Most Ardently is a queer YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth Bennet is now Oliver Bennet a trans man living in 1800’s England and under constant pressure from his mother to marry a respectable man. Oliver’s mother and most of his family don’t know that Oliver is trans and only contribute to the angst and emotional upset felt by Oliver every day.
This is an accelerated version of P&P that zips along as a very quick read. I really enjoyed this book. I love how the author combined the comforting feel of the original book that we all know and love with the trans experience. I really enjoyed Oliver as a character and his developing relationship with Darcy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this book. I’m giving it 4 stars and will absolutely recommend this book on my social media closer to the publication date.

Okay, so I freaking love Pride and Prejudice. And I am obsessed with the cover of this book. And I'm a huge advocate for queer representation. So I had extremely high hopes. And this book DID NOT disappoint. I was engaged through out the entirety of this book. Even though I knew generally how it would go, I couldn't help turning the pages, desperate to read what would happen next. The original Pride and Prejudice characters hold such a special place in my heart that I was scared these characters wouldn't live up to them, but they were so well written. Oliver Bennet was well rounded and lovely. Darcy was just as soft and warm and beautifully misunderstood. The other characters did seem to fall away a bit in this book, and as much as I adore them and would have loved to see them more robustly present on the page, the emphasis of this book was on the internal growth of the main couple and this book would have had to be 5 times as long to dive into the complicated relationships Oliver would have had to navigate if we focused on the side characters. So it didn't really bother me. All around this was a great read. The language in this book is also so much more accessible that Austen's original work so I feel like I can get my friends to finally get the story of Pride and Prejudice. So I love that.

This was everything I could have asked for in a Pride and Prejudice retelling. I’ve always loved the romance of that era but never get to see media in that time period about queer people like myself. Although I knew the general story of Pride and Prejudice, this story still kept me on the edge of my seat with each roadblock that Oliver hit throughout the plot. Will definitely be handselling this to customers.

I loved this book so much. Funny, moving, and such a well done Pride and Prejudice retelling. Can't wait to start recommending it to students in the library.

Review of Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa

Projected Release Date: January 16, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me access to an eARC of this incredible book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gabe Cole Novoa’s novel, Most Ardently is a most enjoyable reimagining of Jane Austen’s beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice. In this version, the second eldest Bennet child is named Oliver Bennet and his mother’s goal for him to act as “Elizabeth” at social gatherings and one day become a wife. Oliver isn’t entirely sure what his life will look like in the future, but he knows he doesn’t want to one day become a wife. In this story, Oliver meets Mr. Darcy twice. Once during a ball while he’s pretending to be someone else and another time when he’s dressed as himself. They hit it off the second time and become friends with major chemistry. They even end up meeting by chance at a secret bar for queer folk. As Oliver spends more time not just with Mr. Darcy, but as himself in this gorgeous secret society, he begins to wonder if he doesn’t have to become a wife…if he can just exist as himself.

I love that readers get most of the beats of the original novel but they’re edited to make more sense. For example, Jane’s shyness is still taken for aloofness, but in addition to trying to mend Jane’s love life, one of the big problems that Oliver faces is the threat of being outed.

One thing I love about this book is the reactions of family members. His dad’s reaction was my favorite of them all. I loved the way that queerness is handled in this book in general. You get the understandable stories of some of Oliver’s friends who stay in the closet and don’t take any risks which is valid. But you also get Oliver’s story. There’s something very hopeful about the way the story goes. And I love the note that Novoa leaves for readers saying that it would be nice if this could be someone’s real story, but we’ll never really know because it’s the past. We do know that queer people have always existed and that’s why I personally have such a soft spot for queer historical fiction. Anyway, I loved the ending.

Check out Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa on January 16, 2024!

5 out of 5 stars.

"Most Ardently" presents a fresh and remixed take on the beloved classic, "Pride and Prejudice." This reinterpretation, aimed at young adult readers, successfully blends the elegance of the Regency era with a modern and accessible language, making it a delightful read.

I would give this book a rating of 4 to 4.5 stars. It falls into the category of "regency lite," offering a balance between the historical setting and contemporary language. However, it's important to note that the authors took some creative liberties with specific canon events from "Pride and Prejudice," which may surprise readers familiar with the original story.

One of the standout aspects of "Most Ardently" is its unique perspective. The story offers a captivating glimpse into a transmasculine perspective, with Darcy now portrayed as Oliver (Elizabeth). This refreshing take on a well-known love story adds depth and diversity to the narrative. While there are minor inaccuracies in terms of locations and historical details, the story is well-crafted and thought out.

What truly shines in this book is its theme of trans acceptance and success. Oliver's internal struggles and trauma are sensitively portrayed, and the overarching message of acceptance and support is heartwarming. It's a story that resonates with the importance of embracing one's true self and finding love and understanding in the process.

Additionally, "Most Ardently" introduces readers to lesser-known aspects of the Regency era, such as Molly Houses, providing valuable historical insights. The inclusion of a brief explanation of queerness in the Regency era is informative, but the addition of a discussion question section at the end of the book could have enhanced its value for educators.

In conclusion, "Most Ardently" is a unique and engaging reinterpretation of a classic tale, offering a fresh perspective on love, acceptance, and the complexities of identity. It successfully navigates the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, making it a recommended read for young adults. While it may have some minor deviations from the original canon, it serves as an important exploration of themes relevant to today's society.

Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book, so I was very excited to hear this announced. I thought this was a cute, important book that is heavily focused on the closeted trans experience. I think it is successfully aimed at its YA audience as well. Unfortunately, I felt that some of the characterizations and the pacing was off. Darcy’s first proposal to Oliver, who is dressed as Elizabeth, was over three quarters of the way into the book! There’s so much that gets crammed into the last quarter of the book. We also see a cartoonishly evil Wickham, who colludes with a surprising character to bully Oliver.

Overall, I think this will be a hit with the intended audience and I loved the representation of queer people on Regency England.

Firstly, I’d like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author for allowing me the pleasure of reading this as an ARC. As someone who was never sold on the original Pride and Prejudice I was extremely excited to read a queer retelling. I enjoyed this, most ardently. Seeing this time period through Oliver’s eyes and getting a glimpse of what it would have been like to be him was captivating. As far as retellings go, I preferred it over the original and only wish there could have been more to the story!

After reading a few other Remixed classic retellings, I knew I wanted to read this one. A queer Pride and Prejudice, obviously give it to me. I enjoyed my time with Most Ardently; a quick and very cute read indeed! I wish it had been a bit longer just so I could read more about certain couples.

This was just okay for me. I was looking forward to the premise - I'll read just about any Austen retelling - but somehow it fell flat. I never connected to the characters, especially Oliver, and overall feel pretty "meh" about it. I still think it's a fun and important premise, and will hopefully draw more readers to Austen's work, but I won't be readily recommending it to my students.

The cover is to DIE for, though!

Pride and Prejudice but gay. What more can the world ask for? This is phenomenal. Reading these remixes has healed the inner teenager and shown me that even the classics that are idolized can be relatable as well.

3*

I was beyond hyped for a queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice, and though this book blew me away in some aspects, there were others that I found incredibly disappointing and, from reading other reviews, I don't think I'm alone.

Let's start with the good: Novoa entered a Herculean task by rewritting P&P and they did it with queer aplomb. Trans characters need to be more prevalent in literature, they deserve wonderful, happy endings and Darcy's acceptance of Oliver was a joy to read. I also loved that Mrs Bennett was open and accepting of Oliver by the end of the book.

The not so good: I felt that Oliver's issue with misogyny was not because it was bad, but because he wasn't a woman. I hated the ending for Charlotte, who Oliver very quickly seemed to forget about, and I wish that there had been some additional queer love there. Finally, the pacing of the book wasn't quite right and sometimes this made it difficult just to read through.

I was very, very excited to have a chance to read this ARC- the premise is directly relevant to my interests, and I've read other titles in the "Remixed Classics" series that I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, this book fell very flat for me. For reference, I am not coming at this review from a historical accuracy angle but instead a YA story angle. As a youth services librarian, I am on the lookout for upcoming YA books with good queer rep.

The biggest issue that I had was the way Oliver being trans was expressed through the narrative. There is a LOT of trans pain in this story, with Oliver constantly reminding himself and the audience how his family/acquaintances/society as a whole will never accept him as he is. While this is a real concern for trans people, especially in this era, the amount of times it is mentioned felt excessive. Additionally, Oliver is completely set on living as himself, and doesn't seem to understand why his friends Charlotte and Lu would accept marrying men to keep themselves safe and cared for. During an argument with Charlotte, who is supposedly Oliver's dearest friend but feels more like a convenient plot device, Oliver essentially tells her that he is not content with living a lie. This implies that the way Charlotte is living is a lie, when in reality her situation is how many queer people in history kept themselves safe. With Oliver's insistence on coming out and his constant reminders about his situation, he read as a very flat character to me. Trans people are more than their transness, but the reader learns very little about Oliver's interests and dreams beyond being seen as a man by others.

The other characters in this book also did not compel me very much. Oliver's father is immediately supportive in a way that felt almost too perfect, and the same thing happened with Oliver's mother at the very end of the book. As mentioned, Lu and Charlotte feel more like plot devices than Oliver's friends. They seem to be there for Oliver to have a safe place to change and to show the sort of life Oliver can't bear to live. At the end of the story there is no mention of them, even though Charlotte is married to Collins, who is in a plot to forcibly out Oliver. Other character interactions feel unrealistic- instead of microaggressions that pile up on Oliver, there are blatant comments pointing out Oliver's femininity that never seem to get pointed at actual female characters.

The romance between Oliver and Darcy is very different from the original, which I thought did this retelling a disservice. In this story, Darcy's dislike for "Elizabeth" seems to stem from either misogyny or the fact that he's gay (it's never really explained). As soon as he's interacting with Oliver dressed as a boy, he's quiet but kind. To me, this diminishes a lot of what is compelling about their relationship in the original story.

