Romance

A Certain Appeal

A Certain Appeal

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  • Create Date：2021-11-02 08:51:58
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Vanessa King
  • ISBN：0593330714
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Summary

A sparkling contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the tantalizing world of New York City burlesque， perfect for fans of The Kiss Quotient and The Roommate。

After a betrayal derailed her interior design career， Liz Bennet found a fresh start in New York。 Now an executive assistant by day and stage kitten by night， she's discovered a second home with the performers at Meryton， Manhattan's top-tier burlesque venue。 Love's the last thing on her mind when she locks eyes with Will Darcy across the crowded club。 The spark between them is undeniable--that is， until she overhears the uptight wealth manager call her merely "tolerable。"

Bennet is determined to write Darcy off， but once their besties fall head-over-heels， they're thrown into each other's orbit again and again。 Each encounter begins to feel more heated than the last， but is their chemistry enough to topple that terrible first impression？ What's more， when a charming newcomer arrives on the scene with accusations against Darcy， his claims leave Bennet torn。 And when a sudden development leaves Meryton's fate in jeopardy， she will have to decide who to trust in time to salvage her design dreams， her heart， and the stage she shares with her found family。。。

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Reviews

gabreadsbooks ，

A unique， fresh take on a beloved classic！ I loved the setting and the burlesque elements of the story。 It added it the story without degrading the burlesque group。 It provided more to the reason why the couple can’t be together and a hurdle for them to overcome。 This is a retelling of Pride & Prejudice and the main story beats are still there but with a modern twist。 Truly enjoyed & had a great reading experience！

Kate （monstrouslybookish） ，

Review to come

katya ，

This was such a sweet and enjoyable read！ It being a retelling of Pride and Prejudice only added to the appeal immensely as I am obsessed with that book。 There is also a lot of steam and banter。 The chemistry between the main characters is phenomenal。 And the word building make this book easy to read。Definitely recommend！

Ticey Geyer ，

This a steamy retelling of Pride & Prejudice with the snark that's to be expected。 It's been a long time since I've read the original （back in my high school days） so it wasn't until I googled it did I realize just how similar the two are， but that doesn't matter because this book is just as great as the original！I absolutely LOVE that it's centered around a burlesque show。 Ming DyNasty alone is worth reading the book。 This is an easy read that hooks you from the beginning。 This one is for all t This a steamy retelling of Pride & Prejudice with the snark that's to be expected。 It's been a long time since I've read the original （back in my high school days） so it wasn't until I googled it did I realize just how similar the two are， but that doesn't matter because this book is just as great as the original！I absolutely LOVE that it's centered around a burlesque show。 Ming DyNasty alone is worth reading the book。 This is an easy read that hooks you from the beginning。 This one is for all the romcom lovers！ 。。。more

Stephanie （read_with_steph） ，

A Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the world of modern Manhattan burlesque， A Certain Appeal reimagines a classic。 The funny thing is， I've never actually read Pride and Prejudice。 From those I've spoken with， this may have been a benefit， as others spoke of the almost-too near matchiness between this text and its inspiration （reminding me a bot of To Sir， With Love's word-for-word recantation of You've Got Mail）。 However， having not read the predecessor novel， I had not idea。 To me， this wa A Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the world of modern Manhattan burlesque， A Certain Appeal reimagines a classic。 The funny thing is， I've never actually read Pride and Prejudice。 From those I've spoken with， this may have been a benefit， as others spoke of the almost-too near matchiness between this text and its inspiration （reminding me a bot of To Sir， With Love's word-for-word recantation of You've Got Mail）。 However， having not read the predecessor novel， I had not idea。 To me， this was a fresh， fun， and flirty romcom with sexual tension and romantic chemistry to boot。 At times， it was distracting for the characters to have the same names as the original （Will Darcy and Liz Bennet）， which even I had heard， but I was HERE for the romance， and truly rooting for our lead couple。 I also loved learning more about the New York burlesque scene and seeing one villain get what was coming to them。 If I had one criticism， it would be that the book was on the long side， and dragged a bit for a modern romcom。 But this does not negate my overall enjoyment of the book， which I wholeheartedly recommend。 Thanks to Putnam for my eARC！ All thoughts and opinions are my own。5 stars - 8/10 。。。more

