Tag: pride and prejudice

Book Review: Elizabeth of East Hampton (For the Love of Austen #2) by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance Retelling
Length: 384 pages
Author: Audrey Bellezza & Emily Harding
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release Date: August 6th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This fresh and whip-smart modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice transports you to summer in the Hamptons, where classes clash, rumors run wild, and love has a frustrating habit of popping up where you least expect it.

It’s a truth universally acknowledged—well, by Elizabeth Bennet anyway—that there’s nothing worse than summer in the Hamptons. She should she’s lived out there her whole life. Every June, her hometown on the edge of Long Island is inundated with rich Manhattanites who party until dawn and then disappear by September. And after twenty-five years, Lizzy wants to leave, too.

But after putting her own dreams on hold to help save her family’s failing bakery, she’s still surfing the same beach every morning and waiting for something, anything, to change. She’s not holding her breath though, not even when her sister starts flirting with the hot new bachelor in town, Charlie Pierce, and he introduces Lizzy to his even hotter friend.

Will Darcy is everything Lizzy Bennet is not. Aloof, arrogant…and rich. Of course, he’s never cared about money. In fact, it’s number one on his long list of things that irk him. Number two? His friend Charlie’s insistence on setting him up with his new girlfriend’s sharp-tongued sister. Lizzy Bennet is all wrong for him, from her money-hungry family to her uncanny ability to speak to him as bluntly as he does everyone else. But then maybe that’s why he can’t stop thinking about her.

Lizzy is sure Will hates everybody. He thinks she willfully misunderstands them. Yet, just as they strike an uneasy truce, mistakes threaten Charlie and Annabelle’s romance, with Will and Lizzy caught in the undertow. Between a hurricane and a hypocritical stepmother, a drunken voicemail and a deceptive property developer, the two must sift through the gossip and lies to protect the happiness of everyone they love—even if it means sacrificing their own. But when the truth also forces them to see each other in an entirely new light, they must swallow their pride to learn that love is a lot like sometimes the only way to survive is to let yourself fall.

A NEW FAV.

This might be my new favorite contemporary pride and prejudice retelling??? It was SO GOOD. I was glued to my headphones all morning listening to this book. I loved how true it stayed to the original greatness, but perfectly modernized. It was awesome catching all of the allusions and parallels and I was obsessed with how it played out.

I loved all of these characters. It’s a chaotic blend of family through all of life’s nonsense and the moments when you need to stand together.

Lizzy and Will had dynamic chemistry. That kind of romance that jumps off of the page at you. The enemies to lovers was well written and you could feel the dripping tension between them. I found pure joy in how these authors crafted the P&P moments between them.

And it’s a fabulous audiobook too. I can’t wait for more in this series!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance Retelling
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3 brief open door; low explicit

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ARC Book Review: First Impressions of You by Gabriela Graciosa Guedes

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 330 pages
Author: Gabriela Graciosa Guedes
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 25th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that an immigrant woman, in possession of no green card, must be in want of a husband.

Luiza Bento will do anything in her power to stay in the United States, except follow what everyone seems to consider the best strategy: a marriage of convenience for the green card.

She’s determined to find a job that will get her to stay, but finding an acting job as a plus-size Latina is hard enough. One that will sponsor her visa? Almost impossible.

After months of working at a theme park, an opportunity to audition for their theater department finally comes around. The only problem? She’s starring opposite Winter Davis, a high-and-mighty snob, who seems to think his past as a child star makes him better than everyone.

How can they play long-lost friends madly in love if their first impressions of each other were anything but friendly?

Brazilian author Gabriela Graciosa Guedes’s debut, FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF YOU, is a modern-day Pride and Prejudice retelling set in Los Angeles, with a theme park as the backdrop.

Prepare to fall in love with your next brooding book boyfriend in this delicious slow burn filled with banter and steam! 2023

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

IT WAS OKAY.

I feel like this hit that middle ground of reads for me. I liked some things, and did not like others. Lets get into it.

