3.5 stars!!

I loved Little Women, so I was excited to find that Jo & Laurie was a retelling of the story, beginning right where Little Women last ended.

While there were definitely some choices that varied from the original storylines, I still enjoyed this book.

*many thanks to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own

I think this would be a fun book for a Little Women fan. The style is reminiscent of the original and it features Jo as the author of the story after she has written the first part, but before she finishes the second. It was fun to see the differences in what was her "real" life as opposed to what she'd written into the book.

Little Women has always had a sacred place in my heart. I was lucky enough to enjoy Little Women young through the Portraits of Little Women Series by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Although forever disappointed by Jo's antics with Laurie in Little Women by Alcott, I was ecstatic to hear that Stohl and de la Cruz were teaming together to write Jo & Laurie. Unfortunately, I was let down. The content of the story was great, I appreciated, even loved, the city scenes, but I just could not get over the fact that it sounded like Jo was written by two different authors. Stohl and de la Cruz are not the first authors in the world who have collaborated on a novel and found themselves writing two of the same, but different characters, but knowing they've both worked on collaborative pieces before with other authors set an expectation that was not met. It also seemed very rush at the end of the novel. It was as if they were eager to share their version of Jo and Laurie's relationship, but forgot that a story was necessary to accomplish that. I was glad I read Jo & Laurie, and I think that a 10 year old self would find this to be one of her favorite reads of all time, but for this 25 year old self, it just didn't do the trick.

To begin I recommend this book to any Little Women fans.
It’s a love story, it’s a story about family and friendship and most of all being true to your self.
Whether you are a fan of these characters or not this is a well written story that you will enjoy..

I am a forty-year-old English teacher, and I somehow missed the novel and the dozens of film and television adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s classic, Little Women. The novel Jo & Laurie was my first experience with the March and Laurence families. I am in love! You do not have to be a fan of Little Women to read this book, but you will be after you finish it.

Celebrated young adult fiction authors, Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz’s novel reimagines Jo March’s struggle to create Good Wives, the sequel to Little Women. This skillful retelling blends elements from Little Women and Louisa May Alcott’s life. The narrative explores the pressure Jo March felt to satisfy her readers’ hunger for a sequel. More importantly, the story explores Jo’s struggle to support her family and assert her independence without pushing away the people she loves the most.

This intense love story is a gateway for new readers into a celebrated classic. The authors seamlessly integrate key plot points and effortlessly develop characters from the original work, which allows readers to slide into the world of Orchard House. While this novel reveals many of the key events in Alcott’s original work, this retelling feels so complete that Little Women will serve as a must-read prequel for readers who meet Jo and her sisters through the eyes of Stohl and de La Cruz. As the Marches struggle with poverty, illness, separation, and boredom, their ability to love deeply transcends their pain.

I recommend this novel to any teen or adult searching for a way to navigate the claustrophobic, yet essential nature of love and family.

Jo & Laurie
By Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz

I have read Little Women a handful of times and how I have imagined Jo March and Theodore "Laurie" Laurence and what might have been. This book had been waiting to be written at least by me for many, many years and now the wait is over.

It's 1869 and the story begins where Little Women ended right when Jo March becomes a best selling author and spends time in New York with Laurie, as they spend time together and live up their life in the city. Stohl and de la Cruz wrote a beautiful story one that Louisa May Alcott would be proud to read. The story kept the story line with a few twists that makes this beautiful historical fiction romance YA worth the read. The romance in the story was so well written that gave a swoon worthy story that I absolutely loved.

I highly recommend this book for Little Women fans and anyone that enjoys a wonderful well written story.

Jo & Laurie is a fun, quick read that ultimately doesn't serve as a sequel to Little Women, but more of a what if extension. There is insight into the characters that felt a bit more in depth, but not always true to the original. The writing style didn't always work for me and felt a little off for the story, but it was still an easy read.

I wish I could say I loved this book because I was a huge fan of Little Women growing up and I always wanted Jo and Laurie to be together, but there was something about this book that I didn't love. I ended up not finishing this book and I DNFed (Did Not Finish) it around 40% through the book. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the writing and I felt like I was reading fan fiction instead of a published book. For me, the story just fell flat.

Thanks for reading!
Caden

Jo & Laurie é um livro bem diferente do que eu costumo trazer de resenhar por aqui, mas foi uma leitura tão gostosa que eu resolvi escrever para vocês sobre ele.

Esse romance é baseado na história da autora de Mulherzinhas, as autoras se inspiraram em relatos,entrevistas e cartas de Louisa May Alcott para escrever e sim, o livro da trama tem o mesmo título e assim como Mulherzinhas, ele também foi escrito em duas partes.
Se você curte romances estilo Dawnton Abbey, Anne With an E, Jane Austen e até o próprio Mulherzinhas com certeza vai se encantar com essa narrativa. Apesar de ser um pouco parada, a trama segue os costumes de uma cidade no interior pós guerra.



