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21st Century Austen #2
Phi Alpha Pi
Lizbeth has a busy senior year ahead of her, balancing her goals to complete an bring president of her sorority, writing an honors thesis, graduating, and decide her future plans. Love isn’t something she’s even thinking about. That is until Wil, a new transfer student, pushes every one of her buttons. Lizbeth finds Wil to be rude, snobby, and judgmental. Even though she tries to avoid him, he seems to be everywhere, scowling when he sees her in classes and at parties. That is, until his Thanksgiving proclamation of love. That causes Lizbeth to reconsider how she sees the world and Wil. Even though she rejects him, there are still six more months until graduation! How is Lizbeth going to make it through the rest of the school year? How did she miss his true feelings? Will she be able to reconsider her own?
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First published May 28, 2018
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About the author
Sara Marks
38 books58 followersSara Marks is a modern woman with classic problems, just like the women she writes. Always a rabid reader, Sara has a complicated history with romance books. The only solution was to write the books she wished for as a teen and younger adult.
Sara lives in Massachusetts with her dog Cedric. When not writing she still reads voraciously, knits (often while reading), and spends her adult money on washi tape, planners, and stickers. You can find her at http://saramarks.net to see all her romance books and download Modern Persuasion (book one in the 21st Century Austen series) for free.
Sara lives in Massachusetts with her dog Cedric. When not writing she still reads voraciously, knits (often while reading), and spends her adult money on washi tape, planners, and stickers. You can find her at http://saramarks.net to see all her romance books and download Modern Persuasion (book one in the 21st Century Austen series) for free.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 10, 2018
Received this Netgalley book in advance of scheduled publication (May 28, 2018)
Opinions expressed are my own.
Read 4/25/2018
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars
This is a cute modern premise based on Pride and Prejudice. I like the idea of Elizabeth Bennet (Lizbeth) and Fitzwilliam Darcy (Wil) as seniors on a college campus where they are members of, respectively, Phi Alpha Pi sorority and Alpha Pi fraternity. Lizbeth is actually the president of PAP, which is facing some challenges this year, including the idiosyncratic Mrs. C., their new housemother. Instead of having Bennet sisters, Lizbeth has unrelated sorority sisters who need help to get through the school year. Wil is a recent transfer from another college, along with his best friend Charlie. Charlie's sister Caroline transferred, as well. It's an interesting framework on which to base a story. However, some plot developments work better than others.
Most of the characterizations are done well and more or less synch up with their Jane Austen counterparts... with a few exceptions. Lizbeth's sorority sisters (Jane, Marie, Kitty and Lydia) hold up well. Love how Marie and Kitty shine when given the opportunity. Lydia's character also matures, which is well done. It's nicely pointed out that there are similarities between Lizbeth and Darcy, who both hide parts of themselves from most of the world, although in different ways.
Others characters don't work as well for me. Colin Collins seems to have mild Asperger's or another form of autism in the first half of the book- he's beyond peculiar and not that believable, especially when he improves so dramatically in the second half of the book despite being closer to his domineering mentor, Katherine de Bourgh (although credit for his change is given to his wife and distance from his mother). Mrs. C. is another strange one. The explanation of her situation at the story's end makes her seem slightly more credible. Charlotte's character feels anachronistic to me, but I went to an all-women's college; I suppose some women still have her attitude today, but I never knew anyone in school who thought like her, and that was 40 years ago.
While I do understand that Wil, as a shy new student uncomfortable in large groups, would hang on the fringes during activities, I really have trouble believing a guy as smart as this wouldn't realize that Elizabeth is going to be completely unprepared for his declaration of love. It's apparent why Fitzwilliam Darcy might think Elizabeth Bennet is expecting his proposal in the original Pride and Prejudice, but that's not at all true in this particular story. These two just don't have enough direct interaction in the first part of the book, even though they're often in the same room. The few conversations they do have don't come close to the amount of lively banter that goes back and forth between those characters in the original story. The latter half of the book, starting when Lizbeth starts to figure him out, is better.
The Mr. Wickham character, Jorge, is guilty of prior illegal activity. The police are already looking for him. Once he and Wil see each other, how does he stick around the area without getting arrested? And why WOULD he stick around when he knows Wil knows he's there? And why doesn't Wil get the word to the sorority not to trust the guy? It's not Regency times, and Wil's sister's reputation isn't at risk if he exposes the creep. He sees a couple of the girls (including Lizbeth) talking with Jorge. They may not be rich, but it would be easy for the scumbag to get introduced to a sorority sister with a whole bunch of money.
I don't normally care a whit about this, but the name choices do give me pause. Wil Darcy, Professor Bennett, Colin Collins, Katherine de Bourgh and her daughter are the only ones given last names. Some characters retain the exact names from P&P. We have Jane, Charlotte, Kitty, Lydia, Caroline, and Anne deBourgh in that category. Then there are those with small tweaks to the original names: Lizbeth (not Elizabeth), Wil (okay, William, but his nickname is always spelled with one "L" for some reason), Katherine (with a "K" instead of a "C"), Marie (rather than Mary), Colin (not William) Collins, and Professor Bennett (with the added "t"). Last, there are characters with completely new names, like Jorge (Wickham), Chris (Colonel Fitzwilliam), and Ginny (Georgiana). Since there are some brand new characters added to the mix in this story (Becca, Josh, Layla, Jack, Abe), I would have appreciated consistency. It's an unnecessary distraction. When Chris reappears late in the story after being introduced in only one brief segment much earlier, I couldn't remember who he was without looking back to find his name so I understood how he fit in the story.
There are various editing-type errors sprinkled here and there, which I hope will be corrected before final publication. The writing style, however, is uneven, and I don't know that this can be altered. Specifically, too many sentences throughout are written in simple sentence structure, making paragraphs very choppy. This prose just doesn't flow. I also noted incidents where 4 and 5 sentences in a row all begin with the word "She." If it's intended for a juvenile reader, characters (which include Lizbeth) should not be having casual overnighters with boyfriends/girlfriends or behaving provocatively while drunk at frat and sorority parties.
Overall, this story needs more polish.
Opinions expressed are my own.
Read 4/25/2018
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars
This is a cute modern premise based on Pride and Prejudice. I like the idea of Elizabeth Bennet (Lizbeth) and Fitzwilliam Darcy (Wil) as seniors on a college campus where they are members of, respectively, Phi Alpha Pi sorority and Alpha Pi fraternity. Lizbeth is actually the president of PAP, which is facing some challenges this year, including the idiosyncratic Mrs. C., their new housemother. Instead of having Bennet sisters, Lizbeth has unrelated sorority sisters who need help to get through the school year. Wil is a recent transfer from another college, along with his best friend Charlie. Charlie's sister Caroline transferred, as well. It's an interesting framework on which to base a story. However, some plot developments work better than others.
Most of the characterizations are done well and more or less synch up with their Jane Austen counterparts... with a few exceptions. Lizbeth's sorority sisters (Jane, Marie, Kitty and Lydia) hold up well. Love how Marie and Kitty shine when given the opportunity. Lydia's character also matures, which is well done. It's nicely pointed out that there are similarities between Lizbeth and Darcy, who both hide parts of themselves from most of the world, although in different ways.
