Title: Persuading Austen
Author: Brigid Coady
Publisher: HQ Digital
Release Date: July 18, 2017
Rating: 3/5
*Review copy received via Netgalley

I am immediately drawn to pretty much anything Jane Austen related, so modern day retellings are my addiction. Upon reading the summary for Persuading Austen, I was intrigued and the novel itself was quite cute. It soon becomes apparent that despite the book revolving around making Pride and Prejudice into a movie, the story is a retelling of Persuasion (hence title). The similarities from the original novel in the story line/plot/characters to those who are familiar with it will appreciate the creative liberties the author has taken to modernize the classic tale.

I personally found the story entertaining can I was invested, but the family was almost too much to bear! I couldn't stand any of them. The author did a stellar job crafting quite unlikeable and annoyance inducing family members of for the MC. In regard to the romantic element of this story, I felt that the love interest could have been, well, in more of the book. I thought the story relied a little too heavily in their past relationship as a connection instead of showing the reader the bridge to a new and stronger one. Of course, I did like what there was of it, but I thought it could have been explored a little more.

A cute and modern day retelling of Persuasion for Austen and contemporary lovers that uses word play to evoke all your Jane Austen nostalgia.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

This book was such a fun read. It was full of family drama, work drama, relationship drama and then some. I love a read that is action-packed and fast paced like this but I need to have a character I can get along with at the heart of it all, someone to keep things a little grounded, and someone to champion and this book had that too.

I loved getting to know Annie and it really did feel like she was Cinderella at the start of this book so I had to champion her, I didn't have the choice. Her mum is out of the picture, her sisters and her father are making her life a living nightmare and she is trying so hard to be the strong woman that she knows she really can be and say no to them but there are all sorts of family ties holding her back, including that prince charming she lost, the one who got away. I really did feel like Annie was easy to identify with, She was put upon but she had big dreams and I loved that about her, I got to know her right away and we stayed friends throughout the book!

The other characters in the book provide the drama and the comedy value. I loved Annie's boss Cassie and thought she was very grounding for Annie. But her Dad, her two sisters, her sisters in law and her cousin. Wow! So much drama here. If you could imagine it, it would happen to them and Annie was the one who had to sort it out. This is a character packed book and I have to admit that I did struggle to keep track of who was who in the beginning a little, but basically, if it was Annie's family, they were going to cause some sort of issue and that's all I needed to know!

There's a love interest of course, 'The One Who Got Away' and he comes flying back into Annie's life and I loved the romantic tension that this created. There are some classic, 'does he like me does he not?' moments and these were almost too much to handle. There isn't a steamy element to the romance in this book but fear not, there are some sweet sweet moments.

I loved the fact that this book surrounded a film production and all the difficulties that come with that and it was a great setting for the book too, one that I haven't read enough of recently, so it felt new and fresh and posed problems of its own for poor Annie. Overall this was a really fun read. There are some great nods to Austen here, some funny moments and just the right amount of romance. It is fast-paced and definitely something to add to your beach reading this summer!

This has been a lovely Jane Austen-meets-Chick-lit read.

Overall I am not much impressed with all the JA spin-offs and modern re-tellings out there, so I read this novel with caution, but was positively surprised. This book will definitely get on my shelf of "imperfect, but delightful JA remakes".

You have to be prepared to make some allowances for the run-of-the-mill traits of the genre to enjoy it, but if you are, satisfaction is guaranteed.

Generally, the author, Brigid Coady translated "Persuasion" very well by turning most of the well-known characters into actors/tv-stars/celebrities and Anne herself into a film production accountant-cum-producer. She also sticks to the universal Persuasion-storyline without becoming a slave to it.

There are lots of touching and hilarious moments, the pace is tight and I pretty much whizzed through the book, because I enjoyed it so much.

The only thing that gets lost a little in translation and is sacrificed on the altar of the chick-lit genre is Anne's character, hence the minus 1 star. Of course, it is very difficult to bring Austen's heroines (or heroes) into the 21st century intact, changes need to be made to make it work.

The basic quality is captured well: the modern Annie is very easy to relate to. She is warm-hearted, compassionate, loyal and supportive ..... BUT a total NO-HOPER, underdog, doormat, what have you, when it comes to her family.
Supposedly she is very successful in her profession, calm and competent, but that is only told, never shown. Descriptions of her cowering, chickening-out, avoiding confrontation at all costs, hiding or escaping from awkward situations occur almost on every third page well-into 2/3 of the book and you simply can't believe that this woman has all that steadiness and inner-strength that is essential to her character.

It gets better by the end, and the overall story is so light and entertaining that it compensates for this drawback, but I am also sorry, for this book could have been even better.

Still, kudos to Brigid Coady for this engaging remake.

