A Certain Appeal

By: Vanessa King

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

A sparkling contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the tantalizing world of New York City burlesque, perfect for fans of The Kiss Quotient and The Roommate.

After a betrayal derailed her interior design career, Liz Bennet found a fresh start in New York. Now an executive assistant by day and stage kitten by night, she’s discovered a second home with the performers at Meryton, Manhattan’s top-tier burlesque venue. Love’s the last thing on her mind when she locks eyes with Will Darcy across the crowded club, yet the spark between them is undeniable - that is, until she overhears the uptight wealth manager call her merely “tolerable”.

Bennet is determined to write Darcy off, but once their besties fall head-over-heels, they’re thrown into each other’s orbit again and again. Each encounter begins to feel more heated than the last, but is their chemistry enough to topple that terrible first impression? What’s more, when a charming newcomer arrives on the scene with accusations against Darcy, and a sudden development leaves Meryton’s fate in jeopardy, Bennet will have to decide who to trust in time to salvage her design dreams, her heart, and the stage she shares with her found family....

©2021 Vanessa King (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

One of PopSugar's 12 Enticing New Romance Reads for November 2021

One of Life Savvy's Best New Books November 2021

One of The Nerd Daily's November 2021 Book Releases

One of Buzzfeed's Best Books of November

“Whether you loved the classic that inspired it or not, you'll devour this steamy novel.” (Good Housekeeping)

“Deft and fun… An original take on the source material, filled with three-dimensional characters… A jaunty and sexy twist on a classic.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“King’s irresistible debut gives Pride and Prejudice a fresh look, transplanting the classic story to the sexy, sequined world of a contemporary burlesque club… Between the camaraderie and the costumes, this immersive look at the burlesque scene is sure to win many fans, Austenite or not.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Pride and Prejudice in modern time

I love the modernity in this story. Lizzie's story is different and similar in multiple ways. I think that my favorite change is the one the author made on Jane. I also like how the author change some of the idea of the original story without losing the context. The only downside is that they always call each other by their last name.

Pop Appeal!

Modern spin on a Jane Austen classic. Fun and humorous listen. Enjoyed the character development.

Julia Whelan amazing per usual. Fun story.

Fun twist on a classic. Don’t go into it expecting an exact modern retelling. There are MAJOR changes. Some smut but nothing too crazy. A fun listen and this narrator never disappoints.

Really fun, romantic, and original setting for a beloved story

Well plotted and fun. Fascinating characters and good connections to the OG book. Highly recommend

Loved everything about this!!

I LOVED this entire story. The New York setting mixed with the burlesque theme was so magical and let me have an newfound appreciation for a world I never new much about. I also loved the Pride and Prejudice aspect of it. Everything about this was so creative and exciting. Also Julia Whelan does an incredible job narrating as always.

Loved it

So well written, the story line was captivating. I could not put it down. As always Julia Whelan’s narration was perfect.

Excellent

Wonderful retelling of Pride and Prejudice.
Excellent narration by Julia Whelan.

A joy to listen to!

Hmmm

Loved the narration. The story….not as much. No depth of characters. Fluff and burlesque

MY GOD THIS IS BAD!

There really is no need to go into details about how terrible this book is. If you love Pride and Prejudice and think that you are getting a awesome rom- com contemporary version.....you are not. This was soooooo boring and I hated every single character. I just keeped thinking my poor credit chould have been put to much better use. Please for the sake of all credits save yours while you still have the chance.

Smut with a sprinkle of Austen

I overlooked the weird gender bending of characters, and even the backdrop of burlesque could be forgiven, but the writing was subpar, the character development non existent, and the constant consent asking was so annoying I could t stand it.
If you’ve read Pride and Prejudice, then you’ll understand- this book is 99% Lydia. The only bit of Elizabeth you’ll find is her name and a few bastardized lines. And speaking of names: does Elizabeth really need so many? Liz, Lizzy, Lizard, Bennett, Ben, Kitten… we get it- she’s modern, quirky and sexy…blah blah blah
Seriously, don’t waste your time.