner hung the moon.
Sign up to use

Reviews

Photo of Treyden Talbot
Treyden Talbot@treyden
3.5 stars
Nov 30, 2024

I like brendon less as a main character but Annie more than makes up for it

+1
Photo of Filipa Carvalho
Filipa Carvalho@fii
4.5 stars
Mar 27, 2024

I would die for Brendon, he's so fucking cuuuuuuteeeee

Photo of Murphy-Ann Craig
Murphy-Ann Craig@avocadomamma26
4.5 stars
Jan 29, 2024

A man that loves rom-coms. Sign me up!!

+2
Photo of Keira šŸ’«
Keira šŸ’«@dirtyhandssidechick
4.5 stars
Mar 17, 2023

This was good and cute and great and impeccable for getting out of a slump.

Photo of Liz Griffin
Liz Griffin@lizgriffinwords
2.5 stars
Jan 31, 2023

Cute but not super memorable, except for the (TW) public urination on a Ferris wheel scene. Iā€™m still firmly in the ā€œromance is deadā€ camp.

+2
Photo of Syrina
Syrina@syrinaina
2.5 stars
Jan 25, 2023

Not the romanticization of breathe-right nose strips

Photo of grace richards
grace richards@gracerichards11
3 stars
Jan 22, 2023

3.5,, that one line about being the obi wan of oral has physically given me the ick for brendan and annie

Photo of Margaux Vandevelde
Margaux Vandevelde@margsvdv
4 stars
Nov 6, 2022

Adorable ending, almost had me crying (I'm a softie)

+3
Photo of Carrington Kinslow
Carrington Kinslow@ctonreads
2 stars
Aug 31, 2022

2.5 stars. This wasnā€™t horrible, but Iā€™m not a fan either. I just thought this was more cringe than romantic. Over the top silliness. I didnā€™t really see much chemistry between Brendon and Annie and I wish Darcy and Elle had played a bigger role. I also thought the sentiment behind Annieā€™s friends begging her to stay in Seattle wasnā€™t executed very well. They kinda got borderline cruel with the stuff theyā€™d say to her. Iā€™m a bit disappointed in this because I adored Written in the Stars. Maybe F/M romcoms just arenā€™t my thing anymore? Still looking forward to the third book because that is sapphic at least!

Photo of kate humphreys
kate humphreys @ktaird
3 stars
Aug 30, 2022

it was so comforting to visit these characters again and annie was absolutely adorable, abother very comforting read - but i am yet again perpetually annoyed by darcy and brendon and some of the shit they do that i canā€™t help but see as a teensy bit manipulative and selfish?? maybe thatā€™s just me though - i am SO looking forward to picking up the third in the trilogy because a) itā€™s sapphic so duh. and b) margot has been my favorite character and i canā€™t wait to learn all about her (stayed up until 5 am to finish this which hasnā€™t happened in a hot minute so thereā€™s that)

Photo of Alyssa Huffman
Alyssa Huffman@alyhuffman27
3 stars
Aug 25, 2022

books that give me unrealistic expectations of love for 600 alex this was so cheesy oh my god i was literally GRINNING like an idiot the whole time i was reading it but that's exactly what i was looking for so good job hang the moon!!!!!!

Photo of Kristi Brockelsby
Kristi Brockelsby@kmb4r
5 stars
Aug 17, 2022

Annie decides to pay a surprise visit to her best friend - just one problem - Darcy is out of town. Who else can show her around town but Brendan, the little brother that always held a flame for her? As Brendan shows Annie around Seattle, he decides to also convince her that romance is not dead. I LOVED this book. It was everything that I want in a contemporary romance - fun, funny, sweet, a little hearbreaking. The characters were alive and full fleshed out. I haven't read Written in the Stars yet but it wasn't needed. I'm sure it's every bit as wonderful as Hang the Moon, but Alexandria Bellefleur did a wonderful job of introducing the characters again so it's not a required reading.

Photo of sydney
sydney@sydneyd05
5 stars
Aug 17, 2022

i received an arc through netgalley. oh my gosh, this book is everything. it just kept getting better with every page. the one bed trope, the grand gestures but not grand gestures.

Photo of Steph L
Steph L @paigesofnovels
5 stars
Aug 14, 2022

Iā€™m not usually a romance reader but this book was so cute. I didnā€™t know it was the second book in a series when I picked it up on a whim a few months ago, so now I want to read the first one, and Iā€™ll read the third coming out next year. I loved the characters in this book, they were sweet, and you could tell how much they cared about each other. I loved the story, Iā€™m sure that the brother had a crush on his sisters best friend has been done before, but this was so well done. The writing in this book is excellent, the banter was so funny, and the heavier scenes were heartfelt. There were two couples in this book, and I loved reading about both romances. I recommend this book if you enjoy Contemporary Romance, as well as a great story, with awesome characters.

