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His Pride and His Prejudice
In this delightful retelling of the classic novel by Jane Austen, April Andrews reimagines a world not of lords and ladies but of alphas and omegas, wrapped up in the enduring romance of the prideful Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and the precocious Mr. Elliot Bennet.
Join them in this slow burn omegaverse story, where they must learn to overcome their pride and their prejudices and rediscover once more, one of the most celebrated loves of the ages.
Join them in this slow burn omegaverse story, where they must learn to overcome their pride and their prejudices and rediscover once more, one of the most celebrated loves of the ages.
528 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2024
26 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
April Andrews
45 books59 followersApril writes queer erotic romance in all sorts of genres, from science fiction to fantasy, from contemporary to post-apocalyptic.
She lives in Bristol, England with her two cats and assorted family members. Her hobbies include walking, running, reading and being out in nature as much as possible.
You can find April on Insta and FB and she has an (infrequent!) newsletter!
She lives in Bristol, England with her two cats and assorted family members. Her hobbies include walking, running, reading and being out in nature as much as possible.
You can find April on Insta and FB and she has an (infrequent!) newsletter!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 7, 2024
4.25 ⭐️ So good 😍
This was excellent and I absolutely loved it. It’s not easy to follow the footsteps of the great Jane Austin but this new-to-me author really managed it (maybe a little too well, hence my 4 stars instead of 5. Don’t worry , I’ll try to explain)
Firstly, what I loved most about this book is the writing. For those of you who’ve read JA’s books you probably know that it’s not easy to get through all that formal old English speech, dense and flowery, and I was afraid that this book will suffer either from a too stuffy and formal speech trying to imitate JA’s or from a too modern speech that wouldn’t fit the story . It didn’t happen though because the author found the perfect balance, the speech and the writing were indeed similar to JA’s yet it was done in a lighter way that made it easy to read without it losing its Regency characteristics.
I also liked how the author flashed out the characters especially Elliot. He made a FIIIINEE Elizabeth, I tell ya.. 😍 and I loved him so much.
Now, I must mention an issue that even by the end if the book I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. Unlike JA’s P&P , here the author chose to give us Darcy’s POV and though I was happy to see something different I can’t decide if it was a good thing or not. I loved Darcy in JA’s book. I loved that he was mysterious, that he was aloof and proud and sometimes I wished I knew what he was thinking. Well, here we KNOW and I found myself wishing he remained a mystery because I found him a bit …sappy? And it kinda ruined my stern-acting Darcy I knew and loved 😂 I don’t make any sense I know , bear with me though because I’ll try to explain why, despite the fact that I’ve always loved P&P and the fact that I loved this book I couldn’t give it 5 stars.
Look, I’ve read other MM adaptations of JA’s books and I loved them (Perfect day by Sally Malcolm is the best of them and Undue Influence by Jenny Holiday was cute too as Persuasion retelling, for instance) and I realize now that what I loved most about them (despite the fact that they were modern adaptations) was that they were exactly THAT : adaptations. This book here was with little exceptions a true and exact copy of JA’s P&P. And you know why it took me ages to read this book? Because I have read Pride and Prejudice so many times, I have seen all the movies’ adaptations some of them more than once (the BBC one I know it by heart) and well, the fact that this was EXACTLY the same kinda bored me a bit. I wish the author added some originality to it because it cost me a great deal to even see the characters as men, I kept getting startled at the he/him pronouns every time I came across them 😂. THAT’S how similar to the original book it was (although funnily,some details weren’t even faithful to the book but to the Hollywood adaptation movie-the movie version I liked the least, the Keira Knightly one)
I saw someone here complaining that the Omega-universe had no point but it had , otherwise the author couldn’t maintain the exact same ideas Austin’s P&P highlighted, like women’s conditions as second class citizens (just like Omegas’), so I understand why she chose to use it.
As I said , I wish the author tried to make some things differently , add some original details to it, at least a more developed world building because everything is absolutely the same , from their names to their characters only that instead of women they’re omegas. I’m glad we don’t have heat or mpreg though, the ABO is subtle and it’s there just to serve a purpose. Or, for instance, a thing I didn’t like in JA’s book was how little the characters interact before they get together and I was hoping here the author gave us more witty dialogues between them , more time spent together rather than making it another faithful copy of a book we, fans of P&P know by heart.
I did love it very much though and if you aren’t as saturated with P&P as me or you haven’t even read the JA one you will absolutely love it too. It’s a beautiful historical MM romance , just as beautiful as JA’s book. So you know… if you like historicals read it , it’s really really good. And look at that cover!!!!! 😍
This was excellent and I absolutely loved it. It’s not easy to follow the footsteps of the great Jane Austin but this new-to-me author really managed it (maybe a little too well, hence my 4 stars instead of 5. Don’t worry , I’ll try to explain)
Firstly, what I loved most about this book is the writing. For those of you who’ve read JA’s books you probably know that it’s not easy to get through all that formal old English speech, dense and flowery, and I was afraid that this book will suffer either from a too stuffy and formal speech trying to imitate JA’s or from a too modern speech that wouldn’t fit the story . It didn’t happen though because the author found the perfect balance, the speech and the writing were indeed similar to JA’s yet it was done in a lighter way that made it easy to read without it losing its Regency characteristics.
I also liked how the author flashed out the characters especially Elliot. He made a FIIIINEE Elizabeth, I tell ya.. 😍 and I loved him so much.
Now, I must mention an issue that even by the end if the book I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. Unlike JA’s P&P , here the author chose to give us Darcy’s POV and though I was happy to see something different I can’t decide if it was a good thing or not. I loved Darcy in JA’s book. I loved that he was mysterious, that he was aloof and proud and sometimes I wished I knew what he was thinking. Well, here we KNOW and I found myself wishing he remained a mystery because I found him a bit …sappy? And it kinda ruined my stern-acting Darcy I knew and loved 😂 I don’t make any sense I know , bear with me though because I’ll try to explain why, despite the fact that I’ve always loved P&P and the fact that I loved this book I couldn’t give it 5 stars.
Look, I’ve read other MM adaptations of JA’s books and I loved them (Perfect day by Sally Malcolm is the best of them and Undue Influence by Jenny Holiday was cute too as Persuasion retelling, for instance) and I realize now that what I loved most about them (despite the fact that they were modern adaptations) was that they were exactly THAT : adaptations. This book here was with little exceptions a true and exact copy of JA’s P&P. And you know why it took me ages to read this book? Because I have read Pride and Prejudice so many times, I have seen all the movies’ adaptations some of them more than once (the BBC one I know it by heart) and well, the fact that this was EXACTLY the same kinda bored me a bit. I wish the author added some originality to it because it cost me a great deal to even see the characters as men, I kept getting startled at the he/him pronouns every time I came across them 😂. THAT’S how similar to the original book it was (although funnily,some details weren’t even faithful to the book but to the Hollywood adaptation movie-the movie version I liked the least, the Keira Knightly one)
I saw someone here complaining that the Omega-universe had no point but it had , otherwise the author couldn’t maintain the exact same ideas Austin’s P&P highlighted, like women’s conditions as second class citizens (just like Omegas’), so I understand why she chose to use it.
As I said , I wish the author tried to make some things differently , add some original details to it, at least a more developed world building because everything is absolutely the same , from their names to their characters only that instead of women they’re omegas. I’m glad we don’t have heat or mpreg though, the ABO is subtle and it’s there just to serve a purpose. Or, for instance, a thing I didn’t like in JA’s book was how little the characters interact before they get together and I was hoping here the author gave us more witty dialogues between them , more time spent together rather than making it another faithful copy of a book we, fans of P&P know by heart.
I did love it very much though and if you aren’t as saturated with P&P as me or you haven’t even read the JA one you will absolutely love it too. It’s a beautiful historical MM romance , just as beautiful as JA’s book. So you know… if you like historicals read it , it’s really really good. And look at that cover!!!!! 😍
April 28, 2024
I'm just glad I don't have to read the straight version of it.
I find this very intimate and endearing, From the scenery, the writings, to the characters although only some of them I fond of.
The intimacy was so carefully thought of throughout that when I find myself reading them that it was almost satisfying especially with our Elliot and Mr.Darcy.
I Adore Elliot's character, The way he eager to find out more little things about Darcy yet he doesn't know why only for him to find out later on its love it's just got set up beautifully.
I also relate to his character with him living in an household with overbearing mother, and him to interfere each time so he doesn't die of embarrassment.
There's not a single moment where I'm bored reading this, all the drama just written in a way that is interesting to the readers.
The word "handsome" being used too lightly in this book
And I also find the women in this book quite insufferable especially the bingley sisters, The mom (mrs.bennet), Lady Katherine.