Others characters don't work as well for me. Colin Collins seems to have mild Asperger's or another form of autism in the first half of the book- he's beyond peculiar and not that believable, especially when he improves so dramatically in the second half of the book despite being closer to his domineering mentor, Katherine de Bourgh (although credit for his change is given to his wife and distance from his mother). Mrs. C. is another strange one. The explanation of her situation at the story's end makes her seem slightly more credible. Charlotte's character feels anachronistic to me, but I went to an all-women's college; I suppose some women still have her attitude today, but I never knew anyone in school who thought like her, and that was 40 years ago.
While I do understand that Wil, as a shy new student uncomfortable in large groups, would hang on the fringes during activities, I really have trouble believing a guy as smart as this wouldn't realize that Elizabeth is going to be completely unprepared for his declaration of love. It's apparent why Fitzwilliam Darcy might think Elizabeth Bennet is expecting his proposal in the original Pride and Prejudice, but that's not at all true in this particular story. These two just don't have enough direct interaction in the first part of the book, even though they're often in the same room. The few conversations they do have don't come close to the amount of lively banter that goes back and forth between those characters in the original story. The latter half of the book, starting when Lizbeth starts to figure him out, is better.
The Mr. Wickham character, Jorge, is guilty of prior illegal activity. The police are already looking for him. Once he and Wil see each other, how does he stick around the area without getting arrested? And why WOULD he stick around when he knows Wil knows he's there? And why doesn't Wil get the word to the sorority not to trust the guy? It's not Regency times, and Wil's sister's reputation isn't at risk if he exposes the creep. He sees a couple of the girls (including Lizbeth) talking with Jorge. They may not be rich, but it would be easy for the scumbag to get introduced to a sorority sister with a whole bunch of money.
I don't normally care a whit about this, but the name choices do give me pause. Wil Darcy, Professor Bennett, Colin Collins, Katherine de Bourgh and her daughter are the only ones given last names. Some characters retain the exact names from P&P. We have Jane, Charlotte, Kitty, Lydia, Caroline, and Anne deBourgh in that category. Then there are those with small tweaks to the original names: Lizbeth (not Elizabeth), Wil (okay, William, but his nickname is always spelled with one "L" for some reason), Katherine (with a "K" instead of a "C"), Marie (rather than Mary), Colin (not William) Collins, and Professor Bennett (with the added "t"). Last, there are characters with completely new names, like Jorge (Wickham), Chris (Colonel Fitzwilliam), and Ginny (Georgiana). Since there are some brand new characters added to the mix in this story (Becca, Josh, Layla, Jack, Abe), I would have appreciated consistency. It's an unnecessary distraction. When Chris reappears late in the story after being introduced in only one brief segment much earlier, I couldn't remember who he was without looking back to find his name so I understood how he fit in the story.
There are various editing-type errors sprinkled here and there, which I hope will be corrected before final publication. The writing style, however, is uneven, and I don't know that this can be altered. Specifically, too many sentences throughout are written in simple sentence structure, making paragraphs very choppy. This prose just doesn't flow. I also noted incidents where 4 and 5 sentences in a row all begin with the word "She." If it's intended for a juvenile reader, characters (which include Lizbeth) should not be having casual overnighters with boyfriends/girlfriends or behaving provocatively while drunk at frat and sorority parties.
Overall, this story needs more polish.
April 24, 2018
I received an ARC of this book through Book Funnel.
I didn't find this book as intriguing as this author's previous one, Modern Persuasion. However it was enjoyable.
This does have much ado about Greek life on campus. And in Elizabeth's sorority, (already on probation for academics) a new "Mother" for the sorority adds another layer of distress to the struggle. There are many elements of canon here but they do play out in a modern world. We have characters with no surname: Jorge, Lizbeth, Jane, Charlotte, etc. Plus it is Wil Darcy, not Fitzwilliam or even William or Will. I found that distracting.
For anyone who is a "gamer", Gamergate is mentioned as well as the ladies who became significant warriors in addressing the stereotypical images men create and want in these games. (I had to consult with my daughter and son-in-law who are very active with gaming and we have discussed how over sexualized the female images are in these games.)
Wil's interest in Lizbeth was not evident in this tale. He is in the same room or at the same event but, again, he scowls and is a silent observer. Jane and Charles...same story. But Lydia is led astray initially by Mrs. C. and that was a different approach. Lizbeth is president of her sorority but we find that many know nothing of her background. She works in the library so most assume she has some financial need necessitating work.
Caroline is much the same...hanging all over Wil and he doesn't push her away so Lizbeth assumes that they are a couple. Colin Collins comes on strong but when he marries his wife and some events make a dent in his behaviors. We do have a Mrs. De Bourgh in his life and in the story. Her personality remains as opinionated and pushy as she is in canon.
With this being a modern book you can't be surprised when a couple spends the night together BUT there are no descriptions of sex scenes. It's more a mention that they slept together.
While interesting I can't say that this is a book I can highly recommend. I did complete it quickly so it kept my attention in that way.
I didn't find this book as intriguing as this author's previous one, Modern Persuasion. However it was enjoyable.
This does have much ado about Greek life on campus. And in Elizabeth's sorority, (already on probation for academics) a new "Mother" for the sorority adds another layer of distress to the struggle. There are many elements of canon here but they do play out in a modern world. We have characters with no surname: Jorge, Lizbeth, Jane, Charlotte, etc. Plus it is Wil Darcy, not Fitzwilliam or even William or Will. I found that distracting.
For anyone who is a "gamer", Gamergate is mentioned as well as the ladies who became significant warriors in addressing the stereotypical images men create and want in these games. (I had to consult with my daughter and son-in-law who are very active with gaming and we have discussed how over sexualized the female images are in these games.)
Wil's interest in Lizbeth was not evident in this tale. He is in the same room or at the same event but, again, he scowls and is a silent observer. Jane and Charles...same story. But Lydia is led astray initially by Mrs. C. and that was a different approach. Lizbeth is president of her sorority but we find that many know nothing of her background. She works in the library so most assume she has some financial need necessitating work.
Caroline is much the same...hanging all over Wil and he doesn't push her away so Lizbeth assumes that they are a couple. Colin Collins comes on strong but when he marries his wife and some events make a dent in his behaviors. We do have a Mrs. De Bourgh in his life and in the story. Her personality remains as opinionated and pushy as she is in canon.
With this being a modern book you can't be surprised when a couple spends the night together BUT there are no descriptions of sex scenes. It's more a mention that they slept together.
While interesting I can't say that this is a book I can highly recommend. I did complete it quickly so it kept my attention in that way.
March 26, 2020
Modern reimagination of Pride and Prejudice
Sweet story unfolding mainly at the Phi Alpha Pi sorority.
I liked the premises and I was intrigued by Lizbeth's backstory that the author kept me in suspense about for the first half of the book. Jane, Marie/Mary and Lydia were sorority sisters but she had siblings that were original characters and the mystery about who her parents and grandparents were kept me interested.
I was more half-hearted about some of the adaptations made to transfer the story from Regency England to contemporary USA. The first proposal scene felt clammy and the scene where the Lydia debacle was discovered felt stilted as did much of the dialogue. I know it would probably be a natural consequence in the modern era that Lizbeth spent the night with Jorge/Wickham but I cannot stomach it...