What I struggled with was the surface level feeling the book gave me. And the chaotic drama that I never got on board with. The beginning felt forced between Winter and Luiza and when the relationship started I just wasn’t into the chemistry between them.

The setting is fun with the Movieland concept and performing shows. I enjoyed Luiza as a main character. She felt authentic and was someone that I wanted to cheer on and hope that they got what they were after. Luiza was passionate about being an actress and I loved that for her. Things do wrap up well and I admit the second half was better. There’s some good quotable confessions from Winter and you get to see his soft side break through.

It very much is a Pride and Prejudice retelling and I liked noticing those aspects too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2-3 open door; low-moderate explicit

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Book Review: Pride and Premeditation (Jane Austen Murder Mystery #1) by Tirzah Price

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Mystery + Historical Retelling
Length: 368 pages
Author: Tirzah Price
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: April 6th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit.

When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates.

Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed. 

IT WAS INTERESTING.

This was a unique combination for a book that I didn’t think I would ever come across. Pride and Prejudice with a dash of murder.

I really liked seeing all of the classic characters in their new rolls for this novel. It was fun seeing how the author chose to portray them and I felt they worked well within the plot. The addition of pieces of writing for Austen’s original story tied in to this retelling in a way that fit. Seeing Darcy and Lizzie fall in love over working together to solve a murder was somehow charming and light-hearted.

I’m a pretty big stickler for the classic and I think that’s also a downfall here. While I loved all of the originals of the story + the general originality of the story I got bogged down in listening because it wasn’t what I was expecting. It took me a bit longer to go through because I wasn’t always hurrying to pick it back up.

The final reveal of the murderer and story was great! I honestly was surprised at some of the pieces of the tale and so that’s always a nice addition to any mystery. I want to feel like I didn’t pin down everything exactly and that’s how it worked out here. I’m curious how Price will twist other stories in the future.

Overall audience notes:

  • Retelling
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: murder, gun violence

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ARC Book Review: Lakeshire Park by Megan Walker

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Regency romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Megan Walker
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: April 7th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Brighton, England 1820

Amelia Moore wants only one thing—to secure the future happiness of her younger sister, Clara. With their stepfather’s looming death, the two sisters will soon be on their own—without family, a home, or a penny to their names. When an invitation arrives to join a house party at Lakeshire Park, Amelia grasps at the chance. If she can encourage a match between Clara and their host, Sir Ronald, then at least her sister will be taken care of.

Little does she know that another guest, the arrogant and overconfident Mr. Peter Wood, is after the same goal for his own sister. Amelia and Peter begin a rivalry that Amelia has no choice but to win. But competing against Peter—and eventually playing by his rules—makes Amelia vulnerable to losing the only thing she has left to claim: her heart.

Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own!

WELL THIS WAS PRECIOUS.

Thanks to a lucky moment seeing a friends post saying she read and loved this, a Netgalley request that went through, and a feeling for a clean and sweet regency romance and here we are! I adored this book and love this feel good romance.

What I noticed at times was the tiny tidbits I recognized from Pride and Prejudice (I am a BIG fan of that book/movie). This wasn’t a bad thing at all to me because the story was wholly it’s own. I enjoyed seeing these moments and the vibe of this plot was perfectly set up for England 1820.

I didn’t know how smitten I was going to be with the romance at first. I thought it felt at bit insta-ish and it took me a little to grasp onto it. Once I did though, oh. I was smitten with Peter. SO PRECIOUS. I loved the banter between them and the enemies to lovers moments were on point. Amelia and Peter were just the cutest pair you guys.

It was crafty to have this book set-up over a two week time span. I liked that each day was something different and unique for the characters to interact with. It didn’t feel stagnant keeping the location at essentially one home. There was even some drama that never felt over the top (okay, maybe a little, ONLY because this is a regency time period so things that are no big deal now were a big deal then). I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more books from this author!

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: some kisses

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