Queer is the norm in this world that's for sure but what bothers me the most was the slight homophobia towards the man who's gay, for an instance let's say with Jack and Darcy, where they both have woman trying to force themselves at them even tho they (the women) already knew they're into men which I did not appreciate, it just doesn't make sense at all especially when men marrying each other or just queer is the norm, there's nothing to hide.
Although this might seem not to be a problem to some it just bothers me that if happens multiple times at least some implications were made.
I find this very intimate and endearing, From the scenery, the writings, to the characters although only some of them I fond of.
The intimacy was so carefully thought of throughout that when I find myself reading them that it was almost satisfying especially with our Elliot and Mr.Darcy.
I Adore Elliot's character, The way he eager to find out more little things about Darcy yet he doesn't know why only for him to find out later on its love it's just got set up beautifully.
I also relate to his character with him living in an household with overbearing mother, and him to interfere each time so he doesn't die of embarrassment.
There's not a single moment where I'm bored reading this, all the drama just written in a way that is interesting to the readers.
The word "handsome" being used too lightly in this book
And I also find the women in this book quite insufferable especially the bingley sisters, The mom (mrs.bennet), Lady Katherine.
Queer is the norm in this world that's for sure but what bothers me the most was the slight homophobia towards the man who's gay, for an instance let's say with Jack and Darcy, where they both have woman trying to force themselves at them even tho they (the women) already knew they're into men which I did not appreciate, it just doesn't make sense at all especially when men marrying each other or just queer is the norm, there's nothing to hide.
Although this might seem not to be a problem to some it just bothers me that if happens multiple times at least some implications were made.
March 7, 2024
A Jane Austen Classic queer retelling? Sign me up thank you very much!
If you have always wanted to know what Darcy and Bennet would be like gay? Here’s you beautiful answer.
I love that this maintained the classic austen writing. Made it all the more surreal and beautiful for me. The author mostly kept to the original story and it still had the same feeling as reading the original classic.
In whatever Universe Mr darcy is the Standard. This was omegaverse and whilst the Alpha, Beta and Omega dynamics were a bit confusing, i really wasn’t all that thrown off by it.
Almost all the time most of the characters frustrated the heck out of me.
Mrs Bennet was even more horrid . I wanted to rip my hair out.
Charles Bingkey was an absolute darling❤️
Elliot Bennett is a gem✨
Jack Bennett deserves all the hugs
Mr Darcy should have groveled more😂 but we love him all the same
And to the Wickhams i bestow all the misery of the world upon😤
If you have always wanted to know what Darcy and Bennet would be like gay? Here’s you beautiful answer.
I love that this maintained the classic austen writing. Made it all the more surreal and beautiful for me. The author mostly kept to the original story and it still had the same feeling as reading the original classic.
In whatever Universe Mr darcy is the Standard. This was omegaverse and whilst the Alpha, Beta and Omega dynamics were a bit confusing, i really wasn’t all that thrown off by it.
Almost all the time most of the characters frustrated the heck out of me.
Mrs Bennet was even more horrid . I wanted to rip my hair out.
Charles Bingkey was an absolute darling❤️
Elliot Bennett is a gem✨
Jack Bennett deserves all the hugs
Mr Darcy should have groveled more😂 but we love him all the same
And to the Wickhams i bestow all the misery of the world upon😤
February 28, 2024
The perfect book for anyone who ever loved Pride and Prejudice but wished it was gay...
"It had been an age since he had last seen him. Months in fact. Darcy had felt every moment of that absence and yet the sense of familiarity he felt when seeing the other man was so absolute that it had taken his breath away slightly. His body knew Elliot and it was pleased to be near him once more. The feeling was remarkably similar to how Darcy felt when returning to Pemberley. To coming home."
Rereading Pride and Prejudice was a Christmas tradition I looked forward to every year until I started reading primarily LGBTQ+ romance. I still loved the story but wished there was an MM version. When I saw His Pride and His Prejudice I was thrilled. It's written in the same language and format as the original, or certainly close enough to invoke all the nostalgia, but is also new and fresh with subtly changed plotlines and the omegaverse take. In other words, it's absolutely perfect! I really loved the small changes April Andrews made, particularly the added scenes from Darcy's point of view. The characters of Elliot and Darcy were very engaging. Mrs. Bennett was even cringier in this version, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh is even more overbearing and critical. I loved it! I am obsessed with this book and truly look forward to starting a new tradition reading it each holiday season. Now someone PLEASE make this into a movie!
Rating: 4.5
Angst: 3/5
Steam: 1/5
I received an advanced copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
"It had been an age since he had last seen him. Months in fact. Darcy had felt every moment of that absence and yet the sense of familiarity he felt when seeing the other man was so absolute that it had taken his breath away slightly. His body knew Elliot and it was pleased to be near him once more. The feeling was remarkably similar to how Darcy felt when returning to Pemberley. To coming home."
Rereading Pride and Prejudice was a Christmas tradition I looked forward to every year until I started reading primarily LGBTQ+ romance. I still loved the story but wished there was an MM version. When I saw His Pride and His Prejudice I was thrilled. It's written in the same language and format as the original, or certainly close enough to invoke all the nostalgia, but is also new and fresh with subtly changed plotlines and the omegaverse take. In other words, it's absolutely perfect! I really loved the small changes April Andrews made, particularly the added scenes from Darcy's point of view. The characters of Elliot and Darcy were very engaging. Mrs. Bennett was even cringier in this version, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh is even more overbearing and critical. I loved it! I am obsessed with this book and truly look forward to starting a new tradition reading it each holiday season. Now someone PLEASE make this into a movie!
Rating: 4.5
Angst: 3/5
Steam: 1/5
I received an advanced copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
May 4, 2024
I enjoyed this tremendously 😆 but who wouldn’t entail Jane Austin book? I think it was well written and I couldn’t put it down but I couldn’t help but feeling it wasn’t retelling at all but the same exact story. Yes, this was MM but the writer just replaced the women with Omega male but the story was absolutely identical and though I enjoyed it it felt missing some kind of a new angle.
dnf
August 25, 2024DNF at 12%
I know I didn’t get that far, but it was more than enough to make up my mind on whether I wanted to keep reading this book or not.
I like the idea of an omegaverse adaptation of P&P. This kind of execution? Not so much.
It’s at times too close to the original, with some sentences taken word for word from it, while there are changes significant enough that it makes me wonder if it’s a deliberate choice or if the author has a very different understanding of the Austen characters than I have. The first example of that came up regarding Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Apparently, Mr. Bennet
I could have lived with that if it had been the only case, but it’s clear from what I’ve read so far and what I’ve peeked at in other reviews that there are similar occurrences regarding other (more important) characters, included the MCs. ( Okay, that last one wasn’t really a change in characterization, but…come on!)
Another significant change is that here we get Darcy’s POV. By the time I quit, only one chapter was in his POV, but, again, it was enough to see that it’s not going to be an improvement on the rest. He seems to think in exclamation marks, just like Elliot (Lizzie) and everybody else. (There are a lot of exclamation marks in this book! I mean, a lot! Even the mildest consideration seems to warrant an exclamation mark! Why, do you ask? I’ve no idea! But it’s annoying! Really, really annoying!)
That would be enough to bother me in any book and with any set of characters, but here? I can’t even imagine Mr. Darcy thinking in exclamation marks once in his life. Hard pass.
I know I didn’t get that far, but it was more than enough to make up my mind on whether I wanted to keep reading this book or not.
I like the idea of an omegaverse adaptation of P&P. This kind of execution? Not so much.
It’s at times too close to the original, with some sentences taken word for word from it, while there are changes significant enough that it makes me wonder if it’s a deliberate choice or if the author has a very different understanding of the Austen characters than I have. The first example of that came up regarding Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Apparently, Mr. Bennet
I could have lived with that if it had been the only case, but it’s clear from what I’ve read so far and what I’ve peeked at in other reviews that there are similar occurrences regarding other (more important) characters, included the MCs. ( Okay, that last one wasn’t really a change in characterization, but…come on!)
Another significant change is that here we get Darcy’s POV. By the time I quit, only one chapter was in his POV, but, again, it was enough to see that it’s not going to be an improvement on the rest. He seems to think in exclamation marks, just like Elliot (Lizzie) and everybody else. (There are a lot of exclamation marks in this book! I mean, a lot! Even the mildest consideration seems to warrant an exclamation mark! Why, do you ask? I’ve no idea! But it’s annoying! Really, really annoying!)
That would be enough to bother me in any book and with any set of characters, but here? I can’t even imagine Mr. Darcy thinking in exclamation marks once in his life. Hard pass.
March 24, 2024
This is the first ever book that I enjoyed reading but gave it such a low rating. I mean, I enjoyed it like I would re-reading Jane Austen’s original. Which it is exactly, a blatant copy of the original, scene for scene, and most of the time, line for line. Fans of the original who know by heart the famous, or not so famous, lines will recognize them immediately. I don’t know if you can do that. You can cover a song note for note, but can you rewrite a book by copy and paste, and adding your own things here and there?
I will not encourage that, so I give this book 2 stars, which is more than it deserves.
I will not encourage that, so I give this book 2 stars, which is more than it deserves.
Read
June 7, 2024DNF at 36%
I am not in the mood for it. I lost interest and can't pick it back up.
I am not in the mood for it. I lost interest and can't pick it back up.
February 15, 2024
I’m going to begin this by clarifying that this is written in a similar style to Austen’s own writing - don’t expect modern dialogue in here, it is a true classical retelling. I expect this might not appeal to everyone, but I really enjoyed it!
I haven’t read Pride and Prejudice for years, but from what I can remember, this retelling follows the main plot of the book fairly faithfully. There is lots of family politics centring around the Bennet family - Mr & Mrs Bennett and their 5 sons (yep, you read that right!). We are treated in this book to absolutely beautiful Austen-esque prose, immersive scene setting and interesting characters, based on their classical counterparts.
The main deviation to this retelling is that it is set in an Omegaverse world. The Bennet brothers are all omegas and their duty in life is to marry ‘up’ by attracting either a beta or alpha. The world is queer normative, so there doesn’t seem to be any tension over whether pairings are MF, MM or FF (and we see examples of all in the book) but the ABO hierarchy system is very much in play here, which makes for some interesting dynamics in the book, especially when it comes to inheritance.
The reason that this doesn’t get 5* from me is twofold. Firstly (and this might be because I’m not a regular ABO reader) I didn’t understand the family dynamics when it comes to children in this world. There are MM and FF pairs who have children, and it is discussed how they may differ from their parents in class (ie, the parents are an alpha/beta combo and their child is an omega) or that they favour both their parents in looks… which suggests that MM and FF pairings are having children. I know mpreg is a thing (so I can only assume fpreg must be?!), so maybe that’s the answer? It’s never properly covered - the children just seem to appear. And (I guess leading on from this) I actually would have preferred this without the ABO elements - without that, this is still a strong, queer retelling and I feel like it would have been better relying on class differences in terms of wealth, rather than ABO? There were points where I just thought, it’s adding a layer of complexity that just isn’t needed. But again, that might just be me not being an avid omegaverse reader!!
Overall I did enjoy this queer retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice - it’s a fabulous crossover for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and omegaverse!
This book is available on 1st March. Thank you to the author for the ARC copy of this book :)
I haven’t read Pride and Prejudice for years, but from what I can remember, this retelling follows the main plot of the book fairly faithfully. There is lots of family politics centring around the Bennet family - Mr & Mrs Bennett and their 5 sons (yep, you read that right!). We are treated in this book to absolutely beautiful Austen-esque prose, immersive scene setting and interesting characters, based on their classical counterparts.
The main deviation to this retelling is that it is set in an Omegaverse world. The Bennet brothers are all omegas and their duty in life is to marry ‘up’ by attracting either a beta or alpha. The world is queer normative, so there doesn’t seem to be any tension over whether pairings are MF, MM or FF (and we see examples of all in the book) but the ABO hierarchy system is very much in play here, which makes for some interesting dynamics in the book, especially when it comes to inheritance.
The reason that this doesn’t get 5* from me is twofold. Firstly (and this might be because I’m not a regular ABO reader) I didn’t understand the family dynamics when it comes to children in this world. There are MM and FF pairs who have children, and it is discussed how they may differ from their parents in class (ie, the parents are an alpha/beta combo and their child is an omega) or that they favour both their parents in looks… which suggests that MM and FF pairings are having children. I know mpreg is a thing (so I can only assume fpreg must be?!), so maybe that’s the answer? It’s never properly covered - the children just seem to appear. And (I guess leading on from this) I actually would have preferred this without the ABO elements - without that, this is still a strong, queer retelling and I feel like it would have been better relying on class differences in terms of wealth, rather than ABO? There were points where I just thought, it’s adding a layer of complexity that just isn’t needed. But again, that might just be me not being an avid omegaverse reader!!
Overall I did enjoy this queer retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice - it’s a fabulous crossover for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and omegaverse!
This book is available on 1st March. Thank you to the author for the ARC copy of this book :)
May 21, 2024
I'm a big fan of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie (like, an hardcore fan), and this book DELIVERED. It's so faithful to the movie, while giving it a fresh twist with omegaverse and M/M Romance. Also, I loved having Darcy's POV, too. This book was delightful! It helped me survive my Bridgerton series hungover.
March 7, 2024
a queer reimagining of a beloved classic, but with a twist.
March 12, 2024
This is going to be a bit on the longer side, so strap in.
As someone who's been avidly reading anything I can get my hands on since I could make sense of words, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is not a new read for me. It has long since been a favorite of mine's, that I can say with confidence that I have read an incredible amount of adaptions in my time. Alongside the original novel is of course movie/show adaptions which I have also seen; although I think undoubtedly 2005's adaption with Keira Knightly will always (always) be a movie that I come back too.
As someone who has read both loose and obvious retellings of P&P, Andrew's is by far the one that I have read that is without a doubt identical. With that comes both pros and cons. The pros are for lovers of P&P who both enjoy reading the novel over and over without tiring, and appreciate nearly all adaptions that have been published. However, that comes with the con that there is no originality or plot twist that may keep a reader's attention. Moreover, (and this is why I have taken off a single star), the dialogue, the plot, and well the entirety of Austen's original novel is pilfered for the gain of this author. Because this novel is nearly an identical copy of the original, can it be said that it's ... well plagiarized? Again, I have read other adaptions, but not one whose premise is so closely aligned with its original source. I guess that's a different conversation, but something that I tried to take into account in this review.
I want to add very clearly that i am in NO WAY accusing the author of anything, or denouncing any other author or adaption for taking heavily from their inspired original source. This review is clearly four stars, however I would be remiss not to mention it.
In the case of ABO, as others have noted in their own readings and reviews of this novel, it's full incorporation was due in part to keep the sense of classism and misogyny as in the original. With that being said readers can rest assured it has no real baring in the story (i.e. mpreg, heats, etc).
Now it all comes down to my actual feelings of this book. It is hard to discern whether I liked this book for being so closely aligned to the original—which I am clearly a fan of—or if I had been none the wiser, this would have been a favorite regardless. I will have to mull on that for a while, but as it stands I enjoyed this author's boldness in adapting the characters to fit a queer retelling. For those of us who are huge fans of the original p&p this could both be a HUGE skip or an absolute read. If you know Austen's novel intimately and it was a one and done then this is a skip. If you consume any form of p&p media then I would definitely add this to your TBR.
For those of you who are only vaguely familiar with the original and enjoy a could historical story, then I would recommend this.
The last two things I want to mention is the language and the pacing. Like Austen's novel this story is incredibly slow in the way of romance—the protagonist's are often separated and nearly entirely self-involved. If you're looking for sneaky kisses in the dark corners of the ball, or hot and heavy petting in the mazes of the gardens, this is not your story. There is no spice.
Finally, Andrew's does a good job in terms of modernizing the language of p&p, so you won't get the super heavy and flowery nuance of the original's—which was actually a nice surprise for me. This modernization definitely helped with not making this book drag along.
**Another observation I would like to make as I have gotten to the end of my review and I only just remembered is that Andrew's gives readers Darcy's perspective which is a cool, and original aspect that I hadn't thought to want.
All in all, I am comfortable and happy to give His Pride and His Prejudice 4 gold stars.
As someone who's been avidly reading anything I can get my hands on since I could make sense of words, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is not a new read for me. It has long since been a favorite of mine's, that I can say with confidence that I have read an incredible amount of adaptions in my time. Alongside the original novel is of course movie/show adaptions which I have also seen; although I think undoubtedly 2005's adaption with Keira Knightly will always (always) be a movie that I come back too.
As someone who has read both loose and obvious retellings of P&P, Andrew's is by far the one that I have read that is without a doubt identical. With that comes both pros and cons. The pros are for lovers of P&P who both enjoy reading the novel over and over without tiring, and appreciate nearly all adaptions that have been published. However, that comes with the con that there is no originality or plot twist that may keep a reader's attention. Moreover, (and this is why I have taken off a single star), the dialogue, the plot, and well the entirety of Austen's original novel is pilfered for the gain of this author. Because this novel is nearly an identical copy of the original, can it be said that it's ... well plagiarized? Again, I have read other adaptions, but not one whose premise is so closely aligned with its original source. I guess that's a different conversation, but something that I tried to take into account in this review.
I want to add very clearly that i am in NO WAY accusing the author of anything, or denouncing any other author or adaption for taking heavily from their inspired original source. This review is clearly four stars, however I would be remiss not to mention it.
In the case of ABO, as others have noted in their own readings and reviews of this novel, it's full incorporation was due in part to keep the sense of classism and misogyny as in the original. With that being said readers can rest assured it has no real baring in the story (i.e. mpreg, heats, etc).
