This was such a fun read and I flew through it.

Since the first book, Beth has been on tour for 3 years and is finally coming home. Amy returned from Paris to sell her purses for her line Baggage in New York City. The reason they are back in Bunyan is for Jo’s wedding to Eric. Will Beth discover who she is and who she wants to be? Will Amy get over Trey?

I love that this book both simultaneously did and did not pick up where it left off. It was fun to fast forward in Jo and Meg’s lives and the pick up with Amy and Beth. Jo has always been my favorite March sister so I was curious to see how I would enjoy a story focused on Beth and Amy. Surprisingly, this book really made me like Amy. I still feel meh about Beth but that’s nothing to do with the story. In fact, I did enjoy Beth’s story a lot but it’s just that overall she’s not my favorite.

In case you didn’t read my review of the first book, this duology is a modern day retelling of Little Women and it is done so well. I love seeing the March sisters brought into the 21st century and dealing with present day problems. If you’ve read the original, you know that Beth dies. Spoiler, she doesn’t die in this version which I very much appreciated. I don’t want to give too much away but I really liked the way they handled a modern day illness for Beth to deal with that didn’t end up killing her off.

The one issue I did have with the book is the time line was a bit confusing. I was never sure how much time passed between the alternating chapters. Sometimes Beth’s chapters would pick up a week after Amy’s ended and sometimes it would pick up back at the beginning of where the previous chapter had started. It wasn’t a major issue, but it did take me out of the story from time to time.

This series is very fun and well done. If you like Little Women you will enjoy this modern retelling. There are a lot of good lessons in this story and the writing is well done. I also liked reconnecting with Jo and Meg. I would definitely recommend this duology and look forward to other books by this author.

I was delighted to get my copy of Beth and Amy because I’d just loved reading Virginia Kantra’s first book about the March sisters, Meg and Jo. Actually I was looking forward to this sequel pretty much as soon as I’d finished Meg and Jo. These two novels are modernizations of the classic Little Women, but retold more as a present-day what-if with the beloved March sister than a beat-for-beat retelling. The characters maintain their personalities, but the setting is realistically modern, so their choices and situations are quite different.

This one focuses on the two younger sisters, and picks up a little while after the first novel. Towards the end of Meg and Jo, Beth gets a country music gig in Branson, and I thought, well, ok, that’s not very Beth-like, but I’ll reserve judgement until the next book. At the beginning of Beth and Amy, Beth’s on tour, with a successful singing and songwriting career, and the fact none of that sounds very Beth-like leads to a lot of the tension in her story arc. Everything made so much sense for our beloved March sister!

I loved every part of Bethie’s storyline, it was such a successful modernization for this favorite character.



Meanwhile, Laurie and Amy getting married has always been kind a sticky spot in the Little Women storyline, even though Jo doesn’t seem to mind and even considers their surprise marriage a good laugh. But dating her sister’s ex feels kind of yucky, and there’s that unpleasant feeling that Amy wanted the Laurence life more than she wanted Laurie.

In this retelling, Jo still has her special friendship with Trey, without ever changing from childhood or even seeming to notice that he’s a man with romantic feelings for her. Their relationship remains important in her life even when she meets and marries Eric. As an adult reader, I’ve understood more and more what Jo saw in Professor Bhaer, and in this retelling, he remains the stable, affectionate center of impulsive, creative Jo’s life. Over the course of this book, Amy’s feelings develop from a little-girl crush on a boy who’s nice to her, into a woman’s love. The novel really shows two important but very different relationships in Trey’s life, without any overlap, which made the whole thing feel much less icky. Also, Amy is developed more and more, finally moving beyond her role as the pretty baby of the family.

This part is a bit of a spoiler, but one of the major themes is about all the March girls coming home as adults, and I really don’t like North Carolina life. This was in Meg and Jo, too, as Jo and Eric tried to figure out their life together, and I just could not get into that choice. If you have a choice between a creative career in the city or hearing people constantly talking super slowly about college basketball, how is that even a choice? Ugh, especially for Amy, who still had a crowd of mean girls from high school (obviously no one was never going to leave NC or move on) in town. UGH NO. Basically, the narrative is leading to a story homecoming and family, and I know where it’s all going, but I’m still thinking up ways the girls can still escape.

Overall, I enjoyed Beth and Amy so much! It was a great reimagining of some of our favorite literary characters, with growing independence and affectionate sisterhood. And, bonus, if you don’t think that moving to small town NC is giving up on all life and joy and creativity, you’ll probably like this even more than I did.

