I love Pride & Prejudice so couldn't resist picking up this modern retelling. I like seeing how an author takes key situations and makes them fit a different setting. My favorite was the scene when Lady Catherine is confronting Elizabeth (or in this case it's a girl at school confronting Elyse about going to prom with Billy) about the possibility of being engaged to Darcy. It made me laugh.

I didn't really like the fact that it was Elyse's weight that put her in a different "class" at least in her eyes. She did grow and come to accept herself as she is. It seems that Jayne and Charlie were pretty good characterizations of the originals. The rest seemed a little less so than the originals. For instance, the Mr. Collins character wasn't as dorky. They were still recognizable for the most part. It was interesting that Caroline Bingley was a child. She had the haughty persona down even as a 10 year old.

I think this book would appeal to a young adult audience and to Pride and Prejudice fans who just can't get enough. Thank you to Tyndale House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Where has this book been all my life?! Apparently plunking around inside the head of Allison Pittman who, just like me, thinks that pairing Jane Austen with teens straight out of a John Hughes film is pure BRILLIANCE!

Poor Elyse Nebbit, a year younger than her gorgeous and (naturally) sweet sister, Jayne, and at least twenty pounds heavier, probably closer to thirty. Dead certain that boys are still not in her future, despite being uprooted for her father's job to the town of Northenfield, Texas, 15-year-old Elyse knows she should just settle into the norm of never wanting more.

That is until she encounters Billy Fitz, captain of the Northenfield High football team, perfectly delectable and cold as an iceberg, or so it appears. And while Elyse is dealing with the sudden, unexpected flutterings of her heart, so too is darling sister Jayne realizing the pangs of true love when she meets Billy's best friend, the sweet, somewhat dense, Charlie Bingley. Charlie is the kicker for the Northenfield High football team, and it takes no time at all for him to fall head over heels for Jayne, a grand show of emotion that she eagerly reciprocates.

Add middle sister Lydia (at a mere 13-years-old) and the Littles as Mary and Kitty re fondly dubbed since they are both under the age of ten, and the Nebbit household is complete. The drama unfolds, as it must, very similar to another story we know and love so well, although it is highly altered to allow for school dances, trips to the pizza parlor and the thrift store, and driving lessons that would give the Nebbit parents nightmares if they knew about them.

Okay, so if you're not hooked on the idea yet, there may be no hope for you. Pudge and Prejudice is HILARIOUS. And before anyone gasps in horror at the idea of mocking a girl who's overweight, know that I am actually somewhat overweight (although I dress far more fashionably than poor Elyse) and a lot of her emotions are ones I have gone through. I love that Ms. Pittman seems to get it where pudgy girls are concerned and she gives Elyse a chance to blossom into a profound understanding of wholeness in herself that does not include needing a boy or feeling called to lose weight to please her overbearing mother. Although, having a boy is nice too, as she discovers with Billy Fitz.

I'll let you in on a little secret. I was born in 1984. So anything having to do with the Eighties absolutely fascinates me! I love John Hughes movies, watched 21 Jumpstreet (the tv series) on repeat, and am still intrigued by the sheer volume of hair women could achieve just by teasing it. To say nothing of wearing safety pins as earrings and fandom pins as jacket and purse accessories.

So I KNEW this book was for me before I even got my hands on a copy. It's chock full of Eighties trivia, references to Eighties music, and movies like Nightmare on Elm Street, which I have also watched and just about died laughing because of the camp. If you ever want to see Johnny Depp in a crop top and don't mind campy Eighties horror, then watch it. Pudge and Prejudice is a clever, almost modern, peculiarly funny retelling of Pride and Prejudice and I clasp my hands and beseech Allison Pittman to PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pen the rest of Austen's novels in the Eighties! The world needs this!

