Helpful Score: 2
Honestly, I wish Melissa Nathan would just write her own books and quit rewriting Jane Austen's. Her book THE NANNY was SO much better than this book or PRIDE, PREJUDICE & JASMIN FIELD. There was little character development and I honestly didn't much care what happened at the end. I don't want to find out what happens with these characters and apparently neither did the author as she wrote an epilogue that pretty much rules out a sequel. Thank goodness.
Helpful Score: 1
It's pretty easy to see the parallels between the original Jane Austen novel and this book, but I think this one didn't work as well for me as Nathan's other retelling. The problem I had was I never really fully bought into Annie and Jake, because at the beginning of the novel, when we see them as young and scared, I guess I didn't see much chemistry between them or reasons why they were together. Later when the two reconnected, I was haunted by the earlier impression. On top of that, Annie's personality was a quiet one. Despite being the main heroine, and having her own life apart from her family (with art and the Samaritians), and some quiet backbone, I thought that she mostly looked good standing next to her obnoxious relatives, especially her selfish sisters. This didn't make me really dislike the book, more like bought down the book from being a really good read. As usual the writing is well done - I had no trouble feeling bored or wanting to put the book down, and the ensemble of other characters also helped the story a lot. I liked the side story of Victoria and Charles - they went from annoying to human over the course of the book. There were a few sweet scenes with Annie and Jake, but as I mentioned - didn't completely work for me. Anyway, I have no trouble imagining this book as a romantic comedy, complete with the typical ending that comes with those movies, and I'm not sure if it's just me that didn't fully believe the romance (it may be).
Wonderful story and a fast read.
Got a little slow towards the middle, but loved the ending.
This book was a vulgar version of Persuasion. If you like this type of languge, then this is the book for you. I did not get past the first two pages.
I completely misunderstood this book in the beginning. the first few chapters I completely hated all the characters in the book and found them to be selfish but it wasnt until the 4th chapter that I became engrossed in the main character Annie. she's a great character. Not the greatest chick lit book but very satisfying and has a bit of mystery involved too.
Cute modern rewrite of Jane Austen's "Persuasion." I like how you get other character's points-of-view in this version as well as Annie's. I think the most confusing aspect was trying to figure out which characters came from the original (with different names) and keeping the extra characters sorted out as well. Still, overall, a satisfying read.
After years as a sweet, good-natured pushover, Annie Markham has had to face up to three hard truths:
You've got to be tough to succeed in business and romance.
Sometimes your meddling loved ones areright about your worthless, no-good boyfriend being worthless and no good.
The only reliable thing about men is thatthey're totally unreliable.
Okay, she's been persuaded. So now, seven years after wisely and abruptly dumping the "love of her life," Jake Mead, things should be going better for Annie Markham, right? Unfortunately, her life's going nowhere, her family's going mental, and the family business is heading straight down the tubes. Could it get worse? Of course! Jake's back, Annie's getting ready for bankruptcy, and no one's ready for Christmas ... let alone a happy New Year.
And no amount of persuasion will ever convince Annie that magic does happenand dreams do come true, not even at the stroke of midnight on December 31 at New York's Plaza Hotel ... will it?
You've got to be tough to succeed in business and romance.
Sometimes your meddling loved ones areright about your worthless, no-good boyfriend being worthless and no good.
The only reliable thing about men is thatthey're totally unreliable.
Okay, she's been persuaded. So now, seven years after wisely and abruptly dumping the "love of her life," Jake Mead, things should be going better for Annie Markham, right? Unfortunately, her life's going nowhere, her family's going mental, and the family business is heading straight down the tubes. Could it get worse? Of course! Jake's back, Annie's getting ready for bankruptcy, and no one's ready for Christmas ... let alone a happy New Year.
And no amount of persuasion will ever convince Annie that magic does happenand dreams do come true, not even at the stroke of midnight on December 31 at New York's Plaza Hotel ... will it?
