Finally! This is the story we've all needed, The ending we all cried and craved for. Reading this book was so strange. It felt as if I was getting a behind the scenes look at Little Women. As if I was watching a movie or play and then started following the actors go about their life after the show was over. We got to see all our beloved characters, Jo and Laurie, the March family, John Brooke, and Mr. Laurence in a way that combined what we knew about them with a new sense of realism in this book. Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz's retelling was an experience to read as it is technically a retelling of an original fictional retelling of someone's actual life. Louisa May Alcott's life and story. A story inception if you will.

There was many things I loved about this book and several things I disagreed with or thought could be changed, But that's the thing about stories, isn't it? Not every reader will ever be 100% happy with a book, particularly when it comes to retelling a beloved story such as Little Women. This point is made clear even in Jo & Laurie. Jo struggles with writing her second book after the success of her first book. No matter what she writes, it doesn't ever quite feel right or satisfy everyone. That is the struggle I found with this book. I believe that Little Women is such a cherished story and means so many different things to so many different people. Every reader has probably imagined the ending they wish they could see or what they wish would happen throughout the story instead. At the end of the day, this book does what it set out to do. It is an homage to the well-loved story we all know and love.

While the book could never be the perfect retelling for everyone, it provided me with the sense of closure I wanted and the ending I absolutely needed. It gave me a sense of completion and whole-heartedness that made me stop reading and put my hand to my chest in happiness. I recommend this book to all the Little Women lovers out there. All the readers who cherish Jo and Laurie's relationship as much as I do. This book is for you.

I have neither read Little Women, nor have I watched it, and as embarrassing as it is, I don't know what it is about either. My review is not based on how accurately I think the original story and characters transfer over into this book, but on how I enjoyed this book as a whole, independent of anything else.

Overall, I enjoyed this book―it was wholesome and cute! I found it really easy to read and it flowed really well. Considering that this book has two authors, I didn't think there was any noticeable change of tone in the narration.

The reason I really liked the book was because of the characters. I loved Jo, her relationship with her sisters, and her personality. She is a writer struggling to write a second volume of her book after the first was a huge success. As a female author, she battles for her right to write what she wants; she always has to succumb to what is expected of her by her publishers and readers. Though I face none of the prejudices of the time, I do relate to her as she is going about writing and thinking about her plot. I loved Laurie as well. I've always enjoyed the childhood-friends-to-lovers trope so I was really rooting for them throughout the book! I loved Meg and Brooke as well!

I won't include many details, but some of my favourite scenes were when the three sisters talk about possible plots while sitting in Vegetable Valley, the church picnic, and the last conversation between Laurie and Harriet.

There are a couple things I think could have been done better. One is the pacing. Weeks could go by in the matter of paragraphs, but a good half chunk of the book takes place during the week they spent in New York. Also, Brooke is considered to be an intimate part of the group of 4 (Jo, Laurie, Meg, and Brooke). It's said several times that the 4 of them were close and could finish each other's sentences. Though I see that's very true of Jo, Laurie, and Meg, I don't think that was true of Brooke at all. He seemed to be more on the outskirts to me.

Another thing I had a problem with was Jo's view on marriage. Though I understood why she didn't want it for herself, to support women means to support their decisions, even if they might be different from your own.

Other than those three things, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others :)

I really enjoyed Jo and Laurie by Margret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz. I thought the authors did a great job of capturing Louisa May Alcott’s characters and their personalities, while still putting their own spin on the story. One thing I loved so much about Little Women was the character dynamics, especially when it came to the March sisters. I loved getting to see more of the March sisters relationship with one another in this book and getting more of Jo and Laurie. I would highly recommend Jo and Laurie to anyone who is looking for more from these characters and this story.

Jo & Laurie is a young adult romantic retelling of little women by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I am going to share it anyway. I liked the original Little Women, but I didn’t love it like most people. I never felt compelled to re-read it, and it didn’t skyrocket to a favorites list of mine. However, I love both of these authors and when I saw this being dubbed as a romantic retelling I knew I had to check it out. And I am so glad that I did, because I loved Jo & Laurie. So much more than the original! (I know, don’t throw virtual tomatoes or stones just yet!) I know some purists and fans of the original will not want anything to do with a retelling, but I happen to love retellings. They allow new spins to be taken on classics, and I can’t get enough of them. Jo & Laurie is a great book. One I think old and new fans of Little Women will enjoy. And if you have never read Little Women, Jo & Laurie is a really accessible option for you to explore. I think you will love it.

