Anne of Manhattan is a modern retelling of the cherished story, Anne of Green Gables. In this version, unsuspecting Anne Shirley and her best friend, Diana Barry are dropped into bustling NYC of the 21st century to attend graduate school But with a weird twist of fate her old nemesis, Gilbert Blythe, apears. Anne has only bad and embarrassing memories of her last interactions with Gilbert five years ago. She is taken by surprise and none too happy when he shows up at Redmond College in her final year.

I wanted to like this book as I've always loved Anne of Green Gables but this story left me dissappointed. The characters of Anne and Gilbert are not at all likeable and the plot seemed forced. and I was somewhat disillusioned when Anne and Gilbert quickly slide into a meaningless and frustrating sexual relationship. There are other ways to place a well loved and timeless story into a modern setting without turning to the unimaginative descriptions of sex. This book wasn't for me.

3.5 stars

I received a complimentary Kindle book from William Morrow Paperbacks through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Brina Starler, William Morrow Paperbacks, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

First off, I loved the Anne of Green Gables books - I cannot remember if I read them all or not. Anyway, I thought that this novel was a creative and fresh (plus, ironic) way to tell the classic story in a new way. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was a fun read!!

Now, it wasn't "the GREAT NOVEL", but sometimes you want to read for FUN and escapism and this book did just that for me!! It was an easy and fun read!

RECOMMEND! Most especially if you have read the Anne of Green Gables books!!

This book is a modern retelling of Anne of Green Gables. This story follows Anne as she is pursuing her Master’s degree in New York. She is still the spunky, fact-loving, smart and vivacious Anne I remember from my youth.

This story had more of a Romance vibe as she and her high school nemesis Gilbert reunite. There is angst, doubt, suspicion, heartbreak, tension and love.

“It felt like they were on the precipice of something important. Something they couldn’t come back from. That moment before a trust fall, the point of suspended time spooling out as they teetered on the edge of the plunge into the unexplored territory."

I loved hearing from both Anne and Gilbert’s voices. The story is ultimately about vulnerability, trust, support and acceptance. It was a fun and entertaining story that had my eyes leaking more than once. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to @bookclubgirl and @williammorrowbooks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. Pub Date: June 1, 2021

This is a contemporary retelling of Anne of Green Gables and it was everything I hoped it would be and more! Anne is finishing up her graduate degree in NYC, and is surprised to look across a crowded bar one night to see none other than her high school nemesis, Gilbert Blythe. She hasn't seen him since, well, that one night after high school graduation when she left her guard down and had the most amazing kiss of her life….until she realized it had been a colossal mistake.

Now Gil is back and suddenly he isn't as awful as she remembered. When they are partnered on their thesis project, they spend more time getting to know each other as adults. Will they trust each other enough to make things work this time?

This lovely retelling mixes everything we love about Anne (through flashbacks to her childhood and time spent with Marilla and Matthew) along with getting to know both Anne and Gil through Gil's point of view. It is similar enough to love but different enough to enjoy on its own. If you've loved the books or shows you MUST read this!

Advanced copy read courtesy of NetGalley and HarperCollins.

Oh boy what a disappointment even though I was really gunning for this one and was willing to forgive a lot for effort. I'd love to hear how anyone not familiar with LM Montgomery's books thought about this novel.

Set in contemporary times, this "Anne of Green Gables" series update squashes the first 3 books ("Green Gables," "Avonlea," & "Island") into one rom-com so Anne Shirley and childhood nemesis Gilbert Blythe can get together. She's studying at New York's Redmond College when Gilbert transfers there after going to school on the West Coast. They happen to be in the same program and therefore share many classes together. They even start on a combined thesis project (!? that's a thing? oh well *shrug*), hang out with a group of friends and eventually get closer.

Here's the problem: I am not a purist in the sense that I don't like updates. Even though the Meagan Follows "Anne" is my ultimate one, I really enjoy Netflix's "Anne with an 'E,'" which expands Anne's world - still set in Victorian times but updates many of the social issues & adds characters. I enjoy many Jane Austen updates, especially "Clueless."

What I am a purist about when it comes to "Anne of Green Gables" is the spirit of the character Anne Shirley, who lives in a technicolor imaginary world, loves & hates hard, and is just a little bit of an extra drama queen in the most adorable way.

So if you're going to give me a contemporary update of Anne, then more power to her teaching middle schoolers to write, working in a bookstore, visiting adoptive parents Matthew & Marilla. Make Diana Barry a WOC and a budding fashion designer. Make Fred Wright a tattoo artist. Hell, I don't even mind if things get a bit risqué. Those things don't matter to me.

