Off Script

by Kate Watson

Emma gets a Hollywood-tinged, feminist update in this funny and fierce retelling of Austen's classic about a well-intentioned but tragically misguided matchmaker. The summer after her first year of college, teen starlet Emma Crawford returns home to Manhattan to prepare for the role of a lifetime--and play career matchmaker to her friends. When Emma's search for an assistant leads her to the wide-eyed Brittany Smith, Emma sees the big screen in the girl's future. And because Emma knows best, she's sure that steering Brittany onto the right path is all she needs to do to make her a star--even if Brittany doesn't know it yet. Emma's plans start to unravel, however, when professional soccer player Liam Price re-enters her life. Not only is Liam her former best friend's older brother, but he's gorgeous, smart, and has no problem pointing out the (totally exaggerated) flaws in Emma's plans. But as Emma comes in close contact with the darker side of Hollywood, she starts to question the glamorous world she's always known and realizes her role in it needs to change--if she can find the courage to go off script.

• ISBN13: 9781635830484
• Publish Date: 21 January 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Flux
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 344
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

In the third installment of the Seeking Mansfield series, Watson gave us her spirit on Emma by Jane Austen. This Emma was still a matchmaker, but instead of love matches, she was making career matches.

One of the things I always do, when I read a retelling, is to get a refresher on the source material. I am always curious to compare the old and the new, and I was really surprised by how much of the original Emma existed in this very NOW, very timely take on the original story. She also did a fantastic job capturing the spirt of Emma. That to me is sign of brilliance, and I must acknowledge how well the author accomplished this task.

This Emma was a successful actress, preparing for an upcoming blockbuster film, and therefore, a bulk of the book focuses on being a women in entertainment industry. Here, we saw the dark side of the entertainment industry - exploitation, lack of privacy, gossip, backstabbing, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. The MeToo movement rocked Hollywood, and therefore, definitely earned its part in this story. It's a timely topic, which deserves attention, and I liked all the different ways Watson tackled it.

I also adored all the people, who were part of Emma's life. The importance of friendship and found-family was strong throughout this book, and Watson gifted Emma with an amazing bunch of people to help her navigate this unpredictable world. I especially adored Weston. That man oozed love and support through his pores, and I could totally imagine him as the next Ellen.

Another character, who deserves a big mention, is Liam. Liam was a fantastic love interest for Emma. He was so sweet, kind, and swoony, but he also challenged her, a LOT. They had great chemistry, and their shared love of Finely was just another thing to strengthen their connection. I liked that he was often a voice of reason, but also there to remind Emma of who she was, when she sometimes lost sight of that.

I was beyond delighted that Watson reunited all three Seeking Mansfield couples for the final chapter of this book. She not only brought them physically together, but she also reminded us of how much each of these young women had overcome and accomplished. If this is her final retelling set in this world, it was a find send off, which, by the way, left me shedding a few tears.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS