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Meet the Benedettos: The Kardashians Meet Pride and Prejudice – A Witty LA Family Romance
The Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice in this charming comical follow-up to Birds of California, in which an A-list movie star moves to Los Angeles—and next door to a family of five eligible sisters.
Every family is complicated, and the Benedettos are no exception. A few years after a reality show skyrocketed them to pop culture fame, the five twenty-something sisters are living together in their parent’s crumbling McMansion, almost broke and teetering toward rock bottom. Their fortunes brighten when Charlie Bingley, the dashing star of Captain Fantastic, moves into the neighborhood with Will Darcy, his best friend from Juilliard, in tow. Charlie immediately falls for warm and lovely June, the oldest Benedetto sister. While the Benedetto’s flighty matriarch, Cinta, brashly encourages the potential match, there are plenty of others determined to steer Charlie away from this ridiculous family of reality show has-beens.
Lilly Benedetto, the sensible second oldest sister, is all too aware that her family is viewed as a spectacle. She usually doesn’t care what the world thinks because she faces deeper sorrows. And she most certainly does not have the patience for the likes of Will Darcy, a man plagued by his own private demons. Lilly finds Will to be stuck-up, arrogant, and judgmental. Will thinks Lilly is loud, brash, and defensive. But while the two clash at every turn, they can’t seem to stay away from each other.
Katie Cotugno brings a big, boisterous cast of characters to life in this deliciously sprawling Los Angeles story—a thoroughly fresh and modern tale about a family that’s “famous for being famous,” the ways that preconceived notions make fools of us all, and how unexpected romance can bloom despite the odds.
Every family is complicated, and the Benedettos are no exception. A few years after a reality show skyrocketed them to pop culture fame, the five twenty-something sisters are living together in their parent’s crumbling McMansion, almost broke and teetering toward rock bottom. Their fortunes brighten when Charlie Bingley, the dashing star of Captain Fantastic, moves into the neighborhood with Will Darcy, his best friend from Juilliard, in tow. Charlie immediately falls for warm and lovely June, the oldest Benedetto sister. While the Benedetto’s flighty matriarch, Cinta, brashly encourages the potential match, there are plenty of others determined to steer Charlie away from this ridiculous family of reality show has-beens.
Lilly Benedetto, the sensible second oldest sister, is all too aware that her family is viewed as a spectacle. She usually doesn’t care what the world thinks because she faces deeper sorrows. And she most certainly does not have the patience for the likes of Will Darcy, a man plagued by his own private demons. Lilly finds Will to be stuck-up, arrogant, and judgmental. Will thinks Lilly is loud, brash, and defensive. But while the two clash at every turn, they can’t seem to stay away from each other.
Katie Cotugno brings a big, boisterous cast of characters to life in this deliciously sprawling Los Angeles story—a thoroughly fresh and modern tale about a family that’s “famous for being famous,” the ways that preconceived notions make fools of us all, and how unexpected romance can bloom despite the odds.
245 pages, Hardcover
First published December 5, 2023
212 people are currently reading
16155 people want to read
About the author
Katie Cotugno
23 books2,397 followersKatie Cotugno is the New York Times bestselling author of seven messy, complicated feminist YA love stories, as well as the adult novel Birds of California (Harper Perennial, 2022). She is also the co-author, with Candace Bushnell, of Rules for Being a Girl. Her books have been honored by the Junior Library Guild, the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, and the Kentucky Association of School Librarians, among others, and translated into more than fifteen languages. Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Iowa Review, The Mississippi Review, and Argestes, as well as many other literary magazines. She studied Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College and received her MFA in Fiction at Lesley University. She lives in Boston with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 778 reviews
March 30, 2024
Should have listened to my gut. This one was not for me.
January 9, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up! a messy little hollywoody romp of a pride & prejudice re-telling. not a new favorite, but definitely a fun time!
CW: slut shaming, overdose, disordered eating, calorie counting, anorexia, suicide, night terrors, sexual assault, revenge porn
CW: slut shaming, overdose, disordered eating, calorie counting, anorexia, suicide, night terrors, sexual assault, revenge porn
September 22, 2024
One of my most anticipated books of last year that I just finished and am happy to say it lived up to what I was hoping for. Dubbed as a modern day “the Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice” I can definitely feel the comp to that. It’s a funny and entertaining family drama, romance and finding oneself all rolled up into one short paged book. Five Benedetto sisters, no longer the dahlings of reality tv, are treated as pariahs over their unflattering youth escapades. All single, all live in their parents crumbling Los Angeles manse, all facing major financial setbacks and who they now are as individuals after being cancelled. Up the street lives A-list movie star Charlie Bingley and his best friend (+ somewhat) actor Will Darcy. Both get involved romantically with two of the sisters and the story goes from there. Sad to see the low ratings but I sure had great fun reading it. 4 stars — Pub. 12/5/23
March 14, 2024
3.5 Stars
A follow-up to Birds of California ? Say no more.
