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gillianw's review against another edition
4.0
Reviewed for Just Love
4 stars
When I saw that was a queer re-telling of Pride & Prejudice, I couldn’t request this book fast enough. I love P&P and as far as I’m concerned, it’s the original and best enemies-to-lovers story. Yes yes, I know others came first but *for me* this is it.
I’m happy to say that Out, Proud, and Prejudiced was not only more or less faithful to the original, with all the necessary modern updates, but it was more fun than I thought it would be. Which is not to say that you have to be an Austen fan to enjoy this story. On the contrary. Sometimes it helps going into a book like this without any preconceived notions. Dare I say, without any….prejudice?
Hey, I’m not too proud to pun ;)
Much like the original, there is a good deal of drama and the kind of misunderstandings and dirty dealings that only get resolved at the very end. But getting there is half the fun, even when you’re already familiar with the basic premise of the story, because the characters are great no matter what era they’re from.
In this version of P&P, Elizabeth Bennett has become Bennett Rourke and Mr. Darcy is now Darius Lanniker. They still can’t stand each other, of course, but are reluctantly supportive when both of their bf’s, Jamie and Tim (Jane and Mr. Bingley in the original) are introduced and instantly attracted to one another.
I loved how the source material blended seamlessly with all the updated elements of the story, without losing the charm of the original book. This is especially true of the characters, who are allowed to retain their original personalities (actually, some of them are way more personable here) but are thoroughly modern in every way.
The other supporting players in this drama are Leon and Kofi (Lydia and Kitty), Callum (Mr. Collins) and Wyndham (Wickam), among others. One of the very few things I found disappointing was Bennett’s mother, who is pretty much drab and lifeless. In the original she’s basically nasty and horrible but at least she’s interesting in a cringe-inducing sort of way. Here, she has lost all of her personality and could have easily been edited out without affecting the story at all.
Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, entertaining book. This was my first time reading this author, but it has intrigued me enough to check out her back catalogue.
In the meantime, I feel a P&P movie marathon coming on!
I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
4 stars
When I saw that was a queer re-telling of Pride & Prejudice, I couldn’t request this book fast enough. I love P&P and as far as I’m concerned, it’s the original and best enemies-to-lovers story. Yes yes, I know others came first but *for me* this is it.
I’m happy to say that Out, Proud, and Prejudiced was not only more or less faithful to the original, with all the necessary modern updates, but it was more fun than I thought it would be. Which is not to say that you have to be an Austen fan to enjoy this story. On the contrary. Sometimes it helps going into a book like this without any preconceived notions. Dare I say, without any….prejudice?
Hey, I’m not too proud to pun ;)
Much like the original, there is a good deal of drama and the kind of misunderstandings and dirty dealings that only get resolved at the very end. But getting there is half the fun, even when you’re already familiar with the basic premise of the story, because the characters are great no matter what era they’re from.
In this version of P&P, Elizabeth Bennett has become Bennett Rourke and Mr. Darcy is now Darius Lanniker. They still can’t stand each other, of course, but are reluctantly supportive when both of their bf’s, Jamie and Tim (Jane and Mr. Bingley in the original) are introduced and instantly attracted to one another.
I loved how the source material blended seamlessly with all the updated elements of the story, without losing the charm of the original book. This is especially true of the characters, who are allowed to retain their original personalities (actually, some of them are way more personable here) but are thoroughly modern in every way.
The other supporting players in this drama are Leon and Kofi (Lydia and Kitty), Callum (Mr. Collins) and Wyndham (Wickam), among others. One of the very few things I found disappointing was Bennett’s mother, who is pretty much drab and lifeless. In the original she’s basically nasty and horrible but at least she’s interesting in a cringe-inducing sort of way. Here, she has lost all of her personality and could have easily been edited out without affecting the story at all.
Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, entertaining book. This was my first time reading this author, but it has intrigued me enough to check out her back catalogue.
In the meantime, I feel a P&P movie marathon coming on!
I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
bookish_notes's review against another edition
2.0
This review is also posted on my blog.
There are really only two classics I feel like I can review about at length and compare retellings against the source material - Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice. I was very excited to hear there was a modern m/m retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but much to my dismay, the book falls flat of the original. I read this book all in one sitting, but this story has some serious issues.
Please note that I am reviewing an ARC I received for this book.
