Second chances only come around once.Eight years ago, Adam Elliot made the biggest mistake of his life. Now that mistake is coming back to haunt him. His family’s beloved vineyard has gone into foreclosure, and the new owner is the sister of the only man he’s ever loved—the man he dumped under pressure from family and friends who thought the match was beneath him.When Freddy Wentworth, aka the … him.
When Freddy Wentworth, aka the bad boy of Bishop’s Glen, left town with a broken heart, he vowed never to return. But a recently widowed friend needs his help, so here he is. He’s a rich and famous celebrity chef now, though, so everyone can just eff right off.
But some things are easier said than done. Despite their attempts to resist each other, old love rekindles—and old wounds reopen. If they want to make things work the second time around, they’ll have to learn to set aside their pride—and prejudice.
This modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion is a standalone novel that can be enjoyed by Austen-philes and by those allergic to the nineteenth century.
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I adore a good Austen remix and this is definitely up there! It’s not often you see an author choose to modernise Persuasion so I was immediately intrigued. Also, the cover is very appealing!
I loved how the two timelines ran concurrently. I also very much appreciated that we could see Freddy’s point of view in this version. It added another layer of perspective and emotion and connection to the story and enhanced the overall impact.
The original story was an emotional roller coaster and Jenny Holiday did a fantastic job of bringing that to her own work. I went on the journey with Adam and Freddy, through all the ups and downs and twists and turns, and it was heartwarming to reach the end. The ending is a like a warm hug and left me hopeful.
I very much enjoyed this book and I’d happily recommend it to anyone who:
– has hoped for a second chance
– is looking for a feel-good read
– loves Jane Austen
Persuasion is my favorite book, and I was thrilled to see this modern day re-telling hit the market. The cover art is very moving, and Jenny artfully brings the plot elements into the modern day. There are a few too many Austen references for my taste, and I feel some of the dramatic moments didn’t pack the emotional punch I would have liked. Overall it’s a sweet, light reading story, with a well deserved happy ending.
5 Glorious Stars
Review by Elizabeth
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Have you ever read a book you did not want to end? Undue Influence is my first read by Jenny Holiday and I was intrigued by the first page.
Adam and Freddy are hard not to adore! Adam broke Freddy’s heart eight years ago and things have never been the same. Freddy is now a successful chef in New York and Adam still works at the auto shop. When Freddy comes back to town, it throws Adam for a loop. You can tell by their interactions that the chemistry between them is still there.
Undue Influence is about second chances, two lovers overcoming their past, and so much more. I, personally, did not want their story to end. Their story is not full of sex, there is basically none.
Jenny Holiday did a wonderful job writing Adam and Freddy’s story. You will not be disappointed.
Undue Influence is my very first book from this author and it was an okay read. I enjoyed both of the main characters; Freddy was really sweet, caring and thoughtful when it came to Adam. Adam was sweet and tried to do what was right, even if it wasn’t the best choice. However, I didn’t feel the connection between them that I was hoping to feel. I wanted to believe they loved each other and I didn’t get that love feeling. This story did have its sweet, funny and romantic moments to it but I needed a bit more. I also found the story to move at a slower pace than I expected. Undue Influence wasn’t a bad read but at the same time it wasn’t what I expected. Although this wasn’t a 5 star read for me from this author, I enjoyed the world she created for her characters and would give another book from her a try in the future.