Novel switches between Bunyan, North Carolina (hometown) and New York City
and Meg who is married with twins and Jo who is a food blogger respectively.
They are both struggling and dealing with life issues.
They keep reverting back to childhood memories.

Inspired by Louisa May Alcott's classic
This book can stand on its own
and another book is on the way.

In the 150th year since Little Women was originally published, we get a fresh, modern take on Louisa May Alcott’s endearing classic about the four March sisters. I’ve already enjoyed this author’s books for her thoughtful way of writing a romance and not being afraid to dig deep into deeper subject matter, so I was curious to see what she could do with a modern retelling.

Meg and Jo is the title, but also the focus on the oldest two March sisters who alternate the narration every other chapter though fans will discover that the whole family along with the Lawrences next door, a certain Aunt, John, the twins, and Professor Bhaer who is now a cook are very much present though they all get an update. Seeing how each character and many of the key story elements translated into modern times is all part of the fun in a retelling and Meg and Jo did not disappoint

Meg is living her dream as a woman with home, husband, and family, but she feels there is something lacking in her life and in marriage; the dreamy picture isn’t what she thought it would be. Meanwhile, Jo is fierce about her independence and her dreams to write and be a success in the big city though she has lost her newspaper job, can’t seem to write her book and now works a restaurant and writes an indifferent food blog. Their mother’s desperate need brings Jo back to the home farm and the sisters discover that what they dreamed about isn’t gone for good just lost as they chased for it in all the wrong places.

Fans of the classic will see a decent nod toward Alcott’s work with lots of Kantra’s originality and style (Beth has a different fate and Mr. March does as well) while those coming to the story without having read or watched an adaption will do just fine as the story could be read as a heartwarming women’s fiction crossed over with contemporary romance.

Now, while I can say that I found this engaging and enjoyable especially seeing flawed characters struggling along find inner strength, connection, and yes, love, I feel obliged to say that if one were looking for a close connection to Little Women that it will be moderate. What I mean by that is that from my perspective, I felt that some of the time I was reading about characters who shared names and some similar circumstances with those in the original, but they didn’t necessarily resonate like the original characters. Kantra’s characters are edgier versions and don’t always think or act as I remember Alcott’s characters. I found them less likable at times. In fact, I never did warm up to Trey, the modern version of Laurie. But, that said, I’ve learned that the author plans a sequel with the focus on the younger two sisters, Beth and Amy, so maybe Trey has some personal growth coming, too. Then there was Jo and her dad issues that is not present in the original, but a big part in her journey of self-discovery in this one.

I don’t mean to make it sound like I disliked the book or that it failed as a retelling. Far from it. I found the focus on sisters and their relationships as well as the insight into their relationships with their parents, friends, and love interests engaging. Some might even find it easier to go in thinking of this not as a retelling, but just a solid women’s fiction and contemporary romance crossover.

Either way the reader approaches the book, I think it will be engaging for them and I can definitely recommend it for this holiday season treat.

Meg and Jo is a modern retelling of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, Little Women.
This book deals with the two older sisters, Meg and Jo (the next volume is about Beth and Amy). The author kept the same general "feel" for each sister. Meg, the mother of two-year-old twins, is determined to do everything for the family. This often means excluding her husband, John, from their everyday life. Jo, determined to leave Bunyan, North Carolina, forever, is a cook and food blogger living in New York City, trying to make her own way in life. Mrs. March is living on the family farm, raising goats, making cheese, while Mr. March is off volunteering his services to needy veterans. As a result, he neglects his family. When Mrs. March has health issues that require surgery and rehab time, Jo moves back home and she and Meg take over her mother's responsibilities.
Amy still comes across as the spoiled baby of the family. Beth, still very quiet and self-contained, is following a possible music career. All the girls come home at various times in the book. The dynamics of the grown sisters is interesting. Trey and Mr. Laurence are found in this story, as well as Eric, the chef and owner of the upscale restaurant in New York, and Jo's newfound love.
Having always been a fan of the original Little Women, I found Kantra's updating to be a nice change from some of the other more modern retellings of the story.