The only reason I’m not giving this book a one-star rating is because I did very much like Bennet (Elizabeth), Darius (Darcy), Jamie (Jane), and Tim (Mr. Bingley) as characters and I loved the twist of the characters being involved in hospitality and catering and Bennet and Darius’ love for climbing.
Everything else? Not so much.
Content warnings for this book include:
-homomisia
-mention of rape of a 16-year-old
-illegally filming said 16-year-old in a non-consent scene (the kid was drunk and not sober enough to make any sort of decision even though it is mentioned that he signed a waiver/contract)
illegal filming of multiple parties having sex for a documentary that means to harm the LGBTQIAP+ community
-the constant “jokes” that makes fun of a character wanting to wait to have sex and not do one night stands (Bennet does challenge these, but the comments never cease)
-rep for the one more prominently black character in the story is absolutely abysmal (said character is introduced at one point as, quote, “young man of African extraction”)
This book somehow also manages to villainize the ONE female character that’s supposedly bffs with Bennet - Charlotte. It falls into a category of m/m romance novels where there's only one prominent female character and she's the awful character who wants to break the love interests apart.
I also find it odd that only Charlotte and Catherine kept their original names and didn’t get a new name like all the male characters in the story (although Lady Anne is known as Annabel here).
Honestly, if you’re a fan of the original source material, I would not recommend this book. The story is told in much of the same plot structure as the original, and while that does make the two main love interests enjoyable, the filler in-between misses the mark.
***Thanks to Signal Boost Promotions for providing me an ARC for an honest review***
There are really only two classics I feel like I can review about at length and compare retellings against the source material - Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice. I was very excited to hear there was a modern m/m retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but much to my dismay, the book falls flat of the original. I read this book all in one sitting, but this story has some serious issues.
Please note that I am reviewing an ARC I received for this book.
The only reason I’m not giving this book a one-star rating is because I did very much like Bennet (Elizabeth), Darius (Darcy), Jamie (Jane), and Tim (Mr. Bingley) as characters and I loved the twist of the characters being involved in hospitality and catering and Bennet and Darius’ love for climbing.
Everything else? Not so much.
Content warnings for this book include:
-homomisia
-mention of rape of a 16-year-old
-illegally filming said 16-year-old in a non-consent scene (the kid was drunk and not sober enough to make any sort of decision even though it is mentioned that he signed a waiver/contract)
illegal filming of multiple parties having sex for a documentary that means to harm the LGBTQIAP+ community
-the constant “jokes” that makes fun of a character wanting to wait to have sex and not do one night stands (Bennet does challenge these, but the comments never cease)
-rep for the one more prominently black character in the story is absolutely abysmal (said character is introduced at one point as, quote, “young man of African extraction”)
This book somehow also manages to villainize the ONE female character that’s supposedly bffs with Bennet - Charlotte. It falls into a category of m/m romance novels where there's only one prominent female character and she's the awful character who wants to break the love interests apart.
I also find it odd that only Charlotte and Catherine kept their original names and didn’t get a new name like all the male characters in the story (although Lady Anne is known as Annabel here).
Honestly, if you’re a fan of the original source material, I would not recommend this book. The story is told in much of the same plot structure as the original, and while that does make the two main love interests enjoyable, the filler in-between misses the mark.
***Thanks to Signal Boost Promotions for providing me an ARC for an honest review***
brokenrecord's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. Overall I enjoyed this in the way that I enjoy basically any half-way decent Pride and Prejudice adaptation. Which sounds like damning this with faint praise, but honestly I've read/watched a LOT of shitty P&P adaptations, and this one was pretty good. I mean, as an actual adaptation, I had some issues with some things, but tbh the thing I always care most about with P&P adaptations is how the Darcy/Lizzy dynamic goes — if it works for me, then I'll ultimately enjoy it, and it did here. There were a couple of moments/scenes that just got me between Bennet and Darius that pushed this over the edge for me.
To address the negatives first, I think this actually might've been too close an adaptation, in terms of following all the same plot beats. I was expecting a much looser adaptation considering it stars two gay men, and many of the side characters are also gay men, and Bennet isn't related to Jamie/Leon/etc., and you don't have Mr. and Mrs. Bennet around really. And I think this might've done better if some things from the original had been cut. For example, the Charlotte/Callum (Collins) stuff just felt completely unnecessary and like a total afterthought. Charlotte's barely a character (I don't think she's even supposed to be Bennet's bff, or at least it didn't seem like she was), and having her engaged and pregnant at the end didn't feel right for this story, it felt more like the author wanted to do that because of the original. But really, the entire storyline could've been cut. I mean, it's not even really a storyline — it's like 3 scenes! Those scenes could've been cut out entirely and changed nothing.
The adaptation of Lydia's fall, on the other hand, was very different, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. idk, it was a weird combo of some things feeling like they were too constrained to following the original and then some things not being anywhere near close and also feeling weird.
I liked Giorgio, but I was very confused about how old he's supposed to be because he reads as like, 12, but the thing with Wyndham occurred when he was 16, and it didn't seem like it was SUPER recent, so he had to be at least 17 or 18 at this point, and Bennet's 20 but keeps referring to him as a boy, so it just seemed… odd. Also, I get why if the Darcy/Lizzy characters are both gay males that it makes sense to make a lot of the secondary characters gay males as well, but I will say that it felt very strange to have so few women in a P&P adaptation.
In terms of the positives, it was basically all Bennet/Darius. I liked having them connect over climbing. There's no real comparison there to the original, which is part of why I think it worked. It gave them a reason to spend a little more time around each other and gave them an excuse to interact more even when they shouldn't have been. A lot of the reviews I read mentioned how slow the pacing of this book was, and… I guess? But it's really just the same pacing as the original. Well, faster, since this is a shorter book and there's much less time spent with the non-Darius/Bennet stuff, but basically the same things happen in the same order. I was fine with the pacing, anyways, although I did kind of want them to hook up sooner just because I wanted to see them in an actual relationship and I was rooting for them to kiss in pretty much every scene, especially after the voicemails (which were a fun way of adapting the letter).
Anyways, some spoilery flailing about my favorite scenes:
Basically, as an adaptation this definitely had issues, but Darius and Bennet were super swoony, and that's all that really matters, so I was ultimately really glad I read this.
To address the negatives first, I think this actually might've been too close an adaptation, in terms of following all the same plot beats. I was expecting a much looser adaptation considering it stars two gay men, and many of the side characters are also gay men, and Bennet isn't related to Jamie/Leon/etc., and you don't have Mr. and Mrs. Bennet around really. And I think this might've done better if some things from the original had been cut. For example, the Charlotte/Callum (Collins) stuff just felt completely unnecessary and like a total afterthought. Charlotte's barely a character (I don't think she's even supposed to be Bennet's bff, or at least it didn't seem like she was), and having her engaged and pregnant at the end didn't feel right for this story, it felt more like the author wanted to do that because of the original. But really, the entire storyline could've been cut. I mean, it's not even really a storyline — it's like 3 scenes! Those scenes could've been cut out entirely and changed nothing.
The adaptation of Lydia's fall, on the other hand, was very different, and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
Spoiler
I mean, I guess Leon is the Lydia counterpart, but like… barely, and the fall involves Bennet much more directly, although I guess that makes sense since he had to be tied in somehow considering Leon isn't related to him and they're also barely friends. I was a little disappointed that Bennet directly involved Darius just because part of the beauty of that part in the original is Darcy getting involved to help Lizzy without letting her know — doing it because he loves her and doesn't want her or her family to suffer but not telling her so it's a selfless act. There were enough lovely moments between them that I didn't mind that too much, though (and he was willing to use his own money to deal with the problem, going beyond the level of help Bennet expected).I liked Giorgio, but I was very confused about how old he's supposed to be because he reads as like, 12, but the thing with Wyndham occurred when he was 16, and it didn't seem like it was SUPER recent, so he had to be at least 17 or 18 at this point, and Bennet's 20 but keeps referring to him as a boy, so it just seemed… odd.
Spoiler
I also felt like the Tim/Jamie engagement was unnecessary. I get that they get engaged at the end of the original, but it's modern times!!! They dated for such little time and were broken up for so long!!! Just get them back together, you don't need to have them engaged so fast!!!!!!!In terms of the positives, it was basically all Bennet/Darius. I liked having them connect over climbing. There's no real comparison there to the original, which is part of why I think it worked. It gave them a reason to spend a little more time around each other and gave them an excuse to interact more even when they shouldn't have been. A lot of the reviews I read mentioned how slow the pacing of this book was, and… I guess? But it's really just the same pacing as the original. Well, faster, since this is a shorter book and there's much less time spent with the non-Darius/Bennet stuff, but basically the same things happen in the same order. I was fine with the pacing, anyways, although I did kind of want them to hook up sooner just because I wanted to see them in an actual relationship and I was rooting for them to kiss in pretty much every scene, especially after the voicemails (which were a fun way of adapting the letter).
