Definitely, Maybe in Love

Definitely Maybe #1

by Ophelia London

A new adult novel from Entangled's Embrace imprint...

Her theory of attraction is about to get a new angle...

Spring Honeycutt wants two things: to ace her sustainable living thesis and to save the environment. Both seem hopelessly unobtainable until her college professor suggests that with a new angle, her paper could be published. Spring swears she’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens.

“Whatever it takes,” however, means forming a partnership with the very hot, very privileged, very conceited Henry Knightly.

Henry is Spring's only hope at publication, but he's also the über-rich son of a land developer and cash-strapped Spring’s polar opposite. Too bad she can't help being attracted to the way he pushes her buttons, both politically and physically. As they work on her thesis, Spring finds there's more to Henry than his old money and argyle sweaters…but can she drop the loud-and-proud act long enough to let him in? Suddenly, choosing between what she wants and what she needs puts Spring at odds with everything she believes in.

Definitely, Maybe in Love is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice that proves true love is worth risking a little pride.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, College, Young Adult

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 28, 2013

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas, and she’s lived in Dallas ever since. A self-proclaimed Southern Woman, she enjoys cupcakes, planking, reruns of Dawson’s Creek and obsessing over her Italian Greyhound, Peanut. Ophelia is the author of SUMMER AT MOUNT JOY, book #4 in her Sugar City series! As well as the Honey Brook series, the Perfect Kisses series, the Abby Road series, and other adult, NA and YA sweet romances. Visit her books HERE. But don't call when she's streaming The Golden Girls. #PaceyLove

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Reviews

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you have a special love for Pride & Prejudice? Well, I do! After hearing Definitely, Maybe in Love was a modern day re-telling of this beloved story I was completely excited. Re-tellings can be tricky and often disappointing, but no worries, this stayed true to the story with way more kissing! Yes!

Spring Honeycutt is an environmentalist to the extreme, and a junior in college working on her thesis in Environmental Science. Her teacher tells her something is missing from her project: a clear understanding of the opposition. What better person to teach her the opposition than Henry Knightly III? He’s a rich, arrogant student whose way of life and belief system offends all she holds dear.

Well, I don’t need to tell you that this is a hate to love relationship if you’ve seen or read Pride & Prejudice. Spring and Henry get off to a rough start just like Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy do. They both have preconceived ideas about each other that are not at all positive. With that being said, there is an immediate, undeniable physical attraction that makes it hard for Spring and Henry to ignore each other. Slowly, Spring and Henry get to know each other and find their snap judgments may not be entirely correct. More surprising is the fact that the more they get to know each other, the more their attraction and admiration grows.

Definitely, Maybe in Love held pretty true to the original story, but set the romance in modern situations that are easily relatable. The addition of swoony, passionate kisses was lovely because I always want more kissing! Thank goodness Ophelia London granted my wishes!

This sweet and swoony romance is a must for any Pride & Prejudice OR romance fan. Ophelia London provided a fresh take and an old, well-loved tale; one I thoroughly enjoyed!

Make sure to check out Ophelia London's casting picks on Pinterest for Spring and Henry! I love a rumpled and sexy Adam Brody for Henry!

Favorite Quotes (spoilery):

“I feel like tonight is Christmas and my birthday,” he whispered. “And I just got everything on my list.”

“Henry Edward Knighly…the third,” I added in a whisper, giving him a knowing grin. I ran my hands up his arms. “You drive me absolutely crazy.” He chuckled softly and looked down. “You amaze me.” I lifted his chin. “And I love you.”


A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[Glass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from Way Too Hot Books

I am big fan of Pride and Prejudice - my first introduction with it happened when I was around 10 years old, I watched that TV show with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. It was love at first sight. I read the book much later. When I saw that Definitely, Maybe in Love was modern retelling of story about my favorite brooding man - I just had to read it. So far I didn't have much luck with P&P retellings, but Ophelia London had me hooked from the first page.

Spring & Henry. Are perfect. Author managed to capture everything that made us love Elizabeth and Darcy so much and put it in completely new set of interests and circumstances. Spring is kind of girl that every single one of us should try to be like - strong, determined, smart, independent, not afraid to speak up and active member of society. Oh, she is my superhero. I love "girl-power" characters. I didn't know that it was possible, but I love Henry even more than Darcy. He has this whole untouchable attitude, but he is not jerk - Henry is not intimidated by Spring, quite opposed - he is attracted to her because she is that type of girl, he admires Spring's ability to hold her ground. That is kind of man every woman wish for.

Green theme. One of the biggest pluses for me is that Definitely, Maybe in Love talks about environmental issues and it seems that that is something that is important to author, not just convenient setting for retelling. I loved the way both characters gave their opinions about certain subjects and the way it connected them. Ophelia London tells to readers that you can always do something to change to world you live in.

Cranberries, cowboy hats and braids. If you want to read a book that will make you swoon all the time, you just have to pick up this one. You'll be swept of your feet on every third page. There are no explicit scenes, but you'll feel the tension and you will have an overwhelming need to kiss and be kissed.

But... There is always but, isn't it? I had problem with Julia and Dart's story. It has few loopholes and feels unfinished. I liked them as characters, don't get me wrong, but I just have a feeling like there could be much more. Still, that haven't been big problem - I absolutely love this novel.

Should you read it? You have to if you consider yourself true Pride and Prejudice fan. I even think that younger generation of readers will enjoy this story much more. Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London has to be on the list of books that you think your daughter should read one day.

