Like a Lyrical and Expressive Second Movement
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Publisher
TYPE OF NOVEL: Modern Persuasion Adaptation
SERIES: Austen Echoes #3 (each book shares a similar time line and character group, but is stand alone)
THE PREMISE: Eight years ago Ashleigh lacked confidence and let her manipulative parents ruin her relationship. Since then she has made an amazing life for herself. But does she have conviction and courage to not repeat the same mistakes again when the man she lost her heart to comes back into her life…
WHAT I LOVED:
- A Passion For Singing: As we saw with all the books in this series, many of the principal characters are part of Eglinton Echoes choir. But out of all the characters, I think Ashleigh loves the choir the most. Singing is her passion…one that she wasn’t fully allowed to explore as a child. It was lovely to see how much Ashleigh enjoys and cherishes her experiences with the choir.
- A Passion For Helping: I admire Ashleigh so much. She was forced by her parents to pursue a more impressive career, but instead of being in some big-time, big-name practice – she finds a way to unite the job with her values. Not only does she mostly take cases for women in domestic abuse situations, but she is an extremely caring lawyer who helps sees to her client’s needs outsides of the courtroom too. Add that to her ongoing endeavors to find funding to provide students in Chile with musical instruments. I loved how Ashleigh found a way to put her heart into what she does.
- Persuasion Riffs: Just like with All the Wrong Notes and The Matchmaker’s Melody, this story is an improvisation – how perfect, right? We see some familiar characters – Wentworth, Anne, Sir Walter, William Elliot. But we don’t see others (unless I missed them) Mary Musgrove, Lady Russell, etc. There is the familiar storyline of a couple being forced apart and then re-encountering each other many years later, and then there is this whole new storyline about one of Ashleigh’s friends wanting to make a stand against a developing company who is threatening to take away the neighborhood’s playing field and the mysterious question of who owns this land.
- Culminating Conclusion: I read all three books in this series and I loved how beautifully all three stories layered together and overlapped in the same time line and events. Thoughtfully and skillfully planned, Riana Everly drops hints and gives enough context for readers to see how all three story-lines fit together. I loved seeing it all come full circle and seeing the relationships between all these characters deepen – especially the surprising connections like Gordon (Knightley) and Marcus (Wentworth) knowing of each other.
- Will Pemberton is the MVP: Don’t want to spoil anything, but I admire this character and all he does in this story so much! I think he deserves the title of MVP for the whole series.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
- Some Quibbles: Unlike with Persuasion, Ashleigh and Marcus don’t take as long to get back on tentatively friendlier terms. And while I liked seeing this happen, I did feel we missed some of the heartrending poignancy and emotions of their combined regret and sorrow. I missed Marcus having his big soul-bearing, soul-piercing letter moment. And I think maybe a thread was left hanging where Sebastian was concerned.
- Ashleigh and Her Parents Slight Spoiler Alert! Ashleigh’s parents are loathsome. And not in an apathetic or comically selfish way like with Sir Walter and Mary Musgrove. They are full of vindictiveness and hate and want to ruin lives. Ashleigh’s parents have caused her to have crippling self-doubt and a lack of self-worth. So much so, that she regresses back immediately to the girl she was eight years ago when they play their manipulation games again. And I don’t think we saw her find her inner strength, as it was others who stepped in and took the more courageous steps. This was disheartening to witness, and I don’t know if there was enough time to delve as deeply into Ashleigh’s emotional experiences as we needed to.
NOTE: Because of one use of strong language and some suggestive dialogue, I’d recommend this book for readers over 14.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
🎤 The same tune is sung again, but this time with more emotions and confidence.
😬 I think I’m a little particular when it comes to Persuasion adaptations, most readers will probably love this story as it is.
👏🏼 Brava! Brava for Riana Everly and this creative, compelling, and clever collection of modern Jane Austen improvisations!
