Sass & Serendipity

Sisters Gabriella and Daphne Rivera have opposing views on romance and life. Gabby is cynical about love after witnessing her parents' difficult divorce, while Daphne dreams of finding her perfect match and living happily ever after. The girls navigate high school life in their small Texas town while dealing with financial hardship and family tension. Their conflicting perspectives lead them into various misunderstandings and complications, especially when it comes to their relationships with boys. A modern retelling of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, the story follows the sisters as they learn about themselves and each other. The narrative alternates between both sisters' points of view as they face challenges that test their beliefs and their bond. The novel explores themes of sisterhood, class differences, and the balance between practicality and passion. Through the sisters' experiences, it raises questions about whether romance requires pure emotion or rational thinking.

Readers found this modern Jane Austen retelling fell short of capturing the spirit of Sense and Sensibility. Many noted the main characters Gabby and Daphne came across as unlikeable and one-dimensional compared to Austen's original heroines. Positives: - Quick, light summer read - Successfully portrays realistic sibling rivalry - Sweet romance elements - Accessible writing style for younger teens Negatives: - Characters described as whiny and immature - Plot feels contrived and predictable - Lacks depth of the source material - Romantic relationships develop too quickly Ratings: Goodreads: 3.1/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 3.3/5 (15 ratings) "The sisters were so bitter and mean-spirited that it was hard to root for them," noted one Goodreads reviewer. Another commented: "This would have worked better as its own story rather than trying to be an Austen adaptation." The book appears to resonate more with younger YA readers less familiar with the original classic.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen A story of two sisters navigating love and social expectations in Regency-era England mirrors the sisterly relationship dynamics found in Sass & Serendipity.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Four sisters grow together and apart while facing life changes in nineteenth-century Massachusetts, focusing on family bonds and personal growth.

The Year My Sister Got Lucky by Aimee Friedman Two sisters face a move from New York City to rural upstate, testing their relationship as their lives take different paths.

Rules of Summer by Joanna Philbin Two girls from different social classes form an unexpected friendship during a summer in the Hamptons, exploring themes of class differences and identity.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith A chance encounter at an airport leads to connections between families and exploration of parent-child relationships alongside romantic possibilities.

🎭 The book is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's classic novel "Sense and Sensibility," reimagined for young adult readers in a contemporary Texas setting. 📚 Author Jennifer Ziegler drew inspiration from her own experiences growing up in Texas and her relationship with her sister when crafting the dynamic between the book's protagonists, Gabriella and Daphne. 🏠 The story explores themes of class differences and economic hardship, with the sisters dealing with their parents' divorce and a move to a smaller house—challenges many modern readers can relate to. ✍️ Jennifer Ziegler is also known for her "Brewster Triplets" series and has been a faculty member at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the Writing for Children and Young Adults program. 🎬 Like its inspiration "Sense and Sensibility," which has had multiple screen adaptations, "Sass & Serendipity" modernizes the classic tale of sisters with opposing worldviews while maintaining the original's focus on family bonds and romance.