Sonali Dev’s Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors just became my favorite modern twist on Pride and Prejudice yet. I’ve been an Austen nerd since high school, and this twist did not disappoint!

Trisha is a genius neurosurgeon with a wealthy family. DJ is an English immigrant of multiracial descent, barely scraping by with his career as a private chef, and whose only living family member, a beloved baby sister, has just been given a terminal brain tumor diagnosis. As Trisha and DJ are thrown in each other’s path again and again, they struggle in the classic Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy ways. Add in a former friend, last name of Wickham, who not only reminds Trisha of the worst betrayal of her life, but is also setting DJ and his sister up for hurt as well. With a cast of well-developed characters, luscious descriptions of food, and a plot that’s an homage to Pride and Prejudice, this novel is one that is hard to put down for all the right reasons.

Though Trisha’s expansive family is all incredibly well developed and I adore the mini-backstories we get with each new character, I struggled to remember who was related to whom and how. I definitely need some family tree artwork, as this is book one of a series (!) and I can’t wait to spend more time with these characters in their own Austen-esque retellings.

The food descriptions are honestly too good. I had to fight not to snack while reading, because just imagining DJ’s culinary creations set my stomach rumbling. Thank goodness there are recipes at the end of the book!

This is one of those books that is highly re-readable. The characters are intricately designed, the setting easily imagined, and they’re just the kind of characters you want to spend loads of time with. I can’t wait to read the next two books and discover what other wonderful literary Easter eggs await!

This is a highly enjoyable read, a lighthearted romp with depth to keep you engaged. And it was released in 2019, so it should be widely available in libraries. Happy reading!