⭐️⭐️½ (2.5 stars)
I love Pride and Prejudice and will forever read or watch any adaptation or reimagining of it. Truly—no self-control when it comes to Austen-inspired stories.
Puck & Prejudice is a cute, feel-good take, and Izzie and Jackson’s story had its moments. The vibes were cozy, the premise was fun, and I’ll admit the Kickstarter edition I own is absolutely gorgeous. A+ on aesthetics.
That said… the execution fell short for me.
The writing felt very repetitive, especially in word choice. Nearly every kissing scene started with some variation of “slanted their mouth,” which stood out in a not great way—and once I noticed it, I couldn’t un-notice it. The book also could have benefited from more editing. I’m usually pretty forgiving with typos and grammatical errors, but there were enough that they became distracting.
Character-wise, this follows the familiar Pride and Prejudice blueprint: an icky Wickham, a flirty and naïve Lydia, and clear stand-ins for Bingley and his sisters. While I appreciated those nods, what I missed most was the sharp banter and slow-burn tension between Izzie and Jackson. Instead of delicious arrogance and verbal sparring, their relationship leaned more toward instalust with minor inconveniences (beer spray incidents and accidental bathroom lock-ins included).
Some conflicts—like Jackson interfering in Jane and Chad’s relationship—were also resolved far too quickly, which lowered the stakes and made the story feel rushed.
Overall, it was an okay read and a fun concept, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations—especially as a die-hard Austen fan. Cute, pretty, and pleasant… but I’ll always show up for a Pride and Prejudice retelling—and this one had me longing for sharper tongues, slower burns, and far fewer “slanted mouths.”