Adorable and very perfectly a true NYC rom-com. Charming characters and voice. A promising debut and totally delightful friends-to-lovers story!

Emma lives a life of privilege but wants to be independently successful and loves a project, whether that is a person or a party. Her sister marries and moves out, leaving Emma in the house with her father who is overly invested in health and wellness since the death of her mother. The backyard neighbor, Knightly, is Emma's best friend and the back and forth between them is entertaining. Knightly still thinks of her as the little girl he grew up with...or does he? This was a good book, but it did take a little bit for me to get invested and the characters can be a bit confusing to keep track of initially. I think if I was familiar with the book it was based on, I might have enjoyed this more from the start, but it was still a good read.

3.5/5 stars! Emma of 83rd Street is a contemporary retelling of Emma set in New York City. However, I do not think you need to be completely familiar with Emma to enjoy this book.

This was a very fun and quick read. I loved the dual POVs which gave insight into the strong connection between Emma and Knightley. I recommend picking this up this summer if you’re looking for a light and fun story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication: May 23, 2023.

I absolutely loved every second of this book. It was such a lovely reimagining of a classic. I felt like I was in NYC the whole time. It was exactly the kind of read that I needed and I would absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoys sweet and fun books.

SO many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Bellezza; Emily Harding. What a fun an sexy update of Jane Austen this is! Bravo! Jane would be proud.

hooked and hooked some more. Loved all of this and couldn't put it down. I was like oh my. I need to know more. Read it.

Emma is a 23 year old graduate student studying art history at NYU. Her sister, Margo, is getting married to their neighbor and childhood friend, Ben. Emma and Margo grew up as neighbors to Ben and his brother, George Knightley. Throughout the book George Knightley is mostly referred to by his last name. Knightley and Emma grew up together, and they are best friends. They spend a lot of time together, and they still have family Sunday dinners every night at Emma's house. Knightley and Emma are very different, but they still remain best friends.
Knightley teases Emma about her lofty goals and ever changing dreams and hobbies. Emma teases Knightley about why he is still single.

While in grad school, Emma meets a new friend named Nadine. Nadine and Emma start to spend everyday together, and Emma wants to help Nadine find a new boyfriend. They meet some interesting characters along the way as they journey through New York as single women.

As the story progresses, Knightley and Emma begin to see each other in a different light. Could they be more than friends? Could they have found love right next door after all of these years?

I loved this story so much. I found Emma to be so delightful, and she is someone that I would love to be friends with. I was swept up in the love story and romance of the book. I would definitely recommend this book.

Emma and Knightley have been friends since childhood- their tony Upper East Side homes neighboring each other. Now they’re both grown-up, with Emma starting grad school at NYU, and Knightley freshly returned from LA to work from his private equity firm in New York City.

As they navigate their exclusive social circle full of glam parties, marriages, pregnancies, friendships new and old, breakups, and dates gone wrong, they find it increasingly difficult to deny their growing feelings for each other. Belleza and Harding have created a glamorous romp that is heartfelt, steamy and romantic.

This modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Emma takes us from Regency England to present day high society Manhattan, but the relationship foibles and romantic misunderstanding remain intact.

For fans of retellings of classics and Clueless.

This was a fun retelling of Emma! I loved the setting of the book and the modern take of a classic!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

RATING: 3/5 STARS

I really wanted to enjoy this but I couldn't keep myself engaged beyond the 40% mark. This is a contemporary retelling of Emma, which is a story I love. I didn't feel strong chemistry between the main two leads though, which is a difficult ask as the original Emma and Knightley are a lot to live up to.

A modern retelling of Emma with a fun take. It wasn't the most world altering retelling but I enjoyed it. It was fun. It had heart. Overall a fun reading experience.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fun and quick read. Made me want to go back to New York City as I followed the characters around town. Great retelling of a classic.

This was super cute! A great retelling of a Jane Austen classic. I finished and immediately wanted to watch Emma! The main character here, Emma, really grew on me throughout the book. This is just a fun read and one I will really be recommending for spring vacations, I wish I had read this while traveling! Perfect easy read for a long travel day or a beautiful day in the sun.

This is most intelligent, entertaining, absolutely sexiest version of Emma! The high chemistry between Knightley and Emma leaves you breathless! Enemies to lovers and friends to lovers tropes blended in modern Manhattan elites’ lives where Emma is trying to find her life purpose, dealing with Knightley’s criticism to learn to be more mature: a grown up as her sister Margo and Knightley’s hot chef brother Ben start their own family.

Clueless meets Gossip Girl meets modern-day re-imagining of Jane Austen's Emma in this adorable book from Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding.

This book was cute! Despite taking me a hot minute to get through, I really enjoyed the authors' diction and how they shaped a classic tale into something applicable to the 21st century. There were some moments -particularly at the book's beginning- that felt particularly juvenile reading, but once you get into the heart of the story, the prose becomes beautifully inescapable.

I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to any of my friends yearning for another Jane Austen adaptation!

Super cute story that will take you on an adventure. I loved the main character in this one. She was relatable and funny.

I love a good modern Jane Austen adaptation, and Emma is one of my favorite Austen novels, so I knew I was going to enjoy this one! Emma Woodhouse is a current graduate student at NYU, studying Art History and trying to figure out her post-grad plan. After Emma's friends move abroad and her top-notch matchmaking skills result in her sister getting married—and moving out of the family's Upper East Side apartment—she decides to take on a new "project." Enter Nadine, a new classmate (and maybe even a new friend). Of course, Emma's childhood best friend George Knightley always seems to be around, trying to foil Emma's plans. He could never see Emma as anyone other than the girl next door who needs to grow up...right?

This was a really fun, entertaining read with plenty of exciting romance and drama!.Emma is such a likable heroine, and there's a great cast of side characters, too. Additionally, I loved how NYC itself was almost its own "character" in the book! If you love "Clueless" with a dash of "Gossip Girl," you will definitely enjoy this book. I hope the authors write more modern-day Austen adaptations in the future—I look forward to reading them! Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advance read in exchange for this review.

Emma is rich, beautiful, and Clever. She has lived her whole life in this Upper East Side terrace. Her sister is now married, and Emma is bored. She latches on to a new kid in her grad school class. She's on Ohio born and raised girl with bad boxed highlights. Emma thinks of her as a project, but she is also distracted because of her neighbor George. George is annoying and he has known Emma her entire life. Could what she need be right under her nose?

This book is supposed to be a modern day retelling of Emma, and it has Austen vibes for sure! At first I wanted to stop reading because I thought Emma was annoying and superficial. However, she has a lot of depth! I grew to like her in the end. Her relationship with George was playful and fun, and I hope this author duo writes more!

This book was so cute ! I loved the friends to lovers feel of the book and loved how it was an easy contemporary romance read . I could not put down this book it kept me intrigued the whole time . If you want to read a retelling of Emma by Jane Austen , a contemporary romance with some friends to lovers . This is the book for you I highly recommend ! 5/5 stars for sure ! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review and read this arc !

Such a cutie little book!!! I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of Jane Austin’s Emma- it was beautifully done and left me smiling and wanting more!