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commedesenfants's review against another edition
2.0
Originally posted here: http://living-a-thousand-lives.tumblr.com/post/29547842880/persuaded-the-jane-austen-diaries-3-by-jenni-james
Minor spoilers
The Cover
I guess the model is pretty with fabulous hair? Is she lying on leaves? In any case, HUGE FACE! DO NOT WANT!
The Story
As you can see on the cover this book is part of The Jane Austen Diaries, in this case it’s a modern retelling of Persuasion with teenaged characters.
4 years ago Amanda rejected the boy she loved because her popular friends thought he was a loser and persuaded her to dump him. Soon thereafter said boy, named Greg, moved away with his parents. After 4 years his family returns as millionaires and Greg now goes by Gregory and is suddenly a hottie and all the girls fawn over him. He acts cold and indifferent towards her and rubs it in her face that he’s now very desirable and doesn’t have a thought left for her. (again, terrible blurb, sorry!)
The Protagonist
Amanda was a doormat. Plain and simple. To me she was a very, very weak character who let others decide for her and treat her like crap. Anne Elliot made a big mistake and followed her trusted friend’s advice and regretted that decision for years but to me she was never a weakling. She was really nice but still smart and head strong when she had to. Amanda however rejected a good friend for popularity and even then she regretted it immediately. The moment he left, she turned into a meak and insecure girl who lets her family and friends walk all over her without even thinking that there’s something wrong with their behaviour. Look, I’d understand if she was a chicken who’s afraid to stand up to people but she doesn’t even realize that she’s being treated like a doormat and that is where the problem is. She needed Greg to tell her that she was pretty and to give her a confidence boost, which is not a bad thing BUT the moment he was gone, the confidence was gone too and only returned when he started to love her again. And this right there is the wrong message to send to teenage girls. I can’t help but compare this to [b:Measuring Up|15783617|Measuring Up|Nyrae Dawn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1343964446s/15783617.jpg|21500950] where the boy build up the girl’s confidence but also encouraged her to be able to stand up on her own and to believe in herself. In Persuaded, Amanda needs Gregory to protect and save her and I feel like her character never really grows or rather she doesn’t really have a character/personality. By the end the only thing she learns is that she shouldn’t listen to people’s advice on who she should love, she never learned to stand up to her family or anyone else for that matter. A weak main protagonist, who’s also a little bit of a Mary Sue, is one of the things I have a big problem with so this is a huge minus point for me.
The Heart Rate
Gregory was…tall. And hot apparently. He was supposed to feel betrayed by Amanda but still stood up for her and helped her every chance he got. He also started to date Amanda’s best friend Kylie, the same friend who persuaded her to dump him. I assume he did it to get back at Amanda, but to be honest, it just doesn’t line up with his character to date a girl he should hate, but we never see it, on the contrary it seems as if he really liked Kylie. Anyway, the romance was sweet I guess. It did make me feel a little warm and fuzzy inside whenever Greg helped Amanda but I don’t know if it was because their romance was that great or because of the residual feelings from reading [b:For Darkness Shows the Stars|8306761|For Darkness Shows the Stars|Diana Peterfreund|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338529086s/8306761.jpg|13155802], another (much better) Persuasion retelling. It’s probably the latter. The romance was insofar believable because you just know and expect it to happen. Greg is for the most part very one-dimensional and you don’t really get to know him that much beyond the fact that he’s rich, hot and a nice guy who’s protective of Amanda. Unfortunately this is not enough for me to call him a good love interest. I blame the first person narration and Amanda’s lack of personality.
The Good
- Jane Austen: I’m a sucker for everything Jane Austen and I’m always looking for retellings or variations (if they’re good or bad is another story)
- Greg’s parents: They were refreshingly nice and real, a little over the top but still sweet.
The Bad
- Characters: The main protagonists aren’t really fleshed out so it’s no wonder that the supporting characters are even more one-dimensional. I like most of them (except Kylie and Sydney (Amanda’s stepsister)) but that’s it. They don’t really serve a purpose and are mere props. Plus, I can’t help but trying to connect these characters with Jane Austen’s characters and they are NOTHING alike and totally mixed up. I know this is a retelling and only inspired by Persuasion but still, the fundamental feeling and characterstic should still be there.
