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Emmett
A modern-day gay YA Emma, with the spikey social critique of Austen plus the lush over-the-top romance of Bridgerton.
Emmett Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence and had lived nearly eighteen years in the world with very little to distress or vex him.
Emmett knows he’s blessed. And because of that, he tries to give back: from charity work to letting the often irritating Georgia sit at his table at lunch, he knows it’s important to be nice. And recently, he’s found a new way of giving matchmaking. He set up his best friend Taylor with her new boyfriend and it’s gone perfectly. So when his occasional friend-with-benefits Harrison starts saying he wants a boyfriend (something Emmett definitely does NOT want to be), he decides to try and find Harrison the perfect man at Highbury Academy, the candy-colored private school they attend just outside Los Angeles.
Emmett’s childhood friend, Miles, thinks finding a boyfriend for a guy you sleep with is a bad idea. But Miles is straight, and Emmett says this is gay life – your friends, your lovers, your boyfriends – they all come from the same very small pool. That’s why Emmett doesn’t date – to keep things clean. He knows the human brain isn’t done developing until twenty-five, so any relationship he enters into before then would inevitably end in a breakup, in loss. And he’s seen what loss can do. His mother died four years ago and his dad hasn’t been the same since.
But the lines Emmett tries to draw are more porous than he thinks, and as he tries to find Harrison the perfect match, he learns that gifted as he may be, maybe he has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to love.
Modern and very gay, with a charmingly conceited lead who is convinced he knows it all, and the occasional reference to the classic movie Clueless, Emmett brings you lush romance all while exploring the complexities of queer culture—where your lovers and friends are sometimes the same person, but the person you fall in love with might be a total surprise.
Emmett Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence and had lived nearly eighteen years in the world with very little to distress or vex him.
Emmett knows he’s blessed. And because of that, he tries to give back: from charity work to letting the often irritating Georgia sit at his table at lunch, he knows it’s important to be nice. And recently, he’s found a new way of giving matchmaking. He set up his best friend Taylor with her new boyfriend and it’s gone perfectly. So when his occasional friend-with-benefits Harrison starts saying he wants a boyfriend (something Emmett definitely does NOT want to be), he decides to try and find Harrison the perfect man at Highbury Academy, the candy-colored private school they attend just outside Los Angeles.
Emmett’s childhood friend, Miles, thinks finding a boyfriend for a guy you sleep with is a bad idea. But Miles is straight, and Emmett says this is gay life – your friends, your lovers, your boyfriends – they all come from the same very small pool. That’s why Emmett doesn’t date – to keep things clean. He knows the human brain isn’t done developing until twenty-five, so any relationship he enters into before then would inevitably end in a breakup, in loss. And he’s seen what loss can do. His mother died four years ago and his dad hasn’t been the same since.
But the lines Emmett tries to draw are more porous than he thinks, and as he tries to find Harrison the perfect match, he learns that gifted as he may be, maybe he has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to love.
Modern and very gay, with a charmingly conceited lead who is convinced he knows it all, and the occasional reference to the classic movie Clueless, Emmett brings you lush romance all while exploring the complexities of queer culture—where your lovers and friends are sometimes the same person, but the person you fall in love with might be a total surprise.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2023
About the author
Lev A.C. Rosen
14 books994 followersLEV AC ROSEN sometimes is sometimes known as L.C. ROSEN. He is the author of books for all ages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
November 2, 2023
Lev Rosen unabashedly shows up the publishing world by writing a retelling of one of the most famous books in the world and still managing to be more original than most books out there, all tea all shade.
August 20, 2023
I read and loved all of Lev AC Rosen’s books, from the YA contemporary Camp to his adult detective series Andy Mills and his YA Indiana Jones-like series Tennessee Russo. And, of course, I also love Emmett, based on Jane Austen’s Emma.
In Emmett, Lev is back where he began with Jack of Hearts and Camp. Like the other books, this story is messy, informative without being too educational, and witty. Even though Emmett is a terrible meddler, he also has a soft side. He’s sweet, caring, and charming. His anxious dad became hypochondriac after Emmett’s mom died of cancer and is terrified of losing Emmett too, and in a way, Emmett is the same. He doesn’t want a relationship because of the chance of breaking his heart and the pain that comes with it. He wraps it in the excuse that, according to his dead mom, his brains have only finished growing when he’s twenty-five.
So, this story is about grief and acknowledging the pain that comes with life. It’s about wanting security even though life is full of insecurities. It’s about taking the jump and seeing what happens. It’s about looking behind masks and facades and being willing to see more. It’s about growing all your life, even when your body and brain have stopped growing a long time ago. And in the end, it’s about believing and letting go and enjoying the moment.
Don’t expect this story to be sad and hard-hitting because it isn’t. A smile danced on my face so many times. Lev always manages to tell a funny, fairly light story with a serious undertone, and that’s a gift!
Even though I loved the story, there are a few things I liked a little less, and those things made me deduct a star, maybe even 1.5 stars.
I found the draws of Emmett’s blood weird. I understand Lev wanted to follow the original story (Emma by Jane Austen), but a dad who constantly draws his son's blood? I didn’t understand that part until suddenly, out of the blue, it came late in the story that Emmett’s dad has a nursing degree, and again I thought, huh?
Furthermore, I cringed when I read two scenes about staying sober because Miles and Emmett were the designated drivers after a party. Both times were a little blurry because the boys said they wouldn’t drink, then drank alcohol and said they would wait until they were sober enough to drive home … Sober enough? When do you know you’re sober enough? These moments just didn’t sit well with me, especially because everything was so nice in this story. It almost felt like Lev wanted to make Emmett a little less perfect, but for me, it was the wrong kind of less perfect.
The last thing is the ending. In my opinion, it was underdeveloped and a bit rushed. I wished there was a bit more time around the love declaration and a more satisfying epilogue.
