3.5 ⭐️. A cute love story with plenty of swoon worthy moments and a chuckle or two. I especially loved all Pride and Prejudice references- it simply made my heart sing!!

What I didn’t love:
I’m not a huge fan of the “plain Jane girl next door falls in love with the super handsome wealthy trust fund man”. Not my favorite trope.
I also strongly dislike when there’s a crisis of insecurity leading to a breakup that you know won’t last, but is added for extra emotional shock value.

Overall it was a cute book, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters.

"Northern California girl Charlotte "Charlie" Lucas has two great loves: Diet Coke and Pride and Prejudice. But her passion for Regency classics is tempered by a very real fear: Charlie is terrified of having to endure the fate of her namesake - spinsterhood. Despite her best attempts to maintain a modern sensibility, she can't say no when an elderly neighbor asks Charlie to attend a charity ball with her grandson. Blind date or not, Charlie is powerless to resist the allure of a real-life ball. Soon it's clear that she will struggle to resist the charms of her blind date too.

Liam Connell is every bit the swoon-worthy leading man, straight out of Charlie's daydreams. But he's completely unattainable - his last girlfriend was a gorgeous actress and a far cry from Charlie's world. So after a magical evening with Liam, Charlie is ready to get back to reality, even if her best option right now is a former boyfriend who wants to give it another shot. Unfortunately, despite imagining she’'l never see Liam again, he seems to be everywhere. How is a lady to move past a fantasy when life suddenly seems to be imitating fiction to an alarming degree?"

I'm sorry, but everyone should EMBRACE the Charlotte Lucas within, and be pragmatic but also hope for love.

Charlotte Lucas, Charlie, is resigning herself to a fate much like our girl Charlotte from P&P, settling for a Mr.Collins or spinsterhood. Cue the hottie Liam's entry into the story, a decided leading man, a Mr. Darcy. I quite liked this book. I liked that although Charlie had sort of given up, she hadn't lost her hope. She had some deep insecurities, particularly that she herself wasn't leading lady material, and insecurities regarding her art. When she is speaking about the rejection faced as an artist, I felt the author's own emotions about her writing echoing through as well. And what can I say about Liam? Who wouldn't want to date him? Just a feel good, dreamy romance. I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review.

I completely - 100% enjoyed this newest book from Kasey Stockton!
The main character, Charlotte, struggles with being insecure. From past experiences, and a jerk boyfriend, she does not see her own worth - as a person, a woman, and an artist.
In comes Liam, who sweeps her off her feet, and helps her to break through the walls she has put up to protect herself.
I loved all the references to Pride and Prejudice!
I loved Liam's character - super handsome (of course) but so kind and down to earth!
The romance was clean but really sparky! Excellent kissing! Loved it!!
(So much to love here...!)
I was given a copy of this book, but I was not required to give a review.
My opinions are my own and not influenced by anything but my total enjoyment of this book!
I love this author's style of writing. I have read most of what she has written and I can very confidently recommend each one - including this one!

Our main character, Charlie, is stuck. She's living with her parents at 26, working a boring daily job at a bank, and does various good deeds for neighbors and family. Her worst fear? Becoming Charlotte Lucas. It definitely doesn't help that her smart, successful best friend's name is Beth! When her elderly neighbor Vera basically forces Charlie to go on a blind date with her rich, charming, and handsome grandson, Charlie is pleasantly surprised. But her walls are up too high. Will she be able to face old doubts and demons to conquer her future? *cue the dramatic period drama music*

<i>I'm Not Charlotte Lucas</i> is a Pride and Prejudice-inspired short contemporary romance novel. Personally, I'm not a fan of the genre and the main reason I picked this up is *Jane Austen*. It was fun, and I finished it in 24 hours (it <i>is</i> fairly short). But there's no real depth to it. Yes, Charlie does grow a bit as a character, but I had a hard time understanding her quick flip. SPOILER!
She was furious at Liam when he betrayed her, and then almost immediately decided to QUIT her full-time job and become a painter when she hadn't painted in how long? Years. (I don't remember the exact number - four years? Kinda unrealistic but okay, I'll just blame it on the eccentric artist disposition.