- Plot: There were so many unrealistic moments here. Like why doesn’t Amanda know most of Kylie’s friends? Shouldn’t they have mutual friends? It seems as though before Greg’s return Amanda didn’t interact with anybody but Kylie. Then we have Sean, Greg’s cousin. He just appears out of nowhere in their town and Greg goes: “Sean? Sean Benally? Good to see you!…” This is not how you greet a cousin but a random classmate maybe. And why would you have to add your cousin’s last name? And wouldn’t he let you know he’s in town and why is he in town alone in a restaurant? We never find out. These were just a few examples of some random and contrived things going on here. Oh, and I kind of have a hard time pin pointing the age of most of the characters. We find out later that Greg’s 19 and another character is 21, but they all seem like 16 year olds to me…
- Corny dialogue: I had to skip whole pages at the end because I just couldn’t stand the cheesy dialogue.
The Rating
★★☆☆☆
I read a lot of fluffy young adult novels because sometimes you just need a light, fun read where you don’t have to think a lot. But this is probably one of those books I’m too old for. I think if I was a lot younger (like in Middle Grade), I’d probably love this. I give this 2 stars because despite it all I still wanted to finish this book and for Jane Austen.
Minor spoilers
The Cover
I guess the model is pretty with fabulous hair? Is she lying on leaves? In any case, HUGE FACE! DO NOT WANT!
The Story
As you can see on the cover this book is part of The Jane Austen Diaries, in this case it’s a modern retelling of Persuasion with teenaged characters.
4 years ago Amanda rejected the boy she loved because her popular friends thought he was a loser and persuaded her to dump him. Soon thereafter said boy, named Greg, moved away with his parents. After 4 years his family returns as millionaires and Greg now goes by Gregory and is suddenly a hottie and all the girls fawn over him. He acts cold and indifferent towards her and rubs it in her face that he’s now very desirable and doesn’t have a thought left for her. (again, terrible blurb, sorry!)
The Protagonist
Amanda was a doormat. Plain and simple. To me she was a very, very weak character who let others decide for her and treat her like crap. Anne Elliot made a big mistake and followed her trusted friend’s advice and regretted that decision for years but to me she was never a weakling. She was really nice but still smart and head strong when she had to. Amanda however rejected a good friend for popularity and even then she regretted it immediately. The moment he left, she turned into a meak and insecure girl who lets her family and friends walk all over her without even thinking that there’s something wrong with their behaviour. Look, I’d understand if she was a chicken who’s afraid to stand up to people but she doesn’t even realize that she’s being treated like a doormat and that is where the problem is. She needed Greg to tell her that she was pretty and to give her a confidence boost, which is not a bad thing BUT the moment he was gone, the confidence was gone too and only returned when he started to love her again. And this right there is the wrong message to send to teenage girls. I can’t help but compare this to [b:Measuring Up|15783617|Measuring Up|Nyrae Dawn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1343964446s/15783617.jpg|21500950] where the boy build up the girl’s confidence but also encouraged her to be able to stand up on her own and to believe in herself. In Persuaded, Amanda needs Gregory to protect and save her and I feel like her character never really grows or rather she doesn’t really have a character/personality. By the end the only thing she learns is that she shouldn’t listen to people’s advice on who she should love, she never learned to stand up to her family or anyone else for that matter. A weak main protagonist, who’s also a little bit of a Mary Sue, is one of the things I have a big problem with so this is a huge minus point for me.
The Heart Rate
Gregory was…tall. And hot apparently. He was supposed to feel betrayed by Amanda but still stood up for her and helped her every chance he got. He also started to date Amanda’s best friend Kylie, the same friend who persuaded her to dump him. I assume he did it to get back at Amanda, but to be honest, it just doesn’t line up with his character to date a girl he should hate, but we never see it, on the contrary it seems as if he really liked Kylie. Anyway, the romance was sweet I guess. It did make me feel a little warm and fuzzy inside whenever Greg helped Amanda but I don’t know if it was because their romance was that great or because of the residual feelings from reading [b:For Darkness Shows the Stars|8306761|For Darkness Shows the Stars|Diana Peterfreund|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338529086s/8306761.jpg|13155802], another (much better) Persuasion retelling. It’s probably the latter. The romance was insofar believable because you just know and expect it to happen. Greg is for the most part very one-dimensional and you don’t really get to know him that much beyond the fact that he’s rich, hot and a nice guy who’s protective of Amanda. Unfortunately this is not enough for me to call him a good love interest. I blame the first person narration and Amanda’s lack of personality.
The Good
- Jane Austen: I’m a sucker for everything Jane Austen and I’m always looking for retellings or variations (if they’re good or bad is another story)
- Greg’s parents: They were refreshingly nice and real, a little over the top but still sweet.
The Bad
- Characters: The main protagonists aren’t really fleshed out so it’s no wonder that the supporting characters are even more one-dimensional. I like most of them (except Kylie and Sydney (Amanda’s stepsister)) but that’s it. They don’t really serve a purpose and are mere props. Plus, I can’t help but trying to connect these characters with Jane Austen’s characters and they are NOTHING alike and totally mixed up. I know this is a retelling and only inspired by Persuasion but still, the fundamental feeling and characterstic should still be there.
- Plot: There were so many unrealistic moments here. Like why doesn’t Amanda know most of Kylie’s friends? Shouldn’t they have mutual friends? It seems as though before Greg’s return Amanda didn’t interact with anybody but Kylie. Then we have Sean, Greg’s cousin. He just appears out of nowhere in their town and Greg goes: “Sean? Sean Benally? Good to see you!…” This is not how you greet a cousin but a random classmate maybe. And why would you have to add your cousin’s last name? And wouldn’t he let you know he’s in town and why is he in town alone in a restaurant? We never find out. These were just a few examples of some random and contrived things going on here. Oh, and I kind of have a hard time pin pointing the age of most of the characters. We find out later that Greg’s 19 and another character is 21, but they all seem like 16 year olds to me…
- Corny dialogue: I had to skip whole pages at the end because I just couldn’t stand the cheesy dialogue.
The Rating
★★☆☆☆
I read a lot of fluffy young adult novels because sometimes you just need a light, fun read where you don’t have to think a lot. But this is probably one of those books I’m too old for. I think if I was a lot younger (like in Middle Grade), I’d probably love this. I give this 2 stars because despite it all I still wanted to finish this book and for Jane Austen.
hnbb's review against another edition
4.0
Fun! I like that she brought in characters from other books. I enjoyed Amanda and related to her so much. I think some characters were a bit too much, but it was a fun read.
sarah_moynihan's review
4.0
'A lady in shining armour. A knight in distress. And a dark night in London.
MARYANN HAYES has set her sights on marrying Lord Hefferton, a kind, respectable gentleman, who promises to be the solution to her family’s financial problems. After her drunkard of an uncle gambled away the family’s fortune, debtors are now knocking on their door. The only solution is a respectable marriage to a wealthy man.
Admittedly, once upon a time, Maryann dreamed of love and passion, of the one man who would sweep her off her feet, see with one glance what lived in her heart and was willing to risk everything to win her hand.
Now, as a grown woman, Maryann is determined to face facts: love is nothing but a fairy-tale and she better ought to forget those girlish dreams.
LEOPOLD LANCASTER, the future MARQUESS OF ELMRIDGE, finds himself rather intimidated by the title he is to inherit. Not only does the thought of losing his beloved father break his heart, but he also fears disappointing all those who depend upon him for their livelihood.
In a dark moment, Leopold ends up drunk and rather unsteady upon his feet on the streets of London at night. He can barely see straight, let alone remember where he lives when he stumbles upon an angel in disguise.
Rather heroically, the young lady comes to his rescue and Leopold is surprised to find a kindred spirit as those bright blue eyes look into his. When they finally part ways, he is determined to seek her out, knowing he has to see her again.
Unfortunately, when he does, Leopold is forced to realize that the lady is already promised to wed another.'
__________________________________
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
Persuaded & Rescued: The Heir's Lady in Shining Armour is the prequel novella in Bree Wolf's Love's Second Chance: Tales of Damsels and Knights series and is a clean historical romance.
As a novella, this is a sweet and charming story, both characters are lovely and I was happy things turned out so happily for them. But as far a the storyline went, it seemed to be a bit rushed to me, but this is often the pitfall of novellas and so it is not a deal-breaker for me.
Leopold and Maryann feel a startling and nearly instantaneous connection when they stumble across one another by chance one night and discover that they have a sort of kinship of burdens and are equally unsure as to how to proceed forward with their lives. This connection develops very quickly into attraction and then abruptly(or at least it seemed to me) into love. Personally I wish there had a bit more of getting to know one another and exploring of their newly discovered feelings beforehand. They had esentially only just learned one another's names before declarations of love and a need to wed were thrown at us. I also wish that Maryann has taken a more active role in the story. She is clearly determined to follow through with her plan to save her family and securing a marriage which which will enable her do so, but that us glossed over in order to pick up where she meets Leopold. We see one character defining moment when she sneaks out of the house, trying to find her through a decision. Besides that moment, she is a very passive character in this story, aloowing things to happen to her and for others to take action on her behalf.