I really enjoyed this! I enjoyed this updated version, as well as the fact that it focused on the sisters as adults. As the title would imply, it centers around Meg and Jo (there will be a sequel next year that's more about Beth and Amy).

Meg is a housewife and Jo is a food blogger/prep cook and they love their lives but are also not as happy as they may have believed they would be if their dreams came true. Meg, for example, has always wanted to be a wife and mom and now she is. But she's also really busy and the only one of her sisters who stayed in their hometown, which means that helping her parents falls on her 100% of the time. Her husband works very hard to ensure that she can stay home with their kids, so she feels guilty asking him to do anything to help around the house or with the kids. 

It follows Little Women pretty closely but it also reimagines it in wonderful ways. This book was an absolute delight. Recommended.

3,5 STARS

I'm a little disappointed with this one, I expected more and in the end I find it simply ok and nothing more.Meg and Jo are the main leads of this book and my favorite was Jo!I liked them and even though I find the book quick and enjoyable there were moments I compared it with little Women and there was my problem!

However, if you haven't read Little Women I think you''ll find it a fantastic and fast paced read!

Meg & Jo by Virginia Kantra is a charming story that is actually a contemporary retelling of one of my favorite literary classics, Little Women. As the title suggests, sisters Meg and Jo are the focus of this story. Jo is still a writer, but in this version of the classic, she’s a food blogger trying to make it in New York City, while Meg has a background in accounting but is a stay-at-home mom with twins living in North Carolina. What I liked most about Meg & Jo is that Kantra does a wonderful job of paying homage to Little Women while still creating a fully original story in its own right. I honestly don’t even think you need to be familiar with Little Women to enjoy Meg & Jo. It features heartwarming sisterly interactions (including younger sisters Beth and Amy who put in appearances as well), compelling family drama involving a sick parent, and even a little romance with a sexy chef to keep things entertaining. I also loved that it was set around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, which made it the perfect read to help get me into the holiday spirit. I will say to those who are huge fans of Little Women – don’t go into this read expecting something as emotionally weighty as Little Women. I’d consider this more of a Hallmark movie version of the original classic. If you go in with that expectation, I think you’ll find it a delightful read.

I really enjoyed this modern retelling of Little Women. The March sisters are living in modern day America - Jo is living in New York City working in a restaurant and exploring her writing as a good blogger. Meg is married with twin toddlers and working on how to balance all her responsibilities. Beth is singing and performing in a Christmas show and Amy is on a fashion internship.

As you could probably guess from the title - this book really focused on Meg & Jo with alternating chapters from their perspectives. I really enjoyed both stories.

It’s been a looooooong time since I read Little Women - so I’m sure there are references that went over my head. While I really enjoyed the comparisons I did see - I think you could read this without having read LW without any issues.

Thank you very much to Berkley for the free review copy.

Happy pub day to Meg & Jo by Virginia Kantra, and thank you so much to Berkley, Netgalley and Virginia Kantra for an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Little Women was the first book that I read completely on my own and inspired by lifelong love of reading, so I was thrilled to jump into Meg & Jo!

In this modern retelling, the story focuses largely on the two oldest March girls, who have established lives of their own. Meg - wife of loyal, dependable John and mother of two fun-loving, mischievous 2.5-year-old twins, Daisy and DJ - wants to the be the perfect stay-at-home mom. Having sacrificed her banking career to care for and raise her kids in her hometown of Bunyan, North Carolina, she's queen of the domestic realm, shrugging off offers of help with the kids, sometimes to her own detriment. Jo, on the other hand, is living in New York, where, having been laid off from a newspaper job, is trying to keep up a food blog while also moonlighting as a prep cook in one of the city's acclaimed restaurants, Gusto.

