I read this book in a day and I regret nothing.

MOST ARDENTLY is a wonderful Pride and Prejudice retelling where the main character is a trans man trying to find his place in the world.

I loved every second of this book, it had me on the edge of my seat for the whole day. Oliver is already such a special character to me because I can relate to his story so heavily. The absolute fear he has about coming out to his mom and not knowing how she will react is something I struggle with all the time. I fell in love with the way he sees the world and how he makes a place for himself.

I think my favorite part about this book is Oliver's relationships with those closest to him. His relationship with his sister Jane is so heartwarming. Her undying support and love for her brother are so near and dear to me. The only thing I loved more was the friendship - and ultimately relationship - between Oliver and Darcy. Making Darcy gay as opposed to just rude and indifferent to women was a stroke of genius. Seeing their interactions on both sides of the table was an interesting look at how sexuality and the forced conformity of their society impact how people interact. watching Oliver and Darcy grow in friendship and companionship was beautiful.

I absolutely devoured this book and loved every second of it. Maybe now I will find the motivation to read the original...

I received this eARC from Netgalley and Fiewel & Friends in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for providing a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The second I heard a description of Most Ardently, I had to read it. Pride & Prejudice, but gay Darcy and Oliver, a trans man, in the place of Elizabeth? I'm absolutely in.

I don't feel a need to summarize this one further, simply because most people know at least the basics of Pride & Prejudice. Content warnings abound misgendering/deadnaming/transphobia, but given the entire premise of Oliver's character, I expected that.

As much as the P&P retelling aspect was a HUGE part of the draw, a part of me wishes the plot had been given a bit more room to wander from the source material. There are places where the beats from the original felt forced into the story rather than feeling organic - which stands out when there are additions and places where the plot was tweaked to better fit the story. Maybe that's why the places where it wasn't felt off to me?

In spite of those moments, I truly enjoyed this version of the story and where it ultimately went. The acceptance Oliver finds among those who matter, and the comeuppance for those who would deny who he is with the ending tied everything into a very neat bow that some might call unrealistic, but I'm all for it. We need more stories of acceptance and understanding.

Trans joy and a retelling of an old favorite? Yes please.

4.25/5

I loved this book... Most Ardently.

This is the latest release in The Remixed Classics Series and it is my favorite so far. A re-imagining of Pride & Prejudice, Most Ardently, features the love story of Oliver Bennet & Mr. Darcy.

Readers, expect to meet all your beloved Austen characters in a fantastic new light!

Recommended for: readers looking for more queer & trans rep in their romance; clean romance readers

Content warning: dead naming & characters trying to enforce gender roles through nefarious means

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's essential I start by pointing out that I absolutely love all things Pride & Prejudice, so I was more than a little excited when I was approved for this arc. And Most Ardently was definitely well-worth that excitement!

The novel centers around Oliver, born Elizabeth. Changes to the story largely deal with this twist. There is a very clear note at the beginning offering warnings about the content for readers, which I appreciated. I can only speak as an ally, but I thought these changes and the content were handled well.

Honestly, my only issue comes from some confusion about the locations in the story. There seemed to be some changes made to the distance being traveled from Longbourn and other places that I'm not sure if I missed being addressed, but it took me out of things a couple times.

I loved the adaptation itself and enjoyed the small changes to the story, but I would be lying if I didn't say I wished it had changed just a bit more. Still, it's well-worth the read and I'll definitely be buying a physical copy to add to my collection!

I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Funny and poignant, deliciously true to the original text and yet wholly original in itself, this trans reimagining of Pride and Prejudice is beautiful and full of joy.

I knew I was going to love this book, but still entered with a touch of trepidation about how it would be executed. However, my fears were completely unfounded. Novoa’s thorough understanding of Austen’s wit and humanity shines through the difficult duty of such a radical departure from what we believe of the era. But, of course trans people existed in these spaces, and their journeys, though lost in time, are just as poignant.

Thank you for this heartwarming and affirming exploration of the heart! And thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

In what could be my favorite of this whole remixed classics so far, Most Ardently has stolen my heart. For the keen eyed reader, there are so many Easter Eggs to the original from our favorite movie moments, to book nods. Just like with many of the classics remixed series, there's an attention to detail and to having a conversation with the original. It's not just a copy paste. There's an attention to details, to the ways they would have their stories, loves, and possibilities for endings here. Most Ardently is swooning, charming, and heartfelt from beginning to end. It celebrates the individuals breaking convention and living their lives in this historical fiction time period. The marginalized folks who have always been there.

Thank you to Macmillan for the ARC and ALC of Most Ardently.

I am so happy that this book exists. The discussions around existing as a trans person are intimate and powerful. It was a fascinating take on the Pride and Prejudice story.

