First Impressions
A Contemporary Retelling of Pride & Prejudice
~ 5 stars ~
Author: Debra White Smith
Title: First Impressions: A Contemporary Retelling of Pride & Prejudice
Series: The Jane Austen Series
Genre: Contemporary/Romance
Audience: Young adult/Adult
Synopsis:
In an attempt to get to know the people of London, Texas - the small town that lawyer Eddi Boswick now calls home - she tries out for a local theater group's production of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. She's thrilled to get the role of lively Elizabeth Bennet...until she meets the arrogant - and eligible - rancher player her leading man.
Dave Davidsom chose London, Texas, as the perfect place to live under the radar. Here, no one knows his past, and he can live a quiet, peaceful life with his elderly aunt, who also happens to own the local theater. Dave doesn't even try out for the play, but suddenly he is thrust into the role of Mr. Darcy and forced to spend the entire summer with Eddi, who clearly despises him.
Sparks fly when every time Eddi and Dave meet, whether on the stage or of. But when Eddi discovers Dave's secret, she has to admit there might be more to him than she thought. Maybe even enough to change her mind...and win her heart.
Review:
Wow, where do I begin to describe this incredible work of literature? I would like to point out that this my first time reading a contemporary novel and this was the first of Debra White Smith's book that I have had the pleasure of reading. But I was not in the least disappointed. It is a very talented and confident writer who would take it upon themselves to retell one of Jane Austen's novels - let alone this particular classic that seems to shine a little more brightly than the others.
To start, I loved Eddi Boswick's character, and I marvel at how a writer can so accurately retell Elizabeth Bennet's iconic traits of laughter, boldness, and a loving elder sister. Eddi is independent, extroverted, and tends to rely on her first impressions 😉 I like how Smith balanced out her flaws and worthy attributes, which not only made her a modern replica of Elizabeth Bennet but also her own person - a very difficult task indeed.
Dave Davidson's personality is exactly like that of a modern Mr. Darcy. It was very interesting to see his character development and how his real personality inched bit by bit to the surface as the book progressed. His longing to find true love and not be chased after just for his wealth really makes you bond with the character. I loved how Dave gradually fell for Eddie - despite his best efforts.
Also, I feel I should mention that hearing things from Linda's standpoint - the modern Lydia - was something sweet and unexpected. And also sobering. This book does deal with the subjects of sex before marriage, abortion, and some other adult themes. It added the proper balance of reality and humor to the book to hear Linda's point of view and showed the struggles that a rebellious young woman might face when she decides to take the broad road in today's culture.
One thing that I loved particularly was that the book began with someone reading the words that started the real novel by Jane Austen. Genius! The Bennet family was superb. I don't think anyone could have done better copying Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as well as their other daughters, into a contemporary setting. From Connor Boswick (representing the notorious Mr. Collins) to Mr. Darcy's first and failed proposal, this novel was on point. I laughed, cried, and jumped up and down when the book reached a very satisfying ending.
I highly recommend this novel. It has a nice amount of faith in it, thought it is by no means "deep" in the spiritual sense, nor is it secular. Debra White Smith certainly outdid herself with this, and I look forward to reading more of her work!
