2/5 stars! The premise of a modern-day take on a Jane Austen novel was exciting. I am a huge Austen fan so never skip an opportunity to read a remake. This book was just poorly structured. The pacing was slow and there was no real build-up to the conclusion. The chemistry between Liam and Charlie was lacking, which kept me from truly engaging in the story.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Charlotte "Charlie" Lucas loves Pride and Prejudice. That said, she's terrified of becoming a spinster like her namesake. She can't say no when her elderly neighbour asks her to be her grandson Liam's blind date. After a magical evening with him at a charity ball, Charlie is ready to get back to reality but he seems to be everywhere. How is a lady to move past a fantasy when life seems to be imitating fiction to an alarming degree?

Charlie had her insecurities, stuck between the knowledge that her feelings for Liam were real, or if she was settling because of her fear of being Charlotte Lucas incarnate. Liam brought her out of her shell. He was the sweetest, being transparent about his intentions and always addressing her fears immediately they came to light. He always sought her out, even climbing up a trellis 😂

I loved Beth, her best friend and personal cheerleader. Also Vera, the matchmaker tag teaming with Charlie's mum 😂 best grandmother ever!

I read Pride and Prejudice a long while ago and had forgotten Charlotte Lucas' character. It was nice to revisit the story in a different light, to read a retelling of a different character aside from Elizabeth Bennet 😄

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC.

Wow. This was an absolutely amazing book! I how relatable Charlotte was. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Charlotte and Liam! I also enjoyed the witty batter! This book is perfect for fans of romcoms and pride and prejudice!

This is a cute story and I did like Charlie and Liam, but honestly the story is more about Charlie than her relationship with Liam (which feels a little forced to happen). Charlie was a nice character… but that’s it. Nice. Not multi-faceted, not very flawed, rather one dimensional. I would have liked to see her growing more.

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

Where has this book been all my life?! I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I loved that it had Jane Austen elements but was not a spinoff.

This is the fastest I have read a book in years! I couldn’t put this one down! I absolutely adored this book. It is a fun clean read with lovable characters. I was cheering their love story on from the beginning. This is a feel good book with a lot of laugh out loud moments. I definitely recommend this book. It is one you don’t want to miss!

*Happy Sigh* Y'all, I just absolutely adored this book! What a fun read! It kept my attention and had me longing to be reading it when I wasn't able to. I had won a paperback arc a few months ago and two of my teenagers devoured it before me. Then continued to ask me when I was going to read it so they could talk to me about all the things in it! Then they'd look at each other and giggle and say they need to read it again. So of course I had to move it up on my reading schedule. Not only so I could talk with them and giggle with them about it but because it just sounded so good! And let me tell you. I'm giggling over it! I loved it sooooo much! And you better believe that there is going to be lots of talking about this book with said teenagers! And I need to read it again!

Charlotte (Charlie) is quirky and fun but she's also very hesitant and has several insecurities. I won't get into what those are because it's all part of the plot and story and you just have to read and experience it yourself to understand. But I sure did want to cheer her on and hope she would be able to stand up and be happy with who she was and have joy in that. To truly do what she wanted and not what others wanted her to do or say or even be. But, she needs a nudge. And I can't tell you how much I loved the nudge she got!

Vera is the next door neighbor who just adores Charlie and the feeling is mutual. They look out for each other, are good friends and much more. Vera pulls a fast one on Charlie and convinces her to be a blind date for her grandson who needs help and only Charlie is the one for the job. Hee Hee!!!

I love how it all unfolds and how they meet! And the charity ball they go to, sizzling between Charlie and Liam. The chemistry and tension is brewing and thick! And the book just kept getting better!

Liam is such a good guy! He's the real deal and such a gentleman. Charlie thinks because of her name that she's destined to end up with a Mr. Collins type guy. But that doesn't have to be the case. She's such a kindhearted person and beautiful inside and out. She has some big decisions to make and some leaps to make as well. And y'all are going to love how it pans out!

Tacos, scrabble, chocolate malts, trellis, painting, Pride and Prejudice, siblings, text messages, the banter, the kisses, the swoony moments, friends, getting all dolled up, exes, self-worth, the sweet romance and so much more is contained within the pages of this lovely book!!!

I hope if you pick it up, that you enjoy this one as much as or more than I did!!!

Content: Clean. Some kisses but nothing further.

I won a paperback copy at a book signing and I also received a digital copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

This book was delightful!
I absolutely love everything this author has put out!
This book had likable and believable characters.
It was funny, clean and had a happy ending. If you get this book you should probably clear your schedule because it will suck you in.

A present day romance set in Northern California about a girl named Charlotte Lucas, “Charlie,” who is determined not to have her life play out like the the fictional character, yet terrified that it will. Her love interest was such a down to earth guy- I loved seeing how he fell for her. Charlie had quite a few personal battles and insecurities to overcome which was fun to read about too.

Read this book for the
- Pride and Prejudice references
- Rich boyfriend
- Love triangles

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of the book. A review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance. As a bonus I saw it on the same day I saw a live stage adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Charlotte (Charlie) Lucas loves the regency classic. It helps that she is named for the best friend, side character in the famous novel. Charlie is 26, a college graduate, has a good job in the local bank and is living with her parents. When her next door elderly neighbor asks Charlie for a favor she can’t say no. Charlie is to be the blind date for her grandson to a charity ball. Liam Connell is wealthy and giving. The fund raiser is for his charitable foundation and his ex is a famous actress. Charlie enjoys the night but doesn’t think it’s realistic for someone like him to fall for someone like her. It’s a simple romance but the author adds some layers by bringing in an ex boyfriend and Charlie needing to overcoming some of her own insecurities. There are tons of P and P references too. I thought the ending is a little rushed and the grand gesture has boundary oversteps. I recommend for romance readers of any age especially if you like clean books for language and intimacy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very sweet contemporary romance that I read through very quickly. The main character was relatable, the side characters were fun and enjoyable, and the live interest was pretty dreamy. I enjoyed the pacing and the romantic tension that was built up. The kisses were great. I did feel like the reason for the third act break up could have been a little stronger, but it still worked. I would definitely recommend this for lovers of sweet contemporary romance. Steam level is just kisses/ make outs.

An enjoyable read with plenty of Pride and Prejudice references, I’m not Charlotte Lucas is just what you would expect in a sweet romance. A charming, handsome, hero and a heroine struggling to accept herself, I enjoyed the message that you are enough and loved as you are. Though the plot was a bit predicable and slower in terms of pacing-this was a cute, easy, read.

This is such a gem of a romance....a perfect homage to Pride and Prejudice without making it a retelling. The characters are well developed and interesting and I could really relate to Charlie and her insecurities and learning to be who she is because that's enough...there are just books that make you smile and this is one of them!
Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful book!

If you're looking for a quick cute read to sit back and relax. This is it.

Charlotte "Charlie" Lucas is a major Pride and Prejudice fan. To say that it's a source of comfort for her would be an understatement. She's read the book a million times and watched every adaptation under the sun. Taking a quick glance at her dating situation, she is quite worried that she'd be sharing more than just a name with Elizabeth Bennett's best friend. She fears ending up with someone as silly as Mr. Collins. When her neighbor, an older lady, asks her to be her grandson's date to a charity ball, she reluctantly accepts. But when he turns out to be a guy with whom she's had an unfortunate encounter, things might just take a turn for the best.

It was a charming, and somewhat comforting, friends-to-lovers, read. Insta-love stories are not my favorite, which is pretty much my only complaint. But it's something you seek or don't mind then you might want to pick this one up! I have felt seen by Charlie's views and her fears and their story made me feel warm inside.

This was a fun read! I love all the Pride and Prejudice references and how much Charlie loved that story. Liam was great for Charlie and I loved the ending! Fans of Jane Austen and also contemporary romance will enjoy this book.