Now it all comes down to my actual feelings of this book. It is hard to discern whether I liked this book for being so closely aligned to the original—which I am clearly a fan of—or if I had been none the wiser, this would have been a favorite regardless. I will have to mull on that for a while, but as it stands I enjoyed this author's boldness in adapting the characters to fit a queer retelling. For those of us who are huge fans of the original p&p this could both be a HUGE skip or an absolute read. If you know Austen's novel intimately and it was a one and done then this is a skip. If you consume any form of p&p media then I would definitely add this to your TBR.
For those of you who are only vaguely familiar with the original and enjoy a could historical story, then I would recommend this.
The last two things I want to mention is the language and the pacing. Like Austen's novel this story is incredibly slow in the way of romance—the protagonist's are often separated and nearly entirely self-involved. If you're looking for sneaky kisses in the dark corners of the ball, or hot and heavy petting in the mazes of the gardens, this is not your story. There is no spice.
Finally, Andrew's does a good job in terms of modernizing the language of p&p, so you won't get the super heavy and flowery nuance of the original's—which was actually a nice surprise for me. This modernization definitely helped with not making this book drag along.
**Another observation I would like to make as I have gotten to the end of my review and I only just remembered is that Andrew's gives readers Darcy's perspective which is a cool, and original aspect that I hadn't thought to want.
All in all, I am comfortable and happy to give His Pride and His Prejudice 4 gold stars.
March 5, 2024
I was very pleasantly surprised by this. I mean, come on, it's a straight up (hahaha, see what I did there?) retelling. Only not. I adore that it's all inherently queer, to begin with. The whole a/b/o thing *really* worked. Like, class is a whole thing in the original but the way it was laid out in this--with all the a/b/o expectations and tropes--really drove the point home. Was it a little tedious knowing exactly what would happen? Yes. Was it frustrating to read lines direct from the original (and possibly the movies, too? my memory kind of sucks, honestly)? Absolutely. Did the author massively overuse some turns of phrase? Oh yeah. But let me be clear, I kept turning pages. Avidly. When I wasn't reading this book, I wanted to be. So clearly an excellent job was done with it.
March 31, 2024
5 stars
This was an excellent retelling/reimagining of A classic. The MM twist on the story was done quite well. I like how the author utilized the A/B/O designation instead of gender to emphasize the different place each holds in society.
This was an excellent retelling/reimagining of A classic. The MM twist on the story was done quite well. I like how the author utilized the A/B/O designation instead of gender to emphasize the different place each holds in society.
Read
March 12, 2024DNF 30%
I tried with this book, and I even brought in two people who are English Lit scholars (one of whom has written about ABO fiction) to read it as a group.
But, uh, it's kind of a mess.
See, P+P is all about who is or is not a suitable match, who can inherit, which children are the good kind and the bad kind, and so on. Characters and relationships exist to situate these properties, but Austen didn't need to do as much work as we might today, because her early-19th century audience all understood the rules. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy are interesting because they're at the boundary of what's okay, and so much of their story is about that status. (Also, they're just delightful characters!)
So, ok, add in "but gay, but omegaverse with (maybe) true mates". Fine. Tell me the following:
1) how does class intersect with the A/B/O dynamics? There's a ton of "suitability" stuff that gets alluded to, but I don't fundamentally understand the rules. Do alphas get with alphas? Are there poor alphas, or only middle-class alphas? Is it okay if a middle-class alpha marries a poor omega? a rich omega? Does gender intersect? Could the Bennets save the estate if any of the boys married an alpha? Any alpha? Why not just pay a (comparatively) poor one?!
2) are male omegas fertile? Can a female-female pair have children? Can a male omega get an alpha female pregnant? Is that a "good" scenario where the child will inherit? Which designation will that child be? If we're all about the inheritance, who makes children? Even in the real world, bisexuals tend to often end up with people of opposite gender in part because it's socially simpler, but also because it's way easier to create children that way. In a world as obsessed with "proper" inheritance as this one, what happens when two men wind up together?
3) how the hell does the "true mate" thing work? Mr Darcy and Elliot Bennet are true mates. My friend who finished the book says this turns out to be plot-irrelevant, except in the part I read, Mr Darcy really wants to spend more time with Elliot Bennet. But Fitzwilliam Darcy wants to spend a lot of time with Elizabeth Bennet in P+P!
Basically, this whole book depends on class/gender/propriety rules that are never discussed, meaning that by the time I stopped reading, I just didn't know what was happening. And in real P+P, that's all much, much more obvious.
Also, the book is full of passages lifted or near-lifted from Austen. Those are better, and have fewer exclamation marks, than Ms. Andrews's writing has.
(Incidentally, two series I think do this better:
1) Tavia Lark's Perilous Courts books, where tons of the marriages are same-gender, but because lots of the characters are trans, there's a decent number of same-gender marriages that still involve a person who makes sperm and a person who makes ova, and so some sex makes babies. Also, there are poly relationships and surrogates and adoptions, and so on.
2) Samantha Cayto's Treaty Brides books, which just involve nine [!] scenarios in which a young man winds up as an older, butcher man's bride, and the world just manages to cope with that fact.
Neither of these has omegaverse stuff, but there are also examples of complex court-dynamic omegaverse books, too, but when those books work, *they show their work*, and we understand how class and gender and status intersect with the A/B/O designation. Here, it's so muddled.)
One of my friends did finish this book, and both glad it didn't have sex writing (since she feared it'd be bad), and disappointed (since then maybe we'd understand if Elliot could bear children). Ah, well.
I tried with this book, and I even brought in two people who are English Lit scholars (one of whom has written about ABO fiction) to read it as a group.
But, uh, it's kind of a mess.
See, P+P is all about who is or is not a suitable match, who can inherit, which children are the good kind and the bad kind, and so on. Characters and relationships exist to situate these properties, but Austen didn't need to do as much work as we might today, because her early-19th century audience all understood the rules. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy are interesting because they're at the boundary of what's okay, and so much of their story is about that status. (Also, they're just delightful characters!)
So, ok, add in "but gay, but omegaverse with (maybe) true mates". Fine. Tell me the following:
1) how does class intersect with the A/B/O dynamics? There's a ton of "suitability" stuff that gets alluded to, but I don't fundamentally understand the rules. Do alphas get with alphas? Are there poor alphas, or only middle-class alphas? Is it okay if a middle-class alpha marries a poor omega? a rich omega? Does gender intersect? Could the Bennets save the estate if any of the boys married an alpha? Any alpha? Why not just pay a (comparatively) poor one?!
2) are male omegas fertile? Can a female-female pair have children? Can a male omega get an alpha female pregnant? Is that a "good" scenario where the child will inherit? Which designation will that child be? If we're all about the inheritance, who makes children? Even in the real world, bisexuals tend to often end up with people of opposite gender in part because it's socially simpler, but also because it's way easier to create children that way. In a world as obsessed with "proper" inheritance as this one, what happens when two men wind up together?
3) how the hell does the "true mate" thing work? Mr Darcy and Elliot Bennet are true mates. My friend who finished the book says this turns out to be plot-irrelevant, except in the part I read, Mr Darcy really wants to spend more time with Elliot Bennet. But Fitzwilliam Darcy wants to spend a lot of time with Elizabeth Bennet in P+P!
Basically, this whole book depends on class/gender/propriety rules that are never discussed, meaning that by the time I stopped reading, I just didn't know what was happening. And in real P+P, that's all much, much more obvious.
Also, the book is full of passages lifted or near-lifted from Austen. Those are better, and have fewer exclamation marks, than Ms. Andrews's writing has.
(Incidentally, two series I think do this better:
1) Tavia Lark's Perilous Courts books, where tons of the marriages are same-gender, but because lots of the characters are trans, there's a decent number of same-gender marriages that still involve a person who makes sperm and a person who makes ova, and so some sex makes babies. Also, there are poly relationships and surrogates and adoptions, and so on.
2) Samantha Cayto's Treaty Brides books, which just involve nine [!] scenarios in which a young man winds up as an older, butcher man's bride, and the world just manages to cope with that fact.
Neither of these has omegaverse stuff, but there are also examples of complex court-dynamic omegaverse books, too, but when those books work, *they show their work*, and we understand how class and gender and status intersect with the A/B/O designation. Here, it's so muddled.)
One of my friends did finish this book, and both glad it didn't have sex writing (since she feared it'd be bad), and disappointed (since then maybe we'd understand if Elliot could bear children). Ah, well.
March 3, 2024
Give me all the Pride and Prejudice retellings, I'll always have a soft spot for them. And I really enjoy that one. It's always the same story but with the omegaverse aspect it gave enough leeway to make it its own thing, small changes that can make it a little less predictable. Especially with Elliott whose Prejudice let him go against his instincts which I think was a good way to reinforce their "big weakness"
I especially love what the author did with Marc (Mary Bennett). He/She always is the ignored one in the family so it was cool to see that while he still had his quirks he seemed a lot closer to Eliott and Jack that what we usually see.
