This is billed as a Sense and Sensibility reworking but on a cruise ship. It has been a while since I read Sense and Sensibility, but it is always one of my favorite Jane Austen Stories. I love practical Elinor and flighty and romantic Marianna so I was very excited to read this book and boy oh boy was it so worth it. It captures the essence of all the characters but updates them into a contemporary and fun setting of the Caribbean.
I am a huge lover of coming-of-age novels, and this follows Margaret as she learns who she is. She spent her life idolizing her older sisters and wanting to be just like them she never really figured herself out. Was she flighty and dramatic like Marianna or calm and sensible Elinor.
While I loved the story line, I loved Margaret and Gabe as they find youthful love I truly loved that this was a story of sisters and family.
By far my favorite character was Edward. He was the pick ball playing, bashful and lovely l hero of this story. I loved that Margaret grew to really know her brother-in-law through their time on the cruise.
I really enjoyed the story. It made me smile, it made me cry and I just loved reading this story that reminded me of my favorite Austen characters.
I would recommend to anyone that loves Jane Austen and coming of age story, light easy sweet romances with an amazing setting.

Margaret Dashwood has just graduated high school and is off on a big adventure of hanging out on a cruise ship all summer as her brother in law works are the chaplain. Over the last few years Margaret has followed a strict plan for herself, emulating her older sister Elinor. When she was younger she’d always been more like her sister Marianne, but following a terrible accident Margaret made a conscious effort to avoid that passionate and free spirited approach to life. This summer Margaret is about to find herself for the first time and figure out who she is, not try to be just like either of her sisters.

I went in with high hopes for this book, the premise sounded fun and I haven’t read YA in a while so I thought that would be a nice change, but this book wasn’t exactly for me. I enjoyed the cruise ship vibe and found that to be an interest setting. I also enjoyed all of the male characters, but I couldn’t stand the female characters. This is one messed up family and I just couldn’t get past that. Margaret is too busy trying to please her sisters and emulate them that she couldn’t see what was right in front of her. The number of times she tried to make everything right and solve her sisters’ problems drove me crazy and I don’t understand why she felt she had to do this. I couldn’t stand Margaret and I think that was what ruined this book for me. Like I said earlier, I really liked the male characters and I could tolerate Elinor and Marianne, but Margaret was too much for me. I think if she would have stopped harping on her sisters’ lives and trying to be just like them this could have a been a cute story about a cruise ship romance between her and Gabe. I can’t say I recommend this book, but just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean you won’t love it. The premise is cute, but Margaret was too much for me.

I loved this book! Sense & Sensibility is probably the Austen book that I know the least about but I followed this with no problem. It was a very fun read & even made me fantasize about going on a cruise.

I thought this was a fun summery read. I do think I preferred the author's other classic inspired books, but this one was still enjoyable. My gripe with it is that I felt like Margret was super annoying in the way she went about everything. It felt like she was annoyed with literally everyone around her no matter what they did, and that made her kind of an irritating narrator. I wish she would've been a little more understanding of Marianne, if not only so the plot was less contrived.

I always enjoy a good reimagining of a classic novel, but I struggled with this one a bit. I liked that each of the sisters was different and had a different personality. But I felt like some of the beliefs felt a bit old fashioned and didn't entirely fit with today's standards. I felt like this could have been modernized more. But I enjoyed the setting on a cruise ship and I think that added to the enjoyment of the book. I just found the youngest sister to be annoying and unrealistic.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for a Net Galley version and a hardback copy as well.

I could not get through this. I tried multiple times but just couldn't do it. I didn't connect with the characters.

I read S&S not too long ago, and I really loved it, so I was looking forward to a sequel of sorts, this time focusing on the youngest daughter, Margaret. However, they modernized it and brought it into the 21st century, and I had a hard time with that until I decided to treat it as S&S inspired rather than a true sequel and that worked a lot better. After the disaster of the events in the original, Elinor and Edward were happily married, Marianne was safely happy with Brandon (or so they thought), and Margaret was getting ready to go to college but was still trying to figure out who she was.

There was a lot of potential here, but I feel like Margaret was not the most likable of characters. I mainly did not like how she treated Gabe, even though he clearly was very into her. While I understand that her choices came from the trauma that she endured with Marianne, I didn't quite understand why she felt like she had to solve Marianne's problems for her. I think it was her motivation that annoyed me--she wanted to solve Marianne's problem of romance (automatically assuming that she needed a guy to be happy) not because it would help Marianne, but so that she could have the summer that she felt she deserved. Also her desire to keep everything secret from Elinor just rubbed me the wrong way. I loved Elinor and Edward, and I guess I wish that Margaret would have talked to her instead of keeping everything hidden.

