This was absolutely adorable and such a delightful reimagining. Oliver and Darcy’s connection was silly, but intense and serious at the same time. I felt so deeply for Oliver as his mother and others called him by his deadname and constantly called him out for not being the “daughter” or “woman” that he was expected to be. It was rough but I appreciated the way that Novoa wrote Oliver’s journey overall. The author’s note at the very end on historical accuracy when it comes to queer and trans folks during that time period was chef’s kiss.

Most Ardently is a beautiful queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice, in which Oliver, not Elizabeth, is the protagonist and Darcy's love interest. I love Pride and Prejudice, and cannot believe this is the second (very different) queer retelling I got to read this year!! The book overall sticks pretty close to the original, with the expected villainy of Collins and Wickham, but some extra space given for Oliver to grapple with his identity and with how he chooses to reveal it to his loved ones. It felt a little simple for my taste, but I think it would be perfect for a younger audience closer in age to Oliver.

I am actually having so many emotions about this book. First of all, let me say that the Remixed Classics series is one of my all time favorite ideas. I love taking well known stories and asking: but what if it was queer? what if they weren’t white? what if they weren’t men? This is the third one I’ve read and it’s just as amazing as the others and makes me so excited to read every one in the series.

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice. The general idea of the story and the way I’ve seen people interact and react to it has always been interesting to me though and I loved another reimagining of the story, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I also love Gabe Cole Novoa’s writing in general, The Wicked Bargain is one of my top favorite reads so when I saw he was writing this and got approved for the ARC I was so pleased.

The thing that got to me the most, I think, was Oliver’s emotions and desires. The way he just wanted so badly to be himself and fought for it, even though it was so scary to do it. His relationship with Jane and his father got me a bit teary eyed more than once.

Each time Oliver came out, while not always intending to do so, I was braced for it to go horribly, but each time I was pleasantly surprised and reassured by the openness and pride that each character reacted with. I think between how society still reacts to trans people today and the way narratives for characters like Oliver usually go, I was expecting blatant and harsh transphobia. And while there was transphobia, for me the blows were softened by the acceptance of his sister, his father, and eventually Darcy and his mother. That being said, please still take care of yourself and know that there is still transphobia, homophobia, dysphoria, and misogyny that Oliver deals with throughout the book. Know what you can handle as a reader.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

This was a delightful read! I'm a huge Jane Austen fan, so I was very excited about this and it didn't let me down! Gabe does a great job of staying true to Austen's iconic characters while making some important changes to the plot. At some points I did wonder if this would have been stronger as its own thing rather than as a remix, but it is wonderful to see a classic reimagined with queer characters.

Elizabeth Bennet isn't really Elizabeth Bennet. Oliver is a boy forced to be a girl because of society who nonetheless finds time to dress as his true self on occasion. While snubbed by Darcy as Elizabeth, Oliver and Darcy hit it off, creating complications that threaten to upend the delicate balance of Oliver's life. How can he resign himself to marrying and pretending to be a girl forever when he's had a taste of romance?

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Oh this book! What a beautiful celebration of queer joy! It makes my heart so happy.

I love Pride & Prejudice and so I was incredibly excited to read this queer remix. I liked how iconic moments or lines were used here. They were either used in the same manner but with a different impact or they were repurposed to suit this narrative. It was fun to guess how it would all come together.

I love Oliver. I cried with him, I danced for joy with him, I celebrated his small victories, and I felt his pain. It's so hard to move through a world that cannot or will not see you as you know yourself to be. I'm nonbinary (they/them pronouns) and I was frequently misgendered while I devoured this book. It's incredibly important to tell these stories from the trans person's point of view.

All the supporting characters were brilliant, too. Mr. Bennet in particular made me cry and yearn and feel hopeful. Charlotte and Lu helped bring the queer culture to life. Wickham was his distasteful self and it was perfect. Even Collins was the right level of odious.

The romance between Darcy and Oliver was charming. It felt historically accurate and appropriate for their ages (Oliver is 17 and Darcy a few years old). Knowing the original story, you know it's inevitable but the author still managed to make me feel like it might *not* work out here. It's a skillful balancing act and it made the ending all the more poignant.

Gabe, thank you for writing such a moving, delightful story. It brought such a smile to my face even as I cried. I'm honored to have had the opportunity to read an advance copy. And you're completely right: we deserve romances that will sweep us off our feet.

I've already started recommending this to absolutely everyone!

A lovely twist on the story of pride and prejudice with refreshingly modern twist. Taking the original story and mixing in a trans storyline added a sense of urgency to this story that made it more enriching and engaging

This was delightful. Sweet and funny, a really fun retelling of a favorite book. While I think this version lacks the wit and quickness of Austen's writing, I don't actually expect many to live up to her. It's a modernly-structured YA take - as it should be, it's written for that audience - on a classic story that I think accomplishes what it sets out to very well. I devoured this book cover to cover the day I started it when I had actually intended to spread it out over a week.

This book made me cry in a Barnes and Noble cafe. Fully in public.

Well, I have a small confession to make. Pride & Prejudice isn't my favorite Jane Austen novel, however, I have read it 8-10 times, so I still felt a very strong urge to check this out when I saw it on Netgalley. Secondly, I absolutely adore the remixed classics from Feiwel and Friends. I think this is my fourth one that I have read and it is in contention to be my favorite.

In this remix LGBTQ+ remix of Pride & Prejudice we follow a transmasc Elizabeth who goes by Oliver. As he isn't out to his family yet, he is expected to wear dresses, dance with suitors and be an all-around perfect young lady. Also because he isn't out yet, he is deadnamed a lot. He meets Darcy at a dance and is immediately snubbed by the other man. The story generally follows the original until Oliver meets Darcy and the two strike up a friendship.
As they become closer, Oliver starts to realize that he has feelings for Darcy and... well you can imagine.

There were some really smart changes to the original plot and characters in this. I don't want to go into too much detail because I don't want to ruin the surprise for other readers, but if you have ever went, "I want Pride & Prejudice, but make it gay" this one is for you. It has some really beautiful and tender moments. Mr. Bennet is amazing in this. There are also some really hilarious moments in this too. If I hadn't been afraid of waking up my entire household I would have been cackling like a maniac at certain points.

Also, I can appreciate the research that the author did into the queer culture at the time. Yes, there was a queer culture. So these aspects come into play in this remix that obviously wouldn't have a place in the original. Some characters and plot lines were cut, but honestly, I'm not mad about it. I think Novoa was really smart with the changes and the edits made to make this so compulsively readable and charming.

Overall, I would recommend this for fans of Pride & Prejudice, historical queer romances, stories of manner, and of course people being true to themselves. It's a really quick read and is actually shorter than the original. Like I said, some things were cut, some things were added, but everything came together to create a story that is engaging and adorable. I have another novel by Novoa on my shelf, I just haven't gotten around to it, but this makes me feel like I should push it up the waitlist. Also, I hope that Feiwel and Friends continue the remix series for a long time. These remixes are always so much fun and generally enjoyable. Oh yeah, and Marlowe Lune's cover? *chef's kiss*

"In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This bittersweet Pride and Prejudice remix follows a trans boy yearning for the freedom to live openly, centering queerness in a well-known story of longing and subverting society's patriarchal and cisheteronormative expectations.

London, 1812. Oliver Bennet feels trapped. Not just by the endless corsets, petticoats and skirts he's forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society's expectations. The world - and the vast majority of his family and friends - think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone's wife.

But Oliver can't bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family's home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It's during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to "Elizabeth" at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart. And not to mention incredibly attractive.

As Oliver is able to spend more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares begin to hope that his dream of love and life as a man could be possible. But suitors are growing bolder - and even threatening - and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: Settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he's not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly, honestly his own."

I love this remix series but I adore Marlowe Lune's artwork even more. Every book that they have done the cover art for has a precious place on my bookshelves.

Obviously I love Jane Austen, so this was a no-brainer for me to read. And I'm so glad I did!
This was incredibly sweet, moving, and fresh. Retellings are such a delicate business, and can be so hit or miss, but this is a hit! And I'm not honestly sure I'd call it a "retelling", more of a reimagining. Some significant changes were made with regards to characters ages and the locations/geography. It's also much shorter than the original, so big edits to side stories and characters were made.
All that being said, the heart of the story is Oliver and his character development and his journey of coming out and being accepted. We are in his head for the whole book, and it really just shines a light on how incredibly important it is to be recognized for who you are and to be able to live your life as you see yourself. The way Oliver feels about his clothes, his name, and how he is perceived are so so so important. You feel his joy when he can dress as a man and his despair at ever being called a lady or "Elizabeth." I loved the way his relationship with Darcy developed, and it was just an interesting contrast with "Elizabeth" and Darcy.
Mr Collins and Wickham managed to be even worse in this version. But Mr Bennett was the real MVP. I absolutely loved how he embraced Oliver and supported him. Mrs Bennett at the very end had me both cackling and emotional.
I definitely would recommend this book, even if you're not a huge fan of classics.

4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced look at the book to review. All opinions are my own.

I ADORED THIS BOOK

First, lets start with the cover, illustrated by the incredible Marlowe Lune. Gorgeous, spectacular, amazing

The book itself is so lovely. Everything about the characters, romance, setting, all of it I loved. I have never managed to read all of Pride & Prejudice and now I see no reason to try as I loved this version so much. And as a queer history nerd I loved all the references to real historical queer culture and language.

I will say, is it unrealistic that all of his friends and family are supportive in this historical context? Yes, but honestly I needed some unrealistic trans joy. I really loved how this book handled historical transphobia without making this book angsty and giving all the characters happy endings

I am so excited to get my hands on a copy to add to my shelves

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This review does NOT contain spoilers!

What a stunning twist on a novel we know and cherish so deeply. Pride & Prejudice has long been beloved as one of the greatest romances of all time, so I deeply admire Gabe Cole Novoa for diving in head first to tackle this remix.
I will say this over and over again about every trans and queer story: these stories save lives. I am so thankful and overjoyed to get to read them. I hope novels like this fall into the hands of trans kids and give them hope and remind them they're not alone.

