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The March Sisters #1
Meg and Jo
From New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra comes a heartwarming modern novel inspired by the timeless classic Little Women.
The March sisters—reliable Meg, independent Jo, shy Beth and stylish Amy—have grown up to pursue their separate dreams. When Jo followed her ambitions to New York City, she never thought her career in journalism would come crashing down, leaving her struggling to stay afloat in a gig economy as a prep cook-slash-secret food blogger.
Meg appears to have the life she always planned—the handsome husband, the adorable toddlers, the house in a charming subdivision. But sometimes getting everything you ever wanted isn’t all it’s cracked up to be...
When their mother’s illness forces the sisters home to North Carolina for the holidays, they’ll rediscover what really matters.
One thing’s for sure—they’ll need the strength of family and the power of sisterhood to remake their lives and reimagine their dreams.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2019
580 people are currently reading
19170 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Kantra
48 books1,005 followersNew York Times bestselling author
Virginia Kantra
is the author of thirty books of women's fiction, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense.
Kindred spirits and Anne of Green Gables fans, look for Anne of a Different Island , coming January 20, 2026.
Her latest release, The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale , a contemporary reimagining inspired by Dorothy's adventures in Oz, follows Kansas graduate student Dee Gale as she flees personal heartbreak and public humiliation to enroll in the writing program at Trinity College Dublin (the Emerald Isle!).
Meg and Jo , a contemporary novel inspired by the classic story Little Women, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and was a People Magazine pick.
Beth and Amy (May 25, 2021) "continues her delightful 21st-century retelling of Little Women...Kantra’s compulsively readable update will attract a whole new group of readers, as well as satisfy Alcott devotees."—Publishers Weekly
Her stories have earned numerous awards including two Romance Writers of America's RITA (R) Awards, ten RITA nominations, and two National Readers' Choice Awards.
Carolina Dreaming, the fifth book in her Dare Island series , won the 2017 RITA (R) Award for Best Contemporary Romance - Midlength and was named one of BookPage's Top Ten Romance Novels of 2016. Her work includes the popular Children of the Sea series and, in e-book format, The MacNeills stories.
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Kindred spirits and Anne of Green Gables fans, look for Anne of a Different Island , coming January 20, 2026.
Her latest release, The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale , a contemporary reimagining inspired by Dorothy's adventures in Oz, follows Kansas graduate student Dee Gale as she flees personal heartbreak and public humiliation to enroll in the writing program at Trinity College Dublin (the Emerald Isle!).
Meg and Jo , a contemporary novel inspired by the classic story Little Women, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and was a People Magazine pick.
Beth and Amy (May 25, 2021) "continues her delightful 21st-century retelling of Little Women...Kantra’s compulsively readable update will attract a whole new group of readers, as well as satisfy Alcott devotees."—Publishers Weekly
Her stories have earned numerous awards including two Romance Writers of America's RITA (R) Awards, ten RITA nominations, and two National Readers' Choice Awards.
Carolina Dreaming, the fifth book in her Dare Island series , won the 2017 RITA (R) Award for Best Contemporary Romance - Midlength and was named one of BookPage's Top Ten Romance Novels of 2016. Her work includes the popular Children of the Sea series and, in e-book format, The MacNeills stories.
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I love to connect with readers! Find me on Facebook and Instagram.
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join my mailing list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,300 reviews
November 1, 2021
Did somebody write the retelling of my all-time favorite book? Oh, yes, it is true. So what I’m waiting for to dive in! CHRISTMAS WON’T BE CHRISTMAS WITHOUT MARCH SISTERS!
BUT…
That was the worst decision I’ve made to decide reading retelling of my all-time favorite story which means so much to me. It won’t be wrong if I admit I was raised by reading “Little Women” because first time I have gotten my hands on this precious, marvelous, heart-warming classic I was only 9! And of course I watched its black and white movie on TV with my siblings ( 1949 version and it was amazing to watch Janet Leigh as Meg, Elizabeth Taylor as Amy but mostly I loved June Allyson’s memorable performance as Jo and now I’m dying to see Greta Gerwig’s new adaptation, I hope it doesn’t disappoint me!)
Then I reread it when I was 15 and I asked myself “did I read the same book?” because it awakens different feelings about me. I also empathized Jo because I was a book-worm tomboy like her, playing soccer with boys (Jo isn’t a midfield player but you got the picture) but I started to find inner Meg and some poshy and spoiled Amy, some good-hearted Beth inside me.
Then I reread at 20 and finally 34 … It is miraculous thing to admit but every time the book gave me so much joy, happiness, encouragement and it is like a cure for depression, ill feelings, negativity. This story makes you feel alive and rejuvenated. It gives you purpose, a clear perspective, warming your heart, healing your soul, making you always smile.
So it’s normal to expect so much more from a retelling. You have well-crafted characters, an emotional story about sisters’ bounding, fighting against their differences and the message is clear: “family always comes first”
But as soon as I started the story takes place in North Carolina, well, at first all those over usage of Southern stereotypes broke my enthusiasm. And I felt like I’m trapped in a regular Christmas movie of Hallmark Channel. I didn’t find creative enough the re-adaptations of characters into 2019’s. And why the author decided to turn Laurie into an uninteresting douchebag! He was a lovely, emotional, sweet boy-next door! I hate his interactions with Jo!
And let’s take a closer look to the new version March girls’ lives:
So Meg is a mother in a happy marriage ( not so much there are still complications), Jo is independent, as always free-spirited loses her journalism job so she starts food blogging to make her ends meet and works in a restaurant whose chief is Eric Bhaer (now he is food professor) in NYC.
Amy turned into Friends’ Rachel’s another version, lives in Paris for Louis Vuitton. Beth is taking a break from her school.
What I don’t really like are:
Lack of imagination and creativity to retell the modern version of characters’ storyline.
Meg acted like a spoiled brat, whining too much about herself and her life. I wanted to make her shut up and push her make some changes if you don’t like who she became!
Changes about the original storyline and giving too much role to the girls’ father could work at some way but the character is already emotionally reserved and reading daddy issues of the sisters made me wonder if I read the right retelling. Because the little women is about sister’s bounding against the poverty, hard times, illness and differences between them. It’s about pure love, understanding, compassion, genuineness! But this story is going completely different direction and I didn’t like where it was headed and where it ended.
So I could only give 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars. The author decides to achieve a changeling and compelling task to retell the one of most favorite classics. Expectations are naturally so high and it’s really tough job to satisfy the readers who had written the original novel. So I really appreciate the author’s hard work and bravery. I hope to read her upcoming works but this book could never be my cup of wine!
Thanks to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group to share this ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest reviews.
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BUT…
That was the worst decision I’ve made to decide reading retelling of my all-time favorite story which means so much to me. It won’t be wrong if I admit I was raised by reading “Little Women” because first time I have gotten my hands on this precious, marvelous, heart-warming classic I was only 9! And of course I watched its black and white movie on TV with my siblings ( 1949 version and it was amazing to watch Janet Leigh as Meg, Elizabeth Taylor as Amy but mostly I loved June Allyson’s memorable performance as Jo and now I’m dying to see Greta Gerwig’s new adaptation, I hope it doesn’t disappoint me!)
Then I reread it when I was 15 and I asked myself “did I read the same book?” because it awakens different feelings about me. I also empathized Jo because I was a book-worm tomboy like her, playing soccer with boys (Jo isn’t a midfield player but you got the picture) but I started to find inner Meg and some poshy and spoiled Amy, some good-hearted Beth inside me.
Then I reread at 20 and finally 34 … It is miraculous thing to admit but every time the book gave me so much joy, happiness, encouragement and it is like a cure for depression, ill feelings, negativity. This story makes you feel alive and rejuvenated. It gives you purpose, a clear perspective, warming your heart, healing your soul, making you always smile.
So it’s normal to expect so much more from a retelling. You have well-crafted characters, an emotional story about sisters’ bounding, fighting against their differences and the message is clear: “family always comes first”
But as soon as I started the story takes place in North Carolina, well, at first all those over usage of Southern stereotypes broke my enthusiasm. And I felt like I’m trapped in a regular Christmas movie of Hallmark Channel. I didn’t find creative enough the re-adaptations of characters into 2019’s. And why the author decided to turn Laurie into an uninteresting douchebag! He was a lovely, emotional, sweet boy-next door! I hate his interactions with Jo!
And let’s take a closer look to the new version March girls’ lives:
So Meg is a mother in a happy marriage ( not so much there are still complications), Jo is independent, as always free-spirited loses her journalism job so she starts food blogging to make her ends meet and works in a restaurant whose chief is Eric Bhaer (now he is food professor) in NYC.
Amy turned into Friends’ Rachel’s another version, lives in Paris for Louis Vuitton. Beth is taking a break from her school.
What I don’t really like are:
Lack of imagination and creativity to retell the modern version of characters’ storyline.
Meg acted like a spoiled brat, whining too much about herself and her life. I wanted to make her shut up and push her make some changes if you don’t like who she became!
Changes about the original storyline and giving too much role to the girls’ father could work at some way but the character is already emotionally reserved and reading daddy issues of the sisters made me wonder if I read the right retelling. Because the little women is about sister’s bounding against the poverty, hard times, illness and differences between them. It’s about pure love, understanding, compassion, genuineness! But this story is going completely different direction and I didn’t like where it was headed and where it ended.
So I could only give 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars. The author decides to achieve a changeling and compelling task to retell the one of most favorite classics. Expectations are naturally so high and it’s really tough job to satisfy the readers who had written the original novel. So I really appreciate the author’s hard work and bravery. I hope to read her upcoming works but this book could never be my cup of wine!
Thanks to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group to share this ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest reviews.
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March 4, 2020
4 Stars for this Charming Contemporary Retelling of a Beloved Classic!
Virginia Kantra has reimagined Little Women and brought it to life with a modern day spin that I was so excited about as a fan of the original book. She found a way to remain true to the spirit of the classic revolving around family while making the characters modern and a bit more relatable to newer audiences. I mean Jo is a blogger - I loved that!!!
The traditional gender roles were still very much front & center and while I would have liked to see a bit less of that it did coincide with the original book and the thinking in the time in which it was written.
As with the original what I loved most was the bond between the sisters. When faced with a family crisis, who can you turn to if not your sisters even if it tests the strength of your relationship. While this book centered mostly around Meg & Jo, all the sisters played a part and I can't wait to read book 2 surrounding Amy and Beth! Overall, I found this to be a charming and inspired take on a cherished classic.
Virginia Kantra has reimagined Little Women and brought it to life with a modern day spin that I was so excited about as a fan of the original book. She found a way to remain true to the spirit of the classic revolving around family while making the characters modern and a bit more relatable to newer audiences. I mean Jo is a blogger - I loved that!!!
The traditional gender roles were still very much front & center and while I would have liked to see a bit less of that it did coincide with the original book and the thinking in the time in which it was written.
As with the original what I loved most was the bond between the sisters. When faced with a family crisis, who can you turn to if not your sisters even if it tests the strength of your relationship. While this book centered mostly around Meg & Jo, all the sisters played a part and I can't wait to read book 2 surrounding Amy and Beth! Overall, I found this to be a charming and inspired take on a cherished classic.
March 7, 2020
5 Brilliant Stars.
My Feel Good Book of the Year!
Growing up, “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott, was one of my favorite novels. I always imagined that I was Jo. Bookish, stubborn, smart, fiery Jo. Oh How I loved her!
As soon as I heard about “Meg and Jo” the contemporary retelling by Virginia Kantra, I knew that I had to read it. “Meg and Jo” is the story of the eldest March siblings, though Beth and Amy also appear. The story takes place in both North Carolina and New York City, in the 21st Century. Though it takes place now, it still has the feel of “Little Women.” Somehow, Virginia Kantra was able to capture the heart of the characters in “Little Women” perfectly. This story made my heart all warm and gooey. (Yes, I actually said that (outloud), lol). In my opinion, this story feels fresh, and new, while also making me feel nostalgic for what was. In short, “Meg and Jo” is sublime.
Jo is an indie food blogger, and a prep cook living in New York City, working for Chef Eric, while Meg is a married, stay at home mom living in North Carolina with her husband John. Meg and Jo talk every single day and are as close as can be, (which I just adored). Jo is impetuous, hot tempered and totally wicked at times, (so true to character, she is!) which often gets her into trouble. Having fallen for her boss, Chef Eric, Jo finds herself in all kinds of trouble. What else is new?! Meg, too, has her struggles. Between her marriage, and taking care of her family, Meg has more than a few crosses to bear and lessons to learn.
In the end, what makes this book so special for me, is the March family unit. How close and strong they are, and how they always come together when times are tough. They are like a whirlwind, there is literally no stopping these folks!
For those of you who loved “Little Women,” and/or are simply looking for a heartwarming read, I highly recommend that you pick up “Meg and Jo.” Just thinking about this book brings a smile to my face and that is a feat in and of itself.
Thank you to Mimi Chan and Goodreads and Virginia Kantra for the galley to read and review.
Published on Goodreads on 3.7.2020.
My Feel Good Book of the Year!
Growing up, “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott, was one of my favorite novels. I always imagined that I was Jo. Bookish, stubborn, smart, fiery Jo. Oh How I loved her!
As soon as I heard about “Meg and Jo” the contemporary retelling by Virginia Kantra, I knew that I had to read it. “Meg and Jo” is the story of the eldest March siblings, though Beth and Amy also appear. The story takes place in both North Carolina and New York City, in the 21st Century. Though it takes place now, it still has the feel of “Little Women.” Somehow, Virginia Kantra was able to capture the heart of the characters in “Little Women” perfectly. This story made my heart all warm and gooey. (Yes, I actually said that (outloud), lol). In my opinion, this story feels fresh, and new, while also making me feel nostalgic for what was. In short, “Meg and Jo” is sublime.
Jo is an indie food blogger, and a prep cook living in New York City, working for Chef Eric, while Meg is a married, stay at home mom living in North Carolina with her husband John. Meg and Jo talk every single day and are as close as can be, (which I just adored). Jo is impetuous, hot tempered and totally wicked at times, (so true to character, she is!) which often gets her into trouble. Having fallen for her boss, Chef Eric, Jo finds herself in all kinds of trouble. What else is new?! Meg, too, has her struggles. Between her marriage, and taking care of her family, Meg has more than a few crosses to bear and lessons to learn.
In the end, what makes this book so special for me, is the March family unit. How close and strong they are, and how they always come together when times are tough. They are like a whirlwind, there is literally no stopping these folks!
For those of you who loved “Little Women,” and/or are simply looking for a heartwarming read, I highly recommend that you pick up “Meg and Jo.” Just thinking about this book brings a smile to my face and that is a feat in and of itself.
Thank you to Mimi Chan and Goodreads and Virginia Kantra for the galley to read and review.
Published on Goodreads on 3.7.2020.
December 22, 2020
Ooh la la! A contemporary retelling of Little Women, one of my favorite childhood classics, had me all in!
The March sisters we all know and love are here. Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth. Jo heads off to New York to study journalism, but her career takes a nosedive.
Meg is taking the “safe” route with the life she has always planned and dreamed of- as a wife and mother. She has it all, and she knows it, but somehow she still feels lacking?
Their mother falls ill and all the sisters return home to North Carolina (!!!) to her and to each other. Their bonds as sisters and family will be tested now more than ever.
This story is reminiscent of Little Women largely because of the characters and their personalities, and I loved revisiting them in modern roles. As the title suggests, the story is mainly about Jo and Meg, but we do get some cameos of Amy and Beth also.
Overall, Meg and Jo is a story inspired by one of our favorite classics. It’s about family and sisterhood and pulling together during the tough times. It was a heartwarming read. Jo, as always, was my favorite!
I received a complimentary copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
The March sisters we all know and love are here. Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth. Jo heads off to New York to study journalism, but her career takes a nosedive.
Meg is taking the “safe” route with the life she has always planned and dreamed of- as a wife and mother. She has it all, and she knows it, but somehow she still feels lacking?
Their mother falls ill and all the sisters return home to North Carolina (!!!) to her and to each other. Their bonds as sisters and family will be tested now more than ever.
This story is reminiscent of Little Women largely because of the characters and their personalities, and I loved revisiting them in modern roles. As the title suggests, the story is mainly about Jo and Meg, but we do get some cameos of Amy and Beth also.
Overall, Meg and Jo is a story inspired by one of our favorite classics. It’s about family and sisterhood and pulling together during the tough times. It was a heartwarming read. Jo, as always, was my favorite!
I received a complimentary copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
dnfed
February 27, 2020Laurie (who goes by Trey in this book, like whyyyy??) owns a car dealership... and Jo is a food blogger in NYC. The audiobook also has them all speaking in strong Southern accents and relies heavily on Southern stereotypes and values... no thanks, I'll pass on this retelling and reread the original instead.
June 18, 2020
4 stars
I saw a lot of mixed reviews about this book so I went into with lower expectations, but I really ended up loving it! Meg and Jo is a modern retelling of 'Little Women' and it's told from the perspective of (you guessed it...) Meg and Jo.
Jo is living in NYC and working in a kitchen and blogging as a food blogger. Writing is her passion, but being in a renowned kitchen makes her writing better. That is, until she falls for the chef she works for. Things get complicated from there... Meg still lives in her home town and she's married to her wonderful husband and has twins. Her life is everything she thought it would be, but she's having trouble connecting and managing it all. The fact that her mother isn't doing well and she's the only child home to pick up the slack makes it even busier for her.
I loved getting both Jo and Meg's POV's and especially enjoyed Jo's story line. I couldn't wait to see how things would go with chef Eric. Also, there is Trey (aka Laurie) who is waiting for her every time she comes home. He's just a friend, but makes it very obvious he wants more. As always, Amy annoyed me and I liked Beth. I love the dynamic of the sisters and this brought so many great feels. It was straight up a feel-good story.
Meg and Jo have always been my favorite March sisters and though a part of me always wanted to be more like Jo, I'm straight up a Meg and I'm okay with that. I loved that this took so much from the original story but also twisted it to fit the current world we live in. I was completely satisfied by the ending, even though I would have loved an epilouge, I still really enjoyed this and recommend it for all fans of the original book!
I saw a lot of mixed reviews about this book so I went into with lower expectations, but I really ended up loving it! Meg and Jo is a modern retelling of 'Little Women' and it's told from the perspective of (you guessed it...) Meg and Jo.
Jo is living in NYC and working in a kitchen and blogging as a food blogger. Writing is her passion, but being in a renowned kitchen makes her writing better. That is, until she falls for the chef she works for. Things get complicated from there... Meg still lives in her home town and she's married to her wonderful husband and has twins. Her life is everything she thought it would be, but she's having trouble connecting and managing it all. The fact that her mother isn't doing well and she's the only child home to pick up the slack makes it even busier for her.
I loved getting both Jo and Meg's POV's and especially enjoyed Jo's story line. I couldn't wait to see how things would go with chef Eric. Also, there is Trey (aka Laurie) who is waiting for her every time she comes home. He's just a friend, but makes it very obvious he wants more. As always, Amy annoyed me and I liked Beth. I love the dynamic of the sisters and this brought so many great feels. It was straight up a feel-good story.
Meg and Jo have always been my favorite March sisters and though a part of me always wanted to be more like Jo, I'm straight up a Meg and I'm okay with that. I loved that this took so much from the original story but also twisted it to fit the current world we live in. I was completely satisfied by the ending, even though I would have loved an epilouge, I still really enjoyed this and recommend it for all fans of the original book!
December 19, 2019
A delightful modern retelling of the beloved classic “Little Women”. Virginia Kantra Took on the tough task of taking this cherished classic and giving it a modern feel and I think she did a remarkable job of it. Admittedly I read LW over 35 years ago and if I’m being honest I’m not even certain I finished it. I think the fact I do not hold the original in high esteem really allowed me to appreciate this book on its own. Retellings can be tricky you have to honor the original while making the story your own, and I think any author who takes this on is very brave. Having said all this I think you can absolutely read this without having read the original I think it stands extremely well on its own merit. A lovely story about the strength of family, the power of love, The need to know how to express yourself, all wrapped up in a pretty Christmas bow.
