Review: Once Persuaded, Twice Shy by Melodie Edwards

 

Once Persuaded, Twice Shy by Melodie Edwards

Publication Date: February 27th 2024 by Berkley

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Oh, I just loved Once Persuaded, Twice Shy, a modern reimagining of Persuasion! It captured the essence of the original story, a classic second-chance romance, while bringing it into the present world and injecting some fun!

I immediately adored this version of Anne Elliot, smart, utterly capable, but also a little sad. Her father and sister treat her more like a servant, only acknowledging her when she’s useful to them. And her biggest mistake, breaking up with her first and only love, Ben Wentworth, is front and center in her mind as he’s back in town.  Ben’s gorgeous, smart, and successful and seemingly unaffected by her presence. It hurts her heart every time she sees him.

It hurt my heart for Anne, especially when she has to witness him dating another woman, like the original. While I had the tendency to get upset with Ben over this, like I do every time I watch one of the many film adaptations of Persuasion, I have to remind myself that Anne broke it off with him, shattering his heart so of course he’s going to want her to think he’s happily moved on with his life.  Also, he has no idea Anne regretted her decision, almost immediately after.  

Anne and Ben are thrown together over and over, we see hints of Ben’s true feelings come out, indications that he may not be as indifferent to her as he’d like her to think. I enjoyed the situations Ms. Edwards came up with to bring them together, opportunities for Anne and Ben to see how much they still love each other.  There were some fun hijinks brought on by a crazy resident goose, and an outspoken, no-filters kind of assistant and several quirky supporting characters.  The setting, Niagara-on-the-Lake sounded magical, with its historic charm, it’s a place I now want to visit!

It filled my heart with joy to see Anne recapture her identity, set some boundaries, and get her HEA! A definite recommend!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

When Anne Elliott broke up with Ben Wentworth, it seemed like the right thing to do . . . but now, eight years later, she’s not so sure.

In her scenic hometown of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Anne is comfortable focusing on her successful career: filling her late mother’s shoes as town councilor and executive director of her theater company. She certainly keeps busy as the all-around wrangler of eccentric locals, self-centered family members, elaborate festivals, and the occasional attacking goose. But the more she tries to convince herself that her life is fine as is, the more it all feels like a show—and not nearly as good as the ones put on by her theater company. She’s the always responsible Anne, always taken for granted and cleaning up after other people, and the memories of happier times with Ben Wentworth still haunt her.

So when the nearby Kellynch Winery is bought by Ben’s aunt and uncle, Anne’s world is set ablaze as her old flame crashes back into her life—and it’s clear he hasn’t forgiven her for breaking his heart. A joint project between the winery and Anne’s theater forces both Ben and Anne to confront their complicated history, and as they spend more time together, Anne can’t help but wonder if there might be hope for their future after all.