I enjoyed the easy reading aspect of this one. There was a lot of adventures and misadventures for the characters that kept you interested.. I imagined more romance from this but overly surprised with how direction that author captured

While I enjoy the occasional YA book, there are times when I read one and am struck by the thought that I might be a little too old for it. This was one of those books. It was a cute, quick read, but I didn't feel much of a connection with the characters. The plot was a bit far-fetched, which didn't help me connect with the book overall. This was a lighthearted read that would likely be a hit with someone more age appropriate.

A coming of age story about learning to love despite the fear of losing that love, about living boldly and passionately, even though nothing in life is guaranteed. Also, when you’ve experienced trauma, perhaps you should see a therapist to work on that instead of tamping down all of your emotions? Margaret was 13 when her dad died and she was in a horrific car accident with her older sister, yet somehow, none of the adults around her seemed to notice the ways she’d walked herself off from everyone to avoid feeling. If they did notice, and did nothing about it, maybe that’s worse? It’s not exactly realistic that these 3 sisters have been dealing with their own interconnected traumas for 5 years and one honest conversation in the middle of a hurricane solved everything, but I’m willing to believe that it was the first step to healing and accepting one another for who they are, and that what we don’t see off-page is all the therapy they’ll be receiving.

The book is an interesting type of adaptation - while it’s a modern take on Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, it’s set after the traditional plot of the book, when Elinor and Edward are already settled and Marianne and Brandon have gotten together (and broken up??). I really appreciated the creativity the author had in bringing these characters forward in time and also in live experience, while keeping them true to themselves. In the original novel, we don’t get to know little sister Margaret very well because she’s not in any of the romantic pairings. We see the confusion and difficulty she had at their father’s death, her adventure spirit, and how she clings to the men who come into her sisters’ lives, but don’t really get to know any of her inner thoughts or dreams.

The version of Margaret that Quain presents makes total sense in the context of Elinor and Marianne’s relationship, where they are often seen as complete opposites. I can see how Margaret might feel like a third wheel to their complimentary duo, like she might have to choose between being like one or the other but never like both. At times reading this, I found myself getting frustrated by Margaret’s unwillingness to communicate and rigid view of who her sisters were and what they needed. I found myself continually reminding myself that she’s only 18, still traumatized herself, and doing her best. Meeting Gabe on the cruise was perhaps the best thing that could have happened to Margaret, not because she needs a guy to be happy, but because she needed someone to see her for who she was, want to help her, and like despite all the trauma she’s dealing with. Obviously kissing Gabe went well for them both, but it was all the time spent hanging out with him, having fun, and being open and honest that truly made a difference in her happiness levels.

While romance and love was a big part of each sister’s story in this book, the most important relationships were the ones between each sister. They all care deeply for one another, but there was such a profound amount of miscommunication between them that it’s no wonder they went 5 years drowning in their unresolved trauma. They spend so much time trying to help one another that they stopped listening to what each actually wanted. Once they finally stated clearly what they each had been feeling and wanting, they were finally able to get to a point where they could support one another in a healthy and helpful manner. And also really celebrate the love and happiness they do have in their lives.

This was a great modern retelling of Sense and Sensibility" and it was a fun, fast read. The characters are great and you don't need to know the original story to be able to get into this one. I really like Amanda Quains retellings and this is the third one I have read. I love that this is set on a cruise and I loved the relationship between the sisters.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

A modern retelling of "Sense and Sensibility", "Dashed" is a fun, moving, and endearing adaptation of Jane Austen's original novel! Amanda Quain does a wonderful job of bringing the story into a contemporary setting, and I did not want to put this book down!

For this story, it would take place after the original novel in terms of where the characters are at within their own stories. The author does a phenomenal job of taking the characters from Jane Austen's original book, with their stories, personalities, and thoughts, and seamlessly weaves them with characters and situations original to this novel. There is strong character development throughout, and I found myself turning the pages into the early hours of the morning to see what was going to happen next.

I recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press - Wednesday Books for the e-ARC of this novel! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Three sisters, one cruise, and a fresh chance at love. This story follows Margaret Dashwood, who is not a fan of love as love almost took her sister Marianne away from her. She and older sister Elinor are set to go on a cruise to soak up some sun before college. Her hopes are crushed when Marianne, fresh from a breakup crashes what was supposed to be a relaxing getaway. In order to distract heartbroken Marianne, Margaret sets a plan in motion to restore her sister’s faith in love while possibly falling in love herself.

