Anne Elliot and Christopher enjoyed a wonderful summer together, the perfect summer love. When Anne has to go away for her first year of boarding school, her new roommate convinces her to break up with Christopher and start a new life fresh. Anne sends Christopher a Dear John letter and doesn’t hear back from him. Three years later she’s never forgotten the boy she loved that summer and is shocked to learn he’s a new student at her school. It seems so easy to Anne, like things will pick back up right where they left off, but Christopher never forgot how Anne broke his heart.
Persuasion is one of my favorite books, I’ve always love the quiet and demure Anne Elliot. She doesn’t have the pizzazz and flash of Lizzy Bennet but she’s steadfast and faithful. She knows her family is ridiculous but she loves them and doesn’t say a negative thing about them. She made a mistake listening to others and not herself but she doesn’t reproach anyone else for it. Anne Bennet, this book’s heroine, is more lively and fun than Anne Elliot and she has a great group of friends. She may be a bit adrift in life, and cares too much what others think, but hey, she’s young, and she has some moments to shine in this book. Like Frederick Wentworth, Christopher did have his reason for resentment, but he was so stubborn about it! I wanted to reach into the book and give him a push.
This author created some really fun side characters in Ashley and Rachel, I hope they get their own stories. Their schemes reminded me of high school antics and friendships, and I found myself smiling through most of the book. The narration was well done and the performance perfect for the story told from Anne’s point of view. I requested a copy of the audiobook, and I’m voluntarily leaving a review. I would definitely recommend this book for fans of YA and second chance romances.