We're also deeply blessed with Allison Pittman being a Christian author, so any hot and heavy content is pretty much left on the sidelines, along with foul language. Jayne and Charlie, while highly attracted to one another, would never sleep together because, as Jayne and Elyse both put it, it's dishonoring God and disappointing themselves and their parents. The Nebbit family, despite its quirky weirdness, do attend church regularly and the Littles are homeschooled. It's really just Lydia the family has to worry about, Lydia with her love of crop tops and boys, boys, boys. Yep, she's the same headstrong troublemaker she is in Austen's world. Some things never change.

Ms. Pittman also doesn't shy away from tougher topics, like the fear that maybe their 13-year-old sister is sleeping with a boy (which is still NOT COOL and shouldn't be in anybody's book). She also totally acknowledges that there are Christians out there who listen to secular music and watch maybe a couple of R-rated scary movies. Shocker. And she does it all without being judgy. Thank you! It's also genius that she threw Elyse and Billy into a confrontation when he just got out of the swimming pool and is still bare-chested. Sound familiar? Love the nod to Colin Firth.

One thing I didn't quite like was her rendering of Lottie, or Charlotte as we know her from Austen's world. She's not likeable, as in, at all. But I like Charlotte, so I do feel that Ms. Pittman did her a disservice, along with poor, idiot Collin. I wish more had been done there, like maybe making him an actual cousin rather than attached at the hip to Lottie from the start. The littlest sisters have almost no role, and neither do the parents. Call me strange, but I always liked Mr. Bennet and there just isn't much to work with here.

Also, the misunderstanding between Billy and Elyse doesn't quite work. I'm still confused as to why she was so upset with him. There may also be an issue of audience. I doubt many teens today will understand 3/4 of the Eighties references, but it may feel too juvenile for adult readers. Not me of course since I have just enough juvenile still in me to love practically everything in Pudge and Prejudice.

Fingers and toes are definitely crossed in the hopes that Ms. Pittman writes more of these glorious retellings! After all, she did include a certain boy named Frank Churchill as a passing character! This book is clever, inventive, and just plain fun and I adore Elyse's love of novels, her uncertainty about herself, and watching her emotional maturity as she develops into a lovely, clever, and witty young woman with a pair of very fine eyes that sweep Billy Fitz off his feet. I haven't laughed out loud this much while reading a book since I picked up Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse (you can find my review HERE)!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers for a complimentary copy! I was not required to give a positive review, and all thoughts included are my own.

As a devoted Pride and Prejudice fan and a Texan I was a little worried starting this book. For me messing up either one of those subjects is a big no in my book. However this retelling absolutely proved my suspicions wrong. I LOVED this story. I loved the witty dialogue. I loved all the characters, even Lydia, which was a big shocker for me because I usually hate her character. Also as a 90’s child, I don’t remember a lot about the 80’s but the 80’s references cracked me up. This story totally had The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink vibe and I was hooked. This story will not disappoint you.

I absolutely adored everything about this book. The genre I probably read the most outside of contemporary romance is ya. Add the fact that Ms. Pittman did a Jane Austen retelling and I was hooked!

Pride & Prejudice is my favorite Austen book and Pudge & Prejudice did it justice! I loved seeing the nods to Jane Austen, but more than that, I just plain loved this book. It’s a retelling but very much its own book.

Being in high school is difficult but add on top of it weight issues, a beautiful older sister, a hormonal younger sister, and a guy you can’t decide if you like or hate and you have a page turner. I had to know how this book would end and how Elyse would reconcile her feelings for Billy Fitz.

I hope Ms. Pittman will write more ya books and even better if she can tie in Jane Austen.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

At 33 years old, I must admit that I am far from the target young adult audience for which this book was intended. Still, the name and cover drew me in, and I've always believed that a good story knows no age so I was excited to check it out anyway.

As the name suggests, Pudge and Prejudice is a young adult retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Set in the 1984, we meet Elyse as she and her family have moved to a new town. Being the new kid in high school is hard enough, but being the new kid who is not exactly a size 2? Well that presents it's own set of challenges... with lots of 80s references, some teen romance and a message on accepting one's self, this came together as a cute retelling of a beloved Classic.

Though the story was quite cute and enjoyable for the most part, I must admit I was a bit torn on it. First, let's talk the 80s theme, shall we? Though as a 90s kid I don't actually have any memory of life in the 80s, I appreciated many of the throwbacks throughout anyway. Sure, some went over my head, but many hit their mark as well, being not that far removed from my own childhood. Many of the books I read myself as a kid/teen took place around this same time (Sweet Valley Twins/High, Baby-sitter's Club, etc...) As such, I really enjoyed the nostalgia aspect of it personally. While the intended audience might not catch all those references, I wouldn't think it would affect their enjoyment anyway.

I must admit however that the teen romance drama in places did seem rather immature to me. But again, this is likely due more to my own age than anything else. While there are many books that are in the Young Adult genre that don't necessarily read as such, I couldn't help but feel like the romance here really would appeal more to that age group.

Regardless, it was a pleasant read anyway. If you're an adult reader looking for a cute 80s throwback, this could be a cute read but otherwise I'd likely recommend it more to it's intended reader!


** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Sometimes, for me, the true test is how the Wickham/Lydia portion of a Pride and Prejudice retelling is handled. Somehow, I always worry about Lydia. Happily, in this version, she is smarrter than we think. Enjoyable.

Set in fictitious Northfield, Texas during 1984, this story takes readers on a journey similar to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice!

Elyse Nebbitt and her family have just moved to Northfield, Texas and she is faced with finding her place in a new school. Elyse has always had trouble fitting in, being overweight hasn’t helped either. Her beautiful older sister Jayne quickly fits in and starts dating Charlie Bingley, one of the stars of the football team. While Elyse can’t help but being attracted to Charlie’s best friend, Billy Fitz, Elyse is too insecure in her own body to believe anything could develop in that relationship. Her new friend, Lottie, helps Elyse to accept herself for who she is and what she can become.

Pudge and Prejudice was just a fun read. I enjoyed the way the characters were laid out with different personalities. There is someone in this book for everyone to relate to in one way or the other. Pudge is bigger, a little insecure at times, but overall a fun character to read about. The rest of her family and friends she meets in her new town make for a well-rounded cast of characters that will leave readers smiling and nodding their heads at the different antics they get into. Her sisters are very different than her in size and attitude at times and the romance aspects of the book progress at a rate that is very relatable for teen angst and drama, although I will say that the end relationships did make me wonder if it was something that would really happen or just playing out well for the sake of the story.

Charlie and Billy are brought into the story to meet the girls by helping the family move in and one thing leads to another as our story progresses. The pace of the story was perfect for teens and anyone wanting a quick read that doesn’t require a lot of deep thought. Overall, this was a fun enjoyable read that I recommend to young readers, probably more suited for girls than boys, but the sports aspect of the story would appeal to male readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Pudge and Prejudice – A K Pittman
Pudge and Prejudice is an homage to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, transported to the fictitious Northfield Texas High School in the year 1984. After moving to Northfield with her family, Elyse Nebbit faces the challenge of finding her place in a new school, one dominated by social status and Friday night football. When Elyse’s effortlessly beautiful older sister Jayne starts dating Charlie Bingley, the captain of the school football team, Elyse finds herself curious about Charlie’s popular and brooding best friend, Billy Fitz. Elyse’s body insecurities eventually complicate her relationship with Billy, leaving Jayne and Elyse’s exceedingly blunt friend, Lottie, to step in and help Elyse accept herself for who she is, pant size and all.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride and Prejudice is one of the few classics that really deserves the genre of classic. It’s one of the only classics that I genuinely love, which is why I enjoy all and every reiteration of it and this retelling, set in 80s Texas is no exception.

Featuring a plus-sized protagonist, excellent 80s music references and my absolute favourite – an amazing family dynamic. Much like how Clueless is the best movie adaptation of Austen’s work, this is the best literary adaption I’ve read so far. It’s my first 4 star read of the year!