This book primarily focuses on the older two March sisters Meg and Jo. Meg is the responsible sister now living the life she thought she always wanted. A stay at home mom with two adorable toddler’s, a lovely home, and a devoted husband. Jo is the fierce independence sister who now lives in NYC. She recently lost her job as a journalist and now is a popular food blogger working undercover at a popular restaurant. I could relate to and see a little of myself in both of these characters. Admittedly Meg drove me a bit nuts in the beginning, she was such a martyr and a control freak, the girl really needed just to chill out.Jo had some frustrating qualities as well she seem to have a hard time accepting help from others, but she didn’t feel the need to micromanage everyone else’s life either. When their mom gets sick all the girls including Amy and Beth come home to help out. My favorite part of the story was definitely the dynamics between all the sisters. Not having a sister myself I find this to be such a wonderful and complicated relationship. This was a buddy read and the discussion definitely got interesting when it came to the men in the story. We were all in agreement that Mr. March was terrible, he had this amazing wife and these incredible daughters and showed none of them any respect. The other men in the story I think some of us found a little more palatable than others. My favorite hands-down was Chef Eric, I mean who wouldn’t love a man that can cook!?! This is the perfect December read with the strong emphasis on family and festive holiday vibes.
This book in emojis 👭 👨👩👧👦 👩🏻💻 👨🏻🍳 🤼♂️ 🎄
*** Big thanks to Berkley for my copy of this book ***
This book primarily focuses on the older two March sisters Meg and Jo. Meg is the responsible sister now living the life she thought she always wanted. A stay at home mom with two adorable toddler’s, a lovely home, and a devoted husband. Jo is the fierce independence sister who now lives in NYC. She recently lost her job as a journalist and now is a popular food blogger working undercover at a popular restaurant. I could relate to and see a little of myself in both of these characters. Admittedly Meg drove me a bit nuts in the beginning, she was such a martyr and a control freak, the girl really needed just to chill out.Jo had some frustrating qualities as well she seem to have a hard time accepting help from others, but she didn’t feel the need to micromanage everyone else’s life either. When their mom gets sick all the girls including Amy and Beth come home to help out. My favorite part of the story was definitely the dynamics between all the sisters. Not having a sister myself I find this to be such a wonderful and complicated relationship. This was a buddy read and the discussion definitely got interesting when it came to the men in the story. We were all in agreement that Mr. March was terrible, he had this amazing wife and these incredible daughters and showed none of them any respect. The other men in the story I think some of us found a little more palatable than others. My favorite hands-down was Chef Eric, I mean who wouldn’t love a man that can cook!?! This is the perfect December read with the strong emphasis on family and festive holiday vibes.
This book in emojis 👭 👨👩👧👦 👩🏻💻 👨🏻🍳 🤼♂️ 🎄
*** Big thanks to Berkley for my copy of this book ***
January 25, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Full disclosure, I read Little Women a very long time ago and honestly don't remember much about it, but that didn't stop me from loving Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra!
I listened to the majority of the book on audio and I really loved the narrators. I ended up listening at 1.75 speed which was apparently perfect, and their voices were still very understandable. The narrators were both amazing, but I especially love the voices Meg's narrator did for her twins. I would gladly listen to either of these amazing women (Shannon McManus and Karissa Vacker) on any other audiobooks. I'm not sure I would have loved the book as much as I did had it not been for them really bringing Meg and Jo to life for me.
I'm not a huge fan of the fact that the cover of Meg and Jo promotes it as a retelling, the synopsis and readers guide say it was inspired by Little Women and I like that description much better. It's a re-imagining of these characters and I really liked what Kantra did with them, although as I said, I don't remember much about Little Women. I also don't think you have to have read Little Women in order to read Meg and Jo. If you are a fan of contemporary novels that are inspired by other books I would still recommend checking this out.
Meg and Jo has some romance, some tears, and some downright strong female characters. I loved both Meg and Jo, and Jo's feistiness really made this book for me. At first I wasn't sure I would like it all that much, but as I got into it I became really invested in the characters and by the time I was done I was in love with it. It wasn't quite as funny as I had hoped it would be (funny seems to be the case with a lot of retellings), but I still laughed plenty of times and gasped a couple as well.
Song/s the book brought to mind: We Are Family by Sister Sledge
Final Thought: I read a little under the last 100 pages and the whole time I was reading I could hear the narrators from the audiobook in my head reading. This has never happened to me before, so I am chalking that up to amazing narration. I got pretty teary during Meg and Jo so I would have some tissues nearby if you are the emotional type like I am. I haven't seen many 5-star reviews, but for me it was a real winner and I cannot WAIT to read the next book, Beth & Amy.
Thank you to Edelweiss for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Full disclosure, I read Little Women a very long time ago and honestly don't remember much about it, but that didn't stop me from loving Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra!
I listened to the majority of the book on audio and I really loved the narrators. I ended up listening at 1.75 speed which was apparently perfect, and their voices were still very understandable. The narrators were both amazing, but I especially love the voices Meg's narrator did for her twins. I would gladly listen to either of these amazing women (Shannon McManus and Karissa Vacker) on any other audiobooks. I'm not sure I would have loved the book as much as I did had it not been for them really bringing Meg and Jo to life for me.
I'm not a huge fan of the fact that the cover of Meg and Jo promotes it as a retelling, the synopsis and readers guide say it was inspired by Little Women and I like that description much better. It's a re-imagining of these characters and I really liked what Kantra did with them, although as I said, I don't remember much about Little Women. I also don't think you have to have read Little Women in order to read Meg and Jo. If you are a fan of contemporary novels that are inspired by other books I would still recommend checking this out.
Meg and Jo has some romance, some tears, and some downright strong female characters. I loved both Meg and Jo, and Jo's feistiness really made this book for me. At first I wasn't sure I would like it all that much, but as I got into it I became really invested in the characters and by the time I was done I was in love with it. It wasn't quite as funny as I had hoped it would be (funny seems to be the case with a lot of retellings), but I still laughed plenty of times and gasped a couple as well.
Song/s the book brought to mind: We Are Family by Sister Sledge
Final Thought: I read a little under the last 100 pages and the whole time I was reading I could hear the narrators from the audiobook in my head reading. This has never happened to me before, so I am chalking that up to amazing narration. I got pretty teary during Meg and Jo so I would have some tissues nearby if you are the emotional type like I am. I haven't seen many 5-star reviews, but for me it was a real winner and I cannot WAIT to read the next book, Beth & Amy.
Thank you to Edelweiss for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
March 29, 2020
4 “inspired by a classic” stars
By the end, I was really enjoying this one! When I started it, I was struggling because I had just watched the new "Little Women" movie and I had that in my head for these characters. Once I got more into this storyline and the movie faded, I was able to enjoy this book.
Now the family farm is in in North Carolina and Jo is a food blogger living in New York City. She’s working in the kitchen at a restaurant. Meg has the life she’s always dreamed of with a husband and two kids at home. She’s definitely has some things to work through, but I liked her character too!
Mrs. March’s health has taken a turn for the worse and with the holidays coming up, the sisters rally to help at the farm, sell food at the farmer’s market, and try to keep the family traditions strong.
I really enjoyed Jo’s love story and I rooted for her to find happiness. I would love to have someone like Chef cooking for me! I like the spin on blogging as opposed to novel writing, very modern!
I can’t wait to read the next one in this series! The focus is on the other two March sisters – Amy and Beth.
Thanks to Edelweiss, Virginia Kantra, and Berkley for the copy of this one to read in exchange for a review.
By the end, I was really enjoying this one! When I started it, I was struggling because I had just watched the new "Little Women" movie and I had that in my head for these characters. Once I got more into this storyline and the movie faded, I was able to enjoy this book.
Now the family farm is in in North Carolina and Jo is a food blogger living in New York City. She’s working in the kitchen at a restaurant. Meg has the life she’s always dreamed of with a husband and two kids at home. She’s definitely has some things to work through, but I liked her character too!
Mrs. March’s health has taken a turn for the worse and with the holidays coming up, the sisters rally to help at the farm, sell food at the farmer’s market, and try to keep the family traditions strong.
I really enjoyed Jo’s love story and I rooted for her to find happiness. I would love to have someone like Chef cooking for me! I like the spin on blogging as opposed to novel writing, very modern!
I can’t wait to read the next one in this series! The focus is on the other two March sisters – Amy and Beth.
Thanks to Edelweiss, Virginia Kantra, and Berkley for the copy of this one to read in exchange for a review.
June 8, 2020
this book is like the HIGHEST of 2 stars for me like bordering on 3 stars but for some reason, i just can't give it that
i'm not a huge, superfan of Little Women but i adored the new movie and in the classic, i loved reading about the sweet precious relationships between the sisters (though i was very much disappointed with how jo's story ended)
so when i saw the audiobook for this available in my library i was like, modern take on little women........👀
list of thoughts
- the character profiles were absolutely incredible, they were dynamic and thorough. i felt every character had their own voice and actions were realistic to their personality. they relied very much on the characters that we already know and love from the classic so that was v cool
- this follows from the perspective of meg and jo
- meg has the twins daisy and dj, who were absolutely adorable and i loved them
- meg's main conflict was how she was trying to be EVERYTHING for EVERYONE, ALL the time
- and as someone who cannot ask people for help, i found this plot both infuriating and very realistic
- meg's relationship with her husband john was really sweet. i liked their characters and the gradual process of mending the rough patches in their marriage and learning to communicate and work things through.
- though i do feel like it took an excessive amount of time to get there :p
- and NOW ONTO JO
- in this book, jo is in new york working as a prep cook in a fancy fancy restaurant and a food blogger on the side
- in this version, she is falling for her boss, the head chef, eric bhaer who is many years her senior but i was SO MUCH MORE okay with the exploration of their relationship because jo is ways older (in her late 20s) so i didn't feel Creeper vibes like i did when i read the classic
- i KNOW i'm supposed to stan laurie and jo and I DO when we're talking about the classic or the movie, but in this version ?????I SOMEHOW PREFER HER WITH BHAER??????? WHO AM I
- to be fair, their relationship was wayyyy more developed. we got to see them talk and interact and fall for each other and dammit it was cute sometimes okay, im sorry, i can't believe i'm actually saying this
- but once again, it took wayyyy too long for their story to work through
- and a quick rundown of the rest of the family. beth and amy are more sidelines characters but we get to see them more towards the end of the book and i really liked how their characters were portrayed too
- the author definitely did her homework because they are very reminiscent of the original characters but with their own added personalities here
- the plot between her mother and her sickness was well done but.........wait for it........drawn out too
- idk it's just 400 pages is LONG for a contemporary and yes, many things did happen in this book and it did follow many characters and many different issues but i just felt BORED after i reached halfway i wanted it to end
- and so my original 4 star rating slowly dropped down to a 3 and then a v high 2 just because I was TIRED and making excuses to continuously NOT pick it up
- i wish i could explain it, but the heart is says 2 stars and no more
- i did have a good time with this but i probably won't think about it beyond today rip
“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
i'm not a huge, superfan of Little Women but i adored the new movie and in the classic, i loved reading about the sweet precious relationships between the sisters (though i was very much disappointed with how jo's story ended)
so when i saw the audiobook for this available in my library i was like, modern take on little women........👀
list of thoughts
- the character profiles were absolutely incredible, they were dynamic and thorough. i felt every character had their own voice and actions were realistic to their personality. they relied very much on the characters that we already know and love from the classic so that was v cool
- this follows from the perspective of meg and jo
- meg has the twins daisy and dj, who were absolutely adorable and i loved them
- meg's main conflict was how she was trying to be EVERYTHING for EVERYONE, ALL the time
- and as someone who cannot ask people for help, i found this plot both infuriating and very realistic
- meg's relationship with her husband john was really sweet. i liked their characters and the gradual process of mending the rough patches in their marriage and learning to communicate and work things through.
- though i do feel like it took an excessive amount of time to get there :p
- and NOW ONTO JO
- in this book, jo is in new york working as a prep cook in a fancy fancy restaurant and a food blogger on the side
- in this version, she is falling for her boss, the head chef, eric bhaer who is many years her senior but i was SO MUCH MORE okay with the exploration of their relationship because jo is ways older (in her late 20s) so i didn't feel Creeper vibes like i did when i read the classic
- i KNOW i'm supposed to stan laurie and jo and I DO when we're talking about the classic or the movie, but in this version ?????I SOMEHOW PREFER HER WITH BHAER??????? WHO AM I
- to be fair, their relationship was wayyyy more developed. we got to see them talk and interact and fall for each other and dammit it was cute sometimes okay, im sorry, i can't believe i'm actually saying this
- but once again, it took wayyyy too long for their story to work through
- and a quick rundown of the rest of the family. beth and amy are more sidelines characters but we get to see them more towards the end of the book and i really liked how their characters were portrayed too
- the author definitely did her homework because they are very reminiscent of the original characters but with their own added personalities here
- the plot between her mother and her sickness was well done but.........wait for it........drawn out too
- idk it's just 400 pages is LONG for a contemporary and yes, many things did happen in this book and it did follow many characters and many different issues but i just felt BORED after i reached halfway i wanted it to end
- and so my original 4 star rating slowly dropped down to a 3 and then a v high 2 just because I was TIRED and making excuses to continuously NOT pick it up
- i wish i could explain it, but the heart is says 2 stars and no more
- i did have a good time with this but i probably won't think about it beyond today rip
“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
February 3, 2020
A modern retelling of Little Women, MEG AND JO looks at the four March sisters in present day. We have Meg, a mom of twins, married to a man who works at a car dealership. Jo, an aspiring writer, who works in New York City at a restaurant and writes a food blog. Their sisters, Beth and Amy, flit in the background--Beth is pursuing her musical dreams and Amy is chasing fashion in Paris. But when the girls' stalwart mom gets sick, they must come home for the holidays to help at the family farm. There they will learn lessons about family, sisterhood, and following their dreams.
This one grew on me. It's not as jarring as I expected to see the girls in real time--I actually enjoyed that aspect. What's odd is that while the modern setting exists, there are a lot of outdated gender norms. Meg has to be the perfect mom who refuses help from everyone; the girls' father is basically worthless, etc. It's hard to overcome at first.
But I eventually took to Meg and Jo. I liked Jo's feisty nature, even if some of the problem/distance with her chef/boyfriend seemed a bit contrived. And I could identify with Meg, who felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders (twin moms unite).
Overall, this is a sweet and funny story. It's silly at times, but also heartwarming. I enjoyed seeing where Kantra tweaked the plot (there's a piece with the March patriarch that I particularly enjoyed). It's no Eligible--perhaps my favorite modern retelling of all--but it's a fun read. I've heard there may be a second book featuring Beth and Amy, and I would certainly read it. 3.5 stars.
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I received my copy of this book through one of my favorite websites, Paperbackswap.com, where you can swap copies of all your favorite books (hardcover, paperback, and more).
This one grew on me. It's not as jarring as I expected to see the girls in real time--I actually enjoyed that aspect. What's odd is that while the modern setting exists, there are a lot of outdated gender norms. Meg has to be the perfect mom who refuses help from everyone; the girls' father is basically worthless, etc. It's hard to overcome at first.
But I eventually took to Meg and Jo. I liked Jo's feisty nature, even if some of the problem/distance with her chef/boyfriend seemed a bit contrived. And I could identify with Meg, who felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders (twin moms unite).
Overall, this is a sweet and funny story. It's silly at times, but also heartwarming. I enjoyed seeing where Kantra tweaked the plot (there's a piece with the March patriarch that I particularly enjoyed). It's no Eligible--perhaps my favorite modern retelling of all--but it's a fun read. I've heard there may be a second book featuring Beth and Amy, and I would certainly read it. 3.5 stars.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb
I received my copy of this book through one of my favorite websites, Paperbackswap.com, where you can swap copies of all your favorite books (hardcover, paperback, and more).
November 12, 2021
So yes, as a modern 21st century retelling and reimagining of Louisa May Alcott's 1869/1870 classic Little Women, Virginia Kantra's Meg and Jo has been surprisingly good and for the most part a quite enjoyable reading experiences, with much that is to love and as such also featuring a story that is on the one hand truly contemporary in scope but on the other hand and for the most part absolutely and totally does manage to retain the spirit and the feel of Louisa May Alcott's original text (and especially so with regard to the loving family bonds and ties between the four March sisters, something that is definitely hugely personally appreciated by me as a reader, since far far too many of the modern, of the present day Little Women adaptations tend to present constantly squabbling, bratty and "mean girl" types of siblings, something that in my humble opinion Virginia Kantra manages to absolutely avoid in Meg and Jo and something that will hopefully also continue to be the case for the sequel, for Beth and Amy).
And furthermore, I also and equally do adore how Virginia Kantra has physically described and depicted Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March as appearing very much akin and alike to their Louisa May Alcott counterparts in Little Women with Meg as the housewife trying to find a balance, with Jo a budding writer looking for both love and recognition, with Amy the a bit spoiled artist and Beth the shy and reserved musician, but with all of four of them, all four sisters also truly contemporary incarnations and not just carbon copies of how they are made to appear and act by Louisa May Alcott, and of course, since this is Meg and Jo with Meg and Jo March being considerably more prominently featured and presented than Beth and Amy, and not to mention that as someone being totally in the Jo marrying Professor Bhaer camp for Little Women (and having always thought that Jo and Laurie just do not fit together), I am absolutely ecstatic that Virginia Kantra has kept to Louisa May Alcott's storyline regarding this in Meg and Jo, that Jo falls in love and marries Eric Bhaer and not Trey (Theodore) Lawrence (but yes, I do wish that Kantra had kept Friedrich and Laurie as names, as in particular the name of Trey just sounds really and frustratingly silly).
However, there are still a number of problematic aspects regarding Meg and Jo that have rather bothered me and enough so to only consider a three star rating, a high three stars and definitely recommended for Little Women fans (although with the caveat that in my opinion Meg and Jo definitely features rather young adult thematics and contents such as sexual intercourse, pregnancy and a bit of cursing) but certainly not yet quite four stars.
For one, I do not really like that Virginia Kantra has set Meg and Jo in North Carolina (as I do miss the New England ambience of the original, of Little Women). For two, the amount of technology constantly being featured in Meg and Jo (such as for example the repeated referrals to Instagram) does become a trifle tiring for me, as well as that Jo is a food blogger and that Eric Bhaer is a chef instead of a professor (which as someone with a PhD really does get to me, since it feels as though Virginia Kantra does not consider being an academic as suitable or as sufficiently interesting for her story). And for three, and finally, while I actually have found the depicted marital strife between the father and the mother in Meg and Jo interesting and especially so since Virginia Kantra has obviously based her version of Father March (with his arrogance and narcissistic selfishness) much more on Bronson Alcott (on Louisa May Alcott's father, and on what he seems to unfortunately have been like in reality) than on how the father is depicted by Louisa May Alcott in Little Women, part of me is also feeling a bit uncomfortable regarding this, since Little Women obviously shows that Alcott had wanted her father to be idealised and depicted as someone rather inherently positive (and while I do like Virginia Kantra's more negative Father March in Meg and Jo, since I do massively despise Bronson Alcott, feel a bit iffy and uncomfortable regarding this all the same).
And furthermore, I also and equally do adore how Virginia Kantra has physically described and depicted Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March as appearing very much akin and alike to their Louisa May Alcott counterparts in Little Women with Meg as the housewife trying to find a balance, with Jo a budding writer looking for both love and recognition, with Amy the a bit spoiled artist and Beth the shy and reserved musician, but with all of four of them, all four sisters also truly contemporary incarnations and not just carbon copies of how they are made to appear and act by Louisa May Alcott, and of course, since this is Meg and Jo with Meg and Jo March being considerably more prominently featured and presented than Beth and Amy, and not to mention that as someone being totally in the Jo marrying Professor Bhaer camp for Little Women (and having always thought that Jo and Laurie just do not fit together), I am absolutely ecstatic that Virginia Kantra has kept to Louisa May Alcott's storyline regarding this in Meg and Jo, that Jo falls in love and marries Eric Bhaer and not Trey (Theodore) Lawrence (but yes, I do wish that Kantra had kept Friedrich and Laurie as names, as in particular the name of Trey just sounds really and frustratingly silly).
However, there are still a number of problematic aspects regarding Meg and Jo that have rather bothered me and enough so to only consider a three star rating, a high three stars and definitely recommended for Little Women fans (although with the caveat that in my opinion Meg and Jo definitely features rather young adult thematics and contents such as sexual intercourse, pregnancy and a bit of cursing) but certainly not yet quite four stars.
For one, I do not really like that Virginia Kantra has set Meg and Jo in North Carolina (as I do miss the New England ambience of the original, of Little Women). For two, the amount of technology constantly being featured in Meg and Jo (such as for example the repeated referrals to Instagram) does become a trifle tiring for me, as well as that Jo is a food blogger and that Eric Bhaer is a chef instead of a professor (which as someone with a PhD really does get to me, since it feels as though Virginia Kantra does not consider being an academic as suitable or as sufficiently interesting for her story). And for three, and finally, while I actually have found the depicted marital strife between the father and the mother in Meg and Jo interesting and especially so since Virginia Kantra has obviously based her version of Father March (with his arrogance and narcissistic selfishness) much more on Bronson Alcott (on Louisa May Alcott's father, and on what he seems to unfortunately have been like in reality) than on how the father is depicted by Louisa May Alcott in Little Women, part of me is also feeling a bit uncomfortable regarding this, since Little Women obviously shows that Alcott had wanted her father to be idealised and depicted as someone rather inherently positive (and while I do like Virginia Kantra's more negative Father March in Meg and Jo, since I do massively despise Bronson Alcott, feel a bit iffy and uncomfortable regarding this all the same).
December 6, 2019
A retelling featuring the March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. The two older sisters, Meg and Jo, are the focus of this novel. Meg is living a picture perfect life as a stay-at-home mother. Jo is living in New York working as a cook and food blogger. When their mother gets ill, the sisters step in to help out.
Told from the alternating points of view of Meg and Jo. They live completely different lives, but both women want to be there for their family. A modern tale of family, life, romance, work, and sisterhood.
An enjoyable read. Recommended for fans of Little Women and contemporary novels.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Told from the alternating points of view of Meg and Jo. They live completely different lives, but both women want to be there for their family. A modern tale of family, life, romance, work, and sisterhood.
An enjoyable read. Recommended for fans of Little Women and contemporary novels.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2019
A modern day retelling of Little Women, partially (there is an upcoming novel called Beth & Amy that I'm sure will advance the story.) - I have to be honest when I say I never gave Meg one moment of thought, always seeing Jo as the central character, so Meg's story was interesting to me with her epic sense of responsibility. Jo's story was also interesting as a food blogger in NYC, with a pretty memorable love scene, but it was a little hard for me to think of the March sisters as anything but chaste! The relocation to NC instead of Concord was an interesting choice, and the modernization of the father was pretty realistic. One big difference for me is that I root for Laurie in the original, but not here (he's called Trey in this retelling.)
I had a copy from the publisher and it came out December 3. I also mentioned it on episode 174.
I had a copy from the publisher and it came out December 3. I also mentioned it on episode 174.
December 24, 2019
“Meg and Jo” by Virginia Kantra is a beautiful story inspired by Little Women, a well beloved classic tale. With the holidays upon us, a lovely retelling is just what is needed.
The story is told in two Point of Views between Meg and Jo. This time, the March sisters are all grown up and pursuing their separate dreams and aspirations. Jo ends up in New York City, a struggling journalist who is now trying her best to survive living in the city by working in a restaurant and at the same time secretly running a very successful food blog. Good ‘ole reliable Meg is running her own household, and married to John with twins. Amy is working in the fashion industry and Beth is taking a break from school.
Seems everything is perfect until their mother is hospitalized with only Meg to help, and a father who rather care for his patients rather than his own wife and family. This brings the March sisters back home together, in North Carolina for the holidays to help each other - after all the story is about the strength of the family and the siblings helping each other.
Overall, I did enjoy this retelling and it would really be a more enjoyable read having had some knowledge about The Little Women to better understand the sisters' personalities which very much carried on to this book. I look forward to the next installation with the focus of the story with Beth and Amy.
Thank you to Berkley Pub and Netgalley for the opportunity to receive and review an ARC of this amazing book by Virginia Kantra. I voluntarily reviewed this ARC and all opinions are my own.
The story is told in two Point of Views between Meg and Jo. This time, the March sisters are all grown up and pursuing their separate dreams and aspirations. Jo ends up in New York City, a struggling journalist who is now trying her best to survive living in the city by working in a restaurant and at the same time secretly running a very successful food blog. Good ‘ole reliable Meg is running her own household, and married to John with twins. Amy is working in the fashion industry and Beth is taking a break from school.
Seems everything is perfect until their mother is hospitalized with only Meg to help, and a father who rather care for his patients rather than his own wife and family. This brings the March sisters back home together, in North Carolina for the holidays to help each other - after all the story is about the strength of the family and the siblings helping each other.
Overall, I did enjoy this retelling and it would really be a more enjoyable read having had some knowledge about The Little Women to better understand the sisters' personalities which very much carried on to this book. I look forward to the next installation with the focus of the story with Beth and Amy.
Thank you to Berkley Pub and Netgalley for the opportunity to receive and review an ARC of this amazing book by Virginia Kantra. I voluntarily reviewed this ARC and all opinions are my own.
March 19, 2020
What a lovely story ❤ Needed something different and lighter and this was perfect
September 30, 2020
I had a really hard time reading this for the sheer fact that it's a retelling of Little Women in a modern world and it didn't vibe with me.
November 18, 2019
(3.5 stars) Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Review can be found here at Booked J.
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
While loving Little Women isn't necessarily a personality trait, you can't tell me that. My love of this classic knows no bounds. The older I get, the more fond of it I grow. I am very protective of it, but I am also also intrigued by retellings of the story of the March Sisters. I've always felt that it was one of those novels I could read all forms and takes on and never truly tire of seeing how various authors explore the familiar and make it new again.
Which is why I was so beyond keen on getting my hands on an ARC of Meg and Jo. Taking a much-beloved classic and spinning it into a tale of your own is no easy task, and I will always (!) applaud any author who has the guts to do so. Anyone who can take a story that represents so much to so many people, at so many ages, and make it new again, is a true gift to our literary community.
I'll start by saying this, while this story had some flaws to it: Virginia Kantra truly did a great job capturing the essence of Little Women. Not only did she pen a highly engaging, entertaining spin on the original story, she did it justice. I felt for these characters, not unlike I felt for their original form. Moreso, I fell for these characters and the experience of reading Meg and Jo was not unlike the experience of revisiting old friends in their new homes.
Even better, Meg and Jo was infinitely better than the last retelling I'd read for Little Women, The Spring Girls and reminded me why I am consistently impressed with modernized takes on classic stories. Seeing the relationships between these variation of the March sisters was, as always, a joy. No matter their form, I'll forever see parts of myself in Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth. They are timeless.
While each sister translates differently on page, in this new modern setting, I could still see bits of Louisa May Alcott's traits as they tangled with Virginia Kantra's. It's undeniable that she made this story her own and it's a definite treat to read. I really liked comparing and contrasting the modern elements and changes to the plotline, as I read Meg and Jo, and seeing just how much they paralleled the original story.
Ultimately, there were many things I loved about Meg and Jo. There were things I was not altogether keen on (the characteristics and development of this version of Laurie, for example) and felt the weaker points of the novel ached a bit in comparison to the positives. Still, the good in Meg and Jo outweighs the lesser bits--this was a sweet, stylish and solid retelling of one of my favourite classics.
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
While loving Little Women isn't necessarily a personality trait, you can't tell me that. My love of this classic knows no bounds. The older I get, the more fond of it I grow. I am very protective of it, but I am also also intrigued by retellings of the story of the March Sisters. I've always felt that it was one of those novels I could read all forms and takes on and never truly tire of seeing how various authors explore the familiar and make it new again.
Which is why I was so beyond keen on getting my hands on an ARC of Meg and Jo. Taking a much-beloved classic and spinning it into a tale of your own is no easy task, and I will always (!) applaud any author who has the guts to do so. Anyone who can take a story that represents so much to so many people, at so many ages, and make it new again, is a true gift to our literary community.
I'll start by saying this, while this story had some flaws to it: Virginia Kantra truly did a great job capturing the essence of Little Women. Not only did she pen a highly engaging, entertaining spin on the original story, she did it justice. I felt for these characters, not unlike I felt for their original form. Moreso, I fell for these characters and the experience of reading Meg and Jo was not unlike the experience of revisiting old friends in their new homes.
Even better, Meg and Jo was infinitely better than the last retelling I'd read for Little Women, The Spring Girls and reminded me why I am consistently impressed with modernized takes on classic stories. Seeing the relationships between these variation of the March sisters was, as always, a joy. No matter their form, I'll forever see parts of myself in Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth. They are timeless.
While each sister translates differently on page, in this new modern setting, I could still see bits of Louisa May Alcott's traits as they tangled with Virginia Kantra's. It's undeniable that she made this story her own and it's a definite treat to read. I really liked comparing and contrasting the modern elements and changes to the plotline, as I read Meg and Jo, and seeing just how much they paralleled the original story.
Ultimately, there were many things I loved about Meg and Jo. There were things I was not altogether keen on (the characteristics and development of this version of Laurie, for example) and felt the weaker points of the novel ached a bit in comparison to the positives. Still, the good in Meg and Jo outweighs the lesser bits--this was a sweet, stylish and solid retelling of one of my favourite classics.
August 22, 2019
This was a digital ARC from NetGalley
The good: They made Mr. March a straight up asshole. Marmee told him to leave and never come back.
The bad: BETH DIDN'T DIE AND IS A COUNTRY SINGER IN BRANSON, MISSOURI. YEA, YOU READ THAT RIGHT.
The everything else/eh:
-The author changed to setting from Boston/NYC to NYC/North Carolina which I didn't like much. It leaned really hard on Southern stereotypes.
-Meg complained so much I wanted to smack her.
-Laurie (excuse, me TREY) was devoid of personality and uninteresting. He owned a car dealership?
The author is basically assuming this book will do so well she has already written a sequel called Amy and Beth which you know I will totally read.
The good: They made Mr. March a straight up asshole. Marmee told him to leave and never come back.
The bad: BETH DIDN'T DIE AND IS A COUNTRY SINGER IN BRANSON, MISSOURI. YEA, YOU READ THAT RIGHT.
The everything else/eh:
-The author changed to setting from Boston/NYC to NYC/North Carolina which I didn't like much. It leaned really hard on Southern stereotypes.
-Meg complained so much I wanted to smack her.
-Laurie (excuse, me TREY) was devoid of personality and uninteresting. He owned a car dealership?
The author is basically assuming this book will do so well she has already written a sequel called Amy and Beth which you know I will totally read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2019
In the 150th year since Little Women was originally published, we get a fresh, modern take on Louisa May Alcott's endearing classic about the four March sisters. I've already enjoyed this author's books for her thoughtful way of writing a romance and not being afraid to dig deep into deeper subject matter so I was curious to see what she could do with a modern retelling.
Meg and Jo is the title, but also the focus on the oldest two March sisters who alternate the narration every other chapter though fans will discover that the whole family along with the Lawrences next door, a certain Aunt, John, the twins, and Professor Bhaer who is now a cook are very much present though they all get an update. Seeing how each character and many of the key story elements translated into modern times is all part of the fun in a retelling and Meg and Jo did not disappoint.
Meg is living her dream as a woman with home, husband, and family, but she feels there is something lacking including in her marriage and that the dreamy picture isn't what she thought it would be while Jo is fierce about her independence and her dreams to write and be a success in the big city though she has lost her newspaper job, can't seem to write her book and now works a restaurant and writes an indifferent food blog. Their mother's desperate need brings Jo back to the home farm and the sisters discover that what they dreamed about isn't gone for good just lost as they chased for it in all the wrong places.
Fans of the classic will see a decent nod toward Alcott's work with lots of Kantra's originality and style (Beth has a different fate and Mr. March does as well) while those coming to the story without having read or watched an adaption will do just fine as the story could be read as a heartwarming women's fiction crossed over with contemporary romance.
Now, while I can say that I found this engaging and enjoyable especially seeing flawed characters struggling along find inner strength, connection, and yes, love, I feel obliged to say that if one were looking for a close connection to Little Women that it will be moderate. What I mean by that is that from my perspective, I felt that some of the time I was reading about characters who shared names and some similar circumstances with those in the original, but they didn't necessarily resonate like the original characters. Kantra's characters are edgier versions and don't always think or act as I remember Alcott's characters. I found them less likable at times. In fact, I never did warm up to Trey, the modern version of Laury. But, that said, I've learned that the author plans a sequel with the focus on the younger two sisters, Beth and Amy, so maybe Trey has some personal growth coming, too. Then there was Jo and her dad issues that is not present in the original, but a big part in her journey of self-discovery in this one.
I don't mean to make it sound like I disliked the book or that it failed as a retelling. Far from it. I found the focus on sisters and their relationships as well as the insight into their relationships with their parents, friends, and love interests engaging. Some might even find it easier to go in thinking of this not as a retelling, but just a solid women's fic and contemporary romance crossover.
Either way the reader approaches the book, I think it will be engaging for them and I can definitely recommend it for this holiday season treat.
My thanks to Berkley Romance for providing the book to read in exchange for an honest review.
Meg and Jo is the title, but also the focus on the oldest two March sisters who alternate the narration every other chapter though fans will discover that the whole family along with the Lawrences next door, a certain Aunt, John, the twins, and Professor Bhaer who is now a cook are very much present though they all get an update. Seeing how each character and many of the key story elements translated into modern times is all part of the fun in a retelling and Meg and Jo did not disappoint.
Meg is living her dream as a woman with home, husband, and family, but she feels there is something lacking including in her marriage and that the dreamy picture isn't what she thought it would be while Jo is fierce about her independence and her dreams to write and be a success in the big city though she has lost her newspaper job, can't seem to write her book and now works a restaurant and writes an indifferent food blog. Their mother's desperate need brings Jo back to the home farm and the sisters discover that what they dreamed about isn't gone for good just lost as they chased for it in all the wrong places.
Fans of the classic will see a decent nod toward Alcott's work with lots of Kantra's originality and style (Beth has a different fate and Mr. March does as well) while those coming to the story without having read or watched an adaption will do just fine as the story could be read as a heartwarming women's fiction crossed over with contemporary romance.
Now, while I can say that I found this engaging and enjoyable especially seeing flawed characters struggling along find inner strength, connection, and yes, love, I feel obliged to say that if one were looking for a close connection to Little Women that it will be moderate. What I mean by that is that from my perspective, I felt that some of the time I was reading about characters who shared names and some similar circumstances with those in the original, but they didn't necessarily resonate like the original characters. Kantra's characters are edgier versions and don't always think or act as I remember Alcott's characters. I found them less likable at times. In fact, I never did warm up to Trey, the modern version of Laury. But, that said, I've learned that the author plans a sequel with the focus on the younger two sisters, Beth and Amy, so maybe Trey has some personal growth coming, too. Then there was Jo and her dad issues that is not present in the original, but a big part in her journey of self-discovery in this one.
I don't mean to make it sound like I disliked the book or that it failed as a retelling. Far from it. I found the focus on sisters and their relationships as well as the insight into their relationships with their parents, friends, and love interests engaging. Some might even find it easier to go in thinking of this not as a retelling, but just a solid women's fic and contemporary romance crossover.
Either way the reader approaches the book, I think it will be engaging for them and I can definitely recommend it for this holiday season treat.
My thanks to Berkley Romance for providing the book to read in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2019
I confess, I went in to Meg & Jo with very little need for it to "match up" with the classic novel on which it is based because--don't thrash me--I was never a Little Women superfan (read it eons ago and honestly only recall the basics). Therefore, my comments are not at all based upon a comparison of the two. That said, Virginia Kantra works her magic in this wonderfully warm story of family--more specifically of sisterly bonds and expectations, of love and duty, and of forgiveness (of others and ourselves and our own flaws), and of following one's own path. The beauty of her attention to detail shines through in each scene, and I was very happily ensconced in North Carolina at the farm while there, as well as fascinated by the New York restaurant world with Jo. I absolutely loved the way Meg and John's marriage was depicted--so realistic and such a reminder of how easy it is to misread and misunderstand the different ways that people show their love and commitment. If you are looking for a heartwarming story in which you will likely see yourself and those closest to you reflected in the characters, look no further. This book is for you!
May 8, 2020
I was looking for something a little lighter in this time of anxiety, and this was perfect.
Inspired by the classic "Little Women", a modern take on the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. This story focuses on Meg and Jo, with a future novel featuring Beth and Amy.
Meg is happily married to John with adorable two year old twins. Always reliable Meg feels she has to "do it all", rarely asking for the help of others. While she enjoys being a stay at home mom, she still occasionally yearns for more.
Independent Jo has fled their North Carolina hometown for NYC to persue her dreams of journalism. But when she is let go from her job, she turns to doing prep work at a high end restaurant run by a renowned Chef. She loves to cook and turns her passion into a food blog. But things heat up when she becomes involved with her boss.
When their mother becomes ill it draws the March sisters back to their ancestral farm. As it soon becomes obvious that their father can not be relied upon for their mother's care, the girls step up to provide their support. Back together they recognize the importance of family and the bonds of sisterhood.
Looking forward to Beth's and Amy's stories.
Inspired by the classic "Little Women", a modern take on the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. This story focuses on Meg and Jo, with a future novel featuring Beth and Amy.
Meg is happily married to John with adorable two year old twins. Always reliable Meg feels she has to "do it all", rarely asking for the help of others. While she enjoys being a stay at home mom, she still occasionally yearns for more.
Independent Jo has fled their North Carolina hometown for NYC to persue her dreams of journalism. But when she is let go from her job, she turns to doing prep work at a high end restaurant run by a renowned Chef. She loves to cook and turns her passion into a food blog. But things heat up when she becomes involved with her boss.
When their mother becomes ill it draws the March sisters back to their ancestral farm. As it soon becomes obvious that their father can not be relied upon for their mother's care, the girls step up to provide their support. Back together they recognize the importance of family and the bonds of sisterhood.
Looking forward to Beth's and Amy's stories.
November 7, 2019
3.5 stars. I loved seeing how Kantra put her own spin on a Little Women inspired story, and I thought Meg and Jo were both really relatable too.
December 20, 2019
3.5
I'm giving this four stars because I love Kantra's writing style so much and for the parts of the book that resonated so deeply. Tackling a much beloved classic is never easy. You are not going to be able to please everyone who loves the original. There were some things I loved about this. Some things that were just fine. And a couple things I didn't like at all. The things I'm not crazy about though are more of a concern for the next book and didn't stop my liking this one.
What I Loved:
Meg.
John.
Meg and John.
John and Meg
Color me surprised that Meg's story would be what kept me turning the pages. I felt her struggles on a deep, personal level though, and I feel Kantra did a fabulous job of depicting what a good marriage hitting the rough patch of new parenthood, bills, and family crisis looks like. Meg's struggles to ask for help or even take it when offered was highly relatable.
I also loved what Kantra did with the girls' father. Louisa May Alcott's father was like this, but she softened him for her book. Kantra did not feel the need to do that. Bravo.
Their mother is amazing.
Kantra maintained the heart of the sisterhood story and that is what is most important.
What I Also Enjoyed:
Jo and Eric.
I wish this had been developed a little more, but I do think Jo's quarter life crisis with her job landing her in this relationship made sense. I don't particularly love the way it resolved just because that is one of my least favorite tropes, yet it was a satisfying story to read.
What I Have A Problem With:
Laurie's name in this book is Trey. Trey. And this may just be me, but I hear that name and it automatically goes into the Brad/Kyle/Chad category. All my instincts scream, "RUN! DUDE BRO AHOY!" Trey is the name of the guy who plays Lacrosse while drunk and then tries to roofie some poor girl's drink at the frat party. WHYYY???? He runs his grandfather's car dealership guys. Ugh. I know that his character will be developed more in the second book, but from the glimpses we got here, I don't care. You cannot tell me that Louisa May Alcott's emo, angst-ridden musician Victorian boy would be an average run-of-the-mill small town player. There is so much potential for moving Alcott's creation to a guy who would have been a teen in the 2000s. You will never convince me that boy wasn't writing Jo's name in cursive in his room while listening to My Chemical Romance and shopping at Hot Topic to piss off his grandfather. There should be a scene in the next book where Trey (blech) turns on The Black Parade for old times sake and then has a crisis over his account books when Disenchanted comes on because he has become THAT GUY. His love and passion for music wasn't even mentioned as far as I can remember. Like what even. 2000's Laurie would have been so jealous of Brendan Urie. Fight me. I know I'm right. But heaven forbid a romantic hero be artsy. And I needed to get that off my chest, but I'm not really letting it affect my enjoyment of this book even if it's raising my concerns for the next.
Beth is apparently going to be involved in the country music business. (At least she won't be dead? Maybe? I don't know which is worse?) OH NO! It just occurred to me that Trey is a perfect dude-bro country music name. His musicality better not suddenly manifest itself in that direction too. My emo Victorian boy would NEVER.
Obviously I'm well aware my distaste for country music does not reflect on the quality of the storytelling. I'd just rather not have to deal with it, and I've lived in the south most of my life. I just can't with country music (especially the current trends in it).
I'm upset about Trey from a story telling aspect though. Like, there's a reason Timothee Chalamet and pre-Batman Christian Bale were chosen to play Laurie in the movies. He's a super soft art boy. And that can be HOT. Generations of girls have thought so.
Anyway, I do recommend Meg & Jo even if I'm wary of where Beth & Amy is going to take this.
I'm giving this four stars because I love Kantra's writing style so much and for the parts of the book that resonated so deeply. Tackling a much beloved classic is never easy. You are not going to be able to please everyone who loves the original. There were some things I loved about this. Some things that were just fine. And a couple things I didn't like at all. The things I'm not crazy about though are more of a concern for the next book and didn't stop my liking this one.
What I Loved:
Meg.
John.
Meg and John.
John and Meg
Color me surprised that Meg's story would be what kept me turning the pages. I felt her struggles on a deep, personal level though, and I feel Kantra did a fabulous job of depicting what a good marriage hitting the rough patch of new parenthood, bills, and family crisis looks like. Meg's struggles to ask for help or even take it when offered was highly relatable.
I also loved what Kantra did with the girls' father. Louisa May Alcott's father was like this, but she softened him for her book. Kantra did not feel the need to do that. Bravo.
Their mother is amazing.
Kantra maintained the heart of the sisterhood story and that is what is most important.
What I Also Enjoyed:
Jo and Eric.
I wish this had been developed a little more, but I do think Jo's quarter life crisis with her job landing her in this relationship made sense. I don't particularly love the way it resolved just because that is one of my least favorite tropes, yet it was a satisfying story to read.
What I Have A Problem With:
Laurie's name in this book is Trey. Trey. And this may just be me, but I hear that name and it automatically goes into the Brad/Kyle/Chad category. All my instincts scream, "RUN! DUDE BRO AHOY!" Trey is the name of the guy who plays Lacrosse while drunk and then tries to roofie some poor girl's drink at the frat party. WHYYY???? He runs his grandfather's car dealership guys. Ugh. I know that his character will be developed more in the second book, but from the glimpses we got here, I don't care. You cannot tell me that Louisa May Alcott's emo, angst-ridden musician Victorian boy would be an average run-of-the-mill small town player. There is so much potential for moving Alcott's creation to a guy who would have been a teen in the 2000s. You will never convince me that boy wasn't writing Jo's name in cursive in his room while listening to My Chemical Romance and shopping at Hot Topic to piss off his grandfather. There should be a scene in the next book where Trey (blech) turns on The Black Parade for old times sake and then has a crisis over his account books when Disenchanted comes on because he has become THAT GUY. His love and passion for music wasn't even mentioned as far as I can remember. Like what even. 2000's Laurie would have been so jealous of Brendan Urie. Fight me. I know I'm right. But heaven forbid a romantic hero be artsy. And I needed to get that off my chest, but I'm not really letting it affect my enjoyment of this book even if it's raising my concerns for the next.
Beth is apparently going to be involved in the country music business. (At least she won't be dead? Maybe? I don't know which is worse?) OH NO! It just occurred to me that Trey is a perfect dude-bro country music name. His musicality better not suddenly manifest itself in that direction too. My emo Victorian boy would NEVER.
Obviously I'm well aware my distaste for country music does not reflect on the quality of the storytelling. I'd just rather not have to deal with it, and I've lived in the south most of my life. I just can't with country music (especially the current trends in it).
I'm upset about Trey from a story telling aspect though. Like, there's a reason Timothee Chalamet and pre-Batman Christian Bale were chosen to play Laurie in the movies. He's a super soft art boy. And that can be HOT. Generations of girls have thought so.
Anyway, I do recommend Meg & Jo even if I'm wary of where Beth & Amy is going to take this.
November 28, 2019
Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra is a modern reimagining of Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott. Little Women is my absolute favorite book which is why I was curious about Meg and Jo. I wanted to see how an author would modernize this treasured classic. Let me state that this was a mistake on my part. I wish I had looked up the author and noticed that she writes romance novels. This book focuses on Meg and Jo. It is told from their perspectives in alternating chapters. Jo still wishes to write, but newspapers are letting staff go. For some reason, Jo was hired at Gusto by Chef Eric Bhaer to work as a prep cook. I found this particularly odd since Jo disliked the domestic arts. Jo has a blog titled Hungry which provides an insider’s view of the city’s food scene. She does it anonymously which Jo is glad she did after hearing what Chef Bhaer thinks about food bloggers. There is an attraction between Jo and the chef which develops into something more until complications arise. Meg is married to John Brooke and they have very busy twins. Meg quit her job as a loan officer to be a stay at home mom at John’s urging because his mother worked two jobs and was never at home for him. While Meg loves John and the twins, she is dissatisfied with her life. Meg comes across as whiny (it is unattractive). She likes things done a certain way, so she does it all herself but then complains that she does not get help from hubby. Meg makes some poor choices. I did not like how Meg was portrayed at all. The story is set in Bunyan, North Carolina so there are stereotypical Southernisms in the story (“Bless her heart” was a repeated phrase). I especially disliked how Mr. March was portrayed in this book. It was unappealing and disappointing. Abby March, the mother, is one who does not like fuss (as we are told repeatedly). I missed the warm, loving Marmee from Little Women. Beth is a singer who performs in front of audiences at Branson (can anyone see the shy Beth doing this) and Amy is an intern at Louis Vuitton in Paris (I could see Amy doing this). Laurie is called Trey in this version and let me just say he is nothing like the kind boy next door from the original. Meg and Jo comes across as a typical romance novel. It lacks the warmth of family, sisterly bonding, love, and compassion that was present in the original Little Women. The author was brave to tackle such a difficult project, but I feel she missed the mark. There is a preview of Amy & Beth at the end.
July 22, 2022
Meg and Jo is a contemporary retelling of Little Women. In the present, Jo is still a writer, except that she is a food blogger and a chef. And Eric, her steamy boss at the restaurant who doesn't know she is behind the circulating blog. Meg is the responsible one, married with twins, who tries to take it all on herself. Beth and Amy are talented creatives in the world. But this story doesn't center on them. Turns out there is a sequel.
One question I kept asking myself, is how much the retelling of the classic mattered. I interrupted myself throughout the story asking myself the question, does it matter that these are archetypal characters from the old classic and how much? How much would you be liking this story on its own, because it basically was. I found the retelling part of it was both the selling point and that it completely got in the way. By the end of the book, I just tried to get into its characters and situation and see it to its resolve. Ultimately, this book is about families. And in some ways about the archetypes we become and the reified positions we take from the past. And sometimes you just have to break away from that, and figure out who you are. And as I wrote that, it just clicked. That this book is the same. It is the old story spun new, and sometimes you just have to break away from the mold of the past. It matters and it doesn't all at once. By the end we have an updated Meg and Jo, and and updated story of Meg and Jo. Kind of fits after all.
Gave it three stars. But then I saw there was a sequel - Amy and Beth. OK. Onto the very long TBR it goes. Why not I guess.
One question I kept asking myself, is how much the retelling of the classic mattered. I interrupted myself throughout the story asking myself the question, does it matter that these are archetypal characters from the old classic and how much? How much would you be liking this story on its own, because it basically was. I found the retelling part of it was both the selling point and that it completely got in the way. By the end of the book, I just tried to get into its characters and situation and see it to its resolve. Ultimately, this book is about families. And in some ways about the archetypes we become and the reified positions we take from the past. And sometimes you just have to break away from that, and figure out who you are. And as I wrote that, it just clicked. That this book is the same. It is the old story spun new, and sometimes you just have to break away from the mold of the past. It matters and it doesn't all at once. By the end we have an updated Meg and Jo, and and updated story of Meg and Jo. Kind of fits after all.
Gave it three stars. But then I saw there was a sequel - Amy and Beth. OK. Onto the very long TBR it goes. Why not I guess.
September 4, 2019
My problems with this novel probably have less to do with the novel and more to do with me. Had I realized that Kantra was a Romancer author, I probably wouldn’t have picked this up, because I am not particularly fond of romances, and that’s definitely what this is. Fans of the Hallmark channel will love this book, with its nostalgic retelling of one of the most beloved American children’s books, Little Women. Kantra takes the March family out of 19th Century New England and plops them down in the 21st century North Carolina. Beth is taking a break from school to perform in Branson, Missouri. Amy is in Paris on an internship with Luis Vuitton. Meg is married and the mother of twins, living in her small hometown. And Jo, having lost her job as a journalist, is trying to make it in New York as a food blogger, paying the bills by working in the kitchen of the up and coming Chef, Eric Bhaer. Kantra’s retelling is not particularly imaginative, but follows the original plot and character outline of the original fairly closely. Mr. March has a more significant role than in the original (does anyone even remember the girls father?), though even here he is depicted as both physically and emotionally distant. Both Meg and Jo must come to grips with their troubling relationship with their father. Readers looking for a literary exploration of the themes of independence, family, and love that Alcott probed in her book may be disappointed, but readers wanting a heart-warming love story that reminds them of a favorite book from their youth will eat up this modern retelling of a classic.
Thanks to NetGalley for access to a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for access to a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2022
This was good in as much as it honoured the original, but why bother rewriting Little Women if not to make Jo gay?
October 22, 2021
This was a book that by page 85 I was already hate reading. I'm not sure if Kantra read a very different version of Little Women from the actual text, or decided to just take bare bones concepts to run with, but like this wasn't it.
For starters, the biggest problem this book has is lack of communication. The primary plot drivers are laid out within the first few chapters- Meg is struggling being a stay at home mother while her husband obviously wants a bigger role in the family, Jo "cannot write" so Kantra neatly shoved her back into the kitchen where a woman belongs, running a secret food blog that obviously will cause problems later in the story. And then, the pacing dragged out the evolution of these topics, throwing the points of tension in the last third, and giving it a neat little bow tie when all of these issues quite literally would have been banished with some communication. Maybe the latest trend in romance books lately -which might have spoiled me entirely- is using therapy and conversations about mental health as a huge talking point, rationalizing emotional decisions and making situations like this more nuanced. This book lacked any of that, mostly because it wasn't good.
Meg's character is chained down with her twins, and is exhausted from maintaining the perfect household which prevents her husband from actively taking part in the raising and supporting of his family, due to a really outdated perspective of marriage from her parents (Which is clearly presented as toxic), and the idea that because her husband John was raised by a single mother, he clearly couldn't have the same feelings about family and so she must protect him, without actually having a discussion with John about his feelings. Majority of the book is passive aggressive comments from John, Meg avoiding the reality of anything he says, and crawling back into the wild concept of both parents working with a healthy balance and spending equal amount of time with their children- rather than banishing one entirely to providing for the family, sacrificing his successful career as a teacher to earn more and Meg giving up entirely on her job just to chain herself to twin toddlers.
This book would have benefitted from aging the children up. I really wasn't interested in having kids prior to this book, but Kantra really did an amazing job at making me absolutely cringe at the idea and loath it entirely. The amount of bodily functions described was a number way to high.
Also, Meg's entire perspective felt very infantilized. 'Mommy' was used as a descriptor way to often.
Kantra also had a weird thing about fat shaming in this book. Like, majority of Meg's scenes had to go out of their way to provide some reference to how much different her body was after giving birth to twins, presenting the idea that boys can eat whatever but girls cannot simply because of 'fat'. These points were entirely unnecessary because they served no purpose other than reinforcing toxic ideas that thinness equals goodness, and didn't actually lead to any discussion in the book. Fatness was just a fun little idea Kantra could play with.
In contrast, Jo is an aggravating plotline of a failed writer living alone in New York city who works in a kitchen and has turned cooking into her entire lifeline, her passion. It was actually really aggravating seeing her entire world reduced to this, saying again and again that she couldn't write and instead the only thing she had to offer was food and her little food blog, which was very confusing because at some points it sounded quite low scale, and other times it was so aggressively popular, right before the big scandal she commits.
I find it strange that somebody with zero kitchen background or culinary training would be given such a big role in a high end kitchen. It would have made far more sense if she was a waitress with an interest in writing about food. The other issue with Kantra is her overwhelming need to romanticize kitchen work. She does, admittedly, reference the high level of employee burnout, and how stressful it is working a job that does not properly pay you a fair value for work, limit your time off, and force you to work an unhealthy amount. Coming from food service, there's a lot to be said for the high volume of workers struggling with mental health and addictions that do steam from this particular career. Kantra briefly references this, but justifies it saying it is simply worth the pain to create food for enjoyment. And that the kitchen only supports a variety of misfits, which is actually a little offensive, when kitchen work pulls together a variety of people from different backgrounds. It's interesting how professional skilled workers are labeled as misfits in Jo's perspective, but Meg gets to engage with other wholesome people through farmers markets who are equally skilled and capable, without a label of misfit.
I think this book would have been far better if Kantra had stuck to the point of Jo's original character and gave her a career of a tutor and teacher, writing secret gossip columns on the side, while running up a romance. This book really shoehorned women into domesticated positions, which ironically wasn't the point of the original material at all. And, because the book had such a weak grasp on Little Women, it turned Mr. March into a villain, breaking the family apart, while turning Teddy into a creep.
Jo steals her romantic partner's recipes without his consent and posts them on her blog, with photos she took of him. This blows up and she is horrified by how upset he is, without ever coming to terms that she literally stole his work and inspiration to knock off without ever once properly crediting him. She also posted a recognizable photo of him, which went viral and led to people making assumptions about their relationship, which was a little icky since he, a famous Chef, was dating his employee. The entire thing was poorly handled, and it is strange that the woman who went to school for writing and would be presumably aware of how plagiarism works, would just commit the act without once coming to terms with what she did. The closest Jo gets is when she says she possibly should have told him about her food blog, which is not the actual problem.
The other issue is how, like Meg's perspective obsessively referring to things as 'Mommy' ('she was also a mommy' 'my mommy bag', ect), Jo had a thing for the word 'chef'. For the first chunk of the book, she would only refer to her boss as Chef, which makes it tricky to actually note his real name (a forgettable one, obviously), and everything about him as 'chef'. 'His chef's hands', 'he pulled out a chef's bandana'.
This book was a waste of paper and should have been heavily revised, rather than greenlighting a sequel. Kantra constantly pushed unhealthy relationships and idolizes problematic concepts for the sake of including them.
For starters, the biggest problem this book has is lack of communication. The primary plot drivers are laid out within the first few chapters- Meg is struggling being a stay at home mother while her husband obviously wants a bigger role in the family, Jo "cannot write" so Kantra neatly shoved her back into the kitchen where a woman belongs, running a secret food blog that obviously will cause problems later in the story. And then, the pacing dragged out the evolution of these topics, throwing the points of tension in the last third, and giving it a neat little bow tie when all of these issues quite literally would have been banished with some communication. Maybe the latest trend in romance books lately -which might have spoiled me entirely- is using therapy and conversations about mental health as a huge talking point, rationalizing emotional decisions and making situations like this more nuanced. This book lacked any of that, mostly because it wasn't good.
Meg's character is chained down with her twins, and is exhausted from maintaining the perfect household which prevents her husband from actively taking part in the raising and supporting of his family, due to a really outdated perspective of marriage from her parents (Which is clearly presented as toxic), and the idea that because her husband John was raised by a single mother, he clearly couldn't have the same feelings about family and so she must protect him, without actually having a discussion with John about his feelings. Majority of the book is passive aggressive comments from John, Meg avoiding the reality of anything he says, and crawling back into the wild concept of both parents working with a healthy balance and spending equal amount of time with their children- rather than banishing one entirely to providing for the family, sacrificing his successful career as a teacher to earn more and Meg giving up entirely on her job just to chain herself to twin toddlers.
This book would have benefitted from aging the children up. I really wasn't interested in having kids prior to this book, but Kantra really did an amazing job at making me absolutely cringe at the idea and loath it entirely. The amount of bodily functions described was a number way to high.
Also, Meg's entire perspective felt very infantilized. 'Mommy' was used as a descriptor way to often.
Kantra also had a weird thing about fat shaming in this book. Like, majority of Meg's scenes had to go out of their way to provide some reference to how much different her body was after giving birth to twins, presenting the idea that boys can eat whatever but girls cannot simply because of 'fat'. These points were entirely unnecessary because they served no purpose other than reinforcing toxic ideas that thinness equals goodness, and didn't actually lead to any discussion in the book. Fatness was just a fun little idea Kantra could play with.
In contrast, Jo is an aggravating plotline of a failed writer living alone in New York city who works in a kitchen and has turned cooking into her entire lifeline, her passion. It was actually really aggravating seeing her entire world reduced to this, saying again and again that she couldn't write and instead the only thing she had to offer was food and her little food blog, which was very confusing because at some points it sounded quite low scale, and other times it was so aggressively popular, right before the big scandal she commits.
I find it strange that somebody with zero kitchen background or culinary training would be given such a big role in a high end kitchen. It would have made far more sense if she was a waitress with an interest in writing about food. The other issue with Kantra is her overwhelming need to romanticize kitchen work. She does, admittedly, reference the high level of employee burnout, and how stressful it is working a job that does not properly pay you a fair value for work, limit your time off, and force you to work an unhealthy amount. Coming from food service, there's a lot to be said for the high volume of workers struggling with mental health and addictions that do steam from this particular career. Kantra briefly references this, but justifies it saying it is simply worth the pain to create food for enjoyment. And that the kitchen only supports a variety of misfits, which is actually a little offensive, when kitchen work pulls together a variety of people from different backgrounds. It's interesting how professional skilled workers are labeled as misfits in Jo's perspective, but Meg gets to engage with other wholesome people through farmers markets who are equally skilled and capable, without a label of misfit.
I think this book would have been far better if Kantra had stuck to the point of Jo's original character and gave her a career of a tutor and teacher, writing secret gossip columns on the side, while running up a romance. This book really shoehorned women into domesticated positions, which ironically wasn't the point of the original material at all. And, because the book had such a weak grasp on Little Women, it turned Mr. March into a villain, breaking the family apart, while turning Teddy into a creep.
Jo steals her romantic partner's recipes without his consent and posts them on her blog, with photos she took of him. This blows up and she is horrified by how upset he is, without ever coming to terms that she literally stole his work and inspiration to knock off without ever once properly crediting him. She also posted a recognizable photo of him, which went viral and led to people making assumptions about their relationship, which was a little icky since he, a famous Chef, was dating his employee. The entire thing was poorly handled, and it is strange that the woman who went to school for writing and would be presumably aware of how plagiarism works, would just commit the act without once coming to terms with what she did. The closest Jo gets is when she says she possibly should have told him about her food blog, which is not the actual problem.
The other issue is how, like Meg's perspective obsessively referring to things as 'Mommy' ('she was also a mommy' 'my mommy bag', ect), Jo had a thing for the word 'chef'. For the first chunk of the book, she would only refer to her boss as Chef, which makes it tricky to actually note his real name (a forgettable one, obviously), and everything about him as 'chef'. 'His chef's hands', 'he pulled out a chef's bandana'.
This book was a waste of paper and should have been heavily revised, rather than greenlighting a sequel. Kantra constantly pushed unhealthy relationships and idolizes problematic concepts for the sake of including them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2020
It's probably been twenty years or more since I read Little Women, so I wasn't sure how this was going to go for me. And I liked it (in particular I was shocked how much I liked Jo's romance because I actively don't like it in the original), but the stuff between the March parents was a choice I didn't love? By all means, I think authors need to make bold choices when adapting works, but taking what I think I remember as a solid, supportive marriage and turning it into the fraught mess that this was, was definitely a choice.
I'm not sure I'll buy Beth and Amy, but I'm definitely going to read it.
I'm not sure I'll buy Beth and Amy, but I'm definitely going to read it.
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