Side note: Looks like I gotta re-read the previous book.
A follow-up to Birds of California ? Say no more.
Side note: Looks like I gotta re-read the previous book.
January 26, 2024
I am not a huge Pride and Prejudice fan. It’s fine, but it’s never been my favorite and I’ve never gravitated to the millions of retellings and updates and whatnot. And I am definitely not into Kardashian-style reality TV where people are “famous for being famous.” I don’t even remember who or what put Meet the Benedettos on my radar, but I’m so glad because it was such a fun read!
I liked that it could have worked own. without the P&P tie-in, while also providing fun updates to the original. Yes, the Bennetts here are a Kardashians-fallen-from-grace type reality family who are no longer in the spotlight and are widely mocked for being hangers-on. Don’t let that be the thing that scares you away, because these sisters are way more interesting than the actual Kardashians. Their family’s show was cancelled after a mere three seasons, the patriarch became wealthy by being “The Meatball King,” owner of a sandwich empire, and they are all teetering on the brink of financial ruin.
Then they get a new neighbor, Charlie Bingley, the star of an upcoming Marvel-esque movie. Living with him for a while is Will Darcy, a more serious stage actor who is recovering from an on-Broadway meltdown with his college roommate.
And, I mean, you know where this is going. Second-eldest Benedetto, Lilly, meets Will at a party and they have the hots for each other, but he accidentally-on-purpose insults her and we’re off to the races.
I am usually not into the trope of a couple who fight so much they make themselves horny, but…it worked here? I actually understood the chemistry between Lilly and Will because their banter was fucking hilarious. Lilly might be an analog of Kim Kardashian, but she’s a very smart character with a strong spine, strong moral convictions, and aspirations of her own beyond just trying to worm her way back into “polite society” somehow.
Honestly, my only complaint was that it was all way too rushed. We got several chapters from the POV of non-main characters and they were good, but it would have been fun to spend more time on their various dilemmas and side love stories. And in the end, the main plot built to a crescendo and then then Cotungo just...wrapped it all up neatly in a matter of a dozen pages. I wanted another 100 pages of sisterly hijinks and sexy snarking!
I liked that it could have worked own. without the P&P tie-in, while also providing fun updates to the original. Yes, the Bennetts here are a Kardashians-fallen-from-grace type reality family who are no longer in the spotlight and are widely mocked for being hangers-on. Don’t let that be the thing that scares you away, because these sisters are way more interesting than the actual Kardashians. Their family’s show was cancelled after a mere three seasons, the patriarch became wealthy by being “The Meatball King,” owner of a sandwich empire, and they are all teetering on the brink of financial ruin.
Then they get a new neighbor, Charlie Bingley, the star of an upcoming Marvel-esque movie. Living with him for a while is Will Darcy, a more serious stage actor who is recovering from an on-Broadway meltdown with his college roommate.
And, I mean, you know where this is going. Second-eldest Benedetto, Lilly, meets Will at a party and they have the hots for each other, but he accidentally-on-purpose insults her and we’re off to the races.
I am usually not into the trope of a couple who fight so much they make themselves horny, but…it worked here? I actually understood the chemistry between Lilly and Will because their banter was fucking hilarious. Lilly might be an analog of Kim Kardashian, but she’s a very smart character with a strong spine, strong moral convictions, and aspirations of her own beyond just trying to worm her way back into “polite society” somehow.
Honestly, my only complaint was that it was all way too rushed. We got several chapters from the POV of non-main characters and they were good, but it would have been fun to spend more time on their various dilemmas and side love stories. And in the end, the main plot built to a crescendo and then then Cotungo just...wrapped it all up neatly in a matter of a dozen pages. I wanted another 100 pages of sisterly hijinks and sexy snarking!
December 28, 2023
This was so bad I made a good reads account just so I could rate this somewhere.
January 28, 2024
I LOVED this book. As a mom of 5 girls and a P&P super fan, it won me over immediately.