Spoiler
I kind of wanted the proposal analogue to involve more explicit feelings on Darius's part, but I guess it also makes sense for Darcy's, "In spite of my better judgment, I love you," to translate to "Let's fuck so I can get you out of my system," in modern times, and it helped make sense that Bennet would then doubt that Darius really wanted to be with him in the end.Anyways, some spoilery flailing about my favorite scenes:
Spoiler
The last scene in the kitchen was my everything — definitely my favorite of the whole book. I love Darius showing up immediately after hearing Bennet wouldn't rule out dating him in the future (with his climbing gear still on!!!), and having hope knowing what Bennet supposedly said, and Bennet not kicking him out so Darius feels there's a strong chance that it was true, and Bennet being dumbfounded and not sure how to act and both being somewhat flirty. And don't even get me started on how, when Bennet's talking about his new job being in Richmond, Darius is like, "Virginia???" and Bennet's like, "No, London," and Darius is like, "Oh good, I'm not licensed to practice law in the U.S." EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T TOGETHER, HADN'T KISSED EVER, HADN'T CONFESSED DEEP FEELINGS AT ANY POINT EVEN, but he lays down this casual implication that if Bennet took a job in Virginia, Darius would FOLLOW HIM TO THE U.S. That was a lot. I also loved the moment when he told Bennet that he had a talent for brightening life — that was such a cute fucking compliment. And when he drove Bennet back from Pemberley to deal with his crisis and asked him if he should regale him with stories of his victories in court like Othello, and Bennet didn't even get the reference so Darius explained that Othello wooed a woman by telling her of his battle victories, and Bennet was like, "?? Does he mean me???" And the fact that Bennet never deleted Darius's number and that Darius knew what that meant. And that Darius believed him without question about nothing happening between him and Wyndham. And how Darius lawyers him into admitting he would be able to say he'd never date Tim but he wasn't willing to say the same about Darius!!!Basically, as an adaptation this definitely had issues, but Darius and Bennet were super swoony, and that's all that really matters, so I was ultimately really glad I read this.
haletostilinski1's review
4.0
A modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice but with it being M/M? Of course i had to snatch this up and read it.
It actually ended up surprising me, because the first 30% or so was...slow. Frustrating to get through for me. I get that it's following the basic outline of P & P, which is no doubt a veryyy slow burn indeed, but for this is was just...too slow for me. It ended up being a little boring at times, and Darius (Darcy) wasn't there enough and their interactions weren't enough for me.
But then something changed, the story started to pick up, and as the juicy bits of P&P started to get retold in this story as well, it sucked me in. Darius and Bennett (Elizabeth) didn't have the greatest chemistry at first either, I felt. And I know Bennett is supposed to hate Darius and all that, but he's also, in this modern version, clearly attracted to him even though he doesn't want to be, but I didn't really feel that attraction. Until Bennett really started to fall for Darius.
Things happen in a similar fashion to P & P, just in a modern setting and with the names changed what (but still cleverly close to the originals in most cases). Like Whyndam (for Whyckam int he original, however you spell it) didn't run off with Darcy's sister, but he did do something even worse to Darius' half-brother - well his half-brother too. And I mean, for today's standards, running off with someone isn't quite as scandalous today as it was back then, so the change makes sense, but it sucks and it makes the guy even more scummy than in the original.
Jaime (Jane) is sweet and pretty and kind, and Tim (Bingley) falls for him, but all that stuff with Darius having a part in their separation but getting back together too was all there.
Plus, as it is modern times, we didn't get quite a bit more steam. It still wasn't great, but it's more than in the original book that's for sure lol (i think they don't even kiss it.)
So overall, a good retelling of the classic P&P, just pretty slow in the beginning, I think. Worth a read though! :D
It actually ended up surprising me, because the first 30% or so was...slow. Frustrating to get through for me. I get that it's following the basic outline of P & P, which is no doubt a veryyy slow burn indeed, but for this is was just...too slow for me. It ended up being a little boring at times, and Darius (Darcy) wasn't there enough and their interactions weren't enough for me.