I LOVED this one! Kasey Stockton is a favorite author of mine and this book didn’t disappoint. I was in a mini reading slump and I’m not going to lie, I got sucked in by this story and stayed up way too late reading. The whole book is about Charlotte “Charlie” Lucas and her journey to being different than her Pride and Prejudice namesake.

I honestly hadn’t given Charlotte Lucas much thought as a character on Pride and Prejudice, but I just loved the train of thought for this story. Not only did Kasey write Charlie in a way that sets her love life apart from Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice, she also grows the character in her personal life.

The MMC, Liam, was also so good. Seriously. I was so ready for them to just get together all ready! He was so sweet and really helped Charlotte grow and develop. If you love Jane Austen you’ll love this book!

So excited to have read this one in advance on NetGalley! Be sure to snag it for yourself when it releases on February 7th!

Where has this book been all my life! I thoroughly enjoyed this one and was completely mesmerized by it. I loved that it had Jane Austen elements but was not a spinoff.

'If the doorbell rang and Mr. Collins showed up, I was packing up my stuff and moving out of California. Somewhere far, far away.'

The contemporary aspect was on point and written perfect with the little touches of Jane Austen references here and there. I've come to expect fun, entertaining reads from Kasey and she never disappoints me.

Charlotte is such a fun character.

'Maybe if I told myself enough times that I wasn't being weird, it would end up being true.'

She's bookish, jaded, maybe a little moody but has the best heart and she just loves Pride and Prejudice SO much. Is it too hard to want to find a Darcy in a dating pool full of Collin's??

I loved all of the tropes and you get a bunch from this one (at least hints of tropes): blind date, opposites attract, celebrity-ish, boy-next-door...and possibly more. It's adorable and I can't get enough of it.

I was slightly surprised to find this written as a single POV (and usually prefer dual), but can I say it 100% WORKS SO WELL in this book. I felt like it really sold the romance so much more so than a dual would have done. It kept Liam mysterious which was totally his secondary personality vibe next to his confidence lol.

I am so glad I picked this one up! I'm also crossing my fingers for a book 2 because there is huge potential for this to be a series!!!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

*An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

*DNF at 27%*

I just read and enjoyed two other Kasey Stockton books (Sensibly Wed and Pleasantly Pursued) so I was excited to come across this on Netgalley and give it a try. Unfortunately, almost immediately, I wasn't liking the tone of the story, our MC's voice, and the writing. I don't know if it's just this book alone, but I think she should stick to Regency books, not modern ones. The overall vibe of this book is very gauche; there's no finesse to the prose and most interactions and thoughts of the characters are very cringey.

Also, Mr. Chiseled Smoking-Hot was about as enticing as an attractive piece of cardboard up to 27%.

I loved this story. I was pulled into it from the start. Charlie is a very like able character. She struggles with insecurity which is relatable. Liam is a modern day gentleman. I enjoyed how Charlie’s character growth progresses to the point that she can state she is Charlie Lucas a modern women with confidence instead of feeling like a copy of Charlotte Lucas from Pride and Prejudice.

Where are my Pride and Prejudice fans at?

This is not a retelling but an adorable homage.

Charlie Lucas is a 27 year old whose life is stuck in a bit of a rut. She’s single, her art career has stalled and she’s found herself living in her parents attic working at the bank dreaming about Mr Darcy. Her neighbor asks Charlie to accompany her grandson to a gala on a blind date. He is handsome and accomplished and Charlie is smitten but intimidated. Queue the flirting, banter and relentless misunderstandings as these two tango with one another and their feelings.

There is insta-love, which generally is an eye roll for me but I loved that it was still a pretty slow burn. The whole thing was PG and respectful, even the romantic foil who was a bit obnoxious wasn’t too bad. This was the perfect, sweet contemporary love story with so many P&P Easter eggs.

Charlie starts with terrible self esteem and her friends and family call this self-less. As the story goes on, she is forced to confront her issues and evolve. I appreciated and related this portrayal of what it’s like to have a perfectly good life but question both if there is more and swing wildly to whether you even deserve what you have. Sometimes when something seems to be too good to be true, you need to accept that maybe you deserve good.

Thanks to the author for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.