***Copy of this book was provided by publisher in exchange for honest review.***

[✝✝ Ⓓaisy ❣ ✝✝ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so sweet and adorable. If you are in a mood of a university pick it up and enjoy Spring and Henry!

Spring sounds so much like me as we are both living a research life. <3
Exactly what I would say to my mates too "I've got a research project I'm trying to wrap my brain around"

Spring is so into sustainable studies, she even went vegetarian!!



One day, Henry comes in the form of new neighbour and without realising she might need his help. At the same time, she is trying to stay away from his type LMAO Can that happen? We'll see.



"That means..... if you're an environmentalist, then I'm your worst nightmare. But it also means that if you want to learn about the economics of land development, then I'm your man of dreams"



**ARC provided by publisher**

[Angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

That was painful to read. Or maybe it's just because I already had a headache, but either way, I struggled to get through Definitely, Maybe in Love. I was beyond excited when Entangled launched their New Adult imprint, so I dove straight into this one. I was even more excited because the main character is an Environmental Science student. I honestly didn't care that it was also a Pride & Prejudice retelling, since all that means is that we know exactly how the story is going to play out. Unfortunately, Spring Honeycutt (a most unfortunate name) completely ruined any potential that this book had from the very first chapter.

In the first two chapters of Definitely, Maybe in Love we learn almost everything we need to know about Spring Honeycutt. She's in her junior year of Environmental Science at Stanford and is working on an undergrad thesis, which is awesome! As someone with a degree in Environmental Science, I was looking forward to reading about someone I could probably relate to! Unfortunately, Spring is one of those self-righteous environmentalists who make the rest of us look bad. On top of that, she clearly states that she's trying to stand out and be noticed by looking the part of an environmentalist. Basically she turned vegetarian and gets her hair braided every two months. Great.

Furthermore, she's even a feminist, since that typically goes hand-in-hand with being a "tree hugger." Except that her definition of being a feminist is to not listen to ANY music performed by male artists. Say what?! Spring is one of the most close minded people I have ever encountered. She claims to live by "live and let live" but she doesn't...at all! Pretty much anyone involved in finance, business, land development or related fields are evil idiots and don't know anything about the environment. I would suggest she take Urban Ecology and Environmental Economics to see just how far off point she is!

In fact, the catalyst to getting Spring and Henry (her Mr. Darcy) together is that her adviser tells her that her thesis is missing an understanding of the opposing side, so to go get help from a economics student. She grudgingly does so in order to get a good grade, but does she actually learn anything by the end of Definitely, Maybe in Love? I don't think so. She dates said economics student (actually he's a land development law student, but whatever) and takes out her precious braids, but that's it. Oh, and she says "frack" instead of "fuck" which is beyond irritating, and no one in the book seems even fazed by it.

I could actually go on and on about Spring being a fake environmentalist, but I'll move on to some of the other things that bothered me in Definitely, Maybe in Love. Braids! Spring's braids are mentioned constantly! Like having braids is suppose to mean something. I wore braids all the time when I was in elementary school, and even now sometimes my mom braids my hair so I don't have to deal with it for a little while. Braids are not some environmentalist staple, and yet there's way too much focus on Spring's hair! Why is that?! And the entire book felt like a Diet Coke advertisement. It's all anyone ever drinks and it's always mentioned by name. Why not just have a character grab a "soda"? Does it always have to be Diet Coke?!

The time line of Definitely, Maybe in Love also threw me off at times. Well, maybe not the time line specifically, but the transitions between scenes. It jumps around a lot, since these 260 pages cover an entire year, but many times it's not clear how time is passing. One page it's Thanksgiving, then suddenly they're getting read to leave for Winter break, but on the very next page they're already back from break. Then the next chapter it's suddenly Spring Break. Where is the time going!? A few times, it seemed like the very next day or at least close, but then Spring would say something about several weeks passing. It was all very jumpy.

Maybe I was too close to the subject matter to just sit back and enjoy it, but Definitely, Maybe in Love was one of my biggest disappoints of the year. Spring is a horrible protagonist and I never felt like cheering for her to get her man. I liked Henry. He seemed genuinely nice, but we really only see him through Spring's eyes, which puts him down as a spoiled rich boy who must hate the environment since his family owns lots of land. By the end, we see that's not true at all, but Spring never gave him a chance to show that earlier. Plus, the entire book is just boring. Perhaps I'm just use to NA being really dramatic, but nothing happens. It's all about Spring, and I hated her.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London and I loved reading it! There is something about the way London writes that I just adore. I love her witty, sarcastic voice. Definitely, Maybe in Love is a modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice and it was absolutely adorable. And even though you know how it’s going to end, I just Couldn’t. Put. This. Book. Down. I read it in one sitting, ignoring my children and all else around me. And let me tell you, you will not be disappointed with Henry! Henry is as smexy as Mr. Darcy ever was and is (he still lives in my mind).

What I liked most about Definitely, Maybe in Love was how London incorporated the characters from Jane Austen's beloved novel into her own story and made them fresh, yet familiar. It was fun seeing how the new set of characters were related to each other and how their characters evolved.

I especially loved the visual we received at the end in the rain…kuddos to London for adding in a “wet shirt” scene and paying tribute to the best scene in the Pride & Prejudice BBC 1995 version of the movie with Colin Firth! Although I have to say, Henry is sexier than Colin in my mind. ;)

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I have a secret to tell you, please don't judge me too harshly. I never read Pride & Prejudice, nor have I ever watched the movie versions....I know! I am a freak of nature and not fit to be considered an avid reader. Having said that, I feel a little guilty reviewing this modern take on the classic Jane Austin novel. I am going to give it a shot though.