I could have done without the excessive description of interior and clothing as well but my main problem with the book was the lack of emotion. I could not feel the attraction nor romance between the main characters.
Rated: Chaste.
Sweet story unfolding mainly at the Phi Alpha Pi sorority.
I liked the premises and I was intrigued by Lizbeth's backstory that the author kept me in suspense about for the first half of the book. Jane, Marie/Mary and Lydia were sorority sisters but she had siblings that were original characters and the mystery about who her parents and grandparents were kept me interested.
I was more half-hearted about some of the adaptations made to transfer the story from Regency England to contemporary USA. The first proposal scene felt clammy and the scene where the Lydia debacle was discovered felt stilted as did much of the dialogue. I know it would probably be a natural consequence in the modern era that Lizbeth spent the night with Jorge/Wickham but I cannot stomach it...
I could have done without the excessive description of interior and clothing as well but my main problem with the book was the lack of emotion. I could not feel the attraction nor romance between the main characters.
Rated: Chaste.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2018
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
2.75 stars.
I did enjoy the book, I just felt like it could have been executed better.
The premise of this book is a Pride and Prejudice retelling in a modern American setting of sororities and fraternities. I adore Pride and Prejudice, it is one of my all-time favourite novels so when I first read the synopsis I was intrigued for several reasons. Firstly, P&P is very quintessentially British as are the characters, and thought seeing American interpretations would be interesting and (due to limited knowledge in the area and a few American movies) my idea of sororities centres a great deal around debutantes and socialites and I actually thought to apply the P&P story to that sounded all kinds of awesome and original.
Well, my idea was a little off but what I got was pretty awesome and original too! The bare bones of the original story are present and fleshed out with a great summer, feel-good romance that most P&P fans (with an open mind) can enjoy. I liked how Lizbeth was translated to modern day, complete with feminist bad-assery, and how other key characters from the original story do too - Wickham a fraudster and identity thief? Inspired! Darcy, explained as an introvert with social anxiety? So clever!
There is enough of the original in there to make it as un-put-downable as the original for me but, since it is a retelling I have to compare it to the original.
Whilst I have nothing against adaption for the purpose of modernisation there are almost always some aspects of classics that are important to maintain unless they're changed in a specific way. I also have a thing about retellings containing the original material as a piece of media in the book, as in, in this book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a book that exists. This creates a weird irony from the outset of any novel as the events mirror the book which is either addressed by a) referring to it constantly which is annoying and strange or b) mentioning it once and then inexplicably never again. Phi Alpha Pi usesthe latter which is the lesser of two evils but in all honestly I wish they just wouldn't at all. And that's not specific to this book, but for all classic retellings. Just leave it out. (admittedly, Austenland by Shannon Hale actually handles it surprisingly well but I'd say it's an exception).
In Phi Alpha Pi the Bennett sisters aren't really sisters (well, they're sorority sisters) which would be fine except they all have their own additional families and siblings that I felt were unnecessary plot devices that could have been substituted by actual P&P characters. But I also fell that removing the blood bond also jeopardizes some of the actual plot points. Lydia's life choices, for example, I don't doubt sorority sisters are close but Lizbeth's constant judgment and commentary of the other sisters' actions especially Lydia's just feels rude and like overstepping. Opinions like that are best asked for and when it's your family those concerns are expected and you're entitled to shove them in a person's face. Just some gal you've known for a few years at school? Um, rude? What's it to you? Imean, it wasn't a huge deal but it's similar with Dr Bennett (the Mr Bennett archetype). His advice and counsel means more as Lizzy's father, not her teacher.
The second is Lizzy's social standing. Lizzy's stalwart and satirical resolve against a marriage based on financial advantage means that much more when she is set to inherit nothing because it means she is quite literally happy to choose to be placed at a disadvantage before she jeopardises her beliefs and marry for money. Making her wealthy takes something away from that, even if I suppose it accentuates she's really choosing Darcy for love since she doesn't need his money?
There's the two pivotal scenes in Darcy and Lizzy' relationship: the slight and the proposal. I found the flip in the severity of these two scenes very amusing - the slight is actually not very much of a slight at all. Barely even a passing comment - 'Not my type' and a general (and kind of accurate) comment on people who aren't Lizzy is so not on par with 'tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me' and an unfounded assumption coupled with the belief his company is a gift. Whereby comparison "You are an aggressive, unconnected nobody who holds everyone up to ridiculously high expectations and acts like you're entitled to everyone's respect." - but please love me back, is pretty darn brutal. I actually found this quite funny - in fact, I may have said "Ooooooh, snap" out loud.
The writing style was actually pretty good but the one thing that really sticks out in my mind is Marks' constant remarking on what people are wearing, to the point that I dedicated a highlighter colour to every time this happened in the exact same format/phrasing on my kindle. The grand total? 20 and it's not a long book. Unless there was something symbolic about Darcy's penchant for Chucks that I missed.
I liked it, it was a fun read but I'm not likely to read it again, to be honest. It was a fun way to relive P&P in a new way for a weekend but in terms of retellings/adaptions, it's not the best but also not the worst.
Can anyone recommend a P&P retelling with the setting of debutantes by any chance? I need to read that book.
2.75 stars.
I did enjoy the book, I just felt like it could have been executed better.
The premise of this book is a Pride and Prejudice retelling in a modern American setting of sororities and fraternities. I adore Pride and Prejudice, it is one of my all-time favourite novels so when I first read the synopsis I was intrigued for several reasons. Firstly, P&P is very quintessentially British as are the characters, and thought seeing American interpretations would be interesting and (due to limited knowledge in the area and a few American movies) my idea of sororities centres a great deal around debutantes and socialites and I actually thought to apply the P&P story to that sounded all kinds of awesome and original.
Well, my idea was a little off but what I got was pretty awesome and original too! The bare bones of the original story are present and fleshed out with a great summer, feel-good romance that most P&P fans (with an open mind) can enjoy. I liked how Lizbeth was translated to modern day, complete with feminist bad-assery, and how other key characters from the original story do too - Wickham a fraudster and identity thief? Inspired! Darcy, explained as an introvert with social anxiety? So clever!
There is enough of the original in there to make it as un-put-downable as the original for me but, since it is a retelling I have to compare it to the original.
Whilst I have nothing against adaption for the purpose of modernisation there are almost always some aspects of classics that are important to maintain unless they're changed in a specific way. I also have a thing about retellings containing the original material as a piece of media in the book, as in, in this book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a book that exists. This creates a weird irony from the outset of any novel as the events mirror the book which is either addressed by a) referring to it constantly which is annoying and strange or b) mentioning it once and then inexplicably never again. Phi Alpha Pi usesthe latter which is the lesser of two evils but in all honestly I wish they just wouldn't at all. And that's not specific to this book, but for all classic retellings. Just leave it out. (admittedly, Austenland by Shannon Hale actually handles it surprisingly well but I'd say it's an exception).