Photo of marie
marie@cletusjenn
5 stars
Jul 8, 2022

brendon and annie i love you very much so much 3k much ā™” sorry late review xD

Photo of Dawy
Dawy@dawyrk
5 stars
May 16, 2022

Okay, I say this a lot but this is going up there as one of my all-time favorite contemporary romances. I related to Annie's character SO MUCH. She's living in a city that doesn't feel like home, working in a job/career track she doesn't really like, and she's just kind of settled with life. But then she goes to Seattle to see her best friend Darcy for a couple of weeks and is basically embraced by Darcy's friend group/family, falls for Darcy's brother Brendon, and is feeling all the good warm gooey emotions she's been craving and deprived of for so long. This book is literally EVERYTHING TO ME. The found family vibes, the romance, the grown up communication between Annie and Brendon, the way Seattle and the Pacific Northwest shine through. Also, the shoutout to romcom tropes and grand gestures was a nice touch. Highly recommend for a fluffy, but also really emotional, read. (PS there is an evil charades game in which someone has to act out doggystylle. If any of my friends ever pulled that on me I will likely sever ties.)

+5
Photo of mel
mel@lolaslacava
2 stars
Apr 29, 2022

I ended up skimming this book in the end. I made it a little over halfway through before my eyes finally glazed over. I loved the first book in this series and was excited for some expansion on this friend group, but this one just didn't do it for me. Annie and Brendon weren't as strong of personalities as Darcy and Elle were, imo. I also didn't really feel a huge pull to their connection. The first book was (and I say this with love) was so corny and full of cliche lines but the plot was SO good, and built so well to me. It also read more like a romcom which.. I loved. This one just felt like cover to cover cliches, bad lines, and honestly really odd metaphors/descriptions? What is a pregnant pause? What happens when someone's stomach pretzels? The Obi-wan of WHAT? What? The two stars come from getting to read a bit more about what Darcy and Elle are up to. They get quite a bit of mention in this, if you're interested in following up with them! Brendon also is an adorable character in theory but wasn't a STRONG one, for me. However, I will still be reading the 3rd one. I excitedly bought #2 and #3 after reading "Written in the Stars" and I know the potential is there.

Photo of Katie Kite
Katie Kite@katiek5
4 stars
Feb 24, 2022

More like 3.5! But the last couple of chapters really had me welling so Iā€™ll leave it at a 4 :) It hits you over the head over and over again with sentimentality which, at times, can get a little nauseating but I only ever wanted to finish it and hopefully see these two happy ever after

Photo of Alora
Alora@alorachabot
4 stars
Feb 23, 2022

Done!! Okay, Brendon and Annie are such a freaking adorable couple and I love them so so much! So many good tropes/things were included in this book without it feeling forced... Best friend's brother, childhood friends to lovers, one bed, going to a wedding together.... Everything was just *chefs kiss*. I love books that are connected but not the same story and so I am loving these books.... Can't wait for book three!!!