Spring is a young woman who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is a cynic and a little rough around the edges. She is working on her degree and she is determined to change the world and make it a better place. She attends rallies and became a vegetarian in an effort to "fit the part" and be noticed in her program. She was doing really well until her adviser told her she should consider the economic impact of conservation and environmentalism. Spring is flabbergasted. She needs to find someone who is an economics major to help her make her thesis airtight.



Henry is a law student who comes from old money. His family owns a lot of land and they also donated a building that Spring protested against on campus. So when Henry moves in next door, he has no idea what he is in for. Spring doesn't take anything sitting down. She is in his face and he has no idea what to make of this bohemian beauty who is standing up to him. She is his opposite in every way.



Spring discovers that Henry has something she needs desperately. He has studied economics and he is getting his law degree. His family represents the opposition to her thesis. She needs him to make her paper better. They start working together and the tension is high. They argue almost constantly. Spring is harsh in her judgement of him. Henry pushes almost every one of her buttons. So when they finally get close and he leaves, she is shocked. She convinces herself that she is better off without him.


They find each other again and despite the undeniable chemistry, the timing is never right.



Secrets and betrayals are abound. Spring feels torn and alone without Henry even if she knows they aren't right for each other. How could they be, he is so different from her.




Spring has to figure out who she is and what she wants out of this life. She can no longer play the broken hearted victim. She has to make her own future.



Call it fate, but when something is meant to be, it is meant to be.

"Spring," he whispered, looking into my eyes, making my knees shake. "Your all I've thought about for months."



In the end, we get our happily ever after, but it is a long and winding road to get to that happy place. I suppose that is why it tastes so much sweeter in the end.

"Opposition makes for good debates, Spring," he whispered, leaning down to nuzzle the side of my neck. "And I plan on having good debates with you for at least the next ten presidential elections."


This story is told from Spring's point of view. We get to ride along with her as she deals with friends, family and love. She is young and in the process of finding herself. She has a chip on her shoulder and something to prove. But underneath the tough hippie chick, is a sensitive soul. Henry sees this and that is what makes this story so sweet. Henry stays by her side when she is being absolutely ridiculous.

Henry is not perfect though. He has his share of bombshells. There are miscommunications and secrets that cause quite a bit of drama. Spring is not an overly emotional woman but she finds herself unable to deny the intensity of her emotions when it comes to Henry.

I adored Henry's argyle wearing, straight laced, lawyer persona. I loved it because through it all, he was able to recognize something in Spring that was missing from himself. She made him better. And in the end he made her better as well. They both came together to complete one another. Yes, it's sappy, but it worked.

The only thing I found distracting were all of the secondary characters and side stories. It felt like too much at times. I also really wish we had some of Henry's point of view, I wanted to know what was going on in that infuriating man's head! Having said that, I still give this a rock solid four stars. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the New Adult genre as well as fans of Contemporary Romance.



***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.***

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one FRACKIN AMAZING book...
OMG... 5 stars doesn't even begin to rate this book...
I am going to gather my thoughts before I review...
MAN... *sighs* just pure awesomeness..

FULL REVIEW:
I have to start by saying that I started this book and in two hours had ¾ of it read…I was immediately sucked in and the only reason I stopped was because I HAD TO GO TO BED….

Usually I wouldn’t go to sleep when a book is this AWESOME…but I do have a job that entails me being awake and attentive…LOL!!!
Anyway, the instant connection that I felt with Spring was what surprised me. She is a fabulously written character that encompasses so many personality traits that you are constantly enjoying every interaction she has. She can be snarky and humorous all the while showing her intellect, as well as being guarded and withdrawn, but these attributes are only half of who she is…
While we meet one girl at the beginning we find someone else by the end. Is it a complete transformation?? Well, I won’t say…but I can tell you that not one single moment did I feel like it was dull, boring or did I skip through to find something more intriguing.
Spring captured your attention the minute she entered the room and this was evident the moment we meet Henry Knightly…Just mentioning his name right now…..AHHHHH….OMG…the absolute MAN OF MY DREAMS!!!!

Ok..ok Kat…back to the review…You can daydream later....*wipes drool from my mouth*

So, we meet Henry and he is the complete opposite of Spring. From their backgrounds in growing up to their view on the world, these two rarely saw eye to eye…
Now, this really made for some comical and climactic moments. Henry and Spring debated like no one else and they both could back up their arguments…but it was the fact that each person was able to be open minded that shows you exactly how phenomenal this story is…
It flowed and pivoted exactly when it needed to. Giving me exactly what I needed to keep me enthralled….
The relationship between Henry and Spring is one that will be told for ages…it is EPIC…their chemistry literally EXPLODES off the pages and all you can feel is the emotions emanating from them…I can't tell you how many times I would yell at Spring telling her to SHUT UP and just LISTEN for a minute...but that is just one more aspect of who she is that you absolutely LOVE...

It is truly a story of give and takes, of two people opening up and discovering that there is so much more than the world they have painted for themselves.

Definitely, Maybe in Love is a passionate love story that grips your heart with a stunning well developed cast of characters. Each orchestrated perfectly to enhance the stellar tale being told within these pages...

From start to finish, this book has plagued my thoughts and my only regret is that I read it too fast...But I will be reading this again, savoring every single moment....

I highly...HIGHLY recommend this book...