Jo é uma personagem aos moldes de Austen, com um desejo de independência incomum para a época, que não foi criada dentro dos padrões das classes altas e que tem contato e acaba sendo alvo do amor de um mocinho rico. O que me irritou um pouco nela foi exatamente o fato que ela esperou o rapaz voltar noivo pra perceber que gostava dele.
Laurie foi outro personagem que me irritou um pouco, realmente quando um mocinho se diz apaixonado eu espero dele no mínimo choro e ranger de dentes quando é rejeitado e não um noivado que não levou nem um mês para se concretizar.

This was a fun and interesting read. I really enjoyed getting to read more about the characters of Little Women. I have always adored Jo and her relationship with Laurie was hard not to root for.
It’s nice to get a kind of what if story. The original will always be there but there is always room for more. I like getting to see what would happen to the characters if the ending was different. This book really allows you to see more of the characters and to explore a different ending.
This book for full of sweet moments as well as plenty of fun. If you are looking for a sweet and fun read than look no further.Also perfect for fans of the classic Little Women! It’s always nice to get more of the characters we love

Thanks to Penguin teen!
This book had me running through fields and rubbing ink off my fingers *in my mind, of course*
I have never read Little Women but after reading this, I want to! I came, I saw I conquered, only...instead I read, I laughed, I cried. The only reason this didn't get four stars was the odd acknowledgement at the end with Christopher Columbus..I didn't get it.
Other than that, this was a fun adventure of love.

Since this is a retelling of the classics and with the title of the book being what it is, I think it’s safe to say that we know Jo and Laurie will get together. I mean isn’t that why the authors wrote the story? And I’m so glad because I felt the execution of the story was wonderfully done.

LANGUAGE
I had two concerns before reading the book and I can confidently say that I had no reason for concern as the authors did a fabulous job. My first concern was that the language used would be too modern. While it is certainly more modern than the original language used in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, it still reads very much like historical fiction. The narration and dialogue both had a great balance of feeling classic but also just modern enough that it made for a quick fun read.

AMY
My second concern was that Amy would be portrayed in a negative light. No issues there. The authors really captured how much Jo loves her family and how much she wants the very best for her sisters both in their fictional and real lives.

JO THE AUTHOR, JO THE PERSON
I loved that the authors chose to tell Jo’s story between the publication of Little Women and Good Wives (or Little Women Pt. 2). It created the perfect space to explore what Jo (and Louisa May Alcott) was going through in trying to create a satisfying conclusion for all the characters in her book that feels true to herself, her character’s journeys while also fulfilling her editor’s (and by extension the public readers) wishes. This was especially clear when she struggled with how to conclude fictional Jo and fictional Beth’s stories. We see why Jo made the decisions she did for Good Wives.

CW: Depression, Suicide Ideation
Another aspect I appreciated about the story was the references to Jo’s “dark moods,” which I attribute to depression. There is a moment where she talks about feeling like the darkness was taking over and how she even thought about letting it swallow her. As the primary breadwinner, she has a lot of pressure on her shoulders. She is also still grieving heavily over the death of Beth. Grief over a loved one can still hit so strong even if years pass so I related to the descriptions the authors used for Jo’s grief and depression.

ROMANCE
As far as the romance between Jo and Laurie. It was everything I wished it to be. I loved Laurie’s angst and longing, and Jo’s slow realization of how much she does love Laurie. The romance is drawn out a little, but I think it makes sense considering Jo’s personality. I also just adored all the fun moments between them. Their witty banter and teasing just made me smile. Along with Jo and Laurie’s romance, we get to see a lot of Meg and John’s romantic development, which was a delight to read.

Overall, this was a fantastic book if you are a fan of the original. Obviously, if you were shipping Jo and Laurie you will love this. I think if you were happy with the original ending and you are a fan of Little Women, you may still enjoy this as I felt the authors captured the spirit of the original and portrayed the characters’ personalities and motivations well.

I have never read Little Women and I've never seen the movie. As I read this book, I couldn't dismiss the feeling that I just don't have enough backstory about these characters. The story was decent enough, but nothing about the story of the characters themselves really thrilled me. It's one of those books where I immediately forgot what I read after finishing the book.

Any fan of Little Women will love this book! I needed this book after seeing the new movie! I can’t get enough of Jo and Laurie!

This was a super cute reimagination of one of my favorite stories. I really loved how the authors pulled inspiration from Louisa May Alcott's personal life as well! It was so interesting to experience Jo with her struggles trying to pen the perfect book about her family. I will point out that I know there is a lot of controversy behind this novel because it contradicts the actual ending of Little Women. A lot of reviewers shared that they don't agree with this book and while I totally understand their reasonings, I am a Jo & Laurie fan girl so this story hit my heart. I really enjoyed this!

