Relative Strangers

by A.H. Kim

A twenty-first-century family drama featuring two sisters, their ex-hippie mother, multiple messy love affairs, and one explosive secret that could ruin everything

Amelia Bae-Wood’s life is falling apart. Unemployed, newly single, and completely broke—for reasons she hasn’t told anyone yet—she hitchhikes across California to deal with the fallout of her mother’s eviction from the family estate. Needing somewhere to live, she moves with her mother and sister Eleanor to Arcadia, the cancer-retreat center where her sister volunteers.

Eleanor has too much on her plate, including being caught up in a court battle with a man who claims to be her half-brother from Seoul. Her late father’s only son, he’s fighting for a piece of everything that belongs to the Bae-Wood women. When Amelia adds herself to Eleanor’s list of problems, Eleanor must figure out what to hold on to—and when to let go—before things unravel.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Retellings, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Adult

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2024

About the author

A.H. Kim (Ann) was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the U.S. as a young child. Ann was educated at Harvard College and Berkeley Law School, where she was an editor of the California Law Review.

Ann practiced corporate law for many years and served as chief of staff to the CEO and as head of investor relations at a Fortune 200 company.

Ann is the proud mother of two sons, a longtime cancer survivor, and community volunteer. After raising her family in the Bay Area, Ann and her husband now call Ann Arbor home.

Ann's debut novel, A GOOD FAMILY, was inspired by her personal experience supporting her brother and nieces while her sister-in-law served time in Alderson Women’s Prison Camp.

Ann’s second novel, RELATIVE STRANGERS, is a contemporary retelling of Sense and Sensibility and explores themes of love, loss, grief, and forgiveness. RELATIVE STRANGERS will be published in April 2024.

Reviews

[Finola Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calling all Austen fans! In Relative Strangers, A.H. Kim puts a modern spin on Jane Austen's beloved novel about sisterhood and romance, Sense & Sensibility. Welcome to a world of family secrets, inheritance disputes, and rescues in the rain, as sisters Amelia and Eleanor Bae-Wood meet an array of eligible bachelors. But expect some surprises too... Even Austenites will be guessing right up until the final pages of this stellar retelling.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75 stars

At first, I wasn't really sure what I thought about this book. It kind of had a slow start. But as it went on, I got more and more invested into the story and I ended up enjoying it. This has great family drama. It was a little bit of romance, and it is divided into seasons of the year. Overall, I ended up enjoying this one even though it took about 200 pages for me to really get into the story. If you love books with family drama, then check this one out.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a free copy of this book. This in no way impacts my review.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Relative Strangers.

I'm not familiar with Sense and Sensibility since I'm more of a Charlotte Bronte fan but I appreciate a modern retelling as much as the next person.

I enjoyed the modern spin on Sense and Sensibility featuring a mixed race family filled with plenty of drama-mama, love affairs, and everything in between.

What I loved the most about Relative Strangers was the relationship between Amelia and Eleanor.

I love stories featuring supportive siblings, especially sisters since I have a close relationship with mine.

I loved their inside jokes, their movie references (something my sister and I also do though not as often), and their close bond.

The narrative was light hearted, perhaps too much for me since I'm accustomed to reading thrillers and domestic dramas with heavy, serious themes.

I found all the messy love affairs confusing and sometimes got the names of the men mixed up, Jett, Hari, Brandon, Chong Bae, and who wanted to be with who and who was related to who.

Is Sense and Sensibility this melodramatic?

I liked the writing, the flow of the narrative, the characters, especially Maggie and Eleanor, and the purpose of the cancer wellness center.

Amelia was a bit too doormat-y for me, but Eleanor's personality and demeanor is similar to mine which may be why I identified with her.

I didn't read the author's first book but I enjoyed the author's writing style and tone, though the story is too romance-y and Lifetime-y for me.

[el · Rating 2 out of 5]

apparently, i spoke too soon

---

i love jane austen, i love sense & sensibility, and i love asian lit fic with a focus on family dynamics.

in conclusion: all good things come in threes, this book provides aforementioned threes, so i’m all set to love it.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, hopeful, and sweet!

Relative Strangers is a charming, uplifting tale that takes you into the lives of the Bae-Wood sisters, Amelia and Eleanor, as they each navigate old hurts, strained relationships, grief, secrets, revelations, disappointments, letting go of the past and new beginnings.

The writing style is tender and light. The characters are scarred, hardworking, and wary. And the plot is an absorbing tale of life, love, friendship, family, community, tension, self-reflection, starting over, taking chances, awkward moments, following one’s dreams, contentment, and romance.

Overall, Relative Strangers is an enjoyable, entertaining, modern spin on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility that’s a delightful read by Kim with its endearing characters, heartfelt moments, contemporary storyline, and ending that leaves you with a smile.

Thank you to Kaye Publicity for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelby (catching up on 2025 reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW

Thank you #partners @kayepublicity @graydonhousebooks for my #gifted copy.

Relative Strangers
A.H. Kim

Relative Strangers is a modern day Sense and Sensibility retelling starring Amelia and Eleanor, two Korean-American sisters, and their hippie mother.

Newly single, jobless, and completely broke, Amelia hitchhikes across California to be near her mom and sister following her moms eviction from the family estate. The family moves into Arcadia, the cancer center where Eleanor volunteers, while they fight a long-lost half-brother who's claiming his piece of their late father's estate. Both touching and humorous, and full of family drama with romance side plots, Relative Strangers is the perfect escapist read to cozy up with on a chilly day! ☺️

[AndiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww I just loved this charming story.
A.H. Kim is the author of A Good Family and in Relative Strangers has created a contemporary twist on Sense and Sensibility. Amelia Bae-Wood is struggling when she is called home by her sister to assist. Due to new family legal troubles the sisters and their mother need to live in a cottage on the grounds of a Cancer Retreat Center.

At the Center, Amelia begins to find her way. There is romance, love and secrets and lots and lots of pastries. Truly fun and satisfying.
#harlequintradepublishers #relativestrangers #ahkim

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this was right up my alley... family drama.

I love a great story about a family and how the dynamics work to ease or cause conflict. In every family, there is always the "ever-suffering sibling" (me) and the one that flits in and out and thinks they are better than the rest or that they do the others a favor by allowing them to wait on them.

I really enjoyed the Korean aspect of the story and, well I enjoyed every aspect of the book. Kim knows how to tell a story and for me, it just worked so well.

5 Stars

Happy Reading!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

While Sense and sensibility isn't my fave Austen story, this was still a fresh retelling featuring a two Korean American half-sisters and their hippie mother. Full of drama, secrets, multiple love stories and a diverse cast of characters. This was good on audio and a solid story sure to delight true Austenites! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: kissing only

[k mandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book could have been more enjoyable if it wasn't so unbelievable. Every character has a ridiculous secret? 2 people coming to California from another country sit and talk for a few minutes and leave without accomplishing anything whatsoever? Anyone accepting a freeloader for months and months on end with minimal help from said person? Everything was just too neat with characters that were also not believable. Was this supposed to be an old school romance? Not sure what it was supposed to be but I am glad I got through it.

[Carole Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

She has nowhere to go but home….

….but then she discovers that her family home no longer belongs to her family. In this modern-day twist on Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility, Amelia Bae-Wood finds herself without any money and with an arrest record. She hitchhikes her way to her family’s home in California, partly in response to her older sister Eleanor’s plea to return for the sake of their widowed mother, and arrives to find only a note on the gate. It seems that their recently deceased father had a son outside of wedlock who, as the eldest child, is claiming that he is the rightful heir to the estate and the courts have agreed. Eleanor has taken their mother to a place called Arcadia, where her friend Leo runs a cancer retreat center and has offered them the use of a cottage on the grounds. Amelia joins them there, as does Eleanor’s teenage daughter Maggie, making for a tight fit in the small living space. Each of the Bae-Wood women are at a juncture in their lives that requires some soul-searching and focus; mistakes will be made and tears shed before they can move ahead.
As in the original Austen novel, in Relative Strangers we have the sensible sister Eleanor who works hard, puts the welfare of others before her own, and is the one keeping the family afloat. We also have the artistic, sensitive sister Amelia who lets her emotions dictate her decisions, which generally doesn’t end well for her. There are several men circulating in their vicinity….the handsome and seemingly kind Jett who has some complications from the past mucking up his present; Leo, the warm and generous friend; Leo’s friend Brandon, the somewhat stuffy but also kind and helpful gentleman; and Hari, the charming and good looking heartbreaker. It is hard as the reader not to imagine which individuals would make the best match, and the characters themselves wonder along those same lines. But there are secrets in everyone’s past, and those who seem well-suited on the surface may in fact not be. Do the characters have the same destinies as the Austen characters with which they align? You won’t hear that from me, you’ll have to read the novel to discover the answer to that question. Along the way, you will enjoy getting to know the different characters with all of their talents and quirks, salivate at the descriptions of the food coming out of Jett’s kitchen, and discover the natural surroundings along the Northern Californian coast where the various dramas unfold. A lighthearted, romantic story that explores the bonds of family, sisterhood, and surviving losses, Relative Strangers is a fun read that will appeal to readers of Julia Sonneborn and Curtis Sittenfeld as well as to those who enjoyed watching Amy Heckerling’s “Clueless”. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for allowing me access to an early copy of the novel.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The setting: Family drama. Two sisters: Eleanor, widowed, has a teenage daughter, Maggie. Amelia Bae-Wood, formerly a trend-setting restauranteur is fresh out of a long-term relationship. Their mother, Tabitha Bae-Wood, also widowed--has been kicked out of her famiy house [mansion]. Add in a cast of other characters--primarily from from Arcadia, the cancer retreat where Eleanor volunteers [she also is employed as a nurse elsewhere] and Amelia and Tabitha end up staying. Everyone has issues and no money. And so it begins. Note: Tabitha is American, her late husband, Korean.

I was taken in immediately by this book. Supposedly a modern day retelling of Austen's Sense and Sensibility--well, maybe, but... There is humor, DRAMA, secrets, bachelors, societal expectations, inheritance and more--and ultimately healing [though no detailed spoiler from me]. I wonder about the title: Relative Strangers--they are relatives and in some ways the sisters are strangers--although they frequently exchange movie references--one bond they share without issues.

A fast read. Many side stories thrown in--particularly with Leo and the half-brother, Chong Bae who shows up. Besides Eleanor people who work at Arcadia have their own stories [and relatives]. I was pretty sure there was going to be a lot of neat and tidy in this book and I was correct--only one trajectory with a slight derailment.

A few chuckles:

"exhales in relief when she's finally released from her Spandex straightjacket."
"It's been so long since her last Botox treatment that her brow actually crinkles."
"watching the conversations volley back and forth between Mom and Eleanor like a Grand Slam tennis match."

My opinion--an elevated beach read. Well written [BUT NOT LITERARY FICTION], easy breezy, but the cancer center throws in some seriousness.

3.5 but rounding up because I enjoyed the ride.

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars. I had high expectations going into this after seeing it was a modern take on Sense and Sensibility, and I was not let down. I think this was true to the original but the changes that were made allowed the book to not be predictable. I can’t actually put a description on why I enjoyed the writing style of this novel, except that I did really enjoy it. I found myself looking forward to when I could sit down and read this, which hey, that’s why we all love to read, right? We simply enjoy it. I think I could recommend this to a wide range of audiences because it has a little something in it for everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House Books for an advanced copy of Relative Strangers in exchange for an honest review.

[Dallas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely devoured this book! I have been a fan of A.H. Kim since her debut A Good Family, and I daresay I enjoyed Relative Strangers even MORE than her first delicious and twisty-turny novel. If you are a Jane Austen fan, you will revel in this modern retelling. And even if you haven't read Sense & Sensibility, you will be riveted by this story. I immediately fell in love with Amelia and was rooting for her, even as I was pulled in by the mysterious circumstances surrounding her falling-apart life & financial circumstances. This book kept me guessing until the end. If you are looking for the perfect summer read, look no further!

[Hannah Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a modern twist on the classic Jane Austen book Sense and Sensibility. I really liked the characters and enjoyed the humor incorporated throughout. Avoid reading while you are hungry because there are numerous descriptions of fresh pastries. Overall this book cleverly maintained many of the themes from the source material in its updated setting. If you enjoy love stories with a heaping side of family secrets, this is probably for you!

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Booklist review to come. Such a warmhearted read! Austen fans rejoice!

[Anne Clare Grumbine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet homage to Sense and Sensibility with little Jane Austen nods along the way. I loved hearing Amelia’s perspective, the twists and turns from the original plot, and the incorporation of Korean American and Californian culture into the storyline. The ending felt abrupt to me and I wish some of the relationships had been able to develop a little more, but I enjoyed this read and recommend to Jane Austen fans.

[Bbecca_marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relative Strangers by A.H. Kim

Thank you so much @htp_hive @HTPbooks @graydonhousebooks #hiveinfluencer #thehive #influencerprogram #htpbooks

Blurb:
A twenty-first-century family drama featuring two sisters, their ex hippie mother, multiple messy love affairs, and one explosive secret that could ruin everything.

✨My thoughts:
This story is seriously full of drama and keeps you entertained throughout its pages. At times it’s a little humorous and it’s definitely full of heart. Once you start this book, it’ll be hard not to quickly consume it. Although there were hard moments, there’s also something cozy about this story that’ll make you want to cuddle up with a big blanket band enjoy. This is the first novel I’ve read by this author and it will not be my last. Relative Stranger is out now!

Happy reading 📖

[lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very curious going into this book after seeing that it's inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, which I admittedly haven’t read and didn’t really know anything about. I was pleasantly surprised by several aspects, including a biracial main character/family, segments by season, and the importance of food as a means of bringing people together. It’s rare to meet a Wasian person in real life with an Asian father and white mother, so to have that be a part of this book (selfishly) made it more enjoyable for me, and made me feel very seen.

Especially in the first half, there isn’t really a super clear plot. A majority of Relative Strangers just follow the daily lives of the Bae-Wood family in their current stage of life. However, I really liked seeing all of the characters interact and observing their dynamics with each other. Amelia as a narrator is at times incredibly frustrating, but she is also vibrant, funny, and chaotic in some of the best ways.

This book isn’t necessarily relatable in terms of circumstance (who wants to add THEIR AmEx onto my Apple Pay!), but many of the feelings the characters go through on their own and in regards to others are universal. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Leo, Brandon, and the Bae-Woods. Even though some of them are actually related, the found family vibe between these characters (and those not already mentioned) is strong and I really do love that in a story.

I was a bit confused by Amelia’s ending. There are hints to it throughout, but otherwise it seems very out of the blue. I feel as though she still had some self-growth to accomplish in terms of redefining herself and her identity outside of the men she’s with.

The discussion questions in the back of the book are definitely making me think. Lots of fours — four seasons, four main male characters, four elements. While I’m told it’s purposeful, I wonder how much truly was and how much ended up being nice coincidence.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I haven’t read Sense and Sensibility, and as this book is a modern-day retelling of that, that may have affected my thoughts!

This was a light-hearted and quick read. The character dialogue seemed a bit off to me, though. It read less as a real conversation between two people and more as pieces of a novel which took away a bit of the immersion for me. The book is full of family drama (think a long lost brother, family lawyers, and secrets between sisters), but nothing so serious that it leaves you feeling drained by the end and craving something lighter. There were tough topics sprinkled throughout but weren’t the focus of the story (cancer, death, etc) and easy to swallow. There were just way too many descriptions of food that I found unnecessary (and this coming from a former pastry chef!) and I ended up just skipping those lines.

Overall a solid, fun read I would recommend even to those that have never read Sense and Sensibility! Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital ARC and chance to review this book.

[Christine Valora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grab delicious pastries and tissues as A.H. Kim’s sophomore novel infuses a culinary and modern Korean melodrama with the sisterly dynamic of Jane Austin’s Sense and Sensibility. Set at a cancer retreat facility and after a period of loss in the Bae-Wood family’s lives, the notes of finding oneself after wayward times in growing adulthood and recentering oneself in late adulthood after reflects of death, its affects on family, and outlook on the concept of time are philosophical and personal to readers. The love triangles and family drama kept me on my feet until the end, but resolving in the ever-circling knowledge that those we love are connected through us. Paying tribute to Austin’s writing style with Kim’s known writing of movie references, this is surely a book to be kept on and reread on my shelf for a lifetime. I just need for pastries and delicious foods to fuel my readings! I hope for a culinary-centered book for Kim’s next book as the descriptions were heavenly!!

[Book.ishJulie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relative Strangers by A. H. Kim is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility, and although I have only read Pride And Prejudice, I didn't feel I was lacking any prior knowledge to appreciate this book.

This novel contains a lot of secrets, love affairs, and family drama, with the story unfolding to discover the hidden past from each recent generation of Amelia's family.

This light and airy story is anchored by a cancer retreat center setting, although it never becomes too dark or foreboding. Yes, there is a thread of grief and loss at the heart of this book, but it also manages to provide an urgent message of hope for survivors. Well done, Kim!

What else did I love?
-Portal to The Dead phone booth
-the coziness of the Master's Cottage
-clothing and speech nods to those of Austen's era
-the perfect title

Thank you Kaye Publicity for the complimentary copy to read and review.

[Ashley Wunder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like candy. Despite the story taking place at a retreat for cancer patients, it’s a lighthearted and fun read that shares thoughtful reflections on life, love, and loss.

Relatively Strange is well paced and brings the drama. A. H. Kim is a great storyteller, and by extension, so is her character, Amelia. Amelia is recovering from catastrophic loss on all fronts: her father’s death, her relationship, and the concomitant end of her career in the epicenter of the food glitterati. We are never quite as self-absorbed as we are when we are grieving, and Amelia begins the book in a self-indulgent rut. I most enjoyed reading how she begins the complicated process of repairing her relationship with her sister. Sisterhood is so complex and Kim paints a really beautiful picture of what it means to love and forgive.

I’m not a Jane Austin girlie, but I was able to enjoy this book without the references. Some of the humor in this book is a bit outdated but overall, the story is charming and the characters are memorable.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC to review.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

Relative Strangers is an excellent novel about a woman trying to create home away from home with her family and friends. I made the mistake of starting this novel, pausing for awhile, then trying to pick it up again and while the story was not easy to come back to, this book has a shocking number of characters (and plot entanglements) for its length and sometimes I had a hard time tracking everyone and their purpose in the book.

But it is still a lovely novel about family, found or otherwise, and the ways we screw things up and are welcomed with open arms. I look forward to Kim's future novels.

[Kim Sheehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Jane Austen re-inventions (well, of Jane Austen as well). Relative Strangers is a retelling of Sense and Sensibility, an Austen novel that I'm not as familiar with as some of her other ones (and now I want to read it, and also I want to watch the Emma Thompson movie). Anyway, in brief: for various reasons, Eleanor and Amelia, along with their Mom and Eleanor's daughter, decamp to a cancer retreat in northern California. Eleanor and Amelia connect with other people working there, have crushes, deal with family issues, and try to cope with both the death of their father (and an older brother they never knew they had). It's well written, moves quickly, and the characters are incredibly likable (even the ones we're not supposed to like!). The book touches on some serious topics (like gender and racial identity) in a light way (if such a thing is possible) and that fits perfectly into the narrative. I figured that given the Austen connection it would all be tied up on a neat little bow at the end and it's nice to read a book with a positive and upbeat ending.

I recently read the author's first book, A Good Family, and liked it, and I'm pleased to say that this one fulfills the promise of the first one. I look forward to reading other books by A. H. Kim.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Kristin Martini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sense and Sensibility is not my favorite Jane Austen novel, but in some ways, I think the behaviors of the characters makes it the most ripe for a contemporary adaptation. Relative Strangers is relatively (pun intended) well-plotted, although certain sequences feel very compressed. In many ways, my slight issues with the pace of the book owe themselves to the source material. But overall, this is a faithful adaptation of a timeless family drama, and one that will leave the reader fully satisfied. If you're familiar with the original, you'll see many of the twists coming, but there are some new plot points that feel both authentic and contemporary.

3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for the ARC.

[Bonnie Goldberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

There comes a time in every voracious reader's life when they need a retelling of a beloved Jane Austen classic but situated in a cancer care retreat facility in the hills of Northern California with a Korean-American family. A.H. Kim's first novel was a huge favourite for me and this second novel does not disappoint. Clever and wry, you will enjoy getting to know and rooting for the Bae-Woods women as much as a I did. Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Grayden House and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, quick read with good old fashioned family drama.

[fannousa · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is author is so right the dashwoods wouldve loved little women

[jordy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was cute. It’s a remake of sense and sensibility but like with a twist. It was a slow build up but it was good because it really gave family drama, romance drama.. like all of that.