Book Review: Elizabeth of East Hampton

By Melissa Smoot

It’s a truth universally acknowledged—well, by Elizabeth Bennet anyway—that there’s nothing worse than summer in the Hamptons. She should know: she’s lived out there her whole life. Every June, her hometown on the edge of Long Island is inundated with rich Manhattanites who party until dawn and then disappear by September. And after twenty-five years, Lizzy wants to leave, too.

But after putting her own dreams on hold to help save her family’s failing bakery, she’s still surfing the same beach every morning and waiting for something, anything, to change. She’s not holding her breath though, not even when her sister starts flirting with the hot new bachelor in town, Charlie Pierce, and he introduces Lizzy to his even hotter friend.

Will Darcy is everything Lizzy Bennet is not. Aloof, arrogant…and rich. Of course, he’s never cared about money. In fact, it’s number one on his long list of things that irk him. Number two? His friend Charlie’s insistence on setting him up with his new girlfriend’s sharp-tongued sister. Lizzy Bennet is all wrong for him, from her money-hungry family to her uncanny ability to speak to him as bluntly as he does everyone else. But then maybe that’s why he can’t stop thinking about her.

Lizzy is sure Will hates everybody. He thinks she willfully misunderstands them. Yet, just as they strike an uneasy truce, mistakes threaten Charlie and Jane’s romance, with Will and Lizzy caught in the undertow. Between a hurricane and a hypocritical aunt, a drunken voicemail and a deceptive party promoter, the two must sift through the gossip and lies to protect the happiness of everyone they love—even if it means sacrificing their own. But when the truth also forces them to see each other in an entirely new light, they must swallow their pride to learn that love is a lot like surfing: sometimes the only way to survive is to let yourself fall. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I really liked how in depth this book went. I never felt like things we left open ended, and I always appreciate when authors are so thorough. The storyline was so creative in modeling after a Jane Austen story but making it modern and relatable. What a fun read this was!

I stayed up far too late to find out how this book would end, and I am not mad about it. I was so engrossed in the relationship between Lizzy and Will Darcy, that I completely lost track of time. The entire Bennet family was hilarious: from the very different personalities of the 5 sisters to the overly dramatic mother, to the quiet and steady demeanor of Mr. Bennet. 

I loved the East Hampton location, as I have spent time there, and could visually picture every detail the authors described throughout the book. The secondary characters, many of whom were locals, also added extra fun and spice to the story. Overall, this was a great book and I would definitely recommend giving it a read!

Thanks to Gallery for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase Elizabeth of East Hampton here.

Also by Audrey and Emily: Emma of 83rd Street

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.

Listen to this book on Speechify!