Synopsis:
A brand new Oxford-set summer romance inspired by Pride and Prejudice from award-winning author Emily Kerr.

For fans of enemies to lovers, forced proximity and book lovers!

Molly Bramble thought running a bookshop on a narrowboat would be a dream come true – until her biggest challenge turned out to be her new neighbour, Jack, a former city trader with a penchant for crashing boats and hearts.

When a “Blind Date with a Book” night goes awry, Molly finds herself reluctantly paired with Jack and his lack of literary knowledge. Will their rivalry over mooring fees and a missing sign lead to a sinking ship – or a love story with a plot twist?

As Molly and Jack navigate the choppy waters of romance, sabotage, and the occasional dog rescue, will their blossoming romance prove that sometimes the best stories are the ones we never see coming?

Review:
“It’s a truth universally acknowledged that first impressions shouldn’t necessarily be trusted.” (Page 355)

This was a perfect book to read as a few friends and I decided to read Pride and Prejudice this summer. The connections made throughout the book with Pride and Prejudice are absolutely fantastic, especially as they are meta. Molly and Jack are both easy to care about and want to see succeed, even if we spend most of the time looking from Molly’s perspective. Molly does come across as quite immature and lacking business sense/a business plan in a way that makes the reader, while wanting her to succeed, wonder if perhaps she isn’t cut out for being an entrepreneur. Hilda is absolutely lovely and the star of the show; I loved how much she matters to Molly, and how much others care for her as well. Liam definitely was infuriating and I was glad there was no true Lydia situation. While the female protagonists often seem to be very in need of saving and not stable on their own, I do quite like Kerr’s works.

All in all, I thought this was a delightful cozy romance retelling of Pride and Prejudice, and even gifted this to a friend for her birthday.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