I enjoyed this story to see what could have happened to Jo after she wrote Little Women. This was an amazing step back into time and I loved the bickering of the March sisters. If you loved Little Women, this is a perfect companion piece and I enjoyed every minute of this. Great story from two amazing writers.

This was a nice retelling, but I never could really appreciate or understand how people wanted Jo and Laurie together. While I'm not an Amy fan, I do think that Jo belonged with no one, but Alcott had to write her with a husband in order for her to be published and for Jo to fit those stereotypical, hetero-normative roles. I would have liked to see a book where Jo ends up with no one, since that's what she wanted all along. Hmm... there's a thought!

BOOK REPORT for Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz

Cover Story: Classic
BFF Charm: Make It Rain
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Louisa May Alcopy
Bonus Factors: Little Women, OTP Wish Fulfillment
Relationship Status: As Limes Are to Amy

Cover Story: Classic

This cover is soooooo pretty! I adore the color combo, and the design is a lovely callback to old school lit with a bit of a modern flourish.

The Deal

Raise your hand if you've ever stopped the 1994 Little Women movie right before Jo (Winona Ryder) turns down Laurie's (Christian Bale) proposal because it just feels SO WRONG for them not to end up together and HOW could Jo be such a damn fool and GAH WHY IS THIS WHAT HAPPENS?!

If your hand is waving madly in the air like mine is, then this book is for you.

Margaret Stohl and Melissa de La Cruz have reimagined the story of the March family and set it between the release of the first volume of Little Women (1868) and the second (1869). Daunted by the expectations of her devoted readers and tangled in the overlap of her real world and the fictional version, Jo March is struggling--with writer's block; with sexist societal restrictions; with grief over the loss of her sister, Beth; and with her complicated relationship with Laurie. Her family's financial well-being depends on the sequel, but before Jo can write it, she must sort out her own story, which means facing her demons along with choices she's been too afraid to make.

BFF Charm: Make It Rain

Uh, duh, we're talking the March sisters, y'all! Of course I want to be besties with all of them! While this adaptation remains true to the spirit of each character, it adds a bit more nuance, especially to Jo and Laurie. Jo remains prickly and headstrong, but there's a deeper undercurrent of darkness to her soul which makes her temper more sympathetic, like so:

Jo was starting to understand that there was a kind of anger that burns the humanity out of a person, a kind of anger that started in the brain and disoriented the body as it worked its way from muscle to bone.

Yes, she's still exasperating at times, but I found this version of Jo to be even more relatable--underneath her feisty bravado, she's scared, and her struggle to be strong moved me to the point of wanting to hug her fiercely. (She would probably call me a noodle-head or something, but I don't care!)

Meg's toughness is highlighted to awesome effect, while sweet Beth lingers as a beautiful but not overly angelic memory. Then there's Amy, who feels way more fun than she did in the original while still exuding some eye-rolling levels of brattiness. I loooove how much she drives Jo crazy, and her confidence is really something. (In reference to her fictional self: "'Of course that character is inspired by me," she'd say to anyone who asked. 'Really, I created her myself.'")

Just like with Alcott's book, you'll find yourself fiercely wishing you could curl up with this crew in the cozy March household and let their ceaseless chatter wash over you like a sun beam.

Swoonworthy Scale: 7

When we did the Little Women read-along nine years (!) ago, I found Laurie to be a bit more of a frat boy than I remembered. (I blame Christian Bale's hotness for distracting me from these asshole elements of his character's personality in the 1994 adaptation.) But with this reimagining, Stohl and de la Cruz offer a window into Laurie's perspective, and his caddish behavior is explained by his aching desire to be a part of the March family, which is the warm, stable, loving home he never had. It's also clear that his feelings for Jo aren't simply an infatuation, and the chemistry between these two would make Louisa May blush all the way to her roots! The authors tow the line between the propriety of the time period (this ain't NSFW fanfic, y'all) and the internal flames of brewing passion, especially on Laurie's end, and the result is a juicy will-they-or-won't-they romance that remains faithful to Alcott's portrait of this iconic relationship where it matters... and strays where it should.

Talky Talk: Louisa May Alcopy

It's clear that Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz did their homework, because they absolutely NAILED Alcott's writing style. Like, seriously, they could have done that thing where they handwrote the book on thick paper with a quill, dyed it with tea leaves to make the pages look old, and then come forward with the claim that they had found a discarded manuscript from Louisa May Alcott, and I would have totally bought it, hook, line and sinker. It's truly an incredible feat, especially because it's not an empty imitation--their words crackle with life, and the emotions of the story feel fresh even though you know some of the beats.