This is the epitome of what a Pride and Prejudice retelling should be – it captures all the snark of Austen’s original and flawlessly combines the nostalgia and epic music of the eighties. Somehow AK Pittman manages to take characters from the 1880s and make them feel right at home in 1980. I loved it and it publishes today!

Last year, I read quite a few Pride & Prejudice takes, including Unmarriagable and Eligible. But this book is not your average take. Pudge & Prejudice takes place in a small football obsessed Texas town in 1984. The Nebbitt family moves in mid-school year and quickly they are pulled into the world of of the haves and have nots. Elyse Nibbett is smart, but struggles with body issues. She doesn't belive there is any chance that the town star, Billy Fitz, would ever like her. Elyse's sister, Jayne, is pretty and quickly catches the attention of Charlie Bingley, however their quick love at first sight romance crashes and burns quickly, thanks to outside encouragement.

Pudge & Prejudice felt fresh, energetic and unique. I loved how quickly the book moved. It kept to Austen's story line, but was super original with its 1984 take. The 80s references were divine and spot on; they took me back to being an 80s kid - song and lyric references, waiting by the kitchen phone for a nightly phone call, Swatches, and passing notes in class. My only fear is these references will be lost on younger readers, as this is a YA book.

“I felt like that mountain, somehow seeing myself in his words. His voice held me there like a shore.”

Ahhh, Billy Fitz...the most annoying, most handsome, most frustrating, and of course most swoon worthy boy in high school who drove Elyse Nebbit “Pudge” nuts. Why is her nickname Pudge? You’ll have to read more to find out, but I think you’ll find her endearing. I know I did. As the middle Nebbit sister, she is learning to fit in as a new student, while balancing her seemingly quirky family. She will capture your heart, as will all the sisters. I loved all their distinct personalities.

“We got spirit. Yes we do! We got spirit, how ‘bout you? JUNIORS”

An enchanting foray into the 80s, this “Pride and Prejudice” retelling with an updated storyline was a delightful read. Pittman will draw Jane Austen readers into a fun adaptation into the 80’s life and high school . I love the sisters interactions and the struggles with moving into a new town made for a good read. There was a lot of heart, laugh out loud moments, and teenage angst. It was so much fun and took me back to my high school years in the South. Homecoming, prom, and sports are such a key part of East Texas “society” for high school. I felt like I stepped back into time.

Though it was not an exact representation that true Austenites may desire, it was a delightful book. Pittman dealt with many of the struggles teenagers have had throughout the high school years. She handled it in a beautiful way, showing the importance of true friendships and family. I really enjoyed this story. I’m looking forward to more from this author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Reading Austen adaptations, it is always a game for me to note the way names have been changed to fit the new setting. Mostly everyone gets a name beginning with the same letter as the original character’s first name (for women). Male characters’ names do the same, but may choose between first and surnames. The towns’ names tend either not to matter, or to be turned into shop names or school names. I have seen a lot of variations, some better than others. I have never seen Bennet turned into Nebbitt before. I couldn’t help laughing. And then I snorted my soda when I read the name Billy Fitz and I died. The rest of this review is written by a ghost.

The year is 1984. High school sophomore Elyse wears a double-digit jeans size at age 15 and her mother is not okay with that, though Elyse herself seems to find it a nonissue, preferring books and other activities to dieting and exercising. She has a social life and friends, even after moving to a new town, and is genuinely not bothered by being fat. At least until a boy who society declares is out of her league tells that he likes her despite her size.

Because of the way the eARC is formatted, I was made aware before beginning to read that this would be a young adult fictional romance that was “clean & wholesome,” so I did not expect there to be any sex, nor much description of any physical intimacy (I was correct). I suppose this is an important thing for readers to know going in, as young adult romances have become increasingly sex-positive and readers who really just don’t want to encounter anything of the sort will have an increasingly difficult time avoiding it in recent publications. I do wonder if this is a staple of the publishing company, though, or an authorial preference, or a result of the book being set in the 80s and, presumably, given the same sensibilities as a John Hughes movie.

