Review by booksmellers - Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix

booksmellers 's review for:

Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa

3.5

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

This is the second Remixed Classic I've read, and one thing I like about these remixes is seeing the interesting ways the story changes just by switching up certain elements of a character's identity. I absolutely adored Bethany C. Morrow's So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix---it really changed my perspective of the story after seeing it told through a Black version of the March family. Similarly, I think that is a highlight of Most Ardently.

While queer regency romances have become more popular in recent years, it's rarer still to find a regency romance with a trans lead. This version, of course, is a remix of everyone's favorite romance Pride and Prejudice in which the second-eldest Bennet child, Oliver, is a transman challenged with finding love and coming out.

The characterization in the books is strong,

(the moment we meet Darcy I immediately knew that boy is gay and severely repressed)

the drama of the original was all there, and I learned some stuff about the regency period I didn't already know. This is also my second Gabe Cole Novoa book, and I think he's shaping up to be a great new author.

This is ultimately a happy romance, as is the original. I'm glad for that, and I am happy the book is focused on queer joy. However, I do think things wrapped up a little quickly and conveniently for my tastes. I wish the book would have been a tad longer so we could dig just a little deeper into certain characters. This ended up being the kind of book I could turn my brain off and just enjoy on an entertainment level---that might not be to everyone's tastes, but it was a nice palate-cleanser for me.

If you like romance, historical fiction, and queer literature in general, this is the book for you. While the book is pretty light, it does deal with the transphobia and homophobia of the time period, so check content warnings if you are sensitive to those issues.

Content Warnings