I especially love what the author did with Marc (Mary Bennett). He/She always is the ignored one in the family so it was cool to see that while he still had his quirks he seemed a lot closer to Eliott and Jack that what we usually see.
February 23, 2024
Ok I will say I am not one for omegaverse much, depends on how it's written. But I do basically have the 1995 pride and prejudice mini series memorized, and when I read this blurb for this it just sounded so... Interesting? MM omegaverse pride and prejudice retelling. Honestly I was just super curious and decided I couldn't pass the chance up
This omegaverse is actually very understated. So much so if the characters didn't mention designations on occasion I honestly would have forgotten it even was an aspect of the story, which worked for me. It definitely is mainly just an MM pride and prejudice set in a very queer normative world, which was awesome to see.
Everyone was painted in a more positive light in this retelling and there was more pining from both Elliot and Darcy. The writing style did air on the side of the time period, so just be aware it does read like that. Overall I found it pretty entertaining, knowing the original plot helped a lot, but I think it would have been totally fine if that hadn't been the case.
If you're at all familiar with the original story, then you know this is the definition of a slow burn. Our couple does not get together until the last 40 pages and even then it's all PG, very in the spirit of the original novel. I would definitely be interested in any other queer historical classics this author may write. It was amazing to see one of my favorite romances turned into a story with characters and rep I could relate to. Like I said before, the queer normative aspect was by far my favorite part, although I enjoyed the entire experience.
This omegaverse is actually very understated. So much so if the characters didn't mention designations on occasion I honestly would have forgotten it even was an aspect of the story, which worked for me. It definitely is mainly just an MM pride and prejudice set in a very queer normative world, which was awesome to see.
Everyone was painted in a more positive light in this retelling and there was more pining from both Elliot and Darcy. The writing style did air on the side of the time period, so just be aware it does read like that. Overall I found it pretty entertaining, knowing the original plot helped a lot, but I think it would have been totally fine if that hadn't been the case.
If you're at all familiar with the original story, then you know this is the definition of a slow burn. Our couple does not get together until the last 40 pages and even then it's all PG, very in the spirit of the original novel. I would definitely be interested in any other queer historical classics this author may write. It was amazing to see one of my favorite romances turned into a story with characters and rep I could relate to. Like I said before, the queer normative aspect was by far my favorite part, although I enjoyed the entire experience.
March 6, 2024
Thank you to GRR for the review copy, my opinion is my own.
Pride and Prejudice has been one of my favorite classic books, and I have enjoyed almost all of the retellings that I have read, I am happy to report that this one is truly enjoyable and such an unique take on the classic tale.
Set in a society where the alpha, beta, and omega designations take precedence over the traditional class structure, for the most part, Elliot Bennet is the second son, omega designation, of the Bennets of Longbourn, and he is about to come of age for marriage and mating. Enter the Bingley's and Mr. Darcy, as Charles Bingley, alpha, leases Netherfield for a time. Following closely to the source material, this story develops much in the same way as Pride and Prejudice, but with additional aspects.
I loved the fact that you get Darcy's point of view, which helps in understanding his personality and motivations so much faster. The 5 brothers have way more depth in their characters (with the exception of the youngest - Louis or Lydia is still a silly flirt). I loved that queerness is normalized. There is a little bit more touching than in the source material, but nothing more than a kiss is on page, and this is a deliciously slow slow burn. Like the slowest of slow burns.
If you loved the original Pride and Prejudice, but wanted something queer, then this is the story for you.
Pride and Prejudice has been one of my favorite classic books, and I have enjoyed almost all of the retellings that I have read, I am happy to report that this one is truly enjoyable and such an unique take on the classic tale.
Set in a society where the alpha, beta, and omega designations take precedence over the traditional class structure, for the most part, Elliot Bennet is the second son, omega designation, of the Bennets of Longbourn, and he is about to come of age for marriage and mating. Enter the Bingley's and Mr. Darcy, as Charles Bingley, alpha, leases Netherfield for a time. Following closely to the source material, this story develops much in the same way as Pride and Prejudice, but with additional aspects.
I loved the fact that you get Darcy's point of view, which helps in understanding his personality and motivations so much faster. The 5 brothers have way more depth in their characters (with the exception of the youngest - Louis or Lydia is still a silly flirt). I loved that queerness is normalized. There is a little bit more touching than in the source material, but nothing more than a kiss is on page, and this is a deliciously slow slow burn. Like the slowest of slow burns.
If you loved the original Pride and Prejudice, but wanted something queer, then this is the story for you.
April 7, 2025
would it be blasphemy if i say i loved this more than the original??😭
i loved the omega verse version and fated mates are always great if you ask me!
the ending felt a bit rushed but it was alright.
I LOVED THE GARDINERS!!
i loved the omega verse version and fated mates are always great if you ask me!
the ending felt a bit rushed but it was alright.
I LOVED THE GARDINERS!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2024
** 3.5 Stars **
May 12, 2024
2.5**
This is indeed a very faithful adaptation of Jane Austen's novel (written with quite a similar style), to the point where most of the names are the same or very similar (but Jane...I mean Jack has a mustache/then full beard), all the events unfold similarly to the original, and some of the dialogues are almost a one-to-one copy.
However, there is one tiny problem.
In creating such a faithful replica, the author added a series of elements that fit like a square peg in a round hole! If you want to meet Mr. Darcy, who immediately after Elliot (the original Elizabeth) rejects his proposal - grabs him and forcefully pulls him close, you'll find him here! Mr. Darcy constantly dreams of being alone with Elliot and kissing him, and occasionally deals with tightness in his breeches, also presses his thigh to Elliot's.
Unfortunately, Elliot is not a faithful copy of Elizabeth either, as he sometimes lacks the class the original character had. On one hand, he behaves even more prudishly than Elizabeth, especially in the situation with Louis(Lydia)' escape. Still, when it comes to some of his responses, they - on occasions - sound like taken directly from street interviews with intoxicated women, who shout #men-are-trash (alphas in this context).
Here and there his behavior oscillates from that of a modern spoiled college brat to a prudish, self-righteous saint, as if the author couldn't find a balance between the typical behavior of that era + the morality typical of people then + modern, progressive ideas.... and tried to sprinkle the whole plot with progressive views - especially towards omegas in the community, but unfortunately couldn't balance it well. And it's a pity :(
Do you hope it has some good feministic message included? (I did!)
Not necessarily. The low position of women in this community is not even up for discussion because there is no such thing as women and men here - (well, they are but not important) - the differences that matter are whether you're a beta, alpha, or omega.
So we have situations where, for example, a woman who is an alpha, like Mr. Bingley's sister, lectures poor Elliot (who is an omega male), about "how WE alphas should lead society".
I was totally mind blown reading this scene! So who should I root for?
The author created six genders and amazing mishmash of social integration between alpha males, beta males, omega males, and alpha females, omega females, and beta females! Some can inherit property and some can't, some only if they are older, and others only if they find a husband, but he must be an alpha but also...maybe a beta... But two omegas can also marry! It's like a labyrinth! Understanding their mutual relations and positions would probably require some sort of wiki.
And I'll add that they're not even called genders/sexes! They are called "classes", which is already a strange idea.
However, that's why it seems to me that the message that could be conveyed through this book about the position of one gender relative to the other gender has not been presented well and clearly because the author threw too many plums into the compote.
Unlike what Mrs. Austen did, who tried to show in a very elegant and classy way, and with the use of irony, the differences in the positions of men and women and the dependence of women on a range of conventions and the fact that they had to look for a husband to have any position.... in this situation, we have a completely different arrangement because women are also alphas in this book, not just betas or omegas - so this whole image becomes blurred!
We don't really know who to root for here. I was really confused.
If it was a retelling then there wouldn't be a problem, there are cool retellings of "Persuasion", which you can read and find those old events set in contemporary realities, but here we have a strange hybrid of traditional roles and classic language known to us from Jane Austen mixed with a bit of feminist views but captured in a very clumsy way.
Personally, I like to read books where omegas fight for their rights, for example, Tricia Ledfort's book, or some books by Roe Horvat and A.M Arthur, but unfortunately, in this case, there is not even a clear conclusion, that easily could be there. A modernized version of original, just called 'retelling'.
So, in summary, it can be said that this is a 90% copy of Jane Austen but with some strange additions, like Mr. Darcy, who sometimes behaves like a Neanderthal.
What an insult to Mr. Darcy's image! :(
As Gordon Ramsay says "Respect the classic" some things just are so good, they don’t need more pepper.
