'The most wonderful girl I've ever met likes me back.'

I love this book. That's the take away. If you trust me to recommend your next read, read this one. I love Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice is so good. I also absolutely adore retellings. So, what could wrong?
Nothing. Nothing went wrong.

If you like P&P, swimming, Chinese good, books set in the AAPI community, letters, misunderstandings and all the lovely tension that makes Darcy and Elizabeth a couple for the ages, read this book. Seriously.

The first half of this book was very hard to read. It’s heavy on Asian community and culture which I don’t have ties to and cannot relate to. About halfway through, the author stops focusing so much on culture and dives into the actual story. Then it was ok; a decent Pride and Prejudice retelling but not something I’d recommend unless you specifically are drawn to books focused on Asian culture and enjoy retellings.

REVIEW
cw: mentions of death, illness, adultery
This modern interpretation of Pride and Prejudice is retold within the Bay Area’s Asian American community, with quick-witted college student Lissie Cheng having to navigate societal pressures and her growing attraction to the rich and enigmatic post-graduate Preston Lin.
This was such a fun retelling! I loved the contemporary setting within the Asian American community, which perfectly blended the themes of honour, reputation, and class. Lissie was fallible but deeply likable, and I loved how much she wanted to look after her youngest sister. The initial clash between her and Preston was well-written and he was perfectly cast as the misunderstood grump. Both characters worked well and their evolving understanding of each other was a pleasure to read. I don't want to spoil how any of the other characters were incorporated, but I think the author did a great job keeping them true to Austen's work while setting them firmly in a modern context. All of the supporting characters were perfectly cast, from Darren and Wayman to Lissie's friend Mel, and her sisters Jenny and Jojo. The swim club and restaurant settings were both perfect in that regard. I loved the slow-burn between Lissie and Preston, yet I found the overall pacing a little slow in the middle. Still, overall I really enjoyed this book. The final chapters were adorable, even if the ending was rather abrupt with a couple of unanswered plot threads (what happened with Lissie's PR job and her play?)
A fun retelling of a classic.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own*


Favourite Quotes:

"Be happy, Lissie! The Four Treasures is about to have its game elevated. When this show airs, Hazel Bing is gonna brag that she got poisoned there.”

"I do like your family, but I don’t deserve their gratitude . Because honestly, the only thing going through my mind that night… was how I could help you.”

"I just hoped you might want to be friends to start with. And then , maybe a few months or weeks or days or hours later, when your guard was down, I was totally going to spring my nefarious romantic intentions on you again.”

Completely charming modern, multicultural twist to Pride and Prejudice. I loved how to author weaved the original concept into plot, but in a fresh, creative way. Fabulously fun spin.
Thanks to #Third State Books and #NetGalley for the ARC.

"Pride and Preston Lin" offers a delightful contemporary twist on Jane Austen's classic "Pride and Prejudice," set in the modern-day San Francisco Bay Area. As a fan of reinterpretations of Pride and Prejudice, I was excited to dive into this story. The novel presents a refreshing perspective on family dynamics and cultural nuances, with Lissie Cheng and Preston Lin's journey offering a charming blend of humor and romance. While some elements felt familiar, the incorporation of Chinese-American experiences added depth to the narrative. Overall, "Pride and Preston Lin" is a heartwarming read that balances homage to the original with a fresh, modern flair, perfect for fans of Austen adaptations and contemporary romances alike.
3.5 stars!

***Thank you to Third State Books for providing an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for honest reviews. Opinions are my own.***

I'm always up for a Pride and Prejudice retelling, and this one set in the modern-day San Francisco Bay Area was a cute spin on the world's greatest love story. (No, I won't be taking arguments on that.)

In Dudley's take, Lissie Cheng is the second of three sisters -- fair, five is a LOT in 2024 -- and balancing a hectic combination of finishing out undergrad, working two jobs, and chauffeuring the youngest JoJo to and from endless swim lessons. The elder Bennetts this time around are Auntie Rhoda and Uncle Mason, the proprietors of a restaurant, The Four Seasons, that is caught up in the shenanigans when Lissie accidentally serves a dish containing shrimp paste to the moderately allergic Hazel Bing (aka Caroline Bingley). Our Darcy, the titular Preston Lin, swoops in with a blistering takedown of The Four Seasons in the Stanford University student newspaper, and we're off and running.

