Most Ardently was a charming retelling of Pride and Prejudice. It was such an endearing read, and the writing was both easy to follow and beautifully done.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was such a great read! ive read a few of these remix stories and this was one of my favorites

More like a 3.5 but I'm rounding up. I really enjoyed this 'Pride and Prejudice' retelling, with Elizabeth being a trans boy named Oliver and trying to live as his true self in an unaccepting society. It got a bit angsty at times, but I enjoyed the changes the author made with Wickham trying to court "Elizabeth" and Charlotte being a lesbian. You can tell he's a fan of the movie with Keira Knightley though (with the rain scene being included in it's own capacity) and I'm not, so that kinda took me out. I also got whiplash from how much of the plot is crammed into the last 25% of the book, with distances between places being a foreign concept. I did enjoy the audiobook for the most part, but the lisping for all the dialogue of Oliver's sisters made me cringe. Overall though an interesting retelling with an HEA for the queer couple, which is always something I'm happy about.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the review copy of this audiobook, all opinions are my own.

Most Ardently is a fresh, creative take on Pride and Prejudice, turning the beloved classic into a story about finding love and freedom as your true self. Set in 1812 London, Oliver Bennet feels trapped—his family sees him as Elizabeth, but inside, he’s Oliver, a young man longing to live authentically. Navigating society’s rigid expectations is difficult, but everything changes when Oliver sneaks out in men’s clothing and meets Darcy. Beneath Darcy’s grumpy exterior, Oliver finds a kind, thoughtful person who seems to see him for who he really is. But as suitors close in and his family pushes for marriage, Oliver faces a tough choice: live a life of security but pretend to be someone he’s not, or risk it all for the chance to live—and love—authentically.

At first, I struggled to get into the story, since Elizabeth Bennet is one of my all-time favorite characters. But as it veered away from the original plot, it started to shine. The chemistry between Oliver and Darcy is electric, and the relationships Oliver has with Jane and his father are so moving. While it’s a bit unrealistic and cheesy at times, I loved that it gave queer teens a “happily ever after” without added suffering or struggle.

Unlike many retellings that just tweak the setting or characters, Most Ardently truly reimagines the story, with Darcy as a queer man who defies society’s expectations and Oliver as a trans man living a double life. The historical context adds depth, exploring queer identity in a time when it was almost unheard of. Seeing Oliver surrounded by acceptance and love makes this retelling a celebration of queer and trans joy. It’s a heartfelt, clever spin on a classic story that left me smiling and genuinely surprised—definitely one of the better retellings I’ve read.

You know I cannot imagine how hard it must be to put your own spin on such a well known piece of writing but you wouldn’t know it was hard from this book. This seemed to be so effortlessly with the way the characters just fit so perfectly and the emotion that it invokes. I can not put into words how much I enjoyed this book my top fav retelling and I think i love it more than the original!

A perfect retelling of Pride and Prejudice that leaves room for new twists and ultimately, an original spin that fans of P+P will highly enjoy. It follows a similar narrative as the original text but focuses on a trans main character who lives a double life hiding his true identity from his family. While the romance felt a bit subpar, the family drama plus Oliver's journey of celebrating his trans identity kept me engaged and the ending felt satisfying that leaves readers with a positive message. I haven't been exposed to Harrison Knights' narration and yet, I enjoyed his he outstandingly narrated various characters. Will check out his other narrations in the near future.

What a great Pride and Prejudice gender bending remix! Pride and Prejudice has been redone so many times, but this was such a refreshing take on it while sticking very close to the source material. I haven't read Gabe Cole Novoa before, but after reading this it makes me want to try more of their work. When trans man, Oliver, who everyone keeps referring to Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy, he finds himself both irritated and intrigued by Mr. Darcy. However, as Oliver and Darcy get closer they both are keeping secrets from each other and keeping each other at arm's length while desiring to have a closer connection. I had a good time watching their relationship develop and Oliver stand firmly in his identity. I had a really good time and could see myself revisiting this.

I cannot properly express how much I love this book. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Jane Austen book. This retelling did it amazing justice. It fit the vibe perfectly. Oliver was such a great character and I adored his father. Darcy is a sweetheart. They are just perfect for each other. I loved Charlotte too. The writing was so beautiful. I cannot wait to read more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

I love Pride and Prejudice retellings and this one was quite well done. It's always so interesting to read how (the author decides) one change can trickle down and change so many other things. The narrator was quite good, though I disliked the lisp they gave Lydia.

A lovely Pride and Prejudice retelling, that I thoroughly enjoyed. The way the author connected the main character's trans identity with the inheritance story line was a stroke of genius, and Mr Bennet's love and acceptance of Oliver was just wonderful. Almost made me cry twice.

