Emma was never my favorite Jane Austen novel. In fact, it was one of my least favorites. I just didn't like the character of Emma very much, and something about the Emma-Knightley romance felt a bit skeezy. However, I love me a Jane Austen retelling and read pretty much every one I can find. So I decided to give Emma of 83rd Street a chance... and I'm glad I did!

Emma of 83rd St switches rural Regency England for the Upper East Side. Emma is in her last semester of graduate school, working on her Masters in Art History with an eye to work at the Met (which all her family looks upon with a fond isn't-she-cute expression). Knightley, instead of being just the older brother of her brother-in-law and father's BFF, is her childhood friend. When Emma's friends all move to Europe, she finds herself lonely and decides to befriend the hot mess of a new classmate, Nadine. The rest of the story is familiar to all who have read Jane Austen, or seen any of the dozen adaptations and remakes.

What I liked about this remake is that Emma is likeable. Yes, she screws up (it wouldn't be Emma without some screw ups), but her heart is always in the right place and her internal struggles are very relatable. The other thing I liked, which really pushed this novel into great territory, was that we get Knightley's POV. His POV is almost half of the novel, which makes the romance much more palatable. In all, this is probably the best Emma remake I've ever read, and a great read for even those unfamiliar with Austen's novel.

I loooove this version of Emma! (It's one of my favorite Jane Austen stories, a young, wealthy, beautiful girl who is essentially wrapped up in romantic misunderstandings).

So with that in mind, Emma on 83rd Street is pretty close to the original Emma plot. In this book, Emma is a young, rich socialite living in New York City. She's an art history graduate student at NYU, someone who has lots of friends who are abroad and two friends at home - classmate Nadine, who she took under her wing, not only dressing her and doing her hair, etc., but by trying to find her a romantic match, and her lifelong best friend and neighbor George Knightley, a gorgeous, successful guy who has no problem scolding and humbling Emma and telling her she needs to grow up.

There's also Knlightley's brother Ben, and Emma's sister Margot, who are also scheming on their own to find Emma a man. So while Emma is working overtime to find a man for her friend Nadine, Emma is being set up with friend of Ben's, Montgomery Knox. And all the while, Knightley is there every Sunday at dinner or just stopping in the home for a cup of coffee. But as all of this is going on, are there feelings developing for Emma and Knightley? Why are they bickering so much, and why does the sight of them both take each other's breath away?

First, I have to love this book because I'm a New Yorker and I always love to read about the city - this felt very accurate. You read some books and think, NYC isn't like this at all! But not this one. I'm also a Gossip Girl fan, and so Emma and her fashion-forward ways had me sometimes thinking of that show. She can be spoiled, but she's still likeable as heck and clearly a good friend. Knightley was brooding and dreamy as heck, Nadine is a adorable small-town girl who falls in love with NYC just the way I did years ago - and the chemistry between Knightley and Woodhouse (what he calls Emma) is out of this world.

I couldn't put this one down. So romantic, youthful, and fun!
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars Emma of 83rd Street was a delightful modern take on Jane Austen’s classic romance novel, Emma. 23-year-old Emma Woodhouse loves her life in her tight-knit Upper East Side neighborhood and fancies herself a matchmaker after she sets up her sister Margo with one of their next-door-neighbors, Ben Knightley. Emma and Margo have been close friends with Ben and his older brother, George, since they were children, playing in their shared backyard. Although somewhat busy with her MFA in art history program, Emma feels bored after her sister marries and moves out, so she sets her sights on a new project—her new friend and classmate Nadine. Emma’s determined to make over Nadine and set her up with her “forever” romance. George Knightley is frustrated with Emma’s plans for Nadine and is happy to lecture Emma on how she’s failing at the finer points of adulthood. Suddenly, Knightley isn’t able to get Emma out of his head; she’s no longer the little girl from next door, but a vivacious and independent woman.

The plot of this story mostly followed the same structure as the original Austen story, but with some modern updates, plus scene and name changes. Overall, it was a really sweet story. Emma is adorable and Knightley is frustrating, but ultimately they make a great couple. I loved that this had a dual POV so we saw how Knightley’s feelings towards Emma changed and how he realized he was in love with her. A fun and sweet read!

I love a good Jane Austen retelling and this is one of the best that I've read in a long time! With modern vibes, amazing characters, and a storyline that just hooks you, readers won't want to miss Emma of 83rd Street!

I LOVED this book! Such a fun, entertaining and addictive modern retelling of Jane Austen's Emma. I read this book in a day, I couldn't put it down!

Emma Woodhouse, our protagonist, lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in a brownstone with her family (gossip girl vibes, anyone? Rich wealthy family living their best life with the Met on their doorstep). She has an undergraduate degree from FIT and is currently pursuing a Masters in Art History from NYU. Despite these academic accolades and very "nerdy" passion for Art, her family and friends make out she is a little dumb and flits from interest to interest (heaven forbid somebody actually make a career out of something they love instead of what just makes them money). Love that this is a mini role reversal on Austen's time when women spent their days with nothing more to do in wealthy families then pursue art, read and play music. What I liked most is that Emma was likable throughout this retelling, even in her worst moments. She was young, relatable and learning to grow up.

Knightley, Mr George Knightley, lives in his own brownstone whose garden backs onto the Woodhouse's. He grew up close with Emma and her sister Margo. They played together, had family sunday dinners etc. He now runs a successful PE shop and owns the family brownstone after his father died. He is Mr Grumpy and seems to be resisting what we all know: he secretly is in love with Emma! We see him realise throughout the story that Emma is not a child anymore but a flourishing young woman who he can't imagine not having in his life. I liked that the age gap wasn't too pronounced. 23 and 30 could be kinda cringe, if it was 27 and 34 we wouldn't think twice about and it allowed for periods of time where Knightley was away building his career and missed seeing that Emma had grown up at some point along the way.

We have a multitude of other characters along the way that fully flesh out the story. Margo, Emma's older sister who gets married and (heaven forbid) moves to the West Village. Nadine, the fresh transplant from Ohio, who Emma befriends in her graduate classes and helps live her best and biggest NYC life. Mr Woodhouse, a kinda out of touch dad who just loves and wants what is best for his daughters.

I live in New York so might be a little biased here, but I think NYC was the perfect setting for this story. She was her own character!

Can't wait to see possible modern retellings of Austen's work by this duo!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Do you like chic lit? Do you like a nice quick easy read? Are you looking for something nice and light? Perhaps you’re in need of something to being to the beach?

Look no further. This book certainly fits the bill.

I definitely got Clueless vibes from this book - which make sense since it’s based loosely off of Jane Austen’s Emma.

Again, if you’re looking for something cute and light - grab it!

Tell me about a book that kept you up waaaayyyyy past your bedtime.

Okay book friends, I normally cherish my bedtime and go to bed at the same time my youngest falls asleep😂😴

But last night, as my other half sat and watched TV, I was sucked into this modern day retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. I was so completely oblivious to the world and the time in it because I was utterly captivated by this deliciously wonder of a book that by the time I finished the epilogue, a big smile on my face for what’s potentially coming after this book, I noticed the time at 2am.

I will definitely need a nap 😴 or more likely fall asleep after dinner 🤣

Needless to say, I enjoyed Emma of 83rd Street and here is a list of reason’s to pre-order this one:

Jane Austen Retelling (Emma)
- Grumpy + Sunshine
- Friends to Lovers
- The PROLOGUE!
- Contemporary Romance

So recap: I couldn’t stop reading.

Bellezza and Harding effortlessly make this contemporary retelling of the classic Austen novel Emma into a delightful romance filled with characters and a love story you’ll definitely want to revisit.

Happy Reading ~ Cece

4.5/5
Couldn't stop reading this book. As someone who loves emma and the retellings of this story (hello clueless) this book was perfect.
I loved seeing how emma grew as a person and tried to be a better version of herself and how george helped her do that. I also loved the community she had by her side.
However somethings kind of bothered me while reading: I wish we could get more of emma and nadine's friendship because sometimes it felt like emma forgot about her because she was always so wrapped around her little world, more of nadine's scenes in general honestly. I would also like to see more of Emma talking about art with other people, like her father and her sister, they didn't take her seriously enough it that really bothered me. On the topic of her father, I wish we could get to see his reaction when everybody found out about emma and george. And finally I really really wanted to see more of george and ben's relationship and learn more about their family.
But besides those little things I absolutely loved the book and the end was amazing can't wait to read their next book.

So cute! Super fast read. I loved this book. The characters were great and I loved that it was on the UES. Would definitely read another book by these authors.

What a lovely book! I fell in love with all the characters and their relationships. We follow Emma as she discovers she is in love with her lifelong friend, George. I appreciated that this book included the struggles of each character and tied up all loose ends nicely at the end. If you are a Jane Austen fan and loved Clueless, this book is for you! I highly recommend this sweet and remarkable book.

This book was a modern take on Jane Austen's Emma, but it honestly reminded me SO MUCH of the Alicia Silverstone 90s movie Clueless (one of my all time favorites) and actually improved upon the Clueless storyline in some ways (Nadine!). I really, really enjoyed this book - once I was able to get into the first couple chapters I couldn't put it down. I loved how Emma grew as a person and how she and Knightley finally figured out they were it for each other. Knightley was the perfect hero for Emma. I also really loved the 83rd street community as a family, especially the Sunday Dinners. The nods to Jane Austen's Emma are subtle but there, but it really was a retelling of the Clueless story in a New York setting with an even better ending.

For me, one of the stars of this book was New York City - the character of the City really shone in this book and I felt like I was there myself, walking the streets around Central Park. Overall, a really fun and witty rom-com that will have you wanting to visit NYC ASAP.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Bellezza & Emily Harding is a fresh take on Jane Austin's Emma, set on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The premise alone had me hooked! And the book didn't disappoint. The authors have a fantastic style that drew me into the story from the very first page. An absolutely delightful romance!! Highly recommend!

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. Will recommend it to everyone.

This was great. There characters were enjoyable, felt like real life modern people, but also still very much resembled their Regency Era counterparts. Jane Austen fans will enjoy. I can't wait for the others. You know the authors are setting it up to do Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion in the future.