I received an ARC from Little Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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In Emmett, Lev is back where he began with Jack of Hearts and Camp. Like the other books, this story is messy, informative without being too educational, and witty. Even though Emmett is a terrible meddler, he also has a soft side. He’s sweet, caring, and charming. His anxious dad became hypochondriac after Emmett’s mom died of cancer and is terrified of losing Emmett too, and in a way, Emmett is the same. He doesn’t want a relationship because of the chance of breaking his heart and the pain that comes with it. He wraps it in the excuse that, according to his dead mom, his brains have only finished growing when he’s twenty-five.
So, this story is about grief and acknowledging the pain that comes with life. It’s about wanting security even though life is full of insecurities. It’s about taking the jump and seeing what happens. It’s about looking behind masks and facades and being willing to see more. It’s about growing all your life, even when your body and brain have stopped growing a long time ago. And in the end, it’s about believing and letting go and enjoying the moment.
Don’t expect this story to be sad and hard-hitting because it isn’t. A smile danced on my face so many times. Lev always manages to tell a funny, fairly light story with a serious undertone, and that’s a gift!
Even though I loved the story, there are a few things I liked a little less, and those things made me deduct a star, maybe even 1.5 stars.
I found the draws of Emmett’s blood weird. I understand Lev wanted to follow the original story (Emma by Jane Austen), but a dad who constantly draws his son's blood? I didn’t understand that part until suddenly, out of the blue, it came late in the story that Emmett’s dad has a nursing degree, and again I thought, huh?
Furthermore, I cringed when I read two scenes about staying sober because Miles and Emmett were the designated drivers after a party. Both times were a little blurry because the boys said they wouldn’t drink, then drank alcohol and said they would wait until they were sober enough to drive home … Sober enough? When do you know you’re sober enough? These moments just didn’t sit well with me, especially because everything was so nice in this story. It almost felt like Lev wanted to make Emmett a little less perfect, but for me, it was the wrong kind of less perfect.
The last thing is the ending. In my opinion, it was underdeveloped and a bit rushed. I wished there was a bit more time around the love declaration and a more satisfying epilogue.
I received an ARC from Little Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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June 12, 2023
I requested this ARC because I (a) love Austen; (b) like Emma Woodhouse least of all Austen's protagonists; (c) wanted to know what a writer whose other YA books I've enjoyed would do with an overconfident teenage matchmaker.
The short answer is that Rosen changes the focus, and successfully.
Emma's mother has died before the book opens, but the loss happened early in Emma's childhood; she doesn't remember her mother well and she's no longer grieving. Emmet, on the other hand, lost his mother only a few years ago, remembers her well, and labors under a vast unacknowledged grief: he's "blessed," he says more than once, and of course he's fine. Absolutely fine! He just wants to control everything, especially and above all else his own emotions.
As for Rosen's Mr. Woodhouse, he's anxious and hypochondriacal like the original; but unlike the original, he slipped deeper into his anxieties because with his wife he lost a crucial support, & then deeper yet since her best friend has been gone for a year, serving with Doctors Without Borders. He focuses those anxieties on his son, taking regular blood samples and warning him about the Terrible Dangers of Sex.
Austen's characters appear in the guise of Emmet's friends and acquaintances, with changes appropriate to their ages and 21st-century US diversity, plus some new faces such as the f/f couple who live across the street and are parents to Emmet's friend Miles. The Elton character is a narcissistic social media influencer named Clarke, OTT and deliciously entertaining. They all have money and pricey cars, with the exception of the Harriet Smith stand-in, Harrison, whose car is (gasp) a mere Mini Cooper. (Clarke has a Jaguar, of course. Speaking of which, all these kids need to get off my lawn, because in the 1970s, when I was a working-class teenager in an upper-middle-class suburb, it was a big deal if someone's parents gave them a used car for their seventeenth birthday.)
I found some of the politics a little heavy-handed (do teenagers typically write essays about insidious colonialism in art? ETA: what do you know, a person in possession of a teenager tells me that they do! EXCELLENT NEWS) but on the other hand also interesting (before reading Emmet, I had not been aware of how a landscape might be framed so as to imply that it belonged to the artist's nation rather than to the people who lived there), so not unwelcome. A couple of YA-typical psychological homilies also struck me as a bit much -- though again, probably welcome for the right audience.
I rolled my eyes much harder at the characterization of Mr. Woodhouse's blood draws as "abuse"; not only does Emmet refuse them more than once in the book, but also it was hard to see them as more harmful than any other overanxious parental behavior. Emmet seems to find the needle sticks no more than annoying; if he had a phobia of needles I would feel differently, but as it is I landed firmly in "Oh, come on" territory. For my money, to call the blood draws abuse cheapens the word.
As often with YA books, I judge Emmet one way for myself, another way for teenage readers. So: 3 stars for me, 4 for a YA audience.
Thanks to Little, Brown and NetGalley for the ARC.
The short answer is that Rosen changes the focus, and successfully.
Emma's mother has died before the book opens, but the loss happened early in Emma's childhood; she doesn't remember her mother well and she's no longer grieving. Emmet, on the other hand, lost his mother only a few years ago, remembers her well, and labors under a vast unacknowledged grief: he's "blessed," he says more than once, and of course he's fine. Absolutely fine! He just wants to control everything, especially and above all else his own emotions.
As for Rosen's Mr. Woodhouse, he's anxious and hypochondriacal like the original; but unlike the original, he slipped deeper into his anxieties because with his wife he lost a crucial support, & then deeper yet since her best friend has been gone for a year, serving with Doctors Without Borders. He focuses those anxieties on his son, taking regular blood samples and warning him about the Terrible Dangers of Sex.
Austen's characters appear in the guise of Emmet's friends and acquaintances, with changes appropriate to their ages and 21st-century US diversity, plus some new faces such as the f/f couple who live across the street and are parents to Emmet's friend Miles. The Elton character is a narcissistic social media influencer named Clarke, OTT and deliciously entertaining. They all have money and pricey cars, with the exception of the Harriet Smith stand-in, Harrison, whose car is (gasp) a mere Mini Cooper. (Clarke has a Jaguar, of course. Speaking of which, all these kids need to get off my lawn, because in the 1970s, when I was a working-class teenager in an upper-middle-class suburb, it was a big deal if someone's parents gave them a used car for their seventeenth birthday.)
I found some of the politics a little heavy-handed (do teenagers typically write essays about insidious colonialism in art? ETA: what do you know, a person in possession of a teenager tells me that they do! EXCELLENT NEWS) but on the other hand also interesting (before reading Emmet, I had not been aware of how a landscape might be framed so as to imply that it belonged to the artist's nation rather than to the people who lived there), so not unwelcome. A couple of YA-typical psychological homilies also struck me as a bit much -- though again, probably welcome for the right audience.
I rolled my eyes much harder at the characterization of Mr. Woodhouse's blood draws as "abuse"; not only does Emmet refuse them more than once in the book, but also it was hard to see them as more harmful than any other overanxious parental behavior. Emmet seems to find the needle sticks no more than annoying; if he had a phobia of needles I would feel differently, but as it is I landed firmly in "Oh, come on" territory. For my money, to call the blood draws abuse cheapens the word.
As often with YA books, I judge Emmet one way for myself, another way for teenage readers. So: 3 stars for me, 4 for a YA audience.
Thanks to Little, Brown and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 1, 2023
It's been a good year for YA Austen retellings: Ghosted by Amanda Quain (Northhanger Abbey), Lola at Last by J.C. Peterson (Pride and Prejudice inspired), and now Emmett—which is, of course, an Emma retelling. Queer Emma! I'm here for it.
Emmett is blessed: he has the money, the looks, the grades, the friends. He tries to pay it forward by being nice—by volunteering and serving as his friends' sounding board and tutoring...or "tutoring". Ahem. (If some of this also benefits Emmett—increases his popularity, boosts his college applications, whatever—oh well! Nothing he can do about that.) Emmett doesn't want a boyfriend, not until he's 25 and his brain has stopped growing, but when his (*ahem*) tutoring client does want a boyfriend, well, Emmett is perfectly poised to do the nice thing and set him up with the perfect guy...whoever that might happen to be.
The book is appropriately tongue in cheek—think of Mr. Woodhouse and his obsession with eating thin gruel (itself a tongue-in-cheek characterisation—when Emma was written, gruel was purported to be healthy in any manner of situations, including when the eater had VD), and shift that to the 21st century and you get a man obsessed with green tea and cauliflower-crust pizza, and who tests his son's blood at every opportunity. Just in case. It's on point, though if anything I wanted Emmett to be a bit snarkier or a bit more...oblivious? Imagine him captioning his social media posts with #blessed, for example. He's more likeable for being a little more earnest and a little less over the top, but...I don't mind a little over-the-topness for Emma.
It may be time for me to go back and read the original, because it occurred to me at some point that I was thinking more of Clueless for context than of Emma. (I burn with shame.) In any case, nice to see another YA take that deviates from the more common retellings.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Emmett is blessed: he has the money, the looks, the grades, the friends. He tries to pay it forward by being nice—by volunteering and serving as his friends' sounding board and tutoring...or "tutoring". Ahem. (If some of this also benefits Emmett—increases his popularity, boosts his college applications, whatever—oh well! Nothing he can do about that.) Emmett doesn't want a boyfriend, not until he's 25 and his brain has stopped growing, but when his (*ahem*) tutoring client does want a boyfriend, well, Emmett is perfectly poised to do the nice thing and set him up with the perfect guy...whoever that might happen to be.
The book is appropriately tongue in cheek—think of Mr. Woodhouse and his obsession with eating thin gruel (itself a tongue-in-cheek characterisation—when Emma was written, gruel was purported to be healthy in any manner of situations, including when the eater had VD), and shift that to the 21st century and you get a man obsessed with green tea and cauliflower-crust pizza, and who tests his son's blood at every opportunity. Just in case. It's on point, though if anything I wanted Emmett to be a bit snarkier or a bit more...oblivious? Imagine him captioning his social media posts with #blessed, for example. He's more likeable for being a little more earnest and a little less over the top, but...I don't mind a little over-the-topness for Emma.
It may be time for me to go back and read the original, because it occurred to me at some point that I was thinking more of Clueless for context than of Emma. (I burn with shame.) In any case, nice to see another YA take that deviates from the more common retellings.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
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April 11, 2023omg i'm in love with this cover !!!
November 2, 2023
4 stars
Emma is my favourite Austen novel. Go ahead, judge me. According to The Internet this either makes me a horribly selfish control freak or a sheep. To that I say: baa-baa (ok, so I may be a control freak).
Emmett is an enjoyable, queer, modern, YA adaptation that does stick to the plot relatively faithfully.
Somewhat to the detriment of my personal enjoyment, I spent a lot of my reading time placing characters and plotlines from the original novel. I suspect that most readers won't suffer from this at all and will rather enjoy it as a fun story where a somewhat difficult protagonist learns some important lessons and falls in love.
And it's a nice journey. To me the main plot difference here is that Emmett lost his mother only 4 years before the start of this story, rather than as a small child. He struggles to face the possibility of falling in love and being hurt by a loss like that again and has convinced himself that he won't date until he's 25 when, per his mother, the brain stops growing and he won't have to withstand an eventual breakup. In the meantime though, he has a no strings hookup buddy, but when the poor guy catches feelings, Emmett decides it's his duty to find the man a boyfriend.
I enjoyed the premise overall though I found the references to the 25-year-old-brain business a bit tedious by the end. Likewise, though I did like the messages around queer community and family, environment and colonialism, to me it seemed pretty heavy-handed. That said, I did think the art commentary was actually very interesting and I'm also not really the target audience for this so perhaps the more explicit messaging is actually well suited to the genre.