It makes my top reads of the year so far...

www.tsktskwhattoread2.blogspot.com

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Pride and Prejudice inspired story. I think I am in love with Henry. I found myself not being able to put it down and loved watching as Springer and Henry fell in love. Now where is my Pride and Prejudice DVD (BBC Version of course).

[Sheryl C. Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely BEAUTIFUL re-telling of my FAVORITE Jane Austen novel; Pride and Prejudice... (of course, the TV - BBC version with Colin Firth was the ULTIMATE in wet-panty inducement, if i do say so myself!!! LOL!!).

[A_Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 TOTALLY BLEW ME AWAY STARS!!!!

I really wasn't expecting this little gem to be so enjoyable... I just wanted to see how a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice would go.

AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!

I'm so glad I gave this a go. Ophelia London has done a great job of re-creating the magic of Pride and Prejudice and writing a totally entertaining, fun love story.

[Marguerite (M) · Rating 4 out of 5]

« That means, » he said, « if you're an environmentalist, then I'm your worst nightmare. But it also means that if you want to learn about the economics of land development, then I'm the man of your dreams. »

Oh you definitely are. Even if you have a shitty name. Henry Knightly (the third). Yuck.


Definitely, maybe in love is a Pride & Prejudice retelling, and I read it because Rachelle did and liked it.
I did too.

The truth is that I never read any Pride & Prejudice retelling. NEVER. Sure, I watched any adaptations possible. American version, BBC version, Bollywood version, Pride & Prejudice and zombies, … And I can't help but like all of them. But I've never read a book retelling it. Because Pride & Prejudice is my favourite book ever. I've read it in english, and I probably read all the french translations. I kid you not, I've got like six books of it.

Definitely, maybe in love is a modern Pride & Prejudice retelling. Set nowadays, we follow self-proclaimed environmentalist Spring Honeycutt and law student Henry Knightly as they meet and work with each other on Spring's thesis. You know the original blurb, and Ophelia London doesn't not differ much from it but sucess to make an entire different story with a different feeling.

Pride & Prejudice was epic and beautiful. Definitely, maybe in love is adorable, and you can't help but smile throughout the book.

They don't go to balls, but to parties. They're not looking for husbands but to ace their majors. No family dictating their behaviors, no real impasse about their difference in social status. Definitely, maybe in love is all about Spring and Henry learning to know each other, talking, arguing and falling in love. Their relationship is based on a lot of misunderstandings and disagreements, but it's cute and very intense. Their discussions are intense. Their aguing is. They both are super smart and have marvellous repartees, and it was real kicky to read.

Definitely, maybe in love was a lighthearted read, with just enough drama to follow the original story and add a little more substance. The best thing about the book, is that I knew how it would turn out, but I still waited eagerly for my happily ever after.

[Stacee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. Not many "modernizations" of P+P pull it off, but this one was damn near perfection. I loved the way things got moved around, it kept me guessing.

Love love loved Henry. He's cocky and adorable and so so delicious. Spring was a bit irritating. She had the snark and wit that Elizabeth did, but I got tired of the feminist/environmentalist role pretty quickly. It's one thing to be passionate about something, but she was borderline obsessed.

However, the differences between Henry and Spring make for some amazing [and at times swoony] banter. It was fun watching them figure it all out and the ending was phenomenal.

This is definitely going to be a book I read over and over again.

[Christa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is unintentionally hilarious. In fact I was enjoying it because of how silly it was. But I got to 43% (through parts 1 and 2) and decided I wasn’t in the mood to waste time on a book I was going to give one star, no matter how funny it was.

So what could go wrong with a new adult retelling of Pride and Prejudice?

Elizabeth Bennet is an iconic literary figure for many reasons. She knows her mind, she’s not afraid to speak it, but she’s not abrasive with her opinions. Her NA counterpart is Spring Honeycutt, yes, that’s her real name. She’s a college hippie feminist wanting to save the world from the man, and just frankly ridiculous.

“But right along with braiding my hair, changing my major, and painting my first picket sign, I put myself on a chick-only music regimen. Not having that added distraction was kind of empowering.”

These aren’t bad things. Sure, the female only music is a little closed minded, but whatever floats your boat. But she’s so obnoxious and judgmental that I rolled my eyes every time she got on her soapbox.

“I…I know what they—what you—believe in,” I added, unable to stop myself from filling the silence. “And you should know, I didn’t come here to argue with you, or to hear a lecture, or for either of us to change our minds. I’m here because I have no other choice. Just so we’re clear. Okay? Don’t think you can trash my whole belief system then walk away.”
He leaned back in his chair. “I haven’t said anything yet.”

I think the root of my problem isn’t that she’s a hippie, she’s only into that stuff because she feels like it’s what is expected of her major.

“It’s like, one day you’re hanging out with your friends like any normal chick, wearing a skirt, pink tank top, and strappy sandals, and the next day you’re off meat, you’ve got those things in your hair, and you’re picketing City Hall to save some endangered mountainous tribe in Costa Rica that no one’s ever heard of.”

Henry (Darcy) is an economics major who moves across the street with his friend Dart (Bingley). Unlike the original “she is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me”, Henry calls Spring a dirty hippie, which was mean but true, and the look that Spring was going for anyway.

Spring’s roommate Julia (Jane) was a great character. In fact, it seems like Julia’s character is more like Elizabeth that Spring was. She’s nice, but not blind to how ridiculous her friend is, like how Elizabeth was with her family.