And this book does read a good deal like a John Hughes movie. It has a very cinematic feel. For instance, the introduction of the Darcy and Bingley characters was really easy to visualize, and Elyse’s attention to musical and sartorial detail fits into the era neatly. Truly, the book is peppered with era-appropriate references, too-smart and too-mean younger siblings, and bon mots worthy of any 80s teen movie. There is a much more positive message about finding a date to the prom than many of those movies had, though, and it is refreshing to see that Elyse’s size is largely a nonissure throughout the book.

The footnotes in Chapter 5 are an odd choice on the author’s part. I thought they were typos at first, but no. There are actual footnotes, although they only appear in Chapter 5.

This is an easy book to recommend. It has a great story (thanks, Austen!), the characters are well-adapted to the era, and the setting is beautifully conveyed. Possibly it will find a wider audience with the parents of YA readers than the readers themselves, but I could be mistaken about that. Apparently the 1980s are very big in pop culture right now.

I love Pride and Prejudice reworkings, and Pudge and Prejudice is a modernized version set in the 1980's that attempts to tackle the complicated relationship of Elyse Nebbit (Elizabeth Bennet), new to town, and Billy Fitz (Darcy), the star quarterback. The author, A.K. Pittman does an incredible job of nailing the high school, teenage personalities. However, there were a few things that I did not necessarily think fit with the story.

I'm sure it wasn't the author's intention of making this story follow the original scene for scene, but the personalities were off a little. Elyse is portrayed as overweight and insecure, a total 180 from Elizabeth Bennett's character. I really didn't like this too much. Billy Fitz, while still rich and adored by all the females, didn't come off as prideful as the original Darcy. He was a very likeable character, just not so much Darcy. Lottie (Charlotte), was more outspoken than I remember. She ruled over Collin (Mr. Collins), who himself was almost as bumbling as the original but too sweet. Jayne and Charlie were the perfect lovesick teenagers. Lydia could have gotten in more trouble, but she was close to perfect. And we weren't given much of Mary and Kitty as they were portrayed as "The Littles." And Mrs. Bennett wasn't as obnoxious as her namesake. Caroline, while only 10, was still the same mean spirited sister to Charlie.

These differences, however, made for an entertaining read. Being from Texas, I appreciated the nods to football and sports. I felt like I was at that championship game (taking me back to senior year in East Texas). I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to friends. I am grateful to the author and Tyndale House for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

A retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the 1980s starring Elyse, a fat bookworm, and Billy Fitz, the star quarterback of the football team. The story loosely follows the story arc and major plot points of Austen's classic with mixed success.

I adore Pride and Prejudce and I'm a sucker for retellings, but despite all the promise of the premise, this was missing something for me. I wish the main characters had more chemistry--Jayne and Charlie were just as adorably in love as in the main retelling, but it didn't feel like there was a lot of tension between Elyse and Billy. Instead of hate at first sight, Elyse instantly crushes on Billy, and that never really goes away. I wish that this story had adhered a bit more faithfully to the text in that respect--Elyse was embarrassed that Billy didn't want to dance with her in public, but she goes back to crushing on him right away, which takes away from the romantic tension. It's hard to describe, but there's something that's not quite as effective about Billy just shaking his head (albeit vigorously) when encouraged to dance with Elyse as opposed to the original where Elizabeth overhears Darcy saying cruel things about her family. I just think there needed to be a greater inciting incident for this to have been a successful retelling.

Pride and prejudice, set in the 80s, in a high school, with a plus size middle class girl, and a star quarterback who is far above said girl?! Count me in!!! It was so adorable! Pride and prejudice is one of my all time favorite stories, and this did it justice. This book was just so cute. I loved Elyse (Elizabeth) and Jayne (Jane), Charlie and Billy (Mr. Darcy) were also great characters. It got a little meh in the middle for me and I felt like I had to push through it. I also thought the end was just slightly anticlimactic, but it really following the main story in a more modern, 1980s way and it was done just so well. I loved all the Easter eggs of the characters and scenes. Super cute!

