a Romantic Retelling of Little Women

After Josephine “Jo” March publishes her first novel, Little Women, she immediately faces demands for a sequel. Her publisher, Mr. Thomas Niles, urges Jo to compose a book filled with romance and weddings. This proves rather tough in light of the fact that Jo does not see herself as a romantic writer. Nonetheless, she gives it her best effort, but there is also a lot of stress: lots of fan mail, a theatrical production of Little Women in London, and her sister Amy has an insatiable desire for luxuries - all funded by Jo.

When Theodore “Laurie” Laurence proposes a trip to New York as a change of scenery, Jo has no choice but to go along. The trip is filled with excitement and perhaps even a bit of romance. In the end, Jo is left with two questions: Will she write the proper sequel for her beloved characters, and will she make the right decision concerning her unfolding relationship with her dear Laurie.

BTSYA / Teen Reader (17):
I read this novel last summer and loved the spin that the authors put on the March sisters' original story while keeping many of the external details identical. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this alternate ending. It was a fast-paced, delightful book filled with entertaining banter between the characters. I also appreciated how the authors showed the reality of writing a novel through Jo’s struggle with writing her sequel, Good Wives. It was both realistic and eye-opening.

Overall, this book was an exciting read that gave me a different outlook on the well-loved novel, Little Women I would recommend this novel to people who have already fallen in love with the March family: whether it be from the big screen or through the extraordinary words of Louisa May Alcott. This book is perfect for readers who would have preferred a romantic relationship between Jo and Laurie in the original Little Women. I recommend this novel to readers above the age of 12. It will not disappoint!

If you love Little Women and/or contemporary retellings, with a side of romance and contemporary themes, this is the book for you.

None noted.