Meg and Jo's personal, professional, and familial struggles come to a head when their mother develops a severe infection and is in need of care. Meg, who felt as though she was just keeping her head above water with the twins and her own home, begins to feel like her world is crashing around her as she bites off more than she can chew. And as Jo becomes attracted to the head chef at Gusto, their budding relationship poses a threat to her career while she also tries to support her sisters and parents at home.

Alternating between Meg and Jo's perspectives, Meg & Jo also gives readers peeks into Beth, Amy, Trey (Theodore Laurence) and Marmee's lives and various struggles, which I really enjoyed. As a huge Little Women fan, I appreciated the modern touches in this story (which I think were largely represented by Jo and even Marmee), amidst the nods to Louisa May Alcott's classic. I loved being able to catch up with my favorite girls and imagine what their lives would be like in the modern world, and I'm excited to see where this story goes in the second book!

If you're a Little Women fan, or even if you've never read the classic, this story will pull you in, so check it out today!!

Little Women is the book that started my love of reading. My Mema and Bepa gave me a copy and I read it until it was falling apart. Meg and Jo is the contemporary retelling of Little Women. I could not pass on this book.

Jo was always my favorite. She is the oldest, in charge, and her daddy’s girl. She is still my favorite. I love her spunk, her going into the unknown, and how she grew up to be strong woman. Yes, she comes home after a tough situation and she struggles to not let it get her down. She grows while she is home into a stronger, open hearted, and willing to accept help person all while finding happiness that she didn’t know she was craving.

Meg, oh Meg. You are so reliable. She takes on the world, does everything for everyone, and doesn’t accept any help from anyone. As the story goes on we see her struggle to keep up with her day to day life while adding more and more to it as the rest of the family needs help. I love when she realizes that accepting help doesn’t mean she is less of a mom or a wife or a sister. She becomes a complete and wonderful woman as the story goes on.

If you are a Little Women fan, you have to read this book. I am so excited to read Amy and Beth’s story.

Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra is a modern reimagining of Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott. Little Women is my absolute favorite book which is why I was curious about Meg and Jo. I wanted to see how an author would modernize this treasured classic. Let me state that this was a mistake on my part. I wish I had looked up the author and noticed that she writes romance novels. This book focuses on Meg and Jo. It is told from their perspectives in alternating chapters. Jo still wishes to write, but newspapers are letting staff go. For some reason, Jo was hired at Gusto by Chef Eric Bhaer to work as a prep cook. I found this particularly odd since Jo disliked the domestic arts. Jo has a blog titled Hungry which provides an insider’s view of the city’s food scene. She does it anonymously which Jo is glad she did after hearing what Chef Bhaer thinks about food bloggers. There is an attraction between Jo and the chef which develops into something more until complications arise. Meg is married to John Brooke and they have very busy twins. Meg quit her job as a loan officer to be a stay at home mom at John’s urging because his mother worked two jobs and was never at home for him. While Meg loves John and the twins, she is dissatisfied with her life. Meg comes across as whiny (it is unattractive). She likes things done a certain way, so she does it all herself but then complains that she does not get help from hubby. Meg makes some poor choices. I did not like how Meg was portrayed at all. The story is set in Bunyan, North Carolina so there are stereotypical Southernisms in the story (“Bless her heart” was a repeated phrase). I especially disliked how Mr. March was portrayed in this book. It was unappealing and disappointing. Abby March, the mother, is one who does not like fuss (as we are told repeatedly). I missed the warm, loving Marmee from Little Women. Beth is a singer who performs in front of audiences at Branson (can anyone see the shy Beth doing this) and Amy is an intern at Louis Vuitton in Paris (I could see Amy doing this). Laurie is called Trey in this version and let me just say he is nothing like the kind boy next door from the original. Meg and Jo comes across as a typical romance novel. It lacks the warmth of family, sisterly bonding, love, and compassion that was present in the original Little Women. The author was brave to tackle such a difficult project, but I feel she missed the mark. There is a preview of Amy & Beth at the end.

