I love Pride and Prejudice and was looking forward to reading this book, but it just fell short of what I wanted from it. The characters felt underwhelming and underdeveloped. Lissie is annoying, her actions don’t really make sense, and her writing a play just felt out of place. She spends the majority of the book disliking Preston because he calls out her mistake on a public forum (fair, but she also didn’t really want to take accountability and kept minimizing her mistake), he maybe caused a swim club to fall apart (when he was a literal child), and that’s it? I understand that she already disliked Preston so she was more susceptible to eating up anything negative anyone else had to say about him, but to hold something that happened when he was a child against him was just weird. Especially when she was set on protecting her sister, she should have been able to see that there was more to the story than what she was being told. The swim coach was already acting sketchy before that and she should have been able to see that. I just couldn’t root for her and found myself cringing several times because she was so oblivious to red flags. The gay roommate just felt like a stereotypical character added to check off a list. The ending was rushed and had no closure. Preston’s mom made it clear she will be an obstacle. How are they going to handle that? Are Jenny and Charles actually going to give it another go? What is Lissie doing now that she’s graduating? Lissie and Preston didn’t so much as hold hands prior to their truce and now they’re all over each other? Inconsistent with their previous development. Overall the story felt unfinished and could have used more character development and much less of Lissie’s play (because that also led to nowhere). I give this 2 out of 5 stars.

Christina Hwang Dudley’s fun new novel Pride and Preston Lin takes inspiration from the Jane Austen classic, Pride and Prejudice, without being a beat-for-beat modernization.

Lissie Cheng, along with her older sister Jenny and younger sister Jojo, went to live with their aunt and uncle after their parents’ death. Aunt Rhoda and Uncle Mason own and run a Chinese restaurant, Four Treasures, and now Lissie works in the restaurant, while finishing her fifth year at state college. Jenny’s a new grad, who also works at the restaurant while anxiously studying for MCATs. The Cheng sisters are not exactly poor, but a family restaurant isn’t on the same level as the wealthy Bings and Lins. There’s a very real class difference between the Chengs and the real estate investor Lins, which helps update the classic P&P plotline.


You guys know I love Jane Austen reinventions, and I love Chinese-American fiction, so I already knew I was going to enjoy Pride and Preston Lin, but I didn’t expect Lissie Cheng, a Lizzie Bennet with exactly my Mandarin skills! (That’s 牛肉，白菜， 鱼，米饭, if you’re wondering. I can also say 啤酒 )

Preston Lin comes from a wealthy and well-connected family, and his own talents have taken him further, with a top university and nationally-ranked athletics. It’s a solid updating, because Preston, just like classic Darcy, has a mental class system. Preston and his family know exactly where Stanford and San Jose State fall on it. So it’s not surprising when he and his family are unimpressed with student / waitress Lissie, especially when she dramatically screws up their meal.

It takes a while for the Lissie and Preston chemistry to come together, which I loved. I know loads of contemporary romcom and romance novels like instalove, but that’s not really my favorite, and anyway, the original P&P is all about snap judgements being wrong! So I enjoyed seeing their original judgements reconsidered. Jenny and Bing, of course, have perfect instalove, as they should!

In the original novel, some of the plot is propelled by the very real concern that the Bennet sister will be dependent spinster relatives if they don’t marry well. Here, Jenny Cheng is worrying about her MCAT scores and her future, because she doesn’t have family money or connections to help her out. Lissie is on the five-year plan at college, after switching her major (another thing for the super successful Preston to look down on!), with graduation and a job search ahead. Even though sad spinsterhood isn’t looming for the Cheng sisters, their worry about future security is real. This worked well for me, one common issue with a lot of modernized P&P is that the young women’s need to marry into financial stability doesn’t motivate a modern plot well. Social-climbing Mrs. Bennet works well in any setting, but the idea of marrying for money doesn’t feel like a sympathetic main character in 2024. This reinvention kept the sisters’ financial worries, in a relatable, modern way.