“We’ve known each other for more than two years,” she began, eyes lowered. “You didn’t used to be so closed-minded.”
“The guy called me hypocritical the other day because I ate an egg.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m an Environmental Vegetarian, not Gandhi. And last week, he told me I’m a haughty elitist. How can I be an elitist if I don’t have any money?”
“Your attitude, maybe?”

That’s a true Elizabeth cut down. Polite but to the point.

Alex (Wickham) was very true to character and just a sleaze.

“You know The Wood-Man?” He nudged my shoulder. “I might have to marry you.”

The best part of the book was seeing the plot of pride and prejudice in a modern setting. The characterization might have been off, but the plot was clever and enjoyable. However, if you’re looking for a mixer P&P retelling, I would recommend looking elsewhere or watching the Lizzie Bennett diaries.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually read the New Adult genre because of the steam factor. This book blurb intrigued me because it's another re-hash of Pride & Prejudice. And I'm always up for a rehash. What a pleasant surprise. Great story. Excellent writing. And it was actually a clean read with plenty of great romantic tension. Will be checking out other books by Ophelia London.

[Bel Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me stay until 5 in the morning reading. I hadn't done this in like... years! Oh my gods! I just... such an easy and lovely read, fast and funny. Witty! I loved this version of a modern Darcy. So different yet similar! It was... I just... I fell in love.

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m on a NA kick so when I got an opportunity to read a new New Adult novel….
 
I love PaP, okay? I read the novel a couple of times, but I’m hooked on the BBC mini series with Colin Firth and I even enjoy watching the movie from 2005. MacFadyen as Darcy? *grabby hands*
 
This novel, as written in the synopsis, is a variation of PaP. The characters hold different familial and social circumstances, but the general storyline is quite the same. For this reason I wasn’t the least bit surprised at the various turn of events.
 
I was quite taken with Henry Knightly, I must say. It was pretty obvious he’s not the hoity toity upperclass snob he seems at the beginning. His character didn’t quite evolve with the story, but more revealed bit by bit. And that complemented Spring’s character’s not quite transformation, but more evolving.
 
Spring (love that name, btw – fits the character to a T) is obsessed with sustainability and everything related. She even turned vegetarian as a statement to her current beliefs. She’s also in a bit of a jam with her thesis and needs a counter opinion to make a stronger case. Which forces her to ask Henry for help.
 
Spring’s character really grows with this story. She matures somehow and becomes more mellow with her opinions and ability to accept the positives in opposing stands. Also, falling in love (while ignoring the presence of those particular feelings) isn’t hurting that process.
 
Spring’s best friends and roommates pretty much carried the story forward, being the ones to actually take action in different situations. I almost felt that at times things happened with Spring and Henry just because they were forced into things by their friends.
 
While I enjoyed reading the book, the writing is beautiful and the story flows, I felt like the characters belong in high-school, not 3rd year in college or even graduate school. They were mostly, at least for the better of the first half of the book, rather immature. It’s almost as if the story shouldn’t be classified as NA, but YA/Juvenile Adult.
I think anyone who enjoyed Pride and Prejudice will enjoy reading this book. It’s light and fun and well written.
 
My rating: 
 
I’d like to thank Entangled Publishing for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
 
 
 

 
 
The review can be found on The Book Hammock
 

[Angie Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

***This book was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***

I love the cover of this book. It’s so romantic!

This was such a sweet read. The love story between Henry and Spring was a story I could actually see happening. Things weren’t lightning quick for them. Their connection wasn’t super intense from the get-go; there was a slow build to their relationship and their feelings for each other.

I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice (gasp,) so I can’t compare the story to that. What I can tell you is that I love the circumstances under which Spring and Henry get to know each other. There are a lot of assumptions on both parts, and only some of those assumptions are correct.

Spring was a young woman trying to find herself. Instead of being who she was, she took on being who she thought she should be based on some of her views. But she’s worked hard to get where she is, and she doesn’t expect anything less of anyone else. I thought Spring was incredibly likable and easy to relate to.

Henry knew exactly who he was, but I think Spring threw him for a bit of a loop and made him rethink some things about his life. He was reliable, a good friend, and even a good ‘arch-enemy’ to Spring. At first glance, Henry seems a bit predictable and stuffy, but there’s a lot more to him under all that argyle!

There are a lot of coincidences in this story, but I think it made for a fun read. I loved the constant push and pull between Henry and Spring.

While I found the history with Henry and Alex intriguing, I must admit that the twist with Dart and Julia threw me a bit. It just didn’t fit with the flow of the story, and I felt like it was a bit of unneeded drama.

If you’re looking for explicit, you won’t find it here. But you will find some sweet scenes between the characters. To be honest, I think the book is better for it. There was an innocence to Spring and Henry’s story that I absolutely adored. They were both so inexperienced with relationships; I loved watching them navigate the murky waters of love.

I absolutely adored this book, and I recommend it if you are looking for a love story that feels real!

[Isamlq · Rating 2 out of 5]

this one was hit and miss:

miss: there is one too many things going on ay once

hit: but at least miss london is not afraid of making her leads read more real given how often they screw up (and not in the aw shucks look at what i just did way either.)

miss: stereotypes galore!

hit: they're all trying to see beyond the labels they've each bestowed the other.

miss: drama, drama, drama. if it's not rich boy-poor girl, it's crossed lines and missed opportunities.

hit: it takes place over a longer span... so that nothing's 'instant.'

miss: on the last, that it's not 'instant' also allowed for things to go on longer than they should have. lot's and lot's of things went on and on and... wait for it... on.

overall? it's ok. both the characters felt more real in the acknowledging needs they both had (no tip toeing around that itch to scratch and making it needlessly romantic or even
over the top world altering) and more real with neither their worlds revolving around the other... as in things happen, other people happen. but then: there's the sad start we have with her... playing a part, and yes, maybe even a bit of a phony. except it's
precisely that start that got to me. for what's here is by no means a love at first sight
scenario... what they eventually do have, they worked at.

but still. oi! the drama.