About the novel-- as someone who has re-watched and re-read Pride & Prejudice an absurd amount of times, this retelling absolutely holds its own! There is a wonderful balance of staying true to the original text and adding in new twists that recenter the plot to Oliver's story. There are a few moments where the language felt a bit more modern, but it was easily forgiven. At the very heart of it, this is the same story we love and I think fans will be more than satisfied.

This book was everything I ever wanted from a queer Pride and Prejudice retelling. Oliver’s story made me cry and laugh and kick my feet with giddy excitement.

Particularly, the depictions and descriptions surrounding the dysphoria was really impactful and enlightening to me as a cis woman. It gave me a deeper insight into those types of feelings and struggles. The romance was also so lovely.

The only reason this wasn’t 5 stars is because, like the original, some of the long descriptions regarding societal practices, particularly around courting, got a little repetitive in parts. Luckily, this story had enough fresh aspects that it didn’t really drag it down overall.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Most Ardently is such a refreshing take on a classic story. Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite classics so I was very happy to see that it was going to be part of the Remixed Classics series. I loved this so much! It's everything that I could have hoped for from a queer retelling of Pride & Prejudice. In this version, Elizabeth Bennet is a trans boy named Oliver. Throughout the book, we get to see him struggle to live as himself and the dysphoria he experiences from pretending to be Elizabeth. It is heart wrenching seeing him struggle, but the joy I felt when he finally gets to live as himself and the support that he gets from his loved ones is everything. I loved seeing Darcy and Oliver fall for each other. It made my heart so happy whenever I would read a scene with the two of them. I also liked how inherent queerness was to the story. Seeing queer people existing within a historical setting like this is a reminder of the reality that queer people have always existed throughout history. I liked all the changes that were made, but it also had a lot of the famous scenes from the original. I feel like whether you're a fan of Pride & Prejudice or not, you should definitely read this book!

Overall, this was a great queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice that celebrated trans joy. I loved that the main character was trans, and his character development was nuanced and rich. The characters were fun to get to know over the course of the book. My only wish was that it was a bit longer and the plot be a bit less rushed.

The latest installment of remixed classics is Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa. It’s an interesting read with the main characters being within the same age group and generation, which adds a different dynamic to them.

I have rarely meet a Pride and Prejudice retelling that I didn't adore on principal. This one was no exception. It was warm and funny and genuine in a way that was reminiscent of Jane Austen's original writing. Novoa understands the humor of Austen and uses that same dry perspective wonderfully. In the same way, Novoa presents Georgian queer identities with a sense of nuance and accuracy while offering the kindest options for characters therein. I had an absolute blast reading this in one setting.

Unfortunately, this just did not work for me. The dialogue felt stilted and awkward, the plot was incredibly unrealistic and anachronistic, and too much time was spent describing the most mundane of aspects of Regency life (as if the author was trying to prove they did their research). In the end, I think this was too much of a case of trying to pound a square peg into a round hole, with the structure of austin's plot intact but the heart and pathos completely lost.

I never got into any of the characters - Oliver (unlike Lizzie Bennet) had no realism or grounding in life. He spent too much time doing reckless or odd things that made it really hard to like him. His love interest in Darcy was boring and confused (very unlike the confident and well centered Austin character), and most of the other characters had similar issues. But more troubling was that this was so anachronistic - I've read many LGBTQ+ stories set in Regency England (e.G. K J Charles) who make it work. But the whole premise of Oliver getting to know Darcy by just 'hanging' with him and being invited to private clubs felt very unrealistic and too deus ex machina.

It isn't a terrible novel and the writing is not too bad. But there was just so much that didn't feel right that it was a disenfranchising read for me. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

I was provided with a digital ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is going to be such an important book for so many readers. While historically some of it doesn't seem very realistic, who cares? We deserve this. We deserve trans joy and acceptance, especially in the current climate. It can be hard for a Pride & Prejudice retelling to stand out in a sea of adaptations, but this story does an excellent job of not only preserving the romance and the essential characteristics of the original characters, but expanding them into a new story with new scenes alongside old recontextualized ones.

While Oliver experiences a lof of crushing dysphoria and misgendering throughout the book that may be hard to stomach for some readers, the euphoria of being himself and finding happiness despite everything balances it all out nicely and makes for an overall heart-warming, cozy romantic story.

As soon as I saw this remix of Pride and Prejudice I wanted to read it. I was very curious on what the author would do with the story and fit all the classic Pride and Prejudice storylines together. Novoa, the author, maintained the most important aspects of the original storyline while carving out a new story for "Oliver aka Lizzie". However, I couldn't give the story more than 3 stars because it would have been a fuller story to have more of Darcy's input on his feelings towards Oliver and their relationship in the long term. He mentioned his fear about his position in society only once, then never again, but proceed to support Oliver in his declaration. Overall it's an enjoyable story.