P&P‘s Lydia and Wickham is a rough storyline for modern readers. Through Darcy’s intervention and bribery, in order to save the Bennets from the social ruin of Lydia ad Wickham running off together, teenage Lydia is married off to a scammer with no morals, no friends, and no income, but scandal is averted, so it’s a successful resolution in the book. There’s a reinvention of the Wickham/Lydia storyline in Pride and Preston Lin, that involves a tween and her swim coach. I was absolutely on edge the whole time because I thought it was going, well, just the way you think a starstuck tween girl athlete and her charismatic, slightly shady coach is going to go. And, without spoilers, it doesn’t. Jojo does perfectly believable tween actions, absolutely worrying, but fortunately not the life-changing horror of original Lydia/Wickham.

Overall, Pride and Preston Lin is a fun, contemporary read for Jane Austen fans. The books shows warm affection between the sisters, as well as sharp class distinctions. I liked the twists on the familiar characters, and I enjoyed how the story followed the themes and overall structure of the original, without being too tied to the original scenes or pacing.

Thank you to the author, Third State Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting this review, I had a bit too much going on.

Pride and Prejudice in a modern retelling, set in the Asian community? Yes, please! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author shines with great character studies, witty dialogue and a very good adaptation of a well-known and much-loved book into a contemporary setting. Yes, we know how this ends, but it's great fun to follow along the road to get there.

Oh my Goodness this is the best pride and prejudice retelling I have read! And by one of my favorite regency romance authors to boot! I absolutely loved this contemporary romance. This was so good! I loved it!
I just reviewed Pride and Preston Lin by Christina Hwang Dudley. #NetGalley
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Rating: 4.5⭐️ | 1🔥- sweet nothings that left me feeling warm and fuzzy 🥰

Christina Hwang Dudley’s foray into this YA contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice is both delightful and insightful, drawing inspiration from a Chinese-American cultural perspective. There’s a wealth of character and plot development that rings of clever authenticity and sweet exploration that I thoroughly appreciated.

As was the case with Lizzie Bennet in the original, Lissie Cheng - an endearing and extremely relatable FMC, is imperfectly flawed and has plenty of room for growth. Bless her!

Quick-witted, contrary and sharp - particularly in her exchanges with Preston (Darcy) - the comical situations she finds herself in had me cringing, crying and erupting into fits of silly giggles - often shrieking “no… no, please don’t… oh no you didn’t!?!”.

A first person narrative, often wryly delivered, Lissie takes us along with her during significant and dramatic social/life changes and the resulting inner evolutionary journey she undergoes. Her story harks back to similar scenarios as is attributed to the core P&P plot, however blended beautifully with Hwang Dudley’s organically original talented tang and a whole lot of sass and banter that I just couldn’t get enough of.

You’ll find delectable tropes in the form of:
Miscommunications
Enemies to lovers
Opposites Attract
Slow burn attraction

I honestly don’t have anything bad to say about this book. Pride and Preston Lin was an engaging and humorous read which reflected the sweetly unfolding love of two opposites that eventually attract. I found it difficult to put the book down, but life got in the way so alas put it down I did. Had I not, I’d have finished reading within the day - it was that deliciously all-consuming!

Many thanks to Christina Hwang Dudley, Third State Books and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC.
My review is given freely and without incentive.

First of all, I am a Pride and Prejudice fan but you do not need to be to enjoy this book. It is set in modern times. There are nods to Chinese American culture both good and cringe that were all relatable to me being a first-generation Asian American. There is also the world of competitive swim culture that author Dudley seems knowledgeable about. I don't know anything about competitive swim. I didn't feel "left out" or confused because the descriptions (of both worlds) seamlessly flowed with the storyline. I appreciated the world she built.

All the characters in this book fit their personality, from genial to condescending. Charles Bing is a classic lovely Charles Bingley. I liked him a lot and he fit the kind caring character arc. He isn't a pushover and doesn't let people sway him easily. He is smart, kind, and reasonable. Lissie is smart, clever, bold, and witty. She just wants her family to be okay. Preston Lin was infuriating at first but once we truly got to know him it was easy to see why Lissie started falling for him. Dudley brings each character to life in a way that makes you either root for them or dislike them and rightly so! Despite being a riff on Pride and Prejudice this is a fresh take that is quirky and fun. I truly enjoyed this read.