Photo of Lauren Sullivan
Lauren Sullivan@llamareads
5 stars
Feb 21, 2022

I loved the authorā€™s debut book (the absolutely delightful f/f Written in the Stars) and could not wait to read this one, especially after I saw the gorgeous cover. And I was not disappointed! This book is best friendā€™s sibling and sunshine/grumpy perfection. Itā€™s an ode to love (and to Seattle) as Brendon tries to convince a skeptical Annie that romance isnā€™t dead, and I had a smile on my face the entire time. Brendon loves love, so much so that he founded his own dating app designed for people to find their one true loves. So when he finds out his sisterā€™s best friend, Annie, whoā€™s visiting Seattle, doesnā€™t believe in love, he decides to not just show her around Seattle ā€“ heā€™s going to show her, through a series of rom-com inspired dates, that true love exists. But itā€™s not too long before feelings get involved, and Annieā€™s set to move to London soon. Can true love concur all? ā€œHow can you possibly say romance is dead when these movies are proof that it isnā€™t?ā€ Her laughter filled the car, sharp and sweet. It tapered off when she realized he wasnā€™t laughing with her. Her eyes widened. ā€œAre you serious? Oh my God, you are. Theyā€™re movies. Itā€™s all fake. It would be like using Jurassic Park as proof that dinosaurs are real.ā€ ā€œDinosaurs are real.ā€ ā€œWere real.ā€ She stared at him pointedly. ā€œAnd now theyā€™re dead.ā€ Normally in reviews of m/f romances I start off talking about the heroine, but Brendan is just *chefā€™s kiss.* Heā€™s such a cinnamon roll that heā€™s almost unbearably sweet, a little bit impetuous but so good-hearted that itā€™s hard not to smile every time heā€™s on the page. I mean, he tries to convince Annie love is real because rom-coms exist. The logic is a bit sideways but itā€™s utterly adorable. It is a bit ironic that the founder of a dating app hasnā€™t found his perfect person yet, but he remains optimistic that theyā€™re out there for him. While Brendon is the sunshine and rainbows romantic, Annie is completely cynical. It wouldā€™ve been easy to make Annie completely awful, but while sheā€™s a pessimist about love thanks to a series of bad first dates, she does open up to Brendon. Sheā€™s terrified of risking her heart, of dealing with the cycle of hope and disappointment as each relationship either crashes or just fizzles out slowly. Annieā€™s arc is her deciding whether to stay with whatā€™s safe or to take a chance on something that might just make her the happiest sheā€™s ever been. ā€œIā€™m having trouble wrapping my head around someone meeting you and getting to know you and not wanting to spend as much time with you as possible. Youā€™re like . . . Layā€™s potato chips. You canā€™t eat just one.ā€ A sunbeam of warmth flared inside her chest. ā€œDid you just . . . compare me to a potato chip?ā€ He nodded, face twisted, looking pained. ā€œI think I did?ā€ Annie and Brendonā€™s relationship is sweet and slow, with Annie opening up slowly to the possibility of romance, and specifically romance between Brendon and her. Sheā€™s still cautious, though, and that caution is one of the primary barriers to their relationship. Should she accept the promotion and the international move for the job sheā€™s realized she doesnā€™t really like, or should she take the risk of moving to Seattle without a job or a place to land? Are Brendonā€™s feelings for her real or just a remnant of the crush he had on her years ago? Itā€™s sweet, itā€™s heartfelt, and the whole thing is relatively low angst. While the romantic relationship is absolutely swoon, for me, the friendship between Darcy and Annie stole the show. While they havenā€™t stayed in touch as much as either wanted, and though theyā€™ve both changed, they still care deeply about each other, and the impending move weighs heavily on both of them. In fact, in a complete reversal of the usual ā€œbest-friendā€™s-siblingā€ trope, Darcy actually encourages Brendon in his pursuit of Annie, to try to convince her to move to Seattle instead of London. It almost felt like Seattle itself was a secondary character. Itā€™s obvious that Brendon loves where he lives, and the book is full of delightful touristy (and not so touristy) vignettes. It was an amazing vicarious experience and itā€™s got me longing to book a trip to Seattle later this summer. ā€œYouā€™re telling me youā€™ve never stumbled across something great? Maybe you werenā€™t looking for it, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to you? Donā€™t you think thatā€™s possible? That sometimes we just get lucky?ā€ Overall, I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to see what the author writes next! Sheā€™s definitely earned a place on my auto-buy list! I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Photo of Jaylene Guerra
Jaylene Guerra@jayleneguerra
5 stars
Feb 6, 2022

This is my new favorite book. I have nothing more to say

Photo of Yaneli | @aquariusbookadventures
Yaneli | @aquariusbookadventures @aquariusbooks
5 stars
Jan 13, 2022

4.5 stars No because I love this seriesšŸ˜­ i love the charactersšŸ˜­ I love the writingšŸ˜­ I need to own all the copies of these. I can't believe I read through it so quick. I need to reread immediately

Photo of Tatiana Alvarez
Tatiana Alvarez @heartoftati
4 stars
Jan 12, 2022

Alexandria Bellefleur has officially become an instant buy author. Her writing is just so effortless and easy to read. The storylines are always fun and cute and the romance is always electric. I'm so here for it. I had no idea this book existed until recently. I LOVED Written in the Stars so when I saw that there was a book two featuring Darcey's brother and best friend, I was all over it! Brendon was such a cute character in book one and I really wanted to explore him more, so I'm glad I was given the chance in this book! Brendon is a hopeless romantic and Annie just feels helpless. What happens when a love strung guy and a girl ready to call it quits get together? Magic, that is what happens. Annie has been burned a few times and disappointed in her previous relationships. She is lonely, but doesn't feel as if there is anyone out there who would be a match for her. Brendon, who has crushed on Annie since they were kids, wants to prove her wrong. The only problem is that Annie accepted a job it London and is only in town for two weeks. But Brendon is determined to show her that she could be perfectly happy in Seattle with him. I loved the nod to all things romantic comedies this book has. Brendon is cheesy in the best way, but he has the biggest heart. I also loved the character of Annie. She really resonated with me because she never really felt as if she belonged in anyone's life. So I loved seeing her come out of her shell and value herself more as the book progresses. I can't rave about this book enough! So good! So are we getting a Margo book yet orrrr?

Photo of Iris vd S
Iris vd S@closetpirate
4 stars
Jan 10, 2022

3.5šŸŒŸ