I do wish the MCs had spent more time together, even just as friends. It follows the expected format, the romance is of course important, but really the story is about Emmett's growth and in that I found it quite successful!
I kindly received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own.
Emma is my favourite Austen novel. Go ahead, judge me. According to The Internet this either makes me a horribly selfish control freak or a sheep. To that I say: baa-baa (ok, so I may be a control freak).
Emmett is an enjoyable, queer, modern, YA adaptation that does stick to the plot relatively faithfully.
Somewhat to the detriment of my personal enjoyment, I spent a lot of my reading time placing characters and plotlines from the original novel. I suspect that most readers won't suffer from this at all and will rather enjoy it as a fun story where a somewhat difficult protagonist learns some important lessons and falls in love.
And it's a nice journey. To me the main plot difference here is that Emmett lost his mother only 4 years before the start of this story, rather than as a small child. He struggles to face the possibility of falling in love and being hurt by a loss like that again and has convinced himself that he won't date until he's 25 when, per his mother, the brain stops growing and he won't have to withstand an eventual breakup. In the meantime though, he has a no strings hookup buddy, but when the poor guy catches feelings, Emmett decides it's his duty to find the man a boyfriend.
I enjoyed the premise overall though I found the references to the 25-year-old-brain business a bit tedious by the end. Likewise, though I did like the messages around queer community and family, environment and colonialism, to me it seemed pretty heavy-handed. That said, I did think the art commentary was actually very interesting and I'm also not really the target audience for this so perhaps the more explicit messaging is actually well suited to the genre.
I do wish the MCs had spent more time together, even just as friends. It follows the expected format, the romance is of course important, but really the story is about Emmett's growth and in that I found it quite successful!
I kindly received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own.
July 24, 2024
4.5 stars. Delightfully witty, charming in its retelling of the classic Austen story, and starring the kind of annoying, Type-A, "unlikable" queer protagonist I unabashedly love, Emmett is an example of why I continue coming back to queer YA contemporary even as an adult.
November 5, 2023
As much as it wasn’t quite for me, I can see how Emmett would be a fine, cutesy read for young adult romantics getting their first taste of Austen-esque stories.
My full review of Emmett is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of Emmett is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
May 6, 2023
Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing this ARC!
Emmett is an exceedingly charming queer YA take on Jane Austen’s classic Emma starring a California high school senior who is committed to perfection in all areas of life—and to remaining unattached until age twenty-five. Although the story follows the contours of the original novel (Emmett tries to play matchmaker and finds himself out of his depth), the novel explores problems of grief, mental health, and queer communities and relationships in a way that both honors the source material and more than proves itself as a contemporary retelling. Our main control freak was so endearing, even when he was being kind of narcissistic, and the demographic-appropriate life lessons were balanced with humor and heart. The ending did seem to move more quickly than the rest of the story, but overall the book (and the romance!) was a true delight. Some of the best of what YA can be: honest, genuinely profound, quite funny, and deeply satisfying.
Emmett is an exceedingly charming queer YA take on Jane Austen’s classic Emma starring a California high school senior who is committed to perfection in all areas of life—and to remaining unattached until age twenty-five. Although the story follows the contours of the original novel (Emmett tries to play matchmaker and finds himself out of his depth), the novel explores problems of grief, mental health, and queer communities and relationships in a way that both honors the source material and more than proves itself as a contemporary retelling. Our main control freak was so endearing, even when he was being kind of narcissistic, and the demographic-appropriate life lessons were balanced with humor and heart. The ending did seem to move more quickly than the rest of the story, but overall the book (and the romance!) was a true delight. Some of the best of what YA can be: honest, genuinely profound, quite funny, and deeply satisfying.
December 27, 2023
Loved, loved, loved this contemporary, queer, teen retelling of Jane Austen's Emma. A great story all on its own, and the Austen themes absolutely work.
September 29, 2023
So so so good ❤️
November 14, 2023
I've read four other books by this author before, but I have to admit this one has been my least favourite. It just didn't feel quite as fleshed out as the others. I didn't feel like I really got to know the main character very well, the plot didn't actually manage to pull me in very well, and a lot of issues in the book (like the dad's medical anxiety) felt kind of glossed over towards the end where I felt they deserved a little more attention. I've previously loved L.C. Rosen's books for their nuance and their depth, and I was kind of missing those here.
October 22, 2023
A Jane Austen Emma retelling but make it gay and Instagram post worthy. Emmett has issues. He thinks he’s a good matchmaker, so a match he will (try to) make in this story. His brain won’t stop developing until he’s 25 so having a steady boyfriend isn’t in the cards for him. As If! Gay relationships, mental health and grief are some themes in this book that made this a must read for me. Thanks to L. C. Rosen, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 16, 2024
(2.25 stars)
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book.
This was an enjoyable read and the premise was great unfortunately this really fell flat for me. The whole story stayed very surface level and the most interesting aspects were not explored deeply enough. There were so many opportunities to delve into conversations on sexuality, trauma, grief and hypochondria but we never got that secondary level of depth.
The story is cute and I really enjoyed the cast of characters. There was room for more development of the secondary characters especially Harrison however. I feel like we were told he was great but we never got to see him be great in his own right.
The potential was really there to make this book an epic it just didn’t reach far enough.
Lastly, my biggest issue which felt glaring while I was reading was the repetitive writing style. Every chapter started the exact same way. Sometimes even with the same words. A lot of “On Monday, by Saturday. On Sunday, the week went” and this also happened on a number of occasions within chapters too with some paragraphs feeling very repetitive, not moving the story along and just telling us information we already knew. It felt like reading an essay I would have submitted in school. Editing really could have helped with this and elevated the writing.
This is for many people, it just wasn’t for me unfortunately.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book.
This was an enjoyable read and the premise was great unfortunately this really fell flat for me. The whole story stayed very surface level and the most interesting aspects were not explored deeply enough. There were so many opportunities to delve into conversations on sexuality, trauma, grief and hypochondria but we never got that secondary level of depth.
