Modern Persuasion

Modern Persuasion by Sara Marks (21st Century Austen #1)

📚Summary

Emma Shaw is a modern woman with a classic problem. Eight years ago, Emma put her career and family above her own needs. She’s cut out the man she loves, is exhausted from carrying the emotional load for her family, and her dream career as an editor is on the brink of disaster. 

Now she has to face the man she gave up eight years ago in order to keep her career. When her ex’s book launch is in crisis, her bosses coerce Emma to step in to save it even if that’s no longer her job. Forced to spend a month on the road, Emma has too much time to think about her regrets but also discover new opportunities to make the life she thought she would have, including a second chance with Fredrick. If she can run her life as well as she runs this book tour, she can save her career, be with the man she loves, and maybe tell her family where to stick it.

✍️My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. I had read another book in this series last year but only recently realized the author had done more Austen retellings. I especially loved how this version was set in the publishing world with the FMC being an editor. I did find it ironic that a book set in that industry would have several grammatical errors in it, but I was able to ignore them because of how much I was enjoying the story.

I do wish she hadn’t changed the FMC’s name from Anne to Emma, especially when she kept the MMC’s name as Fredrick. I like the name Anne and found it confusing given that there is already an Emma in Austen’s work. I also thought the writing Fredrick shares with Emma at the end was way too long and detailed. I did like the Louisa character and appreciated how her story was handled, and I loved that Mrs. Smith was included in the book.

All in all, this was a very fun story, and I plan to read more from the series.