I was excited to be part of the blog tour for Brittany Larsen's debut novel, Pride and Politics. I met Brittany at a writer's conference years ago, where I was a mentor, helping new writers with their first pages. I thought she had so much talent then, and I am thrilled to see all her hard work pay off with her book being published!
Pride and Politics is a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, but with several twists. It's set in a political hotbed of rival Republican and Democratic views mingled with how members of the LDS church view and support different social issues. I was surprised at some of the issues covered, but never uncomfortable. I thought the political side was rather well done, considering how hard it is to walk a fine line with readers from all backgrounds and political persuasions. And sometimes when you read books, you can put yourself in another person's point of view and think, yeah, I can see that. There is no preaching or leaning toward one political party or another, but there's just enough of each side that it provides an additional spark to the story.
Summer Knight is the daughter of a Democratic senator who has been vocal about his opinions regarding his Republican counterparts. He won a hotly contested re-election campaign, but Summer lost a bit of faith when some of her fellow members did things that hurt her sense of what's right and wrong. She's taking a break from the church to figure things out when she meets Benson Hardy. He's tall, dark, and handsome, but also the nephew of the Republican candidate running for president who doesn't have a lot of regard for her father. Being thrown together by their best friends falling in love takes them on a journey with a lot of ups and downs and a few sharp turns.
I really enjoyed the banter and misunderstandings between them because Summer's point of view is so strong and her personality made her so relatable. I thought the author did a great job with the secondary characters as well, making them all feel like they could be your friends. The other exceptional character was the hero, Benson. He has such a strong sense of honor and protectiveness, almost to a fault, but the reader can totally understand his motivations and love him anyway. He is vulnerable at all the right times and still maintains his sigh-worthiness when he takes matters into his own hands. Every reader will be rooting for them to get their happily-ever-after!
Obviously, if you've read Pride and Prejudice, you know how the story will go, but the author includes quite a few unexpected twists, putting her own stamp on a familiar storyline. It was a fun afternoon read!
Don't forget to scroll down and enter the giveaway! (And just FYI tomorrow is the last day to enter my giveaway. See the sidebar and win some really great prizes!)
You can get your copy here
Here's the back copy:
As the daughter of a well-known senator, Summer Knight is all too familiar with the nasty side of politics. She’s always stayed out of the drama, until an incident involving her fellow Mormons drives her out of her hometown—and out of the Church. What she needs is a change of scene, and sunny California seems like just the place.
Enter Benson Hardy. He’s just her type—until she finds out who he is. Not only is Benson a nephew to her father’s political rival, he’s also a devout member of the Church. The last thing Summer wants is to be mixed up in politics—or religion. But Benson challenges her like no one else, asking the tough questions about her inactivity. Though their incompatibility is clear, their connection is undeniable, and soon Summer finds the embers of her faith reigniting. Just as it seems that the pair might be on the road to romance, a series of embarrassing misunderstandings—and the appearance of a handsome charmer determined to sweep Summer off her feet—knock the couple completely off course. As Summer finds herself at a crossroads, she must decide if she’s willing to set her pride aside for a shot at true love.
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