Beth & Amy is the sequel to Meg & Jo, in a modern twist of Little Women. Both younger sisters feel less than their older counterparts. While Beth is timid and hides her pain, Amy is loud and vibrant in her need for attention.
Over the course of the novel, Virginia explores their character arcs as they come into womanhood and how to navigate the world as individuals. The biggest - and dare I say happiest - difference is that Beth did not die in childhood. (Sorry to all the Joeys of the world I just spoiled that for!)
I really loved going back to this world of the March sisters. I found a new appreciation for Amy, the sister I least prefer and a quiz told me I'm most like. Oh, the irony! Beth's POV was my favorite though. I think I was so grateful to see that she had one to begin with that I devoured her parts and wanted more.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Thank you Berkley for the gifted copy.

Little Women is one of my favorite classics, and taking on a modern retelling is quite a feat. I enjoyed Meg and Jo last year, and similarly enjoyed Beth and Amy. I liked how Amy and Trey's relationship was reimagined, and how it worked out in the end. Beth's side was similar to the original in her health issues, but in this case, she doesn't die and although she is extremely ill, she seems to get through it and have an HEA.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

This was a fantastic follow-up to Meg & Jo’s story! As I said, I am a big fan of Amy’s and I loved getting to hear things from her perspective. While I enjoyed Amy’s chapters more, I also felt that Beth’s story was really well done, and it was also fun to hear some things from Abby’s perspective. The twist on Beth’s illness, which was an eating disorder, was, in my opinion, handled well. My favorite thing about Kantra’s writing is how effective she is at making you feel every emotion, through something as simple as the characters showing up for each other, or exchanging a couple words. Just as in Meg & Jo, the dynamic of the March family is wonderfully captured, and one of the best parts of this book. Overall, this was a great conclusion to this retelling, and I can’t recommend it enough.

After reading Meg & Jo last year I felt like I was only half way done, so I jumped at the chance to read Beth & Amy by Virginia Kantra!
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Little Women has been a forever favorite of mine, the original book and all the movies. There is just something about these four sisters that is dear to my heart.
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I confess is takes me awhile to get used to this classic story as one set in modern times, but I love what Virginia Kantra did with the story. She obviously loves the original and these sister as I do and took great care to be faithful to who they are, set in the Civil War era or today!
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In this contemporary retelling, the sisters get back together for Jo’s wedding. Amy is an up-and-coming New York fashion designer and Beth is a talented singer/songwriter on tour with a country superstar. They both are determined to make their way out from under their sister’s shadows but both bring baggage home.
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Amy has to confront her “big mistake”, determine what she really wants, and pray it all doesn’t wreck her relationship with Jo.
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Touring has been hard on Beth’s health and she needs the distance and the rest this trip home brings her.
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Instead of little girls, these sisters are grown with kids and careers of their own. However they still learn how much they need to lean on each other while finding their own way!
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This fun book came out yesterday so it is available for you all to read and enjoy !
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What a great retelling of one of my favorite classics!! Little Women has been a favorite of mine for a long time, and when I found out about these retellings (Meg and Jo, Beth and Amy) I was beyond excited to read them.
Beth and Amy was a great story about family and the different dynamics between sisters. I loved Amy so much in this book! Her personality and storyline were great to read!!! I wasn't really a fan of Amy in the original classic, but she has a very modern and relatable storyline in this one. If you love Little Women, this is most definitely a book for you!!!

*Thank you @letstalkbookspromo @berkleypub @berkleyromance @virginiakantra and @netgalley for the egalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book is a modern day retelling of Little Women, focusing on the younger March sisters - Beth and Amy.

I really enjoyed this story. It’s been several years since I’ve read the original Little Women, but I think the author did a good job of bringing the sisters to life in the modern setting.

Of the two sister storylines, I enjoyed Amy’s more. I related to her resistance to moving home and still wanting pursue the career of her dreams. I also enjoyed Beth’s growth as a character throughout the novel as well.

Overall, I loved reading this book. It was engaging from the start and had a sweet, satisfactory ending.

I just adored Little Women, when I was a young girl, and I have read Virginia Kantra’s first modernization: Meg & Jo, so I was really excited to see what she created for Beth & Amy.

First and foremost, content warning is a MUST for this novel: Eating Disorder.
It is prevalent throughout the novel, and I would not want you to go into it without that warning!

Second, I just loved Amy’s story in this novel! Kantra does such a wonderful job of building the back story for Amy, as well as her adventures in NYC and Paris...and back home in North Carolina. I felt the closest to her as a reader when I was reading her time in North Carolina.

If you love fun, quirky, modern retellings, then go grab this one and add it to your summer TBR. So cute, Virginia Kantra, so cute!

I really enjoyed this modern day take on the sisters! I looked forward to Amy’s chapters more than Beth’s, but both sisters had really interesting storylines. Beth’s was more intense for sure and tackled issues we should talk about more in society within both herself and the person her love story is tied to. Amy’s love story had me so enthralled though! I just loved them.

Overall, this novel was a beautiful balance of depth and lightheartedness, centered around family love. I liked it a lot.

Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads for a complimentary eARC of #BethAndAmy upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Beth & Amy, a modern retelling of Little Women, is the sequel to Meg & Jo. For full reading satisfaction, I recommend reading them in order.

In this modern retelling, Amy March is a fashion designer in New York and Beth. a talented singer and song writer, is touring with a country music super star. The family reunites for Jo’s wedding and the March sisters once again appreciate the love and support of family as well as the strong bonds of sisterhood.

Meg & Jo and Beth & Amy are both enjoyable, easy reading stories with likable characters and a few substantial themes. The girls have left their comfortable childhoods, live in different areas of the country, and are pursuing their dreams. Even though their living circumstances have changed, their commitments to each other and family loyalty have not. Family is at the heart of these stories.

As with the original Little Women, the four lively sisters exhibit strong personalities while they explore their own unique gifts, skills, and dreams. If you’ve read Little Women, you have probably declared which sister you identify with. In case you like to take online quizzes, here’s one (of I’m sure many) that will help you identify which sister you are most like

***Spoiler in this paragraph*** TW: There is a trigger warning for an eating disorder that I’d like to specifically note in my review. This story line is a significant thread throughout the story (in other words, not just a mention). I’m honestly not qualified to address how this was dealt with in the story. I’m sure that everyone who has experienced an eating disorder, has a different story to tell and experience to relate. It seemed to me that it was sensitively and realistically handled and accurately described in this story. I did hear the author state that she writes from her own experiences. In addition, there is one portrayal of a toxic romantic relationship.

If you’re looking for gentle reading women’s fiction with a serving of (closed door) romance and no objectionable language, you will like these stories. There is an abundance of HEA or at least the hopes of an HEA. Retellings are tricky and I think of this as more of an imagining inspired by Little Women.

Even though Meg & Jo and Beth & Amy take place when the girls are young adults enjoying divergent interests and careers, you can depend on poignant themes of family, mother/daughter relationships, and sibling bonds in a Little Women retelling. Other important themes include second chances, mental health concerns, relationships with food, healthy romantic relationships, friendship, and compassion.

I recommend Meg & Jo and Beth & Amy for fans of Little Women, for readers who love retellings, and for those looking for light women’s fiction.

I've been eagerly anticipating this second book in Virginia Kantra's The March Sisters duet since reading book one, Meg & Jo in late 2019. I mean, how could I not be excited about a book with this first line: "It's always a mistake to sleep with a man who's in love with your sister." I'm happy to say the wait was well worth it.

Virginia Kantra is such a gifted storyteller. Immersing myself into this story and into the lives of the March sisters felt very much like being wrapped in a warm blanket while a beloved grandmother or favorite aunt told me the story of her life. As I followed Beth and Amy from a small farm in North Carolina to Paris, New York City, Nashville, and, finally, back home, these women - their sisters, parents, and the men in their lives - all became more than characters in a book. They became my friends. They earned my affection. I became invested in their lives, their success, their happiness. They became so real to me that I could almost convince myself that they're actually happily living out their lives only a couple hours away.

One of the things that added to the overall richness of this book was how complex and fully formed the characters were, not only the four sisters but the peripheral characters as well. I enjoyed how all four sisters continued to evolve under Kantra's guiding hand, even though the primary focus in this second book is on Beth and Amy. I have to admit that no one was more surprise than I by the fact that Amy, my least favorite character in book one, turned out to be the one whose story arc I most enjoyed in book two and who ended up being my favorite March sister. That's the power of Virginia Kantra's writing.