What was missing, however, was that essential Anne-ness. The book shuttles back and forth in time to fill in gaps from the past – childhood when she was in foster care, going to Avonlea, getting adopted, her first conflict with Gilbert Blythe, them circling each other at school – to the present when Gilbert has transferred to her college. And every time we visit Avonlea whether it's in the past or present, everything just feels disconnected as if it's still all happening in the late 19th century. There are references to events that LM Montgomery's book readers will find familiar, and even a diary that young Anne writes in that allows us to get some of that voice of breathless wonder & affection.

It was incredibly disorienting contrasted with the New York, New York scenes. Yes, partly because these felt contemporary, but also because they lacked that Anne spark. There were no hijinks or flights of fancy or any of the adventures I'd expect Anne Shirley to get into. While she goes into raptures about the trees and such in Green Gables, I'd expect her to find some romance about her environs in New York. Nada.

Instead, Anne is shy and rather flat. WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH ANNE? Instead of showing how funny Anne is, we're told. Ditto for her weirdness. She doesn't show any efforts of dealing with her vanity or red hair or even trying out new fashions now that she's away from home. She is just devoid of any personhood except for schoolwork. And I get that she's very studious, but that doesn't make her a robot.

As for the romance, the few times I feel real chemistry were actually in the flashbacks when Gilbert is clearly pining for her to just look at him. But in the present it's just accepted as read. They like each other and I really couldn't care less.

I don't want to rip this author who clearly has a love for the original text, but frankly I kind of blame the editor for not pushing for more of what I was saying is missing. We as readers should not hold our love for the original Anne in our hearts to like this one. We should be able to come in fresh and be charmed by her. Instead I found her incredibly generic and forgettable.

This review is courtesy of an ARC from NetGalley & William Morrow

Boring writing and a strange premise that did not seem updated enough to feel fully realized in modern times.

Very interesting book CO this author took an I Any of green gables And kill Gayle do not stand up for her and understand what's going on Kill do not understand what she was going throughnternet into a modern book this book touches on a lot of issues about Foster care and how any handstand of herself at all cost and how she got involved with Gail this more she thought she liked got romantically involved and twist starts plotting when they have to do paper together and it's interesting how this professor Is playing playing hard trying to get her to go to bed with him now she stood up to this is another twist t. Gail didn't really understand what's going on in he really witness stand up for herI think this was a really good point because she was independent womenO she had to try all her life to be really strong

Anne of Green Gables is all grown up and living in NYC working on her masters. Forced to work her nemesis on her thesis, they final act on their pent up feelings.

Fun rom-com. It does help a bit to have read Anne of Green Gables but not necessary as there are flashbacks.

Full (embarrassing) disclosure: I’ve never read Anne of Green Gables. 😱🤫😞 But I am familiar with the high points of the story.

This is a modern take of Anne (at 24) and company. She’s in her final year for her master’s degree at a small college in Manhattan. The story is told through some back and forth travels to Avonlea, some back and forth chapters from her younger life and some modern-day issues/angsts. The story centers around the complicated, often antagonistic relationship between Anne and Gilbert Blythe (a former childhood classmate), and features flashbacks mostly from their interactions in 8th grade and late high school.

While I did enjoy it overall, there may be some purists/fans of the original that may have some reservations about it. It features a sweet, sometimes spicy romance as well as some trust/misunderstanding issues. Personally for me the ending was a bit rushed and left me a little unsatisfied, but still an enjoyable read.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for providing me with the free early ARC for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

I’m not a fan of romances, but as an admirer of the Anne of Green Gables books, I thought a modern update might be interesting. Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe from Avonlea, Prince Edward Island have been transported to Avonlea on Long Island, and Green Gables is now a winery. The novel switches back and forth from Anne’s first days with her foster parents as a girl of twelve to her current life as a graduate student in New York City. After not seeing her rival, Gilbert, since high school he reappears in the same graduate program, and romance ensues. This is a disappointing reimagination of the original novels, lacking the charm of the original works. The flashbacks mention some events from the previous works, but don’t help. Not recommended for readers who love the original novels.

The author had me at "modern day" Anne of Green Gables. I've read the entire "Anne" series multiple times over the years, and was totally prepared to love this. It really did not disappoint. I enjoyed all of the call-backs to the original series, and the original modern day twists to the story, including the NYC university setting. It was a sweet romcom, and I'll definitely re-read it at some point! Loved it.

