Peasreads: Pride and Preston Lin by Christine Hwong Dudley

 

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Description:

Lissie is the middle of three sisters, orphaned and taken in by their aunt and uncle. Both she and her older sister, Jenny, work in the family restaurant while pursuing their education and career dreams. When Lissie accidentally serves a dish containing shellfish paste to an allergic customer, she runs afoul of the wealthy Lin family. Their golden boy, Preston, 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?

Pride and Preston Lin by popular Regency romance writer Christina Hwang Dudley is a hilarious and earnest contemporary riff on Jane Austen’s classic work. And readers will undoubtedly root for Lissie Cheng, a sassy new Elizabeth Bennet for our times, to find lasting love and happiness.

My thoughts:

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.

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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.