I received this book from Netgalley, Third State Books, and Christina Hwang Dudley. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own.

This was a great book. I connected with the characters. I felt engrossed with the plot. I would read another book by this author.

I’m a sucker for adaptations and this was such a wonderful book!! I can’t wait to reread it when it officially comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this arc, and this doesn’t influence my review. This was a great read!

I haven't read many classics or popular books. I ashamedly admit to having not read Pride and Prejudice. If it's any consolation, I watched the Kiera Knightley adaptation 😁😁.

Anyway, I want to say that this book is a fantastic modern-day retelling of the Pride and Prejudice story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope it gets its own movie adaptation soon!

I rate this a 4.75!

This is such a FUN modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I love the little twists to the plot which Dudley added that took the story to the next level for me. A perfect way to sum it up is Crazy Rich Asians meets Jane Austen. And if both of those are things you love I think you will enjoy adding this fun, easy read to your day.

The Asian culture adds such an exciting and rich element to the story. The swim athletics side of the story does the same. Dudley did a great job taking pieces we love of Pride and Prejudice, the modern-day setting, adding changes like those mentioned above, to give us a romance that has you excited at the turn of every page. And of course, falling for that good old, stuck-up Preston Lin. Who really isn't as stuck-up as you think and is definitely going to steal your heart just as he does with Lissie's.

I really had a blast reading this romance and I think other Jane Austen and Crazy Rich Asians fans will as well. Pick up and enjoy a little romance in your day today!

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher/author and all opinions are my own.

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from netgalley for an unbiased review.

I love this book! And fully intend to reread it (which is a big thing for me). From Jojo's terminology blunders to Preston's awkward silences, this novel successfully captured bits of the original P&P's sparkle and magic. While Lissie irritated me at times, she grew, both as a character and on me like fungus in a zombie movie. It's worth the read and the time, so go pick it up!
Idk if this one will age as well as other variations. It's too on trend and topical at points, but if you gloss over the marvel movie references and iPhone speak, the story of Lissie and Preston is timeless.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set within the Asian community. Lissie and her two sisters, orphaned and taken in by their aunt and uncle who run a restaurant in the suburbs of San Francisco, lead modest lives. In addition to her job at a library and her literature studies, Lissie also pitches in at the restaurant as a waitress. It's here that she crosses paths with Preston, our modern-day "Darcy" and things take a tumultuous turn.

Lissie won me over with her wit, humor, and the comical situations she finds herself in despite her best efforts. Her banter with Preston is equally sharp and engaging. I found the book to be captivating, devouring it almost in one sitting.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Third State Books, and Christina Hwang Dudley for graciously providing an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I might be a bit biased, as I’m obsessed with p&p, but I felt a little less chemistry between the pair than I hoped for. In general, I guess I felt less inclined to like Preston as Darcy. I enjoyed all of the nods to the original story and characters, however I think lining it up so heavily to the story (like with the title) gave such a high bar to strive for. Had it been a bit more detached, I think I’d have been able to enjoy it a little more! I didn’t mind it being a cleaner romance, but might’ve liked a bit more heat. Overall cute story and loved the Asian influences though!

In Pride and Preston Lin, Lissie Cheng makes the mistake of her life at her family’s restaurant, and Preston Lin is there to witness it. Can these two figure themselves out in time to prevent an even bigger disaster?

This was a good retelling. Christina Hwang Dudley took some creative licenses that paid off pretty well. The decision to replace the parents with a well-meaning but worrying aunt and uncle worked. Allowing the best friend her choice of a safe prospect without the main character feeling like she’d been “betrayed” was refreshing. The buildup about the Wickham character only for the reveal to be less bad, but still trashy. Honestly, I enjoyed it all, and could definitely see it performing well as an independent film.

