Once Persuaded, Twice Shy by Melodie Edwards
Publication Date: February 27th 2024 by Berkley
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher
Rating: ★★★★½
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.
