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Imperfect Bliss
This hilarious satire of genteel family life features the misadventures that ensue when a reality TV show comes to town looking for its next star.
Meet the Harcourts of Chevy Chase, Maryland. A respectable middle-class, middle-aged, mixed-race couple, Harold and Forsythia have four eminently marriageable daughters—or so their mother believes. Forsythia named her girls after Windsor royals in the hopes that one day each would find her true prince. But princes are far from the mind of their second-born daughter, Elizabeth (AKA Bliss), who, in the aftermath of a messy divorce, has moved back home and thrown herself into earning her PhD.
All that changes when a Bachelorette -style reality television show called The Virgin takes Bliss’s younger sister Diana as its star. Though she fights it at first, Bliss can’t help but be drawn into the romantic drama that ensues, forcing her to reconsider everything she thought she knew about love, her family, and herself.
Fresh and engaging, Imperfect Bliss is a wickedly funny take on the ways that courtship and love have changed—even as they’ve stayed the same.
Meet the Harcourts of Chevy Chase, Maryland. A respectable middle-class, middle-aged, mixed-race couple, Harold and Forsythia have four eminently marriageable daughters—or so their mother believes. Forsythia named her girls after Windsor royals in the hopes that one day each would find her true prince. But princes are far from the mind of their second-born daughter, Elizabeth (AKA Bliss), who, in the aftermath of a messy divorce, has moved back home and thrown herself into earning her PhD.
All that changes when a Bachelorette -style reality television show called The Virgin takes Bliss’s younger sister Diana as its star. Though she fights it at first, Bliss can’t help but be drawn into the romantic drama that ensues, forcing her to reconsider everything she thought she knew about love, her family, and herself.
Fresh and engaging, Imperfect Bliss is a wickedly funny take on the ways that courtship and love have changed—even as they’ve stayed the same.
304 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
July 11, 2016
Imperfect Bliss is an interesting edition to the Austen-inspired collection. Set in suburban Washington D.C., this contemporary, chick-lit follows Bliss Harcourt, a divorced mother and graduate student, on her path of rediscovery. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are very recognizable in Harold and Forsynthia Harcourt, a British professor of the history of science and a Jamaican-born Anglophile. Jane Bennet has transformed into Victoria Harcourt a thirty-five year-old librarian, who can't seem to love any man. The two younger Harcourts, Diana and Charlotte, are a mish-mash of the three youngest Bennets, clamoring for attention in all the wrong ways, including being the star of a reality-TV show reminiscent of The Bachelorette and a sex-tape scandal.
What really intrigued me about this book was the fact that the Harcourt family dynamic was the center of the plot, not the romance between Bliss (Elizabeth) and Dario (the Latino TV director, Darcy). In fact Dario was such a flat and uninteresting character, I really didn't want Bliss to end up with him at all. I would have been much happier with Bliss realizing that she could be happy without a man after all three of the happily-ever-after potentials (ex-husband, dashing older professor, and Wickham character) turned out to be duds. The romantic aspect of the novel just seemed so forced and slapped on to the end that I was left feeling completely unsatisfied, especially after all of Bliss's feminist, politically correct, and self-actualized leanings in the book, especially when dealing with her mother and younger sisters as well as the lessons she tries to instill in her four year-old daughter, who reminds me of the little girl from Hope Floats.
So while the handling of the Bennet/Harocurt family dynamic was intriguing, the half-hearted attempt at romance left me feeling cold.
What really intrigued me about this book was the fact that the Harcourt family dynamic was the center of the plot, not the romance between Bliss (Elizabeth) and Dario (the Latino TV director, Darcy). In fact Dario was such a flat and uninteresting character, I really didn't want Bliss to end up with him at all. I would have been much happier with Bliss realizing that she could be happy without a man after all three of the happily-ever-after potentials (ex-husband, dashing older professor, and Wickham character) turned out to be duds. The romantic aspect of the novel just seemed so forced and slapped on to the end that I was left feeling completely unsatisfied, especially after all of Bliss's feminist, politically correct, and self-actualized leanings in the book, especially when dealing with her mother and younger sisters as well as the lessons she tries to instill in her four year-old daughter, who reminds me of the little girl from Hope Floats.
So while the handling of the Bennet/Harocurt family dynamic was intriguing, the half-hearted attempt at romance left me feeling cold.
July 5, 2012
It's been a few days since I finished Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill. Reflecting back on the read, I have just one question to ask myself - why did I keep reading?
Now, I do want to say that Imperfect Bliss is not necessarily.. well it's.. okay, it was kind of like a bit of a train-wreck, and the amusement outweighed the annoyance and that's the only reason I was able to keep going. The premise behind Imperfect Bliss was that it was a modern-day Pride and Prejudice meets The Bachelorette; however, I hate re-tellings of Jane Austen's works and I really can't stand The Bachelorette so I'm not sure what I was doing picking this book up.
Instead of something like a woman stringing a bunch of men along with the idea to marry one - oh wait, that's exactly what was going on in this book! The show that Bliss's younger sister stars in is called "The Virgin," and you can guess what exactly that means. I'm not sure if Bliss was intended to be Elizabeth or Jane - because Bliss's sister, Victoria, had me majorly confused - which worked well because she was pretty darn confused as well.
I think, had the book been a bit less of a train-wreck, and less modeled on Jane Austen's classic, that Imperfect Bliss could have been a great tool to put some messages out there. Susan Fales-Hill tackles sexuality, single motherhood, the unrealistic ideas behind reality shows and more - but she does it in such a way that it feels as if there is a flurry of activity happening and not all of it is believable.
Still, I have to admit I was amused, or I would not have finished the book. It was a light, fluffy afternoon read that had me laughing out loud more than once.
Now, I do want to say that Imperfect Bliss is not necessarily.. well it's.. okay, it was kind of like a bit of a train-wreck, and the amusement outweighed the annoyance and that's the only reason I was able to keep going. The premise behind Imperfect Bliss was that it was a modern-day Pride and Prejudice meets The Bachelorette; however, I hate re-tellings of Jane Austen's works and I really can't stand The Bachelorette so I'm not sure what I was doing picking this book up.
Instead of something like a woman stringing a bunch of men along with the idea to marry one - oh wait, that's exactly what was going on in this book! The show that Bliss's younger sister stars in is called "The Virgin," and you can guess what exactly that means. I'm not sure if Bliss was intended to be Elizabeth or Jane - because Bliss's sister, Victoria, had me majorly confused - which worked well because she was pretty darn confused as well.
I think, had the book been a bit less of a train-wreck, and less modeled on Jane Austen's classic, that Imperfect Bliss could have been a great tool to put some messages out there. Susan Fales-Hill tackles sexuality, single motherhood, the unrealistic ideas behind reality shows and more - but she does it in such a way that it feels as if there is a flurry of activity happening and not all of it is believable.
Still, I have to admit I was amused, or I would not have finished the book. It was a light, fluffy afternoon read that had me laughing out loud more than once.
June 3, 2012
With the Queen's Jubilee and the 2012 Summer Olympics all over the news, it seems fitting to read a novel about the Harcourt family. Even though Forsythia, the matriarch, is of Jamaican heritage, she is in love with all things British. She and her husband, Harold (who is actually British), have four daughters, all named after a member of the royal Windsor family and it is Forsythia's wish to have them each married off to their perfect prince. Victoria, the oldest, has just ended yet another engagement. Charlotte, the youngest (and most promiscuous) has no interest in settling down. Diana, the daughter most likely to do her mother proud, has managed to capitalize on her virginity by agreeing to appear in a reality show that will end in her marriage and deflowering.
Elizabeth, also known as Bliss, has deeply disappointed her mother by, not only marrying a Cuban man, but is forced to move back home with her young daughter after a messy divorce. Her desire to get her life back together, earn her PhD, and get out of her family's home is made more complicated by the arrival of the reality show production and the different effects it has on everyone's lives.
Imperfect Bliss is a smart, funny look at many things, including pop culture, academia, and love. This is a great addition to any summer reading list.
Elizabeth, also known as Bliss, has deeply disappointed her mother by, not only marrying a Cuban man, but is forced to move back home with her young daughter after a messy divorce. Her desire to get her life back together, earn her PhD, and get out of her family's home is made more complicated by the arrival of the reality show production and the different effects it has on everyone's lives.
Imperfect Bliss is a smart, funny look at many things, including pop culture, academia, and love. This is a great addition to any summer reading list.
September 14, 2016
Whoah. Maybe to read this after 'Lonesome Doves' was a big mistake
September 5, 2012
I couldn't help but enjoy the writing in this book. It was humorous, smart and sophisticated. What it didn't quite do was make a great story. Leaving aside the plot, by itself the writing was stellar, if you can imagine such a thing. All things being equal this should have been a book I absolutely enjoyed and closed with a smile. However somewhere along the way the story didn't quite deliver for me.
Elizabeth "Bliss" Harcourt is a mess. She'd divorced, working toward her doctorate, raising a daughter with a handicap and has had to move back home to live with her parents. Her father Harold is ok. He is a wit who often mutters dry asides, but he's rather removed, often shielded by his newspapers. Her mother, Forsythia, otoh is a ..Character...said with the 'C' capitalized and the whole word italicized. Bliss calls Forsythia a "striver". In other words she a social climber. She's named all her daughters after queens. She is obsessed with appearances and manners. She wants them to marry well (and wealthily) as much for themselves as to show up her neighbors and frenemies. She's bummed that at least one of them didn't catch the eye of Prince William instead of "Waity" Katie Middleton. So yeah, Forsythia is a Character.