On the other hand, I do like how Margaret did realize at the end how wrong she had been about everything--her sisters (yes, plural), Edward and Elinor, and about herself and how she treated Gabe. I absolutely loved Gabe and thought for the longest time that he was too good for her. But I think I understand what the author was trying to do with her character. She was the baby of the family and had endured real trauma, and it doesn't sound like she ever fully processed it--with the modernization of this novel, I would have thought they would have gotten her therapy after the fact--and what she thought was her proper role in her family was so limiting, not just for her, but also for her family and her relationship with them. I really appreciated that about this novel.

Overall, I thought this was a decent "inspired-by" novel, and I would be open to reading more books by this author. It didn't quite meet my expectations, but I did enjoy parts of it, including the ending and I also liked where the main protagonist ended up. I would rate this a solid 3 stars.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A modern take on a sister who didn't get her own story from Jane Austen. I love how Amanda Quain gives a fresh take on these familiar characters and even highlights a younger sibling who played a minor part in the classic books by Jane Austen. This was a sweet, wholesome teen romance with Margaret Dashwood trying to emulate her sensible sister Elinor while trying to keep her sensitive sister Mary Ann from wreaking havoc. The girls all learn an important lesson about relationships and meddling, and the story was fun as it took place on a cruise ship. This would be a great beach read.

A cute read. Three sisters, varying personalities, come together on a cruise ship. The youngest, Margaret, is trying to reconcile her relationships with her two sisters. A scheme is hatched to bring love back to her heartbroken sister, but along the way she finds herself.

To be 18 again was challenging to relate, especially some of her actions. Quick, coming of age story to bring to the pool.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books

A fun modern retelling of Sense and Sensibility!

I’ve actually read one of Amanda Quain’s other retellings and throughly enjoyed that book as well, making Amanda one of my go-to recommendations for someone looking for classic retellings with a clean, modern, YA twist!

In “Dashed,” Amanda offers a contemporary retelling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, featuring Margaret Dashwood, our type A, list making, plan having heroine, as she embarks on a summer cruise meant to be a 6 week long break from life, school, heartache, and a chance to bond with her sensible sister, Elinor. However, when their romantic sister Marianne crashes the trip, Margaret’s meticulously planned vacation turns into a chaotic journey of self-discovery, love, and family dynamics. Amidst elaborate fake dates for Marianne, and begrudgingly herself, as well as her own growing feelings for crew member Gabe, Margaret must learn if following the plan or following her heart is more worth it.

I always throughly enjoy stories about sisters, not growing up with any myself (but marrying into a wonderful family with three girls) I find the sisterly dynamics, feuds, unconditional love, unspoken grievances, and fierce protectiveness absolutely FASCINATING! In Dashed we experience sisterhood through the varying relationships of our three sisters: Margaret, Elinor, and Marianne. I thought their dynamics were authentically portrayed, showcasing both their conflicts and their deep bonds. Their interactions are touching and relatable, capturing the essence of sisterly love and support while also honoring the sometimes difficult feelings sisterhood can evoke!

All in all the slow budding romance was palpable and deeply enjoyable, the cruise setting was immersive and so fun, the plot was engaging (if a bit off in pacing at times) and the Austen inspired elements were clever!

This book is a perfect end of summer read if you enjoy heartwarming YA contemporary romance stories of sisterhood, self-discovery, healing, and classic literature retellings, all set against the immersive backdrop of a cruise ship! 🛳️

Cute YA story based on the characters of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility in modern days.
The lead is a bit immature but love the growth, just wish it started showing earlier to get more enjoyment of reading about her. The love interest was a highlight of the story.

Thank you NetGalley, Wednesday Books and author Amanda Quain for this arc!

What a fun summer romp this was! Dashed is a super cute, modern YA retelling of Sense and Sensibility. … and although I’ve never read Jane Austen’s classic tale (gasp!) I didn’t feel like that took away from being able to enjoy and relate to these characters or this adaptation of the story.

It’s the perfect coming of age read with fake dating, light family drama, adventure, sisterhood bonds and sweet romance. Plus, the setting is 6 weeks living on a cruise ship … what’s not to love about that!

Overall this is a charming, lighthearted read that is fast paced and entertaining … a great choice for a few hours of blissful summertime escape!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I really enjoyed "Ghosted" by this author. This one, however, didn't connect with me as much. I just didn't get our main character, Margaret. In fact, she was not a very likeable character. She used to want to be like her free-spirited sister Marianne until the accident. Then she avoided that sister and became obsessed with being like her sensible sister, Elinor. Margaret's whole plan on the cruise ship to me seemed cruel. Marianne's long-term relationship just ended, and she was going to force her into dating situations...not to mention how she treated Gabe.

Fast forward six weeks, and after everything that occurred there is an "aha moment" and a declaration of love. I just didn't feel very invested in the storyline. I still will check out future writings...

