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Most Ardently Yours
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Expected 7 Jul 26Win a free print copy of this book!
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50 copies available
U.S. only
From USA Today Bestselling author Freya Sampson comes a swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud romance inspired by Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice that begs the question: what if your book boyfriend jumped from the pages of their story and into your life?
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of many romance novels, must be in want of a book boyfriend."
Zoe Knight, a struggling romance writer, has sworn off men for good. At least…the ones in real life. Once a believer in a happily ever after, she now curbs her loneliness with the help of the best book boyfriends in literature – and there is no better man than Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy. So when she stumbles into a classic London bookshop and argues with the annoyingly attractive store owner, Nick, who refuses to sell romance novels, she decides to liberate him of a dusty copy of Pride & Prejudice abandoned on a top shelf.
But this is no ordinary book.
After reading from the pages, Zoe finds herself in a remarkable situation: she has accidentally summoned the Mr. Darcy to the real world. Now, she's face-to-face with the man she's loved forever, and he's everything she dreamed he would be. Handsome? Check. Brooding? Check. Talks like he swallowed a thesaurus? Check and check. But even in all his regency perfection, can he ever be as good as in the novel? And if he's here, in her London apartment trying to figure out how to work a shower , what will happen to the literary world he came from? With Nick—the last man she could ever be prevailed upon to work with—urging her to send the fictional Darcy back to his own story, Zoe will have to decide what she really wants from a happy ending, before it's too late.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of many romance novels, must be in want of a book boyfriend."
Zoe Knight, a struggling romance writer, has sworn off men for good. At least…the ones in real life. Once a believer in a happily ever after, she now curbs her loneliness with the help of the best book boyfriends in literature – and there is no better man than Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy. So when she stumbles into a classic London bookshop and argues with the annoyingly attractive store owner, Nick, who refuses to sell romance novels, she decides to liberate him of a dusty copy of Pride & Prejudice abandoned on a top shelf.
But this is no ordinary book.
After reading from the pages, Zoe finds herself in a remarkable situation: she has accidentally summoned the Mr. Darcy to the real world. Now, she's face-to-face with the man she's loved forever, and he's everything she dreamed he would be. Handsome? Check. Brooding? Check. Talks like he swallowed a thesaurus? Check and check. But even in all his regency perfection, can he ever be as good as in the novel? And if he's here, in her London apartment trying to figure out how to work a shower , what will happen to the literary world he came from? With Nick—the last man she could ever be prevailed upon to work with—urging her to send the fictional Darcy back to his own story, Zoe will have to decide what she really wants from a happy ending, before it's too late.
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 7, 2026
About the author
Freya Sampson
6 books1,737 followersFreya Sampson is the USA Today bestselling author of The Last Chance Library and The Lost Ticket/The Girl on the 88 Bus. She studied history at Cambridge University and worked in television as an executive producer, making documentaries about everything from the British royal family to neighbours from hell. She lives in London with her husband, children and cats. Nosy Neighbours is her third novel.
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June 18, 2026What if your book boyfriend jumped from the pages of their story and into your life?
RHYSAND please come for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and the author, Freya Sampson for an early copy.
Publication date: July 7, 2026
RHYSAND please come for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and the author, Freya Sampson for an early copy.
Publication date: July 7, 2026
June 7, 2026
As someone who has enjoyed Freya Sampson’s other work and always eagerly anticipates her upcoming books, I am sad to say that this book fell flat for me.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
The premise of the book is cute: our beloved Mr. Darcy shows up in the real modern world! I was excited to see how he would navigate his surroundings while figuring out (with the help of the protagonist) how to get back to his own world in Pride and Prejudice.
But, unfortunately, the pacing of the book dragged on for too long. While this is a rom-com/magical realism book, it was riddled with plot holes and unrealistic plot lines.
Let’s start with how the FMC managed to get Mr. Darcy out of the Pride and Prejudice book and into the real world. By the end of the book, there still isn’t any clear-cut explanation of how she managed to do it. The MMC (who is NOT Mr. Darcy, just to be clear — the MMC is a bookstore owner) tells her that his female relatives were the only people to ever bring fictional characters into life — their powers skipped him because apparently only his female relatives have these magical abilities. No mention of witchcraft, no mention of other magical powers. Just the power of summoning fictional characters into real life without any explanation other than, “If someone has a specific problem they need help with, then my relatives magically will the characters out of the book and into that person’s life to help them resolve their issues.”
How did his relatives get these powers? What other things do they do? How is it that these are the only powers they seemingly have and nothing else? And is it only hereditary? Do other people have these powers? If it’s hereditary through the female bloodline, why does the FMC have these powers, then?
At the end of the book, the MMC suggests (per his mom’s theory) that the FMC must have summoned Mr. Darcy because she was totally in love with the MMC and therefore was able to “read Mr. Darcy out of the book.” The FMC then suggests that maybe she managed to summon Mr. Darcy so he could teach her that she didn’t need to have a romantic relationship with anyone in order to fulfill her life (or something like that — I still don’t get the whole reasoning behind it, to be honest). This still doesn’t explain how the MMC’s mom and relatives gained their own powers and what other things they can do so I’m still scratching my head over that.
The MMC also lets the FMC know that the reason their family secret (summoning characters out of books) never got out beyond the bookstore was because “readers are trusted to not leak the secret so they didn’t say anything.” Which makes no sense because we can’t just blindly trust strangers to not gossip about unusual things like summoning fictional characters out of books.
Then let’s get to Mr. Darcy. The beauty of Mr. Darcy (in my opinion) in Pride and Prejudice is that he’s this gruff, arrogant, yet sweet character, who stays quiet and observant throughout Jane Austen’s book and has a good head on his shoulders. Unfortunately, this book doesn’t really pay homage to his original characterization in Pride and Prejudice. I understand that he was set into a new world and was unsteady on his feet, but their interactions throughout the story were not anything like I understood Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s original work.
The plot also takes a sharp turn 60-70% into the book, when I thought the plot was close to resolved. (By this point, Mr. Darcy is already back in Pride and Prejudice.) Suddenly, the FMC got stuck in Mr. Darcy’s world where she meets the MMC’s mom (who is revealed to have been stuck there for years). Again, there’s no real explanation as to how she got into the book other than “she wished to visit Mr. Darcy in Netherfield.”
Then the MMC got sucked into their world to try to get both of them back out into their real world — by getting his nearly-dying aunt to somehow magically will him into it. How does a nearly-dying woman who is in hospice manage to do that? And again: How did the FMC gain these powers to begin with?? We then see the FMC will herself out of the Pride and Prejudice book but, for some reason, couldn’t get the MMC out, which there is no explanation for. This added plot line ended up dragging out the pacing for me, and by that time, I was checking how long it would take to finish the book.
The relationship between the FMC and MMC was unfortunately not very well flushed-out. Her scenes with Mr. Darcy and her confused feelings for him were so dragged out that they took place of all interactions she could’ve had with the MMC. We start with her and the MMC’s “meet-cute” (and I say this loosely) where she ends up hating him for no reason other than he doesn’t stock romance books in his bookstore. Then there are more scenes where she mistreats the MMC, and suddenly they have the hots for each other, while he helps her get Mr. Darcy back into the book, and then they get sucked into P&P where they make out. In other words, it was whiplash. I was baffled and had no idea when exactly they fell in love.
Overall, I do appreciate that the author attempted a romantic comedy for the first time. Like I said, I adore all of her other books! My favorite ones, personally, were The Last Chance Library and Nosy Neighbors. Both books had such great characterizations and plots which I was hoping to see in this book. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past the plot holes. I’d have to suspend my disbelief completely in order to enjoy it.
That being said, I look forward to reading more of her work in the future and seeing how she improves her writing in the romantic comedy genre.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
The premise of the book is cute: our beloved Mr. Darcy shows up in the real modern world! I was excited to see how he would navigate his surroundings while figuring out (with the help of the protagonist) how to get back to his own world in Pride and Prejudice.
But, unfortunately, the pacing of the book dragged on for too long. While this is a rom-com/magical realism book, it was riddled with plot holes and unrealistic plot lines.
Let’s start with how the FMC managed to get Mr. Darcy out of the Pride and Prejudice book and into the real world. By the end of the book, there still isn’t any clear-cut explanation of how she managed to do it. The MMC (who is NOT Mr. Darcy, just to be clear — the MMC is a bookstore owner) tells her that his female relatives were the only people to ever bring fictional characters into life — their powers skipped him because apparently only his female relatives have these magical abilities. No mention of witchcraft, no mention of other magical powers. Just the power of summoning fictional characters into real life without any explanation other than, “If someone has a specific problem they need help with, then my relatives magically will the characters out of the book and into that person’s life to help them resolve their issues.”
How did his relatives get these powers? What other things do they do? How is it that these are the only powers they seemingly have and nothing else? And is it only hereditary? Do other people have these powers? If it’s hereditary through the female bloodline, why does the FMC have these powers, then?
At the end of the book, the MMC suggests (per his mom’s theory) that the FMC must have summoned Mr. Darcy because she was totally in love with the MMC and therefore was able to “read Mr. Darcy out of the book.” The FMC then suggests that maybe she managed to summon Mr. Darcy so he could teach her that she didn’t need to have a romantic relationship with anyone in order to fulfill her life (or something like that — I still don’t get the whole reasoning behind it, to be honest). This still doesn’t explain how the MMC’s mom and relatives gained their own powers and what other things they can do so I’m still scratching my head over that.
The MMC also lets the FMC know that the reason their family secret (summoning characters out of books) never got out beyond the bookstore was because “readers are trusted to not leak the secret so they didn’t say anything.” Which makes no sense because we can’t just blindly trust strangers to not gossip about unusual things like summoning fictional characters out of books.
Then let’s get to Mr. Darcy. The beauty of Mr. Darcy (in my opinion) in Pride and Prejudice is that he’s this gruff, arrogant, yet sweet character, who stays quiet and observant throughout Jane Austen’s book and has a good head on his shoulders. Unfortunately, this book doesn’t really pay homage to his original characterization in Pride and Prejudice. I understand that he was set into a new world and was unsteady on his feet, but their interactions throughout the story were not anything like I understood Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s original work.
The plot also takes a sharp turn 60-70% into the book, when I thought the plot was close to resolved. (By this point, Mr. Darcy is already back in Pride and Prejudice.) Suddenly, the FMC got stuck in Mr. Darcy’s world where she meets the MMC’s mom (who is revealed to have been stuck there for years). Again, there’s no real explanation as to how she got into the book other than “she wished to visit Mr. Darcy in Netherfield.”
Then the MMC got sucked into their world to try to get both of them back out into their real world — by getting his nearly-dying aunt to somehow magically will him into it. How does a nearly-dying woman who is in hospice manage to do that? And again: How did the FMC gain these powers to begin with?? We then see the FMC will herself out of the Pride and Prejudice book but, for some reason, couldn’t get the MMC out, which there is no explanation for. This added plot line ended up dragging out the pacing for me, and by that time, I was checking how long it would take to finish the book.
The relationship between the FMC and MMC was unfortunately not very well flushed-out. Her scenes with Mr. Darcy and her confused feelings for him were so dragged out that they took place of all interactions she could’ve had with the MMC. We start with her and the MMC’s “meet-cute” (and I say this loosely) where she ends up hating him for no reason other than he doesn’t stock romance books in his bookstore. Then there are more scenes where she mistreats the MMC, and suddenly they have the hots for each other, while he helps her get Mr. Darcy back into the book, and then they get sucked into P&P where they make out. In other words, it was whiplash. I was baffled and had no idea when exactly they fell in love.
Overall, I do appreciate that the author attempted a romantic comedy for the first time. Like I said, I adore all of her other books! My favorite ones, personally, were The Last Chance Library and Nosy Neighbors. Both books had such great characterizations and plots which I was hoping to see in this book. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past the plot holes. I’d have to suspend my disbelief completely in order to enjoy it.
That being said, I look forward to reading more of her work in the future and seeing how she improves her writing in the romantic comedy genre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2026
Freya Sampson just gave us a charming, heart‑warming rom‑com with characters who feel real and good banter. A soft, wholesome slow burn — perfect for romance readers who can definitely, at least once, had the same desire of materialising their favourite book boyfriend into reality 😅
This is a story that slowly warms you from the inside out.
While the first half leans gentle and steady, the action really picks up around the 70% mark, and that’s when I got completely hooked. This is why the book gets 4 ⭐ from my side - I wasn’t hooked from the beginning but it really grew on me and definitely the last 30% of the book won me over.
The writing is easy to follow, the supporting characters are greatly built and add a lot to the charm and wit of the story (Mrs Atallah being my favourite ❤️).
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This is a story that slowly warms you from the inside out.
While the first half leans gentle and steady, the action really picks up around the 70% mark, and that’s when I got completely hooked. This is why the book gets 4 ⭐ from my side - I wasn’t hooked from the beginning but it really grew on me and definitely the last 30% of the book won me over.
The writing is easy to follow, the supporting characters are greatly built and add a lot to the charm and wit of the story (Mrs Atallah being my favourite ❤️).
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson will be released in the United States on July 7, 2026.
Zoe Knight is not quite living her dream as an aspiring writer. She’s given up on writing her own romance novel, but she still devours romance books all the time, even if she doesn’t feel confident enough to write them any longer. As the book begins, her a-hole ex-boyfriend is being celebrated for writing a literary novel. She spends her days as a waitress at a Great Expectations-literary-themed café, until some excitement enters her life the day she steals a mysterious copy of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from a grumpy bookstore owner named Nick (yes, he also happens to be hot with misguided taste in literature). Zoe has no clue why Nick even had one of the best romantic novels of all time at his bookstore, when he said he refuses to sell romances and doesn’t believe in happily ever afters…
A hint of literary magic is sprinkled over Zoe’s life after she reads aloud from Pride and Prejudice, magical edition, and the next day, a man who claims to be Fitzwilliam Darcy, dressed in full Regency-era clothing, shows up at the café where she works. Intending to take him to the hospital, instead she can’t resist spending some time with him. Lots of funny hijinks ensue, including Darcy’s love affair with reality television. It seems like Zoe is trying to fall in love with Darcy, her literary crush since she was a teenager, but she can’t stop thinking about Nick Baskerville of Baskerville Books.
Things get even crazier when Darcy realizes he’s not meant to be in contemporary London, and let’s just say Zoe and Nick will have to team up and figure out how to harness some literary magic through an unorthodox tour of Longbourn and Pemberley.
Mixed Reviews, Just Go For It
Some readers mentioned they were not fans of the third act, because there are some curveballs there, plot-wise, but I just went along with it and had fun without thinking too hard about plot holes or anything. You have to suspend some disbelief and just go with the flow and then you’ll enjoy the book all the way through.
Bookalikes
Most Ardently Yours is for Pride and Prejudice fans and romance readers who like books set in bookstores, as well those who enjoyed A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston and Austenland by Shannon Hale.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Zoe Knight is not quite living her dream as an aspiring writer. She’s given up on writing her own romance novel, but she still devours romance books all the time, even if she doesn’t feel confident enough to write them any longer. As the book begins, her a-hole ex-boyfriend is being celebrated for writing a literary novel. She spends her days as a waitress at a Great Expectations-literary-themed café, until some excitement enters her life the day she steals a mysterious copy of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from a grumpy bookstore owner named Nick (yes, he also happens to be hot with misguided taste in literature). Zoe has no clue why Nick even had one of the best romantic novels of all time at his bookstore, when he said he refuses to sell romances and doesn’t believe in happily ever afters…
A hint of literary magic is sprinkled over Zoe’s life after she reads aloud from Pride and Prejudice, magical edition, and the next day, a man who claims to be Fitzwilliam Darcy, dressed in full Regency-era clothing, shows up at the café where she works. Intending to take him to the hospital, instead she can’t resist spending some time with him. Lots of funny hijinks ensue, including Darcy’s love affair with reality television. It seems like Zoe is trying to fall in love with Darcy, her literary crush since she was a teenager, but she can’t stop thinking about Nick Baskerville of Baskerville Books.
Things get even crazier when Darcy realizes he’s not meant to be in contemporary London, and let’s just say Zoe and Nick will have to team up and figure out how to harness some literary magic through an unorthodox tour of Longbourn and Pemberley.
Mixed Reviews, Just Go For It
Some readers mentioned they were not fans of the third act, because there are some curveballs there, plot-wise, but I just went along with it and had fun without thinking too hard about plot holes or anything. You have to suspend some disbelief and just go with the flow and then you’ll enjoy the book all the way through.
Bookalikes
Most Ardently Yours is for Pride and Prejudice fans and romance readers who like books set in bookstores, as well those who enjoyed A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston and Austenland by Shannon Hale.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Did Not Finish
January 25, 2026DNF at 22%
This had really cool potential but I actually strongly disliked this. Right off the bat I got the ick from the FMC at their meet-ugly when she goes into the MMCs bookstore after it’s closed, gets everything wet, basically calls him a loser for not liking all kinds of books (specifically romance) and then decides stealing from him is warranted. I couldn’t tell you of the couple had any chemistry or banter because for 22% that’s the only scene they have together. The FMC continues to be annoying and unlikable for the duration of the book that I made it through and the MMC is not featured again in that time , just Mr. Darcy. She initially thinks Mr Darcy is someone “having an episode” and decides taking him home with her is best for everyone (I DNF shortly after).
If pride and prejudice is your favorite book, this is probably right up your alley but there were just too many red flags for me to keep my interest.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review. Sorry this wasn’t for me.
This had really cool potential but I actually strongly disliked this. Right off the bat I got the ick from the FMC at their meet-ugly when she goes into the MMCs bookstore after it’s closed, gets everything wet, basically calls him a loser for not liking all kinds of books (specifically romance) and then decides stealing from him is warranted. I couldn’t tell you of the couple had any chemistry or banter because for 22% that’s the only scene they have together. The FMC continues to be annoying and unlikable for the duration of the book that I made it through and the MMC is not featured again in that time , just Mr. Darcy. She initially thinks Mr Darcy is someone “having an episode” and decides taking him home with her is best for everyone (I DNF shortly after).
If pride and prejudice is your favorite book, this is probably right up your alley but there were just too many red flags for me to keep my interest.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review. Sorry this wasn’t for me.
December 23, 2025
3.5⭐
Cute novel, where Fitzwilliam Darcy magically gets transported from book to real life. The plot is quite a bit more involved than that, and as is, this novel is good. Seeing as there is more than 6 months until publication, I'm hoping for some oomph to be added during editing. The writing is fine, the plot is fine, but there is repetition throughout which could be replaced with more detailed scenes, and injected with actual humour. There was a scene between Zoe and Nick which had them laughing until they wept tears, but was not even remotely funny for the reader. I think this book can be a Hallmark movie of the week, but would rather it be punched up to become a Netflix rom-com.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Cute novel, where Fitzwilliam Darcy magically gets transported from book to real life. The plot is quite a bit more involved than that, and as is, this novel is good. Seeing as there is more than 6 months until publication, I'm hoping for some oomph to be added during editing. The writing is fine, the plot is fine, but there is repetition throughout which could be replaced with more detailed scenes, and injected with actual humour. There was a scene between Zoe and Nick which had them laughing until they wept tears, but was not even remotely funny for the reader. I think this book can be a Hallmark movie of the week, but would rather it be punched up to become a Netflix rom-com.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
February 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
A charming, enchanting story of Mr. Darcy coming into reality. Zoe Knight is a woman down on her luck, stuck in her day-to-day routine while feeling lonely and isolated. After happening upon a male-dominated bookshop lacking in romance titles, she steals a copy of Pride and Prejudice and manages to bring Mr. Darcy into the present day in front of her. She grows attached to her long-time favorite “book boyfriend”, but soon realizes that keeping Mr. Darcy may wipe Pride and Prejudice off the face of the Earth. A story of finding yourself and knowing your self worth, this is definitely a delightful read, perfect for Jane Austen fans and romance aficionados.
A charming, enchanting story of Mr. Darcy coming into reality. Zoe Knight is a woman down on her luck, stuck in her day-to-day routine while feeling lonely and isolated. After happening upon a male-dominated bookshop lacking in romance titles, she steals a copy of Pride and Prejudice and manages to bring Mr. Darcy into the present day in front of her. She grows attached to her long-time favorite “book boyfriend”, but soon realizes that keeping Mr. Darcy may wipe Pride and Prejudice off the face of the Earth. A story of finding yourself and knowing your self worth, this is definitely a delightful read, perfect for Jane Austen fans and romance aficionados.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Zoe Knight ha pasado años refugiándose en novelas románticas porque los libros han sido mucho más amables con ella que la vida real. Los personajes ficticios jamás rompen promesas, no abandonan a quienes aman y siempre saben qué decir en el momento correcto.