But then something changed, the story started to pick up, and as the juicy bits of P&P started to get retold in this story as well, it sucked me in. Darius and Bennett (Elizabeth) didn't have the greatest chemistry at first either, I felt. And I know Bennett is supposed to hate Darius and all that, but he's also, in this modern version, clearly attracted to him even though he doesn't want to be, but I didn't really feel that attraction. Until Bennett really started to fall for Darius.
Things happen in a similar fashion to P & P, just in a modern setting and with the names changed what (but still cleverly close to the originals in most cases). Like Whyndam (for Whyckam int he original, however you spell it) didn't run off with Darcy's sister, but he did do something even worse to Darius' half-brother - well his half-brother too. And I mean, for today's standards, running off with someone isn't quite as scandalous today as it was back then, so the change makes sense, but it sucks and it makes the guy even more scummy than in the original.
Jaime (Jane) is sweet and pretty and kind, and Tim (Bingley) falls for him, but all that stuff with Darius having a part in their separation but getting back together too was all there.
Plus, as it is modern times, we didn't get quite a bit more steam. It still wasn't great, but it's more than in the original book that's for sure lol (i think they don't even kiss it.)
So overall, a good retelling of the classic P&P, just pretty slow in the beginning, I think. Worth a read though! :D
daisy_c_bel's review against another edition
4.0
First half really slowly then it picked up and ended well.
elvenavari's review against another edition
If you like the books from the Pride & Prejudiced era, you will most likely like this one. I do not like books from that era. Every now and then I try something that promises a new spin on it but I have yet to find one that I've liked. This one was no different. I'm not rating the book because it's not the book's or author's fault.
lbcecil's review against another edition
2.0
Thanks to Wild Romance Books for providing a copy of an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Ooh, this one was quite disappointing!
I loved the premise behind it - a modern, gay retelling of Pride and Prejudice (aka my favourite novel ever) - but the execution was lacking, and a lot of the changes the author made were upsetting.
I'll start with the things I really liked:
- Bennet (our Elizabeth) was a great protagonist. He was a lot like the original Lizzie, in that he's headstrong, prejudiced and very intelligent.
- Darius (our Darcy) was fantastic, very like the original Darcy. He was arrogant, proud, haughty, but he has a wry sense of humour that isn't apparent until Bennet, and the reader, gets to know him better.
- I loved the way the story was loosely based on and followed the original one, with it's own ... unique take on events. But it always went in the same direction, and for the most part, I enjoyed the author's modern takes (Bennet and Darcy bonding over rock climbing) and it was exciting to see beloved quotes remade but still recognisable.
- Jamie (our Jane) was just as sweet and lovely as the original, and Tim (our Mr Bingley) was cute and head over heels for Jamie.
The things I didn't like:
A lot of the plot, to be honest. While I appreciate that every author can make whatever changes they see fit in a retelling and can take the story down a different path, I really didn't like or appreciate the changes Reddaway made here - and that's not because I love Pride and Prejudice. It's because of the character of Giorgi (our Georgiana, Darcy's sister made brother in this novel).
I obviously can't go into much detail because a lot of my issues are considered spoilers but I will state what they are for other readers under the spoiler cut, because one would not typically expect to find these topics in a Romance book, of all genres.
Trigger warnings:
- rape of a 16 year old boy, which was illegally filmed
- mentions of child abuse and child p*rn
- illegally filming adults having sex with the means to sell their video to harm the LGBTQ+ community
- homophobia (like, a lot)
I'll also mention my disappointment with one of the only three female characters of the novel. I know Catherine (Lady Catherine) and Annabel (Lady Anne) are not likeable characters in the original story, but Charlotte - who has always been my favourite - was vilified. At the beginning of the book, she was one of Bennet's best friends, but the decisions she makes in the novel were disappointing and angering - and something I see in so many m/m novels written by women: the female character acting in a way that makes the reader hate her, while we are pushed to love the male characters. Ugh.
I didn't understand the importance or need for Bennet's ex-boyfriend in the book. At all. He served no purpose. None. Unless ... was he supposed to be Mr Collins? Because that's what this book sorely lacked and needed: a Mr Collins.
Anyway, to say I was disappointed by this novel would be an understatement. I can't recommend this novel, not even to diehard P&P fans.
Ooh, this one was quite disappointing!
I loved the premise behind it - a modern, gay retelling of Pride and Prejudice (aka my favourite novel ever) - but the execution was lacking, and a lot of the changes the author made were upsetting.
I'll start with the things I really liked:
- Bennet (our Elizabeth) was a great protagonist. He was a lot like the original Lizzie, in that he's headstrong, prejudiced and very intelligent.
