ARC Review: Spies and Prejudice by Talia Vance

Goodreads summary:

Fields’ Rule #1: Don’t fall for the enemy.

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend. She’s busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she’s sure all men commit. And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either.

So when arrogant—and gorgeous—Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her “nothing amazing,” it’s no loss for Berry. She’ll forget him in no time. She’s more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother’s death.

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way? Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat? And why can’t Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide.

My review:

I LOVE Pride & Prejudice retellings!  The problem is, Pride & Prejudice retellings tend to be *exactly* like the original, just in a modern setting.  They need to be able to stand on their own as a story.  So I really appreciated the fact that Spies and Prejudice manages to be unique and has its own storyline.

Ah, Berry.  Just like Lizzie Bennet, she's full of spunk and always speaks her mind.  I love how independent she is; she definitely captures the spirit of Lizzie Bennet.  And Tanner (aka Mr. Darcy) is so funny - he's awkward and yet sweet.  I also thought it was clever that Berry's best friend, Mary Chris, is the Jane Bennet of the story.  It was an interesting change that she was the best friend instead of the older sister, and I thought it worked really well with the novel's storyline.

I really enjoyed the plot.  It's light and funny, filled with awesomely clever dialogue, and of course, there's lots of action, chases, and high-tech spy gadgets.  An all-around fun read!  There are some slightly predictable twists at times, but I was enjoying the story so much that I didn't really mind. 

I'd recommend Spies and Prejudice to anyone.  There's no need to have read Pride & Prejudice to understand this, and anyway, as I said above, Spies and Prejudice does a great job of standing on its own.  If you like spunky heroines, snappy dialogue, and a fast-paced plot, definitely give this a try.  It's one of the best Pride & Prejudice retellings I've read.  I'm looking forward to reading more of Talia Vance's work!

* I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  8 out of 10 (4 stars)

~ The Bookworm