As far as the chracters go, as I mentioned before Leopold and Maryann were lovely chracters and I like them both. And as for the supporting characters, it was lovely to be able these characters again in this prequel before their lives are altered by the events from their own books, which follow later in the seres.
Persuaded & Rescued is a short novella at a little under 100 pages. It's a very quick read, but the story is sweet. I do however, wish it had been a little longer and fleshed out. But it serves very nicely as an introduction into the Love's Second Chance: Tales of Damsels and Knights series.
_____
I would like to thank the author, Bree Wolf, for sharing an eARC of Persuaded & Rescued: The Heir's Lady in Shining Armour. with me. This is my honest review.
MARYANN HAYES has set her sights on marrying Lord Hefferton, a kind, respectable gentleman, who promises to be the solution to her family’s financial problems. After her drunkard of an uncle gambled away the family’s fortune, debtors are now knocking on their door. The only solution is a respectable marriage to a wealthy man.
Admittedly, once upon a time, Maryann dreamed of love and passion, of the one man who would sweep her off her feet, see with one glance what lived in her heart and was willing to risk everything to win her hand.
Now, as a grown woman, Maryann is determined to face facts: love is nothing but a fairy-tale and she better ought to forget those girlish dreams.
LEOPOLD LANCASTER, the future MARQUESS OF ELMRIDGE, finds himself rather intimidated by the title he is to inherit. Not only does the thought of losing his beloved father break his heart, but he also fears disappointing all those who depend upon him for their livelihood.
In a dark moment, Leopold ends up drunk and rather unsteady upon his feet on the streets of London at night. He can barely see straight, let alone remember where he lives when he stumbles upon an angel in disguise.
Rather heroically, the young lady comes to his rescue and Leopold is surprised to find a kindred spirit as those bright blue eyes look into his. When they finally part ways, he is determined to seek her out, knowing he has to see her again.
Unfortunately, when he does, Leopold is forced to realize that the lady is already promised to wed another.'
__________________________________
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
Persuaded & Rescued: The Heir's Lady in Shining Armour is the prequel novella in Bree Wolf's Love's Second Chance: Tales of Damsels and Knights series and is a clean historical romance.
As a novella, this is a sweet and charming story, both characters are lovely and I was happy things turned out so happily for them. But as far a the storyline went, it seemed to be a bit rushed to me, but this is often the pitfall of novellas and so it is not a deal-breaker for me.
Leopold and Maryann feel a startling and nearly instantaneous connection when they stumble across one another by chance one night and discover that they have a sort of kinship of burdens and are equally unsure as to how to proceed forward with their lives. This connection develops very quickly into attraction and then abruptly(or at least it seemed to me) into love. Personally I wish there had a bit more of getting to know one another and exploring of their newly discovered feelings beforehand. They had esentially only just learned one another's names before declarations of love and a need to wed were thrown at us. I also wish that Maryann has taken a more active role in the story. She is clearly determined to follow through with her plan to save her family and securing a marriage which which will enable her do so, but that us glossed over in order to pick up where she meets Leopold. We see one character defining moment when she sneaks out of the house, trying to find her through a decision. Besides that moment, she is a very passive character in this story, aloowing things to happen to her and for others to take action on her behalf.
As far as the chracters go, as I mentioned before Leopold and Maryann were lovely chracters and I like them both. And as for the supporting characters, it was lovely to be able these characters again in this prequel before their lives are altered by the events from their own books, which follow later in the seres.
Persuaded & Rescued is a short novella at a little under 100 pages. It's a very quick read, but the story is sweet. I do however, wish it had been a little longer and fleshed out. But it serves very nicely as an introduction into the Love's Second Chance: Tales of Damsels and Knights series.