Unfortunately, this book was not *for me*, which is ok. Not all books have to be for me. As a reader, I love Pride and Prejudice, and I love my P&P retellings to be a little closer to the source material. While I have read retellings set in high school, it bothered me that these characters were aged down. In particular, Oliver referring to Darcy as “boy” really threw me off.

The narrator was well suited to narrated Oliver, Darcy, and Bingley, but when we had scenes with the female Bennetts I didn’t always agree with his choices. For example, he gave Lydia a lisp. And as a die hard Lydia supporter (and apologist - she was only 15!!), it just didn’t fit with how I characterize her.

Again, I think this is an important story that will connect with many readers. It’s a fresh take on the original, that explores many of the different societal expectations of men and women in this time period, and the legality of being a trans person at this time.

I look forward to reading other books by this author in the future.

I have been loving all the queer classic remixes being released. I have read many classics due to school and it’s so lovely to see these new versions of them. With that being said I’ll have to be honest and say I have never read Pride and Prejudice or watched any of the tv adaptations. So my knowledge is very limited to small clips I’ve seen now and then.

In my head this remix did the book well because the popular characters made their appearance. Plus, from what I know of the plot the plot lines are similar. So overall to me I felt like that aspect was done justice. Others who are familiar with the classic might have different opinions about that. For me having limited knowledge I was able to read the remix just fine and didn’t experience much confusion.

I had a few problems with how certain themes were handled. I don’t believe others really felt the same once I read the reviews so I won’t go deep into detail but I felt like the misogyny that occurred could’ve been handled better. I understand why it was there, that wasn’t the problem I just felt like it could’ve been handled better. The pacing with Oliver and Mr. Darcy felt rush I felt like there could’ve been a little bit more of their development.

Overall, I really did like this remix. Maybe this means I’ll finally read the classic since my interest is piqued. I think this will be a really popular remix that everyone can enjoy.

3.5 stars

You likely know, I read all things Pride and Prejudice-inspired. So as soon as I saw Most Ardently, I clicked “request” so fast your head would spin.

Most Ardently had a slight P&P twist. Elizabeth Bennett was actually Oliver, a trans boy, stuck in a girl’s body during a time frame where this wasn’t socially acceptable. I enjoyed Oliver’s friendship with Darcy, watching them both share longing looks and form a deeper relationship.

But Oliver did annoy me. His disdain towards Charlotte and ignorance of the realities of the life of women during that time in history was deplorable. It’s idealistic to say he would never pretend to be a woman and marry a man for security, he’d rather be a pauper, but that’s exceptionally classist. This boy has never had to work a day in his life, he wouldn’t survive in poverty. But noooo, he can judge Charlotte for choosing to marry for financial security.

Okay, I’m stepping off my soapbox.

I really loved the concept of Most Ardently, and I think Darcy’s portrayal was a great way to twist him into this narrative. I loved Oliver’s family—how supportive they all were. At the end of the day, this was a mostly cute P&P retelling.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the review copy.

All the comforts of Pride and Prejudice with new and better surprises. I LOVED this retelling and the gentleness with which it told Oliver's story. It is low trauma but retains the tension and yearning of the original.
A really beautiful trans story for teens and adults alike.

I *devoured* this queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice and it was the cause of my first cry of 2024 (although it was a happy cry). It comes out next week (1/16) and I think you should 100% grab it.

In this retelling, Darcy is a gay man and the second eldest Bennet sibling is Oliver, a trans man who wants with his whole being to be able to live and love as the man he is. Oliver and Darcy meet as themselves, but also when Oliver is being forced to act and dress like a woman. I think these truths help explain why Darcy is so cold to Oliver when he’s in his woman-costume. This book and Darcy/ Oliver’s journey to each other and their true selves was so so heartfelt and beautiful.

This is ya, so there isn’t spice, but I actually think the sweetness and lack of spice added to the romance set in the Regency period and a romance between two people who are having to pretend they aren’t who and what they are. It also paired down some of the original story to focus more on Oliver, which I appreciated. When Oliver is revealed to his family, they are accepting and for me I’m so glad. I don’t know that this acceptance would be historically accurate but I think trans people deserve this kind of happiness and I’m glad to see it on page. I DO wish we would have gotten more of Darcy and Oliver together or a longer epilogue that showed them years down the road, but that’s my only (minor) complaint. Overall I thought this was *stunning* and would definitely recommend it to you all

Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a wonderful warm hug!! As a Jane Austen fan, I absolutely adored this ‘remix’ of Pride & Prejudice! I loved how it followed Austen’s storyline, but I love what Novoa changed to fit Oliver’s story and didn’t follow to story exactly. Oliver Bennet has been hiding his identity from most of his family and acquaintances, except for a select few who know him and accept him as his true self as a trans boy. He has been given opportunities to dress as himself, and I loved his inner thoughts about how freeing it felt to be in clothing that he was most comfortable in. You can palpably feel Oliver’s stress when others were calling him by his deadname and insisting he find a compatible husband so he could fulfill his duty as a ‘wife.’ Oliver slowly begins sticking up for himself and his happiness more and more as the story goes on, and it was such a joy to see.

The interactions he had with Darcy had me smiling and clutching my chest!! Their slow burn was so delightful and precious. I could’ve kept reading more and more about them falling for one another.

I’m also very appreciative of the author’s note at the end giving a bit more details and information on the trans and queer community in Oliver’s time.

I'm tempted to tell younger readers that this is the original P&P, because this 'remix' was just SO sweet and so perfect and so fulfilling. I already loved Elizabeth Bennett for her backbone and Mr. Bennett for being the OG cool dad, but something about the unconditional, unquestioning support between Oliver and his father in this version made my heart grow three sizes today. And!! That's without even touching on the gentle, lighthearted 'reveal' moment between Oliver & Darcy that justtttttt about makes me want to punch something or maybe cry.

I haven't read any of the other Remixed Classics series—and frankly, I'm not much of a classics girly to begin with—but this book makes me want to add the rest to my list. I've already recommended it in the <2hrs it's been since I finished reading, and I will continue to recommend it more once it's actually on shelves.

THANK YOU to Feiwel & Friends and the Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read and review!!

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this novel.

I'm a big Pride and Prejudice fan - both the books and the movies/miniseries of the book. So I was pretty excited to start reading this, Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix, in which the main character of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett, is actually a transgender man, Oliver Blake. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I know it's a remix, but I think the plot points were pretty rushed and the characters, aside from Oliver, were underdeveloped, It just seemed like unless you filled in the characterizations with the non-remixed book characters, you kind of had no idea why anyone would act that way.

It did give me a glimpse into the queer community of that time, which I thought was very interesting and informative, I think people will really like it but unfortunately I didn't like it as much as I wanted to.

I loved this “remix” of a beloved favorite!
The author took the story and made it their own. It was not long and drawn out, but kept me enthralled and interested! I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author. I’ve been so impressed!

Most Ardently is a great retelling of Pride and Prejudice with trans representation. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this.

I loved this book. It's a retelling of Pride and Prejudice where Elizabeth Bennet is actually Oliver Bennet, the trans son who is struggling to navigate how to live an authentic life where he can actually be himself and make peace with the society around him.

I absolutely recommend this story to any Pride and Prejudice fan. It's a lovely slow burn enemies to lovers story of two queer boys trying to find their way in a world that is arrayed against them. A content warning applies: characters in the story deadname Oliver often and he experiences transphobia and body dysphoria frequently. But the narration and the ally characters always get it right. And I was happily surprised to find a varied queer cast of characters and supporters in a way that felt optimistic but right for the time period. So much love for Oliver's dad, Mr. Bennet, who has always supported his children. He gets the best dad award.

I loved seeing Oliver visit the secret cafe and encounter Darcy there where they shared their love of books and reading. This was an excellent story. Don't miss it!

This was an absolute perfect retelling of Pride and Prejudice! I wish I could articulate a well thought out review but all I’ve got is a “that was amazing! 0 notes!!”
I greatly appreciated that while Oliver is deadnamed and misgendered often, the author handled it with a level of care and protection for the reader. I also greatly appreciated that the narrative protected Oliver’s gender identity while his world was attacking it.
All in all this is my favorite of the remixes and I’m so thrilled we got a gay and trans Pride and Prejudice!

This book was so lovely!!

Most Ardently follows Oliver Bennett, the second-born child of the Bennett siblings, who was falsely assumed to be a girl at birth. Throughout the course of the book, we watch as he becomes increasingly confident in himself, tells off a bunch of silly men for giving bad proposals, and falls in love.

I felt like the twist of the original Pride and Prejudice worked so well in this context, and the way that Darcy is written especially made me like him so much more than in the original!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes Jane Austen's books were just a little bit more queer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing an advanced copy of this book.

I am always always always here for a P+P retelling, but this one had me extra excited.

I loved Oliver so much. He's hopeful and loyal and stronger than he thinks. Darcy is sweet and charming and a bit softer than the original version. I loved reading these two meet, become friends, and then more. Of course Jane is wonderful, but the shining star of supportive family is Mr. Bennet. (On the flip side, this Wickham is the absolute worst.)

Plot wise, it wonderful. Yes, there is the underlying threat of Oliver being outed, yet being in his head when he gets to be himself is filled with so much joy. There are several familiar plot points and dialogue and I ate them up. I couldn't get enough of this story and even with the perfect ending and epilogue, I really really really wanted more (because I'm greedy af.)

Overall, this was like putting on a brand new hoodie that's already comfortable to wear. I know I'll be reading it again and it's making my top 10 of 2024 list.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**