A creative modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice! I’ve heard Pride and Preston Lin described as Crazy Rich Asians meets Jane Austen and I think that’s a pretty apt comparison. As a huge Jane Austen fan, I was delighted to find all the ways Christina Hwang Dudley stayed true to the spirit of P&P while adding an original, unique, Asian twist.

In her final year of college, Lissie Cheng works alongside her sister Jenny in their aunt’s & uncle’s Chinese restaurant while pursing her degree. When she makes the horrific mistake of serving shellfish to someone who’s allergic, she creates an instant enemy of the handsome man she was flirting with and his family.

Wealthy, gorgeous Ph.D student Preston Lin’s determined to make sure the same mistake doesn’t happen again and goes out of his way to make things difficult for the restaurant. His actions and smug, self-righteous attitude don’t win him any points with Lissie. Like Darcy, Preston has his reasons, but try explaining that to Lissie. When fate keeps bringing them together, Lissie has to decide if she’s willing to overcome her prejudice and give him a chance.

I thoroughly enjoyed the infusion of Asian culture and the family dynamics in this story. Lissie and her two sisters were delightful and I loved their close relationship. I also liked their cousin Jeremy and friend Mel. I appreciated all the nods to P&P while Lissie is essentially living out her own version of the story. I enjoyed her quick wit just like her P&P counterpart. It was fun recognizing all the familiar P&P characters including Wickham, Mr. Collins, and even Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the form of Preston’s mom. While this book follows the plot line of the original pretty closely, there’re fresh, new aspects like swim meets, pursuing higher education, and even YouTubing that make it unique and hard to put down.

Fans of Ms. Dudley’s historical romances might find this to be a little edgier than they’re used to. There’s quite a bit of strong language (mostly biblical swears), a minor gay character, mentions of an affair, and some mild innuendo. The romance is clean with kisses only. If you enjoy Pride and Prejudice adaptations, you might enjoy this creative, new take on the original. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher through AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. ( )