There has been quite a number of authors retelling older classics and this one offers a spin on Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.
This author freshens up the classic with several twists and a lovely douse of love. Check out my full review below.
Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne
Publisher: Berkley (February 13, 2024)
ISBN-13: 978-0593440964
OVERVIEW:
There’s never a good time to learn you are your father’s secret child—especially not at the reading of his will. With their father’s affairs laid bare and Nora’s sensible reputation in tatters due to a viral video scandal, she and her free-spirited sister have nothing left but a rustic inn in the middle of nowhere and each other. What’s more, they need to revamp the inn before Labor Day or they lose it all. Nora hasn’t even knocked the traveling dust off last season’s designer boots when she’s confronted with three problems:
1. She really should have watched more HGTV.
2. She hasn’t seen another Black person for miles.
3. A tall, dark stranger has already staked a claim on their property.
Native Abenaki eco-tour guide Ennis “Bear” Freeman has seen hapless tourists come and go. When he spots two pampered city girls at his unofficial headquarters, he expects them to catch a flight out of the inhospitable coastal Maine backwoods within a week’s time. But Nora, turns out, is made of sterner stuff. And as she rolls up her sleeves to breathe new life into the inn, she unwittingly reignites a flood of emotions inside of Bear that he had very intentionally suppressed.
Their connection is electric, their desire palpable. But Bear’s silence about his mysterious past might turn out to be the one thing that sends Nora packing.
Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne Review
I have to admit that I do not believe I ever read this original version by Austen unless it was something that I forgot over the years. So reading this version of the classic story is a new story for me.
I was looking for a love-soaked read from the reviews that I scrolled through before diving in, but what I found was a woman’s fiction with a lot of romance build-up.
The author created main characters who are as different as can be but are strong and balanced. Nora is a warrior, tough and independent. Capable of so much and falling for Bear.
Bear is a pillar of the community; stubborn, not perfect, and completely head over for Nora. Together they make a great team, but the issues that divide them are huge.
While the main plot of the story was captivating, I had issues with some of the plot. There are jumps in the story that confused me. One minute they are meeting and then, in a few pages, they are going into business together. It took me a long time to figure out what Bear even did. I must be dense, but the was it was described was not clear to me.
Also issues with the entire renovation that was occurring along with the love story. While it was the main reason Nora and her sister were there, it was not the focus of the story. Time jumps were a killer.
Nora’s sister was such an issue. While she was fun and added great energy to the story, she was flakey and selfish. Other supporting characters were strong and helped round out the entire book, although there is one I could not stand!
Overall, Sex, Lies and Sensibility offered interesting characters and a strong insight to family problems, untold secrets, and love. I did not care for Bear’s character that much by about 3/4 of the way through. And Nora has some serious weak spots too.
The ending was super rushed with the overarching problem solved within a few pages, out of the blue. The story has some wonderful, sexy romance, but most of it builds up to one steamy scene at the end.
3 STARS!!
Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.
Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.