I will start off by saying that I did enjoy Jo in the original Little Women. I loved how independent and headstrong she is. Jo & Laurie explore the possibility of what if, Jo got together with her best friend Laurie (aka Theodore). I felt like the start of this book was trying to mimic Little Women, and it felt a bit dense and slow to me. But at about the half way point, I felt like the authors hit their groove the the pace and story picked up in tempo. I flew through the second half of the book, and I absolutely loved the ending. The characters all felt true to themselves from the original. It was just a different take on the events. I fun little “what-if” played out. I really dug it.

If you have always shipped Jo & Laurie from the original Little Women, or you just like to play the What If game like I do, then I think Jo & Laurie is a romantic retelling that fans will enjoy. It was a story that gained momentum as it went on, and by the end I was really enjoying myself!

I had only recently read Little Women this past January right before I went to see the new movie in theatres. I read the physical book and listened to the audio read by Christina Ricci on Audible. I thoroughly enjoyed Little Women and don’t want to take away anything from the original. However, I’m sure I’m like most of Alcott’s fans and was greatly let down with that ending and the final resolution of Jo March, our star authoress. Well, Jo & Laurie completely healed my broken heart.

Overall, I appreciated De La Cruz and Stohl’s retelling of this fine classic tale. In particular, I liked Laurie’s character more now than from the classic and felt that he was portrayed as a more mature character than in the original and especially compared to the movie. I felt like he was bolder and more confident when it came to Jo. He became a total swoon-worthy character for me. On the other hand, Amy’s character felt like she was written younger and she annoyed me more than the snobbish portrayal of her original character. I suppose I must take the bad with the good.

Likewise, to my feelings from the original, Jo and Meg were still my favorite characters. I felt their characters were the most developed. I think Meg’s character stayed truer to herself, while Jo struggled more with her feelings. Her character growth was interesting to watch unfold, and although I finally got the outcome that I wanted, the sudden change in heart was a little too sudden.

I would definitely recommend this book to those fans who have an open mind and want to have the ideal ending that they felt would’ve completed the story. If I had to choose to reread Little Women again or reread Jo & Laurie, I would most certainly choose the latter.

Jo & Laurie takes place in between the two parts that make up the entire Little Women story while also adding this huge original twist to it.

We get to step back and meet Jo March, the real Jo March, who wrote the story Little Women Part One and is now dealing with the fame and success of it. Little Women is meant to be the fictionalized story of her life, while Jo & Laurie is her real life. There is no rich Aunt March, Beth does not survive her first and only round of Scarlett fever and Meg has never even exchanged words with Laurie’s tutor. All of it was made up for her novel. It’s like pulling the curtain back and meeting the wizard which was such an interesting concept.

Jo is the same Jo though, fiercely independent, loyal and still not in need of a man to make her life complete. It was so fun to follow her on her writing journey for Good Wives. How do you write a story that hasn't happened yet? Or create a future on a page that doesn't seem so outlandish or fantastical? Jo struggles to please not only her editor, but herself and her family who everyone now knows way too much but too little about. She needs this story though to make money to support her family who are even more poor than described in the books. The bright spots in her life are her sisters so she's pushing to create a story to make a better life for them.

Beyond her writing struggles we get to more deeply explore her friendship with Laurie and of course their feelings for each other. We get a bit of Laurie's perspective in chapters, which I really loved, to see where his desires lie and why he makes the choices he does. He was always dragging Jo off on adventures and surprises, my favorite being a week long trip to New York where we get to explore the City with Jo and see what it was like during that time period.

What I thought was a fun twist to this story is that along with Jo and Laurie's perspectives, we also get get Meg's! Meg who is so refined, beautiful and meant for the better things in life. We get to see the bit of awkwardness that ensues due to this made up romance in Little Women with Laurie's tutor and her experiences being the older and most promising sister. It was such a fun take and I enjoyed being in her head while she too fell in love and had to make the decision between following her heart or providing for her family.