Katie has such a beautiful way with words and I adored this modern day group of sisters. I keep seeing that this is the Kardashians + Pride and Prejudice but I have to disagree. These girls are so much more lovable and self aware than the Kardashians.
And of course this Darcy is the grumpy man of my dreams, just like every other iteration of Darcy ever. Swoon.
4.5 stars.
Katie has such a beautiful way with words and I adored this modern day group of sisters. I keep seeing that this is the Kardashians + Pride and Prejudice but I have to disagree. These girls are so much more lovable and self aware than the Kardashians.
And of course this Darcy is the grumpy man of my dreams, just like every other iteration of Darcy ever. Swoon.
4.5 stars.
October 8, 2023
I love a Jane Austen spin-off, but I’m not sure if this one was giving what it needed to give. Maybe I’m just ready to move beyond reading about LA and NYC. Some of the writing was a little too on the nose - the great thing about Jane Austen was she was so subtle in her writing. Some funny lines though - I think the family dynamics of the Benedettos accurately matched those of the Bennets.
June 5, 2024
Literally nothing happened in this book, and the characters were so incredibly flat that I couldn’t tell that I had passed the climax of the story and was finishing the literal last page of the book. Horrible take on Pride and Prejudice. No no no no nooooooo!!!!!
December 22, 2023
Beyond obsessed with this author.
January 21, 2024
malibu rising if it sucked ass
November 17, 2023
I liked this book more then the first book I read by Cotugno Birds of California. I hope you get a copy to read.
December 19, 2023
The tension between Lilly and Will Darcy could cut a knife!! I was here for it and this forced proximity with complex family dynamics. I was happy to be in the LA setting and if you’re a fan of any amount of reality TV show/celebrity romances, you can’t go wrong reading this one. I love Katie’s writing and being in Will’s head sometimes 🥲 squeeze my heart.
The way it ended felt a bit rushed and maybe this book was a little too short. A good thing, the want for a book to be longer!
The way it ended felt a bit rushed and maybe this book was a little too short. A good thing, the want for a book to be longer!
August 9, 2024
I really enjoyed her earlier novel (Birds of California) so I was excited to read this one and it was frankly delightful. The marketing copy calls it The Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice and that describes it fairly well. Although I liked the Benedetto MUCH more than the Kardashians … in every way! At times laugh out loud funny but also sweet and poignant in places. It has a good balance in that way. Really enjoyed my time with these characters…
December 12, 2023
This one just wasn't for me. Stories about rich people problems are often a hard sell but if you like Hollywood gossip and Kardashian esque families you might enjoy this one a lot more. Okay on audio (there were multiple alternating POVs and I found it hard to keep track at times). Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 6, 2023
I was super curious about this one when I read it was The Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice. It’s a fun take on family dynamics after the failed reality tv show “Meet The Benedettos”. Dominic, the father of the five Benedettos sisters, is desperate to get their finances in check as the past due bills pile up. His wife blissfully chooses to ignore the new reality of being broke as she caters expensive family meals instead of eating their meal box subscription. As for the sisters, some choose to ignore the new reality while others try to find solutions to this new predicament. The reality of how others see them, the family who was famous just for being famous, sometimes deterring from who they truly are as individuals.
I found myself a little overwhelmed by the amount of POVs, I don’t feel that they were necessary to the story line as most POVs were mainly surface development. I did enjoy the sisterly bonds throughout the book and the chemistry between Lilly and Will. This was definitely a fun Hollywood “behind in the scenes” story of fame, with imperfect characters who are doing their best to navigate complicated expectations and dynamics.
✵𝖬𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝗉𝖾𝗋 𝖯𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗇𝗂𝖺I 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖭𝖾𝗍𝖦𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖠𝖽𝗏𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋’𝗌 𝖢𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐．✵
I found myself a little overwhelmed by the amount of POVs, I don’t feel that they were necessary to the story line as most POVs were mainly surface development. I did enjoy the sisterly bonds throughout the book and the chemistry between Lilly and Will. This was definitely a fun Hollywood “behind in the scenes” story of fame, with imperfect characters who are doing their best to navigate complicated expectations and dynamics.