Despite the fact that I’m not a big Jane Austen fan (please don’t send hate mail) I tend to be easily sucked into Austen retellings. So when I heard good things about this one I decided to give it a try! I loved that it was set in the 80’s, there’s not a lot of new releases set in that decade so I found it refreshingly entertaining. I also liked that it was obnoxiously over the top, trying to shove everything 80’s into every scene but it had an authentic feel with an appropriate amount of references. I also think the author did a great job of transforming the classic plot to fit the high school setting while still keeping a lot of the main points the same(the petty side of me liked that Caroline Bingley was a bratty 10 year old-lol). There were some changes that I didn’t overly love (I was not a fan of the Charlotte character) but overall it was great the way she made it work. I liked that there was a lot of great humor sprinkled in, Elyse had some great witty bits! And I appreciated the way the author highlighted learning to find and appreciate your true self and be confident in that.
Since everyone knows the story there weren’t really any surprises but I didn’t mind and I really enjoyed this retelling. If I was to have any real complaint it would be that it felt a little longer than I expect from YA so the middle dragged a little for me but it wasn’t enough to truly bother me or affect my enjoyment of reading!
So if you’re looking for a fun twist on the beloved story I definitely think you should check this one out!

Oh my giddy 80s teenage heart - this was just perfection!! This is a beautifully written YA sweet romance that had me hooked from the first page. This one’s a 2020 Top Read for me!

I absolutely ADORED Elyse (Pudge from the title). She’s one of the funniest and wittiest characters ever written. And Billy, oh Billy... you’re definitely more than meets the eye.

This is a super sweet story about a smart, chubby girl who ultimately learns to own who she is (and the fact she’s awesome just like she is) and the hottie quarterback who takes a hot minute to see what’s right in front of him.

The supporting characters - in particular her sisters reminded me so much of my own youth I found myself getting teary at the same time I was laughing up head off. Such an honest picture of family - the good, the bad and the embarrassing.

This was my first read from this author but definitely won’t be my last.

An interesting read that is written to YA and yet many adults who grew up in the 80's are going to want to read this book. Pittman has a way of writing that brings out emotions that some of us are not quite ready to deal with.
High school is tough enough without being the new kid in town. Along with that, not being the pretty sister or the popular sister makes it even harder.
Elyse is that middle child that worries about everyone. She becomes interested in Billy, but must deal with her own insecurities first. Thank goodness for real friends who help her see who she really is, pant size and all.

I wish I could say that I loved this story. But that is not the case, in fact I did not even finish it. I tried several times, but it was not really interesting to me. I guess maybe preteens would love it but there was just too much angst and the whole body image thing with Elyse didn’t feel genuine.
I think that if you’re really into Pride and Prejudice you might love this book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.

This is a great book for high school readers and above. This book was a retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice set in 1984-1985. I loved seeing the story through the main character, Elyse's eyes. It was fun to read a book set during this time period. I hope the author will write similar books I'll n the future.

80s Pop culture references brought lots of smiles to my face

An 80’s take on Pride and Prejudice with an overweight protagonist, Pudge and Prejudice is double fun for us GenX Austen fans. (Although the book would be just as enjoyable to a YA reader.) Austen’s original P and P is easily recognized in this book, which I loved. Pudge and Prejudice features the 5 Nebbitts sisters, focusing on the 3 oldest: Jayne, Elyse (aka Pudge),and Lydia as they first experience life in Northfield. The characters are well developed and include Elyse’s all-to-honest friend Lottie, as well as Charlie Bingley, Billy Fitz, and Gage Wickham. I loved some, I loved to dislike some, and I empathized with many at different times. The abundance of 80’s pop culture references kept a smile on my face to the finish. Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.