3.5 stars. In this contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre, our plucky heroine Jane has taken a job as assistant to the notoriously difficult law partner Edward. Gradually he begins to notice the quiet but intrepid woman outside his office.

I liked this book, but I never got comfortable with the power dynamic between Edward and Jane. Regardless of his intentions, he has a lot of power over her, and their relationship felt uneven to me as a result. I know that's true to the original Jane Eyre, too, but in a contemporary setting it was even more uncomfortable.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Short Synopsis: A Jane Eyre retelling. In an attempt to better her life, Jane takes classes to become a legal assistant. Getting a job at a prominent law firm in Toronto, everyone is sure she's going to fail because her boss is the difficult Edward Rosen,

My thoughts: I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that I have never read Jane Eyre, but after this retelling I'm determined to make it one of my bucket list books to read! I loved how different the characters were from each other. I loved the growth Jane went through as she sought an easier life for herself instead of being a struggling waitress, to finding something more stable. She was such a delight! I also really enjoyed watching Edward slowly open up his rough exterior and see the softness he's hidden from the world.

The location of this was so fun! I loved the hustle and bustle of the busy law firm, and set in Toronto (which I've never been to) just added such a great element to the story!

Read if you love:
- Classic book retellings
- Workplace romance
- Grumpy Sunshine
-

This was a great retelling of such a classic. I always worry that retellings are going to deviate far from the original and ruin things. I think this fast paced book of fun did a great job.

I took a bit to get into the meat of the story, but overall it was an enjoyable ride.

Many thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy!

This was a clever remake that did a great job of catching some of the classic lines while still feeling new and fresh. It was fun and fast and I will definitely be recommending it to patrons who want to touch in with some beloved characters.

A fun retelling of Jane Eyre that doesn’t dilute the original’s intelligence or the problematic power dynamics between Jane and Edward.

Quick and satisfying retelling of Jane Eyre. I love Jane Eyre. It's one of my favorite classics and Edwards has done a really wonderful job in this retelling. She modernizes it, (Let's face it: Rochester keeping his wife in the attic is a PROBLEM) and manages to keep all of Jane's resolve and dignity from the original.

I love Edward in this retelling. He is definitely giving off grumpy misunderstood top businessman vibes, but also manages to show small amount of warmth for Jane. They're not over the top or crazy, which is in line with his character as he also has to figure out his feelings and what is appropriate because, ahem, he is her boss. She's his assistant actually. So yeah, workplace romance. (I know it was in the original, but it does just hit a different way nowadays, doesn't it?) And Jane is fantastic. She is shown a smart, good at her job and a hard worker. I love these types of female characters. She isn't rude or mean, but she is solid, silently strong and capable. I love the modern Jane.

The plot is... well, you know what it is. Let's be honest, if you're reading a Jane Eyre re-telling then you probably already anticipate what you're getting. And I am here to tell you, yes, you'll be satisfied with this! Enough has changed to put it into our world, but Edwards has kept all of the important plots.

If you like retellings, this is a solid one. I admit that when I finished it, I wanted to see what else Edwards had written. Her re-telling of Persuasion is due in Feb. 2024 and I am totally going to buy it.

This is a modern day retelling of Jane Eyre. I have read many reimagines, and this is the best one that I have read yet! This is because it is very faithful and retells their epic love story! I like how Edward is a very sympathetic figure which is rarely portrayed in modern retellings that mostly portray him as a monster! I recommend this for all Jane Eyre fans!

Jane Erye has always been one of my favorite books, I absolutely love the story and always found Jane to be such a role model for young girls and I have to say this is a beautiful retelling of the classic. The Jane in this story is just as strong of a role model as the original heroine and the author does a fantastic job at bringing the characters alive. I will say I liked the Edward in this story a lot more than I did the original especially at the beginning. He didn’t seem as grumpy and mean as the first but having that little bit of change gave the story a refreshing feel, showing it is not just the same story. If you loved the classic like me then you definitely need to give this book a read.

I’ve been on such a retelling kick so far this year, and was so excited to read this reimagining of the classic, Jane Eyre.

JANE & EDWARD tells the story of Jane, an assistant to lawyer named Edward. Their relationship grows as they spend more time together, and they were such great characters. I loved Edward, and the way they complimented one another.

*many thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the gifted copy

This was a super interesting book! I enjoyed it. I loved the reimagine Jane and Edward and the character growth that they went through. This is was so beautiful and I can’t wait to read it again.

I really enjoyed listening to this modern reimagining of Jane Eyre and I thought the narrator was fantastic. Edward is such a fun character and I loved seeing his softer sweeter side come out when he was with Jane. She is a balm to his soul, and he brings elements of excitement and adventure to her life. Lamp also plays a pivotal role in this story and I quite possibly loved that most of all.

wasnt my favorite book but i did enjoy it for the most part. it took me a little while to get into it. but once i got roped in, i couldnt stop reading it!!

This book is so good! It is gripping, romantic, poignant, moving, heartbreaking, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "Jane & Edward", I was whisked away on an emotional journey with this story.