Bliss has three other sisters. Victoria, Charlotte and Diana. Diana is her younger sister whose casting as the main character in a reality tv show drives much of the over-the-top plot. Diana is the star of a new show called 'The Virgin' a bachelor/ette type show where the winner gets to break the hymen. Yes. It is as tacky as it sounds. And although Forsythia should be appalled, she's not. She's over the moon. Diana is being courted by wealthy suitors and is a bona-fide (reality) tv star. And she's an actual virgin, she has a doctor's note that says so.
Despite herself, Bliss gets caught up in the reality show craziness. While Diana is fending off suitors, Bliss is attracted to both Wyatt, the host of the show and Dario, the show's producer. But she is also still trying to deal with the pain of her recent divorce. The book is told from her perspective and we get to see Bliss change from the somewhat neurotic new divorcee to a woman who comes to peace herself and her life.
Most descriptions you see will call this book a cross between Pride and Prejudice and the Bachelor. These would not be wrong. But it is almost as if the author took both of those premises and amped them up on crack and zipped them into a chick-lit little black dress.
And therein lies my biggest problems with the book. First is the parody of a reality show. No matter how heinous or over exaggerated you try to get with a reality tv show parody, the problem is that IRL there is at least one show that is just as over the top if not more so. Reality tv isn't great for parody because it is already quite appalling enough.
And secondly, is the nod to P&P. Generally speaking I tend to shy away from homages or retellings or "borrowed" characters. Especially when I am very familiar with the source material. I tend to over-think too much about the parallels. If the lines are too solidly there I get disappointed because it feels like thinly disguised fan-fiction. If the lines are too vague I tend to be pre-occupied with spotting the similarities. For instance I found Bliss to be a bit disappointing as a Lizzy Bennet cognate. Who is Diana supposed to be? Mary? Kitty? And Dario, I've met Mr. Darcy, you sir are no Darcy.
But I let myself get swayed by this one because of the added element of the racial factor. I was struck by the idea of a interracial family and a group of biracial daughters re-cast as the modern day Bennets. A race/class intersect is always very inviting to me in fiction. I wondered what added layer of texture that would bring to the story. What social commentary or insights would be gleaned?
As it turned out, very little. As a matter of fact I found myself wondering how a personality like Harold Harcourt and a personality like Forsythia Harcourt connected? He is white and British. She is black and Jamaican. But their differences are much deeper than skin color. In an historical novel with arranged and dynastic marriages, it is easy to understand how a stolid Mr. Bennet could end up with (and stay married to) a flighty, frivolous creature like Mrs. Bennet. But that type of marriage doesn't quite work for the modern day.
Outside of the parents, race plays a very small role. In some ways this is good. I usually like my books not to dwell on racial matters while stil being racially diverse. However I thought the idea of that being an aspect of the 'comedy of manners' to be intriguing.
All in all this is frothy, funny chick lit. It didn't 100% work for me but it was interesting while I was reading it.
This review is based on a free copy of the book I recevied as a member of the Amazon Vine program.
Elizabeth "Bliss" Harcourt is a mess. She'd divorced, working toward her doctorate, raising a daughter with a handicap and has had to move back home to live with her parents. Her father Harold is ok. He is a wit who often mutters dry asides, but he's rather removed, often shielded by his newspapers. Her mother, Forsythia, otoh is a ..Character...said with the 'C' capitalized and the whole word italicized. Bliss calls Forsythia a "striver". In other words she a social climber. She's named all her daughters after queens. She is obsessed with appearances and manners. She wants them to marry well (and wealthily) as much for themselves as to show up her neighbors and frenemies. She's bummed that at least one of them didn't catch the eye of Prince William instead of "Waity" Katie Middleton. So yeah, Forsythia is a Character.
Bliss has three other sisters. Victoria, Charlotte and Diana. Diana is her younger sister whose casting as the main character in a reality tv show drives much of the over-the-top plot. Diana is the star of a new show called 'The Virgin' a bachelor/ette type show where the winner gets to break the hymen. Yes. It is as tacky as it sounds. And although Forsythia should be appalled, she's not. She's over the moon. Diana is being courted by wealthy suitors and is a bona-fide (reality) tv star. And she's an actual virgin, she has a doctor's note that says so.
Despite herself, Bliss gets caught up in the reality show craziness. While Diana is fending off suitors, Bliss is attracted to both Wyatt, the host of the show and Dario, the show's producer. But she is also still trying to deal with the pain of her recent divorce. The book is told from her perspective and we get to see Bliss change from the somewhat neurotic new divorcee to a woman who comes to peace herself and her life.
Most descriptions you see will call this book a cross between Pride and Prejudice and the Bachelor. These would not be wrong. But it is almost as if the author took both of those premises and amped them up on crack and zipped them into a chick-lit little black dress.
And therein lies my biggest problems with the book. First is the parody of a reality show. No matter how heinous or over exaggerated you try to get with a reality tv show parody, the problem is that IRL there is at least one show that is just as over the top if not more so. Reality tv isn't great for parody because it is already quite appalling enough.
And secondly, is the nod to P&P. Generally speaking I tend to shy away from homages or retellings or "borrowed" characters. Especially when I am very familiar with the source material. I tend to over-think too much about the parallels. If the lines are too solidly there I get disappointed because it feels like thinly disguised fan-fiction. If the lines are too vague I tend to be pre-occupied with spotting the similarities. For instance I found Bliss to be a bit disappointing as a Lizzy Bennet cognate. Who is Diana supposed to be? Mary? Kitty? And Dario, I've met Mr. Darcy, you sir are no Darcy.
But I let myself get swayed by this one because of the added element of the racial factor. I was struck by the idea of a interracial family and a group of biracial daughters re-cast as the modern day Bennets. A race/class intersect is always very inviting to me in fiction. I wondered what added layer of texture that would bring to the story. What social commentary or insights would be gleaned?
As it turned out, very little. As a matter of fact I found myself wondering how a personality like Harold Harcourt and a personality like Forsythia Harcourt connected? He is white and British. She is black and Jamaican. But their differences are much deeper than skin color. In an historical novel with arranged and dynastic marriages, it is easy to understand how a stolid Mr. Bennet could end up with (and stay married to) a flighty, frivolous creature like Mrs. Bennet. But that type of marriage doesn't quite work for the modern day.
Outside of the parents, race plays a very small role. In some ways this is good. I usually like my books not to dwell on racial matters while stil being racially diverse. However I thought the idea of that being an aspect of the 'comedy of manners' to be intriguing.
All in all this is frothy, funny chick lit. It didn't 100% work for me but it was interesting while I was reading it.
This review is based on a free copy of the book I recevied as a member of the Amazon Vine program.
July 8, 2012
Bliss Harcourt is a divorced mother of a child with special needs who has returned to live in the craziness that is her parent’s home. Bliss is working for a fellowship in History and trying to get back on her feet after her husband left her. Her life revolves around Bella, her precocious four year old daughter who wear “baby bifocals” and a brace on her leg.
The Harcourt home is headed by her professor father Harold and her Jamaica born mother Forsythia, who idolizes the British royal family and is big on social niceties (picture an African American version of Hyacinth Buckett from the British comedy series). There are three other daughters, Victoria, a serial engagement breaker; Charlotte, a flighty teenager, and Diana. Diana is picked to be the star of a new reality series called The Virgin and brings a new group of TV people into the mix. We meet Wyatt who is the charming host of the series and Dario, the hunky producer/director. There is also an interesting character called Punch who is most likely female and is a gofer for the execs.
Bliss hits it off with Wyatt from the beginning and is antagonized by Dario. The fact that Bella quickly bonds with Dario who looks like her daddy, does not endear him to Bliss. The ensuing chaos is amusing including the three would be suitors for The Virgin and the horrendous hymen phrases that run through the production. Dario is portrayed as a player by the others but seems genuinely fond of Bella and more level headed than the rest of the program staff.
I will read anything that is based on an Austen novel and this one is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice with some obvious similarities and some glaring differences. Bliss is like Elizabeth in judging Dario by his resemblance to her ex-husband and not seeing the good in him. As Elizabeth does, she goes through a process of self-examination and realizes that she has contributed to Bella’s strained relationship with her father and to the breakdown of her marriage. The rest of her family is perfectly awful in most cases and their bad behavior is alternately funny and appalling. As in the original, her sister Victoria is the only one with any sense and she is pretty messed up in her own way. All in all, it is a cute story with a ridiculous premise that works and keeps your interest until the last page.
The Harcourt home is headed by her professor father Harold and her Jamaica born mother Forsythia, who idolizes the British royal family and is big on social niceties (picture an African American version of Hyacinth Buckett from the British comedy series). There are three other daughters, Victoria, a serial engagement breaker; Charlotte, a flighty teenager, and Diana. Diana is picked to be the star of a new reality series called The Virgin and brings a new group of TV people into the mix. We meet Wyatt who is the charming host of the series and Dario, the hunky producer/director. There is also an interesting character called Punch who is most likely female and is a gofer for the execs.
Bliss hits it off with Wyatt from the beginning and is antagonized by Dario. The fact that Bella quickly bonds with Dario who looks like her daddy, does not endear him to Bliss. The ensuing chaos is amusing including the three would be suitors for The Virgin and the horrendous hymen phrases that run through the production. Dario is portrayed as a player by the others but seems genuinely fond of Bella and more level headed than the rest of the program staff.