Después de un encuentro desastroso con un librero, Zoe cree que lo peor que puede pasarle ya ocurrió. Hasta que un suceso completamente inexplicable coloca a Fitzwilliam Darcy frente a ella y transforma sus días en algo tan absurdo que ni ella misma sabe cómo reaccionar.
De pronto, Zoe queda atrapada en una situación que desafía toda lógica y que amenaza con derrumbar la línea que separa la ficción de la realidad. Tiene que encontrar la manera de regresar a Darcy a su libro y tendrá que pedirle ayuda al librero con lo que se peleo.
___
La parte final decayó, sobre todo cuando ella logra salir del libro.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Después de un encuentro desastroso con un librero, Zoe cree que lo peor que puede pasarle ya ocurrió. Hasta que un suceso completamente inexplicable coloca a Fitzwilliam Darcy frente a ella y transforma sus días en algo tan absurdo que ni ella misma sabe cómo reaccionar.
De pronto, Zoe queda atrapada en una situación que desafía toda lógica y que amenaza con derrumbar la línea que separa la ficción de la realidad. Tiene que encontrar la manera de regresar a Darcy a su libro y tendrá que pedirle ayuda al librero con lo que se peleo.
___
La parte final decayó, sobre todo cuando ella logra salir del libro.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
June 22, 2026
While I’m not really a fan of pride and prejudice, I enjoyed this story. It was charming, unique, and ever so slightly stressful. While didn’t fully buy the love story, I thought the adventure of Mr. Darcy coming into the year 2026 was hilarious and a fun time to read. Overall I think worth the read!
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
May 6, 2026
A fun literary romance filled with books, some well known characters from a beloved classic, and maybe a new favorite book boyfriend.
Zoe Knight is a passionate reader, a defender of romance novels and, particularly, a champion for Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy. She's quite an endearing character, even though the reader knows perfectly well that what she's doing, the secret she's keeping, is wrong. But, seriously, wouldn't we all do the same if something like that happened to us? Anyway, I loved how fierce Zoe was when it came to books, especially romance novels.
I enjoyed the way it was written, it managed to keep my interest peeked at all times. The fact that it addressed the reader made it even more fun and engaging. Yes, Zoe, we are very curious spectators indeed.
This book surprised me in more ways than I had anticipated. First with its plot twists I didn't see coming and then with the warm, almost fuzzy feeling it left me after finishing it. And that feeling doesn't just come from the romance, which I absolutely enjoyed and would have liked a few more scenes between the characters, but from the message it very clearly conveys. We can easily forget why we do the things we love and let others influence us. And that's just wrong.
Aside from some very convenient coincidences and the short development of the romance, I had a great time reading Most Ardently Yours. It tought me and showed me to value romance books, to believe in myself and to never give up what makes me happy.
I'm so glad I read this book.
Zoe Knight is a passionate reader, a defender of romance novels and, particularly, a champion for Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy. She's quite an endearing character, even though the reader knows perfectly well that what she's doing, the secret she's keeping, is wrong. But, seriously, wouldn't we all do the same if something like that happened to us? Anyway, I loved how fierce Zoe was when it came to books, especially romance novels.
I enjoyed the way it was written, it managed to keep my interest peeked at all times. The fact that it addressed the reader made it even more fun and engaging. Yes, Zoe, we are very curious spectators indeed.
This book surprised me in more ways than I had anticipated. First with its plot twists I didn't see coming and then with the warm, almost fuzzy feeling it left me after finishing it. And that feeling doesn't just come from the romance, which I absolutely enjoyed and would have liked a few more scenes between the characters, but from the message it very clearly conveys. We can easily forget why we do the things we love and let others influence us. And that's just wrong.
Aside from some very convenient coincidences and the short development of the romance, I had a great time reading Most Ardently Yours. It tought me and showed me to value romance books, to believe in myself and to never give up what makes me happy.
I'm so glad I read this book.
March 25, 2026
Pride and Prejudice is one of my all-time favorite novels; so I absolutely loved Freya Sampson’s concept of traveling in and out of Jane Austen’s story and a play on the romance between Mr. Darcy and Lizzy Bennett. However, Most Ardently Yours fell a bit flat for me with regard to the dialogue amongst characters and the lack of development of the relationship between the FMC and MMC. It came off as rushed, and leaned into the insta-love trope a bit (at least on the part of one of the characters). The premise was great, but it needed more depth. Still a fun read though!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2026
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!
This book was so good I finished it in a day. It had magical realism, book boyfriends and charming characters. And London as the background certainly did not hurt. Although some things were predictable (as in many romance novels, which I love) there were still elements of surprise. It's certainly perfect for Pride and Prejudice lovers!
This book was so good I finished it in a day. It had magical realism, book boyfriends and charming characters. And London as the background certainly did not hurt. Although some things were predictable (as in many romance novels, which I love) there were still elements of surprise. It's certainly perfect for Pride and Prejudice lovers!
May 21, 2026
I need to start off by saying that this book will be exactly what someone is looking for. It was a really fun idea and Zoe's affection for book boyfriends is incredibly relatable to many readers. However, a couple things kept me from really loving this and I found I'd have to push myself to read it. Most of the things that kept me from a higher rating are actually things I've noticed in a lot of other books recently as well. It's hard to walk the line between successful trope/device execution (for me, this is when I get so lost in the book I don't even realize the author has laid out all the makings of their chosen tropes) and easy attention grab (for me, when it's very obvious why the author used certain things); these are the ones that stood out to me as I was reading:
As a regular romance reader, there's been a big uptick in MCs who are fans of romance and/or want to be an author themselves and gave it up for whatever reason; their return to writing typically follows the evolution of the plot and the romance development. It just tends to seem very meta and can keep me from fully getting into the character's story because I'll be wondering if it's the author's own experience. Which is totally fine! I'm just aware of it.
Again, in many new books, there's a lot of historical characters being pulled to present day. It's something that is always intriguing when reading the back cover but I think I need to stop falling for it; I struggle with the believability of it. It's such a fun thought experiment, but it's always up for such interpretation that leads to, again, being pulled out of the story itself and questioning the choices. In this case, choosing such a well known character like Mr. Darcy and having him clash with the forces of modernity was interesting but I really had to suspend my pre-conceived notions of him. I almost wonder if inventing a classic would've helped with this, simply because all characters would be original, but then there goes the whole focus of the book.
Additionally, something I notice across a lot of 'books for book people' is the name dropping of contemporary authors or titles. It makes sense in that of course this is a book about loving romance books, but when it's so many and so regular, it just feels like such blatant ingratiation. I, as a book lover, may just be reaching my limit of 'books written about books for book lovers.'
Lastly, and this was mentioned in some earlier reviews, the magic of the story seemed undercooked. The idea was brilliant, but the how just didn't ever actually compute for me. Like how the heck did Zoe end up with the power? It was never really explained super well. Soft magic doesn't need a huge world building explanation, but I wish that the whole thing would've been clearer. At one point it was alluding to the copy of the book being magical and I thought oh maybe one of the magical ancestors had this set of books that allowed so many visits until the magic was used up... but no.
Somewhat unrelated, I didn't quite understand "the Fear" either. Like I get its role, I just don't understand why it was characterized.
I did really like the cast of characters, they were all easy to follow and very unique. Additionally, the setting was fun and very apropos for the story. This idea has a lot of potential and I know that some people will absolutely love it, which makes me happy. There were just some things that really didn't click for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
As a regular romance reader, there's been a big uptick in MCs who are fans of romance and/or want to be an author themselves and gave it up for whatever reason; their return to writing typically follows the evolution of the plot and the romance development. It just tends to seem very meta and can keep me from fully getting into the character's story because I'll be wondering if it's the author's own experience. Which is totally fine! I'm just aware of it.
Again, in many new books, there's a lot of historical characters being pulled to present day. It's something that is always intriguing when reading the back cover but I think I need to stop falling for it; I struggle with the believability of it. It's such a fun thought experiment, but it's always up for such interpretation that leads to, again, being pulled out of the story itself and questioning the choices. In this case, choosing such a well known character like Mr. Darcy and having him clash with the forces of modernity was interesting but I really had to suspend my pre-conceived notions of him. I almost wonder if inventing a classic would've helped with this, simply because all characters would be original, but then there goes the whole focus of the book.
Additionally, something I notice across a lot of 'books for book people' is the name dropping of contemporary authors or titles. It makes sense in that of course this is a book about loving romance books, but when it's so many and so regular, it just feels like such blatant ingratiation. I, as a book lover, may just be reaching my limit of 'books written about books for book lovers.'
Lastly, and this was mentioned in some earlier reviews, the magic of the story seemed undercooked. The idea was brilliant, but the how just didn't ever actually compute for me. Like how the heck did Zoe end up with the power? It was never really explained super well. Soft magic doesn't need a huge world building explanation, but I wish that the whole thing would've been clearer. At one point it was alluding to the copy of the book being magical and I thought oh maybe one of the magical ancestors had this set of books that allowed so many visits until the magic was used up... but no.
Somewhat unrelated, I didn't quite understand "the Fear" either. Like I get its role, I just don't understand why it was characterized.
I did really like the cast of characters, they were all easy to follow and very unique. Additionally, the setting was fun and very apropos for the story. This idea has a lot of potential and I know that some people will absolutely love it, which makes me happy. There were just some things that really didn't click for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 13, 2026
I requested this ARC because of the premise. I mean, what reader wouldn’t be intrigued by the idea of Mr. Darcy coming to life?
What I didn’t expect was how much I would love this book. This is easily one of my favorite reads of the year so far. The concept is fun and creative, but what really made this work for me was the execution. The story felt well thought out, the pacing kept me engaged, and I never found myself questioning the plot or looking for answers to things that didn’t make sense. I was simply enjoying the ride.
As someone who loves romance novels, I had so much fun catching references not only to Pride and Prejudice but also to other beloved fictional book boyfriends. It felt like a love letter to readers and romance fans.
I also loved Zoe’s journey. Beneath all the humor and magical elements, this is a story about rediscovering yourself, finding your confidence again, and learning to move forward after fear has held you back for too long. Watching Zoe find her way back to writing was one of my favorite parts of the book.
One thing this story made me think about is why readers fall in love with fictional characters. Maybe it’s because they represent perfection. Let’s be honest, many of them were written by women who know exactly what readers want. But this book asks whether perfection is really what we need.
