I really enjoyed this Emma adaptation (and although I love Clueless, I don’t always love Emma adaptations because Emma can be very annoying). What I especially loved was the Emma’s scene in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and her thoughts on art. I loved the way the author used art to convey revelations and emotion. I also loved the New York setting! If you like slow-burn steamy Emma adaptations, definitely check this one out!

Both Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley have grown up in New York City's Upper East Side with wealthy families; Emma on 83rd St. and Knightley right behind her on 84th St. While growing up Emma always tagged along with Knightley, his brother Ben and her sister Margo even though they were a few years older than her. Now at 23 yrs old, Emma's life is at a crossroad. She is in her last year of grad school, her sister is getting married to Ben and all of her friends are currently traveling abroad and Emma is bored. When Emma meets Nadine Pittman, a first year grad student, her curiosity is piqued. Emma decides she wants to give Nadine a complete makeover and the two start to become good friends, even inviting her to their neighborhood Sunday dinner. Of course Knightley quickly realizes what Emma is doing.....he knows she is bored and is just looking for something to do. These two have spent their whole lives lecturing each other on what they do wrong. For the first time Knightley starts to see Emma in a different light and realizes that she is not that seven years younger little girl anymore.

As Emma is continuing through her life, things start to unravel and even Knightley starts to disappear from Emma's life. Once Emma finally decides what she really wants in her life, everything starts working out and she finally finds her happy ever after.

I just adored this friends to lovers romance. I really loved Knightley. He knew what he wanted, he just had to wait for Emma to realize the same thing and once she did, it was worth the wait. Emma was fun and lived I life I will never know. I loved all the mentions of the designers that she would wear. Seeing as I am from Ohio, I could see myself being Nadine with Emma helping me! LOL Overall this was a wonderful debut story from these two authors and I highly recommend reading it.

This was a delightful modern retelling of Emma by Jane Austen, with the titular character Emma Woodhouse as a wealthy Manhattanite pursuing a master’s degree in art history and an internship at the Met. She’s navigating adulthood and changing relationships with poise and the occasional mistake - but she’s never too proud to admit when she’s wrong. I enjoyed it soooooo much and it was such a fun read!

The Familiar Classic with a New Twist

Emma of 83rd Street is a balanced blend of Austen’s original, and an emerging pair of talented authors’ take on Emma. Someone familiar with the classic will see in the characters, settings, relationships, and plot a faithful retelling, but also a wholly up to the minute friends to lovers contemporary romance. It felt smooth and easy rather than forcibly cramming a classic into a modern like some retellings can.

This Emma Has Agency

The central figure and primary narrator is fashionable, confident Emma Woodhouse. She thinks she’s got it all going for her when the path of the story is one of growth and discovery. But, for all that, this Emma has agency and she’s bright. She might pick up and put down hobbies in rapid succession, but the girl got a 4.0 at university and has fast-tracked through grad school to her final two classes.

LOL Moments

This sparkling debut effort drew me through several pleasurable emotions. It stayed light but didn’t lack true feeling. Don’t miss wincing at Emma’s faux pas, laughing out loud many times, and smiling with immense satisfaction over weekly family dinner gatherings and annual Christmas parties at the Woodhouse residence with Emma, Knightley and their circle of friends and family.

Emma of 83rd Street is the perfect Emma re-retelling set in the Upper East Side.

If you loved the movie Clueless, Emma of 83rd would be the 2023 version. I loved how much this book kept to the original plot but just modernized it with the Upper East Side socialite. Also the fact that we get Knightley's point of view too!

This was such a fun, quick read and I just adored it! It had the great friends to lovers, such pining especially once they realized they loved each other and loved the little 21st century twists to this classic. If you're a fan of Emma I think you'll love this version!

And I'm hoping that Mr. Will Darcy gets a re-write by these two...

Emma of 83rd comes out tomorrow - May 23rd and you should read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC of this adorable book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a HUGE Jane Austen fan so sometimes retellings bother me a bit because they never quite succeeded in bringing Austen’s characters to the current time period. That was not an issue I had with this one.

This story was adorable. I could actually picture the houses and the people. It was witty one moment and had me in my feels the next.

Honestly it was perfection and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it!

Emma of 83rd Street is pure joy to read! Like the most successful modern-day Jane Austen retellings, authors Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding take a classic story and give it their own spin, marrying the original plot with a story that can stand and be enjoyed on its own.

Emma Woodhouse is handsome, clever, rich, and a delightful heroine. She is at a crossroads in this novel; having successfully matchmade her sister she’s now feeling a bit lonely. Her friends are abroad, her sister has her new life, and it’s just Emma, her father, and the handsome, vexing George Knightley. Knightley has been Emma’s neighbor and best friend her entire life, but now something is different between them. Something Emma can’t quite put a finger on. With everything changing around them, perhaps it’s time for both Emma and Knightley to see that what they both need has been right in front of them the whole time.