I will read anything that is based on an Austen novel and this one is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice with some obvious similarities and some glaring differences. Bliss is like Elizabeth in judging Dario by his resemblance to her ex-husband and not seeing the good in him. As Elizabeth does, she goes through a process of self-examination and realizes that she has contributed to Bella’s strained relationship with her father and to the breakdown of her marriage. The rest of her family is perfectly awful in most cases and their bad behavior is alternately funny and appalling. As in the original, her sister Victoria is the only one with any sense and she is pretty messed up in her own way. All in all, it is a cute story with a ridiculous premise that works and keeps your interest until the last page.
August 13, 2012
Loosely based on a modern day pride and prejudice... This book was funny, and I definitely was entertained the whole time. Bliss finds herself recently and unwillingly divorced and back in her parent's house with her young daughter. If this weren't hard enough, one of her younger sisters has been selected to star in a reality show where the "Virgin" selects her husband. There are moments of over-the-top reality crass-ness and it's definitely on purpose and not glorified. Bliss must protect her daughter from this scene, come to terms with her new-found situation and figure out her future, and reconcile with her family- not an easy task.
This isn't your usual chick-lit where the author uses simple sentences and words, you can tell that the Susan Fales-Hill is quite smart, and even willing to make fun of cheesy american reality shows. I nearly gave this a four-star review, because it was pretty humorous, but I don't think it quite hit that mark. I was confused at times as to who was supposed to be Elizabeth Bennett, and thought the story-line with the older sister as a little bit distracting. I may have liked this a bit more if I hadn't been thinking Pride and Prejudice most of the time.
This isn't your usual chick-lit where the author uses simple sentences and words, you can tell that the Susan Fales-Hill is quite smart, and even willing to make fun of cheesy american reality shows. I nearly gave this a four-star review, because it was pretty humorous, but I don't think it quite hit that mark. I was confused at times as to who was supposed to be Elizabeth Bennett, and thought the story-line with the older sister as a little bit distracting. I may have liked this a bit more if I hadn't been thinking Pride and Prejudice most of the time.
October 9, 2012
Susan Fales-Hill's "Imperfect Bliss" is a story of a family swept into a fairy tale when one daughter is chosen for a reality show called The Virgin. As Diana flirts onscreen to find her perfect husband, her sister Bliss struggles to get her newly divorced self together, and keep her 4-year-old daughter away from the camera lenses. Their mother is 100% behind the TV show that will choose her son-in-law, though their father thinks it a bit tasteless. Their mom Forsythia is already mad at sister Victoria because she broke off her engagement, and the youngest sister Charlotte, well, she's a bit too flirty for her own good.
The main story is with Bliss, raising daughter Bella in her parent's house after the divorce. She tries deperately to move on with her life, but is still stuck on her cheating ex-husband. Celebate for way to long, will she chose the right man from those around her?
This was a fun read that really came alive as I read it. There were a few instances where the writing was a teeny bit stiff, but the story and characters great. It puts a new spin on reality TV, and I won't soon forget the Harcourt family.
The main story is with Bliss, raising daughter Bella in her parent's house after the divorce. She tries deperately to move on with her life, but is still stuck on her cheating ex-husband. Celebate for way to long, will she chose the right man from those around her?
This was a fun read that really came alive as I read it. There were a few instances where the writing was a teeny bit stiff, but the story and characters great. It puts a new spin on reality TV, and I won't soon forget the Harcourt family.
August 27, 2013
More like 3.5 stars...however, I rounded up because as whacky and quirky as the characters and storyline were it was a very engaging and entertaining read. Many folks have compared it to Pride and Prejudice and said their is no comparison and that this is a weak, unflattering imitation. Well, I read Pride and Prejudice 40 years ago so there is no reference or comparison for me as I don't remember the storyline (guess it wasn't that great a read for me) and I'm not interested in rereading it...so this storyline/plot was 'fresh' for me. It was an irreverent, spoofy, comical look at reality TV and all its drama...while I don't enjoy or watch reality TV shows I did like it as the backdrop for Imperfect Bliss. Although I must admit the story seemed to be more about Diana than Bliss. Good read for a lazy, summer day. If you like chick-lit reads with black characters you might enjoy this book.
July 5, 2012
This has to be one of the most boring books I have ever read. The cover art reminded me of an ancient painting on pottery and the book took me forever to read.I felt ancient from forcing myself to finish this book. I had to force myself to restart it again & again and continue reading it.
The plot had potential and might have been entertaining if handled differently by the author.
Pride & Prejudice combining with a modern day reality TV program could have been an amazing book.
I was so disappointed. The book moved slowly,but it was humorous. The plot was goofy and "over the top".
I would never recommend this book to anyone.
The plot had potential and might have been entertaining if handled differently by the author.
Pride & Prejudice combining with a modern day reality TV program could have been an amazing book.
I was so disappointed. The book moved slowly,but it was humorous. The plot was goofy and "over the top".
I would never recommend this book to anyone.
July 22, 2012
This is one of those books that pose a conundrum. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. This leaves me with a problem as to what to do with it....do I pass it on, or dispose of it? Overall, it was a pretty darn stupid book, and the whole situation was unreal, and even juvenile at times. I get what the author was trying to do, but I don't think it worked. That said, there was some humor and it wasn't a total fail....as I did like Bliss and some aspects of the story. Unfortunately, most of the other characters lacked dimension, and the whole premise didn't work for me.
January 14, 2013
I'm not going to lie...this one was a struggle to get thru. In fact, I found this to be much like the classic 'Pride & Prejudice' but featuring a lot of drama, very little wit and a lot of over-the-top reality TV. This all leads to an imperfect book. Bliss Harcourt is a recently divorced, independent woman who has moved back home with her parents all the while raising a daughter. When one of her sisters gets chosen to star in her own reality show Bliss finds it easy to get caught up in the chaos. While there were parts I laughed out loud...this book missed the target.
July 21, 2012
couldn't finish it. I've gotten to the that I will not waste time finishing books I hate. And this qualifies. A tv show called"the virgin"? Really?
Also, if I hadn't known this was Austen fan fic or whatever, I never would have seen the parallels to P & P.
This gets a solid 'meh'.
Also, if I hadn't known this was Austen fan fic or whatever, I never would have seen the parallels to P & P.
This gets a solid 'meh'.
July 12, 2012
“***Please do not read this review if you want to read it, spoilers***
This review is from an ARC for Kindle from NetGalley, courtesy of Simon and Schuster.
Meet Bliss Harcourt, of the Harcourt family of suburban Maryland. In her 30's and divorced, she's living at home again, working on her Masters, and taking care of her sweet, smart and very mildly handicapped daughter, Bella. Her mother, Forsythia, is the Jamaican version of Hyacinth Bucket (of the Brit com, Keeping Up Appearances), her father Harold, the long suffering Richard Bucket (A Bristish citizen). Their four beautiful daughters, Charlotte, Diana, Elizabeth (Bliss) and Victoria, are all currently single, and this panics their social climbing mother, who is obsessed, with, well, keeping up appearances.
Bliss is the main character in this novel, the story is told, mostly, through her critical eyes. We learn about her sisters' different personalities via her perspective as grown sister returning to the nest after an unhappy divorce from her hot Latino husband who is an aspiring politician in Miami. Diana has managed to snag a reality tv deal--she has been asked to be "The Virgin" on a twisted and even more bizarre version of The Bachelorette. Her mother is overjoyed, father is disgusted (as is Bliss, of course), teenaged sister Charolotte, an egotistical nymphomaniac, is excited to say the least, and soft spoken and "perfect" oldest sister Victoria is appalled and distant. Bliss just wants to protect her 4 year old child.
We are supposed to identify these characters, as well as Dario (executive producer of the "The Virgin") and Wyatt (host) with characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice: Dario is Darcy, Wyatt is Wickham, Forsythia and Harold Harcourt are Mr and Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth/Bliss, well, naturally she is our heroine, Lizzie Bennet. But Elizabeth Bennet was not a worldly single mother, who often has sexy dreams of her professor and constantly describes her buttocks as "ample," a word that is used in that particular context repeatedly throughout this novel.
The novel uses a pop culture reference on just about every page. Even Bliss's daughter's name, Bella, struck me as an unnecessary salute to Twilight. She seems to function as the court jester in the book, saying things the adults won't say aloud, and often exceeding the intelligence of the average 4 year old child. The book was funny at times, and at other times tragic. Instead of Lydia running away with Wickham, Wyatt manages to marry Diana (The Virgin who doesn't act like one), and Charlotte makes a sex tape with an "athletic" looking man--she is obsessed with athletes, and although a teenager, there are absolutely no repercussions for anyone when the sex tape arrives at their doorstep with a threat to reveal it to the whole world. The network squashes the tapes and poor Charlotte is disappointed, since she missed her chance to be the next Paris Hilton. (Yes, it actually says that in the book!)
I had a few problems with some references. This author is obviously very well educated, and in addition to the many pop culture refernces, she also alludes to many historical and literary ones as well. But it really bothers me when someone who is this educated still displays a complete misunderstanding of what the Immaculate Conception is! In Chapter 19, when Bliss arrives at the hotel where the show The Virgin will be shooting in Germany, she is asked by the desk clerk is she "The Virgin": "The man asked puzzled as he looked from Bliss to Bella and back to Bliss again as if to say, Am I to deduce that this was an Immaculate Conception?" The Immaculate Conception does NOT refer to Jesus' conception. The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary's conception, Jesus' mother, without Original Sin, and has NOTHING to do with the act of intercourse. Shocking that a Harvard educated graduate does not understand this concept!