✵𝖬𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝗉𝖾𝗋 𝖯𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗇𝗂𝖺I 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖭𝖾𝗍𝖦𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖠𝖽𝗏𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋’𝗌 𝖢𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐．✵
Want to read
December 12, 2023nothing better for combatting the december gloomies than a favorite author with a new release, and it brightens my tuesday CONSIDERABLY to tell you that MEET THE BENEDETTOS by Katie Cotugno hits shelves today!
i am an inveterate consumer of pride & prejudice re-tellings, and this modern day, California-based version is so, so good: a Darcy brought up 21st century snuff, a riotously funny post-reality tv Bennet family in a ramshackle mansion, and all the classic story beats. Katie's writing is a combination of emotionally clutch + left-field zingers that always leaves me and, i am certain, would delight jane austen herself. to wit:
“Lilly and June climb out of the back trailed by the rest of their sisters, all of them tumbling out one after another like a family jug band or members of a religious cult come to look for vulnerable young outsiders to conscript into agrarian servitude and sexual deviance.”
thank you to @harpercollins #partner for the chance to read a dARC! can't wait to put my grubby paws on a hard copy. get out there today and treat yourself to this absolute gem of a rom-com, then come join my summoning circle for the screen adaptation 🕯️✨🔮
i am an inveterate consumer of pride & prejudice re-tellings, and this modern day, California-based version is so, so good: a Darcy brought up 21st century snuff, a riotously funny post-reality tv Bennet family in a ramshackle mansion, and all the classic story beats. Katie's writing is a combination of emotionally clutch + left-field zingers that always leaves me and, i am certain, would delight jane austen herself. to wit:
“Lilly and June climb out of the back trailed by the rest of their sisters, all of them tumbling out one after another like a family jug band or members of a religious cult come to look for vulnerable young outsiders to conscript into agrarian servitude and sexual deviance.”
thank you to @harpercollins #partner for the chance to read a dARC! can't wait to put my grubby paws on a hard copy. get out there today and treat yourself to this absolute gem of a rom-com, then come join my summoning circle for the screen adaptation 🕯️✨🔮
September 18, 2023
This story is a mix of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and a modern retelling of "Pride and Prejudice". This waffle between two very different concepts plays out in the story telling: I'm not entirely sure this story ever really knows what it is.
The pros: the relationships between the sisters is very well written and the main lead, Lilly, has some great interiority. The chemistry between Will and Lilly is very palpable and their inner monologues as they deal with their attraction is well written. Their individual backstories, and trauma, are incredibly well done.
However, the things that brought this down to 3 stars for me: there are multiple POVS throughout this, and about three quarters of them are unnecessary. They are used to provide a different vantage point to the main two leads but really bring nothing to the story line. I hate skimming, and these POVs definitely cause me to skim.
I also think the ending seems really rushed/loose ended? It didn't get wrapped up in any way: almost feels like the ending to the Sopranos. I turned the page and went "wait, what?". I wanted a REAL ending.
This wasn't bad by any means. I finished it and did find myself wanting to come back for it. But it had so much room for so so much more.
The pros: the relationships between the sisters is very well written and the main lead, Lilly, has some great interiority. The chemistry between Will and Lilly is very palpable and their inner monologues as they deal with their attraction is well written. Their individual backstories, and trauma, are incredibly well done.
However, the things that brought this down to 3 stars for me: there are multiple POVS throughout this, and about three quarters of them are unnecessary. They are used to provide a different vantage point to the main two leads but really bring nothing to the story line. I hate skimming, and these POVs definitely cause me to skim.
I also think the ending seems really rushed/loose ended? It didn't get wrapped up in any way: almost feels like the ending to the Sopranos. I turned the page and went "wait, what?". I wanted a REAL ending.
This wasn't bad by any means. I finished it and did find myself wanting to come back for it. But it had so much room for so so much more.
February 15, 2024
Literally can’t finish this book it is so bad and I feel like nothing has happened
January 20, 2024
Really liked Lilly as a protagonist, especially in the voice of her inner monologue. This book also had a vibe to it that I felt was really gelling with my current mood - the writing's on the wall that things aren't going well but you're on the ride and the only way out is through. However, I felt the book felt rushed at the end and I wanted more of nearly every single character in the novel when I reached that last page.
February 15, 2024
A light-hearted easy read! Sort of a Jane Austen plot with the cast of the Kardashians.
December 23, 2024
delightful! I want more!
November 22, 2024
This is a fun quick easy read. I love that the story line involved / showcases the strength and bond sisters share with each other. Honestly I don’t have much else to stay about the book, since the plot was nothing crazy or shocking or unreal.
May 21, 2025
Not bad, not memorable but fun at times
Want to read
July 14, 2023A fun-filled, witty, light story revealing complexities of being human.