In Phi Alpha Pi the Bennett sisters aren't really sisters (well, they're sorority sisters) which would be fine except they all have their own additional families and siblings that I felt were unnecessary plot devices that could have been substituted by actual P&P characters. But I also fell that removing the blood bond also jeopardizes some of the actual plot points. Lydia's life choices, for example, I don't doubt sorority sisters are close but Lizbeth's constant judgment and commentary of the other sisters' actions especially Lydia's just feels rude and like overstepping. Opinions like that are best asked for and when it's your family those concerns are expected and you're entitled to shove them in a person's face. Just some gal you've known for a few years at school? Um, rude? What's it to you? Imean, it wasn't a huge deal but it's similar with Dr Bennett (the Mr Bennett archetype). His advice and counsel means more as Lizzy's father, not her teacher.
The second is Lizzy's social standing. Lizzy's stalwart and satirical resolve against a marriage based on financial advantage means that much more when she is set to inherit nothing because it means she is quite literally happy to choose to be placed at a disadvantage before she jeopardises her beliefs and marry for money. Making her wealthy takes something away from that, even if I suppose it accentuates she's really choosing Darcy for love since she doesn't need his money?
There's the two pivotal scenes in Darcy and Lizzy' relationship: the slight and the proposal. I found the flip in the severity of these two scenes very amusing - the slight is actually not very much of a slight at all. Barely even a passing comment - 'Not my type' and a general (and kind of accurate) comment on people who aren't Lizzy is so not on par with 'tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me' and an unfounded assumption coupled with the belief his company is a gift. Whereby comparison "You are an aggressive, unconnected nobody who holds everyone up to ridiculously high expectations and acts like you're entitled to everyone's respect." - but please love me back, is pretty darn brutal. I actually found this quite funny - in fact, I may have said "Ooooooh, snap" out loud.
The writing style was actually pretty good but the one thing that really sticks out in my mind is Marks' constant remarking on what people are wearing, to the point that I dedicated a highlighter colour to every time this happened in the exact same format/phrasing on my kindle. The grand total? 20 and it's not a long book. Unless there was something symbolic about Darcy's penchant for Chucks that I missed.
I liked it, it was a fun read but I'm not likely to read it again, to be honest. It was a fun way to relive P&P in a new way for a weekend but in terms of retellings/adaptions, it's not the best but also not the worst.
Can anyone recommend a P&P retelling with the setting of debutantes by any chance? I need to read that book.
April 17, 2018
Let me start by saying I have never read Pride and prejudice and this book is said to be the "modern day version."
I was slightly disappointed as this book didn't feel modern to me. It felt unrealistic and "old school."
I did become more interested as the story went on and found this to be an okay read. Maybe if you are a huge fan of Pride and prejudice you would feel differently about this book? I will say I wish more guys in today's world were more like Wil, but again it just seems unrealistic, hence why the book felt old to me.
I was slightly disappointed as this book didn't feel modern to me. It felt unrealistic and "old school."
I did become more interested as the story went on and found this to be an okay read. Maybe if you are a huge fan of Pride and prejudice you would feel differently about this book? I will say I wish more guys in today's world were more like Wil, but again it just seems unrealistic, hence why the book felt old to me.
April 23, 2018
biased biases of bias by the biased author...
If you can guess who Wil was inspired by, you will know who I want the next casting of Mr. Darcy to be! No cheating if I told you in the past.
If you can guess who Wil was inspired by, you will know who I want the next casting of Mr. Darcy to be! No cheating if I told you in the past.
April 25, 2018
Most readers know the love story between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy in Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. Sara Marks retells this famous story in her novel 'Phi Alpha Pi'. Elizabeth becomes Lizbeth, a busy senior working on her honors thesis, decide her plans for after graduation, and keep her sorority in good standing on campus after a year on academic probation. Lizbeth finds the new Alpha Pi fraternity member, Wil, rude, snobby, and judgmental. Just like in Austen's novel, it takes a proclamation of love for Lizbeth to reconsider her views on the world and on Wil.
This book was a quick and easy read, but a lot of fun. I enjoyed the updated world that Jane Austen originally set up and Sara Marks does justice to all of the original characters. This would be a great book to take examples of and show to students studying 'Pride and Prejudice' to show how texts can be updated for today and to show real world connections. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would and it made me want to re-read 'Pride and Prejudice'.
Thanks to both Illuminated Myth Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.
This book was a quick and easy read, but a lot of fun. I enjoyed the updated world that Jane Austen originally set up and Sara Marks does justice to all of the original characters. This would be a great book to take examples of and show to students studying 'Pride and Prejudice' to show how texts can be updated for today and to show real world connections. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would and it made me want to re-read 'Pride and Prejudice'.
Thanks to both Illuminated Myth Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.
May 19, 2018
As soon as I saw the words 21st Century Austen, I knew I had to read this as anything Austen inspired - I love. Phi Alpha Pi is a sorority where Lizbeth is the President - newly appointed as it seems she has been brought in to keep the girls antics under wrap. Lizbeth's friends and house sisters include Charlotte, Jane, Kitty and Lydia and Marie (notice the familiar names). Lizbeth is studying Women’s Studies under the Professor Dr. Bennett and seems she is one of the smartest females in the class. Newcomers Charlie, Catherine and Wil have arrived on the campus and set all the hearts a flutter. Especially Jane's who has fallen for Charlie. Lizbeth on the other hand can't stand Wil and finds him being a pompous jerk who judges her. Also in this book is Colin Collins who is in her class and wants to marry her , Lizbeth has no such desire to do so and eventually we can guess who Colin will have as his bride. I loved how Sara Marks brought in all our favourite aspects of Pride and Prejudice even including Jorge who is the embodiment of Mr. Wickham. The twist that I did love was that Lizbeth like Wil Darcy came from money also, but unlike Mr. Darcy, she kept it close to her chest and never flounced it which made people believe she was poor. I especially loved the part over summer where Mr. Darcy's aunt talked about buying the horse next door; not realizing that as Lizbeth was standing there it was in fact her horse. If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice and love renditions and also understand the fact that renditions are variants of the story, not exact replicas then you will enjoy Phi Alpha Pi by Sara Marks.
April 18, 2018
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review*
Phi Alpha Pi is modern Pride and Prejudice retelling with a college setting.
First of all, the book is boring and, to be honest, very bland. The writing is very simple, ripetitive and the sentences are always very short: it was like reading a bad fanfiction written by a twelve year old without any writing experience whatsoever.
I really disliked the character who was supposed to stand in for Mrs. Bennet: it shows clearly that the author didn't understand the original character and her motivations at all, painting her instead as this greedy, slut-shaming, manipulative shrew who bears no resemblance to the original bubbly, silly and innocuous Mrs B. Blaming her actions entirely on mental illness? Despicable.
The author racebent Charlotte and the character standing in for Mr. Bennet, but it was clearly done to get brownie points, to appear "woke" (Charlotte coming from Flint, Michigan?? With nearly no building up to it? Thanks but nah thanks).
Phi Alpha Pi is modern Pride and Prejudice retelling with a college setting.
First of all, the book is boring and, to be honest, very bland. The writing is very simple, ripetitive and the sentences are always very short: it was like reading a bad fanfiction written by a twelve year old without any writing experience whatsoever.
I really disliked the character who was supposed to stand in for Mrs. Bennet: it shows clearly that the author didn't understand the original character and her motivations at all, painting her instead as this greedy, slut-shaming, manipulative shrew who bears no resemblance to the original bubbly, silly and innocuous Mrs B. Blaming her actions entirely on mental illness? Despicable.
The author racebent Charlotte and the character standing in for Mr. Bennet, but it was clearly done to get brownie points, to appear "woke" (Charlotte coming from Flint, Michigan?? With nearly no building up to it? Thanks but nah thanks).
March 20, 2018
I wasn't a fan of this book. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite literary classics, but this book was practically a copy and paste of that one. When I read books that are inspired by the classics I expect there to be undertones of that book in the new one, but just done in a modern way. This book was not modern hardly at all.
The dialogue in this book was very prim and proper and very much outdated. Instead of sounding like a bunch of college 20-something sorority sisters and fraternity brothers all the characters sounded like rich 70 year old grandparents. Considering that a lot of the conversations were just "modern" copies of ones found in P & P, it's not surprising that they all sounded that way.
There wasn't anything surprising about this book because, again, it was a literal re-telling. Every single thing that happens in P & P to every single character also happens in this book. It was just boring. Pride and Prejudice was such a great book because it was believable to that era. People got married that fast because that's what you did back then. People looked for people to marry solely based on improving their station in life. This is not a story line that works now, but it's basically shoved down our throats in this book. Feminism was brought up quite a few times in this book and I honestly felt like it was just a bad attempt at trying to counter-balance the constant misogynistic undertones that were relevant for P & P but not for this book.
I can't even rate any of the characters because they are, again, exactly the same. Same mannerisms, same personality, same characteristics, etc.
Overall, I honestly don't recommend this book even a little bit. If you're looking for a direct re-telling of Pride and Prejudice and you are looking for a very minor modern spin then this is the book for you. If you're looking for something different and interesting this is definitely not one you'll want to pick up.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The dialogue in this book was very prim and proper and very much outdated. Instead of sounding like a bunch of college 20-something sorority sisters and fraternity brothers all the characters sounded like rich 70 year old grandparents. Considering that a lot of the conversations were just "modern" copies of ones found in P & P, it's not surprising that they all sounded that way.
There wasn't anything surprising about this book because, again, it was a literal re-telling. Every single thing that happens in P & P to every single character also happens in this book. It was just boring. Pride and Prejudice was such a great book because it was believable to that era. People got married that fast because that's what you did back then. People looked for people to marry solely based on improving their station in life. This is not a story line that works now, but it's basically shoved down our throats in this book. Feminism was brought up quite a few times in this book and I honestly felt like it was just a bad attempt at trying to counter-balance the constant misogynistic undertones that were relevant for P & P but not for this book.
I can't even rate any of the characters because they are, again, exactly the same. Same mannerisms, same personality, same characteristics, etc.
Overall, I honestly don't recommend this book even a little bit. If you're looking for a direct re-telling of Pride and Prejudice and you are looking for a very minor modern spin then this is the book for you. If you're looking for something different and interesting this is definitely not one you'll want to pick up.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
March 16, 2021
This was a cute variation on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In this one, Elizabeth, who is not a Bennett, is president of her college sorority, Phi Alpha Pi. She’s from Boston. Her best friend Jane is from Louisiana. They chose their college, in Georgia, to be together.
Will Darcy has also shown up at this school to complete his senior year. He’s sharing a house with his friend, Bingley, and Bingley’s sister Caroline. Of course, Will and Elizabeth don’t get along at first. Elizabeth and Caroline never get along.
Despite the change in time and setting, this story follows the original fairly closely, except for Collin Collins and his mother. They presented a couple of unexpected but clever twists to the story. No, Mrs. Collins is not a substitute for Catherine de Bourgh. She’s in the story, too, acting much as she always does.
I liked the book. I did not like the narration. I thought the narrator offered a flat and unconvincing performance. Her pacing was off, and she mispronounced names throughout. I almost stopped listening because of the poor quality of the narrator’s delivery. I urge the author to use someone else on future books.
If I could rate the audiobook on the story alone, it would get 4 ½ stars. As it stands, I give it 3 stars.
I received a code for this book from the author. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true hand honest reactions to listening to this book.
Will Darcy has also shown up at this school to complete his senior year. He’s sharing a house with his friend, Bingley, and Bingley’s sister Caroline. Of course, Will and Elizabeth don’t get along at first. Elizabeth and Caroline never get along.
Despite the change in time and setting, this story follows the original fairly closely, except for Collin Collins and his mother. They presented a couple of unexpected but clever twists to the story. No, Mrs. Collins is not a substitute for Catherine de Bourgh. She’s in the story, too, acting much as she always does.
I liked the book. I did not like the narration. I thought the narrator offered a flat and unconvincing performance. Her pacing was off, and she mispronounced names throughout. I almost stopped listening because of the poor quality of the narrator’s delivery. I urge the author to use someone else on future books.
If I could rate the audiobook on the story alone, it would get 4 ½ stars. As it stands, I give it 3 stars.
I received a code for this book from the author. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true hand honest reactions to listening to this book.
April 21, 2025
3.5*
This did some clever recasting of canon characters. Some of the context worked well, some plot points from canon would have been better reworked more (like Colin Collins & the Jorge/Wil history and how it was dealt with - some of which doesn't make sense in the modern world; Wil declaring for Liz given their interactions - unlike in canon, they were not frequent, nor could they have been misinterpreted as flirtatious).
The first person narrative worked here (I generally don't like it) which is a little surprising since LizBeth was not super likeable for much of the story when viewed objectively, but that 1st person POV countered it a bit.
I'm not from the US, so the whole sorority/fraternity and college vs university (where I'm from one is geared towards trade (ish) and the other is more academic) thing was baffling. Was this meant to be satirical? I hope so, because otherwise #EducationSystemFail [a 4th year French class (not specifying if it was language, literature, history, culture ... couldn't be language as Lizbeth was apparently a fluent speaker) that has a group project to plan a tourist day in Paris. Seriously what is that all about?]
There were some editorial mistakes: typos, extraneous words, odd shifts to a 3rd person narrative for half a sentence - I didn't notice any in the first half, most I spotted were in the last third(ish)
This was a free copy direct from the author via Bookfunnel as an ARC (not exactly advance ..), but also snagged it when free on amazon.
This did some clever recasting of canon characters. Some of the context worked well, some plot points from canon would have been better reworked more (like Colin Collins & the Jorge/Wil history and how it was dealt with - some of which doesn't make sense in the modern world; Wil declaring for Liz given their interactions - unlike in canon, they were not frequent, nor could they have been misinterpreted as flirtatious).
The first person narrative worked here (I generally don't like it) which is a little surprising since LizBeth was not super likeable for much of the story when viewed objectively, but that 1st person POV countered it a bit.
I'm not from the US, so the whole sorority/fraternity and college vs university (where I'm from one is geared towards trade (ish) and the other is more academic) thing was baffling. Was this meant to be satirical? I hope so, because otherwise #EducationSystemFail [a 4th year French class (not specifying if it was language, literature, history, culture ... couldn't be language as Lizbeth was apparently a fluent speaker) that has a group project to plan a tourist day in Paris. Seriously what is that all about?]
There were some editorial mistakes: typos, extraneous words, odd shifts to a 3rd person narrative for half a sentence - I didn't notice any in the first half, most I spotted were in the last third(ish)
This was a free copy direct from the author via Bookfunnel as an ARC (not exactly advance ..), but also snagged it when free on amazon.
April 23, 2018
This book is an interesting take on Pride and Prejudice, but a little on the nose (I mean, "Lizbeth" makes a direct reference to Jane Austen in the first chapter). Also, it seemed as if the author felt as if she had to try to mimic Austen's writing, but it came across as stiff and halting. Also, I was less than impressed that the only two black characters in the novel (Charlotte and Dr. Bennett) either married for money (although I know Charlotte did that in the original P&P, why was a black woman from Flint the "updated" version?), or served mostly as ~wise council~ for Lizbeth.
Overall, unimpressed.
Overall, unimpressed.
January 24, 2020
I liked the take on P&P but it wasn’t as good as the Persuasion modernization. Lizbeth and Wil were super cute, but there were aspects I didn’t love. I did listen and the audio is horrendous. Like barely listenable. I listened on audible escape but if i had to pay for it I would have been super angry. I rounded up to 4 stars because I feel like if the audio was better i would have liked it more.
April 25, 2018
3.5-3.75 I received a free copy via the author's newsletter.
While there are some modern elements I wasn't too fond of... overall I enjoyed the story. I thought two minor characters were real gems.
While there are some modern elements I wasn't too fond of... overall I enjoyed the story. I thought two minor characters were real gems.
June 27, 2025
1 star cause I cannot give 0, bad and unrealistic copy of pride and prejudice, sooo bad and the romance was only present in the last 40 pages, literally garbage
October 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read the first book in this 21st Century Austen series and looked forward to reading more in this series. This one was not really what I was expecting. The plot lines was not what I expected.
Katherine de Bourgh and Mrs. Collins were too old fashioned and had strong patriarchal attitudes. Not only did they have these attitudes; they were very bold with expressing them and forcing people into their opinions. The vignette with the marriage proposal and the aftermath had me laughing so hard. Mrs. C was a piece of work.
There were plot twists that I did not see coming. There was also character arcs that were also unexpected. The way Colin and Wil both had personality changes was really the information was not given to the reader. It seems the reader was not given a lot of information until later in the novel.
This was also an interesting look at sorority politics.
“I’m glad I was allowed to spend so much time with you, even though you have been so busy this semester. The more time I spend with you, the more convinced I am that you are my ideal wife. I want you to marry me, join me in Gardner, and use the time there to work on your thesis and take care of us. You will never want anything as long as we are together. You will never have to work.”
“I am quite serious. My mother insists, and Mrs. de Bourgh agrees, that I must find a wife immediately. When they agree, I find their advice to be worth following. Mother feels I need to have someone to help manage my life while I focus on my academics and future. She thinks someone who’s supportive but understands my work is ideal. She feels you are a perfect match. I have told Mrs. de Bourgh all about you, your academic interests, and your work in the sorority. I have told her how modest you are, how hardworking, how you have a job at the library to help pay your tuition because your family ccan’t help you. I know I will be the best husband for you. I will provide for you so that you never have to work. You can stay home, build a happy home for us, and raise our children. Your family would be helped by my mentor as as well. She has assured me of that.”
“Lizbeth, I know that modern women like to play hard to get. I know you’re trying to make me work for your affection to make sure I’m sincere. My increasing number of business contacts, which now include the Darcy family, will increase your position in society. I’ll have political connections. You would know the president because you’re married to me.”
“Dr. Bennett, I’m glad you’re here,” Mrs. C said. “My son has just proposed marriage to Lizbeth, and she has refused him. Talk some sense into her!”
“I fear your life will be terrible if you don’t make the right choice. Clearly, Mrs. Collins will be very angry with you if you refuse her son. On the other hand, I will fail you on principle and refuse to let you finish your thesis if you agree to marry him. Which is more important: your own goals or some random lady’s personal desires for you?”
Katherine de Bourgh and Mrs. Collins were too old fashioned and had strong patriarchal attitudes. Not only did they have these attitudes; they were very bold with expressing them and forcing people into their opinions. The vignette with the marriage proposal and the aftermath had me laughing so hard. Mrs. C was a piece of work.
There were plot twists that I did not see coming. There was also character arcs that were also unexpected. The way Colin and Wil both had personality changes was really the information was not given to the reader. It seems the reader was not given a lot of information until later in the novel.
This was also an interesting look at sorority politics.
“I’m glad I was allowed to spend so much time with you, even though you have been so busy this semester. The more time I spend with you, the more convinced I am that you are my ideal wife. I want you to marry me, join me in Gardner, and use the time there to work on your thesis and take care of us. You will never want anything as long as we are together. You will never have to work.”
“I am quite serious. My mother insists, and Mrs. de Bourgh agrees, that I must find a wife immediately. When they agree, I find their advice to be worth following. Mother feels I need to have someone to help manage my life while I focus on my academics and future. She thinks someone who’s supportive but understands my work is ideal. She feels you are a perfect match. I have told Mrs. de Bourgh all about you, your academic interests, and your work in the sorority. I have told her how modest you are, how hardworking, how you have a job at the library to help pay your tuition because your family ccan’t help you. I know I will be the best husband for you. I will provide for you so that you never have to work. You can stay home, build a happy home for us, and raise our children. Your family would be helped by my mentor as as well. She has assured me of that.”
“Lizbeth, I know that modern women like to play hard to get. I know you’re trying to make me work for your affection to make sure I’m sincere. My increasing number of business contacts, which now include the Darcy family, will increase your position in society. I’ll have political connections. You would know the president because you’re married to me.”
“Dr. Bennett, I’m glad you’re here,” Mrs. C said. “My son has just proposed marriage to Lizbeth, and she has refused him. Talk some sense into her!”
“I fear your life will be terrible if you don’t make the right choice. Clearly, Mrs. Collins will be very angry with you if you refuse her son. On the other hand, I will fail you on principle and refuse to let you finish your thesis if you agree to marry him. Which is more important: your own goals or some random lady’s personal desires for you?”
March 31, 2018
* I received a digital copy of this book for free, thanks to Illuminated Myth Publishing and Netgalley*
Writing style: The writing is by no means a masterpiece of any sort. It's accessible and to the point but sometimes the language can come across as "dumbed down" for the reader which was annoying to say the least. I read this quite fast considering the fact that it was over 500 pages, it felt like less when I was reading on my phone.
Characters: None of them particularly stood out in any way. Lizbeth had moments where she was super fun to read about and then there were other scenes where you just tolerated her. Wil was so little in the story that it felt unnatural for Lizbeth to end up with him. And the few interactions they had throughout the book felt superficial and lazy. There was no real foundation for a relationship other than that week they spent together over Christmas Break (? I can't quite remember right now, but when they went ice skating and to the museum.)
Plot: I appreciate the fact that the plot had all the classic moments from Pride and Prejudice but it didn't feel new in any way. It had no other retelling factors other than the fact that it was set in present time. It didn't feel original in its own way, and the plot in general lacks Jane Austen's finesse. I had a problem with the fact that Pride and Prejudice was acknowledged in the book but the characters made no comments on how their life was literally the replica of the story. If you're going to break the fourth wall and introduce the actual work you're trying to rewrite, at least do it in a way where the characters are "aware" of it happening. Or I don't know, just don't mention the work at all. It just makes for unnecessary confusion. Other than that I can't really complain about the plot because it was almost the exact replica of the real deal.
I did enjoy this book a lot while reading it, but now as I'm sat reviewing it I can't exactly pin point why which is strange to me. I can say that it is a fast read and you'll probably find it much more entertaining if you aren't as familiar with the work it's based upon.
Writing style: The writing is by no means a masterpiece of any sort. It's accessible and to the point but sometimes the language can come across as "dumbed down" for the reader which was annoying to say the least. I read this quite fast considering the fact that it was over 500 pages, it felt like less when I was reading on my phone.
Characters: None of them particularly stood out in any way. Lizbeth had moments where she was super fun to read about and then there were other scenes where you just tolerated her. Wil was so little in the story that it felt unnatural for Lizbeth to end up with him. And the few interactions they had throughout the book felt superficial and lazy. There was no real foundation for a relationship other than that week they spent together over Christmas Break (? I can't quite remember right now, but when they went ice skating and to the museum.)
Plot: I appreciate the fact that the plot had all the classic moments from Pride and Prejudice but it didn't feel new in any way. It had no other retelling factors other than the fact that it was set in present time. It didn't feel original in its own way, and the plot in general lacks Jane Austen's finesse. I had a problem with the fact that Pride and Prejudice was acknowledged in the book but the characters made no comments on how their life was literally the replica of the story. If you're going to break the fourth wall and introduce the actual work you're trying to rewrite, at least do it in a way where the characters are "aware" of it happening. Or I don't know, just don't mention the work at all. It just makes for unnecessary confusion. Other than that I can't really complain about the plot because it was almost the exact replica of the real deal.
I did enjoy this book a lot while reading it, but now as I'm sat reviewing it I can't exactly pin point why which is strange to me. I can say that it is a fast read and you'll probably find it much more entertaining if you aren't as familiar with the work it's based upon.
July 23, 2018
A very intriguing modern variation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice set in Lizbeth's final year of college in the Phi Alpha Pi sorority where she is the chapter president.
This book almost seemed more like a mystery than a straight Austen variation, for much is uncovered, especially about their housemother, Mrs. C.. whose son, Colin Collins, seeks to be tutored by Lizbeth. Of course, Wil Darcy, his friend Charlie, and Charlie's sister, Caroline, all transfer in from Tulane University in New Orleans. Lizbeth keeps her wealthy background a secret as she works with her mentor, Dr. Bennet, and with the other officers in the sorority including Jane, Charlotte, Marie, and Lydia.
It's an intriguing tale--a little awkward in places (but then, that's Darcy no matter in which era we find him)--and cleverly done. I'd give it a 3 1/2, but I'll boost it to a 4 for this review. Darcy seems a bit one-dimensional until near the end of the book, but that could be his famous "mask" protecting him from the undesirable elements at this university in Georgia, an interesting choice for Darcy and Lizbeth as both hail from the northeast.
I really enjoyed it and found it quite compelling and deeply interesting. A fun twist on Austen's classic, and very readable.
This book almost seemed more like a mystery than a straight Austen variation, for much is uncovered, especially about their housemother, Mrs. C.. whose son, Colin Collins, seeks to be tutored by Lizbeth. Of course, Wil Darcy, his friend Charlie, and Charlie's sister, Caroline, all transfer in from Tulane University in New Orleans. Lizbeth keeps her wealthy background a secret as she works with her mentor, Dr. Bennet, and with the other officers in the sorority including Jane, Charlotte, Marie, and Lydia.
It's an intriguing tale--a little awkward in places (but then, that's Darcy no matter in which era we find him)--and cleverly done. I'd give it a 3 1/2, but I'll boost it to a 4 for this review. Darcy seems a bit one-dimensional until near the end of the book, but that could be his famous "mask" protecting him from the undesirable elements at this university in Georgia, an interesting choice for Darcy and Lizbeth as both hail from the northeast.
I really enjoyed it and found it quite compelling and deeply interesting. A fun twist on Austen's classic, and very readable.
May 17, 2018
I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I like what this version does with the characters. Marie/Mary is not a complete social outcast and Lydia has many good qualities which are highlighted. In the original Austen, the marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas is very much a product of that time period. Marks changes it and makes it something the reader can get behind, and even root for. That said, I found the romance between Lizbeth and Wil lacked that spark.
Lizbeth is a gender studies major and a feminist. I really enjoyed the conversations about women's role in society, particularly gaming.
I question how mental illness is represented on a couple of occasions.
Like the original, this book is also a study about the dangers of making assumptions. It's true that people often make decisions about a person's character based on their socio-economic situation. Lizbeth actively hides her family's affluence in an effort to avoid this.
Overall, this was alright. Not my favourite Pride and Prejudice retelling or my favourite contemporary romance.
I like what this version does with the characters. Marie/Mary is not a complete social outcast and Lydia has many good qualities which are highlighted. In the original Austen, the marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas is very much a product of that time period. Marks changes it and makes it something the reader can get behind, and even root for. That said, I found the romance between Lizbeth and Wil lacked that spark.
Lizbeth is a gender studies major and a feminist. I really enjoyed the conversations about women's role in society, particularly gaming.
I question how mental illness is represented on a couple of occasions.
Like the original, this book is also a study about the dangers of making assumptions. It's true that people often make decisions about a person's character based on their socio-economic situation. Lizbeth actively hides her family's affluence in an effort to avoid this.
Overall, this was alright. Not my favourite Pride and Prejudice retelling or my favourite contemporary romance.
April 27, 2018
I received an ARC through the author’s newsletter.
This book is a modern telling of Pride and Prejudice, set in a sorority house on a college campus. Lizbeth and her sorority “sisters” stand in for the Bennett sisters. Wil and Charlie are Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley. All of the old foes are there as well, like Caroline, Mrs. C, and Jorge. I enjoyed reading this book and looked forward to returning to the sorority house when I was not reading it. My only issue with it is that it was too close to P&P while at the same time referencing P&P. I just felt that Lizbeth or anyone else would have mentioned how crazy it was that Wil Darcy had an Aunt Katherine de Bourgh with a daughter named Anne. All in all, a fun read! I liked it better than Modern Persuasion but that is probably because I don’t like Persuasion and I LOVE Pride and Prejudice. Keep them coming!!!!
This book is a modern telling of Pride and Prejudice, set in a sorority house on a college campus. Lizbeth and her sorority “sisters” stand in for the Bennett sisters. Wil and Charlie are Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley. All of the old foes are there as well, like Caroline, Mrs. C, and Jorge. I enjoyed reading this book and looked forward to returning to the sorority house when I was not reading it. My only issue with it is that it was too close to P&P while at the same time referencing P&P. I just felt that Lizbeth or anyone else would have mentioned how crazy it was that Wil Darcy had an Aunt Katherine de Bourgh with a daughter named Anne. All in all, a fun read! I liked it better than Modern Persuasion but that is probably because I don’t like Persuasion and I LOVE Pride and Prejudice. Keep them coming!!!!
