I requested this book ten years ago, and am no longer interested in reading. Thank you for the opportunity.

I really enjoyed reading this book! This book is based on Jane Austen’s Emma and Rebecca Jamison has done a great job with it. The plot is fun and moves right along. I especially like the characters, quirky Emma is a really fun main character and it’s really fun to be able to see her life through her own eyes. Especially when she’s causing blunder after blunder! I really enjoyed the ending though where Emma learns exactly what she’s been wanting for her own life. You don’t want to miss this book!

Pure fun. If you are a fan of Jane Austen retellings or cute LDS rom coms, add this one to your TBR list pronto. I really enjoyed reading this book—and when I heard it was coming out, I JUMPED at the chance to review it.

Emma is not my favorite Jane Austen book—and probably my least favorite Jane Austen character (though Fanny from Mansfield Park would run a close second…)—but Rebecca Jamison did a fantastic job of staying true to Austen’s characters, while giving Emma believable motivation for meddling in other people’s lives. This Emma was so dang likeable--even while I want to shake her and tell her to stop putting her nose into everyone else’s business--because she genuinely cared for other people and wanted to do the right thing.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I read Emma: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca Jamison. I love Jane Austen and have found very few modern retellings of her stories that I've liked. This one is a retelling of her story, Emma, and it has an LDS angle to it, which was fun.

We meet Emma who wants to be a life coach, but until she's certified, she just works on a new girl that's moved into the neighborhood to be a nanny. Harriet has lost weight and moved to a new place and needs friends and help overcoming her insecurity. Emma tries to "help" her get a makeover and make a love connection, but that goes badly. Her sister's brother-in-law Justin is the voice of reason, even though Emma doesn't appreciate it at times. I think Justin was my favorite character out of all of them. There's one scene where they are decorating a Christmas tree together with the little girl that Harriet is the nanny to, and Justin was so sweet with her I could totally envision it and sighed at how awesome it was.

Of course the story was predictable because it follows Jane Austen's storyline quite well. At times the characters came across a bit flat, but that could be because it wasn't an original story per se. The LDS angle did provide some flair in the activities and plot and I was entertained. This was a light-hearted afternoon read.

Review * Guest Post * Giveaway


Tour Schedule

Book Description:

NOT Looking for Love: Single woman (23) seeks best friend to chat on the phone, shop the clearance racks, watch chick flicks, try out messy cooking projects, and eat Dove dark chocolates.

Emma isn’t so good at the whole life-coaching thing. Her first client ended up with a broken heart and is threatening to relapse in her bad habits. Now Emma has problems of her own to deal with, and all those problems start with one name: Justin.

Justin is her best friend, so it’s hard for Emma not to feel betrayed when she suspects he is falling for her childhood rival. And she knows she’s losing him despite her best efforts. No matter how much she tries, she keeps running up against obstacles. How is she supposed to help other people when she’s drowning in her own failures?

Fans of Jane Austen’s Emma will love this modern retelling of the classic romance novel. Fall in love with Emma’s latter-day tale of redemption, forgiveness, and the quest for true love.

Review:

I typically prefer books where the main character is likeable early on. Don't get me wrong, I like a good character transformation, but there's just something about being able to root for someone from the get-go.

That in mind, Emma isn't my favorite Austen story, what with Emma's cluelessness and somewhat selfish actions. HOWEVER, Jamison's modern re-telling of Austen's story is good because even if you are put off by some of Emma's actions initially, you know that she will transform for the better.

Emma's personality transformation includes quite a bit of entertainment with some quirky supporting characters and laugh out loud situations. By the end, Emma is quite likeable, and the romance that comes together is great! There's even a touching moment that brought tears to my eyes.

Emma: A Latter-day Tale is well-written LDS fiction with a good message about self worth and forgiveness.

If you are looking for a light and fun read (especially if you enjoy Austen's Emma), don't miss Emma: A Latter-day Tale.