Oh, how I adore Emma and Knightley’s romance. Their chemistry is perfect from the start – even as the two of them fight it. They fit like lock and key and can weather any storm, whether it’s Knightley’s disapproval of how Emma initially takes Ohio transplant Nadine under her wing to Emma pushing back on Knightley’s lecturing and pointing out that he isn’t perfect either. Each has lessons to learn and a need to look beyond how they think things should be. Bellezza and Harding take the attraction between our hero and heroine from the classic and add some heat to it which only makes the story better. I loved every bit of the love story between Emma and Knightley; it makes me smile even to think about them together.

Central to Emma of 83rd Street are Emma’s relationships with her friends and family. Even though her friendship with Nadine begins almost like a project to cure Emma’s loneliness, they really do become wonderful friends. I loved seeing Nadine come into her own over the course of the story – she’s a character I wouldn’t mind following longer. Both Emma and Knightley have strong relationships with family and friends at work and home and it was a delight to see them interact with those closest to them. Bellezza and Harding also leave the door open for more stories set in the same universe and I couldn’t be more excited by the possibilities.

Emma of 83rd Street worked for me on every level. As an Emma retelling it was perfect, blending the classic story with new energy, creating and combining characters in a way that felt familiar and fresh all at once. As its own novel, it was a delight. Emma and Knightley aren’t perfect, but they’re perfect for each other and were just wonderful to read about. I loved this book from beginning to end and I cannot wait to revisit it!

This was such a delightful read! Loved that it was an updated version of Emma… it made me want to go back and read the original. The banter was fun and I really liked many of the characters. A perfect spring read!

DNF. I could not get into this book. It just wasn’t my style, but I’m sure many people will enjoy it.

This is the cutest best friends to lovers, romance I have read. It’s a slow burn, which is something that I am not a fan of, but it was done so well, these two authors did their thing. Emma is so amazing and so easy to love, and her best friend Kingsley, is seriously amazing. This book is SWOON worthy through and through.

Thanks NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This might be the best Jane Austen/Emma retelling I've ever read, and I don't say that lightly.

Quick bites:
- age gap
- slow burn
- NYC
- third person, but dual pov

Mr. Woodhouse was spot on to the original character. He was so funny, completely aloof, and so ridiculous. Every interaction with him was something to look forward to.

Bellezza and Harding understood the rules of writing a retelling which meant they also knew when and how to break them. I think this is illustrated well regarding Nadine and Emma's relationship. I usually see this relationship portrayed poorly or leaving me feeling a certain way. I think they killed it. They understood the original material well enough to take its spirit and rewrite that rather than the story beat for beat.

The romance had me in shambles!!! I love slow burn romances so this book was right up my alley. And when I say slow burn, I might right up to the end the characters are aching for each other and keep missing opportunities to profess their love for each other. But we still got a nice moment (momentsssss really) at the end that made everything worth it.

Overall, you should not skip over this book for any reason! It is an absolute delight (even if it does take place on the upper east rather than my beloved upper west) and I will be recommending to everyone I know.

Thanks to Gallery Books for the copy of this ARC!

A fun debut from Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding, Emma of 83rd Street is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. I thought it was an enjoyable and fresh take, and I loved the friendships, Upper East Side vibes, and watching Knightley finally come around. I will say I wasn't sure if I was going to continue at the beginning of the book, but I'm glad I did because the story got more interesting and unfolded well. If you love Clueless (also an Emma retelling) and an NYC setting, and enjoy contemporary romance, this book is for you.

Definitely consider the audio of this one: it's narrated by Brittany Pressley and Teddy Hamilton!

This is a modern day retelling of Jane Austen's Emma, and once I could get past that part in my head, it was charming. There was a lot of brand name dropping that I could have done without, and I am not sure how that flows back to Emma, so maybe I missed a super quirky part of the retelling.

Definitely readable, and I would choose to read more from this author.

3 1/2 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is the best slow burn angst filled friends to lovers I ever read. the slow burn was worth it, well written with character chemistry. The fun part is them figuring out they like the other throughout the book. I haven’t read Jane Austen’s Emma, so I don’t have anything to compare, but this book is worth a read.

Listen. I will read any Jane Austen telling published - it's just who I am. So, I was incredibly thankful to be gifted this eARC to read and review!

This Emma retelling takes place in modern Manhattan and is full of fashion, trendy NYC spots, and art. I felt this retelling was true to the original story, without being too on the nose - it still felt like its own story. You get Emma's own development and growth, with the slow-burn, yearning romance between her and Knightley.

For those that prefer closed door romances, there are a few steamy scenes at the end of the book - that seemingly come out of nowhere, compared to the rest of the book. Now, I really enjoyed them, but know that's not everyone's cup of tea and think some readers may be taken aback.

Overall, a fantastic retelling!

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

Publish date: May 23, 2023 💗
Rating: 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emma of 83rd street is a contemporary romance retelling of Emma by Jane Austen.
I haven’t read that one so I don’t have much input on it- but I did really enjoy this book! 😅💗

Emma is a beautiful, rich 23 year old woman living in Manhattan. When her sister, Margo, and their childhood friend and neighbor, Ben, fall in love and get married (after her foreshadowing) Emma is inspired and believes she is the ultimate match maker. That is until her sister moves out and she seems to be in a rut full of boredom. When a woman named Nadine makes to move from Oregon, Emma sees not only a new friend, but someone she can fix as if she were a project. After giving Nadine a facelift, so to speak, Emma attempts her match making skills again and convinces Nadine to let go of her disapproving boyfriend back in Oregon. George Knightley- Ben’s older brother- has a few thoughts about all of these actions/plans and makes it known to Emma. Which puts their lifelong friendship in a pickle.

I loved having the dual POV of both Emma and George and watching them realize their feelings for one another through the story.. although that took a while to get to. And when it did finally happen, whewww. The chemistry between them was undeniable from the start, but once those feelings were established it was the best. I loved the little bit of spice that was included. All in all, no complaints! Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books, and of course Audrey Bellezza for allowing me to read and review!

NYC grad school student Emma is beautiful and privileged—but she's lonely since her sister's marriage. Is it any wonder she relies on friend and neighbor George Knightley for company? Despite his lectures that she needs to be more careful and organized, he's the one person who seems to understand her. What happens when friendship turns to love?

I'm a sucker for a great contemporary Austen retelling, and this one is adorable. It's sensual and emotional, with engaging characters and a compelling plot. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Book Review: Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding

Emma of 83rd is a contemporary romance retelling of Emma by Jane Austin set in present day New York City.

Emma Woodhouse is a twenty-something woman of privilege living in New York City and working on a master’s in art history. She has a father that adores her, an older sister that is starting her new life as a married woman and she spends a lot of her time with her best friend and neighbor George Knightly. But, tensions between Emma and George start to ramp up as they both slowly realize that maybe they are more to each other than just friends.

Like the original source material (and the movie Clueless) Emma enjoys matchmaking and giving makeovers. When she meets Midwestern transplant Nadine in class she gets the chance to indulge in a little both. Knightly is immediately critical of her motives with Nadine and her recent to decision to switch to a career in the art world (after a lot of interests that went nowhere). As hurt feelings push Emma and Knightly apart an intriguing man moves in next door (Montgomery Knox) and Emma has romantic prospects of her own. The reader follows along as Knightly and Emma argue, make up and try to keep their relationship in the friend zone.

Emma of 83rd Street is a sweet and sexy homage to Jane Austen. There is a plucky young heroine with a big heart who is trying to find her way in the world without relying on her last name plus a swoony slow-burn romance. I was concerned that I wouldn’t enjoy Emma and that she’d come off entitled or out of touch but despite their wealth and status she and her family were surprisingly normal and relatable. The chemistry between Knightly and Emma jumps off the page and I just wanted them to admit their feelings and fall into bed but it’s well worth the wait when they finally get there.

I highly recommend Emma of 83rd Street to rom com, contemporary romance and Jane Austen fans and I look forward to more books by this new writing duo!

*I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC!*

Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors of all time, and I do love a good Austen adaptation. The synopsis of this novel immediately caught my eye, and I am happy to say that this was a lovely book! Emma is one of Austen’s novels that took longer to grow on me, but after multiple re-readings I now love it. This was a fantastic retelling of Emma in a modern New York setting.

I really liked that this adaptation was told from both Emma and Knightley’s perspectives. That gave it a little extra edge from the other retellings out there. It was very interesting to get to hear this story from the man’s perspective. I really enjoyed watching them both figure out their feelings for each other at their own separate paces.

I liked the fact that the only characters that kept their original names were Emma and George Knightley. It helped to make this story feel more like a new and unique story. I really liked the way that the authors adapted the side characters to make sense in a modern setting. I loved Nadine (the modern version of Harriet Smith), she was such a fun character. And I really liked that Emma’s sister played a larger role in this retelling than in the original work. It felt more true to our modern times than it would if Emma were closer to her governess (like in the original).

I enjoyed that they gave Emma a diverse set of interests, which helped paint her as somewhat flighty in the eyes of others. The fact that she was talented and smart, but also privileged and spoiled, while wishing to be taken seriously for her own achievements, gave some interesting layers to her character. I liked how much stock she took in what her friends and family thought of her, it made her more likable and realistic to me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this retelling! I liked how the epilogue left room for them to continue this as a series if they so choose. I hope they do, and that we get to see another Austen novel in a modern setting from these ladies soon!

My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I gave Emma of 83rd Street 4.5 Stars!

Emma Woodhouse and her sister have been best friends with the Knightleys since she was a little kid. As she gets older and family dynamics change, so does her relationship with a specific Knightley.

Emma is my favorite Austen novel. This retelling was true enough to the original with some obvious changes due to the contemporary New York City setting. I enjoyed Emma's journey and her self-discovery of her actions and behaviors and loved the banter between her and Knightley. I thought this was a great updated version!