[Vani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro es muy lindo para pasar el rato y disfrutar de un buen romance. Me sirvió para salir del estancamiento que tengo por los parciales, y si bien a veces quise pegarle a los protagonistas por su total falta de comunicación jaja no puedo negar que la historia me gustó mucho y que lo leí en horas.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me by surprise. A modern retelling of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. I haven't read the classic book but I've read a quite few retelling. But this one is my absolute favorite! I was immediately hooked! It was hard to put down. Though I know what might happen next, it doesnt lessen my excitement and enjoyment. I love Spring and I love Henry. They are an adorable pair and I loved every second they're together--talking, debating, arguing on almost everything. They are so cute together that I didn't want them separated with each other. I love and adore Henry. The half-mysterious, night and shining armani. I love everything about this guy and he is definitely one of my favorite fictional guy ever. Meet him and you'll love him for sure. This book truly worth the time. I loved that I got it as soon as I saw it. I highly recommend it to those who are fans of Pride & Prejudice. I hope there's another book. I want more Honeycutt and Knightly. Did I say I loved those two? Loved them and I miss them already. Definitely, not maybe, I'm in love with Knightly.

[Buonaraya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this blind, not knowing that the story was based on Pride & Prejudice (I didn't read the blurb, so sue me), but, ahem, I
caught on pretty quickly. Fine, my lightbulb, feeling well-read, million dollar moment happened thanks to...a YouTube podcast that I recently watched titled The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I was disappointed at first that the plot wouldn't be original, but this Henry and Spring version might just be my favorite yet!

[Nefise · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was sweet and clean romance, based on Pride and Prejudice by Jane Usten that set in present day.

Even though you know how it’s going to end, I just couldn't put it down. What I liked most about the book was that I feel the emotions in it. Tension with the hero and heroine, their passion about their belief, loyalty towards their friends and family and the chemistry between them.

If you love Pride and Prejudice, I think you'll love, at least like this book too.

[Jen]

A modern day Pride and Prejudice? Yes, please! I never get tired of the P&P redux.

[Cassie Mae]

amazing chemistry! and an adorable ending to top it off :)

[Anncleire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real vote: 4.5

Ringrazio immensamente Entangled: Embrace per avermi regalato la splendida opportunità di leggere questo libro in cambio della mia onesta opinione.

Recensione anche sul mio blog:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...


“Definitely, maybe in love” è il primo volume della serie Definitely Maybe di Ophelia London e giace da tempo immemore nella mia cartella dei libri da leggere. Lo avevo richiesto millenni fa alla Entangled: Embrace e solo ora mi sono decisa a leggerlo. Se non AMATE alla follia Jane Austen e non gradite i retelling tenetevi alla larga da questo libro. È uno dei retelling di “Orgoglio e Pregiudizio” più fedeli, ma allo stesso tempo più originali che abbia mai letto.


La sua teoria sull’attrazione sta per ricevere un nuovo angolo…
Spring Honeycutt desidera due cose: eccellere con la sua tesi sulla sostenibilità e salvare l’ambiente. Entrambi sembrano inaccessibili finché il suo relatore non le suggerisce che con una nuova prospettiva, il suo articolo potrebbe essere pubblicato. Spring giura che farà di tutto perché questo accada. “Tutto quello che è necessario” però, significa collaborare con Henry Knightly: un ragazzo molto sexy, molto privilegiato, molto presuntuoso. Henry è la sola speranza di Spring per la pubblicazione, ma è anche il figlio ricchissimo di un costruttore e l’opposto di Spring in ogni cosa. Sfortunatamente è molto attratta dal modo in cui la stuzzica, sia politicamente che fisicamente. Mentre lavorano sulla sua tesi, Spring scopre che c’è molto di più in Henry che ricchezza e felpe con i rombi… ma può abbandonare il suo atteggiamento abbastanza a lungo da avvicinarsi a lui? Improvvisamente scegliere tra quello che vuole e quello di cui ha bisogno mette Spring in crisi rispetto a tutto quello in cui ha sempre creduto.
Definitely, Maybe in Love è un retelling moderno di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio e dimostra che per amore vale la pena rischiare un po’ di orgoglio.


