Search This Blog

2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


33 / 30 bookish books. 110% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (9)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (2)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (3)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (22)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Russia (1)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


50 / 50 books. 100% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


50 / 52 books. 96% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


36 / 40 books. 90% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


18 / 40 books. 45% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


26 / 25 cozies. 104% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


23 / 26.2 miles (3rd lap). 88% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


42 / 100 books. 42% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


97 / 109 books. 89% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


136 / 165 books. 82% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


83 / 100 names. 83% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


14 / 80 skills. 18% done!
Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Contemporary LDS P&P Re-Telling Entertaining & Enjoyable (With a Giveaway!)

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

As the daughter of a well-known senator infamous for being both a Mormon and a Democrat, Summer Knight has developed a thick skin.  The 24-year-old couldn't survive life in the spotlight without it.  She knows the world of politics is cutthroat, but what she hasn't quite developed is the capacity to forgive those who've sought to ruin her father's career.  Especially when they're church members who profess to be kind and loving, only to turn on one of their own when he dares to express unpopular opinions.  After an especially humiliating event, Summer decides she's done with the small-mindedness, done with the judgment, done with the LDS church altogether.

Living in Newport Beach, California, Summer spends her Sundays on the water, logging perfect attendance at the Paddleboarding Ward.  Although her conscience (and a tenacious visiting teacher) tells her she should be spending Sunday in church, she just can't make herself take that step.  Then, a tantalizing stranger enters her life.  Tall, dark, and handsome, 28-year-old Benson Hardy is the nephew of Clint Knight's rival, an LDS politician campaigning to be President of The United States.  Benson is also a devout Mormon.  Clearly, this is a man with whom Summer should not be fraternizing.  Ever.  Yet, there's something about the enigmatic political strategist.  Sure, he's stiff, unsmiling, and a master at calling her bluff.  He's also patient, forgiving, and loyal.  Or is he?  When an old friend of Benson's—one much more affable than gruff Mr. Hardy—arrives in town, he's got a whole different story to tell about his childhood pal ...

Not sure what to believe about the enigmatic Benson, Summer tries to keep him at arm's length.  A difficult prospect.  At every turn, he angers her, frustrates her, and provokes her.  So why can't she get him off her mind?      

With tension building to a crescendo around her, Summer must decide who she really is, what she truly believes, and how much she's willing to risk in order to create the future she never knew she wanted. 

 As you can tell, Pride & Politics—a debut novel by Brittany Larsen—takes Jane Austen's beloved classic and gives it a modern, LDS spin.  While no contemporary version can equal the original in pure charm, Larsen gives it an admirable go.  Like Austen, the author examines her own people with a sharp eye, offering up some bold and surprising observations.  In fact, that's what I like most about Pride & Politics—it doesn't shy away from addressing some of Mormonism's toughest, most divisive issues.  Without being hypercritical, it teaches a truth people have a hard time believing: Latter-Day Saints aren't always, well, saints.  Although the story gets heavy at times, mostly it's not.  Summer's voice is bright, funny, and real, keeping the tone of the novel light.  Like Pride & Prejudice, plot is not this book's strong point.  Still, it's entertaining.  While Benson is no Mr. Darcy (too nice, maybe?) and Summer is no Lizzy Bennet (too self-centered?), Pride & Politics is still swoony enough to elicit romantic sighs.  All in all, I enjoyed it.  Quite thoroughly, as a matter of fact.

(Readalikes:  Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for sexual innuendo and (non-graphic) references to mature subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Pride & Politics from the generous folks at Covenant Communications.  Thank you!

--

Want more reviews of Pride & Politics?  How about a chance to win your own copy of the book?  Check out the following links:




a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 comments:

  1. You can't go wrong with a P&P retelling. Taking a Mormon spin on it could be fun. Did you ever see the Mormon movie? It's a secret guilty pleasure of mine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. No, I haven't. I need to now. I just "re-read" P&P, except I think that might have actually been the first time I've ever read it. Shame on me.

      Delete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

Blog Widget by LinkWithin


Reading

<i>Reading</i>
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth



Followin' with Bloglovin'

Follow

Followin' with Feedly

follow us in feedly



Grab my Button!


Blog Design by:


Blog Archive