Love-Leigh Book Reviews ，

•Bennet & Darcy•So when I initially saw the description for this book， I anticipated something different， overall I think my biggest takeaway is that while I DID enjoy the book， I personally didn’t feel it was a romance novel。 It definitely had aspects of romance but the overall tone to the book was about Bennet， her life， overcoming hurdles and growing as a person。 While not a bad thing， I was under the impression the book was in fact a romance and was left disappointed by the lack thereof。All •Bennet & Darcy•So when I initially saw the description for this book， I anticipated something different， overall I think my biggest takeaway is that while I DID enjoy the book， I personally didn’t feel it was a romance novel。 It definitely had aspects of romance but the overall tone to the book was about Bennet， her life， overcoming hurdles and growing as a person。 While not a bad thing， I was under the impression the book was in fact a romance and was left disappointed by the lack thereof。All that aside， it’s a very well written story with a fantastic and whimsically charming cast of characters that surround Bennett。 I was especially invested in and absolutely loved Jane and Charles’ love story。 I found myself wishing throughout that they had their own book。Well written， fun read and while I did have some parts that I wish were more prevalent， it was worth the read。 。。。more

Jade Kling ，

Liz Bennet and Will Darcy meet at a burlesque club。。。Solid 4-4。5 stars！ I really enjoyed this and flew through it， it was just so， so much fun seeing P&P set against the background of a burlesque scene。 Absolutely up my alley， and very thankful for the advanced copy provided by G。P。 Putnam's Sons and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review！ Liz Bennet and Will Darcy meet at a burlesque club。。。Solid 4-4。5 stars！ I really enjoyed this and flew through it， it was just so， so much fun seeing P&P set against the background of a burlesque scene。 Absolutely up my alley， and very thankful for the advanced copy provided by G。P。 Putnam's Sons and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review！ 。。。more

Cheryl ，

Thanks to Edelweiss for the advanced ARC copy！I can't say how much I love some "Pride and Prejudice，" but it is challenging to redo such a perfect original。 However， I feel like Ms。 King accomplished that feat and gave it a modern vibe by updating the love interest to include LGBTQ。 So again， I want to say "bravo" this was a great retelling with a spin， and it also included your notable quotes that should never be left out！ I can't wait to see what else the author has in store for us in the comi Thanks to Edelweiss for the advanced ARC copy！I can't say how much I love some "Pride and Prejudice，" but it is challenging to redo such a perfect original。 However， I feel like Ms。 King accomplished that feat and gave it a modern vibe by updating the love interest to include LGBTQ。 So again， I want to say "bravo" this was a great retelling with a spin， and it also included your notable quotes that should never be left out！ I can't wait to see what else the author has in store for us in the coming future！ 。。。more

Karen Fan ，

I had a hard time getting into the story， but once I made it past the first few chapters， I was hooked！ This is such a fun and modern take on Pride and Prejudice; the book didn't go as heavy on the enemies to lovers trope which I appreciated。 Also， even though there's not much sex， the story was hot。 Vanessa King also did an amazing job writing about burlesque; I cannot wait to read what she writes next！ I had a hard time getting into the story， but once I made it past the first few chapters， I was hooked！ This is such a fun and modern take on Pride and Prejudice; the book didn't go as heavy on the enemies to lovers trope which I appreciated。 Also， even though there's not much sex， the story was hot。 Vanessa King also did an amazing job writing about burlesque; I cannot wait to read what she writes next！ 。。。more

Kerry Claire ，

Thank you to Edelweiss and G。P。 Putnam’s Sons for the digital ARC of this book。 True to its burlesque story line， A Certain Appeal strips its predecessor Pride and Prejudice down to its foundation * before erecting it into its own fabulous image。In this retelling， author Vanessa King takes only what she wants from the original and leaves the rest on the dressing room floor。 The main five characters of Pride and Prejudice （Lizzy， Mr。 Darcy， Jane， Mr。 Bingley and Wickham） remain mostly the same wi Thank you to Edelweiss and G。P。 Putnam’s Sons for the digital ARC of this book。 True to its burlesque story line， A Certain Appeal strips its predecessor Pride and Prejudice down to its foundation * before erecting it into its own fabulous image。In this retelling， author Vanessa King takes only what she wants from the original and leaves the rest on the dressing room floor。 The main five characters of Pride and Prejudice （Lizzy， Mr。 Darcy， Jane， Mr。 Bingley and Wickham） remain mostly the same with adjustments to fit the modern setting。 Other noted characters from the original are seen in bits and pieces hidden within their new counterparts allowing them to still help move the story in its proper direction without relying on their former story arcs。At first， I was disappointed - no catty Ms。 Bingley， no Netherfield Ball， no Lady Catherine De Bourgh！ - but after I finished reading this book， I’m glad King chose to leave these characters out of her version。 Other modern retellings of Pride and Prejudice have struggled to fit all of the story arcs into a modern setting; making it seem plausible with the extra burden of keeping it an enjoyable read。 King took that struggle out of the equation simply by removing anyone or anything that didn’t agree with her vision， and it works brilliantly！ The reader stills gets the sense of Jane Austen’s story - the obstacles both Lizzy and Darcy must overcome in their own lives before being able to come together in the end - while still enjoying a fresh and exciting contemporary romance。 *foundations is old time slang for bras and panties and any other underwear-I needed you to know this in order for my corny joke to work。 Thank you！ 。。。more