Also, in Chapter 32, a producer from the teevision show screams "Why the fuck didn't anyone tell me Henry VIII was only four foot eleven?" I'm not sure if the author thinks this is funny, or of she really believes this also: Henry VIII was a very large man for his time at well over six foot tall. Another gaffe, purposeful or not, but irritating when one learns that Ms. Fales-Hill graduated with honors in literature and history from Harvard. Maybe she doesn't think people who will read this novel are knowledgeable about anything, so accuracy doesn't matter. It just really began to get on my last nerve.
Some of the descriptions within the book are annoying and gratuitous. Chapter 23: "Bliss sat with her father, nursing a Viennese coffee and cringing as Forsythia, squeezed into a red cocktail dress and teetering on a pair of spangled pumps, belted out the third stanza of "Santa Baby," the Eartha Kitt come-hither holiday classic." A description of the lyrics and of her presentation follows. Really? Editor please! Too MUCH info. I know Eartha Kitt sings it (or Madonna) and I really don't care for this much detail about your coffee, her outfit, etc. This goes on to describe Forsythia "...draping herself over the piano and writhing on it like a Jurrasic version of Michelle Pfeiffer's torch singer in The Fabulous Baker Boys." Enough already! I'd like to be able to use my imagination once in a while! Other annoying lines, "Looking like a multicultural prince froma late-issue Disney Film" (from Chapter 26). "His horse responded to his every prompt like a pliant female" Ugh. (from Chapter 36). For a character who is so "progressive," I was shocked when she reassures her mother she is not a lesbian like her sister reveals she is: "No, Mum, you can relax. Of all my failings, that's not one." What?! Being a homosexual is a "failing"??? And this coming from the beloved sister. How supportive (not).
The book takes an even more disturbing turn towards the end when Forsythia Harcourt reveals at the end of the book to Bliss, after rejecting her gorgeous, but sadly (according to her outlook, it would be better to be a promiscuous heterosexual than a chaste and choosy lesbian)lesbian daughter Victoria, that she wishes her daughters had pretended not to be related to her because she was not accepted as a young girl herself (she uses the "n word" here). She would have happily pretended to be the Nanny, in a reverse Imitation-of-Life declaration that Bliss suddenly finds very touching, even though her mother has been a complete narcissistic shrew. Blech. Real people are confused about life, for certain, but as this book progresses and Bliss becomes more and more muddled, instead of less so about her relationships, I felt more annoyed.
The book has some very genuinely funny moments, and is mildly entertaining. A great beach read, although I felt that the author wanted this to be much more. She seems to be trying to be the new Zadie Smith, recrafting the social commentary novel Austen and Forster for a new generation, with an over abundance of pop culture references (that she also seems to feel need to be explained for her audience) but she really doesn't achieve this with so many gaffes and a few rather crude and unrefined moments in the novel. Miss Austen would not approve.
October 12, 2018
This is an easy humorous read.
January 19, 2025
didn’t finish
March 3, 2017
I got this book from the library as part of a "Blind Date with a Book" event for Valentine's Day. I'm relieved that I spent no money on it. "Jane Austen meets The Bachelorette" sounds like an interesting and possibly amusing premise, but aside from the main character and maybe her dad, everyone else is awful. The mother is ridiculous. The sisters are all pretty much terrible. Everyone seems like some crude stereotype. And the writing is so overwrought that I wanted to slam the book closed every few paragraphs. I finally gave up about 7 chapters in, which is really more than this book deserved.
July 1, 2012
This was an automatic want-to-read after seeing that it was inspired by Austen's Pride and Prejudice, my very favorite book. I am always curious to see how an author will update the specific settings, characters, and plots from Austen's time to fit into our time.
In this case, we have a Jamaican-born mother whose childhood under the British empire inculcated her into certain ideas about status and class; this has been something she has tried to impress upon her four daughters, who were all named for British royalty: from eldest Victoria, next born Elizabeth (aka Bliss, our narrator), Diana, and Charlotte. She herself married a British man but alas a lowly professor without the income to keep them in the style she'd like. Bliss is her mother's disappointment, having married a poor Latin man, divorcing him when she discovered his adultery, and returning to live at home with their daughter while earning her PhD in history. Meanwhile Victoria is possibly on the verge of an unenthusiastic engagement to a very suitable man and high-schooler Charlotte is sneaking out at night for impure activities. Diana is the pride, having been selected to appear on a reality show called The Virgin, as the titular virgin who chooses a man and will marry him on television. This is her chance to snag a wealthy and hopefully titled man while also earning fame that will reflect onto her family.
Of course as I read, I was making comparisons to the original text. I thought the parents were especially well-done with the grasping mother and the distant father who has basically written off his two youngest. Diana and Charlotte as fame-seeking young women akin to Kitty and Lydia are also well-done. I also liked the stand-ins for Darcy and Wickham, with the Darcy guy in particular having some swoonworthy actions (he's so good to Bliss' daughter!) However I thought Bliss, while possessing an enjoyable sly sense of humor, cannot quite live up to my beloved Lizzy Bennet.
I did end up with two sizable problems. First, I didn't think enough time was spent on the romance. Bliss comes a lot closer to being with her Wickham and I felt their romance received more page-time than the real one. The ending with Bliss and her Darcy together felt rather rushed and abrupt. Second sometimes I thought the author was trying to speak against a society that condemns women for the clothing they wear and the fact that they might enjoy sex. But then there would be language agreeing with that point of view and a lot of use of the word "slut" used by both sympathetic and unsympathetic characters. It made me uncomfortable.
One last thing, I also had a very dumb moment about a third of the way through when I realized the book title comes from the main character. Her name is Bliss and she is imperfect! Um, that's something I should have realized right off but instead it took me quite a while...
Overall: A fun modern updating on Pride and Prejudice; I especially loved the exploration of the Mrs. Bennet character and her relationships with her daughters.
Cover: Love the pink and the artwork does remind me of some covers of Austen books that I've seen while also incorporating the modern elements of reality television.
In this case, we have a Jamaican-born mother whose childhood under the British empire inculcated her into certain ideas about status and class; this has been something she has tried to impress upon her four daughters, who were all named for British royalty: from eldest Victoria, next born Elizabeth (aka Bliss, our narrator), Diana, and Charlotte. She herself married a British man but alas a lowly professor without the income to keep them in the style she'd like. Bliss is her mother's disappointment, having married a poor Latin man, divorcing him when she discovered his adultery, and returning to live at home with their daughter while earning her PhD in history. Meanwhile Victoria is possibly on the verge of an unenthusiastic engagement to a very suitable man and high-schooler Charlotte is sneaking out at night for impure activities. Diana is the pride, having been selected to appear on a reality show called The Virgin, as the titular virgin who chooses a man and will marry him on television. This is her chance to snag a wealthy and hopefully titled man while also earning fame that will reflect onto her family.
Of course as I read, I was making comparisons to the original text. I thought the parents were especially well-done with the grasping mother and the distant father who has basically written off his two youngest. Diana and Charlotte as fame-seeking young women akin to Kitty and Lydia are also well-done. I also liked the stand-ins for Darcy and Wickham, with the Darcy guy in particular having some swoonworthy actions (he's so good to Bliss' daughter!) However I thought Bliss, while possessing an enjoyable sly sense of humor, cannot quite live up to my beloved Lizzy Bennet.
I did end up with two sizable problems. First, I didn't think enough time was spent on the romance. Bliss comes a lot closer to being with her Wickham and I felt their romance received more page-time than the real one. The ending with Bliss and her Darcy together felt rather rushed and abrupt. Second sometimes I thought the author was trying to speak against a society that condemns women for the clothing they wear and the fact that they might enjoy sex. But then there would be language agreeing with that point of view and a lot of use of the word "slut" used by both sympathetic and unsympathetic characters. It made me uncomfortable.
One last thing, I also had a very dumb moment about a third of the way through when I realized the book title comes from the main character. Her name is Bliss and she is imperfect! Um, that's something I should have realized right off but instead it took me quite a while...
Overall: A fun modern updating on Pride and Prejudice; I especially loved the exploration of the Mrs. Bennet character and her relationships with her daughters.
Cover: Love the pink and the artwork does remind me of some covers of Austen books that I've seen while also incorporating the modern elements of reality television.
August 12, 2012
Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
eARC provided by publisher for review.
Okay, I requested this on NetGalley because it's billed as "Jane Austen meets The Bachelorette", and there was no turning that down. The combination was, I admit, a little bizarre in my mind, but Fales-Hill makes it work. (Of course, I've never actually seen The Bachelorette, but from my understanding of the show, you know...) However, I also feel like I need to point out that even if you've never read Pride & Prejudice, nor seen the movie, nor have any idea what the story is -- you will still be able to enter into the full spirit of things in Imperfect Bliss. (Sidenote: If you haven't ever sampled the wonder of P&P, how on earth did you manage that? And can I suggest a quick remedy?)
Bliss is in the middle of a really horrible not-quite-midlife-crisis. Her marriage ended when she walked into her husband's office - and the middle of an extramarital liaison. In the year following, she's moved back into her parents' home - young daughter Bella in tow - and started work on her dissertation. Social life? Not a chance. Nor does she want one. Unless you count daydreaming about the dreamy Chair of the History Department (whom, you should know, Bliss has known practically her entire life). As if her own life wasn't tangled enough, Bliss is also coming face-to-face with all the drama that a family of four daughters creates. Her older sister, Victoria, cannot find a beau she wants to keep (to Mama's utter dismay!); Charlotte, the youngest, is running around with absolutely no pretense of morals; and Diana - beautiful, virginal-but-crazy-seductive Diana - has suddenly been selected to star in a reality tv drama about her quest to find Her Own True Love. Insanity. Sheer insanity.
Against the backdrop of Diana's reality show - cameras everywhere, The Public haunting their house, and arrogant womanizing producer Dario (aka: bane of Bliss's current existence, for his remarkable aesthetic similarity to her ex) - Bliss navigates the tricky, taunting waters of single parenthood and rediscovering herself. She also learns, the hard way, just how jaded and snap-judgmental she's become since the divorce. As the months spin by, Bliss begins to take a better look at people - specifically the people around her, from her own family circle to her academic idol to Dario. If you know the story of Pride & Prejudice, you can see the patterns falling into place.
Imperfect Bliss has what I consider "shades of Austen" - the story is changed just enough that I can't quite call it an exact modernization. That said, how exactly, could you bring Darcy and Elizabeth into the modern, contemporary world without making some fairly significant tweaks? Fales-Hill did a marvelous job of balancing the classic storyline with relevant contemporary thought. Bliss is a modern woman struggling to find balance, struggling to find herself. Her interactions with her sisters - each of whom is also on her own quest to find Self - are realistic and at times perfectly flawed. It's a human story, and therein lies the greatest correlation with Austen's own study of human love and judgment: We are all flawed, even the greatest of heroes and heroines. But perfectly so.
eARC provided by publisher for review.
Okay, I requested this on NetGalley because it's billed as "Jane Austen meets The Bachelorette", and there was no turning that down. The combination was, I admit, a little bizarre in my mind, but Fales-Hill makes it work. (Of course, I've never actually seen The Bachelorette, but from my understanding of the show, you know...) However, I also feel like I need to point out that even if you've never read Pride & Prejudice, nor seen the movie, nor have any idea what the story is -- you will still be able to enter into the full spirit of things in Imperfect Bliss. (Sidenote: If you haven't ever sampled the wonder of P&P, how on earth did you manage that? And can I suggest a quick remedy?)
Bliss is in the middle of a really horrible not-quite-midlife-crisis. Her marriage ended when she walked into her husband's office - and the middle of an extramarital liaison. In the year following, she's moved back into her parents' home - young daughter Bella in tow - and started work on her dissertation. Social life? Not a chance. Nor does she want one. Unless you count daydreaming about the dreamy Chair of the History Department (whom, you should know, Bliss has known practically her entire life). As if her own life wasn't tangled enough, Bliss is also coming face-to-face with all the drama that a family of four daughters creates. Her older sister, Victoria, cannot find a beau she wants to keep (to Mama's utter dismay!); Charlotte, the youngest, is running around with absolutely no pretense of morals; and Diana - beautiful, virginal-but-crazy-seductive Diana - has suddenly been selected to star in a reality tv drama about her quest to find Her Own True Love. Insanity. Sheer insanity.
Against the backdrop of Diana's reality show - cameras everywhere, The Public haunting their house, and arrogant womanizing producer Dario (aka: bane of Bliss's current existence, for his remarkable aesthetic similarity to her ex) - Bliss navigates the tricky, taunting waters of single parenthood and rediscovering herself. She also learns, the hard way, just how jaded and snap-judgmental she's become since the divorce. As the months spin by, Bliss begins to take a better look at people - specifically the people around her, from her own family circle to her academic idol to Dario. If you know the story of Pride & Prejudice, you can see the patterns falling into place.
Imperfect Bliss has what I consider "shades of Austen" - the story is changed just enough that I can't quite call it an exact modernization. That said, how exactly, could you bring Darcy and Elizabeth into the modern, contemporary world without making some fairly significant tweaks? Fales-Hill did a marvelous job of balancing the classic storyline with relevant contemporary thought. Bliss is a modern woman struggling to find balance, struggling to find herself. Her interactions with her sisters - each of whom is also on her own quest to find Self - are realistic and at times perfectly flawed. It's a human story, and therein lies the greatest correlation with Austen's own study of human love and judgment: We are all flawed, even the greatest of heroes and heroines. But perfectly so.
July 6, 2012
This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read
From the first line of the synopsis, I was hooked to this book. Jane Austen meets the Bachelorette is a great description of this story. But there is so much more to it as well, in a way this story is about second chances for Bliss. This is a great foray into the chick lit genre that I absolutely love, and yet at the same time it's more than that.
I was reminded a lot of UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN when reading this book (I have only seen the movie though, so I don't know what the book is like). This book shows that the first guy you meet and fall in love with will not necessarily be the perfect man, and that sometimes you have to go through some men to find the right one. Bliss is a character that I admire throughout the novel. She doesn't take it when people insult her, she is one who jumps back with a sarcastic comment.
For me, the most interesting character in the book was the mother of the group, Forsythia. She worked hard to get where she was in life, and wanted the best for her daughters. Many of Forsythia's actions were misunderstood by her daughters, she is the overbearing mother who thinks she knows best, and wants her daughters to marry into the best family possible. Forsythia is definitely a hard person to live with, and someone who is easy to let down. Bella was an adorable character throughout, when she spoke it was adorable and funny (definitely some sarcasm from her mother). But Bella also was a strong character, for a four year old, she has a disability that she has to live with and through everything she learns to get past it and not take what others say to heart.
The TV show The Virgin added a nice bit of humour to the story, but to be honest, that was the part of the story I could have done without. I can see that in a way it is a commentary on how American television "reality" shows have come to make money wherever they can. It just seemed a little overdone, the whole battle for the maiden's heart. I also felt like the show took away from Bliss, who is the MC, and put the focus more on her sister Diana at times.
What I did enjoy was the little history lesson added into the story. You get to learn a few tidbits of Cheavlier de Saint-Georges through Bliss' Ph.D research. I felt like I got to learn some new things through the story, while travelling along with the characters, another thing I wished there was a little more of. I was hoping for a little more travel and more of the characters in different places. They travel to a few places throughout for the show to take place but it wasn't as much as I was expecting it to be.
All in all this was an enjoyable book, despite some of my misgivings about it, I was captivated by the characters in the story. This is one story I flew through and am glad I got to go back to my chick lit love. If you enjoy that genre, this is one story you will defintiely enjoy reading.
From the first line of the synopsis, I was hooked to this book. Jane Austen meets the Bachelorette is a great description of this story. But there is so much more to it as well, in a way this story is about second chances for Bliss. This is a great foray into the chick lit genre that I absolutely love, and yet at the same time it's more than that.
I was reminded a lot of UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN when reading this book (I have only seen the movie though, so I don't know what the book is like). This book shows that the first guy you meet and fall in love with will not necessarily be the perfect man, and that sometimes you have to go through some men to find the right one. Bliss is a character that I admire throughout the novel. She doesn't take it when people insult her, she is one who jumps back with a sarcastic comment.
For me, the most interesting character in the book was the mother of the group, Forsythia. She worked hard to get where she was in life, and wanted the best for her daughters. Many of Forsythia's actions were misunderstood by her daughters, she is the overbearing mother who thinks she knows best, and wants her daughters to marry into the best family possible. Forsythia is definitely a hard person to live with, and someone who is easy to let down. Bella was an adorable character throughout, when she spoke it was adorable and funny (definitely some sarcasm from her mother). But Bella also was a strong character, for a four year old, she has a disability that she has to live with and through everything she learns to get past it and not take what others say to heart.
The TV show The Virgin added a nice bit of humour to the story, but to be honest, that was the part of the story I could have done without. I can see that in a way it is a commentary on how American television "reality" shows have come to make money wherever they can. It just seemed a little overdone, the whole battle for the maiden's heart. I also felt like the show took away from Bliss, who is the MC, and put the focus more on her sister Diana at times.
What I did enjoy was the little history lesson added into the story. You get to learn a few tidbits of Cheavlier de Saint-Georges through Bliss' Ph.D research. I felt like I got to learn some new things through the story, while travelling along with the characters, another thing I wished there was a little more of. I was hoping for a little more travel and more of the characters in different places. They travel to a few places throughout for the show to take place but it wasn't as much as I was expecting it to be.
All in all this was an enjoyable book, despite some of my misgivings about it, I was captivated by the characters in the story. This is one story I flew through and am glad I got to go back to my chick lit love. If you enjoy that genre, this is one story you will defintiely enjoy reading.
June 28, 2012
If I was ever sure of one thing, it was that I would never read chick lit. Now I am not sure of anything after reading "Imperfect Bliss" by Susan Fales-Hill. After hearing that it was a modern re-telling of "Pride and Prejudice," I couldn't help but be curious. I have loved Jane Austen since high school and my copy of "Pride and Prejudice" has been read so many times that the book is held together with bobby pins and rubber bands. But be warned, this isn't your mother's Jane Austen! This is Elizabeth and Darcy, transported forward in time, on the set of a Bachelorette-type reality show.
Bliss Harcourt is a thirty-something, head strong, divorced mother living at home with her parents. After her failed marriage, she returned to graduate school in hopes of graduating, becoming a professor, and finally moving away from her controlling mother. Forsythia Harcourt is the typical Mrs. Bennet as she pulls the strings of her daughters' hearts and attempts to marry her four daughters to wealthy, well connected men. Her husband, Harold, is practically voiceless in the family, only speaking in witty remarks about his wife's behavior behind the shield of the weekly newspaper.