2.5 stars

3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4

This book was a cute YA summer read. It uses some classic young adult theme such as identity searching and love. The story was entertaining and it was a quick light read. I loved watching Margaret evolve throughout the story and how she really got into her own by the end. One thing I had a harder time with is that it read a bit younger than what I’m used to (you see it mostly in Margaret’s internal dialog and how she acts and reacts) and there is some redundancy that can get tiresome. Overall I thought it was a cute story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun YA read with lots of summer vacay vibes so it’s a perfect vacation read! I loved that it was an updated version of Sense and Sensibility. I feel like each character in this novel had a unique personality and it would be easy for anyone to find a character in the story to relate to. I really related to Margaret’s need to follow her plans and to not be spontaneous. This part of her character really made me feel seen.

I thought the plot of this book was fun. Who wouldn’t want to spend an entire summer on a cruise ship with her sisters and a cute boy?! I thought the sister dynamics between the three girls was also very interesting. Although, the sisters were great, my absolute favorite character was Edward. He was just the best! The way he watched out for Margaret and the deep conversations they had were precious.

I ended up only giving this book 3 stars because I felt like it dragged on a bit. I really loved the beginning and the last 5 chapters or so really picked up pace, but there was quite a bit in the middle where I had to force myself to read and get through it.

Overall though, this is a fun YA book that would definitely make a good beach read.

A redo of Jane Austen characters on a cruise boat. What is not to love with that? Think this one will explode on social media because it's so fun.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. I have been very lucky to receive an ARC of each of Quain's Austen remixes and have really enjoyed them all. I do not know Sense & Sensibility as well as other Austen books (not surprising) so I did not recall a third Dashwood sister or her story. This, however, was a really great view into the original with a great twist. Readers will ask is it better to be an Elinor or Marianne and Margaret is our stand-in to answer the question. If you like Austen, you will like this. 4 stars.

I adored Ghosted, the last book by the author, so I had really high hopes for this one, but I didn't end up loving it. I thought the characters were really widely drawn, there was a lot of repetition, and I didn't understand why Gabe would be interested in Margaret. It seemed like she just kept asking him for things from the beginning and I didn't really see their actual relationship develop. Maybe this one will work for younger YA audiences? But even then I think there was just a lot in this one that didn't make sense or add up. Thanks for the opportunity to read it! I posted a spotlight of the book instead of a review.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

Margaret lives her life with lists, notes and plans just like her oldest sister. She chose this kind of life after her sister Marianne (who is the world’s biggest romantic) got her heart broken and crashed the car with Margaret inside. She used to be just like Marianne but after that day she decided to follow in her bigger sisters’ footsteps Elinor. So, when Elinor and her husband Edward go on a cruise for his work Margaret decides to come along because it’s her last summer with her family before she goes away for college. Little does the whole family know but Marianne is going to be on the ship with them the whole time, and not because she wants to be there for her family but because she is running from a problem that was caused in her relationship. Margaret will do whatever she can to make sure that she is not saddled with Marianne the whole time on the ship and finds men that will work great for Marianne, but while doing so Margaret finds out that her heart she thought once was made from ice, isn’t and she starts to fall for a cruise tech guy. How will the summer end? Will these sisters mend their relationships with each other and with love or will they find more heartache?

I don’t hate Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility but the way this author wrote this book I found myself loving it. I thought the vacation aspect of this book made it come to life and added a lot more complications and issues that these sisters had to work through. I also liked the romance side of this book, it wasn’t just 1 character that had to understand romance more but all of them had a little something to work on in their relationships, whether that be with their spouse or their family or a cute boy that they met on the ship. I found the plot to be something new, and that I just visited some of the places that the author wrote about in this book just earlier this year. I thought the romance side of this book was well done and the author didn’t rush into anything right away but definitely was a slow burn and took an “light bulb moment” to make everything click together. The characters in this book are what really made this a great read.

The characters are well developed, you will fall in love with these sisters and find yourself thinking of them as your friends. I liked that they were each relatable and easy to connect with. Even Gabe, the very attractive cruise tech guy that Margaret literally falls into his lap. I found Margaret to be the perfect middle sister even though she is the youngest of them. She has the best of both of her sisters, and she really doesn’t realize it until about 75% of the book and from there you will be swiped up into a beautiful wrap up of this book. Gabe was a gentleman and never pushed Margaret to understand her feelings but made sure that she understood she was safe with him. I think that is really what helped her to understand her own feelings towards him.

If you want a cute, fast-paced book, with great characters and a good plot for the summer you should read this book. I didn’t read the first two books and I was able to understand everything that was going on, but I will be adding them to my TBR.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the opportunity to review this book.

I don’t read a ton of retellings but a Jane Austen retelling sounded right up my alley !!!

I enjoyed this one and thought the setting of a cruise ship was super unique and a was pleasantly surprised that it played almost as much a character as the Dashwood sisters.

The Dashwood sisters love stories- both romantic and self love - were fully explored and each gave a unique perspective.

Would recommend.