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aksmith92's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was cute! I had a great time reading, and it was a cool, modern take on Pride and Prejudice.
The setup: Pemberley Development is a big corporation coming in hot with some fancy new apartments to a DC neighborhood that will likely not be able to afford said apartments. Liza, one of our protagonists, is upset and most certainly gives a jam, as stated regularly in her radio gig. She sees her neighborhood getting wrapped up in a gentrification scheme right away and tries her best to stop it. Through the process of doing her best to protest these new apartments, she meets Dorsey Fitzgerald, the current/interim CEO of Pemberley Development, much to his chagrin. Dorsey, the son of parents who owned Pemberley Development, has to answer to a board that wants this deal done. But he never wanted to be the CEO in the first place and cares a lot more about WCO, his mother's foundation/nonprofit arm. Intentions and thoughts aside, Liza and Dorsey get wrapped up in numerous events focused around these apartments and can't escape each other.
As a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, we can all see where this is going - sparks fly between Liza and Dorsey, yet they have to deal with the immense differences in their upbringings. Liza comes from a pretty eccentric family who is trying to make ends meet in the neighborhood they've lived in for all their lives, almost the exact opposite of Dorsey, who, while adopted from the Philippines, grew up with millions and millions of dollars. We see them battle some intense challenges in different ways and see how differently yet remarkably similar they live.
What I liked: I liked the main protagonists! While I could see where some of this story would be a little cringy for some folks, it wasn't for me. There were great character nuances, layers, and development, and while both main characters could have an open mind and change some of their ways, they were both authentic. I also really enjoyed the family aspect of this story, and getting to know a little bit more than we usually do with NPCs about their backgrounds, grief, joys, and dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Janae, Gigi, and Maurice and their overall involvement in the storylines. A big thing for me was liking the romance - that's what this book is about anyway! I enjoyed the romance between Dorsey and Liza. It took its time, and there was some excellent banter. There were two big spicy scenes in this book (outside of some other sexually explicit thoughts and tension), and I thought they were well done (but definitely a lot - fair warning!). See below for some pacing issues, but generally, I enjoyed them a lot and thought their characters brought out the best in each other, which I love to see in a romance novel.
I also enjoyed some of the cultural integration that Nikki Payne wrote about - such as traditional Filipino dances and even its rap scene. I'm also a sucker for this book because I'm from the DC area and lived and worked in DC for five years. I laughed out loud in some parts about them taking a tour of Alexandria, VA. Lastly, Nikki Payne did an excellent job at writing about bias and preconceptions and having the characters work through their mistakes.
What didn't hit the mark for me: I found some pacing issues that I'm finding hard to articulate. I think this was towards the 75-80% mark when a couple of months went by with some major tension, and then suddenly, it resolved itself in two or so pages. It was peppered throughout the novel, and it was subtle but noticeable. The ending was a bit rushed as well. Additionally, I have personal things here on two accounts: (1) I don't like any romance with "my body is just completely pulled to you even though I'm trying to convince myself I hate you." It's like, oh hey, I literally hate every single one of your values (which is always never the case because it's just that they don't know each other yet), but I'd still bang you because you are so hot, and I can't help my bodily reaction. This bugs me for many reasons, but mostly, it seems to be a scapegoat to build physical tension in the novel without doing some other work to make that happen. This was manageable for me in this novel, unlike in others, but it still felt there. (2) I wouldn't say I like it when the main female character is constantly overthinking that the main male character will end up wanting nothing to do with her, even though every single piece of evidence points otherwise. This fear-based modeling is realistic but a little cringe to read in novels. I totally get Liza's apprehension about the relationship working out because of their vastly different upbringings and her family being a bit on the eccentric side, but saying that he wants nothing to do with you over and over is blatantly false, and I don't like when it's integrated into the narrative too much.
Lastly, I wish there was just a teensy bit more time on the friendship between Liza and Chicho (Lucia) because I think it generally fell a little flat. But, it was to make some room for the family dynamic, which was done well.
I'm a really picky contemporary romance reader, with many coming in at three stars or lower, but I liked this one and would recommend it as a nice, fun, romantic read! I plan to read some more Nikki Payne when more books are released!
The setup: Pemberley Development is a big corporation coming in hot with some fancy new apartments to a DC neighborhood that will likely not be able to afford said apartments. Liza, one of our protagonists, is upset and most certainly gives a jam, as stated regularly in her radio gig. She sees her neighborhood getting wrapped up in a gentrification scheme right away and tries her best to stop it. Through the process of doing her best to protest these new apartments, she meets Dorsey Fitzgerald, the current/interim CEO of Pemberley Development, much to his chagrin. Dorsey, the son of parents who owned Pemberley Development, has to answer to a board that wants this deal done. But he never wanted to be the CEO in the first place and cares a lot more about WCO, his mother's foundation/nonprofit arm. Intentions and thoughts aside, Liza and Dorsey get wrapped up in numerous events focused around these apartments and can't escape each other.
As a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, we can all see where this is going - sparks fly between Liza and Dorsey, yet they have to deal with the immense differences in their upbringings. Liza comes from a pretty eccentric family who is trying to make ends meet in the neighborhood they've lived in for all their lives, almost the exact opposite of Dorsey, who, while adopted from the Philippines, grew up with millions and millions of dollars. We see them battle some intense challenges in different ways and see how differently yet remarkably similar they live.
What I liked: I liked the main protagonists! While I could see where some of this story would be a little cringy for some folks, it wasn't for me. There were great character nuances, layers, and development, and while both main characters could have an open mind and change some of their ways, they were both authentic. I also really enjoyed the family aspect of this story, and getting to know a little bit more than we usually do with NPCs about their backgrounds, grief, joys, and dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Janae, Gigi, and Maurice and their overall involvement in the storylines. A big thing for me was liking the romance - that's what this book is about anyway! I enjoyed the romance between Dorsey and Liza. It took its time, and there was some excellent banter. There were two big spicy scenes in this book (outside of some other sexually explicit thoughts and tension), and I thought they were well done (but definitely a lot - fair warning!). See below for some pacing issues, but generally, I enjoyed them a lot and thought their characters brought out the best in each other, which I love to see in a romance novel.
I also enjoyed some of the cultural integration that Nikki Payne wrote about - such as traditional Filipino dances and even its rap scene. I'm also a sucker for this book because I'm from the DC area and lived and worked in DC for five years. I laughed out loud in some parts about them taking a tour of Alexandria, VA. Lastly, Nikki Payne did an excellent job at writing about bias and preconceptions and having the characters work through their mistakes.
What didn't hit the mark for me: I found some pacing issues that I'm finding hard to articulate. I think this was towards the 75-80% mark when a couple of months went by with some major tension, and then suddenly, it resolved itself in two or so pages. It was peppered throughout the novel, and it was subtle but noticeable. The ending was a bit rushed as well. Additionally, I have personal things here on two accounts: (1) I don't like any romance with "my body is just completely pulled to you even though I'm trying to convince myself I hate you." It's like, oh hey, I literally hate every single one of your values (which is always never the case because it's just that they don't know each other yet), but I'd still bang you because you are so hot, and I can't help my bodily reaction. This bugs me for many reasons, but mostly, it seems to be a scapegoat to build physical tension in the novel without doing some other work to make that happen. This was manageable for me in this novel, unlike in others, but it still felt there. (2) I wouldn't say I like it when the main female character is constantly overthinking that the main male character will end up wanting nothing to do with her, even though every single piece of evidence points otherwise. This fear-based modeling is realistic but a little cringe to read in novels. I totally get Liza's apprehension about the relationship working out because of their vastly different upbringings and her family being a bit on the eccentric side, but saying that he wants nothing to do with you over and over is blatantly false, and I don't like when it's integrated into the narrative too much.
Lastly, I wish there was just a teensy bit more time on the friendship between Liza and Chicho (Lucia) because I think it generally fell a little flat. But, it was to make some room for the family dynamic, which was done well.
I'm a really picky contemporary romance reader, with many coming in at three stars or lower, but I liked this one and would recommend it as a nice, fun, romantic read! I plan to read some more Nikki Payne when more books are released!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Child death, Cursing, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, and Racism
Moderate: Misogyny, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: Drug abuse and Domestic abuse
Domestic abuse and drug abuse were off-page and assumed with the main characters best friend's dad. Nothing is very descriptive but it does mention him going to rehab.sangsmiles's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Addiction, Racism, and Misogyny
purplepenning's review against another edition
4.0
5-star idea. Brilliantly maps Pride and Prejudice characters and situations to modern DC setting. The whole Bennet family is chef's kiss! The overall execution and romance didn't quite land for me, it was well worth the read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Grief, Alcoholism, and Sexism
Minor: Child death, Car accident, and Death of parent
levesc17's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It’s a marvelous retelling. It really brings the story into 2024, and the tiny shifts in story are necessary to bring it into the present time. So enjoyable and the romance is verrry hot! So much tension!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Car accident
schweibertsm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this take on Pride and Prejudice. It definitely made me think of the movie and want to re-watch. What I really enjoyed though was the setting and how Nikki Payne modernized the plot to make it relevant, but still feel like P&P.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Racism
Minor: Child death, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy
liseyrap's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Child death, and Racism
Moderate: Addiction
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rating: 5/5 stars
A retelling of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE about Liza Bennett, a D.C. DJ and activist, and her fight to stop gentrification by Pemberley Development Co. and its CEO Dorsey Fitzgerald.
I had the pleasure of meeting Nikki Payne at Steamy Lit Con last year, and I can tell you she’s one of the coolest (and nicest!) people I’ve ever encountered in real life. I was SO excited to read her debut, and it checked every single box I wanted it to: a steamy and pitch-perfect retelling with incredible diversity representation and laugh-out-loud humor.
PRIDE AND PROTEST would be excellent on its own merit, but for me it really shines as a retelling/reimagining that stays true to everything I love about the source material while injecting a dose of modernity and diversity. I absolutely loved the way certain iconic moments from the original were reworked here, including the “not handsome enough to tempt me” scene at the ball and the infamous first proposal. The incorporation of race and culture, including Dorsey’s Filipino ancestry, was also so well-done and added so much depth to the story and characters. And of course…”only one nap pod.” Honestly that scene in itself was enough for five stars.
Highly recommend picking this one up!
CW: Classism; racism/microaggressions; mentions of child death; alcoholism
A retelling of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE about Liza Bennett, a D.C. DJ and activist, and her fight to stop gentrification by Pemberley Development Co. and its CEO Dorsey Fitzgerald.
I had the pleasure of meeting Nikki Payne at Steamy Lit Con last year, and I can tell you she’s one of the coolest (and nicest!) people I’ve ever encountered in real life. I was SO excited to read her debut, and it checked every single box I wanted it to: a steamy and pitch-perfect retelling with incredible diversity representation and laugh-out-loud humor.
PRIDE AND PROTEST would be excellent on its own merit, but for me it really shines as a retelling/reimagining that stays true to everything I love about the source material while injecting a dose of modernity and diversity. I absolutely loved the way certain iconic moments from the original were reworked here, including the “not handsome enough to tempt me” scene at the ball and the infamous first proposal. The incorporation of race and culture, including Dorsey’s Filipino ancestry, was also so well-done and added so much depth to the story and characters. And of course…”only one nap pod.” Honestly that scene in itself was enough for five stars.
Highly recommend picking this one up!
CW: Classism; racism/microaggressions; mentions of child death; alcoholism
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Grief, and Child death
babeinlibrary's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The girls had been singing Nikki's praises for months and I get it now! NGL you couldn't convince me at the beginning stages of this book that it wasn't going to be above a 3 star but once I hit the 25% mark I was invested.
Nikki took me by surprised with the way she wrote characters and crafted commentary on biases, class, beauty standards, privilege and definitions of success. I found myself getting irate with more than half of the side characters but came to see the beauty and intentionality of this writing choice. Nikki showcased flaws in every character (humanizing them) and allowed you to make your own decision based on their backstories.
I was blown away by her ability to tackle issues like alcoholism, gentrification, prejudice, domestic violence and abandonment with light hearted comedy and romance.
Nikki took me by surprised with the way she wrote characters and crafted commentary on biases, class, beauty standards, privilege and definitions of success. I found myself getting irate with more than half of the side characters but came to see the beauty and intentionality of this writing choice. Nikki showcased flaws in every character (humanizing them) and allowed you to make your own decision based on their backstories.
I was blown away by her ability to tackle issues like alcoholism, gentrification, prejudice, domestic violence and abandonment with light hearted comedy and romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Domestic abuse and Car accident
naysia_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Pride & Protest is such an amazing retelling of pride and prejudice! I loved all the side characters and the romance between Liza and Dorsey! 4/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Child death and Alcoholism
downsophialane's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a delightful and well-crafted retelling of Pride and Prejudice. P&P retelling are easy to do in a mediocre way, but Nikki Payne has nailed it, particularly in her navigation of the class differences between the Bennetts and "Dorsey", and the stakes of the crisis as adapted for a contemporary setting. If you're searching for a contemporary Austen retelling or just a fun, steamy and diverse romance featuring a big family, this comes highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death and Classism