Kathleen Gray ，

A very different update on Pride and Prejudice， complete with LGBTQ characters， burlesque， corporate misdeeds， Manhattan real estate， and a spunky （only word for her） heroine。 Liz Bennet has been working as admin assistant during the day and as Kitten Caboodle in a burlesque show some nights， along with her BFF and room mate Jane。 Then one night the hot and difficult Will Darcy turns up to join his hot and nice BFF Charles and her life （as well as Jane's） is turned upside down。 You won't know fo A very different update on Pride and Prejudice， complete with LGBTQ characters， burlesque， corporate misdeeds， Manhattan real estate， and a spunky （only word for her） heroine。 Liz Bennet has been working as admin assistant during the day and as Kitten Caboodle in a burlesque show some nights， along with her BFF and room mate Jane。 Then one night the hot and difficult Will Darcy turns up to join his hot and nice BFF Charles and her life （as well as Jane's） is turned upside down。 You won't know for a while what happened to bring Bennet to NYC or Darcy's secrets。 I love the other players- Ming， Ginn， and Tonic。 I learned a bit about burlesque。 And， I rooted for certain couples （no spoilers but fans of P&P no doubt will quickly identify who will end up with who）。 King's storytelling is good and I found myself wrapped up in the story。 Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC。 It's a very good read。 。。。more

Jacqueline Firkins ，

A bubbly， banter-filled rewire of Pride and Prejudice， relocated to modern day NYC， where King turns Regency balls into burlesque performances， money-minded marriage into corporate-minded real estate acquisitions， and 5 sisters into a found family of artists。 She also gives a familiar brooding millionaire new reasons to have to rethink his prejudicial views， and an equally familiar feisty heroine new reasons to get past hasty assumptions。 The central romance is full of steamy looks and barely re A bubbly， banter-filled rewire of Pride and Prejudice， relocated to modern day NYC， where King turns Regency balls into burlesque performances， money-minded marriage into corporate-minded real estate acquisitions， and 5 sisters into a found family of artists。 She also gives a familiar brooding millionaire new reasons to have to rethink his prejudicial views， and an equally familiar feisty heroine new reasons to get past hasty assumptions。 The central romance is full of steamy looks and barely restrained desire， and when it detonates， there's power behind the emotional and physical draw。 I enjoyed the Easter eggs King sprinkles throughout--original lines and references that have a slightly antiquated feel but merge into the modern language almost like reminders that Austen is still very much present in the story。 I also loved that King's Elizabeth Bennet--an aspiring interior designer--knew her craft well beyond generic phrases like "open floor plan，" giving the character depth and reality， and the world of burlesque shines throughout the novel， from the detailed clothes， to the witty stage banter， to the interface with the fans--both the offensive ones and the dazzlingly enthusiastic ones。 It's a feel good read with a sense of triumph and fulfillment， perfect for a pick me up during cold or quiet days。 。。。more

Sarah ，

This modernized retelling of Pride and Prejudice was absolutely scrumptious！ It had just the right amount of snark and steam。 I have been a huge fan of books that normalize and embrace sex and A Certain Appeal is going right up there with The Roommate and The Kiss Quotient as one of my absolute favorite romances to recommend。 The characters came from diverse backgrounds and honestly everyone needs to read this book strictly for Ming DyNasty。 She stole the show and I would like an entire book abo This modernized retelling of Pride and Prejudice was absolutely scrumptious！ It had just the right amount of snark and steam。 I have been a huge fan of books that normalize and embrace sex and A Certain Appeal is going right up there with The Roommate and The Kiss Quotient as one of my absolute favorite romances to recommend。 The characters came from diverse backgrounds and honestly everyone needs to read this book strictly for Ming DyNasty。 She stole the show and I would like an entire book about her life， please and thanks！ Overall， a well written and unique addition to the numerous Pride and Prejudice retellings out there。 One I recommend everyone should read。Thank you to Putnam Books and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review。 Opinions are my own。 。。。more

Jason Caldwell ，

**SPOILER FREE**King's debut novel is a delicious brew of humor， hot romance and taut writing。 With echoes of everything that made "Pride and Prejudice" a classic， "A Certain Appeal" is set in a New York burlesque show and is populated with characters you'd want to spend time with in real life。 The settings are rich and detailed， taking the reader by the hand and showing them the New York that only people who've lived there can truly know。 As someone who lives in the suburbs outside the city， it **SPOILER FREE**King's debut novel is a delicious brew of humor， hot romance and taut writing。 With echoes of everything that made "Pride and Prejudice" a classic， "A Certain Appeal" is set in a New York burlesque show and is populated with characters you'd want to spend time with in real life。 The settings are rich and detailed， taking the reader by the hand and showing them the New York that only people who've lived there can truly know。 As someone who lives in the suburbs outside the city， it was fun to see familiar landmarks represented accurately。 The burlesque scenes offer the same verisimilitude， even for those who have little to no familiarity with that world （such as myself）。 The book moves at a brisk pace and with a confident authorial hand。 Here's hoping we can get a sequel where we can visit with these characters again。 。。。more

Hillary ，

3。5/5 ⭐️sI read this in one sitting， and I never do that， so this is a solid rec for me！A modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice set to the backdrop of a burlesque club isn’t a combination I ever would have considered。 It worked though！ Bennett and Darcy had chemistry from the first time they laid eyes on each other， and that chemistry held up through the entire book。 Is there spice？ Yes。 But it was the lead up to that spice that was so delicious！I was worried that modernizing the plot of t 3。5/5 ⭐️sI read this in one sitting， and I never do that， so this is a solid rec for me！A modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice set to the backdrop of a burlesque club isn’t a combination I ever would have considered。 It worked though！ Bennett and Darcy had chemistry from the first time they laid eyes on each other， and that chemistry held up through the entire book。 Is there spice？ Yes。 But it was the lead up to that spice that was so delicious！I was worried that modernizing the plot of the book would come across awkward， but it actually felt believable and interesting！ My only real problem was the author’s attempt to incorporate key lines from the original book without updating the language。 It felt awkward and drew me out of the story every time I read one of those lines。Overall， I’d recommend this to any fans of P&P or anyone looking for a quick and spicy read！ 。。。more

Allie B I Literally Booked Solid ，

I have read my fair share of Pride and Prejudice retellings over the past year， but hands down， A Certain Appeal is one of my favorites！ Set against the New York City burlesque scene， this book brings the original story into the modern day with a fresh and unique twist。 I was immediately entranced by the world created in the opening pages， and the excellent pacing kept the book moving quickly， which is not normally the case with most retellings。I absolutely adored the heroine Bennet。 She is tryi I have read my fair share of Pride and Prejudice retellings over the past year， but hands down， A Certain Appeal is one of my favorites！ Set against the New York City burlesque scene， this book brings the original story into the modern day with a fresh and unique twist。 I was immediately entranced by the world created in the opening pages， and the excellent pacing kept the book moving quickly， which is not normally the case with most retellings。I absolutely adored the heroine Bennet。 She is trying to find her way in life， lost after a disastrous internship in LA。 I loved how Bennet is hown not only as a ultra-feminine burlesque sex symbol， but then juxtaposes that image with her tough， tomboy side， rock climbing and playing dirty when she needs to， armed with a smart mouth full of sass。 She doesn't back down from a fight and is loyal to the core。The enemies to lovers relationship between Darcy and Bennet is done so good。 The palpable， electric chemistry between Darcy and Bennet radiates off the pages， especially as the pair try hard to crack the others' resolve。 A Certain Appeal is a super slow burn with steam， but it is so worth the wait。 The underlying theme of consent is not only beautiful， but incredibly sexy。 Both Darcy and Bennet put high esteem in building trust first， so when they finally give into their desire for each other， it's nothing short of magic。 And oh Darcy。。。he is so tender under his prickly， tough exterior。 I loved watching Bennet slowly break down his emotional walls throughout。We also get an added bonus of so many amazing secondary characters， it's really hard to pick a favorite。 The supporting cast truly brings this retelling to life。 The theme of found family was so well-done; I was rooting for the ragtag Meryton group the entire book。 I was also beyond obsessed with the burlesque show setting。 Bravo， Vanessa King！ I loved it so much！ Thanks to Putnam for the gifted copy。 A Certain Appeal publishes November 2。 。。。more

