Audio Review: Pride and Modern Prejudice by AJ Michaels – Narrated by Rusty Topsfield

Author: AJ Michaels

Narrator: Rusty Topsfield

Run Time: 7 hours and 31 minutes

At a Glance: A very successful rewrite of Jane Austen.

Reviewed By: Amy

Blurb: What happens when Jane Austen’s immortal characters are thrust into 21st century Pennsylvania, with an all-male twist?

Liam Bennet has always been a good judge of character, but when William Darcy is thrown into his social circle, everything spins out of control. Darcy is proud, cold, arrogant—and strangely captivating. When Liam’s brother and Darcy’s business partner start seeing each other, Liam cannot avoid this enigmatic businessman. But does he want to?

As Liam struggles to find his identity in college and acknowledge his feelings, he must deal with the fortunes of his four brothers, his gossiping mother, and the possibility of a large inheritance that could save his family from financial ruin. Emotions come to a boil when George Wickham, a world-weary musician, stumbles into town and ignites a feud with Darcy. He threatens to expose a long-hidden past, and Liam must decide for himself who William Darcy really is and what he really wants.

Review: I can’t imagine attempting to rewrite the amazing Jane Austen; however, I really enjoy films like Bridget Jones’s Diary and other attempts in the film world. I figured, what the heck, let me give the modern attempt at a written classic a chance. I am awful glad that I did. AJ Michaels successfully rewrote this take without tainting the original. She kept things just close enough to the original, while making the story her own. I kept trying to name the different characters as they were introduced, and matching them to Austen’s, which was fun and not at all distracting.

Now, Liam was a fun and exciting character. He has spunk for days and was completely okay with who he was. William Darcy was typical Darcy, gorgeous and somewhat cold, but completely honorable. I like how the author builds the relationship in more depth. One of Austen’s attributes in literature is her ability to make the readers draw their own conclusions. Michaels kept that up, and still gave me all I desired. There’s a healthy balance of story and sex, and this author can write a sex scene… (Wipes brow). I would 100% recommend giving this a read/listen.

Narration: I am extremely familiar with Rusty Topsfield as a narrator, and he never disappoints. He has such a diverse ability to drawn me into the story, though he doesn’t have particular skills in differentiating character, but it doesn’t bother me in the least. I am too busy being involved. I see his name and get excited!