Best parts of this update:
-- Dudley's descriptions of highly-affluent members of the Bay Area Asian-American community is at times hilarious and always nuanced and respectful
-- If being a wealthy Stanford PhD candidate / former D1 swimmer isn't the modern-day Darcy, I don't know what is
-- Preston Lin is as swoon-worthy as any Darcy on page or screen
-- The balance and understanding afforded the Mr. Collins character (Darren Liu) is surprisingly refreshing
-- The Lydia / Wickham storyline could have been very creepy in the modern day. It isn't! Whew.

Some of the things that weren't as much for me:
-- Lissie is beyond headstrong at times, trespassing into the realm of mean or just plain whiny. It felt authentic, but she did get on my nerves at times.
-- A few slow sections, particularly around Lissie's school project
-- Some of the drama did feel out of proportion to the happenings on page (but in fairness, these are a bunch of 22-year-olds, so I am likely forgetting how highly dramatic things can be at that point in your life!)

One final caveat on this review -- The digital ARC version I received had a tremendous number of formatting issues and significant typos throughout. I am confident that is NOT AT ALL going to be the case in the published version, but I am noting it simply because it may have influenced this review / rating in ways I am not conscious of.

📚🌟 Book Review: "Pride and Preston Lin" by Christina Hwang Dudley 💖🎭

"Pride and Preston Lin" by Christina Hwang Dudley is a delightful contemporary romance that beautifully captures the complexities of family, culture, and love. 🌸💕 From the moment I delved into this heartwarming tale, I was swept away by the vibrant characters and the rich tapestry of emotions that unfolded.

Dudley's storytelling is both poignant and engaging, weaving together the narratives of Pride and Preston Lin in a way that feels authentic and relatable. I found myself deeply invested in their journey as they navigated the challenges of their cultural differences and familial expectations, while also exploring their own desires and aspirations.

One aspect of the book that particularly stood out to me was Dudley's portrayal of the Lin family dynamics. The intricate relationships and the nuances of Asian American identity were explored with sensitivity and depth, adding layers of depth to the story.

While I thoroughly enjoyed "Pride and Preston Lin," there were moments where I felt the pacing could have been tightened to maintain momentum. Despite this minor critique, the overall narrative remained engaging and thought-provoking, earning it a solid 4 stars from me.

I extend my sincere thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of "Pride and Preston Lin." It was a pleasure to experience this heartfelt story, and I look forward to reading more from Christina Hwang Dudley in the future. 📖🌟

This was a really refreshing and unique retelling of Pride and Prejudice. It was very meta - there were so many Pride and Prejudice references, not just allusions.

Lissie and Preston grew a lot over the course of the story, and dynamics between Lissie and her sisters added a lot of depth.

The writing was concise and kept the story moving and easy to breeze through. I thought it was interesting to add an actual inciting incident between Lissie and Preston. Preston had a real reason to be upset, where in the original story he’s more so just put off by Lissie and her family’s general vibe.

The storyline with the Wickham character, Coach Wayman, felt like a bit of a stretch overall. I think there may have been a more natural way to explain a tension between Wayman and Preston. It felt a bit forced to me, but it didn’t take a way from the book as a whole.

Jane Austen novels have always been my comfort read, and I always jump at an opportunity to read a familiar story with a new twist. “Pride and Preston Lin” did not disappoint.

Chrstina Hwang Dudley’s retelling of a classic story was made anew with the blend of Asian- American experiences and fresh cast of characters. The enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, miscommunication, and witty banter remained true to the classic “Pride and Prejudice.” There were a few changes to the story to make it more appropriate for present day, but the similarities between the two books were clear.

However, if you have never read “Pride and Prejudice,” this story still works very well as a standalone rom-com.

Even though I was familiar with how the original “Pride and Prejudice” story went, I found myself glued to this book, and finished it within a day.

I enjoyed the Asian-American characters, as I find that the books I love were never as diverse, and often I didn’t see enough representation of Asian- Americans. This story was refreshing, light, and well balanced.

If you love rom-com or “Pride and Prejudice,” you will enjoy this book! “Pride and Preston Lin” releases March 19, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley, Third State Books, and Christina Hwang Dudley for the eARC.