Promoted as The Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice, Meet the Benedettos is a truly charming affair as Cotugno introduces us to a flailing reality show family trying to maintain fame and live life in LA. The five sisters are well known around town, and not in a good way. They are undeterred and continue to live a life to the fullest, even as past due bills pile up in the household.
A great romance story, a great story in general, I will be thinking about these young women for a long time. This is a testament to Katie Cotugno ! If you like witty repartee, stories of fame and life in LA, or just want to meet a family that you would truly love to join, Meet the Benedettos is for you! #MeettheBenedettos #KatieCotugno
#harper #harperperrenial
Promoted as The Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice, Meet the Benedettos is a truly charming affair as Cotugno introduces us to a flailing reality show family trying to maintain fame and live life in LA. The five sisters are well known around town, and not in a good way. They are undeterred and continue to live a life to the fullest, even as past due bills pile up in the household.
A great romance story, a great story in general, I will be thinking about these young women for a long time. This is a testament to Katie Cotugno ! If you like witty repartee, stories of fame and life in LA, or just want to meet a family that you would truly love to join, Meet the Benedettos is for you! #MeettheBenedettos #KatieCotugno
#harper #harperperrenial
November 18, 2023
[arc review]
Thank you to Harper Perennial for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Meet the Benedettos releases December 5, 2023
“The Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice” which is an odd combination to begin with.
I thought I would enjoy this one a lot more than I did, but I found myself seeking more depth, and more of a solid conflict.
The romance was flimsy at best, and none of the characters were very compatible.
A decent airplane read I suppose, which let’s be honest, sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
cw: eating disorder, overdose, some OW drama
Thank you to Harper Perennial for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Meet the Benedettos releases December 5, 2023
“The Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice” which is an odd combination to begin with.
I thought I would enjoy this one a lot more than I did, but I found myself seeking more depth, and more of a solid conflict.
The romance was flimsy at best, and none of the characters were very compatible.
A decent airplane read I suppose, which let’s be honest, sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
cw: eating disorder, overdose, some OW drama
January 6, 2024
Disappointing!
January 22, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
I liked this but I wish it had a bit more story with it.
I liked this but I wish it had a bit more story with it.
December 5, 2023
If Kris Kardashian Jenner had a baby with the book Pride and Prejudice (I wouldn't put it past that machiavellian mastermind to figure out how to get impregnated by a book if it meant being more famous and rich) you would have the amazing book Meet the Benedettos. This book is a work of genius: a perfect mix of my fave regency romance and Keeping up w the Kardashians. It has everything in it I love- celebrity, romance, strong sister bonds, Jane mother fucking Austen. Warning: this book is low-smut, yet I still loved it..because quite frankly, anything having to do with Jane Austen gives me a hard-on, so I finished this book feeling pretty dang satiated.
The book brings us into the world of the Benedetto sisters- mainly the pluckiest sister, Lilly. A famous-for-being-famous lot who had a reality show, but now are suffering dwindling fame and fortune. A famous actor and his dour friend, Will Darcy move into their neighborhood and join the Benedettos' social circle. While the story focuses mostly on Lilly and Will and their relationships with each other and those around them- the book is fundamentally about the complicated bonds of family, particularly the engaging Benedetto sisters. I loved every layer of this delicious read. My only complaint is that it ended too fast- I needed more groveling, more making up, and more time with the Benedetto family. MAKE THIS ONE A SERIES (please).
Smut- 1.5 stars, add a star for your Jane Austen Boner
Romance- 3.9 stars
Story- 4.9 stars
Kris Jenner getting artificially inseminated with book sperm- neg 13.2 stars
The book brings us into the world of the Benedetto sisters- mainly the pluckiest sister, Lilly. A famous-for-being-famous lot who had a reality show, but now are suffering dwindling fame and fortune. A famous actor and his dour friend, Will Darcy move into their neighborhood and join the Benedettos' social circle. While the story focuses mostly on Lilly and Will and their relationships with each other and those around them- the book is fundamentally about the complicated bonds of family, particularly the engaging Benedetto sisters. I loved every layer of this delicious read. My only complaint is that it ended too fast- I needed more groveling, more making up, and more time with the Benedetto family. MAKE THIS ONE A SERIES (please).
