I loved this. This is the perfect mix of Jane Austen and Clueless. I loved the writing, building a beautiful world and traveling around the Upper East Side. I loved the characters and the relationship that Emma has with her family. I really wished we had more moments with Emma and Nadine. I'm really hoping the end of this book is hinting to another book in the series about Will!

I was never a Jane Austen girly. I couldn’t deal with the older style of prose. At the risk of being incessantly mocked, I love the movies though. The story lines are timeless. The latest Emma with Anya Taylor-Joy was amazing, as was the latest Persuasion with Dakota Johnson.

<b>All of that to say, I don’t have a deep analysis comparing Emma of 83rd Street with the original.</b> We did get a similar main character between both stories: Emma is a well-meaning but interfering young woman with a penchant for match-making. In this reimagined tale, she attends NYU for her masters in Art History, with a goal of working for the Met in Manhattan. she lives in a four-story home in the middle of New York, and has an affluent, if sheltered, life. She has a deep friendship with her neighbor (George Knightley), who she grew up playing with. Tensions rise between the two of them, and we get a scrumptious will-they, wont-they.

As a long reader of romance, the pacing, anticipation, and ending felt like a classic storyline. Even so, the details about fashion, art, and the city grounded us in the present.

Don’t worry, the new authors jazzed it up with multiple <i>spicy</i> sex scenes in the last 15% of the story.

Something about the epilogue hinted that it might be a series! 🤞 This book will be released on May 23, 2023! Strongly recommend picking it up if you’re a fan of romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this ebook, thanks to NetGalley and Gallery books. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Thank you to @gallerybooks and @netgalley for an ARC of Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding. This modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma was an absolute delight that I finished in under 24 hours. I loved everything about this. The Manhattan setting was perfect and I loved how Emma and George Knightley had grown up together, with housing backing up to each other. The quirky side characters were charming with their own unique characteristics. And the banter between Emma and George was perfect. There are a few open-door scenes towards the end, but if that’s not your thing they would be easy to skim. If you liked the movie Clueless, add this to your TBR right now (it’s out May 23)--I enjoyed this even more than the movie. And there is the best Easter egg at the end that made my heart all aflutter. I hope this writing duo has more books up their sleeves! 5 Heart-Eyed Emoji Stars.

I don't remember much from watching the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma movie, BUT reading this made me want to watch it again. Emma's family is quirky, she's clearly destined to fall in love with her neighbor, George Knightley, who has always been an older brother figure. I knew how this book was going to end, I knew there would be limited twists and turns, nothing shocking was going to happen. That being said, it was a quaint, cozy read, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Emma is a young woman living in the Upper East Side of Manhattan with father. Her sister Margo is newly married, pregnant, and living close by. And her lifetime childhood friend, “Knightly” lives across from her. This is a story of family and of a young woman coming into her own and figuring what she wants out of life.

There are some funny parts of this book. And as usual, I enjoyed the New York setting. It’s a fun escape to try to put yourselves in the shoes of people living a life so different from your own. Emma’s dad, Mr. Woodhouse, and his eccentricities were hilarious.

Talk about a slow burn romance. The anticipation factor necessary for this trope can be a bit repetitive and tiresome. Just kiss already! But overall, this book was light and fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced copy.

I really wanted to like this one more. I love Emma, which I've read one billion times. I love retellings. I thought I'd love this book. I did not. It was...fine. It wasn't bad and it wasn't great. It was fine.

I really, really got distracted by the fact they call each other Woodhouse and Knightley. Any faithful reader of the book knows that Emma disdains Mrs. Elton for calling Mr. Knightley 'Knightley', an overly familiar and (in context) disrespectful way of referring to him. So for that alone it bugged me.

I also thought that their relationship's animosity was both contrived and also not true to the book relationship. It was disappointing. Could have been much better if he was solid, dependable Mr. Knightley, rather than this source of aggravation. Yeah, Emma gets irritated by Mr. Knightley all the time in the original, but she knows he's their friend and that he cares about them. She just thinks he can be somewhat high-handed and a bit of a joykill. This was a really different dynamic, which made it a different story. And honestly, I don't want to read some random story with bunches of characters and this sort of plot if it's not a faithful retelling of the original. I don't usually like that kind of book in a modern setting and it's only Jane Austen's wonderful, witty writing and efficient plotting that makes me like it in her own books.

