Book: Engaging Mr. Darcy: An Austen Inspired Romantic Comedy
Author: Rachel John
My Rating: 3.5 Pizza Slices
How do y’all feel about Jane Austen variations? I am a sucker for them!! Seriously, I haven’t found one yet that wasn’t enjoyable. My Kindle app knows this about me, so it recommends them to me all the time. And that’s how I found Engaging Mr. Darcy. It’s a modern variation, which I expected to throw me off. However, it was super cute!
All the usual suspects that you love and hate are here. Elsie (Elizabeth Bennet) meets Will (Fitzwilliam Darcy) while she’s working at a pizza parlor. Immediately she pegs him as her worst – albeit most handsome – customer. As luck would have it, he’s also her new neighbor and his best friend is dating her sister. Cue the rom-com bright and happy background music! I love how she translated these well known characters to modern day. Elsie working in a pizza parlor on the side while she runs a start up t-shirt company with her sister. It sounds weird, but when you read it, it makes sense.
Where this interpretation fell a little short for me was in the plot. In the original, all the Bennet sisters were looking for advantageous matches because that’s what women did. So when Bingley leaves Jane, she’s devastated, her mom’s devastated, it’s a really big deal. But in modern day Oregon, there isn’t the same sense of urgency to settle down, other than an overbearing mom figure. I mean, to quote Beyoncé “Who run the world? Girls!” So that part of the story was a little bit muddy for me. I still enjoyed it though, because I was so interested in this version of the characters.
Here’s my recommendation for this book, come for the well known story, stay for the modern twist on your favorite characters. If you love Pride and Prejudice, or retellings of classic stories, or cheesy romantic comedies, give this one a shot!
Krystle Goodman is a crazy cat lady, who loves to drink exorbitant amounts of coffee, and read a shocking amount of books. She lives in Benton with her husband Josh, her son Roman, and their two cats Roxanne and Abby. When she isn’t reading, you’ll find her cooking, painting, or watching true crime shows. Watch for Krystle’s book reviews every other Friday. Send fanmail to: [email protected]
See more of Krystle’s reviews at www.mysaline.com/krystle.