"Jane Eyre" is on of my favorite classic novels, and as soon as I heard about this book, I knew I must read it!

Melodie Edwards is a great author! Her writing is vivid, detailed, and descriptive. Her respect for Charlotte Brontë's original novel is very clear, and the passion Ms. Edwards has for storytelling in this book is so clear as well. Ms. Edward's weaves plot points from the original novel with those of her own, and I truly could not put this book down.

This retelling is set in modern day Canada. Jane begins working as an assistant to a lawyer, Edward. As they begin to spend more time together, their relationship deepens. I do not want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but, I will say, this book truly kept me hooked from the very first page to the last. The author does a phenomenal job of taking events from the original novel, shifting them to work in her own setting, while staying true to many of Ms. Brontë's original themes that are so prevalent in "Jane Eyre".

If you enjoy Contemporary Romance and / or Retellings of Classics, I recommend this book! I look forward to reading what Ms. Edwards write next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of this book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

An enjoyable adaption of Jane Eyre. I found this Jane and Edward far more relatable in terms of lifestyle, class, and emotional aspirations than the few adaptions I've read in the past.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order next year and will recommend it to students.

I've never read a Jane Eyre retelling that I didn't love. Jane & Edward doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel here, but it definitely nails the angsty forbidden drama and romance of the original which inspired it.

An absolutely delightful retelling of one of my favorite romance classics.

I loved the Toronto setting and Canadian equivalent of Wall Street. Every modern take and decision was thoughtfully chosen and totally on point.

Edward shouting JANE! will never not be funny or necessary.

10/10 would re-read again

Thank you @berkleypub for the free book and @prhaudio for the audio version as well. My thoughts are my own.
#penguinrandomhousepartner

This is an enjoyable romantic fiction inspired by the story of Jane and Edward in JANE EYRE! It has been years since I read the original and I can’t remember several details, so I don’t think you need to be familiar with JANE EYRE to enjoy this retelling.

Jane is a product of the foster system and struggles to make ends meet by waitressing until she earns a degree as a legal assistant. She quickly lands a job and is assigned to Edward Rosen, a boss known to be a bit… difficult. But Jane seems to know just how to respond to Mr. Rosen. Jane’s tender heart and optimism is the perfect match for grumpy Edward. The banter is witty and I laughed out loud several times. The story is told from Jane’s point of view, and I particularly enjoyed her inner dialogue, often interrupted by Edward’s (hilarious) demands and rantings. The narrator in the audio version does a particularly good job with this. I truly liked both main characters and I enjoyed their story.

Read this if you enjoy:
*Romantic Fiction
*Witty Banter
*Strong Female Characters
*Likeable Characters
*Classical Retellings

I liked this book, but I did not love it as much as I had hoped. Jane Eyre was one of the few books I read in high school that I truly enjoyed, so I tend to gravitate to any retelling of it. And while this one had the elements of romance and heartbreak and longing and scandal that make the original such a classic, I was missing a lot of the chemistry between the two leads, strangely. There was something so bonkers about "Jane Eyre" that failed to materialize here, and I blame it on the setting of a law firm. There is just something inherently unromantic about that, and I think it drew a lot of the magic out of the relationship between the two.

I really, really loved Jane & Edward as a retelling of Jane Eyre set in present day Toronto. The plausible workplace romance situation and fitting history of the characters are high points, but what really gets me about the themes and feel of the original are the emotional revelations and depth of the characters, especially the empathy stirred for “Rochester”.

Jane is immediately likable. Reading her point of view throughout is an experience in watching her grow into herself with confidence and expression of her personality. Her childhood in the foster system is an appropriate background for her emotional state and emphasis on self-reliance, making it all the more poignant as she learns to navigate a new workplace, a few genuine friendships, and a romantic attraction to her boss, Edward.

Edward’s mercurial behavior and snarky humor are depicted in such a way that the reader can understand his magnetism (I can practically hear his voice calling for Jane from his office!). His past, too, holds tragedy and contrasts with Jane’s — both of them have struggled to overcome, and both of them tackle life and problems in different ways. Their chemistry is almost immediate, and as their professionalism gives way to friendship and a tentative romance, it’s a bittersweet experience to read of their joys and know his secrets threaten to upend Jane’s world.

Author Melodie Edwards has impressively brought timeless concepts from the original classic of trust, ethics, and faithfulness, into a modern framework and it works! Her authorial voice is unique and she paints the characters as her own, too, with their own personalities and dreams. It is not a derivative or a direct retelling, but a what-if modern imagining that highlights the best parts of its basis text and brings to light aspects of Jane and Rochester one might notice in a different light upon reading Jane Eyre or watching a movie adaptation again.

Content guide: the book does have a love scene, but it is handled in text as an almost closed door scene (kissing and just a little more are hinted at before it fades to black). There is a moderate amount of explicit language throughout, including use of the f-word and a few instances of pairing God’s name with a swear word. Per the story’s source and basis (Jane Eyre), a man does withhold the truth/the existence of a wife, in effect participating in an adulterous relationship.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy. This is my honest review.