I feel like this was one of those books/authors that had so much potential, I ended up being more upset by what could have been once I finished it than anything else. I really think that if Charlotte Greene could utilize dialogue more than she does, this would be a totally different story and a great one at that. 

My biggest issue is how internalized this whole story is. Almost 80% of it is the characters inside voice and descriptions of what is going on, rather than conversations while those events are occurring. For instance, instead of saying goodbye to someone as actual dialogue, it was written as “Erin finally excused herself”. That’s just one TINY example of how everything felt so descriptive and not intimate. When this is happening all the time between your two leads, it barely feels like they got to know each other. I want flirty dialogue, not being told that they are flirting!

I also have to be honest that I didn’t like many of the characters. They all seemed like jerks during different points and never redeemed themselves. Charlie was a coward and couldn’t communicate. Jen/Erin’s Dad was mean for most of it and then seemed bipolar at the end. Lydia was just full of attitude, and acted like an angsty 14 year old. Will seemed like a creep, Darcy’s family were mainly full of snobs, and I didn’t even really like Darcy that much considering how hot and cold she always was. I figure I just like some likable people to relate to??

Overall, I think if the next book the author writes could rely much more on dialogue than I’ll read it. If it’s structured like this one, I’ll pass.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39410441-pride-and-porters" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Pride and Porters" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521941437m/39410441.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39410441-pride-and-porters">Pride and Porters</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/285828.Charlotte_Greene">Charlotte  Greene</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2355243319">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
An ARC was obtained from NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.<br />An angst filled romance with leads Erin and Darcy and ample supporting characters. The unusual main setting - a small town brewery (with all the drama of owning/operating one) was a clever hook for the story and I loved the Colorado backdrop. However, for me the relationship between Erin/Darcy never quite gelled while Jen/Charlie's did and that carried the plot. <br />A fair read with 3 stars.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

Modern retellings tend to make Lizzy Bennet a shrew (my word; I'm sure the authors think they've created a woman of dry wit); I'm relived to say Dr. Greene succeded where so many others have failed.  Erin Bennet is a woman with knowledge and inner strength.  While I didn't get emotionally involved with any of the characters (what can compare to the original?), it wasn't a waste of my time either.

Chatlotte Greene has done an incredible job. Pride and Prejudice is easily one of my favorite books and I love seeing what contemporary authors do with the material. Greene's interpretation is both new and true to the source material. I think it is easily her best book yet.
I particularly enjoy her descriptions of Colorado. As a former Colorado resident, the novel put me right back in the Rocky Mountains. Her descriptions of the various locations and culture there were spot-on.
One of the more challenging aspects to a modern retelling of Austen's novel is that many of the social situations leading to the drama in the book simply don't exist anymore. Greene does an excellent job of creating believable modern situations that lead to similar results, which is an impressive feat.
I definitely recommend this book to fans of both Ms. Austen and Ms. Greene. And, really, anoyone who enjoys a good book.

I’m going to be honest from the start, and admit that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book. I tend to be picky when it comes to romance, because I don’t enjoy the sappy fanfare that endevers to give it a dramatic or embellished quality. I was especially thrown off by the horrificly cheesy cover image of this particular romance. In fact, only the title caught my attention and made me glance at it again. However, if you’ve come this far in investigating the book by checking reviews, then I think you should know that despite my initial cynicism, I ended up actually loving this story! Clearly, that should tell you something amazing if a skeptic was enthralled by it! 

This is about two sisters, who are trying to manage their small brewing business in Colorado, and are greeted by some Boston natives, who wish to learn more about the industry. That’s pretty much the gist, however the concept is that this book is a modern, lesbian, light retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. If you have not read the original classic masterpiece of a novel, then I highly recommend you do so first. Don’t worry, I’m not saying you actually need to do that in order to properly understand this story. I just think that part of the charm I found was with identifying all of the comparisons and “Easter Eggs” hidden along the way. Knowing the original story made me appreciate this one. I will also note that if you are a die-hard Austen fan, then try to keep an open mind, because this author wonderfully decided to only keep some key elements, and didn't attempt to recreate everything, which would have consequently cheapened it. 

Some things to consider: Amazing storytelling by a talented author. Hardly any fowl language (though I easily miss spotting those because I commonly swear). This is not an erotic book, so it’s appropriate for younger adults. There’s no cliffhanger, and even though I prefer to see epilogues, the lack of one here isn’t terrible, because there’s a solid end feel. 

I do have one issue about the actual story (aside from that cover pic that I still don’t like). There we’re a few very noticeably cheesy moments. Almost as if they were thrown in there just for the heck of it. If you are a true lover of romance novels, then I think your heart will gloriously melt at these points. However, I just wanted to mention my own biased dislike, since fellow skeptics might want to be forewarned. Despite that, I still think this book is worth 5 stars because I was happily entertained and pleasantly surprised by a beautiful story!

Answer these questions: What makes this book different from all others? And why should anyone care?
Give enough info about the plot of a novel or the facts in a nonfiction book that they have a context for your opinions. Don’t give so much that your post turns into a book report instead of a review. And no spoilers! Be fair to your fellow readers.
Whenever possible, put the good things about a book or author up front.
Criticize the book, not the author, if you don’t like what you’ve read. Explain why.

Pride and Porters is an easily discernable retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The obviousness of the names and story arch were perfectly indulgent for what I was looking for. There is something so comforting about knowing what is going to happen next but with a bit more beer and lesbians. This is not the best lesbian fiction book I've ever read but it was fun! I recommend it to anyone who loves P&P but isn't overly protective of it either.

Pride and Porters by Charlotte Greene is a modern-day adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.The retelling part is well done with a lot of interesting characters and details that we can recognize from the original, but told in a very good new way, Clearly to be confronted to Jane Austin is challenging, but this author made a really good job

I'll start this review with the fact that I've never read Pride & Prejudice. I actually think I've never read any Jane Austen book (although I may have seen one of movies based on the books?) So, I came into this book knowing that it was an homage, but probably not getting most of the homage-y parts and just seeing it as a lesfic romance.

All that said. This book was a delightful surprise. The main characters are Darcy and Erin. Erin and her sister Jen own a brewing company that's not doing horribly, but right on the edge. In comes Charlie and Darcy. Charlie is the head of a big Boston brewing company and we slowly learn who Darcy is. Erin's sister Jen falls for Charlie, and slowly Darcy and Erin sorta start to like each other as well, but there are fits and starts to it.

I really liked the Erin character. Jen grew on me. I went back and forth with Lottie. Mostly liked Charlie, and then there was Darcy. I'm still conflicted about her even after finishing the book.

But, it was an interesting story with some really great characters, and I enjoyed it a ton, even if I hadn't read the underlying novel.

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books.

I have no idea what to say about this book. It’s far from bad, but in my opinion it’s not exactly stellar. To me, I felt cheated for romance, that’s the feeling I had. Though very detailed on breweries and business, it lacked plot in romance. It lacked chemistry between two main characters and the whole “get together” happening happens all of sudden somehow and without any details. So, for me - it’s a miss in that genre. As a matter of fact, the whole back and forth was so overused and without serious chemistry or the dialogues between Erin and Darcy, that when I got to the point of 2/3 of the book I didn’t even care how it’s going to end. Had I not been a fan of Charlotte Greene’s previous work, my guess is that I wouldn’t have finished this book.

I rated it 3 stars but I lean towards 2.5. While I like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I think the author limited herself too much by sticking to the same character's trait. Pride and Prejudice the book is a product of its time. I was disappointed that we didn't learn anything at all about Darcy Fitzwilliam. If the book had more character development it would have been more interesting. The ending fell flat for me.

Not your typical formula of Lesfic romance, the title of Pride and Porters immediately piqued my interest, as the subject of beer is near and dear to me. As a certified beer judge and a former brewery owner I’ve spent a lot of time in the craft-beer community. The author certainly knows what she’s talking about, even including a rarely brewed beer called gose (pronounced GOH-ze). She accurately captured the craft-brewing industry atmosphere as well as Colorado’s love affair with nature, outdoor sports, and of course, craft beer. 

What sets this novel apart from so many is this genre, aside from craft-beer, is that the story does not revolve solely around two women falling in love. There is that, of course, but the author manages to artfully weave several plots of many of the characters into one cohesive story that speaks more of a community rather than just the singular romance. Every plot added interesting and captivating details to the kaleidoscope of Erin and Darcy’s families and friends. I became invested in all the characters as each had a story to tell and in the end, all of them were so intricately connected. The architecture of their community became the central theme and the strength to overcome just about anything became their triumph.

A side effect of the presence of multiple story arcs did detract a bit from Erin and Darcy’s love affair. The intensity of their attraction is sizzling and their chemistry was blazing, However, the choice of fade to black intimacy failed to convey that pinnacle and crescendo that we look forward to in any romance, and this is a reason why I took away a star in my review. 

Fortunately, the character development is deep and makes up for some of this lack of depth in the romance. Erin is adorably shy while Darcy is a classic Ice Queen. Both find it very difficult to confide in others for very different reasons, and the author was adept at allowing these characters to communicate via nonverbal cues across the spectrum from subtle to blatant. Neither character is verbose, so paying attention to their body language and expressions was the key to interpreting where they were in their burgeoning romance. They are far from perfect, and their mistakes as well as their triumphs make them all adorably human and relatable. 