_____
I would like to thank the author, Bree Wolf, for sharing an eARC of Persuaded & Rescued: The Heir's Lady in Shining Armour. with me. This is my honest review.
flowersofquiethappiness's review against another edition
3.0
Based on Jane Austen's Persuasion but the characters are teenagers. I really did enjoy this one! As Persuasion is my favorite Austen story, I had lots of fun trying to figure out who was who from the original. But Ms. James didn't just write a cookie cutter updated version, because it took me a while to figure out who was who! Not all the characters did what I was expecting. Which is a good idea really. There are so many Austen sequels and re-tellings that it was great planning on Ms. James' part to change things up. Gregory and Amanda had nice tension, which is definitely a good thing! :P All around just a fun little story.
emlickliter's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Persuaded & Rescued: The Heir's Lady in Shining Armour (Love's Second Chance: Tales of Damsels & Knights) by Bree Wolf – Maryann is terribly lucky that she didn’t end up disgraced and cast out of society, but that was a sweet ending! Happy Reading!
lifeand100books's review against another edition
4.0
Most of us bon-a-fide Austen lovers strive to share our love of Austen with everyone around us. Whether it’s sharing her novels, a film adaptation, or a novel from the JAFF (Jane Austen Fan Fiction) world, we try and spread the “word of Austen” everywhere we can.
When trying to share Austen with the younger generation I’ve frequently found that teens lose interest due to the terminology and writing style of that time period. The explosion of young adult writers using Austen as their inspiration is, I think, the answer to this problem! Jennie James is doing her part to get the next generation “into Austen” by modernizing each of her six major novels in her Jane Austen Diaries series.
In Persuaded, a modern retelling of Austen’s Persuasion, James introduces us to Amanda, a high school student who has a crush on her classmate, Gregory. Although her heart tells her otherwise, she bows to peer pressure and rejects Gregory’s advances, telling herself that he isn’t good enough to win her heart. Saddened, Gregory and his family move out of Farmington, the town in which Amanda resides. Three years later, these words come back to haunt her, as Gregory returns to Farmington and is a whole new man. He’s matured physically, and all the girls who previously mocked him are drooling over him. Can Amanda convince him that her actions in the past were an act? How can she make him believe that she’s secretly had a crush on him the whole time, and not just after his transformation?
James definitely writes in an upbeat and accessible way that is appealing to the young adult crowd. This is especially important as winning this demographic over is crucial to the continued success of Austen’s works, and ensures that they will have an eager audience for many years to come. I was curious as to how she would handle the adaptation of certain aspects of the original, such as the famous scene where Louisa Musgrove jumps off the Cobb at Lyme and hits her head. With a bit of imagination and four-wheelers in the desert, James handled it quite well! It dovetailed nicely with the modernity of the work, which included texting, email, and other modern comforts that made the book all the more appealing to younger generations. Although the story seemed almost a bit too polished and puffy at certain times for me, it is most likely due to the fact that I don’t read YA fan fiction as much as I should. Regardless, if you’re looking for a great way to introduce a friend or family member to the wonderful world of JAFF (and perhaps the original works themselves!) give Persuaded a try. It’s a delightful, clean, and fast paced YA read that is sure to be a hit.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
Originally posted: http://wp.me/p18lIL-1fG
When trying to share Austen with the younger generation I’ve frequently found that teens lose interest due to the terminology and writing style of that time period. The explosion of young adult writers using Austen as their inspiration is, I think, the answer to this problem! Jennie James is doing her part to get the next generation “into Austen” by modernizing each of her six major novels in her Jane Austen Diaries series.
In Persuaded, a modern retelling of Austen’s Persuasion, James introduces us to Amanda, a high school student who has a crush on her classmate, Gregory. Although her heart tells her otherwise, she bows to peer pressure and rejects Gregory’s advances, telling herself that he isn’t good enough to win her heart. Saddened, Gregory and his family move out of Farmington, the town in which Amanda resides. Three years later, these words come back to haunt her, as Gregory returns to Farmington and is a whole new man. He’s matured physically, and all the girls who previously mocked him are drooling over him. Can Amanda convince him that her actions in the past were an act? How can she make him believe that she’s secretly had a crush on him the whole time, and not just after his transformation?
James definitely writes in an upbeat and accessible way that is appealing to the young adult crowd. This is especially important as winning this demographic over is crucial to the continued success of Austen’s works, and ensures that they will have an eager audience for many years to come. I was curious as to how she would handle the adaptation of certain aspects of the original, such as the famous scene where Louisa Musgrove jumps off the Cobb at Lyme and hits her head. With a bit of imagination and four-wheelers in the desert, James handled it quite well! It dovetailed nicely with the modernity of the work, which included texting, email, and other modern comforts that made the book all the more appealing to younger generations. Although the story seemed almost a bit too polished and puffy at certain times for me, it is most likely due to the fact that I don’t read YA fan fiction as much as I should. Regardless, if you’re looking for a great way to introduce a friend or family member to the wonderful world of JAFF (and perhaps the original works themselves!) give Persuaded a try. It’s a delightful, clean, and fast paced YA read that is sure to be a hit.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
Originally posted: http://wp.me/p18lIL-1fG
rainelle_barrett's review against another edition
3.0
A cute story. I found this book as a light hearted read. The book definitely has a HEA feel. The dialogue among the characters has a realistic feel behind them. As a reader you can tell the the writer was pulling her readers into the love story. The book is a good read for the readers who love to travel. I reviewed this ARC after a free gifted copy
valeriew's review against another edition
5.0
Poor Amanda!!!! She was surrounded by horrible horrible people! And she was treated so awfully! Greg was pretty great but I thought it was weird that he was willing to date this girls that treated him like crap before he was "so totally hot"
aya_yuuki's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, I couldn't believe I finished this book in 2 1/2 hours! It was, umm, how do they say it? Unputdownable. I find it really good, enjoyable and I keep on anticipating what will happen next. After Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion is my next favorite Jane Austen book. So, I was really happy with this modern retelling.
It was kind of a surprise actually. I read Pride and Popularity before but I wasn't solved with its plot and writing but I must say, what an improvement for this book! I'm really glad. Because of this, maybe I'll check out Northanger Alibi too.
It was kind of a surprise actually. I read Pride and Popularity before but I wasn't solved with its plot and writing but I must say, what an improvement for this book! I'm really glad. Because of this, maybe I'll check out Northanger Alibi too.
amy_inthecatacombs's review against another edition
5.0
Amanda is at a party where she sees Gregory. When she was younger, she used to date him. Her cheerleader friends couldn’t stand that she dated him and convinced her to dump him. She felt horrible that she let her friends influence her like that, but after a few days, she decides to go to his house and tell him how wrong she was. He and his family were gone.
Greg helps her pick up the pieces to a necklace and doesn’t say much to her. She feels that she deserves it and gets jealous when she sees him with a gorgeous girl. Her best friend, Kylie, seems to forget that it’s the old Gregory that she used to date and immediately sets her sights on him. She’s not the only girl either because her stepsister, Sydney, has her eyes on him as well. Greg goes on several dates with Kylie, but has somewhat moments with Amanda. Will Amanda persuade Greg to give her another chance?
I have loved every book in this series so far. I love that all of Jenni’s books are clean. Any of her books would be fine for younger girls and teens to read. I felt really bad for how Amanda’s friends and family treated her. I don’t see how Amanda could put up with her family. Her whole family catered to her stepsister and didn’t do much for her. I loved how sweet Amanda was.
I got annoyed every time Greg was with Kylie. I wish Greg and Amanda would have talked about what happened between them earlier on in the book. I liked that Amanda went out of her way to make Colin feel better when it was obvious his girlfriend was starting to like another guy.
There were some aspects that were unbelievable, but I haven’t read any of the Jane Austen books. So, the events might have correlated to Persuasion and I just didn’t know. It didn’t make me love the book any less though. I’m definitely looking forward to reading Emmalee, the next book in the Jane Austen Diaries.
Greg helps her pick up the pieces to a necklace and doesn’t say much to her. She feels that she deserves it and gets jealous when she sees him with a gorgeous girl. Her best friend, Kylie, seems to forget that it’s the old Gregory that she used to date and immediately sets her sights on him. She’s not the only girl either because her stepsister, Sydney, has her eyes on him as well. Greg goes on several dates with Kylie, but has somewhat moments with Amanda. Will Amanda persuade Greg to give her another chance?
I have loved every book in this series so far. I love that all of Jenni’s books are clean. Any of her books would be fine for younger girls and teens to read. I felt really bad for how Amanda’s friends and family treated her. I don’t see how Amanda could put up with her family. Her whole family catered to her stepsister and didn’t do much for her. I loved how sweet Amanda was.
I got annoyed every time Greg was with Kylie. I wish Greg and Amanda would have talked about what happened between them earlier on in the book. I liked that Amanda went out of her way to make Colin feel better when it was obvious his girlfriend was starting to like another guy.
There were some aspects that were unbelievable, but I haven’t read any of the Jane Austen books. So, the events might have correlated to Persuasion and I just didn’t know. It didn’t make me love the book any less though. I’m definitely looking forward to reading Emmalee, the next book in the Jane Austen Diaries.