“Meg and Jo” by Virginia Kantra is a beautiful story inspired by Little Women, a well beloved classic tale. With the holidays upon us, a lovely retelling is just what is needed.

The story is told in two Point of Views between Meg and Jo. This time, the March sisters are all grown up and pursuing their separate dreams and aspirations. Jo ends up in New York City, a struggling journalist who is now trying her best to survive living in the city by working in a restaurant and at the same time secretly running a very successful food blog. Good ‘ole reliable Meg is running her own household, and married to John with twins. Amy is working in the fashion industry and Beth is taking a break from school.

Seems everything is perfect until their mother is hospitalized with only Meg to help, and a father who rather care for his patients rather than his own wife and family. This brings the March sisters back home together, in North Carolina for the holidays to help each other - after all the story is about the strength of the family and the siblings helping each other.

Overall, I did enjoy this retelling and it would really be a more enjoyable read having had some knowledge about The Little Women to better understand the sisters' personalities which very much carried on to this book. I look forward to the next installation with the focus of the story with Beth and Amy.

Thank you to Berkley Pub and Netgalley for the opportunity to receive and review an ARC of this amazing book by Virginia Kantra. I voluntarily reviewed this ARC and all opinions are my own.

This is a modern day retelling of Little Women and I was so excited to read it. I love Little Women; it’s one of my favorite classics and Jo was always my favorite of the four sisters. So as soon as I heard about this book, I was all about it.
♥
Sadly, however, I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped I would. The book did stay mostly true to the girls’ personalities and Jo is still my favorite. But the men in this book are just awful. Meg and her husband have major communication issues that never really get worked through. And although they do seem happy in their marriage, that happiness feels fake. Jo’s love interest is a lot better; he truly does care about Jo and her happiness and let’s her do the Jo thing where she runs away and tries to figure out her life.
♥
The dad though, wow. What an all around terrible human being. The girls mother is such a strong and amazing woman and he just continues to disrespect and ignore her throughout the entire book. Honestly it was so hard reading this book without wanting to throat punch him through the screen.
♥
Meg as a character I couldn’t stand at first. She’s very high strung and wants to do everything her way. Fortunately she does turn around throughout the story and became less of an annoyance.
♥
The story itself was great, it was all about the sisters coming back together and reuniting as a family while their mother is in the hospital with some health issues. I enjoyed where all of the sisters were in life and their relationships with one another. I do recommend the book, especially if you’re a fan of Little Women. I didn’t love or hate it, I think my expectations were just a little too high.

5/5 stars

I absolutely loved this one. Full disclosure: I am not a die-hard Little Women fan to begin with, so that may have meant I went into reading this with different expectations for it. I didn’t feel that it needed to “fall into line” with the original flavor and feeling of the story. That said, I do like the original book quite a lot, and there was a lot of carry-over in terms of personality traits, witty dialogue, and overall relationships and intertanglings of emotions, and that made me happy.

Let’s talk first about the characters. I’ve always been a really big fan of Jo (what book nerd isn’t?) for doing what her heart tells her, being honest with herself and others, and not letting anyone else push her around. And this Jo absolutely lives up to those qualities. I loved seeing her trying to find her feet in New York, and floundering when the dreams and plans she’d set out for herself didn’t quite match reality. I think the portrayal of her trying to find her way in her late 20s is something that most modern women can relate to, and I hungrily read her chapters. I will admit that I have also always loved Meg, because I am a rule-follower and have always taken my responsibilities seriously, and I love those qualities about Meg. I feel like this retelling got her personality absolutely perfectly, and really showed how that personality could create for difficulties in a marriage–particularly a contemporary marriage where husband and wife are much more looked at as “partners” who split all the duties, rather than the mom having her home sphere and the husband having his work sphere, and never the twain shall meet. I found the portrayal of Meg’s marriage, the difficulties her husband has with her “do it all” mentality, to be extremely accurate and really made me think about my own marriage and how communication works (or doesn’t) within it. It was great!


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The character who was perhaps the most different from the original book was Laurie (his name is Trey in this story), the boy next door who is Jo’s best friend. But because I’m not super strongly tied to how things were written in the original, I actually really liked the way this character was reinvented. I also happen to know that there is another book coming from Kantra, titled Meg and Amy and it is my feeling that we will get to know Trey a whole bunch more in that one. So I won’t say too much, but I did like how he interplayed with Jo as well as with the other March sisters, and I thought he provided a nice counterpoint to the flaring romance between Jo and Chef Eric. It just worked.

Okay, so in talking about characters, I guess I am just talking about everything overall. There was just so much going on in this book, and I ate it right up. Aside from what I mentioned above, we also get a taste for the modernized Amy and Beth characters, and I loved both of them as well. Amy started out seeming like a caricature of a spoiled pretty girl. But then, that’s kind of what she was in the original book too, no? There were more layers of depth added as the story went on, and I look forward to the next book where we will get to know her even better. I also found the story arc for the March parents to be extremely relatable and compelling, if bittersweet. I won’t say more because I want to keep this spoiler-free.

Anyway, I give this one two big thumbs up, and if you like contemporary fiction that is a reworking of an old classic, with big and lively female characters and relatable modern problems, then this book is totally for you. If you’re a DIE-HARD Little Women fan, it’s possible you’ll be disappointed or frustrated, but I still would recommend giving it a try. Can’t wait to read the next one!

In this retelling of Little Women, the March family home is in North Carolina, U.S.A. The girls are young adults and living on their own. Meg is married to John and they have young twins; Jo is working as a sous chef in New York and writing an anonymous food blog; Beth is taking a break from school and trying out for a musical; and Amy is working in the fashion industry and traveling abroad. Mr. March is an absentee husband and father who cares more about his ministry and charity work than caring for his family. As the holidays approach, Mrs. March is suddenly hospitalized and the sisters rally around to help and support each other, their mom, and her business.

Thanks, #netgalley #berkleypub for the free e ARC of #megandjo in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you love the classic, Little Women?

With the movie Little Women coming out on Christmas Day in the U.S., readers might be interested in a contemporary Little Women retelling!

Do you enjoy retellings? I think they’re tricky! Meg & Jo is especially tricky because it’s attempting a retelling based on a dearly loved classic, Little Women. Having a familiarity with Little Women will enhance your reading experience, but it isn’t critical.

The characters in the retelling share definite personality traits with the characters in Little Women. Meg is reliable and focused on family and Jo is independent and trying to make it on her own in New York City. The sisters strive to be close but have some typical sisterly tension. The story is told from their alternating points of view. Another installment is expected soon which will be told from Beth’s and Amy’s points of view.

The writing is engaging and page-turning with a definite chic lit vibe. A few of us in a buddy read thought that parts of it could have been even more modernized…..especially noting that Mrs. March comes across at times as a 50s housewife. This is simply an observation and not meant as a criticism of the era.

Themes in Meg & Jo reflect the themes found in Little Women: the strength of family and complicated and loyal sibling relationships.

Fans of retellings and especially Little Women might enjoy Meg & Jo. Readers who are looking for chick lit with strong female characters and a side of romance will also appreciate this retelling. I liked it but didn’t love it as much as others have. It might be a great selection for book clubs who are looking for something entertaining, discussable, and light, with a small amount of steam.

Reimagining 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 from a contemporary perspective, Virginia Kantra tells the story of the March sisters from the alternating points of view of Meg and Jo, the two eldest.

In New York City, Jo, laid off from her job as a journalist due to budget cuts, writes an anonymous blog while making ends meet by working in the kitchen of a gourmet restaurant under renowned chef Eric Bhaer—who happens to loathe food bloggers—but who is undeniably attractive.

Meg, a former loan officer, gave up her career to stay at home with her young twins. Her husband, John, a beloved teacher and coach, resigned from the school to work at a car dealership where he could earn more money for the family. What is on the surface a perfect family hides unspoken tensions about resentments and sacrifices.

As the holidays approach, Abby March becomes ill and requires hospitalization. Her husband, Ashton, a former military chaplain, is so focused on serving veterans though his non-profit organization, he is unable to provide Abby support, leaving it to Meg and Jo.

With the family in crisis, bonds are tested, and the sisters must consider both what they really want—and if they know each other as well as they think.

I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to write a book inspired by a classic, especially one as loved as 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 . It requires balancing the spirit of the original with a realistic modern setting. The challenges must be only compounded when the source material comes from the late 1860s, when social and gender mores were so different!

For much of the book, I was very uncomfortable with the gender dynamics. Abby March was completely self-sacrificing and taught her daughters to be the same way in relationships. Meg internalized those messages and reproduced her mother's behavior while Jo rebelled so completely against it, she wouldn't allow herself to be close to anyone. Their poor communication skills made their relationships and emotional health suffer. Meanwhile, Beth and Amy were coddled while Meg and Jo assumed all the responsibility for the family.

If I could have reached into the pages and shaken the characters, I probably would have. They did, though, have room to grow, and pressures that made the status quo untenable. My concern is that Meg and Jo never seemed to stop defining themselves independently of the men in their lives. Still, the setting was charming, and I think fans of the original will be satisfied!

The two younger March sisters don't get much play in this novel, but a second book, 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘩 & 𝘈𝘮𝘺, is in the works in which they will have the spotlight.

Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "Meg & Jo" A Contemporary Retelling of Little Women" by Virginia Kantra, Berkley, 12/3/19

Virginia Kantra, author of "Meg & Jo"  "A Contemporary Retelling of Little Women" has written a unique and intriguing novel. I absolutely adored "Little Women", and imagining the setting changed to a modern version, piqued my interest. I am somewhat conflicted as I write my review. There are two aspects that I feel fall into play. The first is this does this read like a contemporary retelling of "Little Women"?  The second aspect is, Did I enjoy and would I recommend this story?

The Genres for this story are Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, and Family Drama. The story takes place in the author's present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The March family lives on a farm with goats, and each of the four adult women each has distinctive personalities, and are trying to lead their own lives. The author describes her colorful and dramatic cast of characters as complex and complicated.

Meg is reliable and married with two active twin children. Jo is independent and her writing skills start off as a blogger of food, while she works with a famous chef. Beth is very artistic and has a beautiful voice, and Amy is creative but attention-seeking. All of the sisters come home after an emergency. The Matriarch of the family carries a lot of responsibility and the father counsels the men and women who have served our country and have problems. This emergency forces the sisters to evaluate the meaning of sisterhood, family, communication and what is truly important in life.

If I were to read the same story with the same characters using different names, and not being told this was a contemporary retelling of "Little Women", I might not realize that at times. At other times I might have a deja-vu experience. On the other hand, I enjoyed the story as written and would want to read more about the sisters. I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy contemporary fiction and family drama.

With the upcoming release of another cinematic version of Little Women, it is fitting that a novel inspired by the Louisa May Alcott classic is coming out as well. Meg & Jo, by Valerie Kantra is not a true retelling of Little Women. But it does have many of the elements of the original. I really enjoyed this book. It was a very modern novel concerning four sisters and their hopes and dreams, and addressed one of the biggest problems with the original piece. But be forewarned, this is not a YA novel.

What I Liked:

Setting:

I loved the North Carolina setting and the Jo's New York life. In North Carolina, the family's lives are centered around their farm and small town. Even though several of the girls have moved away, they all are drawn back to their warm memories of their childhoods, and their strong mother, Abby.

Characters:

The personalities of the four sisters remain very similar to those in the original novel. Beth is rather shy, but determined. Amy is a young woman used to men admiring her. Meg is the dutiful daughter. Ever restless, Jo is reaching for the stars. It was fun to see these characters in a modern setting.

I also really liked that the book delved into the relationship between the March parents. I was always troubled that the father was not just out of the picture, but that the women had to fend for themselves. In this story, the father enlists in the military after 9/11. He is always prioritizing his service to others over his obligations to his family. This was infuriating, but also really thought-provoking.

Story:

The story centers on how the girls handle the news that their mother, Abby, is having health issues. Abby is used to being self-reliant, and has trouble accepting help from others. The one who should be helping her is her husband, but he is (as usual) distant and unsupportive. Each sister responds in their own unique way.

Another part of the story revolves around Jo and her attraction to an older man in New York. This mirrors the original book but with more modern (and mature) situations and consequences.

Romance:

I enjoyed the romance in the book and appreciated that the love scenes were not explicit. Even without a blow by blow of the action, the scenes were sexy and fun.

What I Was Mixed About:

Although I loved the characters, everyone was a little too amazingly talented. Jo is a gifted writer, Meg's a super mom, Amy is a Paris designer, while Beth is a rising music star. This was all too much, and made the story less believable.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Virginia Kantra for the opportunity to read and review this modern retelling of Little Women. I haven't read Little Women in probably over 45 years, so this review is not based on the merits of the retelling vs the original book - I'll leave that to others more knowledgeable! While based mostly on the Meg and Jo characters, Amy and Beth also appear and will have their own book next!

However, I very much enjoyed this story on its own merits. Meg is the reliable one in the family - she stayed close to home, is happily married and the mother of twin toddlers. But she can't seem to let go of the feeling that she always needs to be in control for things to work out. Jo ventured off to NYC for a writing career. When the paper she worked for went under, she finds work as a cook in a trendy restaurant and writing a food blog on the side. When their mother becomes ill and things in NYC start falling apart, Jo heads back to North Carolina to help out.

It's hard to break the habits of our childhood - Jo tends to run away when things become difficult or out of her control. I loved the depiction of the marriage of Meg and John - very real and a lesson to all of us about how differently we show and receive love. A good story of family, sisters, just life and love in general!

A Modern Retelling of Little Women

Retelling cherished stories in a modern setting often doesn’t work. This is the case with Meg and Jo. The author tries to be true to the character of the original March sisters, but that’s hard to do in a modern setting. For me it didn’t work well.

Meg is a stay-at-home-Mom. She has two adorable twins and a handsome husband who does his best for the family. Because John, her husband, works so hard, Meg feels that she must do everything at home. This leads to secret resentment and an attitude that makes her resist well meaning offers of help. I though her character was far removed from the original Meg.

Jo still wants to be a writer, but the economy isn’t good. She loses her full-time writing job in New York and is barely staying afloat working as a food blogger and prep cook. She desperately wants to maintain her independence and doesn’t want her family to know how much she’s struggling.

When the girls’ mother becomes seriously ill they have to find a way to keep up the farm work as well as their families and careers. For Jo, this means coming back to Bunyan, North Carolina. The girls’ father is no help. He is portrayed as totally wrapped up in counseling veterans and generally unavailable to the family. I felt the inclusion of his character detracted from the story more than added to it since he was so peripheral and yet still there.

I think the author tried to do justice to the original story. However, as I said in the opening, it’s very difficult to transpose characters between time periods and keep the feel of the original story. It was an interesting try, but for me, it wasn’t successful.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

3.5 stars- As a huge fan of the original book and then loving the amazing movie of Little Women, I was attracted to the idea of this book. We have the focus of eldest sisters, Meg and Jo.

As modern-day women, Meg continued to be the one who worked hard to make everything perfect- perfect marriage, perfect husband, darling twins and juggling it all, perfectly...or is she.

Jo, still wishing to be the journalist, but with the way things happen, she is working at a restaurant and secretly doing a food blog.

The sisters are close and when the mother is ill and needs them to assist back at the homestead, off they go. It is coming back home and realizing what is truly important that makes the women take a look at what their lives are...and what changes they need to make.