Sadly, I cannot recommend this book. As someone that loves Pride and Prejudice, I was really excited about reading Pride and Preston Lin by Christina Hwang Dudley, especially since it is being published by Third State Books, a publisher that is focusing on AAPI stories. However, this retelling is not great.

I feel that Hwang Dudley was trying too hard to contort her story to fit Pride and Prejudice, and also showing off the love for the 1995 film version, rather than making this book an homage to the original. Some of the ways she tries to disrupt expectations really didn't work, because again, it was trying too hard. Especially where she was going with the swim coach/Mr. Wickham storyline. You spend way too much time thinking that it could be one thing, and then the real reason behind Preston's animosity with the coach is revealed, and it makes sense but does it make sense to have the situation repeated and be a cause for concern? Not in my opinion.

Then there's the stereotype of a Chinese restaurant in the Bay Area. I'm sorry, but I haven't gone to a Chinese restaurant where the female presenting employees wear qipaos in a long time. Or maybe ever, unless they are the hostess, and even that is rare but fine, because they are expected to be dressed formally. But never the serving staff. And let's not get me started on the food allergy thing.

If memory serves, there were some really awkward fade to black scenes, which when reading, I thought were cringy, and could have been left out. However once I finished reading and went to learn more about Hwang Dudley's backlist, and how she describes her other works as "clean" it all made more sense.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a review.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Third State Books. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romance, Pride and Prejudice Retelling, Contemporary Romance, Romcom, Asian Literature, Chinese Literature
Spice Level: Medium (no sex on page but affairs are mentioned)
Language: A few instances of swearing
Representation: In addition to people of color, there is one gay side character

I love to see how authors reinterpret P&P.

In PRIDE AND PRESTON LIN, we land in the Bay Area and especially in the family restaurant where Lessie works along with her sister and cousin. She's not the favorite of her aunt, probably because she's a smarty pants.

You're going to find the main characters represented and twisted a bit for this story. It's fun to see Collins in his role! Lessie has the modern sass and lots of pride to go head to head with Preston. I thought it the way the author worked in the ballroom scenes was ingenious. I was worried about the Whickham character! He really was a rat in the original, right? So I had every right to be.

This is a fun read, especially for P&P enthusiasts. But I think the story holds together on its own if you don't know Austen's story.

Happy reading and save a dance for me!

Title: Pride & Preston Lin By Christina Hwang Dudley


Release date: March 19th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

In "Pride and Preston Lin" by Christina Hwang Dudley, readers are treated to a delightful romcom that offers a fresh take on Jane Austen's classic "Pride and Prejudice." Set in modern times with a Chinese cultural backdrop, this novel combines humor, romance, and cultural exploration into a sweet story.

Following Lissie Cheng, the middle sister of three, who accidentally serves a dish containing shellfish paste to an allergic customer from the wealthy Lin family.

This mishap leads to conflict between Lissie and Preston Lin, the golden boy of the Lin family.
Even though they started off like oil and water, fate kept nudging them closer, igniting an epic quest to conquer egos and biases.

As the story unfolds, readers are treated to a hilarious and earnest tale of love, misunderstandings, and self-discovery.

Dudley's characters are vibrant , each bringing their own quirks and complexities to the story. From Lissie's fiery personality to Preston's self-assured demeanor, readers will find themselves drawn into their slow burn dynamic relationship. Adding a sprinkle of Chinese culture to the mix brings a whole new layer to the characters' adventures, giving a fresh twist to familiar storylines.


With a dash of sass from its main character, "Pride and Preston Lin" serves up a delightful blend of humor and warmth, blending the essence of Austen's timeless tale with a contemporary flair that's sure to tickle the fancy of readers.

Whether you're a fan of "Pride and Prejudice" or simply looking for a sweet and entertaining read, "Pride and Preston Lin" is sure to leave you smiling.