Jo & Laurie really took a step back and explored the classism between the March's and those who run in the Lawrence's circle of friends. While the families are such good friends there is obviously a huge gap in the money they have access too. This is very prominent in New York and even Laurie himself sees how the very poor and the very rich sometimes have the same attitudes or mindsets because neither have anything to lose in flaunting the rules society has set.

Jo & Laurie is not meant to replace or add to the Little Women story, but to take a step sideways and pretend that Alcott did not write Little Women but Jo herself as the real author. If you loved the original Little Women and didn't secretly or no-so-secretly ship Jo and Laurie together, skip this. If you want to explore this romantic possibility and see more of the world during this time I highly suggest picking this one up.

I love retellings of my favorite fairy tales and Austen stories, but this is the first one I've read about Little Women. I had no idea what to expect, and it was an interesting read. Jo is much younger than I expected her to be at this point in the story- they have her at seventeen, and the timeline seems a bit off from the original story. Beth has died, and Jo is a successfully published author of Little Women, but is struggling with the sequel she is contracted to write. The authors did a good job of capturing her unrest during this time of her life. It's difficult for Jo to discern what the future holds for her and her sisters, wanting things to stay as they have been, but recognizing that marriage, travel, and career will change everything. She seems scared of her growing feelings for Laurie, and that fear prevents her from embracing the progression of their relationship into something more than friendship. I found her voice to be slightly immature, especially when whining and fighting with her editor. Some chapters were told from other characters' perspectives, such as Meg (which I found myself skimming), but I appreciated being able to get inside Laurie's head. Overall it was an entertaining take on the classic, especially for readers who wished for the childhood friendship to turn to romance.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

A unique take on the classic story we all know and love!

"1869, Concord, Massachusetts: After the publication of her first novel, Jo March is shocked to discover her book of scribbles has become a bestseller. While pressured into coming up with a sequel, she goes to New York with her dear friend Laurie for a week of inspiration!

But Laurie has romance on his mind, and despite her growing feelings, Jo's desire to remain independent leads her to turn down his heartfelt marriage proposal and sends the poor boy off to college heartbroken. When Laurie returns to Concord with a sophisticated new girlfriend, will Jo finally communicate her true heart's desire or lose the love of her life forever?"

Blending Alcott's life with Jo's, Stohl and de la Cruz have pieced together an entirely new lens in which Jo + Laurie fans can peer into - one that tells what would have happened if Jo ever permitted herself to loving Laurie. Being an Amy + Laurie shipper myself (I'm a Greta Gerwig convert), I was a little skeptical going into this, but overall, I enjoyed this take on Little Women! It was fun and interesting to see what might've been. Also, there were so many quotable moments. My favorite being:

"It's your life, Jo. Write it however you like. Just write it true."

A big thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me an advanced copy!

I really enjoyed this sweet lighthearted story. This book is about the greatest love story that was never told. A lot of mixed feelings has been buzzing around this book.
Just to clear up some misconceptions, this is not a story that changes the original Little Women. It is a story of Jo March as Louisa May Alcott and her journey in writing Good Wives after the huge success of Little Women Part One. A lot of research was put into this novel, pulling from actual letters from Lousia May Alcott As a huge Little Women fan, I can see how many would have mixed feelings about this novel since we all know Jo and Laurie did not end up together in Little Women. Alcott was adamant that it should not happen in both her letters and of course in Little Women. But..... for guilty pleasure reasons, I enjoyed reading about Jo and Laurie.. This story was written very well with lots of memorable quotes. This really was more than a love story. It was a story of Jo's journey to accepting and overcoming her fear of loving after so much loss.
With all that said 4/5 stars for me ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to Penguin
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this novel.

I love retellings and this was so amazing. We get to know the March sisters in a way we never got to know them before, we get to learn more about their creativity and its so good and so cute!