Just kidding.
END SPOILER

Anyways, in general, I'd maybe recommend this to fans of the contemporary romance genre (this is technically adult but pretty clean). It has what modern folks call *Pride and Prejudice vibes*, too, so if you like that sort of thing, this is for you.

<i>Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC to review.</i>

Our main character is Charlotte Lucas. And she is very determined that her story not end up like THE Charlotte Lucas of P&P fame. Her best friend is even Beth! Charlie's sister is Mariah! This might be a spoiler? (Although we all expect our happily ever after, so hopefully not too much of a spoiler...) But - no lying here - I was in the EPILOGUE before I realized that Liam Connell = William Collins. Try saying Connell and Collins out loud and just hear how similar they are. Lol.

Charlie, as our leading lady is known, is struggling. I admire her decision to turn to P&P every time something goes wrong. Which of course, happens more often than she feels it should. At 97% of the book Charlie declares "I am an idiot" and I felt fully justified in my feelings toward some of her choices. But Charlie learns a lot over the course of the book and comes to many self realizations.

Liam, of course, is swoon worthy hero. He does not waiver in his determination. He is patient and kind. (Well worth the read for Liam alone of course. The book even mentions Liam Hemsworth so we know just who to picture while reading.)

I really loved this book!

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

In a world where everyone wants to be Elizabeth Bennett, who doesn't understand Charlotte Lucas? This book was a revelation especially where it relates to how we see ourselves. Do we let the opinions of others dampen us into a shadow of who we want to be or even who we are?

Charlie Lucas is a character that I found myself relating to. I cringed at her insecurities and neurotic tendencies, but it was only because she represents truth. The truth of how often women see themselves. We view others as worthy and worthwhile and diminish ourselves. We see ourselves as not enough and not worthy of the love that others choose to bestow upon us. It is a frightening place to be, and in that place, we can understand Charlotte Lucas who settled for Mr Collins rather than face the frightening prospect of being a lone and without an opportunity to be more. Do we judge Charlotte harshly when often we settle ourselves?

Liam Connell is probably the perfect male specimen in literature. Stand aside, Mr. Darcy. He saw our Charlotte before she did. Their path is not an easy one, and he may be a bit too perfect on surface, but his flaws are known and the two of them growing together make for a story that is unputdownable. I blamed author, Kasey Stockton when I started the story in the evening and was forced to put it down, later than I should have in order to get to sleep.

This is the story I would love to tell to convince so many women that they are of worth, that they have worth, and that they are enough. This is a fabulous read, though there were moments when I could see my insecurities mirrored back to me in Charlie's point of view. Don't let it stop you from reading or from believing in yourself.

I received an early copy from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.

eh. this is totally on me, because i’ve never been a massive romance reader, but i didn’t love the way this one went. i thought i’d relate to charlie more, and i thought the love interest would have . . . more substance. i don’t know, it just wasn’t for me.

We all know what happens to Elizabeth Bennet’s best friend, Charlotte Lucas. Left with no prospects, she settles for Mr. Collins.

Charlie, also named Charlotte Lucas, is determined not to end up like her namesake. Unfortunately, it’s not looking so good. She’s a twenty seven year old bank manager living in her parents’ upstairs apartment with, you guessed it, no prospects.

“I was Charlotte Lucas is the flesh, and my wretched namesake was cursing me with her unfortunate life.”

When her adorable and much older neighbor, Vera, asked Charlie to be her grandson’s blind date to a charity ball, Charlie hesitantly agrees. But after meeting her date, there’s one thing Charlie knows for certain… Liam Connell is out of her league!

I simply adored this book. Charlie was so relatable as a FMC. She has real insecurities that make her so lovable. She’s just a regular gal who worries if she’s good enough. I really loved seeing her overcome her insecurities with the help of Liam. I loved that Liam was always what Charlie needed. When she needed a friend, that’s what he was. When she needed something more, he was there for her. He wasn’t pushy or impatient. They were such a great couple!

“I was done with modern men-at least for tonight-and I was prepared to lose myself in the extra-long rendition of Pride and Prejudice.”

If you are a Pride & Prejudice fan, this is a must read! So many wonderful references to the book, mini series and movie.

“This BBC version of Pride and Prejudice was for the real fans. The ones who appreciated the accuracy and devotion to the details. Details that really could only be included in a six hour version.”

I have to agree with Charlie! As much as I love the 2005 movie, I will always be Team Colin!

4.5⭐️

I’ve loved everything I’ve read from Kasey Stockton, and this book was no exception!! She has definitely become a go-to author for me! 😍

Charlie and Liam are just adorable! The cuteness, the awkwardness, the Pride & Prejudice references—my heart!

There were two tropes in this book that I usually dislike (love triangles & dramatic third-act breakup/miscommunications) but found I didn’t hate here. Why? Because I did understand Charlie’s perspective, appreciated and felt seen by her vulnerability, and all around, just loved her.

I can’t wait to add a physical copy to my shelves!! 🥰


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

I'm Not Charlotte Lucas is a delightful book! Here are some of my favorite things about it:

- A sweet, matchmaking grandma
- all the perfect mentions of Pride & Prejudice
- The texts between Liam and Charlie were my favorite. SO cute!
- Charlie's awkwardness was something I can TOTALLY relate to.

This book had me laughing, cringing, and swooning. Liam is such a great guy, but I will say that at times he seemed a little TOO perfect. MY one main concern in the book is that Charlie has some pretty serious hangups with her self-confidence, and they aren't fully addressed in the book. They weren't the type of issues that can be resolved quickly, and I would have liked to see a little bit more of that journey for her.

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves Jane Austen and a sweet love story!

Thank you to Covenant Communications, NetGalley, and Kasey Stockton for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

This was a charming read, but it fell flat for me in a lot of ways. It kind of felt like it was staying at the same level the whole way through...I wanted more from it. More depth from the story, more depth from Charlie and Liam. It also got slightly repetetive reading Charlie's inner monologue. It just felt like the characters were incredibly one dimensional, and not anything more than their insecurities, in Charlie's case, and their perfections, in Liam's case. It also felt like the plot was slightly tiring...and redundent? I'm finding trouble finding the right word, but I think it could have used something more to bring up the excitement or something that pushed Charlie forward. I, sadly, just kept wanting more from it.

As always, thank you Netgalley and Covenent Communications for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

“Angling the remote at the TV, I clicked rewind and started the movie again at the beginning of the scene. Pride and Prejudice was comfort food for my soul the way a half-gallon of ice cream or a box of Twinkies comforted other people.”

Never have truer words been written!😆The moment I read this line I knew I was going to love Charlie and this book!

‘I’m not Charlotte Lucas’ by Kasey Stockton is a beautiful contemporary romance with Pride and Prejudice references all through out! I absolutely LOVED it and I couldn’t put this book down! This boook pulled me in and time flew by as I read Charlie’s story!

Charlotte(Charlie)Lucas is obsessed with Pride and Prejudice. She just so happens to have the same name as a certain character from her favorite book, and she doesn’t want to end up like her namesake. She’s almost 27, with no prospects, living with her parents after all. A blind date set up by her neighbor may just change her practical and predictable life once and for all!

This book is so cute! I really related to Charlie in so many ways and the message of the story touched my heart and made me cry. It is truly beautiful!!! The references and parallels to Pride and Prejudice were so well done, clever, and brought me so much joy!

Charlie and Liam are such lovable characters! Liam is so beyond dreamy and Charlie is so cute and kind. Their story was intriguing, swoony, romantic, adorable, fun, funny, and so sweet! I loved the attraction and friendship that grows between them!

I also loved the:
🎩memorable moments including a trellis, chocolate malts, a ball, and carnitas!
🎩I loved Charlie’s family, her neighbor Vera, and friend Beth
🎩Charlie’s character arc was so soo lovely and touching
🎩I’m a CA girl and I really loved the California setting
🎩The tie into Pride and Prejudice is brilliant

This is a beautiful story that’ll make you swoon and touch your heart! I absolutely adored this incredible book and I highly recommend it to everyone!

Thank you Netgalley and Coveanant Communications for the arc copy. All opinions are my own.

Overall, I enjoyed this book which is a twist on a not exactly retelling of “Pride&Prejudice.” Charlotte Lucas, aka Charlie, is determined not to follow in the footsteps of her namesake, but things aren’t looking great. Then she meets Liam. There was somewhat of a “close proximity” trope, but I also was frustrated with the “he’s too hot for me” trope. No spoilers. There were a lot of P&P references, but I believe the reader did not necessarily have to have read P&P to understand. Kasey Stockton seems to be delving more into contemporary romance and the book was good! Part of me does wish that this book included the MMC’s POV.

I'm Not Charlotte Lucas
by Kasey Stockton
Rating: 4.5/5

As a fan of Jane Austen, I was excited to obtain an ARC of this book and it did not disappoint. I literally read it in less than 24 hours and was entertained at every moment. The characters were authentic and fun. I feel like this story could have been a Hallmark movie. It gives all the warm fuzzies while making you laugh and smile. The heroine is someone who you want to root for and the hero is swoon-worthy. I definitely will be reading more from this author!

Highly recommend if you enjoy clean rom-coms that will make you keep reading to the end!

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Ooooh. I loved this book. I may not be as big a Pride & Prejudice fan as Charlie, but the amount of references to the book/film/series felt immensely satisfying. It felt like a modern real-world fairytale. Kasey Stockton certainly has a gift for making characters come to life. When Charlie felt uncomfortable, I felt uncomfortable. And Liam? Whew! The electricity was palpable!

The story moved along at a pretty quick pace without making me feel like I was missing any extraneous details about Charlie’s everyday life or family. Keeping the cast of characters small definitely helped in that arena. But I was sucked into the story almost immediately and didn’t want to come up for air. It was that good.

I didn’t love the way the story wrapped up, unfortunately. It felt too quick and left too much unsaid. A little anticlimactic, in my opinion. It was a little like what happens when a tv show gets cancelled and they have to tie up all the loose ends in one or two episodes. And I wish I just hadn’t read the epilogue. This might have been a five-star review had it not been for the epilogue.

Charlie was an adorable protagonist. I thought the constant inner dialogue was funny and relatable, and read a little like Jane Austen’s Emma. Her insecurity was a little annoying at times, and for being an insecure person, she sure made a lot of snap judgments. But then again, I remember being 26, and I can’t imagine that I was much different.

But where to start with Liam…? A successful and sensitive man who knows what he wants, but asks instead of takes? Yes, thank you. More, please. Who isn’t in love with Liam Connell? I would like to see a second novel from Liam’s POV that follows the last chapter of the book. I want to get to know him more and experience his character growth. But, boy, the magnetism of this man. I loved every second.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to have a copy of it on my shelves! Thanks to NetGalley, Covenant Communications, and Kasey Stockton for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Like my fellow Pride & Prejudice lovers, I was drawn in by the title and sweet cover and y'all, this did NOT disappoint! This book is compulsively readable. You don't even have to have read P&P or seen an adaption to enjoy it (though it definitely adds to the impact and charm). Charlie is such a selfless, kind, and relatable protagonist, not without her flaws—like girl, OWN the fact that a man "out of your league" is obsessed with you lol. I'm so happy that the author didn't really try to make her funny because her brand of charisma is uniquely sweet and awkward as hell; she's absolutely someone I would die to be friends with. And Liam...? Lord, indeed what a Darcy he is! Successful, handsome, a great communicator... sign me up for all that. And their chemistry together was absolutely flawless—a true friends to lovers arc with believable highs and lows. Sure, there was necessary drama and maybe a bit too much self-deprecation in places, but overall, "I'm Not Charlotte Lucas" was as fun to read as it was romantic. It's been such a long time since I had a reading experience THIS pleasant! I think that says it all.

5 out of 5 stars, ★★★★★

I love main characters who are as obsessed with pride and prejudice as I am.

The incredibly cute cover? Decided bonus as well.

"I'm not Charlotte Lucas" is the story of Charlotte Lucas (Charlie), a modern woman who is desperately trying to avoid the fate of her namesake— spinsterhood or having to settle for a total imbecile. Charlie's way of preventing that? By trying to be as practical as possible in dating with zero unrealistic expectations.

Even if it means getting back together with a abysmal ex-boyfriend instead of the dreamy Liam Connell.

Because with Liam's dating history including A-list celebrities, there's no way he'd be interested in her, right?

...Right???

I absolutely loved this book. I thought Charlie and Liam were great main characters and made for a really entertaining read. Their personalities complimented each other well and they were both very relatable characters. I don't buy every book that I get advanced copies of, but this is definitely a book I want to have on my shelf.

And not just because of the cute cover.

This book really resonated with me I'm also at the age of twenty six living at home with parents and not utilizing my degree. I love that she was so close with her neighbor that she set her up with her grandson and she's still figuring things out. Charlie and Liam love their dynamic blind date to becoming good friends and more to it. It's such a great read and it'll keep you reading.

If you love “Pride and Prejudice”, this book is for you! If you love cute, clean, friends to lovers, contemporary rom-coms, this book is for you! If you are anxious, insecure, always go for the safe choice, never feel like you’re the main character in your own story… this book is for you!

This is the first novel I read from Kasey Stockton, but I will most definitely read more. Her characters just made me see things that need improving in my own life. How often does that happen when you read a romance novel? Almost never! I go into romances to turn off my brain, but this time I was pleasantly surprised with life lessons I can’t get out of my head! This is a must read!

Keep in mind that, though this is not a modern retelling of “Pride and Prejudice”, I feel that if you haven’t read the novel, or at least seen the movie, you can’t really enjoy it. There are in it too many references to “Pride and Prejudice” and you will definitely feel lost if you are not an Austen reader.

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I’m Not Charlotte Lucas: Summary
Charlotte “Charlie” Lucas is 26 and lives in her parents’ attic. She has a successful career in banking and has always made the safe choice around her career, finances and boyfriends. She is passionate about “Pride and Prejudice” and watches it incessantly, but, most of all, she is obsessed with her fictional namesake. She feels doomed to follow her fate and end up married to a Mr. Collins just to stop being an old made.

When her good neighbour Vera wants to set her up on a blind date with her grandson, Liam, she hesitates. She relents on going on the date only because she finds out he is heart broken and wants to spare his feelings – his ex will be at the gala function they need to attend, along with her new boyfriend. She can’t just abandon someone in need like that.

Little did she know, Liam is actually gorgeous, his ex is a famous celebrity, now dating an even more famous movie star. Also, the gala they attend is riddled with paparazzi. For an insecure person like Charlie, all this is a nightmare.

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I’m Not Charlotte Lucas: Thoughts
This book made me think a lot about how we put ourselves in a box, how we don’t dare, don’t try things because we assume the bad outcome. We assume a comfortable identity and don’t step up to our potential.
Charlotte Lucas in “Pride and Prejudice” was practical and, presumably, did the absolute best with what she had. Keeping in mind the times she was living in, we shouldn’t get to judge her.

However, these times are different. There are no real limitations to what any 26 years old can accomplish now, regardless of her background, but especially if she has a good education. Sky is the limit, really!

Yet, in spite of that fact, how many of us really dare to try to live our dreams? How many actually see ourselves as the sidekick and not the heroes in our own stories? How many choose safe over risk?

This book came as a reminder to just stop living a predictable life. Just stop putting yourself in a box, surrounding yourself with “can’t” and “not meant for x” and “what would people say?”. Do you really want your life to be like that of “Pride and Prejudice” Charlotte Lucas? It may not have been a very bad life. It certainly was comfortable. But is it really your dream?

Similarly, the Charlotte in this novel is really a walking reminder of how not to act and she knows it. She judges herself too, yet she can’t act differently. She just can’t stop doing things for other people so that everyone will like her. Actually following her own desires scares her. Her fear of criticism is bigger than her desire to succeed. Insecurities and the need for validation are high with Charlie and, as her good neighbour tells her: sadly, “no one can fix those but ourselves”.

Luckily for her, Charlie Lucas is shook to her senses by different events. She learns to step out of comfort. Her story really is more than just about the romance. It is a lot more about gaining confidence in her strengths and stop letting her insecurities get the best of her. I identified so much of her inner voice with my thoughts, it was scary! So when everything turned up fine, I was relieved – and I rarely identify with characters so much!

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Conclusion
This was a great read! For a cute romance, it delivered so, so much more! I hope it will surprise you as well!

P.S.: The romance in itself is just perfect! A friends to lovers surprisingly tense – just wonderful!
The review is available on the blog and will appear on youtube sometime in February.