What If Darcy and Elizabeth Met in a Cooking Show Competition?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Source: Gift from Publisher

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Modern Adaptation

THE PREMISE:

Will Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are talented chefs – albeit with drastic pedigrees and learning experiences – who decide to enter a cooking show competition. And because Elizabeth overhears  Will Darcy make a disparaging about her, they are not quick to become friends. But what happens when they spend more forced time together and the competition gets more intense…

WHAT I LOVED:

• Cooking Show Environment: This is such a riveting and diverting situation to explore with Jane Austen’s characters! Absolutely brilliant! Fun and relatable for any readers that watch cooking shows or competitions, tempting and inspiring for those who are foodies and love to cook, and filled with enough drama and tension for those who love action-packed or angsty reads.

• The Contestants, the Challenges, the Creativity: Chef’s kiss! 🤌🏼 😘 I loved all of Lucy Marin’s choices in this novel. Her clever integration of Jane Austen characters in a cooking show competition was masterfully done. I loved seeing the similarities and differences of these contemporary counterparts and how they interacted with each other during the competition. In addition, the challenges of what they had to make (and the descriptions of it all) were exciting to follow. Overall, I loved all the imagination, consideration, and vision Lucy Marin displayed with this modern adaptation.

• The Food of Love: Would you consider a reality TV the food of love? Probably not a fine, stout healthy love, right? But it is in the story. And I was completely wrapped up in it! Elizabeth and Will begin their relationship with a lot of animosity and prejudice, but the temperature starts to rise between them when they learn more and more about each other. I loved this gradual thawing of their inaccurate first impressions and how their feelings for each other developed on a basis of admiration and appreciation. The development and realization of their feelings felt completely authentic and natural. I loved that it wasn’t completely one-sided.

• Discovering Their Why: For many of the chefs in this competition, winning isn’t about the title or the money. They care more about finding something else – whether it be affirmation, a new future, or a purpose. The fact that we learned some of the inner workings and mindsets of so many of the contestants added a very fulfilling layer of complexity and depth to these characters. Each character had different goals and wishes, and they tied in beautifully with their personalities and connections to their Regency counterparts.

• Everlasting Bonds: Amongst the competitors there were already some ties – friends and cousins! But the forced proximity and shared experience of being on the show together brings about even more camaraderie and companionship. I loved seeing the way these contestants leaned on and supported each other through their challenges. And it was so satisfying to see these connections continue after the filming and become even stronger.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• Pacing and Trimming: I loved how the competitive atmosphere made this such a enthralling read, but there were some parts where the pacing slowed down a bit too much. While it was realistic to show the contestants having a lot of downtime in between challenges and experiencing some boredom, I think trimming back some of this would have helped the reader from becoming less engaged and kept the pace steady. With such a long book full of important events, the extra page time devoted to less consequential scenes maybe wasn’t as essential.

NOTE: Due to several uses of profanity and adult situations, I would recommend this book for Mature Audiences.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

🔥  Can Mr. Darcy withstand the heat in this kitchen?

👩🏻‍🍳  With a well thought-out concept, deft execution, and creative flavor profile, Lucy Marin serves up a most delectable dish for Austenesque readers to enjoy!

💗 An inspiring Pride and Prejudice adaptation, rich with conflict and romance and layered with some subtle notes of perseverance, self-discovery, and personal growth.

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