The basis for this story is an all time favorite book for many, as well as myself, and I felt it remained true to the original tale with a modern rom com twist. It was a delightfully fun read, and I enjoyed seeing how the author wove the parallels into this modern adaptation. My biggest complaint was that it ended so quickly after they finally resolve their differences. I was hoping the author would give us more to enjoy after their newfound happiness and also more of a wrap-up to the story of the side characters of her sister and his friend. This probably stems from the fact that I’m not a big fan of the enemies to lovers trope because it often involves cringe worthy behavior or deceit of some kind, and I expect my hero and heroine to be more honest, thoughtful and kind. However, if it is done well with the characters maturing and learning from their behavior, as is done in this case both in the original and the retelling, I can get on board. However, I would have loved at least an epilogue to leave me with that dreamy, happy feeling for a longer period of time. Thanks to NetGalley I received a free ARC copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book held so much promise - the cover is visually beautiful, and which Romance reader would pass up a P&P retelling? Unfortunately, this didn't really hit the target for me. I found this more "women's fiction" or "YA/New Adult" versus Romance. So little of the book was focused on Preston and Lissie versus Lissie navigating her life at the moment.

I did find the story funny at times, but ultimately wasn't my cup of tea.

I’m a sucker for a Jane Austen retelling or continuation novel. This book naturally caught my eye, but I’m sorry to say that it just didn’t land for me. I enjoyed the main characters, but I felt the bones of the story to be lacking in that signature Austenesque charm. I am certain other readers will find this one to be a satisfying and enjoyable read. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this one ahead of publication.

Pride and Preston Lin is a sweet, cute Pride and Prejudice retelling. A quick read, I enjoyed the story but didn't fully connect to it. The characters are ok, but the relationships weren't fully developed. And with so many parallels to Pride and Prejudice, I assumed there would be an acknowledgement by the fmc who is an English major writing about it for her thesis.

The modern tweaks were great! Jane working towards med school, the name changes, the restaurant setting and it's feature in the meet cute

Overall, I'd recommend this to someone looking for a light read

An enjoyable rom com based on Pride and Prejudice. Lessie is a waitress at her aunt and uncle’s Chinese restaurant where her sister, Jenny, is given the tables with the handsome eligible men. On a fateful night, Lissie serves a table with the handsome, wealthy Preston Lin, but it all falls apart when she mistakenly serves shellfish to his allergic friend. Lissie and her various encounters with Preston and his friends are humorous, and fun to read. I enjoyed this light hearted take on Austen. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. If you like pride & prejudice you will probably love this book as it definitely has the feel of it with an updated modern take. I will also say that the Wickman character was updated so that he is not going after a minor so that is something I definitely appreciated. I will say this book definitely has the tension between Preston and Lissie and you can feel their attraction grow for one another but I wouldn't necessarily call this a romance, romance book as at times it felt the romance was the subplot as Lissie tried to navigate her life of caring for her family, focusing on her job at the family restaurant, completing her schooling and taking care of her sister with sport responsibilities.
Now this is the first time I have read this author and as I understand it, they are a clean romance author so maybe that combined with the fact this is a modern retelling and in modern times the emphasis on marriage isn't like it was in regency times. But I really did enjoy this take on the Lissie and family members as it made them real people with real issues and real concerns. They had their own autonomy and all the responsibilities that come with it which was harder to get in the original P&P as they were limited in their options because of the times.
But in the end, I thought this book was so cute and a great updated modern retelling that stayed true to the heart of the original.
I did receive a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️
I am a big fan of Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice, so look at my surprise when I came across this reinterpretation of my favorite classic.

Set in the modern age where the main characters are of Chinese-American descent, we meet Lissie Cheng who along with her sister Jenny and uncles run a restaurant, in this establishment she meets Charles Bing and his handsome friend Preston Lin; putting in the recipe an allergy to seafood, we find the first confrontation between our Lissie and Preston, and from there new encounters are presented that resemble the popular classic.

I had so much fun remembering moments from the book and fitting them into this new story, seeing how things I had already read but in a different circumstance were presented.

I was more surprised than I expected, and I loved that this was presentedk, I am always looking for retellings of this classic, and this is something I enjoyed putting us in a new setting and with a new culture.

Thank you Netgalley for putting me on the lookout for this incredible story.

This is a very faithful and charming Pride & Prejudice retelling. Preston and Lissie were so perfectly Darcy and Lizzie. Such an enjoyable reading experience. The author is new to me so I will definitely be doing a deep backlist dive!