May 30, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.
I found it a bit slow to start with, but really liked the second part of the book. The story is a Pride and Prejudice modernisation. Lizbeth is a college student and president of the Phi Alpha Pi sorority.
Their new house mom, Mrs C. is quite the character and gets Lizbeth and her friends Jane, Lydia, Charlotte and Marie in trouble.
Besides all this, they have to think about graduating and they are distracted by some interesting men: Wil, Charlie, Jorge and Colin Collins.
Overall a fun read, I liked the Jane Austen comparison and it made me want to reread the original novel again.
There were some spelling / grammaticaal errors in the book that kind of annoyed me, but the story was quite amusing!
I found it a bit slow to start with, but really liked the second part of the book. The story is a Pride and Prejudice modernisation. Lizbeth is a college student and president of the Phi Alpha Pi sorority.
Their new house mom, Mrs C. is quite the character and gets Lizbeth and her friends Jane, Lydia, Charlotte and Marie in trouble.
Besides all this, they have to think about graduating and they are distracted by some interesting men: Wil, Charlie, Jorge and Colin Collins.
Overall a fun read, I liked the Jane Austen comparison and it made me want to reread the original novel again.
There were some spelling / grammaticaal errors in the book that kind of annoyed me, but the story was quite amusing!
February 7, 2023
Audiobook: This modern retelling of one of the Jane Austen's books was good, but I had a few issues with it. I appreciated the elements that tied this modern version with the original story. I liked the setting. I liked that Lizbeth was goal orientated. The issue that I had was the lack of interaction between Lizbeth and Will. In Jane Austen's time, this would have been acceptable, but this was a modern retelling and I thought more would be needed to make their relationship more realistic. Libby Marshall's narration was just passable as she took over-long pauses between each of the sentences and there was little expressiveness in her oration. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.
October 3, 2025
Beyond the fact that there is nothing “modern” about this retelling, the copy editing was hard for me to embrace. There were moments where I had to remind myself that this book was originally written in English, not translated. At one point, the FMC was standing in front of the museum. “I arrived at the Met and pulled out her kindle.” I spent too much time trying to figure out who our FMC borrowed a Kindle from…
The farther along in the book I got, the more the typos and POV shifts occurred and the more frustrated I got. Honestly, this book lost a star because of the copy editing.
Probably won’t be reading anything else by this author, even though the concept of modern Austen is highly intriguing.
The farther along in the book I got, the more the typos and POV shifts occurred and the more frustrated I got. Honestly, this book lost a star because of the copy editing.
Probably won’t be reading anything else by this author, even though the concept of modern Austen is highly intriguing.
May 24, 2018
Thank you Illuminated Myth Publishing and Netgalley for providing a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited for this retelling of Pride and Prejudice, especially since it was set in a sorority setting. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books and I love the characters. I thought that Phi Alpha Pi did a great job at retelling the story, however, the characters were a bit too on the nose and the writing structure was at times stiff and drawn out. I also felt as though some of the settings/interactions were not modern and were too outdated for this retelling.
Overall, this is a quick read and cute retelling.
I was very excited for this retelling of Pride and Prejudice, especially since it was set in a sorority setting. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books and I love the characters. I thought that Phi Alpha Pi did a great job at retelling the story, however, the characters were a bit too on the nose and the writing structure was at times stiff and drawn out. I also felt as though some of the settings/interactions were not modern and were too outdated for this retelling.
Overall, this is a quick read and cute retelling.
December 26, 2019
I am not a fan of this book. I didn't like how the characters were put together and I had a hard time getting into the the book. I couldn't tell which character was which. With the exception of Wil and Lizbeth.
Once I got further into the book however I did start liking it, and it made it easier to go back to it when I had to stop reading.
The characters did grow on me and as the end came I found that I was enjoying it.
Not sure if I would recommend this book as it took a long time to get into.
Once I got further into the book however I did start liking it, and it made it easier to go back to it when I had to stop reading.
The characters did grow on me and as the end came I found that I was enjoying it.
Not sure if I would recommend this book as it took a long time to get into.
September 30, 2023
3.5*
I really enjoyed the first book in this series but sadly this one didn't live up to the same standard.
I am not American and therefore the sorority/fraternity/private college setup is not something with which I am familiar but I find it hard to believe that in the 21st century women would still be attending college to find a husband or indeed marrying at such a young age before finishing their studies. The character of Lizbeth was not particularly endearing and the author rather used the character to give too much time to current affairs which were not relevant to the plot to the extent included.
This was written predominantly in the first person but slipped on a number of occasions, sometimes mid-sentence. The same happened with the tenses.
I will read more in this series and hope that this is just an unfortunate dip.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series but sadly this one didn't live up to the same standard.
I am not American and therefore the sorority/fraternity/private college setup is not something with which I am familiar but I find it hard to believe that in the 21st century women would still be attending college to find a husband or indeed marrying at such a young age before finishing their studies. The character of Lizbeth was not particularly endearing and the author rather used the character to give too much time to current affairs which were not relevant to the plot to the extent included.
This was written predominantly in the first person but slipped on a number of occasions, sometimes mid-sentence. The same happened with the tenses.
I will read more in this series and hope that this is just an unfortunate dip.
March 7, 2018
It is a great story but you can’t really go wrong with Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice.
The book is faithful to the original in the necessary ways but also modern and refreshing. It’s a very clever idea to have the main characters be sorority sisters instead of family.
All in all a very enjoyable read. I definitely recommend it.
ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book is faithful to the original in the necessary ways but also modern and refreshing. It’s a very clever idea to have the main characters be sorority sisters instead of family.
All in all a very enjoyable read. I definitely recommend it.
ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2018
Disclaimer: I still need to read Pride and Prejudice, BUT I watched Pride and Prejudice and zombies so I kinda knew the basics.
At first I wasn’t a fan of this book. I didn’t like the characters and the story didn’t really hook me. I couldn’t tell any of the characters apart except for Lizbeth and Wil.
As the story progressed I started to enjoy it more and didn’t need to force myself to read it.
The characters grew on me a little bit and I enjoyed it towards the end.
At first I wasn’t a fan of this book. I didn’t like the characters and the story didn’t really hook me. I couldn’t tell any of the characters apart except for Lizbeth and Wil.
As the story progressed I started to enjoy it more and didn’t need to force myself to read it.
The characters grew on me a little bit and I enjoyed it towards the end.
May 29, 2018
3.5 Stars
A cute, modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice set on a college campus.
The book follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice pretty closely. I enjoyed the setting of a college campus and the Greek System. I thought the writing was a bit stuffy for Greek life on a college campus. I liked Lizbeth, but Wil was not my favorite. The story was good, but the execution could have been better.
A cute, modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice set on a college campus.
The book follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice pretty closely. I enjoyed the setting of a college campus and the Greek System. I thought the writing was a bit stuffy for Greek life on a college campus. I liked Lizbeth, but Wil was not my favorite. The story was good, but the execution could have been better.
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