I devoured this and loved every minute of this. This is a fun, modern retelling of Jane Austen’s ‘Emma.’ The reveal at the end better mean there’s another book, because I’m anxiously waiting for it!

I’ll admit it. I’m a judgemental jerk who initially passed this book up because it had two authors. These two could never be disjointed. They know how to work together to create little moments that feel like magic and I will never judge two authors again. I am, as previously stated in other reviews, an idiot. This book was magic. The retelling of Emma with all the sweetness and so much spice. I mean you know how it ends and I was still on the edge of my seat for every damn minute of it. I can’t not wait for the next book. Read if you loved the Shonda’s take on the Bridgertons. It’s all the lust and longing with a contemporary backdrop. I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley, thank you to them. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such an entertaining read! I loved it so much, I didn’t want to put it down. The perfect mixture of Emma & Clueless IMO & a definite must-read!!

Thank you so much for the ARC NetGalley & Gallery Books!

📚 Emma of 83rd Street
✍ Audrey Bellezza
📖 Contemporary Romance/twist on a classic
⭐ 3.75/5
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
Pub. Date: 5.23.23
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🙏 Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a complementary e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
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💭 A new-aged, New York retelling of an Austen classic, Emma of 83rd Street is a fun twist on an OG original childhood friends-to-lovers trope.

Emma Woodhouse is well-bred, well-educated and well, bored. Currently getting her Masters in Art History from NYU in hopes of obtaining an uber competitive internship at the Met, Emma's world feels small; most of her friends have relocated abroad or across the country, her recently married sister has moved out of their family home on the Upper East Side and her weeks consist of little more than classes, shopping and weekly neighborhood Sunday dinners.

When an Ohio transplant classmate bumbles into her Photography class early in the semester in clear need of some New York magic, Emma takes it upon herself to introduce her to the best parts of her world. In her quest to find Nadine a perfect match, Emma endeavors into her own dating escapades- that always seem to lead back to her childhood best friend and neighbor, George Knightley. In the ultimate, will they or won't they, angsty pining, it's-always-been-you story, Emma and Knightly bicker and banter their way to the realization that love may be as close as your backyard.
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🎯 What I loved: The 83rd street community/found neighborhood family was an adorable adaptation of Austen's version. It truly did feel like a modern version of a romance classic with all the same emotional turmoil and loving monologues. It took me a while to get into the book but by about 60%, I couldn't put it down. The steamy scenes were well written (not something I usually note or comment on) and it didn't leave me feeling like anything from the original was missing.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: True to form, Emma spends a lot of the book party planning and engaging in high society social events. While I know this is a huge part of Austen's Emma, reading about the couture ensembles and the Woodhouse's immense privilege was tedious and obnoxious at times and I didn't find this Emma as endearing as the original. Toward the end of the book, I really loved the back and forth and conversation between Kingsley and Emma but I felt like we didn't get a lot of their deep friendship until then as they spent most of the book giving each other the silent treatment or arguing.
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Read if you love:
* Modern twists on classic novels
* Jane Austen
* childhood friends to lovers
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See also: Two Wrongs Make a Right, By Any Other Name, Roomies

A retelling of Jane's Austen classic, this book checked a lot of boxes for me! I really enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters, and I appreciated how nicely the ending tied up. While Emma herself wasn't necessarily my favorite, I was happy with her character arc and she did have a lot of redeeming qualities. Definitely recommend picking this up if you're looking for a fun twist on a classic, or just a quick, easy read!

EMMA OF 83RD STREET-Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding

Galley Books

ISBN:978-1-6680-0839-3

ISBN EBOOK: 978-1-6680-0840-9

May 23, 2023

Contemporary Romance



New York City- Present Day



Emma Woodhouse is beautiful, smart, and rich. She also believes that, after making one match with her sister, Margo, and Ben Knightley, she is an expert matchmaker. Emma is in graduate school for art history and when she encounters Nadine, a transplant from Ohio, she is determined to help her get her life in order no matter what Nadine wants. When her best friend, George Knightley, warns her about interfering in other people's lives, she ignores it, as Nadine needs her help, and George does not know what he is talking about.



George is the quintessential man next door-gorgeous, smart and caring. He is seven years older than Emma but his memories of her dogging his footsteps, and always being there as well to visits to the Woodhouse house are his happiest memories. When he starts noticing that Emma is a woman now and not the child he remembers he is thrown into a tailspin. Does he want Emma? If so, how will he deal with it?



EMMA OF 83rd STREET is a funny and well written retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. Although you do not need to have read Austen’s Emma to enjoy this book, but I for one thinks everyone should read Austen at some point in their lives. Nadine delivers some laugh out loud one- liners, George is hot in his judgments of Emma which the reader will agree with and Emma is confident no matter what is thrown at her. Readers will want her to grow up a bit more so that she deserves George. Readers will be frustrated, entertained and be rooting to see if George and Emma will get together.



A book I highly recommend, EMMA OF 83rd STREET is well worth reading.



Avis Yarbrough