I couldn’t get past the second chapter. The characters were modernized but it feels like the author is totally out of touch with how young people operate in the world. The technology and cultural references felt outdated and the early chapters did not grab my attention.

I read this book as a buddy read before the official release, and it was such a delightful read! I thought Kantra really modernized the beloved Little Women well, and she kept the characters true-to-form. Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to review this!

This is a reimagining of Little Women. Meg is married with twins. Jo is a food blogger and prep cook in New York City. Beth is singing in Branson, Missouri and Amy is a fashion intern in Paris. When their mother becomes ill, they return home to help and in the process strengthen their sister bond and rediscover their paths forward.

I was immediately drawn into the story! Meg and her husband John are so realistic and I really appreciated seeing them work together for their family. Jo was so conflicted trying to find her way in love and life. It was great to see her grow and find her footing. I enjoyed seeing the interactions between all the sisters and it was one of my favorite parts of the story. I really loved this one and can't wait for the sequel, Beth and Amy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

When I learned that Meg and Jo was a modern tale inspired by Little Women, I knew immediately that I needed to read it. I grew up reading (and rereading) Little Women, drawn to the story of the March sisters and their lives, so I was interested to see how Virginia Kantra would draw inspiration that informed her own novel. I’m happy to report that this was a delightful read! Kantra pulls character traits and plot points from the original, and successfully transposes them into a modern setting. I found the actual plot of both Meg and Jo’s narratives very compelling, but what really made this book such a win was Kantra’s portrayal of the titular characters. While they do fit properly into the idea readers will have of their characters based on Little Women, these two also felt a touch more relatable because of the more modern conflicts they face. I also particularly liked that Kantra didn’t portray just their strengths; she’s unflinchingly honest about her portrayal of their flaws too (which could get frustrating but was also relatable). Meg and Jo surprised me in a good way, and I would certainly recommend picking it up whether you’ve read Little Women or not (though you might find some fun details to enjoy if you have). And there’s going to be a companion novel (Beth and Amy), which I’m definitely picking up!

I really wanted to like this book, as I recently enjoyed watching the remake of Little Women film, but I just couldn't get into the storyline as many of the characters and relationships had changed.

Meg and Jo is inspired by Little Women and not a retelling. That increased my enjoyment of the novel. Honestly, I read and loved Little Women when I was a 'tween back in the 1960s but I haven't revisited in the decades since. Virginia Kantra's story centers around older siblings Meg and Jo. Meg is married with twin toddlers. Jo lives in NYC, writes a food blog and works in a restaurant. Both sisters are trying to stay in control of the moving parts of their lives. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes not so much. Life will change for both when their mother has a health crisis and needs them to take over the running of the farm until she is well again. This is a family story full of the usual dynamics and challenges. When all the siblings come home they fall back into the rolls they had as young girls. There's a lot of truth in that - at least I could relate. There are twists and turns and things fall into place perhaps a bit too easily but I liked Meg and Jo and look forward to reading Amy and Beth's story.
(3.5 rounded up)

I really enjoyed this modern day retelling of Little Women. But you really should divorce it from the original text as it’s a very, very loose retelling. I have to say Professor Bhear always annoyed me but Eric is perfection. I saw some reviews complaining about Trey being a DB. Go back and read Little Women. Laurie never really takes no for an answer, is an ass and ends up marrying Amy. Sounds like the definition of a DB!

Meg and Jo is a nice light enjoyable read... It just didn't totally blow me away. And while I obviously get how it's a re-telling of Little Women, it's so different that I don't know if I'd really label it that. Overall, I think I'd describe this book as an endearing Hallmark Christmas movie type book. You enjoy it while you're reading it, but in a few weeks it will probably be mostly out of your mind.

The book starts off with a scene that feels very Little Women-like. The March sisters and mother are at home on Christmas day waiting for their father to call from his deployment. From there, the book jumps to mostly tell the stories of Meg and Jo when they're in their mid-20s and living very different lives. Meg lives in her North Carolina hometown with her husband and twin toddlers and Jo lives on her own in NYC working for a chef and as a food blogger. We get a deep dive into each of their lives and how different they are and learn a bit about their relationship with each other, their other sisters, and their mother and father.

Honestly, it's been so long since I've read Little Women that I don't recall all of the details. But I remember enough to know this book is less a "modern take" on the story and more like the author used Little Women as a basis for telling the story that she wanted to tell. There's nothing wrong with that, but you should know that as you go into it.

I'm happy I read this one, but it definitely won't go down as a very memorable book for me.

posted to Goodreads
I read the pre-pub edition from Netgalley. Cute contemporary retelling of Little Women in two parts. This first book was told from the alternating points of view of the two, eldest March sisters when their busy
mom (now on a farm in NC) is sidelined for medical reasons, and their dad is out ministering to other families. Jo is a good blogger in a rut career-wise, and Meg is going through rough patch with her husband. A quick, enjoyable read

I didn't finish this one. I couldn't get into it. It was well written, but I couldn't get past my strong emotions associated with the characters from the source material. I don't even want to read anything about Amy, so strong is my dislike for that character in "Little Women". I wanted to like this book, but it started a little slow and the original was ever present in my thoughts.

Little Women has always been one of my favourite classic stories and I have read a lot of versions of the book, and watched a lot of movie and TV adaptations. This version brings the story into the modern era and focuses specifically on Meg and Jo (perhaps my two favourite of the March sisters). The author of this book is a Romance author and that definitely comes out through the novel, so know that before going into it, but I do enjoy that little spin on it.

Jo is living in New York, slaving away in a restaurant while also trying to make it in the Food Blogging industry, while Meg is married, a mother of twins, and trying to figure out if life has gotten too comfortable. When their mother gets sick, a wrench gets thrown into both of their lives and they have to figure out where family falls into the lives they have started to create for themselves.

I really enjoyed this modern adaptation. While there are some things take from the original, there are other story lines that are completely new and I like the ways that it explores family and sisterhood. This is a great book for those that love the March sisters, but you also don't need to to also enjoy this book.

As with any retelling, there’s a level of expectation to uphold, but Meg & Jo met mine! I, personally, love Little Women too much to ever stand another book up against it (yes, even a retelling, I mean… it’s a classic), so I took this book as what it was: a book of its own. And because of that, I was pleasantly surprised it and I loved all of the subtle nods to the original story- like singed hair and decorating tables. I was a bit bothered by a couple of the subtle changes, like the reimagined relationship between Mr. and Mrs. March (but, alas, it’s a retelling… so what can ya do? I do understand, even if I’m not a fan of the direction certain things took).
So, yeah, I give this book a solid four stars. I was entertained! I had a really fun time reading it; it was nice to get to see some beloved characters reimagined in the modern world.

Modern day Little Women. Mostly about Meg and Jo but Amy and Beth make their appearances as well. Meg is much like her mother, handling the household single handedly while her husband works hard to bring in the money. Jo is living in New York, working at a restaurant to make ends meet after losing her writing job. Will a flirtation with the famous chef ruin everything? Are Meg and Jo truly happy? Are they living their lives by someone else’s plans, or is this really want they want?

Confession: I have never read little women. I read the scholastic book fair version as a little girl, and I adored the movie, but have never read the book. I remember one time my mom gave in and bought the movie for 24 hours on tv. I think I watched it like 4 times that day! But back on topic. I really loved this book. In the prologue I had trouble not picturing them all sitting around in corsets and bonnets but that quickly went away as the story went on. I may still have pictured them as the movie actresses though! I thought this was a truly beautiful story of family and siblings. It was a truly heartwarming read that gave me all the warm fuzzy feels!

I loved this modern day story of the March girls! If you always wondered what the March girls would have been like had they been born in the time of social media and cellphones...this book is for you! Jo is still exploring life. No longer working at the paper she is now a food blogger and working in a restaurant as a line cook. meg on the other hand is a stay at home mom of twins. how is Amy? Beth? Mom? Dad & Trey? you will be surprised! A great read! I really enjoyed this modern day version of Little women!

Little Women is one of my favorites, so I came into reading this book skeptical. However, even with the creative license the author took, the heart of what I loved about Little Women is still there. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Enjoyable modern adaptation of the famous novel, yet the author does take liberties which work. The March sisters revert to their childhood personalities when getting together, with Meg the motherly type, Jo the independent maverick, Beth shy and talented, while Amy is the spoiled youngest. Meg is married,with 2 children, struggling in her marriage yet totally in love with her husband. Jo returns home after a disappointing relationship, in time to help her mother on the farm. Although somewhat predictable, I recommend this book to anyone who wants a modern Southern take on the classic story. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. Recommended.

First of all, I want to say thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for this ARC. Little Women was one of my favorite stories as a child, so getting a chance to get an alternative perspective on them was so fun and fresh! My sister and I would pretend to be Meg and Jo, and our cousins would pretend to be Beth and Amy. We even called each other by the names and just had a blast!

On to the book! Much like in the classic telling, Meg has it all together. She has the perfect husband, the great kids, and the nice house, but still, things aren’t perfect. Jo is still fiercely independent and when she loses her reporting job, she starts working as a food blogger- so fun! Amy is in the fashion world which makes perfect sense, and I thought it was a fun twist on her personality. Beth is taking time off of school (not dead)- all of the characters found a place for themselves in the modern world that really fit.