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this misfit crew. Truly a unique and satisfying drama with a little bit of romance thrown in while you enjoy the Colorado outdoors and some tasty brews.

Interesting characters with interesting careers, I very much enjoyed learning about the beer making business. I certainly appreciated the character development, they seemed real with real personality flaws. The attraction was believable and engaging from the start.

This book is a kind of adaptation of Jane Austen's best seller of similar title, but brought to the environment of craft breweries in the state of Colorado, with Bennets, a Charles, a Darcy, many prejudices and too much omissions.

Several of the characters are really unpleasant and because of this, the romantic relationships that are developed in the book have not been entirely interesting. It's hard to feel sorry for anything that could happen to Darcy or Lydia or even Erin.

The book also has an excess of detail in the narrative that often deviates from the plot line. I think many of the descriptions have been boring and just filling.

If there had been at least one sex scene, interesting or not, but not even that.

And for me, the beer, so-so, so I'm sorry. I could not omit this final statement.

<i>An ARC was sent to me from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley for an honest review </i>

I have read and loved most of Jane Austen’s works, so I was excited to read this modern retelling. While I think a lot of the aspects from Pride and Prejudice transformed well into this book, I didn’t like this any better than just okay. I seem to be in a little bit of a book slump. This is the fifth 3 star book in a row that I have read. Maybe I’m being a little extra critical because of that. But in looking at the other reviews, my opinion seems to be the current consensus.

First I do want to mention the setting was wonderful. I loved the choice of Colorado and having this book be about craft beer and running that business. It was actually really interesting and I enjoyed those parts.

I also thought almost all of the characters were well done. From the likeable main Erin to the ice queen Darcy. I even liked all the secondary characters who were mostly family members of Erin’s. Her relationship with her sister Jen was especially well done. It was fun comparing some of these characters to Austen’s.

Where this book really let me down was the romance between Erin and Darcy. It was almost nonexistent. They had sex a few times, and that was it. Just from that we were supposed to believe there was love between them? First, the sex scenes are not shown. While I don’t prefer that, I don’t mind it. But it was implied they were just hooking up, nothing more. That was the problem there was never anything more. There were never any real conversations or chemistry, nothing that showed a relationship. What made it all the stranger, the M/F relationship between Erin’s sister Jen and her boyfriend, was better done then Erin and Darcy’s. I believed Jen was in love with her boyfriend, I never believed Erin was.

While this book had some good parts, it just never fully came together for me. I also want to mention there was a lot of angst in this book. It was almost too much for me. I sure don’t remember P&P having this much drama. I can’t really recommend this, but if you are an Austen fan, you might want to give this modern retelling a try.

Misstep to the maximum. This is a read about relationships, family, wealth, Colorado and the desire to find someone to share your life with when you did not know you were looking. There is romance but what was more prevalent was the importance of family. The Bennet sisters are quite the formidable pair. There is also their younger sister who has always felt like a afterthought. An educational read about the location, craft beer and small town living. I enjoyed Charlie and Jen's coupling. Darcey and Erin, not so much. In general, the read is interesting and the Colorado scenery is awesomely described.

A quick and easy retelling of Austen's classic P&P. I was kind of annoyed with the superficial descriptions and how some of the characters where described as almost overwhelmingly beautiful … But otherwise: Well written and a fun for a few hours of reading.

Pride and Porters is a modern reimagining of Jane Austen's masterpiece Pride and Prejudice. Charlotte Greene sets her story in modern-day Northern Colorado and around craft beer industry.
The retelling part is well done with a lot of interesting characters and details that we can recognize from the original, but told in a very good new way. Even those who have never read Austen's immortal classic can enjoy a well told and well researched story.
The less successful part is the romance between Erin Bennet and Darcy Fitzwilliam. I totally agree with some other reviewers that it lacks emotions and strength. There is none of Austen's romantic magic in that respect, none of that special well known palpable chemistry between the main pairing which should be the most important thing about them. That something is unfortunately missing here. Also, the ending is rushed, with no real comprehension of Erin and Darcy's future and how they see their life together.
Overall, this is a good book, but not as good as I am used to getting from this author.

I just couldn't get into this story - maybe because I don't like beer?? 

The two leading characters didn't have chemistry and their whole attraction and missteps just didn't seem genuine to me. The only viewpoint the reader had was from Erin so we didn't get any of Darcy's feelings, emotions and views, which I think in this story was missing. 

Mostly if a story is lacking chemistry it is hard to look over...