The story is cute and I really enjoyed the cast of characters. There was room for more development of the secondary characters especially Harrison however. I feel like we were told he was great but we never got to see him be great in his own right.
The potential was really there to make this book an epic it just didn’t reach far enough.
Lastly, my biggest issue which felt glaring while I was reading was the repetitive writing style. Every chapter started the exact same way. Sometimes even with the same words. A lot of “On Monday, by Saturday. On Sunday, the week went” and this also happened on a number of occasions within chapters too with some paragraphs feeling very repetitive, not moving the story along and just telling us information we already knew. It felt like reading an essay I would have submitted in school. Editing really could have helped with this and elevated the writing.
This is for many people, it just wasn’t for me unfortunately.
August 15, 2023
This is a modernized, queer retelling of Jane Austen’s “Emma”. And I have not read “Emma” and I think that is important to know. I may not have caught all of the references. But I have seen a couple movies so I knew some going in.
This was so damn cute. Not gonna lie, Emmett’s narrative voice annoyed me at the beginning but once I got used to it and to him, I didn’t mind.
I am curious if Austen made this story naturally campy or I’d that is the intention of Rosen in writing this it over-campify the story in the best way. This is not a substantial or pensive book but it is fun and refreshing and is perfect for me right now in my reading life.
Rosen gives me another winner! (Although I still love “Camp” more).
This was so damn cute. Not gonna lie, Emmett’s narrative voice annoyed me at the beginning but once I got used to it and to him, I didn’t mind.
I am curious if Austen made this story naturally campy or I’d that is the intention of Rosen in writing this it over-campify the story in the best way. This is not a substantial or pensive book but it is fun and refreshing and is perfect for me right now in my reading life.
Rosen gives me another winner! (Although I still love “Camp” more).
May 9, 2024
"Emmett Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one eighteen years in the world with very little to distress or vex him.": a quote taken directly (and tweaked slightly) from Emma.
Emmett does his best to be nice to everyone, despite his internal thoughts, sometimes. After successfully setting up his best friend Taylor (Mrs. Weston (formerly Miss Taylor)) with her boyfriend West (lol Mr. Weston), he thinks he has exceptional skills as a matchmaker despite his own desires to not date until he is twenty-five.
When his friend-with-benefits Harrison (Harriet Smith) mentions wanting a boyfriend (directly after a hookup...), Emmett decides to make him his new project. Shenanigans ensue.
I honestly don't think I can be objective in this review. I love Emma too much. When I saw this queer modern-day retelling, I KNEW I had to read it. I love Emma. Its such a good book. This book was exceptional and super queer. But is that just because I love Emma so much or is the book actually good? I honestly don't know. If you're a Jane Austen fan you will love this book (unless you're a heathen who doesn't enjoy Emma). It's just so fun.
I actually really loved Miles (Mr. Knightley) though found it odd that his name was Miles and there was literally a character named Knight. I found Georgia exactly as exhausting as Emma finds Miss Bates and find Emmett and Georgia's conflict just as distressing. I've always had a soft spot for Miss Bates.
Jane Austen fans should absolutely read this. I need more super queer Austen retellings please, Lev A.C. Rosen!!!
Emmett does his best to be nice to everyone, despite his internal thoughts, sometimes. After successfully setting up his best friend Taylor (Mrs. Weston (formerly Miss Taylor)) with her boyfriend West (lol Mr. Weston), he thinks he has exceptional skills as a matchmaker despite his own desires to not date until he is twenty-five.
When his friend-with-benefits Harrison (Harriet Smith) mentions wanting a boyfriend (directly after a hookup...), Emmett decides to make him his new project. Shenanigans ensue.
I honestly don't think I can be objective in this review. I love Emma too much. When I saw this queer modern-day retelling, I KNEW I had to read it. I love Emma. Its such a good book. This book was exceptional and super queer. But is that just because I love Emma so much or is the book actually good? I honestly don't know. If you're a Jane Austen fan you will love this book (unless you're a heathen who doesn't enjoy Emma). It's just so fun.
I actually really loved Miles (Mr. Knightley) though found it odd that his name was Miles and there was literally a character named Knight. I found Georgia exactly as exhausting as Emma finds Miss Bates and find Emmett and Georgia's conflict just as distressing. I've always had a soft spot for Miss Bates.
Jane Austen fans should absolutely read this. I need more super queer Austen retellings please, Lev A.C. Rosen!!!
November 15, 2023
Emmett is a refreshing, queer YA retelling of Jane Austen's Emma that stays true to its classic roots while adding a modern twist.
I am a huge Jane Austen fan and will read any modern retelling I can possibly find. Although Emma isn't my favourite Austen novel, I adored reading a queer YA retelling of it. I loved that Emmett featured a lot of parallels between this adaptation and the classic. It made it an engaging tale of a challenging protagonist navigating life, love, and personal growth while circumventing societal expectations of what is 'perfect'. It also stayed true to its original premise with Emmett's involvement in his friend's love life, under the guise of avoiding his own romantic entanglements. Similar to the Austen version, it added a humorous and endearing element to the story.
In saying that, one notable deviation in this adaptation is the recent loss of Emmett's mother, which significantly impacts his outlook on love and relationships. Emmett's decision to avoid serious dating until he's 25, based on a belief that his brain will be fully developed and better equipped to handle heartbreak, is a unique spin. While this particular narrative point became somewhat repetitive, it adds a layer of complexity to Emmett's character.
My one wish was for more interactions between the main characters, not just in a romantic context but also as friends. The story focuses heavily on Emmett's personal journey, and in that regard, it succeeds brilliantly. While the romance is essential, the true essence of the novel is Emmett's evolution, which is beautifully and thoughtfully executed.