To not be completely mean bi*ch, I'll add that the book is written in a good style, in terms of the language used there, and the author put effort into staying true to the most ideas of the era, but for me -it just didn't work out.
That doesn't mean it won't work out for others! As you can see, most people liked it, as it surely captures the vibe of the original, and for that, the author deserves acknowledgment.
I just love the original a tad too much... I'm sorry!
This is indeed a very faithful adaptation of Jane Austen's novel (written with quite a similar style), to the point where most of the names are the same or very similar (but Jane...I mean Jack has a mustache/then full beard), all the events unfold similarly to the original, and some of the dialogues are almost a one-to-one copy.
However, there is one tiny problem.
In creating such a faithful replica, the author added a series of elements that fit like a square peg in a round hole! If you want to meet Mr. Darcy, who immediately after Elliot (the original Elizabeth) rejects his proposal - grabs him and forcefully pulls him close, you'll find him here! Mr. Darcy constantly dreams of being alone with Elliot and kissing him, and occasionally deals with tightness in his breeches, also presses his thigh to Elliot's.
Unfortunately, Elliot is not a faithful copy of Elizabeth either, as he sometimes lacks the class the original character had. On one hand, he behaves even more prudishly than Elizabeth, especially in the situation with Louis(Lydia)' escape. Still, when it comes to some of his responses, they - on occasions - sound like taken directly from street interviews with intoxicated women, who shout #men-are-trash (alphas in this context).
Here and there his behavior oscillates from that of a modern spoiled college brat to a prudish, self-righteous saint, as if the author couldn't find a balance between the typical behavior of that era + the morality typical of people then + modern, progressive ideas.... and tried to sprinkle the whole plot with progressive views - especially towards omegas in the community, but unfortunately couldn't balance it well. And it's a pity :(
Do you hope it has some good feministic message included? (I did!)
Not necessarily. The low position of women in this community is not even up for discussion because there is no such thing as women and men here - (well, they are but not important) - the differences that matter are whether you're a beta, alpha, or omega.
So we have situations where, for example, a woman who is an alpha, like Mr. Bingley's sister, lectures poor Elliot (who is an omega male), about "how WE alphas should lead society".
I was totally mind blown reading this scene! So who should I root for?
The author created six genders and amazing mishmash of social integration between alpha males, beta males, omega males, and alpha females, omega females, and beta females! Some can inherit property and some can't, some only if they are older, and others only if they find a husband, but he must be an alpha but also...maybe a beta... But two omegas can also marry! It's like a labyrinth! Understanding their mutual relations and positions would probably require some sort of wiki.
And I'll add that they're not even called genders/sexes! They are called "classes", which is already a strange idea.
However, that's why it seems to me that the message that could be conveyed through this book about the position of one gender relative to the other gender has not been presented well and clearly because the author threw too many plums into the compote.
Unlike what Mrs. Austen did, who tried to show in a very elegant and classy way, and with the use of irony, the differences in the positions of men and women and the dependence of women on a range of conventions and the fact that they had to look for a husband to have any position.... in this situation, we have a completely different arrangement because women are also alphas in this book, not just betas or omegas - so this whole image becomes blurred!
We don't really know who to root for here. I was really confused.
If it was a retelling then there wouldn't be a problem, there are cool retellings of "Persuasion", which you can read and find those old events set in contemporary realities, but here we have a strange hybrid of traditional roles and classic language known to us from Jane Austen mixed with a bit of feminist views but captured in a very clumsy way.
Personally, I like to read books where omegas fight for their rights, for example, Tricia Ledfort's book, or some books by Roe Horvat and A.M Arthur, but unfortunately, in this case, there is not even a clear conclusion, that easily could be there. A modernized version of original, just called 'retelling'.
So, in summary, it can be said that this is a 90% copy of Jane Austen but with some strange additions, like Mr. Darcy, who sometimes behaves like a Neanderthal.
What an insult to Mr. Darcy's image! :(
As Gordon Ramsay says "Respect the classic" some things just are so good, they don’t need more pepper.
To not be completely mean bi*ch, I'll add that the book is written in a good style, in terms of the language used there, and the author put effort into staying true to the most ideas of the era, but for me -it just didn't work out.
That doesn't mean it won't work out for others! As you can see, most people liked it, as it surely captures the vibe of the original, and for that, the author deserves acknowledgment.
I just love the original a tad too much... I'm sorry!
March 3, 2024
There are few things I love to read more than retellings, particularly Jane Austen retellings. Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite books for a reason, because it's the quintessential enemies-to-lovers story, and it has some of the most witty, rapid-fire banter you'll ever see in literature. When done right, a good retelling of this story can be pure genius. When done poorly, well, it's just painful.
April Andrews' His Pride and His Prejudice is a clever spin on the classic Austen story. It seamlessly weaves together the omegaverse and Regency/Georgian-era society, swapping in the restrictions women faced during that time period with the lower social standings omegas held in that alternate universe. This is a mostly gender-swapped retelling, with the Bennets now being a family of five brothers seeking advantageous marriages, instead of five sisters. Jane and Elizabeth are now Jack and Elliot, but their journeys towards love with Bingley and Darcy remain much the same, albeit with some major differences that have to come into play due to the shift to the omegaverse world. I found the correlation between Regency-era "womenly pursuits," such as the arts, now being shifted to "omega traits," rather interesting, and it works mostly well, as do the alpha and beta counterparts.
I do wish that this wasn't perhaps so strict a retelling. To use the most popular film adaptations as metaphors, I wish this was more like the 2005 Keira Knightly version rather than the more "faithful" BBC miniseries with Colin Firth. While part of me loves that I was taken back into the world I love so dearly, I wish that it wasn't the same one I know so well, with just a fresh coat of paint on it. Had the author taken more liberties with making this a more "loose" adaptation/retelling, perhaps by diving more into the world-building of what this Regency-era omegaverse would look like, how was it determined that people were born alphas, betas, or omegas (or when did they learn that they fell into these categorizations), and did their gender identities have any impact in society, as well as their alpha, beta, or omega standings? There was so much more I wanted to understand about the society these characters lived in, to be better immersed in the story and to really relate more to the characters themselves. By relying too much on the audience's pre-existing knowledge of the Pride & Prejudice story and characters, the author really limits how much we care about what actually happens to them in this particular book; why should we care more about this story vs. any other retelling? What makes it more compelling or thought-provoking or romantic?
That aside, I did find myself captivated by Darcy and Elliot, perhaps because we had a chance to see more of Darcy's POV here. I don't know if more consistency between the two POV's would have helped, but I did love getting inside Darcy's head more than I have in previous retellings. He has always been a fascinating character, and I wish we had more time with him here.
There were some grammatical errors and formatting issues that took me out of the reading experience a bit, which is what stopped me from giving this a higher rating. But overall I think this was a really clever take on the Pride & Prejudice story, and I only wish we had more time to explore the universe it's set in so that we could really dive deeper into the omegaverse, and especially into Darcy and Elliot's relationship.
April Andrews' His Pride and His Prejudice is a clever spin on the classic Austen story. It seamlessly weaves together the omegaverse and Regency/Georgian-era society, swapping in the restrictions women faced during that time period with the lower social standings omegas held in that alternate universe. This is a mostly gender-swapped retelling, with the Bennets now being a family of five brothers seeking advantageous marriages, instead of five sisters. Jane and Elizabeth are now Jack and Elliot, but their journeys towards love with Bingley and Darcy remain much the same, albeit with some major differences that have to come into play due to the shift to the omegaverse world. I found the correlation between Regency-era "womenly pursuits," such as the arts, now being shifted to "omega traits," rather interesting, and it works mostly well, as do the alpha and beta counterparts.
I do wish that this wasn't perhaps so strict a retelling. To use the most popular film adaptations as metaphors, I wish this was more like the 2005 Keira Knightly version rather than the more "faithful" BBC miniseries with Colin Firth. While part of me loves that I was taken back into the world I love so dearly, I wish that it wasn't the same one I know so well, with just a fresh coat of paint on it. Had the author taken more liberties with making this a more "loose" adaptation/retelling, perhaps by diving more into the world-building of what this Regency-era omegaverse would look like, how was it determined that people were born alphas, betas, or omegas (or when did they learn that they fell into these categorizations), and did their gender identities have any impact in society, as well as their alpha, beta, or omega standings? There was so much more I wanted to understand about the society these characters lived in, to be better immersed in the story and to really relate more to the characters themselves. By relying too much on the audience's pre-existing knowledge of the Pride & Prejudice story and characters, the author really limits how much we care about what actually happens to them in this particular book; why should we care more about this story vs. any other retelling? What makes it more compelling or thought-provoking or romantic?
That aside, I did find myself captivated by Darcy and Elliot, perhaps because we had a chance to see more of Darcy's POV here. I don't know if more consistency between the two POV's would have helped, but I did love getting inside Darcy's head more than I have in previous retellings. He has always been a fascinating character, and I wish we had more time with him here.
There were some grammatical errors and formatting issues that took me out of the reading experience a bit, which is what stopped me from giving this a higher rating. But overall I think this was a really clever take on the Pride & Prejudice story, and I only wish we had more time to explore the universe it's set in so that we could really dive deeper into the omegaverse, and especially into Darcy and Elliot's relationship.
April 26, 2024
A charming, romantic retelling worthy of the original
Pride and Prejudice fans, this is one for you. The author captures the voice of the original and reimagines it in a MM omegaverse, fated-mates world. I’m not sure whether any of the lines are lifted from Jane Austen’s original work, but, it’s public domain, and most of the prose is not but is aligned with Austen’s voice incredibly well. I enjoyed this retelling thoroughly.
If you know the story, you know what happens. In this version, the five Bennet sisters have become five omega brothers, and rules of inheritance depend on alpha and beta status. Characters stay true to the original, as do story beats and twists. Jack, Elliot, Marc, Christian, and Louis are the brothers, and their tale holds true, down to Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham, the Hursts, Lucases, and of course the Darcys and Bingleys.
Hero Elliot meets his most imperfect match in Mr. Darcy, and as always, the road to happiness is not paved at all but bumpy as a dirt road after a summer storm. The story beats follow the original faithfully while also including insights into what Darcy and Bingley are doing when they aren’t usually seen, which I appreciated. Some minor changes to relationships and timing of appearances happen, but for the most part, the story trips along much as the original does (and I haven’t read it in so long, my memory is faulty and this may be closer than I remember!)
Our star, Elliot Bennet, is as intelligent and cheeky as ever, and Mr. Darcy as standoffish yet intrigued as one could wish. It’s pining and circling each other at its finest. And the Jack (Jane) Bennet and Mr. Bingley thread is equally appealing and strong. Two romances as promised, and lovely. Throw in the dastardly Mr. Wickham, the headstrong immature Louis, the pompous Mr. Collins, Charlie Lucas, and Colonel Fitzwilliam and the delightful Georgiana, the unbearably snotty Lady Catherine, and the evergreen scheming Mrs. Bennet and beleaguered Mr. Bennet, and you’ve a retelling for the ages. MM, MF, and FF pairings are usual and accepted in the world.
There is no s3x in the book, as it honors the original, but the romantic tension is high, and just the touch of a bare hand on bare hand is enough to send shivers through your reading sensibilities. A kiss is the sweetest reward.
HEA, no cheating or emotional cheating, enemies to lovers/opposites attract, rich-poor dynamics, and a little fated-mates attraction—a truly enjoyable new version of the classic. Highly recommended.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the copy. This opinion is all my own.
Pride and Prejudice fans, this is one for you. The author captures the voice of the original and reimagines it in a MM omegaverse, fated-mates world. I’m not sure whether any of the lines are lifted from Jane Austen’s original work, but, it’s public domain, and most of the prose is not but is aligned with Austen’s voice incredibly well. I enjoyed this retelling thoroughly.
If you know the story, you know what happens. In this version, the five Bennet sisters have become five omega brothers, and rules of inheritance depend on alpha and beta status. Characters stay true to the original, as do story beats and twists. Jack, Elliot, Marc, Christian, and Louis are the brothers, and their tale holds true, down to Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham, the Hursts, Lucases, and of course the Darcys and Bingleys.
Hero Elliot meets his most imperfect match in Mr. Darcy, and as always, the road to happiness is not paved at all but bumpy as a dirt road after a summer storm. The story beats follow the original faithfully while also including insights into what Darcy and Bingley are doing when they aren’t usually seen, which I appreciated. Some minor changes to relationships and timing of appearances happen, but for the most part, the story trips along much as the original does (and I haven’t read it in so long, my memory is faulty and this may be closer than I remember!)
Our star, Elliot Bennet, is as intelligent and cheeky as ever, and Mr. Darcy as standoffish yet intrigued as one could wish. It’s pining and circling each other at its finest. And the Jack (Jane) Bennet and Mr. Bingley thread is equally appealing and strong. Two romances as promised, and lovely. Throw in the dastardly Mr. Wickham, the headstrong immature Louis, the pompous Mr. Collins, Charlie Lucas, and Colonel Fitzwilliam and the delightful Georgiana, the unbearably snotty Lady Catherine, and the evergreen scheming Mrs. Bennet and beleaguered Mr. Bennet, and you’ve a retelling for the ages. MM, MF, and FF pairings are usual and accepted in the world.
There is no s3x in the book, as it honors the original, but the romantic tension is high, and just the touch of a bare hand on bare hand is enough to send shivers through your reading sensibilities. A kiss is the sweetest reward.
HEA, no cheating or emotional cheating, enemies to lovers/opposites attract, rich-poor dynamics, and a little fated-mates attraction—a truly enjoyable new version of the classic. Highly recommended.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the copy. This opinion is all my own.
March 4, 2024
[I received an ARC for an honest review.]
Rating: 4.25 stars (8.5/10)
Spice: n/a
Tropes: classic retelling, omegaverse, E2L, fated mates, historic romance, upper society
Review:
His Pride and His Prejudice reimagines Jane Austen's famous work but in a society with alphas, betas and omegas. There is an interesting interplay between the secondary genders of people, not so much primary gender, and in it we follow the five Bennet brothers as both the eldest, Jack, and our protagonist, Elliot, become acquainted with Mr Bingley and his friend Mr Darcy. The story follows the original very closely, and I enjoyed seeing certain lines and moments from the original story so faithfully retold.
I do have to say that a lot of the politics in this kind of setting kind of go over my head, so at times I was kind of surprised by how characters would react to a statement or sentiment, but that is just my lack of understanding of the culture. I believe those who loved the original novel will also love reading this story too. As part of the faithfulness to the original, there is absolutely no spice or anything like that in this story, and to be honest I didn't really miss it either. I loved the push and pull between Elliot and Darcy, the ways that Darcy's pride and Elliot's prejudices influenced how they related to each other, and also the large cast of characters, and how they all played parts in the overarching story.
The way that omegaverse was used was very interesting, with alphas roughly equating to how males were represented in the original, and likewise omegas and females, but we also have betas in play too, and of course it is not a 1 for 1 comparison. The ways in which omegas act in society, their rights and careers and expectations are discussed and Elliot, being an omega who is rather more upfront in his thoughts and feelings, is happy to question why there are certain expectations on him. I also enjoyed the ways in which fated mates were discussed in this story too, as love is not always 'advantageous' for those in proper society, and the notion of fated mates is sometimes regarded as ridiculous or childish. I have not read a retelling in an omegaverse setting, and I would be interesting in checking more out in the future!
Rating: 4.25 stars (8.5/10)
Spice: n/a
Tropes: classic retelling, omegaverse, E2L, fated mates, historic romance, upper society
Review:
His Pride and His Prejudice reimagines Jane Austen's famous work but in a society with alphas, betas and omegas. There is an interesting interplay between the secondary genders of people, not so much primary gender, and in it we follow the five Bennet brothers as both the eldest, Jack, and our protagonist, Elliot, become acquainted with Mr Bingley and his friend Mr Darcy. The story follows the original very closely, and I enjoyed seeing certain lines and moments from the original story so faithfully retold.
I do have to say that a lot of the politics in this kind of setting kind of go over my head, so at times I was kind of surprised by how characters would react to a statement or sentiment, but that is just my lack of understanding of the culture. I believe those who loved the original novel will also love reading this story too. As part of the faithfulness to the original, there is absolutely no spice or anything like that in this story, and to be honest I didn't really miss it either. I loved the push and pull between Elliot and Darcy, the ways that Darcy's pride and Elliot's prejudices influenced how they related to each other, and also the large cast of characters, and how they all played parts in the overarching story.
The way that omegaverse was used was very interesting, with alphas roughly equating to how males were represented in the original, and likewise omegas and females, but we also have betas in play too, and of course it is not a 1 for 1 comparison. The ways in which omegas act in society, their rights and careers and expectations are discussed and Elliot, being an omega who is rather more upfront in his thoughts and feelings, is happy to question why there are certain expectations on him. I also enjoyed the ways in which fated mates were discussed in this story too, as love is not always 'advantageous' for those in proper society, and the notion of fated mates is sometimes regarded as ridiculous or childish. I have not read a retelling in an omegaverse setting, and I would be interesting in checking more out in the future!
March 10, 2024
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑊𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐴𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝐵𝑒
Elliot Bennet is an omega and the second-oldest son of the Bennet family. Mr. Darcy is an Alpha and comes from a very wealthy family. They first meet at a country assembly in the town of Meryton, where Darcy refuses to dance with anybody but those in his own party and is overheard by Elliot making a disparaging remark about him. Unfortunately, since Darcy’s good friend Charles is courting Elliot’s brother Jack, they often find themselves in each other’s company.