What if Jo March had been a real person, and she had been the one to write Little Women? What if she then wrote a follow-up story that gave the world a sequel to the beloved novel? Jo & Laurie imagines a world in which Louisa May Alcott did not write Little Women, and Jo March wrote it instead, releasing Little Women to a world that loved it and clamored to find out what happens to the girls. Being a new writer, Jo struggles to find inspiration for a second novel, and travels from Massachusetts to New York with her good friend Laurie in an attempt to find some. While there, the tables are turned on her, and Laurie wants more than just friendship. Jo doesn't believe she can offer Laurie what he wants, but is there more to their story than even they know yet?⁣⁣
⁣⁣
I liked that this story explicitly took us away from Alcott's vision entirely, and asked us to imagine Jo instead as the writer of Little Women and its fictional follow-up. I liked that Jo exhibited doubt and struggle as she progressed beyond what was comfortable to her in her writing. After writing what is known and believed personally, it can be difficult to stretch beyond that, and I felt that was portrayed reasonably well here. I do feel that the story could have been written with a quicker pace, but I also liked the exploration of Jo and Laurie's friendship and that Laurie was very supportive of Jo as she struggled with doubt and her search for inspiration. While this book may never become canon for Alcott diehards, it's a leisurely stroll for those (like me) who love Little Women and are happy to step into its world once more from a different perspective.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
⭐⭐⭐.75/5⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

First and foremost I would like to thank PenguinTeen and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for the advanced copy to read and review. This in no way sways my opinions, all thoughts are my own.

I am going into this book completely blind. I have never read Little Women, I haven't watched it, I know nothing about the original. With that being said, I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was a fun read! I loved watching this novel play out with Real Jo's struggle to find the right voices for her characers, making her family, friends, and fans happy, etc... I think that for someone who has never even been introduced to the LW universe, this was a good book. I also liked the romance in this book, it felt genuine and something that professional people struggle with when trying to find balance in thier life. I think it's a solid 4 star book for me as it did move a little bit slowly and I find it hard to keep my attention on sitting and reading if the story is on the slow side!

by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 2nd 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance, Retellings,

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jo & Laurie,

The authors, Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl have written a delightful romantic reimagined telling of the beloved classic Little Woman by by

Louisa May Alcott

A fabulous representation to storyline, the authors seamless writing is engaging and this book does something so creative. It takes a step sideways and redesigns the character Jo in a completely new fashion. Allowing the reader to except the posed question what if Jo feels romantically drawn to Laurie.

Both authors did a stunning tribute to Little Woman. One that will delight any reader who loves really good fiction. A captivating romanticized ya fiction, that draws in dedicated readers ofLittle Woman, and inspires them to broaden their mindset, while giving new readers something that engages them in a heartwarming tale.

Following the style of Ms Alcott’s and adding their own nuances to create a compelling and wonderful book. The book is set between two of Ms Alcott’s notable novels. In between the release date of Little Woman, 1868 and that of the publication of my favorite, Good Wives in 1869.

I was completely immersed in this book, I love the authors boldness and creativity.

An exceptional book for all ages.

#JoLaurie #Ya Fiction #5star #book2020 #gwendal_books_

Jo and Laurie Review:

So I had really mixed feeling about this book, but I ended liking it more than I thought I would which was a super nice surprise.

Things I liked:
- I loved how this book made the original story of Little Women the story the Jo was writing in this book! I was wondering how the authors would explain the difference between their imagining of Jo and Laurie compared to what really happened in Little Women, and I think this was the most clever way to do it!
- I also love how Jo was based off of Louisa May Alcott herself! I loved the authors note and the historical context in the back of the book explaining the parallel of Jo’s character in this book and the actual author of Little Women herself
- I loved recasting the March family! They are truly such a joy to read about, and I especially loved Megs character arc in this reimagining!
- I really enjoyed seeing how Jo in this book seemed independence as a woman in the 1800s. She was just as strong and independent as she was in Little Women

Things I didn’t like:
- This book, while entertaining, read a lot like fan fiction. The writing was easy enough to read, and there weren’t any spelling or grammatical mistakes like in fan fiction, but the whole premise and execution just felt like fan fiction (which it basically is). I kind of wish the authors were just loosely inspired by the relationships and character dynamics in Little Women and wrote a complete original story with similar elements instead of a reimagining.
- I also felt like some plot points were completely unnecessary, like Marmie and the girls Father’s relationship on the rocks, or the fact that Amy also became dangerously sick

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but I don’t think I can give it more than three stars given the content in the original Little Women. Amy and Laurie are just endgame, and I truly believe that Jo and Laurie were only meant to be friends.