As a fan of a good Jane Austen retelling, I was excited for the chance to read this early. While there was definitely humor and I love seeing the bonds between sisters, this story is a very loose retelling of one of Austen’s classics, Sense and Sensibility. While I enjoyed the overall theme of the story, I had a hard time connecting with some of the sisters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this book!

2.5, rounded up. This was okay, but I didn't feel like it improved upon the premise of the original story. The tropes and lines felt repetitive after a while. It's cute but nothing new.

This was such a fun book! I really enjoyed the tropical setting and the Sense and Sensibility vibes. This was a great summer romcom

was not able to get into this book at the time it was due to be reviewed and was not able to finish reading. i am grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this book early and have heard nothing but good things about this author.

Maybe I didn't love this "loosely" based retelling of Sense and Sensibility because it isn't my favorite Austen novel--so yes, I will say this is me, not you. It was fun and lighthearted, giving the same lightness as some other rom-coms, but I was looking for a bit more of that nostalgia for S & S.

Give me anything and everything Austen inspired. The Dashwood sisters (sense & sensibility) are heading on a long family cruise. The story is told by little sister Margaret. This was an easy to follow, adventurous romcom. I think this is super cute read for by the pool or the beach. it was fun & carefree. i enjoyed it.

This book really surprised me. I actually really enjoyed it.
I thought it was going to be really cheesy, but it was actually really moving.
It was a great rom com!
I loved the relationship between the sisters. I also loved how they were close to each other's partners as well.
I really liked that it took place on a cruise. I loved the vacation vibes!
I've never been on a cruise, and it definitely made me want to go on one!

I really enjoyed the character explorations on the cruise and the island, but I wish we got to see a bit more of life on the cruise ship itself. It felt like a lot of the daily details were skimmed over, and the days seemed to jump by quickly. That said, I really liked Margaret’s narration style—she has a very down-to-earth, funny tone that made her easy to relate to.

Margaret’s personal growth was one of my favorite parts. I loved how she realized she doesn’t need to adopt parts of other people's personalities to feel whole. The connections she builds with her brother-in-laws and the way she strengthens her relationships with her sisters were really heartwarming. It was a great reminder that family isn’t just about blood—it’s about the people who care for you.

The romance with Gabe was sweet, and I liked how it put a fresh spin on the typical grumpy/sunshine dynamic. Overall, it was a cute summer romance, but it didn’t quite blow me away or have any big surprises. Still, it was a lovely read that captured the spirit of summer.

#ARC #netgalley

Dashed
Amanda Quain

A Sense and Sensibility retelling, yes please, but I think it could have been a little bit stronger. All in all, the book was boring and I found myself losing interest in the story.

I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. I found them all really unlikable. I wish I had a different experience with the book.

Thank you to St. Marting’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced ebook in exchange for my honest opinions.

Dashed is a modern day version of Sense and Sensibility, and as a Jane Austen lover, I thought this interpretation was cute and enjoyable. While it's not a faithful re-telling, I thought that made the book more interesting as it wasn't just a typical wash and repeat retelling that many are. The characters were quirky and fun and I enjoyed the story.

Thanks to netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This was an enjoyable read! I struggled at first to connect with the characters and the stir but definitely ended up enjoying this cute fun read! I enjoyed the relationship between the sisters and how it developed as well!

I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's a cute YA romance but my only hang up was the immaturity of the FMC. Granted she is 18 and having an 18 year old myself, I get it. I'm sure if I were younger and reading this I would have no problem with her. As far as the story line and being relatable to Sense and Sensibility, I loved it. Recommended for those who like YA Romance.

I really wanted to like this and this could easily be a case of "its me, not you". This was the last YA romance/coming of age that I have read that really brought home the fact that I am not the target audience for these kinds of stories anymore. I just don't enjoy them as much as I use to so I will not be reading this genre anymore. Overall I found the main character to be very immature and over the top with pretty much everything, she could not see past her own needs and interpretations and just kept blundering over everyone's feelings. I was super frustrated by her, and this is where the self-reflection comes in where I don't think I'm the target reader here. I am sure a younger teen audience will love the drama and ridiculous antics that take place here and enjoy the story.

This was such a witty, smart revamp of Sense and Sensibility! Every retelling of Quain's helps me see the original more clearly, but the books totally stand on their own as delightful reads. She writes books for me and me only!

Fun rom-com that shows how life doesn't always go according to plan. Creating fake dates for her friend is when Marianne and Margaret discover what is truly happening. This story tests their friendship and their love life.