Matt and Elle grew up together and fell in love as teenagers. It took them a while to find their way back to each other but they found their way back, married and hoped to start a family. After a series of miscarriages and a stillbirth, Matt told Elle they would no longer try. When he was called into the emergency room because Elle had an accident, he wasn’t expecting to see her on life support and declared brain dead. Elle was adamant that she not be kept alive by machines. She watched her mother suffer from cancer and vowed not to have the same circumstance. Matt knew he had to make a decision, and his decision was made until he found out she was pregnant. If he kept her on life support, the baby had a chance to live. His mother loved Elle like a daughter and couldn’t support Matt on his decision. She threatens to take him to court and fight to take Elle off life support.

This book should come with a warning; it will keep you up at night thinking about the characters and leave tears in your eyes throughout the book. Matt is a neurosurgeon, he knows his wife will never wake up. He has no hope, but he feels like he deserves to give this baby a chance. Knowing that Elle has difficulties carrying a baby, his mother thinks it’s a waste of time to try. Why keep her on life-support when the baby will most likely not survive? Matt is comforted by the fact that he knows Elle is not suffering. When Elle was a teenager, she gave Matt’s mother the power to make this decision and she feels like it is up to her to fight for Elle’s wishes. Matt is coming to terms with losing his wife, but knowing his mother is taking him to court is even more difficult. Elle’s brother supports his mom, but her dad supports Matt. A family is torn apart trying to decide what Elle would want.

The Promise of Stardust is an excellent book club book, providing that everyone is open. This book leaves readers with a lot of questions. I sided with Matt but I did have my doubts. I was convinced that Elle would want to give the baby a chance, but at the same time, it seemed impossible that the baby would live. I felt like it was just drawing out the inevitable. It was really hard to read about the family and how they each thought they were doing what was right. Having them turn against each other, especially Matt and his mom was difficult to read. The media storm didn’t help matters.

I highly recommend this one. The story is honest and plausible. The back story of Matt and Elle’s relationship really added dimension to the story. Learning about her mother’s death, gave me an understanding of who Elle was, and why she focused so much on her decision to not be on life support. If you’re looking for a great read, one that will keep you thinking, wanting to talk to others about it- pick this one up.