Oh my word, guys! Excitement pure alert! When I've spotted that Brigid Coady is back with her new release I really couldn't hide my joy - I adored Brigid's previous book, "No One Wants to be Miss Havisham", it was one of the funniest reads two years ago and all this time I was waiting for a new book from this author. As soon as it whizzed to my kindle, I started to read it, no need to mention that I was full of hope and expectations.

But. Guys. And I am so, so sorry. I'll make it short and painful - unfortunately. I was disappointed. Why? Well, because of the main character, Annie Elliot. Firstly, the name Annie just doesn't sit with me, which of course is not the authors' fault, but writing "Annie" in almost every single sentence didn't help. Secondly, I think I have never before come across such a pushover character, and I really started to fully dislike her. Every second page she was patronised by her sisters and father in the worst possible way. The way especially Imogen and their father talked to her was on the lowest level and yet Annie never spoke back, she just allowed them to use her - hell, she was providing for them, she paid all the bills, she organized their jobs and they were all the time unhappy, spent her money and spoke to her as if she was the last dirt, as if she was worthless, not respecting her at all. I wanted to shake her so much but eventually I gave up on Annie. When she decided to finally take those matters in her hands it was already much, much too late, for me the book was destroyed. Then on the other remaining pages Annie was reminiscing about her relationship with Austen and why it was, in advance, doomed to failure. It was a never - ending, long whinge, this narration.

This might have been a try on creating a modern version of Jane Austen's "Persuasion", with the Elliots being the theatrical dynasty, but for me it failed completely. I'm really, really sorry for this because I've been expecting so much from this story. Fortunately the author's brilliant, light and approachable writing style is still the same, so at least this saved the day for me a little. I hope though that the next book by the lovely Brigid Coady will be again my cup of tea.

One of the things I love about book blogging is having the opportunity to read books that, pre-blogger life, I probably would not have chosen to read. Persuading Austen is one of them. I would have thought that it wasn't for me. Well, how wrong could I have been. It made me laugh out loud. It made me cry. It made me empathise. It made me sympathise. It made me happy. It made me sad. I absolutely loved it!

Persuading Austen is a modern day version of Jane Austen's Persuasion. It follows Annie Elliott, who by day is a Production Accountant/Producer and very in control, and by night is a skivvy and worthless to her family, as she takes on the role of film producer on a remake of Pride and Prejudice. This should be the job of her dreams except the love of her life, Austen, once a penniless and unknown actor and now the most sough-after man in Hollywood, is cast as Mr Darcy. He is also the one that got away 8 years earlier. Just like in the original, the story is told from Annie's point of view and we follow her on her journey, listening to her internal thoughts and feelings about her family, her job and Austen.

I think it is brave to take such a Classic and make it contemporary. Brigid Coady has done this so well, sticking to the main plot points and throwing in some twists and turns which kept me reading. As I got further into Persuading Austen, I forgot that it was based on a classic, and the story took on a new form, gained it's own identity.

Brigid Coady's writing is super - it is real and from the heart. There is so much humour too! This all allowed for the story to flow really well and I finished the book in 2 days (that's quick for me!).

There are some fabulous scenes in this book and great characters. Some who were amusing and some who were annoying - just like in real life! I don't want to say any more as I don't want to give away any spoilers.

Persuading Austen is a book which left me smiling and happy at the end of it - and what a wonderful feeling that was.

PERSUASION is my favorite Jane Austen, and I'm a perpetual sucker for a good retelling. This one fit the bill nicely, with its crazy family dynamics, banter between friends, a swoon-worthy romance, and the ultimate hope of second chances. The second half, in particular, establishes a good pacing for Annie's struggles and makes them about more than simply finding a lost love. Her journey weaves in the pain of losing a parent, family money troubles, and what it means to support the people we love--how much can we sacrifice personal dreams in the face of these things? Ultimately, it's a fun story of a woman coming into her own and discovering what she wants. And the romance definitely gave my heart a good squeeze!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

3.5* rounded up. A modern day retelling of "Persuasion", in which the updating worked pretty well, I thought. The Elliot and Musgrove families are actors cast in the filming of (confusingly) "Pride and Prejudice", with Anne Elliot as the producer and Austen (again, confusing - why not just Frederick?) Wentworth as Darcy.

It is hard to decide how much I would have enjoyed the story as it stood, if I were not looking out for and appreciating all the nods to the Austen novel. I found the beginning repetitive, with endless reminders of how kick ass Anne is in her job, but how weak in submitting to her terrible family. When we actually saw Anne doing her job, she didn't seem all that great at it - how difficult could it be to spot credit card payments going out of the film's budget?

There was a difference between the Austen novel and this one in the motivation for Anne to refuse Wentworth eight years ago; this novel introduced the concept of Anne needing to "find out who she was" (the answer seems to be - a producer). This muddied the waters somewhat and I found the ending rather abrupt - I wanted Anne and Austen to have a proper conversation about the past and the future. Also, I thought there was going to be a moment when he discovered her tattoo - I was looking forward to it...