OMG, "Most Ardently" by Gabe Cole Novoa is such a cool retelling of "Pride & Prejudice"! This version stars a trans Bennet (Oliver), a queer Darcy, and Charlotte, giving the story a fresh, modern vibe. Novoa totally nails the original Austen feel while adding meaningful queer history from that time.

Set in 1812 London, we follow Oliver Bennet, who’s stuck pretending to be a girl named Elizabeth. When he sneaks out dressed as a guy, he meets Darcy. Darcy seems rude at first but is actually super sweet and smart. Their romance is seriously cute and heartwarming.

I usually find retellings a bit meh, but this one is different. Novoa keeps the original characters’ essence and tackles social issues relevant to Oliver. Despite all the transphobia and homophobia, Oliver’s family is super supportive, just like Elizabeth Bennet’s. It’s a nice change from stories that only focus on trauma.

The historical details are on point, showing there was a queer community even back then. The author’s note at the end gives great context too. Novoa’s writing is beautiful, and the pacing is perfect, making you root for Oliver and Darcy’s relationship.

"Most Ardently" stays true to "Pride and Prejudice" while bringing something new and exciting. The queer and trans joy in the story is just amazing. If you love retellings or just want a fresh take on a classic, you gotta read this!

If this could have been the real version of Pride and Prejudice I would have been happy. I do sometimes dislike Remix of retelling, but that choice was good. I could feel the pure happiness of the characters and at the same time the one from the author.

I was so in the regency period that the story went at the perfect time for me. I could feel the idea of having Elisabeth Bennett becoming the real him. This was a good way to chance a storyline without making hard to follow up.

This is a sweet and charming one time read for me! I loved this take on pride and prejudice and put it in the "healing" category of queer YA romance.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘰𝘢

𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved certain aspects and found others quite lacking. This retelling turned Pride and Prejudice on its head in that it featured Oliver Bennet, a trans boy, as he dares to live his truth despite maternal and societal expectations. I loved how he was able to be himself around Jane and Charlotte. Let’s be real, Mr Bennett was already endeared to me based on Donald Sutherland’s performance, but hearing his acceptance of Oliver in this version had me emotional. I just could not get over how validating that was, especially with Oliver not knowing how his mother would feel about him not being “Elizabeth.” I thought that Mr Collin and Charlotte felt very natural in how their relationship was integrated. Her trying to secure some safety and allow space for her to still be with the woman that she loves. Mr Wickham however I did not get at all. You’re telling me that this man found the idea of Oliver not being Elizabeth was so abhorrent to him that he wanted to blackmail him into marrying him? I don’t get it. Maybe it’s sadism or idk what, but it felt less natural than if there was truly a backstory with him and Darcy. Also, the general lack of charisma before revealing his true colors kind of made him fall flat as a character for me. Oliver and Darcy’s relationship felt like instalove, and just not realistic. You mean to tell me that these people kissed and he doesn’t recognize Oliver with their hair up as Elizabeth?? No hat does that much. I don’t know, I feel like Darcy was a cardboard cutout of himself, and lacked backstory. So while I think this book did a good job of showcasing trans joy, it could have been so much better with a bit or reworking and more character development.

𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘧
↳you want to experience gender euphoria
↳you liked Persuasion with Dakota Johnson
↳you want something that is utterly bingeable

I absolutely adored this retelling of P&P! Oliver is such a wonderful character, and experiencing this journey to love and self actualization alongside him was an utter delight. Gabe Cole Novoa is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me, and this book was no exception to the wonderful canon of trans literature he is creating.

➡Trans Rights Readathon

➡The Diverse Baseline

August Prompt C: A retelling or re-imagining by a BIPOC author

I don't generally like retellings. I notoriously don't like P&P retellings. I adored this. I go back and forth with this rendition of Darcy, but Oliver is so baby boy. Tiny little cinnamon roll that deserves all the love in the world. Collins, Wickham, and Lydia can GTFO. Mr. Bennet always stays. Surprisingly, Mrs. Bennet grew on me. Read this for trans joy. Read this for acceptance. Read this because it's cute.

If you're looking the a book that's the embodiement of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice hand flex, look no further than Most Ardently. A trans reimagining of P&P that follows a young trans boy who yearns for the freedom to live his life out in the open. I love updating a traditional 18th century story with the intersection of trans and queer identities. The Remix series continues to delight me with each updated story.

I am a little disappointed on how bland this book turned out to be. There were so many chances to take risks or play with the original material. Instead, it missed the original themes/struggles and didn't invite anything new or significant to the work. It was cozy at best.

Enjoyed this one! It made me really excited to read the authors other work. I’m a fan of the OG work so this was really a fresh look at the story. Oliver being a strong support system was so great! I loved the discussion of transphobia and homophobia as it is quite relevant and it has great discourse. I would hope many queer readers would feel seen by this book. The writing and pacing was well done! The authors note really clarified some points for me so don’t miss that! Overall a great one that I hope to revisit. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.