Elizabeth of East Hampton

By: Audrey Bellezza, Emily Harding

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Brittany Pressley

This fresh and whip-smart modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice—from the authors of the “great beach read” (Bookreporter) Emma of 83rd Street—transports you to summer in the Hamptons, where classes clash, rumors run wild, and love has a frustrating habit of popping up where you least expect it.

It’s a truth universally acknowledged—well, by Elizabeth Bennet anyway—that there’s nothing worse than summer in the Hamptons. She should know: she’s lived out there her whole life. Every June, her hometown on the edge of Long Island is inundated with rich Manhattanites who party until dawn and then disappear by September. And after twenty-five years, Lizzy wants to leave, too.

But after putting her own dreams on hold to help save her family’s failing bakery, she’s still surfing the same beach every morning and waiting for something, anything, to change. She’s not holding her breath though, not even when her sister starts flirting with the hot new bachelor in town, Charlie Pierce, and he introduces Lizzy to his even hotter friend.

Will Darcy is everything Lizzy Bennet is not. Aloof, arrogant…and rich. Of course, he’s never cared about money. In fact, it’s number one on his long list of things that irk him. Number two? His friend Charlie’s insistence on setting him up with his new girlfriend’s sharp-tongued sister. Lizzy Bennet is all wrong for him, from her money-hungry family to her uncanny ability to speak to him as bluntly as he does everyone else. But then maybe that’s why he can’t stop thinking about her.

Lizzy is sure Will hates everybody. He thinks she willfully misunderstands them. Yet, just as they strike an uneasy truce, mistakes threaten Charlie and Jane’s romance, with Will and Lizzy caught in the undertow. Between a hurricane and a hypocritical aunt, a drunken voicemail and a deceptive party promoter, the two must sift through the gossip and lies to protect the happiness of everyone they love—even if it means sacrificing their own. But when the truth also forces them to see each other in an entirely new light, they must swallow their pride to learn that love is a lot like surfing: sometimes the only way to survive is to let yourself fall.

©2024 Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Fantastic reimagining of a powerful classic

Enjoyed this book so much. To me this was better than book 1 of this series. There were delightful surprises in the plot and very good writing. Truly loved this and wish I could read for the first time again.

Cute take on Pride and Prejudice- loved the two were into surfing.

Liked the common love of the beach and surfing. The sisters were also realistic characters along with Lizzy’s parents. Having a family owned bakery on Main Street a good setting for Lizzy and Will to meet. Very cute book! Fun beach read!

A surfing Elizabeth Bennett!

If you like Jane Austen retellings- here you go: Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding’s For the Love of Austen Series!

I’m sure you can guess what Emma of 83rd Street is paying homage to, and the second in the series, Elizabeth of East Hampton is a Pride and Prejudice retelling, with a surfing Elizabeth Bennett! I enjoy Austen retellings, because I like to see where other writers take it- what they change, what stays the same, etc. For example, these are open door, very unlike the originals!

Emma’s book was delightful and, as we know, there’s a comfort in reading a romance novel because we are guaranteed a happily ever after. I realized there’s even more comfort in knowing details and plot points before they happen!

One of my favorite parts of Elizabeth’s book is the creative idea of mixed cover bands, like the Beatles and Metallica cover band singing “Here Comes the Sandman”. It was a very small part of the book, but so clever!

Both books are dual POV read by Teddy Hamilton and Brittany Pressley, who are often-used narrators for a reason.

Emma of 83rd Street
4/5 stars
10 hours 30 minutes at 1x on audio
Open door
Location: Manhattan, NY

Elizabeth of East Hampton
4/5 stars
9 hours 54 minutes at 1x on audio
Open door
Location: East Hampton Village, Montauk, “The Hamptons”/ Long Island

Elizabeth of East Hampton

This is the best summer read, loved how the authors wrote this updated Jane Austin’s book & couldn’t put it down, so clever to bring the characters from their 1st book, Emma of 83rd Street into this storyline! Can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Clever and Familiar

I bought this audiobook as much for the narrators as I did for the subject. A modern reimagining of my favorite Jane Austen story, narrated in part by Teddy Hamilton, was too enticing to pass up. It is delicious. The characters are not exactly Austen's but how could they be in this day? The authors do a commendable job sticking to the essence of the story while putting the characters far out on Long Island with a family bakery to run and a surfer girl, Elizabeth Bennett meeting a very reserved and snobby William Darcy on his first day in town. Cleverly done and loads of fun.

I didnt like the name changes.

I thought Darcy's aunt really didn't have much of a storyline to act as she did. No sane person would speak to another non relevant person about another person's personal property about the need to sale. It was weak an no reason to add. Not worth the credit in my opinion. Not a bad story but not a good JAFF.