I will, however, say that the disaster that starts the whole thing almost made me DNF this book. My second-hand embarrassment would have had me leaving Pride and Preston Lim alone until next summer. Thankfully, I got through it.

Before I started this book, I realized that I didn’t remember anything about Pride and Prejudice. I’ve only watched the Keira Knightley version (and own it) but it didn’t jog any sort of memories off the top of my head.

It’s a contemporary romance based on P&P. Set in San Francisco, Lissie Cheng is this book’s version of Elizabeth Bennet and she has a younger sister, Jojo and an older sister named Jenny. The girls’ parents passed away, so they live with their aunt and uncle who own a restaurant where Lisse and Jenny work at. While working at the restaurant one night, Lissie accidentally messes up an order causing someone at the table to have an allergic reaction. Seated at the table is a guy named Preston Lin.

This incident causes Lissie to get fake-fired from the restaurant and Preston despises her. That is until they get to know one another and realize that they might like each other.

I liked this book because of the dialogue, characters and the banter between Lissie/Preston. I refreshed my brain of P&P after completing this book and was able to see how the characters lined up. I wouldn’t mind reading another book written with Lissie and the crew in it.

Thank you net galley and Third State Books for the e-ARC!

How wonderful an Asian twist on a Pride and Prejudice variation.

Let’s see in the family Chinese restaurant … ‘she accidentally serves a dish containing shellfish paste to an allergic customer and runs afoul of the wealthy Lin family. Their golden boy, Preston, a star swimmer and Stanford Ph.D. student, is as handsome as he is self-righteous. Lissie hates him and everything he stands for, but circumstances keep bringing them together. Can she overcome her pride and her initial misgivings about Preston Lin and his condescending mother? Will love prevail, and will these enemies turn into lovers?’

It is a modern, creative, contemporary new adult romance. A fun read, especially for Pride and Prejudice enthusiasts who appreciate a YA variation set in San Francisco. It can be read as a standalone for those who don't know Austen's story.

I love a good adaptation and there have been some really good ones lately. This one is good but not one of my favourites.
What I love about adaptations is figuring out who is who and what little spins the author adds to the story. The spins the author added were great! Chinese restaurant, swim club, University. All great additions! Wickham just wasn't evil enough for me.
However, if you love that enemies to lovers vibe, this is still a great read!

Big thanks to NetGalley, Third State Books and Christina Hwang Dudley for this early release copy in exchange for my honest review

This book has bewitched me, body and soul and I love, I love, I LOVE IT.

A perfect Pride and Prejudice retelling with its own perfect twist😉
Elisabeth is on her last year at university working and helping her auntie and uncle as a server on the family restaurant who has taken her and her sisters under their wing after both of her parents passed away. She had a good reputation as server on her tables that turned into a bad one overnight after she mistakenly served an allergen to an ellergic customer. Her family and love life practically started going downward spiral after that. But don't worry, sometimes life gives you the downward spiral that with its own underlying good intentions🤫

I consider this book as a light read, but it has its own way to gripped me in every sentence, every word, every scene. While reading I can't part with this book for long, because it is THAT gripping. I think it also has something to do with how I love Pride and Prejudice and this book has its incredible way to twist the plot, made some adjustments to some of the exact scenes, and the characters from Pride and Prejudice. I love how the writer put it all together🥺 The writing style I think has a huge influence to my love for this book, it has a flow to reveal the story without too much description and just with how the characters interact with each other. This book is also HILARIOUS sometimes I cackled suddenly, the touching scene done right I SOBBED, the romantic scenes are ALIVE I SCREAMED (excitedly). Most importantly, I WANT MOREEE. Sometimes when a book does that, it was done properly🤧😍😋
You will love it too if you love Pride and Prejudice but actually, the main thing is, if you love romance you will love it.

This was a fun P&P retelling and I enjoyed the way things were updated. This follows Lissy Chiang who works in her families restaurant. One day Preston Lim and his friends come in and a mistake happens that starts the story. I enjoyed figuring out all the little changes and how they related to the original. I liked the family aspect. I do wish we had gotten more of an ending for Jenny but that was my main complaint.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC