A Certain Appeal

Yet another Pride and Prejudice retelling (that's not shade, I can just think of at least three others I've read in the past few years, so it's a popular mini-genre at the moment). This is a modern era retelling, set in and around the NYC burlesque scene, and it dispenses with Mr. Collins/Charlotte/the Bingley sisters altogether. I liked the setting and of course, the story is a classic. The plot/timeline changed a little as well, specifically Lizzie and Darcy have hooked up and are basically together when the whole Wickham thing happens, at which point the story shifts to saving the burlesque company and doesn't have the whole aspect of family disgrace that was so powerful in the original P&P, which kind of shifts the stakes of the story in a way I didn't love. (Also I just realized there's no equivalent of Lady Catherine in this book either, which is a legit bummer.) All in all, this was fun, but as far as retellings go, I would recommend [b:Ayesha at Last 43124133 Ayesha at Last Uzma Jalaluddin https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544037862l/43124133.SX50.jpg 57683370] or [b:Unmarriageable 39926661 Unmarriageable Soniah Kamal https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524485741l/39926661.SY75.jpg 61800121]. Probably 3.5 stars overall, rounding up. (2022 Summer Romance Bingo: dance. Would also work for property inheritance, loosely for architect.)