Cookie ，

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ A Certain Appeal is a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the New York burlesque scene。 When Liz Bennet sees Will Darcy across the room during the burlesque show she works for， she is immediately drawn to him。 They have a flirty interaction later that night but their connection peters out when she overhears him talking about her in a lackluster way。 Circumstances keep bringing them together and although there is sizzling chemistry between the two， Liz wants nothing to do with the aloo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ A Certain Appeal is a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the New York burlesque scene。 When Liz Bennet sees Will Darcy across the room during the burlesque show she works for， she is immediately drawn to him。 They have a flirty interaction later that night but their connection peters out when she overhears him talking about her in a lackluster way。 Circumstances keep bringing them together and although there is sizzling chemistry between the two， Liz wants nothing to do with the aloof and brusque Darcy。 This was a really fun and flirty retelling！ It had a bit of the old school romantic feel of the original Pride and Prejudice with added sensuality to modernize the story。 I don’t know much about burlesque but I loved being thrown into the world and learning more about it。 Burlesque is about empowering people to have confidence in themselves。 They take off their clothes because they enjoy it and they love entertaining people。 I loved that this story highlighted positive aspects of burlesque and how it’s an artform。The push and pull between Darcy and Bennet was filled with lots of tension， just like in the original book， but it’s a little more pronounced in this story。 Darcy is uptight， too formal and a bit of a prude。 He definitely doesn’t fit into this burlesque world but Bennet is slowly reeling him in so he can learn to appreciate it。 He can’t resist Bennet’s flirty， confident， and seductress ways。 Their romance is a slow burn but when they finally come together， the steamy scenes are so worth it！The diverse cast of secondary characters in this book was so fun！ They were hilarious， raunchy， but supportive and caring when it counted。 This is my favorite Pride and Prejudice retelling to date！Steam level: 🔥 🔥🔥⚠️: sexual assaultThank you to GP Putnam Son’s for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Tara （the。readingredhead） ，

I adored A Certain Appeal， a burlesque-themed Pride & Prejudice！ I wrote my senior thesis on Jane Austen， I’ve watched the Colin Firth version of Pride & Prejudice a million times and went through a phase years ago where all I did was read Pride & Prejudice adaptations and I think this is my new favorite！ It is clever and funny， and these characters were amazing！ First， it’s set in New York City， with Meryton being the venue of the burlesque show， Jane with the star， Charles Bingley as a potenti I adored A Certain Appeal， a burlesque-themed Pride & Prejudice！ I wrote my senior thesis on Jane Austen， I’ve watched the Colin Firth version of Pride & Prejudice a million times and went through a phase years ago where all I did was read Pride & Prejudice adaptations and I think this is my new favorite！ It is clever and funny， and these characters were amazing！ First， it’s set in New York City， with Meryton being the venue of the burlesque show， Jane with the star， Charles Bingley as a potential investor， Darcy a wealth management advisor， and Bennet as a full time reception and part-time kitten at the burlesque。 As a retelling， it’s marvelous。 There are perfect callbacks to famous lines that make Elizabeth Bennet and William Darcy so iconic， while also being a book that’s original in its characters and story。 The chemistry between all of the characters is just so good。 They sizzle together both on the stage for their show and off stage。 The member of this club are a sweet and supportive found family。 There’s love and betrayal and heartbreak and some absolutely wonderful moments。 I loved the slow burn of Darcy and Bennet and their growth both together and as individuals pushing each other and challenging each other。 Their first meeting too was so good， it’s playful and I love Bennet’s teasing nature shining through。 She’s so strong and loving， and Darcy is just perfect。 This is just such an amazing modernization and there’s more a playfulness too。 And some steam too！ Bennet and Darcy are just perfect。 This book is sexy and smart， and I just could not get enough of it！ 。。。more

Kaye ，

A Certain Appeal is a Pride and Prejudice retelling in modern times。 Liz Bennet is a executive assistant by day but on weekends she belongs in the world of Merytown， a burlesque club。 The burlesque manager wants to purchase the building and her potential money backer is Charles who falls for Liz's roommate Jane。 Charles is accompanied by Will Darcy his financial advisor。 The authors imagined world is clever and she adheres closely to the original story。 In fact I was distracted at using many of A Certain Appeal is a Pride and Prejudice retelling in modern times。 Liz Bennet is a executive assistant by day but on weekends she belongs in the world of Merytown， a burlesque club。 The burlesque manager wants to purchase the building and her potential money backer is Charles who falls for Liz's roommate Jane。 Charles is accompanied by Will Darcy his financial advisor。 The authors imagined world is clever and she adheres closely to the original story。 In fact I was distracted at using many of the original names because I'd have to think how they play out in the original story。 I thought Liz was great but Darcy's character isn't consistent。 He starts aloof but they speak and banter and he doesn't think she is beneath him。 Also the risk of losing the potential purchase of the building doesn't seem quite a big dramatic moment。This is a slow burn with some steaminess near the end。 I enjoyed the cast being radically diverse and inclusive。 And I liked learning about the world of burlesque。 I will add that I was almost 25 percent in before I started enjoying the story and seeing where it was heading。 Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC。 。。。more

Jennifer ，

A Certain Appeal is a contemporary romance。 It is a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the world of New York City burlesque。The narrator is Liz Bennet （1st person POV）。 She is an administrative assistant by day and a stage kitten at night。 She also has some interior design ambitions。The NYC burlesque setting is very original。 And I do enjoy retellings。 Plus I forgot many details from the original story。 So some of what happened was unexpected to me。I really liked all of the friendships in this A Certain Appeal is a contemporary romance。 It is a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the world of New York City burlesque。The narrator is Liz Bennet （1st person POV）。 She is an administrative assistant by day and a stage kitten at night。 She also has some interior design ambitions。The NYC burlesque setting is very original。 And I do enjoy retellings。 Plus I forgot many details from the original story。 So some of what happened was unexpected to me。I really liked all of the friendships in this book especially the heroine's friendship with her male roommate Jane。 This book features Will Darcy。 And I really enjoyed him in this contemporary version of the story。There is some great drama， but the first half was not as exciting as I wanted it to be。 I definitely got more invested in the story as the book went on。 But I wanted more。 But overall this was such an interesting way to retell this classic。Thanks to edelweiss and G。P。 Putnam's Sons for allowing me to read this book。 。。。more

Brook Obsessed ，

A sensuous and refreshing retelling of “Pride and Prejudice” set in a burlesque club in modern day New York City。 Bursting with sexy strip teases and unrelenting tension， this is by far my favorite Austen retelling to date。 A refreshing and unique spin on the Darcy and Liz story！Liz， also known as Kitten， works as an executive assistant by day and a stage kitten by night。 While assisting the lovely Ming， Liz meets the evasive and grumpy Darcy， who ends up dating her best friend Jane。 As Darcy a A sensuous and refreshing retelling of “Pride and Prejudice” set in a burlesque club in modern day New York City。 Bursting with sexy strip teases and unrelenting tension， this is by far my favorite Austen retelling to date。 A refreshing and unique spin on the Darcy and Liz story！Liz， also known as Kitten， works as an executive assistant by day and a stage kitten by night。 While assisting the lovely Ming， Liz meets the evasive and grumpy Darcy， who ends up dating her best friend Jane。 As Darcy and Liz dance around each other and spar on every occasion， the two learn that their assumptions about each other are completely off base。 They must come together in order to save Meryton， the beloved burlesque club， and bring down the evil Wickham。With smart writing and robust characters， this is a new spin on an old tale。 King perfectly pairs a similar plot line with new characters who practically jump off of the page。 Jane is a gay lounge singer， Liz is a wannabe interior designer， and Darcy is an investor with a rented space called Pemberley。 The steam scenes are incredibly passionate and the sexual tension is palpable。 King gives us suspense， great buildable drama， and a dreamy setting that is both imaginative and alluring。 Entertaining and swoony， this book was such a joy to read！ 。。。more

Danielle ，

This was a very fun retelling of Pride and Prejudice。I really enjoyed the backdrop of a NY burlesque show and the sexual tension between Bennet and Darcy。 At time I did feel like I wanted things to move quicker。 And it was so slow burn in the romance department。Overall an enjoyable read。{3。75}

Robin ，

I enjoyed this retelling of Pride and Prejudice and its burlesque show setting！ The interactions between Bennett and Darcy were the sweetest slow-burn of a romance （in keeping with the classic）。 And， I loved how all the side characters are reimagined。 My knowledge of burlesque was basic before reading this book， and it’s definitely been enlightened in a really positive way！ If you like Jane Austen retellings （or just a good sassy， but slow burn romance）， I definitely recommend adding this one to I enjoyed this retelling of Pride and Prejudice and its burlesque show setting！ The interactions between Bennett and Darcy were the sweetest slow-burn of a romance （in keeping with the classic）。 And， I loved how all the side characters are reimagined。 My knowledge of burlesque was basic before reading this book， and it’s definitely been enlightened in a really positive way！ If you like Jane Austen retellings （or just a good sassy， but slow burn romance）， I definitely recommend adding this one to your list！Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Michele ，

See the full review & more at HarlequinJunkieA Certain Appeal was one of the more unique and entertaining retellings of Pride & Prejudice I’ve read so far。 The NYC setting， with the backdrop of this being a burlesque theater， and the wonderfully offbeat cast–it all charmed me through and through。What a hoot A Certain Appeal was。 It was this mashup of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice characters and their basic personal relationships but with a wholly modern vibe， set in a bustling city。 Then there See the full review & more at HarlequinJunkieA Certain Appeal was one of the more unique and entertaining retellings of Pride & Prejudice I’ve read so far。 The NYC setting， with the backdrop of this being a burlesque theater， and the wonderfully offbeat cast–it all charmed me through and through。What a hoot A Certain Appeal was。 It was this mashup of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice characters and their basic personal relationships but with a wholly modern vibe， set in a bustling city。 Then there was the burlesque aspect。 So much fun！ I wasn’t sure at first how it would fit， but Vanessa King molded the classic story around it and even included some female empowerment。 （Yay！） King did keep that old fashioned feeling of true burlesque， with the sexy outfits and the characters using verbiage that made me think of the 1920s。 （ie: best gal， fella， gams， etc）。。。 Read More 。。。more

♥ ，

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE RETELLING？！ I’M IN

TheBookstagramBabe ，

A retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in contemporary New York City burlesque club。 It's glamorous and dramatic and everything you would expect based on the cover。 This was cute， but a little slow to start。 I found myself having a hard time getting into it， but the further I got into it， I was turning the pages faster and faster。 I loved the chemistry of Bennet and Darcy。 There was a great lineup of secondary character that were really well written and added a great depth to the story。 I was pu A retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in contemporary New York City burlesque club。 It's glamorous and dramatic and everything you would expect based on the cover。 This was cute， but a little slow to start。 I found myself having a hard time getting into it， but the further I got into it， I was turning the pages faster and faster。 I loved the chemistry of Bennet and Darcy。 There was a great lineup of secondary character that were really well written and added a great depth to the story。 I was pulling for Jane and Charles the whole time。 I felt personally victimized when the gin and tonic twins split apart！ They were a great supportive cast and the burlesque background was a great and unique settingThanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review 。。。more

Colleen Myers ，

This is a fantastic modern take on Pride & Prejudice。 I must confess - I have a real soft spot for Austen-inspired romances， and this book did it well。 The sexual tension and spice between Darcy and Bennet is off the charts， exactly what I want from an Austen retelling， but for me the book really shines with its cast of supporting characters。 I love setting the book in the burlesque world; the performers are vibrantly depicted and add so much heart to this story。 I love Ming and would gladly cou This is a fantastic modern take on Pride & Prejudice。 I must confess - I have a real soft spot for Austen-inspired romances， and this book did it well。 The sexual tension and spice between Darcy and Bennet is off the charts， exactly what I want from an Austen retelling， but for me the book really shines with its cast of supporting characters。 I love setting the book in the burlesque world; the performers are vibrantly depicted and add so much heart to this story。 I love Ming and would gladly count her as a friend， if given the chance！ I also delighted in the choice to make Jane & Bingley a gay male couple， a twist I haven’t seen in other modern romances taking cues from Jane Austen’s works。 。。。more