In particular, the dialogue is pitch-perfect, which is vital given the lively banter between the sisters and between Jo and Laurie in the original book. Here's an example of just how wonderfully Stohl and de la Cruz can channel Alcott:

"It's true, dear boy. Even before I had a single reader, I had a singularly devoted you."

She kept smiling as she reached for his ear...

"Undeniably." Laurie's eyes were on hers, as they so often were, these late-spring days. "I remain your first and your greatest--"

... and twisted as hard as she could.

"OWWW! SWEET GODLESS HEATHEN BEAST! What sorry man would have you!? Atrocity, thy name is woman! This must be hate mail!"

With that, Laurie howled and tossed the whole load of envelopes into the air, where they flew like so many handfuls of confetti about the room.

I mean, right?!! It's like it was torn straight from the page of a (very valuable, so please don't tear anything) first edition of Little Women.

Bonus Factor: Little Women

It's lovely to revisit Orchard House and find all of the things I cherish (Amy's obsession with her nose! Jo burning her dress! Roderigo!) along with a few new twists. In this version of Jo March's life, she made up elements for her book that didn't exist in reality--there's no rich Aunt March, for example, and they call Marmee "Mama Abba," which definitely took some getting used to. (I'm still gonna call her Marmee.)

Bonus Factor: OTP Wish Fulfillment

Let's just say that Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz give the people WHAT THEY WANT. FINALLY. THANK YOU.

Relationship Status: As Limes Are to Amy

Just like the youngest March sister and a precious bag of pickled limes, I heard about this book and wanted it so badly. I'm not sure if the limes were really worth it for Amy, but I can tell you, this adaptation did not disappoint--it was everything I had hoped it would be, from a wonderfully genuine reunion with the Little Women gang to a swoony, satisfying romance that I've always pined for. Jorie* 4-ever!

*Yep, that's their ship name. I just decided.

Jo & Laurie is the Little Women retelling that I have wanted for the past ten years. I first read Little Women over the course of 5 or 6 weeks in the spring of 2010, shortly before my 11th birthday (I did my living history museum project on Louisa May Alcott), and I remember being so upset that Jo didn’t end up marrying the boy next door, Teddy “Laurie” Laurence, and I’m still a little salty about it still. Jo & Laurie stays pretty true to the source material compared to other retellings I’ve read: it’s set in 1869 (when the second Little Women volume was published) in Concord, Massachusetts (LMA’s hometown and the setting of Little Women) and features many of the same characters. According to de la Cruz and Stohl, Jo & Laurie takes place between volumes 1 and 2 of Little Women, putting Jo March at 18 years old. The authors combine both the story of Louisa May Alcott and the March sister she modeled after herself, having Jo struggling to write the second volume of the story about her life that she’d titled Little Women. I’d always known that Little Women was based upon Alcott’s own life and that of her sisters, but I never really considered how real-life events translated to events in the book. de la Cruz and Stohl draw so many parallels between the fictitious life of Jo March and the real one of Louisa May Alcott, most notably Alcott’s reticence to pair Jo with Laurie despite her young readers’ implorations. In this retelling, de la Cruz and Stohl gave me (and honestly, generations of readers) the love story that we wanted to see but never got.

Jo & Laurie was, to me, a hug in book form. I was grinning (save for a few sadder scenes) the entire time, especially at scenes between Jo and Laurie. In the original Little Women, I loved the dynamic between Jo and Laurie–how they confided in each other, how they grew together, how they genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. That doesn’t change in this retelling, even if the exploration of their romantic feelings for each other (which they totally had in the original, even if it wasn’t really addressed) complicate things. Jo and Laurie were so sweet together, even if there were times that I wanted to yell at them both for potentially endangering the chance of developing a romantic relationship with the other. If you, like me, were blindsided as a young girl by Laurie marrying Amy instead of Jo (Amy gets a lot of unnecessary hate, but she did not belong with him), you need this book.

Jo March has just published Little Women. Since it has been so successful, her publisher wants her to write a sequel about the March sisters becoming wives. However, since her sisters haven’t gotten married and moved on in their lives, Jo doesn’t know how to continue the story. While she is struggling to write the continuation of the story, Jo has to deal with her family growing up and changing in ways she isn’t ready for.

This story combines the real life of Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, and Jo March, the main character of Little Women. Louisa based Little Women on her life with her sisters, with Jo being herself. I could see the influences of Little Women, yet there were anecdotes that seemed to come from real life. After reading this story, I’m interested in reading about Louisa May Alcott’s life.

As a reader and a writer, I found the storyline of Jo writing her book fascinating. She was pressured into writing something she wasn’t comfortable with because of the success of her first novel. She had to rewrite the story multiple times in a short period of time, which I imagine would be incredibly difficult. Jo had to keep rewriting it because her male editor wasn’t satisfied with her ending. It wasn’t until she was satisfied with her own life that she could finish the story.

I really loved this story!

Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.