- Darius (our Darcy) was fantastic, very like the original Darcy. He was arrogant, proud, haughty, but he has a wry sense of humour that isn't apparent until Bennet, and the reader, gets to know him better.
- I loved the way the story was loosely based on and followed the original one, with it's own ... unique take on events. But it always went in the same direction, and for the most part, I enjoyed the author's modern takes (Bennet and Darcy bonding over rock climbing) and it was exciting to see beloved quotes remade but still recognisable.
- Jamie (our Jane) was just as sweet and lovely as the original, and Tim (our Mr Bingley) was cute and head over heels for Jamie.
The things I didn't like:
A lot of the plot, to be honest. While I appreciate that every author can make whatever changes they see fit in a retelling and can take the story down a different path, I really didn't like or appreciate the changes Reddaway made here - and that's not because I love Pride and Prejudice. It's because of the character of Giorgi (our Georgiana, Darcy's sister made brother in this novel).
I obviously can't go into much detail because a lot of my issues are considered spoilers but I will state what they are for other readers under the spoiler cut, because one would not typically expect to find these topics in a Romance book, of all genres.
Trigger warnings:
Spoiler
- rape of a 16 year old boy, which was illegally filmed
- mentions of child abuse and child p*rn
- illegally filming adults having sex with the means to sell their video to harm the LGBTQ+ community
- homophobia (like, a lot)
I'll also mention my disappointment with one of the only three female characters of the novel. I know Catherine (Lady Catherine) and Annabel (Lady Anne) are not likeable characters in the original story, but Charlotte - who has always been my favourite - was vilified. At the beginning of the book, she was one of Bennet's best friends, but the decisions she makes in the novel were disappointing and angering - and something I see in so many m/m novels written by women: the female character acting in a way that makes the reader hate her, while we are pushed to love the male characters. Ugh.
I didn't understand the importance or need for Bennet's ex-boyfriend in the book. At all. He served no purpose. None. Unless ... was he supposed to be Mr Collins? Because that's what this book sorely lacked and needed: a Mr Collins.
Anyway, to say I was disappointed by this novel would be an understatement. I can't recommend this novel, not even to diehard P&P fans.
morebookspleaseblog's review against another edition
4.0
*3.5
Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite classics. When I found out there was a male coupling, I immediately grabbed it! I will admit, one half of me grabbed this book because I knew it wouldn’t compare and I wanted to see what the differences were, aside from the obvious differences. The other half of me grabbed this book because it’s based on a classic, and you can’t go wrong with classics. The characters were well executed, and it was clever how the author made the story modern. The pacing was a bit slow for me. It felt like I had to get too far into the book for me to remotely connected to the story. However, once you’re hooked… you’re hooked.
You do feel the same amount of angst in this version as you do in the original, but not the same wit. I can’t speak for others, but I thought the character of Charlotte to be quite despicable. For her to be the best friend, she didn’t have any redeeming qualities. Bennet (Elizabeth), Darius (Mr. Darcy), Jaime (Jane), and Tim (Mr. Bingley) were wonderfully crafted to fit this modern version.
Modernizing a classic is no small feat. I can say, Ms. Megan Reddaway was up to the challenge.
Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite classics. When I found out there was a male coupling, I immediately grabbed it! I will admit, one half of me grabbed this book because I knew it wouldn’t compare and I wanted to see what the differences were, aside from the obvious differences. The other half of me grabbed this book because it’s based on a classic, and you can’t go wrong with classics. The characters were well executed, and it was clever how the author made the story modern. The pacing was a bit slow for me. It felt like I had to get too far into the book for me to remotely connected to the story. However, once you’re hooked… you’re hooked.
You do feel the same amount of angst in this version as you do in the original, but not the same wit. I can’t speak for others, but I thought the character of Charlotte to be quite despicable. For her to be the best friend, she didn’t have any redeeming qualities. Bennet (Elizabeth), Darius (Mr. Darcy), Jaime (Jane), and Tim (Mr. Bingley) were wonderfully crafted to fit this modern version.
Modernizing a classic is no small feat. I can say, Ms. Megan Reddaway was up to the challenge.
the_novel_approach's review against another edition
4.0
It has been many years since I read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but reading Megan Reddaway’s modern version, Out, Proud, and Prejudiced, was so much fun. There have been numerous adaptations and retellings over the years of this much-loved book, both in print and on the screen, and it’s amazing to see how well the story and characters hold up even two hundred years later. Reddaway’s is a clever, modern retelling that follows the basic storyline of the original, with the most obvious nods being the character and place names. Here the main characters are Bennett and Darius, and just as with the beloved Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, they most certainly do not immediately hit it off!
The enemies-to-lovers trope is a favorite of many romance readers, and Reddaway nailed it with Bennett and Darius. When word gets around that there is a mysterious new gallery owner in town, and that he’s rumored to be young and hot, Bennett’s roommates are all atwitter. They convince Bennett to go with them to Rush, the once-a-month LGBTQ night at Meriton’s only nightclub, so that they can check him out. Tim, the new owner of the gallery, is lovely, but the friend he brought with him? Not so much. Darius comes off as such a shit at first. Seemingly looking down his nose at Bennett, his friends, the town, their college, even Bennett’s best friend, Jamie, who Tim is instantly taken with. Bennett decides on that first meeting that Darius is a pretentious asshole, and he does everything he can to avoid him.
Because Jamie and Tim are quickly falling for each other, however, the two men are constantly thrown together, eventually forcing them to acknowledge their attraction to each other, and surprising them with the things they have in common. I loved the super slow-burn between these guys. Reddaway did a great job easing them from intense dislike, to tolerance, to possible friendship and finally admitting their fondness for each other. I liked when Bennett had his epiphany that he perhaps judged Darius a bit too harshly, if not entirely incorrectly. And, when they figure things out at the end, it’s so satisfying and perfect.
I loved the settings of Meriton college, Longbourn Manor, and Pemberley Hall, and I enjoyed what Reddaway did with the characters. Bennett’s roommates Leon and Kofi were ridiculous and entertaining. I LOVED sweet sensitive Jamie, and Tim as well; they were so wonderful together. And, I could tell who the villain was going to be from the get-go. Red flags going up left and right with that one!
When Bennett finally lets go of his pride in order to solicit Darius’s help at the end…Or…was he too prejudice and Darius was too proud…? (Bonus points to everyone who gets my silly You’ve Got Mail reference. Ha! 😊) I think we can all agree that they each have elements of both pride and prejudice to overcome but, as I said, the ending was wonderfully done. I think, whether you’re familiar with the original or not, there are many fabulous things to enjoy about Out, Proud, and Prejudiced.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
The enemies-to-lovers trope is a favorite of many romance readers, and Reddaway nailed it with Bennett and Darius. When word gets around that there is a mysterious new gallery owner in town, and that he’s rumored to be young and hot, Bennett’s roommates are all atwitter. They convince Bennett to go with them to Rush, the once-a-month LGBTQ night at Meriton’s only nightclub, so that they can check him out. Tim, the new owner of the gallery, is lovely, but the friend he brought with him? Not so much. Darius comes off as such a shit at first. Seemingly looking down his nose at Bennett, his friends, the town, their college, even Bennett’s best friend, Jamie, who Tim is instantly taken with. Bennett decides on that first meeting that Darius is a pretentious asshole, and he does everything he can to avoid him.
Because Jamie and Tim are quickly falling for each other, however, the two men are constantly thrown together, eventually forcing them to acknowledge their attraction to each other, and surprising them with the things they have in common. I loved the super slow-burn between these guys. Reddaway did a great job easing them from intense dislike, to tolerance, to possible friendship and finally admitting their fondness for each other. I liked when Bennett had his epiphany that he perhaps judged Darius a bit too harshly, if not entirely incorrectly. And, when they figure things out at the end, it’s so satisfying and perfect.
I loved the settings of Meriton college, Longbourn Manor, and Pemberley Hall, and I enjoyed what Reddaway did with the characters. Bennett’s roommates Leon and Kofi were ridiculous and entertaining. I LOVED sweet sensitive Jamie, and Tim as well; they were so wonderful together. And, I could tell who the villain was going to be from the get-go. Red flags going up left and right with that one!
When Bennett finally lets go of his pride in order to solicit Darius’s help at the end…Or…was he too prejudice and Darius was too proud…? (Bonus points to everyone who gets my silly You’ve Got Mail reference. Ha! 😊) I think we can all agree that they each have elements of both pride and prejudice to overcome but, as I said, the ending was wonderfully done. I think, whether you’re familiar with the original or not, there are many fabulous things to enjoy about Out, Proud, and Prejudiced.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach