Matchmaking Fails and Unexpected Feelings

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Gift

TYPE OF NOVEL: Modern Day Emma Adaptation

THE PREMISE:

Marriage is so disrupting to one’s social circle – especially when the bride is not only one of your dearest friends, but also your granddad’s patient and perfect live-in nurse – who is moving several hours away after the wedding… Will Emma hire a new live-in nurse that could become another close and dear friend? Or will this new hire become someone with whom she can practice her matchmaking abilities?

WHAT I LOVED:

• Entertaining and Abbreviated: At under 150 pages, this modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s longest novel is full of entertaining and astute updates, but also on the lighter and swifter side. Rather than an exact carbon-copy of plot events that parallel everything in Jane Austen’s Emma, this modernization chooses to focus on the thematic parallels – especially those concerning Emma’s relationships with George and Harriet. I enjoyed all the clever modernization and thought the author’s choices were creative and very appropriate. My favorites being everyone’s occupations – Emma is a personal shopper/does wardrobe makeovers, George is a physician’s assistant at a senior community, Taylor and Harriet are registered nurses/caregivers, and Elton is a scholarly religious writer.

• Friends to Lovers: Emma and George are great together! Instead of a big age-gap and a disapproving/lecturing Mr. Knightley, they are comfortable and easy in their friendship. And both start to internally panic when they begin to feel something a bit stronger than friendship for each other. Things become even more awkward and tense with Emma’s bumbling matchmaking attempts.

• Close and Cuddly: A byproduct of our modern times is having guy friends that you do things like text jokes, hang out all the time, and cuddle up on a couch with – and I loved this for Emma and George. I love that their nightly ritual was watching reality TV together – Cooking with Strangers sounds so fun, I think I would watch it! Their closeness and comfort with each other was felt special and significant – more so than they realized.

• Crotchety Mr. Woodhouse: Smart move to make Mr. Woodhouse a Emma’s granddad instead of her dad. All his peculiarities and frailties make much more sense in this scenario. I loved that he was still playful – how he participates in FaceTime chats with Harriet’s boyfriend and plays the part of Tommy Two Fingers in Emma’s murder mystery dinner party.

• Betty Bates: I loved the updated twist with this storyline. It was such a delightful surprise! Instead of knowing Emma from her infancy and being in the pitiable circumstances of sinking into poverty and spinsterhood, Betty Bates is a chatty and joyful resident of the community where George Knightley works. And what develops in her relationship with Emma is truly unique and completely wonderful and satisfying.

WHAT I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT:

• Harriet Smith: This relationship was also given a bit of a new dynamic because, more so than being friends with uneven family backgrounds/social prospects, Emma and Harriet are employer and employee. Which while interesting, I would have to agree with George that Emma’s actions and interference in Harriet’s love life definitely crosses a line.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• Jane and Finn: This was the most abbreviated story line. To the point where it didn’t always make the most sense. With their roles being so greatly reduced, this story probably could do without this storyline completely.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

💗  An amusing and comforting read about falling in love with your best friend.

🫶🏼 Emma and George felt real, their friendship felt real, their actions felt real – I loved their journey.

🚫  Friends don’t let friends make terrible matches!

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