That said, it wasn't poorly written. It was completely okay. I just don't think it was the best retelling in spirit and therefore was not much of interest to me. If it hadn't been marketed as an Austen retelling, I wouldn't have read it.

I love a retelling, and was so excited to see that Emma of 83rd street was a modern retelling of the classic, Emma.

This was a recent buddy read for me, which is always fun to discuss.

It was a slow burn, forced proximity romance that was also a bit friends to lovers. I really enjoyed the NYC setting and Emma was a fun character to root for.

*many thanks to the publisher/Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I don't wanna sound like a broken record, but if I loved this book any less, I'd be able to talk (or write) about it a little more.

A modern-day retelling of Austen's, Emma, this was indeed a very beautiful retake on the story.

Imagine Emma & Knightly....but in a Manhattan setting. This is what an ideal romance is made of, people!
Emma was quirky & outspoken, whereas Knightly was brooding & quiet.

This book was satisfying, breathtaking, fascinating, funny, romantic, and ANGSTY. Angsty to the power infinity. The pining vibrated off the pages; in a sense, it was lyrical.

The side characters were amazing, especially Nadine. I loved her Emma's friendship so much.

As I said earlier, I wish I could talk mote about it, but you need to read it yourself to feel everything. The book was amazing , and it gave Lauren Layne vibes.

Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Few things beat a Jane Austen modern retelling and this book was no exception. This retelling of Emma was a total delight. I loved Emma: she was flawed but relatable at the same time. Emma Woodhouse is growing up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with sweet father, older sister and amazing clothes, The girl's got it all! However, she finds herself bored. Her sister is newly married, her oldest friends are travelling abroad. With a cast of characters, we meet Emma's newest grad school friend, Nadine and her oldest friend and neighbor, George Knightley. George is the older brother to her sister's husband and has always seem Emma as the little kid that tagged along with the three of them. But suddenly he realizes the kid next door has turned into a woman. With the gorgeous NYC setting and the fabulous fashion, this was a fun retelling that had me smiling all the way! Highly, enthusiastically recommend!


Thank you so much to Gallery Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book!

FYI- this book is an open-door romance. I put the related chapter numbers below so you can skip if you'd like to.

This modern retelling of Emma was pretty faithful to the source, while still feeling modern and fresh in its twists. I love Jane Austen's Emma and Clueless the movie, so I was a bit hesitant that this wouldn't feel any different than other modern take. But it definitely was. I loved experiencing New York! I loved Emma being a grad student (relatable) and her connection to art through her mom. I got frustrated with Emma's obliviousness to her own feelings even though she thought she had everyone else figured out, but her growth and realization was mature and natural. I also love that we had Knightley's POV, uncommon in an Austen. I also love the little Easter egg to another beloved Austen novel at the end... does that mean a second book?? One star off just for personal preference- frequent swearing and 2 open-door scenes that I skipped (chapters 31 & 35). But other than those, I enjoyed this retelling and flew through it!

Emma of 83rd Street is a charming and romantic debut novel that cleverly blends Jane Austen's classic Emma with the trials and tribulations of modern-day Manhattan dating. The story follows two lifelong friends as they navigate the complexities of love and relationships, ultimately realizing that sometimes the perfect match can be found right in your own neighborhood. Bellezza's writing is warm, witty, and engaging, drawing me in with her delightful prose and relatable characters. The novel is a delicious wonder, filled with sweet moments and laugh-out-loud humor that left me feeling uplifted and entertained.

Okay…this is one of my new favorite books!! Everything about it was just soooo good! I loved the New York setting, the friends to lovers, the friendship..just all of it! It’s 100% a must read. 5/5 stars for me. I read it in two days..I couldn’t put it down!!!

Thank you so much Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early. I highly recommend it to anyone reading this review!

Wow, what a fun read! Life is feeling heavy right now, so this book was the perfect escape. I quickly fell in love with the characters and engaged in the story. This was a fun twist on Jane Austen’s Emma and makes me now want to read her original work too. Well done!