Sono sempre stata un’inguaribile romantica, una di quelle che impazzisce per una storia d’amore, che possibilmente non mi faccia venir voglia di picchiare l’eroina. E sono stufa di tutte quelle storie in cui lui è un latin lover e lei una sfigatella con il potere di redimerlo. L’amore si costruisce sul rispetto reciproco, sulla condivisione, non su abitudini da debellare in qualche modo. E il fascino del tenebroso Mr. Darcy sta anche nel suo essere davvero incompreso. Elizabeth è talmente offuscata dal suo orgoglio da ostentare un pregiudizio quasi crudele. E questa dicotomia, pungente, resta alla base anche del retelling della London, che ne riprende i temi cardine e li ripropone con un filtro moderno e una peculiarità unica. Spring e Henry non solo sono agli antipodi, caratterialmente, per classe sociale e convinzioni politiche, ma sono avvolti anche dagli equivoci e dal pessimo tempismo.
È proprio Spring che racconta la sua storia in prima persona, senza nascondere nulla delle sue emozioni. È con lei che veniamo a scoprire Henry, a sperimentare l’attrazione non solo fisica, ma anche intellettuale, e a capire, che a volte, l’amore arriva davvero quando meno te lo aspetti. A volte pensi di avere tutte le risposte in mano, e poi ti accorgi che sono solo pallide imitazioni della realtà. Questo è un libro che pur essendo piuttosto banale nello sviluppo (lei che incontra lui, equivoci a go go, un po’ di cliché sparsi) rimane una di quelle storie che non puoi dimenticare, che ti aprono e conservano un sapore immortale. Spring è uno spirito libero, squattrinata, ha trascorso tutta la sua vita a cercare di realizzare il suo sogno: entrare a Stanford e ora che è iscritta deve trovare il modo per emergere tra un branco di ragazzi competitivi e alla ricerca di una chance. Non è facile quando il mondo pretende tanto da te. Devi avere esperienza, ma devi essere giovane, devi essere competente, ma capace di imparare, devi essere flessibile, devi darti da fare. E per emergere, per uscire dalla massa di studenti, si inventa un ruolo, che la rappresenti. Ha avuto sempre un certo tipo di convinzioni, una liberale nel midollo, con la propensione all’ambientalismo, ma le ha talmente esasperate da cambiare anche il suo aspetto fisico per adattarvisi, perdendo di vista il vero significato di tutto quello che voleva. Spring è bloccata nella sua maschera, e incontrare Henry mette in moto dubbi e incertezze che la lasciano a martoriarsi nell’inquietudine di essersi spinta troppo in là.
E Henry è il più classico dei Mr. Darcy. Elegantissimo, ricco, educato, iscritto alla scuola di legge e mal giudicato fin dall’inizio. Paziente ma intransigente, spiritoso ma con una serietà unica, con quelle felpe a rombi un po’ ripetitive, ma capace di indossare un cappello da cowboy con la disinvoltura di chi ci è nato in un ranch. Niente è come sembra, e dietro il volto raffinato del futuro avvocato si nasconde un uomo passionale, che vota si repubblicano ma sa cosa è giusto e cosa è sbagliato, e si impegna per cambiare le cose. Il che rende il confronto con Spring ancora più appassionato.
I comprimari, che riassumono quei ruoli già delineati dalla romance classica della Austen, sono incredibili a partire da Julia per finire alla sorella di Henry che ho adorato tantissimo. In fondo c’è un’atmosfera magica, e pur essendo un new adult, conserva comunque la magia dell’impianto narrativo della Austen.
L’ambientazione è molto complessa, dal college californiano percorriamo l’America rurale in un viaggio on the road, che farà crescere emotivamente Spring in un viaggio non solo fisico ma anche psicologico alla ricerca di sé stessa.

Il particolare da non dimenticare? Un lucidalabbra all’ananas.

Un retelling sorprendentemente fedele e allo stesso tempo incredibilmente lontano, in cui le due facce dell’umanità si scontrano, solo per scoprire che sono appollaiate sulla stessa moneta, e possono solo abbracciarsi per condividere il loro amore. Mr. Darcy non è mai stato più moderno e affascinante.
Buona lettura guys!

[Elin Eriksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern variation of Pride and Prejudice

Cute and funny story that held my attention throughout. Well adapted into the modern era.

Spring Honeycutt was an environmentalist and a junior. To get her thesis right she needed to cooperate with haughty law student Henry Knightly.

Recommend

Rated: Chaste

[Gabbie (Rampant Readers) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quote(s):

“My hands were sweaty-cold again as my fists clenched in my pockets. ‘I think you are like Sir Percy,’ I said.
He looked up. ‘In what way?’
“How about by wearing a mask half of the time?’ I suggested. ‘Playing a deliberate and studied part?’ I could hear my voice becoming accusatory, remembering the past…how he’d disappeared from my life without a word, and exactly how much that hurt me. ‘Never, ever showing your true character until the final chapter.’
‘I’m not playing any part,’ he started, a bit indignantly. ‘When will you see that?’
‘When you show me, Henry.’ My words came out too loud, and we both turned towards the dark tent. ‘Sometimes,’ I continued in a whisper, when no one stirred inside, ‘I feel lke I don’t know you at all, and other times…I feel…’ I trailed off and pressed my fingers to my forehead. ‘I don’t know what to believe anymore.’”

Favorite Character: …Henry…I have a thing for smart guys.
First Line:

“‘Spring Honeycutt, nice of you to finally join us.’”

My Musings: Definitely, Maybe in Love is a retelling of the classical Pride and Prejudice. I, personally, have never read P&P, but this novel sort of makes me want to.

Definitely, Maybe in Love follows Spring Honeycutt, a girl with a love for sustainability. Actually, her thesis is about it. However, her mentor/professor believes that it is lacking something. And that something is the other side. He believes that she needs to see the side of the developers, or she’ll be setting herself up to fail. Enter Henry Knightly. He and his friend move in across the street and he becomes Spring’s only chance at publication. But they’re complete opposites and never see eye to eye.

“Weeks had passed since I’d allowed my thoughts to remember him as that stunningly beautiful guy outside Julia’s window. To me, he’d become like a faceless and bodiless Unix. Tonight, however, any blockhead could see that Henry Knightly was chiseled from the very stones of Mount Olympus. Bedeck him in chain mail and fleece and he was Adonis, Hector, Odysseus…with just a touch of Fifth Avenue.”

