Sense and Sensibility A Latter-Day Tale - Rebecca H. Jamison

Summary:  As if it wasn't bad enough to be getting food from Church welfare, I had to meet one of the Ferreros--and a good-looking Ferrero, at that.

Elly Goodwin, a brilliant programmer, is so desperate for a job that she takes one from her ex-fiance--the same man who put her family out of business.  Then she meets Ethan Ferrero, who seems too good to be true.  But Elly is far too sensible to unexpectedly fall in love--especially with her ex's brother-in-law.

But when Elly's sister, Maren, dates the wrong guy, Elly must intercede before Maren's passion clouds her common sense.  Together, Elly and Maren must learn that a mixture of sense and sensibility is the perfect recipe for love.

Fans of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility will love this modern retelling of the classic romance novel.  (Summary from back of the book, image from www.rebeccahjamison.com.  Book sent free for review.)

My Review:  Before going any further, I think it's important to note that this is LDS literature.  With that said, it's not over the top LDS lit.  Things are mentioned, spoken about in passing, but not overdone. 

This book truly hit the spot for me.  I've been needing a good fiction-fast-read.  I needed a story where the story-line drew me in and boy did the ride went quickly over the two days I read!  I've always loved the story-line of Sense and Sensibility, and this version is so realistic but stays true to the original plot of the story.  I loved seeing how Jamison carried the structure of the story while making it new at the same time.  And I loved the characters.  Typically I have a harder time to relating to  Maren's character, but even in this story it was believable and understandable her reactions with how Jamison crafted the tale. I think what made this story so satisfying was the depth and complexity of each character and their lives.  They felt like people I know in real life, people I love and can't understand all at the same time.  And the plot felt the same--things happened that didn't make sense, but that's how life goes; you don't always know what hand you'll be dealt or how exactly you'll deal with it.  But, Jamison writes a smooth tale that takes you from start to finish effortlessly.  I truly enjoyed this.

If you're needing a Jane Austen fix, but something a little different you definitely want to pick up this book.  It has the right mix of romance, comedy, realistic plot twists, and conflict to be enjoyable.  If you know the plot of Sense and Sensibility, the ending won't be a surprise, but it's enjoyable nonetheless.

For the sensitive reader:  Only kissing--and this isn't much.

Rating:  4.5 stars

Sum it up:  A well-done spin off of a classic tale.