As a huge Anne fan, this was a really fun retelling. The characters were true to the original, but with a decidedly modern edge. Even though I generally like steamy romance, steamy Anne and Gil made me a little uncomfortable. Ha ha! Overall a sweet and fun story.

I love a good retelling, and I love, love, love L. M. Montgomery’s classic novel Anne of Green Gables. My best friend and I read every L. M. Montgomery book, and we watched the 1980s adaptation with Megan Follows more than once. So when I saw that Brina Starler had a romance retelling coming out in June, I requested it immediately. Anne of Manhattan is a contemporary retelling focused on Anne and her long-time enemy Gilbert Blythe who has been the bane of her existence since they first met, right after she moved to Green Gables on Prince Edward Island, adopted by siblings Marilla and Matthew. He immediately drew her ire by getting her in trouble with the teacher and by calling her “Carrots.” Ever since, they have been rivals at school, each vying to be the best, and while they circle each other because of their friend group, Anne can’t get over her bad feelings.

So, when—in the book’s present day—Anne is out with her friends Diana and Philippa at a bar in NYC and unexpectedly sees Gilbert across the room, she has mixed feelings. He’s from home, but he’s her enemy; he’s her enemy, but they shared that kiss . . .

What ensues is an enemies-to-lovers story of Anne and Gilbert in their last year in college, complete with flashbacks to their childhoods back home, which inform so much of their current relationship. I loved it! I re-read Anne of Green Gables a few years ago via audio (the edition narrated by Rachel McAdams is fantastic!), and I adored the graphic novel adaptation by Mariah Marsden and illustrator Brenna Thummler. This, while quite different, captures the same magic, the same bittersweet longing of the original story (with, of course, a complete emphasis on the romance—the original novel has a wider lens).

My one hesitation—and this is not a fault of the novel but is just an issue with me—is that I was a little uncertain how I felt about sweet Anne and Gilbert being at the center of such a steamy novel. I ended up being okay, but the first super-steamy scene was not entirely comfortable for me (and I’m usually totally fine with open-door romance!). Just know that this is definitely a retelling that embraces all of the conventions of its genre.

So, if you love Anne of Green Gables OR great, enemies-to-lovers romances, watch for Brina Starler’s Anne of Manhattan, coming out on June 1!

As a child I loved the Anne of Green Gables books. I was excited to read this adaptation of the story, but the book fell flat for me mostly due to the story’s predictability. I did like how the flashbacks were labeled simply as then instead of a specific year.

DNF. Took all the beauty of the original and turned it into a run of the mill modern romance. Very few likeable characters. Don't waste your time.

Ok, modern woman Anne! What a fantastic modern day retelling. The author managed to keep Anne true to her quirky, full of amazing vocal words, and not here to be bossed around personality while also making her a girl who gets a couple of drinks and tacos from food trucks in Brooklyn. The relationship, and steam, between Anne and Gil is palpable from the beginning and the whole relationship is a delight. Marilla and Matthew also have big modern changes and I loved all of it.

This book was a delightful dance between old friends. How we view circumstances differently as we mature.

Having loved all the original Anne of Green Gables books, I was curious to see how Anne's story would be portrayed in a modern version. In my opinion, not well in this book. Perhaps if readers have not read the original Anne of Green Gables, they may feel differently, but it very difficult not to compare this book to the original when it comes to literary style and character development. I rarely write negative reviews and am choosing not to post a review on online review sites. It was difficult for. me to become engaged in the book, mainly because the writing style was often more telling than showing, making some parts a little tedious. I found myself skipping or skimming through several sections of the book.

This title was enjoyable and will be especially so for fans of Anne of Green Gables. Although, I'm not going to lie... it is weird to read sex scenes with Anne and Gilbert. I like the adaptation to modern times. The characters stayed true to their original source material. I liked how the story didn't get bogged down in too much drama. I wanted to read more when the story ended. I would definitely read a sequel if one were to be written.

I’m not sure if it was a smart move to market this as a re-imaging of Anne of Green Gables. I never read the books, but I did watch the adaptation on PBS as a girl and loved it. I don’t know quite how to feel about this modern take on story. Comparing it the the television production doesn’t seem fair. Anne seemed a bit harsh and ready to jump too quickly to conclusions. She’s always assuming the worst about Gilbert. I’m sure she’s supposed to come across as independent and feisty, but I found it a bit annoying. I know I’m supposed to like her and I do, but I loved Gilbert Blythe more. His admitted devotion to her went beyond the physical. I only wish he had said it out loud sooner. I do take issue with adults that fail to communicate. On the whole, I did enjoy this. I just think I may have liked it more if I wasn’t trying to compare and contrast it with the original.