As a Jane Austen fan, I knew that I had to read Persuading Austen, which is a modern retelling of Persuasion. Luckily, I was given an Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review! In this version, the Elliots are a family of actors, except for Anne who must take care of her frivolous father and sisters. Just like in the original, Anne was in love with Wentworth, but persuaded to leave him by her Aunt. When Austen Wentworth, now a sizzling hot movie star comes back to star in a new production of Pride and Prejudice, will Anne set aside her pride and win him back? 

Literary Geeks Will Love This

Apart from the story keeping relatively close to the original Persuasion (for the first part of the book), there were so many fun references to other Jane Austen novels. I loved this nod towards the originals, because it added an extra layer of depth to the reading experience for fans of Jane Austen's work. In particular, Anne works for The Northanger Agency, there's a new production of Pride and Prejudice and Wentworth's first name is even Austen.  That being said, if you aren't a lover of the classics, there is plenty to keep you turning the pages (quickly). 

A Plot that Sizzles

Perhaps my most favourite element of this story was watching Annie crawl out from under the dominating shadow of her family and become her own person. I felt that Brigid Coady did an excellent job of providing Annie opportunities to achieve her goal only to pull them just slightly out of reach each time.  Even better, the tension between Anne and Austen keeps the plot sizzling along. It made for an exciting and fun read that I could not put down. 

If you like remakes of the classics, or even just a witty, fun romance then pick up a copy of Persuading Austen when it comes on sale July 18th!

Anne Elliott has spent much of her life looking after her father and sisters after her mother's death. They are dismissive and don't respect her.

Anne's dream job is to be a producer and she is excited when she lands her first job on a remake of Pride and Prejudice. That excitement turns to nerves when she finds out Mr. Darcy will be played by her ex Austen Wentworth who is one of Hollywood's biggest names.

I love modern retellings of Jane Austen books, but have never read Persuasion, the one Persuading Austen is based on.

Anne's struggles with her family and self esteem ring true. It didn't feel overdone and my heart felt for her as she tried to overcome her own doubts and the way others treated her.

There are some insights into Austen and Anne's past relationship. I liked that they were interspersed throughout instead of as a prologue or section of one chapter. It felt more authentic that Anne would be remembering things at different times.

I think my favorite part was the ending as everything comes together and you can see the growth in Anne and appreciate her journey!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by this modernized version of Persuasion told via Annie Elliot, a producer for a movie production of Pride and Prejudice.

Her father is selfish, and she's a doormat.

Why, what happened eight years ago?

Great use of Austen names.

Marie sounds like a twat.

A deathbed promise shouldn't ruin your whole life.

Yep, she's still a doormat, Austen.

She finally stood up for herself. Hallelujah.

Her dad thinks he's so important that he can't even put a napkin on his own lap? Ugh.

One conversation, and Austen thinks he has to warn her off poor John?

She's Julia Roberts in "America's Sweethearts".

Ew, why is her cousin flirting with her? That part of the story always creeps me out.

If it sounds like a duck, and walks like a duck, then it's a duck.

She is going to need so much therapy after this movie.

I love Wentworth's letter from the book. The author here does a great modern version.

This is so hard to rate.

It reminds me a little of when I was at school and we were shown a film of one of Shakespeare's plays set in modern day. This is Jane Austen's Persuasion set in modern day where the Elliots are a theatrical dynasty. Annie Elliot is the put-upon second daughter, holding her profligate father William and elder sister Immy together in their family home on Clapham Common. Her younger sister Marie is a TV talk-show hostess married to an investment banker called Charles Musgrove. Although she is a doormat to her family, Annie is also co-owner of a successful production accountancy business with hopes of becoming a producer.

Annie's big chance comes when she is offered the role of assistant producer on a new production of Pride and Prejudice, there are roles for her father and Immy as well as her aunt Lily. However, the coup is that the production has attracted Hollywood star Austen Wentworth. And then she discovers that her estranged cousin Will Elliot has landed the role of Charles Bingley.

For the first third or so of the book it kept pretty close to the original storyline, that works okay for a film but for a die-hard Austen fan like me I was a bit underwhelmed, I know the story and casting it in a contemporary setting only works on film. But as the story moved from setting the scene and firmly entrenching the reader in a Persuasion rerun to the actual filming it stepped away from a faithful retelling of the story and came into its own right.

Most of the key scenes are retold in the book but given a contemporary twist, although they still visit Lyme Regis! I really enjoyed the story but I wonder if my pleasure would have been greater if I hadn't known how the story would end? Maybe someone who hasn't read the original could tell me.

If you loved films like Ten Things I Hate About You (the retelling of The Taming of the Shrew in an American high school) then I think you will really like this. Also, if you've never read Persuasion but would like a second-chance romance set on a British film set I recommend this too.