Overall, I wouldn't have minded a retelling of Pride and Prejudice that changed up some of the plot details the way "Most Ardently" did. I appreciated how the author included historical details like molly houses, and I could feel that there was care put into this story. However, I just couldn't enjoy how this felt like a contemporary trans story where the main character feels like they MUST come out, just set in the Regency era. While coming out stories reflect real experiences, queer people do not HAVE to come out to everyone they know to still live authentically and wholly as themselves, and I wish this story had carried some of that nuance.

TLDR: A reader in want of a good book and a heart-warming tale will find what they seek.

Retellings can be hit and miss. I admit as a P&P fangirl I was a little cautious going into this story at first. I've read a few P&P retellings over the years, as well as essays and analyses into Austen. The social commentary and nuanced balance between the characters can sometimes be lost when thrown into a new universe, but I was really pleasantly surprised to see how well it translated here. I admit, there was a moment early on that felt like I stumbled on a crack in the sidewalk and I feared that this retelling wouldn't keep the pride and prejudice in the pride and prejudice retelling. Darcy seemed to soften too quickly for the slowburn I was first expecting. However, the changes this book takes on from the original inspiration really make sense for the plot, for the characters, and for the social commentary it tackles. It's very impressive how the spirit of P&P is still here.

P&P analysis aside, gosh. Oh the feels. Oh my heart. Tears shed. Heart warmed. Love sought and found. This is such an affirming and lovingly handled tale. I really appreciate the author's warning about the potential triggers, and really really appreciated how the narration never wavered on the MC's identity, even if the society within the book's pages had to still catch up.

I cried a lot at the acceptance the MC (eventually) found. Just a warm hug around my heart. Crying remembering it now that I'm writing a review. Just 10/10 beautiful.

Also that cover? We need to give the cover artist an award, truly. Absolutely stunning.

First, absolutely grateful to have been gifted this ARC for an honest review by the publishing house, authors, and Netgalley.

Most Ardently is a “remixed” version of Pride and Prejudice, and I think remixed is the operative word. Usually when I read a retelling, I love seeing how the authors fit their change within the established canon, in Most Ardently, while the canon was left mostly intact, specific canon events were changed- which is fine but unexpected.

First off, I’d give this story 4-4.5 stars. For a YA book it fits the perfect register of regency lite, with quite a bit modern and simple language. The authors got some parts of Pride and Prejudice incorrect, such as the locations (they were not in London but in Sheffield I believe but in this story the Bennett’s lived in London). Other than that I felt the story was incredibly well thought out and such an amazing look into a transmasc perspective, especially within such a popular love story as Darcy and Oliver (Elizabeth). I would recommend this to my students and would teach it if America were more tolerant.

One thing I love about the story is that it is one of Trans acceptance and success. While we see Oliver’s internalized turmoil and trauma, ultimately everyone accepts him, which is wonderful to see. I felt this was an incredible novel that took inspiration from P&P and highlighted a great many aspects of the Regency era I did not know, such as Molly Houses. There was a helpful explanation of queerness in the Regency era but I would have loved a discussion question section at the back to really aid in educators use of the book.

I adored this book. What a gift it was to read this as a trans Austen fan. I thought this stayed true enough to the source material while also changing a lot to give it a new, fresh pacing and story. It was impossible to put down.

"Most Ardently" by Gabe Cole Novoa is a delightful and emotional reimagining of Regency Era England through the eyes of Oliver, a trans man and second eldest Bennet child. The book is a heartfelt exploration of identity, love, and societal norms. Novoa's storytelling is both engaging and poignant, making it easy to root for Oliver as he embraces his true self and finds love and acceptance in unexpected places, particularly with Darcy.

The novel skillfully weaves heavy themes with moments of levity. I especially enjoyed the snippets of queer history such as the secret coffee houses for queer individuals which add depth to the historical backdrop. Comparing it to "Pride and Prejudice" offers a unique perspective; some aspects even outshine the original, in my personal opinion.

While I yearned for more character development and a longer narrative, "Most Ardently" left me craving more from this captivating world and talented author. It's a must-read for those seeking a fresh take on a classic tale.

Most Ardently was a good retelling with a super introduction to queer characters and inclusion in the story. The story and characters were solid. The plot was well paced. Overall, a nice read.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

Nice and very original reboot of Pride and Prejudice ! As a parent of a transgender teen, I appreciated the authenticity of the dysphoria presented throughout the novel. I liked the representation offered up in a classic tale. I would gladly suggest this to students if I didn’t live in such a hateful state full of book banning and retribution against allied teachers and staff. Please keep writing with stories and characters like this. They are absolutely necessary.

Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix is a fantasticly queer contribution to the canon of Pride & Prejudice retellings. I appreciated how specifically this spoke to a young adult audience and how affirming it is for our trans main character despite how transphobic this time period was. The author's note is essential for understanding the intent and potential impact of the story and serves as an important content/trigger warning for folks, as our main character is deadnamed by most of the main cast of characters for a very large portion of the story, and only comes out to the majority of his family and close friends at the conclusion of the narrative. I would recommend this to those who are looking for retellings that stay extremely close to the original narrative while also introducing queer and marginalized characters.