Welcome to Litsy!

Most Ardently, by Gabe Cole Novoa (2024)

Premise: A queer reimagining of Pride & Prejudice in which the protagonist, Oliver (named Elizabeth by his parents at birth), longs for a way to seen and be loved for his true self in a restrictive society.

Review: Retellings and reimaginings work best for me when the twist both presents something new through a familiar lens and says something interesting about the original. Cont.

This book was pretty cute, very fanfic vibes so if you‘re into that bonus for you. If you really enjoy the regency era this book may not be for you. The incredibly inclusive vibes of the book do not mesh well with the regency era setting and it shows. Despite that I found it a more or less enjoyable read. If there was an option between pick and so-so I‘d rate it there but as there isn‘t I‘ll rate it pick.

Oh, hey, I forgot to tell y‘all how much I loved MOST ARDENTLY! It dove straight into my heart and tugged, tugged, tugged. It‘s also the second Remixed Classic I‘ve adored, after INTO THE BRIGHT OPEN by Cherie Dimaline, so clearly I need to seek out more of them.

I finished it while I started this book nook. I‘m now fairly far into it, thanks to stints with a couple other audiobooks. #audiocrafting #AuldLangSpine2025

I definitely picked this Pride & Prejudice retelling with a trans protagonist up because of a review by @peanutnine . I wasn't sure if I'd like it because I hated Pride & Prejudice, but I loved it. The characters are delightful, and I found the major events of the story satisfying and entertaining. Did I cry during the office scene? A little. #LGBTQIA #Retelling

To most of Oliver‘s family, he‘s known as Elizabeth or Lizzie. Only his sister Jane and his best friend, Charlotte know who he really is.
Then Charles Bingley and Mr. Darcy arrive in town and he feels the sting of Darcy‘s rejection as Lizzie but somehow befriends them as Oliver.
This was a delightfully queer Pride & Prejudice retelling with a trans male lead that maintains the friendships and yearning of the original.

I loved the premise of this -- the person known as Elizabeth Bennet is actually Oliver, a trans boy -- but the execution didn't work for me. Attempts to age down the story to make it fit the modern Young Adult genre feels deeply weird, the plot changes make no sense, and the language flits from period appropriate to modern to utterly ridiculous. (Mr. Collins praises Oliver's “childbearing hips“ as they dance at a ball.) (cont.)

Trans people have always been here and I believe it‘s important to see them in a historical context. Representation is key to understanding and acceptance. I love P&P, and I couldn‘t resist this retelling with an LGBTQ lens. It was very well done, and the changes made fit characters perfectly. While it was entirely wholesome and sweet, it also dealt with serious issues that trans people still deal with, and I applaud it for that.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pride Month isn't over yet and these trans historical fiction novels would make a great addition to your last week of June reading

Yesterday and today are chill hot tub days, with some reading in between. Thoroughly enjoying Most Ardently. A LGBTQ retelling of Pride and Prejudice, I just can‘t but smile throughout.

I'm not crying, you're crying 🥹💖
This was such a lovely P&P adaptation and definitely a new favorite. In this queer retelling, Elizabeth is actually a trans man named Oliver. He and Darcy become friends while Oliver is in town as his true self but don't get along when he is forced to play Elizabeth in society. My favorite relationship portrayal is with Mr. Bennett, so so sweet 🥰
5🌟
#LGBTQ2024 trans joy @Kenyazero

This Pride & Prejudice remix was absolutely delightful. Oliver Bennet is assigned female at birth, and most of his family knows him as Elizabeth. But Oliver yearns to live as his true self - a man. ,It was a lovely twist on a familiar story. Mr. Bennet is just perfection in this retelling.
#trr #transrightsreadathon #transjoy

This book bewitched me heart & soul. It felt like the it felt like the queer Pride & Prejudice fanfic I didn't realize I had been dreaming of since high school. It‘s a short, easy read, with nuanced characters, emotions that ring true, and the plot has plenty of depth and tension. You‘ll be rooting for Oliver and Mr. Bennet is as fantastic in this situation as in any other retelling, you'll want him to be your dad too! Longer review on StoryGraph.

This was a quick read. I enjoyed this book a little too much — and I could guessed that Wickem would be an enemy.

This is becoming one of the most intriguing books I ever read even though I know the story of pride and prejudice… and so far I‘m loving it.

In this Pride and Prejudice retelling, the second eldest Bennett is a trans boy who's not yet out. It's less enemies to lovers since Oliver is immediately taken with Darcy when he's dressed as himself, but Darcy's rudeness to him when he wears dresses complicates their relationship. Especially since Oliver doesn't want him to realize the two people are the same. The writing and dialogue are a bit modern, but I enjoyed it all the same.

Airplane reading is always among my most productive, and I haven't been a particularly productive reader here lately 😅