Pride and Modern Prejudiceby A.J. Michaels
Published by Dreamspinner Press
LGBT, contemporary, romance, retelling
What happens when Jane Austen's immortal characters are thrust into 21st century Pennsylvania, with an all-male twist?
Liam Bennet has always been a good judge of character, but when William Darcy is thrown into his social circle, everything spins out of control. Darcy is proud, cold, arrogant - and strangely captivating. When Liam's brother and Darcy's business partner start seeing each other, Liam cannot avoid this enigmatic businessman. But does he want to?
As Liam struggles to find his identity in college and acknowledge his feelings, he must deal with the fortunes of his four brothers, his gossiping mother, and the possibility of a large inheritance that could save his family from financial ruin. Emotions come to a boil when George Wickham, a world-weary musician, stumbles into town and ignites a feud with Darcy. He threatens to expose a long-hidden past, and Liam must decide for himself who William Darcy really is and what he really wants.
I love Pride and Prejudice and it seems I'm a fan of modern M/M retellings of it as I have now read few and liked them. Pride and Modern Prejudice is great retelling that stays true to the original and there isn't a lot that's changed, except the modernization and main setting in the USA (don't worry, there'll still be travelling to England and visiting Pemberley!) There are some twists to the story - and not just the male cast - that just made it surprising enough and captivating. For example, I really enjoyed how Georgiana had bigger and more surprising role in the story. There's also interesting take on Liam's grandfather's inheritance, which is promised to go to his first grandson who marries, and oh boy it's an interesting to see how everyone reacts to that. Still, some things remained same such as Collins being unbearable, which was very comforting.
I do think that part of Pride and Prejudice's charm is the setting and time period, which is absent on these modern retellings. However, I think Michaels managed to create such a strong connection to the characters - mainly to Liam Bennet - that I didn't find the story lacking despite the change of setting and time period. It was fascinating to see William Darcy and Charlie Bingley as business partners of a social media company and Liam and Charlotte as college students whereas Jamie had recently graduated from college and just starting his career. Even more fascinating and captivating was to follow Liam and Darcy's developing relationship. There's chemistry and it kept me turning the page faster and faster.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and it kept me captivated until the very end. My only complain about the story is how the sex scene took the fade to black and ignored the very next day route. I don't know whether the author just didn't want to include it or if it was done as a nod to the original, but it felt a little frustrating on a modernized story after a long slow burn romance. I love slow burn and I'm not completely mad of the exclusion of the sex scene, which is why it won't have an effect for my rating. I just want to mention it as the only disappointing aspect of the story.
I highly recommend Pride and Modern Prejudice for all those who love Pride and Prejudice and want to see a M/M twist on it. Or even if you have never read the original, I'd still recommend to pick this one up - who knows, maybe it might spark you to pick up the classic!
5 of 5 stars
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