Jennifer ，

Thanks to partners NetGalley， Putnam Books， and @lovearctually for the digital ARC of Vanessa King’s A Certain Appeal in exchange for an honest review。 The book will be published on November 2！I love retellings of Jane Austen novels， so when I saw that there was a Pride and Prejudice retelling coming， set in the world of New York burlesque shows， I was so excited！Vanessa King’s A Certain Appeal met all of my expectations。 Liz Bennet （called Bennet by her friends） is stage kitten at Meryton， a bu Thanks to partners NetGalley， Putnam Books， and @lovearctually for the digital ARC of Vanessa King’s A Certain Appeal in exchange for an honest review。 The book will be published on November 2！I love retellings of Jane Austen novels， so when I saw that there was a Pride and Prejudice retelling coming， set in the world of New York burlesque shows， I was so excited！Vanessa King’s A Certain Appeal met all of my expectations。 Liz Bennet （called Bennet by her friends） is stage kitten at Meryton， a burlesque venue where she works with her best friends， including Jane （here， he’s her best friend and roommate and a singer in the burlesque）。 The performers find out that Meryton is up for sale and have high hopes that one of their own can buy it 。 。 。 with the help of a kind man named Charles。 But some people are more skeptical than supportive， including Charles’s best friend Will Darcy。Just the premise demonstrates the creativity with which King takes the building blocks of Austen’s novel and shifts them—just a bit—to our contemporary world and this setting， in particular。 She ramps up the steam and the chemistry between Bennet and Darcy and modifies the subplot with Wickham to suit the modern situation， too。I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the burlesque element， but I absolutely loved it。 Every moment of the burlesque is a celebration of individual women， of their joy in their bodies， and of their power over their own sexiness。 There’s tons of banter， too， which I also enjoyed， and then King deepens that element， too， showing how banter can be both inviting and standoffish。Bennet herself is clever and confident， but she’s also still recovering from a betrayal related to her work as a designer。 She sees， in the changes at Meryton， a chance to recapture her passion for her career， but she’s also fragile in a way that’s masked by her onstage presence and her quick wittedness。Will Darcy is completely fabulous， and I loved the secondary characters so much （the relationship between Jane and Charles is just dreamy）。 Fans of Pride and Prejudice will love this， but I’d also recommend Vanessa King's A Certain Appeal to anyone who just loves a good， super-steamy romance。 。。。more

Liz Donatelli ，

Vanessa L。 King’s A CERTAIN APPEAL is sheer perfection！ King’s brilliant retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is set amid the popular NYC burlesque scene。 Liz Bennet is a part-time “stage kitten” who seeks to restart her career in interior design。 Will Darcy is a private wealth manager。 The narrative adheres to major beats of the source material， but King’s reimagining – with its contemporary plot twists and casting choices - is singularly memorable。 Fans of close-knit found family， fl Vanessa L。 King’s A CERTAIN APPEAL is sheer perfection！ King’s brilliant retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is set amid the popular NYC burlesque scene。 Liz Bennet is a part-time “stage kitten” who seeks to restart her career in interior design。 Will Darcy is a private wealth manager。 The narrative adheres to major beats of the source material， but King’s reimagining – with its contemporary plot twists and casting choices - is singularly memorable。 Fans of close-knit found family， flirtatious humor， and flashy， titillating stage performances will especially adore King's dazzling debut。 。。。more

Kayla - the。bookish。mama ，

This book was an absolute delight！ I will say that I went into this one not knowing much about the burlesque world， but I was immediately interested when I saw this was a Pride & Prejudice retelling。。。I love an enemies to lovers trope。 I am very picky with my romance reads， and this one did not disappoint！I loved the representation， the importance that was centered on consent， chosen families， and that so much of the story was centered on doing what makes you happy， regardless of anyone else's e This book was an absolute delight！ I will say that I went into this one not knowing much about the burlesque world， but I was immediately interested when I saw this was a Pride & Prejudice retelling。。。I love an enemies to lovers trope。 I am very picky with my romance reads， and this one did not disappoint！I loved the representation， the importance that was centered on consent， chosen families， and that so much of the story was centered on doing what makes you happy， regardless of anyone else's expectations。 I loved all of the fantastic characters and I would genuinely want to be friends with most of them， besides， well。。。if you read this one then you will know。Y'all， this one was STEAMY and I am not complaining。 It fit into the story appropriately - I need plot with my steam！ This was a fun read that kept my attention until the very end。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=A Certain Appeal

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=A Certain Appeal&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,A Certain Appeal&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0