I love a good Jane Austen modernization and this was no exception. The story felt so close to what I knew but also had other little variations. I really loved how you could see feelings develop between Emma and Knightley here and how they always knew they were there, but never wanted to admit it. I also liked that the gap wasn't too tremendous and how they all grew up together. The ending was so sweet. I hope we get more variations!
Thanks to Audrey Bellezza, Emily Harding, Netgalley and Gallery for an early copy

This was a delightful modern-day EMMA retelling following Emma (who would've guessed), a young, wealthy Upper East Sider, as she makes a new friend and help settle her into NYC life while also doing some growing of her own. This was such a quick, light-hearted read and I really enjoyed it. Our love interest, Knightley, is a bit moody and stand-offish, which is one of my favorite tropes;) He has some unresolved issues with his late father, which are mentioned but I felt could also be explored a bit more to lend more development to his character. We see a mix of his and Emma's perspective--though it is mainly Emma--which is also nice. There was no! third! act! breakup! We love to see it! If you're looking for a fun romcom, filled with fashion and romance and friendship and family, then I would highly recommend picking this one up.

I loved this book so much!! I found Emma to be such a delightful character and was completely swept up in the romance and love story in this book. Emma and Knightly’s chemistry is magic and the tension from friends to lovers!! I haven’t read Jane Austin’s Emma, but feel like I need to now. I did catch myself visioning multiple scenes from Clueless though while reading. I hope that the authors write another retelling; if so I’ll definitely be reading it and telling everyone about it!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! You made my day!!

I’m a big fan of Jane Austen and when I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I would like it. It’s a fun, witty and entertaining retelling of classic Emma. It was an easy read and I was able to finish it quickly. I also really love the NYC setting. I had a little bit of a hard time getting into the book at first though. But I was rooting for Emma and Knightley’s happily ever after. The authors did a great job with the modern takes. I really liked how the Knightleys and Emma’s family shared a backyard and they went between each others houses when they were growing up. Overall it was a light and fluffy read for those who are looking for something lighthearted to escape to.

I LOVED Emma of 83rd Street! This book was adorable in all the right places. The authors did a wonderful job of combining their voices for an easy flow of dialogue and storytelling. I went into this as a Jane Austen fan but came out of it as an Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding fan!

The retelling of Emma takes place on the Upper East Side, which made me hopeful for a run in with Serena and Blair! Unfortunately, my dreams did not come true but, fortunately, Nadine and Knightley more than made up for it. I adored Emma's relationship with each character in the story and how her friendship with Nadine grew into a true bestie status, while her friendship with Knightley turned oh so hot. The banter is fun, the barbs cut deep but, in the end, the chemistry just couldn't be denied. Such a fun book (with an amazing wardrobe to boot!).

Can we please have a Nadine/Will Darcy book next?! I literally gasped out loud at that Easter Egg at the end! So fantastic!

I'm not even a Jane Austen fan and I LOVED this book! This is a very (VERY) slow burn romance, but the payoff is totally worth it (and very steamy). There is so much pining and tension in this book and moments when the characters' lack of communication had me so frustrated and screaming at my Kindle but in a good way. In the best way. Absolutely charming and well-written. I really hope there is another story coming featuring Will Darcy and perhaps, Nadine?

Jane Austen’s Emma is one of my favorite books by the author. It has been loved by readers as well. Purists may not want a retelling of this funny and insightful story but I think that those who liked the original could definitely enjoy this one.

The story is updated to New York City’s Upper East Side, one of the most prosperous neighborhoods in Manhattan. As in the original, some people close to Emma have moved; her sister has gotten married and many of her friends have left for time abroad. Emma, herself, is a bit at loose ends, even as she attends grad school.

Characters that readers enjoyed in Emma are here. Her father is now a health food purist. Knightley is her best friend (will there be romance?) and, yes, Emma still thinks that she knows what is best for others. In this novel, it is Nadine with whom Emma becomes friendly and (overly) involved.

All of the elements of the original are here in a charming update. The authors clearly know their Austen. Recommended for those who like classic updates and romantic comedies. If a reader enjoyed Sittenfeld’s, Eligible, I think that they may enjoy this one even more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this title.