Bliss's imperfect life is further shaken by her sister, Diana, and her sudden TV fame as the star of the reality TV show "The Virgin" where wealthy men court a woman for their hand in marriage. Bliss's life is turned upside down and inside out as her life is filled with cameras. With every ounce of strength she to tries to convince her family to reconsider but Forsythia and Diana are to0 star struck to care.
Bliss hides from the cameras yet can not help but be drawn into her own romantic reality show. Fales-Hill creates three separate love triangles that revolve around the three oldest Harcourt children. Diana is bombarded with rich suitors when only two men really catch her eye. Victoria, the eldest, is torn between marrying the man her mother approves of and a secret forbidden lover. Lastly, Bliss is temped by Wyatt, the charming and witty TV host, and Dario, the stoic but caring executive producer. Charlotte, the youngest, desperately tries to steal the spot light with her less than lady-like demeanor.
Reality TV, sex scandals, and pushy mothers. This novel is truly a "comedy of manners" with an intellectual kick. Everyone knows that Elizabeth and Darcy end up together (even if they haven't read the book or seen the movie), but reading the journey of how they are brought together is what makes the romance so breathtaking and timeless. The same can be said for "Imperfect Bliss," but Bliss's journey is a little more...interesting.
Pack up your beach chair, claim a spot in the sand, and let the waves of laughter brighten your summer day at the beach with "Imperfect Bliss"! Jane Austen just got a new makeover (that didn't involve zombies) to relate to the modern woman.
Other reviews can be seen at shelflifeofabookseller.com
Bliss Harcourt is a thirty-something, head strong, divorced mother living at home with her parents. After her failed marriage, she returned to graduate school in hopes of graduating, becoming a professor, and finally moving away from her controlling mother. Forsythia Harcourt is the typical Mrs. Bennet as she pulls the strings of her daughters' hearts and attempts to marry her four daughters to wealthy, well connected men. Her husband, Harold, is practically voiceless in the family, only speaking in witty remarks about his wife's behavior behind the shield of the weekly newspaper.
Bliss's imperfect life is further shaken by her sister, Diana, and her sudden TV fame as the star of the reality TV show "The Virgin" where wealthy men court a woman for their hand in marriage. Bliss's life is turned upside down and inside out as her life is filled with cameras. With every ounce of strength she to tries to convince her family to reconsider but Forsythia and Diana are to0 star struck to care.
Bliss hides from the cameras yet can not help but be drawn into her own romantic reality show. Fales-Hill creates three separate love triangles that revolve around the three oldest Harcourt children. Diana is bombarded with rich suitors when only two men really catch her eye. Victoria, the eldest, is torn between marrying the man her mother approves of and a secret forbidden lover. Lastly, Bliss is temped by Wyatt, the charming and witty TV host, and Dario, the stoic but caring executive producer. Charlotte, the youngest, desperately tries to steal the spot light with her less than lady-like demeanor.
Reality TV, sex scandals, and pushy mothers. This novel is truly a "comedy of manners" with an intellectual kick. Everyone knows that Elizabeth and Darcy end up together (even if they haven't read the book or seen the movie), but reading the journey of how they are brought together is what makes the romance so breathtaking and timeless. The same can be said for "Imperfect Bliss," but Bliss's journey is a little more...interesting.
Pack up your beach chair, claim a spot in the sand, and let the waves of laughter brighten your summer day at the beach with "Imperfect Bliss"! Jane Austen just got a new makeover (that didn't involve zombies) to relate to the modern woman.
Other reviews can be seen at shelflifeofabookseller.com
September 2, 2012
I love the title of this book. Not only are we all as imperfect as the main character of this book, Bliss, but we all are looking for our bliss-perfect or at least as close as possible. Imperfection is everywhere and in everyone and striving to be better and do better every day is how we can improve our chances of that close as possible to perfect bliss we all crave. I think Bliss will find hers, her sister Diana not so much
I really didn’t get into this book until well after page 100. I found the mother annoying and the father flat. The only time I connected with the father was when he was with his granddaughter. I know that he is supposed to be like the father in Pride and Prejudice and maybe a bit…I have read that book at least a dozen times and yet he seemed flat. The mother was over the top and scary at times, she acted like the mother from Pride and Prejudice but more so and not in a good way. The sisters were very one dimensional, the youngest being the free spirit, the middle being the beauty bent on having money, the next oldest being the Elizabeth character in Pride and Prejudice going by the nickname Bliss and the oldest Victoria. Victoria was the most thought-out character, besides Bliss, in the bunch. She had problems, solutions and a strong head on her shoulders to combat her bossy mother.
After page 100+ the story started to finally take shape and I found an interest in what was going on and who was going to end up happy or not. Most readers aren’t going to make it that far without something more exciting happening or something they actually care about happening. I found the story predictable, dull and lacking in any real interest. When I finally got past page 150 or so I read the rest in one sitting and enjoyed the ending. Predictable, but nice at the same time..I’m a sucker for the happy ending. Who doesn’t want to end up living Happily Ever After?
The supporting characters, Jordan, Darius, Manuel, Wyatt, and a few others added to the plot, but seemed to also drag it along. Condensing the first 100 pages may help the reader stay focused on the plot. I really lost the whole reason for the book until after page 100 and still wondered who is going to enjoy this book. With so much out there to read that is interesting, thought provoking and fun…why read this? But, looking back I did like the end, making this book a 3 star book in my opinion. I was disappointed by the books lack of imagination, there already is a reality show out there about Virgins and who cares anyway?
I really didn’t get into this book until well after page 100. I found the mother annoying and the father flat. The only time I connected with the father was when he was with his granddaughter. I know that he is supposed to be like the father in Pride and Prejudice and maybe a bit…I have read that book at least a dozen times and yet he seemed flat. The mother was over the top and scary at times, she acted like the mother from Pride and Prejudice but more so and not in a good way. The sisters were very one dimensional, the youngest being the free spirit, the middle being the beauty bent on having money, the next oldest being the Elizabeth character in Pride and Prejudice going by the nickname Bliss and the oldest Victoria. Victoria was the most thought-out character, besides Bliss, in the bunch. She had problems, solutions and a strong head on her shoulders to combat her bossy mother.
After page 100+ the story started to finally take shape and I found an interest in what was going on and who was going to end up happy or not. Most readers aren’t going to make it that far without something more exciting happening or something they actually care about happening. I found the story predictable, dull and lacking in any real interest. When I finally got past page 150 or so I read the rest in one sitting and enjoyed the ending. Predictable, but nice at the same time..I’m a sucker for the happy ending. Who doesn’t want to end up living Happily Ever After?
The supporting characters, Jordan, Darius, Manuel, Wyatt, and a few others added to the plot, but seemed to also drag it along. Condensing the first 100 pages may help the reader stay focused on the plot. I really lost the whole reason for the book until after page 100 and still wondered who is going to enjoy this book. With so much out there to read that is interesting, thought provoking and fun…why read this? But, looking back I did like the end, making this book a 3 star book in my opinion. I was disappointed by the books lack of imagination, there already is a reality show out there about Virgins and who cares anyway?
September 24, 2012
I fell so in love with this book! I did not exactly know what kind of book I was reading at first. We are dealing with a reality show, but also a mother whose utmost priority in life is having her daughters married off. I couldn’t decide, at first, what time period we were in. Forsythia, the girl’s mother, spoke so eloquently and acted like the Bennett’s mother from Pride and Prejudice, but then we have Elizabeth, better known as “Bliss”, coming in there with her divorce and Ph.D. so I knew we had to be talking modern times. However, I loved it! I love that maybe for the first ten pages or so I was trying to figure out where this story was going to go!
Forsythia was probably my favorite character. This woman is so head strong and sophisticated and expects the same decorum for her daughters. She is also all about prestige. In one part of the book Bliss makes a comment about the house they live in, saying that it was the smallest house in the richest neighborhood. They had to live on that particular street even though they could not really afford the house just because Forsythia wanted to “keep up with the Jones’” so to speak. Even though I would never be able to handle her as my own mother, I thought she played her part well throughout the story. She puts so much pressure on the girls to get married and bare children, and that is why I questioned the time period. She acts like she just stepped out of the 18th century!
Bliss’ story was remarkable and I loved the fact that she didn’t let her mother affect her as much as she could have. She was just coming out of a divorce and I really appreciated the fact that she was not a whiny character! I cannot stand recent divorcee character who thinks that the world is crumbling down around them because those characters are so frequently written. Bliss was trying to raise her little girl, Bella, who is so precious, and also trying to finish school with the Doctorate degree. I loved her character, even though she really got caught up in the drama that she first tried so hard to avoid. I was pleased to see that she had grown as a character by the end of the novel.
I laughed and really appreciated the style of Susan Fales-Hill’s writing, which I had never had the pleasure of reading before now. It was a quick read that incorporated so many issues dealing with family dynamics, reality TV, and personal identity. I loved it!!
***Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with my very own copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***
Forsythia was probably my favorite character. This woman is so head strong and sophisticated and expects the same decorum for her daughters. She is also all about prestige. In one part of the book Bliss makes a comment about the house they live in, saying that it was the smallest house in the richest neighborhood. They had to live on that particular street even though they could not really afford the house just because Forsythia wanted to “keep up with the Jones’” so to speak. Even though I would never be able to handle her as my own mother, I thought she played her part well throughout the story. She puts so much pressure on the girls to get married and bare children, and that is why I questioned the time period. She acts like she just stepped out of the 18th century!