I really adored this novel. It was really well written, realistic, and kept me entertained. The contrast between Spring and Henry’s characters made for a lot of humor over the novel between their fighting and sarcastic remarks. Spring was a pretty independent character. She was a bit extreme at times, due to wanting to be unique and wanting to stand out. She was a green freak and had blond dreads, and was convinced that she didn’t need a male in her like. Henry, on the other hand, was one of those smart alpha male types. So you’d have to guess that the two of them butt heads a lot. But it was entertaining for the reader! Especially because the tension between the two was palpable. I was waiting anxiously for them to just get together!

“‘Well, Spring, since you obviously won’t let me ravish you now, I’ll have to wait till we stop.’ Without moving his gaze from me, he nodded out the window. ‘Once there, I will peel you from this car, drag you behind the building, and properly devour you in private for five minutes. Deal?’”

This novel focuses a lot on letting go and discovering, both of one’s self and of each other. Once Henry and Spring finally let their defenses down, they learned that they worked together pretty well. This became evident when Henry and his friend left Stanford. They figured out that they had come to rely on each other more than they could have imagined. So when they were finally reunited, they were more apt to admit their feelings for each other. And that made for a pretty awesome romance.

Definitely, Maybe in Love was a marvelous love story about two opposites attracting, seemingly against their own will. It was incredible sweet and funny, and a novel that I’m definitely, maybe in love with. It’s a novel I would recommend to any and all contemporary lovers!

[Vanya D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOTE: I received the eARC from Entangled Publishing. Thanks guys!

I love adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. I mean, I LOVE them. Which is why I just had to request Definitely, Maybe in Love. For some reason, I also read some reviews beforehand, and naturally there were both 5star ones and 1star ones. *sigh* You can't have perfection.

But.

Then I started reading it and... Oh. My. Dear. Jane. Austen! The beginning disappointed me so much, instead of truly following the story, I found myself COMPARING it to the original Pride and Prejudice. Believe me, there was A LOT to be desired. True, they aren't supposed to be the same, seeing that the action takes place in an entirely different setting, with a different set of characters. Yet, I couldn't get into the story and just wished for Mr.Darcy to just appear out of nowhere and make it better.

Until.

Yeah, it got better. There's this breakthrough scene involving a fight with baking ingredients and cranberry sauce. Mmmmmm!!! I can see that scene in my mind right now, and I'm thankful for its existence. It turned the whole story around. Somehow whatever happened afterwards was written differently or so it seemed. The whole writing style was on a whole new level. I can't even explain it, but if I have to I'm gonna have to split it to before and after.

BEFORE:
*boring and bland, couldn't catch my attention. It was more like a cliche novel than anything original.
*unrealistic to the point of making my eyes hurt from rolling
*shallow, mediocre characters who didn't grab my attention
*Spring annoyed me with her defensive speech about her hair. Who cares, really?

AFTER:
*interesting, especially how Henry and Spring sort of got to terms with each other. Sure there were almost all the P&P elements, just rewritten to suit the age and characters
*believable, though sometimes I wondered if I were in Spring's place whether I'd act like she did (yes, includes stupid at times)
*delves deeper into the story and the characters. Everyone sort of gets to know each other better
*Spring finally manages to realize the world doesn't revolve around her

One thing that bothered me, and I have to say it lowered my rating, was that I truly believe that even an adaptation of an original book should somehow manage to stick to the characters as they were meant to be. Sure, they wouldn't be exact same copies, but the character traits should be there. And I did not feel like Henry resembled Mr.Darcy all that much. Darcy was memorable, and Henry... I don't know. He was just there. What I did like about him though was how he always made Spring strive to be better, to do more. He challenged her to persevere, but also to look at things from a different, broader perspective.

I can't say all that much about Spring. Even though she was the POV character I couldn't feel close to her. Half the time her reasoning was silly and that annoyed me. I was never annoyed with Elizabeth Benett, so no wonder. Honestly, I can't even remember her all that well and that's saying volumes.

Dart and Julia.... I don't know. Back in the day I'd understand how their relationship might be broken over Mr.Darcy's opinion, but nowadays? No guy would ever break up with his girlfriend just because his best friend was suspicious she didn't love him back. It just doesn't sound right.

To tell you the truth, now that I think of it, Definitely, Maybe In Love reminds me more of Beautiful Disaster by Jaime McGuire(we're talking characters, not adaptation) than P&P.

In conclusion, Definitely, Maybe In Love turned out to be a sweet book. But that's it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? I'm a sucker for Jane Austen and any variation of her stories...especially Pride and Prejudice. And this one did not disappoint! Funny, sexy, and completely satisfying!

[✶Rachelle✶ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Happy 2017! And is there a better way to start out the year than by reviewing a P&P retelling? (Probably, but eh, I'm too tired to think of something else)

Definitely, Maybe in Love is by far one of my favorite Pride and Prejudice retellings. The main plot follows very closely to P&P, yet the story is it's own. Our "Elizabeth", Spring Honeycutt, is an environmental science major at Stanford, and is a self-proclaimed environmentalist. Henry Knightly (Mr. Darcy), is a law student who comes from money and whose family has no problem with cutting down forests to build shopping centers, etc. They are thrown together to work on Spring's thesis. Cue fireworks.

One of my biggest pet peeves of retellings is when an author forgoes the nature of the character in order to fit the story. This was not the case in this book. I very much enjoyed it. There is a second book in this series, based on Persuasion. I am looking forward to continuing the retellings =)