All in all, I really enjoyed Emmett and would definitely read it for Austen enthusiasts or lovers of queer YA.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Allen & Unwin for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge Jane Austen fan and will read any modern retelling I can possibly find. Although Emma isn't my favourite Austen novel, I adored reading a queer YA retelling of it. I loved that Emmett featured a lot of parallels between this adaptation and the classic. It made it an engaging tale of a challenging protagonist navigating life, love, and personal growth while circumventing societal expectations of what is 'perfect'. It also stayed true to its original premise with Emmett's involvement in his friend's love life, under the guise of avoiding his own romantic entanglements. Similar to the Austen version, it added a humorous and endearing element to the story.
In saying that, one notable deviation in this adaptation is the recent loss of Emmett's mother, which significantly impacts his outlook on love and relationships. Emmett's decision to avoid serious dating until he's 25, based on a belief that his brain will be fully developed and better equipped to handle heartbreak, is a unique spin. While this particular narrative point became somewhat repetitive, it adds a layer of complexity to Emmett's character.
My one wish was for more interactions between the main characters, not just in a romantic context but also as friends. The story focuses heavily on Emmett's personal journey, and in that regard, it succeeds brilliantly. While the romance is essential, the true essence of the novel is Emmett's evolution, which is beautifully and thoughtfully executed.
All in all, I really enjoyed Emmett and would definitely read it for Austen enthusiasts or lovers of queer YA.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Allen & Unwin for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2024
★ ★ ★ — Three Stars!
I often think three star books are the hardest to review. What do I say for a three star book? I didn’t love it but I also didn’t hate it. I liked it. It was fine. I enjoyed it in the moment but it will be lost to my ever fading memory before we make it to a new season. (P.S. anyone else ready for summer that lives in the Northern Hemisphere?) (P.S.S. For the people who live in the Southern Hemisphere and are enjoying summer right now… I am Jealous!)
Emmett, our make character was a decent narrator. I do wished to have seen more character growth from him. The other characters were also… fine(?) see I don’t know what to say? What do you say about a fine book. An average book? Where you have no love yet no hate? It was fine and that is all.
It was fine and that is all.
It was fine and that is all…
It was fine and that is all…….
I often think three star books are the hardest to review. What do I say for a three star book? I didn’t love it but I also didn’t hate it. I liked it. It was fine. I enjoyed it in the moment but it will be lost to my ever fading memory before we make it to a new season. (P.S. anyone else ready for summer that lives in the Northern Hemisphere?) (P.S.S. For the people who live in the Southern Hemisphere and are enjoying summer right now… I am Jealous!)
Emmett, our make character was a decent narrator. I do wished to have seen more character growth from him. The other characters were also… fine(?) see I don’t know what to say? What do you say about a fine book. An average book? Where you have no love yet no hate? It was fine and that is all.
It was fine and that is all.
It was fine and that is all…
It was fine and that is all…….
December 5, 2023
A really fun, well-written queer YA retelling of Jane Austen's Emma featuring a diverse cast of characters and a loveable gay lead who is not interested in a serious relationship but wants his friends to find love in whatever form makes them happy. Great on audio, this had great Jewish rep and did such a good job illustrating the way the lines between friends and lovers can blurr and blend in queer friend groups. Perfect for fans of the movie Clueless or the original iteration. I almost gave this one a pass but I'm so glad I picked it up!!
TW: death of a parent from cancer
TW: death of a parent from cancer
November 14, 2023
3.5 stars. I confess that I never read Jane Austen's Emma, but I have seen the movie Clueless approximately 387 times, so my basis for comparison of this queer YA adaptation is a bunch of rich, entitled California 90's teens. ("As If!") Actually, there's not much difference in settings between the movie and Emmett, except the book is a lot more queer, and the titular character's mom has died more recently.
Handsome, rich, popular nice guy Emmett has declared that he will not date until age 25, because his brain won't be fully developed until then. That doesn't mean he can't have sex, of course. When his current f*ck buddy, Harrison, tells Emmett he wants a boyfriend, Emmett has the brilliant idea of finding the perfect partner for him. If you've seen the movie (or read the book), you know that things go a bit haywire from here. Rosen has a lot of fun with his adaptation. The Elton equivalent is a perfect himbo who's all about social media followers, Tai/Harriet (RIP Brittany Murphy) is sweet but nerdy, and Murray & Dionne's male/transfeminine counterparts (who aren't really in Austin's novel) are annoyingly affectionate.
The book effectively explores how Emmett's unresolved grief over his mother's death has resulted in his insistence on making everyone around him happy (even if his meddling is disastrous) while avoiding the pain that he would likely experience if he had a boyfriend. It's also a celebration of queer relationships, and the freedom of not having to conform to heteronormative standards. Unfortunately, Emmett's relationship with the guy he won't admit to liking (Josh/George Knightley) is antagonistic for so long that the mutual confession of feelings in the last ten pages of the book doesn't feel genuine. (Maybe if Emmett's crush looked more like Paul Rudd...).
Tl,dr: Emmett is a well-written, clever adaptation of a classic, got me in the feelz for everything but the romance plot, would definitely read more by Lev A.C. Rosen.
Handsome, rich, popular nice guy Emmett has declared that he will not date until age 25, because his brain won't be fully developed until then. That doesn't mean he can't have sex, of course. When his current f*ck buddy, Harrison, tells Emmett he wants a boyfriend, Emmett has the brilliant idea of finding the perfect partner for him. If you've seen the movie (or read the book), you know that things go a bit haywire from here. Rosen has a lot of fun with his adaptation. The Elton equivalent is a perfect himbo who's all about social media followers, Tai/Harriet (RIP Brittany Murphy) is sweet but nerdy, and Murray & Dionne's male/transfeminine counterparts (who aren't really in Austin's novel) are annoyingly affectionate.