Bliss’ story was remarkable and I loved the fact that she didn’t let her mother affect her as much as she could have. She was just coming out of a divorce and I really appreciated the fact that she was not a whiny character! I cannot stand recent divorcee character who thinks that the world is crumbling down around them because those characters are so frequently written. Bliss was trying to raise her little girl, Bella, who is so precious, and also trying to finish school with the Doctorate degree. I loved her character, even though she really got caught up in the drama that she first tried so hard to avoid. I was pleased to see that she had grown as a character by the end of the novel.
I laughed and really appreciated the style of Susan Fales-Hill’s writing, which I had never had the pleasure of reading before now. It was a quick read that incorporated so many issues dealing with family dynamics, reality TV, and personal identity. I loved it!!
***Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with my very own copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***
October 11, 2012
IMPERFECT BLISS
Susan Fales-Hill
The Harcourts, Harold and Forsythia, of Chevy Chase, Maryland are a respectable, middle aged and mixed-race couple. Harold and Forsythia are the parents of four daughters, all of marriageable age. Forsythia has named each of her daughters after a Windsor Royal in hopes that they would each find their prince.
Some of the daughters have other plans for their lives, but this neither slows nor stops Forsythia. Elizabeth, or Bliss as she is called, has married, had a child and divorced and is now back home living with her parents while she pursues a Ph.D. She has no intention of letting romance upset her life’s plan.
Forsythia cannot believe her good fortune when her family, particularly her youngest daughter Diana, is chosen to be part of a reality television show called “The Virgin”. Diana is the show’s star. “Forsythia preened, a proud mother hen” describes this mother that know her other daughters are the very best. Having your life taken over by a reality show, throws a wrench into the whole family’s daily lives and forces the daughters to reconsider what they thought they knew about love, family and themselves. And this is on top of having the mother from Marriage.com remind you that “you’re no spring chicken” and “looks fade”. Who needs a mother this blunt? It makes for a great read with laugh out loud moments.
This book is very well written and easy to read. It is humorous and uses the small personal oddities to develop the characters, especially Forsythia. “…Forsythia, who believed that linens, like clothing, should be changed in accordance with the time of day, and favored metallic fabrics for evening…” is the type of description Fales-Hill puts in to explain the exasperation the girls feel about their mother’s “perfect housewife” character. Before the reader is very deep into “Imperfect Bliss” (play on words here!), we are caught up in the lives of the sisters as they each battle their own hidden demons, and feel the imperfections of their parents.
The subject of the actual storyline is the only thing that perhaps is a bit over the top. If Susan Fales-Hill is doing a parody of the reality shows currently on television today and using the theme of marrying a virgin, it doesn’t sit quite right. Still, this is a small quibble and the characters and dialogue are more than worth the time to read “Imperfect Bliss”. Cassandra
Susan Fales-Hill
The Harcourts, Harold and Forsythia, of Chevy Chase, Maryland are a respectable, middle aged and mixed-race couple. Harold and Forsythia are the parents of four daughters, all of marriageable age. Forsythia has named each of her daughters after a Windsor Royal in hopes that they would each find their prince.
Some of the daughters have other plans for their lives, but this neither slows nor stops Forsythia. Elizabeth, or Bliss as she is called, has married, had a child and divorced and is now back home living with her parents while she pursues a Ph.D. She has no intention of letting romance upset her life’s plan.
Forsythia cannot believe her good fortune when her family, particularly her youngest daughter Diana, is chosen to be part of a reality television show called “The Virgin”. Diana is the show’s star. “Forsythia preened, a proud mother hen” describes this mother that know her other daughters are the very best. Having your life taken over by a reality show, throws a wrench into the whole family’s daily lives and forces the daughters to reconsider what they thought they knew about love, family and themselves. And this is on top of having the mother from Marriage.com remind you that “you’re no spring chicken” and “looks fade”. Who needs a mother this blunt? It makes for a great read with laugh out loud moments.
This book is very well written and easy to read. It is humorous and uses the small personal oddities to develop the characters, especially Forsythia. “…Forsythia, who believed that linens, like clothing, should be changed in accordance with the time of day, and favored metallic fabrics for evening…” is the type of description Fales-Hill puts in to explain the exasperation the girls feel about their mother’s “perfect housewife” character. Before the reader is very deep into “Imperfect Bliss” (play on words here!), we are caught up in the lives of the sisters as they each battle their own hidden demons, and feel the imperfections of their parents.
The subject of the actual storyline is the only thing that perhaps is a bit over the top. If Susan Fales-Hill is doing a parody of the reality shows currently on television today and using the theme of marrying a virgin, it doesn’t sit quite right. Still, this is a small quibble and the characters and dialogue are more than worth the time to read “Imperfect Bliss”. Cassandra
October 6, 2012
Bliss, a recent unwilling divorcee, has taken her daughter and moved back in with her parents. This is equally unpleasant for both Bliss and her mother, who’ve never had much in common. Her mother disapproves of both her divorce and her “sloppy student” appearance while Bliss is tired of her mother constantly trying to marry off her sister. The entire family is in chaos when younger sister Diana gets chosen for a new reality show called The Virgin. Diana, who has been proclaimed “intact” by a physician, will be sought after by suitors intent to marry her and break her hymen – losers are sent from the show with the exit line “You do not get the hymen!”. Diana and her mother are thrilled at the opportunity for exposure this presents, everyone else is either appalled (Diana and Victoria) or jealous (youngest sister Charlotte). Chaos ensues: love triangles, sex scandals, and secrets take over the Harcourt family on the set of The Virgin.
I will start by saying I liked this modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Susan Fales-Hill (though there were a few issues). It is a cute, quirky retelling of the Jane Austen classic as long as you don’t put too much thought into it. It deals with the trials and tribulations (and romances) of the Harcourt sisters, but it brings in bigger issues that are never fully developed (racism, reality television, and marriage). If you gloss over the half discussed issues and focus on the hilarious and ridiculous situations the characters get in – then it’s a fun, entertaining read.
The characters pay homage to the Bennet family, omitting Mary only. Bliss is a driven, determined elder sister and a very likeable character, while her young daughter Bella is an adorable addition to the story. Victoria, the eldest, must choose between the good of the family and her heart. Charlotte nearly brings the family to ruin and we never quite learn what consequences Diana will face from her actions.
Imperfect Bliss is a modern update on a classic story - a modern comedy of manners (with a dash of satire thrown in). It is a cute, quirky story filled with hilarious characters and a sweet romance. Don’t try and put a deeper meaning to the issues brought up, just grab the book and go with it. You’ll be glad you did, it is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
I will start by saying I liked this modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Susan Fales-Hill (though there were a few issues). It is a cute, quirky retelling of the Jane Austen classic as long as you don’t put too much thought into it. It deals with the trials and tribulations (and romances) of the Harcourt sisters, but it brings in bigger issues that are never fully developed (racism, reality television, and marriage). If you gloss over the half discussed issues and focus on the hilarious and ridiculous situations the characters get in – then it’s a fun, entertaining read.
The characters pay homage to the Bennet family, omitting Mary only. Bliss is a driven, determined elder sister and a very likeable character, while her young daughter Bella is an adorable addition to the story. Victoria, the eldest, must choose between the good of the family and her heart. Charlotte nearly brings the family to ruin and we never quite learn what consequences Diana will face from her actions.
Imperfect Bliss is a modern update on a classic story - a modern comedy of manners (with a dash of satire thrown in). It is a cute, quirky story filled with hilarious characters and a sweet romance. Don’t try and put a deeper meaning to the issues brought up, just grab the book and go with it. You’ll be glad you did, it is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
June 11, 2012
BOOK REVIEW OF “IMPERFECT BLISS: A Novel”
BY SUSAN FALES-HILL
304 pages; Atria Books
Release date: July 3, 2012
NOTE: A copy of this novel was provided to me by the publisher for the purpose of review through Netgalley.
If you’re looking for just the right book to hit the beach with this summer or to relax with while lounging by the pool, Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill, is a good choice.
It’s a quick, fun read that will have many of us reflecting fondly on our own dysfunctional family life.
Our heroine, Bliss, finds herself at life’s crossroads; trying to come to terms with her failed marriage and always on the lookout for “Mr. Right”. She is working hard to complete her higher education in hopes of gaining a means to move back out on her own; away from her parents’ home and all the dysfunctionality she and her small daughter are surrounded with there. Bliss is determined that her daughter, Bella, will not grow up believing in the “happily ever after” fantasy world that she and her sisters were lured into by their mother. Things are quickly turning into a circus on the homefront, as her sister lands the starring role in a reality tv series entitled “The Virgin”. This is nearly more than the highly intellectual Bliss can bear and goes against every principle that she believes in.
This mixed race family has all it can handle with four girls vying for their perfectionist mother’s approval; a mother who was raised in Jamaica under a dreadful cloud of prejudice and denied approval and so many other things because of the color of her skin and wants so much more for her daughters. She is striving to marry off each of her girls to someone who makes Prince Charming pale in comparison. Bliss has failed her mother in every way possible. Distanced from her mom, she has developed a special bond with her father, a quiet man from England, who tends to hide behind his paper and let his wife take center stage.
The story is well written and the characters have been brought to life for us masterfully by the author. This book stands out as one of those “summer finds” that makes a very pleasant and enjoyable read.