Smut- 1.5 stars, add a star for your Jane Austen Boner
Romance- 3.9 stars
Story- 4.9 stars
Kris Jenner getting artificially inseminated with book sperm- neg 13.2 stars
December 14, 2023
2.5 Stars
“In the living room she finds the girls heaped in a Turnpike Pileup, all five of them fast asleep like something out of a fairy tale, Cinta watches them for a moment: the long lines of their calf muscles, their faces smooth and relaxed. Olivia’s hair across June’s shoulder, Kit’s head in Lily’s lap. Mari is curled on her side, turned away from the others; still, Cinta can’t help but notice, one seeking hand reaches back. They’ll land on their feet, she thinks in the moment before she forces herself to stop imagining it, heads back up to bed with a mind gone perfectly, peacefully blank: her girls, her dark-eyed wonders, her miracles each and every one. After all, they’re Benedettos. After all, they always do.”
The Benedettos, a family famous for their father’s pizza chain and a reality TV series exploiting their lives, find themselves almost broke and teetering on the edge of financial ruin. When a wealthy movie star, Charlie Bingley, moves in down the block with his close friend, Will Darcy, their mother believes a match can potentially save them. Will Darcy is brash, rude, and unlikeable, but Lily is drawn to his dark and broody personality. Will is drawn to Lily’s fire but is scared to be burned again so he pushes her away. He doesn’t realize that once a Benedetto gets under your skin, they are hard to get rid of.
A modern retelling of the Jane Austen classic, Pride and Prejudice, which is an absolute favorite of mine. Is there any hero more swoon-worthy than Fitzwilliam Darcy in all of romance? Not in my eyes. I was notably excited to read this, but I found there to be a lot of issues. First, the fact that the hero sleeps with someone else after having an encounter with the heroine disturbs me. I get that they aren’t in a relationship, but it completely draws me out of the romance. The fact that it happened more than once was a definite turnoff.
I also found this to be so on the nose with Pride and Prejudice, the character and location names, and the plot, that it felt unoriginal and uninspired. I think you can do a modern retelling but make it fresh and I think Katie Cotugno failed at doing that. By the end, I hated Will Darcy, and he never made up for being an immature bonehead. Was there anything I enjoyed about this? I was fond of Lily. She seemed mature and level-headed, and I enjoyed the family relationships between the Benedettos. They were the only part that made this book tolerable.
Fans of Lynn Painter and Emily Henry may enjoy this one more than I did.
~ Michelle
“In the living room she finds the girls heaped in a Turnpike Pileup, all five of them fast asleep like something out of a fairy tale, Cinta watches them for a moment: the long lines of their calf muscles, their faces smooth and relaxed. Olivia’s hair across June’s shoulder, Kit’s head in Lily’s lap. Mari is curled on her side, turned away from the others; still, Cinta can’t help but notice, one seeking hand reaches back. They’ll land on their feet, she thinks in the moment before she forces herself to stop imagining it, heads back up to bed with a mind gone perfectly, peacefully blank: her girls, her dark-eyed wonders, her miracles each and every one. After all, they’re Benedettos. After all, they always do.”
The Benedettos, a family famous for their father’s pizza chain and a reality TV series exploiting their lives, find themselves almost broke and teetering on the edge of financial ruin. When a wealthy movie star, Charlie Bingley, moves in down the block with his close friend, Will Darcy, their mother believes a match can potentially save them. Will Darcy is brash, rude, and unlikeable, but Lily is drawn to his dark and broody personality. Will is drawn to Lily’s fire but is scared to be burned again so he pushes her away. He doesn’t realize that once a Benedetto gets under your skin, they are hard to get rid of.
A modern retelling of the Jane Austen classic, Pride and Prejudice, which is an absolute favorite of mine. Is there any hero more swoon-worthy than Fitzwilliam Darcy in all of romance? Not in my eyes. I was notably excited to read this, but I found there to be a lot of issues. First, the fact that the hero sleeps with someone else after having an encounter with the heroine disturbs me. I get that they aren’t in a relationship, but it completely draws me out of the romance. The fact that it happened more than once was a definite turnoff.
I also found this to be so on the nose with Pride and Prejudice, the character and location names, and the plot, that it felt unoriginal and uninspired. I think you can do a modern retelling but make it fresh and I think Katie Cotugno failed at doing that. By the end, I hated Will Darcy, and he never made up for being an immature bonehead. Was there anything I enjoyed about this? I was fond of Lily. She seemed mature and level-headed, and I enjoyed the family relationships between the Benedettos. They were the only part that made this book tolerable.
Fans of Lynn Painter and Emily Henry may enjoy this one more than I did.
~ Michelle
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