The book effectively explores how Emmett's unresolved grief over his mother's death has resulted in his insistence on making everyone around him happy (even if his meddling is disastrous) while avoiding the pain that he would likely experience if he had a boyfriend. It's also a celebration of queer relationships, and the freedom of not having to conform to heteronormative standards. Unfortunately, Emmett's relationship with the guy he won't admit to liking (Josh/George Knightley) is antagonistic for so long that the mutual confession of feelings in the last ten pages of the book doesn't feel genuine. (Maybe if Emmett's crush looked more like Paul Rudd...).
Tl,dr: Emmett is a well-written, clever adaptation of a classic, got me in the feelz for everything but the romance plot, would definitely read more by Lev A.C. Rosen.
January 7, 2024
Emmett's cover was the first thing that drew me to this book. Are we surprised? Look at it!!
I thought it was very cute and found myself enjoying the nods to the original story in this retelling while also making it its own thing. Emmett is determined to keep a happy face, whether it is his own or in the people he cares about. He wants everyone to be happy and in love and is very much of the "if I can't have it then I'll make sure they do!!" mentality. His friends are supportive as hell but Miles is the one keeping a watchful eye out. When Emmett sets his eyes on a match for his friend Harrison most of the friends are on board but Miles is a bit more skeptical. After being former best friends, Emmett thinks he should understand him more but after the distance thrown between them, he's not too sure what to expect anymore.
Emmett has a lot to unpack in his personal life and he uses extracurriculars and studying to distract himself from the loneliness and pain he feels after losing his mom. When he's faced with more honesty than he's ready for it has him second-guessing a lot about who he is and what he's trying to accomplish.
Truly did enjoy this but I wanted a little more meat to the story. Emma is such a great read and there's so much to pull into this and I just wish we had it. I did like Emmett and his friends a lot. I wish we could've unpacked him and Miles for a little while longer... maybe that's what I needed? We spent more time navigating Harrison's love life and right when we got to Emmett's own.... ALL DONE!
I thought it was very cute and found myself enjoying the nods to the original story in this retelling while also making it its own thing. Emmett is determined to keep a happy face, whether it is his own or in the people he cares about. He wants everyone to be happy and in love and is very much of the "if I can't have it then I'll make sure they do!!" mentality. His friends are supportive as hell but Miles is the one keeping a watchful eye out. When Emmett sets his eyes on a match for his friend Harrison most of the friends are on board but Miles is a bit more skeptical. After being former best friends, Emmett thinks he should understand him more but after the distance thrown between them, he's not too sure what to expect anymore.
Emmett has a lot to unpack in his personal life and he uses extracurriculars and studying to distract himself from the loneliness and pain he feels after losing his mom. When he's faced with more honesty than he's ready for it has him second-guessing a lot about who he is and what he's trying to accomplish.
Truly did enjoy this but I wanted a little more meat to the story. Emma is such a great read and there's so much to pull into this and I just wish we had it. I did like Emmett and his friends a lot. I wish we could've unpacked him and Miles for a little while longer... maybe that's what I needed? We spent more time navigating Harrison's love life and right when we got to Emmett's own.... ALL DONE!
September 11, 2023
The casual Jewish and queer(THERES A DEMISEXUAL CHARACTER!) rep in this was so amazing but I have a few bones to pick with it
There’s a lot of miscommunication
There’s one super jarring thing the dad does
Why’s this so short 250 pages??
I just don’t think the center of the cover matches the book. I like all the background drawings around the portrait frame just have that!!
There’s a lot of miscommunication
There’s one super jarring thing the dad does
Why’s this so short 250 pages??
I just don’t think the center of the cover matches the book. I like all the background drawings around the portrait frame just have that!!
January 13, 2024
God, I love this author. Emmett was so much fun, especially for an Austen lover and a 90s girl 👌🏾
November 29, 2023
I have to say that Rosen is quite the versatile writer, writing both YA and adult books, historical fiction, mysteries, and now Austen retellings. If you loved the movie Clueless, then this is the book for you. The voice is so similar in both, and I enjoyed both.
January 26, 2024
this was a fever dream and not the good kind
also i called it from the first time you met miles thank you very much
also i called it from the first time you met miles thank you very much
July 19, 2023
Emma by Jane Austen is a favorite of mine. Hearing the description "a modern-day gay YA Emma, with the spikey social critique of Austen plus the lush over-the-top romance of Brigerton," I was completely sold. Then I started to read it...
I tried. I really did try. I was on a plane and tried to push through, and I made it to like 21% when I finally closed my Kindle. I could not stand Emmett Woodhouse. I always give characters the benefit of the doubt when I first meet them. I don't mind being in the head of an unlikable character for a book. But Emmett is in a category all his own. It wasn't even like a Cher Horowitz "Oh, the world is all about me" type of thinking. He was just not a good person. I realize *most* characters have to have their arc be bad to be better, but I couldn't even find any way to like him enough to root for him. The part that officially made me stop reading was when he started to fantasize about being 18, so it would be okay to hook up with someone older because he knew they wanted him, and age was what was stopping them. It just gave me an ick factor.
The writing was well done. I could see the Emma influence in the story. But up to where I read, I did not feel any Bridgerton romance, but I might not have gotten there yet. I wish I could have liked Emmett more or at all. I think this will have a place for people. I'm sad I didn't connect with it because it is my type of book.
Thanks, Netgalley and LBBYR, for the arc!
I tried. I really did try. I was on a plane and tried to push through, and I made it to like 21% when I finally closed my Kindle. I could not stand Emmett Woodhouse. I always give characters the benefit of the doubt when I first meet them. I don't mind being in the head of an unlikable character for a book. But Emmett is in a category all his own. It wasn't even like a Cher Horowitz "Oh, the world is all about me" type of thinking. He was just not a good person. I realize *most* characters have to have their arc be bad to be better, but I couldn't even find any way to like him enough to root for him. The part that officially made me stop reading was when he started to fantasize about being 18, so it would be okay to hook up with someone older because he knew they wanted him, and age was what was stopping them. It just gave me an ick factor.