BY SUSAN FALES-HILL
304 pages; Atria Books
Release date: July 3, 2012
NOTE: A copy of this novel was provided to me by the publisher for the purpose of review through Netgalley.
If you’re looking for just the right book to hit the beach with this summer or to relax with while lounging by the pool, Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill, is a good choice.
It’s a quick, fun read that will have many of us reflecting fondly on our own dysfunctional family life.
Our heroine, Bliss, finds herself at life’s crossroads; trying to come to terms with her failed marriage and always on the lookout for “Mr. Right”. She is working hard to complete her higher education in hopes of gaining a means to move back out on her own; away from her parents’ home and all the dysfunctionality she and her small daughter are surrounded with there. Bliss is determined that her daughter, Bella, will not grow up believing in the “happily ever after” fantasy world that she and her sisters were lured into by their mother. Things are quickly turning into a circus on the homefront, as her sister lands the starring role in a reality tv series entitled “The Virgin”. This is nearly more than the highly intellectual Bliss can bear and goes against every principle that she believes in.
This mixed race family has all it can handle with four girls vying for their perfectionist mother’s approval; a mother who was raised in Jamaica under a dreadful cloud of prejudice and denied approval and so many other things because of the color of her skin and wants so much more for her daughters. She is striving to marry off each of her girls to someone who makes Prince Charming pale in comparison. Bliss has failed her mother in every way possible. Distanced from her mom, she has developed a special bond with her father, a quiet man from England, who tends to hide behind his paper and let his wife take center stage.
The story is well written and the characters have been brought to life for us masterfully by the author. This book stands out as one of those “summer finds” that makes a very pleasant and enjoyable read.
July 12, 2012
I’m a Jane Austen fan and Pride and Prejudice is one my of all time favorites. However the resemblance to Pride and Prejudice seemed superficial; while the Harcourts are in number and gender similar to the Bennett family, and Forsythia with all her prim-and-properness , might be a direct descendant of Mrs. Bennett, Bliss was not what I’d expected out of a Lizzie-like heroine. For all her talk on feminism, women’s issues and empowerment, Bliss seemed way too focused on counting the days of her celibacy, and having wet dreams about her ex-husband . She seemed confused about her romantic decisions and could not break her attachment to her ex, although he seems a cad.
Because the story hinges on a reality television show I expected some description of what passes for television these days, but the book went into it further than that. The shooting of “The Virgin” takes centre stage with Bliss either a spectator, nodding in disbelief at the lengths her mother and sister will stoop too or joining them as they visit foreign countries. The story-line then got repetitious with one shoot following the other. On the plus side, I did like the cover – thought it very well-done. Also, it is interesting that the author brings in issues of race; Forsythia is from Jamaica and married to a Caucasian British professor. Thus the daughters are mulatto. Bliss’s research topic is about the treatment of slave children, specificall y those that Thomas Jefferson has with his slave vs. those of a French planter’s.
The writing goes into great detail with descriptions, which is nice, but is also rife with pop-culture references, and could have used some editing. I had expected a fun-filled romp of a book, with the premise, but given that I couldn’t root for Bliss herself, this book didn’t quite work for me. This is a standard romantic storyline where the heroine must find a mate; here she also has three suitors to choose from – each more handsome than the next. It is pure chick-lit, where the heroine’s ideal man is not only sensitive and caring but has the physique of a body-builder, so this might fit the bill if a quick, easy beach read is what you are looking for.
Because the story hinges on a reality television show I expected some description of what passes for television these days, but the book went into it further than that. The shooting of “The Virgin” takes centre stage with Bliss either a spectator, nodding in disbelief at the lengths her mother and sister will stoop too or joining them as they visit foreign countries. The story-line then got repetitious with one shoot following the other. On the plus side, I did like the cover – thought it very well-done. Also, it is interesting that the author brings in issues of race; Forsythia is from Jamaica and married to a Caucasian British professor. Thus the daughters are mulatto. Bliss’s research topic is about the treatment of slave children, specificall y those that Thomas Jefferson has with his slave vs. those of a French planter’s.
The writing goes into great detail with descriptions, which is nice, but is also rife with pop-culture references, and could have used some editing. I had expected a fun-filled romp of a book, with the premise, but given that I couldn’t root for Bliss herself, this book didn’t quite work for me. This is a standard romantic storyline where the heroine must find a mate; here she also has three suitors to choose from – each more handsome than the next. It is pure chick-lit, where the heroine’s ideal man is not only sensitive and caring but has the physique of a body-builder, so this might fit the bill if a quick, easy beach read is what you are looking for.
August 7, 2013
Kinda disappointed with this book. The reviews I read said it was a "Bachelorette meets Pride and Prejudice," and what I thought was going to be a fun, romantic comedy, fell really short for me.
So the "Bachelorette" show in the novel turns out to be a crass, "The Virgin" where the main character's sister, Diana, is going to pick the most eligible bachelor, marry him, and then give himself to her (insert virgin jokes here). The Harcourt family is a blended family, father is from England, mother is from Jamaica. And they are just as flighty as the Bennet family from Pride and Prejudice, but in a much more annoying way, that either the author was trying too hard, or was trying to be ironic in an annoying way.
I wanted it to be a fun, summer read about a silly dating game. The main character, Bliss (short for Elizabeth, clever, I will give her that . . .) is so anti-Disney, and against subjecting women to the repression of princesses and make-believe, yet she names her daughter Bella?? And then Bliss is the one in the family who is so anti-chivalry, but yet tells her sisters they should only marry the one they love. Call it irony . . . it came across as hypocritical to me.
It does stay true to Pride and Prejudice in that the one person who was not looking for love at all, finds the man of her dreams. And also the made up show "The Virgin" makes my addiction to the Bachelorette not seem so bad after all!
Few plot twists leave very little to be desired.
I was bummed. I don't know why this book got such rave reviews. Fell kinda flat to me.
So the "Bachelorette" show in the novel turns out to be a crass, "The Virgin" where the main character's sister, Diana, is going to pick the most eligible bachelor, marry him, and then give himself to her (insert virgin jokes here). The Harcourt family is a blended family, father is from England, mother is from Jamaica. And they are just as flighty as the Bennet family from Pride and Prejudice, but in a much more annoying way, that either the author was trying too hard, or was trying to be ironic in an annoying way.
I wanted it to be a fun, summer read about a silly dating game. The main character, Bliss (short for Elizabeth, clever, I will give her that . . .) is so anti-Disney, and against subjecting women to the repression of princesses and make-believe, yet she names her daughter Bella?? And then Bliss is the one in the family who is so anti-chivalry, but yet tells her sisters they should only marry the one they love. Call it irony . . . it came across as hypocritical to me.
It does stay true to Pride and Prejudice in that the one person who was not looking for love at all, finds the man of her dreams. And also the made up show "The Virgin" makes my addiction to the Bachelorette not seem so bad after all!
Few plot twists leave very little to be desired.
I was bummed. I don't know why this book got such rave reviews. Fell kinda flat to me.
November 18, 2012
I'm not sure what it is about Jane Austen fiction renditions , as it seems I can't get enough of them and books about reality TV Shows I adore which does surprise me as Im not one to enjoy watching it on TV but reading it in books is a whole different ballgame.
Imperfect Bliss takes us into the life of the Harcourt Family in modern day America. We meet Harold Harcourt and his wife Forysthia and then of course their four daughters all quite stunning or so we read - Victoria, Elizabeth, Diana and Charlotte. Forysthia is obsessed with everything royal and hopes that by naming her children after the royal family, they will one day meet their princes and live happily ever after. The family though are about to enter into a world of chaos and reality TV and all its antics as Diana has been chosen to star on a new reality TV show similar to "The Bachelor" called "The Virgin". Now the family must work together or try to distance themselves from being on the camera and having their everyday life broadcasted. From eldest daughter Victoria, with her on-screen marriage proposal to her coming out secrets revealed to Elizabeth aka Bliss who never seems to have her shortage of men but unfortunately, they all seem to be unavaliable one way or another and of course there is her four-year old daughter Bella who dreams of being a princess. Diana with her antics for fame and Charlotte - the one who reminded me of Lydia from Pride and Prejudice. Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill was one of the best Pride and Prejudice focused renditions that captured the whole "Bennett Family" clan as most Pride and Prejudice renditions tend to focus mainly on Elizabeth and Darcy , Wickham and Jane and Bingham
Imperfect Bliss takes us into the life of the Harcourt Family in modern day America. We meet Harold Harcourt and his wife Forysthia and then of course their four daughters all quite stunning or so we read - Victoria, Elizabeth, Diana and Charlotte. Forysthia is obsessed with everything royal and hopes that by naming her children after the royal family, they will one day meet their princes and live happily ever after. The family though are about to enter into a world of chaos and reality TV and all its antics as Diana has been chosen to star on a new reality TV show similar to "The Bachelor" called "The Virgin". Now the family must work together or try to distance themselves from being on the camera and having their everyday life broadcasted. From eldest daughter Victoria, with her on-screen marriage proposal to her coming out secrets revealed to Elizabeth aka Bliss who never seems to have her shortage of men but unfortunately, they all seem to be unavaliable one way or another and of course there is her four-year old daughter Bella who dreams of being a princess. Diana with her antics for fame and Charlotte - the one who reminded me of Lydia from Pride and Prejudice. Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill was one of the best Pride and Prejudice focused renditions that captured the whole "Bennett Family" clan as most Pride and Prejudice renditions tend to focus mainly on Elizabeth and Darcy , Wickham and Jane and Bingham
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