Soledad Reyes’s entire life is dance — she lives it, breathes it, and eats it. She attends an arts academy for high school in Miami and devotes everything to her talent.

But when Jonathan Crandall, another arts academy student, proposes Soledad try out for the role of Carmen in his bugle corps’s summer traveling tour, her life will change for ever. And not just because she’s taking her dancing elsewhere: she’s also falling head over heels in love.

When the Stars Go Blue can probably be best described by the word sultry. While reading this, I could not help but draw the comparisons between the steamy romance that builds between Soledad and Jonathan to the ones that develop in Simone Elkeles’s Perfect Chemistry series. They’re quick, swoon-worthy, and hot! It’s little wonder why Ferrer has earned a RITA award in the past. Their attraction to one another is immediate and passionate, and I love how intricately entwined it is with their pursuits of their skills — hers in dance and his in bugle corps.

But oh, the fall. We know going into the story this is a relationship which won’t last, and we know that because this book’s storyline is based upon the famous play Carmen. Although I was told to read up on that before diving into the book, I chose to go in without knowledge and see if the story worked. It does — but I would recommend doing a little background reading on Carmen just to see how the parallels work, whether before or immediately after reading this title.

Ferrer’s prose is among some of the most fluid and dynamic I’ve read in a long time. I book talked this title to 9th graders a few weeks back, and rather than giving them a long synopsis of the story, I simply read the first two pages. The language not only sets the stage but it also gives a strong depiction of who Soledad is: a driven, hard-working dancer who pushes herself to her limit.

The tension in the novel is palpable. It’s not only in the relationship between Soledad and Jonathan but also in their hard work on the ground at their corps performances. The devotion to their work can only translate into their relationship, and it’s this intensity and tension that ultimately changes the entire course of Soledad’s life.

Because of the forceful pulse throughout the story, this was a quicker paced novel, but the language forced me to slow down. At times, especially near the end of the book, I found the story itself limped behind the writing. Fortunately, the language makes up for these weaker plot points and let me overlook some weaknesses in the plot. This is a rare novel that will appeal to those who like their books to read quickly and those who want to savor each word.

One thing that didn’t quite work for me as a reader in this one was the use of a journal as a plot device for us to get insight into Soledad’s mindset. It didn’t come through consistently enough for me. I wish it had been pushed a little bit more or not included at all. I was set up to believe it would play a bigger role from the beginning when in actuality, it plays a more minute role until the very end.

When the Stars Go Blue is a novel I devoured and one in which I rode a roller coaster of feelings about both of our main characters (and the big third character who appears later on). I loved them and hated them in equal parts. It’ll appeal to fans of romances, though be forewarned that there is plenty of sexual tension so it’s better for your older teen readers. Pass this one off to those seeking a solid story about pursuing one’s creative talents, especially to dancers or musicians. There’s also little doubt on the appeal of this book to fans of theater.