Eventually Darcy’s opinion about Elliot changes, to the point where he finds himself madly in love with Elliot. Elliot is less sure about his own feelings due to a variety of reasons that have come up over the course of their acquaintance. Yet, Elliot can’t deny the pull he feels towards Darcy. He just wishes he understood why he’s so drawn to a man he’s not even sure he likes.
"His Pride & His Prejudice" is an epic love story between the spirited Elliot Bennet and the reserved Mr. Darcy. While the ending should be of no surprise to lovers of Pride & Prejudice, the author does make enough changes to make the story their own. While we do get some hint as to Mr. Darcy’s desires towards Elliot, this is still intended to be an Austenesque romance, so the most that actually happens is some light kissing at the end of the book. I enjoyed this retelling and rate it four stars out of five.
Elliot Bennet is an omega and the second-oldest son of the Bennet family. Mr. Darcy is an Alpha and comes from a very wealthy family. They first meet at a country assembly in the town of Meryton, where Darcy refuses to dance with anybody but those in his own party and is overheard by Elliot making a disparaging remark about him. Unfortunately, since Darcy’s good friend Charles is courting Elliot’s brother Jack, they often find themselves in each other’s company.
Eventually Darcy’s opinion about Elliot changes, to the point where he finds himself madly in love with Elliot. Elliot is less sure about his own feelings due to a variety of reasons that have come up over the course of their acquaintance. Yet, Elliot can’t deny the pull he feels towards Darcy. He just wishes he understood why he’s so drawn to a man he’s not even sure he likes.
"His Pride & His Prejudice" is an epic love story between the spirited Elliot Bennet and the reserved Mr. Darcy. While the ending should be of no surprise to lovers of Pride & Prejudice, the author does make enough changes to make the story their own. While we do get some hint as to Mr. Darcy’s desires towards Elliot, this is still intended to be an Austenesque romance, so the most that actually happens is some light kissing at the end of the book. I enjoyed this retelling and rate it four stars out of five.
May 17, 2024
Well, this one was hard to rate. It took me a while to decide whether I want to treat this as a simple carbon copy of a classic novel, ( just slightly adjusted to fit omegaverse genre), or a mm omegaverse regency retelling of a one of the most famous stories written by Jane Austen, while preserving the style, story, charm and mannerism of the original work . You see, I generally value creativity and individualism in writing styles. So it was hard to decide, as review based on a former approach would not be positive. But eventually I have decided that this deserves more open-minded approach, as author does not hide her intentions to simply adjust the story to experiment with different genre. And i like that kind of honesty; the intentions are clearly telegraphed, so i decided to rate this based on what the author tried to acheve with this.
I don't think anyone needs the reminder what the story of Pride and Prejudice is, so I won't go into that (If you do, I weep for your education; but hey, at least you are here to read a book... that's something).
In short, this work is almost identical to the original, just with A/B/O genders thrown into the mix. If you like Jane Austin, and you are open minded enough to read how would the story unfold were it set in an Omegaverse AU, you will like it. I personally loved it, and I genuinely hope the series will continue.
If you are literary purist, this is definitely not for you, as most definitely you will hate it!
I don't think anyone needs the reminder what the story of Pride and Prejudice is, so I won't go into that (If you do, I weep for your education; but hey, at least you are here to read a book... that's something).
In short, this work is almost identical to the original, just with A/B/O genders thrown into the mix. If you like Jane Austin, and you are open minded enough to read how would the story unfold were it set in an Omegaverse AU, you will like it. I personally loved it, and I genuinely hope the series will continue.
If you are literary purist, this is definitely not for you, as most definitely you will hate it!
March 5, 2024
Pride and Prejudice remains one of my all time favorite stories and I read it periodically and still get new insights from it. I was looking forward to reading this when I got it to see if it would be true to the original with its own twist. It truly was. The addition of the social conventions of the omegaverse along with the social conventions of the period in which the story is set are so well weaved together and it was as much fun watching Mr. Darcy and Elliot go from their rocky beginning with misunderstandings and their smugly starting out stereotyping one another to falling in love. Love surprises them both once they begin to be more reflective and open minded and truly examine their own pre judgements and realize that they are about to lose the very thing that they each want - to love and be loved by someone who means something to you. The romance that so strongly anchors this story was preserved - no explicit behavior - continues to make this story so emotionally satisfying as it moves towards its resolution. Good job!
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 6, 2024
I just like Pride & Prejudice a lot, so variations which are able to maintain the tense attraction between Darcy and Elizabeth (in this case, “Elliot”) are always good, for me at least. There are some changes in this adaptation, although it will read at times as simply substituting he/him pronouns for she/her ones — and at least one leftover pronoun where Elliot refers to Jack as “her brother”.
So you can’t expect a lot of surprises plotwise — you’ll see what’s coming from a mile off. But there are some changes, like getting Darcy’s POV every few chapters. I kind of liked them, since they provided a change of pace.
The biggest changes were probably in the characters, and I’m not talking about their gender. The Bennet family undergoes some changes: the affection lingered longer for Mr and Mrs Bennet; Marc is not quite as sanctimonious as Mary; all the brothers have talents that Andrews specifically mentions, like Christian’s (Kitty) talent with creating desserts or Louis’ (Lydia) skill with watercolors.
It was fun and I enjoyed myself, and sometimes, that’s all I want.
So you can’t expect a lot of surprises plotwise — you’ll see what’s coming from a mile off. But there are some changes, like getting Darcy’s POV every few chapters. I kind of liked them, since they provided a change of pace.
The biggest changes were probably in the characters, and I’m not talking about their gender. The Bennet family undergoes some changes: the affection lingered longer for Mr and Mrs Bennet; Marc is not quite as sanctimonious as Mary; all the brothers have talents that Andrews specifically mentions, like Christian’s (Kitty) talent with creating desserts or Louis’ (Lydia) skill with watercolors.
It was fun and I enjoyed myself, and sometimes, that’s all I want.
November 24, 2024
Honestly, I think the main reason I gave this book 4 stars is mostly because it’s a Pride and Prejudice retelling. And honestly, that alone pretty much guarantees at least 3 stars from me, as long as it’s not completely botched.
What can I say? This isn’t my first Pride and Prejudice retelling, variation, or fanfiction. But it’s definitely my first queer Omegaverse version of it. And I have to admit, I was curious.
The book stays close to the plot of the original, but it still has its own unique style. Every moment I love from the original is there. What I particularly enjoyed was how April Andrews adjusted the dynamics between the characters to fit into the queer Omegaverse setting. There’s still that tension between the protagonists – that classic Pride-and-Prejudice push and pull that we all know and love. The characters are a perfect blend of the familiar and the new.
The dialogue is another highlight. There are moments full of sharpness and wit that remind me of Austen’s original lines, but also scenes that are more emotional and intimate. This fit perfectly with the altered dynamics between the characters.
What can I say? This isn’t my first Pride and Prejudice retelling, variation, or fanfiction. But it’s definitely my first queer Omegaverse version of it. And I have to admit, I was curious.
The book stays close to the plot of the original, but it still has its own unique style. Every moment I love from the original is there. What I particularly enjoyed was how April Andrews adjusted the dynamics between the characters to fit into the queer Omegaverse setting. There’s still that tension between the protagonists – that classic Pride-and-Prejudice push and pull that we all know and love. The characters are a perfect blend of the familiar and the new.
The dialogue is another highlight. There are moments full of sharpness and wit that remind me of Austen’s original lines, but also scenes that are more emotional and intimate. This fit perfectly with the altered dynamics between the characters.
February 23, 2024
HIS PRIDE AND HIS PREJUDICE is the first book by this author I have read but it won't be the last.
This story is basically a gender-swap historical Omegaverse romance, told in a similar fashion to Jane Austen herself. If you are thinking of high steam, knotting, and MPreg, think again. This is a slow burn between our two MCs - just as in the original.
I loved how the author made her characters and world fit in with Jane Austen's original, and let me tell you, it worked! The epilogue at the end was perfect, giving me all I wanted to know how everyone was getting on. Told from Eliot and Darcy's perspectives, you get a well-rounded view of what is going on, as well as personal thoughts on the matter.
The original is a classic for a reason, but this version is on the same shelf for me! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 22, 2024
This story is basically a gender-swap historical Omegaverse romance, told in a similar fashion to Jane Austen herself. If you are thinking of high steam, knotting, and MPreg, think again. This is a slow burn between our two MCs - just as in the original.
I loved how the author made her characters and world fit in with Jane Austen's original, and let me tell you, it worked! The epilogue at the end was perfect, giving me all I wanted to know how everyone was getting on. Told from Eliot and Darcy's perspectives, you get a well-rounded view of what is going on, as well as personal thoughts on the matter.
The original is a classic for a reason, but this version is on the same shelf for me! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 22, 2024
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