I will post this review on my blog for the Blog Tour hosted by The FFBC on May 30th

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.**

Title Jo & Laurie

Author Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz

Release Date June 2, 2020

Publisher G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Description from Amazon

1869, Concord, Massachusetts: After the publication of her first novel, Jo March is shocked to discover her book of scribbles has become a bestseller, and her publisher and fans demand a sequel. While pressured into coming up with a story, she goes to New York with her dear friend Laurie for a week of inspiration—museums, operas, and even a once-in-a-lifetime reading by Charles Dickens himself!

But Laurie has romance on his mind, and despite her growing feelings, Jo’s desire to remain independent leads her to turn down his heartfelt marriage proposal and sends the poor boy off to college heartbroken. When Laurie returns to Concord with a sophisticated new girlfriend, will Jo finally communicate her true heart’s desire or lose the love of her life forever?

Initial Thoughts

I saw this book a while back when browsing the 2020 releases and I passed it by. I always liked Little Women, but it wasn’t my favorite novel. I always disliked the ending. But, when I saw this tour, I decided that I would give this book a try. The day my digital copy arrived was the first day of YALLWEST (or YALLSTAYHOME) and Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz (who will henceforth be known as Margaret and Melissa like we’re best friends) were the opening keynote speakers. Listening to them describe this book and their passion for it made me run, not walk, to my kindle to start reading as soon as the Zoom meeting was over.

Some Things I Liked

“Babbling Brooke” and other witty gems. I loved the writing style in this book. It felt completely seamless from Little Women. Margaret and Melissa have truly captured Jo March’s voice from the original novel and represented her character so well. The witty banter and overly dramatic sarcasm were phenomenal and I found myself laughing out loud as I read certain scenes.
History and the events of the time. Margaret mentioned in the keynote mentioned above that she is a scholar of American Studies. That was my minor in college and I have literally never met another person (outside of the classroom) that studied the same subject. I absolutely loved how she utilized her academic background to round out the setting and activities the March sisters found themselves a part of. I loved that Jo got to see Dickens and she referred to herself as a peer of Emerson’s.
Two authors. I have to applaud the fact that two distinctly different authors came together to write this book. At no point did I feel like there were two voices speaking for any character. Again, everything felt organic and seamless from page to page.
That ending. Now that’s an ending I can get behind. No spoilers, but this was much better than the original novel.

Series Value

In a way, this book could be considered a sequel of sorts to Little Women. In other ways, it’s also a retelling. While I would love to see more of Jo and the other March sisters as written by Margaret and Melissa, I was very satisfied with the ending here. I think they have laid the groundwork for more adventures but I wouldn’t be disappointed if this was a stand alone story.

Final Thoughts

I loved this book. I read it all in one sitting after watching that keynote. This book reminded me of the best parts of studying American Studies in college, made me remember why I enjoyed Little Women, and was the perfect balance of strong female lead, romance, and comedy. I highly recommend this book for all fans of Little Women, anyone who has a sister, or anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Alex & Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz – if you liked the historical fiction element and you enjoyed the writing style, definitely try this series by Melissa de la Cruz. It’s a fantastic telling of the romance of Alexander Hamilton and his wife.
Madame Tussaud’s Apprentice by Kathleen Benner Duble – again, if you liked the historical fiction element as well as a strong female lead, try this shorter novel set during the French Revolution.
The Jewel Thief by Jeanne Mobley – if you liked the themes of a strong female character who would do anything to provide for her family, try this new release set during the time of the Sun King’s reign in France.

Perhaps one of the most known (and argued about) “romances” is the one between Jo March and Theodore Laurence. Growing up I was obsessed with Little Women and because of the chemistry between Christian Bale and Winona Ryder I thought that Jo and Laurie had to be endgame and refused to believe anything else, even if the book said so. HOWEVER, when I went to see the new Little Women film, and promptly reread the novel afterwards, I found myself rethinking my resolute belief that Jo and Laurie should be together. However, regardless of my currently wavering beliefs in this timeless love triangle, you best believe I was beyond excited when I found out about this book. For Jo & Laurie poses the question of: what would happen if these two star-crossed lovers actually did end up together?

Ok, so I realize that this book is going to be VERY dividing. I can understand why some people would be upset about this retelling, since Jo was meant to be an independent woman, but I was still overly excited for this book and am just taking it as an exciting “what if” instead of a slight on an epic work of literature. But I most definitely thought of the Winona and Christian Jo and Laurie while reading this book.

This book was like a walk down memory lane (even though I just reread Little Women this year). It was such an endearing take on beloved characters and I truly enjoyed reading the reimagined version of such a well known and discussed story. And that’s what this story was, it was about the characters and their relationships. But it is important to remember that while these are the characters we know and love, they’re also the authors’ take on these beloved characters. So they are both the same and different and new. So go into this book expecting a new story that reminisces the original.

Wow.

I love several other books from both authors and they utterly shine in Jo and Laurie. It’s a historical fiction novel based on fictional characters in the book Little Women. Jo and Laurie hits themes that resonate so deeply.

There’s talk of suicide, depression, abandonment, and teenagers going through life trying to navigate growing feelings and family responsibilities. Jo, the hard-headed writer we love in Little Women, matures even more in Jo and Laurie She becomes more self-aware and in turn loving towards her family and friends.

Laurie also matures and hardens throughout the story. It all equals out in the end and they have a happily ever after. I loved it.

The book is told in third person omniscient with the narrator sometimes changing in the middle of the page. Not my favorite way to read a book but it totally worked for this one. It allowed several different PoVs to comment on one scene.

Honestly, the book was so good. It’s categorized as a retelling but it’s so so good on it’s own.

I struggled with this one. I've not read Little Women so I'm not sure if it was necessary or not. I felt that the main character was cold and unemotional. There are unlikeable characters in many books but for some reason her personality was too harsh for me. I was anticipating a fun romance and by the time I made it over halfway through she was still just as cold as in the beginning.

I also struggled with her relationship with her sister Meg and how Meg just followed in Jo's footsteps. She even turned down a man who loved her because they'd be broke. I just couldn't find anything happy about the story.

*I WAS PROVIDED A DIGITAL ARC FOR THE PURPOSES OF A BLOG TOUR. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION*

I'll start this off by saying that I've never actually read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This book made it very easy for readers like me who haven't read it to follow along with the story and get to know the characters.

When reading, it became very apparent to me that this book is a fanfiction of two characters who the authors wanted to get together. I'll have to say this, though; while it was obvious that the authors wrote the characters to be together, I couldn't help but wonder why Jo couldn't just be on her own.

Jo is a character that, from the get-go, you realize can take care of herself and doesn't really need a significant other to come trifling about her life. Throwing Laurie into the mix kind of ruined the story for me, not going to lie.

But as a story, disregarding the fanfic-romance part of it, was a good book. The plot was well planned out, and the dialogue was pretty well meshed together based on the time period this book is set in. Not to mention, the world-building as well was pretty good.

For that, I rate it 3 stars. I liked Melissa and Margaret's writing together, and I think they did pretty well. I wouldn't mind seeing another book, hopefully one far different from this one, co-written by them.

I really enjoyed Jo and Laurie, a retelling of Little Women. I went into this book having no bias about what should happen since I have not read or seen Little Women. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.
The writing took a bit to get used to since it seemed a little clunky and I eventually got used to it.
Oh, Jo. She was so stubborn. At times I just wanted to knock some sense into her and tell her to quit letting fears control her. Yet at the same time, I really enjoyed seeing her toss them aside and take control.
So overall, I would recommend this book to the dreamers who hoped for Jo & Laurie and those, like me, who just want a taste of Little Women.

Rating: 4.5/5
Language: d*** used frequently throughout
Romance: a non-detailed kiss
Spiritual: N/A
Violence: N/A

*I received a copy of this novel for review purposes. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

Quotes:

"You know, Miss March, that's the second time a beautiful woman with your name has hit me with a fan tonight," Laurie said lightly. "So I suppose I am either doing something very right or something very wrong."
"Happiness is a trait not much desired in one's ancestors, I've found." With a nearly imperceptible sigh, he leaned forward to scratch a fingernail lightly against the portrait of a pale-skinned burgher in an enormous white ruff. "The more miserable the better, in fact. Something about money not being able to buy happiness, and all that." "The Marches must tbe the happiest family you've ever met, then," Meg said wryly. He laughed, his melancholy entirely forgotten. "Positively giddy."