Confession time: Emilie almost missed out on one of her favorite variations because a little "pride" and "prejudice" against modern variations got in her way!

This week we're gushing over An Unexpected Harvest by Cat Andrews, a book that Emilie initially started, set back down, and waited weeks to pick back up. But she's so glad she did! Much like Darcy, Emilie discovered that what she thought would be merely "tolerable" turned out to be very, very tempting indeed...

Here's what blew us away: An Unexpected Harvest follows Pride and Prejudice almost beat for beat in the first half, and then Cat Andrews throws the playbook out and lets the story breathe. And honestly? That second half might be our favorite part! Add in a gender swap that works incredibly well, character name-shuffling that kept us genuinely guessing what would happen next, and a main couple with a relationship that felt real, and we had a lot to say.

Some bigger themes snuck in too, like ideas around wanting to be independent individuals while still craving having a person to depend on, and why women giving up their dreams for love is somehow still a whole conversation we're having in 2026. Plus, a candid conversation about spice (no judgment here!) and how Cat Andrews brilliantly writes spice that feels character-driven and important to the narrative.

If you've been on the fence about modern variations, this might be the episode — and the book — that changes your mind. We're also sharing what's on our Kindles right now, teasing our upcoming Live Book Club with Heather Moll's A Most Natural Consequence on April 25th, and dropping some very exciting news about an upcoming author interview with Cat Andrews herself.

Episode Credits:

🎙️ Hosted by Emilie Davis and Sharon Cortez

🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.

📚 See a list of books we've read at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!

➡️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

Today we’re kicking off a new kind of conversation on the podcast: Revisiting episodes, where Emilie chats with a book clubber about books we’ve already covered (or ones they’re especially passionate about). Because let’s be honest… one conversation is never enough. 😊

In this episode, Emilie is joined by Alexis, who volunteered to be our very first guest for this new format. We dive into a reread of Mistaken by Jessie Lewis, one of Alexis's favorites (and given Emilie's open admiration for it, are you really surprised that we started with that variation?)

We talk about what makes this story so compelling, including the focus on external conflicts to Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship, the emotional impact of Jane's storyline, and one of the most unsettling (and fascinating) portrayals of Bingley you’ll ever read. We also get into the treatment of side characters like Caroline and Mrs. Sinclair, and why this book continues to hold up on a reread.

And because we can never stay on just one book, we also wander into a conversation about Ardently by Caitlin Williams!

If you’ve ever wanted to revisit a favorite, or just talk about these books with someone who gets it, maybe you should consider volunteering, too!

Apply Here: https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/nerd

Episode Credits:

🎙️ Hosted by Emilie Davis and Guest Host Alexis Li

🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.

📚 See a list of books we've read at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!

➡️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

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🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.

📚 See a list of books we've read at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!

➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!