In their second 21st-century Jane Austen remix, Elizabeth of East Hampton, Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding (Emma of 83rd Street) reimagine the Bennet family as year-round residents of the Hamptons. Avid surfer Lizzy has long dreamed of being a journalist, but since her dad's stroke, she's been stuck managing the family's struggling bakery while Mrs. Bennet embarks on her latest multilevel marketing scheme (and worries about her daughters' romantic prospects). Enter Charlie Pierce, an affable, eligible bachelor escaping Manhattan for the summer, and his brooding friend, Will Darcy. Their lives, of course, get tangled up with the Bennets' in numerous ways, and the fun comes from watching the authors blend the familiar plot points with smart, snarky modern-day twists.
Readers will relish the interpretation of Mary as a blue-haired punk ecoterrorist, the emergence of Kitty's sharp business sense, and Lydia's aspirations to be (what else?) an influencer. And although Lizzy loves her sisters, she (like Austen's Elizabeth) doesn't always notice what's going on under her nose. While this is primarily her story, all five sisters play a part in changing the course of their family's fortunes. As for Darcy, his blunt manner hides a sensitive nature and a fierce loyalty to his friends; Bellezza and Harding explore his inner landscape and allow Lizzy to do some Darcy-studying of her own.
Crackling with witty dialogue and sly nods to Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth of East Hampton is a fresh, entertaining take on Austen's classic. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams