A Certain Appeal
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4.3 • 13 Ratings
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
A sparkling contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the tantalizing world of New York City burlesque, perfect for fans of The Kiss Quotient and The Roommate.
After a betrayal derailed her interior design career, Liz Bennet found a fresh start in New York. Now an executive assistant by day and stage kitten by night, she’s discovered a second home with the performers at Meryton, Manhattan’s top-tier burlesque venue. Love’s the last thing on her mind when she locks eyes with Will Darcy across the crowded club, yet the spark between them is undeniable—that is, until she overhears the uptight wealth manager call her merely “tolerable.”
Bennet is determined to write Darcy off, but once their besties fall head-over-heels, they’re thrown into each other’s orbit again and again. Each encounter begins to feel more heated than the last, but is their chemistry enough to topple that terrible first impression? What’s more, when a charming newcomer arrives on the scene with accusations against Darcy, and a sudden development leaves Meryton’s fate in jeopardy, Bennet will have to decide who to trust in time to salvage her design dreams, her heart, and the stage she shares with her found family…
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
King's irresistible debut gives Pride and Prejudice a fresh look, transplanting the classic story to the sexy, sequined world of a contemporary burlesque club. Liz Bennet lands in New York after a professional betrayal crushes her interior design dreams in Los Angeles. She finds an unexpected home in Meryton, the upscale Manhattan burlesque club where her best friend and roommate (a sweet-natured, gender-swapped Jane) sings. Soon she's balancing her day job as an executive assistant with her evening duties as "stage kitten." When starchy wealth manager Will Darcy visits Meryton, he's far from prepared for the saucy show—or confident Liz's scantily clad flirtations. She's equally taken aback to overhear his infamous "tolerable" verdict on her appeal, setting off a slow-building dance of attraction and antipathy as the pair continue to cross paths socially and professionally. King nails the building tension, but what stands out most is her obvious affection for the endearing supporting cast and the richness of their nocturnal world. Both are used to great effect when a twist leaves Meryton's fate in jeopardy and all must band together to preserve their found home. Between the camaraderie and the costumes, this immersive look at the burlesque scene is sure to win many fans, Austenite or not.
Customer Reviews
A fun Pride and Prejudice Retelling
This book is one of the best retellings of the classic book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. A Certain Appeal by Vanessa King gives the classic tale a modern and risque twist by setting the book in a Burlesque theater in New York City. It’s such a fun book, with plenty of banter between Bennet and Darcy.
Liz Bennet is a stage kitten at a Burlesque theater in New York City. After her design career was derailed in California, she fled to New York and met up with her friend Jane who is a singer at the theater. Liz works by day as an administrative assistant for a tech firm, and by night she picks up the strewn-off clothing of the performers at the theater. One night, a particularly handsome man, Darcy, and his friend Charles visit the theater and Liz feels a connection with Darcy from the stage. But, later she overhears him telling Charles that she is merely tolerable, and her disdain for Darcy fights with her overwhelming attraction for him. When her best friend Jane, falls hard for Darcy’s friend Charles, Liz finds herself meeting up with Darcy and her attraction gets stronger.
I just loved this book, I really enjoyed learning about the burlesque scene in New York City and this re-telling was excellent. The author does an excellent job of modernizing the classic tale, and the characters of Liz and her “family” at Merryton (the burlesque venue) are a fantastic fresh take on the classic tale.
The dialogue is excellent. The banter between Liz and Darcy is so well done and hilarious at times. Also, the relationship between Liz and Jane is so sweet. The pacing is also well done, I went through this book so fast, I couldn’t wait to see what the authors take on the classic tale would take.
One spot of criticism is the cover. Although beautiful, I don’t think it gives even a clue as to what the story is about or even the tone of the story.
I highly recommend this book especially to anyone who loves the classic tale.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Well-written, fun read!
So when I initially saw the description for this book, I anticipated something different, overall I think my biggest takeaway is that while I DID enjoy the book, I personally didn’t feel it was a romance novel. It definitely had aspects of romance but the overall tone to the book was about Bennet, her life, overcoming hurdles and growing as a person. While not a bad thing, I was under the impression the book was in fact a romance and was left disappointed by the lack thereof.
All that aside, it’s a very well written story with a fantastic and whimsically charming cast of characters that surround Bennett. I was especially invested in and absolutely loved Jane and Charles’ love story. I found myself wishing throughout that they had their own book.
Well written, fun read and while I did have some parts that I wish were more prevalent, it was worth the read.