The chapters that presented the viewpoint of Abby, the girls' mother were a nice bonus. I felt her perspective gave an added depth to the story and I enjoyed her personal journey as well as the evolution of her relationship with her husband. Dan, the veteran who works with the goats on the March farm, was an unexpected surprise with unexpected depths and an unexpected connection with one member of the March family. He ended up being one of my favorite characters. And then there's Trey and his complicated relationship with two of the March sisters. I didn't like him much in Meg & Jo but by the end of Beth & Amy he had become one of my favorites. There was so much more to him than I expected. Kantra did a wonderful job of unraveling the layers that had formed the man he had become. By the end of the book I was fully invested in him, his happiness, and the relationship that was always meant to be.

Fans of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, Kantra's inspiration for her modern-day March sisters, may be wary of this new book, knowing the tragic outcome for Beth in the original story. Fear not, while Kantra's Beth deals with a life-threatening disorder, her emotional story arc leads her to an uplifting, hopeful, and very much alive conclusion. You can move forward and enjoy this new book without that cloud hanging over your head.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Beth and Amy is a reimagining of Little Women. Beth is a singer/ songwriter of country music. Amy runs her own handbag and accessories business called Baggage. Jo is married, a mom and is a writer. Meg works as an accountant and is married with twins.

The whole family is home for Jo's wedding. Amy has unresolved feelings for the boy next door, Trey. She's also struggling with how to grow her business as she always saw herself reaching a certain level of success. It takes time for her to realize her own strength and stop comparing herself to her sisters. Beth is dealing with her own inner demons and feeling that she must keep to a certain role.

This family including Trey often seems pigeonholed into certain roles afraid of letting others down. There's a lot going on in this book including their mom's storyline and a few things felt unresolved. This novel explores family dynamics and relationships between couples, mother-daughter and siblings. But at it's heart, this is a story about sisters.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced ecopy of this book.

I really enjoyed Meg & Jo and read it immediately after it was released in 2019. I think I loved Beth and Amy as much if not more.

Although Beth's story was hard to read sometimes, I was quickly captivated by both of the younger March sisters and where their lives have taken them. Beth is writing songs and touring with her country music star boyfriend, Colt, but she's also secretly struggling with an eating disorder. Amy started her own purse design company, Baggage, but needs funds to expand and is lonely without a relationship. Both girls return home for Jo's wedding and realize how much of their lives are still in the small North Carolina town they call home.

Although it wasn't always happy, I loved Amy and Trey's story and how they grew to love each other as adults. You have to cheer for them to get together since Amy has loved him her whole life. It was hard to read at times, but I was happy that Beth was taking steps to seek treatment for her eating disorder and to say no to things that didn't make her happy (Colt!) I also enjoyed the addition of their mother's perspective and the decisions she made regarding her marriage.

I adored the ending of this book and there may have been a few tears.

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary egalley of BETH & AMY by Virginia Kantra. Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and Netgalley for the chance to read and review! I had the opportunity to read MEG & JO by Virginia Kantra when it came out in 2019, so I was excited to get the opportunity to read this follow up!

BETH & AMY brings back the March sisters from LITTLE WOMEN, setting their lives in the modern day. This book focuses in on the younger two sisters. Amy is an artist with a growing company called Baggage. Her bags have become popular after gracing the shoulders of some high profile women. She is faced with figuring out how to grow the business. Amy’s personal life is a bit more of a struggle. She has long been in love with the boy next door who also happens to be her sister Jo’s ex.

Unlike in the original classic, Beth survives childhood, but she is struggling with her health, physical and mental. Trigger warnings for her story for eating disorders. Beth is a songwriter and she’s been on the road with her boyfriend performing, but she’s not comfortable on stage and her health has been deteriorating. Like Amy, she returns home for her sister’s wedding, but then stays to get back on her feet.

This was an overall fun read and I especially enjoyed Amy’s story. I found her the most relatable with her desire to find a balance for her family life, her business, and herself. I appreciated that she was able to stand up for herself in situations and I enjoyed the path her storyline took.

Beth’s story was also I think handled well. Her story did have some uncomfortable moments, but that was very realistic for all that she was going through. I really felt back for her as she sometimes got lost in the shuffle as she didn’t always seek to make her voice heard. I did really appreciate her character growth in the end and I think the conclusion to her story that the author brings about was a good one.

BETH & AMY was a fun read and a great follow up to MEG & JO. I think that fans of LITTLE WOMEN will especially appreciate the author’s version of the iconic characters brought into the present day!

What I love:
💖 Modern retelling of Little Women, focusing on Beth and Amy, and a bit about their mom. Even if you haven’t read LW, or you did so a long time ago, this book is a great feel-good story that will make you reminisce about your own childhood and of course, the classic story!
💖 It tackled mental health issues such as anorexia and self care. I think every book should at least mention the importance of loving your own self first before you go into a relationship!
💖 I definitely loved the romance aspect of the story! The women are all grown up now so it was fun reading about their respective love stories.
💖 Each sister has their own personality so for sure the readers will be able to find something that they can relate to.

Reading this book will make you want to pick up the first novel in the March Sisters series, Meg & Jo, if you haven’t already read it. I feel like modern retellings are either a hit or miss and this one definitely hit the mark. I truly enjoyed the book and now I’m itching to reread the classic again!💖

Thanks to @virginiakantra @berkleypub @berkleyromance @letstalkbookspromo for my eARC. All opinions are my own.

Are you also a fan of Little Women?!! I grew up loving the March family in Little Women and of course playing the 1994 Little Women’s film multiple times. Just thinking about these memories give me all the feels.

Jo & Beth were always my favorites and I absolutely could not say no to a chance to read and review Beth & Amy. This is the 2nd in the series of the modern retelling of Little Women after Meg & Jo. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to read Meg & Jo, but there are plenty of details so I didn’t feel in the dark. I have Meg & Jo on hold for me at the library right now, though!

In this book we see how both Beth and Amy have spread their wings and left the family home in Bunyon, North Carolina. We also learn that home is also where we feel known and loved, even if things have changed. We meet all the characters as they come home for Jo’s wedding to chef Eric.

Beth has become famous as a musician and song writer for her boyfriend and country singer, Colt. But, if you remember, Beth doesn’t have a mean bone in her and is quite shy. Perhaps this touring lifestyle isn’t for her?

Amy, the princess of the March girls, is trying to climb out from her sister’s shadows and make a name for herself with her fashion designer purses “Baggage”. To get the extra momentum, she desperately needs a loan, but her wealthy Aunt Phee has criteria for a loan. That is, leaving NYC and moving her business back to Bunyan. Of course, there is the complicating factor of the neighbor boy that everyone thought would marry her sister Jo, but Amy has always loved.

This has been a fun, light read and just what you need in your summer plans!

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for this eARC! All thoughts above are my own.

❌Trigger warning: eating disorder

The second in a series and this is one of those series while it may focus on different characters, you would miss a lot if you didn't start at book one.

A modern reimagining of the characters of Little Women as they have modern jobs and are encountering modern things. With this book focusing on Beth and Amy, Beth is nervous to go home and be around her sisters as she is hiding a very large secret and while this secret doesn't kill her, it comes close. Amy is the baby of the family and she has a secret of her own and wonders if she can keep it while they are home for Jo's wedding.

As a true fan of Little Women, I love the little easter eggs that are in this story, but more so with this one, I felt as though it didn't completely align with the original work like the first book did. I still loved seeing the sister dynamics and the supporting characters in this book and comparing them to the original book, but there was one thing that I was waiting on that didn't occur (not spoiling) and felt as though it made the book veer far from Little Women.

I wonder if there will be a third book in the series and if possibly it will go where I thought this one should/would go. I wouldn't mind if this author took another piece of classical work and reimagined it because I love how she keeps the heart but brings it up to our current world.

So here's the thing. I've never read Little Women. I know, I know. Blasphemous. I promise I'm going to read it at some point.
Here's the other thing. I haven't read Meg & Jo, which is the first book in this series.
Guess what? Despite both of those things I still really, really enjoyed this book! So in case you were wondering, no prerequisites required to enjoy this book!
I loved the dynamic of the March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Despite not having a sister of my own, I felt like I could relate to the feelings of lost identity. These women create competition amongst themselves and seek to stand out. 
I also really enjoyed the themes of the romantic relationships in this book: missed opportunities and connections. "What if" is such a powerful question and sometimes it's best left unanswered. 
Now that I've read Beth & Amy, I definitely want to go back to read Meg & Jo! I want to read more about these sisters and learn more about the eldest two. 
Trigger warning: I wanted to mention a trigger warning in this book that I personally haven't read too often: Eating Disorders. I think this book has a "light" approach to this topic that's heavy to some.

I am a Little Women purist, and to be honest, I couldn't handle the sex scenes right at the beginning of the book! Kind of made my heart sink, as Louisa May Alcott would not have appreciated such vulgarities. I read the first Kantra book and really really enjoyed it. So I was really disappointed to see Kantra swayed to modern day culture to the extreme.