Witty in Pink
Both Blythe Rowley and Briggs Goswick need money to save their families from ruin, but despite their mutual attraction, a match between them is impossible, since each needs a wealthy spouse (or, in Blythe’s case, investors in her honey-bee business). They agree to help each other: Briggs will try to convince wealthy acquaintances to invest with Blythe, and Blythe will help Briggs woo an heiress.
The main lines of the plot as well as the 1812 English countryside setting echo Jane Austen. The story is driven by misunderstandings, overheard conversations, and important information left unspoken, making the path to the satisfying conclusion a familiar bumpy one. In a departure from Austen, though, here we have the man’s point of view along with the woman’s, as the tale is narrated in chapters roughly alternating between Blythe and Briggs. Add to this some steamy make-out scenes, a gay best friend, and a secondary character who appears to be on the autism spectrum, and George’s novel is her own, not an Austen pastiche.
There are anachronisms in word choice (“that’s a deal breaker,” “partying,” “your best self”) and in the portrayal of life—George’s women are freer to be alone with unrelated men, and to engage openly in business than Austen’s. This shouldn’t bother readers, who will be caught up in the fun of the story and the lively interactions between Blythe and Briggs. Young adult.