The writing was well done. I could see the Emma influence in the story. But up to where I read, I did not feel any Bridgerton romance, but I might not have gotten there yet. I wish I could have liked Emmett more or at all. I think this will have a place for people. I'm sad I didn't connect with it because it is my type of book.
Thanks, Netgalley and LBBYR, for the arc!
December 25, 2023
I love Lev A.C. Rosen and will promptly pick up anything that comes out by them. EMMETT was one I was admittedly wary of and while it was definitely not my favourite of the books I've read by Rosen, it was still a cute and light-ish read.
One of the things I always applaud Rosen for is the sex positivity in his books without making it gross or inappropriate. Teens have sex, it's just a fact. I especially appreciate it being queer sex because queer teens should be able to see their experiences reflected in books geared towards them. I will say there a couple of uncomfortable situations in this one--like the hitting on the high school kid until you realize he's younger than 18--that was a little much, tbh.
I thought the love interest and side characters were great and misunderstood. I loved how obvious it was that there was a spark there between the MC and the love interest, but the MC was too involved in his own personal journey to see the signs.
There were definitely moments where I giggled because it was so over the top (intentionally), and other times where the deeper undertones of the story came through in the most heartbreaking ways. The relationship between the MC and his dad, while at times depressing and flirting with low-level toxicity, was interesting because Rosen did a really good job of showing us glimpses of the MC adopting his dad's mentality (and not in the best way possible).
I think this book, while not perfect, deals with some pretty heavy topics but is dressed as a cutesie romcom between two old frenemies and a group of friends. Let's not even get into how the MC's trauma and grief has created a set of rules for him that makes him think that picking the right guy for his hookup is his job.
I will definitely be reading the next Rosen title, but this one lived up a little bit to my initial wariness.
Happy reading!
One of the things I always applaud Rosen for is the sex positivity in his books without making it gross or inappropriate. Teens have sex, it's just a fact. I especially appreciate it being queer sex because queer teens should be able to see their experiences reflected in books geared towards them. I will say there a couple of uncomfortable situations in this one--like the hitting on the high school kid until you realize he's younger than 18--that was a little much, tbh.
I thought the love interest and side characters were great and misunderstood. I loved how obvious it was that there was a spark there between the MC and the love interest, but the MC was too involved in his own personal journey to see the signs.
There were definitely moments where I giggled because it was so over the top (intentionally), and other times where the deeper undertones of the story came through in the most heartbreaking ways. The relationship between the MC and his dad, while at times depressing and flirting with low-level toxicity, was interesting because Rosen did a really good job of showing us glimpses of the MC adopting his dad's mentality (and not in the best way possible).
I think this book, while not perfect, deals with some pretty heavy topics but is dressed as a cutesie romcom between two old frenemies and a group of friends. Let's not even get into how the MC's trauma and grief has created a set of rules for him that makes him think that picking the right guy for his hookup is his job.
I will definitely be reading the next Rosen title, but this one lived up a little bit to my initial wariness.
Happy reading!
October 17, 2023
Thank you to Little Brown Books for the ARC of Emmett via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Eighteen year old Emmett Woodhouse has it all figured out. He intends to avoid the pitfalls of relationship turmoil but staying free of entanglements until he’s older, citing the fact that men’s brains don’t even finish developing until mid-20s as an excuse to press pause on romance. Instead, he occupies himself with stringless dalliances and playing matchmaker to his circle of friends. As his matchmaking prowess seems to fall short, he’s left to question whether his whole way of living is wrong. By avoiding heartbreak, is he also avoiding love?
This modern day Emma is a delightful, breezy read. Charming and clever, it effortlessly combines the timeless story of Jane Austen with a queer and modern twist. I loved the exploration of grief and loss and complex familial relationships. Emmett and Miles made perfect sparring partners and I closed this book wanting more of them. Jane Austen’s love stories are nothing if not demonstrations of wit and banter, and L.C. Rosen rises to the occasion here to give us characters that are smart, funny and challenge each other. Highly recommend!
Eighteen year old Emmett Woodhouse has it all figured out. He intends to avoid the pitfalls of relationship turmoil but staying free of entanglements until he’s older, citing the fact that men’s brains don’t even finish developing until mid-20s as an excuse to press pause on romance. Instead, he occupies himself with stringless dalliances and playing matchmaker to his circle of friends. As his matchmaking prowess seems to fall short, he’s left to question whether his whole way of living is wrong. By avoiding heartbreak, is he also avoiding love?
This modern day Emma is a delightful, breezy read. Charming and clever, it effortlessly combines the timeless story of Jane Austen with a queer and modern twist. I loved the exploration of grief and loss and complex familial relationships. Emmett and Miles made perfect sparring partners and I closed this book wanting more of them. Jane Austen’s love stories are nothing if not demonstrations of wit and banter, and L.C. Rosen rises to the occasion here to give us characters that are smart, funny and challenge each other. Highly recommend!
October 19, 2023
This was a cute, quick and engaging read. Great for when reading is feeling challenging and you're having trouble getting hooked by anything or want something lighthearted. I'll be honest, I've never actually read Emma. I have, however, seen Clueless about 20 times, and felt this was just the right level of inventive/ familiar. The characters are very likeable and I appreciated that although it's written for a YA audience, Emmett is allowed to be self-deluded and very much in denial without spelling that out for readers. His perfectionism and his mistakes felt just right. If you're looking for a hefty helping of feels or a lot of romance, this isn't it, as the romance doesn't fully come to light until quite close to the end. But it is sweet and as a reader I was definitely rooting for the MCs to get together, though I didn't quite feel they had as much chemistry leading up to the big reveal as I'd hoped. Anyway, I enjoyed this very much and also loved the bigger role the MCs' families had in this version, especially Emmett's dad. And, as always, yay for characters going to therapy. Absolutely recommend this one if you're looking for something charming and fun.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
*ARC provided by NetGalley
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