Unfortunately, some of my most loved characteristics about the March women were absent. The “us against the world” mentality didn’t seem to be in focus and the book didn’t touch on the strong character traits, like Jo’s “I don't need a man” mentality. Perhaps it is just the more modern and grown-up problems, but the book looks at the past and what should have been or could have been. I did love that they addressed Mr. March and the reason he’s always gone- and that Mrs. March wasn’t having it.

For a modern retelling, I enjoyed the book and the sisterhood between the girls. The characters were both unique and true to the original.

Did somebody write the retelling of my all-time favorite book? Oh, yes, it is true. So what I’m waiting for to dive in! CHRISTMAS WON’T BE CHRISTMAS WITHOUT MARCH SISTERS!

BUT…

That was the worst decision I’ve made to decide reading retelling of my all-time favorite story which means so much to me. It won’t be wrong if I admit I was raised by reading “Little Women” because first time I have gotten my hands on this precious, marvelous, heart-warming classic I was only 9! And of course I watched its black and white movie on TV with my siblings ( 1949 version and it was amazing to watch Janet Leigh as Meg, Elizabeth Taylor as Amy but mostly I loved June Allyson’s memorable performance as Jo and now I’m dying to see Greta Gerwig’s new adaptation, I hope it doesn’t disappoint me!)

Then I reread it when I was 15 and I asked myself “did I read the same book?” because it awakens different feelings about me. I also empathized Jo because I was a book-worm tomboy like her, playing soccer with boys (Jo isn’t a midfield player but you got the picture) but I started to find inner Meg and some poshy and spoiled Amy, some good-hearted Beth inside me.

Then I reread at 20 and finally 34 … It is miraculous thing to admit but every time the book gave me so much joy, happiness, encouragement and it is like a cure for depression, ill feelings, negativity. This story makes you feel alive and rejuvenated. It gives you purpose, a clear perspective, warming your heart, healing your soul, making you always smile.

So it’s normal to expect so much more from a retelling. You have well-crafted characters, an emotional story about sisters’ bounding, fighting against their differences and the message is clear: “family always comes first”
But as soon as I started the story takes place in North Carolina, well, at first all those over usage of Southern stereotypes broke my enthusiasm. And I felt like I’m trapped in a regular Christmas movie of Hallmark Channel. I didn’t find creative enough the re-adaptations of characters into 2019’s. And why the author decided to turn Laurie into an uninteresting douchebag! He was a lovely, emotional, sweet boy-next door! I hate his interactions with Jo!

And let’s take a closer look to the new version March girls’ lives:

So Meg is a mother in a happy marriage ( not so much there are still complications), Jo is independent, as always free-spirited loses her journalism job so she starts food blogging to make her ends meet and works in a restaurant whose chief is Eric Bhaer (now he is food professor) in NYC.
Amy turned into Friends’ Rachel’s another version, lives in Paris for Louis Vuitton. Beth is taking a break from her school.

What I don’t really like are:

Lack of imagination and creativity to retell the modern version of characters’ storyline.

Meg acted like a spoiled brat, whining too much about herself and her life. I wanted to make her shut up and push her make some changes if you don’t like who she became!

Changes about the original storyline and giving too much role to the girls’ father could work at some way but the character is already emotionally reserved and reading daddy issues of the sisters made me wonder if I read the right retelling. Because the little women is about sister’s bounding against the poverty, hard times, illness and differences between them. It’s about pure love, understanding, compassion, genuineness! But this story is going completely different direction and I didn’t like where it was headed and where it ended.

So I could only give 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars. The author decides to achieve a changeling and compelling task to retell the one of most favorite classics. Expectations are naturally so high and it’s really tough job to satisfy the readers who had written the original novel. So I really appreciate the author’s hard work and bravery. I hope to read her upcoming works but this book could never be my cup of wine!

Thanks to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group to share this ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest reviews.

I'm a big fan of Little Women so I was excited to read a new retelling of the classic story but unfortunately Meg and Jo was just okay. It read more like a cheesy hallmark movie than the beloved classic. I know it's a modern retelling but none of the characters strong traits were on display. This was basically just a romance with characters having similar names as the original which is fine if thats what you're expecting. If you're looking for a romance with minor similarities of the original you'll love this book. If you're a fan of Little Women looking for a strong retelling you probably won't enjoy this one that much. The writing was good and the story flowed nicely but I just wanted more for the characters.

I thought this was...fine. There were a lot of details where I was like "oh, that's a clever adaptation" but it didn't really like...move me the way Little Women did?

kinda didn't love Jo getting immediately accidentally knocked up by her boss? like was that supposed to make me like Bhaer more?? This version kinda took Laurie out of the picture, which, fine, but then could we not just have a queer Jo or what