I won’t spoil anything, but the ending left me smiling.
If you love books about books, bookstores, romance novels, literary references, magical realism, and stories that celebrate being a reader, I highly recommend this one.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
What I didn’t expect was how much I would love this book. This is easily one of my favorite reads of the year so far. The concept is fun and creative, but what really made this work for me was the execution. The story felt well thought out, the pacing kept me engaged, and I never found myself questioning the plot or looking for answers to things that didn’t make sense. I was simply enjoying the ride.
As someone who loves romance novels, I had so much fun catching references not only to Pride and Prejudice but also to other beloved fictional book boyfriends. It felt like a love letter to readers and romance fans.
I also loved Zoe’s journey. Beneath all the humor and magical elements, this is a story about rediscovering yourself, finding your confidence again, and learning to move forward after fear has held you back for too long. Watching Zoe find her way back to writing was one of my favorite parts of the book.
One thing this story made me think about is why readers fall in love with fictional characters. Maybe it’s because they represent perfection. Let’s be honest, many of them were written by women who know exactly what readers want. But this book asks whether perfection is really what we need.
I won’t spoil anything, but the ending left me smiling.
If you love books about books, bookstores, romance novels, literary references, magical realism, and stories that celebrate being a reader, I highly recommend this one.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Did Not Finish
June 21, 2026**DNF @ 23%...**
This book was not, in fact, *most ardently mine.*
The premise sounded so unique that I couldn't wait to pick it up—a romance reader unexpectedly finding herself responsible for the actual Mr. Darcy? Sign me up. Sadly, the execution just wasn't for me.
I felt like the FMC leaned a little too heavily into being the "book girl," and the constant references to current romance authors, book boyfriends, TikTok, and other pop culture pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me in. I can absolutely see this working for readers who enjoy contemporary romances full of quirky humor and self-aware references, but it just wasn't the type of storytelling that pulled me in.
I don't think I'm the right reader for this one, so rather than forcing myself through it, I decided it was best to DNF.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was not, in fact, *most ardently mine.*
The premise sounded so unique that I couldn't wait to pick it up—a romance reader unexpectedly finding herself responsible for the actual Mr. Darcy? Sign me up. Sadly, the execution just wasn't for me.
I felt like the FMC leaned a little too heavily into being the "book girl," and the constant references to current romance authors, book boyfriends, TikTok, and other pop culture pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me in. I can absolutely see this working for readers who enjoy contemporary romances full of quirky humor and self-aware references, but it just wasn't the type of storytelling that pulled me in.
I don't think I'm the right reader for this one, so rather than forcing myself through it, I decided it was best to DNF.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2026
Thank you NetGalley & Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
3.5 stars rounded up!
Zoe is a struggling romance writer who seeks shelter in a bookstore during a rainstorm. The owner of said bookstore is a romance hater and argues with her on why he does not sell romance novels. Zoe sees a copy of Pride & Prejudice on the shelves, steals it, begins to read it and accidentally summons Mr. Darcy into 2026.
And so begins a funny, heartwarming journey to get Mr. Darcy back into the novel while simultaneously helping him survive in 2026.
While I’ve never read Pride & Prejudice (sue me, I know), I still know the gist of the story and was able to follow along easily. At points Zoe annoyed me as she made some really BAD decisions, but I found myself not being able to put the last 50% down.
3.5 stars rounded up!
Zoe is a struggling romance writer who seeks shelter in a bookstore during a rainstorm. The owner of said bookstore is a romance hater and argues with her on why he does not sell romance novels. Zoe sees a copy of Pride & Prejudice on the shelves, steals it, begins to read it and accidentally summons Mr. Darcy into 2026.
And so begins a funny, heartwarming journey to get Mr. Darcy back into the novel while simultaneously helping him survive in 2026.
While I’ve never read Pride & Prejudice (sue me, I know), I still know the gist of the story and was able to follow along easily. At points Zoe annoyed me as she made some really BAD decisions, but I found myself not being able to put the last 50% down.
Did Not Finish
June 19, 2026As much as I enjoy an Austen inspired tale, this one just wasn't clicking with me. Every time there was an author or title name drop it took me out of the story completely and I had to try to settle back in. I understand what they were there for, but it just didn't work for me and made it feel like a bit of a slog to get through the pages.
Though this was a DNF on my part, there's absolutely those out there who will love this one! The premise is so fun and you can tell the author knows their romance.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Though this was a DNF on my part, there's absolutely those out there who will love this one! The premise is so fun and you can tell the author knows their romance.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read
May 29, 20263 stars
Fun fact! I got an advanced copy from Burke’s Book Store in Memphis!
This book was cute and I liked the Jane Austen of it all. But I don’t like the term or idea of “book boyfriends”, which is kinda the premise of the book….so that got annoying at times.
Fun fact! I got an advanced copy from Burke’s Book Store in Memphis!
This book was cute and I liked the Jane Austen of it all. But I don’t like the term or idea of “book boyfriends”, which is kinda the premise of the book….so that got annoying at times.
May 27, 2026
I was able to read an advanced readers copy since the book hasn't officially come out yet.
I enjoyed the book, it was a cute quick read. It blends pride and prejudice with modern day romance
I enjoyed the book, it was a cute quick read. It blends pride and prejudice with modern day romance
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25 stars!
This book follows Zoe Knight as she unknowingly and magically summons Mr. Darcy into the real world after an interesting encounter with a grumpy, pretentious bookseller named Nick.
The Good:
I loved the dynamic between Zoe and Nick! Their banter was great and I felt the chemistry. I also thought that the plot was super unique and fun!
The Okay:
I wasn't totally convinced on Mr. Darcy's character, however. It wasn't a bad portrayal necessarily, but it felt like he could have been any reserved 1800s Englishman.
The Not-So-Good:
I liked the overall ending, but it felt like it ended a little abruptly? I think I wanted more closure.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one! It was closed-door/fade-to-black, which I appreciated with my reading preferences. I will definitely be recommending this one when it is released!
This book follows Zoe Knight as she unknowingly and magically summons Mr. Darcy into the real world after an interesting encounter with a grumpy, pretentious bookseller named Nick.
The Good:
I loved the dynamic between Zoe and Nick! Their banter was great and I felt the chemistry. I also thought that the plot was super unique and fun!
The Okay:
I wasn't totally convinced on Mr. Darcy's character, however. It wasn't a bad portrayal necessarily, but it felt like he could have been any reserved 1800s Englishman.
The Not-So-Good:
I liked the overall ending, but it felt like it ended a little abruptly? I think I wanted more closure.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one! It was closed-door/fade-to-black, which I appreciated with my reading preferences. I will definitely be recommending this one when it is released!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I applaud the quirkiness of the plot, yet that same quirkiness also makes the book feel a bit flimsy at times—and that’s coming from someone who loves both Austen and time-travel(-ish) romances.
Basic plot: The FMC is a hardcore romance reader. After a string of disappointing real-life experiences, she’s basically outsourced her love life to books. One day she wanders into a tiny bookshop run by a grumpy-but-hunky bookseller (yes, he’s the MMC) who pointedly refuses to stock romance. For reasons we learn later, the FMC finds an old, battered copy of Pride and Prejudice—and steals it. The next day, Fitzwilliam Darcy (the P&P MMC) appears in real life. The FMC tries to make Darcy her boyfriend (and, frankly, gaslights him), but after a few days
Don’t worry: the story does land on a happy ending (though it felt a bit… stretched).
YAY for
😊 The dynamic between the leads. The MMC is genuinely compelling: grumpy in a way that reads as layered rather than rude, and grounded enough to feel like a real person—not just a trope. His chemistry with the FMC carries a lot of the book. The FMC, on the other hand, reads a bit whiny to me at times, and her choices can be frustrating—but she still lands as “messy but readable,” especially because her emotional neediness fits the premise (someone who’s been living on fictional comfort for too long). When the two are on the page together, the story has its best moments.
😊 The initial magical realism twist. The “book character in real life” setup is clever, playful, and very on-theme for a romance that’s in conversation with Pride and Prejudice. The early sections are genuinely fun: the novelty, the wish-fulfillment, and the subtle tension of “this can’t possibly last” work really well. I also liked the hint of mystery around the bookshop and the late mother’s role—it adds texture beyond the central romance. It’s a strong hook… right up until the magic starts stacking new rules on top of old ones and the story pushes it a little too far.
NAY for
🤔 How Darcy is treated. And, like other reviewers, I struggled with the sexual aspect—it was a no for me. More broadly, I never quite saw him as a person in this story; he felt like a prop, “literally just a character.” Maybe that was intentional—to highlight the contrast between the MMC and Darcy—but I’m not convinced, especially because the main takeaway seems to be: FMC, you should be your own hero/savior. That’s fine, but I missed a clearer secondary message of: and choose someone who fits the real you, not just someone “perfect” in the abstract.
🤔 The magic logic eventually breaks. I can suspend disbelief once and accept the core premise. But when the plot escalates into characters jumping in and out of books, it lost me. At that point it felt more metaphorical than functional, and I disconnected. Magical realism works best (for me) when it stays simple—once it over-explains or over-expands, it risks snapping the reader out of the story.
🤔 It sometimes reads like fanfiction. There’s a level of fangirl energy that tipped into indulgent for my taste—and I say that as a fangirl.
My Bottom Line & Note for the Author
An enjoyable read with a charming premise and a strong romantic dynamic—but it could use a tighter hand to achieve that Ashley Poston–style sweet spot: whimsical magic grounded in real emotion, with cleaner narrative rules and a more seamless payoff.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Basic plot: The FMC is a hardcore romance reader. After a string of disappointing real-life experiences, she’s basically outsourced her love life to books. One day she wanders into a tiny bookshop run by a grumpy-but-hunky bookseller (yes, he’s the MMC) who pointedly refuses to stock romance. For reasons we learn later, the FMC finds an old, battered copy of Pride and Prejudice—and steals it. The next day, Fitzwilliam Darcy (the P&P MMC) appears in real life. The FMC tries to make Darcy her boyfriend (and, frankly, gaslights him), but after a few days
Don’t worry: the story does land on a happy ending (though it felt a bit… stretched).
YAY for
😊 The dynamic between the leads. The MMC is genuinely compelling: grumpy in a way that reads as layered rather than rude, and grounded enough to feel like a real person—not just a trope. His chemistry with the FMC carries a lot of the book. The FMC, on the other hand, reads a bit whiny to me at times, and her choices can be frustrating—but she still lands as “messy but readable,” especially because her emotional neediness fits the premise (someone who’s been living on fictional comfort for too long). When the two are on the page together, the story has its best moments.
😊 The initial magical realism twist. The “book character in real life” setup is clever, playful, and very on-theme for a romance that’s in conversation with Pride and Prejudice. The early sections are genuinely fun: the novelty, the wish-fulfillment, and the subtle tension of “this can’t possibly last” work really well. I also liked the hint of mystery around the bookshop and the late mother’s role—it adds texture beyond the central romance. It’s a strong hook… right up until the magic starts stacking new rules on top of old ones and the story pushes it a little too far.
NAY for
🤔 How Darcy is treated. And, like other reviewers, I struggled with the sexual aspect—it was a no for me. More broadly, I never quite saw him as a person in this story; he felt like a prop, “literally just a character.” Maybe that was intentional—to highlight the contrast between the MMC and Darcy—but I’m not convinced, especially because the main takeaway seems to be: FMC, you should be your own hero/savior. That’s fine, but I missed a clearer secondary message of: and choose someone who fits the real you, not just someone “perfect” in the abstract.
🤔 The magic logic eventually breaks. I can suspend disbelief once and accept the core premise. But when the plot escalates into characters jumping in and out of books, it lost me. At that point it felt more metaphorical than functional, and I disconnected. Magical realism works best (for me) when it stays simple—once it over-explains or over-expands, it risks snapping the reader out of the story.
🤔 It sometimes reads like fanfiction. There’s a level of fangirl energy that tipped into indulgent for my taste—and I say that as a fangirl.
My Bottom Line & Note for the Author
An enjoyable read with a charming premise and a strong romantic dynamic—but it could use a tighter hand to achieve that Ashley Poston–style sweet spot: whimsical magic grounded in real emotion, with cleaner narrative rules and a more seamless payoff.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
I love Jane Austen. I love Pride and Prejudice adaptations. And I have a real love of cringe regency in modern times stories like Lost in Austen and Austenland. So I'm really the ideal audience for this book. Those stories are silly and goofy and that’s what I expected from this.
I think in a film format, you can often forgive poor decisions of the protagonist because the experience with the story is short, but in book format, it feels much more grating.
This book could have been a novella. The protagonist goes completely against the obvious choices for progress for manufactured obstacles that feel dissatisfying and irritating. Even the initial premise of what are we doing?
There could have been a much better way to That would be way more fun because then it doesn’t make the character unlikeable, just a moron (affectionate).
Even the silliness with Darcy felt just… womp womp. Who would give bland toast Darcy chow mein and kimchi pancake? He’s going to have a heart attack from having well seasoned food for the first time in his life. Darcy felt very one note to me. I found it hard to engage, in a similar way I don't often enjoy fan fic, because the author sees the character in a different way to how I experienced them. If the protagonist is such a fan, the author almost does Darcy a disservice by making him so boring.
I have a personal gripe with ‘dating’ media. I don’t love pop culture references or trending phrases because it cements a story to that time and then once that time goes out of flavour, it makes the book cringe, which is unfair for a fun story, right? And I also dislike when pop culture references are so thrust upon you that you’re alienated from the story when you don’t know the reference.
Throwing in popular romance authors of this era, name dropping for the sake of name dropping. If I haven’t read every romance, romantasy, etc. author… then I don’t know what you’re talking about. So it’s a bit of a risk that you’re relying on your reader to already be so deep in the pocket of romance to be able to genuinely engage with those references. Maybe if I read more romance I wouldn't feel bothered by this but Romance was one of my top genres in 2025 so I find it difficult to believe that I haven't done enough work here.
Ultimately, if you want a good brain-off read, you’ll probably enjoy this. Especially if you're already a fan of goofy Austen in modern day stories. We're also nearly 6 months from the release of the story so there's a chance for them to tweak this a bit and give it the charm the book really deserves. As is, it's just not as for me as I wanted it to be.
I love Jane Austen. I love Pride and Prejudice adaptations. And I have a real love of cringe regency in modern times stories like Lost in Austen and Austenland. So I'm really the ideal audience for this book. Those stories are silly and goofy and that’s what I expected from this.
I think in a film format, you can often forgive poor decisions of the protagonist because the experience with the story is short, but in book format, it feels much more grating.
This book could have been a novella. The protagonist goes completely against the obvious choices for progress for manufactured obstacles that feel dissatisfying and irritating. Even the initial premise of what are we doing?
There could have been a much better way to That would be way more fun because then it doesn’t make the character unlikeable, just a moron (affectionate).
Even the silliness with Darcy felt just… womp womp. Who would give bland toast Darcy chow mein and kimchi pancake? He’s going to have a heart attack from having well seasoned food for the first time in his life. Darcy felt very one note to me. I found it hard to engage, in a similar way I don't often enjoy fan fic, because the author sees the character in a different way to how I experienced them. If the protagonist is such a fan, the author almost does Darcy a disservice by making him so boring.
I have a personal gripe with ‘dating’ media. I don’t love pop culture references or trending phrases because it cements a story to that time and then once that time goes out of flavour, it makes the book cringe, which is unfair for a fun story, right? And I also dislike when pop culture references are so thrust upon you that you’re alienated from the story when you don’t know the reference.
Throwing in popular romance authors of this era, name dropping for the sake of name dropping. If I haven’t read every romance, romantasy, etc. author… then I don’t know what you’re talking about. So it’s a bit of a risk that you’re relying on your reader to already be so deep in the pocket of romance to be able to genuinely engage with those references. Maybe if I read more romance I wouldn't feel bothered by this but Romance was one of my top genres in 2025 so I find it difficult to believe that I haven't done enough work here.
Ultimately, if you want a good brain-off read, you’ll probably enjoy this. Especially if you're already a fan of goofy Austen in modern day stories. We're also nearly 6 months from the release of the story so there's a chance for them to tweak this a bit and give it the charm the book really deserves. As is, it's just not as for me as I wanted it to be.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmarks for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
——
I finished this book in less than 24 hours. There’s a reason I hold the Romance Genre with high regard. AHHHHHH.
I will say, the beginning was very heavy-handed in its references to popular romance/fantasy books currently on the market. I will never read some of the titles mentioned because of the author's political stances and the writing (which is a personal choice/taste), but it doesn’t take away from the fact that these books cultivated a large amount of new readers.
You can critique the quality of a book without insulting or belittling the people who read them. Overconsumption is a real thing, books with specific, overdone tropes ARE taking over the market, but again, we can critique current trends without shaming the people who read them--on the flip side, we should allow open criticism of books without people rushing in to say, "just let people enjoy what they want!"
Zoe Knight would agree with that sentiment. She had a lot to say about that current debate. She was a lovely character. A bit stubborn and hard-headed at times. But I can’t fault her for that, especially knowing her backstory. A confusing and (I will say) traumatic experience with love itself. It’s easy to relate to her. Holding your book boyfriends as the standard, Mr. Darcy, as her standard, VALID. And then he comes to life!? YAY or NAY?!
Nick Baskerville. He makes me want to scream. Is it okay to say HE might be MY new book boyfriend? Their interactions were GREAT. Small moments that led up to a bigger event, YES. Just as Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice builds up the tension between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, so does Freya Sampson with Zoe and Nick. I LOVE when authors focus on a person’s eyes/gaze to describe what they’re feeling. It was HOT HOT HOT. Frankly, that’s all you need. A glance or a soft touch is enough.
Was the magic explained perfectly? No. Was it even magic to begin with? Who knows. Having read a book similar to this (The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer), I was familiar with the mechanics and how a fictional character jumping out of your favorite book could be possible. Still, the idea was executed well. The tension was there. Zoe’s journey discovering why this happened to her made sense.
The message. I love how it all unfolded. You don’t NEED anyone to make you happy, to show you what happiness looks like. Only you have the power to make it a reality. Looking forward to love is valid, but what can exist at the same time is the idea that you shouldn’t rely solely on anyone’s love to make you realize your wants, dreams, and worth.
The pacing (despite the beginning) was fantastic. The plot moved along fast. As I said, I read this in less than a day. It was light and easy, but the meaning behind the words was hard-hitting and tough. Most Ardently Yours made me laugh and smile. I had a great time! Now, would this be considered a literary classic? No, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that people fall back in love with reading because of books like these!
Also, damn, so my favorite fictional character WON’T fix me? Sigh :(
——
I finished this book in less than 24 hours. There’s a reason I hold the Romance Genre with high regard. AHHHHHH.
I will say, the beginning was very heavy-handed in its references to popular romance/fantasy books currently on the market. I will never read some of the titles mentioned because of the author's political stances and the writing (which is a personal choice/taste), but it doesn’t take away from the fact that these books cultivated a large amount of new readers.
You can critique the quality of a book without insulting or belittling the people who read them. Overconsumption is a real thing, books with specific, overdone tropes ARE taking over the market, but again, we can critique current trends without shaming the people who read them--on the flip side, we should allow open criticism of books without people rushing in to say, "just let people enjoy what they want!"
Zoe Knight would agree with that sentiment. She had a lot to say about that current debate. She was a lovely character. A bit stubborn and hard-headed at times. But I can’t fault her for that, especially knowing her backstory. A confusing and (I will say) traumatic experience with love itself. It’s easy to relate to her. Holding your book boyfriends as the standard, Mr. Darcy, as her standard, VALID. And then he comes to life!? YAY or NAY?!
Nick Baskerville. He makes me want to scream. Is it okay to say HE might be MY new book boyfriend? Their interactions were GREAT. Small moments that led up to a bigger event, YES. Just as Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice builds up the tension between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, so does Freya Sampson with Zoe and Nick. I LOVE when authors focus on a person’s eyes/gaze to describe what they’re feeling. It was HOT HOT HOT. Frankly, that’s all you need. A glance or a soft touch is enough.
Was the magic explained perfectly? No. Was it even magic to begin with? Who knows. Having read a book similar to this (The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer), I was familiar with the mechanics and how a fictional character jumping out of your favorite book could be possible. Still, the idea was executed well. The tension was there. Zoe’s journey discovering why this happened to her made sense.
The message. I love how it all unfolded. You don’t NEED anyone to make you happy, to show you what happiness looks like. Only you have the power to make it a reality. Looking forward to love is valid, but what can exist at the same time is the idea that you shouldn’t rely solely on anyone’s love to make you realize your wants, dreams, and worth.
The pacing (despite the beginning) was fantastic. The plot moved along fast. As I said, I read this in less than a day. It was light and easy, but the meaning behind the words was hard-hitting and tough. Most Ardently Yours made me laugh and smile. I had a great time! Now, would this be considered a literary classic? No, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that people fall back in love with reading because of books like these!
Also, damn, so my favorite fictional character WON’T fix me? Sigh :(
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“NOWADAYS in Romance Novels-the HEROINES SAVE THEMSELVES”
I have loved everything that Freya Sampson has written, so I was surprised to see an average rating on Goodreads of only 3.56, for this book inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I started it with an open mind but wondered why??
Zoe Knight, loves reading romance novels with her cat Mr. Wickham by her side, and she aspires to one day, write one herself, BUT she can’t seem to nail the “happily ever after”! Maybe because her “real life boyfriends” never seem to live up to the standard set by the “fictional book boyfriends” that she compares them to.
And, there is none that sets the standard higher than Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy.
So when she escapes a rainstorm by ducking into a classic London bookshop called Baskerville Books, and ends up arguing with Nick, the attractive bookstore owner who REFUSES to sell romance novels, she decides to rid him of a dusty copy of Pride & Prejudice she finds abandoned on a top shelf-by shoplifting it!
But, his reason for hating romance novels is COMPLICATED.
AND, it turns out that this is NO ordinary book.
Somehow, after reading from its pages, Zoe finds herself face to face with Mr. Darcy who she has somehow summoned into the present World. She doesn’t know HOW to send him back or IF she even wants to.
But, Fictional characters cannot survive in the real world forever, and the longer they stay, the more is at risk-for them and for the novels they are visiting from.
Reluctantly, Zoe must turn to Nick looking for answers about the book she ran off with. And, rely on her best friend Bianca, and her SCENE-STEALING eccentric, 76 year old Lebanese landlady, Mrs. Atallah, for help.
Sure this book is FANCIFUL. But, if you DON’T take it too seriously, or look for logical explanations, it’s also full of WHIMSY and it just might make you smile!
Sure, it was hard to like Zoe who comes across as immature when the book opens, or to understand her “Insta Hate” for Nick when she assumed that he was misogynist because of his refusal to sell romances. And, I struggled with how quickly, this turned into “Insta Love”.
BUT the focus of this story isn’t really the romance.
As always, with Freya Sampson, it’s about Found Family and solving a problem.
Go into this expecting a blend of MAGICAL REALISM, Regency Era Romance (Jane Austen, Bridgerton), Contemporary Romance and Found Family-and you might just find yourself pleasantly surprised, despite the few flaws.
I know I was!
Fictional characters coming to life seems to be a popular new trope this year. I have read several and know I have at least one more on my TBR shelf-but this one offered something unique, and I am glad I didn’t let the average rating scare me off.
Did DeAnn and Marilyn enjoy this one too? Be sure to watch for their reviews!
AVAILABLE July 7, 2026
Thank You to Sourcebooks Landmark for the gifted copy provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts
I have loved everything that Freya Sampson has written, so I was surprised to see an average rating on Goodreads of only 3.56, for this book inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I started it with an open mind but wondered why??
Zoe Knight, loves reading romance novels with her cat Mr. Wickham by her side, and she aspires to one day, write one herself, BUT she can’t seem to nail the “happily ever after”! Maybe because her “real life boyfriends” never seem to live up to the standard set by the “fictional book boyfriends” that she compares them to.
And, there is none that sets the standard higher than Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy.
So when she escapes a rainstorm by ducking into a classic London bookshop called Baskerville Books, and ends up arguing with Nick, the attractive bookstore owner who REFUSES to sell romance novels, she decides to rid him of a dusty copy of Pride & Prejudice she finds abandoned on a top shelf-by shoplifting it!
But, his reason for hating romance novels is COMPLICATED.
AND, it turns out that this is NO ordinary book.
Somehow, after reading from its pages, Zoe finds herself face to face with Mr. Darcy who she has somehow summoned into the present World. She doesn’t know HOW to send him back or IF she even wants to.
But, Fictional characters cannot survive in the real world forever, and the longer they stay, the more is at risk-for them and for the novels they are visiting from.
Reluctantly, Zoe must turn to Nick looking for answers about the book she ran off with. And, rely on her best friend Bianca, and her SCENE-STEALING eccentric, 76 year old Lebanese landlady, Mrs. Atallah, for help.
Sure this book is FANCIFUL. But, if you DON’T take it too seriously, or look for logical explanations, it’s also full of WHIMSY and it just might make you smile!
Sure, it was hard to like Zoe who comes across as immature when the book opens, or to understand her “Insta Hate” for Nick when she assumed that he was misogynist because of his refusal to sell romances. And, I struggled with how quickly, this turned into “Insta Love”.
BUT the focus of this story isn’t really the romance.
As always, with Freya Sampson, it’s about Found Family and solving a problem.
Go into this expecting a blend of MAGICAL REALISM, Regency Era Romance (Jane Austen, Bridgerton), Contemporary Romance and Found Family-and you might just find yourself pleasantly surprised, despite the few flaws.
I know I was!
Fictional characters coming to life seems to be a popular new trope this year. I have read several and know I have at least one more on my TBR shelf-but this one offered something unique, and I am glad I didn’t let the average rating scare me off.
Did DeAnn and Marilyn enjoy this one too? Be sure to watch for their reviews!
AVAILABLE July 7, 2026
Thank You to Sourcebooks Landmark for the gifted copy provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was such an interesting concept. I liked some aspects of it, such as Mr. Darcy, a fan favorite, classic, book boyfriend brought to life in 2026? What could go wrong?
Let’s start with the characters.
- Our main character, Zoe Knight, works at a cafe, has a lawyer best friend named Bianca, her mother died, and her favorite book boyfriend is Fitzwilliam Darcy. Hates Nick Baskerville, “d**k lit”, and her incel ex boyfriend Crispin (what kind of name is that??)
- Nick Baskerville, our main love interest…or is he? Nick runs a book store that has been owned by his family for a long time. Nick is anti romance, as in he won’t sell it in his bookstore, and Zoe takes that VERY personally. Beyond that, I really couldn’t tell you much about Nick or his personality.
- Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. We all know and love Mr. Darcy, whether he be in Colin Firth form or Matthew McFayden. This…while an interesting character, did not feel true to the character that Jane Austen wrote. He is, granted, completely confused and in awe of the modern world, but he wasn’t “THE Mr. Darcy”.
- Bianca. Zoe’s best friend, engaged and about to be married. B is a very very small part of the story, and Zoe isn’t even honest with her about who “Will” is?
Now. I thought that the plot was fun, concept intriguing, however the characters all really fell flat and felt very one dimensional. It didn’t make sense that Zoe’s character would have believed what Crispin had said about her. You also don’t really get to know Nick at all, he’s in the first chapter and then you don’t see him again for like 20% of the book. I would have liked to have more character development instead of the second plot twist we got halfway through the book when you feel like the issue is resolved.
You see, after Zoe attempts to get Darcy to fall in love with her and stay in the modern (and real world even though she didn’t tell him he was a fictional character), they finally get Darcy back to the Pride and Prejudice story. But wait, there’s more, oh no! Zoe is ALSO sent to P&P story, and has no idea how to get back! And what’s more, Nick’s long lost, mysterious mother is ALSO there. Oh but wait! Nick gets his great aunt who is seemingly not always coherent to send him to the story too! Oh my. The rest of the book is very much as you’d expect, them trying to not permanently ruin the story, while also trying to convince Zoe that her lying, awful ex boyfriend was wrong about her not being a good author. So she tries to write a story about their timeline, but oops, Zoe doesn’t know Nick’s mom well enough because she’s been missing for eight years. That leads to even more issues, but I’ll let you figure that out on your own.
Anyways, I really do appreciate this author’s creativity, however this book was not it for me.
Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s start with the characters.
- Our main character, Zoe Knight, works at a cafe, has a lawyer best friend named Bianca, her mother died, and her favorite book boyfriend is Fitzwilliam Darcy. Hates Nick Baskerville, “d**k lit”, and her incel ex boyfriend Crispin (what kind of name is that??)
- Nick Baskerville, our main love interest…or is he? Nick runs a book store that has been owned by his family for a long time. Nick is anti romance, as in he won’t sell it in his bookstore, and Zoe takes that VERY personally. Beyond that, I really couldn’t tell you much about Nick or his personality.
- Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. We all know and love Mr. Darcy, whether he be in Colin Firth form or Matthew McFayden. This…while an interesting character, did not feel true to the character that Jane Austen wrote. He is, granted, completely confused and in awe of the modern world, but he wasn’t “THE Mr. Darcy”.
- Bianca. Zoe’s best friend, engaged and about to be married. B is a very very small part of the story, and Zoe isn’t even honest with her about who “Will” is?
Now. I thought that the plot was fun, concept intriguing, however the characters all really fell flat and felt very one dimensional. It didn’t make sense that Zoe’s character would have believed what Crispin had said about her. You also don’t really get to know Nick at all, he’s in the first chapter and then you don’t see him again for like 20% of the book. I would have liked to have more character development instead of the second plot twist we got halfway through the book when you feel like the issue is resolved.
You see, after Zoe attempts to get Darcy to fall in love with her and stay in the modern (and real world even though she didn’t tell him he was a fictional character), they finally get Darcy back to the Pride and Prejudice story. But wait, there’s more, oh no! Zoe is ALSO sent to P&P story, and has no idea how to get back! And what’s more, Nick’s long lost, mysterious mother is ALSO there. Oh but wait! Nick gets his great aunt who is seemingly not always coherent to send him to the story too! Oh my. The rest of the book is very much as you’d expect, them trying to not permanently ruin the story, while also trying to convince Zoe that her lying, awful ex boyfriend was wrong about her not being a good author. So she tries to write a story about their timeline, but oops, Zoe doesn’t know Nick’s mom well enough because she’s been missing for eight years. That leads to even more issues, but I’ll let you figure that out on your own.
Anyways, I really do appreciate this author’s creativity, however this book was not it for me.
Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Okay, before you read this entire review, let me note that I've never read Pride and Prejudice or even seen the movie (I know, I know). So, I think the main reason this book didn't connect with me is because I don't have any connection to Pride and Prejudice or Mr. Darcy specifically, who is obviously a fundamental part of this story.
Right off the hop, I struggled with the FMC, Zoe. As soon as she finds out Nick doesn't sell any romances in his store, she decides he is sexist, mysognisric, and a horrible person, despite him not actually saying anything negative towards women or speaking down about romances. His main critique is about there always being a happily ever after, which he feels is not always realistic. He does not say anything bad about romances readers. Due to this, I felt like her instant hatred toward him and the pretty strong opinions she made about him were excessive and came off a little immature. I especially became annoyed when she refused to drop this opinion when later being told by her best friend that her experience with him does not align with Zoe's opinions.
My other major issue with this story is that it felt very instalove, which is one of my least favourite tropes. It seems like Zoe goes from hating Nick to all of a sudden loving him and thinking he's her soul mate once she realizes she was wrong about him, even though she has barely spent any time with him or talking to him. In the end, I just didn't fully buy into their relationship and left with the impression that it felt forced.
I also struggled to buy into her Zoe's love for Mr. Darcy. Intellectually, I understand her connection to his character and Pride and Prejudice. However, as someone whose never read the book and knows nothing about Mr. Darcy, I couldn't fully understand or get behind why he seemed so great and her desire to keep him in her world. He just came across to me as your average guy in 2026 standards, so it just didnt work for me. Though, if you're a fan of this book, I'm sure you'll feel very differently!
I did enjoy the book magic aspect and the idea of bringing a fictional character into the real world. What book lover wouldn't absolutely die for the chance to be able to meet our favourite fictional character!? I know I would. In fact, I got a whole list 😁 This aspect of the book was super fun and something I think will connect with any book lover!
I also really loved the message readers were left with at the end of the story and how Zoe grew as a character at the end, especially in terms of her self-confidence and understanding of her ability to make her own happiness.
Overall, while this book wasn't entirely for me, I think many folks will adore it. If you do happen to be a Pride and Prejudice fan, I highly recommend you check it out when it releases of July 7th!
Thank you NetGalley for this advanced readers copy on exchange for an honest review.
Right off the hop, I struggled with the FMC, Zoe. As soon as she finds out Nick doesn't sell any romances in his store, she decides he is sexist, mysognisric, and a horrible person, despite him not actually saying anything negative towards women or speaking down about romances. His main critique is about there always being a happily ever after, which he feels is not always realistic. He does not say anything bad about romances readers. Due to this, I felt like her instant hatred toward him and the pretty strong opinions she made about him were excessive and came off a little immature. I especially became annoyed when she refused to drop this opinion when later being told by her best friend that her experience with him does not align with Zoe's opinions.
My other major issue with this story is that it felt very instalove, which is one of my least favourite tropes. It seems like Zoe goes from hating Nick to all of a sudden loving him and thinking he's her soul mate once she realizes she was wrong about him, even though she has barely spent any time with him or talking to him. In the end, I just didn't fully buy into their relationship and left with the impression that it felt forced.
I also struggled to buy into her Zoe's love for Mr. Darcy. Intellectually, I understand her connection to his character and Pride and Prejudice. However, as someone whose never read the book and knows nothing about Mr. Darcy, I couldn't fully understand or get behind why he seemed so great and her desire to keep him in her world. He just came across to me as your average guy in 2026 standards, so it just didnt work for me. Though, if you're a fan of this book, I'm sure you'll feel very differently!
I did enjoy the book magic aspect and the idea of bringing a fictional character into the real world. What book lover wouldn't absolutely die for the chance to be able to meet our favourite fictional character!? I know I would. In fact, I got a whole list 😁 This aspect of the book was super fun and something I think will connect with any book lover!
I also really loved the message readers were left with at the end of the story and how Zoe grew as a character at the end, especially in terms of her self-confidence and understanding of her ability to make her own happiness.
Overall, while this book wasn't entirely for me, I think many folks will adore it. If you do happen to be a Pride and Prejudice fan, I highly recommend you check it out when it releases of July 7th!
Thank you NetGalley for this advanced readers copy on exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Once upon a time, Zoe was an aspiring romance writer who lived for the happily ever after, but after her breakup, she swore off men, well, most. She was keeping her book boyfriends. After a tense meeting with a local bookseller who was anti-romance, Zoe steals his copy of Pride and Prejudice, and shortly thereafter, finds herself face to face with her most exalted book boyfriend - Fitzwilliam Darcy. She had no idea how this happened, but after some time, realizes she must help him get back to his time.
I had a great time reading this time-travel romance. I am no stranger to this fictional-character-joins-the-real-world trope, but I thought Sampson added some great twists that made it fresh and unique. This especially shined in the latter part of the story when it took I turn I was not expecting.
Zoe had been in "love" with Mr. Darcy since her teens when her late mother introduced her to the works of Jane Austen. She was a very bookish heroine, name dropping many books and authors I have read as she defended the romance genre to our hero, Nick, but Zoe was had also closed off her heart and kept her world small following her breakup. I appreciated the way her world grew and changed with the addition of Nick and Mr. Darcy. They helped her realize she wanted and deserved more, though, as we all know, the heroine saved herself.
I supposed you would call the romance part of this book a slow burn. Every time there was a scene between Nick and Zoe, you could feel the heat, but the progression was slow. Maybe it was to mirror the way it all went down in P&P, or perhaps it was due to the fact that Zoe was trying to fall for Mr. Darcy. Regardless of the reasoning, I did want Nick and Zoe to be together. They bantered well, and one could feel the passion between them. I was definitely rooting for them despite some serious obstacles.
There was a great supporting cast who added to the fun. Zoe more or less on spent time with her best friend, but her landlady won a place in her life and my heart along with her cat, Mr. Wickham. And, oh, how I was thrilled when Sampson put Zoe and Darcy on the 88 with a sighing of some of our friends from The Lost Ticket. I live for Easter eggs like this.
Overall, it was a delight traveling through time with Zoe, Darcy, and Nick. I found this romance to be full of wit, charm, and humor that kept a smile on my face from beginning to end.
*ARC provided by publisher
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Once upon a time, Zoe was an aspiring romance writer who lived for the happily ever after, but after her breakup, she swore off men, well, most. She was keeping her book boyfriends. After a tense meeting with a local bookseller who was anti-romance, Zoe steals his copy of Pride and Prejudice, and shortly thereafter, finds herself face to face with her most exalted book boyfriend - Fitzwilliam Darcy. She had no idea how this happened, but after some time, realizes she must help him get back to his time.
I had a great time reading this time-travel romance. I am no stranger to this fictional-character-joins-the-real-world trope, but I thought Sampson added some great twists that made it fresh and unique. This especially shined in the latter part of the story when it took I turn I was not expecting.
Zoe had been in "love" with Mr. Darcy since her teens when her late mother introduced her to the works of Jane Austen. She was a very bookish heroine, name dropping many books and authors I have read as she defended the romance genre to our hero, Nick, but Zoe was had also closed off her heart and kept her world small following her breakup. I appreciated the way her world grew and changed with the addition of Nick and Mr. Darcy. They helped her realize she wanted and deserved more, though, as we all know, the heroine saved herself.
I supposed you would call the romance part of this book a slow burn. Every time there was a scene between Nick and Zoe, you could feel the heat, but the progression was slow. Maybe it was to mirror the way it all went down in P&P, or perhaps it was due to the fact that Zoe was trying to fall for Mr. Darcy. Regardless of the reasoning, I did want Nick and Zoe to be together. They bantered well, and one could feel the passion between them. I was definitely rooting for them despite some serious obstacles.
There was a great supporting cast who added to the fun. Zoe more or less on spent time with her best friend, but her landlady won a place in her life and my heart along with her cat, Mr. Wickham. And, oh, how I was thrilled when Sampson put Zoe and Darcy on the 88 with a sighing of some of our friends from The Lost Ticket. I live for Easter eggs like this.
Overall, it was a delight traveling through time with Zoe, Darcy, and Nick. I found this romance to be full of wit, charm, and humor that kept a smile on my face from beginning to end.
*ARC provided by publisher
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I think I’m too responsible and anxious to be able to enjoy it.
There were certain things which prevented me from disliking it completely, like the general idea of summoning characters out of books and the consequences of them being out too long, which were simply interesting. Or the plot twist when she tried to return Darcy to his world (I'd be more specific which one, but that's a major spoiler). Unfortunately, though, I can't come up with more.
It had potential, but I think it failed spectacularly because of Zoe. It's probably just my opinion - stemming from deep social anxiety, unmovable sense of right and wrong, and people pleasing - but the way in which Zoe acted throughout the book was incredibly frustrating. I hated her. I've never had the displeasure of reading about someone so stubborn, irresponsible and selfish. She doesn't care about anyone else, other than herself. She's the only person whose feelings, wants, and needs matter. If something bad happens, she immediately thinks of how it will impact her. If she has an opinion, it's the only correct one. For most of the book, I was just rooting for her to fail, so someone could step in and fix everything she'd messed up and refused to take care of because it didn't align with what she wanted.
Zoe is not the only problem, though. The magical realism isn't detailed enough. There are too many holes, unanswered questions, and a heavy reliance on the reader not to be curious. We don't get to know why and how it all works. But as much as I can deal with that, telling myself that maybe no one knows and some things aren't meant to be clear (not that I want to - I'm a reader, I want answers) - what do you mean there are no actual consequences? What do you mean the story is changing and yet everything within it is perfectly fine in the end? I can't go on a tangent, because spoilers, but it's incredibly frustrating to me that there are no repercussions, not even small ones.
Also, this is meant to be a rom-com, and there's actually very little romance in it. It's side-lined so badly because of the Darcy thing that it ends up being rushed, wonky, and taking place within the last few chapters of the book. The chemistry they share is based on her objectifying him as soon as she realizes he's not a horrible person. She thinks they were meant for each other, but they've known each other for like 2 weeks? And she spent most of that time forcing herself and Darcy into a relationship, exchanging barely any words with Nick. It doesn't really do anything for me, one way or another.
I genuinely think some people might adore this one, but they need to have more patience for stupid, selfish decisions than me, not expect the romance to be the main plot, and not ask too many questions about the magical parts.
Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books, and the author for letting me read the ARC!
There were certain things which prevented me from disliking it completely, like the general idea of summoning characters out of books and the consequences of them being out too long, which were simply interesting. Or the plot twist when she tried to return Darcy to his world (I'd be more specific which one, but that's a major spoiler). Unfortunately, though, I can't come up with more.
It had potential, but I think it failed spectacularly because of Zoe. It's probably just my opinion - stemming from deep social anxiety, unmovable sense of right and wrong, and people pleasing - but the way in which Zoe acted throughout the book was incredibly frustrating. I hated her. I've never had the displeasure of reading about someone so stubborn, irresponsible and selfish. She doesn't care about anyone else, other than herself. She's the only person whose feelings, wants, and needs matter. If something bad happens, she immediately thinks of how it will impact her. If she has an opinion, it's the only correct one. For most of the book, I was just rooting for her to fail, so someone could step in and fix everything she'd messed up and refused to take care of because it didn't align with what she wanted.
Zoe is not the only problem, though. The magical realism isn't detailed enough. There are too many holes, unanswered questions, and a heavy reliance on the reader not to be curious. We don't get to know why and how it all works. But as much as I can deal with that, telling myself that maybe no one knows and some things aren't meant to be clear (not that I want to - I'm a reader, I want answers) - what do you mean there are no actual consequences? What do you mean the story is changing and yet everything within it is perfectly fine in the end? I can't go on a tangent, because spoilers, but it's incredibly frustrating to me that there are no repercussions, not even small ones.
Also, this is meant to be a rom-com, and there's actually very little romance in it. It's side-lined so badly because of the Darcy thing that it ends up being rushed, wonky, and taking place within the last few chapters of the book. The chemistry they share is based on her objectifying him as soon as she realizes he's not a horrible person. She thinks they were meant for each other, but they've known each other for like 2 weeks? And she spent most of that time forcing herself and Darcy into a relationship, exchanging barely any words with Nick. It doesn't really do anything for me, one way or another.
I genuinely think some people might adore this one, but they need to have more patience for stupid, selfish decisions than me, not expect the romance to be the main plot, and not ask too many questions about the magical parts.
Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books, and the author for letting me read the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: 1.5 stars
Contains adult language, suggestive material, LGBT side characters
I'll be honest. Despite my attempts to read every modern Jane Austen retelling known to man, I knew Most Ardently Yours might not be my cup of tea when I read the synopsis. I generally don't like Austen-inspired books involving time travel or regency characters, but we were celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen and the book was Read Now on Netgalley. Freya Sampson's book sounded like the kind of light, fun I needed to get through a rough year and reading slump, so I figured I'd give it a chance.
And unlike the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice, I did my best to avoid either avarice and give Most Ardently Yours a fair shot. Unfortunately, the book quickly went from tolerable enough to tempt me to completely intolerable, and sadly, my good opinion once lost, is lost forever.
My main issue with Most Ardently Yours is that Freya Sampson spends the entire book trying too hard. Right off the bat, we get bombarded with so many references to romance books, I thought I was reading the captions of a BookTok post about some influencer's top 10 book boyfriends. I get that Freya Sampson loves romance, but the entire book felt like she was on her own personal crusade to defend the genre from literary snobs and misogynistic detractors. I don't necessarily have a problem with that, but if you're going to lecture your readers about something, do it by telling a good story. (And no, info dumping through your readers and trying to disguise it as "dialogue" doesn't count.)
What makes Jane Austen such a mainstay even two and a half centuries later is her clever wit and layered storytelling. She intrinsically trusts her readers to pick up on the subtlety and nuance in her stories, and it's clear from her works that writing and storytelling is a craft. With Most Ardently Yours it feels less like the work of a master craftsman and more like a toddler slapped some clay and paint together and call it a day. You might think I'm being unfairly harsh, trying to compare Freya Sampson to the literary genius of Jane Austen, but even when I compare her to her contemporaries, there's just unpolished and amateurish about her writing. I was trying to be generous and gave Sampson the benefit of the doubt, thinking she might be a debut author, but this is her fifth book. (Even if I try to be generous and take into account the quick turnaround time publishing seems to be pushing these days, surely an editor should've helped ensure Most Ardently Yours was in better shape.) The story is kind of bland, and the pacing is atrocious. I feel like my eyes glazed over a few times while reading, and I genuinely couldn't find any way to connect emotionally to the story despite the fact that Sampson (attempts to) deal with grief and loss. Honestly, Mrs. Atallah, the crotchety, meddling landlord, was the best part of the book.
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Contains adult language, suggestive material, LGBT side characters
I'll be honest. Despite my attempts to read every modern Jane Austen retelling known to man, I knew Most Ardently Yours might not be my cup of tea when I read the synopsis. I generally don't like Austen-inspired books involving time travel or regency characters, but we were celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen and the book was Read Now on Netgalley. Freya Sampson's book sounded like the kind of light, fun I needed to get through a rough year and reading slump, so I figured I'd give it a chance.
And unlike the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice, I did my best to avoid either avarice and give Most Ardently Yours a fair shot. Unfortunately, the book quickly went from tolerable enough to tempt me to completely intolerable, and sadly, my good opinion once lost, is lost forever.
My main issue with Most Ardently Yours is that Freya Sampson spends the entire book trying too hard. Right off the bat, we get bombarded with so many references to romance books, I thought I was reading the captions of a BookTok post about some influencer's top 10 book boyfriends. I get that Freya Sampson loves romance, but the entire book felt like she was on her own personal crusade to defend the genre from literary snobs and misogynistic detractors. I don't necessarily have a problem with that, but if you're going to lecture your readers about something, do it by telling a good story. (And no, info dumping through your readers and trying to disguise it as "dialogue" doesn't count.)
What makes Jane Austen such a mainstay even two and a half centuries later is her clever wit and layered storytelling. She intrinsically trusts her readers to pick up on the subtlety and nuance in her stories, and it's clear from her works that writing and storytelling is a craft. With Most Ardently Yours it feels less like the work of a master craftsman and more like a toddler slapped some clay and paint together and call it a day. You might think I'm being unfairly harsh, trying to compare Freya Sampson to the literary genius of Jane Austen, but even when I compare her to her contemporaries, there's just unpolished and amateurish about her writing. I was trying to be generous and gave Sampson the benefit of the doubt, thinking she might be a debut author, but this is her fifth book. (Even if I try to be generous and take into account the quick turnaround time publishing seems to be pushing these days, surely an editor should've helped ensure Most Ardently Yours was in better shape.) The story is kind of bland, and the pacing is atrocious. I feel like my eyes glazed over a few times while reading, and I genuinely couldn't find any way to connect emotionally to the story despite the fact that Sampson (attempts to) deal with grief and loss. Honestly, Mrs. Atallah, the crotchety, meddling landlord, was the best part of the book.
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The quickest way to wreck a romance reader’s emotional stability is to hand her Mr. Darcy and then ask her to choose someone else.
Freya Sampson’s Most Ardently Yours had me grinning, laughing, rolling my eyes affectionately, and occasionally wondering if I, too, would make questionable life choices if Mr. Darcy suddenly appeared in my living room.
SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, thank you for the gifted copy.
Zoe Knight is the kind of heroine many readers will recognize immediately. She loves romance novels, believes wholeheartedly in happy endings, and has spent far too much time comparing real men to fictional ones. After a painful breakup and a stalled writing career, books have become both her comfort and her escape. Then one rainy day, a mysterious copy of Pride and Prejudice changes everything when Mr. Darcy himself steps out of the pages and into modern-day London.
Yes, the premise is delightfully ridiculous.
Yes, I was completely on board.
What I loved most wasn’t actually the romance. It was watching Zoe slowly figure out that maybe the life she’s been waiting for isn’t something another person can hand her. Whether it’s Mr. Darcy, Nick, or anyone else, she has to find her own confidence first. Freya Sampson has always been good at writing stories about lonely people finding their place in the world, and that shines through here.
Nick was easily my favorite character. Beneath the grumpy bookstore owner exterior was someone carrying his own heartbreak, and I found myself far more invested in his scenes with Zoe than I expected. Their chemistry builds quietly, and while I would have happily taken more page time with them together, I was rooting for them from the start.
Mrs. Atallah nearly stole the entire book. Every scene she appeared in made me smile.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Nowadays in romance novels, the heroine rescues herself.”
The magical realism requires a healthy willingness to suspend disbelief, and some readers may wish for more explanations. Personally, I decided not to overthink it and simply enjoy the ride. Once I did that, this became a charming, whimsical love letter to romance readers, bookstores, found family, and the fictional characters who help us through difficult seasons of life.
If your favorite book boyfriend could step out of a novel for one week, who would you choose—and would reality ever be able to compete?
#MostArdentlyYours #FreyaSampson #SourcebooksLandmark #BookReview #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #WomensFiction #JaneAusten #PrideAndPrejudice #MrDarcy #BookBoyfriend #MagicalRealism
Freya Sampson’s Most Ardently Yours had me grinning, laughing, rolling my eyes affectionately, and occasionally wondering if I, too, would make questionable life choices if Mr. Darcy suddenly appeared in my living room.
SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, thank you for the gifted copy.
Zoe Knight is the kind of heroine many readers will recognize immediately. She loves romance novels, believes wholeheartedly in happy endings, and has spent far too much time comparing real men to fictional ones. After a painful breakup and a stalled writing career, books have become both her comfort and her escape. Then one rainy day, a mysterious copy of Pride and Prejudice changes everything when Mr. Darcy himself steps out of the pages and into modern-day London.
Yes, the premise is delightfully ridiculous.
Yes, I was completely on board.
What I loved most wasn’t actually the romance. It was watching Zoe slowly figure out that maybe the life she’s been waiting for isn’t something another person can hand her. Whether it’s Mr. Darcy, Nick, or anyone else, she has to find her own confidence first. Freya Sampson has always been good at writing stories about lonely people finding their place in the world, and that shines through here.
Nick was easily my favorite character. Beneath the grumpy bookstore owner exterior was someone carrying his own heartbreak, and I found myself far more invested in his scenes with Zoe than I expected. Their chemistry builds quietly, and while I would have happily taken more page time with them together, I was rooting for them from the start.
Mrs. Atallah nearly stole the entire book. Every scene she appeared in made me smile.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Nowadays in romance novels, the heroine rescues herself.”
The magical realism requires a healthy willingness to suspend disbelief, and some readers may wish for more explanations. Personally, I decided not to overthink it and simply enjoy the ride. Once I did that, this became a charming, whimsical love letter to romance readers, bookstores, found family, and the fictional characters who help us through difficult seasons of life.
If your favorite book boyfriend could step out of a novel for one week, who would you choose—and would reality ever be able to compete?
#MostArdentlyYours #FreyaSampson #SourcebooksLandmark #BookReview #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #WomensFiction #JaneAusten #PrideAndPrejudice #MrDarcy #BookBoyfriend #MagicalRealism
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